The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1922-12-01

ner told me, was almost exactly like
the soil in the Georgia peach district
and his trees, with the aid of good
cultivation and a crop of cowpeas be-
ing turned under each year, indicated
that if size counts for anything there
will be more peaches grown in this
section before many years. Blodgett,
of course, is in the low land district.
After being almost moved to invok-
ing a littlc prayer for the success of
| the county unit measure as we passed
the consolidated school at Blodgett,
where three school buses were wait
| ing for the children, we retraced our
course to Scott county's hill land for
an afternoon with Father Moening,
leader of his flock at the town of
New Hamburg. But this is a story
too big to tell here.
Again we hit the trail, and before
long had returned north to Cape Gil
rardeau county, where the second day
of the trip found typical rolling
section of good farming land, popu-
lated by good hogs with affection
slightly leaning to our old friend, the
Poland China. /. Ben Miller brought
out herd of good Guernseys for in
spection, including Imp. Kitty of Fair
mount, standing eleventh in her class
among all the Guernseys Of the coun-
try. But the second day found US
with less reckless speeder than we
suffered the first day. County
Agent Hearne took Lizzie's reins, and
although she was cup on the bit" we
travelled a little slower. Out to Kies
q Sons farm we Travelled, just out
side Jackson, finding some excellent
Shorthorns and Polands. Fate didn't
throw the several good Angus herds
in. our path, but we saw many Hol-
stems and-looked over the work of
county association that has the right
sort Of pep and which is rendering a
service which would put many coun-
ties ahead if duplicated.
And at jackson we also were treat
ed to review Of shipping associa-
tion that does things. With 6S3 mem
bers, and branch also at Whitewat-
er, with both branches having han
died 144 carloads of stock thus far
this year, the Cape County Shipping |
Association deserves good mention. |
And it didn't grow over night. espe- |
cially at the start, when it took two |
months time to get the first carload |
together The expense Of handling |
stock has been reduced from $3.50 a !
hundred on the individual buyer bas- !
is to less than rs cents a hundred by
the association.
The third day found us headed |
south again, this time reaching the
southern end of Scott county and
Sikeston, its metropolis. Down the
Sikeston Ridge it was a repetition Of
the lowlands to the north, except the
roads were better, hardsurfaced much
Of the way. Wheat was peeping
through the ground, acres of it, while
here and there cotton was making
an appearance and of such quality
that it doubtless will be an extensive
crop next year. County Agent Jesse
Miles of New Madrid met US at Skies
ton and we started on our way to
New Madrid, and trip that ten
years ago took several hours of wig
Cling and meandering through the
sand But we made it on the straight
stretch of hard road this time in 40
minutes running time, and we broke
no necks nor speed laws.
We had one stop, though, that must
be mentioned. A few miles south of
is farm which tells on its
entrance that Bill Skies and Pete Rem
ner are farming there. Bill owns the
land and Pete runs the place. Both
are good farmers. But Pete, a few
years ago, fell from grace. He went
to college of agriculture, which was
all right, but returned an agricultur-
al hereto. He had no sooner landed
than he was caught red-handed in
making an assertion that a pasture
crop was profitable.
1t would have been worth anyone's
farming reputation a few. years ago
to have even suggested that the high
priced, rich land in that locality |
should be put in anything but corn
and wheat and cowpeas. But Pete
persisted, he formed a partnership
with Skies, and with their mixtures
of Alsike and Red clover, timothy,
redtop and bluegrass they are max
ing that high priced pasture land pay
more than any other acreage on the
farm. OF course, they are not doing
~ WIN SSIuuS, lOF the aTlSLOcfaJ1c /
Durocs and Angus on the Sikes-Ren-
ner farm are making gains as cheap
ly as gains can be made.
AS we left Pete to his heresy, on
south we journeyed and shortly came
to the north end Of the belt where
cotton has been the crop for years. |
But I'm not going to talk cotton untihl
we get to Dunklin county. In New
Madrid also is the sunfower king |
dom, where big yellow-faced bios
SONS with their heads all to the east
cot proftably as the grower passes
down the rows. And of course the
legumes are growing there. But what
| saw was not the fields, but what
Missouri's first county health unit is
doing for a rounty's health.
| suppose New Madrid county has
its presiding judge. Xenophon Gaver-
no, to thank for this. Cooperating
with the u. S. Health Service and that
Of the State, New Madrid's county
court appropriates 81 500 annually for
this work, just as they might do for
the county agent. A county physi-
clan is employed, and DR.. O'Bannon,
who now is on the job. is assisted by
two nurses, If there is any one who
is "on the go" more or works harder
than county agent, it is the phys;-