Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1914-10-16
EXPECT NEW ERA
IN FARMING HERE
Continued from l'age L.

ers of Thurston county living outside
OF the city limits of Olympia while
the secretary Of the Chamber will be
the bureaus executive.
Through the efforts of the organi-
cation, the United States department
of agriculture has agreed to provide
$500 year toward the bureau fund,
while the Chamber of Commerce will
provide headquarters and defray 9TH
err expenses, amounting in all to ap-
proXmately 5000 per annum, and
the county commissioners have agreed
to appropriate $500 for 1915, as
stated last week If the work of the
further appropriations, these hgen-
cies assure the Chamber, will be
forthcoming. but with total resources
amounting to approximately $4,000 it
is believed the department will be
amply financed for the irst IL months
of its operation.
About three weeks ago the matter
was first taken up with the county
commissioners and they were found
to be somewhat reticent. They real
lied however, the necessity for some
action and listened to the arguments
set forth with great interest.
The Case With the Potatoes.
DR.. P. H. Carlyon made one of the
principal talks, stating that should
the movement result in a uniformity
of crops alone all efforts would have
been worth while. He took for his
example, potatoes. There are" he
said, more varieties of potatoes
grown in Thurston county than in
any county in Washington; some are
adapted to the soils, while great ma
jority Of them are not. We depend
upon the potato crop as one of the
principal sources of revenue to the
farmer, yet, last year one retailer
found it impossible to get together
three cars of one single variety.
! "These different varieties of pota-
toes are marketed in Olympia at a
loss not only to the farmer, but to
the retailer as we'll, because every
housewife has her distinct ideas as
to the relative merits of this staple
and seriously objects to having to use
opa yo rjokv mn uyooL ord opo<hor ~ n
next.
J Zone purpose of the expert will be
to ascertain what variety Of potato
grows on the uplands and what spe-
cial kind is best adapted to the low
lands, and an effort will be made to
have the potato crops of Thurston
county run to not more than two or
three varieties at the utmost. This
may be necessary owing to the diff
ference In soils.'
1t is also argued that the $500
could we'll afford to be expended an
nually by the commissioners IL 1t
would mean q general increase in
farm productiveness of this county.
in the belief that. with the tillers of
the soil deriving full results from
their efforts. revenues would natur-
ally increase, while conditions gener-
ally throughout the county would be
improved. making an increaed de-
mand for farm acreage and Offering
an incentive to clear up the lands
more rapidly than today.
The executive Committee of the
Thurston County Pomona Grange
proved Of great assistance to the
Chamber of Commerce in its cam
paign. while Mayor George A. Mott
man, realizing the necessity for some
such action. appointed a committee
! from the city council to wait on the
commissioners and press the organi-
zation. The communication present.
ed to the county commissioners. sign
ed by the five Grange executives, is
as follows:
Letter of Approval.
October 6.
Olympia Chamber of Commerce,
/ Olympia. Washington.
Gentlemen:
1--WE. the undersigned approve the
plan Of an agricultural expert for
Thurston county for the year 1915,
he to work through an agricultural
bureau to be established In connec-
ton with the Chamber Of Commerce.
while we oppose any action on the
part Of the county commissioners to
increase our tax levy. We md on in
iivestigation that heretofore the county
has been paying 5000 annually for =
fruit inspector and as this sum was
mot paid by the county in 1914. nor
will have to be paid in 1915, the