Smithton Township (part 2 of 2)

" 'All taxes now due the counties of Saline and Cooper, by citizens residing in the county of Pettis, shall be collected and paid to said coun¬ ties of Saline and Cooper, in all respects, as if this act had not passed.

" 'The following shall be, and is hereby established as the perma¬ nent southern boundary of Pettis County : Beginning on the range line dividing ranges twenty-three and twenty-four, the line now divid¬ ing Lafayette and Pettis counties, at the southwest corner of township forty-four; thence due east with said township line to the eastern bound¬ ary of Pettis County.

appointed, commissioners to select and locate a site for the permanent seat of justice within and for the county of Pettis: provided, however, the said commissioners shall select and locate said site within three and a half miles of the geographical center of the said county of Pettis.

" 'The said commissioners shall meet at St. Helena, in the said county of Pettis, on the first Monday of March next, for the purpose of carrying into effect the provisions of the second section of this act; and before entering upon the duties hereby required, shall severally take an oath, as is required by the third section of an act, entitled an act to provide for organizing counties hereafter established, approved January 14, 1825; and the said commissioners, circuit and county courts, shall perform all the duties, and be governed in all cases by the pro¬ visions of the above recited act; and in case vacancies should occur, by death, resignation or otherwise, of said commissioners, the vacancy shall be filled agreeably to the provisions of the said act.

" 'The temporary seat of justice for Pettis County shall remain at St. Helena, until the permanent seat of justice is located, and a house provided suitable to hold court. December 3, 1834.' "

"Pettis : beginning at the southwest corner of Saline County ; thence east to the range line between nineteen and twenty; thence south to the line between townships forty-three and forty-four; thence north to the beginning."

The town of Georgetown was incorporated by an act of the General Assembly of Missouri January 4, 1860. The first board of councilmen was organized with the following appointed members: John H. Griffin, Wilkins Watson, Thomas E. Staples, John Hancock, Elias Bixby, B. F. Hughes, and James H. Brown, who were to hold their office till their suc¬ cessors were elected and qualified.

This town continued to grow from the time it was laid off as the county seat in 1837, up to the breaking out of the war in 1861. Three chartered seminaries existed here with good success at different times. The county seat was changed to Sedalia in 1865, and since that time Sedalia has continued to be the seat of justice of Pettis County. St. Helena remained the county seat until 1837, when Georgetown succeeded to the honor, and continued so till Sedalia took it away. Clifton Wood was the first merchant of Georgetown.

"There shall be established in Congressional township No. fortysix of range twenty-one in Pettis County, a board of trustees, whose duty it shall be to superintend all schools which are or may be estab¬ lish in said Congressional township, according to law. For the present there shall be established in said township one school district, which shall be known by the name and style of Washington School District No. one. William I. Westerfield, Oswald Kidd and Willis P. Ellis, are appointed by this court a board of trustees of said Washington School District No. one, and such other districts as may hereafter be estab¬ lished by law, to continue in office until the legal termination of their appointments."

"Congressional township forty-five of range twenty-three is incor¬ porated by the name and style of Christian School District. Thomas Brooks, Jesse Pemberton, and George W. Glass, having each contributed one dollar for school purposes in said school district, are appointed trustees of said district."

" 'At a circuit court begun and held at Pettis court house within and for the county of Pettis, on the second Wednesday of July, it being the 8th day of said month, in the year of Our Lord one thousand eight hundred thirty-three: and soon returned, having nothing to present, were discharged. James H. Birch and Henderson Young, two licensed attorneys, were enrolled as such by the clerk.

"At a Circuit Court begun and held at Ramey & Wason's Mill, the temporary seat of justice within and for the county of Pettis, in the State of Missouri, on the second Monday in November, being the eleventh day of said month, was present the Honorable John F. Ryland, Judge of the said court.

"The sheriff returned into court the following named persons as summoned by him as a venire for a grand jury, whereupon Reuben E. Gentry was sworn as foreman, and the following persons as members of said grand jury: Meshac Willis, Adam Scott, Andrew S. Bryant, Abraham McCormack, William Mosely, Samuel Miller, David McFarlam, George Gibson, William Glass, William Ragan, Michael Bird, John Birch, Oswald Kidd, Allen Tate, William M. Johnson, Jonathan Tussy, Zadoc Powell, and Jacob Hall, who, after receiving their charge from the court, retired to consider their presentments.

"The plaintiff and appellant, John Tramell, moved the court for leave to enter a non-suit in this cause, which is granted him, and there¬ upon the plaintiff is called, etc., and judgment against him for costs of suit in both courts.

