Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1894-09-27
Letter From South Dakota.


or six inches on the grass aud from
nine to twelve on plowed ground,
1t was very dry and hot here for
over three months. No rain TO
speak of, and the heat causing the
thermometer to rise to 80, 100 and
anu frequently to l06 aud 10 dc
grees IL would be y little cooler
nights, and sometimes in the day,
but its general character would be
hot, dry and windy from the sya:h,
day by day. So much that small
grain was ripened up too fast and
too soon for fair crop, and corn
was so dried up that it was cut for
fodder where the farmer was watch
full and discerning. Some left 1t too
long for that and got nothing Oft 1t.
Some oats, barley, ETC., were not cut
at all, they were SO short and light.
10 illustrate how dry il was let
me give you little Of our experience
with our small kitchen garden. We
had to water or irrigate it from
about the 22ud Of May 10 the begin.
ming Of the present month, Septem
Der, and we hardly missed day III
all that time. We would get about
three.tourlhs of barrel of water
ready through the day al the garden
gate, and put 1t at aboutsun down.
We had cabbages, cauIiflowers, TO-
matoes, onions, beets, parsnips, peas,
celery, radisher, lettuce, some How
err, etc Aud even then we made
poorly out. We had not as many
peas as We planted by one half.
Pondefosa tomatoes were u failure.
80 were cauht yers. We had u
few nice Tree tomatoes, cabbages,
beet, etc. Our potatoes also fail ed;
thc first instance Of the kind III a
life Tune. We have 10 buy for the
present use, and will have TO buy for
winter. So will every one around
us. Milet was not worth cutting,
50 the COW, fear, will soon 20 dry !,
Lay Is poor, and people have 10 cut
all over the prairie for what they
can gel, old and new grass mixed
together. Some have gone as far as
twelve miles for hay. | suppose
this Is the worst year here for crops
that there has ever been. But | see
from The papers that it is poor
Year III many other places, yet right
here in Jerauld Co., South Dakota,
think il the worst of all. In some
places even in this state crops are
not nearly so bad as here. Potatoes
are being shipped here from Sioux
Falls. And il has been fearful
time Tor prairie fires. Several were
started by lightning. In thunder
storm about two weeks ago the light
ming struck in about the middle Of
our pasture; but the grass was So
short and thin that il would not
burn. 1t only burnt about five or
six yards wide and perhaps fifty or
sixty long. But on the prairie
where there was considerable dead
grass, very dry, it spread very fast,
and considerable damage has been
done. Our health has not been very
good this summer; 1t has been too
hot. Mr.. I. has scraped up good
deal OF hay such as it is, but there is
q great scarcity OF grain for feed.
The folks here from Mineral Point
and vicinity are about as usual.
WITH respect TO religious matters
they are dull enough. A few breth
rem and friends commenced sun.
day school in the spring, about three
miles east of here in school house,
and | promised 10 preach each alter
nate Sunday after school, but the
weather became SO hot aud over.
powering that had To give it up,
with great reluctance. | attended
the school and taught the bible class
a. long 40 ! could, and preached
three or four times in the early sum.
mer, and once i'll the Nj. +. church,
Alpena.
Now, wishing you every pros
perity and good fortune and At last