PI Tfi-'--f JONIAN, PORTLAND, APRIL 1, 1900. FARMING IN OREGON Agricultural Conditions Dis cussed by Practical Men. COST OF GROWING WHEAT VARIES Palrylnc; Finding Favor In tbe 'Wil lamette Valley Where the Soil Has Been Impoverished. Oregon farmers are still discussing tbe question of tbe price they ought to get for wheat to make cultivation of that crop profitable. Estimates vary In the different counties, local conditions enter ing Into the situation. Much thought U being given to diversified farming. In somo sections, notably Umatilla County, wheat does not appear to be in any danger of losing the position as the staple crop which It has so long held. In the AVlllamette Valley the case Is different. The convention of the Oregon Dairymen's Association at Albany in February opened the eyes of farmers to the fact that the soil has become Impoverished by contin uous planting of wheat and that dairying Is Jin effective and profitable remedy. Dairying Is taking hold and bids fair soon to become one of Oregon's leading indus tries. The Oregonlan publishes this morning a. number of letters bearing on the agri cultural situation. The writers are prac tical farmers living In different parts of tbe 6tate. Making due allowanco for the conditions which prevail throughout Umatilla Coun ty, A. Kuppe. of Pleasant View, puts the cost of producing a bushel of wheat ot 314 cents. Farmers, he says, make proflt out of wheat when It Is at 40 and CO cents a bushel and If any one doubts this let him attempt to buy a productive Umatilla County wheat farm and the price asked will astonish him. Mr. Kuppe takes no stock In diversified farming. lYheat, he says, finds sale in the market of the world. Is not dependent upon local con ditions, and Is therefore the staple prod uct. The farmer who sells soon after harvest is as well off as the one that holds for a higher market. Mr. Ruppe does not favor universal early selling as that would result In generally "low prices for the opening. "Wheat of the 1SS8 crop still held Is worth to the farmers about 61 cents a bushel. v J. R. King, of 'Weston, another Uma tilla County farmer, puts the cost of pro ducing an acre of wheat at 34 SO. Mr. King disagrees with Mr. Ruppe on the Issue of profit In wheat production at 40 cents a bushel. He thinks farmers should get that price to protect them from Joss and DO cents a bushel to Insure them profit. Prices received for last year's crop barely paid cost of production. Mr. King con curs In Mr. Ruppe's opinion that diversi fied farming Is not profitable on the bench grass" lands of Eartern Oregon and that wheat must be considered the staple crop of Umatilla County. J. K. Fisher, of Haines, estimates that the cost of raising an acre of wheat In Baker County Is $9 20. In Baker Coun ty farmers, ocaordlng to Mr. Fisher, should have SO cents a bushel for their wheat In order to live comfortably. Last year they made little out of their crops. There Is a raj' of sunshine In Mr. Fisher's assertion that diversified fanning Is the rule In Baker County, and that the pros perity of the farmers Is not affected by the ups and downs of wheat. It is also gratifying to note that the farmers of Baker County have good markets for oil they raise. N. F Gregg, of Ballston, says that Polk County farmers, to be safe, should get to cents a bushel for their wheat at ware house. He estimates cost at 45 1-16 cents a bushel. According to Cyrus H. Walker, of Al bany, the price which Willamette Valley farmers1 should receive for wheat to In sure profit ranges all the way from 49 to E2 cents a bushel. He estimates cost, on the basis of 18 bushels per acre," at 43 cents a bushel. This docs not take Into account wear and tear of machinery or storage when the crop is held. Wheat Is profitable when fed to hogs. One bushel of wheat Is estimated to Tnake 13 pounds of pork, which, at 5 cents a pound, makes the wheat worth (3 cents a bushel. Dairy ing also offers relief from excessive wheat production. Linn County farmers are beginning to think that there Is more money In butter-fat at 27 cents a pound than In wheat at 40 cents a bushel. UMATILLA COUNTT. Wheat Is Profitable nt 40 and CO Cents a Bnsbel. PLEASANT VIEW. Or.. March 29. Umatilla County Is In the northeastern part of the state, and is about TO miles wide at its greatest length and breadth. and something like 23 or 40 at the nar rowest point. Its soil ranges from the almost worthleea sand and sagebrush lands of Columbia and Umatilla River lowlands, gradually Increasing In fertility till the great wheat-growing belt of the county Is reached, which extends n dis tance of about tZ miles from a northeast to a southwest direction, and -Is, -perhaps, 30 miles wide, beginning at the base of and keeping line with the Blue Mountains. While there are other Interests here, wheat Is the one great farm product, and. In ordinary years, the yield Is from 40 to DO bushels within a few miles of the Blue Mountains decreasing at the rate of about a bushel to the acre for each mile ns the foothills are reached till the cond-drlye and sagebrush lands aro reached, where no paying crop has been raised more than three br four seasons In 16 years. Hon ever, up to a year or two ago that part of the county was prac tically abandoned, at least so far as wheat-raising Is conccrrcd. The foregoing description will readily explain the difficulty the would-be statis tician labors under who undertakes the task of furnishing for publ'eation a table of the expenses of growing and harvesting a crop of wheat In this countr. To fa cilitate this