The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1902-10-01
SOME GIGANTIC FARMS,
GATHERING THE HARVEST OF AN
6ooO-ACRE WHEAT FIELD.

1000 Calves Born Every Year ON the
sherman tarm, 62 squaie Miies-Farm
with " Post Offics apd " Gather bureau.
To the average farmer, who culti-
Yates less than 200 acres, a section
Of land seems indeed a large amount
to, inclose under one fence. But in
the southwest there are numerous
farmers who conduct farms contain
Ing 10000, 10000, and even $4,000
acres, and who are now employing
armies of men to gather the harvest.
These men are modern captains OF
industry, whose business ability is
equal to their farming qualifications.
The income and expenses of running
such farm-ranches are equal to that
of many corporations. the managers
of which are known to nearly every
newspaper reader. But these farmers
are practically unknown to the busi
ness world, although they are contrib
uting to the prosperity of the country
tenfold.
There are methods used in the man.
agement of a 50.000-acre farm that
could not be utilized on a small tract
of ground, but the general plan of con-
Quoting these gigantic places offers
many valuable suggestions to the les-
ser farmer and opens an interesting
field of study for those interested in
modern farming methods. The man
ayers in every instance are shrewd
business men, but nearly all of them
have learned their farming education
from practical experience.
The number of farms in Kansas Ok
lahoma, Nebraska, and Indian Terri
tory, according to recent census bull
letin, was much smaller than in neigh
boring states, while the number of
acres under cultivation exceeded 9TH
ers surrounding. Farms in these
states are large and conducted upon
an extensive scale.
One of the largest farms in the
southwest is the famous "l01" ranch
in Northern Oklahoma. This ranch
is first seen from the car windows Of
the Santa Fe railroad as one journeys
southwark through Oklahoma to the
Texas coast. In summer fields of
wheat and corn are seen extending to
the horizon, in winter the gray ployed
fields tire the eyes so immense are
they in proportion.
This rancn covers $4,000 acres, of
which $4,000 acres is under cultiva-
ton. Every year there is harvested
500 acres OF wheat from one field,
5000 acres from one corn field. be-
sides ether cereals. The plan of the
managers of this ranch is to place the
whole property under cultivation
within five years, but the task is large
and requires time.
The annual expenses of conducting
this place are $4,000, while the prof
its are about twice that amount. Mr..
Joseph Miller, once bann president,
but an experienced stock man and
ranch. He secured the land from
the Ponca and Otoe Indians, and pays
them an annual rental Of $22, 900.
Two hundred men find employment
on the ranch, working in the harvest
fields, herding the 5000 cattle kept
on the ranch continually, and break
ing mules. There is blacksmith
outfit on the ranch, a telephone sys-
tenn runs from one part of the prop
erty to another. 100 miles of fence sur
round the place, and 400 mules are
used in attending to the cultivation.
Mr.. Miller has inaugurated a sys-
tenn of double planting of his fields,
oh, aI,,a
are unique in the history OF western
farming. In the summer, after corn
has been given its last cultivation, Mr..
Miller has sown between the rows Of
corn row of COW peas. These peas
do not need sunshine in order to grow,
nor do they need cultivation.
BY the time the corn Is harvested
the COW peas have grown up and are
ready to pasture the cattle upon. AS
forage they are very nutritious. Thus
two uses are gotten off the one corn
field. After wheat has been harvested
the ground Is at once plowed up and
sown to kafir corn, and when the kafir
corn is eight to ten inches high in the
fall, the wheat is drilled in under 1t.
This drilling process does not destroy
much of the kafir corn.
After the wheat has gotten started
to grow the cattle can then be pas
tured upon the field without injury to
the wheat. After all Of the corn has
been eaten down the field is left un-
pastured for month or more, when
the wheat blades are high enough to
turn the herds upon. To pasture the
wheat fields during the winter season
does not injure them.
Another big ranch in the west is the
Sherman ranch, near Geneseo, Kan.
This ranch is conducted by Mr.. M. M.
Sherman. It can be reached by the
Missouri Pacific railway. This ranch
covers 10000 acres, 5000 acres OF
which is in wheat and 1000 in corn and
other forage crops.
Two thousand calves are born on the
ranch every year. while 5000 steers are
fattened and shipped to the markets.
The lands OF the ranch are divided
all