St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-10-11
THE WONDERFUL VALLEY.
Its Great Need Is Smaller Farms,
More Stock and Variety in


Crops.
M. M. FrisSelle, of Excelsior. Mimi.
in a contribution to the Country Gen
tleman, has this view of the develop
ment of the Red river valley: In re-
cent visit to that portion of Minnesota
and Northern Dakota traversed by the
Manitoba railroad, was agreeably i'm
pressed by the changes that have been
made and are still being wrought in the
agriculture of this region. which is gen.
orally supposed to be productive of lit
tie else save wheat. On my first visit,
six years ago, only very small proper
ton of land was under cultivation.
Here and there the pioneer set
tiers had broken small portions of the
prairie, on which were growing wheat,
though often fields of oats and pOta-
toes were to be seen. Then the farmers
lived in one-roOmed cabins or in dug
outs" or sod hutS. Then there were no
barns for storage of grain or hay, or for
the sheltering of the few horses and
cattle which the fortunate farmer
might possess. Then the tree claims
were scarcely diScernable, as one was
trundled along the level of the rail-
road, and were only diStinguishable by a
ing unbrOken prairie. Then horses, and
especially horned stock, were not to be
seen save here and there disconsolate-
looking horse or COW that had emIgrated
with its owner from the crowded pas
lures of New York or the stormy hills
of New England. Now all this is
changed. A major part of the land has
felt the civilizing influence of the pillow,
is fenced for the pasturage of fiocks
and herds, or has taken on the dignity
of meadow, where it's rich heritage is
converted into fragrant hay. In some
portions, instead of scattering fields of
grain, almost the whole country, as far
as the eye can reach, seems
ONE VAST GRAIN FIELD,
and in many localities substantial farm
houses, barns and OuthOuSeS are numer-
Gus. 1t is now no uncommon sight to
see large herds of cattle and horses scat
tered here and there over the country.
counted 146 horses in one pasture that
! stretched for at least mile along the
railroad.
The most uninteresting portion of the
country between Minneapolis, Mimi,
and Grand Forks, in Northern Dakota,
is that section occupied by the great
bonanza wheat farms of the GrandinS,
Dalrymple and others, from the fact
that they seem to be uninhabited. For
miles and miles on the right and on the
left no sign of human occupation ap-
pears in dwellings or stock; nothing but
the waving wheat or its stubble shows
that man has taken possession and laid
its soil under tribute.
Socially and morally considered, it is
undoubtedly a misfortune to any COM
munity where large tracts of land are
oh
trolled by one man. 1t isOlates the
owner and his employees from all neigh
bOrs. 1t naturally cOmpels the hOrding
together of large number of men to
the general exclusion of WOMEN and of
family life. 1t makes difficult any edu-
catiOnal or moral training of the COM
munity, and further, these great farms
naturally compel the production of one
crop, and that of grain, which contin-
ually takes from the soil and returns
nothing to it.
1t seems only question of time land
the sooner that time comes the better
when these bonanza farms
MUST BE DIVIDED
into great number of small ones.
owned and cultivated by individual
farmers and their families, and thereby
giving community of independent citi-
..
and healthful riualry.
The natural result of this division
into small farms of One-eighth, quarter
or half section. accompanied by the eX-
hauStiOn of those elements in the soil
necessary to wheat production, would
be the introduction of mixed farming.
The raising OF cattle, horses, mules.
sheep and pigs, with the rota-
ton of crops of wheat, barley,
oats, flax and potatoes, would
do more to return and conserve the fer
tility of these Dakota farms, and. be-
lieYe, would be more profitable than the
present system of exclusive grain farm
ing. What seems to be needed in the
Red river valley especially, is more
farmers, smaller farms, more stock and
a greater variety of crops. Every time
/ visit this wonderful farming region, |
cannot help wishing that the scores of
New England young men, who are
scratching and eOaXing their stony,
billy farms fora living, could visit this
valley during the harvest season
and make note of its fertil-
ity, the ease with which it is
cultivated, and the abundant harvests
it yields of every crop, except corn,
and ev en- this is grown in abundance
for family use while green. This rich
and healthful region, it seems to me,
offers large inducements to enterpris-
ing young men, and with the Increasing
number of thriving towns and cities,
the monster Touring mills of Minneap-
oils, and the numerous railroads afford
ing cheap transportation and a good
market for all products, there seems no
reason why scores of young farmers
should not go in and possess the land
and reap a rich reward for the labor be-
slowed.