Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-09-07
FROST IN WORTH COUNTY
LEAVES SOME FARM RENTERS
coMPLETELY STRANDED.
FREEZE PLAINLY VISIBLE
IN SCATTERED SPOTS
Some Corn Not Fit For Fodder, Ad-
jaeent Fields Apparently Unaffected
and Corn Will Mature Under Favor
able conditions-c. e. Wilson's Rural
Observations.
to Times-Republican.


tenant farmer near here who looked
over his prospects the morning Of the
disastrous frost, then sought out his
landlord and offered to turn over
everything in exchange for a release
from rental obligations. The landown-
err, it was said, while he wanted his
rent, was disposed to arrange matters
so that the man could stay and try 1t
again another year, but the tenant was
sure he had had enough and wanted
to quit The conference ended with
the understanding that the farmer
would go home and think the matter
over. He must have done his thinking
on the way for next day the landlord
found the horses and other stock all
out in the pasture and nothing what
ever to indicate that his tenant was
anywhere within a hundred miles of
the place. Perhaps he has done adj
ditional thinking and returned to the
place before this time, possibly the
whole thing is only a story. but the
fact remains that many a north coun-
try farmers hope for his corn crop
went out of existence with the night
of Aug. 20.
Near Kensett there is a 2S5-acre
farm for the use Of which this season
man has contracted to pay the own
er $500. Riding past the place one
can see a field Of oats in shock per-
haps thirty acres; some eighty acres
of pasture with a few head Of cattle
there. A partially uncut timothy hay
meadow and large tract Of corn. very
thin, stand, very weedy, maturity
about what would be expected Aug. 1,
and practically every blade Of every
stalk killed by frost. Fifteen hundred
dollars rent to be raised.
West of Kensett on somewhat higher
and better drained land are miles Of
fields apparently unchanged green as
ever with ears beginning to hang
outer extremity down, the owners still
hopeful of a crop. West of Northwood
a man rented a farm, planted all the
available land to corn, raised 200 pigs
and can not possibly harvest any
sound corn. Some of his neighbors'
fields are hardly damaged. The same
thing so far as crop conditions are
concerned is to be seen in other direc-
tions from the town. Generally the
lowest land is most affected but this
is by no means true in all cases. There
are fields separated only by a line
fence where on one side frost damage
is plainly severe and on the other side
scarcely perceptible. In one instance
there are fields on opposite sides of
road, one first crop sod, the other old
ground and otherwise with conditions
similar. The blades Of the corn on
the new ground are green and those
Of the other white. Maybe the expert
can give plausible reasons for these
rhenc,ne na but they are too much for
the uninitiated to explain. A consen-
sus Of opinion in regard to the matter
seems to be that the outlook at this
time Is for about third or quarter
OF q normal crop Of corn In this part
Of the country.
One north country "threshing ring
has adopted an unusual plan to settle
controversies that arise from the rota-
tion question. The machine goes one
day and that only to each man in tho
ring" Then 1t starts back over the
same trip Some disadvantages re-
suit from the plan, too. One man had
a quarter Of days work the second
time. Those who have entertained
threshers know what that means. both
lHSluo the mouse ana out OF doors.
e
Tractor farming appears to be grow
ing in favor in this locality, several
farmers having adopted the idea to a
greater or less extent. P. G. Frye, Of
Kensett, farmed 100 acres Of crop land
alone until harvest time with big
1925 gasolene and kerosene tractor
to which he attached disks. seeder,
binder plows, ETC.. each in their sea-
sons. He is starting in on job Of
100 acres Of fall blowing which is ex-
pected to be finished in eight or ten
days. About fifteen. gallons Of gas is
required per day, the binder requiring
only twelve gallons, while some road
grading required seventeen.
The oats crop in this section was not