Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-04-23
Looker-On In Iona

features of spring life are noticeable
just now in Iowa The willows fire.
quently full leaved long before other
trees sprout, are this year way behind
the procession. In many places box
elders and soft naples are showing
small leaves while some Of the willows
along the streams have not yet shown
buds. The explanation is the box
elders and soft naples on dry soil had
the advantage of the heat OF the few
warm days. while the pussy willow has
still the ice watse Hear the roots. In
this part Of the state no fruit trees
have budded as yet, but two years ago
we lost the apple and cherry crop. be-
cause many were in full blossom ten
days later than now Strawberry green
leaves are just beginning to show and
some years have been in blossom earli-
err than this GATE. It will be news to
some there's still lots Of frost in the
ground" Digging a grave IN the Gene
terry here last week the writer is told
it was necessary to cut thru two feet
of frost "It froze some last winter"
One bad feature this spring is to be
seen everywhere. is the full herds Of
cattle now in the pastures eating down
to the roots the little green grass that
has shown itself. Only a wet season
will make it possible for these pastures
to amount to anything later on. But
many farmers are obliged to turn out
the cattle for the hay barn is empty
and the straw pile has been eaten. And
with this in mind think Of the millions
of acres Of corn stalks that were not
cut up last fall. And many farmer
in Iowa has paid from S12 to s1s ton
for hay this spring, who need not have
spent cent for feed IL he had cut up
his corn last October.
The seed potato price is bound to
shorten the Iowa crop Of 1912. Many
growers Of large and small acreage will
not pay s2.25 per bushel. For that
matter consumers of eating" potatoes
find so to 60 cents a peck "too rich for
their blood" and are substituting other
foods. Many have noticed the press
item Of a ship load Of potatoes from
Scotland coming to New York:
"The New York Journal of Commerce
has letter from firm Of importers.
We sold today five cars Of potatoes i'm
ported from Scotland to go to Chicago
they say. The entire United States
is in need Of potatoes. With the high
prices prevailing, is it not time that the
government should take of the duty of
zoe per bag of 1913 pounds? The COM
mission men have done all they pos
sibly can to relieve the situation.
Thousands Of bags Of potatoes have
been sold by our firm, as well as by
our competitors. with small profit OF
10c per bag to relieve the situation.
Our country will need foreign potatoes
for the next two months, as our own
new crop will be very late this season
owing to the weather conditions.
That item should have this added to
It. The waste, unused land on each OF
the wagon roads and railroads in the
state Of Iowa IL properly cultivated
| would supply the entire United States
with all the potatoes needed for 10000,
900 people.
The newspaper talk concerning
seed corn has stirred to anger some
Of the old fellows that Ego to the corr
! crib every spring and get as goot
seed az any that comes from Anne,
| Agricultural College and their scien.
tinc plans" And the spraying O
fruit trees, trimming the trees at thu
riEf,t time Of year. cultivating thu
soil between the rows Of apple treei
Is considered as q use Of time ant
money for which no returns can be ex
pected by a good many otherwise IN
I telliEent men on and of Iowa farms
On the train the other day. a man own
ling an apple orchard in Kansas
where they have q law compeIlinl
owners Of fruit trees to epray then
or II will be done by the state an,
the cost charged up with taxes-an,
We eight ~ pass such a law in low
] IT the session OF the next lesislaturo--