Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-06-09
WINTER WHEAT IN IOWA.
IS. P. Girton, of State Center,
Demonstrates it Can Be Sue
cesstully Grown
HAS FIELD WITH GRAIN IN HEAD
Says Winter Wheat Is Good compan-
ion to Timothy and clover--Different
Views of tho Other Fellows condi-
tion-wilson's Rural observations
Other Iowa News.
Special to Times-Repuplican.

Special to imes-Republican.
State Center, June 9.-Contributors
to the agricultural press of this state
occasionally discuss the possibilities
in winter wheat raising in Iowa, gen
orally agreeing that satisfactory re-
suits have attended the efforts Of those
who follow the practice for a success
sion of years. The fields Of winter
wheat this year in Marshall county.
however, are very few in number ana
could PROBABLY almost be numbered
on the fingers of ones hands 5. +.
Girton, a weu-known farmer near TINS
town, has twenty acres Of turkish
Red wheat that would be a revelation
to any one at all skeptical OF the
statement that this is winter wheat
country. The stalks stand about three
feet high and have all headed out.
Those who have seen them say that
this field is faithful miniature rep
resentation of the famous wheat fields
of Canada. This is the third success
siye season that Mr.. Girton has grown
small acreage of this species of crop.
Two years ago he had ten acres which
averaged twenty-seven bushels per
acre and for which he received seven
ty-fve cents per bushel. Last years
yield was eighteen bushels with a SELL
ing price of eighty-fve cents. This
year he declares the outlook at the
present time is for yield of thirty
bushels or better. When asked why he
raised winter wheat he replied that 1t
was good company for young timothy
and clover because the harvest occurs
early In the season, that 1t can be cut
at time when other small grain does
not need attention, and that it can be
grown at q fair profit.
There's q young fellow with a
mighty good layout" said a man
indicating farm not far away. He
lives in that house over there and
works for the owner of the farm at
fifty dollars month the year round.
Has the use Of cow, garden spot, can
raise his own chickens and ought to
make some money. He never needs to
worry about bad weather, poor crops.
low prices nor anything. His pay
comes, profit or no profit" The next
day this lucky young man who has
such "snap" talked about the mat
ter something like this: Yes, we get
fifty dollars q month here and the
other concessions in addition. Gener-
ally get up at O'Clock in the sum-
mer time and work till nine at night
In winter the days of course are not
so long, but take care Of good deal
of stock, haul wood and do a lot of
other work that is always to be done.
No, never stop for bad wealth
er or snow. Suppose I might
get a day off occasionally, but
once in while some of us are sick
and then have to lose little time
and as there has never been any COM
plant about that ] don't ask for hol-
idays. Yes, Of course by figuring close
a little can be saved from these
wages, but You know about what 1t
requires to sustain even a small family
respectfully. Is thirty dollars per month
very large estimate for average
needs? I'm not complaining at ALL but
do you really think this very much
Of snap?"
About year ago farmer living in
the south part of this county suffered
the loss of fine lot of small pigs.
The little fellows attained weight Of
about twenty pounds each in a state
of apparent health, and then suddenly
died. This year the same thing hap
pened again in exactly the same man
ner. The man lives on farm owned
by q nonresident, the kind that
doesn't always hear the reasonable re-
quests Of tenants for needed improve
ments. Beneath the barn is dark,
unyentilated basement, and this was
the home Of the little pigs. Nature
seemed to have bestowed on them suf-
fcient vitality to live and thrive three
or four weeks under adverse circum-
stances and when this was exhausted
they at once gave up the struggle for
existence. About the same time an
other Marshall county man had his
cows inspected for tuberculosis Sew
eral of his neighbors had lost an
alarmingly large proportion of their
cows from infection and the possible
result was in this case matter of
dread for the man who had a large
portion of his worldly wealth invested
in mich cows. He, too. occupied a
rented farm, but the improvements
were good and he had always given
his stock the best possible care; in fact
had been frequently assured that he
was OVERRIDING the matter in this re-
gard When this test was made it was
ascertained that every animal in
spected was entirely free from any
trace of the dread disease. These two
examples perhaps fairly illustrate the
two extremes of luck" in stock rails
ing. c.. E. WILSON.