Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1894-08-16
FARMING IN THE WEST.
How a 10000 Acre Farm in Dako-
ia is Carried On.
written for THE TINES

written for THE TINES.
AS some of the good people of Bel
lows Falls are interested in Cleveland
farm, and as am now stopping here a
few days it seems as if a few words
might be of interest to your readers.
This farm of 10000 acres under the
management of Hon. r. N. Ink, form
erly of the firm of Ink 4 Carter, is an
object of good deal of interest to an
eastern farmer. AT present about $500
acres are under cultivation, most of
which of course is wheat, but there are
also oats and barley. In riding over
the place / noticed one fine field of oats
of so acres and on the other side of the
road was another field of 800 acres.
Harvesting has just commenced and
the numerous binders following each
other in the same field make pretty
sight. Some 20 binders are used on
this farm. There are also two headers,
which just take off the heads of the
wheat making much more rapid work,
as one of them takes the place of three
and one-half binders. These are not
yet in operation. 1t takes three horses
land they have good ones here) to draw
a binder, and each binder cuts 10 to Is
acres day; but the header clears 40 to
so acres a day and takes four to six
horses. The header is showed in front
of the horses. Some of our little fields
would hardly give room to turn round
in with these machines. There has
been but little rain since the crop was
put in, and the hot weather, which has
been excessive, has hurt the crops all
through this region, but still there is
fair average crop about here.
1t takes good deal ofcapital to stock
a farm like this and run it in good
shape. 1t is largely carried on by ma
chinery and an expert mechanic is re-
quired all the time. The constant need
Of repairs makes blacksmith shop
Last year in harvesting help
was paid $1.5O per day. This year it is
$1.25 on this farm and help is very
plenty. Threshing is done by steam
power, it takes five minutes to set up
and about 80 acres are threshed at each
setting up. During the harvest about
80 hands are employed and from four
to 10 or II during the remainder of the
season. Mr.. Ink has an interest in the
place and enjoys carrying it on, and
with the rich land here, the greatest
obstacle to success is the low price of
wheat which it is hoped will not long
continue. This is fine place to run
a bicycle and they are utilized on the
farm here. Having one placed at my
command, / have found it very useful
in going over the farm. Mrs. I'll. has
also found it useful, taking some long
rides on one.
There are some large fields on this
farm, but ordinarily $40 acres is about
as large as they make them. A stream
running through the farm gives plenty
of water in the pastures and the drain
age is excellent. We drove three miles
by the side of one pasture. An artesian
well 45O feet deep furnishes a
large amount of water and there is
well of fine drinking water besides.
Soon after my arrival [ found the
children here engaged in the exciting
pastime of drowning out a gopher.
These gOphers are unwelcome tenants
here and a bounty is placed on their
ears. There are several varieties of
them and while one kind commands
bounty of 5 cents apiece, the others are
valued at penny apiece. They are
pretty little fellows about as large as
one of our "chippers." They are ex-
perts at digging out seeds after they
are planted and often do much damage
in gardens and grain fields. They pop
out of their burrow pretty lively when
it is filled with water.
The temperature here to-day is "a de-
grees, but some days recently it has
been up to 100 degrees and in some
places ITO degrees are reported, but the
nights are cool and we sleep well.
J. L. HUBBARD.
Moselle, North Dakota, July 80, 1894.