River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1882-08-24
KINNICKINNIC KINDLINaa. -


Your correspondent, after trip of
some length in Dakota, would like to
agree with the truthful and virtuons
local editors of the territory, as well
as with the real estate dealers, who
sell claims and village lots to unso-
phisticated strangers, in regard to the
agricultural products of that famous
locality But faint recollections of
fallen cherry tree, and Ratchet, COM
pels us to dabble In facts, at the risk
of being abused for it by those who
wish Dakota to be believed So fertile
that the Garden of Eden would be a
desert in comparison. Our observa-
ton extends over portions of Cass,
Ransom, Dickey, Lamoure, and Barnes
Counties,
The crop last year averaged from
ten to fifteen bushels of wheat per acre.
This statement is made after the most
careful inquiry, Probably twelve
bushels per acre would be fair aver
age. This includes the famous farms
on the n. p. r. r. west of Fargo and
the counties forty miles south. What
ever more is said to be the yield is ''fOr
the good of the country" as the resi-
dents say. II there were a few fields
that yielded more. say from twenty to
twenty-five bushels per acre, there
were ten timea az many acres either
not cut at all, or burned as worthless,
or that yielded from three to five bush
els. A few fields on the Cheyenne
River Bottom, and on the banks of the
North James, will this year AZ well as
last, yield twenty-four bushels. But
we doubt if A single field besides, Will
do as we'll south OF the y. P. 4. X. or
within twenty miles north. The pros
pect for even twelve bushels this year
is very doubtful. In April the Red
River Valley was an inland sea forty
miles wide. Some seeding was done
in June. Wet weather, consequent
| rust, which affects nearly all the
grain, grasshoppers. chinch bugs, late
seeding, to say nothing of the soil,
contribute to these results. The
crops will be better in st. Croix Co.
| by several bushels than in Eastern
Dakota. The amount Of wheat not
worth cutting, for the above reasons,
| is very large, too large for me to state
| with any hopes of its being accepted
| by any who have not been there and
| seen it, The oat crop is good, perhaps
as good as III Fierce and st. Croix Coun-
ties, and the character OF the soil is
such that IA good crop can be expected
for many years. What the wheat crop
would be. with every thing in its favor,
we cannot say with certainty, but that
it would exceed fifteen or eighteen
bushels, is utterly improbable. and
reasons for this could be given if such
would profit. Even good oat crop
upon Dakota soil is no better than a
good crop in the St. CrQix Valley.
Why should a good wheat crop be any
better
Your correspondent does not de-
nOunce the country, which has soil
nearly equal to that of our own valley,
ami viii certainly make very fair farm
ing country, and settlers are AS sure to
make money by the rise OF Land as
they are not to do SO, with great rapid
ity, by raising wheat, The level coun-
try is very sensitive to drought or eH-
cessive rains. The water is very hard
or else dangerously alkaline. There is
a very large amount of lime in the
soil. The corn crop this year is not
worth mentioning. and probably never
will be of any account. Hay. wild or
tame, is sasiy raised.
Scion Perrin, the legal lumilaTg of
! the c. st. P. & o. r. R., deyoured pa
ternal food and worshiped at his form
eli church last Sunday.
Stacking In full blast.
An enormous oat crop has been har-
vested this year.
Miss Lizzie Weber, from White
Bear, Mimi, is visiting at S. w. Will
| liams'. She came with Mrs. II, 5. Bak-
er upon the latter's return from Good.
vile, d. T., and those who are so for
tunats IS to make her acquaintance,
will most certainly enjoy it and desire
| that il should be lifelong,
c. D. Smith discharged a man for
habitually using prOfane language.
Let others do likewise and vice will
diminish. Who'll be the next.
Albert Follansbee, now at work for
Diekey County, ID. :,