Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-04-04
FARMERS SEE
SEED CORN TEST
BURLlNGTON's SPECIAL TRAIN
DRAWS IMMENSE CROWDS
At MT. PLEASANT

Mt. Pleasant, April A. II every
farmer who has heard the advice to
test seed corn from the Iowa State Az
ricultural experts on the Burlington
seed corn special running through
southern Iowa, increases the yield OF
corn on his farm by testing his seed
only to the extent of fifty bushels,
Iowa's corn crop next fall will be en-
larged one and one-half million bush.
els. At the lowest conservative estl'
mate 10000 will have heard these lee.
lures urging intensified farming and
fully 10000 others including school
children will have received the mes
sage of good corn. The crowds OF
school children who flock to the train
are not to be undervalued in the edu-
cational propaganda now being carried
on for they educate their parents ana
will educate the children of the future.
In most cases where the school chill
dren turn out they are addressed on
the depot platform as an soverllo"
meeting, the farmers being loaded INTO
the two special audience coaches
where they are addressed. In practl-
cally, every school crowd the students
are found taking notes and the lorna
ton of corn clubs among students IS
quite the rule now Especial interest
is taken in the testing OF the seed
validity.
When the present itinerary, which
extends over a period of two weeks, is
completed the Burlington seed corn
and soil special will have Travelled
1,4O1 miles exactly. Besides the hum
dreds of speeches made by the agri-
cultural experts from the State Argi-
cultural college at Ames. one hundred
thousand pamphlets and circulars tell.
ing how to. test corn, prepare soil ana
rotate crops will have been dis
tributed from the train.
Yesterday a Banner Day.
Wednesday was one Of the banner
days of the specials pilgrimage. All
day immense crowds greeted the train,
starting with the first stop at West
Point at a. m, and continuing at
every place. At the little town OF
Hillsboro both audience coaches were
packed and about one block were tied
forty farm teams and wagons, the
wheels of which were, solid with mud
through which the ruralists had been
compelled to travel In order to meet
the train, At Stockport the gathering
was so large an overflow meeting
was held on the depot platform while
two professors lectured to. farmers III
the audience coaches. About 300 heard
the addresses at Birmingham. Large
audiences also greeted the train at
Libertyville, Fairfield and Mt. Pleas
ant.
- &C.,. Officials on the Train.
Burlington officials on the train
were: - .,
E r. Puffer Of Chicago, general
freight agent.
w. G. Wagner of Burlington, divis-
ion freight agent. 49,. t."
E. H. Hunter, special agent.
NJ. M. Reno of Burlington. travel
ing passenger agent.
T. C. Dougherty Of Burlington,
H. C. Turner of Burlington, travel
ing engineer.
c. E. Hair of Chicago, secretary to
freight traffic manager.
c. J. Legion of Chicago. OF the gen.
eral freight offices.
The average Of tests made by the
agricultural experts along the timer
airy showed that 81 per cent OF the
corn was fit for planting or strong;
81 per cent was weak, and 10 per cent
dead. In all 2,400 ears were scored.
Today's itinerary includes New
London, Danville, Mediapolis, Mt.
Union, Winfield. Charlottesville and
Washington. Friday the train will be
at Brighton, Packwood. Fremont,
Knoxville and Pleasantville. |