The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1902-08-07
THE NORTHLAND.

PERHAPS the most mistaken idea
that the farmer from the southern
part of the state has of the farmers
in the northern, is that about the
soil. Good, practical farmers from
the old farming regions often are
hard lprophesying that it is impos
sible to make a success of farming in
the north because the soil that is
adapted to the pine IS of no use for
agricultural purposes. They claim
that this soil, unless heavily ferti-
lied, will become sterile after a few
crops. Now as most of the north
ern country is not old enough to
prove or disprove, this statement,
the southern farmer still uses this
argument to the detriment of the
northern counties.
Many a man prefers to remain on
a rented farm, rather than take,
what he thinks to be, chances of
| failure.
We're the real conditions more
fully understood, there is no doubt
but that dozens of farmers would no
longer hesitate about investing in
northern land. The idea seems to
have become general in other parts,
that absolutely nothing grows in the
northern counties, except pine trees.
People express surprise when told
that there are thousands OF acres of
acres of land on which pine tree
never stood.
Tt is easily seen that the question,
as to whether or not the land On
which the pine grows is OF any agri-
cultural purpose, has really little to
do with the farming situation of
of these parts. The time will come
when the pine land will be drawn on
to supply the farmers need; but now,
and for several years to come man
who wants farm, can if he so de-
sires, pick from lands on which no
timber except maple, birch, cedar or
hemlock has stood. This soil is of
an altogether different kind than
found on the so-called, barrens, or
cut over lands. It has been fertiliz-
ed for years and years by the falling
leaves and dying grass until it will
produce crops that surprise the
farmers from the older regions.
Then there is the land that TWEEN
ty-fve years ago was termed swamp
land. AS the timber has been cut
from around it, the cedar taken out
and the underbrush cleared away or
burned over, this land has begun to
dry until it is now considered the
best to be had, for the reason that
the remaining stumps decay soon
aud the land is necessarily level.
Even though the land is some
what wet it is seldom that it is r eces-
sary to dig any distance in order to
drain, for there are numerous
streams all through this part of the
state.
Another advantage the northern
counties have over the more south
ern portions of the state is in the
amount of snow fall. There is al
ways snow enough to protect the
clover and grasses from being win
ter killed Glover that it would be
hard to raise on the best farms in
southern Wisconsin, grows wild
among the brush in this region. It
is q common sight to see clover. over
two feet high growing along the
sides Of the roads in Bayfield, coun-
ty.
With these prospects in view it
seems safe to say that the man is
wise who buys his land now, before
it rises in price any more than it has
DONE In many localities land has
risen from fifty to one hundred per
cert in value in the last two wears.
People seem to be just awakening to
the fact that there is cool living