The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-02-23
Complete Description OF Mis-
souri, Pacific Model Farm.
Shows How Ground Can Be IT'LL
lied With Profit and Beauty.
EVERY DETAIL GIVEN
Even Fence Posts and Orchards
Are Represented.
Other Items of General Interest
in Railroad Circles.
DETAIL GIVEN

The contest now being conducted by
che Missouri state board OF immigra-
ton. in which valuable prizes are Of
fered for the best layout of five acre
farm. has renewed interest In the five
acre model farm presented in miniature
at the Land and Industrial congress at
Springfield by the Missouri Pacific rail-
way. The man who planned the model
five acre farm for the Missouri Pacific
has, at the request Of John H. Curran,
chief INN grafton commissioner, sup
piled a description of the project, as fol-
lows:
The model was constructed on scale
of feet to the inch, and was built
upon a table 10 feet wide and 20 feet
long, with a railing is inches from the
table, leaving ample space to view the
model from all sides. The scale of 3
feet to the inch, or one-thirty-s1xth,
made a fence post feet high / Ia
inchos high on the model Assuming
space OF 9 feet apart on real farm
made the model form fence posts )
inches apart.
On the model, sawed white oak posts
were used. suggesting a preference for
sawed oak posts on real farm. rms
idea was carried out through the entire
construction, using twigs OF the apple
tree of 1-36th proportion to represent
the orchard trees the same of all fruit
trees and even the border Towering
shrubs were made up of twigs from
the different kinds of shrubs. For shade
tree twigs from soft maple seedlings
were used. On either side of the drive
way was a good representation of Lom-
hardy poplars, and on the lawn a cut
leaf weeping maple was placed.
The vineyard was attractive. using
the oak post and No. SO wire and short
twigs from grape vines
The vegetable garden was arranged
with beds on one side and rows on the
other, and the truck fields were marked
out in rows, giving an idea of their use
For wire fences. galvanized wire
screen was used throughout. The poul-
try yard and vegetable garden were
fenced inches high, representing 6
feet. suggestive of the importance of
combining the poultry during the laying
season, and at the same time giving
them the range of the entire farm, ex-
cept the vegetable garden.
Cottage Is Shown.
The buildings were all erected to scale
and included fOur-room cottage, with
front and side porches, pantry, ETC.;
barn with two sheds, poultry house,
smokehouse with cellar door outside;
water tank elevated above little house
built to accommodate a gasoline engine.
suggesting a gravity supply to make
the house modern and the barn SAM
tary. In the apple orchard a portable
log house was placed for brood sows,
and in the poultry yard coops for the
hens and the little chicks. Six bee
hives We're on stand on the lawn.
The model had a south front and the
house was located so feet from the
front and 80 feet from the east line; the
barn 100 feet from the front and 75 feet
west of the house. The drive was To-
Gated to begin 40 feet from the east line
and was laid on easy curves, passing
by the house and leading to the barn,
Il clump Of lilacs in the center of the
driveway answering for a turn-around.
The drive and the road in front were
made of crushed limestone with sifted
dust finish suggesting good roads and
the Importance of a driveway, which,
by the way, should be the foundation Of
any lawn. The driveway connected
with the steps from the front porch,
and also the side porch, the barn and
Sheds poultry house and yards, smoke
house, cellar door and engine house,
suggesting convenience for chores and
the saving of time and steps in the
days round on a farm.
In the vegetable garden south of the
barn were located the hotbed and cold
frame; west of the barn the barn lot,
with water trough, and north of the
barn the pig pen and the pig trough.
Both the poultry yard and the pig pen
connected with the barn lot and the
acre pasture. North of the pasture, and
extending across the farm, was an acre
field, suggesting a combination of field
crops. planting first in corn, with cow
peas in the middle of corn rows when
the corn is laid by, and after cutting
the corn, the cowpeas to be pulled or
used as pasture. In September rye
should be sown for winter pasture.
East of the pasture and next to the
acre field was located the apple orchard
and a patch of alfalfa. The peach or
chard was placed north of the poultry
yard, and on the east side of the apple
orchard were placed consecutively the
blackberries, raspberries, Irish potatoes
and sweet corn. sweet potatoes, water
melons, Strawberries and asparagus,
then blending the horse-radish with
peonias. German iris. phlox, hollyhocks,
etc. locating the currants and goose