Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-01-02
Wilson Discusses the Pleasure
and Profit Derived From "Spe-
cialties" on Farm
ENJOYABLE
WORK
Farmers Who Have Some Particular
Hobby Generally Make Money Along
That Line Besides Deriving Much
Pleasure From it-Boys Making
Money Trapping Muskrats.
pecial to Times-Republican.


Shell Rock. Jan. 2-One Of the most
attractive features of rural life is the
opportunity of the farmer to specialize
in any line of production for which he
has particular liking. AS there is
always profit in the production Of
almost anything raised on the farm
when unusual skill or care is exercised
these farm specialists generally line
their purses while employing their time
and talents in work which they enjoy.
One man establishes the reputation of
being the best hog raiser in his neigh
borhood and thereafter finds a ready
sale at a good figure for few of his
surplus animals each year. Another's
skill and Judgment in saving seed corn
furnishes some neighbor with a source
of supply in the spring when the price
of that necessity is high. Still another
pays his threshing bill with the re-
suits of the industry of his bees. In
the barn of enc young man that I visit
l find each year span Of blanketed
horses which he is fitting for sale at
a fancy price. An old lady in another
locality keeps few extra fine Buff
Cochins and sells all their eggs to
distant firm for Matching purposes at
45 cents a dozen. 1t is usually the case
that the greater the number of these
specialists, the greater the prosperity
of the people of locality.
zee
One of the best things Of the kind
that have seen is the flock of $50 full
blooded Brahma hens kept by Mr.. G.
H. Hunt on his farm near this place.
The large number of them, the clean
and comfortable quarters in which
they are kept, the unusual size of the
creatures and their uniformity of ar-
pearance gives one the impression that
this is poultry raising under ideal con-
ditions. In another building Mr. Hunt
had 125 capons which he said would
average about ten pounds in weight
and for which he would receive fifteen
cents pound. Some years ago Mr..
Hunt found it necessary to refrain
for time from severe physical exer-
ton and turned his attention to poultry
raising. The venture proved more
llldll tlIlu ue now
rents his farm land and devotes his
time largely to his favorite occupa-
ton
Answering question in regard to
the cost of raising capons he said an
extensive poultry raiser in a nearby
town made some carefully conducted
experiments and arrived at the conclu-
sion that his birds cost him 31s cents
per pound for feed leaving him good
profit for the time spent in caring for
them.
The prices that dealers are paying
for furs have set hundreds Of men and
boys in some parts of the state to
trapping the creatures whose hides are
of value. A few days before Christ
mas a man in Wright county had
caught more than 1,400 muskrats. Sew
eral school boys in the vicinity had
made ten to twenty dollars in the same
manner. The rats, which are very
abundant this year, are undermining
grades and robbing cornfelds so that
their destruction serves a double pur-
pose. In the flat parts of the country
they build their houses in ponds and
where these are most plentiful their
thickly scattered habitations at first
glance resemble fields of hay in the
shock. In the more rolling portions
they make their homes along the banks
of streams. While was talking with
a man in his yard the other day a
undertook to leave wood
pile for some desired destination to be
reached by way of path that took
him almost under the farmers feet.
He never reached the goal, however,
as dog saw the whole performance
and promptly shook the "daylights"
out Of the little fellow. When the at
fair was over the man picked up the |
remains with the remark: "That's 10
cents I've made today, anyway"
Roy Corwin, the son Of farmer liv-
Ing on Shell Rock mail route, who
has acquired the reputation of being
one of the most expert trappers in |
his vicinity, has for some time been
devoting his spare hours to the catch
ing Of the various fur-bearing animals
that exist in this part of the state. |
For his last consignment he received
a draft for 1882. The catch was
made up Of mink, muskrat, fox, coon
and skunk. For one of the mink he re-
ceived the unusual price Of IS. All
this was accomplished during the corn
husking season and no time was lost |
as the traps were looked after morn
ings and evenings. G. E. WILSON.
MAXWELL PASTOR RESIGNS.