The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1902-07-25
The New North.
MADISON, WIS, April 2, 1902.

EDITOR NORTHERN FARMER AND
SToCKMAN: In launching the Farmer
and Stockman you are taking another
means of educating our people concern
ing the merits OF our new north as an
agricultural region. The writer has been
known as one in favor of our new north
for home building for many years past.
In season and out OF season he has writ
ten and lectured concerning the agricul-
tural posi- bilities in our northern cOun-
ties. When this work was begun few
people in the southern part Of the state
had any faith in the northern half of
our commonwealth, and many people
living in the North thought but little of
that region for agricultural purposes.
With the passing of the sawmill they
seemed to think that northern Wiscon-
sin would become wilderness again.
But why should such be the case? Over
much of northern Wisconsin there is a
soil ranging from fair to good quality.
On this soil can be grown all of the COM
mon grasses, which flourish in southern
Wisconsin. Timothy, red top and Ken
lucky blue grass grow better than they
do further south. Red, alsike and white
clover flourish to a remarkable degree,
often yielding two crops during the sea-
son. On the warmer soils of northern
Wisconsin Indian corn will be grown
when the country is somewhat cleared
up and the soils have become warmer.
OF course early varieties of corn must be
planted. The time was when people
thought Indian corn could not be sue
cessfully grown in the southern part Of
the state. Now corn is the common crop
there, and the same thing is being said
OF the lands farther north. The potato
crop is already extensively grown in the
north and has made a reputation for
itself Then, roots, such as beets, ruta-
bagaS, turnlps, carrots, ETC.. all flourish.
The settler has at his command plenty
of fire wood in the forest, and logs and
lumber can be cheaply had for the con-
struction of buildings.
So long as there were good prairie lands
in the West where there was plenty of
rainfall, we could not blame settlers for
choosing that class Of lands in prefer
ence to making homes in the woods, but
now all of the prairie lands where there
is ample rainfall have been taken up and
high prices asked for these. Prairie
lands which are low in price are in re-
gions where the rainfall is too slight to
warrant mixed farming, Such regions
are now too uncertain for men to enter
unless they are prepared to 60 into the
cattle business. On the other hand,
man with limited means can buy tract
of land in northern Wisconsin for few
dollars per acre and be sure of several
things from the start. He has plenty of
wood and water two things which are
almost without price on the western
plains. In little clearing he is sure to
grow all of the potatoes, beans, cabbages
and other vegetables which his family
needs. He can cut grass for the few
cattle he may have. Thus he is sure of
a living and of keeping warm in the win
ter time. There are railroads, villages,
school houses, roads and many other evil
dences of civilization in our new north,
and one does not have to lead pioneer
life there even though he build his cabin
in the woods I know of no place where
a prudent, careful man with limited
means can so surely and safely make
home as in our new north.
Let me urge upon every prospective
buyer, however, the Importance and
necessity of exercising great care in the
purchase of home spot. There is a
great deal of very poor land in northern
Wisconsin.
There are gravelly ridges and deep
swamps. There are locations where the
soil is good, but the drift boulders are
too thick for removal with profit. Then
there are sandy regions with a sandy
.sub-soil One should let such tracts Sc
verely alone. Because there are good
lands in northern Wisconsin it does not
mean that all lands are worth buying.
There are many acres of land in north