AMONG THE FARMERS

Farming columns from The Matagorda County News and Midcoast Farmer
written by Charles Edwin Gilbert.

1913
 

FINE FARM COUNTRY ROUND BAY CITY

Wealth In Fertile Lands Which Capital of The Town Can Promote By Aid in Milch Cows. Caney's Fertile Valley and Prosperous Farmers--26 New Subscribers

Of the fine agricultural land surrounding Bay City and which will make this a splendid city of 10,000 in five years, the News-Farmer had the pleasure of seeing a portion Monday afternoon. For four miles east a little south, the land is a deep and fertile black soil, and owned chiefly by small dry farmers.

Colorado Canal Co. has been repairing the canal going east, the gaps cut in the canal banks by the flood of December having all been filled in and strengthened and everything is being gotten in readiness for another rice crop. The area in rice this year will be decidedly less than last year, but the acreage to corn, cotton and potatoes will be considerably larger. The yield of this area in dollars will no doubt be larger than last year by 20 per cent, and there will be still further gain through increased attention to feed, truck, hogs, poultry, etc., for home consumption. Many rice farmers, while still adhering to rice, are planting feed crops, and will endeavor to at least reduce the large out-go for feed. The sound principle of diversified farming is gaining new converts each year. The losses on rice the past year--the low prices on rice with high price of feed--has been a forceful argument for corn and hay crops as supplementary to the rice crop.

Just across the canal, Hy Wichman has a small farm of 15 acres improved for a good home, but he rents an additional 30 acres adjoining, and is cultivating corn, cotton, potatoes and hay, and has some good porkers and lots of poultry. One of his young hogs bringing $21.00 on foot is proof enough that hogs will pay.

A little further on we net three new farm-settlers: R. E. Lindsey from Oklahoma, and W. A. Winter and L. E. Estlebaum [Estlinbaum?] from Colorado County--all dry farmers. Mr. Estlebaum is putting in about 20 acres of rice this year. They have a fine start, land all being in good fix and just waiting for corn planting. All these gentlemen subscribed for the News and Midcoast Farmer. Mr. Lindsey lost ninety head of Rhode Island Reds in the flood, but is stocking up again. He says the Banker-Commercial-Club-dairy-cow proposition is a good one. Farmers all want cows, but a good one, one worth feeding, costs so much, farmers can hardly get them. A good milk cow ought to be had for $50 or $60--they agreed--but there are cows which could be worth $75 for the farm. Some man or men with money to spare could go into the producing markets and buy ten or twenty carloads of milk cows and at reasonable profit sell them all on liberal terms to farmers within five miles of Bay City, and as many more within a radius of ten miles. This would make possible two or three large creameries in Bay City, much added prosperity to a couple of hundred farmers, a new trade for the merchant, big deposits for the banker, rejuvenation of the land business--and the saving of our own home people of hundreds of dollars a week now going north for so simple a product as butter.

Of all the ways to boost a country, or to build a town, none can be more effective and quicker of results than measures for the success and happiness of the farmer population, the producers of four-fifths of the world's wealth. Our bankers and Commercial Club men might well and seriously study the benefits to be derived to country, farmer and businessmen by the milk-cow proposition.

A little further down the road, we found S. J. Rowland plowing on the right, putting the finishing touches to the preparation of his land for corn and cotton; and on the opposite side J. T. Coker and his sons planting a five acre plot in sorghum for feed. These farmers are including in their "dry crops," a few hogs and increased interest in poultry.

John Tobeck has a fine tract of heavy black land, and not only makes good crops but he has a house full of little Tobecks. A hundred ricks of sorghum hay still in the field where the flood caught it bears mute evidence of his belief in raising his own feed. He will plant again of sorghum.

Henry Reinke, prosperous German farmer, has a well improved farm on 160 acres, of which he has a fine meadow for his live stock, 60 acres in corn, 10 in cotton and still other crops such as hay, potatoes. Mrs. Reinke has large flocks of poultry and pigeons. Mr. Reinke will also put in about 350 or 400 acres of rice.

Near by lives Mrs. Hackwith, daughters and son, who do some farming, the lad starting him a hog ranch. He will only need to keep the female offspring of the two he starts with and raise them peas, peanuts and corn to get on his feet as a hog farmer. In two short years he should have three or four hundred swine--and that's no exaggeration. We would like to see the boy try it.

On the return we met Martin Loos one of the substantial farmers of the Bucks Bayou country. Mr. Loos is well pleased with the prospect for good crops this year. He grows corn and hay a plenty, and cotton, potatoes, etc., and raises enough hogs for is own use, with good butter cows and poultry. Mr. Loos says he has this winter six new neighbor farmers and invited the News-Farmer man to see his country and the new comers.

J. J. Lukefahr, just out of the city limits, a fine young man, a fair chip off the old block, has a nice farm home, and is starting off right with diversified crops, poultry and hogs; and such hogs, ten thoroughbred Duroc-Jersey brood sows, some of them Dallas Fair prize winners. This sort of farmer was easy to get on our subscription list; in fact he had seen the sample copies and wanted the paper.

This is a Duroc-Jersey neighborhood, for just a few rods north Mr. J. J. Stevens, who is also a subscriber, has another one of these ideal small farms, where in addition to a few acres in the staple crops, produce of other acres bring highest prices after being manufactured into choice meats by chickens, turkeys and hogs. Their Duroc hogs are immense, some of them being prize-winners for which Mr. S. paid $100 each. Good place for farmers to secure good stock.

H. A. Storm has just settled on a twenty acre tract and his home is new and incomplete, but his prepared ground looks like the work of a veteran farmer, plowed deep and thoroughly pulverized. He had just finished planting his Irish potatoes in black land fertilized with barnyard manure. He hasn't much room for hogs, but always raises his own meat.

