Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1895-09-10
Editorial Rambling and Some Things
Seen About the County.

PEE DEE broke camp and took up
his line of march among the sturdy
farmers of the county. Hating at the
model farm of Joseph Schaefer in
New Oregon, we took a survey of his
farm and crops, after having made
one of his dinner table, to the great
satisfaction of our hunger. One of
the peculiarities of this farm, or rath-
er of the system which prevails in it's
management is that every year re-
turns profit to its owner. The best
methods in farming whether in live
stock, swine, or growing crops and
marketing them prevails. A young
orchard with quite variety of APP
pies is one of the fine features, and an
artificial grove near by, furnishes not
only shelter and protection from the
suns rays in summer and from the
cold blasts of winter for domestic ami
mails, but for fuel without in the least
inparing its density or value of the
grove for the other uses named. We
noticed a field of two or three acres of
the Red Cafir corn that possesses
some peculiarities which render it of
much value for its feeding properties
grower, very prolific in its leaves
be cut early for swine, dozen shoots
being thrown out for every one that
is cut off. In the early season Mr..
Schaefer cut over about half his field
of Red Cafir corn, which is now o
dense mass of sweet and delicious
feed fully waist high. He also has
about one acre of ground covered
with rich sweet pumpkins of fine tex
ture and rich quality, though many
of them will weigh one hundred
pounds each.
From Mr.. Schaefer's our course was
toward the southwest part of the
town, passing on the way the farms
Geo. Morse to the east, that OF
VIM. Woodward, conducted by his
son W. E that of Jacob Ring, an old
tuner, that of j. G. Hauck, that of j.
Volkering, that of Charles Miller,
where once We used to meet J. s. Pot
ter of Riceyille, that of Jacob Rink,
that of John W. and Moses Booth,
these of HI. F. Paul and Martin John
son. now owned by the Tomas Bros
and conducted by Joseph An lera and
his sons, that of Jerome Church, now
owned by j. G. Doan and conducted
by Thomas Hanson Malvuld, that of
I. r. Powers, conducted by Bert
Olson. What an absence here of the
names and of the persons who ex-
tended to us kindly greeting more
than third of q century ago. And
the difference in the character of the
country in that time has undergone
as great change as the make up Of
its occupants. Then the Martin John
Son farm was denominated swamp
land by the government and as such
donated to Iowa for the use of its
school fund; now reclaimed and the
richest and most valuable portion of
the Tomas farm. The VIM. Edwards
farm is now owned by Mr.. Capouch
and George Hooper. The latter should
be the successor of the supervisor who
retires this winter, not in the interest
of the republican party but for the
public. Pursuing our trip westward,
the farm once owned by Frank Guy
cite, Jr., was passed, when we came
to the eleven hundred acre farm of
Thomas Hooper and sons, in Paris.
The Hoopers are noted for good
farming aud for fine horses, among
which we noted two promising young
ones, mare sired by Flask, with u
good time record, which promises to
be surpassed by this tilley when ma
tured and fully developed. and a fine
three year old Clydesdale stallion
with promise of a useful future.
Going westward, the Huckins farm
Hyke is passed, upon which is being
completed good substantial farm
house, large and roomy. Nightfall
found us at the home OF Lawrence
Long and his sons, at which hospi-
table welcome awaited. In 1867 Mr..
Long entered so acres just east of his
home. and Tor means to make home
and improve it,-returned to Dubuque,
following the Mississippi as one in
partial command upon the gallant
old steamboat Daniel Boone. Return
ing to Howard county and taking up
farming us zealously as he carried on
steamboating he added to his real
estate until his acres nearly number
1000; his herds and focks increasing
proportiohately Stock growing,
Jersey swine, horses and sheep are
among the diversified industries of
the farm. His original so was once
sown to flax, and with it came dense
field of wild mustard, which his flock
of $50 sheep has entirely annihllated.
Taking up our travels we went south
by the John Fitzgerald farm, where
pleasant greeting came from this
venerable and worthy husband and
wife, who We're among lowa's early
settlers in this county; thence by
Thos. Soukup's, now owner of the
Plank farm, thence west where upon
small but we'll titled farm resides
VIM. Maier and his frugal help
mate, calling upon John Lydon sur
rounded by Lewis SwiStka and his
threshing crew, passing the fine
farms of Swistka, widow Basterson,
Hans Nelson, calling upon that intel
ligent Scandinavian and progressive
farmer, John Hilda, at his fine farm,
there driving to the elegant home
of j. p. Burmingham. located in the
center OF his four hundred acre farm,
at which a most toothsome dinner
was partaken with infinite relish.
In the afternoon pursuing our trav-
els we called upon Barney Malone at
his new furm, upon John r. Murray,
Michael Collins, Michael Connolly,
j. Il. O'Brien in Howard township,
where located upon a new farm Dor
dering upon beautiful stream, he is
pleasantly located in q beautiful arti-
fetal grove, thence to Thos. Dugan's,
where on his over three hunderd acre
farm lie is meeting with great de-
gree of prosperity. His farm has ex-
cellent buildings and an abundant
supply of timber for all the uses of
the farm.
From here we drove to the home of
Mr.. and Mrs. Michael Montague.
where we were as heartily greeted
and welcomed, and as royalty enter
tanned for the night as when in the
early days of the county we were, with
wife and daughter their welcome
guests and visitors. The Montague
boys are conducting the farm and are