Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-03-18
Spring work.
Journal of Agriculture.


Every man ought to have (before
this month is el.ded) enough wood
sawed to last him until next
Christmas. The harness should all
have been mended, the crippled gates
all repaired, the garden fence repaired,
the calf lot fenced off, the beehives
finished and ready for use when they
are needed, chicken coops mended and
new ones made, seed corn carefully
selected, and ready for use, your
plows should all be sharpened this
month, the harrow, the roller, the
corn planter, and everything that is
used on the farm should be ready for
use. This is also a good time to trim
up your hedge fences, fix your hog
pens, and sheds. See that the roof is
all right, for the spring rains will
come soon. Now I want to say to
every farmer who reads this, if all the
things that have mentioned are not
completed, you are behind, and the
probabilities are that you will be be-
hind all summer. For if you do JUS
tice to your crops you will not have
time for any of this work when far
ming time comes on. [ want to say
to those who have not all these things
attended to, go to work, make up for
as much lost time as you can, be out
and at it with the rising of the sun,
work steadily, and with purpose.
"A Young StOckman's Experience.
About a year ago | moved into this
country Boone county, Ark Ny
father and myself heard that the
farm upon which [ am located would
be sold cheap. In q months time all
arrangements were made, and was
in charge of the business. It seemed
to me that / was to take charge of the
world instead of farm of $50 acres.
1t was my FIRST experience in business.
About the middle of March we COM
menced operations by grubbing and
chopping. There was not blade of
tame grass on the farm. We cleared
the land and sowed twenty-five acres
of blue grass. fifteen acres of clover,
and thirty acres of timothy. These
have all made good crops of hay,
thus proving that the tame grasses
will grow well here.
[ tried my hand at blowing for the
first time. The lockers on seemed to
However, [ became fair plowman
before finished. We put in sixty
acres of corn and five acres of millet.
Both did well, the millet yielding two
and one half tons per acre.
[ bought with the farm 40 head of
cattle and 1875 hogs / afterward
bought a thoroughbred short-horn
bull and all the good heifers and
steers [ could find in the neighbor-
mood. Before summer | had 1875 head
of cattle and 240 hogs. The hogs
kept Ia fine condition through the
summer on peaches and other fruits,
for which this country is famous.
When the mast commenced to fall. [
turned my hogs out, and in five weeks
had eighty ready for market. fed
them only on two and one-half bush
els Of corn each. Ny beef cattle kept
in fine condition ON the native grass
es. In December | started for st.
Louis with my cattle and hogs. We
are forty-hve miles from railroad. I
felt proud enough when my animals
were driven into the stock yards. The
commission merchant told me I was
the youngest man they had ever given
checks to for stock. I looked so much
like boy that [ had to identify my
self. am only 81 years old.
My first years experience has GER
tainiy been a success. I like the life.
l live in log cabin which I had box
ed and ceiled and then painted. I
have library of about IT'S volumes,
and other conveniences that make my
life very pleasant. l give my men
the use of my library and encourage
them to improve their spare time. On
the whole, I am much pleased with
farm life in this country and would
not go back to city life.