St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-05-16
BONANZA FARMING.

Inere are great many reasons why
bonanza farming should not be encouraged.
First of all it is conceded that these gigantic
farms are not helpful to the general pros
perity of the country. 1t is therefore
as matter of public interest to learn the
details of the system of running bonanza
farm, as well as to show the capacity of
Minnesota for agriculture, that we give be-
low description of one. 1t is the account
of farming operations on his great farm, a
little east of ST. Vincent, furnished by Capt.
DONALDSON to the ST. Paul, Minneapolis &
Manitoba railway. In this account Capt.
DONALDSON says:
In all we have something over $4,000 acres.
Our farm embraces 81 square miles, princi-
pally odd sections which were railroad lands
originally, and through it passes the main
line of the St. Paul, Minneapolis s. Manitoba
railway to st. Vincent. The winter quarters
Of the farm are ON the south branch of Two
Rivers near which we have 800 acres of tim
Der. There are also three other headquarters
known as Fort Donaldson - Kennedy and
''Section 25.'' Upwards of 200 men have all
they can do to get the crop into shape with
the assistance of 254 horses and mules, As
binders, threshers, 95 wagons, IA mowers
and 10 horse rakes. Of other implements we
have As seeders 100 plows, As harrows, and
other small machinery necessary to thorough
equipment. There is granary capacity on
the farm for 200, 900 bushels, and this season
upwards Of 800 tons of hay have been stacked
for winter use. Of the $4,000 acres, 10000
are in crop this season, 5000 on new breaking
and 1000 acres more will be added to the total
under cultivation next year. The balance of
our land will be put under cultivation as soon
as possible. In 1881 our wheat averaged 25
bushels to the acre; in 1882 it jumped to 271a;
in 1888, which was most unfavorable sea-
son, it dropped to IS, but this year I think
will cap them all with at least % bushels to
the acre. Barley in 1882 went 40 bushel S;
in 1883, 25 and this year am counting on 35.
Oats in the three years have shown So, go and
As bushels, and this year I am confident we
can count on go bushels to the acre. My po-
tatoes have yielded all the way from $50 to 800
bushels to the acre. All other vegetables
and root crops do equally well. I place
the cost of raising wheat-and, mind you,.I
include every expense-at So per acre, and
the profit at $40. Of course, where land is
not properly worked these figures would be
materially changed. But where thorough
farming is the rule am sure this favorable
showing will result every time year out and
year in. For seven or eight months in the
year this climate is salubrious. The winter
months are cold, but bracing and healthful.
I know of no better country than this section
of Minnesota for stock raising. Northern
Iowa or Illinois don't hold over Minnesota for
stock, and I am satisfied we can diversity
farming here as successfully and profitably
as they can in either of those states. Every
farmer who has gone into 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 pur-
chased from N. P. Clark, St. Cloud, Mimi.
eight head Of thoroughbred cattle, and next
year will see me into the business very ex-
tensively. The pork industry is also becom-
ing quite an important one to the farmers.
We have a number of well-bred hogs, and
next season I purpose feeding enough to
supply us-which will take one good-sized
fellow day. We grow altogether the Scotch
Fyfe wheat, as we find it undoubtedly the
best wheat for this country. Our land is
rolling prairie, and every acre of it is natur-
ally drained by coolies running east and west
and emptying into Two rivers and Red
river. We have an abundance of good water
and excellent pasturage for large number
of cattle.