Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-10-23
AS a Rule He Is Not Provided
With Proper Shelter
For Stock
WILSON WRITES ABOUT FARMS
Farmer Near Hampton Who Believes
in Giving His Tenant Chance and
Finds it Pays Fine Corn Crib
Built on a New and Substantial
Plan.
Special to Tlmes-Republlcan.

Special to Times Republican.
Hampton, Oct. 23.-Rules generally
supposed to be infallible sometimes
have notable exceptions. When a
land owner, one who is himself a far
mer, goes to the expense of erecting
costly buildings and putting other first
class improvements on his place, 1t IS
true in almost every case that he In
If it is to be rented, that the owner
of the land has direct interest in the
grain which the land is to produce,
and the animals with which it is
stocked. Farms already equipped with
these improvements are sometimes
rented for cash and in few rare in
lowed to deteriorate. But one of the
arguments against the system of rent
ing for cash is that the proper build
ings, fences, etc, are not furnished
the tenant affording him the conditions
necessary to enable him to pay his rent
and have anything left. Instances are
too frequent even in the best parts Of
the state, where the tenant is not fur
nished with anything except. a house
and stable, and is compelled to buy the
material himself for shelter for his
hogs and chickens, and a fence for, his
cattle, providing he is so fortunate as
to own any. The owners of such places
generally excuse their conduct by de-
claring that they are receiving a very
low rate Of interest on their investment
and that the expense of constructing
and maintaining first class improve
ments would leave them nothing in the
way of revenue.
1t was with great surprise,
therefore, that learned the circum-
stances attending the erection of what
is probably the finest and most ex-
pensive corn crib in this part of the
state. Mr.. w. Barry, who owns a
fine farm some 500 acres in extent, "a
short distance from here. devised ja
plan for crib that would be rat proof,
lasting and handsome. He spent
nearly 5000 to build one, but unless
it is destroyed by the elements, he
will have no occasion to put up an
other one on that farm. A brief de-
scription follows: a4i,
Four 16-inch stone walls ~ feet
long and about two feet high were laid.
and the ends connected by cross walls.
The eight foot spaces between tine
outer and inner walls on each side
were cemented as was also the alley
way, 16 feet wide,. the coating being
four inches thick. The stills are of
Oregon fir Is inches wide each, con !
sisting of but two timbers 40 and 81
feet, respectively, in length. The cor
ners are ten feet in height Openings
at each end like those for cellar win
dows Of a house are covered with wire
screen affording ventilation and ex-
Guiding rats and mice. Thirteen thou
sand pounds of cement were used on
the surface of the driveway and the
space beneath the floors preventing
their entrance from below. If corn
thrown into the cribs begins to spoil
the 16-foot alley permits shoveling it
all over.
Six wagons may occupy the drive
way and be unloaded at one time
Twenty-Five thousand shingles were
required for the roof. The cap
acity Of the bins is 5000 bushels and
of the alley 1000. Mr.. Barry rents
his farm for cash consideration. The
erection of the crib was a voluntary
act on his part planned and carried
out after the lease was signed, and il
the two men operating the place fail
to prosper it will not be because they
have not first class place to store
their grain.
Somebody once said that the dog
on the farm is all right in his place,
that the proper place is beneath some
shade tree out in the pasture; the
proper depth below the surface of the
ground, he insisted, is four feet. Some
times when I drive up to a gate and
attempt to inquire of a member of the
household where the proprietor may be
found and two unprepossessing CANNES
come running and filling. the air with
their discordant yelps so that neither
participant to the conversation can
hear a word the other says am in
clined to believe with the above mem
toned authority that the farm dog as
a rule is somewhat of a nuisance. A
young farmer told a dog story the
other day, however, which illustrates
the other side of the argument. Il
keep my COWS in there during nights"
said he, pointing to a small yard, "and
one evening / forgot to fasten the gate.
Toward morning hard wind and rain
storm set in and the wind blew the
gate open. When l went out to milk
in the morning it was still raining.
found my dog in the open gateway
guarding the exit. He had voluntarily
left a comfortable bed and stood there
thoroughly drenched and shivering
with the cold. but he had allowed none
of the cows to escape, Notwithstanding
the lonesome, disagreeable time he
must have had keeping them i'm
c. E. Wilson.
EuNERAI OF MRS VINCENT