Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 46, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 March 1918 — Notes From the Sunny South [ARTICLE]

Notes From the Sunny South

The South is a busy time right now. Encouraged by the almost total disappearance of the boll weevil last year and the good crops of all kinds, farmers have become ehcourgaed and are preparing to put in larger crops than ever this year. Houses are being repainted and repaired, fences being rebuilt and additional ground is being cleared and put into cultivation. Much ground is being plowed and potatoes and garden truck is being planted. Some of the garden truck is already nearly large enough to eat. Peach and pear trees are in bloom and all indications point to a good fruit crop this year. Flowers in abundance greet the eye everywhere and trees are beginning to don their summer garb. The weather is ideal now and many are going in their shirt sleeves and the colored lads and lassies are around in their bare feet. It is hard for one here to realize that up North there is still another month at least of winter.

The families of H. W. and Ray Berry arrived from the North today and will hereafter make their home in the Sunny South. Sunday the • writer visited the family of Mr. Wilford Lea, who owns the plantation adjoining that of the writer. Mr. Lea comes of one of the old families of the South and occupies the original Lea homestead, built by his father many years ago. It is one of the finest country homes in this section and is surrounded by magnificent grounds and is on the Prentice highway. Mr. Lea. is a hustler and always raises big crops of cotton, corn, peanuts, hay sweet potatoes, sugar cane apd other products of the south. As an experiment he is planting a field of wheat this year which he secured from his neighbor, Will Porter. This is Kansas wheat and the seed was raised by W. V. Porter, of Rensselaer. The result of Northern grown wheat planted in the South will be watched with interest. Mr. Lea also has a large field of rye and oats which Jook fine . It was planted last December. In addition to field crops Mr. Lea also raises considerable hogs and cattle. Visitors are always welcome at his home and he and Mrs. Lea and her mother, Mrs. McLean and their daughter Mary always take pleasure in entertaining visitors.

Work was resumed this week on the Prentice Highway in front of W, G. Caldwell’s residence and the family can sit on their fropt porch and watch the road builders at work. The contractors promise to completion of the highway by Christmas.

. Another Rensselaer citizen has Just contracted for a farm here, and like the rest of. the Jasperites who have located here, he has been fortunate. in his selection of a farm. James Swaim, who carries the mail from the postoffice to the depot, has just closed the contract for a 153 acre place just outside the corporate limits of Gloster. It is a fine place, has a nice large residence and outbuildings. On the place , is two colored families already busy putting in crops and Mr. Swaim will get the benefit of the contract made with them by the present owner, and his share of the crop from their work should go far toward paying for the farm this year. This place is also the located on the Prentice highway. Owing to its location, this will make an ideal dairy farm, should Mr. Swaim desire to engage in that business. - Possession of the main residence will be given at once, should Mr. Swaim desire to move here at this time.

Another bunch of Jasper county prospectors are expected down here next week in charge of. Harvey Davisson and we promise them that they will be well repaid for their trip and at the same time they will escape some of the disagreeable March weather up home. We guarantee them an enjoyable time while here. If there is any one up home that would like to engage in the hotel business in the South there is a splendid opportunity to secure a paying business of this kind here. The Gloster Hotel is for sale at a reasonable price, as the present owner is contemplating moving to Arkansas, where she has other interests. If any one up home is in-