The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1916-02-25
FARMERS INTERESTED
Every Session of Meridian Movable
School Largely Attended and
Much Interest Shown.

The farmers movable school in
Meridian three days of last week
closed Saturday evening and the
lecturers and other experts of the
University of Idaho extension depart
ment under the direction of which
| it was held, expressed themselves as
greatly pleased with the reception
accorded their efforts here. They
were especially complimentary with
regard to the excellent spirit shown
| by the Booster club and Meridian
people in general, in cooperating
with theedepartment and the farmers
in every way possible to lend to the
success of the institute.
The school was held in the Booster
club quarters and every session of
the three days was we'll attended
T thursday was devoted to lectures
and demonstrations dealing with
farm management and improvements
Friday was livestock day and Satur-
day was taken up with discussions of
farm crops and horticultural mat
ters.
The women's department was held
Saturday and with lectures ON do
mestic science and other phases of
household work it proved to be one
of the most interesting features of
the entire institute. A noon lunch
was furnished by the Meridian busi-
ness men for the farmers and their
wives in attendance Saturday and
rest room and care for the children
was provided by the Parent Teachers
Association.
God Plan for Storage.
e. F. Stephens, the Nampa horti
culturlist, came over to the farmers
institute and brought along some ap-
pies for display, especially to show
| the value of properly storing fruit
for the spring market. The sam
pies, of King David and Jonathan ap
pies, which are usually marketed be-
fore Christmas, were in fine condi-
ton. The system he describes keeps
out the warm air or the fall by in
sulated walls, and the temperature
| is kept low by the use of the cooler
air of the night. The temperature of
| the place should be at near 32 de-
grees.
| He said there were different plans,
costing a good amount for the system
used in the Hurst packing mouse, to
| practically nothing for the cellar
storage used by George Taylor, at
his farm near Meridian.
NIcBirney Talks Bfunes
! The remarks of w. S. McBirney on
! the prune industry were especially
| interesting. He said the price of
dried prunes had been abnormally
! high during the past three years and
I that the product has been in such de-
mand that any year 1000-ton drier
could have been built and equipped
and the product would have brought
enough to pay the total cost in one
year, leaving the plant on hand as
profit.
| He said his company had bought
the necessary ground near the spray
factory in Meridian and would erect
this season drier capable of hand
ling 5000 green tons.
He said it was more difficult for
the grower to handle prunes for the
drier, as three pickings are necess-
airy and prunes should not be picked
from the treee.
/ He said the big Beatty steam drier
had not been success as the steam
had tendency to cook instead of
dry the product and that the old
fashioned dry air method was the
best.
He said firm of the largest eXpor-
ters on the coast plan to come to the
Boise valley with a view of buying
our product.