The general elections were held, prior to 1869, on the first Monday in August. For the year 1838 we here append the names of the judges of election for the five townships then organized:

Soon, following 1844, the larger voting precincts were divided, and where two precincts bore the same name they were known as "No. one" and "No. two." Washington and Heath's Creek townships were soon added to the list of voting places, so by 1850 there were fourteen voting pre¬ cincts in the county. Lake Creek was added after 1859. Sedalia was organized about 1866 as a voting precinct.

Quite soon after the county was organized steps were taken to erect suitable county buildings, at the county seat - Georgetown. Prior to this date (1837), the business of the county was dispatched in an old frame building at Pin Hook.

"As soon as the court house and jail shall be erected, and the cir¬ cumstances of the county will permit, there shall also be erected one or more fire-proof buildings, at some convenient place or places, near

Blackwater Chapel, Built In 1882

Gen. Geo. R. Smith, the founder of Sedalia, and James Ramey took the contract for building a brick court house. They completed this build¬ ing at a cost of $4,000, and here justice was dispensed until 1862, when the business of the county was transacted in Sedalia.

Chapter Ix

The records of the county clerk show the following order made by the County Court on February 6, 1873. This order gave Pettis County township organization as follows:

"Whereas, The Legislature of Missouri did, at the adjourned ses¬ sion of the 26th General Assembly, 1872, pass a law, which law was approved March 18, 1872, allowing counties in said State to adopt town¬ ship organization, and further providing for the county courts to divide the counties so adopting said township organization into townships. And, whereas, the county of Pettis did, on the 5th day of November, 1872, by a majority vote, adopt township organization.

"Township No. 1, (Heath's Creek). - To include all that portion of township 48, range 20, that belongs to Pettis County, and all township 47, range 20, and bound as follows: Commencing at the northeast cor¬ ner of Pettis county, and running thence west, on county line, to the northwest corner of section 19, township 48, range 20; running thence south, on range line, to the southwest corner of section 31, township 47, range 20; running thence east, on the township line, to the southeast comer of section 36, township 47, range 20; thence north on county line to the place of beginning.

Township No. 2, (Longwood). - To include all that portion of town¬ ship 48, range 21, that belongs to Pettis County, and all of township 47, range 21, bound as follows: Commencing at the northeast corner of section 24, township 48, range 21, running thence west on county line to the northwest corner of section 19, township 48, range 21 ; running thence south on the range line to the southwest comer of section 31, township 47, range 21 ; running thence east on township line to the southeast corner of section 36, township 47, range 21 ; running thence north on range line to place of beginning.

"Township No. 3, (Houstonia). - To include all that portion of town¬ ship 48, range 22, that belongs to Pettis County, and all of township 47, range 22, bound as follows: Commencing at the northeast corner of section 24, township 48, range 22, running thence west on county line to the northwest comer of section 19, township 48, range 22; running thence south on the range line to the southwest comer of section 31, township 47, range 22; running thence east on the township line to the southeast corner of section 36, township 47, range 22; running thence north on range line to the place of beginning.

"Township No. 4, (Blackwater) . - To include all that portion of town¬ ship 48, range 23, that belongs to Pettis County, and all of township 47, range 23, bound as follows: Commencing at the northeast corner of sec¬ tion 24, township 48, range 23; running thence west on the county line to the northwest comer of Pettis County, running thence south on the county line to the southwest comer of section 31, township 47, range 23 ; running thence east on the township line to the southeast corner of sec¬ tion 36, township 47, range 23; running thence north on range line to place of beginning.

"Township No. 5, (LaMonte). - To include all of township 46, range 23, bound as follows: Commencing at northeast corner of said township 46, range 23; running thence west on township line to the northwest corner of same township and range, running thence south on county line to the southwest corner of same township, running thence east on the township line, to the southeast corner of same township; thence north on range line to the place of beginning.

"Township No. 6, (Dresden). - To include all of township 46, range 22, running thence west on township line to the northwest corner of same township; thence running south on range line to the southwest comer of same township; running thence east on the township; run- ning thence east on the township line to the southeast corner of same township; running thence north on range line to the place of beginning.

"Township No. 7, (Cedar). - To include all of township 46, range 21, except the six sections on the south side of said township, bound as follows: Commencing at the northeast corner of said township 46, range 21; running thence west on township line to the northwest corner of said township ; running thence south on the range line to the southwest corner of section 30, same township; running thence east on the section line to the southeast corner of section 25, same township; running thence north on the range line to the place of beginning.

