The Republican journal., 1900-02-15
Letter From Missouri.
correspondence of The Journal.

l ouu az Ills iolO NsoS wv AoO
anticipate many weeks of cold weather,
for IN this Southern latitude the sun will
soon begin to do it's work. Quite little
Proving has already been done and soon
the farmers will begin work in earnest.
From the first to the fifteenth of March is
the time for sowing oats, clover and peas,
and following these crops others come
along III rapid succession. Everything,
however, is not certain, even in the South.
Some disadvantages are experienced here
as well as in the north. The peach crop,
for instance, while it is at times beautiful
and profitable, is liable to be ruined by a
severe drop in the thermometer in winter,
or slight frost in the late spring time.
The heat of the summer and the length Of
the growing season interferes with the
attainment of the best results in the rails
ing of the late varieties of the Irish pota-
toes, making us to a cOnsid cradle extent
dependent upon the northern market for
our winter supply. Again, in the latter
part of the summer season and the early
fall moisture is liable to fail Us, especially
was this true of last season. The drouth
cane on early and remained late, and
ID consequence the fall crops and fall
pasture were a sad disappointment To PEG
pie of this region. Most Of ms, however,
are full of hope for the future. We ex-
pect better results this year than last
more moisture. more fruit, better crops,
and more money, and with more money;
less of care and more Of comfort: but it
may again prove true that the dream is an
illusion.
A poultry show was held in this city a
week ago, continuing for six days. There
was fine display of birds, and as is usual
in such cases quite an impetus was given
to the development of the poultry inter
ests. Better poultry and more of it, y
seems TO be the motto of the people of
this sectional section quite well adapted
to the attainment of most excellent re-
suits in the business. In the vicinity of
this city, or perhaps rather in the city
and vicinity, a good deal Of attention is
paid to the fruit and poultry interests.
Poultry does well when the proper care is
furnished for winter, proper supply of
food and good care chickens will furnish
eggs all through the season. Incubators
and brooders are already in full blast, for
+1,,r n1ci,,f n,,,t. nfxr If
breeds are raised and some fine specimens
of the Brahmas, Ian gshangs, Plymouth
| Rocks, Minorcas, Leghorns and others
were on exhibition at the recent show. A
Langshang bird is reported to have sold
for $25. Unfortunately, however, the
writer had no such birds for exhibition or
the S25 per head, nor is he expecting to
realize fortune by such process.
The farmers of Maine, for the most
part, would hardly find room for the ex-
penditure of their energies upon ten acres
of land, yet many man in this locality
keeps himself and one or two others busy
on this amount, OF less. Ten acres of
land, and five of this devoted to fruit, will
furnish employment most of the year to
! one or two, and in some instances the
profit is quite good. One man, and a
colored man at that, told me the other day
! that last year he sold S27 worth of green
peas from four quarts of seed; but it does
not follow that he could have sold 5000
! worth from bushel of seed, or that
we'll had they made the effort. The largest
success does not appear to be possible
to all. The great law seems to be success
to some, failure to others; success to-day,
| the want Of it tomorrow. A few years
ago the raising of Strawberries was most
profitable industry and hundreds of acres
the carload, and even whole train loads
were sent out from some sections. Last
year in many-cases they were allowed to
rot on the ground, while acres were plow-
ed up to give space to more profitable
crop.
There is, as from the nature of the
case there must be, quite a contrast be-
tween agricultural and horticultural pur-
suits in Maine and Missouri, and as is
usual one region cannot claim all the adj
vantages over the other. Here there is
greater variety of crops and longer sea
sons in which to accomplish the best re-
suits. In Maine the SHOWS of winter and
the rains of summer ensure as a rule
sufficiency of moisture, Of which in this
region we are not so sure. Here often
times the crop is large and prices low,
while in Maine the prices are higher.
Chickens here, for instance, are sold at
1-2 cts. per. pound, and eggs were worth
IA cts. per dozen yesterday. Corn is I'M
usually high this year, 1910 cts. per
bushel; bran, IS cts. per hundred; prairie
hay, 800 per ton; steak, u 1-2 to IL cts.
per pound; wood, So % per cord. With the
differences in price existing, with extremes
SANn0W'S CHF!