Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1875-07-31
CHEBOYGAN COUNTY as Il
FARMING REGION.

Whether or not the large tracts of fine
land with which Cheboygan is surrouded
will soon be transformed into beautiful
and profitable farms is question of much
importance to the town, as well as to the
whole northern portion of the State.
The idea is very prevalent in the south
ern portion of this, as well as in adjoin-
ing States, that this portion of the state
is too cold for successful and profit
able farming. Before the country will
be settled and improved by enterprising
farmers this idea must be removed. Let
us look at the matter. What consti-
tutes a good farming region? First,
there must be good soil for farming pur-
poses. This Cheboygan County pos
sesses to degree excelled by few coun-
ties of the State. The soil varies i'm diff
ferent localities, but is principally clay
and sandy loan; the principal timber be-
ing beech, maple, hemlock, pine, cedar
and birch, the best farming lands being
wooded with beech and maple, with
scattering pine. Land thus timbered is
conceded by all to be generally first-class
land for farming purposes. Of course
there are small portions of the county
which are covered with dense growth
Of pine, and some sandy pine plains,
which areof very little value for farming
purposes, but these sections form very
small portion Of the acreage of the coun-
ty. The next most important adjunct
to successful farming is a good and con-
venient market. In this respect there is
no portion of the State more favored
than this. Cheboygan has all the natu-
raj facilities for, and must of necessity
become one of the best markets in the
State for all kinds of farmers produce.
The home consumption is already far in
excess of the home production, and if the
growth Of the town keeps pace with the
settlement of the country, and there is
no reason why it should not, there will
always be large home demand. When
this is filed, the shipping facilities
are superior to any inland town liz the
state. Produce of all kinds can be put
upon foreign market cheaper than from
a place one-quarter the distance by rail.
Thus superior market will always be
at hand.
Then to secure profitable farming the
soil and climate must be such that a va
sriety of crops can be raised. Of course
the climate here is not adapted to the
raising of all the products which can be
raised further south. Every section of
the country is peculiarly adapted to the
raising of certain crops. When farmers
go outside of these they diminish their
profits. Here the climate and soil are
well suited to raising wheat. The heavy
SHOWS prevent the wheat from being win
ter killed, and in the spring, when the
snow goes off, the ground not being
frozen hard, on account of the covering
of snow, the wheat is in a good condi-
ton to grow. Oats is another profitable
crop, also barley; and as to potatoes,
they cannot be excelled in any portion
IF the country, either in the quantity
raised per acre, or in the quality of the
tuber. Last, but not least, is the hay
crop. In the raising of hay the
country is peculiarly adapted. The
soil and climate both seem to favor it, so
that in quantity and quality there are few
sections of the country that equals this.
Srass never winter kills here. There are
lover fields in this county that have been
eeded twenty years, and the clover is as
ank and healthy this year as it was the
second and third years after seeding.
There is already good home market for
hay, and should this demand be supplied
it could be profitably shipped abroad.
There are many other crops which can
be profitably raised here, such as peas,