GARDES:
VOL. LVHI.
INDIANAPOLIS, JUNE 20, 1903.
NO. 25
OUB TEXAS TBIP.
The  Resources  of   Southeastern   Texas.
Wa* have spoken of our surprise at
the appearance of the country throngh
which we passed. The portion of Texas
we visited is like the foot hill sections of
mountainous regions somewhat. It is
hilly, but the slopes are gentle and the
altitude nowhere reaches more than 1,000
feet above sea level, and the soil is strongly tinctured with iron. In many places
the Iron aire appears on the surface and it.
is s.i abundant at Rusk, the site of one of
the Penitentiaries of the State, that a large
blast t'uniais- lias been operated there for
several years, the prisoners quarrying the
.are. burning the charcoal and doing the
nt her labor necessary in making pig iron.
The soil is colored by the irou a rich chocolate red, over most of the region, and this
gives a, high color to the peaches and to*
niatiies, and it is said adds much to the
flavor of all kinds of fruit. At all events
the products of this section meet with
a ready sale in nothern markets, at the
highest prices. So deeply impressed
with these and other advantages of this
country was Mr. Robt, H. Morrill, the
well-known peach- grower of Benton Harbor, Mich., that he organized a company,
of which he is president, to purchase and
develop 13,-000 acres of the land, lying
about the station that is named after him,
s* une 60 miles south of Tyler. We spent
an afternoon there, and were driven several miles through the tract, where we saw
hundreds of acres in tomatoes, nutmeg
melons, young peach trees, and other
crops. Potato harvest was just over
and several carloads were being started
northward. The yield this year is only
about 80 bushels per acre; last year it
was nearly twice as much. The price
is OOc to $1 a bushel. This potato land
is immediately planted to cotton, which is
expected to yield about $30 worth to the
acre; thus making the total profit from the
land in both crops nearly $100 an acre.
This sum would seem very satisfactory
tai must aaf our small farmers at the North.
A man with a family of four or fiv\e
children, and a good horse or mule, can
readily tend ten acres in the two crops
named, thus clear $1,000 or more the first
year. But in tomatoes, strawberries,
plums and peaches the profits are often
much greater, as we learned from the
li|as of growers at the different points
when- stops were made. A little pamphlet issued by the railroad company, giving
testimonials from fruit and truck growers,
shows smh figures as the following: On
tomatoes, net profits per acre, vary from
160 to $3QD and over. The large majority of those who make reports make
the  profits   above  $10(1  per  acre. On
sweet potatoes $144, and Irish potatoes
$146 per aare. On peaches the range is
from $500 to $100 an acre, both the orchards are mostly young yet, as the fruit
growing industry is almost in its infamy.
When trees come to full bearing the yield
will lie double what it is at present.
The land on which these profits are
made can Ik- purchased at from $5 to $15
per aere. according to location and Improvements, and a man with honest face
and a good record can buy for the most
part   on   time. There  are  laud-linlala-rs
who sometimes sell altogether on payments,
t.a well-credited parties. Living is remarkably cheap anal easily secured la a
climate where potatoes may lie alug in
March, and all vegetables are twaa months
earlier than  with  us. Chlckena may  ba'
batched out by the mother hen any month
in the winter. The poultry business has
ni.t been taken up in a commercial way.
but nothing Wonld Ih- more promising fa.r
speedy pro-fits. The climate is so mild
that little is needed in the way of shelter,
ami the soil is so dry and sanaly. that
disease and lice need be no hindrance taa
success. Dairying is practiced to some
extent and is very profitable. Bermuda
grass grows luxuriantly, and sorgum and
other forage crops are abundant. To
conclude: We reel warranted in giving
full and In arty endorsement to the following resolution adopted by our party, at a
meeting held in our parlor car on our return homeward:
"Resolved, That our visit to the fruit
and truck growing counties ufl eastern
Texaa has convinced us that the cheap
laiuls of this region offer excellent opportunities to capitalists, and above all to
homeseckers of limited means. The soil
ami climate seem admirably adapti-sl to the
growing of early fruits and vegetables, ami
the transportation facilities furnished by
tin* Cotton Belt Railroad are unexcelled.
To people of small means, and particularly to those who need a more genial climate, where out of door labor can be carried on throughout the winter as well as
summer, this region furnishes ideal advantages. We hate to lose any of our
readers from good old Indiana, but if any
of them think they must go elsewhere, for
lietter  health  or  greater  wealth,   we  feel
Do Lightning Bods Ever Fall?
Editors  Indiana   Farmer:
In tliis week's Farmer, .May 30, on the
question of lightning m*!s. yon express
my ideas exactly in regard to fire insurance companies not being willing to make
a reduction of rates on rodded buildings.
