Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-08-31
KILLING FROST MUST HOLD OFF
UNTIL LATE IN OCTOBER IN
NORTH IOWA.
WARM AND DRY WEATHER
NEEDED TO MAKE FODDER
Old Resident Of cerro Gordo County
Says Crop in North Iowa Fails Once
in Forty Years and That 1915 APP
pears TO BE Year Of Disaster-c. e.
Wilson's Rural Observations.
pecial to rimes-Republican.


Ventura Aug. 31.-Just forty years
ago a young Wisconsin farmer came
to Fayette county, Iowa, to work for
a time in the harvest fields of this
state. In his Wisconsin home he left
wife and infant son. He remembers
that there were killing frosts three
20, and that this freezing weather set
tied the corn crop question in northern
Iowa for that year. The infant son is
a well-known farmer of Cerro GoTdo
county now and last week he looked
over his fields and came back to the
house with the information that he
would have no corn to harvest this
year. Once in forty years. That ap-
pears to be about as often as the corn
crop fails in this part of the country, as
the elder man has no recollection OF a
failure since that season long ago, and
the younger one has at least as good
show for crop as the average man IN
his community. A real estate man OF
this county said confidentially: IL
September proves a warm, dry month,
corn here will make good fodder. II
no killing frost comes until near the
latter part of October. many fields will
mature a crop, otherwise there will be
little corn in this part of the country.
A farmer said: II began planting my
corn about May 10. It Is just entering
the roasting ear stage. This is simply
on. season when corn can not grow to
maturity in the four months or so that
is popularity supposed to be sufficient
time to do the business. Hay was
heavy crop here this year; oats is un-
usually good, both in yield and in quail
ity, but it is all too certain that In
great majority of the fields OF this
county there will be little grain with
any considerable feeding or market
value this year, unless the remainder OF
the season proves as favorable as the
portion past has been unfavorable,
which condition is not to be considered
a probability. Just what to do with his
stock cattle and hogs in case the ex-
pected happens is the principle prob
lem that now confronts the average
farmer. Twenty, perhaps ten years
ago. this state of affairs would have
resulted in distress and widespread
failure, but too many farmers are haul
ing dairy produce to their creameries
in automobiles these days to permit
such disastrous consequences this year.
Along the road south Of Ventura
few miles there is tract of land which
was not cropped this year. 1t is beau
tiful piece Of ground, a drainage eng1n-
eer once found that there Is seven
teen-foot fall from one extremity of 1T
to the other, a distance of half mile,
but it is untitled and was too wet to
flow last spring. Great big stalks show
what kind Of corn grew there last year.
Owner lives in the east and won't tile
il out. a farmer uIl land adjoining re-
marked: There is an object lesson for
you. A man with capital seeking in
vestment comes along and sees a piece
of land too flat or too broken or too
something else to command an average
selling price. He buys it and proceeds
to sit tight and let the surrounding
farmers improve their places and lndi-
rectly his own. 1 put up a new barn
and the assessor raises my tax levy
accordingly. After awhile Mr.. Investor
sells out at good profit because of
my neighbors' and my own improve
ments. Now, why should not that tax
raise have fallen heaviest instead of
lightest on the man who profited on
other mems labor and progressiveness;
who really got something for nothing?"
Two men driving from the country
were entering the town of Clear Lake.
A shepherd dog came running toward
the buggy, manifesting supreme joy
and very evident recognition Of both
horse and driver. Hello Shep." ex-
claimed the latter, 80 you are in town
again." Then he explained. One of
t e cattle dogs in the country is the
ubiquitous Shep. Belongs to farmer
several miles from town. Was steady
as clock for a time. discharging his
canine duties with absolute faithful
ness and unusual intelligence. But the
lure of urban life was too much for
the shepherd dog even as it has proven
itself to be in the affairs Of animals
supposed to be endowed with greater
mental capabilities than those given to
the dog. Shep followed ''the folks" to
Clear Lake and found much in the
streets to amuse him. People and
horses ond other dogs. He seems to