Jasper County Democrat, Volume 14, Number 13, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 May 1911 — SIDNEY HOLMES WRITES [ARTICLE]

SIDNEY HOLMES WRITES

Of Country and Crop Conditions About Jamestown, N. D. Sidney Holmes, who moved from Newton tp., Jasper county, a few months ago to a farm near Jamestow'n, No. Dak., writes Yem J. Cristler, the North Dakota land agent, under recent date as follows : . Jamestown. N. D.. May 16. 1911. Dear Mr. Crisler:— According to promise, I will write you a few lines to tell you how I like this country. I like this country fine and think if we had come here 15 or 20 years ago we would have been worth something and could have been riding in an auto. The spring has been a little backward, but since beginning in the fields we have only lost two days. There has been an abundance of moisture so far; had a big rain last week and another yesterday afternoon and last night. Have 470 cres of wheat and will sow 30 acres more. Have 34 acres of oats sowed and up and It is fine. Will sow 100 acres more, and will plant 100 acres ot corn. The wheat is all up but the last two days sowing. It will be a grand sight to see so much wheat at harvest time, as there are no fences between farms and that way it Just looks like one field as far as your eye can see with the houses every mile or two apart. The land is rich and anyone wanting 'a home in the northwest would do well to invest here. But let everybody come and see for themselves is my advice tqanyone. The land is advancing and in a few years will be as high priced as in Indiana, and no quicksand or mud to contend with either. Am sending you a slip- from the Alert to have published with anything I have written you if you care to do so. With best wishes to all. from W B. HOLMES AND FAMILY. The clipping from a Jamestown paper, which Mr. Holmes refers to, is as follows: Beginning Wednesday morning at about 10:36 o'clock rain began failing in this locality and continued during the greater part of the time until 11 o'clock Wednesday night. There were over twelve hours of rain, part of the time very hard, and part of the time lighter. The rain came from the west as the weather grew colder towards evening. The ground absorbed the rain until it could hold no more and Thursday morning there was a good deal of water standing In the streets. While the rain was not really needed and nothing in the way 6f crops was suffering, the moisture at this time wiH ha«ten the growth of young grain and put new life and vigor into vegetation of all kinds. The rainfall is abundant for all purposes for several weeks and will hasten the starting up of late sowed crops such as flax and barley, etc. The weather was cool and cloudy, following the rain, and is fine for stooling of wheat. It makes plowing and ail farm „ work easy. Farmers wear a broad smile at the prospects that now confront them. As a rule more careful cultivation of ground has been done this spring than usual, and with the abundance of moisture now in the ground there is no good reason, with dragging and harrowing at the proper time, that a revolution in the way of handling crops cannot be brought about, and an increased yield obtained over the haphazard, old-time method of farming, in which as much grain as possible was seeded, and the rest left to Providence, without effort to counteract the affects of evaporation when the warm days came. The rain Tuesday night, which was reported greater in nearly every part of the James River valley than here, was Stiff further increased by heavy' rain Wednesday and Wednesday night. On the Dakota division of the X. P. rainfall was reported in most places Wednesday and up to 11 o clock Wednesday "night. At Moorhead the rain of 24 Hours up to Wednesday afternoon was .5* of an inch and with the rains previously recorded for Monday and -iturday preceeding there was- a total of .74 of an inch. The Red River valley had a fine rain. Valley City had a heavy rain Tuesday night, lasting two hours as well as Qrafton and Larimore hi the northern part of the state. Heavy rain was reported at Hankinson. Where four hours down pour occurred. The rain between Jamestown and LaMoure was also hespry, water s .Of in pools on both sides of - the railroad track. The entire state, in fact seems, to have had excellent rains and gives promise of good crop yields, and general,in-creased-activity in all lines of business. Anyone desiring further information regarding this section of I the r great prolific northwest j Should call on or write Vern J. I Cristler. Rensselaer, Ind.