The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1885-06-19
DAKOTA STATISTICS,


DAKOTA STATISTICS.
The Cost of Production of Wheat in the Ter
ritory-Some Interesting Facts ana Figures
Regarding Taxation.
The territorial department of mmigra-
ton and statistics has prepared some valu.
able statistical tables for the use of the
Italian minister of agriculture, who is also
the secretary OF the commission on revision
of the tariff. appointed by the Italian GOV
eminent The statistics given are of Two
kinds, one relating to wheat production. and
the other to rates of taxation for farmers.
The tlgures prepared by Mr.. Lauren Du!.lap,
the statietlcian and commissioner OF this
bureau, differ slightly as to the cost OF
wheat raising from those furnished by some
OF the bonanza farmers of North Dakota. but
the explanatory remarks accompanying the
tables tend to verify to sone extent the lower
figures OF the wheat kings of the north. Ii
may be. as the statistician says, yetul. orel
question as to the relative cost Of lsudnc-
ton per acre ana per blShcl, ms beuwt IN the
bonanza wheat raiser of the Red riy i val
ley and the small farmer of Central Dakota,
but the argument OF figures md re-
suits is certainly up to this tine on
the side OF the capitaiist-tarmec. pe..
hapS it might be urged that tbs figures OF the
tel -itoriai statistician on the crop OF a 100
sN4'' ~ ia iANAh'.ili lAtI lbSEIi-E4lG4Np- -
farming IN Dakota rather THAN the actual re
suits obtained. But Il moments .et"ctioa
WI convincc any one conNerstlit with t!tr
facts thar II would be unfair to caniouna
the general average realized IN u county ~
ne" as THIS. where so many farmers ale ms
making n start, and at best are ony TIA
cattlvatiug the soil whose generosity i V&-
pected To furnish n maximum crop on t:,y
slightest provocation at the po.la Il the
p,ow. with the average results pGsslt.c AM
ppNr hpinp nhFDjnpi I'm a,.aI-,- hand ir- -J.
wel!-to-do class of farmers, OF wh.t.ts lie.
number is largelr Increasing wear ty ycar.
The tables on wheat raising are as follows:
Cost of production per acre-
Seed. one and one-hatt bushels at so GEMS %
Cultivation aad b.
Harvesting and stacking. J -
Thteshing and marketing .............. 2'n
Statistics Of Il farm OF 100 acres u.
Piowiu. 100 acres al 81. ................ %IHH
Seed fox zane, 2to tu II SC ccaIs.-...... -@-
CGltiTating and s,wtIg, 1t aue t""r acr".. ~
Harvesting and stacking, NJ SD PEI acre gH'
Ihresi,iiis ana mafket,isE 3.!uitI&. Zoe. 81
interest," on cspitaI lnvesscd, $1,000, a; 10
Fer cent one
CROP &c 5000 eu yield % bu an aero
az NVe..,, ...'',-'.,.,-'', .,,rs-,
Balance to net profit. ..,....- IL ,s
Cest q rrodnctio. per acre iiAelHAt.G
Cos OF production par DEahe!, ..,.....,.. Il
E~NrLANAToRY EEgHhEES.
"Ihe cost of production depends ulon IT,
methods employed by the farmer, upon % r
means. and on the cl0racte: and e&tslt SO
his operations The figures given IN ugl.
above tables Were made up from those IRr-
nisiIed by several farmers ont OF their
experience in Central Dakota GUsjag Ill
past tN%o and three years. and ar rt,sest u o.
what il costs the average farmer. WHO l'j's
in his own time behind The pow, WA The
helm of perhaps, q couple OF men 70 l.erafc
the ground and puu III IT,. crop, anG %ho
hires his thrcshng and has AI5 h&.Vg,rGlg
done Win oUhHr machinery than rs ENa
HIS l. vssted ca !tat Of r., eco lnc!uirs 1lG
cost OF his house and other Improvements
inc!ullng the tIfSt Gu. ttvation OF his ground
by "brcaE}n%7 it with the p!ow, his barl aM&
uutbgildlngs, and the cost OF Ia. I%r rs
three hol>es. the COW or TWO. and The lev
agricultural implements he has been able u
buy since making a start in Dakota, say Il
couple OF years before he takes on The *hJTt
crop We vii! say that he is living GA Il
homestead. the title OF which he viii acquire
free after II residence OF I'VE years,
II he had bought lGa acres OF
decided land, of which there is pl,aty
for sale in Dakota, it would have
only required from $500 to $500 additional cap
itai. Wild land can be bought as cheap a. that
anywhere in Dakota. except in the immediate
vicinity of the larger towns. The yicld OF
twenty bushels TO the acre is considered II tai!
