The sun., 1882-08-20
THE RED RIVER or THE NORTH.


from We tnicdVo IFiOhhf
BISMARCK Aug o.--The soil is of unexam.
near Fargo who dug up earth from the bottom
OF well iilty feet deep, and in this grew wheat
oithe standard hard variety. The soil is rich
black instinct with moisture. which the hot
summers transform into n fructifying steam.
The rainfall at first, all through the valley was
somewhat meqgre. but cultivation, Of the fields
Shas had II good effect, for the rainfall has aver
aged larger year after year. ,,.,,..
md Highland Counties lie in this valley, and
there the lands are advancing IN price Coed
per acre, and the broken lands at sl2 to $40 per
acre, acre; the country is well settled In these
heavy population. On the Dakota side, Cass
County in which Fargo is located may be
taken ms as a sample; II has an, area Of about
valley lands. The estimate of cultivated acreage
for last year was 10000. OF this fully
acres to oats and the rest to other crops.
Richland County had about $4,000 acres In
wheat last year. and Trail County reported
From tho best, sources obtainable have
been Informed that the acreage in these
and about $4,000 acres in oats a low
bushels to the acre, which would give u yield Of
5000 900 bushels OF wheat for the well-settled
lands in the valley. During the past year land
especially in wheat. will be largely increased.
Tie best estimates of the yield place 1t at an
which alone would give an Increase in the crop
Of about $4,000 bushels. \ conservative esti-
mate of the increased acreage in the valley
was 10000. which, with the Increased yield.
would give production Tor the hed @ ayer
S,0OOOOO bushels. However. figures do lie in
this country, and these estimates may be above
or below the mark.
Returning over the same branch line we pro-
cended to Dalrymplo Il sutton on the main
line where the brothers Of that name have lc-
Gated their celebrated bonanza Farm" In
lS7g Oliver DnrympIp prOgDpptpt the cDuntry
west of the Red River. and finally decided upon
the vicinity where they are now located; The
the brothers have SO, 900 acres Of which 2s00O
acres are under cultivation. They devote their
ing on the fertility of the soil OF the valley
lands. without apparently having any thought
found teams waiting for us at the station, and
the whole party rode for upward of five miles
through fields Of wheat and oats. all belonging
10 this one farm. The oats were nearly ready
nicely. The managers Of the different places
we passed informed me that the crops never
looked better in the history of the farm. There
were occasional spots where the wheat looked
clined to believe that more satisfactory crops
We're We're never seen IN IN this roM1mtry M They claimed
to the acre. and sixty bushels of oats.
| cannot help thinking that these bonanza"
farms as they Hi" called, are farirom being con-
fitty square miles Of farming land is too much TO
place IN the hands OF any one man or syndicate
Ol men. Nltnln the limits oil CaSS County are
four farms with combined extent Of $4,000
acres. These proprietors are almost all non
residents. They hire their assistance as II Is
500 mon. These non resident landlords do but
little To- improve the country. They take money
the Territory what they payout for wages. The
people seem to appreciate this fact. and some
ot them even talk Of IL heavy tax on non resident
cultiyaturs. was told that the Northern Pa
ciic has begun to discourage these large in
yestments and now places its lands in small
= n ne al n rlyn
bonanza" farmers in Cass County have been
successful chiefly because they have absorbed
all the money usually spent in permanent i'm
prses on the cheapest possible plan.
, The view OF the valley from the railroad is
beautiful one. Jamestown lies above the river.
nestled on Il slightly rising she'll Throughout
the course Of the river are green meadows.
broad fields gardens. and pastures Of native
hay. jamestown is the model city of Dakota.
II Is IN ia" centre OF Il beautiful country, which
has impressed me wonderfully. The river is
not much oi a stream. bur the town Is charm
ing. active. and growing. II is / 100 feet above
the sea. and poss"~s's. apparently, delightful
climate. The faces of the surrounding hills
are covered with bouldrrs from which the peo-
pie have cuccceled in cutting stone Of first
class quality. The river valley varies from one
I" two miles in width. and in many places II is
soil varies from twelve to fourteen inches in
the valley and from sixteen to twenty -four
inches Oh the upauds.
Toward evening We arrived at the Steele
Farm 100 mlc- from Fargo There was n SUR
prise here in the shape IF "A swalthy. handsome
the farm. Mr.. Stcclr stated that last year his
wheat hau varied from six 10 twenty-five bush
els t. t4e nrre. averaging about thirteen BUSH
els. In 1850 lie had succeeded in raising thirty
six bushels of wheat and seventy bushels Of
oats 70 the acre. In the latter crop he believed
separating much OF the grain which had been
cut I'll" too ate. This year he claims that
his, wheat Will average thirty-eight bushels
and the oats 100 bushels to the acre.