Lee Johnson has just recently bought the farm which was last year occupied by a Mr. Winters. He had a good start for the year's crops, but his meat crop has gone astray. He bought a good sow and litter of pigs, but while he was suffering the agony of a crazy tooth and was in town with a dentist, the meat crop escaped. Any information as to the whereabouts of the runaways will be appreciated and no doubt rewarded. Address him on Route 1. Mr. J. has wisely planted a fine lot of fig and pecan trees, one of his first improvements.

C. H. Lukefahr has a newly built and attractive white home on a fine farm just south  of the public school which bears his name. Mr. Lukefahr is a rice farmer, but doesn't believe in staking all on one crop; so he has 20 acres in corn and 10 in sorghum to feed his mules, several in potatoes for his own tooth and 50 in cotton for pocket money. Mr. L. says he never would depend on one crop of any kind.

J. H. Pile was out in the field finishing preparation of 200 acres for rice. Mrs. Pile says he will also have 100 acres in corn and cotton; while the great barnyard full of poultry would indicate the Piles live and board at the same place. Mr. Pile has in only 90 acres of rice last year, got it out early and sold well.

"OLD CANEY"

The Matthews store, founded in 1850 or a few years earlier by a Mr. Evans, is the oldest established location in the county, next to Matagorda. Mr. John Matthews lately deceased, bought the store in 1851, and in 1852 was married to Miss Van Dorn, daughter of one of Austin's colonists. This couple lived here for over sixty years, Mr. Matthews dying a few months ago. Mrs. Matthews has witnessed many changes since she was old enough to remember, having been personally acquainted with all the old settlers, notably Col. Hawkins, the father of the Bowies, Robt. Williams, Bailey Hardeman and others, of the pioneers. The old plantations of Col. Hawkins, Major Shepherd and others in the '60s were extensive affairs, cultivated by slaves and producing thousands of bales of cotton and hogsheads of sugar for export through the port of Matagorda. The old Hawkins place is now owned by W. W. Dierly and the Shepherd plantation, long known as the LeTulle place, is now owned by non-residents. Boats ran up the Caney River to the Thompson place, now Gainesmore. Mrs. Matthews showed the writer a copy of the Christian Advocate of June 6, 1857, containing a description of the burning of the steamship Louisiana bound from Matagorda to Galveston. There were 108 people on board, and 55 of the number perished in the fire or were drowned. Among these burned were a Mr. Millhouse, father of Mrs. Bowie, who was the mother of Phillip Bowie of Cedar Lane and Harris Bowie of Bay City. Ed, a young son of Mr. Millhouse, was also lost in the disaster. Messrs. Matthews, the sons, continue the business at the old stand. Mrs. Matthews is yet strong for her age, and in good health, but the past week has been suffering from the effects of a fall some ten days ago. A beautiful country surrounds the store and Caney postoffice, but it looks strange to see so much of it vacant. For two miles south to six miles northeast there are not over a dozen dwellings, but some day it will be settled by thrifty farmers, as in now rapidly going on around Lukefahr school house, in the old "G" pasture.

H. S. Rainey runs a rice farm right northwest of the Matthews store. He is putting in 300 acres in rice this year and will try some feed crops. He has fed 300 barrels of corn since he began his plowing in the rice fields for this season. At $1.10 a bushel for corn, he admits it would be well to try some feed crops.

One of the old homes of this section is occupied by J. G. Andrews and brother and aunt, Miss Hunt. The men were away, but Miss Hunt says they succeeded their parents in a continuous occupancy of the place for over 65 years. The Hunts settled here in 1847. The Andrews brothers are planting corn and cotton chiefly, no rice; but they made a splendid corn crop, though boll weevil hurt the cotton.

"G" Pasture

This community gets its name from the old "G" brand ranch--the land having recently been cut and sold in small farms.

J. J. Smith, a farmer just below Caney postoffice, was glad of the opportunity to subscribe for the News-Farmer--likes the policy. He has a lot of fine Duroc-Jerseys which caught our eye. Mr. Smith plants rice, 150 acres this year, corn, feedstuff and some cotton.

Blake Brothers (3) were busy putting up a new planter and gang plow. They are putting in 160 acres of rice, 70 in cotton, 50 in corn, 20 each in sorghum and Egyptian wheat. They are young men and appear to be good farmers--most all of those from Oklahoma are. Their mother and sister keep house for them. They have lots of hogs, cows and poultry.

Just east is E. A. Campbell, who was already one of our valued subscribers, on one of the old pioneer farms of the days before the '60s. Mr. Campbell is one of the progressive farmers of Old Caney, growing all the products of the fertile soil, and a good supply of hogs, poultry and dairy products. Learning he was not at home, we did not call.

We were fortunate stopping at W. H. Morgan's at the noon hour--met old acquaintances and enjoyed a splendid dinner. Mr. Morgan is a son of the proprietor of Hotel Bay City, and he and his wife are from Mississippi. They have just built but not completed their home, but are rushing out-door improvement. Mrs. Morgan has more young chicks than we saw at any place--says she seldom loses one--keeps them up till dew is gone--sells $16 worth of eggs a month--40 dozen last week for 40c a dozen to the oil drilling outfit on Caney. Mr. Morgan believes in diversified farming. Plants corn, cotton, peanuts, rape, sorghum, stock beets, nod has fine brood sows.

Mr. G. E. Jordan has a very attractive place, his home setting on the highest point near the center of his 100 acres. He made $900 on a good rice crop last year and will plant the cereal again this year. His poultry business, he says, almost makes a living for him and his wife.

J. A. Ham came with his family late last year from Mississippi, made only some fall truck, but has a good prospect for corn and cotton this year. He has a courageous, helpful family and that's two-thirds the battle. Mr. Ham and the boys had just returned from fishing, and we are indebted for a mess--prairie fish, caught miles from any creek or river--out of the canal.

R. D. Dudley, just across Buck's Bayou, is more stockman than farmer. He looks after several hundred head of cattle, a number of horses, and will plant corn, feed crops and rice. Asked about his chickens, said he hadn't seen them since the 8th of January--had a fine lot but they went off with the flood waters. He will read the county paper hereafter.

