Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 20, Number 54, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 March 1899 — Thinks Bro Smalley Forgot Something. [ARTICLE]

Thinks Bro Smalley Forgot Something.

Editor Republican: Having read Mr. Smalley’s statement I will offer a few criticisms concerning the same. Having no acquaintance with Mr. Smalley, I have no personal feelings in the matter, but insist that this subject requires fair statements of facts. Take the first item: “4 days plowing, 1 man, 4 horses, $7.00.” He claims this is liberal pay. Think of it! A man furnishing a double gang plow, 4 horses, harness, feed for horses, board himself, 4 days, plows 20 acres for $7.00, $1.75 per day or 35 cts. per acre. Now 4 good sized horses in 4 days will eat if fed oats, at least 3 bushels and 12 bu. is better when pulling a gang plow; at 25 cts per bushel this amounts to $2 for 8 bushels or $3 for 12 bushels to say nothing of hay. Allowing $2 for feed of horses, we have $5, for labor of horses and man, 4 days and the wear of plow and harness. Now I will offer Mr. Smalley 70 cts per acre to plow corn ground for me. The ground to be free from stones, he to furnish plow, horses, harness, man, and stand all breakage of plow or harness and board man and horses.

Plowing to be done from April 15 to May 15 of each year. Will furnish 20 acres to 80 acres each year and oontinue the contract for 5 years or as long a s he will stand it. Plowing to be well done, no slouchy work. This offer is open to all comers. If I can hire plowing at this rate, will never, never buy another plow. Will say the same of the “disc” or “pulverizer.” Mr. Smalley appears to have plowed or cultivated his corn 3 times, as a rule I prefer 4 times and am not a “careful farmer” either.

He got his corn husked very cheap, if $12.30 covers all expense of teams, wagons, wages of men and board of same. Do not remember a case to equal it, Land in Newton township that will produce on an average 50 bushels per acre will readily sell for SSO per acre, without being well tiled, as his, and not be free from stones as his, and without any gravel road. Would not $75 per acre be a fair value for this 20 acres Bro. Smalley? The wear of the land, loss of fertility, is entirely ignored in the statement of expense. Cost of machinery and its wear evidently not considered. Fertilizers can not be supplied without expense. People in the older settled portions of Ohio and Indiana have learned this to their sorrow. Corn is an exhaustive crop on any ground and when taken off, the loss of fertility can not be ignored. This is an important item with all careful farmers. Further, the figures given do not show that the corn was ever hauled to market. This is a part of the statement that I am combatting. A man living 5 or 6 miles awajr will find it oosts several cents per bushel to haul corn to market. We contend that farming implements have been high in price considering the number of days in eaoh year that most of them are in aetual use. But we must have them. Horses must be fed, rain or shine. Hired men must be furnished board and wages whether crops fail or not. Horses must be kept through the idle spells so that we can have them when needed, and at whose expense? A farmer must live from the products of the farm. He and his help and entitled to live and be fed on Sunday. And when a fair and full statement of expenses are given, we contend that no farmer today in Jasper county can raise and market corn at 13 cents per bnshel. The economy necessary for this would make a Chinaman

hustle. Of course by ignoring expenses you can make the cost anything you like. But continue to raise oorn at 13 cents per bu. and other crops at same rate and the Sheriff will eventually gather you under his wing. Yes, let us hear from others. Yours truly,

O. C. HALSTEAD,