Condon globe. (Condon, Gilliam Co., Or.) 189?-1919, 1903-12-24
REALM oE KING CORN.
States with millions Of Aeres Of This
erOp-Carnivais Held.


CrOp-Carnivais Held.
The corn plant grows In about every
State In the Union, and people
throughout the country think they are
familiar with It; but to appreciate
what corn really means one should
make 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 1000 bush.
els, says the New York Tribune. II Is
In this part OF the country that one
can as easily get lost In a cornfeld as
he would In a forest, so vast are the
fields. In the bottoms" Of Kansas
and Nebraska a fnan riding through a
patch on horseback will often be hid.
den from view, as the tops OF the
plants extend above his head, resem.
bling 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 a year to feed nation. The
corn patch OF Iowa, which covers over
SOOo,0o0 acres yearly. sometimes pro.
duces So0,000,o0o bushels. Nebraska Is
another S,6o0,000 state, but Kansas,
the State OF the sunflower, takes the
lead with nearly 100000 acres each
year devoted to this cereal. There are
counties In Kansas where one can SEQ
square mtles-not acres--planted en-.
drely with corn, where fields are so
large that standing at one end the
visitor sees the horizon unbroken by
anything except a mass OF plants
swaying in the breeze.
1t is not strange that the corn har-
vest Is made the occasion OF fetes or
carnivals in some of the Western com.
munities. The idea probably orlgl.
mated from the corn festival Of the In.
dians, but the red man would never
recognize the old-time festival In the
transformation which 1t has under.
gone. Weeks before harvest time prep.
arations are made. The prominent
citizens Of the town contribute to a
fund for decoration, music. and usually
the entertainment of townspeople and
guests at banquet.
The services OF some leading orator
are secured and the governor is invited
to attend with other notables. A spe.
cial 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 rates for transportation
and with others offer prizes for the
best designs and decorations. A pro-
gram is arranged. consisting Of process.
sions, public meetings. concerts and
other attractions which will interest
the townspeople and visitors. Gener.
ally a committee of leading citizens,
headed by the mayor, take charge,
and large sums of money are expend-
ed In arranging the carnival.
Each resident vies with his neighbor
In the decorations. and there is shown
what can be done with the grain in
honor Of which the celebration Is held
Some of the designs are truly wonder.
full. As single stalks can be procured
which are fifteen feet In height, an op-
portunity Is offered TO construct pa-
godas, booths and other ornamental
buildings with walls and roofs of the
plant The stalks have such strength
and lightness that they can be easily
made into representatives of castles.
forts and historic structures. The
leaves are worked into an inconcelva.
BILE variety Of designs. The women
and girls make costumes out of the
husks, even to hats and bonnets. They
are woven into parasols and umbrel-
las, while frequently the front of n
building will be hidden by a covering
Of them, thirty or forty feet in length.
with openings cut for the windows
and doors.
The manufacture OF corn millinery
has become an art among the Western
women. At carnival held in Atchl.
son the principal milllners of the town
produced some wonderful creations of
headgear entirely from the silk, husks
and tassels. Many OF them were worn
during the carnival week by the bellies
Of the place.