FIFTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART X. 785 



TAYLOR. 



/. /. Laws, Bedford, Iowa, September 20, 1904. 



Taking everything into consideration the crop prospect is the worst in 

 years, owing to the excessive rainfall in the month of April, which amounted 

 to more than six inches in this district. Farmers were unable to get their 

 seeding done, and the rains continued through the month of May and the 

 succeeding months. 



Corn— V^'iW make about half a crop providing killing frosts do not come 

 for two or three weeks. A great deal of corn was planted as late as the 

 middle of June. 



(9a/5— Yielded on an average about fifteen bushels per acre. 



Wheat— Yery little raised in this county. Winter wheat yielded a small 

 crop, and there was no spring wheat sown that I learned of. 



Rye — Small acreage sown, but yielded a fair crop where it could be har- 

 vested. 



Barley— '^one sown. 



Flax—l^one raised. 



Buckiuheat-N Qvy little sown . 



Millet— Vqxj little sown and what was yielded a very poor crop, owing to 

 the excessive rainfall. 



Sorghum — None raised. 



Timothy— ThQxe is a large acreage of timothy in this district and the crop 

 the past season was very good. A great deal was cut for seed and yielded 

 from five to seven bushels per acre. 



Clover — Yielded a good crop, but owing to the heavy rains during the 

 time of harvesting it was not saved in the best condition. 



Prairie hay — Small acreage, but yielded a good crop. 



Potatoes — Acreage planted was not as large as usual, but they yielded a 

 fair crop and were of good quality. 



Vegetables — Were excellent. 



Apples — An unusually large crop and were excellent in quality. 



Other fruits— Cherries, raspberries, strawberries, blackberries and plums 

 yielded a fair crop. 



Cattle — Assessors' report shows thirty-five thousand head in this county 

 They have done well the past season and no disease is reported. 



Horses — Are in good condition, and bringing good prices. Twelve 

 thousand assessed in county. 



Swine — Have done well, and are free from disease. 



Sheep — Assessors' books show about seven thousand in county. They 

 have done well the past season. 



Poultry — Is raised extensively in this county, and have commanded high 

 prices the past season. 



Bees — Did well, and honey is abundant. 



Drainage — Has been generally neglected by the farmers in this county, 

 and a great deal of land during a wet season is untillable. 



Za«^5— Prices range the same as last year. 



Report of fair— Uem at Bedford, September 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th. 

 Favorable weather prevailed throughout the days of the fair, and the attend- 

 ance was very good, considering that a great many of the farmers were en- 

 gaged in harvest. Exhibits in every department were large and of excellent 

 quality, and all purses and premiums were paid in full. 

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