VOL. LVII.
INDIANAPOLIS, IND., JANUARY 18, 1902.
NO. 3
Corn ls King.
Editors Indiana Fanner:
Within   tlie   last   three  or  four years  a
( or  more  of  farms  in this township
have heeu sola or traded, ami their owners    have lei i.  iobm  for the towns, some
for Kansas ami the far W.st.      Not only
ue farms being sold here but
according  to  the  papers    it
is tlie same all over the state.
Why is this'.' There i- scenic
reason for it.     Lot
if  we   can   find   what   it   is.
Seemc   arc  old   ami   move   to
teewll    tee    iive   easier. Scllli
L-e-   because)  it   is  so  difficult
to   hire   help,   ami   sonic   to
engage   iu     other     business.
greater number go west
where   land   is   cheaper.     01
rather less in price per acre.
Whatever   the   motive,   nine
out of ton arc laboring under a misconception.    Thev
want   more   laud,   oi
land,   or   a   better   climate.
Most Hoosiers imagine their
climate   the   worst     in   the
whole     country   and     don't
hesitate to say so al any ami
all times.     The fact is. that
our   climate   is   .is   good   as
any,  and  muoh  better than
it is in California, the state
they   have   mostly   in   mind.
especially  in   winter.  Every
onco in a while the Indianapolis dailies parade the
fact under great scareheads,
that   there   will   be   a   drop
in thc temperature of L'O degrees.      Thou  we button up
our coats  and  scurry   along
and talk of it and think of
a  faraway California,    jnst
as though such a drop in the
temperature     was     not    an
everyday   occurrence   there
365 days  iu  the year.        In
fact   thev   brag   about     the
necessity of sleeping under a
blanket   every      night.      but
they  arc  silent  as  the  tomb
about  the  fact   that   in   the
daytime   if  you   are   in   the
sun.     whore  the  wind  does
not s-trike you, yon want
to pull your shirt off. But you do, and
thon if you happen to turn a corner and
get into the shade whore the wind can
get at you. you want an ulster buttoned
up to your chin. In- the month of Juno
in San Francisco. I put on and pulled off
iny overcoat 4(1 times a day. A lady
who spent the month of February in Los
Angeles told mo it rained every day but
• me. and that she suffered more from cold
than she- over did at home in the Kast.
The fact is that no state has all the advantages or disadvantages, and that when
summed np one is aliout as woll off as
another as far as climate is concerned.
Hut when it comes to natural advantages,
including a fertile soil, Indiana is the
hes state in the T'nion for a man of
moderate means to found a home in. Quito
often we read of land in Illinois, Iowa,
Missouri or Kansas, selling for $75 to
$100 an acre; eenly last week some farms
in Champaign county. Illinois sold at $150
.-■ir aero. I have seen the land in all thoso
states and havo boen in nearly every
county in Indiana and I know that land
of the same quality is 25 per cont lower
here than in those western states. Another
thing not usually considered by the men
with the western fever, is that wo areright
in the "corn-belt."      No better corn, nor
more por aero, grows than wo produce
right hare. Wheat and oats and potatoes
• air Ik- grown all over tho world, but corn
is limited by temperature and altitude' to
a small area comparatively speaking. All
ihe surplus corn is produced in eight
states of the Union.     Argentine and Hun-
the earth. Ships with a capacity of many
thousand teens are lying idle at our wharves
Railway stocks are at the mercy of "The
Boars,'' meats are high and all things
else that can lie eaten are so iu sympathy,
and all on account of a shortage of this
great   cereal.      Two   years  ago   wc   h
reliable. Repair the poultry house and
yards; make m-st boxes and coops, and
clean up in general. Prune and clean the
orchard and berry patches. Secure help
for tin- summer, if needed, as you can
probably get better help than later in the
season, when the most desirable hands
will be employed.
Repair and oil the harms-. Co early in th'
s.en and buy such imnle-
iiicnts as aro needed. Yon
then have the pick of the
pile. When later in the
season vou go and call for a
desirable make your dealer
is apt to say 1 sold the- last
ceiie the other day. Then
you have only Hobson's
ctioicc. Repair all implements aud tools you can.