"Township No. 8, (Bowling Green). - To include all of the congres¬ sional township 46, range 20, bound as follows: Commencing at the northeast corner of said township 46, range 20 ; running thence west on the township line to the northwest corner of same township; running thence south on the range line to the southwest corner of same town¬ ship; running thence east on the township line to the southeast corner of same township; running thence north on the range line to the place of beginning.

"Township No. 9, (Smithton). - To include all of congressional town¬ ship 45, range 20, bound as follows : Commencing at the northeast corner of said township 45, range 20; running thence west on the township line to the southwest corner of same township; running thence south on the range line to the southwest corner of same township; running thence east on the township line to the southeast corner of same township; running thence north on the range line to the place of beginning.

"Township No. 10, (Sedalia). - To include congressional township 45, range 21, except that portion lying south of Flat Creek; also, to include six sections off of the south side of township 46, range 21, bound as fol¬ lows: Commencing at the northeast corner of section 36, township 46, range 21 ; running thence west on the section line to the northwest corner of section 31, same township; running thence south on the range line to the southwest corner of section 19, township 45, range 21 ; running thence east on section line to the southeast corner of section 19, town¬ ship 45, range 21, Flat Creek then being the south line of said town¬ ship; from said southeast corner of section 19, township 45, range 21, running east to the range line, near the southeast corner of section 13, township 45, range 21, thence north on range line to the place of begin¬ ning.

"Township No. 11, (Prairie). - To include all of congressional town¬ ship 45, range 22, bound as follows: Commencing at the northeast corner of said township 45, range 22 ; running thence west on the town¬ ship line to the northwest corner of same township and range, running thence south on the range line to the southwest corner of same town¬ ship ; running thence east on the township line to the southeast corner of same township; running thence north on the range line to the place of beginning.

"Township No. 12, (Elk Fork). - To include all of congressional town¬ ship 45, range 23, bound as follows: Commencing at the northeast cor¬ ner of said township 45, range 23 ; running thence west on the town¬ ship line to the northwest corner of same township; thence south on the county line to the southwest corner of same township; running thence east on the township line to the southeast corner of same township; run¬ ning thence north on the range line to the place of beginning.

"Township No. 13, (Green Ridge). - To include all of congressional township 44, range 23, and all of that portion of township 43, range 23, that belongs to Pettis county, bound as follows: Commencing at the northeast corner of township 44, range 23, running thence west on the township line to the northwest corner of same township; running thence south on the county line to the southwest corner of Pettis County ; thence running east on the county line to the southeast corner of section 12, township 43, range 23; thence north on the range line to the place of beginning.

"Township No. 14, (Washington). - To include all of congressional township 44, range 22, and all of that portion of township 43, range 22, that belongs to Pettis County, bound as follows: Commencing at the northeast corner of township 44, range 22, running thence west on the township line to the northwest corner of same township; running thence south on the range line to the southwest corner of section 7, township 43, range 22; running thence east on the county line to the southeast corner of section 2, same township and range; thence north on the range line to place of beginning.

"Township No. 15, (Flat Creek). - To include all of congressional township 44, range 21, and all that portion of township 45, range 21, lying south of Flat Creek, bound as follows: Commencing at the range line near the southeast corner of section 13, township 45, range 21, run¬ ning thence west with Flat Creek to the southeast comer of section 19, township 45, range 21 ; thence west on the section line to the southwest corner of same section (19) ; running thence south on the range line to the southwest corner of section 31, township 44, range 21 ; running thence east on county line to the southeast corner of section 36, township 44, range 21 ; running thence north on the range line to the place of be¬ ginning.

"Township No. 16, (Lake Creek). - To include all of congressional township 44, range 20, bound as follows: Commencing at the northeast corner of said township 44, range 20, running thence west on the town¬ ship line to the northwest corner of same township; running thence south on the range line to the southwest corner of same township; run¬ ning thence east on the county line to the southeast corner of Pettis county; running thence north on the county line to the place of begin¬ ning."

"That the prayer of petitioners be granted to establish a new Town¬ ship to be known as Hughesville Township and to comprise the follow¬ ing territory and be within the following boundaries, viz.: "To com¬ mence at the Northwest corner Section 2, in Township 47, Range 22, and run thence South, two miles to the North West corner Section 14, in said township and range; thence West 2 Miles to the North West corner Section 16, in said township and range; thence South 1 mile to North West corner Section 21, in said township and range; thence West 1 mile to the North West corner Section 20, in said township and range; thence South 1 mile to the North West corner Section 29, in said township and range; thence West 1 mile to the North West corner Section 30, in said township and range; thence South 2 miles to the South West corner Section 31, in said township and range; thence East along the township line between townships 46 and 47, 9 miles to the South East corner Sec¬ tion 33, in Township 37, Range 21 ; thence North 4 miles to the North East corner Section 16, in said township and range; thence West 1 mile to the North East corner Section 17, in said township and range; thence North 2 miles to the North East corner Section 5 in said township and range; thence West along the township line between townships 47 and 48, Four miles to the place of beginning.

