Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1919-07-30
Corn Crop

The corn crop is we'll advanced.
| The ears are forming but If the
weather continues to get drier with
hot winds there may be some injury
to the tassels and thus affecting the
late maturing corn. A good many
fields were noted to be badly spotted
where drainage is needed. Some corn
not being over a foot high This
corn will probably not amount to any
thing If the present conditions con-
tinue. The loss that Is sustained from
one year to another under such con-
ditions would soon pay for an efficient
thing system.
Threshing is in progress In all
parts Of the county. Some machines
have been working three or four days.
The grain Is in excellent condition.
Some men claim this is the earliest
they have ever threshed in their ex-
perience as farmers. The weather man
has been extremely beneficient In per-
hitting the harvesting and haying to
progress and also to start In the
threshing season without particle OF
rain. While good rain will be bene-
fetal to the corn crop it is not suffer-
ing great deal and a few days more
will permit threshing crews to cover
considerable territory in the county.
as the work is progressing more rap
idly then for good many seasons
past. -
There is a noted shortage of the pig
crop over the county. Some men have
indicated that the flu epidemic of last
fall and winter was largely respon-
sible together with the cold, wet
spring. In good many cases the
men have provided for this shortage
in arranging for fall ltters.
1t is to be regretted that the pig
crop is short owing to the fact that
labor is scarce and there are good
prospects for corn, as these animals
can assist in harvesting the crop. Fur
thermore prospects for good prices in
hogs seem evident, more so than for
cattle.
Last seasons experience ought to
make it possible for farmers to weed
out the poor producing sows and en-
deavor to get in strain Of high pro-
ducing animals. A few good sOws
that are good mothers and good pro-
ducers are worth as much az several
more that are inferior. The same law
applies in this case as in regard to
dairy animals. We trust that the
Breeders Association in their con-
structive efforts will endeavor to fur
nish the county with productive
strain Of hogs. Farmers can then cut
down on the number Of mature ami
mails which 1t Is necessary to main
tain, on the farm. The overhead ex-
penses In some cases Is quite large,
where II high producing animals are
to be had much Of this overhead ex-
pense could be reduced.
Labor Saving Devices.
In our farm visits during the past
week we we're much interested in q
grain shocker attachment which is
owned by Rector Brothers Of Oneida.
The first trial Of this machine was
in field Of oats which we're lodged
badly. Under these adverse c0ndi-
tons the shocking machine was doing
excellent work. This new machine
makes shock of nine bundles which
are tied with binder twine and placed
in an upright position, and where the
grain stands well an air space Is made
through the centre Of the shock. This
Is a wonderful piece OF machinery In
these times of labor shortage.
A close inspection of the work Of
this machine Indicated that 1t is doing
It efficiently. There is something
satisfactory in finishing up days
work to see the grain all shocked as
1t leaves the binder.
Rector Brothers are we'll pleased
with their machine and feel that they
will at least save 800 in labor this
season. They are operating the bin
der with Rumely oil pull tractor and
they claim that the new attachment
counter balances the side draft on the
binder and does not require a great