task I will draw two Imagin ary lines, one beginning ot a point c!x miles west of Pendleton and the other as many miles cast of Pendleton, running In n northeasterly direction, parallel to each other and terminating 30 miles from the starting point. In a normal year the yield per acre of the territory within the lines described would be approximately 30 bush els. The yield to the right, or next the mountains, would average 10 bushels more, or 40 bushels, while that portion to the left, or that farthest from the mountains, would be 10 or 12 bushels less, or about 18 to 20 bushels per acre. I have been farm ing In the section within the lines above mentioned for 16 years, and the estlmatc3 given are from my own personal observa tion, as well as from the observations of others. While the cost of heading and threshing varied In other parts of the county, that here given was uniform throughout the section mapped out. Plowing 31 Threhlng ji so iuiiivaiin ..... j sacKs nna twine 103 Seed 40 Hauling, an av Seeding , Heading ..... , 25 125 erage of about an Insurance 30 Total 7 01 Total expense. Including poVonlng. vlt riollng, etc.. approximately 23H cents per bushel. The Item ot Insurance. 30 cents. Is for one year, for three months about 8 cents. Properly, after three months. In surance should not figure as an Item ot expense, but rather enter Into a consider ation of speculation. There are no ware house charses the first year, other than the regular handling charges of 1H cents, which are always made, whether the grain has lain In the warehouse less than a year or Is brought direct from the field. Handling charges cannot more properly bo considered an Item of expense than railroad freight charges, as, when wheat Is auoted at 40 cents. It Is always under stood to be free of warehouse or loading charges. If grain Is left In the wareho more than one year there It a charge of itt cents maae xor storage, as the old wheat occupies space that could be given a new crop. If Interest on the land at the owner's valuation Is taken into, account, also taxes for two years, the sum total of expense would Just about equal the Income The rent for "land, where not paid In cosh. Is one-third and expenses of harvest, and Is considered to be about equal to Interest and taxes. This looks like a hard proposition for the renter, but there are plenty of mea here who own well-Improved farms now that started In as renters a- few years ago 'with two horses and a. wagon as their sols posses sions. The harvesting expenses as given were actually paid by about fire-slxthi of the farmers last year, the other one-sixth owning and operating their own outfits, to whom the expenses were paid. . The farmer who runs his own outfit can re duce his harvesting expenses one-fourth to one-halt, according to the ability with which he manages his crew and runs his machinery, and if he threshes for his neighbors, as Is usually tbe case, be not only generally clean the expenses ot his own crop, but makes some money be sides. The preparatory work can all be hired done at the prices given, and the farmer can sit down and take his ease. But tbe fact 'of the matter is he does nothing of the kind. As a general thing he does his own work. Of course, after he gets along pretty well financially, and sometimes before. If he has no boys, or if his boys axe In school, he hires a man. While there are a few farmers In this county whose yearly acreage runs up In the thousands, the overwhelming major ity form from two to six quarter sections, a large proportion being one-half section farms. Tbe man with 320 or 48) acres usually has six work horses with which he does hit own work. With this num ber he can plow with a two-plow 14-lnch gang from five to seven acres a day. This, at 31 a day, would average htm about L With a 20 or 27 foot harrow he can get over 40 to SO acres dally. This, at 12V4 cents, would earn him 35 to 36 a day. Two harrowlngs would be 25 cents an acre. With a six-horse cultivator, 20 acres Is considered a day's work; at 23 cents. 35 a day. Ordinarily, weeds are kept down by being onco harrowed and once cultivated. With a four-hone. six Inch drill. 20 acres, and with a four-hOTee eight-Inch drill, 25 acres. Is considered a da's work; with the one 35 and the other 36 25 a day. The Item of 40 cents for seed may look small, but It Is big enough for this county. Formerly tbe broadcast seed er was used by a majority, but lately It has been superseded by the drill. Proba bly 80 per cent of the grain planting Is now being done by tho latter machine Owing to Improvements, the depth of seeding can be regulated from tbe seat while the team is In motion. It Is seldom that more than a bushel of eeedils used with the drill, and not often more than 45 pounds, and some of tbe best crops have been raised from land upon which only one-half bushel of seed was sown. Owing to the uniformity ot depth at which the drill deposits the grain an equally good, if not a better stand, can be had with It with a third less seed than can be had with the broadcast seeder. While tbe kind-hearted statistician is sorrowfully figuring the grower out of his profits on 40 or SO-cent wheat and mournfully sending him to the poorhou.se on paper said wheat grower is cheer fully making some money. If the man who has any doubt of this statement will come to Umatilla County and try to buy some of tbe 30-bushel farms, he will be convinced after he has been asked 34500 to 36000 for a quarter section, according to locality end improvements and nearness to warehouse stations. He would