Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-06-14
SPOTS WHERE BEAUTIFUL HOMES
ARE MADE AND WHERE NAT.
uRE PROVIDES REQUISITES.
CENTRAL lowA's PRAIRIEs AND
SOUTHWESTERN loWA's HILLS
;. e. Wilson Finds Different Surround
inas and Methods of Growing Corn in
Hawkeye state-Mills County Mer-
chant Finds Rural Delivery of Goods
Way to Beat Mail Order House.
Special to Republican.

Malvern, June 14.-Any one possess
ed with desire for the contemplation
of an agricultural contrast Of the first
degree may crafty that desire in a
very complete manner by visiting for a
few days two different sections of the
state, viz: The north central and the
southwestern parts. On the typical
we'll kept fam of Franklin. Floyd or
Hardin is theE ,luster of farm buildings
representing the expenditure often of
many ttous .nds of dollars, protected in
winter andsshaded in summer by plant
ed rows Of naples, willows, evergreens
and box-elders. Back of this lie the
level or gently rolling fields devoted to
grain crops, meadows or pastures. If
the land in these was at first so
level or depressed that standing water
interfered with cultivation an elaborate
and expensive system Of thing has
remedied the difficulty. The soil is
deep and heavy and can never be wash
ed away by the heaviest rains. We
look upon a place of this kind and de-
eide that an infinite amount Of human
land has resulted in the possession of a
treasure, worthy of any possible oW-
well kept farm.
A succession Of hills covered with a
1eep. rich loose soil to their very tops:
another collection of comfortable ap-
pearing structures surrounded often by
a belt Of natural timber, oak, walnut
and linden; luxuriant meadows and
pastures in which grow grasses that
scent the air with their perfumes and
afford a partial ration for the thous-
ands of high grade and pure bred cat
tie for which this part Of Iowa is be-
coming famous. Fine orchards, good
roads, these are some of the things
that impress the observer of q Mills
county farming community. 1t is be-
yond question that great deal of
physical and mental effort has been re-
quired to bring about the present con-
dition Of these magnificent farm homes.
hut it is very evident too, that none
of this labor If we'll directed was per-
formed but that the doer of it received
full compensation for what he did. In
short, when we look upon the level
farms in the first named section we
think Of what has been accomplished In
so short a time by the pioneers who
settled there and the generation which
has followed them: in the latter region
we recognize, rather, the good judg-
ment Of those who established homes
in such favored part of the country.
-
One of the peculiarities in corn
growing here is the practice of listing.
To those unacquainted with this meth
cd it may be said that lister is a
sort Of double plow which opens fur
row both ways at the same time and by
means OF planting attachment drills
the seed in the furrow as it is made.
The first cultivation is effected by the
use Of small shoveled pillow to which
is fastened contrivance made of wood
or thin iron and resembling two foot
section Of an inverted trough. This
prevents the covering up Of the corn
but allows enough dirt to roll to the
plants to cover up the starting growth
of weeds. Common shields are used
the next time, and thereafter there Is
nothing in appearances to indicate that
the listing method was employed. At
first glance it looks like a lazy mans
plan to get out of a little hard work
Dut Cf1lS IS All tTIOi. L he SUI 10 ~
loose here that deep roofing is an es-
sential to prevent damage by wind lat
er on and the use Of the lister seems to
be the best way out Of the difficulty.
OF course in a soil like that Of central
and northern Iowa no sane farmer
would ever attempt that plan Of rails
ing corn more than one time. AT this
time corn appears to be little further
advanced here than in the central and
northern counties and there is perhaps
also q somewhat better stand.
Here is the plan whereby Mills
coc~ty merchant succeeded in building
up a big trade among the farmers. He
simply runs a rural delivery wagon In
certain localities on certain days and
as far, it is said, as eight miles from
his place of business. The orders
come in over the telephone and are
filled the same as for town or city de-
livery. On the return trip the farmers
butter and eggs are hauled to the store
for him and the time saved during the
buster period means good deal to the
customer in these days of high priced
labor and scarcity Of farm help.
G.. r. WILSON,