Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1910-09-15

MY father was with US q
week ard helped us select q |
COW and tried to find US a team
but did not succeed so with
only a COW to hitch to a car
riage we are rather handicap
ped However a livery team
Is helping US out. We are out
at the ranch camping until our
goods come. In the meantime
Mr.. Madsen ard my brother,
Orlo, who is in partnership
with us, have had the alfalfa
cut, racked it, shocked it and
stacked it. / know you would
exclaim in amazement if you
could see the immense stacks
we have from the three cut
tings of alfalfa which means a
few hundred to us before
spring. Their experience with
the hay derrick was very anus
ling and for fear of trouble in
the family I'll not relate them.
This valley is still in its in
fancy but even then it will
ship a most wonderful crop.
The trees look beautiful laden
with the red and golden fruit,
principally Jonathan, Winesap,
Crimes Golden and Arkansas
Blacks. The pickers and pack
ers are ready for work this
week having come for miles
around, camping in tents.
Nearly everyone, men women
and children, pack or pick. A
good packer makes as high as
/ 81 90 a day. The apples are
sorted, wiped, wrapped and
packed in boxes. Each box
will net the grower $l.35 for
fancy and $l.10 for choice.
No wormy or scaly apples will
be shipped.
The Italian prune or blue
plum crop this year was a great
one. The grower receiving
|Sl5.00 per ton delivered at
packing house. Some of them
made as high as $500 from
their prune crop.
The prize orchard of this
valley contains seventeen acres
and will net the owner at least
$500. on apples.
The greatest money made
outid e of a matured orchard
is in the increase in the value
OF land each year. We figure
on setting out trees on the
whole twenty acres next spring
and each year its value will in
crease $500 an acre. We can
make living from the land be.
tween the trees, especially in
melons, as many are shipped
from here. Potatoes, peas,
beans and alfalfa all bring
good returns.
This does not seem like liv-
} ing in the country. From our
side porch we counted nine
homes and scarcely ever do we
2 look out but what we see a con-
veyance of some kind. Many
automobiles come from Boise,
only fifty miles.
The people are nearly all
from Iowa, Nebraska or Dakota
) and ! have yet to find one to
!, say they want to go back.
! Some are tired of irrigation
:. would prefer dry farming but
}. do not want to go back. We
! do not know yet how we like it,
y so far we are contented for we
all feel better, having gained
q in flesh and feel rested.
0 The ranchers have an organ
$ ization called the Grange" a
e social and beneficial order.
! They discuss questions pertain
e ling to their field of labor and
we know this will be of value
r to us. They are planning on
y having a great deal of fun at
), our expense when we "ride the
7 |goat."
: At each rancher's gate !, a
: black board telling what he has
for sale or what he wants
! to buy. Our board reads
: "Wanted-A good work team 5
: or 6 years old. For Sale
y Prunes, French, Italian and
: Hungarian" In consequence
= John Cinnamon came yesterday
: and bought $4.75 worth of
prunes and several teams have
been here for us to consider.
We will attend the Presby-
. terian church at Payette- a
. small but working church. !
: must say a little in praise of
:. the splendid Y. M. C. A. build
;. ing in Payette, built by the asso-
. citation and citizens. There are
e ..lao~. noo1 Lol1. e. %hoA