Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1878-09-25
Letter from Minnesota,
FREEBORN, Mimi. Sent. Ii. Is

EDITOR fHEEMAN:-Ther receipt of your
paper every week with its familiar wei.
come face reminds me that am rather an
ungrateful recipient. l had intended to
send you line occasionally, just to show
my good will, if nothing more, but I have
let the busy days go by without SO much
as saying thank you.
The harvest is passed with us, and the
summer is ended, and the result is that
some who were too reckless and prodigal
of their means, and who, presumng too
much on a bountful crop, allowed them
selves to run into debt are not free from
embarrassment.
The wheat crop iE this part of Mime
sofa is nearly failure. From the region
around ST. Paul south to southern Iowa
and from one hundred TO one hundred and
fifty miles wide, it has blighted badly
This is right in the heart of the best wheat
growing region of the country. The
quantity of wheat grown here will be less
tlliiu OHC-utll vi Wii'to "fto iothioSt Shi ii'i
in the season, and the quality is reduced
fully rs much 1t is Il great disappoint-
ment to farmers, everything looked so fair
during The summer.
Last year bountiful crop was given
us, Notwithstanding the swarms OF grass
hoppers that were waiting with open
mouths to take it. Last year the sowing
was done in fear and the crop was watch
ell all the way along with anxiety. but the
reaping was done with joy. 1t was
abundant in quantity. excellent in quality
and commanded Il high price. OF course
farmers were jubilant, and every artery
of trade felt the healthful flow of business.
Trains loaded with wheat went into mar
ket, and loaded with lumber and mer-
chandise come back to the people. Ii
stimulated ACTIVITY all over these prairies
More new prairie sod was turned over the
past season than during any one season
before. Old buildings were repaired and
new ones went up. New farms were
made. and speculation ran wild.
When spring opened, and during the
summer the indications were that we
should have another crop as good or even
better than the lase. But it is not often
that We get two unusually good crops in
succession. Nature does not distribute
her extra prizes in that way, as genera
rule, though ii looked as if this year woulc
be an exception. Spring opened up early
wheat was put in in good season, anf
came on well. The growth was gooc
during the summer. Indeed, it seemed al
if it was almost too good. 1t seemed az
if nature was overreactng herself to pro-
duce an extra crop. The heads were
long and stalk thrifty. Now. if it woulc
only fill well, what glorious harvest, ant
it gave every promise of doing that. Il
was really u feast to the eye to look owe
the broad fields and see the waving grain
everywhere. A larger average had beer
sown to wheat than usual, and to look owe
the broad prairie from almost any glVer
standpoint, say about the first OF july yo'
could see but little else than waving grain
Really, it was most magnificent sign
and most magnificent prospect.
The first note OF disaster was on the tl
Of July. The day had been still and warm
but about noon the mutterlng thunoel
was heard in the west, and little aite
noon there came furious storm OF VIM
and rain. which caused much OF the graif
to lodge badly, and all of it to droop mof'
or less. 1t would have survived TINS uiS
aater tolerably well, perhaps, but othe
storms followed, and what was worse ina
the storm itself, the sun would come ou
with intense heat. while tho atmospher
was as tranquil as death. The mercury
went up to one hundred. with not the ie'ss
r;nnle of a breeze to disturb the air or III
ones cheek. feather would remain sus
handed in the air, almost perfectly me
t;onless. 1t was wonder for Minnesol'
20 see her restless, uneasy atmosphere sfl
for n moment. but it remained still nov
ub;le destruction broode,l over the whea
crop.
These causes put together-the win
and rain, together with the hot sun an
calm. afterward blighted the wheat every
where. The growth was stopped at once
The top of the wheat heads died oeior