The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1913-08-29
Deadly Germ Creates
Havoc Among Porkers
ARvIp A. ERICKSON.

Notwithstanding the excellent corr
weather and crops of corn in Iowa
this year, the net profits to large
number of the farmers of North
western Iowa will not be as great
as anticipated in the first part Of
the year, largely through the dy
ing off of so many hogs from HOG
cholera and pneumonia. The dis
ease has spread through, so great
a part of the territory that it is
assuming grave aspects and viii
have to be dealt with in a severe
manner. Even then there is little
hope for the hog, the mainstay O
the Iowa farmer, and from nov
on it will be a fight to prevent the
further spread of the hog diseases
cannot say just how dangerous
these diseases have become through
all of Iowa, but in Sioux county
which is said to be the garden spo
of Iowa, and where L have haC
much personal contact with condi
lions there this summer, the farm
ers are losing hogs every day anf
seem unable to cope with this dan
ger. One farmer told me he los
in one year about $1,000 worth OF
hogs, and after such an experience
was rather shy of purchasing more
swine while on that farm.
Corn Carried Germs.
Another instance comes to mind
Just at present. A farmer who
prided himself on the excellent con
dition of his swine spoke rather
f1ippantly about the losses of his
neighbors and as much as stated
that he knew how to handle his
hogs and to keep them free from
the deadly germ. | met this farm
er about two weeks later and with
a sad face he informed me that
he had only few hogs left; dis
ease had almost annihilated his
herd. Another farmer purchased
corn from a neighbor and limo
Gently fed it to his hogs. 1t seems
that even the corn was the means
of carrying the germs, and thi:
farmer lost over half his herd
When one considers that hogs
are. to. the farmers of Iowa ano
Sioux county especially, what cat
tie are to the dairymen of Wiscop
sin and Minnesota, then one ca,
realize what it means to lose one
herd of swine. Hogs form prac
tically the only important com
modify. if one may use the term
that the farmer of Sioux count.
deals in, and if the corn goes
wrong or the disease spreads,
will bring equal disaster to tn
farmer.
However, as a rule, the farmer
here is pretty we'll off, and to heal
of retired farmer being worth
100000 or 100000 is not an en-
tirely uncommon thing. Land SELL
all the way from $3.50 to $3.50 ar
acre and rents from S. to 81 al
acre, and of course with such pre-
vailing high prices, the farmer mus
get good crops, and a good marke'
for his pork, or he cannot come
out ahead. This is one reason VIII,
so many farmers of Iowa sell on,
or quit, if they have nothing tt
sell and are renters, and move tt
Minnesota.
Landlords Raised Rents.
| called on and spoke with al
average of fifteen farmers da,
for two whole months, and go
pretty familiar with conditions
there. Many farmers told me they
simply could not get ahead, unde
such conditions, for the Landlords
were raising the rent every year
and they had to sell out wha
little stock they had and move fur
Their north. Even some of the bi;
land owners came to Southern Min
nesota to buy land, preferring tina
part OF Minnesota to the northern
part, because of it's similarity il
crop raising facilities.
The case of one man in particu
lar, who is rated as one of tn,
most well known and biggest stool
dealers near Rock Valley, comes t.
mind. He recently purchased t;
fine farm near Marshall, Minnesota
| have had dozens of farmers asl
me all kinds of questions abou
the farming conditions of Mime
sofa, thus showing that these farm
ers are not entirely satisfied will
their present conditions and ar,
casting around for other locations.
| do not want to be misunder
stood ! am not saying one wore
against the agricultural resources O
Iowa, for it is one of the riches
farming sections in the union, bu
high prices of land and rent max,
1t almost impossible for a mai
of ordinary means to make a star
there, and the advice of Horace
Greedy to &c west, applies to tn,
farmer or renter rather, of Iowa
only in this case the direction i.
north.
Many Are Holianders.
Many people attribute part of the
reason for this advance in lan6
prices to the nationality of thu
farmers in Sioux county. About 81
per cent of the farmers in the vi
cinity of Hull, Rock Valley, Doom
ETC., are Hollanders (they seldom
cali them Dutch down there, ex
.eept by people of other nationalities
and then in laughing, derisive
manner, The Germans and Others
like to make a little light hearted