find scores of handsome farm residences, commodious barns and other buildings. He would find organs and pianos galore and buggies and carriages by the hun dreds owned by these "hayseeds." great numbers of whom would be entirely tree from debt, and many with money In the bank, besides holding one or two crops of wheat. But I imagine I see some farmer who has got to the end of the last para graph Jump to his feet, throw the paper down In disgust and say: "What a fool the man Is- anyhow. Even If he could prove that wheat can be raised at 40 or CO cents he ought to know better than to have It published. Just such admissions as that by practical farmers Is what keeps wheat down. Wasn't It given out In 1898 that buyers would pay no more than 50 cents for Eastern Oregon wheat because If rowers admitted they could raise It for that amount?" Let us see about that. In 1892. when the price had dropped to about 50 cents there was a great deal of complaint. It was argued that the grower should have 31 to make any money, 75 cents to make a living and that he merely would starve at CO cents. If showing up the unprofitableness ot raising wheat at these figures could have done any good wheat ought to have ad vanced In 1893. But 1S33 found the price 23 or 24 cents and hundreds of thousands bushels of the best wheat ever raised here were sold In 1SS4 at 2JH cents. Ow ing to an Influx of laborers thrown out of employment elsewhere and the conse quent lowering of wages harvesting ex penses In 1S9G. 1896 andl97 were reduced 15 to 20 per cent, while wheat advanced to 40. GO and 85 cents in those years. In 1898 and 1899 expenses got back to the former level, while wheat has come down to 40 cents or less. From this It will be seen that whether expenses are much or little to the farmer cuts no figure with the shipper, the price, with modifi cations, of course, being governed by the law .of supply and demand. And now as to diversified farming. There ore diversified Interests, but no diversified farming In the common ac ceptation of the term. The man who has. cattle, outside of raising hay for his stock, engages In nothing else as a gen eral thing. It Is the same with the sheep man and the borscralser. The horticul turist confines himself to his fruit, the truck gardener to his vegetables. The last two Interests can only be carried on successfully on creek and river bot toms, where Irrigation or sublrrigatlon can be had. In the lower mountain levels quantities of potatoes and timothy are produced. But the gralngrower confines himself to wheat and barley. The nature of soil, question of moisture and other considerations prove an effectual bar to diversified farming ever becoming a pay ing proposition here. If our cities and towns had populations of 10,000 to 20.0M each It might be different. But this Is not likely to be soon. Practically all farmers keep a few cows and several dozen hens with the surplus product of which a part and frequently all of the grocery bills ore paid. Aside from a few hogs to supply the family pork this Is -all. And If there was diversified farming where would the profits come In? Where would be the market for the products. In 1833 when wheat was so low and hogs were a good price numbers of men Imported brood sows for the purpose of 'breeding and 'the great amount of hogs raised for two years caused the price of 6 cents In 1S91 to drop to 2& cents In 1895. As wheat went up to 40 and 60 cents In tbe next two years and It has been practically proved at different experiment stations as well as by private Individuals that It re quires one bushel ot wheat to .make 10 pounds, of pork It will readily be seen that Instead of a profit there was a dead loss. If a bushel of wheat makes 10 pounds of pork that, will be 25 cents a bushel for the wheat, of course, and all the talk of wheat fed to 4tt-cent pork netting 31 or CO cents Is the veriest rot. If every farmer In the country should grow 40 acres of corn to each quarter section for ope year the supply, would be so overstocked that no market could be had for It. and five acres ot potatoes to each farm would havo tho same effect. And besides a crop of corn on rummer fallow, even though It should yield 10 to 1 15 bushels, and this Is a pretty high Otr- effect succeeding whesBsJPWPBnafely. This Is no theory, flU It has been practi cally demonstrated time and again to the pecuniary loss and disgust of the ex perimenter. What has been said ot corn can be said of oats. There hv a small section in tbe foothills near Athena and Weston where corn can be grown suc cessfully, but whether, profitably or not I do not know. There Is considerable al falfa grown on river and creek bottoms where irrigation and sub-Irrigation can be had. The farmer who has been here for 1 to 25 years cropping wheat land ought to know as well as any one else whether there la anything in diversified farming. And he does. He knows there is not. Tht soil, which Is composed of disintegrated lava deposit. Is peculiarly adopted to wheat culture. Wheat Is comparatively a nonperlshable product, and tbe only ex portable one; hence does not have to de pend on local market nor quantity pro duced, as to price. In localities where the soil Is ot such nature that straw makes a greater growth proportionately than its yield of grain. It Is frequently put Into hay and sold to local buyers gener ally, though there Is demand for a good, clean article "for shipment to the Philip pines. But after all this la a wheat product. Taken all In all. the man who U In the habit of selling his wheat soon after har vest Is as well off as be who Is In the habit of holding for a higher market. But there are those who have the shrewdness, foresight, or luck. If you please, to sell at the right time, whether prices are like ly to rise or fall. High and low prices usually follow each other In periods of two or three years. In 1S94. 