On April 9, 1873, the County Court made an order providing for the division of the county into four judicial districts. Each district elected one judge and one judge was elected at large, or from the whole county :

"Whereas, the General Assembly of the State of Missouri did pass an act (which act was approved March 24, 1873), entitled an act 'To more fully provide for the organization of counties into municipal town¬ ships, and to further provide for the local government thereof, and repealing all former acts relating thereto.' And, whereas, article 17 of said act provides that the county court of each county having adopted the township organization law of this State, at their first meeting after the passage of this act, shall proceed to district their respective counties into four compact districts for judicial purposes. It is, therefore, ordered by the court, that Pettis County be divided into four (4) districts, as follows: Township Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 4 shall constitute district No. 1, or Heath's Creek district ; townships Nos. 5, 6, 11, 12, 13 and 14 shall con¬ stitute District No. 2, or Washington District; townships Nos, 8, 9, 15 and 16 shall constitute District No. 3, or Bowling Green District; town¬ ships Nos. 7 and 10 shall constitute District No. 4, or Mt. Sterling Dis¬ trict."

"Ordered by the court, that the municipal townships in Pettis County, remain as they now exist, also that the road districts that have been established by the township boards, remain as so established, and that,

"Township No. 1, be named and known as Heath's Creek township; that township No. 2, be named and known as Longwood township; that township No. 3, be named and known as Houstonia township; that town¬ ship No. 4, be named and known as Blackwater township; that township No. 5, be named and known as LaMont township; that township No. 6, be named and known as Dresden township ; that township No. 7, be named and known as Cedar township ; that township No. 8, be named and known as Bowling Green township; that township No. 9, be named and known as Smithton township; that township No. 10 be named and known as Sedalia township; that township No. 11, be named and known as Prai¬ rie township; that township No. 12, be named and known as Elk Fork township; that township No. 13, be named and known as Green Ridge township; that township No. 14, be named and known as Washington township; that township No. 15, be named and known as Flat Creek township; that township No. 16, be known as Lake Creek township."

Chapter Climate

The climate of Pettis County is about the average for Missouri and is highly favorable to the production of a wide variety of crops. Climate is continental in type with a wide range of seasonable variations. The table following, giving the normal monthly, seasonal and annual tempera¬ ture and precipitation, is compiled from the Weather Bureau station at Marshall, Saline County, Missouri, and is representative of the climatic conditions of this county.

The mean annual temperature is reported at 53.4°, which is a few degrees above the mean for the northern part of the State. By compar¬ ing the absolute maximum and the absolute minimum a wide range in temperature is indicated, but these extremes are seldom reached and periods of extremely high or low temperature usually are of short dura¬ tion. The falls are characterized by long periods of pleasant weather, and pastures can be used until December. Cold weather is rare before January and zero weather is unusual.

The average date of the last killing frost in the spring is April 19 and of the earliest in the fall, October 11. This gives an average growing season of 175 days. The latest date of killing frost in the spring recorded is May 9 and the earliest in the fall, September 13.

From the table it is seen that the annual rainfall averages 38.05 inches and that 23.85 inches is reported for the driest year, which is considerably more than half of the normal precipitation. Of equal im¬ portance in agriculture to the total rainfall is its seasonal distribution, and in this respect Pettis County is favored, since about one-half of the total rainfall occurs in May, June, July, and August and nearly sixty-six per cent, from April to September, inclusive. May is the month with the heaviest rainfall, averaging about 5.01 inches. The months of June and July average 4.5 inches. The average monthly rainfall during the winter is less than 2 inches, most of the rain occuring just prior to and during the period of maximum plant growth. Occasionally periods of drought occur in late summer and early fall. (The years 1901 and 1918 were genuine drought years in Pettis County.) Taking climatic condi¬ tions as a whole, they are as favorable to agriculture as they are in most humid regions.

