Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1902-02-11


sheep have been Imported in large
numbers. This state agricultural
college has been largely instrulnen-
tai IN bringing this matter &c the
front, and there is no doubt AS to
successful result.
The dent corn question has
close relation to the raising of
swine, but the possibilities in this
line are not To be compared with
the dairy, cattle aud sheep propo-
sition.
FIELD CRoPS.-As before stated
oats aud barely are staples. Forty
bushels of oats 10 the acre has
been the average in Marathon
county the past two years, on all
classes of farm land, aud in conn
ties III the southern belt spoken of,
where there are hardwood lands.
this average should hold Ap. |
rank barley as almost as profitable
a crop as oats, although not nearly
SO largely grown, rye ranking next.
While some of our farmers raise
good crops of wheat, ! do not
believe it is good crop To tie 10.
Peas and beans are 10 good crop
but not largely grown, except for
the home market.
Root crops have already spoken
of. Our Northern Wisconsin sweet
corn should not be overlooked. 1t
Is n well known fact that the far
Their north sweet corn can be raised
the better the flavor is. 1t is IA
sure crop aud caunery men can get
the raw material up north.
FRUIT Small fruits grow wild
all over Northern Wisconsin.
v hen the Michigan and southern
WISCONSIN crop Of straw berries
play OUT, the people in this south
ern belt get the fresh berries from
our home growers. The supply is
increasing, but as Yet does not
equal the home demand. In Il few
years you viii see the Milwaukee
aud Chicago markets furnished
s. with Northern Wisconsin straw
berries for three weeks after the
southern crop is only "a preserved
memory. Last year at the State
Fail my county showed 43 varieties
of apples, about 20 Of crabs and IL
of pIumS. While Wisconsin, is not
an apple state, certain parts of our
northern district are going TO
show as good apple crops as our
soul hern Wisconsin neigh5ors.
We need home grown stock and
varieties tried and found proper
for our climate. Our best or
chards are found where the land
has north slope and the sun can
not start the sap too early. Trees
III such orchards do not winter
kill. Wood county, which is
geographically in the southern
half of the state, would protest. at
being classed anywhere except with
Northern Wisconsin. This county
furnishes large part of the Wis
consin cranberry output.
Waupaca ana Portage counties
make us all think of potatoes.
Their potato raising is business
in Itself. This crop grows from
one end of the state to the other.
On some of oui' lighter soils it is
the best crop raised. have with
me some potatoes, grown by Fred
DAVIS at Mercer, Iron county. He
raised 600 bushels on sand land
aud sold nearly all his crop o lum-
bermen, who took the potatoes
direct nom him at IN average of
so cents hushcl He started 10
plant May 18th, and Was at 1t IA
month, working at odd times. The
crop was dug i'll September and
October, and he had no trouble
with frost.
Perhaps You may think | have
| pictured The promised land with
the exception of the honey, and
Northern Wisconsin bees furnish
this ahundantly from our splendid
clover fields and Eastwood groves.
But remember, | started out by
calling your attention to the diff
ferent classes of land and | don't
want you TO forget the poor lands.
There never WAS country with
out some poor lands. To my mind,
some of the write ups of Northern
Wisconsin hurt the country; some
fioMery ones | have seen could well
be applied to the Garden of Eden.
They make one thinkSOf the copy
righted wedding notice, where the
BRIDE is always lone of our city's
handsomest and most accomplished
daughters"
Ify you look at our country from
the car windows, remember the
railroads generally run along the
sandy river bottoms, and where
they do run through good land,
they have generally set fire to it