At Buck's Bayou Capt. White has a force of men rebuilding the flume of the canal over the creek. We met E. G. Benedict, a carpenter on the force and he added his name to our list, Mr. Ikenstein also from Bay City. He was creosoting the pine timbers--sturdy democrats who haven't yet recovered from their impatience at a plutocrat control at Washington, but will as Woodrow Wilson's administration convinces them of its interest in the people. The democrats will adopt all that's good of socialism.

We met J. H. Gregerson on the road from Bay City. He had a load of feed for his farm in the "G" community, which he explained by saying, "I had a large sorghum crop ruined by the flood, or I wouldn't have to buy feed." Mr. Gregerson's neighbors had told me that he had a large number of cows and sold large quantities of cream in Bay City. He said the flood interrupted his dairying business but he had now 25 cows milking. Last summer he sold a $100 worth of cream a month to the Jolly Cream Co. He has plenty of hogs and small stock, and raises his own feed and some cotton.

J. A. Combs has a good place of black land well prepared for planting, and from all indications he is going to have good returns in cotton, corn and feed for his well directed energies.

E. B. Lesh is a young man recently moved on the Stevens place. He and is wife are making a good start with truck crops, berries and poultry, and we hope will soon be able to buy the nice ten-acre home.

F. G. Green has a new home and an attractive looking farm on Buck's Bayou, and here, as everywhere, are noted prospects for good crops this year.

These farmers all have their own mail boxes, and enjoy a tri-weekly mail, but the number of boxes having now reached 100 and the mail matter justifying it, they expect the service will soon be made daily. It ought to be.

We had the pleasure of meeting many others, on this trip, which was as profitable to the News and Farmer as it was enjoyable to the editor. We like to get out and meet the people, learn the country, its value and capability, and the needs of the people.

The Matagorda County News and Midcoast Farmer, Bay City, Sample, March 6, 1914
 

OUT AMONG THE COUNTY FARMERS

The Model Farm Home With Shade and Fruit Trees Is Within Reach of the Humblest. Use of Canals For Diversified Crops.

In our last trip among the farmers, there were more than usual reports of loss of sorghum cane had in the curing, on account of damp climate. This prompted the suggestion that we need here a prolific hay which is easier cured--can be cured in this climate without risk of so much loss. The News-Farmer has taken up the matter with our representatives at Washington and hopes soon to have something definite that will be encouraging and helpful along this line.

While much fine sorghum hay has been lost in the curing because of its thickness, time necessary in sunshine, and our generally damp climate which impedes the curing process, that prolific feed crop is so far the best we have. It should be liberally planted the next few days, where it has not already been sown. It is possible that even with the difficulty and loss in curing that sorghum will yield a larger net product per acre on ten acres of land than any other crop, because of its heavy yield. By cutting one acre at a time every few days, fair weather for curing would likely favor half of it at least.

But there are several other forage plants, which are said to be prolific and easier cured in this climate. The News-Farmer is endeavoring to secure some of the seed for distribution through the country.

We recall the interview with Mr. E. G. Mills a farmer near Matagorda who showed the writer a very fine crop of milo maize, which Ed Savage said produced more good feed per acre than any crop he had ever seen. Mr. Mills said that after experimenting with sorghum, Egyptian wheat, Kaffir corn and milo maize, he was convinced that when planted early so as to mature before the birds come and in time to be cured in the hot days of August, it was the feed for this country, capable of producing more grain and fodder than any other crop.

We recall also the interview with Mr. L. Jameson, a rice farmer on Lake Austin last August in which he said that the rice farmers must raise their own feed and meat if they would make rice farming pay. He said, too, that the water supply was apt to fail if all the land is planted in rice, but is ample if the crops are diversified--that water would be just as profitable put on potatoes, corn and forage crops and cotton; and the water which would be demanded for one acre of rice would be sufficient for four acres in diversified farming. This suggestion from a practical farmer is entitled to the most serious consideration of farmers. Since then, there have been many rice farmers who have had to hold their rice while paying for corn nearly as much as was received for a bushel of rice--while the land with one-third the water would have produced more bushels of corn than rice.

Monday the editor's trip to the country lay through the flood district, that is, where the flood was at its worst, the water deepest, when it was fresh from the great gaps in protection levee--two to five miles north of Bay City. Water marks showed the water to have been 20 to 30 inches on the floors of many of the farm houses three and four miles up the country. We passed the house where Rev. G. W. McGraw was washed out and lost so heavily, and the rice farm of A. A. Moore, who lost 400 acres of rice. Others lost, while not so much, a large part of the year's work.

Just out of town one of the first pleasures was two model farms. One being made perfect by a young man making a success in life; the other almost the consummation of a lifetime's experience in the art of home building.

Art. W. Wilson has a nice black land farm. But his 40 acres of rice, 20 or corn and 5 of sorghum do not make up the main feature. In face, we were too absorbed in his Plymouth Rock hens and chicks, that we almost forgot to ascertain the proportion of his crops. He has two pens of thoroughbred Rocks--one pen of 14 and another of about 20--and the handsome male which heads the first pen cost him $25 and was from a hen which made her record of 223 eggs a year. He has been selling eggs, but has stopped to hatch all he can this spring to stock up a thorough poultry farm. He has already 100 thoroughbred little Rocks in one brooder, and was plowing along the row of brooders to plant lettuce and other vegetables for the chicks to fed in. He is going to make separate pens across the patch of green stuff for each brooder, and with rows running straight out from the brooders he will have "the leeway" outlet for the chicks down the rows to get the benefit of meat food following cultivation of the vegetables. He has put 7 wagon loads of barnyard fertilizer and one of lime on that patch and will raise his garden sass there and feed a thousand chicks from the brooders. He has a 240-egg incubator and puts 60 eggs in it each week, having a hatch of 50 to 60 chicks each week.

