The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1920-12-24
REPORT VIA THE WIRELESS
DAILY MARKET QUOTATION
FOR FARMER OF STATE
Such Are Plans Formulated At
Holding of the Recent
Conference
Associated Press Dispatch. ]


st. Paul, December 90 Farmers
of Minnesota will receive market
quotations and weather reports daily
via wireless, according to plans for
mulated at a conference of William
Boss, chief, division agricultural engf-
neering, E. A. Stewart, professor Of
agricultural physics, Minnesota Col
lege OF Agriculture and N. j. Holm
berg, state commissioner Of agricul-
ture.
The plan as proposed will make it
possible for farmers living in Outly-
ing districts and rural centers to OBJ
tain the market and weather reports
with speed and accuracy. the promo
pres sISl
1t is proposed to receive the re-
ports at the agricultural college by
telephone and telegraph from the
various market centers of the United
States and to transmit them to the
centers Of Minnesota via wireless.
When the report would be received
in locality or town, the same would
be relayed at given hours over farm
ers' telephone lines, which would
enable the producer to follow the
accuracy and speed as the broker
in the smaller towns and cities Of the
state.
This plan has been in operation to
a certain degree in Kansas, and ac-
cording to Professor Stewart, has met
with success. The same plan has been
advocated by w. A. Wheeler, in
charge of the market information
bureau of markets, Washington, ID. c..
tion, as to the giving of market news.
This method of advising the farmer
of the markets, would fill a long
felt want, and would make the pro-
Queer familiar with the markets, Mr.
Holmberg said.
The central collecting and trans
uniting station be located at the
agricultural college, where all reports
would be transmitted to the various
cities and towns and villages of the
state later to be sent to farmers di
rect over telephone. The work at
first will be launched through the
various cooperative Establishments
and county agents. Later it is pro-
posed to have farmers in outlying
districts to have community receiv-
ing station, and this farmer, acting
neighbors of the days quotations.
The expenditure of this plan, ac-
cordlng to the promoters would be
negligible with the value of the SER
vice rendered the producers of the
state. Centers Of the state, at very
little cost could put in operation
receiving set, and designate man
to take the report at given hours,
each day, thereby facilitate the work
of handling he messages, promoters
added.
There are more than forty licensed
wireless stations in Minnesota and
although those are for the most part
located in the larger towns of the
state, it is proposed to greatly aug
ment these with additional stations
in the various high school buildings,
elevators, and CO. operative establish
ments.
1t is proposed to try the plan out
through the county agent, and after
given an impetus, to interest the
smaller communities, Mr. Holmberg
said The college also proposes TO
institute a short course in teaching
the code, to make it possible for
farmers to acquire the knowledge of
taking their own messages as they
come over the air waves. The moves
ment will be financed by the agricul-
utral college and the agricultural
department according to present
plans.