Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1897-09-10
From Old Missouri.
BILLINGS, Mo-, Sept. 2, 1897.
EDITOR PLAIN DEALER.-

oAhhAN0os A4O.s ocPts q, 1CJt,
EDITOR PLAIN DEALER;-
l seems hardly necessary to tell you
that we are very much pleased with
our new home, and that the TWICE
A-WEEK" is the paper that receives a
most hearty welcome. 1t is no sooner
brought from the post office than
there is general rush fro NJ all quar-
ters to see who will get it first.
We are located in a very good agri
cultural district, southwestern Mis-
souri, being considered among the
best IN the Union. The crops that
are grown here are winter wheat,
oats, clover, corn and timothy.
Wheat averages from twenty-five to
thirty bushels per acre; corn, fifty to
seyenty-five; timothy, six to eight,
and clover. three to six bushels per-
acre. The price for grain, cattle, and
hogs do not vary much between here
and Cresco. Wheat is sown in Octo
Der; many of the farmers are now
preparing the ground for the crop
There is not much wheat sold in the
fall, as it commands the highest price
in the spring. The highest price paid
for wheat last spring was dollar and
ten cents. Wheat is the principal
crop, and next in Importance come
corn and oats, which are used for
fodder,
Cattle and hogs are extensively
raised, as the winters are not severe
and the cattle do not require much
care. Many farmers owning timber
land do not build even barn. This
is especially true of the native farm
ers. They have no buildings except
u corn crib, and shed under which
their cattle may find shelter in rough
weather. There are not many OF the
native southerners here now. The
country has been settled by people
from the north who have cleared off
stone and timber and made it what
it now is. These Southerners, howev-
err, while they do not like the en-
croaclments thus made upon their
old hunting grounds, are very kind
and hospitable.
We have an abundance of all kinds
of fruit this year, and apples will
bring fair price. Winterapples are
contracted for now at Il dollar bar
rel. Fall apples bring seventy-tive
cents u barrel, now, the buyers pack
ing them right in the orchards.
Peaches are d good crop also in this
vicinity, although the dry weather
has damaged them somewhat. Right
in our neighborhood we have had ali
the rain that was needed to mature
all kinds of crops, but we hear com
plants of too much dry weather il
adjoining counties.
Our soil here is not quite SO nice tc
handle as Howard county soil, as a
great deal of it is stoney, but the rec
soil Mulatto praries produce as goot
crops as any in the country. TIL,
black soil prairie land is not SO strong
and, as rule, not SO rocky.
We have good schools here, the
3 school laws being nearly the same a.
those of Iowa. Our school superin
tendents are elected by the people
j. every two years at the school distric
: meetings. This method is INTENDED
h to keep the office of county commits
: sioner Of schools out of politics. Bill
u lings has fine high school in wbicl
. six teachers are employed, Anon,
= other branches taken in the schoo
. this year will be the study of Greel
n and Latin. A go cd teacher in til
l. common school receives from thirty t
S fifty dollars per month.
= And now | think ! have told yo
y everything of interest relating to thi
y part to Missouri misery, as tn
word might be pronounced kno,
the life of an editor is very bus
one; therefore, l will not send 20,
= any more ''readin' matter" at present
:, Yours truly,
PAULINE DREIER.