The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-04-15

The season is at hand when the farmer OF
the Northwest begins the work Of compliant
ing. This Is a simple performance, but there
are few who comprehend the real value as
ISOLATED with the industry.
So far as Minnesota is concerned the grow
ing OF corn is Of constantly increasing impor-
lance. A little more than generation ago
the idea Of growing corn in any section of this
state either north south OF the parallel of
ST. Paul was looked upon something i'm
practicable. owing TO climatic conditions But
the attempt was made in several Of the lower
counties, with the result that in 1865 the
acreage was 129, SO, with yield of 4S49,9oS
bu, and an average yield per acre of 1873
bu- From that time on the production in
creased annually until in 1883 score Of years
later. the acreage amounted to $685. 622, with
a production of %, 115. 769 bu, with an average
per acre OF 80. 10 bu. There were subsequent
recessions, both in acreage and in the amount
OF product. but in 1895 the latest year for
which accurate figures are obtainable, the
acreage was 1,O41, S47, and the yield was 81
s60.lTS bu, being an average of about 1882 bu
per acre.
Along in the sos the great corn-producing
section Of thu country emb. aced the states Of
Tennessee. Virginia. North Carolina, Ken
lucky Ohio Indiana and Illinois. But the
advance of population has changed this, and
now the state of Iowa heads the list Of corn
producing states. Iowa, with Missouri, Ne
braska, Kansas, illinois, Indiana and Ohio
produce more than two-thirds of the entire
crop Of the United States. 1t Is from the
section embraced within these limits that the
surplus emanates. The product Of other
states is limited to demand for home con-
sumption.
Geographically and climatcally the Of
the corn field of the United States has been
established, so far as its western limits are
concerned. AS agricultural development eX-
tends towards the eastern slope of the Rocky
mountains two conditions oppose the advance
Of corn culture, namely, lack Of moisture
and altitude. The fact has been demonstrated
by experiment that corn does not thrive by
means Of Irrigation In the green ear, from
the formative to the filling period, is seems
to do well under the influence OF irrigation.
which, however, is directed only toward the
roots; but there must be vitalizng quality
In the atmomsphere to insure proper ripen-
ing and this the irrigated sections do not
supply.
But while the Rocky mountains establish
a barrier to the growth of corn westward, the
belt has widened both to the southwark and
the northw2rd. and in this expanding process
Minnesota -aas demonstrated possibilities of
which is was not thought that she was pos
sessed
Ever since the first grains Of corn were
dropped on the soil Of the southern tier Of
counties there have been pessimists and
croakers, who, shaking their heads declared
that this cereal could not be grown to matur-
ity within the borders of the state, just as
though an imaginary line drawn between
Minnesota and iowa, the greatest corn-pro-
ducing In the world, must necessarily
indicate the parallel beyond which 1t was
useless to advance Step by step, however,
with the settlement Of unoccupied lands,
corn has been produced to the extent indi-
Gated above. The parallel of Iowa Is about
q degrees. The head of Lake Superior is
about As 10 degrees.
And yet we find, from statistics for 1895, the
latest attainable. officially, that the county
OF Beltrami. the southern boundary of which
is about 4715 degrees, and the northern limit
of which is the boundary line between Miu-
nesota and Canada, produced In that year
142. 924 Blu of corn from 5,636 acres or en-
average Of about $3.50 blu per acre, and other
neighboring counties such as Polk and Nor
man, reported equal average yields for the
same year When the average y:ed per acre
for 1895. namely. 27.92 bu for the entire state,
Is taken into consideration, 1t is apparent
that these extreme northern counties, with
their yield of $3.50 hold their own as against
the southern districts directly contiguous to
the legendary corn belt, of which Iowa is
part
But 1t ought not to be an aspiration on the
part of the farmers IN northern Minnesota to
cultivate corn a commercial quantity.
That will never pay. The district outlined
above supplies the surplus for distribution
within the territory Of the United States
and for export. The cultivation of corn IN
this state. particularly north of the parallel
Of st. Paul, should be only with reference to
consumption on the farm, in connection with
the growing and fattening of live stock.
The farmers of Minnesota are gradually
becoming informed Of the fact that their
state is destined to be a vast domain for
the breeding. rearing and fattening of live
stock. The great Manitoba country to the
north has. under the intelligent handling Of
this question set example to the posi-
bilities in that line, which the people Of this
commonwealth are following to their advan-
tage. The statistics given herewith prove
that corn can be grown even to maturity in
the high ATTITUDES Of Northern Minnesota
When the farmers southwark from line mid
way through the state become educated In
connection with this subject, the yield of
corn will soon be doubled. And every grain
of this product should only pass beyond the
boundary OF the state in the fatted cattle and
general live stock which the state is capable
of producing
Within the past ten years there has been
q great shIinkage in the volume of cattle.
In 1887 the aggregate number of cattle in
stock was, in round numbers, $500 900. In
1892 this aggregate reached the grand total OF
o.. O00 0o0, but in 1893 liberal estimates place
the product at 40, 100, COO, 400 900 below that
of 1887. This shrinkage is almost wholly in
meat cattle; the dairy stock has not percep-
tiby diminished Between the years 1881 and
1883 this country gained in cattle about $780,
COO h ad; within the past two years alone
we have sustained loss of approximately
100000 head. This is attributed to the ex-
IRENE financial depression existing during
that period. There was likewise a shrinkage
in hogs from 81 600 in 1892 to &c. 900, 0G0 in
1898. In this connection 1t may be said that
the tendency to market hogs at from six tc
eight months cd has developed. But the fact
is clearly to be recognized that the future
must provide an increasing demand for both
portunity is thus afforded to farmers Of the
Northwest, and particularly of Minnesota
In connection with this industry.
Thus 1t becomes important at this seeding
period Of the year to consider the advantages
9f complaining within the state The figures
given show what has been done. The area
planted to this cereal can be doubled OF null
ttplied at the will Of the farmer, But with
this increase should also 80 an expansion o.
the live stock Interest In ali directions =
Paul provides the market at the highest OBJ
tainable prices. May not the suggestion b.
Appropriately made to the farmers to tax,