%xpevitnce f ejmvtmimt   ^^
FARMERS' TELEPHONES.
A Successful Plant.
1st Premium.—People of a rural community cannot afford to pay the high fee
fssr the use of a telephone which most companies charge, when they can organize a
home company of their own at much less
expense and have better service.
The people of this community met at the
slistrict school-house, three years ago to
sliscuss the organization of a telephone
company. This first meeting was not very
well attended, so they set the date for the
next meeting and appointed men to go
over the neighborhood and get subscribers
und to urge them to attend the next meeting. At this next meeting they elected officers, by a majority vote of the stockholders to serve one year, consisting of a
President, Vice-Pres., Secretary, Treasurer, and Superintendent. Each member was
assessed the amount of $14.76, the amount
it took to purchase the telephones and
wires, each member furnishing and setting
liis own poles and installing his own phone,
which was superintended by an expert at
i lis- expense of the company furnishing the
phones.
The president presides at all meetings,
enforces the laws and rules of the company
nnd sees that the rights of each member
are respected. The vice president presides
in absence of the president.
The secretary keeps the roll of all the
members, and keeps a just'accouutbetween
the member and the company. He keeps
a correct record of the proceedings of each
meeting, and a true account of all money
coming into his hands, paying it over to the
treasurer and taking his receipts. He does
all corresponding for the company and
Keeps all valuable papers belonging to the
company.
The treasurer keeps account of all money
ooming into his possession, and pays all orslers on the treasury when signed by the
president. He submits a full report .nt
each meeting.
The superintendent has charge of all the
telephone lines aud switchboard, and sees
i hat they are kept in perfect repair.
Any person wishing to become a member,
after the system is established, can do so
l>y paying his proportionate part of the
original cost of construction and switchboard fees.
Each member is required to pay into the
treasury     quarterly     his     proportionate
amount of necessary expense.
No one line is allowed to carry more than
'en telephones.
The poles used, should be either pine, cedar, white oak, chestnut oak or sassafras,
•ind should be not less than 20 ft. long and
not less than 4 inches at the top end.
This company has only been established
« short time, but it now extends all over
•he county, connecting all of the towns,
•1nd still keeps growing. A Reader.
Each Member has an Interest
2d Premium.—When farmers wish to or-
f"m*1 a farmers' telephone company they
personally see as many    influential
«houia
farmers
the
as possible, from different parts of
wunty, and get them interested, there-
('y firing their influence and help.    Af-
,*r the business has been talked over aud
ey have become interested, then the next
g in °rfer is to call a meeting.    This
uld be at smne central place,
there is the most Interest manifested. The object of this meetin,; is to effect an organisation. It will be best to
have some farmers present that know
something about a farmers telephone company, and have had some personal experience along lhat line. They will address
the meeting on the subject; this will have
the best effect. The next thing iu order ;s
to elect officers; president, vice-president,
secretary and treasurer, and any others.
There slissiild be by-laws adopted, and after the adoption of these by-laws the proper installation of officers.' This company is
now ready to receive   members   or stock-
Uie Qocd Materials
.'Ssl Premium.—A rural telephone Hue
ni.iy lie organised as ■ stock company, the
patrons paying a monthly rental, but I
think a better way is fssr the parlies interested to build tlieir own line. A meeting
of all parties near the line should be called, and a president, treasurer and general
manager shonld be elected for one year.
The question should lie explained, estimate
of expense made, and signers secured, not
to exceed 15 on any oue line. Should
there he more, rather than overload the
line it is better to divide and organize two
lines which may both be placed on one set
of poles.    Select a good grade of poles. 20
used cedar poles aud copper wire, the other
usiil common poles. The first has had no
repairs to speak of, while the latter system
lias had new poles put up and old ones replaced, and is nbout ready for a new wire.
I'he expense for repairs has more thau
equalled the amount necessary to have
erected a good line in the first place.
Bowling Green, Ind. E. H. B.
Farm Home of Jesse  Collins, Jackson County..
holders.
There are many reasons why a niutunl
telephone line is more satisfactory than a
line that is owned just by a few individuals. The wealth of this entire company
stands responsible for any amount of funds
needed at any time. The members are coworkers, all working for the best interest
of the company, as they should, for they
own and control it. But with the line owned by a few individuals we only rent, and
at the end of the year we are no better
than when we began. Just the same dif
ference as owning a farm or renting one.
