Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-03-07
Franklin County Man
Gets Orchard Results
by Apple Spraying
Special to Times Republican.

n Special to Times Republican.
Geneva, March Z. Len Hickman,
manager Of the county farm Of Frank
spraying. He doesn't concern himself
much about theories he doesn't need
to do so for the three-acre orchard on
the farm is there to show for itself and
the sound juicy apples, or at least
part Of the last fall pick are still in the
cellar mute but competent witnesses of
the fact that it pays to spray. The
whole thing was started early last
spring when al spraying demonstration
under the direction of an Ames man
was held at the farm. At that time
franklin county invested in spray
pump that cost SIS and in the pre-
scribed drugs that added some SO
more to the bill. Then there was
labor expenditure of two hours for two
men and this latter was repeated UNI,
til the orchard had been sprayed four
times The trees will have to be pruned
this year In fact they are In rather
bad condition In this respect. They
fruited so heavily as the result of their
last years care that lot of trimming
will be necessary to put them in condi-
ton for the coming season. It Is said
4 that something like ton wagon loads of
apples exclusive Of the farm supply
were taken from that little orchard
last year. Cherry trees that always
before had produced four or five times
as many worms as cherries confined
themselves strictly to - vegetable life
and '-Whitneys' that never before were
eatable because Of the animal pests
were perfectly free from the same this
times The oft repeated statement that
Iowa soil and climate are just as well
adapted to fruit growing as other re-
gfons famed in this respect appears to
have been vindicated on the county
farm of Franklin and there isn't a
doubt that the modern methods Of
orchard care that have been inaug-s
urated there will be extended to the
surrounding farm orchards and the
local apple yield very greatly in
creased in consequence.
There may be scarcity of seed corn
ready for planting in this county but
If SO the fact is not brought out ny
occasional questions asked the men
most directly concerned in the matter.
Nearly everybody appears to have pro-
vided for this important part Of spring
farm operations. A great many far
mes have not yet tested their seed be-
cause they wish to do so under the
nearest natural conditions possible.
On the ETAOI --tnyrtst1 'irro csuSER
Out in the garden on the south side of
a protection formed by row of trees
or building is the place where many
like to test their corn after the April
sun has warmed the ground to a de-
gree approximately that Of open field
conditions two or three weeks later
There is no doubt about this kind OF
attest. But when a farmer who has
not yet tested his seed is asked what
He viii do in case of unsatisfactory re-
suits ne almost invariably answers that
he doesn't know. One man near here
Is said to have spent half a day in his
field last fall hunting for seed; he came
in at noon with five ears. Another ira
ySrsed many times a field of several
acres and found $50 ears that this
spring tested reasonably well while
another man, A. l.. Savidge, took a
man and went into his 140-acre field
and after several days Of work had
sixty-seven bushels of seed in an up
stairs room Of his house from which
supply he thinks he ought to find
enough to plant. - -'
s@What do you thnk OF the SOIL
dated SCHOOL," asked an old man who
Possessed more. land than "book learn
III" of,a lady who lived in newly
Afmed consolidated district. Il think
1t is great mistake" he went on. my
grandchildren seem to like the school,"
he admitted. ''but it will make the
taxes so high" "The school house in
our district was good enough" he con-
ttriued. why, fourteen years ago my
neighbor and I went there and WORKED
q plumb week on that building. We
tnre off every bit Of the plastering and
nut on new. They were talking about
building a new school house then and
we just Jumped in and saved the dis
trict the cost of a new one. / think it's
plenty coed enough" =. .<f'.- =
what did you say in answer to his
question z" was asked the farmers wife
and she replied. Il said, can you show
me a family in this community that
would consider living in house that
hadn't been repaired or improved for