St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-02-16
DIVERSIFIED FARMING.
The Address of MIR. HamIin, O:
the Pioneer Press.

AHe AuufeSS OF MT. HamliD, o?
the Pioneer Press.
Following the address of President
johnson Condo Hamlin read a paper
based upon comprehensive articles by
others which have already appeared i'm
the columns of the Pioneer Press, and
which, he stated, he had taken the lib
erty of drawing upon in order to fur
niSh an argument why the association
should take an active interest in diver
siled farming. The Pioneer Press had
taken the greatest interest In securing
the needed change, and he believed
that the editors of the state might do a
great good by assisting in the move
ment. The paper was, in part. as fol-
lows:
Here is a state too largely dependent
upon wheat crop and WHEAT worth AZ
cents bushel. Ii the crops were ohe
OF old-time dimensions, say twenty to
thirty bushels an acre. the result would
not he so disastrous: but, owing to the
exhaustion OF successive crops. twelve
bushels is an average yield. That a
continuation OF wheat crops at average
yields and average prices will he
suicidal there can be no doubt,
and there is no reasonable
hope of substantial improvement i'm that
direction. Owing to the adoption of
improved machinery in countries where
laborerS can be had for lower wages
than Americans can afford to accept,
competition i'll raising wheat is not
likely to allow prices to rise, except i'm
cases OF famine, which clearly ought
not to be included in a conservative
view of the future. The past few wears
|, E.an .tg
ruptcy and gloom, and indicate the log
lcal result II the same methods con.
tinue.
The only escape is the Investigation
of crops. On that point there is hardly
room FOR argument. The farmers of the
Eastern states, even those VINO have TO
remove the stones from the fields before
the grain is planted, never know what
~'hard times" are i'll the sense which
the expression conveys to the Minnesota
farmers. Wheat may be low, but
he has some hay to sell, or oats
to spare; perhaps he has flock OF
sheep, IL few beeves TO sell, something
which is i'll demand at remuneratiye
prices. He has plenty OF poultry, eggs,
butter and cream; in fact, outside of
tea, coffee and sugar, which might be
termed luXuries. and clothing, he has
all the means of subsistence within the
boundaries Of his own little demesue.
Ii you draw line from st. Paul
through Granite Falls to the Western
border, the dairy interests OF Minnesota
will be found in the Southern section.
ana there Is no question III which see
ton the stringent times were most
keenlv felt. The banner county IS
Freeborn. although no better adapted
for this industry than is half the state.
This county OrOIucpS annually y SOD Onn
pounds OF butter, worth at average
prices received S500,009. Most of this
butter is sold in Eastern markets, and the
money is returned and distributed
among tho producers. In addition the
farmers had large quantities of mi k
with which to successfully raise hogs,
and are steadily adding to the fertility
of their land, and thereby increasing its
value. The farmers of Freedom county
did not know that a hard times" period
was present, except through rumor. and
even the bankers would not have known
il had they not been entangled with The
Menage failure.
But dairying is not cure-all for every
evil. IL can De overdone, as car any
other movement, although such a result
is not probable in these DAYS when dis
tant markets are available. Stock must
be improved. Dairying is not profitable
with scrub stock. Slowly dairy COW
founded upon the Jersey. Gucrnesy,
HolStein or even the Ayrshire blood
must be introduced. In Freaborp
county the average yield per cow was
rs pounds of butter at 81 cents Der
pound. In the state there are SUP
posed to Ge $4,000 cows. The total
production at this rate can be easily es-
timated. ln Wisconsin there are herds