Mercedes Tribune (Mercedes, Tex.), Vol. 5, No. 30, Ed. 1 Friday, September 20, 1918 Page: 2 of 8
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■
The Country Farm Bureau-
B¥ W. Z. MILLER
County Farm Demon stra tor
A farm bureau is an organization
of farmers and ranchers who
”*■ promote agriculture through
co-operative study of farm conditions.
For many years there have been
farmer’s clubs, grangers, institutes,
unions, alliances. These have been
more or less successful, but many
have passed away, perhaps from lack
of usefulness. Some of these or-
ganizations have not had a defi-
nite purpose and have therefore fail-
ed to a permanent place in rural
affairs.
The farm bureau is distinct from
all of these. It is not primarily a
social organization; neither is it es-
sentially to unite farmers so as low-
er the prices of stuffs bought and to
raise prices of products sold. But it
is formed to bring together for mu-
tual co-operation those farmers who
want to investigate the fundamental
problems that are involved in - pro-
duction on their farms.
Every! state and territory has at
least one “experiment farm” sup-
ported by Federal and State funds.
These have been exceedingly valu-
able because the results therefrom
were noted by men whose business
and interest it was to observe. The
acreage of these farms were small,
their crops were often • bigger yet
they have been worth millions be-
yond their cost because the reeords
of productions and the conditions
under which they were grown were
known and noted.
Many of our farm problems are al-
ready solved on the farms of the
ihd'ividuals, have found the solution
of vexing questions that are agita-
ting the experimentations and agri-
cultural colleges. But these solutions
usually fall out of sight unnoted or
are known only to men on whose
farm they occur. If these unknown
and unnoted experiments could be
gathered they would at once add
much to our view of .agriculture.
In America there are on the aver-
age more than 100,000 farms to each
experiment farm. Obviously of the
results on some small percentage of
benefits would enormously outnum-
ber the record achieved by the expe-
riment the changing conditions of
farms. But it may be possible to
gather together in one country or-
ganization the wide-awake and in-
terested farmers who will compare
their results with those of others,
and in a more or less scientific ~way,
plan out experiments and demonstra-
tions on their own farms. Funda-
mentally, then a farm bureau for
the country can' be collectively a
part of a giant experiment station
with several hundred observers who
hold a monthly caucus to compare
results.
The farm bureau has a trained
man to aid it: The Agricultural
Agent. It is his business to help
interpret results, to point out new
kinds of work and to reduce con-
clusions from the evidence at hand.
The farm bureau can be of greater
value to the country than the farm
adviser. ' Together they can be of
more benefit than either alone.
Other activities may concern the
farm bureau besides local research
into agricultural problems.
The farm bureau may be a sort of
rural chamber of commerce and thus
be the guardian of rural affairs. It
can take the lead in agitation for
good roads, for better schools, and
for cheaper methods of buying and
selling.
Perhaps most of all it can promote
the social institutions of country life.
The whole membership of the farm
bureau meets together but once a
year at its annual meeting in the
fall. At that time the general offi-
cers are elected, president, vice-pres-
ident and four at large.
For practical purposes, the country
organization is divided, along geog-
graphical lines, into ten or twelve
centers. Each center that has ten
or more representatives the center of
the board of the farm bureau.
Thus if there are ten centers in
the county, there ultimately may be
fourteen directors on the board—four
at large and one for each center.
The directors usually hold a meet-
ing once a month when reports are
forwarded from the various centers
and the general plans for the move-
ment in the country are considered.
The officers elect a secretary-treas
urer who holds the funds and keeps
the record of the farm bureau.
The farm bureau is financed by
dues of a dollar a year which its
members pay, into the organization.
The expenses of the bureau are those
of hiring officers, the carrying on of
correspondence, printing of pam-
phlets. Sometimes, but not usually,
the farm bureau pays the expenses
of the directors who come to the
meeting once a month.
An annual meeting at which the
election of officers takes place is
held in the fall, usually at the county
seat. It should be so arranged to
make the matter of considerable lo-
cal interest and importance. It may
be an all-day picnic to which speak-
ers of note are invited; it may take
the form of a large public banquet.
The main effort is to have present
a large proportion of the membership
of the entire farm bureau in order
that the organization may realize its
strength and its large membership.
The directors of the farm bureau
must meet every month, usually on
a Saturday, at the farm bureau offi-
ces or at the farm agent’s office.
These meetings should be of such
vital interest that the entire board
of directors will be present. At
these meetings the policy of the farm
bureau should be determined, com-
mittees appointed, reports heard
from each of the directors represent-
ing a farm bureau center, and a gen-
eral consideration given to the plans
of the farm demonstration agent.
