Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1902-08-27
UTILIZING STUMP LANDS
Pine Barrens Of the North Present Problem
to Agricultural Department.
SECRETARY WILSON HOPEFUL OF RESULTS
Believes that with Proper Treatment
They Will Become Valuable
Dairy and Sugar Beet
Lands.
tFrom a star correspondentl

WASHINGTON, Aug. 26.-(special Tele-
gram )-Since his return from his tour Of
the west the secretary Of agriculture has
set his experts to work to solve a problem
which has been presented to the depart
ment, namely, denudation of the pine for
ests of Michigan, Wisconsin and Mime
sofa. The stump lands Of these states, he
says, form a desolate wilderness but he
has faith that his experts will soon de-
termine the varieties of grains, grasses
and legumes best adapted 20 the conver-
sion OF these lands into productive farms.
The problem is unlike any heretofore pre-
sented, for the reason that both the soil
and climate conditions are dissimilar to
those prevailing in other sections of the
country. The secretary believes they more
nearly approximate the conditions govern
ing Danish agriculture than any other por-
tion OF this country. The annual rainfall
is twenty-five inches, while the dense fog
which floats inland from the Great Lakes
add to the humidity available for plant
growers. The soil is strong in vegetable
food and is largely permeated with iron,
which renders the clays a deep red. The
secretary will detail scientists from the
department to examine the soil and will
probably send others to Denmark and Nor
under similar physical conditions. At the
present time large numbers of Findlanders
and scandinavians are settling In the dis
trict referred to, which the secretary esti-
mates to equal in area the state of New
York There is also a sufficient number of
American settlers to teach the principles
OF self-government to their neighbors.
Necessity for Reformation.
One of the peculiarities Of the situation in
this deforested country is the necessity OF
immediate attention being turned to refor-
estation with a view to providing fuel. fenc-
ing, lumber, etc, for the settlers Mr..
Wilson predicts that this section will be-
come a great stock and dairy center, and
that the land will yield handsome returns
when devoted to the culture of sugar beets,
He says that in time the beet sugar pro-
duced from this vicinity alone will equal
the present output of the entire country
and that the residue or beet pulp will be
fed to large herds OF dairy cattle.
Assistant Secretary OF the Treasury Tay-
lor today decided to accept the site Of
fered by Alonzo J. Barklay for the new
public building at Boone, Ia. This site is
situated at the northwest corner of Eighth
and Arden streets, and the price is $11 500.
Routine of Department.
The comptroller OF the currency has ex-
tended the corporate existence of the First
National bank of Seward, Neb., and the
First National bank Of Casseltop. s. D..
until the close of business on August 26,
1924
The Continental National bank Of New
York has been approved as reserve agent
for the First National bank OF Burt, Ia
Kittie Herring Of Waterloo, Ia, has been
appointed a $500 clerk in the pension
agency at Des Moines.
Rural free delivery service will be es-
tablished October 1 as follows: Nebraska,
South Auburn, Nemaha county an addi-
tional route; area covered, thirty-tw
square miles; population served, 625. Iowa,
Latimer, Franklin county, two routes; area,
forty-one square miles; population $40;
the postofice at Coulter to be supplied by
rural carrier. Strawberry Point, Clayton
county, three routes; area, seventy two
square miles; population, 1900; the postof-
fee at st. sebald to be supplied by rural
carrier.