Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-05-06
CONDITIONS IN FIELDS OF IOWA
TAKING ON sEAsoNAsLE
APPEARANCE,
SOME CORN PLANTED,
STOCK BROWSING IN PASTURES
Much Valuable Feed Raksd Up and
Burned to Rid Fields Of cernstaIks-
Farmer Winters Cattle at 81 Per
Head on Feddsr-c. e. Wilson's
Rural Observations.
Special to Times-Republican.

Melbourne, May Con Thursday,
May 1, j. f. Roberts, who farms near
Rhodes, went into his field and planted
ten acres of corn. That is about the
usual time for the first corn planting
in the central part OF Iowa. Three or
four weeks ago it was heard in all
kinds of places that the season was
uncommonly late and that farm work
was delayed SO that there would De
no possibility of catching up all sum-
mer. Help was scarce too. to make
matters worse but some how the work
has been DONE the small grain fields
are green, cattle are living on the pas
lures and some corn has been planted
When spring time comes next year eV-
erybody except the confirmed optim-
lists will find something to be anxious
about and along about May l some
BODY will plant corn and the oats fields
and meadows will be green and the
cattle will begin to get a living in the
pastures.
In the past two weeks many tons OF
corn stalks have been raked and
burned on almost every farm in this
part of the country. They were In
the way and besides formed a harbor
and breeding place for certain forms
of animal life that if left to develop
would endanger the corn crop of the
coming season so the hay rake was
set to work in the old corn fields and
the long rows of raked up stalks were
later burned and the few blades that
stock ate off them before the best OF
l~{1 nd
eether with the little fertilizing effect
of the ashes is all the good the grower
got out of the thirty odd per cent of
value that the scientific men say exists
in the corn plant outside the grain.
One man, however. fed up lot OF corn
fodder and made a record of results.
A neighbor, who had cut up a field OF
eighteen acres, meeting with some
misfortunes that compelled him to
change his plans, sold his crop to the
other man for SIS per acre. From this
the latter fed sixty head OF 3-year- OLD
steers four months. The cattle were
run in a stalk field thru the month
Of December and the fodder thus
lasted till about the LIST Of May. The
owner figures that 1t cost him about
81 per month per head to winter the
steers and besides this they were FOL
lowed by 10 head Of hogs that re-
ceived less than five bushels of corn
a day for the entire time. OF course
! under present conditions It would nov
| do to cut up all the corn because there
would not be half enough stock to eat
it. On the farm Of the man referred
| to there is big lot Of first class hay
| that he will have to sell instead OF
feeding it as he had expected to do at
+! the time it was harvested.
A remarkable change in the appear
ance Of the country has been wrought
in section lying just west and north
of the town Of Rhodes. Half dozen
years ago this seemed to be nothing
but steep hills and brush thickets; to-
day it Is more like q we'll kept park
or rather a series of parks with an
| occasional productive farm among
them. The trees have been thinned
out, the brush cleaned UP. blue grass
has taken possession of every foot OF
the ground and some splendid timber
pastures have resulted from the work
| which has effected the change. The
| region would hardly be recognized as
| the same place where only hills and
hazel brush, punches of little trees, and
COW paths for roads were found few
years ago.
This paragraph is for those who see
a great opportunity for the married
man in tenant house on the farm
! working for good wages with free rent
garden spot, etc. Whether it was In
this county or hundred miles away
makes no difference with the point that
| it is desired to bring out. In response
| to the knock a neat looking woman
came to the door. Two or three small
children stood near and they too. were
neat and clean. So far as outside APP
pearances were concerned the home
was fully up to the average in all es-
sential respects. The husband was in
the field. The wife didn't think it would
be worth the newspaper mans time to
see him, because we don't know any
body In this part Of the country and
with a sad smile she added. II don't
/ believe we are going to get acquainted
here either We have lived here since
November and not a woman in this
neighborhood has darkened our door
! The alna!ght dollar seems to be all any,
body around here thinks about" Now.
it Is very safe guess that this family
will not be found next year where it
! Is living this season.
90
No legal papers were drawn, the In
terested parties had not even verbal
| understanding but the plan worked TO
perfection nevertheless. The facts In
the case follow: Last year a very valu-
able mother hog belonging to Waite
| meyer Bros. contracted diseases and
| when the smoke had cleared away she
had only three pigs left. Now in ac-
cordance with law Of hoE nature there
It's Fade Away
for all such ills as
Il.