Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-09-21
HOUSES AND BARNS
BEING ERECTED AND LOW
LANDS DRAINED.
HIGH PRICE or LANDS
MOVES TO sErrERMENrs
New Theory Regarding "Nisserheads"
Coming to the Observation-Disclosures
Of Road Work Leads to Neglect of
Some Hishways-Wilson's Rural OBJ,
servations.
Special to Professionalism.

Special to Times-Republcan.
Goldfield, Sept. 21.-Here as in prob
ably every other part of the state, GER
tainly in many portions of it, the
favorite theme for discussion is the
rapid and steady advance in the price
OF Iowa land. Where two or more
farmers meet one of them soon begins
to tell about a record breaking offer
that has been made to some neighbor
for his farm and arguments pro and
con as to the wisdom of accepting the
offer at once follow. In the hotel of
flee the land salesman in low tones ex-
plains the certain profit that Is to be
had for the taking, the proposition he
has being just as likely to De some
local farm as one in Texas, Montana,
or Alberta In the stores, banks, on
the streets, everywhere one can listen
to how farms that only a few weeks
or months ago were sold at what was
then considered "a high price have just
changed hands at a much higher one
Meanwhile all thru the country there is
a general and very marked improve
ment of farms being made. Low places
are being drained, great barns and
beautiful residences are being built,
and effort in general to make farm
homes more attractive and profitable Is
everywhere apparent to an unusual de-
gree. If the old-time resident of this
section remains away much longer he
will hardly recognize it when he re-
turns as THE same region that it was
emily a few years ago.
Here ds a new theory. advanced by an
observant farmer, for the apparent ris-
ing of rocks to- the surface of the
ground. This man in removing some
boulders from a piece Of ground that
has never been placed under cultiva-
ton noticed that in digging he reached
clay at a considerably greater depth
than when digging or blowing in Guilt
waited fields. His conclusion is that in
constantly cultivated fields the humus
or>vegetable matter in the soil is worn
out, causing the soil particles to be-
come smaller. pack closer together an6
| to settle, so that instead Of the bigger
head" rising thru action of the frost the
earth settles around it and next veal
4
face where this year none are to be
seen. 1.-The thing to be done in suct
cases as this" said the farmer, sis t.
allow this settling process to go OF
until the land Is worn out, but to pu
back what has been taken away b.
seeding such fields to clover and bring
ing them back, so far as may be t
their former condition"
One of the mail routes from a tow
in northern Iowa is composed in par
of stretch Of road some six miles IL
length, which present the appear
ance of having escaped the attention o
the road supervisors for a. decade a
least. No grades nor cuts have beer
made to level the hilly places, bridge:
have been neglected, weeds and will
lows have fourished unznolested ant
if it were not for the mail boxes tina
are to be seen at intervals the traveller
would never deem 1T possible that ht
was passing along a rural mail rout
where the road must be kept in goot
condition or the route is likely to b.
discontinued One Of the men living OF
the line explained the situation ant
suggested a remedy. The highway il
question leads to cross road connect
ing two towns, the junction being
about midway between them. Said th'
man with the grievance, "You will no
tice that every road leading from thi
one toward the town to the west ha
been improved and kept in good con
dition, and those branching in the. op
Ipcsite direction have been neglected
Now near which town do you suppos
the road supervisors live? Plain enough
isn't it? Simply working for the inter
ests of their home town. The remedy
A return to conditions that prevaile;
under the administration of the singl
} supervisor with his two school dis
} tricts of road to look after, when mel
were allowed to work the roads II
j whose Improvement and maintenance
! they were directly interested Cen
tralization of authority in roadwor
may promote the construction of som
good roads, but 1t also results in III
neglect Of others and happen to b
located near one that belongs in tn
latter class. Perhaps that's why favo
the old plan"
In the territory tributary to the lit
tie town of Calf there is every reason
to expect a good big crop of corr
this year, The windstorm of shor
time ago, that tangled the cornfields o
, q LARGO mart of tho state Saarv to how