Tama County Republican. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1867-1872, 1871-12-07
As others See Us.

The editor OF the Iora Homestead
visited Tana, County last month,
and here is a letter he wrote to his
paper about this county and people.
1t is worth reading.
BUCKINGHAM, lama Co,
Nov. 81, ISIS
Our last letter was from the Ag,
]ricultural College. lama City and
Toledo were our next points OF CD
~scrva,ion. The former city, being q
railroad station tor a large district
of country, has risen to considerable
Importance as a shipping point, and
is ias, on.s,r,rpins in population and
~imnroyemcn, some of the towns
Il at had a large trade when it had
no existence. But Toledo, the coun-
" seat. situated ahoat two miles
North Of the railroad, could not rest
very long under the rivalry OF point
that had wrcsted from her SO much
of the trade that she formerly enjoy
cd, without dong something to re-
cover it. 1t is done. and before the
readers Of the HOMESTEAD generally
read tins letter, the iron-i'orsc Will
be running on n tirst-c!ass railroad
between tho Northwestern road ana
Tolcio-all with the means OF the
enterprising capitalists OF that place:
This Is the commencement OF a road
intended to run North through the
beautiful and productive country III
this section and beyond, that have no
facilities nearer than sixteen miles in
any direction.
Toledo is one Of the finest located
towns in the State for beauty OF
prairie scenery. The site Isl high,
and rolls gently to every point, that
permits a very extended view OF
thousands OF acres OF well titled land,
which, when under cultivation in va
riei crops must present 4 sight morc
grand than the famous gardens we
read of. the centre Of which Toledo
enjoys. If the visitor wants to enjoy
good comfortable quarters. good
rooms, good fare, be sure to stop at
the Foster House.
The point in which VIC write this
letter is on Wolf Greek, about tour
miles from Buckingham, i'll what is
known as the Scotch settlement, and
is equal in every respect, and superb
or to most others in the State, tor Its
productive soil, and its general adapt
alton to the most successful farming =.
Not a farm in all this large settle
mcnt that does not pay well for all
the labor aud capital bestowed upon
it. the result also Of the skill and
economy practiccd by the occupants
in Their native soil. Their corr crops
this year average at least sixty bush
els to the acre, and spring wheat
eighteen bushels. Considerable at
t%cn,ion is given by some OF the &C.
cupants to stock raising, and in a few
instances to the extent OF consuming
all the corn. fodder, &c. raised on
the farms. Every item used by stock
is generally turned to a profitable
purpose in fe, ding, which is the only
true system Of farming on u prai-
rie soils remote from market. i
Among the most Industrious, intel.
lirent aud successful farmers OF tins
Wolf Greek settlement is the Hon
James Wilson, member elect to the
Legislature, and his uncle, West
Wilson, Esq, the former with $40
acres, the latter with $50 acres. The
former raised this year on ninety
acres, between FIVE and six thousand
bushel of corn and on eighty acres of
wheat near fifteen hundred bushels,
also thirty acres OF oats aud other
crops. He also gives considerable
attention to tame grasses, having
sixty acres OF five varieties mixed.
The pasture is for the cattle, Of which
he ships a car load east every season,
his hogs consuming the largest por-
ton OF the corn. He is II OF those
prudent farmers who has stock
enough on his farm to consume all the
corn and fodder raised thereon. A
man who exhibits snch sound judg.
mont Of his own affairs is generally
reliable when entrusted with the at.
fairs of others, and we hope to sec
his services secured III a wider field
Of usefulness.
West Wilson, Esq ranks among
the most intelligent and experience,
farmers we find in this county, from
"ol) Scotland" lie brought, also
Ills industry and skill with him, and
hy their application, SO far as they
can he made to develop the product
~ivcness of our rich soils, and by els
carding the slip-shod methods O
those who proceeded him, he is cx.
hbiting results that will, il his prac.
ticc is initiated, prove that farming
can be made = p wing business. BE
sides raising and educating a large
and growing family, he has saved in
a series of sixteen years, an average
OF one thousand dollars a year no,
computing the advanced value OF his
land. Here is a community of farm
ers, located more tn II an average o.
twenty-five miles from any railroad
or market town, that makes legit,
mate farming pay, for there is not a
man who owns a farm in it, that does
not lay up something handsome ev
cry year, whilst they live upon the
fat Of the land. We by no means
esteem such results difficult or un.
common in Iowa SOLVE merely
mention the fact to meet the croak
ing OF those thousands OF thriftless
and Respondent farmers who assert
that there is no money in farming
The mar who has a farm OF the sol
Of Iowa. is skillful in the use Of farm
implements, las good health, and
cannot make money Herewith, has
very little encouragement that he car