Its Work

FORM OF - CROPS GROWN - ROTATION - AVERAGE YIELD - SMALL GRAIN - PAS¬ TURE - MEADOWS - GRASSES - TRUCKING - FRUIT - LIVE STOCK - DAIRYING NOT EXTENSIVE - FERTILIZER NOT GENERALLY USED - DRAINAGE - ACRE¬ AGE CULTIVATED - 1963 FARMS - PER CENT OPERATED BY OWNERS - TOTAL VALUE FARM PROPERTY - LAND VALUES - CHARACTER OF IMPROVEMENTS. - STOCK RAISING - FEEDING - DAIRYING - FARM BUREAU - ESTABLISHMENT - ITS WORK.

Owing to its favorable soil, climate, and topography, the interests of Pettis County are predominantly agricultural. General farming, con¬ sisting of combined grain and stock farming, is the prevailing type of agriculture.

This form of agriculture has been practiced since the original settle¬ ment of the county. The prairie lands furnished abundant pasture, and stock raising soon became an important industry. Corn and wheat were the principal cultivated crops, and were grown in sufficient quantity to supply the home demand. From the time of the construction of the Mis¬ souri Pacific railway in 1861 and of the Missouri, Kansas & Texas rail¬ way in 1866 agricultural development made rapid progress. Owing to the absence of large forested or rocky areas, the land was completely and quickly occupied. At present practically all the tillable land is under culti¬ vation. A few small areas of rough and stony land in the northeastern and southwestern parts of the county remain forested. The cultivation of these areas is impracticable, and their best use is to supply timber for wood and fuel. There are several thousand acres of virgin prairie in the southern part of the county. This land is used for the production of prairie hay.

Of the cultivated crops, corn is by far the most important, both in acreage and in value. About 120,000 acres, or over one-fourth of the total area of the county, is devoted to this crop, with an annual produc¬ tion of more than 4,000,000 bushels. The corn is grown mainly on the Summit and Oswego soils, which are recognized as the corn lands of the county. The red limestone soils, where well supplied with organic matter, are equal to the best Summit soil for the production of corn. Practically all the bottom lands are devoted to this crop and large yields are obtained. Practically all the corn crop is used locally for the feeding of cattle, much of it in the form of ensilage.

In the rotation most commonly practiced corn follows clover or some other hay or pasture crop. On bottom soils and on the better upland soils the crop is grown in succession for two or three years. In growing corn usually a check-row planter is used, and the first and second culti¬ vations generally consist of harrowing the ground. Commercial ferti¬ lizers are rarely used, but all the manure available generally is applied to the corn land. Most of the corn crop is either husked or snapped in the field and the stalks used for early winter grazing. In seasons in which hay is scarce a large acreage is cut and shocked. The practice of planting cowpeas or soy beans in the corn is becoming popular. The legumes are sometimes used as a green manure, but more frequently they are pastured or put into the silo with the corn.

Wheat is an important crop in every part of the county, although the black prairie and red limestone soils are recognized as the best wheat land. Approximately 27,000 acres were grown in 1914, with an average yield of about twenty bushels per acre. In general, yields range from twelve to twenty-two bushels, although yields of thirty-five bushels per acre are common. The crop occasionally is injured by the Hessian fly and the chinch bug.

Where wheat follows corn the seed bed is prepared by disking and harrowing. The crop usually is seeded between the middle of Septem¬ ber and the middle of October. Clover is often sowed on wheat land in the spring and is sometimes plowed under with the stubble the following fall. It is more commonly allowed to stand a year or two for hay, in such cases timothy usually being seeded with it. The use of commercial ferti¬ lizers with wheat is growing in favor, especially in the southern part of the county. Bone meal and a complete fertilizer containing two to four per cent, nitrogen, eight to twelve per cent available phosphoric acid, and two to four per cent potash, applied at the rate of 100 to 150 pounds per acre, give good results. The effect of fertilizers is seen also on the clover or grass following the wheat.

The oat crop is relatively unimportant, although many farmers grow a few acres of oats to supply feed for the work horses. In 1914 a total of 10,282 acres was devoted to oats. The 1910 census reports a pro¬ duction of 507,427 bushels from a total of 19,165 acres. In favorable seasons yields of thirty-five to fifty bushels per acre are obtained, but occasionally the crop is a total failure. The rust-resistant varieties give best results.

The acreage in rye has gradually increased during the last few years. The crop is used primarily for green manuring and winter pas¬ turage. In the spring it is plowed under and the land used for corn.

Kafir, milo, and millet are grown, although not extensively. Their acreage is largest in dry years. On account of their drought-resisting properties, these crops can be sowed late in the summer, and generally produce large quantities of coarse forage. Sorghum is grown and used for making sirup to supply the local demand. A few of the farmers have small fields of rape for hog pasture. On account of the good pastures and the large acreage of corn, there is little need of growing forage crops extensively, but it is considered profitable to have a few acres of some green crop on each farm to supplement the pasture during late summer and in seasons of drought.

