The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1902-10-03
News of the State.
FARMING LANDS IN BLACK HILLS.
Comparative Values and Productive
ness Considered,

Comparative Value n Productive.
ness Considered.
While there is SO striking a move
ment of farm lands east of the Missou-
ri river in South Dakota, it is interest
ing, to say the least, to observe the
utter inactivity in the lands Of the
Black Hills valleys. The best-irrigat-
ed lands of the Black Hills valleys are
to be purchased for less than the up
lands east of the river are bringing,
and they possess innumerable advant-
ages over the latter for persons desir-
ing to engage in the tilling Of the soil,
or, incidentally, in the raising OF stock,
poultry and fruit.
The bench" lands of Western South
Dakota are fully as rich and product
i've and as certain OF a crop as the
| lands that are selling in Eastern South
Dakota. Irrigated lands, which make
| up the greater part Of what Is recOg-
| nized as agricultural territory there,
| are far superior to the uplands, for the
| reason that they are not affected by
| drouths, and are practically certain OF
crops once the seed is placed in the
soil. ~
The mining towns Of the Black Hills,
Deadwood and Lead, are conveniently
| at hand, reached by a few hours drive,
| and furnish a constant and l~ittle-vary-
| ing market for all that the farmers OF
the region can produce, at prices that
are astonishing to persons living east
of the river. For instance: Oats,
Wholesale, at $1.25 per 100 pounds;
corn, 1925; wheat SO cents per push
ell; rye, $1.10 per 100 pounds; barley,
81. With the exception Of wheat it is
always necessary to bring in train
loads to supply the market. 1t is esti-
mated by millers that there is enough
wheat there to keep the millers sup
piled for a year. All kinds Of small
grains yield prolifically on Black Hills
soil, and it is rarely that the prices on
a majority of them GO below those OF
the present year, as there Is IN n O
nous market to be supplied right
there. Homegrown grain Is invari-
ably given the preference. Hay raised
in the Black Hills valley possesses a
quality not known to the article ship
ped in from Nebraska and outside
states. Hay from the Spearfish val
ley, for instance, brings 81 per ton
more at Deadwood and Lead than Me-
braska hay, selling for $12 per ton by
the car load.
Black Hills farmers raise vegetables
Of a superior quality. Their potatoes
sell for l cent a pound, cabbage, l IL
cents, and other vegetables in proper
ton. Apples are raised successfully,
and several farmers could be men,
toned, each of whom raises them by
the thousands of bushels yearly. They
are sold readily at 5 cents per pound,
and are splendidly adapted to cooking
and preserving. Strawberries, rasp-
berries and currents grow in profusion,
and, ripening at a time when the East
ern-grown article is OFF the market.
they never sell for less than 20, and
habitually, 25 cents per quart. Eggs
sell for 80 cents per dozen.
Western South Dakota is something
besides a mining territory. There are
thousands of acres of broad prairie
and table lane tributary, and it is only
beginning to be cultivated on a scale
anywhere nearly commensurate with
the local demands for it's products.
The general belief obtains among per-
sons familiar with the conditions that
the time is not far distant when a farm
in one of the valleys of the Black Hills
will be worth from $3.50 to 5000 per
acre, and the farming industry will
take a position not second in import
ance to mining itself.