The meetings may or may not be
open to the public. In some cases,
it has been thought wise to have
directors at the conclusion of the
morning meeting, lunch together, in
order that there may be some social
phase to the day’s proceedings.
The county agricultural agent, by
appointment, may be present. One
in each center of the farm bureau.
Thus, if there are ten or twelve di-
rectors, he will have ten or twelve
definite appointments each month
for his local work. His usual meth-
od is to come to the home office of
the local director and learn from him
those who desire to have him visit
their farms that day. He then goes
about the neighborhood seeing those
who desire his services.
Usually the farm bureau has its
meeting the night the agricultural
agent is there. These meetings may
be open to the public, but should be
serious discussions of questions per-
petrating to the farm prosperity of
the neighborhood. To this end it is
proposed that some of the local meet-
ings of the farm bureau centers be
devoted entirely to a study of one
phase of agricultural practice. If
lime is a pertinent question for the
neighborhood, why not have the ag-
ricultural agent explain in detail all
the forms of commercial lime, using
a blackboard if necessary to make
it all clear. The members might
bring notebooks and write down such
points as they cannot remember. Oth-
er subjects such as sprays and spray-
ing balanced rations and methods
of testing seeds might well occupy
one or several meetings in order to
cover them in such a way that all
can gain a true comprehension of
the subject. It will take a real old-
fashioned study to do it. But that is
the function of the farm bureau.
Sometimes the members of the lo-
cal centers might go in automobiles
for a well-planned day to see dem-
onstration plots that show definite
results. To look at a well built barn
or well bred herd. Such a trip
could be an inspiration as well as a
source of more knowledge. But it
must be undertaken with a serious
purpose and not as a junket. Some
of the meetings may be open to the
public and take on a more distinct-
ive feature. But if, as often happens
the presence of Others hampers free-
dom of discussion and a real promo-
tion of the subject, it may prove bet-
ter to discourage the attendance of
persons not members of the bureau
and to hold the social meeting at
other times.
-o-
GIVE 1 ‘ SYRUP OP FIGS ’ ’
TO CONSTIPATED CHILD
Delicious “Fruit Laxative” can't harm
tender little Stomach, Liver
and Bowel6.
AND HE NEVER SAW OCTOPI
Look at the tongue, mother! II
coated, your little one’s stomach, liver
and bowels need cleansing at once.
When peevish, cross, listless, doesn’t
sleep, eat or act naturally, or is fever-
ish, stomach sour, breath bad; has sore
throat, diarrhoea, full of cold, give a
teaspoonful of “California Syrup of
Figs,” and in a few hours all the foul,
constipated waste, undigested food and
sour bile gently moves out of its little
bowels without griping, and you have a
well, playful child again. Ask your
druggist for a bottle of “California
Syrup of Figs,” which contains full
directions for bajbies, children of all ages
and for grown-ups.
Knights in Armor.
The sense of security a soldier has
under a shrapnel helmet is astonish-
ing. Perhaps that is because its ef-
fect is psychological as well as phy-
sical. particularly when one remem-
bers the anatomy of the head, and
can appreciate the brain’s delicate)
composition, and the scant protection
afforded by the skull against modern
projectiles. A soldier recently told
an audience in Vancouver that, with
his tin hat cocked over his face, and
an enamel plate reposing on his “tum-
my,” he could sleep through a bom-
bardment, feeling safe 'as a knight in
armor. Another capped this by con-
fessing that he felt unbearably “windy”
every time he had to cross a bit of
machine-gun-swept road with stretch-
ers, until he made a practice of slop-
ing the helmet well to the exposed side
of the face, so that it acted as a
“blinker.”
Spain Needs Locomotives.
Four Spanish railways, the Northern,
the Madrid, Saragossa and Alicante,
the Andalusian and the Madrid-Cateres
have joined in a venture to make loco-
motives. These four companies will
help raise ,$5,000,000 for the extension
of a large machine shop in Barcelona,
“La Maquinista Terrestre y Maritima,”
to enable it to build locomotives now
badly needed in Spain. The Spanish
railway situation is exceedingly bad.
The locomotives and cars of many of
the roads, and particularly those of the
Northern railway, were considerably
damaged in the recent severe strikes
and ill-usage has further added to their
deterioration.
Food Conservation.
Mr. Justwed—This soup seems very
tlain. What did you use for stock?
Hi« Bride—Why, you see, Mr.
