The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1895-12-27

NUMBER "a.
yields of contiguous neighbors and
contiguous localities, are similar III
quantity, with just about the differ
encc one would expect from different
farmctS and styles Of farming. In
fact the figures prove each other.
Not only do the figures prove cacI,
other by their similarity, but the
number Ut examples presented, and
the localities represented make such
Il multitude Of witnesses" that it is
not possible to question the result as
a whole. We believe this showing Of
a large number of actual yields, tells
more about this county than anything
else possibly could. 1t is like the
grapes brought back from Jericho by
the spies in Bible times. But there
are somc facts that arc not SO appar-
cnt to those not familiar with the
capabilities Of this country that VIC
may remark. Among which are
EASE OF GUILTY. ALTON.
Except for Il little assistance in hay
ing time very many Of our quarter
section farmers with four good horses
plow all the ground, SOW the seed aud
cut the grain without help. Onc
young man IN the below list, Harry
Carr of Crystal raised i, ,22OO bushels %:
grain on ltO acres without assistance
except for shocking" and threshing.
and bached it at that. Mr.. John Hal
crow Of Bowesmont, with the assist
ancc of agrown son. another son of
fourteen years "f age and one hired
man raised nearly 10000 bushels Of
grain, without other help until after
che grain was cut Many other exam
Piles might be given.
These might seem to bc fairy tales
to the eastern farmer on small
patches, but there are several reasons
why one man may cultivate SO much
soil here. One reason is that plowing
is done in long burrows. half a mile or
more being common. This ssaves time
in turning. The resistance of the
pillow is equal and steady, and not Sc
we're, the team thus taking Il steady
and rapid gait. There are no stones.
stumps, hills, and but few knolls to
interrupt the plow. The davs are
long: daylight lasts from, two or three
in the morning to nine or ten at
night: the mornings aud evenings are
cool and horses work comfortably.
Another reason is, that a large por.
tion Of the labor is done by the best
machindry, which four horses can
make cover Il large amount Of grain
in Il day.
We have in another article told some
tllingof the geological formation ct
this valley. The figures presented
prove It's richness. hut some reader
saws. "'Nhis is an extraordinary
crop" Well. 50 it is. it is the best
cI"p We ever raised and that proves IL
lot as to what the soil is good for.
! We may state as IL positive fact that
the most of the land, included in
these rcportcd yields, has been under
constant cultivation to wheat for at
least ten years, much of it fifteen
Years aud SO there are fields in this
county, land We think some of that in
the table, which has been under sui.
Livati"m ta wheat or other grain for
fifty years. aud this without the
application Of manure or other ferti-
| liZcr Give us the same atmospheric
conditions next year. or any year. aud
the soil will produce IL similar yield.
So far, ever since the county was
generally cultivated, "a failure Of crops
as Il whole has never been known.
Some localities have had pretty short
yields, but there are townships in this
county which have never had Il really
bad yield, but, as VIC said, atmosphcr-
ic conditions, such as rains, sunshine.
winds, etc, make a difference one year
with another or sometimes in par
ticular localities, the same as in other
countries.
We haye in this table confined our
selves to wheat only. When the read
cr sees the number Of acres of wheat
hc can easily guess whether the farm
is Il quarter or a half section or more,
and as rule the balance OF the farm
is seeded to flax, oats and barley and
other crops. The yield has been good
and anyone will know that land which
will produce such wheat will do as
well with other grain.
How much wheat did the county uf
pembina produce this year is some
what conjcctural, even with these
figures. The average yield as shown
by the examples is about twenty-seven
bushels per acre. In round numbers
there are about 10000 acres Of land
in the county We estimate that IL
liutlc over hall, SAY 100000 acres, are
cultivated; Of these cultivated lands
perhaps thrcc.fourths, or :UO. 900 acres