DAYTON FARMERS MEET
ORGANIZE BRANCH OF BETTER FARMING ASSOCIATION
C., B. & Q. Agricultural Expert Delivers Talk—Other Fine Talks Heard

Thursday evening fifty representative farmers of Dayton township assembled at the Beach school house in that township for the purpose of organizing a branch of the Better Farming association. Great interest was taken in the proceedings and it proved to be a very enthusiastic meeting.

Mr. Sampson, agriculturalist for the C., B. & Q. Ry. company, which he represented at the meeting, spoke on ‘Why the Burlington Railway is interested in this work.’ The Burlington is the largest financial contributor in this work and the speaker gave his audience a very interesting talk as to the success of the new movement.

J. S. Brook, the La Salle County Farm Advisor, gave a good talk on “Soils and Their Treatment.” He showed how farmers could benefit themselves largely by using better methods and more scientific ideas in their farming. T. W. Esmond, president of the association, talked along the same lines. Both taking up the matter in detail and how much might be gained by using better farming methods. Mr. Esmond also told of the organization and what they hoped to make out of it.

J. F. Farrell, who was present, also made a few remarks.

After the discussions were completed the local organization elected officers with the following result:
President—Frank Beach
Vice President—Lewis Belrose
Secretary—Chas. Retz
Treasurer—Lyle Green¹

The Better Farming Association had a three fold purpose: to improve its members, making each a better and more satisfied citizen; to improve their farms, by making them more efficient and therefore more productive; and to improve the community, by better schools, markets, roads and whatever will make the community a better place in which to live.

1. Ottawa Free Trader, October 30. 1914, p. 5, col. 2.