A large part of the agricultural land of Pettis County is in sod, and in general the soils, on account of the clay subsoils, are well suited to grass. All the common tame grasses are grown successfully. Approxi¬ mately 18,000 acres are devoted to timothy. The yield averages one and a half tons per acre. The larger yields are obtained on the Summit soils, where the crop is most extensively grown. Timothy is sown on the wheat land in the late fall. Some difficulty in securing a stand is had owing to late summer droughts. A very small part of the crop is cut with a binder and thrashed for seed. Timothy and clover mixed are grown extensively.

The pastures consist of bluegrass almost exclusively, and the luxu¬ riance and permanence of this valuable grass on the soils of the county is the main factor in the important live-stock industry found here. In general, the soils of the northern part of the county are better suited to bluegrass than those of the southern part. Little difficulty is had in getting a stand and when once the grass is started it is practically permanent. On the prairie soils, however, there are few permanent pas¬ tures. Land that is run down is usually seeded with grass and clover, used for pasture for a few years, and then cultivated again to corn and wheat.

Orchard grass does well on the gravelly and open subsoil lands of the Eldon and Baxter soils. It is hardy and withstands the summer heat better than bluegrass. In the southeastern part of the county there remain about 4,000 acres in wild prairie grass. The yield of hay ranges from one ton to two tons per acre.

In the aggregate about 3,000 acres are devoted to clover in Pettis County. This legume will grow on most of the types, but does best on the black prairie and limestone soils. The latter are natural clover soiis, and little difficulty is had in obtaining a stand. The level prairies are not so well suited to the crop. In general, clover is sown in the spring on the wheat. Sweet clover grows along roadsides and in unoccupied fields in most parts of the county. It makes a vigorous growth on soils rich in lime. No effort is made to utilize this plant.

Alfalfa is not an important crop in Pettis County. However, ex¬ periments during the last two years in various parts of the county have given promising results, particularly on the better soils. The Summit, Crawford, and Pettis silt loams seem best suited to the crop. The welldrained bottom land, especially of the Huntington type, makes good alfalfa land. On account of the heavy clay subsoil and the low lime con¬ tent, the Oswego and Eldon silt loams are less desirable for this crop. In order to get a stand on average or thin lands, much care is necessary.

The best results with alfalfa are usually obtained by sowing the seed about the first of September at the rate of about twenty pounds per acre. The crop is usually cut just as the new shoots are making their appearance at the crown of the plant. Three or four cuttings of about one ton each per acre are made each year. Like clover, alfalfa is a nitrogen gatherer, and its growth is highly beneficial to the soil.

The difficulty of getting a stand of clover on some of the thinner soils has made the growing of cowpeas and soy beans important. The soy bean has proved especially valuable, and in some parts of the county it is grown on almost every farm. In many places this crop is displacing cowpeas, because it is hardier and more easily handled.

the corn in the hill or drill, or drilled in between the rows at the last cultivation. Many farmers plant cowpeas on wheat land after the grain is harvested. Preparation of the seed bed consists of disking and har¬ rowing the ground two or three times. A large quantity of nutritious hay is obtained, or the green crop can be used with corn for filling silos.

Except in the immediate vicinity of Sedalia the trucking industry has not yet been developed in Pettis County on a commercial scale, al¬ though every farm has a home garden in which vegetables and small fruits are grown for the use of the family. The red limestone soils are best adapted to truck crops. They are warm, well drained, and easily handled. The growing of fruit does not receive much attention in Pet¬ tis County. The orchards are small. Apples and peaches are practically the only fruit grown. Little or no attention is paid to pruning, spraying, and cultivating. The soils of the Crawford and Baxter series are admir¬ ably adapted to fruit growing, many desirable slopes affording good orchard sites.

Pettis County ranks as one of the most impoi'tant live-stock regions in the State. As a source of income the live-stock industry holds first place. The numbers of live stock shipped out of the county in 1912, accord¬ ing to the Missouri Red Book, are: Cattle, 15,044; hogs, 25,872; horses and mules, 1,708; sheep, 4,704; jacks and stallions, 48.

In addition to the large number of cattle raised in the county, many carloads of "feeders" are brought in from Kansas City and the Ozark region and fattened for market. Feeding is carried on most extensively in the northwestern part of the county, where many farmers make a specialty of it. The breeds of beef cattle most favored are the Hereford, Shorthorn, and Angus.