Hoover advises us to use the water
feed has been boiled in, so I used the
broth from the boiled eggs.— Judge.
-o-
v There is more Catarrh in this section
of the country than all other diseases
put together, and for years it was sup-
posed to be incurable. Doctors prescribed
local remedies, and by constantly failing
to cure with local treatment, pronounced
it incurable. Catarrh is a local disease,
greatly influenced by constitutional con-
ditions and therefore requires constitu-
tional treatment. Hall’s Catarrh Medi-
cine, manufactured by F. J. Cheney &
Co., Toledo, Ohio, is a constitutional
remedy, is taken internally and acts
thru the Blood on the Mucous Surfaces
of the System. One Hundred Dollars re-
ward is offered for any case that Hall’s’
Catarrh Medicine fails to cure. Send for
circulars and testimonials.
F. J. CHENEY & CO., Toledo, Ohio.
Sold by Druggists, 75c.
Hall’s Family Pills for constipation.
Writer's Many Days of Waiting and
Skilfully Arranged Lure All Went
for Nothing.
Between the town of Theoule and
the belvedere of the Esquillon, down
along the water’s edge, one never tires
of exploring the eaves. Paths lead
through the pines and around the cliffs.
The artist was attracted to the caves
by the hope of finning vantage points
from which to sketch Grasse and Can-
nes and Antibes and the Alps and the
castle on Saint-Honorat. But he soon
came to love the copper rocks, which
pine needles had dyed, and deserted
black and white for colors. When the
climate got him he was not loath to
join in my hunt for octopi, Herbert
Adams Gibbons writes in Harper’s
Magazine. The inhabitants tell thrill-
ing stories of the monsters that lurk
under the rocks at the Pointe da
I’Esquillon and forage right up to the
town. One is warned to be on his
guard against long tentacles reaching
out swiftly and silently. One is told
that slipping might mean more than a
ducking. Owners of villas on thei
rocks make light of octopus stories,
and, as local boomers are trying to
make Theoule a summer resort, it is
explained that the octopi never come
near the beach. Even if they did, they
would not be dangerous there. How
could they get a hold on the sand with
some tentacles while others were
grabbing you?
I have never wanted to see anything
quite so badly as I wanted to see an
octopus at Theoule. Octopus hunting
surpasses gathering four-leaf clovers
and fishing as an occupation in which
hope eternal plays the principal role.
I gradually abandoned other pursuits
a,nd sat smoking on rocks by the^half-
day. I learned over again painfully
the boyhood way of drinking from a
brook and lay face downward on island
stones. With the enthusiastic help
of my children, I made a dummy stuff-
ed with pine cones and let him float
at the end' of a rope. Never a ten-
tacle, let alone octopus, appeared. I
had to rest content with Victor
Hugo’s stirring picture in “The Toilers
of the Sea.”
A plotting wife encouraged the oc-
topus hunts by taking part in them
and expressing frequently her belief
in the imminent appearance of the oc-
topi. She declared that sooner or
later my reward would come. She
threw off the mask on, the 1st of May,
when she thought it was time to re-
turn to work. She announced to the
artist and me that the octopi had gone
dver to the African coast to keep cool
until next winter, and that we had
better all go to Paris to do the same.
Frederick’s Reply.
Frederick Wallace Grayston, age
four, astounded and delighted his
parents, Dr. and Mrs. F. W. Grayson,
of Huntington, one morning recently
when he quoted Scripture to them.
The family was having pancakes for
breakfast and Frederick Wallace’s
plate was empty. His mother had
two cakes, and was going to share
with him, when his father suggested
that he wait for the cook to bi’ing in
the warm cakes.
“Daddy,” the small son questioned,
“do you remember what they told us
at Sunday school?”
Of course daddy wanted to know
wfiat was in the youthful mind, so he
professed ignorance.
“Be thou kind, one to another,” was
the astonishing rejoinder.
Dr. Grayson hastened to assure F.
W. Jr., that he was not scolding, and
got this answer:
“Yes, I know, daddy, but mother
was going to be kind to me.”—Indian-
apolis News.
Country Has Wool Surplus.
According to David Kirschbaum, of
the National Retail Dry Goods associ-
ation, the available wool supply for
1918 is 1,260,000,000 pounds. Of this
120,000,000 pounds will be needed for
war purposes. The consumption of
wool in 1917 was 600,000,000 pounds.
Therefore even if the demand of the
army and navy should be doubled and
even tripled there should still remain
a tidy excess for general purposes,
observes the Milwaukee Sentinel, which
deplores the cry of a wool shortage.
