The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1903-10-22
REALM OF KING CORN.

New York Tribune: The corn plant
grows in about every state in the I'm
ion, and people throughout the coun-
try think they are familiar with IT.;
but to appreciate what corn really
means one should make o tour through
some of the western states where the
fields may be miles rather than acres
in extent and where the harvest of a
farmer means nearer 100000 than L.
900 bushels. 1t is in this part of the
country that one can as easily get
Elost in cornfield as ne woul1 in a
forest; so vast are the fields in the
bottoms" of Kansas and Nebraska a
man riding through patch on horse
back will often be hidden from view,
as the tops of the plants extend above
his head, resembling young trees in
their proportions.
1t is no wonder that the people of
many Of the prairie states celebrate
the coming Of king Corn" as the
southerner does the appearance OF
King Cotton" for some of these COM
monwealths alone produce enough
corn in year to feed nation. The
corn patch of Iowa, which covers over
100000 acres yearly, sometimes pro-
duces 300,000,000 bushels. Nebraska
is another S,000,000 acre state, bur
Kansas, the state Of the sunflower,
takes the lead with nearly 9000,0
acres each year devoted to this ce-
real. There are counties in Kansas
where one can see square miles-not
acres-planted entirely with corn,
where fields are so large that stand.
ing at one end the visitor sees the
horizon unbroken by anything except
mass Of plants swaying in the
| breeze.
1t is not strange that the corn har
vest is made the occasion of fetes OF
carnivals in some Of the western com
munities. The idea probably original
ed from the corn festivals of the In.
dians, but the red man would never
| recognize the old time festival in the
| transformation which it has under
gone. Weeks before harvest time
preparations are made. The promi
nent citizens of the town contribute
to fund for decoration, music, and
usually the entertainment Of towns.
| people and guests at banquet.
The services of some leading orator
are secured and the governor is in.
vited to attend with other notabili.
ties. A special week is set apart at a
time when the farmers have finished
gathering the grain and have leisure
to attend. The railroad companies
are induced to offer special rate for
| transportation, and with others offer
prizes for the best designs and decora
tions. A program is arranged, con
sisting of professions, public meet
ings, concerts and other attractions
which will interest the townspeopIe
and visitors. Generally committee
of leading citizens, headed by the
mayor, takes charge and large sums
of money are expended in arranging
the carnival.
Each resident vies with his neigh
Dor in the decorations, and there is
shown what can be done with the
grain in honor Of which the celebra
tion is held. Some Of the designs are
truly wonderful. AS single stalks can
be produced which are fifteen feet
high, an opportunity is offered to con
struct pagodas, booths and other or
namental buildings with walls and
roofs of the plant. The stalks have
such strength and lightness that they
can be easily made into representa-
tions of castles, forts and historic
structures. The leaves are worked
into an inconceivable variety of de
signs. The women and girls make
costumes of the husks, even to hats
and bonnets. They are woven into
parasols and umbrellas, while ire
quently the front of building will bs
hidden by covering of them, thirty
or forty feet in length, with openings
cut for the windows and doors.
The manufacture or corn millinery
has become an art among the west
ern women. At a carnival held ir
Atchison the principal milIiners oi
the town produced some yenderfu
creations OF headgear entirely from
the silk. husks and tassels. Many ol
them were worn during the carhiya'
week by the bellies Of the place.