The Republican journal., 1902-01-16
A CHAPTER FROM THE SOUTHWEST.

A snOwstOrm has broken in upon my
arrangements, and in consequence l
have a little leisure something of
which | have had but little practical
knowledge for more than three years.
Sundays are occupied to some extent in
Christian work and week days partially
in business, while every spare day, or
even half day, is spent upon ten acre
farm. Here there is always something
to do; and the large portion of the time,
opportunity to do it. The growing
season lasts from about the middle Of
March to the middle of October, and
this year the writer gathered turnips
and dug carrots until the 18th of De-
cember, and expects to gather more
after the passing away of this snow
storm. Two crops are not unusual. A
crop of wheat, rye, oats, potatoes, is
followed by crop of COW peas, soy
beans, kaffir corn, millett, cane, tur-
nips, etc. Then, as is often the case
here, if you have few acres of fruit
| UlCCS, UllCHC nave W DC loohCu 0lUOl kJo
that on a ten-acre farm there is always
enough for one or two to do.
THE TERRIBLE DROUTH OF 1901
has passed away, but not SO it's effects.
These will be felt for months, or possibly
years to come With the exception of
a fairly good wheat crop, a bountiful
peach crop and small fruits. and a med
lum apple crop, very little was raised
throughout this whole southwest re-
gion. The oat and particularly the
corn crop was largely a failure. Hay
was very light; potatoes very scarce
| The consequence is that people have
been selling their cattle, hogs and even
chickens rather than attempt to keep
them through the winter months.
Straw is worth about as much this
year as hay is most years. Corn is sell
ing at 50 cents per bushel; oats at 80
cents; potatoes, Sl.lO. The general
! prices are 30, - and 80 cents, respective
! ly. and sadly enough there is nothing
else excepting wheat to feed. In con
sequence prices are jumping up.
MISSOURI As \ STATE
III some important particulars is com
ing to the front, The mining interests
are. a most important feature in the
development of the commonwealth.
Aurora, Joplin, Webb City, and numer-
Gus other towns are the centres of in
tense activity in mining. In Il few
years Joplin has become a city of 30
600 people, in which many man has
suddenly amaSsed a fortune, and in
which few, at least, have become more
sober, if not wiser men, through the
/ sinking of all they had in some proms
| ing but unfultilled mining enterprise.
1t has been remarked quite often that
vest in mining operations: namely,
those who have enough so they can
afford to lose and those who have moth
ing to lose and everything to gain
TIE PEACH CROP.
AS stated above the peach crop this
year was simply immense. The trees
were literally loaded down with fruit
of the best and richest quality. Moth
ing equal to it was ever known before.
Often when the crop is large the quail
ity is poor; but this year the rule was
broken, for Notwithstanding the ex-
cessive heat and the terrible drouth the
quality of the peaches was of the best
aud how we did eat and enjoy them
All the way from the first of July tc
the middle of October, peaches
peaches, peaches. peaches, morning
noon ana night-peaches at meal time
l and peaches between meals A neigh
1 Dor Of mine told me he was accustomed
t to eating 100 every day, and he neve
grew tired Of them. We often though
of our Belfast and other Maine friends
= and had it not been for the magnificent
, distance intervening between Missouri
: and Maine how gladly we would hav,
c divided a few gathered from our owl
: trees with our old friends, We hope
: however, that the year of the World
: Fair at st. Louis will be peach yea
! in Missouri, and that many of you will
+ have an opportunity of samplins
. Missouri peaches on Missouri SOIL
Y CONCERNING APPLES.
e The apple crop this year was not al
= large as it was year ago, but owing t.
. the scarcity of the crop elsewhere
: prices ranged higher and the profit wa
> equal to the best. One orchard of 4,
acres sold on the trees for $1,000 Ii
other cases the orchard sold for NOR,
t than the estimated value of the entir,
: farm few months before. A few
e miles from here man offered to sci
, his farm for $1,000 without finding 6
1 purchaser. He sold his apple crop TO,
Sl,7OO.
But the most uniform, extensive, anC
, unfailing crop of all is
THE MISSOURI HEN
She is confined to no one section OF