Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1895-04-04
Irwin Il. welch is another South Da-

renew farm work IN South UakOt1,
thoroughly convinced that this state
offers advantages which cannot be
found elsewhere. MIR. Welch's expcri-
ence is interesting. He came to South
Dakota eight years ago and settled on
q farm in Lincoln county, five miles
south of Sioux Falls. All he had at
that time was l6o acres Of land. He
remained two years and half, raising
three crops and when he left sold his
farm and improvements for S., 900, sold
$500 worth of grain and cattle and took
with him besides the proceeds of these
sales, nine horses, seven cattle, 200
bushels OF oats and considerable ma
chinery. He went to southeastern
Kansas where he far1ncd two years and
half. AS the result of his operations
in that state he left Kansas at the end
of two years and half with span of
mules and few hundred dollars worth
of farm machinery, all that was left of
his South Dakota earnings. He bor-
rowed $50 to help him out of the coun-
try. He went to Ohio where by dill
gence he saved enough to get him to
South Dakota and put him in possession
of another South Dakota farm. He is
now here and says that he intends to
stay as he knows of no agricultural
state where the returns are so certain
and as large as they are in South ID a.
kota. In justiccto Mr.. Wclch it shou ID
be added that he did not leave for
Kansas with the idea of lettering his
condition but because his health re-
CURED at that time y more moderate
InlS,, ~, A r
In order to determine if it is as
profitable to raise ducks as chickens,
considering that it took about twice
the amount of food to grow them. an
entcrprising Hammonton, N. j., poul-
try,nan. p. II. Jacobs. made the follow
ing test:
AT one one week old the duclsling
| weighed four ounces. while the chick
only reached two ounces.
At weeks old the duc'sling reached
nine ounces, and the chick got up to
four ounces.
AT three weeks. duclsling one pound;
chick. six and one quarter o unces.
AT four weeks, duclsling, one pound
and nine ounces: click. ten ounces.
At five weeks. duc|liing, two pounds
and two ounces: chick. fourteen ounces.
AT six weeks old, ducliling, two
pounds and eleven ounces; chick, one
pound and two and u half ounces.
at seven weeks old, dnclsling, three
pounds and five ounces; chick, one
pound and seven and d half ounces.
AT eight weeks old. duckling four
pounds; chick, one pound and twelve
ounces.
AT nine weeks old. drckling, four
pounds and eight ounces; chick, two
pounds
"lf reports from Kansas can be relied
even q good well and wind mill with
reservoir will successfully irrigate 10
acres of land. The reservoirs used in
such cases are made 40 to SO feet in
diameter and feet deep, the bottom
thoroughly tranpcd with horses or
cattle with q few inches of water in it.
This makes it retain the water. the
leakage being light. The sides are
simply made by building u wall of sod
or earth. A square box is placed at
the bottom of the reservoir through
which the water is rapidly conveyed
into the bitches after the reservoir has
been filled with water. 1t is claimed
that by applying the water during the
fall months, thoroughly soaking the
subsoil. that abundant crops will be
produced the next season with very
little rain or surface irrigation. be-
licve the experiment is worth trying,
ut least.
Since the price of wool on free
trade basis has dropped over 40 per
cent. below protected prices, sheep even
yet may be as profitable as any other
branch of farm industry. Horses and
cattle bring no return until after the
third year, and are selling below the
cost of production. The sheep however
through the yield of wool, to say moth
ing OF lambs, give cash return every
12 months and bring money in to the
farmer i'll the spring before there can
be any return from his crops. 1t now
seems not improbable that part at
least Of the duty upon wool will be re-
stored. and rs increase in the focks is
necessarily slow, it is an open question
whether in comparison with the low
prices of wheat, cotton, horses. etc,
sheep are not more desirable than many
of the other branches of farm indus
tries.-Justice, Brteman s. Co.
Heavy cattle dealers from Dakota
ranges have just returned from the
Southwest, where they went to purch-
ase cattle, returning without invest
ing, the prices ranging from eighteen
dollars to twenty dollars for two
year-olds. Those who have 80 far
returned without cattle are Messrs.
Phillips, Newbanks and Srearns.
This has raised the price OF cattle in
the vicinity OF Pierre and young cat
tie which have been going at very low
figures for several years are now good
property. Several train loads Of
Minnesota stock have already been
rushed in and more is following.
State rraasurer K;rk r. ph;ll;na