The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-05-13
HAPPY FARMERS,
A Prosperous Condition Among the Farm
ers of the West

ers Of the West.
ASHLAND, Kan. May Especial Cor
respOndence1 Your correspondent, in
driving over this county, met the happiest
lot Of farmers that can be found in our
state. They are actually making money
and are too busy to think about complain
ing from any cause. Occasionally one
would say he would like to see prices OF
farm products 60 up, but he was all right
even if the prices this year are no better
than last season. The whole secret of sue
cess Of Clark county farmers is easily eX-
planned, as I think the oldest man on earth
never saw so large an acreage of crops ac-
cording TO the population, as can be seen
right here in Clark county at the present
time, and l doubt whether a better condi-
tion Of all kinds OF crops can be found in
our state. Every good quarter section of
land in this county has been settled on
and a portion of IL broken out. but the bad
seasons of 1887 and 1883 were too discOUrag-
ing for the average settler; as only such as
were actually good farmers made crops
during those years. Nearly all had mort
gagged their farms and their interest had
become delinquent. The result was, they
traded the equity in their farms for any
decided over the land to the mortgage com
pany to prevent foreclosure and personal
Judgment. and when Oklahoma was
thrown open for settlement, the exodus
from here increased and continued until
only about One-foUTth Of the settlers were
left on their farms. Those who remained
were of the better class who had planted
orchards, shade trees, etc. made desubstantial
improvements and had the larger portion
of their lands in cultivation. For instance
we viii take the case of Robert CriSman, of
Center township. who has 320 acres. of
which 240 are wheat which today is waist
high, nice and even all over the field, and
Is heading ont. A finer show of wheat is
seldom seen in any country. The balance
of Mr. Crisman's farm is in pasture. vet he
has l35 acres Of spring crops on land near
by that was mOrtgaged and abandoned by
the former owners and Is now owed by a
mortgage company who willingly allow
farmers all they can raise on such land,
for the reason that they do not want the
lands TO grow mp in weeds or 90 back to
sod. Mr.. CTlsman put in all the $40 acres
OF wheat and the 80 acres of spring CrOD
with the assistance of a hired hand and a
boy, who Is but a small lad. The farmers
have learned that where the land has been
plOwed good and deep, well cultivated and
free OF weeds at seeding time. it was in
better condition for seeding after n CrOn of
corn or castor beans has been produced
and best results Mad been obtaibnd yTbara
wheat or rye had been drilled in between
corn or castor bean rows fban in cases
where the ground had been newly niov,ad
Thev claim the reason i that HeH NOV.
ing for fall seeding leaves the ground too
loose and that the host ras,5its ,re ,,I,,
1ained even where the yvboot i soI,D,, r.,
corn rows by nasrurino n from tGa tir,a
they oat the com bnSI-ad mel s,r;,,lr
rTbev estimate th, COST ,f is;n, ,, :,
corn o7. casto. hon, stI,l,IIa a. n ,,,.
busEeI Tbat ,rboat j.. ,-sl,,oI,Ia f,. -,
71rs drrire f,lI and ,,-irr,,1 ,'d tj O.,
= ahoIIt a. ,,jrojo I, -, ',', 's
wild M ~, md ,,,as+ f - f,,i y,
zyiib abopr tvenfZ IN si1tv baad of .tooI
r.rrIc -,,-r cf I-E;.l, -, -. y