Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-05-16
Looker-On In Iona

Grmndy Center. May Let is gener-
ally stated that this year only about
half the acreage OF last year will be
planted to potatoes in this vicinity. The
reason is given. 1t don't pay to raise
potatoes as well as other crops. Last
season the opening price was 70 cents
per bushel. A few got those figures,
but 33 to As cents was the average
price. With the yield in some cases
as low as 60 bushels to the acre and
$50 bushels to the acre, being an ex-
ception. it requires little figuring to
show why potato raising does not pay.
There is, of course, the gambling pro-
position. The yield may be 800 bushels
to the acre, and the price may be 81
bushel. but the facts are good pota-
to land rents for 81 to 50 an acre, seed
is expensive, and the labor involved
tremendous. Potato planters and pota-
to diggers are now in the market that
do the work well. but the potato pick
er the machine that will not pick up q
chunk Of IOWA soil and cmfwywy to
pick up a potato is yet to be invented.
It costs fully 3 cents bushel to pick
UP potatoes by hand. and generally
more. One feature here as a labor
saver is the dump at the railroad sta
ton. Still another good thing Is q
cash market the same as for grain
and stock, but rs cents per bushel, the
present shipping price, has no temp
tations for the farmer with his spring
work on hand. Very few potatoes are
in the hands of the growers here. the
local stores selling for so cents per
bushel or IS cents per peck. The story
is told Of one potato raiser near here
putting 1000 bushels in a pit ito sell
for 81 bushel next spring" They are
in the pit yet already
The day the writer was in Gladbrook
a train load of western horses arrived.
were unloaded and several hundred
horses and some burros driven thru
the streets out into the country to be
sold to somebody that wants that kind
of stock. And it occurred to some OF
the spectators, surprising that reciproc-
ity with Canaad was an established
fact, and this train load OF so-called
horses had been shipped in from Can
ada, wi1ot howl would have gone UP
from the politicians of LATE Young's
stripe The Iowa horse raiser being
ruined by cheap horses from Canada"
They were cheap. so cheap the Iowa
farmer will neither raise, buy nor sell
such stock Mr.. E. C. Stevens. OF this
place, drove thru the streets here today
g. pair nearly full blood Belgian stock,
bay mares. He paid $40 for the pair
and has been offered $500 for them.
And the offer was refused, If they're
worth $500 to some one else they are
to him. Why this pair Of handsome
big mares will sell for enough to buy
carload Of Montana stock.
The New York Sun recently printed
the following, surely of Iowa interest:
A few years ago Texas farmers, who,
by the way, did most OF their farming
in the saddle chasing steers over the
prairies said: I'VE can't raise corn In
Texas, the soil is not adapted to It."
But those who were progressive saw
greater value in land cultivated than in
land pastured and began corn raising.
Each year the acreage was broaden
ed until in 1910 100000 acres were In
corn, producing crop OF 1S1,2s0,0 900
bushels, with cash value Of 3114,206,-
600. This corn was grown in 120 days.
making an average production Of ap-
proximately s1,000,0O0 day. The corn
crops of 1909 and 1910 will, according
to the railroad commissioners valua-
ton of railroad property, more than
purchase the railroad Of Texas.
So far the cotton crop Is the leader
in acreage and value, but corn is rapid
ly becoming close second, and It ap-
pears will ultimately lead IN actual
value. Along with this cultivation Of
corn has come the raising Of hogs and
the improved breeds of cattle. The
present strides In hog raising indicate
that the time is not Tar distant when
Texas will be reckoned with a. one Of
the great pork producing sections Of
the continent.
Mentioning these figures TO an Iowa
man, ne remarked Chat does not hurt
the lowe farmer . parties. They'll
feed every bushel OF 1t In Texas, and
more" Still this fact must b faced
whether that 10000, 900 bushels Of corn
goes to market - corn or in the form
OF beef, every pound Of 4 - IN compe-
t!.icn with our prod1sc4s. And the
meritable logic OF the lituation is Iowa
must raise moro nusheas OF corn 70 fhe
acre to meet such competition.
a|N,.,.A'
$500