Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-10-19
GREAT CORN EXPERT NOW IN
WEST AND MAY DECIDE TO
REMAIN THERE.
HAS EXTENSIVE FARM LANDS
IN STATE OF IDAHO
Holden Not at Present Under Salary
at State collese-county Treasurers
Must Hustle to Find Banks Which
Will Pay Per Cent on County
Funds-Frost Damages Apple Crop.

Special to Times-Republican.
Des ,Moines, Oct. 1s.-Will Iowa lose
Prof. P. G. Holden, the great corn OK
pert, who has been at the head of the
extension department of Iowa State
College of Agriculture at Ames for
several years? Holden is considered he
Of the foremost corn men in the United
States. He started many years ago
as country school teacher up in
Michigan and has been studying corn
ever since. For many years he held
a position as professor in the state
agricultural college of Illinois and then
was employed by Funk Bros, who own
extensive farm lands. From there he
came to Iowa.
Professor Holden is now in Idaho.
Where he has been since last June
employed in managing extensive farm
lands in which he is financially inter-
ested. 1t is learned that he had not
returned to the college at Ames up 10
a few days ago. An effort was made
here TO ascertain when he is coming
back and there seems to be some ques-
ton whether he will come back 10
Iowa at all or not His department
at -Ames is temporarily in the hands
of Prof A V. Storms, who had charge
of the educational exhibit of the rural
schools at the state fair. OF course
Professor Holden is not drawing any
salary from the state college during
his absence and it is claimed that DIS
soon as he has properly arranged his
affairs in Idaho he may yet be In
duced to return 10 Iowa and continue
his work.
Professor Holden is considered one
OF the best informed corn men in the
country. He was employed by private
interests in Illinois when he was brought
to Iowa, the state college not having
sufficient funds to pay him a salary
that would bring him. Five citizens of
the state, who were deeply interested
in the welfare of the college and the
progress of Iowa as a corn state,
agreed TO put up 5000 a year each,
making an additional $1,000 year SAL
airy TO Mr. Holden above that paid him
by the college. This they have been
doing ever since Professor Holden
came TO Iowa.
Professor Holden's work has been
the college extension or short course
work and he was considered especially
adapted to that. He travelled about the
state holding the short courses in vari-
Gus places for the benefit OF the farm
ers and their sons who were not able
10 attend the state college. He also
conducted the corn special trains tina.
26l1
farmers on methods of preserving and
selecting their seed corn to get the best
results.
When the banks in the county seat
refuse to pay the Q per cent interest
on county deposits as required by law
] the county treasurer must hustle
around and find a bank some place else
! that will pay the interest This is the
decision of Attorney General w. H
Byers in an opinion given to a county
attorney
The law provides that the interest
must be paid on the daily deposits.
Some of the county seat banks which
have been in the habit Of having the
benefit of these county funds without
4 ii costing them anything except the
political influence to elect the county
/ treasurer are loath TO give up their
time honored privilege The result is
that some of these banks have gone
into sort of freeze out game They
have by agreement refused to take
the funds and pay interest, presumin g
that the county treasurer would thus
be forced TO leave the funds with them
without interest.
According to Attorney General By
ers the county treasurer must find a
bank some place that will pay the in
terest demanded of the law If they
can't find such bank in the county
Sc at they must find it some place else
even if they have to go outside the
county.
Prof. A. T. Erwin, of the department
of horticulture of Iowa State College of
Agriculture al Ames, declares that il
the frost had come little earlier i,
would have cost Iowa heavily in the
apple crop. AS 1t is many apples in the
southwestern part of the state were
bitten by the frost and unless they car
be marketed for immediate use there
will be considerable loss One man il
Inc southwest part CI tne state toiG
Professor Erwin the other day that h,
had 5000 bushels of apples still on hi:
trees. They We're slightly frosted ant
ne inquired to know what could b'
done with them. He was urged to mar
ket them at once for immediate use
When used Immediately within thu
. next two weeks they will be as goot
as any apples. IT kept longer the.
would spoil
Professor Erwin says the thing tina
saved the crop from frost this yea
was the fact that apples were pickle
this year fully two weeks earlier thai
usual. They were thus gotten out 0
, the way of the frost. Weather condi
t tons this year were such that the ap
Piles matured earlier than usual At tn