Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1910-02-18

Captain ]. F. Merry, general im1
migration agent of the Illinois Ceni
trail and the Yazoo & Mississippi
quarters at Manchester, Iowa, and
who enjoys the distinction of person.
ally knowing more people living on
and adjacent to these lines than any
man in the service, has developed into
one of Delaware county's most pro-
gressive farmers. This is saying a
good deal, when it is remembered that
Delaware county, in which the noted
John Stewart built and operated the
first creamery in the United States,
has achieved a notable reputation for
having a large number of first class
farmers
Ten years ago Captain Merry ex-
changed some town property for ZOO
acre farm three and one-half miles
northwest of Manchester. Later he
purchased an adjoining so acres, max
ing an ideal farm of $50 acres of prai-
rie and 80 acres of choice young tim
Der, being located on the northeast
corner of the farm and only short
distance from the house The captain
no sooner got possession of the farm
than he began the erection of build
ings; first, hay barn 30xS0 feet, with
"a foot posts, underneath which is a
well-lighted, well-ventilated basement,
COW barn with 80 stanchions and two
large box stalls. Adjoining and on a
level with the hay barn on the east is
q machinery hall 24x50 feet, in which
machinery, buggies, ETC., are stored.
Under the hall is COW shed of same
size, provided with sliding doors for
! closing in winter
Immediately south of the COW stable
and connected with same is calf
| stable with stanchions for Is calves
About 300 feet to the west of the hay
and COW barn is horse barn with &C.
commodations for eight horses On
the south Of this is another horse barn
with three large box stalls for brood
mares and colts.
Near the COW barn is silo 36x16
so constructed as to be convenient for
the feeding of cows in the basement
stables. 1t is built of 2S foot hard
| pine whole slaves with pit SKIS and
doors at intervals from the bottom Of
| the pit to the top of the silo, with 6
| five foot runway from the silo to the
the COW barn is cream house where
4 in the past the cream has been sepa
/ rated from the milk by hand.
In the future, however, this worl
will be done by two-horse power
gasoline engine. Southwest of the biz
to the north another building 50x2.
feet, both with high ceilings, vel
lighted, we'll ventilated, with two incl
oak plank floors and SO partitioned of
with portable partitions as to mak'
20 separate pens at narrowing time
each pen opening into small separ
ate yard where the sows and pigs ma.
run at will.
Directly east of the large barn IS
granary for oats, barley and rye, il
the second story of which is repai
shop with carpenters bench and sucl
repair tools as are always necessar.
on the farm.
Near the south of the granary is
double corn crib with capacity TO
1000 bushels of corn. Still east o
the granary is a hen house and to tn
south and west covered drinking
tank. located in the COW yard, with
cover sufficiently large to protect tn
COWS from sun and storm while drink
ing and the water from getting to
warm In summers.
Captain Merry says farmers canno
afford to let their machinery be e,
posed to the weather, and in additio
to the machinery hall already referre
* he has provided Merryland wit
two large enclosed sheds so that ever
implement and every piece of ms
chinery on the place may be properl
housed.
Three wells supply the farm with a
abundance of splendid water. Two {
them are operated by wind mills TIL
third is run by one-horse power ga,
oline engine and is so located on
high point that by means Of pipes
supplies three fields and may be pipe
into as many more.
Farmers who have been obliged
pump water by hand for herd of ca
tie and half dozen horses by reaso
of wind mills refusing to pump wi