There is satisfaction in doing your own work, do al!
you can nt home, and take
such as cannot bo done at
home to ihe shop as soon as
possible. One season I did
not take my work to the
sleep till spring. I thon
found that almost every one
else had done the same
thing and tin- result was the
simp was overrun with
work, whieh caused much
delay. Take your work to
/he shop before the rush of
spring work comes in, as
••ou will then get your
dpne promptly, and
( -md loss of val-
time. G. M. B.
gary produce a little for export, but the
world at large and the eastern United
States depend upon Ohio, Indiana, Illinois.
Missouri, Iowa. Kansas. Nebraska and
Minnesota for its supply. No other states
grow a surplus, nor can the corn lands
ever be extended or added to. They are
limited on the north by temperature, on
the west by altitude and on tho south and
• ast by lack of fertility. When we reflect that upon tho corn crib depends the
supply of beef, pork, mutton, wool. lard.
butter, cheese, poultry and eggs to feed
and clothe the millions, we begin to realize
the value of corn and the land it grows
on. We may increase the yield by intensive culture to perhaps double, but the
number of acres upon which it will grow
profitably is as unchangeable as tho law of
gravitation. But the demand for corn is
rapidly increasing. Not only is our population increasing at the ratet of over a
million a year, but the use of corn in the
manufacture of starch, whiskey, glucose,
etc., and for export is increasing also.
"Cotton is King." may have been true but
it is not now. We have had short cotton
crops, short hay crops and short wheat
crops, with very little derangement of
business, but the shortage in last year's
corn crop is felt to the uttermost ends of
short wheat crop and everybody predicted
high prices but its effect on the price was
hardly perceptible. This year a short
corn crop doubles its price and makes it
harder for overy laborer in the land to
live. The yonng men of to-day will live
■ ■ tea our population double. This means
■ perpetual shortage, even with the yield
eleeiilili-e! atnl high prices for corn and the
land it grows on. A'erily corn is king
.•■ml always will be. Even now capitalists an- buying these lands by the thousands of acres in anticipation of the timo
when ohoice beef steaks will be worth
50 cents a pound, and the corn to grow
them in price accordingly.
Putnam  Co. L. A. Stockwell.
Preparina* for Spring and Summer.
Kditors   Indiana   Ftrmr-
Decide now what crops to plant ind
where to plant them. Repair all fences
and gates. Weak fencing may cause much
vexation and loss of time later in the season. Cut and haul plenty of stove wood;
then you will not have to stop planting
or reaping to get wood.
Clear the garden and truck patch of
weeds and rubbish. Order such seed as
will be needed, from reliable seedsmen.
as those kept in the stores are not always
i wii-v and Sweden cele-
with a real Santa
Claus. Early Christmas
eve the children are dresset1
in thoir finest attire. Days
previously songs, dialogues
and speeches have b?on prepared. The house is decorated with the holly and
greens, and all day long the
children are on the qui vive.
Every knock on the door or
ring of the bell brings a
(thrill of expectancy and
a rush to the door, until
finally Santa Claus appears.
Tho children have on their best behavior
with thoir good clothes, Santa is respectfully saluted, but with expectant eyes,
and finally ,after repeated handshaking
and exchanges of good wishes, he inquires
into thc behavior of the children. If a
child is guilty of any gross misdemeanor
he chides the little delinquent, but always
forgives under a promise of a better report next year. Little speeches aio then
made, songs of the day are sung, and the
younger children climb into Santa's lap,
thoroughly enjoying tho visit. At last
cornea the grand distribution of gifts.
From his pack Santa selects each one's
gift, whon tho ringing of sleigh-bells is
heard in thc distance, and he must go.
Such a tugging and pulling the dear old
saint never experienced; but there are
other children waiting, other presents to
Ih- given, ami he cannot disappoint so
many, so he must speed on his way.—
Katherine Bryant in the December Woman's Home Companion.
Editors   Indiana   Farmer:
The sewing machine I received of yon
nearly one year ago has given good satisfaction in sewing and light running. I
can recommend it to any one who wants
a machine. Wm.  Gheen.
Bloomfiold.