Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1917-04-18
ORLEANS FARMERS
CLUB MEN BERS
DISCUSSIONS LIVE
LARGE AND SMALL FARM; KIT
CHEN CONVENIENCES AND
WAR RECEIVE ATTENTION
(By Orleans Correspondent

The last meeting of the Orleans
Farmers club was held at the hall
Thursday, April IL. The attendance
was not large but a good meeting
was held. Dinner was served to over
ninty. Looking over the tables one
would have hard work to believe that
the high-cost-of-living had struck
Orleans-escalloped potatoes, baked
beans, bread, butter, jello, pickles,
cheese, doughnuts, cakes, pies and
warm maple sugar.
After dinner a short business meet
ing was held, followed by the pro-
gram. An instrumental duet by the
Misses Ona Musselman and Mabel
Palmer, responding to an encore with
another duet. One of the leaders,
F. t. Flanagan, being absent, the
question, (Which Can Be Handled to
Better Advantage, the Large or
Small Farm" was not thoroughly
discussed. Jerry Spaulding said from
financial standpoint that the large
farm upto a certain point could be
operated with less expense than the
small farm and would show larger
per cent of profit for the money ex-
pended. And in his opinion the time
was not so far distant when the large
farm would be the rule rather than
the exception Ed. Woodbridge
thought there were other features to
consider aside from the financial
part alone. From a community stand
point he thought the small farm, say
from eighty to one hundred and sixty
acres, as the the limit would be pre-
ferable. With the large farm he
thought its tenants and other help
might come social problems similar
to those in the old countries that
would be difficult to handle. There
woud be more pride in our farm
homes, more pleasure in our social
intercourse, if the farms were small
while the farmers would make liv-
ing and a saving besides.
A recitation by Margaret Wooid-
ridge, "When Father Snores," and in
response to an encore she recited,
"Betsy's Battle Flag" Mrs. Henry
Young read a short paper, "How to
Save on the Farm and the Arrange
ment of the Farm Kitchen" She
said if you were using wood for fuel
it should be prepared year ahead
and put in the shed ready for the
housewife. And if coal were used the
years supply should be purchased
early at a great saving in price. AL
81 LiidI liiC ldi SliOulu tdlSC iAlS
meat on the farm. There were so
many ways of putting up meats that
the farmer could have fresh meat
during the year Raise, can dry, or
preserve your own fruit, vegetables,
and pickles and so live better and
cheaper. In regard to the farm kit
chen, she said, every farm kitchen
should have hot and cold water, &
sink with good drainage, a zinc-cov-
cred kitchen cabinet with necessary
cooking utensils placed as convent
ent to the range or oil stove as pos
sible and the floor linoleum- m-covered.
| In fact concentration was to be the
keynote of kitchen arrange ments.
Mrs. Holmes was a strong advocate
Of the fireless cooker, both as a labor
and fuel saver. z. M. Woodbridge
gave an exceptionally fine talk on
"Current Events" He spoke of both
the direct and indirect causes leading
up to the war and especially United
States reason for finally entering in.
He said Germany's submarine policy
was one strong factor and Germany's
effort to make a secret peace treaty
with Russia in which she would
make great concessions to that coun-
try was another. Withdrawing her
army and leaving Germany in position
to take free hand in United States,
while at the same time Germany was
processing great friendliness to
America was a still greater factor. 1t
resulted in the Russian revolution and
President Wilson declaring war.
What the outcome will be no man
knoweth. but every citizens duty is
plain. Stand by our president.
The club adjourned until November
Is, 1917.