The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1903-08-04
REDUCING BIG FARMS
How Great Tracts In the North
west Are Being Broken Up.


wfIliam r. Curtis writes Of the
Changes IN Minnesota and the
Observation-Disclosures Farming In
ereasing IN ProhtabIeness ana
PopuIarity-Nature of Crops Raised
In Arid sections.
The bonanza farms Of Minnesota and
North Dakota, which for many years
were the wonder Of the world, where
10000. 25.o00, 10000 and even 10000
undivided acres were planted to wheat
under the same management are be-
ing broken Up and reduced IN size
writes William Z. Curtis from ST. Paul
to the Chicago Record Herald. The
reasons therefor are too many and toe
complicated to be discussed in a news
paper letter. as theE vary in almost
every case. There are advantages az
well as disadvantages in "bonanza
farming but as a rule few men ara
capable Of handling more than 5000 Of
5000 acres. One reason worth men.
tioning, however. is that after the
financial depression Of 1898 wheat
went down and remained down, while
land went up and remained up in price
and several OF the owners Of the Bic
farms realized upon their property
selling out large tracts to newcomers.
1t is also true that diversified farm.
ing Is becoming more and more profit.
chic arH vs,.xsxfsfs ~ Ny,,41, rknf-a4, a,,,5
Minnesota, where poultry raising dai.
rying and the cultivation Of vegetables
for the city markets is being gradually
adopted by the farmers. Minnesota
butter has been fortunate ia taking
high prizes in several interstate compe-
titions, which has advertised it to the
world and stimulated prices. Flax and
corn are also being raised 70 a consider.
able extent, and barley, oats and other
grains are now considered a necessary
part of a farmers crop, the proportions
being about the same as in other sec
tons Of the country.
"Freak farming is now obsolete in
the northwest In North Dakota par.
ticularly fax has been gradually in.
creasing It's acreage and production
and Is especially advantageous for
what Is called "a breaking crop that
is, the first crop on newly broker
farms because it more nearly pay:
expenses than any other The corr
acreage is also constantly increasing ii
North Dakota, and, although the fac
has long been disputed, there IL III
trouble iii raising good corn and largl
crops Of 1t on that dry soil In Mon
tana clover and alfalfa are receiving
great deal Of attention 4 large are,
Of fine clover is now being raised il
the Gallatn and Bitter Root valleys
and heavy acreage Of alfalfa is nov
to be found in the Yellowstone valley
These valleys, with that Of Clark
fork and the Tongue river, are espe
cially adapted to heavy forage crops
and the so called arid section Of Mon
tana, where irrigation is impossible. 4
being slowly redeemed In a recent in
teryiew Frank W. Hall. assistant t,
the director Of the state experiment
station, said that good crops could bi
raised IN all or nearly every part o.
the arid section. provided care is talk
en- in the selection Of the grain or veg
etables.
Excellent wheat Is being raised ii
the arid district said Mr.. Hall "and
d number of farmers are growing fine
crops Of alfalfa and red clover where
irrigation is impossible and where The
land was believed to be a hopeless des
ert. Only one crop Of forage plants
can be RAISED, however, without; irri
CATION instead Of two and often three
as in the well watered regions. II i
expected that the result Of our expert
ments will create an active demand fol
land which has gone begging till now
and steps are being taken to organic
a colony"