Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1925-08-05

That Grant county will have one OF
the largest corn crops in its history is
common remark. But how is that to
be shown? A careful survey, even
from a Ford, will convince the skepti-
cal, if such there be. The writer has
Forded about quite bit, and travels
with his spectacles on.
In the north part of the county,
along route 10, where are some of the
most productive lands in the county
there is an amazing uniformity of
crop. And that is the word that tells
the story-uniformity. Corn is big,
not on some selected farm, but on
every farm. Oats are not big in straw,
but on examination they look as if
they are half head. Large heads in
every field and heads hold the grain.
Large Acreage in Barley.
One popularity about the north end
of the county is the showing of barley.
AS one rides along route 10 it looks as
if there are almost as many acres in
barley as in oats Many farmers, it
seems insured against another failure
in corn by sowing heavily to barley.
And the crop of barley in the shock is
not only large in acres, but the stand
is almost unprecedented.
AS for hay, that is the poorest of all.
Those who cut hay early made a mis-
take, so they thought. But by reason
of the July rains, which keep on COM
ing, there is every prospect of heavy
second cutting The fields that were
cut first have the better start. These
fields are now looking especially good.
So it may turn out that the light first
crop of hay will be balanced by a
heavy second crop.
Grass Good This Year.
Pastures, one of the most important
of crops, are uncommonly fine for the
early summer, or late spring, was
broken there has been no failure in
pasture grass. Not only is grass in
many pastures belly-high to short-leg
ged beef stock, but it is said by those
who know that grass this year pos
seses extra nutritive value. This is a
source of wealth that too often is not
taken into account, even by some
farmers.
Ridge Farms Look Good.
A ride over the Union highway, east
of Lancaster, disclosed much to en-
courage one Hay was still being cut
last week, oats were nearly all in the
shock, and the shocks were amazingly
close together. Little barley was
noted between Lancaster and Platte
vile.
Corn! 0, Mister! Those ridge
top farms fairly groan with the load.
And it is far advanced for the last of
July. Many large ears hung down,
brown in silk-more than a fortnight
in advance Of any other year the writ
er can recall.
Down in the town of Smelser, Or
vile Kettler threshed 10 acres of bar
ley on last week Tuesday. The first
to start machine there this year. He
had yield of A bushels per acre. On
the county farm a machine was start
ed on last week Wednesday, which
rolled out 1851 bushels of oats, at the
acre. No other threshing had been
started on the long ride from Lancas-
ter to Smelser. But while it would be
fine to report more on results as
checked up by the thresher, the real
arbiter, there is small chance of an
over-estimate of crop yields in. Grant
county.
Verbal reports from farmers to the
office of the county agent are uniform
ly assuring. The casual driver or
tourist through Grant county is i'm
pressed with the outlook. If there
every were a~pessimist, he has gone
into his hole for this year. Nothing
to it but Joy.
Good Price Offsets Stock Shortage.
Now, for the stock. There is some
shortage of beef and hog stock, but
that shortage is more than met by the
prices.
Roy Kettler, Smelser, has $50 hogs
this year. Last year he had 200. But
his $50 are worth so per cent more
than were his 200 last year. He has
his nominal number of beef animals,
100, and they are worth twice as much
as were a like number in the summer
of 1924 And he now has herd of
dairy cows-he's sitting pretty. He is
cited as an illustration.
In a pasture north of Sitter were
feeding week ago as many as 60 tine