The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1884-07-10
Letter from Iowa.

Letter from Iowa.
WALDO COUNTY MAN IN THE WEST. NOTES
ON CROPS EN- ROUTE AND AN INTEREST
ING ACCOUNT OF FARMING IN IOWA. PLEN-
TY OF BLAINE MEN.
Correspondence of the Journal.
WATERLOO, Iowa, July End 1884: 1t may
be interesting to some of the readers of the
journal to have slight description of this
country as it looks to down easter from Wal
do county | arrived in this city June 21st. l
left Boston on the 10Th. In passing through
New Hampshire and Vermont | found all
kinds of vegetation looking about the same as
in Maine, very backward, but after we got to
Toronto everything had different look. Veg
citation was more forward and the country very
level and fertile, with fair amount of timber.
but none fit to be manufactured into lumber.
saw some very fine looking stock but no fine
looking horses. When we passed back into the
state of Michigan crops of all kinds looked still
better; and it is very fine looking country to
ride through not much broken, with nice soil
and plenty Of timber. We arrived at Blue
Pond, sixteen miles from Chicago, at s A. NJ.
June 2lst and after rest of four hours left for
Waterloo on the Rock Island Road. which
passes through the northern portion of Illinois
The country is quite broken with good
many bluffs and valleys, and plenty of table
land for cultivation Everything along
the road looked prosperous, except at
the stations where we stopped. A great
portion of the buildings at the villages
were very small aud Old, as are the buildings
in the cities. although there are some very tne
ones here in this city, A new hotel was com
pleted and opened to the public but a few DAYS
before | arrived. and is said to be one of the
finest in the State although not the largest. 1t
has all the modern Improvements and contains
forty-siX rooms There are no less than twelve
hotels here with population of only six thou
sand. The city is located on the east and west
sides Of Cedar river, a very shallow stream
smooth as pond and well supplied withtish
The city is filled with shade trees, 50 much so
that it looks like forest. The streets are very
poor but thei e will soon be marked improve
ment in this direction. as they have got an east
ern man for street commissioner. Il. X Stet-
son. formerly Of Hampden. Maine | have
been out in the country both east and west
some ten OF twelve miles and every thing looks
so tourshlng that one i convinced this Is =
great farming region. The country is more
broken and has more woods than expected to
see. The roads are nearly as billy as in large
portions of Maine and some portions are stony
and but little worked and are in very poor
condition to travel over. There are some very
nice fields OF corn, containing from five to one
hundred acres and it is about breast high to the
horses as they work among il. They tell me
that corn has not had so good a stand for wears
as at present and everybody seems elated over
1t as their crop has been poor for the past Two
years, and the corn crop is the main crop in
this State. But if Maine could have the fields
of herds-gra>s they have here our people
would be willing that Iowa should monopolize
the corn crop. l have passed by fields of grass
with at least two and half tons to the acre
fields of fifty to one hundred acres-and the
farmers have begun to cut it. As the weather
Is very fine they must get some very good hay
There is not very large crop of potatoes
growing as they only raise for home cousump-
ton New ones are worth 30 cents per bu>hel
:
grain is growing. such ms wheat, oats and rye.
Wheat and oats are about all headed and rye
ready to cut, and 1t has all attained Il large
growth and bids fair for a large crop if it can
be harvested in eood condition. but they cannot
tell what may befall them in the shape Of d.
clones or water spouts. There have been some
very heavy winds since have been here. but
ia
When the wind begins to blow you Will sce
them start for home on the double quick and De
all ready to take to the cellars if ii blows too
hard. There was quite sensation caused by a
water spout bursting about one mile from town
on the oath of June 1t struck in corn field
and in five minutes time the water was four
feet deep and in the creeks they could swim
horses, but it soon drained of without doing
much damage. Fruit is in ubundance-ap
plums, cherries and currants. The two latter
are ripe with apples large enough to use for
cooking. The land on the west side Of the rv-
er is 4 sandy loan and is little earlier than
the east side, and that which has been titled for
thirty Years begins to look bleached out and
wants dressing, and when this land has been
cultivated long rs the Eastern States they
will have to be dressed the same as there, and
some of the old farmers tell me that it pays to
use the manure now. The rock are mostly lime
rock, and the water is consequently hard. Land
is very high. being worth from thirty to Que
hundred dollars per acre. | saw farms veSter-
day six miles out from the ci,y that have sold
for one hundred dollars per acre within year.
7 ~
meeting and it was an exciting time. There
would be two and three women talking and
shouting at once. 1t was such meeting As
can remember when boy. But | have writ
ten enough for this time only don't forget to
say that Blaine men are plenty out here,
o. j. l..