1895, 1896 and 1897. wfcen the market advanced from 23 to 2S cents, 35 to 40 cents. 45 to GO cents, 60 to 85 cents, from three to six months after harvest, these "lucky" fellows held their wheat, but after the price dropped from 85 to 60 cents. In 1898, and from 43 to 40 cents In 1899, these men let their grain go as soon as harvested. This would seem to indicate that after a pe riod of low prices is the time to hold, and after a period of high prices Is the time to sell with the first market. We will all get the "hang" of these things after a while. But It would never do for the custom of selling at the first market to become universal, as tbe first market would then always be low. How did the growers come out In a sea son like that of 1899? They came out in various shapes. Those who had fair qual ity and sold Immediately nfter harvest came out all right: those who had a poor quality and sold early came out fairly well; those who had a fair quality and sold quite recently didn't come out quite so well; while those who are still holding a poor quality have thus far come out 'at the little end of the horn." But those who arc holding their 1898 crop are no better en, as these figures will show: Price per bushel. Oct. 1 1S9S DO c Interest at 10 per cent on same, 1H years . 7Hc Storage since Oct. 1, 1899 lHc Insurance. 1V4 years lHc Total C0Hc Add to this a little compound Interest and two years taxes, as all grain In growers' hands March 1 was taxed, and there will be close to 61 cents for the whole, which leaves It about like this: Ona bushel wheat 50c Interest, etc. Ho Decrease In price 10c Remainder 29c Of course, to those who are out of debt and pay no Interest the loss would not be as much within about 7& cents. A. RUPPE. COST OF GROWING WHEAT. Fertilisation Will Net Crops ot 30 Bushels to the Acre. PORTLAND, March 29. During the past few months quite a number of state ments as to the cost of growing wheat In Oregon have appeared in Tbe Oregon Ian. Knowing that the Ladd & Reed farm, situated at Reedvllle, 12 miles west of this city, was farmed entirely with, hired help. In August, 1889, I wrote to, W. H. McEldowney, superintendent, ask ing If he could give me the exact cost of growing wheat, and received the fol lowing reply: "Reedvllle, Or.. Aug. 9. 1899. W. W. Baker, Esq.: In compliance with your request. I take pleasure In sending you the following statement of the cost ot growing 1E2 acres ot wheat (66 acres of summer fallow and S6 of stubble) and getting it ready for shipment: Plowing 3 20171 Harrowing 40 00 Drilling 25 95 Board of hands 100 0" Oats fed 50 CO Hay fed t 40 00 Seed wheat ..... 109 20 Sharpening plows 12 50 Cutting and shocking 175 03 Threshing ...... .. 145 00 Help In threshing 0 0) oCKS Dn vl Hauling to warehouse.. a 20 00 Storage 97 00 Total expense J1.3uS 93 "Amount of first-class wheat, 4S30 bushels. By calculating. It will be found that the net .cost falls a little below 27 cents a bushel. "Not Within a few days I have In quired of farmers as to the difference In the price of labor then and now, and my conclusions are that tbe cost would be fully 15 per cent less now than In 1ES9. "W. H. M-ELDOWNET." The object of publishing statements at to the cost Is, of course, to demonstrate whether It will pay to grow wheat. Those who have been writing on this subject do not seem to understand that much depends upon the quality as 'well as the tillage of the soli. Good to fair soil will yield at least 30 bushels of wheat to the acre In Oregon, and. If the land In Its natural condition will not do this, the land should be Improved by arti ficial methods. Then, again, the writers all reckon as though every wheatgrower paid out In money what Is charged against the growing. The fact Is the owners ot the land do most of the work and do not pay out but very little. W. W. BAKER, FIFTY CEXTS A BUSHEL. Weston Farmer's Estimate of a Prof, (table Price. WESTON, March 29. Tho cost of rais ing an acre of wheat In Umatilla County as near as I can estimate. It Is: Plowing 31 CO Harrowing and cultivating 30 scsuins jo Seed 50 Threshing (20 bushels per acre) 1 0) Sacks 50 Warehouse charges. Insurance, etc... & Heading , .... 1 CO Total 34 so Farmers In this county should receive 44 cents a bushel for wheat In order to bo sate, that Is, so that they will not sink money. We should get 50 cents In order to make proflt Revenue received from the 1899 crop barely paid expenses. As a rule, the best time to sell wheat is In the fall, when the market Is active. Sometimes the farmer Is benefited by holding for higher prices, but as a general rule he loses by holding. The storage charge on wheat for four months Is 50 cents a ton. Diversified farming is not profitable on the bunch-grass land ot Eastern Oregon. Near tho foothills corn can be grown on summer fallow at a small profit but I consider wheat the staple crop of this county. J. R. KING. POLK COT?