Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1914-11-28
DISCUSSED SPUDS
AND OTHER THINGS
Marion County Potato Grow
ers Talk Of the LOwIy Spud
and How to Bring Him Up

I
association held an enthusiastic meet.
ing at the Hotel Marion at noon today
10 further perfect their organization
and to hear some important discussions
on the problems of the potato grower
of this section. The principal topic
uppermost in the minds of the Marion
county potato growers is the problem
of securing stable market 1t has
been the experience that, while in soma
seasons the price was high enough to
afford Il good profit, in others the
price would not justify the caring for
the crop.
Professor Hector A[cPhearson, of the
Oregon Agricultural College, spoke on
Markets. and the efforts of the U.
S. department of agriculture to secure
the best markets for all products of the
farm. 1t was the plan of the depart
acreage yields, quality and volume ,of
all farm products in the state so .hat
buyers would readily find the localities
in which their wants might be sup
Piled Also, the county agriculturalist
might act as a medium and infOrma-
tion bureau through whom exchanges
and purchases might he effected be-
tween farmers of different localities.
Wants Better Organization.
Mr.. NcPhearson also spoke in favor
Of better farmers organizations
throughout the country. He said that
in this state the farmers were too far
from market to 90 it alone and that
their only hope of securing market
for their products was through neigh
borhood cooperation. He said we need
cd more farmers in the Legislature, in
stead of lawyers, to frame agricultural
laws.
Senator.elect A. NJ LaFollette, who
spoke next, assured the potato grow.
ers that there would be Il few farmers
in the legislature this year and that
their efforts would certainly be direct.
ed in the interests Of the farmer. MIR.
LaFollette stated that he had always
been fond Of potatoes and that, while
he WIS probably greater consumer Of
potatoes than a grower, he would be
glad to cooperate with the organiza-
tion in the interests of better crops
and better markets.
Doctor Grows Some Spuds.
George Rodgers tCla ABOUT the time
he dumped crop of potatoes into tho
Willamette river because no price was
offered for them, and said that he telt
something was radically wrong in tho
handling Of the markets at present ana
would be glad to see the department
Of agriculture take up the subject Of
marketing crops of this valley, as he
considered this the only salvation Of
the farmer Seymour Jones spoke in
the interest of a closer organization of
the farmers, and William Walton, Of
the Ladd & Bush bank, treasurer Of
! the organization, offered his support
and said u few words in support Of the
campaign to raise 5000 to retain the
services of the county agriculturalist.
DR.. r. +. l.. Steiner stated that while
his institution raised about Is 900 bu.
shells of potatoes last year and about
l3,0OC bushels this year. they were not
interested in marketing, but wanted to
know all that could be learned about
growing better and bigger crops. Mr..
Peterson, Of st, Paul spoke for n clos.
er cooperation among the agricultural.
lists of the county and offered his scrv.
ices in behalf of this effort.
Some Other Things.
II was announced that drainage
meeting would be held at Gervais at Z
o clock Monday to attempt to organ.
ize French Prairie into an irrigation
district. Also, series Of meetings on
the prevention Of cholera would be con.
ducted in this vicinity this coming
, week, beginning Tuesday at Woodburn
and ending Saturday at the Cottage
Farm near this city These meetings
will be conducted by DR.. Knowles, o:
, the Oregon Agricultural College, and
; Luther Chaplin,
Luther j, Chaplin told Of the best
. kinds Of seed to be selected for next
year, and the most efficient methods Of
storing this seed until il is to be used
; The preparation Of the land for the
crop, he said, varied with the character
\ Of the soil and was q matter for indi
, Vidual observation and experiment
Those present were; G. o. Constable
D. A. White, William H. Egan, prcsi
! dent Of the association; Hector Mac
pheorson j. o. Graham, J.. NJ, Lane
w. c. Franklin, A. NJ LaFollette
!. George Schapp, DR.. Bellingcr, Joe Al
I bert, Seymour Jones, Paul Wallace, DR.
Steiner, William Walton, L. j, Chaplin
f. s. Craig, Il. h. Mottcn, David Eyre
N. c. Kafony, George Rodgers, j. D
Alexander, Mr.. Coplcy and representa-
"a -