Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1902-05-10
Northern Wisconsin Coming
Right to the Front.

The commercial position occupied by
Wisconsin, says DR.. H. L. Russell, pro-
fessor of bacteriology in the university,
is in large part attributed to her
dairy and stock interests.
The enhanced profits of this type of
intensive agriculture are seen in the
very material advance which these
dairy and stock regions in Ashland,
Bayfield,, Price and Taylor counties
enjoy in comparison with those that
still persist in the growing of cereals
alone. The rapid and continued ad-
vance in the price of farm lands is midi
cative of the general prosperity of these
regions.
The possibilities for dairy advance
ment it these regions is therefore very
great. Whether agriculture will de-
velop in this direction or not as this
country is opened up is question for
the future. Surely the natural advan-
tages of the region invites such devel-
opment.
1t is not necessary for one to study
this question to any great extent in or
der to be convinced that the farmers OF
this region appreciate the natural ad-
vantages offered in this phaze of agri-
cultural pursuits.
The rapid settlement of many por-
tions of this section has occurred in the
last few years. Farmers N the south
ern counties and in other states are dis
posing of lands that have become so
valuable commercially that they think
| they can no longer afford to till the soil
that must carry heavy charge of in
! terest and rent. These, with others,
that are perhaps less fortunate, are rap
idly opening up this north and although
the subjugation of the forest is by no
means complete, it is surprising how
rapidly the introduction of creameries
and cheese factories has taken place.
Wisconsin, especially in the central
and northern parts of the state, is SO
abundantly supplied with these condi-
tiOns, that by nature this region seems
destined to be the great dairy center.
One great advantage that this region
possesses that has been forcibly shown,
especially in recent years, is that clio
YER crop is rarely subject to failure. In
the southern counties the snow fall is
often so light that clover Winter-kills
and it is therefore difficult to secure
luxuriant pasturage and maintain the
fertility of the soil. in the central and
northern counties this has never yet
happened, and the result in these high
ly heterogeneous forage crops can be
raised in great abundance. This re-
gion is pre-eminently grass region,
wild grasses growing in the greatest
profusion, while the domesticated
grasses, like timothy, red and Kentucky
blue grass are introduced with the
greatest of ease. This can be seen even
in the primeval forests where timothy
and clover spring up in the "tote
roads" whenever the sunlight is let in
through the cutting of timber. Not in
frequently timothy reaches a develop.
meut of five feet in height.
On these relative cheap lands that
support such an abundance of succulent
forage crops, stock can be grown most
economically and the cost of milk pro-
duction is thus reduced to a minimum.
Many portions Of this region are also
abun1antly supplied with springs and
flowing streams, the temperature of
which is often as low as fifty degrees
Farnheit, and in some regions even
lower With these conditions it is pos
sible to keep milk in much better
condition than a hot dry climate
WaShhurn Times