The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1876-10-12

non-prodxctive population; and ourlag-
ricultural pursuits will change with our
condition. But in the meantime ourpro-
duction of the cheaper and bulkier pro-
ducts, such as oats and corn and the root
crops, which will not bear Transports
ton to great distances, must be limited
by the demands Of small local market
which is easily glutted.
Wheat being our great m0ney-bringer,
and our corn, oats, potatoes and meat
being mainlv aids to wheat>production,
it follows that our first essential is cheap
communication with the markets of the
world This requires cheap water com>
munication by way Of the Great Lakes
and the Mississippi. 1t the short dis
lance between the navigable waters of
the St. Croix and the head of Lake Su>
perior could be spanned by canal we
would then have the St, Lawrence and
the Cult Of Mexico for our outlets, and the
whole world for our market. We would
be for more than half the year independ-
ent OF the executions and combinations
OF the great railroad companies which
now carry our crops to the seaboard ;and
the price OF wheat during that time would
hold up the price during the remainder
| OF the year or we would hold back our
wheat for the opening of water naviga-
ton. l need not enlarge upon the ad-
vantages Of this scheme; they must be
patent to You all.
Our next essentials cheapness in the
production OF wheat. This depends
mainly on the intelligent skill OF our
farmers. Even our new lands cannot
compete with old lands thoroughly farm
ed. The average wheat yield of England
and Scotland, from fields that have been
titled thousand years, is double the
average yield Of Minnesota, which was
a wilderness but the other day. And in
England they now produce forty bushels
to the acre, upon land that in the eleventh
century yielded but an average OF six
bushels. Limited as our home market
is we need rotation OF crops as far as our
peculiar system of husbandrv will per-
init and more than all we need abundant
supplies of manures. In England, it is
claimed, that cattle are raised for the
purpose of obtainingltheir manure, and
this constitutes the sole profit. Here we
have climate that brings all firms OF
animal life to the highest point of perfec>
ton and vigor; we have the most nutri>
titious wild grasses in the world, superior
even, in some respects, to the tame
grasses, we have unequalled advantages
OF lake and meadow and, above all. we
have cheap land. Here, then, are the
essentials for successful stock raising.
For dairying we have peculiar advan-
tages. But above all we need the ma
nure of our cattle to bring our wheat
land to the highest state of perfection.
There is no reason why Minnesota should
average fifteen bushels OF wheat to the
acre, while Scotland
"Land of brown heath and shaggy wood,
Land of the mountain and the flood +"
produces forty. If it is to continue we
must admit race interiority in our own
people.
And here 1 would call your attention
to subject now attracting some COM
sideration. We all know that a crop of
corn or potatoes. thickly planted and
not cultivated, will be choked by the
grasses and weeds The land as some
one has remarked, as mother to the
weeds and only step-lnother to the corn"
And it is now argued that wheat should
be sowed in rows and cultivated like
corn or potatoes. 1t is claimed that
| where the experiment has been tried the
yield has risen to fifty bushels per acre.
If this be so, the adoption of the system
would treble the productive capacity OF
our state, and more than treble the profits
Of the farmer, for every bushel above
the present yield would be practically
clear profit. Our farmers should try the
experiment. A drill can be made so as
to leave open spaces in the wheat. into
| which the shovels of cultivator would fit.
As it is now, many of US are raising as
| fine crop OF weeds as we do of wheat
But above all our hopes. prospects
and plans. dark and heavy cloud row
| impends. Three fourths OF our state
are seeded down with grasshopper eggs
We cannot look to natural causes for the
remedy for this great evil, for these nat
| ural causes have been in operation for
| millions OF years and have lett the swarm
ming pests uniniured. Civilization has
now reached the border line of the vast
region where the grasshopper is king.
| and has been king for countless centuries ::
| and man and the insect mEst now fight
out great battle for the possession of
| the land. 1t is not to be believed that
the great race which has
"Lain bare the forests, foot pathed all the seas
has tracked the lightning in its lair OF clouds.
Mastered with : frown the lion fasting.
And brought down the eagle flying
will give up the richest soil in the world
at the demand of parcel Of pestiferious
| insects.
First We must enforce upon the atten-
ton of the national government the
magnitude Of this great danger. We
must show congress that for seven years
the grasspoppers have continuously in
habi:ed and des0lated Manitoba; that
for four consecutive years they have ray-
aged portions Of Minnesota that their
visit to Iowa, Missouri. Kansas. Nebras-
ka. &C.. are Increasing in frequency and
duration; that great movement
eastward seems to pervade them !;
and that there is no reason why they
should not advance and cover the whole
region this side Of the Allephanies. II