The Globe-republican. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1889-1910, 1894-05-11
FARMING THAT PAYS.
E:Sa. Martin MOhler tells Of Some
very Successful Osborne County
Farmers.

Some days ago while in Osborne City
prominent citizen said to me: 1.-The
farmers of Osborne county are getting
rich. looked at him with an air of
surprise, expecting him to modify the
statement well. they are, he con-
tinued. NO matter which road you take
from Osborne-eastward. westward.
northward or sOuthward-you will find
that every farmer who came to this
country twelve or more years ago and
has stuck to his farm is getting rich.
No. not millionaires. but worth from
ten to fifteen or twenty thousand
dollars.
Now, since we have had ringing in our
ears for so lOlg time the idea that
farmers are poor, dOwn-trOdden and op-
pressed, confess to a degree of surprise
at such a broad statement, and concluded
to satisfy myself by personal inquiry.
For this purpose spent 4 week among
the farmers Of Osborne county, visiting
them at their homes.
Being old friends, was a most well
come guest. They talked freely about
their business and took special pride in
relating their experiences in pioneer
life-how they had passed through the
fiery ordeal and had in time caught on
and got down to business and finally
had achieved victory over which they
were justly proud. Starting with little
or no money fifteen or eighteen years
ago, they now have from a half section
to a section OF more of good land, we'll
improved, are practically out of debt
and many of them have money in the
bank.
After my visit among the farmers l
was willing to admit that the remark of
the Osborne City gentleman is in the
main true. OF course there are some
exceptions, but as rule the farmers
who located in Osborne county twelve.
fifteen or twenty years ago and have
stuck to their farms are now in easy
and Independent circumstances What
is true of the farmers of Osborne county.
is doubtless true also of other counties
in the state. excepting only the extreme
western section. 1t is Il fact worthy of
note that farmers who have made stock
growing and stock feeding prominent,
have been more successful than those
who have given prominence to wheat
growing.
OF the dozen or more farmers visited,
! give the names of a few only, and of
these because they represent the several
classes of farmers who have attained
success on somewhat different lines of
agriculture.
First as IA representative of that class
who make dairying prominent. | give
the name of August Zimmerman, who
lives twelve miles southeast of Osborne
on Twin Creek. In 1873 he, young
man. took his claim. Three years later
he married. and with but little capital
he commenced Improving his homestead.
Some years later he secured another
quarter section of land adjoining his
homestead. He made satisfactory prog
ress in improving his farm, but four
years ago, chiefly because he failed parti-
ally ia fruit growing he became dissatis-
fled with the country and exchanged his
half section for farm of l6O acres in
family, however, he concluded he had
made mistake in the trade he had
made, and determined, if possible, to get
his Osborne county home back again,
which he did at the cost of 5000. snow,
he said to me. II am improving my farm
here. supporting my family, and besides
paying each year from the proceeds of
my farm here $500 on the mortgage
which encumbers the Franklin county
farm. s'Well'', l said, ''Mr. Zimmerman.
how do you manage to do that:'
''First," he said. ''we grow about every
thing we eat. We grow our own meat
and turn off from fifty to sixty hogs each
year and number of cattle,
We grow all the garden vegetables we
need each year-potatOes, cabbage. to-
matoes. onions and every vegetable that
grows-plenty for one family of nine
children all the summer through and
some to sell. We irrigate our garden
with good well aud wind power. Sec
ond.-We milk twenty-three cows aud
make cheese, which is worth 10 cents
per pound. Third. The revenue from
the poultry yard averages about 81 per
day in eggs alone.
BY this kind of business sense Mr..
Zimmerman will in year or two have
paid off his mortgage on his Franklin
county farm, aud since his land is now
clear in Osborne county. he is in a fair
way to steer clear of the county poor
house.
As representative Of that class of
farmers who make alfalfa growing
nron,;popf olonO with fruif rrou.;cr