Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1891-10-09
RETROSPECTIVE AND PROSPECTIVE,

Already the effect of the bountiful
crops are being felt in the city. The
farmers are buying more literally than
usual. The amount of travel has in
creased, as the hotel registers show.
Land seekers are already on prospecting
tours and the immigrant has made his
appearance. The business men, as we'll
as the farmers. are hopeful of the future.
The merchants have shown their faith in
the country by laying in larger stocks of
goods than usual. The farmer shows his
faith by preparing to seed a larger acre
age next year than he did last spring, and
by building granaries, improving hist
house and barns, and otherwise adding
to the value of his farm.
This will be a good year for the farmer
to take some of the money which he will
get for his wheat and invest it in young
stock. By purchasing a few head of cat
tie or a small bunch of sheep he can lay
the foundation for an industry which
will never fail him-rain or shine. Prices
of stock may vary, but the probabilities
are that they will never get so low as to
make the business Improbable in North
Dakota. The largest portion of the vast
area of range country in the United
States is now occupied, and is support
ing about all the stock it can. The de-
mand for meat is increasing every year,
as the population of the world increases.
Soon the limit of stock-raising will be
reached, and the price of meat will sure
ly advance. But the farmer need not wait
for that time. The present prices make
stock-raising aproftable industry. Wool
growing, for which a large portion of the
state is so we'll adapted, is a compare
lively new industry here but it has been
demonstrated by those who understand
the business that the profits in sheep
raising are equal if not more than in the
growing of cattle. But the man who I'M
dertakes to raise sheep must know how
to take care of them. He must shelter
and feed them properly in winter, and
guard against disease.
There is no country on earth where a
wheat crop can be raised successfully
every year. The past experience in this
state has shown that it is no exception
to the rule. There are elements to be
contended against which cannot be over
come by human agency. The farmer
can only put in his crops and trust to
Providence. Every year we hear of crop
failures in many portions of the world,
and North Dakota must expect her share.
"In times of peace prepare for war;" In
tunes of prosperity prepare for adver-
sity. Every indication points to several
years of big crops in this state. The
climatic conditions of the past summer
and the present fall are indicative of an
other wet season in 1892. Besides this,
the weather prophets, the Indians and
other more or less reliable sources of in
formation all predict that this country is
entering upon an era wherein there will
be plenty of moisture and consequent
abundance of crops.
But, notwithstanding all this, it is a
wise p%recaution for the farmer to hus-
band we'll the receipts of his present
crop. And if he can spare enough of it
to start himself in the stock business, or
to increase the stock he has already got,
he will have done the best thing he can
to provide for the future.