Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-11-13
SOFT CORN CAUSING
MUCH WORRY AMONG
FARMERS OF IOWA

y
Grinnell, Nov. 13.--"I planted this
corn in March and don't understand
why 1t should not be matured by this
time" Is what a southern Missouri
farmer said to his Iowa visitor as they
inspected the formers crop. Two mann
moth ears Of corn lay on o counter the
other day in q Hardin county bank
building. They We're just about half as
heavy as ears OF that s!ze and appear
ance should be. Farther north even
more discouraging things might be said
about the corn and in this part OF the
country conservative farmers estimate
an average of Is per cent Of the grain
in each field as being really unfit ana
unsafe to crib. Many are sorting as
they unload, some are blowing up fields
that they expected to turn over next
spring declaring that the crop Is better
off in the field awhile yet and that
some of their neighbors who are now
husking will see their cribs smoking
before freezing weather comes and
others have turned their hogs into the
corn, one of these latter explaining that
hogs when accorded this privilege al
ways choose the soft ears first re-
CARELESS of the common impression
that everp porker that ever was born
insisted on doing things contrary 10
the wishes OF his owner at all times
and without exception. Then there
are the new and strange devices for
crib ventilation. Toby Alertson brought
his Idea with him from Illinois. Along
the bottom Of his crib there Is q
trough or alley for drag to be used
at Smelling time. This is covered with
narrow pieces Of board nailed cross
wise and from it at intervals he has
built up chimney like structures OF the
same material forming very COM
plete ventilating system. all thru the
crib. Another man has made board
fence panels setting two Of these
lengthwise OF his crib. These are cas-
lily removable later and the idea looks
good. Other plans common to FORMER
soft corn years are the thing methoo
the use OF poles and posts, etc. Here
and there Is man absolutely uncon-
cerned for himself at least because he
planted good seed of an early variety
on good ground and gave 1t careful ana
sufficient cultivation. He can't see but
that this was good year for corn, his
is all right, but the average farmer
from Northw God to Grinnell and ac-
cording to report on down 10 the
Ozarks says there were not enough
sweltering days and suffocating nights
last summer to make possible the
growing OF good merchantable corn,
that probably there is surplus OF o.
000, 900. bushels over any former yield
as the government crop report indi-
Gates. but that this relates altogether
to quantity and not quality.
Some Of the driest and best matured
corn in the country this year rs that
cut up and shocked for fodder. Ac-
cordinsly one Grinnell farmer with an
extra green field went into it last week
with his binder and proceeded as tho
the season were set back two months.
By cutting up and putting 1t in shocks
he can at least allow it to stand in the
open air thru the winter and bHeves
that the stalk so treated will hep to
ripen the grain.
One young farmer near the town OF
Malcolm is paying more than s. per
acre for his huskipg. ''The man IN the
case" is averaging nearly $40 per day
in board for his work. The corn is
yielding about sixty bushels. the price
for husking Is s cents, cents above
the prevailing rate because the farmer
has no elevator and the man is SAID
to be averaging about 40 bushels per
day Seems like big money but per-
haps any man that can accomplish the
above feat Is entitled to twice the
wages Of plain ordinary mortals.
49,
The bank president on his way to his
office one morning last week, meeting
another resident Of the city greeted the
latter with Not very good husking
weather. What do you know about
husking weather anyway asked an
other man who overheard the remark.
Huh" said the banker, didn't work
on a farm when we had down rows"
and then he went on to explain just
how 1t was all done and what a dis
agreeable job 1t used to be concluding
with I'VE used to carry water to the
men bin ding stations In the grain
fields. The old days OF Mccormick
reapers One day / went out into the
field with jug Of water as usual ana
for some reason there was a temporary
vacancy in the force. / said. why
can't pind this station: Got per
mission to make the attempt and went
thru 1t all right. believe that was the
happiest day Of my life."
But farming isn't now what 1t was
then" said the other man, Just now
In the post office and heard business
man tell some others how he was
waiting to send out some bread by
parcel post to farmer. His hearers
were surprised to learn that he sold
bread to farmers and then this bust
ness man explained that this sort or
thing is not at all uncommon In these
times and is by no means confined 70
bread. Then ne named over several
articles that he frequently mails out to
farmer customers, all farm products
that all farmers are supposed to grow
for themselves and sell to city Gus
toners and concluded by telling how
he was called up by the wife OF
farmer living clear over the river be-
low searsboro at 6:45 q. m. asking him
II he couldn't send them some nice
head lettuce The merchant had the
goods and sent the stuff as per request
c. E. Wilson.