(TY. Fifty Cents a Bushel Should Be Paid for 'Wheat at Warehouse. BALLSTON. March 29. Diversified farming In this section of Polk County Is not; practiced very extensively, further than sowing the ground to clover, which Is raining In favor in the last few years. Farmers have generally fitted themselves with machinery, etc, peclally for raising and. taking care of wheat. To chance from wheat-raising to mixed farming means an experiment whleh we have tried In a small way In raising field corn, DODCorn. Kaffir corn. feroomcorn, etc These products do not mature sufficiently to keep In this cli mate; therefore, they are not a success. Wheatralslng at present prices is 'not proaiaoie. to be sate, laxmers oouum receive 50 cents or more for wheat deliv ered at 'the warehouse. I submit an es timate of producing a bushel of wheat, based on an average yield of 18 bushels per acre, which Is perhaps a little above tho average: Plowing! per acre....................! CO Harrowing . ,,. ,.... ...... ...... -0 8eed 75 Seeding 35 Harrowing 20 Rolling ZO Twine 12 Cutting, shocking; : 1 25 Threshing .... .......,............ 1 Co Delivery at station 36 Sacks, 6 cents each..................... 54 Total .35 83 On the basis of IS bushels to the acre, one bushel costs 33 17-18 cents. In addition Is the Interest on land, 8 per cent on a valuation of 330 per acre, or 31 40. This Increases the total cost of an acre of wheat to 3S 33 or 46 1-6 cents a bushel. Farmers are not benefited as a general rule by holding grain after it Is delivered to warehouse and ready for market. N. F. GREOa. WASCO OOCJSTT. Practical Suggestions by Man Who Understands Farming. DTJFUR, Or.. March 29. I give some In teresting figures in regard to summer fallowing In contrast with results where that method Is not. followed out. To start with. I take two farmers, whom I designate as A and B. They each have a farm, equal in every way In extent and productiveness, say ot 300 acres of land, and both are going to farm for 20 years. A says: "I am going to summer fallow 100 acres and plow it three times for a crop." B say's: "I am going to put all of my 800 acres In every year." A plows 100 acres three times and B plows 300 acres once, so that their plowing expense 13 Just even. The land Is now ready to plant, A says to his hired man: "I will pay you 31 per day; you drill In 10 acres per day and p'ant one bushel per acre." B pays his man the same and says: "Tou drill In ten acres per day and plant one bushel to the acre, samo as A." Now you see It took A's man 10 days to put the crop In and 100 bushels ot grain; B's man 20 days and 300 bushels ot grain. So you see B Is out 320 more than A for work putting In the crop, and 200 bushels more of grain than A at 50 cents a bushel, or 3100 more than A. Now you must remember the two men start Just even, so B Is out 3120 more than A for putting In the crop, for which B will not get any return for six months, so B must pay 10 per cent interest on 3120 for six months, which Is 36. Now the crop Is ready to cut, A says: "I pay 31 per acre to have It put In the stack," and B has to pay the same; then A pays 3100 for heading and B pays 3300. Now the crop Is ready to thresh. A threshes 30 bushels per acre off his 100 acres of summer fallow land, while B threshes 10 bushels per acre off his 300 acres not summer fallowed. Now you see. A and B both threshed the same, 3000 bushels each. But mark the difference In final results. A's wheat Is worth from 4 to i cents more than B's. and B Is out more than A: For putting in crop 3 23 For seed 1C4 For Interest 4 For cutting crop 203 For board of heading crew while cut ting 200 acres more than A. and boarding one man 20 days while put ting in crop 50 Total for one year 3371 This sum. 3376, multiplied by 20. the number of years A and B are to farm, gives the sum cf 37320. That Is not all. It A and B furnished their own headers, and If A1 wore out one header In 20 years, B w6uld wear out three; and If B comes out even every year, A must be 3376 ahead, and has that amount to loan every year. The Interest and compound Interest for 20 years on the annual savings of A, If figured out, would be startling, but wo will say noth ing about Interest. The 3376 per year, A's net gain. In 20 years, would be 37520 over B. These facts have been fairly demon strated by all of the best farmers In Eastern Oregon. When I dictated the foregoing, over three years ago, summer fallowing In Wasco County was yet something of an experiment, but the results are even bet ter than I then claimed. Close observa tion during the past three years would place the average at about eight bush els per acre on spring plowing, against about 23 bushels on summer fallow. The cost of p'owlng would have changed also, for Instead of A plowing 100 acres three times, equaling B's 300 acres, he would plow It but once and use weeding Imple ments to keep down the weeds and culti vate at a much less cost than the two extra plowlngs. Three years ago many thought my fig ures exaggerated, but now I can refer to a dozen or more fanners In Wasco County who have followed my advice and will testify as to 'the results, as 1 then claimed. L. J. KLINGER. DIVERSIFIED KA1UIIXG. Baker County Farmers Understand It and Slake It Pay. HAINES, .March 29. I estimate tho cost of raisins an acre of wheat In Baker County as follow: IQvn aI iirr it iii(j A) Seed .