Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1913-12-17
Corn and Alfalfa Show Easily
Biggest Event Ever Held
In Central Minnesota
kAND|YoM GETS TWO FIRsTs
Immense Showing Of corn-Alfalfa
Until You Could Not Rest-6ig
Tlme-Rio Talks-Mueh Enthusi.
asm-Pope County Received Silver
Cup for Best Attendance From an
Outside County. ~=
(By Atty. O. C.. Ronken.)

OUTSIDE county. ".'.- l
(By Atty. o. C. Ronken.)
Heaven lies just a bit closer over
West Central Minnesota than 1t does
over any other part of the EARTH" said
President Murphy to the audience of
farmers at Morris last Thursday, and
it looked as tho all of West Central
Minnesota knew it and had come to-
gether to learn what more of it's bless
ings they could obtain for themselves.
Fifteen hundred registered ON the first
day, and fifteen more had registered
by six o'clock on the second day, but
on the third there wasn't room enough
for all the corners to get in and reg
lister. -..-..- -- -.
The first two days meetings were
held at the same time in the Opera
House, Methodist Church and Congre-
gational church, and still there were
large numbers who could not get into
any meeting. These were addressed
from the rear Of the Twin City spec
ial by several speakers, The farmers
who at home rotated their crops found
the habit useful and rotated the
speakers around to the different meet
ings. ri
The farmers had brought something
with them too, to show what they
were doing at home. There were
1880 entries in the corn show and
22,040 ears of corn. 1t was highly
creditable showing. AS one man put
it, "The Iowa and Illinois farmers
come up here and get the surprise
of their lives when they find that we
grow better corn than they do. AL
falfa was eyerywhere-loose, in bun
dies and in bales. A splendid arch
had been built in the street of alfalfa
raised in the County of Stevens.
The Grand Champion Sweepstakes
premium went to George Clapp of
Swift county, and was Playford Ce-
ment Stave Silo. Herman Tallakson
of Kandiyohi county won first prem
ium on 10 ears of white dent corn, and
it was question between him and
George Clapp as to who should have
the Grand Champion Sweepstakes,
with the victory to the latter. Mr..
Tallakson gets SO in cash from the
Development Association and in addi-
ton SIS out of prize money offered by
the Commercial Club Of Willmar. Paul
H. Norling of Svea, Kandiyohi county,
won first premium in the Boys Acre
Yield Contest, and gets a trip to the
1914 State Fair with all expenses
paid. There were also other prem
iums won by Kandiyohi County ex-
hibitors.
Wednesday was corn day. Thurs
day was alfalfa day. Willis Wing of
fredericksburg, Ohio, the veteran al
falfa grower of that state was present
and told of his experiences. Best Of
all, he told his hearers that there was
no reason why they could not do as
we'll here, or better, and that for the
majority of farms the application of
lime to the soil or incubation of the
soil was not necessary. The interest
In this meeting was great. The
speakers were not given a chance to
sit down but were piled with ques-
ttons of all sorts. There was Car of
alfalfa seed on the siding where the
seed was sold at actual cost. There
are but few acres of alfalfa now in
the nineteen counties composing this
development association, but Judging
from the questions asked and the way
tho sood u,oc cold frn,,, II, m. 49,
will be 10000 acres directly.
Friday was Pope County day with.
out doubt. They came on regular
trains and on special ones and brought
four bands with them. They marched
up town in sections. You stood by
and saw the first section go by and
you thought it was a good showing.
Then the second section came along
and you began to think the showing
was great. Presently along came an.
other section larger than the others
and you began to wonder it the whole
county had come down. Then as the
next section and the next and the
next and the next went by you became
sure of it. do not know how many
they were; did not find any one who
cared to guess. We met DR.. Ship.
stead and accused him of doing some
work, but he said there were 5000
others in his county who had been do
Ing something. Swift county thought
until Friday morning that they were
going to take home with them, the
cup for the largest attendance, but
Pope county came along and fooled
them.
On Friday the crowds had become
SO large that the plans laid for meet.
ings and entertainments were utterly
inadequate and had to be abandoned
Open air meetings were held in the
streets and speeches were delivered
from platforms. DR.. Vincent Of the
University, spoke at one of these in
the forenoon and to q meeting for wo.
~ !