Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1897-08-07

potatocs 90 the exclusion OF cvcrythfng
else. Wheat and barley are equally
well adopted, but our ranchmen rarely
ever SOW more than enough to raise
feed for the poultry. This is accounted
for from the fact that we have no mills
to grind our wheat into flour, and the
land area is too small to think of rails
ing anything to sell which must be
shipped out Of the hills to find a mar.
kct.
Most Of our ranchmen. and in fact all
who are able, in addition to farming
keep a small bunch Of cattle and horses
which do well winter and summer. The
horses which run ont requiring no feed
ing, and the cattle but very little, and
that only during q cold storm which
never lasts more than a few days. The
raising of stock in the Hills is wisely
pursued by u ranchmen so long as
they do not overstock, but very unwise
when the herd is permitted to increase
beyond the capacity of the range 10
biI'HoIl, WHICH, Has DCtu uOllt III ltO
many cases in the last few years. We
have said that the amount Of plow land
7 is too small to justify our farmers in
trying to raise anything for shipment
out of the Hills. But upon reflection
we are quite sure that an exception
should be made to this statement, for
judging from the prolific growth Of our
potatoes, theirsize and superior quality
a good market for them should be found
in the large cities Of the east at re-
, munerative prices. We are inclined tc
believe this, in spite Of the fact tina,
Nebraska, Iowa and Illinois is each
2 strictly a farming country, and all raise
potatoes, yet, nevertheless, there should
1 be a good market in Omaha, Chicago
| and ST. Louis, and many Of the large
f towns on the Missouri should be oul
customers. We say this from the gen
/ orally admitted fact that n great corr
, country is never a good potatoe country
and when we consider HAT potatoes are
a cheap food, and il cost but a little more
: to buy a good potatoe than a poor one
J and the further fact that a good potatos
: is a luxury and a poor one n nuisance
f and unfit to eat, there remains no doub'
l in our mind, that if once introduced ant
n trade worried up, that We might. ant
. will some day, be shipping our spuds tc
the east by the train load.
The sugar beet too is another vegetable
which grows well here, and the few
T experiments which have been tried
; have proved that the rich, light soil
I and more than all, the continual sun
: shine, is just what is needed in the
propagation OF the sugar beet to product
! the largest per cent Of saccharine. At
, t%ention of capitalists should be drawn t.
an investigation Of the adaptation Of oul
soil and climate to this important in
I dustry, particularly since the change il
, the tariff has given the mandatory o
: sugar in'this country an increased ad
l vantage which will place the business
: upon asolid footing where it cannot fai
" NC pioh'apiCs
T. Our people. both of the town ant
country, should cooperate in an en-
deavor to get a flour mill erected at thi'
: point. IL ought to pay handsomely OF
the investment and would fill a lonl
felt want. The experiment has beer
: tried sufficient to prove beyond a doubI
that we can raise wheat here in abund
: ance, and that Of the best quality, tc
keep a mill in continuous operation
Next to this, We need a creamery. The
pure water and nutritious grasses of TIM
section. together with the fact, tina
there is no other place that W. know o
where they enjoy such freedom from
annoying insects, makes this an idea
; country for the dairy business. w,
shonld endeavor to bring capital ant
labor in closer relation, instead Of try
ing to Widen the breach between them
, for they are mutually dependent upor
each other, and when the industry il
which both are engaged is fairly ad
4 justed both must languish or thirty,
, together. 1t is not a difficult matter (,
' get these industries started here, pro
vided the community were agreed anl
8 willin: to cooperate and give thcil
9 united support. Our farmers SHOULD
8 talk these matters up and work foI
!. them as they 70 along. In the mean
, time let US thank the great Giver fol
0 timely rain, and the prospect Of I
bountiful harvest in our own immediat.
section. and extend u sympathy Il
o those less fortunate. whose lands hay
/. been denied the necessary moistur,
until their crops are withered and dry.