The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1918-10-01
PREMIER IDAHO FARMER TURNS
SAGE BRUSH INTO MODEL FARM

The business manager OF the Daily
Post had occasion on a recent trip to
Gooding, Idaho, to make a trip thru
the 1000 acre farm owned and oper-
ated by Governor F. r. Gooding, Re-
publican nominee for senator.
We had often heard people remark
as to the democratic spirit of Gov
ernor Gooding, but until that time
we had never had the pleasure of
experiencing it.
In the midst of the busy prepara-
lions for the coming political cam
paign. in the midst of the busy sea-
son, operating his farm, in the midst
for mornings work relative to pat
riotic government affairs in which
the governor has taken an active in
terest, he stopped everything and
with a spirity of cordially seldom
equalled he proceeded to entertain
the visitor.
He is not like most men who have
made their fortunes; he never stops
working Early in the morning
found him at his office busy turning
out the daily grist Of correspondence.
The governor believes that every
inquiry and very nearly every letter
should have his personal attention,
and from the amount of correspon-
dence that was heaped on his desk
this one task alone would consume
most of his time if he did not have
the capacity of doing twice as much
work as the average man.
AS said before, when introduced
myself the governor dropped every
thing and devoted his whole time to
entertaining me. This was quite a
novelty, for the average newspaper
man is usually told to have, chair
and II will talk to you when / have
time" but not so, with the governor.
With a hearty Hop in and we will
go and see the RANCH" we were off on
q trip that later proved to be men,
orable one. On our way We passed
Gooding college "a school that was
made possible by the gifts of this
great benefactor. At present one
large building takes care Of the
school but from present indications
this will not nearly care for the
rapid growth to which such an insti-
tuition will naturally expand.
Our next stop was at the ranch,
and 1t is likesyou read about, situated
three miles from the enterprising
little city that gets it's name from
Idaho's foremost citizen, it's broad
acres cover an expanse OF territory
that has been brought up from sage
brush and desolation to the highest
degree of CIVILIZATION, all thru the
sheer energy of this master man.
The beautiful lands are covered
with crops that mean the very life
of our country during this trying
period The hundreds of acres were
dotted here and there with immense
stacks of hay and beautiful corn
fields, the like of which have never
been duplicated in this state. One
hundred and twenty acres constitute
the governors corn crop this year.
Planted about the first of June this
corn has grown more rapidly than a
twelve year old boy, until now it
stands high above the average mans
head. And such ears. filed out to
the very tip with firm kernels of one
of the nations most necessary pro-
ducts. All of the corn is used for
Silage purposes. Three immense
concrete silos measuring twenty-five
feet inside by forty-four feet high
are used to house the ensilage, and
the governor is planning on building
still another before the season is over
to care for the immense, crops.
Nothing but modern machinery is
used for the caring of the crop, even
to the operating of an immense
motor to run the silage cutter.
1t was with this motor that the
governor demonstrated the fact that
he was not afraid to get out and
work with the men that he employs.
They were having trouble with the
belt when he arrived on the scene.
ut kept continually slipping off and
the men apparently were not able to
locate the trouble, but Mr.. Gooding,
or Frank" as all the ranch hands
called him, soon spotted it; and with
a "Give me a crowbar here on this
side and you take one on the other;
we will shove this thing back
ways" they were after it, the gov
ernor down on his knees in the dirt,
prying on that motor. 1t certainly
was sight to man who thought
that governors and potential senator's
never did anything, but look sleek
and we'll dressed. He wasn't con-
tent with this, however, but had to
satisfy himself as to how the silo
was filling, and up the side he went.
When he emerged he was a dusty,
silafe-covered man who had found
,twhat he went after.
y, Seeing that the governor was not
afriad to go up into the silo / had
the courage to try the same thing;
Ind there saw one of the most novel
and labor-savng devices that it has
ever been my pleasure to see. One
man and twenty heard of rams,
driven round and round by two shep-
herd dogs, were tramping the ensil-
age. This, the governor exlained,
made it possible to keep the grain
in better shape.
The governor has had such eXcep-
tional success at raising corn that we
asked him how he did it, and this is
the way: First, thorly irrigate the
land before planting; then after the
corn has been planted, when it
reaches a height of four inches, use
a common spiked tooth harrow and
weeds. Then let it grow until it has
reached twenty inches in height and
then cultivate the ground very thor
oily. Do not water the corn until it