The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1899-04-14
Vacation Notes.


the geographical center of the United
States is in this state of Nebraska. 1t
may account for a peculiar sensation of
mind experienced since arriving here,
viz, feeling akin to that known to our
Arctic explorers on nearing the vicinity
of the north pole,-not of chilliness so
fearfully frigid as to threaten immediate
congealment, but sense of import ance
locally considered so thrillingly magnetic
that all else of social or commercial
nature, seems insignificant while dis
lance fails altogether to lend enchant-
ment to the view. | have been accus-
toned to live on the outskirts of this
great country amid the wild and rocky
regions of Vermont where ones vision of
magnitude is necessarily circumscribed
and his thirst for expounded ideas a
debtor to imagination and imperfect con-
lecture. But now midway between the
great oceans and equally central as to
the sunny south and exciting north, it
appears that everything good and great is
here received at first hand-fOod, fresh
as ever came from the garden of Eden !;
bread from the golden grain ground at
the city mills; sugar from the best fac
tories; meat from the finest cattle of the
plains; fish from the Platte, with geese
and ducks, grouse and prairie hens form
ing no mean sprinkling at table time !;
while for mind and soul up-to-date schools
taste and refinement and efficiency, are
here found in state of equipment whose
sparkling beauty leaves little to be desir-
ed either for pleasure or profit. But best
OF all
We see the prairie, br ad and grand and Free
It's Gods own garden, unprofe ned by man.,
Of course the products of man may not
be unprotaned. For it is sorry sight to
witness the otherwise enhancing sights
q O " hn NV n11o OfY Rt1H not To
this see more of beauty than of bane re-
su ting from the toll and thrift of the labor
er, buildings fOreSt-hidden or half invisible
by reason of the rising fruit orchards,
railroads with laundering trains flying at
incOnceivable rates of speed, snatching in
mail bags or licking up the lesser articles
of freight as they 90 whirling on. And
tell me not that any, from crier up to
lever-man, who run these trains ever
protane their calling save in the rarest
instances and never without rebuke or
threatened removal When balanced up
these accounts touching good and evil
stand out in a disappropriatenes truly
wonderful, so that in the light thereof no
optimism, emphasize it as you will, is
more than the faintest glimmer of that
unequal strife to end in the triumph of
truth and light,
But, lest may forget the promise to
mention some facts for the farmer or the
fair, | will submit the following.
A short visit to the ranch operated by
my son-in. law, J. W. Stewart. Showed q
farm of 1910 acres; 250 of which was in
corn last year with an aggregate yield of
10000 bushels, 100 acres of oats with total
yield of $500 bushels; wheat, 125 acres,
yield 2,750 bushels; barley, % acres,
yield 1850 bushels hay, 415 acres with
yield of 1,037 tons, including the second
cutting. About sixty head of cattle and
I<Dr, l. f1,nr ,,o1 En4
ting the grain at present prices here, corn
at rs cents, wheat 90 cents, barley 80
cents, oats % cents and hay at So per ton,
the aggregate value is $S,131. The cattle
and hogs are supposed to yield profit
nearly equal to the rentage of land, $3.50
per acre. The cost of running the ranch
reckoned at one-half the value of crops,
the profits would stand at $4,000, l can
not vouch that this was the happy out
come in Mr.. Stewards case last year, as
allowance has not been made for unex-
pected losses and prolonged sickness in
his family.
A call at the Fuller cattle ranch of
2300 acres showed some 300 stock COWS of
the black Aberdeen breed, and 100 head
of other kind and ages. Large and profit
able sales of this grade of stock fatted for
the Omaha market, are frequently made,
recent prices being about $500 per hun
dred weight. Mr.. Gray. who owns this
ranch, raised last year $50 acres of corn;
winter and spring wheat 200 acres; BAR
ley about 200 bushels, and of oats 5000
bushels, besides 375 tons of hay. Mr..
Gray has operated this farm for the past
eight ears, and estimates land here at
$40 per acre.
We found at the Knowland sheep
ranch some $4,000 head all yarded in
folds and ready for the shearing. They
are graded Merinos of the Idaho stock,
anI thrifty lOnEinnV oAllaofiAo OfI
herds. The upward trend in prices of
wool and the proximity of the mutton
market, makes sheep raising here to |
stand in good repute.
The reader can take the following with |
A grain OF salt, although it was reported |
10 me us fact, that California knight |
Of the shears clipped in one day 352 feeces |
about 125 being the number for days |
work.
The lover of horses could but be pleas
I'd with the show of stations at the DR..
Barnard stables in the city. A black
French draught animal, registered and
numbered, ten years old, weighs 1850
pounds and is seventeen hands high.
! horizontal measurement of bone below
he knee, is II IL inches, A blooded
lorse of the same grade, three years old,
vas sold by Mr.. Barnard recently Tor
$3.50. A bright bay Clidesdale seven
ears old 10 IL hands high. weight 1900
POUNDS, gave me favorable impression
# that breed of horses. When about to
urn away my attention was called to a
ack of noble mien and magnificent
rowth of ears.
us he the kind that brays? His bray
ne is with great energy at times. | would
ike to be here at such time. You will
lot need to be here. Sut | would like
o take it down. His braying is beyond
onjecture, print or snap shot can not
i've the faintest conception thereof"
E. W. II.
chuyler Nebraska Anril 1900