Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-09-13
FARMING LAKES AGAIN
Northern Iowa Lake Beds Are
Being PloWed Up For
Crops
MAY INCREASE THE ACREAGE
Wilson Writes Of Farming Operations
In Flat Country Of Northern Iowa
Finds Farmers Harvesting Small
Sized Abandoned Threshing Engines
Practicable In Dry eYars.
WAY INCREASE THE ACREAGE
Special to Timcs-Repuplican.

Special to Timcs-Republican.
Goodell, Sept. 13.-If the rainfall in
northern Iowa next year is a normal
one the crop acreage in some parts OF
this county will be increased at least
25 per cent. This gain will result, not
from the breaking up of virgin pralrie
lands, for they are not in existence
here, but from the reclamation or the
low places in which cultivation has for
some time been impossible. During
the dry seasons Immediately, preceding
the last three years a large part of
what was formerly the beds of ponds
was broken up and successfully crop
ped; then came the rainy seasons, the
ponds were again in evidence, and Gull
tastic shapes, varying IN size from
patches of a few square rods to tracts
large enough to deserve the name OF
fields. Last fall when these ponds
froze over, the water settled away, but
when spring came it was found to be
impossible to work the land which had
been SO long undrained and rank
growth of weeds and coarse grass is
the only crop such places have pro-
duced this year.
But this fall,Zafter his small grain
was stacked or threshed, the farmer,
remembering the heavy crops he used
to gather from these low places, applied
the torch to the old habitations of the
muskrat, hitched four or five horses to
his sulky pillow, turned the big weeds
under and will make an effort to place
once more under cultivation those por-
lions of his farm which he is so re-
luctantly abandoned While the wet sea-
sons prevailed. A considerable part of
this land has been tiled this season, and
if weather conditions next year are fa-
vorable. will certainly do it's part to-
ward filling the now empty corn cribs
of this section.
One man in this vicinity is doing his
fall blowing with two gang plows
pulled by a ten horse power engine.
In conversation with one who has ex-
permented somewhat in this line he
stated that he found the use of an
engine successful in large fields. dur
ing dry seasons, but that the work OF
fitting plows with the extra apparatus
necessary to their use with steam mo-
tive power and the bother of readjust-
ment in case of having to return to
horse power on account of wet weather
would probably always prevent the ex-
tensive use of engines in blowing On
Iowa farms.
Instances are numerous in this part
of the state where men have purchased
these small engines, used them two or
three years and were then compelled
to discard them because other thresh-
ermen came into the neighborhood
with the larger. more modern outfits.
A good many thousands of dollars are
said to be invested in this county in
these small machines for which there
is 10 longer any demand. and the own
ers of which would be glad to dispose
of them at ridiculousy low prices. In
few instances they have been used
in road grading with fair success
where the conditions for their use were
favorable.
Mr. j. NJ. Zielie, a genial farmer re-
y
curiosity consisting of a petrif1ed oak
stump. 1t was once the property of
an nlinoisan, who, when informed that
he had but a short time to live mani-
tested the reputed faculty of human
affection for an inanimate object by
shipping it to a friend in Garner, Iowa.
In course of time the Garner man de-
cided to leave the state and gave thu
rock to Mr.. zielie, who was boy
friend of the original owner 1t is
about three feet in diameter and
weighs 1,720 pounds. A glance at it's
upper surface is all that is necessary
to convince one that the tree which
once grew upon it was not cut down by
any such implement as the modern ak.
1t is a beautiful specimen, and will
perhaps at some future time be dis
covered" and secured by some museum.