The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-06-20

- ~ k8 4 088
headed. me short heads from the
field first sampled were the exception.
not the rule. It's q great wheat year
in Kansas. and even In the counties
Of Shawnee and her neighboFs.
Wheat. hereabouts. though. II only =
sideline.
Alfalfa Galore.
Look at that rick over there!" ex-
claimed Mr.. Borman. Its the 1rst
cutting OF alfalfa And believe there
IL not more than twelve and half
acres in that field"
mot much more than ten," sug-
gested Mr.. Lawrence, who II NO nov
ice to the secrets OF agriculture, ev IN
II he does come from q place whore
they grow little else than the tallest
buildings in tho world
Ten II about right" corroborated
'And Ri bet good money" con-
tinued Mr.. BOrman, as he measured
the rick carefully with his eye. that
there is at least thirty tons OF alfalfa
''Or three tons to the acre." added
Mr.. Mohler. which il some alfalfa"
And then Mr.. Mohler smiled with
satisfaction. In Tom Borman. no had
found a foeman worthy Of his steel
in locating the pots OF gold that hold
down the ends Of the Kansas agrtcul-
tural rainbow.
Look at the money stacked up in
that field" came from Mr.. Borman a
little further on. And there it was.
each other in a field of tremendous
proportions. There is more alfalfa
than wheat between st. Marys and To-
peka, and the first cutting has been
Of immense volume. But alfalfa and
wheat do not monopolize the area.
Corn there a and Tnnch of IT,
The Corn Shows Fine.
An agricultural maxim Is that q
good wheat year is usually a poor year
for corn. This isn't merely q fancy
Of antique sOOrhsayers and prophets
of the go ,sebone variety. There's a
that is ideal for wheat Is not of the
best for the development Of corn In
its earliest stages. But this seems to
be year when all agricultural rules
stand for naught. The corn Is in
great shape. Not only is the stand
heavy and of a perfectly healthy color,
but as for the bulk Of that seen on
this memorable trip of Thursday after
noon, the experts in the party insisted
that it was the cleanest corn they had
ever seen.
There is also a considerable acreage
Of oats, strung along the Kaw. They
don't show up as well as the other
field crops. For some reason or other
Iney nave not aIIalHCO Il normal
height. But they'll thfesh out fair
and come far from being an unprofit-
able crop.
And as an incident to discussion on
oats, Mr.. Lawrence told the story OF
the weary wayfarer who hove-to at
a farm house rather late one night
and asked for a bite to eat and a bed.
It'll put you up for the night and
feed you II you will help me harvest a
crop in the morning" bargained the
farmer. This was agreeable to the
man who was hungry and tired. And
after eating his fill he was shown to
"a large airy room where the most in
viting bed in the world stood. He was
asleep in the feathers almost as soon
as he touched them, but not for long.
while it was yet dark. the farmer be-
gan pounding on his guests door.
whats the natter" drowsily ask
ed the guest as he awoke with an ef-
fort.
"Get up, that's the matter" was the
stern and forceful answer.
why, now?"
well, didn't you promise to help
me harvest a crop today?"
II sure did, but what kind Of crop
unearthly hour?"
"Oats."
"Wen, they must be wild ones"
murmured the sleepy head as he rolled
out Of the bed with considerable ef-
fort.
Nothing the Soil Won't Grow.
But corn and oats, wheat and al
falfa-they are far from being the
only products of the Kaw valley. There
are acres and acres Of potatoes, sweet
as well as Irish, and the potato pros
poets for this year are excellent, al
though a frost did happen along and
hinder the growth OF some of the
plants of the Irish variety. Then there
are the seedlings, hundreds and hum
dreds Of acres of them.
Ibid you know" queried Mr.. Bor-
man. that a large share Of the seed
lings grown in the United States are
raised right in this section?"
Ninety per cent Of Them" was the
more explicit information on this point
from Mr.. Mchler.
rs there anything this Kaw valley
soil won't grow the best in the world ~
asked Mr.. Borman.
Nothing that I know of, or that's
worth growing" was Mr.. Mothers an
swer.
why think of it, added Mr.. Bor-
man. "a tract Of this land sold not
10 long $50 at public auction for 1888
nss - POOR Indian7
T am informed thst that farm over
stage Of the Journey. g - pofnted to
a most imposing fafmtnk ootablish-
ment that nestled at the foot Of some
little hills, belongs to an Indian who
! Here was a farm house H4 xgosld
attract attention among the 4loxo RE-
tentiOus dwellings in city. TT ex-
terror gave evidence that within were
all the conveniences to be found in
modern homes. There wae = cerefully
clean as a hounds tooth. The barns
were numerous and massive. The