-. i 75 Dril Ing 20 Urlsra In 20 Thrceh'.ng 2 49 Tnlne 45 Sacks 1 00 Cutting 8" Interest on land 1 to Taxes 35 Total J9 20 In this section most cf tho grain Is cut with binders. Grain which Is headed does not cost so much. Farmers, to live comfortably, should havo 50 cents a bushel for their wheat Last year growers mado but Uttlo money out of their crops. The farmer loses nine times out of 10 by holding his wheat for higher prices. Diversified farming is the rule in this county. No farmer depends upon wheat alone. All farmers have hogs to sell In the fall, some mako butter, others raise, cattle and sheep, and all raise poultry. Our farmers grow wheat, barley and oats. If wheat Is high they sell It and feed barley to the hogs. If. as Is now tho case, wheat Is low, they feed it to the hogs. We have a good market at good prices for all ot our produce and our farm ers are well-to-do. J. K. FISHER. Grower Lost Last Tear. GRASS VALLEY. Or.. March 29. The stand of wheat now Is good, and the so'l Is In good condition, wttb plenty of moist ure for present needs. Diversified farming would pay better than exclusive, wheatgrowlng. We find by experlenco that oats and barley, also corn and potatoes, some reasons are good crops to fill when wheat falls to pay. Generally speaking, wheat has taken the preference with most of Sehrman County farmers so far. Growers (with some exceptions) fell be hind In 1899. On tho whole the early mar ket all things considered. Is preferable. Wheat should bring 60 cents or more. Plowing, per acre 31 23 Harrowing 50 Seeding and seed 75 Harvesting 1 10 Threshing 83 Sacks and twine 50 Hauling to station CO Storage , 20 Interest 1 CO noi&i .(' u Averago yield. 12 bushels 7 10 C. A. HEATH. HE KNEW WASHINGTON HOW COL. TETBHCHK DESCBIsTES HIM TO BBT. KS. 7MK. Interes-tlnr Recollections of st Bore. lutlonary Patriot Who Wats Oaa of the General's Body Guard. Ono of tho most Interesting conversa tionists of Greencaatle, lad., says the In dianapolis News, Is the Rev. Ezra W. Flsk. D. D. Although only 75 years old. he has probably seen and talked to mors men of prominence In American history than the majority of men 10 or 15 years older. He la a native of New Jersey. graduate of Princeton University and Presbyterian seminaries. Is a minister of high standing and well known in this state and Ohio by the older people. His mind seems to have been almost abnormally developed in the matter of re membering conversations, dates, faces and names. This, combined with his very numerous opportunities of talking to and associating with interesting persons, makes It possible for htm to relate Inci dents connected with the early history of the country which are ot historic value, but which have not many of them, at any time appeared In print During the period he spent In Prince ton he was accustomed to tako short va cations, whenever possible, to tallc to those men within reach who had inter esting things to tell. Some of these men bad .been associated with General Wash ington, and Dr. Flsk, in speaking to the writer recently about them, sold: "The conversations I had with, them have re mained indelibly stamped on my memory as treasures too valuable to waste. One of these men whom I remember with particular distinctness was Colonel Ter hune. I was told that he lived In the neighborhood of the university, and In the Summer of 1849 I found his home. In Cherry Valley, nine miles from the uni versity, over a rough mountain path. Although the Colonel was 90 years' old. he was very Imposing In appearance. Straight and lean, his six feet two Inches of 'heieht were seemingly more. His hair was white. His wide forehead. Jutted out over keen, dark-blue eyes., and ho had a great curved beak of a nose, with a small but determined-looking mouth. Some times, while talking, he would leap to his feet and stride back and' forth under the low celling of his room. He would seem mentally to live over again the stirring days he saw while serving under Wash ington. In Washington's Bodyguard. When I asked him If he knew Wash ington well, he replied: "Did I know Washington? Why. I should 'say I did. I was with him almost constantly for six years. In what was then known as his bodyguard." "How did you happen to enter the serv icer That Is not a long story." he answered. "I was the only child of my parents, and at the beginning of the Revolutionary War I was living on a farm In New Jersey, having been Just recently married. Corn wall's obtained control of the state, cut ting It In two diagonally by a chain of posts. Washington went mto Pennsylva nia and I followed him. as did most of the patriots. I Joined the army, and almost my first duty was to help ferry him and the armv across the Delaware River, back .into New Jersey, on the memorable night of December 24. I146. "Was I near him at that time? I was the nearest of all who were In the boat that carried him across the river that night, for I handled the first oar on the left-hand slds, between General Washing ton and Lieutenant Brewster. Lieutenant Brewster sat In the bow of the boat, using an ice pole to shove away the big pieces of Ice that hindered our progress. General Washington. Instead of sitting on the seat provided for him. stood with one foot on it and the other In the bottom of the boat In his hand was a field glass, with which he constantly observed the shore we were approaching, where his men were being landed as rapidly as possible. A heavy claymore (saber) hung at his side in Its scabbard. It was from me that the artist who painted "Washington Crossing the Delaware." obtained the details which go to make up that famous picture. The Attack an the Hessians. "Colonel Terhune described to me the attack on the Hessians at Trenton that Christmas morning, and the experiences the army had before Comwallis reached tho place to wrest It again from the Americans. The Colonel and one other man were sent by Washington up into the country toward Princeton to raise recruits for the army and secure as much In the way of supplies as possible, not knowing that Comwallis