It is pointed out that garments of all
sorts show a falling off in the percen-
tage of wool, that yarn for knitting is
scarce and the price higher, and that
clothing merchants are basing advice
to their customers to buy suits and
coats for next winter now, on the
prediction of a further deterioration
of woolen fabrics and a sharp in-
crease in prices.
Whale Margarine.
Owing to shortness of provisions in
Norway, hardened whale fat is being
used for margarine, according to infor-
mation from the department of com-
merce. This department also states
that whale catching off the coast of
Norway, which has been prohibited by
law for some years, is to be commenced
on government account. Denmark has
been using hardened whale fat in the
margarine industry for some years, and
no injurious effects on the users have
been reported.
-Pay the President-
Anti-Sampling Rule.
Los Angeles has an anti-sampling
ordinance, prohibiting house-to-house
distribution of food products. This
does not apply to samples of nonedible
products nor does it cover the giving
of food samples by a merchant in his
store. There is some question as to
whether the law permits the inclosing
of samples with goods delivered, and
trade sentiment favors an interpreta-
tion which would permit this form of
sampling.—Food Bureau Bulletin.
Life
Was a
Misery
Mrs. F. M. Jones, of
Palmer, Okla., writes:
“From the time I en-
tered into womanhood
... I looked with dread
from one month to the
next. I suffered with my
back and bearing-down
pain, until life to me was
a misery. I would think
I could not endure the
pain any longer, and 1
gradually got worse. . .
Nothing seemed to help
me until, one day, . • .
I decided to
TAKE
The Woman’s Tonic
“ 1 took four bottles,”
Mrs. Jones goes on to
say, “and was not only
greatly relieved, but can
truthfully say that I have
not a pain. . .
“ It has now been two
years since I tookCardui,
and 1 am still in good
health. . . I would ad-
vise any woman pr girl
to use Cardui who is a
sufferer from any female
trouble.”
If you suffer pain caused
from womanly trouble, or
if you feel the need of a
good strengthening tonic
to build up yourrun-down
system, take the advice
of Mrs. Jones. Try Car-
dui. It helped her. We
believe it will help you.
All Druggists
1.68
Capisallo Mercantile Go.
THE STORE OF QUALITY
Never before has our store been so well stocked with mer-
chandise at present and we invite yonr inspection.
Do not hesitate to come in. If you do not buy you are just
as welcome as if you do.
Our Dry Goods and Furnishings Depart-
ment is Very Complete
New Fall and Winter goods are arriving daily. Not too heavy
but just right for this climate. The latest in style and a
full assortment of colors. See them before buying elsewhere.
You Will Find Everything Here in Staple
and Fancy Groceries
Our stock is fresh and complete and the prices are right.
Ladle’s Men’s and Children’s shoes in all sizes and styles.
You will save money by purchasing here. We are showing
something especially servicable and economical in school
shoes.
!Hfi Fresh Fruits and Green Vegetables on Hand
at all Times v
m
Your patronage is appreciated.
0^
LdH.1
Capisallo Mercantile Go.
MERCEDES, TEXAS
W. F. Stedman,
Scientific
Watch
Repairing
GRADUATE
OPTICIAN
EYES EXAMINED
FREE
JEWELER
Next Door to Postoffice MERCEDES, TEXAS
TliE TRIBUNE WANT ADS FOR GOOD RESULTS
3{KS00000(KK}0C^P006iQ C^'idOCQQOOOOOCiOOQOOOOCiQOOQOOOOQOOOOCOOOOC-f^OCKiOOOQCiOOOOOOOOOCt
Fire Insurance Saved Fortunes
Let This Be a Warning to You:
Insure Your Property For Its Present
Value—Not What It Was Worth
In 1915 br Prior.
The world is made up of all kinds of men. Those
who profit from the mistakes of others and those
who do not.
Do you know that only a neglible amount of
insurance was carried on the homes and household
furniture that was destroyed by fire Saturday
morning in a near-by town? Some were partially
covered while others were rendered absolutely
homeless with all their goods a complete loss—No
Insurance.
Do not gamble with your
property—learn the les-
son of wisdom from their
misfortune.
For Complete Insurance Protection
Write, Phone or Call on
N. P. BARTON, Agent
Mercedes, Texas
\
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Hoyt, L. T. Mercedes Tribune (Mercedes, Tex.), Vol. 5, No. 30, Ed. 1 Friday, September 20, 1918, newspaper, September 20, 1918; Mercedes, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth635085/m1/2/: accessed April 26, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Dr. Hector P. Garcia Memorial Library.