The cattle-feeding industry has declined somewhat in recent years on account of the high prices of grain and of feeder cattle, and because cattle feeding is not now so profitable as other branches of agriculture.

Hog raising is carried on in conjunction with cattle raising, although this industry also has declined in recent years, largely because of the high prices of corn. On some farms the raising and feeding of hogs is made more or less a specialty. Large numbers of purebred hogs of various breeds are kept in the county, although crossbred animals also are numerous.

animals of excellent breeding in the county. On the larger farms mules are used as work stock in preference to horses, and the raising of mules is an important industry.

Dairying is carried on in an incidental way on many of the farms near shipping points. Conditions are favorable to the development of this industry, and near Sedalia several farmers make a specialty of dairying to supply the local demand. According to the 1910 census there are more than 9,000 dairy cattle in the county.

The use of commercial fertilizer is receiving increasing attention in Pettis County. The 1910 census reports an expenditure of $5,479 for fertilizers. In general, commercial fertilizers give best results on the poorer soils. It is doubtful if they would prove profitable on the better land in the county under the present extensive system of farming.

A number of tests made during the progress of the soil survey indi¬ cate that in many areas in Pettis County the soil is deficient in lime. This condition is most pronounced in the Oswego and Eldon soils and on the gray bottom soils. Even the red soils derived from limestone are deficient in lime in places, owing to the leaching out of this constituent. Soil acidity is usually indicated by the growth of certain weeds, such as sheep sorrel, redtop, and sour dock, and by the fact that clover can not be grown. This deficiency can be corrected by the use of burned lime or ground limestone. The latter in most cases is preferable, because it is less expensive. Applications of about one and a half to two tons per acre every four to six years give good results. The thick beds of Burlington limestone found in the county are well adapted to the manufacture of high-grade ground limestone.

Except in rolling areas of the Crawford soils, erosion is not a very serious factor in Pettis County. However, on all the slopes there is some loss through surface wash, as indicated by the clay points in several parts of the county. To check erosion it is necessary to get the soil in such a condition that it will absorb and retain large quantities of rain water, so that rapid run-off will not take place. This can be accomplished by incorporating organic matter and by deep plowing. The soil on the steeper slopes can be protected during the winter with a crop of rye or wheat, or such areas may be used for permanent pasture.

View Of Railway Station, Lamonte, Mo Threshing Scene, Near Lamonte, Mo

three per cent, of the land area, is in farms. Of the land in farms, 356,639 acres, or 87.5 per cent., is classed as improved. The total number of farms in the county is reported as 2,869, with an average of 142 acres per farm.

Of all the farms 1,963, or 68.4 per cent., are operated by the owners, and 864, or 30.1 per cent., by tenants. The average value of all property per farm in 1910 was $10,979, 71.1 per cent, of which is represented by land, 13.2 per cent, by buildings, 2.1 per cent, by implements, and 13.7 per cent by domestic animals. The total value of farm property in 1910 was $31,498,615 and in 1900 $14,872,232, showing an increase of 111.8 per cent, within a decade. In total value of farm property Pettis County ranks fifteenth among the counties of the State.

In general, the type of farming now established and the methods in common use seem well suited to the soils and general conditions in the county. Occasionally slight changes in the agricultural practices are made to conform to changing economic conditions.

Where grain growing is more profitable than stock raising the grass lands are broken up and cultivated. Grain and stock raising combined permit economical utilization of farm labor, and farm products and tends to maintain a good state of productiveness of the soil. Farmers through¬ out the county are prosperous, there is little or no land for sale. No county in Missouri has a better balanced agriculture than Pettis. The necessity of food to win the war has spurred the farmer on, as has the $2 wheat, until in 1918, estimates place the acreage of wheat at one-fourth more than ever planted per annum before in the county. Land in many parts of the county was not heretofore considered adaptable to wheat raising; but the farmer has learned the use of commercial fertilizer and when properly applied to the land, most fields produce wheat in paying quantities.

Pettis County ranks with any in the world in the production of live stock, because the limestone soil is particularly adapted to this industry, and by its fruits it is known to the most prominent stockmen in the country. The soil is the best for the tame and cultivated grass which is used for grazing, and then the great quantities of corn are grown for fattening preparatory for the markets.

It is a well established fact among stockmen that the best method for fattening cattle and hogs is to feed them together on the same pas¬ ture, so that the hogs can get the advantage of the waste; consequently this is in most instances regarded as a secondary consideration. But this, however, is not characteristic of this county, for something like 50,000 hogs were shipped from here in one year against half that number of cattle, which is a remarkable record. And in this same connection, 5,906, 266 hides and pelts were exported during the same year.

