The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1877-08-23
MINNESOTA AND ILLINOIS
COMPARED.

MINNESOTA AND ILLINOIS
COMPARED.
FACTS AND FIG URES-ADVA
MINNESOTA OYER OLDER STATES
MECHANICsBURG, ILLINOIS,
Aug. Is, 1877.
EDITOR ADVANCE: 1 thought
would write again and finish my scrib-
ling about the soil and climate of Min
nesota, lest I get all of the people that
need homes in the notion of going and
settling in Southwest Minnesota be-
fore can get my business settled up
and make my choice first; for + am not
trying to deceive any one but only STAT
ing facts as have seen them myself
Since have been there and returned
here where I was born and raised.
liave conversed with many of nv old
acqnaintances, both with and without
capital, in regard to farming. stock.
raising, milling, dairyirg and varions
other branches of industry, and have. I
think, succeeded in convincing manv
that all of the above occupations can
be made success by perseverance and
industry. But the cry is, universally.
''the grasslloppers will always be there
and 1t will tie unsafe to invest in any
thing until they disappear. True. to
some extent, but not all. First we see
a much larger crop of wheat. oats. bar
icy and perhaps vegetables raised in
minnesota this season that is raised in
ILLINOIS,, only failing to compete with
Illinois in corn: In this she never can
compete with Illinois, Iowa and many
other States, but in wheat, oats, barley,
max, and potatoes neither one of the a.
Dove States can compete with Mime
sofa. But, says one, +'lMinois is a corn
growing country and also stock coun-
try: She can feed her grain to cattle
ana hogs and make more ont of beef
ana pork than one can out Of wheat"
admit it in this country, but not so
III minnesota. Let us compare figures:
1t is supposed here, at this time, that
corn will he worth Csc per bushel next
fall delivered at Railroad and all will
agree that SO bushels to the acre will
be a large average. This will be $3.50
per acre delivered on cars. Then zoe
will be fair price snapt in crib. This
will 0e $40 per acre. Then it will take
two acres or 100 bushels to feed one
steer ready for market. Also one ton
OF nay at 50. This will he 500 worth of
corn and hay to feed one, say 400 lbs of
beef. This will sell here on foot for Sc
per pound. Five times 400 is $40. lust
the price of the corn in crib, with q loss
of Sc for hay and labor of feeding. Let
any cattle man here say if these are not
fair figures. But, says one, the profit
Is in grazing them in the summer
months on good grass. Well, let us
see: One acre of land purchased for pas
ture, $50, interest OF money at 10 per
cent. for one year SIS, making SIS in
vested, III one year, besides taxes and
repairs. One steer eats all of the grass
grown on the acre and gains 200 lbs.
This beef is worth &c per pound, So.
Now, let US sum up SIS invested, or SIS
interest on money. The grass will be
worth 81 more, making SO. The steer
has gained IS leaving him 81 on the
acre profit, over the left. Now, if any
man in this country that feeds and
grazes cattle should see this and think
| have made any false statements or
my estimates are too low or too high. I
hope he will correct me through the
ADVANCE.
Now, let us see how the figures stand
with Minnesota. One acre of wheat,
Is bushels, worth on railroad SOC per
bushel, $12. so. net profit. Then one
acre Of land at SIS, int. soc, two acres
$40, int. 81, 200 lbs. beef at &c, So inter-
e est and grass at 81 per acre, So, leaving
Now, any one draw his own conclu-
sion: 1 have counted two acres of corn
in Illinois, against one acre of wheat
in Minnesota, and two acres of wild
grass in Minnesota, against one acre of
tame grass in Illinois allowing it to
put on the same amount of beef at the
same price.
1 am often asked the question, "Do
you think the 'hOppers will ever leave
there permanently" will say. YES.
they will in course of time, but they
may return in a few years again but
will grow weaker in my opinion as the
country settles up until they will final
~ pass away.
l look upon the 'hoppers as our Faith
ers did upon the horse-flles in Illinois
IN the settlement of these prairies.
Then there were millions of black birds
here to eat them up. Since their de-
pa:ture the birds have left, and gone to
Minnesota and Dakota. They will f.
nally destroy them with the help OF CIV
ilization. l would say to all, ':encour-
age all kinds of birds. They are your
best friends" Also plant trees to har-
DOR them in. p. B. H.
a curious instance of the utility Of
the magnet is mentioned in the Ade-
ialde Register OF June II. A young la
m er,tA I'm