Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 208, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 August 1912 — Return from Pleasant Visit In South—Monona Ranch Flourishing. [ARTICLE]

Return from Pleasant Visit In South —Monona Ranch Flourishing.

Mrs. Kate R. Watson and daughter, Miss Myra, returned Wednesday evening from L’Argent, La., near which place they have been visiting her brother, Omar Ritchie, at his ranch; “Monona.” Monona ranch is in the Mississippi valley and during the recent floods down there it was under water for six weeks. In spite of this, there are excellent prospects for a bumper crop. Mr. Ritchie has planted cow peas extensively. They are growing in abundance and a heavy yield is expected. Cow peas are the main forage crop in the south. There will be a bumper cotton crop this year. Even though much of the cotton was planted twice, which made it very late, it looks as though the yield would he as good as last year’s yield. Mrs. Watson states that the. cotton looks better on her brother’s ranch and in the surrounding territory than it does in Mississippi and other places unaffected by the flood. The corn in the south is badly damaged by worms this year, and the harvest will not amount to much. As a whole, the south is flourishing, especially in Mr. Ritchie’s location. Notwithstanding the severity of the flood, which lasted from six to eight weeks in some places, the crops are generally good and the outlook for the future is very bright Mrs. Watson and daughter had a most delightful trip and thoroughly enjoyed their sojourn in the south. They were there several weeks. Omar, who on account of his poor health, went there from Anderson, Ind., about three or fojir years ago, is now well and strong and he is very optimistic in his views.