Rural Scenes: The AGE Cyclist in Road and Field

(SOURCE: Clinton Morning Age, Aug. 28, 1895)

West of the City -- Several Model Farms -- Trees Blown Down -- Pastures Good.

Starting from the AGE office Monday morning the AGE's cyclist soon found himself wheeling down Camanche avenue until a fence barred his farther progress, when, turning to the left and then to the right he was on the road running parallel with the C. & N-W tracks.  Here, wheeling for about a half a mile, was impossible on account of the sandy road, but soon, a hard road bed was reached.  A half mile of this and there is more sand and another case of "walk" until Mill creek bridge was approached.  Her the road, as well as the bridge, had just been put in shape and wheeling was good until the first turn leading west, after crossing the bridge.  Walking was no better than wheeling and after shoving the bike a quarter of a mile through the sand, a fairly good native road was again found; then on to the bluffs and down the road that winds about them until the home of W. H. DUNN was seen, just this side of which a new bridge has been built.  Mr. Dunn has 270 acres. He says that early corn was not hurt by the drought and that he has a splendid potato patch.

A short distance beyond, on the left, is an old stone fence which reminds one of the revoluntionary days, when our forefathers, known as minute men, from the fact that they were ready to go to the front any minute, laid in wait behine the stone fence and other places of concealment and gave the redcoats a warm reception, so warm in fact, that they were put to rout.  Off in the fields a pond of water is seen, a result of the recent rain, which adds variety to the landscape.  By this time the 270 acre farm of W. J. Dunn is reached.  Mr. Dunn says that the rain came about two weeks too late to help late corn but that it helped the pastures very much, although his corn is as nice as he ever raised.  He does a great deal of trading at Nottingham's cash grocery.

John M. Lund's farm now attracts attention.  He has 25 acres of his own and rents 117. He says he had no hay; that his owats did not turn out very well and that he does not figure on a very large corn crop.

A little farther on is the 80 acre farm on which Chas. Malory makes his home.  He says the rains have helped the pastures in particular.  His corn is very good.  On the right hand side of the road, beyond, is the "little brown school house," where soon the patter of little feet will once more be heard as the children again gather to study the three Rs.

Just across the bridge at the foot of the hill, is found S. Tallman, who works 150 acres.  Mr. Tallman put an addition on his hay barn, but he says he has no hay to put in it.  Mr. Tallman's house is situated back from the road about 100 yards and is approached through a very pretty little grove of evergreens.

A short distance beyond is found Wm. Dunn on his 200 acre farm.  He says that the dry weather hurt the corn, although he had one place that is pretty fair and another which is not.  From four acres he got 150 bushels of oats.

Next is found the 80 acre farm of Wm. Cole.  He says the crops are not very good.  The rain was too late for the corn.  Mr. Col's oats averaged 17 bushels to the acre, which is considered a very small yield.

Now A. J. Nichols' farm is reached.  He says he never raised such a poor crop as this year's.  His oats only amounted to 17 bushels to the acre, and his corn is not very good, as the rain was too late to help it.

The 160 acres of W. L. Dannatt next attracts attention.  He says he will have an average crop.  Mr. Dannatt has a very pretty place with is house back just far enought to have a nice lawn in front while on the west is the windmill, barns, etc., and back of the house the fileds of waving grain.

On the south-east corner at the cross roads is another brown school house, which is already occupied by pupils who have started to school again.  Miss Julia Buell, of DeWitt, reigns supreme here.

About the middle of the fornoon T. Beckwith's 180 acres were reached.  He says his crops were very light.  A nice croquet ground helps to make the place attractive.

Henry Peterson, an enterprising young man of about three and twenty, who attended the Clinton Business College last winter and the winter before, is found on a 320 acre farm of his own.  He has put many improvements on the place since he bought it last spring, in the shape of a windmill, grainery, corn crib and a machine shop for repairing his own implements.

At 12 o'clock the "White House" of Low Moor, not of Washington, D. C., was reached, where dinner was served.  Mr. White, the proprietor, knows what to give his guests to satisfy their hunger, and from the looks of those who sat at his hospitable board, nothing was lacking.  Mr. White was not feeling quite so well as he did a day or so ago, but it is to be hoped he will be better soon.

Strinking the road just north of Low Moor and turning to the left will beound the 320 acre farm of Walter Dannatt.  His home is situated back from the road.  To the west is a large hay barn, while back of the house are the stables, etc.  Take it all around, and Mr. Dannatt's home will equal any found.  He does considerable trading with Stuedeman & Smith.

A country cemetery is next seen, in front of which is the home of George Cousins.  He cultivates 160 acres.  His corn he says is pertty good but his oats are a little short having yielded but 20 bushels to the acre.

Adjoining this farm will be found John Mulholland on his 200 acre farm.  He says his oats were not very good and that the rain was too late to help corn although it was just the thing for the pasture.  Like many others he trades with Hayes & Murphy.

Back in the field on the left is the residence of H. Hawk.  He says he had no hay but his corn is pretty good and he has 100 hogs in which to deposit a good share of it.

Coming back just east of the road that runs north from Low Moor, is John H. Petersen, who cultivates 160 acres.  He says his crops are poor all around, no hay and middling fair corn, although it is better than last year.  Mr. Petersen lost a number of valuable trees by the wind last Saturday.

The school house in district No. 6 was presided over last term by Miss Anna Nelson who is also to take charge of the school during the fall term.

The home of S. M. Collins is now reached.  Mr. Collins has 240 acres.  He also lost a number of valuable trees by the storm.  He has 10 cows and 7 horses.

J. Canty's home is next.  He says his crops are not anything extra but better than last year.  He has not threshed his oats yet and his hay did not amount to anything.

John Howson's 120 acres now appears.  He says his corn will average 30 or 35 bushels to the acre.  From 15 acres he got one a one half ton of hay.

George Howson, John's brother, lives just across the road.  He says he never saw better prospects for corn that there was this spring, but not having the rain at the right time, the corn did not do as well as it first promised.  George was shocking his corn.  The act itself was not shocking as it simply consisted of cutting the stalks and stalking them together.