Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-11-24
Extension Work of ..-0
Albion School Proves
Success, Report Says

That the extension work undertaken
at the Albion consolidated school has
proved practical. and OF benefit 10 the
pupils and community is shown by the
report of Superintendent w. &. Spratt
The report deals especially with the
garden work, undertaken for tho nrst
time this year, the efforts of the girls
canning clubs and summer school.
The report says:
In March, 1919, the school district
bought five acres of land. This acre
age had been used as a pasture for
many years. The tough blue grass sod
was plowed early in April.
Our school gardens were one or
the first projects to attract LOGAN In
tcroSt. II took considerable work to
get an old pasture ready to plant
garden truck. We had twelve gardens.
each 2jX36 feet. do not know OF any
school that has ever had school gar
dcns equal to ours in size or that
were kept up in better shape. The
gardens were placed end to end, max
ing tho entire garden 800 feet long.
The rows were far enough apart to
avoid hand cultivation, which would
4AtLN Z IGN u4ASi uiiiNSSSS~AS
Of work. In the school garden we
raised raddishes, lettuce, beets. peas
beans, Cabbages and potatoes. From
SO to $14 worth of vegetables was
raised in each garden. Prizes were
given for the best gardens.
Result Of Potato Tests.
The potato is the best vegetable to
raise in school garden. They are
easy to. plant and cultivate and are
appreciated more than any other by
the parents Of the families represented
Ivy the members of School Garden
Club. We also raised potatoes in our
demonstration p1ats. We purchased
bushel of each of the following varie-
ties:
The Green Mountin potatoes
yielded at the rate OF 20 bushels to
the acre. The Early Ohlos yielded at
the rate of 100 bushels to the acre.
The Irish Cobbler at the rate OF 1915
bushels. The Rural New Yorker yield
ed at the rate Of ST.. bushels. The
Northern King at the rate OF $3.50.
Each variety was treated for scab
before planting. Each bushel planted
TWO rows 500 feet long. The varieties
used in our tests Were planted side
by side on level ground, all parts Of
the field being equally favorable for
plant growth. All the rows in our
school garden and demonstration plats
We're put in straight, given frequent
cultivation, and kept free from weeds.
We were always proud to have visit
ors look over the garden and plats at
any time.
Soy Beans and Tomatoes.
Much interest was shown in our
tests with different varieties Of soy
beans. We tried out Medium Green,
Black Eyebrow, HollybroOk, Manchu.
Elton. and Ito San. From results OBJ
tanned it would seem that the Medium
Green tand the Hollybrook are the
best varieties for the silo. while
Manchu and Elton are the best varie-
ties for hogging down. The Manchu is
a vigorous growing, productive variety.
Where only one kind Is used, the
Manchu Is one Of the best varieties Of
soy beans to grow under general farm
conditions. ..., ..~
We also experimental with three
leading varieties Of tomatoes. namely,
Red Head. SuperIative. and Stone.
The Red Head proved to be the best
tomato for home use. II is in a class
By itself. having no equal among
early tomatoes in this part Of the
country. The Superlative is an ex-
ceIlent late pink variety for domestic
use. The Stone is still the standard
variety for the canning factory. We
grew several HUNDRED plants Of each
variety, using the tomatoes in our
canning club and selling them to the
school patrons at price considerably
below what they would have had TO
nav elsewhere. The demonstration
grounds being on main road created
q good deal Of interest in the com
runtty. Our little acreage of Sudan
grass was another crop that attract
ed attention.
Canning Club Work.
Our canning club girls canned
about 1000 quarts Of fruit, meat, and
vegetables They won the county
championship, and were it not for an
accident at the state fair they might
have won the state cham ionship.
Our girls had the greatest variety Of
canned goods exhibited, and the leader
of the team. Miss Ida Malloy. canned
more than any other girl in the state.
The boys who entered the pork
producing contest won practically all
the premiums at the county fair.
Our summer school was a success.
Between thirty and forty pupils took
advantage Of the opportunity to i'm
prove their spare time during the
summer months. Courses were offered
in domestic science. manual training
and music. Dlinquent grade pupils
who were too old for their grade
studied industriously to bring their
work UP to the standard required for