This, Mr. Wilson says, is preferable to saving the eggs one to three weeks and having the 240 eggs hatch all at one time. It is easier and more profitable to take the chicks off 50 at a time, and the incubator works just as successfully this way as the other, being kept at a temperature of 103 to 104 degrees. Mr. Wilson has just planted 50 umbrella china trees for shade, and a number of mulberry and other shade, and quite a number of fruit trees. In his front yard are two palms and two flower beds, one each on either side of the walk, while all around is noted good drainage. He lately moved the driveway from the south to the north side of the dwelling, and a close row of umbrella chinas will protect the driveway and house from the north winds and add shade and beauty to the premises.

A few hundred yards up the road is the farm home of Mr. Geo. Grube, an Illinois farmer, or rather, an Illinois businessman turned into a Texas farmer. He is not boastful of his farm experience, though he admits he got out 60 acres of rice last year (11 bags to the acre, early and sold it well; but it is readily seen that he is a success as a homebuilder. His dwelling is modern, a model of comfort, convenience and elegance, his large barn can hardly be excelled for completeness and convenience in all Texas, and in his milk house he has a cream separator, and other appliances of the farm dairy.

His fencing, lots and garden show the care and skill of an expert. He not only has these comforts and conveniences secured, but is looking still to the future--still building--for he has planted 60 cottonwood shade trees in such way as to give shade where needed and add charm to the scene. In an adjacent field he has 200 soft-shell pecan trees growing, 2 to 3 year olds, and one has already borne a few nuts. Mr. Grube has his parents and a daughter living with him. He will this year plant another 60 acres in rice, letting the last year's rice land rest in pasturage this year; he will also plant 16 acres of cotton and 10 in sorghum to be followed in fall oats.

B. P. English, recently moved from the Lake Austin country, has leased land on the Kick Hamel tract and will put in 200 acres of rice, with some sorghum for feed. He said he had never had any trouble in saving sorghum. He would plant early to have it ready to cut in August and, by cutting before the rush in the rice fields, would hit favorable weather.

F. C. Hardy, already a subscriber to the News-Farmer, has a comfortable looking house, and is surrounded by evidences of a prosperous farm, one of which was conveying an arm full of hen fruit from the barn to the house. He is planting this year 100 acres in rice, and 24 each in corn and cotton, with one acre now in sorghum and later several acres more.

Dr. Davis is all the way from Boston two years ago, and likes Texas. He is a gilt-edged piece of land, which he will plant 100 acres in rice, 50 in corn and some in cotton, depending on his progress in getting his land ready.

J. R. Morris, lately from Bosque County, is cultivating the Dr Simonds [Simons?] farm this year, for the doctor. He is planting 100 acres in rice and 50 in corn and some sorghum. The land here is very heavy and Mr. Morris is doing big work in getting it ready. It is very productive, but like all the country, needs better drainage. That, however, is the one great need of all Matagorda County. With that assured, we have the best county in Texas. It's coming. Mr. Morris subscribed for the paper for his father-in-law in Bosque, that he may learn the country right.

W. H. Hawkins is cultivating 90 acres in cotton and 25 in corn and has a fair start toward a good crop. Mr. Hawkins is a Hill County man.

W. M. Saylors, also from Hill, is putting in himself this year 100 acres in cotton, 50 in corn, 2 in sweet potatoes, 3 of 4 in sorghum, despite the difficulty in curing he has experienced. His tenants are planting of corn and cotton enough to make a total of 300 in cotton and 200 in corn. Mr. Saylor says he has found that where sorghum is planted in March so as to be ready for cutting in July, the dews are lighter, and the sun is hot enough to cure it, if allowed to lay three days and then put into large ricks for thirty days, it will cure good and bright. The ricks should be put up carefully so as to shed the water.

S. B. Lewis and Sam Bingham, Bay City men, who are working on the county road force, putting in new culverts and repairing old ones, both subscribed for the News-Farmer, having seen the paper and liked it.

H. Anderson, recently from Hunt County, has bought a farm of 200 acres and put up a new house. He is busy plowing and planting. Just finished planting 18 acres in corn which is sprouting, and two acres of sorghum with more to follow. He is going to plant 50 acres in cotton, and has let Mr. Hale have about 60 acres of his land to put in rice. Mr. Anderson was almost like an old friend, hailing from a section of the State where we knew many of his old friends. He got in late here but is making a good start and Hunt County farmers are among the best.

W. M. Hale is also from Hunt, but has been living here for 12 years and is pretty well acclimated and inoculated with the rice fever. He is putting in 120 acres of the cereal this year and expects to make a good crop, as he generally has.

C. R. Bell, the contractor on a lot of road work and drainage ditching, was working a lot of Negroes and one or two white men. We told him we had heard some complaints of his working black instead of white labor and asked why he did it, and his reply was that the white men as a rule did not like the work which required them to go into the mud and water often knee deep while the black labor would do that. He said he preferred to employ the white but as he had a contract already cut one-ninth by the enforcement of the eight-hour law on public work, he could not afford to lose anything more on the contract, which was really made on a basis of nine hours a day.

After a day over some rough roads and jumping the ditches in the plowed ground, the efforts were rewarded with eleven new subscribers to the News-Farmer.

We went as far as Chalmers where we found the postmaster and merchant, Mr. Brown, the leading man in the place, president of the Business League, chief of the fire department.

The confusion of overwork last week caused the News-Farmer to overlook a part of the report of the editor's very interesting trip among the farmers of the rich black land country south of Bay City. As noted then, however, the question of forage crops is a very important one in this wet section and where the climate is nearly always damp with heavy dews in even clear weather. T. W. Bell is one of those who agree that there ought to be some other feed which would make a surer forage crop than sorghum. The writer promised to try and fine the one which will best fill the bill and secure him some of the seed, among others, to get a start. Mr. Bell is this year planting 20 acres each of cotton and corn, with a few acres of sorghum, which is a valuable crop even for green feeding. He has grown cow peas successfully, but there is the same objection in the curing.

R. A. Kehrer, a few miles south of town, is planting a small crop of 18 acres of cotton with several acres of sorghum and a few acres in truck crops, just what he can handle safely himself.

