News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1886-06-10
Letter from Kansas.
AKEF1ELD. Kan. Nav 25, '96.

WAKEFIELD, Kan, May 25, $50.
Editors Ne1Us and Citizen:
AS it has been some time since L
have written you, l will now try ana
do so. Every one has been very busy
for a month or six weeks past, getting
in their corn and oats. The oats are
now about eight inches high, wheat
foot high, and rye has been headed
out for some time. The corn is all
sizes, from that just planted up to a
foot high. 1t has been very back
ward spring here and farmers have
growled a great deal. There has been
a large fall of rain, and May 18th
a heavy hail storm, hail-stones falling
as large as turkey eggs. The storm
was accompanied by good deal of
wind, and taking the wind and hail
together it smashed many windows,
and garden stuff was pounded into
the ground. 1t has been fine and
clear for a week, with not a sign OF
rain. The thermometer has ranged
from rs to SO degrees through the
day, with cool nights. There has
been a large area of winter wheat
plowed under and corn planted. The
wheat crop, as a general thing, seems
to be a failure, though there are some
fine fields. Corn is put in little diff
ferent. here than it is in Lamoille coun-
ty. The ground is plowed and the
corn planted at the same time, and it
is claimed that corn does as well, or
better, put in that way as to pillow the
ground and drill it in. The machine
used to pillow and plant at the same
time is called a "lister," and takes
three horses to draw it. A good team
will put in eight or ten acres day.
The old stalks are either cut down
with stalk cutter or rail. When the
ground is frozen they get thirty foot
railroad iron and hitch pair of horses
to each end and drag it across the
rows, so that it breaks or pulls the
stalks nearly all down, when they are
raked and burned.
The new iron bridge at Wakefield
has been completed, and has made
quite an improvement IN our looks
and business here. 1t brought large
territory into connection with Wake
field that had formerly done their bus
mess at Clay Centre and June City.
There have been twenty new buildings
erected and in process of erection in
Wakefield in the last three months,
the greater part being business build
ings. The boarding capacity Of the
town is now taxed to it's utmost,
and every train brings some new man
to look over our town, and who usual
ly decides to locate here. Town lots
are being sold quite briskly, ranging
from S. to 500, and more, according
to the location. We are trying our
best to get Touring mill started here.
There are 10000 bushels Of wheat
stored here in one building, and has
been here for two years. Eastern
parties own it and are holding it for
an advance. If we had a mill here
we could turn the wheat into -four and
sell the manufactured article. Mr..
and Mrs. J. I. Fullington, Mrs. b.
Fullington and Miss Eugenia Pulling
ton arrived at Clay Centre May IA.
They are all from East Cambridge,
Vt. Mr.. F. has two sons in Clay
Centre and they are wide awake, STIR
ring young men; just the kind for a
western town or city. There are a
great many hogs shipped from here.
Saturday last the road was full for
half a mile, the farmers with their
teams and large boxes filled with hogs
resembling circus coming TO town.
The price now paid is $3.50 per hun
bred pounds. Gardens thrive here
quite well, and lettuce, radishes, Gu
cumbers, ETC., have been on sale for
| some time. W. A DENiERITT.