St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-06-17

of all seasons. The air as cool and
balmy, and all nature wears q peculiar as
pect of calmness and rest which is most de-
| lightful to the senses The advent of wintry
weather, until which time fall plowing may
be continued takes place about the TWEEN
tieth of November usually, and the farmer
has ample time to prepare his ground for
early seeding in the spring. After this the
cold increases gradually in severity until
winter really sets in about the middle of De-
cember. 1t is not the case, either, that
winter is constantly cold, for there are warm
intervals throughout its continuance, no
| ticeably so between the middle of Jauuaay
and the middle of February, but seldom so
warm as to produce mud.
soIL-ITS FERTILITY.
| 1t has been practically demonstrated, and
is an undeniable fact that in the soil are
treasures sufficient to constitute all the in
| ducements that those seeking to found homes
ought to require The soil is loose, dark
| colored loan, composed of the detritus of
| silicious and calcareous rocks mixed with
alumina and soda, to which is added large
| percentage of organic remains and ashes OF
plants. 1t is also exceedingly rich in phos
pilates and other fertilizing salts, and gener-
/ ally very deep, varying from one to two or
| IIIcO leu. IuuGCu ULt SuUSOll, I'LL I'LL d uc pun
of from five to eight feet is obtained, is
formed OF similar material with that of the
surface, and on exposure to atmospheric in
| tluences speedily becomes fruitful.
This great DEPTH OF SOIL contributes to its
durability, and its fertile properties appear
almost inexhaustible. One of its peculiari
| ties is its remarkable ability to resist drouths.
In times of exceedingly dry weather, a thin
| crust forms on the surface and retards evap-
Grafton from below, without being firm
enough to interfere seriously with the growth
of vegetation. This is due in part, no doubt,
! to the circumstance thas the surface stratum
contains so large proportion of the ashes of
grasses and plants, the result of oft-occurr-
! ing prairie fires. In some spots of incon-
siderable area. on the submits of the eleva
vations, sand or gravel deposits either form
the surface stratum, or underly it slight
| depth. and there are also occasional moraine-
! like eminences covering from two to five
acres, composed largely of boulders.
AGRICULTURE.
This great fundamental industry, combin-
| ing the usual departments of grain, pro-
duce, of stock raising and dairying, is in its
element here, if its element is to be found
anywhere.
This is, in the truest sense, farming
country. Its location, soil, climate and sur
rounding circumstances fit it especially for
this pursuit; and the kind of farming al
ways sure of success here is that which en-
braces every branch of agricultural industry.
| 1t is not distinctivelY a country for growing
wheat or corn; nor, SO far
as has been developed, for the
especial cultivation of any other single crop,
but has the far more advantageous peculiar
| bo;, o1o fo,
any field or garden crop that can be grown
in the northern states of the union, and as a
grazing country it has no superior. Spring
wheat, oats, rye, barley, corn, sorghum, po-
tatoes, turnips, rutabagas, mangul wurzel,
beets, carrots, parsnips, beans, peas, cab
bages, etc., grow luxuriantly in all parts of
| this division, and, taking number of sea-
sons together, it will be found to yield mean
average crops of very little, if any, inferor in
quality and quantity than those of regions
which are claimed to be especially suitable
for some one or more of these products.
The truth of this is shown by the official
statistics of the state and United States cen
sus which, although not, perhaps, strictly
correct, are likely to be as correct for this as
for other localities, and, therefore, serve the
purpose of comparison.
1t has been noticed that a greater degree
of cold is required to produce frost here
than in places further east. A fall of the
mercury which in southwestern Minnesota
would be harmless to the tenderest vines
would be destructive to the crops of Illinois
and Ohio. This is owing partly to the great
vitality of the plants, which mature in our
short summer months, partly to the heat-re-
tanning nature of the soil, but chiefly to the
dryness of the air, which prevents the rapid
radiation which produces frost.
WHEAT.
Wheat is the great staple, and in this cereal
no other country can compete. The flour
produced from this wheat has no equal, and
in the eastern markets of the United States
and in those of Europe it always commands
higher price than any other.
Fife wheat is the variety now generally
grown in the state, being introduced from
Canada. 1t is hard, strong and nutritive,
and if kept pure and intelligently cultivated,
improves through change of location.
The average yield throughout the state dur
ing successive seasons Is from sixteen to
twenty bushels per acre, but instances are
frequent of very much larger crops being
grown by individual farmers and of consid-
erably increased averages in entire counties.
AS high as thirty-five and even forty bushels
per acre are often reported, and one may
confidently rely upon yield of sixteen bush
els of more per acre (taking a number of
seasons together) with ordinary seed and
tillage in any part of the state.
1t depends largely upon the
| farmers own intelligence and industry to
nearly double this average. 1t should be
borne in mind that the state extends 26C
miles east and west and $50 miles north and
south, and in a territory of such area it sell
| flo+o -
; more or less injury being done to crops
some where within its boundary by an in
Vulnerable variety of natural causes Hence
au average of even sixteen bushels for the
entire state is a large yield. Last year the
area of wheat harvested in Minnesota was
7 1903, 325 acres, divided amongst seventy
three counties, and the yield reported il
S nearly so, 900, 900 bushels, a large proportion
/ of which graded No. 1.
AS corn is a staple in Illinois, Indian;
: and Ohio, so it is in southwestern Minnesot;
+ with results fully equaling, if not surprising
the most favored of the above mentioned
states
l The successful farmer must raise not onl,
grain, but horses, cattle, sheep and hogs. Tt
do this, he must chose country which pro-
duces cheap corn and rich, nutritious ant
L cheap grasses. The test of actual exper
ience is the only safe guide, ano
from experience we speak confidently
It is generally supposed that an,
i portion of Minnesota is to far north fo
y Indian corn. This is a great mistake, found
ed on tbs popular .fallacy. that latitude gouerm
climate. But climate grows warmer towar,
: the west coast of the continent, and, although
= the winters are generally clear, dry and cold
J the summers are as warm as those of South
err Ohio. The mean summer heat of st
Paul is precisely that of Philadelphia, five de