Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-01-14

; tmend than to find fault, and vet with
: all this we do not fully realize the pos
sibilities Of our state. Our own PEG
: ,,ple do not yet appreciate the almost
!. unlimited resources of our soil wher
Y properly handled. We are still tend
ing in the wrong direction, in this, al
least, that our farms are increasing In
size. Many men make money off oi
large farms, and there can be no criti
cism OF that, but what we need to
learn is more intensified farming
Produce more upon fewer acres. Our
farms are capable of furnishing prof
table returns for many more people
than now occupy them If we will only
! farm closer Ground which now yields
thirty to forty bushels of corn per acre
should be made to yield double that
and it needs only the application of
proper efforts in order to- demonstrate
! the fact Upon test, lands in our
state have been made to yield more
| than one hundred and fifty bushels of
corn to the acre, which is almost four
times the highest average yield for
any one year. Wheat has turned out
in some instances more than fifty
bushels to the acre during the last
year and oats has gone from eighty to
ninety bushels These things are the
best advertisements that our state
could have when they are generally
understood. If the average yield of
corn could be brought up to fifty
bushels per acre, it would be gain OF
about twenty-five per cent over last
years crop. or gain in value of more
than $32,0OO,00O.
Retaining River Lands.
We need to have better attention
given to retaining lands lying along
our streams and which, when brought
into cultivation, constitute the most
productive soil to be found anywhere
in the state. This can be done, and
in some parts of the state, is being
done by Strengthening the streams and
thing out the ground. The most valu-
able small farms to be found in the
state are the farms that have been
thus reclaimed. What was formerly
known as the Duck pond country OF
northwest Iowa is fast becoming the
most fertile and productive part Of the
state, through the means OF drainage
From the best figures obtainable, 1t
would seem we have already expended
more than $1O5,000,O00 for drainage
purposes throughout the state. We
have laid approximately 40,0OO,0OO rods
or about $4,000 miles Of tile, enough
to encircle the globe almost five times.
Most of this has been laid since the
enactment of our present drainage
laws. It is estimated that it will be
necessary to expend about $15O,O0O,0OO
more to complete the work of drainage
in the state This will mean, when
done, that from six to seven dollars
per acre for every acre OF land in Iowa
has been spent for drainage purposes.
The increase yield in crops of very
few years will many times compensate
for this expenditure of money. rms
large increase in the productive capac-
ity of the farms needs. to be supple
mented by like extensions OF other
interests.
Manu- actories Needed.
z No greater need is felt than tine
necessity Of the establishmentrof more
within our midst AL
ready we have a great many manufac-
turing industries of a very high char
acter, but there is room and much
need for many more. The cement IN
terests of our state are of immense I'M
portancct and promise great success.
We have the largest brick and tile FAC
tories in the world and these are sup
rlemented by many smaller ones 70
Gated in various parts of the state.
Our gypsum interests are growing IN
We have one sugar plant
that turns out about one fifteenth OF I
the amount of sugar used In the state.
And the managers of the factory IN
form me that they would have no dit
ficuty IL securing beets enough IN the
territory where the plant is located To
supply three or four such factories.
WHY might not we be producing not
only the remainder of what we con-
sumo, but be supplying other, places
where the growing of sugar beets is
not success? Here is a splendid OPP
portunity for investment of capital.
We are extensively engaged In manu-
featuring machinery used in dairy1ng
and in more limited way in general
agricultural pursuits, but there are
many lines along which we are far be-
hind states no better located or favor
I'd for such things than we are here in
iowa.
Many millions of dollars have gone
rom us in the last few years to buy
Why not recognize the
act that the automobile has come TO
stay and proceed to manufacture them
It home more extensively than we are
!oing at present? We have been help
ns to make the cities of other states
'ich by buying their products as well
Is by furnishing them men and means
or carrying on their business.
The use of silos has become so gem
,ral that there can be no longer any
question but that they are to be a
thing with us and there is
10 reason why the silo as well as the I
machines for preparing ensilage should
lot be manufactured here in Iowa. All
hat is needed along these lines is to {
.et the attention Of our people directed :
oward these various interests. We will {
hen have enlarged our demand for
l;bor and for the use of capital, both s
f which have been going elsewhere to Il
md employment. l believe that our S
eople are beginning to realize the i'm II
ortarce of these matters as they have
lot done heretofore and that we are L
pom the eve Of larger developments \
long these lines. l
Percentage Of Literacy.
One of the real sources Of pride 10 {
very citizen of our commonwealth
,bo stands for higher and hettor {