The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-04-03

A great many causes may be assigned
for this state Of affairs, principal among
which was a recognition by eastern people
of the fact that the state is destined to
stand near the head Of the agricultural -
list, as it already does in the stock in
dustry.
The states of Illinois and Iowa We're
at one time considered almost uninhabit-
able, and the poorest were the first on
the ground-not from choice but from
necessity. Iowa farms which it then
cost no more to file homestead entry
than it does a South Dakota farm at
the present time are worth from $50 to
500 an acre. What makes settlement
slow in any country is the fact that it de-
wolves upon the poorer class of people to
take the initiatory steps-to test the pro-
ductiveness of the soil and the healthful-
ness of the climate. This all takes time.
but the fact once established capital is
not slow to seek investment, and enter
prises in accordance with th66 industries to
which the country is naturally adapted are
soon established.
Good for. All Glasses.
South Dakota just now offers great in
ducements to all classes of people. To the
| poor man because he sees chance to
better his condition and to the rich man
because he has safe and paying invest
ment for his capital. s..
| In the production of cereals, vegetables
l
can boast of greater diversity, and as
regards stock raising the state is abso-
lutely uDeXcelled. -.
1t is safe to assert that before the end
of ten years there will not be unoccu-
pied quarter section Of land in any por-
| ton of the state east of the Missouri, out
side Of the reservations. The favorable
conditions of climate and soil in South
Dakota readily meet the natural demand
for new fields Of industry due to rapidly
increasing population and the prospects
for bright future for the state are very
gratifying.
The Dairy.
In. speaking of the dairy and creamery
Doane Robinson, secretary of the state
department of history, says: "TE..
clarifying continues to increase in i'm
portance and is destined to, become the
leading industry of South Dakota. The
assessment for the past year accounts for
SAL 1874 cows but this figure is manifestly
too small. The assessment of 1900 gave
us 420,766 COWS, but the federal census
taken at the same time gave us 55O,9SO,
Or 81 per cent more COWS than were re-
turned to the assessor. Applying the
same ration and adding 81 per cent
to the assessment of this year, makes the
total number of COWS in the state 709, 691.
OF the COWS reported in the last census
in South Dakota, 81 per cent were in the
dairy and 40 per cent were dry on the
this time 1882 productive dairy cows
/ in the state. The census: of 1900 placed
the value of the dairy product per COW
at 1854 per annum. The average price
| of dairy products for the present year is
| II per cent more than for 1900 or an
| average of $1S1S per COW, making the
total value of the dairy product of the
state for last year S6.579, 923.7 6. This does
not take into account the value of the
separated milk for family use and for
stock food; neither does it consider the
calves which will be included in the esti-
mates for live stock. ..:s~. .......
.In my judgment the unit, $18.1S per
productive cow indicated by the census is
absolutely low. I know many South Da-
kota herds which have yielded to their
owners $35 per cow per year for the past
three years. However, I shall not quarrel
With the census, but accept it's pronun-
ciamento as the base Of my estimate.
IT have not attempted to discriminate
between the dairy and creamery product
for the present year, for the data is too
indefinite to arrive at separate conclu-
sions. Only about one-lalf of the cream
cries reported to the dairy commissioner
SIS out of 1853 These So report the
! payment to their patrons net 81, 294 sos 80.
"There has been marked change in
methods during the past two years. The
farm separator has come into general use
and there has been material increase Of
home dairying in consequence, while the
81 shipment. of separated cream to distant
rnanufa cturers has become very impor-
tant, feature of dairying."