Oakes weekly Republican. (Oakes, Dickey County, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1883-1898, 1891-04-17
NORTH DAKOTA.
The Very Latest Reliable. State News
Items Gathered From Associated
~5 Press kilograms.
fienty Of Moisture...Bright Crop Pros.
poets ALI Along the Line in
North Dakota.
The Missouri Valley Sacrificing Wheat
Pc to Stock-.-Flattering Reports on
Sheep Cultivation.

A special telegram to the A1inueapo-
lis evening Journal, dated the 18th
INST, says that reports have been re.
seived at Bismarck from almost every
section of the state indicating that
there Is more moisture in the ground
now than during any year since 1884.
Down in western Richland, southern
Ransom, Sargent, Dickey, southern
Lamoure, Mcintosh and Emmons
counties the ground is reported to be
in frst'class condition for raising a
good cropof wheat. Seeding has been
started in this district, but the recent
snow and rain made the soil too wet,
and it will be the last OF the present
week before it is again under way. In
-" the Red River valley counties but lit
seec ing has as yet been done. The
amount OF moisture in the ground
Will postpone general wheat sowing
for another week. The acreagein this
section of the state will be increased
this year over that OF last season.
Reports from the Devils lake and
anrtle mountain country Indicate a
SsR!endid condition OF soil for wheat
raising: The crops in the last named
section have always been good, owing
to the moisture from the mountains
and streams, but the acreage here will
not be increased this year. The Dew
ills lake district will have about the
same acreage as last year, although
considerable new land will be sown
this year; but owing to the continued
drouth OF past years, many of the
farmers had not prepared to SOW as
much land as in former seasons, Deem
ing it best to be on the safe side by
not putting all their land in wheat.
= 2 In the James river and Missouri riv-
er valleys, more seeding has been done
than in any section of the state, vet
the rain and snow of last week will
cause a suspension OF the work tor
four or fivedays. The acreage in these
two localities will not be in excess of
former years.
The attention of farmers in the Mis-.
souri, valley is now practically settled
on stock raising, and, although every
farmer will have more or less wheat
sown, yet it is not likely this portion
OF the state will ever again be classed
as wheat raising section. The soil
and climatic conditions OF this valley
seem best adapted to raising sheep,
cattle and horses. An old ranchman
said the other day that he could raise
horse about as cheap on the ranges
Of the Missouri valley as farmer
could chicken in the Red River val
Icy. The farmers of the James and
Sheyenne river valleys have purchased
more sheep during the past year than
any other section OF the state,
and in consequence no increase
in acreage in these two districts
can be expected this year. In
every instance where sheep were plac-
ed in North Dakota last year, the
most hattering reports have been
made. The past winter was very fav-
orable. The wool clip OF this sum-
mer. will add materially to the income
of those who have gone into the sheep
business, to say nothing of the in.
crease.
Many farmers in the Red river val
ley might have been benefited by the
reported corner in the hay market if
they had had the time to spare from
seeding to ship it, as many of them
have considerable hay left over, ow-
ing to the stock living on the prairies
and stubble most of the winter. The
heavy snow fall in Montana caused q
good market for surplus hay in the
western part of the state, where the
stock lived upon the open range dur
ing the entire winter.