The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-09-25

the Missouri Valley. near where Tafkio now stands. T was climbing up one hill and down another" sand MT. Ran kin, until I was suddenly struck "i.h the idea that this was little pit .ns best land I ever saw, ana l oeciueu u that this was where I wanted to get to. In two days time land agents were scouting over the country round ana hefore the week was over David hahklh had become the possessor of 2ooo acres of virgin Missouri soil Eastern specu, lators were the owners and were siao "a d,spose of 1t at prices ranging from ss to s1o per acre. The land now com nr,sed in Ranch IF, which is valued at sIeb per acre, was bought TOT sf.oo.
 Moved to Missouri.
 The son came out from Illinois and was in charge of the carrier opera.lonS while the first purchases were constant ,v heinr added to- Before long MT. Ran Lin with his family followed. and with his arrival came the inception of the business which has reached incredible proportions.
 The secret of the Rankin method was system. While his property was still in the formative period the slightest detail did not fail his notice, and this princi- pie he has maintained while his farming interests have become wonderfully great.
 Today David Rankin stands unques- tioned as the greatest individual far mer in the world. The proprietor of 23,000 acres of the finest of Missouri soil, he undoubtedly is the largest indi- vidual land owner. It requires but glance at the magnitude of his tram sections to be convinced that to him belongs the title of the uncrowned king of farming.
 MT. Rankin himself owns 10000 acres which are located in Atchison County Missouri, joined by 5000 acres in Ere mont County, Iowa, just across the line. His son, W. F. Rankin. is the proprie- tor of 5000 acres of his own and various interests In which the two are parties own much other land in the vicinity. The interests of the father and son are entirely seperate and managed dis tinctly.
 Manages Fourteen Ranches.
 The David Rankin land is divided into fourteen ranches, numbered from one to fourteen, with the addition of two or three small places which are known as Ranch One -and-a-Half," and the like. Over each of the ranches is a foreman. who is directly respon- sible for the labor performed, the re- suits and conditions generally. For
  perintendent, who ranked next to the eroprietor, but now MT. Rankin himself is in active charge of the property. and all matters of importance and details of management are referred at once to him.
 The office of the proprietor is located in the rear of the First National Bank building, and here he holds Court over the long distance telephone with the various foremen' each morning. between the hours of 5:30 and 7:30. His usual hour of arising is at 4:30 a. m, and at 5 breakfast for the household Is served In the next half-hour his buggy reaches the door, and he drives to the office where in turn each foreman Is called up, and, after a brief report as to hap penings of the twenty-four hours pre- vious, gets directions for the day. Af- ter conversation with his private secretary he Is off for a twenty or fifty mile drive to some of the ranches. This takes the day. and on his rounds noth- ing escapes the eagle eye of the mill lionaire cattle feeder.
 Feeds 1t All To Cattle.
 His first concern is the corn. for 1t is the corn that makes the business. Of the half million bushels which are rais- ed on his land every ear Is fed and not an ounce is sold. The first principle of his system is buy corn and never sell" From all his neighbors the corn pours into his cribs, and some seasons he has fed over 100000 bushels of the great fat-maker. If there is a weed or bad sign in any of his fields 1t is most distressing to him, and all operations end until the trouble Is removed. In these trips he makes personal observa- tions of circumstances and his suges- tiOnd pCfad ipStantpF The thousands of cattle and the thousands of hogs also come under his eye, but first and foremost 1t Is corn and. If nowhere else, corn is king on the Ran kin ranches.
 It is planned that each year two thirds of the acreage is planted in corn. The remaining third is in oats, wheat or grass and every seven years the land Is rested"
 Careful Busipess System.
 At the office there Is an elaborate his individual payroll and expense ac- count. With his monthly report these are forwarded. not later than the fifth of the month. to the central office for auditing. The report of the foreman Is most elaborate and thorough Upon a blank, which must be filled in with ink. are reported facts concerning these items: Men, steers on feed. stock, cat tie. bulls, cows. calves, work horses, mules. young horses. colts. ponies. hogs (giving average weight. pigs under fifty pounds wagons, old and new; sleds, cultiXators. harrows, drills, blows, corn planters, stackers. hay rack. stalk rakes. sulky rakes. binders. corn and grain: mowers. seeders. corn cutters. sets of harness, wind mills. tanks. hay. tame and wild: corn In field ( number of acres and estimate). corn in crib, oats. rye. wheat seeds. Upon the re verse of the sheet is given the state ment of orders issued.
 From these reports a balance Is made each month. and at the end of the year a statement covering the years tran saction is made. which appro.imates very closely what the business. has amounted to. The report for last year. which closed September 1. 1903. was as follows:
 Total number of acres 23.115