The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-07-09

made a daylight run of over 200 miles through the wheat fields of Kansas. The crop conditions along this line were about like those given in my last report. How ever, I noticed that where wheat was sown in last years corn felds it is very poor, in fact hardly worth harvesting.
 A Peculiar People.
 While traveling in Central Western Kansas, I came across a colony of Rus sian Mennonites, and I am sure that many of our readers would enjoy read ing of these peculiar people and of their manner of living, so I will stop writing of crops long enough to give a brief outline of what l saw and learned about this colony.
 These people are Germans who, for their religion, were crowded out of Ger many some years ago when they moved and settled in Russia, where they were allowed a broader range of freedom, and where land was more easily obtained. The Russian government, at that time, would lease them land on reasonable terms and allow twenty acres for every man in the family who was 21 or over. Should a father or son die, the lease was reduced, or If son became 2l the lease was increased twenty acres more Soon these people wanted to farm larger bodies of land, and in order to do so had to rent land from the rich nobles. These landlords soon became so exorbitant in their demands that the peo- pie could no longer stand the expressions and came to this country.
 They are an industrious, thrifty people, strictly honest, lead a quiet, unpreten- tious life, and care but little for the fashions of the world This, however, applies to the older people who imm- grated here. The younger ones. reared In our country soon become fully Amer- canized. As a rule, the older people do not try to speak the English language, but talk German. They all live in vil- lages, but have their farms, some of them, out as far as eight and ten miles.
 Their main crops are mostly small grains, and the harvest season is jubi- lee with them They feast while 1t lasts. They harvest and stack their grain, and break tue land for the next crop, then they all go back to the villages where they remain in enjoyment and content ment. having nothing to do but look after church matters, their stock and gardens. They spend much time in reading, smok- ing and drinking. When seeding time ar rives they go back to their farms, thrash the grain, SOW what they wish and haul the rest either to elevators or to market. After this work is over they retire again to the villages, where they spend the win ter.
 Just before the harvest season. early in June, is the season when they have their weddings. This is the most important event in their lives, and Is celebrated by great feasts and much rejoicing among the families and friends of the contract ing parties. The feasts last from two to three days to week, according to the wealth of the families of both the bride and groom. All strangers who happen to come their way are taken in and in vited to eat, drink and be merry
 To show to what extremes they go to on such occasions, l will mention one case which was pointed out to me. A young man who had recently taken a wife, prepared for the occasion by killing a large OK, several shoats and sheep, be- sides the poultry. They had twenty kegs of beer, forty gallons of whisky, forty gallons of wine ard boughtand had baked into bread and cakes 50O pounds of flour. while the brides family donated an equal amount Here was enough for a feast that would last several weeks.
 Many Are Wealthy.
 Many of these people have become very wealthy The children learn our customs and language rapidly, and soon become good American citizens. Some counties are offcered almost entirely by them.
 
 but in the last presidential election they voted for Roosevelt This came about from rather strange incident. The presidential train was out west and was to pass over the Union Pacific east through one of these counties The train was stopped and Roosevelt made a talk to over a thousand small children who were all dressed in white, and who had been under a tutor for several weeks in afapr ed, ner." When the train pulled In, these children broke out in one grand chorus in singing this national anthem. This so pleased the President that he called the father in charge to the platform to his side, gave him a hearty handshake made one of his best speeches. in which he complimented the father and the chill dren very highly, and the result was that the whole colony came to the fall cleo ton and voted for Roosevelt. Perhaps have spent enough time now with these people. little later on, l want to tell our readers of another colony of still stranger people, where 1t was my lot to spend day.
 [ travelled over 200 miles in Missouri stopping to address a farmers eonven- tion on this trip. I found crop conditions about as reported in my last letter though by this date many sections of hissOufl ldu Deen NlSlleu Dy me rains, which were indeed timely. l made a day light trip across the Indian Territory now a part of Oklahoma, where l found crop conditions not very encouraging, and not really any better than they were in other sections.
 These farmers were drowned out, and their farms so badly water-soaked that it was impossible to prepare their lands for seeding. Here in the territory found one crop more than is grown in the other sections named, that of cotton. This crop like all others, is badly spotted, much of it very foul very small, and with poor stands in many places. Cotton farmers generally, are over-cropped and cannot secure help at any price.
 Largest Alfalfa Farm.
 I wrote of Colonel R. E. Smiths great alfalfa farm, located near Sherman, Gray son county, Tex, but as there cannot be too much said in praise of alfalfa will again call the attention of the reader to what had the pleasure of seeing on this great farm. When I wrote before the colonel only had 120O acres, but since then he has sown 200 acres more, and now has 400 acres in alfalfa. Now what I shall say of this farm Is not to adver- tise Colonel Smith, for he needs no ad- vertsing, but is given as valuable infor- nation for the reader who may never have the pleasure of visiting this farm However, if one could afford it. it would pay to travel hundreds of miles to see the place, for, as stated before, 1t Is the largest known alfalfa farm in the world
 When reached the farm, found twelve eight-foot moving machines busy cutting the crop the second time. These