In management of a farmers' telephone
Hue every member has an equal voice with
every other member. It is also the privilege of every member to know the entire
history of his company. With this kind
of a company it can be run mostly by some
member of the company, who has no other
interest than to work for the interest of the
company. After a company is organized
the assessment can be made according to
the cost of line. This price will have to be
goverened somewhat by the number of
stockholders. Each outside party who has
a phone pays just the same as those who
are stockholders, but of course after the
business is established and is paying a dividend, this is divided
among the stockholders only. After a company is once formed and has become established so it is running nice and smoothly
it will be easily maintained, as this kind of
a company is fraternal rather than commercial. The members should stand shoulder to shoulder and work in harmony, one
and all. Remember the golden rule, and
it will surely be a success. B.
feet long, and 5 inches in diameter at top;
this should increase 1 inch in diameter for
.each 5 feet above 20 feet in height. Set 1
feet in ground. Anchor all corner posts
solid. Put cross-arms on wheu erecting,
if more than two lines are on one set cf
poles. Use No. 12 wire, heavily galvanized and soldered at eaeh joint.
Arrangements to attach to switchboard
at each end of the line should be made if
practicable. If there be no switchboard
at terminal, I would connect with a general store whose owner should be a shareholder of the line. Other lines are sure to
follow, and when 3 or more lines are built
a switchboard may be installed in some
private house, the operator to be hired on
salary; or eaeh phone may be charged so
much per month, to be paid quarterly.
After the line is built other parties may
wish to buy shares and other lines may
wish to use the poles. Prices for same
should be fixed by stockholders.
The general manager has charge of line
and keeps it in repair, and should be paid
per day for labor. An assessment must be
levied on each share, an amount sufficient
for expenses. Transfers may be had with
other lines free of charge, which will give
us more phones.
Common conversation should give way to
business, and no party allowed to hold the
line over five minutes. The phone should
be the property of the user, and all lines
to the main line to be kept in repair by
him.
I would especially urge the necessity of
erecting the line substantially; the better
the line the fewer repairs. Two systems
erected lines here about 10 years ago. One
No. 630, May 10.—Name some good
"catch crops," and tell how to handle
them.
No. 637, May 23.—Explain your crop rotation plan, and show where the profit
comes in.
Potash for Muck Soils.
Kalitors Indiana Farmer:
Noting that G. B., of Kosciusko county,
hns made inquiry as to what course to pursue in raising the productive value of
muck land, I will attempt to give the desired information.
Muck soil that has been under cultivation for some time usually needs a copious
supply of potash to replenish the original
quantity of that soil essential which has
Uen taken up by the first few crops, or
has disappeared, through the leaching
prtx?ess. ,o desitb1' Vievon,].tbrt i"s*2Cm cf th**
roots of farm plants.
If one hns access to plenty of w.»d
ashes and cinders, a very cheap and simple method for improving the fertility of
swamp land is found by scattering these
ashes broadcast and in general quantities
over the surface of the reclaimed land. In
the region of large manufacturing plants
or coal mines coal ashes and cinders cau
be gotten merely for the asking and removal. The low potash content of these
ashes necessitates adding a large amount
per acre. From three to four tons of
coal ash per acre ought to supply enough
potash Cor about two crops of corn or potatoes.
The application to each acre of swamp
land, of from 400 to 500 pounds of kainit,
a miseral obtainable from almost any reliable dealer in fertilizers, will also supply
a sufficient amount of potash for several
crops.
If muriate of potash is used, (and it is
most commonly available) from 200 to 400
pounds per acre applied to the well prepared ground, just before planting or seed-
ii-g,    will prove very satisfactory.
Sulfate of potash may also be applied in
about the same quantity per acre as the
muriate. Application of these different
fertilizers of high potash content may be
made either by band broadcasting or when
conditions permit, by drill. Large quantities of tobacco stems scattered on the
muck soil and plowsad under will also supply potash.
The liquid manure flowing from the compost heap in the barnyard may be profitably applied to muck soils, as this liquid
is well chargs?d with the soluble potash
generally in the carbonate form.
H. S. C.
A special train for instruction in potato
(.rowing was run over the Denver & Rio
Grande railroad through western Colorado
last week. This section of the State
marketed in 1907 less than 2,000 cars of
potatoes. Potato experts believe that
when its advantages for potato growing
are thoroughly appreciated and the best
methods used, that 35,000 Mrs of choice
potatoes should be marketed from this section annually.