Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1883-06-01
WISCONSIN AS A FARMING STATE.


WISCONSIN AS A FARMING STATE.
The following timely article was
written for the Milwaukee Sentinel
by J. NJ. Smith, Esq, president of the
Wisconsin State Horticultural society.
In these times of great land excite
ment i'll the west, when every possible
means are being used to draw thither
people from their pleasant and pro-
ductive farms, it is well for us to re-
member that our own section of Wis
consin possesses agricultural advan-
tages possessed by no other state or
territory. 1t is the opinion of those
most competent to judge that no more
productive soil IS to be found in this
or any other country, than that of
southwestern Wisconsin and north
ern Illinois, lying between Rock river
and the Mississippi. westward the
star of empire takes its way" and in
the natural order of things emigration
to the great west will continue,
but if we would be more faithful in
setting forth the natural advantages
which we possess, in richness of soil
who are now blessed with peace
and plenty would not be induced to
leave their comfortable homes to en-
durc again the hardshipS of pioneer
life, in the hope of gaining fuller and
more immediate reward for their
labor. Mr.. Smiths article is well worth
reading and we gladly give it place in
in our columns:
I'm the midst of excitement and al
most mania inspired by emigration
still farther west and particularly
northW est, is it not well to occasion
ally call the attention Of farmers and
friends of agricultural to the advan-
tages of our State. do not propose
either in this or in any other article to
say aught against any of our sister
states of the grand northwest. They
are truly glorious heritage. They
are filling up with an intelligent and
enterprising class, not only of our own
citizens, but of the European nations
us well, and | truly believe that the
day is coming, and not in the very
distant future either, that for enter
prise, intelligence. wealth and happy
bones the Northwest will not have
its equal i'll any territory of equal size
upon the globe.
Can it not be concluSiyely shown
that Wisconsin is the peer of any of
these states or territories? | believe
so, although only few of her advan
tages can be named, and that very
briefly, in u short newspaper article.
First, her situation. bounded on the
east by Lake Michigan on the west by
the Father of Waters, and on the
north 10y Lake Superior and the great
mineral district of Michigan. The
mineral district of Michigan is not
as a rule, of great value for agriculture
Wisconsin is the nearest and most
accessible district from which Michi-
gan can draw her supplies while taking
from the earth the countless millions
of wealth that lie within her domains.
These and other points that might be
named, make her situation a truly
desirable one. Illinois claims to be the
empire State us regards agriculture.
If we examine the statistics of a series
of years, we shall find that our yield
of corn and wheat per acre is larger
than in Illinois, and of potatoes con-
siderably larger.
The yield per acre of other crops is
certainly as good if not 4 little better.
The number of cattle in proportion
to the population than there, while in
sheep we are credited with over $50,
than thpt orpot StatG In
dairying it will hardly be disputed
that Wisconsin stands second to no
State III the quality OF both butter
and cheese and in the rank these prod
ucts have won both in our country
and foreign lands. While we have
a large amount of prairie soil, we have
also an immense amount of timber.
1t has sometimes been said that the
timber regions of the state were not
as a general rule, very valuable for
agriculture. 1t is very grave mis-
take. When l first came into this
country to reside it was almost entire
ly covered with an immense body of
timber. 1t is now nearly all gone. In
its place there are thrifty farmers by
the thousands. Land with five miles
of where l am writing that | refused
to purchase at $3.50 per acre with
large amount OF timber upon it, is to-
day in beautiful farms and cannot be
purchased $50 per acre. 1t is worth
it and with good cultivation can easily
be made to pay good interest upon
twice the amount. What is true
here is true in hundreds of other in
stances in other counties in the state.
The fact will also become more gener-
ally known and appreciated in the
future than it is to day. Our whole
northwest with but few exceptions
is healthy; but no portion of it is
more so than our own State. Our
citizens are hardy, energetic and indus
trious. The soil fertile, rolling and
easily drained. In the north half of
the state there are yet millions of
acres of good land that have never
been touched with a plow. waiting
the time when brave and strong men
and women shall settle upon them and
convert them into homes of thrift and
happiness for them selves and the
children who surround them.
1t has been my fortune within the
last two years to travel not less than
10000 miles, and more or less in about
twenty different states During my
rides | always watch the appearance
of the agricultural districts, and get
all the information in regard to them
that is within my POWER. | have tried
to compare and to judge fairly and
impartially, and it has seemed to me
that in no other state have l seen so
many evidences of a general thrift as
in our own. 1t is true that none of
our farmers have become millionaires
upon their farms neither have l ever
known or heard of one of them who,
with reasonable care and industry,
did not at least have plenty of food and
raiment TO project both himself and
those dependent on him. even in our
long, cold winters. In all the travels
of my life, and they have been more
or less in nearly every state east of
the Mississippi river, and in some of
those west of it, have never seen a
r,ara