The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1900-08-17
VIRTUES OF MICHIGAN
Set Forth In a Booklet Devoted
to Michigan as Farm State.
TO BRING IMMIGRANTS WEST.
Specia. Attention Given to Sugar Bee,
Culture-Land to be Settled Lies
Along Pere Marquette.

is organized separately 1t is known as
the New York National Land associa
ton. The Michigan Office of the com
pany is located at Manistee, and in
addition offices have been established
in New York, Chicago and Detroit.
The methods pursued by the com.
pany are similar to those of similar
organizations kept up by other roads.
The lands are largely pine stump lands
in the northern part of the state. The
land is being advertised, and immi-
grants are being brought west and 10,
Gated on the land, which is sold to the
settlers on easy terms for from So to
$40 an acre.
The first advertising matter sent out
by the company is in the form of a
circular describing the attractions
Michigan possesses as an agricultural
state. In this connection the booklet
says:
Michigan is not subjected to the
many ills visited from time to time upon
other localities Grasshoppers, cyclones,
destructive drouths and total failures
of crops are unknown,
"a prime advantage as compared
with other localities in the south, south
east, southwest and northwest, which
Michigan offers to the farmer, fruit
grower and cattle raiser, is in it's be.
ing the center of an enormous popula.
ton with great commercial cities near
at hand and with unequaled transpor.
tation facilities. Within nights dis.
lance by rail are Chicago, Milwaukee.
Detroit, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Buff.
falo, and all the smaller cities in Ohio,
Indiana and Wisconsin. While all along
the east shore of Lake Michigan the
boat facilities provide a transporta-
ton from only four to ten hours to
Chicago and Milwaukee. Not only are
these enormous markets near at hand,
but the quick time and irst.class trans.
portation facilities and rates Keep the
CoiuOhuo VI luiChlSdu III ClOoO tOuCu
with various centers of demand.
mo state in the union is better sit
uated as to climate, transportation,
markets, population, healthfulness, di-
versity of products, minerals, fruit, wa
ter, and live stock than Michigan"
In discussing the features of the soil
as being suited to the culture of var
ious grains, vegetables, etc., the book
let touches upon the beet sugar cul-
ture in an interesting manner
perhaps the most important of the
recent valuable additions TO the diver
sity of Michigan farming is the sugar
beet Each year adds additional con-
irmation of the claim of it's special
adoption to the soil of the western and
central part of the state and for its
profitable cultivation. Nine large and
sugar refineries are in oper-
alton and others projected in different
parts of the state. 1t is predicted
hat in the beet sugar industry Mich.
gan will take first place, and that the
output will be. a valuable factor in the
wealth product. The yield is 10 to 10
,ons per acre, of excellent quality, and
he price paid to farmers is "a to S4.5O
per ton.
''There are at the present time 30
beet sugar reineries in the United
States, nine of which are in Mich igan,
with good prospects for at least six
more within this state during the next
year. In 1898 Michigan had 5000 acres
planted in sugar beets, and in 1899, As
700 acres, and it is expected to exceed
loo, 900 acres in 1900. The natural con-
litions of Michigan for growing sugar
oeets and the manufacture of beet
sugar, are ahead of any other spot on
earth"
Under a discussion of the industrial,
business and professional opportunities
Of the state the pamphlet says
cat several points are extensive beds
Or deposits of exceedingly fine quality
Of mari for the manufacture of cement,
With the necessary clay in close proxi-
nifty. The nearness of these deposits
to markets and transportation facilities
makes them valuable and their develop
ment is only matter of time
Commercial locations are to be
found wherever agriculture and manu-
featuring are developing. as in this
region. The increase in population
creates a demand for grain elevators,
produce merchants, flour and feed
mills, merchants of all classes, lawyers,
physicians, dentists; in fact, there are
opportunities for all classes of business
and professions.
This region being one of the best
potato producing sections of the coun-
try makes it most desirable for the pro.
duction of potato starch and -four,
there being several locations where
such an industry would flourish. A
plentiful supply of raw material is as.
'ured, the producing territory being
arge and the farmers expert in potato
'aising
Abundance of clay is to be found