The evening times., 1914-03-06

about noon. Certain members. under
the direction of a lunch captain.
provide basket luncheon, a different
group for each meeting. After lunch
con there is music by the members
Of the club, or by others of the neigh:
borhood. Then comes the formal
business of the day.
The minutes of recent meeting
rive an idea of the character of this
At this meeting the plan of taking
an automobile trip to Grand Forks
was discussed. and led TO the appoint
in preparation for such an outing late
in June or early in July. These club
people are evidently forehanded. Fol
/ lowing this, plans for an early spring
! fair-in March-wcrc taken up.
The fair. by the way. has become
and brings out entries of all sorts,
including farm crops-corn, clover,
alfalfa. flax, wheat, and so on: the
work of women, including examples
of sewing and cooking. and things:
made by boys and girls, such as colts
| halters or dolls dresses. Prizes vary
+, ing in value from so cents to 50. Pre-
bers- old and young. something in
terestinE to occupy their thoughts
, more or less through the long winter
months.
Tho Fencing Problem.
Again the fencing problem was
brought up. Fencing is IL big prob
lem on the Red river valley farms,
and is not to be disposed OF easily.
The discussion in this case was fol-
! lowed by the appointment of COM
m1ttec to investigate rs to materials
and prices and to, report at a later
meeting. Doubtless. the result will
he a bit of cooperative buying, by
which all will profit. Papers on prac-
teal subjects followed. and then
cam" a. recess, more music. and after
that an open debate or subjects of
and road building.
But these things are seen further
| in the other activities of the club.
Early In June usually there is a neigh
borhood picnic, held at the farm OF
some one Of the members. Each
tamiIy brings its own luncheon. but
fruits. cigars and soft drinks are on
salc to supplement the contents of the
1 lunch baskets. a band is always on
hand to provide music. and there are,
of course. ball games and other sports.
\ little later in the summer, before
nc busy haNing season begins, there
is u plowinE contest. Boys and men
compete with teams or traction en-
-incs iul the honors of the country
side
A; Chrs' mas time there is special
meeting for the children. with a pro-
gram bearing on child life, and IL lot
of good wholesome fun for all who
participate.
Feeds and Seeds Bought Co.Opera-
lively.
On the financial side, the club has
made only beginning. The first
year after organization was dry one.
L ri
the club members co-operated in
shipping in feed in car lots. thus ef-
tccting Il very consdcrab ble saving. In
other years the cluh has united in
the buying of seed supplies. These
/ were bought together un tho dates of
the regular meetings ri Niagara, so
that each member might carry home
saved any expense of distribution.
Auxiliary Shipping Association.
This interest in livestock, too. has
led to the formation Of an auxiliary
nrganiza ton. known as the Livestock
and Potato Shippers association. AS
tho members uf the club get larger
results from their livestock and potato
cropping. this association will ena hle
them to- ship in carlots, thus getting
q minimum freight rate and cffecting
general saving.
barred from discussion at the meet
ings
"Ncisbborhool Snirit'' hid 1t.
Just he "ncighborhood spirit has
done all of this. Just a social and
educational need and a disposition to
he helpful to the community at large.
( And this same kind of thing is at
work through, not only North Dakota,
, but the whole northwest. With such
organize tons taking root aud promot-
ing community Interests, there is
small reason for doubling the rapid
development of northwestern agri-
culture. Everyone of these clubs. be-
comes a center of influence. a means
for the application Of farm better
ment power developed by the depart
ment of agriculture at Washington,
by the various colleges of agriculture
and their eXneriment stations, and by
d score of other agencies at work for
a more productive agriculture and a
higher type Of country life.
Cook In Address lna,.r,,ors