The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1904-07-14

W00k&s WI
Brs--. okis.. July 9.-usrvest is ON.
and all ground iiiisrs are rejoicing save
those ~ho have been unable 20 secure as
much help a. needed.
The fsem Of al farms In Oklahoma is
the ~iul Ranch. near here. partly o~ned.
partly leased ard -hoily operated hs
Miller Brother. Nine thousand acres Of
Il we're put IN wheat. ali OF which has been
safely harvested within the part too
weeks. The farm embraces not only g.
400 acres, but 81 .Uc0 more.
nf.AS 20 40 =es-<, - go acres are in
cultivation. s.0oo IN wheat .Y0o In corn,
~ith the remaining s,eco divided among
oats. cane ksfir eora. sifslfs. ~ster-mei-
ons aud the VISUAL variety Vt small pro-
ducss ,e bv fYana upoR any sstm -here
the crops .tc diversified.
The soi Ranch j. rnh BY ]. =, Miller,
George l.. Miller aud Zach. the three -..,rs
Of the late George r,s'--.. 40 founded
the comPsnfi - atty 1--WE years ago.
Land Leased from Indians.
Most OF the land is o~ned by the Ponea
Indians aud l. iea-,d from that tribe b,
the Millers. BY a ruling Of the Depart
ment OF the Interior the heirs of dead
! Indians may sell la-d that boiosgcd to
their deceased relatives aud divide the
proceeds The Miliers have bought nearly
all the land thus oEcrd for ssle aud Own
1870 acres ia their own right. Rest AZ
sured they keep careful tab upon the
members Of the tribe aud are early upon
the spot N!th = liberal offer Tor the land
Of any Indian who has been unfortunate
a. 10 cross TO the happy hunting grounds.
The rest Of the land il leased from the
tribe at Yearly rcntai-s0me Of IL under
the head OF grass land for grazing aud
some for Il for cultivation. IL IL beau
tiiul country, With broad. rolling prairies
in every direction, all plsntifully wstered
10y the salt Fork River and numerous
small creeks.
Tie wheat iaud lies along the bottom OF
the Salt Fork, aud the harvest nov just
ending. shows that an extraordinary crop
has been produced this year some parts
Of the country will yield thirty hive bushels
TO the acre. others. of course, falling fat
hclo~ that figure, some 90 the compare
lively Insignificant ten bushels 10 Oh,
acre.
The Millcrs have greatly diversified
their Varieties OF wheat, devoiing ths
largest number Of acres 20 their owl
White Wonder, variety produced 10y
: them
An Army OF Farm Hands.
II small army ct men. no less than Jun bcin
is upon the payroll Al the present time
= though boz the dull season hfty men handle
b. the place. Forty-two binders we're neces.
81 sars 60 harvest the crop. These require,
,6 an equal number ct drivers, several rcpai
= men. forcmcn, e,ersCcrs. &c.. Co say mo-
thing ol the INFANTRY, a. the Millcrs cal
} the men who put the bundles OF grain Ia
r, TO The shock. These alone number shou
$50.
The machines are divided into crew.
containing from iii 20 tventy.t~o each
aud are put 90 work la different heid-
1~o hundred mules are required q
handle these machines. together ~ith fh
supply wagons that accompany each crcp
The two largest field. contain Ia thi
pr ncichhorhcad Of 3.unu ~crcs each. sud q
~ one OF these h,lds twenty-five binder
ls scrc ~ vork at one time. The euur
~ force of binders Will cut ahout zoo acre
~ ut wheat per day.
y While the harvest was going on anoths
- force OF men vas busy getting The ~
thrcshing out-fit- ready 90 thrcsh out Oh
grain. ~iil hs hauled - once I
Bliss and shipped directly 10 market, onl
enough being Kept on hand 20 supply al
900 ranch 9Th seed wheat for tho neat year
ne While the WHEAT men were hurrcstiu
ei the crop aud the other crcv mas pnrpai
re-. ing TO tbrcrh Out the grain siill auoth,
ga force % men Was laboriug in The siugl
is corn Reid OF over .ihN acres clearing %
OF weeds Ca Jane "a "a va waist high -
ne sas receiving he last cultivation.
ID Fitty-Acre Melon Patch.
"o A fcsiurc OF the farm is fnv-acl
water melon patch. The Miller hoys a
ras, plant about this amount, and suppl
the ioucs Indians and every shit, ncrso
iu the country Who has RI mind To haul %
melons AWAY vith a. fine variety A. "a
IN ice raised any place. J G.. Miller sa|
that some pcoplc-rc LUCKY iu raising me-
ons, while others have no luck "a an, ~
they have ALWAYS been amuunr the iucl
90 lest. There BE- little market for melon.
- Bliss and a. the Anicn supply au "a
are needed Tor home consumption no "a
(. else plants them
They paw much attention also TO thc
stock husiuess, and have thousands
Il cattle iu their pasiures.ail the time tn,
Iti raise most ct their osu cattle and the
profits from this source are large III
handling of their farm l. reduced Co .
q excellent system. Oae OF the hrothe
look after the farm sork. another h.
charge Of the caltlc aud stock, while ii
- third handles the books aud attends
the hiring Of the help. Competent fou
men are employed in every dspartmer
ng and the whole machine ruus a. smooth
~ as weil-reculstcd clock