Gus Richers, a young German farmer on the Huebner lands, has a good home and well improved farm, and plenty of stock and poultry. He is putting in 50 acres each of cotton, corn and rice, with a few acres n sorghum and five or six in sweet potatoes and a good melon patch, for he has a sandy patch, the very thing for these last two crops. He says that his sandy land will produce 300 bushels per acre. Asked why he didn't plant more largely of the potatoes, he said the trouble was a market. We answered that there was a market in the Northern cities for all that could be grown--the question was to reach it. A few farmers combining and planting ten acres each could well afford to employ a good man to market the product. Many carloads can be disposed of to the Texas cities at fine prices, if handled in that way. Yam sweet potatoes are a rarity and luxury in many cities of Texas.

A little further on we found another brother, Louis R. Richers, with his young wife, starting life in a nice new home. Mr. Richers had just set out a lot of fine young fig trees, and some shade trees, which in future years will make his home one of the most attractive in that section he is planting this year 30 acres in rice, 15 in corn, 25 in cotton, several in sorghum, and a few acres in yam potatoes and vegetables, chiefly melons. These crops and a splendid lot of poultry would indicate that Mr. Richers' home will be well supplied with good things of the new farm. He had a beautiful location and will soon have a model home.

Meeting Mrs. Maggie Harris on her way from Bay City home, she took advantage of the opportunity to renew her subscription started last year, while the paper was at Matagorda, and she said that when the time was out again to call on her, as she did not want to be without it.

Messrs. T. G. Harris and Tom Smith are putting in 75 acres in corn and 40 in cotton, reversing the rule in favor of corn. They have usually made 40 bushels an acre and believe in corn growing. They expect to do even better this year.

We met J. E. Jones on the road from Bay City to his home in the Bernard tract, where he has three brothers and several others from Mississippi. In his wagon of supplies bought in Bay City, he had a half barrel of fine ribbon cane syrup from his old home in Mississippi and flapjacks and syrup no doubt were enjoyed at the Jones' home next morning. Mr. Jones is well pleased with present prospects for good crops this year.

The News-Farmer man on this and preceding trips distributed several hundred packages of garden seed from Congressman Burgess, followed several others sent by mail to out older subscribers. We have written Congressman Burgess asking his help in securing a suitable forage crop for this climate.

The Matagorda County News and Midcoast Farmer, March 20, 1914
 

OUT AMONG THE COUNTY FARMERS

New Road and Bridge Needed--Buckeye Canning Factory--Fruit and Truck--Ashby Farmers--New Subscribers 26.

Where is Buckeye? Well that depends. If you want to walk, it is straight west. If you take the Brownsville it is southwest--west. If you want to take advantage of the bright spring-like days and go in a buggy and talk with the farmers on the way (that's us) then you go north, then west to Markham; then southeast (almost) to the place of beginning, as the field notes would say.

Last week ye editor got in his buggy and started south, then west and was turned back north and northwest to get across the river. All of which means there OUGHT to be another bridge over the Colorado on a straight line toward Buckeye and Collegeport. In the meantime, a first class road from the west end of the present Colorado bridge down to Buckeye would help relieve the situation. We hope our commissioners will take this view for the convenience of the people of that part of the county, Collegeport and Ashby settlement who want to drive to Bay City.

At Buckeye the Collegeport prong of the Frisco branches off to the southwest of the main line. Fertile lands all around Buckeye suggest that someday every acre of it will be in productive gardens. A movement has already been made in that direction--last year when the land company erected a canning factory. It would have been running now, no doubt, but for the excessive wet weather and the flood in December.

J. G. Harrison, representing the land company, says the factory is ready to begin operations just as soon as the tomato and other crops are on the market. The plant has a capacity of 10,000 cans a day, and there is a car load of cans on hand for the start. He informed the New-Farmer that Messrs. Hardeman, Kinney, Ayes, Sweat, Knowles, Riley and Witt are planting several acres each of tomatoes, beets, sweet potatoes, etc., and their surplus will be offered to the cannery. This enterprise can be made a great aid to the farmers and to the truck industry, by paying profitable prices from the start and all the time. On the other hand, if the "squeeze" process is adopted to get the lowest possible prices this year, an abundant supply for the plant cannot be expected next year.

A. H. Yerxa, representing the townsite company, and merchant and postmaster, is one of the leading spirits of the town. He is hopeful of a better movement in building and development in that section this year. He thinks the home owner is the life of a country and is anxious to see men come in who can own their homes, even a small acreage. The land company sells five to fifty acres, and good truckers can make as much on five acres well tilled as some farmers on sixty acres.

Jas. Powers, is merchant and farmer. He has a good home with many conveniences over and alongside his grocery store, and he and the boys are cultivating some potatoes and cabbage. Last year he lost corn and cabbage crops amounting to $2,500. But this year he is hopeful of better results.

H. H. Foster, a farmer in the edge of the Colorado bottom just above Buckeye, has in crops of corn and cotton this year, and is pretty well up with farm work--corn all planted. He had seen the News-Farmer, and is now a subscriber.

The hotel is a modern hostelry, electric lighted, and kept in up-to-date style by Mr. and Mrs. Milnor.

D. C. Howard is the accommodating agent of the Frisco, telegraph operator, etc., and while six passenger trains and as many cabbage trains and numerous other freights keep him on the jump he has one of the best gardens in the county. W. T. Dodge and I. E. Doyen are young men with their families from Massachusetts, about a year, and with the weather discouragements are not overly well pleased with their first year in Texas; but the are men of grit and no doubt recall the fact that Lawrence has not been all sunshine and harmony the past year. Hope they will have good crops this year.

Mr. O'Brien and his mother, Mrs. E. W. Gugen, and his sister, Miss Berle, are the latest arrivals from Boston, Massachusetts, this week moving temporarily into one of the company homes.

The Spence Lumber Co. does the lumber and hardware business of the town. J. W. Spence is the courteous manager.

