Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-11-22
1HE WEATHER ANDCORN
Theory That Corn Needs Hot
Days and Nights to Mature
Not Yet Disproved
MUCH SOFT CORN THIS YEAR
Many Farmers are Separating the Soft
Ears From tho Sound As They
Gather the Crop in the Field
Women and Children Helping to
Husk the Crop.
Special to Tlmes-Republican.

GAINESVILLE, Nov. 22.-It is safe to say
that there never was crop raised in
Iowa about which there was more said
written and thought than the corn crop
Of the present season, which is now
being rapidly transferred from field to
crib.
A statement frequently heard on the
streets, on trains, and In hotels, Is
worded something like this: "One Of
the farmers pet theories has been ex-
ploded this year. He has always
a season of hot days and nights for
perfect development. We didn't have
that kind OF season but we got the
corn anyway"
Now I have visited hundreds Of
cornfields in dozen different coun-
ties in the north half Of the state this
fall and In Il very large number Of cas-
es found the owners sorting their corn
as they husk it, Some have partitions
In their wagon boxes, others have large
boxes fastened to their wagons, and
the soft ears are thrown together and
fed up as soon as possible.
A heavy wind visited this vicinity
during the summer, much Of the corn
being blown down and tangled up, ana
some strong language occasionally
reaches the ears Of the passerby. indi-
eating that the team has lost the trail
and the man his temper.
| While In some portions OF the terri
te ,to11
of fairly sound corn, the farmers. al
most without exception, still main
tains that hot nights are essential to
the raising Of good corn.
A noticeable feature of the tpresent
corn husking season In many of the
communities l have visited Is the I'M
| usually large number Of women and
children in the fields. Regardless OF
nationality or financial circumstances
they are out taking the places ordi-
narily filled by men, whose demands
| the farmers say they cannot afford to
meet. It. is no uncommon sight to see
| four or five boys and girls. ranging In
age from 9 to Is years, riding in
from the field with the biggest kind
of load, the husking Of which, judg-
| ing from their appearance, was not re-
garded as a task at all unpleasant.
| So
! In one large field a man was found
working alone. He said he had been
employing a man who, on the previous
| Saturday evening, had gone to town
and, for some reason, had not returned,
He said that everything had been
pleasant and satisfactory and he Won
| dered at the failure of the man to
| come back. Another mile or two far
ther on, another farmer and a hired
man were in field, each with team,
and each assisted by young lady, sis
tiers Of the former A good description
had been given me by the man prev
iously visited of his lost assistant, and
from it was able to positively identi-
fly" him-he had found work under
more congenial circumstances.
A resident Of the far-off state of
Maine owns a 240-acre farm near the
town of Greene, which is operated UNI
| der rather peculiar conditions. Six
years ago the Smell brothers, three
young, unmarried men, rented thu
place, their sister acting in the ca
pacity Of housekeeper. Two years af-
forwards she left them, having form
ed life partnership with another
girls brother, and since that time the
boys have been "going it alone" with
a degree of success exceeding their ex-
pectations. In addition to their grain
crops they raise horses, cattle and
hogs In considerable numbers. Each
has his own regular chores and the
thrifty appearance Of their stock is
proof that they are not neglected. In
their house is an organ, several other
musical instruments, the Times-Re-
publican and other evidences of civil
ization. They are jolly, good-hearted
fellows, seem perfectly satisfied with
their peculiar mode Of living, and it is
said that domestic differences are un-
known there, this being in marked con-
trast with the case Of two bachelor
brothers in another part of the state
where neighbors declared it to be q
fact that each spring, as regular as
the season comes the result is very
unfriendly smuggling match, which de-
cides who of the two is to manage the
farm during the succeeding twelve
months. G.. e. WILSON.
News Of kensett