was rapidly approaching. But they finally saw him and hurried back to Trenton. British cavalry were in the ad vance of the enemy's column, and they entered the city at the same time Colonel Terhune did, on a street which crossed Main street in the upper part of town. Across the lower end of Main street flowed the Assanplnk Creek, spanned by a bridge. Hero Washington, with the creek between himself and the British, had massed his forces. The north bank of the creek was very low. but the south side, on which the Americans stood, was at least 70 feet high In places. To use Colonel Terhune'a words: "My comrades and I ran down Main street toward the bridge, followed by the British cavalry, who were hurrying so as to reap a victory before the Infantry rein forcements coming up behind could reach the place to participate. As wo neared the bridge, we saw the summit of the south high bank crested with a line of black cannon muzzles, converging on- the north entrance to the bridge, a spot where the British must concentrate their force In order to pass over. Between and behind the cannon were massed the foot soldiers, with the muskets and rifles at a ready, and every eye and ear ready for the com mand to fire. The gunners motioned us two aside and we dropped Into an alley. Just as the British horsemen, gleaming with scarlet and gold and silver, with sabers and buckles shining, swept out of the street and on toward that bridge. With a slight pause for a better grip on reins and sabers, they broke Into a charge. Killed the Whole Troop. "A command was heard among the Americans, and every piece, cannon and musketry, as one gun. sent a terrible storm of fead and Iron Into those splendid horsemen. Four volleys were fired, and tho smoke was allowed to rise. Not a man or horso of that troop moved, unless It was in tho death struggles. "But behind the cavalry was the column of British Infantry, who could be heard coming Into the town on the run. A num ber of yards below tho bridge was a ridge of rock, which projected along the bed ot the stream until It furnished a shallow crossing, where soldiers could wade across. Below it a spur of rock rose above the surface of the water, reaching entirely to the north bank, and- forcing the water through a narrow channel, where the cur rent was, of course, rather swift Ice had begun to gorge here a little. Antici pating an attack from this favorable place. Washington moved reserve men and can non to tbe south bank, so as to command the crossing Just as the bridge above was commanded. 'Comwallis brought up a body, of In fantry to attack us at the bridge, and an other to attack at the ford below. The previous scene at the bridge was repeated, and every one of that column of the enemy was killed. The lower column was allowed to enter the water, when the Americans fired again, mowing down all but a few, who turned arid escaped Into the city. The dead men and horses floated, down to the narrow place In the stream and Jammed there in such numbers that a solid bridge ot flesh was formed, on which a man might have crossed, dry-stood. Tbe Americans had to bulM platforms on which' to place their cannon.-In -order that they might fire over the bodies of the slain soldiers. In case another attack was made. Yet that trifling llttte history there says that but 13 British .were killed and 39 wounded, when I know that there were 600 of them who went down. That night we kindled lines ot fires on our side of the creek and hurried away to meet the Brit ish reinforcements, who were supposed to be leaving Princeton for Trenton. The last thing we heard as we stole away was the call of our sentinels. "Twelve o'clock, all's well and Comwallis Is beaten." From a prisoner we afterward learned that ono of Comwallis' staff entered bis tent that night and said: " My Lord, it seems amazing quiet over In tho quarters of Washington and his army. I would suggest that you send out scouts to learn the true conditions.' "Whether the scouts were sent or not we never heard, but we do know that the British General was awakened next morning by the nolso of firing near Prince ton, where our forces met the British re inforcements." Washington's Personality. One time in response to a question from me as to General Washington's per sonal appearance, he said: "He was not particularly a good looking man; there were better-looking men around blm all the time. You would first notice that his eyes were wide apart almost out upon the corners of his head. He had a big nose, big and thick, and In chilly, damp weather it was always red. Notwithstanding this, he had a counte nance that was well liked. "He did not have what is commonly called a fine figure. Ho was narrow shouldered and flat-chested. But in a pro cession, on horseback, he was an Imposing figure, mainly on account If his benign features and his height He commonly weighed 213 pounds. I can't say that he was either graceful or awkward. In his presence you would never attribute either of these qualities to him. His extremities were large. His common footwear was a number thirteen 'In size, and his hands were of corre sponding largeness. His fingers, each ot them, were pretty nearly large enough for a woman's rolllng-pln. The sixe of his hands was partly concealed by wearing a largo coat accompanied by a ruffled wrist band. "From his waist down he was the most powerful man I ever saw. He had a strength and vigor in his lower limbs such as I never knew another human be ing to possess. Hence, his ability to leap so far. If a group of us came to a stream too