Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1901-10-21
FARMING IN NORTHWEST.

While the farmers OF the northwest
raice different crops as a general source
OF revenue from those OF us in the south.
Il Is nevertheless not only interesting 10
study their methods and systems Of farm
ing. but Il gives 20 Us a fund Of infor-
nation which can be turned 10 good ac-
count in the future conduct OF southern
agriculture. In the first place. the north
western farmers prepare their soils.
plant cultivate and harvest their
crops with the use OF improved modern
machinery. They do but little actual
work by hand except 10 guide their teams
and machinery. This system has been the
means Of enabling them 20 reduce field
labor 20 its minimum The necessity OF
the situation required II. for the reason
= that but little outside labor can be had,
each family largely doing all the field
and domestic work on the farm and prem
Uses. With machinery and sufficient
number OF horses. one man can cultivate
e acres OF land easily and in many IN
stances they undertake 20 cultivate -
acres to the hand A farmer with so
acres OF land usually keeps from Is TO %
lead 81 good horses. The feeding OF farm
animals Is not an item Of serious cost,
because all farms are planted entirely IN
grains and grasses Of various kinds. The
native grasses which grow on the prairies
for pastures and for hay are exceedingly
in splendid condition without other feed
ing. In the production OF hay the only
thing required IS 10 let the grass grow,
which Is principally OF the blue joint or
red top variety. and cut Il at the proper
stage. The land does not have TO be brok-
en- and plowed. and there is no trouble
with sprouts Of young timber or weeds.
What Is Planted
The principal grain crops In the north
west consist OF wheat corn. oats. barley.
rye and fax. the crops standing about IN
the order named as to extent in produc-
ton. while at Sioux Falls. S D., Hon
II. II. Keith. a prOminens attorney there.
took me for a drive among the farms,
about twenty miles out from the city,
so that I might have a better opportunity
OF studying the farming INDUSTRY IN that
section Sioux Falls is about 200 miles
northwest Of Chicago. and Is within 100
miles Of the big cattle ranges OF the Tar
northwest. II is a new city, settled about
twenty years ago. has population OF 49,
GO Inhabitants and IS the distributing
point for a section OF several hundred
miles in diameter I was somewhat sur
prised TO ind the Georgia liberia peach
selling on the streets OF this far away city
upon my arrival there.
The two Dakotas have rightly won the
distinction OF being the finest wheat sec
ton in the United States. The average
yield OF wheat IN those states this year
has been from = to 30 bushels per acre
without fertilizers which is about double
the avearge yield I'm Georgia The yield
OF corn is from 90 10 50 bushels per acre
One farmer told me his one hundred acres
in corn would yield him this season at
least 5000 bushels. Corn Is planted IN
rows three feet wide with two or three
stalks I'm hills twelve inches apart Inc
corn stalks do not grow higher tnan I'VE
or six feet The ear shoots out rom the
~
ground. and I did not see any stalks
with more than one full ear But there
are thousands OF stalks 20 the acre and
one good ear 10 each stalk runs the yield
I'D 10 high figures. AL the crops grow
with uniformity In size in al parts OF
the field which makes a most pleasing
sight.
How Land Is Broken.
The farmers begin turning their lands
IN the early fall and keep at IL until all
the lands which Is 20 be planted the fol-
lowing spring is broken. Heavy gang
plous with two turner's cutting FUR
row - inches to the pillow and from 10
inches deep are principally used From
s 20 S large PercherOn horses weighing
l.. TO 1410 pounds each are hitched
abreast 10 these gang pl0ws. and the
rider takes his seat on the machine and
drives the team. I saw several fields that
were being plowed IN this way. four ploWs
with I've horses 10 the pillow, one follow
ing behind the other and each team cut
ting a double furrOw averaging - inches
across.
When freezing weather sets IN all plow-
ing IL at an end until the following spring
and the farmer who has failed 10 get his
land in shape must take the same chan
ces that the average southern farmer
does who poEtnoues his work until spring.
The soil in the Dakotss freezes 70 a
depth OF four feet every winter. and the
weather temperature often registers 40
degrees below zero. Toward the latter
part OF March. or the first OF April. the
top surface Of the soil begins 10 thaw,
and Just 50 soon as II thaws 20 a depth
OF two inches. the farmers begin 70 plant
their wheat crops. which Is done with
drilling machines. or brCadcasted and
narrowed in the same as we do l., about
I'VE peCks being Eown per acre.
As the weather gets warmer the soil
lower down begins 10 thaw. and as the
moisture rises the wheat is terminated.
and the plants supplied with an album
dance OF moisture 70 push its growth
along rapidly. There Is but little rainfall
in the far northwest and but few streams.
hence nature furnishes the method above
described for plant life in the early spring
20 draw needed supplies OF moisture. In
July the wheat crop ripens and is then
harvested with the latest harvesting ma
chinery or with headers. me header is a