W. H. Knowles is another Massachusetts man, was a member of the city council of Lawrence, but a farmer of many years experience in that state. Mr. Knowles says there is not only a vest difference in climate but as much difference in soils. In Massachusetts agriculture is limited to five months out door work, while here the climate admits of full twelve months (some rice and cotton farmers say they get in 13 months work). The soil of Massachusetts is rocky and sandy with a gravely subsoil. While here there are no rocks but a richer soil, and with a clay foundation there should be little trouble with drouth, on proper cultivation. Mr. Knowles is not planting any rice or cotton, but is putting his land in fruits and truck, having planted over 500 fig trees, nearly as many dewberries, and other fruits. He believes in the Satsuma orange and will plant some. He has ten acres in tomatoes, potatoes and other vegetables for the canning factory, which enterprise he thinks will prove a great aid to the farm development of that section. He says the cannery will be run on a co-operative basis, ten cents a dozen being charged as the cost of operation and Mr. Riddle acting as selling agent, assuring the growers the fullest returns for their produce. He thinks once started, the cannery can be kept going all the year, even in winter, for most truck crops can be raised in six to eight weeks, Mrs. K. reminding him of a crop of beans which matured in five weeks. This recalls some of News-Farmer's editorials a year ago urging the chief advantage of this country is the glorious climate which admits of four and five crops a year on the same piece of land. Mr. Knowles has not only a model truck and fruit farm in preparation but a lovely home in which the good wife dispenses cheerful New England hospitality we have read of but never before enjoyed.

On the road we met A. G. Burgess, son of an old Dallas county friend and subscriber of 25 years ago, and of course Mr. B. will be henceforth a regular reader of the News-Farmer. He is just getting started farming in his new home north of Buckeye and this year will plant only 20 acres in cotton, 15 in corn and 5 in sorghum; but later in the year is going in for truck and winter garden, he agreeing that fall and early spring vegetable crops offer the largest profits in this country.

Leaving Buckeye we traveled over a few miles of prairie through lanes of the Pierce pasture, with not a form on the road or in sight, as far as we recollect. What a waste of land and opportunity--with vacant houses of former rice farmers. Rice as a single crop has cost the coast country as heavily in profit and development as the single crop cotton did the South for forty years following the civil war. As Mr. Knowles says, no country has yet prospered on a single crop. Diversified crops must be resorted to before the lands of Matagorda County will hold permanent tenants or be in demand at their full value by home-buyers.

As to the tenants, it is to be hoped the landlords will soon see the importance of aiding their tenants in diversified farming, and the necessity of erecting a small silo on each tenant farm, with fenced gardens and hog lots. The prosperity of the tenant means certain rentals and a better kept farm, and tenants of a more permanent character. In fact, by such consideration on the part of the landlord; poor tenants are made good tenants.

Then prospectors who come to view the land and note its possibilities would be more favorable impressed--even to the extent of several dollars per acre--by thrifty looking farms. The prosperous tenant farmer makes a better citizen and a better neighbor for the farmer would sell the adjacent land. There are several good and valid reasons why the tenant farm should be raised in standard.

Within a mile of Ashby we found the farmers busy in the fields on all sides. J. L. and T. M. McKissick, with two other brothers, are cultivating 100 acres of cotton, 75 in corn, 300 in rice and fair proportions of sorghum, potatoes, etc. Their land is in the fine fix, and they were then planting corn.

The McKissicks are prominent farmers in the Ashby community and their mother now occupies one of the old homesteads of the place in the village.

A. M. Dornis, a young farmer, is cultivating part of the Bond tract, and has corn planted on 38 acres, 50 acres ready for cotton, and will plant 3 or 4 in sorghum. He drills his sorghum cuts early and puts in small shocks so air can pass through readily, and always saves his crop.

Frank B. Bond keeps the store and postoffice and with his brother owns 1,500 acres of as fine land as can be found. Mr. Bond says the government soil survey characterizes the black loam as Victoria sandy loam, probably after the soil around Victoria, Texas; only 3 per cent of Matagorda land is so classed--several thousand acres along Wilson creek and some up in the Dovewing country. Mr. Bond went over to his home to show the writer an old U. S. Gazetteer of 1853, and on his apologizing for the appearance of his bachelor quarters, said, "It was the best he could do;" but on viewing the surroundings and the well equipped home and lovely library, we differed with him and told him we should like to be on the jury to try him. The old U. S. Gazetteer reported Matagorda in 1852 as having 176 dwellings, farms 39, 913 whites, 3 free Negroes, and 1208 slave Negroes, and the soils well adapted to rice, tobacco, corn, cotton and sugar--the sugar being a very superior quality. Town of Matagorda, population 900, and important point, with splendid harbor admitting vessels drawing 9 and 10 feet of water, and when the rafts are removed from the Colorado River, the town will become the depot of one of the most fertile sections of Texas."

There is a very neat and well ventilated school building taught by Mrs. McCelvy [McKelvy?] and the pupils are a bright and energetic bunch.

Over the creek we found one of the old homes of the county--that of Mr. and Mrs. T. J. Williams. Mr. Williams admitted to a 57 year residence on the place, and while the land shows evidence of having been thoroughly cultivated, it is not by any means worn out. It is the Victoria loam. Here is the finest peach orchard the writer has seen in all Matagorda County--about 80 well-kept and vigorous trees in full bloom and uninjured by the frost of the night before. Mr. Williams says every spring he spreads a coating of straw or hay over the ground, and the mulch conserves the moisture through the heated term, and his peaches grow to good size while other trees fruit in the hot summer. The only thing the writer noticed on this farm of near three-fourths of a century which appeared to be much worn was the cow lot. Mr. Williams had scooped the lot for manure until it was full two feet below the surface outside of the lot fence, and yet was so drained it was dry. Mr. Williams' father, T. J., Sr., was one of the first settlers in the county, fought Indians, Mexicans and U. S. soldiers, owned the land on which Palacios is built, and sold it to old man Pierce for 10c an acre. Mr. Williams said his father never cared for money, but loved hunting; remembers that when he was a small kid he would go with his father on a sled drawn by two oxen, hunting deer, which were plentiful. Accepting their invitation, the write enjoyed a good dinner, music and a delightful two hours in the hospitable home of this family. The daughter, Miss Bertha, is going to get the 12 subscribers for News-Farmer and go on the N. F. excursion to Galveston.

