Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1905-01-19
HOW rOwANs PROsPRR.
,. 3. Rngle Gives His ImprsasionS Of
That State.

pleasure to refer briefly to 9 shorI
visit recently made through our SisteI
state on the northeast, Iowa, and thu
give a short sketch Of few praCtical
points Of interest which have won the
writer's admiration in passing along
observing with what apparent har'
mony, thrift and enterprise agricul'
tural interests in general are pushed
forward. The we'll arranged farms,
fine improvements, well bred herds Of
live stock, horses, dairy herds, swine
and poultry add credit to any rural
district as well IS bespeak the ability
Of the proprietors Of a farm.
Not only was the writer gratiiied on
points above mentioned, but the nat
ural result Of the aforesaid enterprise
can easily be noticed as you arrive
at rail road stations. The huge dray
loads Of well filled cream cans being
transferred, and at freight stations also
be carloads Of cattle, hogs and poul'
try in transit suggest to the observer
that there is something doing some
where.
The resources OF the district consist
Of only three staple crops upon which
the farmers depend, chiefly corn, oats
and hay which means horses, dairy
cattle, hogs and poultry and as final
resource sometimes profit in potatoes.
We find they have very little II any
advantage in marketing farm produce
over that Of our own county and state.
Since 1t is an established fact that
tributary to the Kansas City stock
market, Central and Southern Iowa
have very little il any advantage over
our own state. In comparing prices
on fat stock l found they are only
equal to those Of our own community
and the price they realize from butter
fat and poultry is not equal to that Of
our own county and state at this sea-
son Of the year. Thus an interesting
comparison with our good market and
feed advantages, II developed, is
shown to be In our favor.
The conclusion 10 practically this:
The Iowa farmer at present must be
producing cheaper products than we
do. WhyP He lie obliged to use
every effort to set aside oil haphazard
and slipshod measures upon the form
and adopt more modern and system
attic methods In his business.
One important feature pointing to-
ward success was demonstrated to
the writer when ON Jan. End and Srd
about 600 to 700 farmers from oil
parts Of the state ranging from 20 to
45 years Of age came into AmeS to at
tend short course term at the Iowa
State Agricultural college in animal
huSbandvy, dairying. chiefly stock
Judging and corn breeding. Many Of
them had returned for q second term
and. spoke Of the benefit and SatiSfac-
ton before derived which accounted
for their return. This work has been
especially interesting and admired by
the writer.
One other point worthy Of note
might here be mentioned; that many
Of the short course students are men
who do not own their farms but are
renters and paying from "a to S6 per
acre cash rent for improved farms Of
100 to 94O acres and are taking pride
in their business, and zee the room
for development and appreciate the
expenditures and general efforts put
forth by our agricultural departments
In coming into contact with some Of
the practical up-tO.dats men Of the
northwest, they win readily disclose
to you business results. Among the
most satisfactory line Of which they
speak is the dairy herd and the POul'
try yard a. clean profits.
May 1t DO the aim Of oil to develop
the rural interest Of our homes which
will result In true harmony and
growth Of our county.
3. s. ENGLE.
A n-s.n Raa ~aAS