Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-02-18
IRRIGATION
HELPS FARMING
CHARLES SCHWARTZ GIVES
SOME OF HIS IDEAS ON IN
cREAsiNG LAND VALUES.
HIS OWN EXPERIENCES
We'll Known South .Ottunwa AgrieuI'
turist Prepares interesting Ar
teIe on the Production Of
Crops.

STOHSs
Irrigation of the farm land Of Iowa
together with word about what re-.
suits can be- secured from small
patches of ground with proper hand
ling, is interestingly referred to in an
article prepared for the Courier by
Charles Schwartz, the successful and
well known agriculturist who lives just
at the south edge of South Ottumwa.
Mr.. Schwartz has included in is ar
ticle some splendid advice to farmers
who are not irrigating their land, and
gives some Of his own experiences
with vegetables which illustrate the
value of watering crops at periods.
| Mr.. Schwartz's article is complete as
follows:
read an article by T. D. Foster giving
remedy for the habit our people
seem to have of leaving Iowa in search
of other homes. am inclined to look
upon his suggestion with favor, but am
of the opinion that it does not show
the cause for said migration, nor finds
way to offer these persons an oppor-
tunity to secure homes within this
state and on soils unsurpassed any
where.
"He says to grow vegetables as
these will require more labor than the
growing of grain, thus furnishing en-
ployment. This is true, as I know by
experience, and no doubt would help
to hold those who have not yet de-
cided to secure a home somewhere.
One will say, why not buy home here
instead Of going away to some newer
and likely poorer country? / answer:
Prices of land eSe too high and too
many large farms with not enough
small tracts within easy reach of our
market centers or cities. This being
true, our people, especially the young
home builders with limited means,
leave. AS a remedy for this l would
suggest that persons of means or those
owning tracts Of land convenient to
market. and desiring to1increase our
population, devise way to place small
tracts of say to 10 acres. on the mar
ket, and on such terms as would cause
these people to invest. Also advertise
these opportunities so as to bring in
new people. !
"Ottumwa and vicinity is surely a
good place for this plan, as the city
consumes much more thanAis grown in
easy wagon distance and If in time a
surplus was produced we have the rail-
roads to carry it elsewhere. either in
the raw or manufactured state. You
will pardon me if in this article try |
to give some personal experiences |
along with observations that many 9TH
ers have made. In 1865 my brother and !
I, being then in this class Of home ;
builders that am now talking about,
left Ohio. our native state, and landed
in Wapello county, Iowa. We bought
200 acres of land for $1,000, or 50 per
acre, but did not have quite enough to
pay for it and many other things re-
quired. We established home, how
ever, and grew little and still live. !
Suppose we were again young and
again, but on inquiry found that the
same land and other lands in this
country changing hands at from $50
to $3.50 per acre and even forty acre
tracts few and hard to find. You ask !
what would do? Why. go on, of course
even though I was finally compelled
to drop down 40 miles from nowhere |
and live on cactus and sunshine, but
own a home. At that time, with corn
at low and high 10 to rs cents per
bushel, and other farm products to cor
respond or worse, the man with even
forty acres and little in debt, had a
fine prospect for getting acquainted
with and being persuaded by the gen.
tleman we call the sheriff.
But conditions have changed very
during the past forty-hve
years, and again talking from expert
ence, 1 will say that man of integ.
rity, industry, and ordinary good judg.
ment, can take quite a small tract OF
and within easy reach Of Ottumwa,
and possibly In many other localities.
and rear his family, providing them
with the necessities and some COM
,orts of life. Besides, here are at least
,wo other very important things, name
y, good schools and churches that he
would likely not find in much newer
country. especially where cactus and
sunshine were the main staple. Owing
@ our tremendous increase In popula-
ION in the cities, the demand for all
kinds Of farm produce is much greater
and as supply and demand is the great
regulator, it readily sells for much
higher prices than formerly. Again, it
las been positively proven that by
what is being called intensified farm
ng, the yield per acre can be greatly
increased and when irrigation (when
leeded) is added, the results are very
both as to quantity anu
luality, and tend largely to success.
Without in any way disparaging any
ocation in Iowa. will venture to say
hat there are thousands Of acres in
he Des Moines valley around Ottnn-
va Of as fine, If not the finest garden
ands on earth, and where water to
rrigate can readily be had when need
ID. and each man own his plant If he
70 desires. With these conditions exist
ne, what is there to prevent adding
ome poultry, couple Of cows and
,igs, along with small fruits, thereby
furnishing what the family needs at
lome and some surplus for the city.
La Grippe Coughs
Strain and weaken the system and if
,ot ,hacuod NAV 6aye1Op into Dneu- | ,