Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1891-05-07
A Letter From Farmer, "

1t is not often one sees such an early
and genial spring as we have had here so
far. We had an open, dry, mild winter,
with our usually eXcrable prairie roads in
splendid condition nearly all the time;
but with April rains came mud galore;
yet with them came green pastures and a
profusion of peach, cherry and plum
blossom. Now early apples are in bloom,
and the bees swelling in nectar nearly
every day. Wheat is unusually fine and
waste grains ofcorn have come up through
the lots and pastures. The one thing we
need however is more rain. Ponds have
filled but little, and tile is not running
yet. and, in some places, two feet brings
one down to hard, dry soil or clay in dig
ginG post holes. Potato bugs are hunt
ing for sOIanum tuberosam and chinch
bugs are Just going into the wheat, so
that our crops still depend on more
abundant moisture.
The English sparrow has moved out
from the towns and villages ard isrualiz-
ing with 4 Vengeance. | have not seen a
martin for two years. [ have a good
martin box up in the yard but the swPl-
lows drove them away and occupy the
box both winter and summer. Our leg
islaturc is wracking its brains to get rid
OF them, bat the task is hardly possible
Rabbits are worth more per head than
any premium the State can put on sWal-
lows. They cannot fly; and are better
mark for the sportmau. They are hunt
ed by every boy and dog and are the prey
of hawks, minks and every predatory
animal. yet they are far from being eX-
tinct. How hopeless then the task OF
driving out this little persistent flyer.
am not sure but that he is the farmers
friend in spite of all that has been said
against him. | have seen them catching
worms and insects on the ground, and
lately / have seen them hunting over and
picking something out of the young leaves
and buds of apple trees-apparently some
small insect, for could not see that the
leaves were broken or the blossom injur-
ed, | am not going to condemn the ro-
bust little airing upon hearsay, but work
for the verdict myself. So far the English
sparrow is ahead with me though it has
driven my martins away.
Another pest we are getting is the strip
ped gopher or ground squirrel. Old blue
grass pastures are often thickly tenanted
with them, and woe to the farmer who
plants corn where they can readily run to
it. | have watched them take the seed
corn out of the ground ana nibble out the
heart of the grain. Its purrlesom to see
how unerringly they find the covered
grain. They run along a newly planted
row. no matter how it is covered, dig up
A Grain in an instant, and never dig where
there is no grain. We always had a few,
but now they seem to breed in colonies,
especially in dry seasons. One OF my
bows found an old one with sixteen young
ones, bought calibre p Winchester
rifle and gave my boys box or two OF
short cartridges and the gopher nuisance
was very promptly abated in my cornfield.
They stand up on their hind quarters to
watch an intruder and so make good
TARGET fOr OH uGill IlIt k'ioStiS''
IT. p. R''would not find wild fowl so
thick in the Illinois bottoms now. Many
of the lakes have filled up so as to become
cultivated fields, while breech loading
arms have killed or scared away the
game. His story of wild hogs did not
thrill me, but it made me think what a
bio fool little boy can sometimes be.
When fifteen years of age | chased wild
boar out of my fathers hogs; and. with
the aid of a courageous dog, brought him
to bay in the head of hollow where
storm had blown down several trees. L
had with me sharp. heavy corn knife
and the dog, though soon hurt was fear
less: but my experience was such that
decided never to come to close quarters
with another wild boar if could hep it,
[ slashed him about the neck, shoulders
and head with all my might, dancing
meanwhile a good deal livelier than
ever did for fiddle, the hog paying his