942 IOWA DEPARTMENT OP AGRICULTURE 



Drainage — Much tiling being done. Larger tile being used than for- 

 merly. 



Lands — Very little for sale. Prices out of sight. 



Report of Fair — Held August 19-22 and was a success in every way. 

 Good weather and the best attendance in the history of the fair. 



O'BRIEN. 



GEORGE GARDNER, SHELDON, SEPTEMBER 10, 1912. 



General Condition of Crops and Season — Crops were slow in getting 

 started on account of continued cold weather in the spring, but later 

 the conditions were favorable and nearly everything caught up and was 

 ready for harvest at the usual time. Better crops were never grown 

 in O'Brien county. 



Corn — ^At this time there is every indication that there will be a 

 bumper crop of corn. The stand is unusually good, the ears are large 

 and well filled, and an early frost is the only thing that can prevent a 

 "bumper crop." 



Oats — A heavy stand of straw, well filled heads, and weight consid- 

 erably in excess of machine measure and estimate. 



Wheat — ^Largest acreage for many years and good yield. 



Rye — Comparatively little grown but that was good. 



Barley — Large acreage and good yield. Many fields were colored on 

 account of rain before stacking. 



Flax — ^Very little sown but yield was fair. 



Buckwheat — None grown here for market. 



Millet — ^Very little sown. 



Sorghum — None produced hereabouts. 



Timothy — A very fine crop. 



Clover — An unusually heavy crop and considerable saved. 



Prairie Hay — Very scarce in this county but what we had was heavy 

 and fine quality. 



Other G^-ains and Grasses — Some farmers are experimenting with 

 alfalfa and most of them are of the opinion that it can be grown here 

 profitably. 



Potatoes — An average yield of late potatoes but early varieties were 

 below the average. There will be some potatoes here for market. 



Vegetables — Unusually good this season. 



Apples — Very scarce this season. 



Other Fruits — Plums plentiful. Cherries and small garden fruit very 

 good. 



Cattle — Looking fine. This section of the country has many fine herds 

 of the best blooded stock to be found anywhere. The farmers are inter- 

 ested in improving their herds and the prospects are bright for this 

 developing into one of the best stock sections of Iowa. 



Horses — Farm horses are of superior quality; high grade draft breeds. 

 There are also a few standard bred horses. 



Swine — Numerous. High prices of recent years have induced the 

 farmers to go into the hog business on a large scale and has made it 



