Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1866-09-26
Correspondence of the Journal"

roRREsT CITY, n. l., Sept Sth, 1866.
DEAR Row To-day finds me still alive
anti kicking, and heartily wishing the same
luck 10 all hands and the cook, of the Journal
We have had splendid growing weather
here for the last five or six weeks past and
the corn Is maturing finely, as well as all
other summer crops. The farmers are now
In the midst of threshing time, and highly
! reJolced at the excellent yield in wheat, rye
and oats, the yield of which is at about the
following average: of wheat, 25 bushels
per acre; rye, "a bushels, and oats 60 bush
els per acre. The grain market is tending
downward prices at Omaha being as fol-
lows: wteat 81 10; rye, S5 cents, and
oats 80 (9 10 cts; dry goods, groceries, Sc,
tiuctuatlng with the eastern markets.
The health OF the people is generally
good, with the exception of few cases of
fever and ague.
For the information of many inquirers, [
will here give statement of the average
cost of farming (wheat, rye and oats per
acre
l-tenth day sowing seed, labor and board, at
81 90 per day 50 20
l-third day narrowing, wages of team,
at $4 90 per day, 33
Reaplng one acre, ] 90
One day binding and shocking, wages
and board, 2 so
l-ffth day stacking, four hands and
team, . so
Cost Of threshing 25 bushels, 3 rs
Total cost, $Il %
1t must here be remembered that the
present high wages for labor is reckoned in
this estimate, and is therefore subject to
ftuctuate with the changes of wages and
board cost. 1t must also be remembered
hat ba mil If
stubbles, and narrowing in without plowing,
Is also an item subject to changes, while the
cost OF seed must change with its kind and
and quantity, and must be added to the
above cost
OF wheat we generally SOW from one and
half to two bushels per acre of rye from
two to two and half, and of oats about
three bushels per acre.
Now, to reckon the cost of seed at 81 25
per bushel for wheat, 81 90 per bushel for
rye and 40 cts. for oats, and sowing about
the average amount per acre, would give
net profit on land rent of about SIS 65 per
acre for wheat, SIS 40 for rye, and SO 90 I
tor oats. At a glance we can easily see that |
of the above grains, wheat pays the best; |
while it pays we'll enough to raise any one |
of these cereals.
In my next | will endeavor to give the |
estimated cost and profit of corn and vege-
tables, as correctly as possible, and if any
one desires any further information con-
cerning this country or lands &c. will be
happy to answer, either by private letter or
through the columns of the Journal, if the
editor will be kind enough to publish
on subjects so discussed
In order that the readers of the journal
may conceive the speed with which we do
up business in this Land of Promise, [
will describe a threshing match which came
of on the farm occupied by Mr. John Weeth,
and in the tenure Of Messrs. NJ Y Rishel
and VIM. FL. Booze, formerly of Clearfeld
county, Pa. Circumstances were as follows:
The two parties disagreed with regard to
the hire of threshing machines, and the
Landlord, (Mr. Weeth) hired the machine,
or separator owned by Mr.. Miller, Ga ten
horse power separator, and the tenants
hired an eight horse power separator owned
by Messrs. Melier & Langdon, of Forrest
City. The two separators and crews met
about the same time, and after few sharp
words, both crews squatted in the same
yard and began to shell out the grain The
ten-horse separator shelled out 44S bushels
in IA hours and the eight-horse separator
277 bushels in hours
Yours. &c. PILGRIM