Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1892-05-07
Letter from Alpena, S. Oak.

Dedr IFfONHe' Spring is opening
rather slowly here, and what is quito
unusual for this part, there is so
much snow and rain that farmers
are considerably hindered in putting
in their small grain. They are also
trying a method that answered very
well in many places last year--the
putting in Of grain without blowing
the ground. The way they are do
ing it is; first, burn off the stubble
and Russian thistles where this can
be done, then sow the seed on top of
the ground, disk harrow and drag
with common harrow. The ground
is SO damp that they cannot use a
grain drill to plant with, II is also
pretty hard Oh teams. Some are
using three horse teams, aud those
that can are using four-horse or
mule teams. Our nearest neighbor
is working two four.horse teams.
The land is so porous that it seems
to make it too light to plow it every
year 1t is, generally speaking, a
dark, rich loan, with a slight ad-
mixture of sand in some places. In
other localities you cannot detect
any sand, yet it is quite porous, with
a clay subsoil, SO that it holds
moisture well, and with an average
rain fall yields abundantly.
People are getting into the sheep
business n good deal and lambs are
coming along in good style
The grain trade this last winter
was very brisk The Farmers Ele-
vator Co., Of Alpena, did a big bus
mess They had to have two men
and sometimes three or four, and
two horses, to load cars. They have
done we'll also financially. Mr.. j, j..
Teasdale was buying and managing
| for five or six months. This com
pany is Il good thing, not only for
farmers in getting honest weight
and prices, but also for the village
in bringing in trade from many
miles around. For its size it is the
greatest and best grain market auy-
where near here.
We had q very mild winter and
comparatively little snow.
The Russian thistles are a great
nuisance. They are beautiful
green little bush at first for many
weeks, but soon deyelope thousands
of very sharp and thick set prlckles,
and finally grow round shaped, and
when ripe, the wind will uproot
them and send them rolling and
sowing their seeds for another crop.
The common tumble.weed IL a
| harmless flower compared 60 the
Russian thistle. They resemble the
whim or furze in some respects, but
are only an annual. Cattle eat them
with great relish, when they are
young and soft. Where they are
crowded they take complete posses
sion of the ground and kill out
every thing else. They are then
small and thick set as grass.
| did intend in the winter to at
tend the l.. NJ. Conference at
Plattevile, next month. but | hap
pened to slight accident, laming
my spine considerably for a time,
SO that / got discouraged about
travelling and backed out. In max
ing a little improvement in our back
kitchen, fell with ladder on to a
board floor, about or feet. The
conclusion seemed TO effect my
spine principally. 1t was pretty
bad for or weeks. II is much
better now, but weak person SO
cannot stand many hard falls.
Nevertheless l., with the help Of my
better half, have done my usual
gardening, and got in cress, lettuce,
lions, peas and q few potatoes,
also hot-bed and transpIanted
some hundreds Of raspberries. The
main crop however is to be put in
yet.
/ congratulate our people IN Min
eral Point in their project Of church
building. Hope to see it next
year, if kind Providence permit.
Mrs. Carbis is much better than
when she was back 70 the Point