Rocky Ford enterprise., 1899-02-23
Hail Insurance and Grass
hoppers.
Porcupine, 8. d., Feb. H..
To the Editor of the Enterprise:


To the Editor of the Enterprise:
Hail insurance is a subject
which should be dear to the heart
of every resident and property
owner in the Arkansas valley and
one which comes close to every
mans pocket book. The question
naturally presents itself. Does i,
pay? This question may we'll be
answered in the Yankee fashion.
Does it pay to lay up few dollars
during prosperity for the days
ahead when the i'll winds blowi
From the past history of the val
lev every man will agree that it is
certainly in the hail belt.
Can good business man, and
by this l refer to the farmer, af-
ford to take the risk of being
hailed out in the valley for the
few paltry dollars that the pre-
MUM would cost? The writer is
not very we'll posted on this sub
ject but yet feeling the loss sus-
tained during the June hail in 'yS,
he is not anxious to meet with a
similar loss in the future.
In northwestern Nebraska in
surance companies are at work
protecting the farmers. When n
man once gets n crop in in this
section the proper thing for him
to do is to insure against hail and
then pray for hail. Why? If he
can only get hailed out he then
gets something out of his corp;
whereas if no hail comes he is
pretty nearly certain not to get
sufficient returns to pay for labor
and seed. Such conditions do
not exist in the Arkansas valley.
There is one other pest which
in the writer's judgment every
farmer in the valley should pre-
pare himself to fight during the
coming season. I refer to the To-
Gusts or grasshoppers. This l
am aware is a diversion from my
subject, but do not see how could
find u diversion that is of more
moment to the farmers of the val
ley and among these l class my
self as my residence is still Rocky
Ford. as residence here is only or
fetal.
While at this subject want
to say word rs to the fighting of
this pest. In '95 while writer was
at Rocky Ford he predicted that
within five years the valley would
be cursed with this pest. Time
has proved the correctness of this
conjecture. In all the past his
tory of the hopper in the U. S. he
has come out Of the west therefore
Kansas and Missouri would do
well to get their fighting armor on
The best plan yet found for fight
ing the hopper is the use of crude
kerosene oil. This is applied
with a machine called n dozer.
The crude kerosene can be bought
Mt Florence Mt from 2 to 3 cents
per gallon; and the Santa Fe
would be only too glad to haul a
chr free of all charge from Flor
ence to the Ford.
Now MS to hail insurance what
is the matter with forming n COM
pany right at home for mutual
protection. This can be done to
the advantage of all concerned.
The premium ON the policies is.
sued should be placed with some
financially responsible depository
and said depository required to
give bonds for at least twice the
value of all funds liable to come
into their possession at one time.
Each crop should have fixed val
ne per acre and in no cnse should
the value fixed be rs high us the
real value of crop. For instance:
Alfalfa should be SO insured us to
pny about sl.00 per ton for hay
destroyed.
This communication is written
only with a view to bring out nm
expression of opinion from others
interested. Let us hear from
others through the valuable col
umns of the Enterprise on this
subject. FRANK ID. VooRHIEs.