The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1885-05-08
BONANZA FARMING.

We are not an enthusiastic admirer
of bonanza farming. nor d. we think
that these gigantic farms are helpful to
the general prosperity OF the country.
We have none of these III Pembina
county, however, hut have thought that
our readers might he interested in de-
scription of one. We give below Capt.
Donallsons account of farming opera
tions on his great farm, east of st. Vim
cent, across the river from Pembina.
This was furnished for the st. z. NJ 4
NJ. Railway. This account contains
other points of interest:
In all we have something over IS, 0W acres.
Dur farm embrace, II square miles, principal
ly odd sections which We're railway lands origi-
mlly, aud through it passes the main line of
the st. Paul, Mime il,ollS n Manitoba Railway
to st. Vincent. The winter quarters of the
farm are on the south branch of Two Rivers.
near which wclrvcSliacrcs of timber There
are also three other headquarters known as
Fort Donaldson, Kennedy" aud section
%" Upwards of ..Uu men lave all they can do
to get the crop into Shape. with the assistance
of 23l horses and mules, II binders, Il thresh-
crs, 81 wagons, II mowers and 10 horse rakcs
Of other implements We have Ii secdcrs, 1UO
plOws, Al hirrowS and other smaller mlrhin
cry necessary To thorough equipment. There
IL Sranarv ranacit! Oh the farm for 3OO.tkN
bushels, and this season upwards SM tons of
hay have been stacked for winter llse OF the
a3gslacres ln,W0 are i'll crop this scason, 5000
on new breaking, and i,UU acres more will be
added to the total under cultivation next year
The balance of our land will be put under cul-
uvation us soon as possible. In lSSl our
wheat averaged y bushels to the acre: III ISIS.
it jumped To ail5 i'll 1883. which was IL most
nnfavorahlc season, it dropped to Is, but this
year, think, will cap them all with at least Is
bnShcls:in 1885. D. and this year ] am count
ing on :i' Oats i'll the three years have shown
III, GO and Ii bushels, and this year. i am con-
iidcnt. we can count On 60 bushels to the acre.
My potatoes have yielded all the way from aa:iO
to mn bushels to the acre. All other vcycta-
i.lcs and root crops do equally we'll l place
the cost of raising wheat-and mind YOU H.
cludc every eXpemsc-at SS.GOper acre. and the
profit at slOW. OF course where land il not
properly worked these figures would be ma
terally changed. But where thorough farm
ing Is the rnlr am sure this favorable show
ing will result every time, year out and year
III. For seven or eight months i'll the year
this climate Is salnbrionI. The winter
months are cold hut braelns and hcalthful. |
know of 10 better country than tins see
lioii vi htllilcSoia loT stock- fdlSlS NOftllcf1l
Iowa or Illinois don't hold over Minnesota for
stock, and am satisfied we can diversity farm
ing here as successfully and probably as they
ran i'll either of those States. Every farmer
who las SoneintO stock raising here is making
more money by it than by any other branch Of
his business, in proportion to the amount of
capital invested. In proof of my faith in this
section of Minnesota for stock raising may
say that we recently purchased from n T.
Clark st. Cloud, Mimi, eight head of thorough
bred cattle aud next year will see me into The
business very extensively. The pork industry
is also b.w"ninS quito all important one to
farmers We havca number ot well-brcd hogs,
and next season | purpose feeding enough to
supply us which will take one gnoa-sizc,i fcl-
low day Wegrowat, octllcr the Scotch Fyfe
wheat. as We find il undoubtedly the best wheat
for this country Our land is rolling prairie,
and every arr" "i l: y naturally drained by
coolies RUM ~. '.!t and west and cmptyins
into Two tvr's and Red River. We have an
abundance of goo water and excellent pastur-
age Tor Il large number of cattle