Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1886-01-15
to bring out the characteristics most des ra-
bic in the ideal farm horses.


Joel Benton, a New York Independent cor
respondent who spent several weeks OF last
fall in Dakota, reaches these conclusions
about the climatic conditions and farming
advantages of the territory. His statements
seem to be fairly drawn, and it only remains
to be remembered by those who read that
competence or financial success are not
achieved in a new country without hard work,
strict economy, and deprivation for time Of
many advantages which are matter Of course
in the farming districts at the east
"As so many curious statements are made
about Dakota, and no much misapprehension
and misinformation prevail with reference to
it-especially in reference to its climate-a
word or two on this point may be pertinent.
People living in the east have an idea that
Dakota ia a sort of second cousin to the
North Pole, and that the summer here is very
brief. My immediate experience with the
climate covers the past autumn and finer
one it has rarely been my fortune to encoun-
ter anywhere. Many days in September
were of summer warmth, aud scarcely three
days in the entire fall could be called, in any
marked way, stormy or disRgreeabe and
this, too, in North Dakota.
There is no doubt the thermometer goes
low in winter here, and sometimes marks 40
degrees and more below zero but l have
heard it said by persons who have lived in
the cities of New York and Chicago that the
coolest weather at Fargo or Grand Forks is
far more agreeable to them than either a New
York or Chicago winter SO far az the far.
mer is concerned, the winter does not troubls
him much in Dakota, whatever it may be
for his work is done before it comes His
busiest times are in seeding, in harvest, and
threshing and in blowing for the next years
crop--after threshing is over But some.
times he postpones the threshing until the
fall blowing is DONE and puts bis grain in
stacks to be threshed very late in the fall or
early in the winter II he has good deal OF
new land to break, he is apt to do this un-
less he is compelled to force his wheat into
market. At one time q good many more
farmers were compelled to do this than do it
at present. Those who need the results Of
their crop can easily get money advanced on
! it for the brief space of time on which they
need it, and get 1t on easier terms than for
merly.
I'm some cases, farmers build their own
| granaries and hold their own wheat in order
to escape the considerable fees charged by
railroad elevator companies. In other in
| stances farmers themselves club together and
build n &C operative elevator. l can see one
now from the window where l am writing.
just completed, although three of the usual
sort, which stand beside it, were established
first, and might be deemed sufficient.
The new inventions which come to the
farmers help, too, are not by any means yet
exhausted 1t was quite a step forward when
binding and threshing went on together but
a machine is now in use that takes off the
heads of the grain and leaves the straw stand
ing, which does away with sheaves and the
expense of Irvine. 1t also saves the labor Of
moving the straw and stacking it and, as
the straw is burned at last, it is certainly bet
ter to diffuse the ashes from it evenly than to
il. them up under one or more large bon
fires During the present season, a reaping
machine has been exhibited Tin Cass county
l think that does the threshng, as well a,
the reaping, and leaves the wheat cleared in
the bags, and ready to transport to the eleva
tor. Dsinterested observers consider it
success. II this should prove to be so, tn,
next inventor will be obliged to produce one
that attaches also a roller mill, and that will
turn the wheat into the best new process
flour.
In almost all cases the threshing, o
course, is not only done by steam, but is dom
in the field. What step forward this i
from the tune when small farmer spent al
his winters time, or large part Of it, il
pounding out a small crop with fail or tw,
in the barn. Horace Greeley used to tell m
that blowing would eventually be done b.
steam everywhere. If it shall ever be, tn
' easiest and most natural place in which Il
3 begin this innovation will be Dakota. But
q a. the case is now the winter time is the far
mer's long holiday. He is not the slave to
milk-can or to butter aud cheese, the wor
= connected with which never ends. He feed
e his horses and one COW, perhaps withou
!. much toll and waters them in the barn, o
q very near the stable door. His nearest neigh
Dor may live mile away but the winter
=, made social by parti es and visits to an extern
Il that an outsider would not imagine.
t Zone of the advantages of farming here, /
q which l have not alluded, is the easy absenc
q of fertilizers. There is no heavy trausporta
a ton of manure. Even the farm yard produc
is not considered or saved. The virgin sol
does it all. Where fertilization has been trie
or is accidental, it only results, am told il
heavier weight of straw, and the CROWN
I grain lodges in consequence. The vegetable
grown here are as tine as | have ever seen
e Potatoes are generally fine and large, ofte
I weighing two or three pounds apiece, an
! perfect to the centre nevertheless l hav
q seen beets from 10 TO % pounds in weight
u and common field turnip (steep leaf tina
g weighed II pounds. Nor are these rare e1
8 ceplions. | was not present in time to ga
II Dakota Strawberries but the celery and ia
r vegetables generally produced here are nc
J. second to the best in any market. In North
+ ern Dakota l saw some fine blooded cattle @
n the most approved kinds for beef, and ther
81 are a number of stock farms already estat
8 lished that will, doubt not, be heard froI
b in the future.
Gov. Pierce says, in his report that tn
u death rate in the territory is only -. 45 to th
/ l000,' which he calls the SIN llest in tn
D United States and it is not difficult to bt
|, lieve that this health showing is correct"