Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1890-07-04
HOW HE %PROsPERED.
j. A. Field, a Burleigh County Far.
mer, Tells His Experience
3 in North Dakota.
He and His Sons have Succeeded as
Stock Raisers as Well
as Farmers.
He Never Lost Faith in the Coun
try, Even Under Adverse
Circumstances.

Circumstances.
Soldier, Pioneer Farmer and Stock Raiser.
ia. Field. wife and four sons were all
born in Lewiston, Me. Mr.. Field and
three brothers were soldiers in the union
army. j. A. enlisted for three years and
served fifteen months, when he was dis
charged by reason OF the expiration
of the war. He was lieutenant
of Go. K, 18th Maine, commanded by Col.
Nm. r. Kimball. The portion of the army
his regiment were with went down along
the Atlantic coast and Joined Gen. Sher-
mans army at Savannah, when it reached
there on THE march to the sea-" At the
close of the war, he returned to Lewiston
and there resided until 1877. He then
came to Burleigh county, Dakota, where,
October 10th, he took a claim six miles east
of Bismarck, On Apple creek. He filed on
the northwest quarter of section 10-138-79
as a homestead, on the south
east quarter of section 4-1S8-79 as
a tree claim. He built a house and barn
n soon after began breaking land. For
three years he freighted on his own &C.
count, also had charge of the Mclean and
Macnider train, freighting to the Black
Hills. Freighting through the Indian
country at that time was attended with
many dangers and difficulties. Quite a
number Of freighters, and also many i'm
migrants, were killed. At one time'Mr.
Fields train was attacked while he was
away. In 1880 Mrs. Field, with the chill
dren, came out and joined Mr.. Field on
the farm, and all settled down to farming
as a business. The first venture in stock
is worthy of particular mention. They had
no cow, and hired one, paying $40
for the use of it for three months. They to
have the calf. This heifer calf was their
have been raised, and she still lives and is
known as the queen of the herd" Mr..
Field now has 1870 head of cattle, and FL
mer, his Oldest son, now grown to man
hood, who is one OF the most intelligent
and Industrious young men in the county,
has twenty five head: while Edville, an
other bright and active young son. has four
horses. The sons in connection with 9TH
ers have a herd of 800 on the range in the
northeast part of the county. Mrs. Field,
who is admitted to be a model wife and
mother, has managed the household affairs
and carried on the dairy, one year making
and selling 1,400 pounds of butter at 90
cents per pound, and for three years find.
ing a market for all they could spare at rs
cents to customers in the city. on account
OF her health and the SON. being drawn
away from home to look after the fast in
creasing stock, she does not run the dairy
now and is using butter made a year ago,
which IS as sweet as neW-made butter, Of a
better grade and color. The grain crop of
1881 on this farm was a failure. It was a
couraged. Mr.. Field said to his family,
"Droutb, like lightning. does not
7i,,ns and '"' we will II go fh ahead same ama
by deep blowing and thorough dragging
put the land in shape for cropping the
next spring.. This was done and the yield
thirty-fve bushels to the acre, and during
the year this wheat sold for from 90 2-1O
cents to Sl.50 per bushel. "The average
yield on m land south of the track"
said Mr. Field, ''has been fifteen BUSH
els per acre per year, counting all
crops since 1881. l have raised on one
other piece of my land where l could
and pillow it under, from twenty to twenty
five bushels per acre. 1t pays to put all
the straw and manure on the land. | do
not burn hes straw. We have in crop this
year eighty-five acres OF wheat, twenty of
oats, eight Of corn, forty of millet, two Of
busy to give the farm the personal atten-
ton it should have had this spring. But
everything. we have in looks splendid and
the indications are that we will lave a
heavy yield. 1t may turn out as in 1882.
The season before was very dry and the
grain was not knee high to a duck, while
w gave us a great send off"
Mr.. Fields experience and success in
raising ten acres of trees has often been
referred to. He says that the land should
be deep plOwed, and worked thoroughly;
that the young trees must b. fresh; must
be set out early and with care; must be at.
tended to during the growing season; kept
clean, and when once rooted and properly
started it will be an easy job to watch and
protect them. 81 find for shade and orna-
mental trees the water elm is about the
surest and handsomest. 1t will grow on up.
land as well as the cottonwood and better
than box elder. The ash is a pretty tree,
its leaves being dark green, and mine at
the house have grown and spread wonder
else that is worth having, requires judg-
ment,. attention and labor. l have had
considerable experience in immigration
work. ! have attended and conducted and
assisted in arranging exhibits at Minneap-
oils, st. Paul, Cincinnati, st. Louis, Buffalo
and New Orleans. At all these exhibits
the products for North Dakota have drawn
more attention than exhibits from other
states, and in every case where prizes
were offered for the best general exhibit
or for special cereal and vegetable displays
North Dakota has won-and won hon
estly to. D.
"The movements of immigration change.
It is almost like the flight of wild pigeons.
They 20 to the best feeding grounds and
by instincts know where to 60, changing
their location. as their natural food is af-
fected by the climatic changes. Then,
again, immigration often fills certain
places to overflow. then follows a recoil,
back to the central starting points. 1t is
60 ~ well known that we q and dc raise in
county, the very best and most desirable
beef, cereals and vegetables that can be
produced in the world; and take this in
connection with our central location, our
climate and and reasonable price Of good
farm land and the comparatively easy task
m oman and urnrL tho 1ond orr $,rr ,,o,,e<