Many of the stockmen buy their feeders on the Kansas City mar¬ ket, and after fattening ship them to St. Louis, Kansas City and even Chicago. These include all breeds, and there are some Texas cattle, which have been revolutionized from the long-horn variety to the choicest herds and can scarcely be distinguished from any others, so perfect are they in every respect.

This county has many large feeders who have devoted many years to this industry and have every equipment and convenience to facilitate in the work, and which is productive of the best results. Many of them are partial to the silo, and in fact every one of them is an adept to the method and has at least one on the farm, but in most instances this does not supply the needs.

There is scarcely a community in the county that does not have extensive feeders, and this is especially true of LaMonte, Smithton, Green Ridge, Houstonia, Hughesville and Longwood.

Pettis county is the most progressive in the matter of producing pure¬ bred stock as well as in everything else, and it has some of the most famous in the country. The farmers know the value and the attainments of the best results in introducing the use of them. This county is the best adapted to this endeavor in many ways, and its reputation as a center for such is well established. It has every facility for shipping and it is the most propitious for exhibition purposes, being within the very eaves of the seat of the Missouri State Fair grounds, the American Royal Stock show, which is held in Kansas City and it is easily accessible to the Chicago shows, and it has some men who are renowned the world over for their stock. And with the increase in the introduction of the finest breeds, it will be only a matter of a few years until the adjacent pastures will be stocked with nothing but the purest breeds.

There are many herds of Aberdeen-Angus cattle in this community, which are increasing steadily. This is a hardy stock which had its origin in the Highlands of Scotland, and it is provided with long black hair. They thrive in this county and make good beef cattle, for the meat is of a fine grain and is a good flavor.

quality of stock, and practically every farmer is exerting his every effort to this end and the Chamber of Commerce is contemplating a plan by which it proposes to buy a herd of Holstein cattle and let the farmers have the use of it by taking a number of cows and pay five per cent, of their value for breeding purposes, and at the end of five years the increase will be sold at auction and the proceeds divided between the producer and the organization.

Pettis County Bureau of Agriculture. - This organization was formed in July, 1912. Funds were raised by private contribution and from the County Court, for the employment of what was then called a "Farm Adviser." Mr. Sam Jordan, known over Missouri as the "Corn Man," accepted the position and became the first Farm Adviser in Missouri, and one of the first north of the Mason and Dixon Line. The work was carried on independently for about a year, then the University and the United States Department of Agriculture co-operated in the expense.

The work was a success from the very beginning and drew to it the best farmers in the county. However there was a reactionary element who thought that the county was spending entirely too much money for this "County Hired Man" and when the three years' contract was nearing a close, they circulated a petition against its renewal. Following this those in favor of the work also circulated a petition. The former petition when presented to the court carried about 450 names, the latter 1,640. It is needless to say that the work was continued. Mr. Jordan was re-employed at an increase in salary. He resigned shortly after¬ ward to take up work with the State Board of Agriculture.

The bureau, since 1916, has organized a co-operative milk depot and creamery for the purpose of supplying Sedalia with sanitary milk and also to furnish the farmers of the county a market for their milk and cream. This co-operative company is capitalized for $35,000.

The Boy's and Girl's Club work, organized in 1917, is successful to such an extent that another hundred calves were put out during the first half of the year 1918.

the youth practical principles relative to the agricultural needs of the community. In the spring of this year, owing to the poor quality of seed corn, the bureau made the high schools of the county testing sta¬ tions and the students tested the seed for the farmers in a very thorough manner, making a charge of thirty cents per bushel for testing. The proceeds thus gathered were turned over to the Red Cross.

Instructions were given to the rural schools and these schools tested five hundred bushels of seed corn. Two thousand bushels were tested at the court house and two thousand bushels in the high schools. As a result of this precaution the farmers had a better stand of corn than at any previous planting for many years.

Chapter Xii Statistical

We are indebted to the Red Book of 1917, prepared by the Bureau of Labor Statistics for the following table showing surplus products of Pettis County during year 1915. The table is based on returns made by railroad and express agents and by steamboat and landing keepers and was prepared by Deputy Commissioner John L. Bradley:

After the Civil War we heard a great deal about "war prices." The following list of war-time prices during the World's War may be of interest in after years: United States Food Administration, Adminis¬ trator's Weekly Report on Fair Prices in Sedalia week ending November 23, 1918. J. A. Lamy, Administrator.