Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1916-06-29
AUTO TOUR OF
AUDUBON COUNTY
We're Present to Hear the Ames
College Experts

three years Tor the department Oh
Agricultural Extension of the State
College at Ames to devote the entire
month of June to study of the me-
thods practiced on Iowa farms. This
takes them into all parts of the state
and fortunately Audubon county was
included in the list. The local COM
mittee, composed of f. l.. Anderson,
Wilbur Kennels, j. f. Kerwin and
others made arrangements for the
farms to be visited where one or
more subjects of interest to the far
mers were TO be discussed. Last year
similar arrangements were made, but
on account of the Indictment weather
the trip had to be abandoned
The date for this year came on
Tuesday, June 9th and the day prov
ed to be an ideal one. The morning
Northwestern brought to this city
the party of Ames people composed
of Fred Fenton, Agricultural Engin-
eer, building and drainage expert; ;
Miss Nell NJ. Barnett, in charge of
Home Economics; G. S. Dorchester,
farm crops expert; II. s. Herrick, the
apple orchard enthusiast; Rex Beres-
ford, the beef cattle man and w. A.
ohNhohAhs thC tlNC otoCh anu
husbandry expert. The party was met
at the train and escorted up town
where some twenty-three automobiles
filled with farmers and business men
were in line to join the tour which
would take them to six Audubon coun-
ty farms located in different parts of
the county.
The first farm visited was that of
Fred Sievers the prosperous Audubon
county farmer who has made a ma
tion wide reputation as a raiser and
breeder of Poland China hogs. Here
w. A. Buchanan, the live stock ex-
pert made a splendid talk to some
forty farmers who had gathered. Mr..
Siever's three prize winning boars,
Long Big Bone, Smooth Big Bone, a
son of the 1914 champion and Smooth
Big Bone ST., were brought into the
ring and the qualities and virtues of
these prize winners discussed from
every viewpoint. The crowd then
went to the hog pens where a hundred
or more young pigs were penned up
for the occasion. 1t was a magnifi-
cent sight and resembled so many
peas in pod. They were uniform
in size and in pink condition. Many
of the farmers were greatly interested
In Mr.. Sewers herd and number of
points pertaining to hog raising were
discussed at length. The party left
Audubon practically on time and in
order to keep the schedule that had
been laid out it was necessary to
leave before the lecture had really
been completed.
Tho ctD
of F. Anderson where C. s. Dorchester
gave a splendid lecture on alfalfa
raising in Mr.. Anderson's field. Here
was field where alfalfa had been
raised for six years. A number Of the
farmers present had been raising al
falfa from one to two years and they
learned great deal from the expert
talk that was given. Fred Fenton
gave an exhaustive talk on hog houses
and used Mr.. Anderson's splendidly
and modernly built hog house as an
example. w. A. Buchanan also took
up the horse question and had a mare
and young colt and young stallion
of the Clydesdale breed to use in his
lecture The animals were considered
a very good type and had the points
greatly desired by breeders.
The next stop was at Hillside Farm
operated by w. w. Weston e Son
and made famous by their splendid
herd of Cly6esdale horses and mares.
These gentlemen are considered ex-
perts In their line and ii was a dis
tinct privilege to many to visit his
farm and to see the large number of
mares and colts, who together with
the high grade stallion, were placed
on exhibition.
r. S. Herrick gave an extensive
lecture on orchards, the raising of
Strawberries and black caps. He was
thoroughly familiar with his sub
ject and made a good impression on
the men and women who heard him.
He has the proper theory and no
doubt many of the pointers given will
be put into actual practice. C. s. Dor
chester took up the subject of weeds
and had samples of quack grass and
other noxious weeds. The discussions
that followed were very interesting
and many farmers told their person
al experiences regarding their success
and failures in killing and extermin-
ating quack grass and Canada thistle.
At the conclusion all of them agreed
that these noxious weeds were a men
ace to the farms and resolved that a
more determined effort should be
made to exterminate them.
1t was now dinner time and a picnic
dinner had been arranged to take
place at this pleasant country home.
The tourists brought dinner with
them, but lemonade and ice cream
was served in addition. Promptly at
one o'clock the crumbs and fragments
were gathered in the lunch baskets
and the party was off on schedule
time to the next stop. BY this time
a number of neighbors had Joined
the tour and some thirty cars were in
line in the run to the farm of M. /.
Masterson.
Here were also a lot of neighbors
awaiting the arrival of the party and
on the old John Butterton farm which
is now owned by Mr.. Masterson, the
splendid herd of Herefords was given
thorough and critical attention. The
animals had been faultlessly groomed
and they were the objects of admira-
ltion. Rex Beresford gave a long talk
on beef cattle and told the farmers
what type of stock was most desired
by the packers. and ii Is the type
which is the most profitable for the
average farmer. He said that eight
tenths of the farmers made failure
of the pure bred stock business. but
urged the necessity of every farmer
buying the best type of individuals
he could get in any breed.
Mr. Masterson has large number
of splendid individuals and Mr.. Beres-
ford and other breeders of pure bred
stock complimented him very highly
on his magnificent herd.
The second stop of the afternoon
was at the farm of Nels G. Jensen,