Master Verne Jones, a pupil of the Ashby school from west of the Trespalacios, and Alvin Bruner on the east, will also strive to make the trip, and we believe they will succeed.

L. R. Moran, a salaried man on the Pierce estate near Beadle was also added to our list. Mrs. M. is devoting time and study to the poultry business, and is bound to succeed.

W. H. Spoor a farmer and longtime resident of the Ashby community, is putting cotton, corn and cabbage. Mr. Spoor has been in bad health recently, and leaves Monday for Galveston to have an operation performed. He will be accompanied by one of his sons. Mr. Spoor said he had been hearing a good deal about the News-Farmer and wanted it.

J. W. Elliott has a good black loam farm just across the river from Bay City, and has 45 acres of it in corn, 20 in cotton and 2 in sorghum, he said, for green food.

R. W. Gibbs is a young man cultivating 20 acres each in corn and cotton, and giving especial effort to building up a poultry business.

W. M. Gardner is farming four miles west of Bay City, cultivating 1_? acres each of corn and cotton and several acres in sorghum and a garden and poultry. His married son is working in the city. Mr. Gardner has some seed of the new feterita forage plant, which if the season is favorable, will make enough seed for a good crop next year.

We found Grant Fisher away in the field preparing his land for 15 acres in watermelons and eight or ten acres in peanuts, and other truck patches. Mrs. Fisher says Mr. F. lost all he made in rice the past year, but sold $500 worth of watermelons off a small patch, and will give the melon business a full trial this year, and News-Farmer also. That's a safe combination.

Matt Elliott is another farmer who has cause to be proud of his rich land and the fine condition he has it in. His 15 acres of corn has been up to meet the sleet and frost twice, and is coming up again the third time. He has made 35 to 45 bushels on this land. He will plant 15 acres in cotton and some sorghum and potatoes.

B. J. Jones who has charge of the pump plant of the Northern Irrigation Company, says this is the third year the company has not planted rice. The land is being sold to dry farmers. Mr. Rosen, the Minneapolis man who recently bought 3500 of the acres, will colonize it with small farms.

J. A. Wilson, an aged man with two motherless children, is putting in about 25 acres in corn, cotton and sorghum, while his boy and girl go to school in Markham. He was sick in bed but expected to be up in a day or so.

A little further south we found G. M. Johnson planting corn, finishing up 25 acres. He is going to plant 120 acres in rice, and a number of acres each in sorghum and sweet potatoes. His land is in good shape notwithstanding the unfavorable weather.

Workmen were putting in a new flume on the Markham Irrigation Canal, and A. Draats, the foreman enlisted as a subscriber to the county paper. Mr. Kraatz is engineer at the pumping plant.

R. T. Sirman, next best looking man on the job, also ordered the paper to his address at Markham.

B. H. Hubbard, one of Mr. Glover's tenants was away off in the field, but Mrs. H. liked the paper and subscribed. Mr. Hubbard is cultivating 10 acres in corn and cotton.

Coming into town we called on Sam Mangum who has a farm just this side of the bridge. He has only 18 acres for cotton but on that piece of land last year he had over a bale per acre on part, and nearly a bale per acre off the balance before the flood caught it. He is planting corn and sorghum also.

Markham notes next week.

The Matagorda County News and Midcoast Farmer, March 27, 1914
 

THE POTATO CORNER OF THE COUNTY

The Famous Caney Valley Beautiful With Growing Crops of Corn, Cotton and Potatoes Around Pledger.

The fertile valley of Old Caney was spread out before the writer last Friday, as the train made its way to Pledger. It was the New-Farmer's man's first visit to Pledger, and he was most agreeably surprised at the beauty of the valley, the condition of the farms for the year's crops. More than all was he surprised at the acreage in potatoes. One to two hundred acres in Irish potatoes seems to be a common thing in that section, and the crop is looking remarkable well.

Mr. C. A. Stapleton was showing a sample plant which he had pulled from his field, which had on over a dozen small spuds, and in his pocket he carried a dozen more of the well developed young potatoes, size of marbles. It won't be long before there will be new potatoes for the market, and at the top prices--for it is always the vegetables which command the fancy prices. Mr. Stapleton has 220 acres in the spuds, 120 in corn, and about 40 in cotton. He says his crops are above the average year in prospects.

We met Mr. Ed Wadsworth, the veteran merchant who recently sold out to Hodge & Taylor, but who still makes his home in Pledger, where he has lived since 1889. He was born in Matagorda.

Mr. Hodge was busy in the store assisted by Mr. Mallory. They do a general merchandise business.

C. E. Purden, has been teaching a singing school very successfully, and so satisfactory that a box supper at the school house a few nights since to help cover expenses, was so well patronized that the proceeds amounted to $54.60. Mr. Purden will soon join Rev. J. W. McGraw in evangelistic work in the counties above here.

A. T. Helmer is one of the farmers we met in town, and he subscribed for the News-Farmer. Mr. Helmer is cultivating 40 acres in potatoes and has a fine prospect, and he has 18 acres in cotton and 120 acres in corn. This is a great corn country.

Mr. O. J. Hodge is another of the substantial farmers of the community, with a good home in the village. He grows potatoes, corn and some cotton, and takes the News-Farmer.

R. M. Meadows is cultivating this year 20 acres in potatoes, 55 in corn, and some other feed crops. His father is a subscriber of this paper at Van Vleck and now the son at Pledger.

E. C. Meadows keeps a general store, and gave the News-Farmer an order for stationery, for he believes in business methods in doing business. Mr. J. T. Thornton one of the salesmen also subscribed for the paper. Mr. Thornton is an Alabaman, and that's saying a plenty.

