Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1894-01-04
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

TIN AGRICULTURAL WORLD
lsa TIERS of INTEREST TO FAR
| Nn MERs.
In Fnrmtnw-Poultry Notes
Exchanges Infiuence Miik-farm ~
f Notes.
The Country Gentleman Of December
Ia has the following letter from Gen.
10. e. Andrews of st. Paul:
The hard times through which we
are passing will have had one favor
able effect on agriculture. People In
cities who have expected to accumu-
late wealth rapidly, but who now are
suffering from the long continued busl-
ness depression. have been inclined to
under value agriculture as too slow a
business; but now, they witness the
comfortable and independent situation
Of the farmers, they almost envy him
his happiness. They are sorry they
have not farms themselves, and many
Of them will try to procure one. The
farmer is probably aware by this time
that, take it all In all, his occupation
is one Of the safest and best. Certain-
", he feels the depression less than
any other class.
The hay crop of Minnesota this sea-
son was remarkable for abundance ana
good quality. A little was shipped d.
rect to England. Forage Of all sorts Is
very cheap. At present the farmer IS
getting but 20 cents bushel for oats,
$3.50 ton for upland prairie hay, and
Sc for timothy. EARLY in the autumn
the city jobber warned his customers
they must pay up: The country trader
notified the farmer likewise; conse-
quently farmers who are in debt are
selling everything they can to pay their
debts. It is not improbable, therefore,
that forage will be thirty per cent.
higher in the spring.
Hog-raising is proving one OF the
most profitable branches Of agricul-
ture. Men who from their intelligence
and skill, may properly be termed far
mers, last year cleared nearly IS per
hog, weighing 240 to 300 pounds and
Z to months old. Stock-raising of all
sorts is largely on the increase. Last
year this state produced 100000
worth of apples. The Okabena, Ouch.
ess and Wealthy prove to be hardy and
productive varities.
Our very warm summer made the
corn crop excellent, but injured wheat,
which was below the average OF Il
bushels per acre. Our best farmers,
however, who practice a rotation OF
crops, average 20 bushels of wheat
per acre. Such farmers have part
Of their land in red clover and timothy,
the fertilizing effects Of which, together
with the liberal use Of farm-yard ma
nure for the corn crop, maintains nigh
fertility for the whole farm. The pro-
gramme Of diversified farming in Min
nesota in recent years has been such
that farms, including good buildings,
in various parts Of the state, sell at
rather high prices. I have in mind a
respectable farmer who has a nice farm
of 2SO acres, with good buildings, in
desirable community, % miles from
Minneapolis, which he has carefully
cultivated 80 years, spending his profits
in improvements, but which he now
wishes to sell for SIC, 500. In the SOUTH
west part of this state good unim-
proved lands sell at from SIG to $40
per acre, and there is one county in
which they sell readily at $25 per acre.
On the other hand, railroad lands be-
tween here and Duluth, from which
most of the timber has been cut, are
being sold for actual occupancy at IS
per acre. In remote localities public
lands can be had under the homestead
law, which, however, requires a resi-
dence of five years before title can be
acquired.
About one-third of the northern half
Of this state produces, or once pro-
dnced, pine forest, which is rapidly dis
appearing, no pains being taken for re-
growth. The value of the lumber cut
last year was $13,OO0,OOO. In Austria,
Germany and Sweden, and probably
some other countries, forests arc owned
by the government and administered
SO as to continually yield fair net
income. Also, fur-bearing animals and
game birds are propagated. The black
cock, an excellent game bird, twice as
large as our prairie chicken, IS coluiuon
In the forests and markets of Northern
Europe, but is unknown in this coun-
try.