The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1878-11-02
The New Wheat Field.

nerouotuS stated truth OF human
nature when he said that geographers
represent all beyond the known and ex-
| plored localities of the world as barren
deserts, sands and wastes. 1t is Just as
true now as 1t was in his time, twenty
three hundred years ago. The" Great
American Desert with is vast proper
tions was familiar to the geography Of
our boyhood, and yet we have seen sam
Piles of grain from portions of that self
same desert that would do credit to Eden
Natures appearance is not at allindiea-
tive of her resources or oapab lities. The
ugliest looking gulch may yield the big
gest nugget, and the most forbiddng
looking desert may be made to blossom
into usefulness, if not into beauty, by
passing under the dominion of man.
Dakota and Minnesota were not in
cluded in the Great American Desert"
but some portion of them were given
anything but an inviting name by geoe-
raphers and explorers. A few years
ago no one, except possibly some of the
inhabitants of Minnesota dreamed that
she would become one of the first, II not
the first, wheat producing State in the
Union. Her crop this year amounts to
between twenty-five and thirty million
bushels, while that of Dakota reaches
nine million bushels; remarkable figures,
truly, but more astonishing still when
we remember that few short years ago
large part of Minnesota and Dakota
was considered barren waste, where
nothing could ever be raised. This por-
ton Of the States was the Red River
Valley of the North, which has within
the last three or four years become
noted as the greatest wheat section OF
the country. For wheat culture the ex-
perience of the past two years seems to
prove that this locality is the most ia
vored portion of America. In parts of
Iowa and Southern Minnesota the wheat
crop this year was almost failure,
while way up in Dakota, in latitude
forty-seven, and not far from the British
boundary line, the yield has been album
dant.
The Red River Valley contains an
area of about thirty thousand square
miles, making it about the size of the
State of Indiana. 1t is about four hun
dred miles long and will average eighty
miles in width. The soil is rich loan
resting on clay. The plain is level and
almost treeless. The landscape is GER
tainly not inviting, and travellers and
explorers, among them Gen. Hazen, pro-
nounced the country a worthless desert.
AS the latitude was high, the valley ly-
ing between forty-six and fifty degrees,
every one thought that the climate was
too cold, and the seasons too short to
raise anything. Besides, there was lit
tie water away from the banks of the
river, and nature seemed to have been
very sparing in bestowing gifts upon
that part of the world.
However, the Red River Valley was
settled by ahardy race of men who were
sure to prove ultimately whether any
thing could be done with the soil or not
We do not know who first ventured to
SOW it with wheat. The result must
have surprised him and his neighbors,
who are now the owners of wheat fields
whose dimensions vary all the way from
q thousand to ten thousand acres. In
some parts of the valley you can stand
in sea of wheat, extending as far as the
eye can reach. The pictures drawn of
these immense wheat fields would hardly
be credited and the acreage that has al
ready been placed under cultivation
seems marvellous for new country, both
in the aggregate amount and in individ
ual instances like that of Mr.. Dalrym-
pies immense farm. Still, only frac-
ton of this valley has been laid under
tribute. 1t is said that every acre of
the whole valley can be cultivated, and
that nowhere can lodges, boulders or
sand be found Thus far, experience
has shown that wheat is a certain crop
in the valley and the yield is from eigh
teen to twenty-five bushels per acre. A
little reflection will show what import
ance as wheat field this locality is
likely 10 assume in the future. Here is
an area large enough to form good-sized
State, almost every acre of which is
capable of raising wheat. Enthusiasts
say that the Red River Valley can
raise more wheat than the people in the
United States can consume, and appeal
to figures to prove it. Such assertions
may appear very erroneous, but their
verification is not beyond the bounds Of
possibility. The history of the past
two years certainly seems to intimate
that the great wheat field of the country
is destined to be the Valley of the Red
River of the North.