The Canton advocate. [volume] (Canton, D.T. [S.D.]) 1877-1897, 1878-02-26
NO. A..

| ers who allow their wheat land to lay ov
er one year for a volunteer crop, which
yields usually from twenty to thirty bush
els per acre, and some times more. Yet
consider this poor way, for the land be
comes weedy. The grain crops are not
irrigated; gardens in most places are bet
ter for irrigation. Fruit, such as apples,
pears, plums, peaches, grapes, and all
! kinds Of berries do remarkably well here,
also vegetables. the finest potatoes, Think
ever saw, grow here. This country has
no record of failure of crops, of course
they have varied in regard to quantity, ac-
cordlng to the season. This is not good
climate for corn, the nights are too cool.
Game and fish are plentiful. If we are al
lowed to Judge of the future by the past,
we would predicts glorious future for this
country. Railroad interests are just turning
attention this wsY, and ere long the whis-
tie of the iron horse will resound through
the valleys and cross these bunch-grass
prairies and sage brush plnins.
There are fine opportunities for using
capital with profit, while the man with
small means has chance to build up q
home, as there are no long hard winters to
consume what may be accumulated during
the summer season This is considered a
healthy climate, but from my own obser-
walton do not consider it as healthy as
Dakota. This is live country, every one
seems wide awake to money making. but
out side of villages there is not the interest
taken in SCHOOL, and churches that would
like to see.
Ihave been asked which is the best
route to get here, by rail and water, Or by
team. AS to this l would not advise, for
the man of Of little means, by teams'woutd
be the cheapest, while the other would be
far the quickest; 1t were going to take
the trip again 7 would come by rail
I would leave the railroad at Kellon, a
distance of $40 miles from here, and stage
it across in preference to going to San
Francisco and up the coast In coming
that way persons would have to send their
freight around by San Francisco, and up
the coast to any point here they wished,
as nothing but 25 pounds a person is al
lowed by stage. All kinds Of improved
farm machinery is used here, mostly east
ern manufacturer all heavy articles are
high owing to high transportation.
Hand plows sell from 20 to 80, this in
cludes breakers and stubble; gang and sui
Ky plows from 90 to $40, grain seeders
from $100 to 150, two horse wagons 1870
to $3.50; wagons are made heavier and
wider on the track for this coast trade,
double harness $40, work horses 500,
saddle ponies from 10 to $50; a we'll broke
saddle ponie sells well, you can buy
wild one out of a herd that is running on
the range for a mere trltle; the same is the
case with cows, wild cows can be bought
from 10 10 SIS, while those that are bsAke
are worth from 20 to $50; hogs $500 per
hundred, gross; sheep 200 to $315 head;
fowls $500 per dozen: rough lumber at
the mill 10 to $12; common cook stoves
80 to $50, nails cts per pound; teas and
coffee come cheaper than with you, sugar
and dry goods trifle higher. Wheat 72
cts per pushel, barley and oats 4 cts per
ID; cabbage and onions let per 10, pota-
toes 1 a per tb butter so cts per ID, eggs
so cts per dozen. Farm labor $50 per
month. Mechanics from 800 to $500 per
day.
Respectfully Yours,
J. G.. BENNETT.