Mr. S. P. Allen is one of the progressive and successful farmers of that section of the county. He had some 700 acres of the finest valley red land to be found in the choicest part of Texas, and besides the part which is cultivated by tenants, he and his son Verne are doing some good farming. Mr. Allen has 100 acres in potatoes, 250 in corn and some cotton, while Verne has 40 each in potatoes and cotton. A younger son, Harvey, will get up the "Texas" Battleship excursion club of twelve subscribers for the News-Farmer so those whom we failed to see may subscribe through Harvey and help him on the trip.

The writer noticed at the depot a new portable saw-mill of the Rumley make for Paul Gleidt, who lives about 5 or 6 miles northeast of Pledger, in the timber, and it is supposed that he intends to erect the mill to saw up the timber along Caney.

Our trip to Pledger was necessarily hurried, and some time in the future it is our intention to again visit that section and call on our subscribers and others.

Arrangement is made for a report of the news of the community each week, and we will soon have that corner of the county feeling that it is a part and parcel of the News-Farmer. The writer left with a number of the farmers there packages of seed of feterita, soy beans, etc., enough to produce them seed for the next year. Feed crops is one of the important questions of this section. Forage crops with the splendid bermuda grass pastures so easily obtained will make lots of meat and put money in the pockets of the farmers.

Matagorda County News and Midcoast Farmer, April 24, 1914
 

A RUN OUT TO VAN VLECK

Interested In The Public Road Question--Our First Canal Builder--New Subscribers To News-Farmer--Some Politics

The News-Farmer man took advantage of the bright day (Wednesday) following the rain storm to run out to Van Vleck--feeling sure he would meet some of the farmers there--and he did.

M. O'Connell, farmer and contractor, who lives a few miles south, was there. He has something over 400 acres being cultivated in corn and cotton this year by tenants, and has 300 acres ready to plant in rice as soon as the ground dries out so he can get in it. Mr. O'Connell is the son of one of the county's first contractors and the builder of the first section of the Intercoastal Canal. About 1845-50 Major Shepard, an extensive planter on Caney, contracted with Mike O'Connell to dig a canal one mile long from Caney Creek to the eastern end of Matagorda Bay. At that time Caney emptied into the gulf, and freighting from Caney plantations must be by wagon to Matagorda as small craft could not weather the waters of the gulf. Mike O'Connell dug the "ditch" about ten feet wide and three or four feet deep, so barges of cotton and sugar hogsheads could be floated down through the bay to Matagorda where they were shipped direct to New Orleans, New York and Liverpool. That ditch soon became the main channel of Caney, and today forms a mile section of the Intercoastal Canal recently completed between Corpus Christi and Galveston. As Col. Goethals is the great canal builder of this generation, Mike O'Connell was the builder of perhaps the first canal in the South, if not the first in America.

Mr. O'Connell, the son, had some experience in road building and earth contracts, and he likes the road policy of the News-Farmer--good roads and more of them as against fine roads and few of them. He says the $4000 to $6000 a mile roads should be abandoned for the present and money expended in drained and graded roads so as to make the money reach all over the district.

Mr. O'Connell believes the road work could best and more cheaply be done by contract rather than day labor; the instance, he said the Ashwood road cost about 33c a yard by day labor when the bidder at 11c declined to enter into contract when the 8 hour law came in. But Mr. O'Connell said contractors no doubt would have taken the job at 16c or 17c.

Wouldn't it be well for the commissioners to let the work in smaller sections, so the smaller man, the man with two or three teams, could contract?

H. T. Ferguson is a carpenter who, in the absence of much work in that town, with his sons, is planting corn and truck on bottom lands. He expects to put in six or eight acres of sweet potatoes.

J. O. Springer, the village blacksmith, also subscribed to the News-Farmer. He is suffering again from that old stomach trouble and is going to Galveston soon to have a former operation improved. His friends hope the next may be more successful and he may again be a well man.

J. H. Rainey, a veteran merchant and farmer of 40 years' residence there, is looking forward to the good roads through that section which have been promised. He says they need not only one good road to Bay City, but good roads from all around, so the farmers can get into Van Vleck or to the Bay City road. He liked the News-Farmer and ordered it for a year.

R. H. Howland is a team-contractor on public roads, and to keep informed on road-work movements, subscribes for the county paper.

The writer met R G. Talcott, one of the fine young men engaged in the extensive improvements on the Scott farm northeast of Van Vleck. He subscribed for the paper and his invitation to visit the Scott farm will be accepted at an early date. The Scott farm is a 640-acre tract of Caney Valley land which is being made into the finest farm in the county; for instance, the finest thoroughbred cattle, 54 carloads of tiling is being used in a drainage system.

Mrs. Byrd, the genial postmistress, will receive orders for new subscriptions for the News-Farmer in the Van Vleck neighborhood. Every farmer should have this paper.

We had the pleasure of again meeting that old ex-Confederate veteran, J. J. Shockley, and enjoying the hospitality of his good wife at dinner. Mr. Shockley has retired from active farm work, but his son and son-in-law, Mr. Watson, have taken up the work, and have good crops of corn, cotton and potatoes. We left them some seeds of Sudan, feterita and soy beans, and next year they will have an abundant supply for their own planting and perhaps some to spare. Mr. Shockley, like others in that end of the county, is interested in the road proposition, and believes that shell is so expensive that its use would reduce the mileage so that the extreme parts of the district would receive very little benefit, at least not its just measure.

The writer called at the R. F. Faickney store to pay his respects to his first Van Vleck subscriber, and found that gentleman just starting out to his farm. "Crops are not so encouraging right now," he said, "too much moisture." But it won't last. Mr. Faickney is always a hustler.

Town people and farmers inquired after the political situation, and it was notable that there are but few men who much prefer one man over another. It means that as a whole, and with but little exception, it is hard for the average voter to choose between so many worthy men.

The Matagorda County News and Midcoast Farmer, May 1, 1914
 

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