All large corporations ami companies
have an eve to business, and the larger
the business the greater the profits. If
lio.v wen* t.a make a reduction of rates on
all rodded buildings, that alone wonld  ba'
Sinai- the agitation commenced in the
Fanner, I have liecn investigating the
results of lightning strokes, and that
]aassa*s continually occurring by lightning,
ami I have concluded that a man must
I*.* quite I Skeptic that can't believe a
rod protects.
I never heard of a building thnt was
well r*a*lala*al ba'ing bullied bv lightning.
If there is an Individual in the State of
Indiana that knows of a building being
burned by lightning that was well rod-
deal. I would like to hear from him; but
unless he personally knows that the roils
were In the vary best of repair, he will
please remain  <|ui.-t.
Wa* havi* mir barn well rodded, yet if it
wen* taa burn by lightning it would not
il*'* ri'.ise mv faith in lightning rods, as
they ara* a very littli* out of repair. One
very large barn, almost filled with hay
was horned by lightning ia aaur neighborhood last summer. No rods. During the
same staarin a small current passed over
some fence wire near tha* barn destroyed,
and   shattered   a   fence   i***st.      Hail   there
been  around   connection the  post  would
bave laea'ii saved. J. S. H.
Warsaw.
Peach Orchards in Southeastern Texas.
bound to advise them to do what we would
do if younger and in need of a change of
location for such considerations as we
name, and say go. not west, *l*'ar people,
but southwest, via tho (jptton Belt railway.
Those wanting further information on
the subject may write us for copies of the
little pamphlet referred to above.
an inducements for property owners to
rod their buildings, anal the result is a
reduction in the amount of money in-
volved, ami the leraenlng of profits. Farmera Bhould imt be Influenced by corporations nr companies; they should study for
themselves, make inquiry, and investigate, if the lightning rod is a benefit or
a  detriment.
(lathering Peaches nea t Jacksonville, Texas.
To Mike a Home-Made Lightning Rod.
dvlltora  Indiana   Farmer:
In order to help the many inquiring
Canaan who are anxious to secure a
cheap, and yet first class, lightning rod
I will give a diagram for making, prices
of material, etc., I have just put up one
aan my barn, which required 180 foet of
rod, an*l the wire, insulators, and braces
taa hold points in* proper position cost about
>*...
Time strands of No. 6 copper wire and
aane .**,"... !i galvanized wire to give it stiffness, makes a nice rod when properly
twisted. Chain the opposite hind wheel
.af the farm wagon to ■ solid post; set a
block under the axle of the near wheel.
lifting the wheel clear from the ground.
Fasten wires t.» faaur spok-es am opposite
siil** aaf the hub. and midway between hub
and fellow. If your rod is to be 100 or
l.'o fa*et long, use an x- of one by two inch
data three feet long, and 40 or 50 feet
fnam tin- wheel to keep the wires straight.
Place mi wires at end where wires are
fastened to post a plank 15 inchea long:
bore four holes in a square about 4 inches
.-mart; now alraw wira*s as tight as possible ami fasten to post. Place a man at
wheel and one at the X to turn and keep
wins straight; a third man will twist the
wires with a short plank, slipping the
plank forward a*aa*h round, making a nice
and uniform cable. I pnt both ends of
Ilia* n>*l in the ground six foet ,and run up
at tha* ends of the Ikiiti and over the entire comb, making a complete circuit.
Willi the above instructions and a little ingenuity anv man can pnt up a good
rod. In the last year four barns near
li.-ra-. in the raalius of six miles square,
have l>oen struck by lightning; two were
burned, the other two slightly damaged.
neither were rodded.
Washington Co. L. C. Carter.
 m.. a.	
Winona's Ninth  Season.
Tie* ninth season at Wiiuana Lake. Ind.
opened May 15. A large number of people have arrived for the summer during
the last few- alays. and the attendance at
the present time Bar exceeds the expectations of Secretary S. 0. Dickey and other
latih ials already on the grounds.
A nnmber of th** cottages are occupied.
and tin* various hotels are being opened
lo tin* guests who, am account of the
warm weather, are arriving earlier than
usual.
Tin' arrangements f*ir the summer are
completed, and tin- programs for the sea-
-■ain sre being distributed.
Maui- attention has been paid to the
summer school this year than ever 1n--
foro. New   courses   have    in en    added
to meet the growing ilemainl. and the
best instructaars from leading schools
of tin* country have been employed.
The summer sehool oiiens July 6.
It is formed by a federation of leading
colleges and unlverisitiea coming together
at Winona Lake for summer work, each
oolUege assuming responsibility for a sin-
:■',, department of the school, and con-
ducting it with its own force of teachers.
For full partlculara address S. C. Dickey,
Winona  Lake,  Ind.
The Hungarian House of Representatives i.s the largest in the world. It has
751  members.