Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1877-12-07

AT LARGE IN THE WHEAT AND Corn
FIELDS OF IowA.-To the Editor of til,
Inter Ocean:-The whole talk in the
New York Produce Exchange before
left was about the great corn and wheat
crops in Illinois, Iowa and Minnesota
and the one great wonder was why the
crops don't come forward-why they
don't come to market.
"A million bushels of corn more thar
last year in Illinois, and million and 6
half more bushels of wheat in Iowa
Wisconsin and Minnesota, and still the
grain arrivals are lighter in New York
this fall than last" said David Doves
the great provision king, the day before
left.
But where have these 100000 ex
ira bushels of wheat and corn gone TOP
| asked.
THE Lord only knows, sir; they don't
come to New York, and that's all We
know about it. It's great mystery
sir
Mr.. Armour, of Armour q Plankeng
ton, said Il know how it is; the whole
country was empty and the farmers are
filling their own bins first. They are
keeping and using the first flush al
home" Then Mr.. Armour looked very
wise,
BILL ROUNDTREE TELLS WHY THf
CROPS DON'T GO FORWARD.
This morning, filled with the impor
lance of the great question, | opened OF
the first big corn and wheat farmer
met. 1t was Bill Roundtree, who cult
Yates 900 acres of corn and wheat up il
Buena Vista county, Northern Iowa
Bill had on shabby suit of clothes, !;
muskrat hat, and in his hand he carried
a string of plow points. Bill Roundtre.
is known to have over 5000 bushels o.
wheat and 5000 bushels of corn-al
raised this year.
what have you done with you
wheat this year. Mr.. Roundtree?"
commenced as Bill deposited his pillow
points on the floor of the depot.
STACKED itr'
why don't you ship it to market?'
8 'Taint thrashed."
swell, what in the name of the agri
cultural department are you doing?'
asked
''Plowin'."
Flowing what"
Land, sill"
what for?"
More wheat-mOre wheat"
But why don't you draw your pres
ent crop to market?"
liant got time-teams plowin'."
But why don't you stop blowing, anc
draw your 5000 bushels of wheat tt
market?" I repeated.
Now amt you New York fellers
smart?''
Smart about what, Mr. Roundtree?
Why, do you think we are green
enough to thrash our wheat this warm
Weather and haul it to the cars through
the mud, when we can stay at home and
plow? Wheat will keep, won't it?
Plowin's got to be DONE Got all winter
to thrash wheat in, aud can haul two
tons on sled eastern we can haul a
ton on wagon. Farmers gettin their
teeth cut! Gettin' rich and smart!
Don't dry our wheat around the stove
any more Don't thrash it by hand and
draw it through the mud and trade it
for groceries to live ON. Get an advance
on it, pay off our mortgages, and let her
stand till cold weather.
But why don't you ship your corn
to market?' | asked.
Now, smartyI,
But answer my question, please.
Some of the smartest men in New York
wanted me to ask it"
They did, Ell? Smart fellers, them
New Workers"
Yes; now tell me, why don't you
ship your 5000 bushels of corn?"
"'Cause faint husked. | tell you,
smart farmers are plowin now. You
can husk corn when the ground is froze.
And then, again, don't you know that
not kernal of smart farmers corn
ever goes to market, except in pork and
beef? Only greenhorns sell corn. l
feed mine-every kernal of it.
But suppose you didn't feed it, when
would it 60 to market?"
Lord bless your soul! Not-a bushel
could go to market till next May. Why
you cant shell it till it's dry. 'Twouldn't
keep if you should shell it, Don't those
idiots in New York know that we never
ship corn crop till the next year? The
corn they're gittin' in New York now is
last years corn The corn-and we've
got twice as much as we ever had be-
fore-won't strike Chicago till next
June, and twon't strike New York till
next August: They'll be eating it in
Liverpool next winter"
when do you feed your corn?"
well, smart farmers keep their corn
over and feed it in the summer l fed
my last years corn crop this fall-in Jul
ly and August | sent 800 hogs to mar
ket in July and got good prices for EN-.
Then it don't take only about half the
of corn to fat hog in clover
time as it does in cold weather. / shall
not send any more hogs to market until
next summer. l tell you, farmers is
gittin' smart. A thousand bushels of
corn fed next clover time will make
more pork than two thousand bushels
fed now. No, sir! some of us farmers
know it all. Why, we've got farmers up
here in Buena Vista county who ought
to go to Chicago among the provision
men and teach school. You hear me?"
And then Bill Roundtree picked up
his pillow points and jumped into
freight caboose. Eli PERKINS.