The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1917-07-13
farmers OF MODERN
| METHODS DOING Bit
How They Are Now Raising
Crop For the Army
From Saturdays Daily.

The following story is vouched fol
by the man who penned it:
"For some time past people living in
the north end of town and who arise
early have noticed two large autos oc-
cupied by several of our leading citi-
zens and carrying garden rakes and
hoes, turn off of Front street at Rock
and disappear across the railroad
tracks, they have wondered what it all
meant. AS the same cars reappear aft
er lapse of about an hour with the
occupants looking as if they had been
subjected to some severe sort OF
physical exertion the wonder grows.
The first thought was that it was a
raid on the jungle which is situated in
these parts but on an investigation by
a daring individual the jungle was
found to be entirely destitute of any
traces of it former inhabitants, the
exodus seemingly having taken place
about the time that the mysterious
auto trips began. This report excited
great curiosity. What did these mys-
FERROUS auto trips mean at such an
early hour, where did the men go?
Why did they return so soon? And why
did they look so tired and worn
These were some of the questions that
Mr.. e. " Waters, our local Sherlock
Holmes and former traffic officer VOL
unteered to answer. He had also
noticed the autos and as the course
taken by the autos was in the vicinity
of the railroad property of which he
is a special guardian he was inter-
ested in knowing if these mysterious
trips had any bearing on the pilfering
of box cars which has been SO prvalent
of late So he hied himself one morning
to point Immediately below the
jungle and awaited the coming of the
suspected cars. He had not long to
wait when car appeared occupied by
five of the leading citizens of Man
kato, namely Mr.. H. A. Patterson, Mr..
H. E. Carney, Mr.. F. e. Chandall, Mr..
Charles Wagon and Mr.. Frank Hunt.
GAS thel alighted from the car Mr..
Waters, who is great friend of
these gentlemen readily approached
and asked them what they were do
ing down at that neighbornood at
such an early hour They informed
him that they were the original ex-
ponants of the modern method of
farming and if he would follow them
they would prove to him what they
claimed. Mr.. Waters agreed to fol-
low and fell in line. A short way
below where the autos are parked a
small stream from a nearby spring
crosses the road and it is the custom of
these modern farmers to fall on their
'stomachs and take a long draught of
this clear, cool water before cOntinu-
ing on to the farm which lies just
beyond at short turn of the river
and is surrounded by profuse
growth of beautiful foliage. The farm
contains about an acre and one-half
of ground which is planted with po
tatoes, beans and celery. There Mr..
Waters saw potatoes that would
make Luther Burbank cringe with
envy. Mr. Carney is in direct charge
of the potato patch of which he is
quite proud. AS the potato bugs were
expected that morning he was equip
per with a large pair of army field
glasses for the purpose of locating
the pests, after which he daubs each
bug at the tip of the tail with good
strong solution of Paris Green. He
states that this treatment positively
erradicates the pests in any potato
field.
"Mr. Patterson is in charge of the
celery patch and what he doesn't know
about this toothsome vegetable no one
cares to know. He handles hoe like
veteran only cutting few of the eel
cry plants by mistake for weeds. He
explained that if his hoe had been
sharper he could have done much bet
ter. Mr. Wagon is in charge of the
beans and Mr. Crandall acts in an ad-
visory capacity to him which will add
materially to the crop of beans which
Mr.. Wagon declares is for our army
in France so there is no need to worry
about the outcome of the war with Mr..
'Crandall's and Mr.. Wagons assurance
of so many beans. Mr.. Hunt is fore
man in charge of the entire farm and
wears pair of white duck trousers as
the distinction of his office. Mr.. Hunt
has a new method of discriminating
weeds which he calls smothering
process. Instead of cutting the weeds
you just heap earth on top of the weeds
and cover them up. He also states that
the smothering process does not work
so well on the potatoes as he has tried
it. The farm is certainly beautifully sit
uated and can be seen by people en-
tering or leaving the city on all rail-
roads. Mr.. Hunt says he likes this
feature as it breaks the monotony and
he allows his crew to pause during
their arduous duties to watch the
trains go by.
''The river is close by which will
not only insure the crop against
draught but also affords means of
transportation to the twin cities for
their crop if the railroads will not
build spur track to the farm. All of
the members of the farm syndicate as
it is called are enthused with propo-
sition and feel keenly the important
and patriotic part they are playing in
the world war by raising beans for the
army and in addition Mr.. Waters says
that the city is indebted to the syndi-
cate for receiving it of the undesirable
inhabitants of the jungle. He is of the
opinion that they seeing the members
of the syndicate approaching in their
autos armed. with garden rakes and
hoes thought that it was an attack on
them and have fed for parts unknown.
Mr.. Hunt also declares that there will
be no jungle next year as he intends
to reclaim it by his smothering pro-