Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1912-08-29

ring ana remains with II throughout
the threshing season which sometimes
lasts until late in the fall. These so
called rings usually contain from 16 to
20 farmers and from 1900 to $500 acres
Of grain. Nearly all threshing is done
in the shock very little is stacked. The
most of the grain is hauled directly to
town from the machines which makes it
necessary for every town to have
several elevators.
The year 1910 was a bumper one for
Jackson county and many fields of fax
brought in from $45 to $50 per acre.
One elevator in the little village of
Okabena handled 245, 900 bushels of
grain that year. The present year will
be equal to that one and it may surpass
it as the following are yields which are
being reported: oats, so to 100 bushels
per acre. barley 25 to So; wheat Is to
35; rye 35 to So; fax 8 to 20: timothy
to 8.
A large amount of straw is burned as
the farms are large and so much grain
is raised that the straw is considered as
being in the way, therefore match is
applied to large percent of it.
Corn is great factor here and it
comes next to grain in importance and
the yield and quality are usually good.
Considerable is cut placed in silos
for fattening ard dairying purposes,
the latter being given an important
place in the county.
The county has forty churches with
denominations as follows: Methodist,
Presbyterian, Lutheran, Episcopal,
Catholic and Baptist.
There are four graded schools, three
high schools, three private schools and
! lis rural schools. All schools in the
state receive contributions from the
state educational fund and Minnesota
has reputation among educators as
having one of the best systems of public
schoolsiu the union. All rural schools
are heated with furnaces and perfectly
ventilated, the old coal stoves with
their poisonous fumes being thing of
| the past in this state.
jackson, the county seat, has popu-
lation of 2000 and is located on the Des
Moines river, Lakefeld has about 1000,
Heron Lake s25, Alpha 225, Wilder 100.
The total population of the county is
about $1,000 seventy per cent being
native born, the balance being from
| European coug tries, Germans and Nor
Segians Leading
One Of the great features of this part
of Minnesota is the large number of
farmers cooperative companies includ-
| ing elevators, stores, creameries, etc.
Lakefeld has store of that kind and it
is great money saving as we'll as profit
making establishment, shares are sold
for 500 and only one share is allowed
to each farmer which keeps the wealthy
from getting into control.
That store last year paid dividends of
ten per cent to the share holders and
this year will probably do better. The
farms here as rule are we'll improved,
big barn and house being found on
nearly everyone. The prices of real
estate varies from $45 to 500 per acre
except near the towns where it occa-
sionally sells for more. The average
price is from $40 to 800 for improved
places.
The returns from these farms are /
believe as large as in the older states
where land is in many instances three
times as high. AT least half of the
| farmers here came from Illinois and
Iowa where they sold out for $3.50 to
$3.50 per acre and came here and pur-
chased land that will produce equally
as much for only one third the outlay.
One Illinois man told me that this
looked like the promised land to him
after being used to the high prices in
his old home state.
Land values are steadily on the in
crease caused by the infiowing popula-
ton, that are buying farms, town pro-
perty, or business while the prices are
yet low.
Jackson county is a great place for
the Angler and sportsmen as there are
several lakes in the county, Round
Lake and Heron being the largest. All
lakes and streams are well stocked with
fish including, Pickerel, Pike, Bullheads
and few other varities, in fact it is
not uncommon for one person to catch
several hundred with hook and line in
a single day.
Heron Lake is fine body of water
being 10 miles long and from two to
four miles wide. 1t is considered by
many as being one of the best in the
state for wild geese and ducks. During
certain seasons millions of these birds
are to be found on the lake which has
long been considered as hunters para
disc.
The big fellows from New York, The
Twin Cities and other large places have
a large tract of land leased bordering
the Northwestern edge of the lake and
have cottages built and when duck sea.