wide to be crossed easily by the rest of us. while we were hunting around for a rail or stone to assist us. he would deliberately and carelessly cross It at one step. It being no effort at all, seemingly. "I do not believe tho human race ever possessed his superior as a horseman. He often ridiculed the Idea that any horse could unseat him. He would wrap his powerful limbs around the animal and squeeze him until he couldn't breathe, and no horse ever unloosed his grip. General Washington was the most In terested listener that a man could have, but he never talked himself. His counte nance wore a beaming. Inviting Inquiry that coaxed everyone to tell him all they knew. I have known him to spend an evening In company after the assemblage had broken up. Every one would say, "What a sociable man General Washing ton Is,' when he had really said nothing at all during the whole evening." Fooled the British ColoneL Colonel's Terhune's long association with General Washington gave him an unsurpassed opportuunlty to study his character, and It was his expressed opin ion that the principal element of Wash ington's pre-eminent ability was the ap plication of his practical, accurate and unfailing common sense to every question that could be brought before It Ho said to me one time: "General Washing ton's mind was always fairly quick in reaching conclusions; sometimes he was wonderfully alert He would never do cor could he be Induced to do, what be thought was not the best under the cir cumstances. It was seldom that he made a mistake In reading character. I re member that during the hard winter we had at MorrlBtown. the army was alarm ingly reduced by the expiration of tne term of service of the men and by small pox. One bright day a number of us were j with General Washington on the parade. ground, when we saw a roan crossing the open space some distance away. The commander-in-chief looked at him a mo ment or two, then turning back to us, said: 'Do you see that gentlemen yon der? Well, he is a British colonel.' " That Is what he Is, depend upon It said Washington. "Wo proposed Immediately that he be arrested as a spy. but the General said we could make him more useful to us In another way. Leaving the company, he returned to his tent and presently sent for the Inspector-General. To the latter Washington said: That British officer will present himself as a gentleman tram the country who has been prevented from visiting camp by Blckness in his family and by embarrassing business cir cumstances, and he regrets that he could not come here before this. You will probably find htm too patriotic for com fort and deeply interested In freeing this country from the British. Take him at his word. As soon as the troops can be assembled, for we have enough for one good regiment we will havo them marcn In review for his benefit I will send you an order to Inspect such and sucb a regiment of the line. Invite him to gi with you. It is his object in coming hero to find out the number of men we have, so that General Clinton may know whether or not to attack us here in camp. A Remarkable Inspection. "The 'country gentleman' repeated his story almost verbatim with what General Washington had said he would say. 'Ihen the Inspector-General received his order to Inspect a certain regiment The 'coun try gentleman" was only too glad to ac company him. The inspection passed off very successfully. Then soon afterwn "1 come another order to Inspect a certain other regiment The wondering Inspector General went to the parade ground that had been chosen for the Inspection of this regiment followed all the time by the visitor, and again went through the whole affair. Just as he had before except that all the colors and officers had been changed, and to the casual viewer It was an entirely different body of men. This occurred Just nine times during that day, and when the visitor left that evening he was cordially Invited to remain over night and be with the Inspector-General the next forenoon, while he completed the In spection ot the army. Before going, how ever, he expressed himself pleased at the ever, he expressed himself as very much surprised and highly pleased at the disci pline, equipment and good health of the Arnerlanc soldiers. "The truth was that Washington could not possibly havo assembled two com plete regiments In Camp Morrlstown. A long time afterward we heard that It was a fact that General Clinton had sent an officer from his army to visit our camp as a spy, who had returned to him with a story of a fine army hidden back In the corners of Morrtstown. Just waiting to get Clinton out of his fortifications in or der to whip him. The spy even reported that tbe Americans were seriously consid ering the feasibility of attacking Clinton in his forts. And we knew that Clinton did not leave New York during that whole winter, and spent his time strengthening his fortifications.' An attack from him at the tlmo his officer visited us would have almost ended the Revolution." Dr. Flsk succeeded in finding the Lieu tenant Brewster who was mentioned by Colonel Terhune. but found him too feeble minded to talk Intelligently about his as sociations during the Revolutionary period. There was also a Captain Thompson, who was with General Washington at the bat tle of Monmouth, when General Lea 1 caused so much trouble by his seeming In difference to the fate of the ' him. Captain Thompson wa much that was Interesting La Fayette, but most of It been put before the public. or another. 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