Daily Republican., 1883-09-28
BONANZA FARMING.
How Dakota wheat. Growers Man
age . 20, ,OOO.Acre Farm.

| HOW D0kOt0 W0e0tsUfOWcro m0u
age . 20, O,OOO.Acre Farm.
Nine or ten years ago Fargo, d. T.
which Is 275 miles west Of st. Paul, an
has a population Of 10000, was a mer
hamlet, and lots now worth $5, 900 coul'
be bought for q song. The opening O
the great Dalrymple wheat farm prov
cd the wonderful fertility of the Rex
River valley, in which the town is stu
sted, and the increase in Its fortunes a
once commenced, and has kept up steadi
ly ever since. Although the largest of
the towns along the route, 1t is tru'
specimen OF what score of others will
be In year or two.
1t is the liveliest type of new West
ern town, and its population has O
late years doubled every twelve months
Street cars run about its throughfares
gas and water are in Its houses. and
a huge electric-light tower, 200 feet
high and of $4,000 candlepower, throws
its bright beams abroad after night
fall. There are many hotels, board
ing houses, seven churches, eight
newspapers, two public halls, a the.
atre, Court House, high and severa
lesser schools, banks, business houses
both wholesale and retail, by the
score fair grounds and driving
park.
Mapleton, twelve miles to the west.
ward, is a newborn babe of the North
west with but 500 souls within Its
grassy limits but the brat already
boasts a steam grain elevator and ware
houses, two hotels, hall, church,
several stores, and one of the prettiest
little school houses In the country.
Three miles further twin baby town
is already struggling to outdo Its little
sister.
1t Is hereabouts that one can best
witness in all its glory what is called
bonanza farming.
The marked popularity of wheat
growing in Dakota is the grand scale
upon which 1t is frequently conducted.
As recently as 1875 1t WAS declared
upon high army authority that beyond
the Red River the country was not sus-
ceptible of cultivation.
In going west from that stream to
the James there was soma fair land,
but much that was useless, and from
thence to the banks of the Missouri
there was little or no available area ex-
cept the narrow valleys of the small
streams in short, 80 said the soldier
observers, "with the exceptions named,
the country Is practically worthless. "
This sweeping statement gained wide
publicity and caused, much hesitation
with respect to undertaking the cult
walton of the Dakota prairies. But two
gentlemen, who were at that time di-
rectors of the railroad company, resolv'
ed to test the matter They first pur.
chased 1850 acres, planted 1t with
wheat, and the venture proved so sue
cessful that further purchases have
now given them a total average of TO-
900 acres. Nearly al. Of it is yearly
laid out in wheat, which is at this mo-
ment being harvested for market.
Farming operations on so gigantic
d scale seem almost incredible
to persons who are familiar only with
the methods of the older and more set
tied States.
In managing the affairs Of a bonanza
farm the most rigorous system is EN-.
ployed. The plan adopted on the huge
Dalrymple farm just mentioned, and on
nearly all similar ones, is to divide the
lands into tracts Of 1000 acres each and
subdivide each tract into three farms Of
1900 acres. Over each tract a superin'
tendent is placed. with book-keeper
headquarters building and stOrehOuse
for supplies. Each farm is under the
charge of q foreman, and is provided
with its own set of buildings, compris
ing boarding-houses for the hands,
stables, granaries, machine and black.
smith shops, all Of which on the three
farms are connected with the tract SUI
perintendent's office by telephone,
Tools, machinery and supplies of every
description, including live stock, are
bought direct from manufacturers OF
producers in large quantities and dis
tributed among the farms on the requi.
sition of the foremen. The result OF
this wholesale manner of farming and
of purchasing supplies is that wheat is
raised and delivered to the railroad at g
cost varying little from 35 cents bush
el. The net profit on a bushel of wheat
was told, was never less than 40 cents
and the average per acre was said to bt
over twenty bushels.
Taking the lowest figures as basis
of calculation, the profits Of 1882 on the
largest section of the farm, viz. q, ,OO(
(acres, were $2l6,O00. No wonder 1t II
called "bonanza" farming. On thu
20, ,OOO-acre tract at Casselton 400 meI
are employed in harvesting and 800 il
thrashing; $50 pairs of horses or mule,
are used, 200 gang plows, ll5 self
binding reapers and 90 steam threshers
the smoke from the tunnels of thu
latter dotting the horizon in all direc
tions.
1t has beep demonstrated that many
kinds of forest trees will grow and
thrive under cultivation on the naked
prairies and plains, and agriculture
is just now engaging the attention o.
farmers in the Northwest. TO encour
age and stimulate tree-planting In Da
kota has been the aim of the Northern
Pacific management for years, and thu
more effectually to accomplish thi'
purpose 1t has organized such depart
Inent itself, and made liberal appro.
priation to cover the expenses of tn
work for a period of five years. A
Tower City there have been planted
100, 900 cuttings; at Tappen, zoo, 900
and at over 600 places along the lin
between Fargo and Bismarck tree
have been planted to act as wind
breaks. Should these efforts succeed
of which there Is little doubt, it viii
cause a marked change in tho rainfall
of the country, which now is not alto
gether safe from the visitation q
drought.
CLUTsvILLE, ALA.-Dr. W. Carter
says " have used Browns Iron BIZ
ters in my own family for indigestion
with great benefit.
| A Fine Double Team,
A REPUBLICAN reporter rode benin