average on u farm well cultivated. An acre "t
land III Dakota, under the highest state OF cu.-
~tiyation. has been known to yield over thirty
five bushels, and twenty-five bushels are fire.
Quently obtained from every acre OF Il well
tiled field. In computing the general average
OF the entire crop Of Dakota for one season,
there are individual losses TO be taken into &c
count, which have occurred through lack OF cUl-
tiyation or from the destructive effects of hal
and wlna III a few localities. The question
which Is the better OF according to his capita
invested-:he bonanza wheat king or the small
,r,,n ~ -, Y,,n,, ~. nd sln 1nl ~ !.
definitely settled after the experimental rerioC
OF farming in Dakota on both Inc large and tbs
small scale has demonstrated the actual avetac,
results CT each, from which comparisons may b,
safely drawn.
RATE OF TAXATION.
The tables of rates OF taxation nresen'
some interesting comparisons, owing to Jht
representative character OF the count.e:
taken from each of the three sections o.
Dakota east of the Missouri river. There II
the same necessity for guarding aGa'ns
o~ver-taXation IN Dakota that is found Il
exist IN all new countries. where a spirit o
extraordinary activity prevails and therapi'
development seems to point to the spend,
accumulation of wealth, which should be 4
speedily put to various uses, There IS a ia
bility to incur indebtedness on accoun
of expensive public improvements thai
would be a credit to a country o
thirty years growth. In this way taxes ar
apt to be run upto a rate which. while ltlna,
not seem to be at all oppressive, is of
TGGilIN EXCESSIVE. ana Is cdICuluhtu W open
ate TO the disadvantage of a community il
after years, when there is a call for turtle
expenditures on account OF new enterprise
which in a country as full of energy and in
centive as Dakota are constantly crowdini
to the front. There is nothing alarming
however, in the present rates of taxation o!
farm property in Dakota. and an eNanlina
ton of comparative statistics such as ar
afforded by the tables given below, and O
the kind which it will be the province OF III
-. ,t.., 10. Il, 80 S,,,n,iIt, / ~, h
future, ought to have a good effect IN tn
endeavor excited on the part of the LaX
payers of the different counties to correc
nnv inequalities that may exist. and to kce
their taxes down to the lowest point cor
sistent with a sound public economy
The rates OF taxation are as follows: Yankto
county, Southern Dakota. Rate OF VI in m1lls
total. %. The assessed valuation of property |
Yankton county, against which the above rate
Of taxation is applied, runs about as follows
Average valuation of lands, $3 per acre; averai
valuation of horses, $50 per head; average valua
tion of cows, $15 per head: average valtiat'rlt
three-year-old steers. SIS per head: averae
saiuation of two-year-old steers, ST. per head
average valuation of sheer, 81 per head. o
farm machinery about so per cent OF actui
value is assessed, and ON merchandise 60 pe
per cent Of actual value.
Beadle county, Central Dakota: Rate on $
Hughes County, Central Dakota-Rate on s
in mills: total, 20. In addition tc the above,
special township school tax, ranging from ty
to twenty five mills, was assessed for 1884,
provide for the construction OF school house
This tax Is levied in each school TOWNSHIP
separately. and will he applied in the future, I
the maintenance of township schools. 1t Will
less for 1885. 1t should be stated in eXplanS
ton of the special assessment for townsht
school taxes in Beadle, Hughes and 9TH
counties in the newer portions of Dakota, tai
as the cost OF building and maintaining to"l
ship schools is borne by each township. the tt
is preportionHtely higher in townships that a
the more sparsely settled. Every years growt
therefore will materially decrease the rate
this tax.
Cass County. North Dakota-Rate on 81
mills: total, lS6. In addition to the abo
road poll tax of 81. so, and a school poll Of
are 1SSesspd per n aOitn