The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-05-26

the neighborhood of 81 to IS per ton.
This crop is usually sown on cultivated
lands to rest the soil 1t needs to be
sown but once. Two crops are usually
cut the first season; 5,282 tons Of
bronze grass were cut last year. The
number of tons of wild and tame hay
cut in 1901 were 1,515,447.
There is an increasing tendency
among farmers to give part of their
time to dairying. This industry has its
most profitable period in the winter
time when other work is the dullest.
North Dakota dairy butter commands
the highest prices in all markets, and
the cost of transportation on a pound
Of butter to New York is but 8 cents.
Several creamery companies are now
in the state, establishing extensive
lines of creameries and cheese facto-
ries which will increase the number
now in operation materially.
The state of North Dakota has an
area of 1912 square miles, or 44,910,-
080 acres. This is properly divided
into and eastern and western portion.
The eastern section being the great
grain producing area, and the western
is devoted more largely to cattle rails
ing, although the two industries are
mingling- more and more and with
constantly increasing success. 1t may
be remembered that President RoOse-
welt and the Marquis de Mores former
~ had their cattle ranches in the west
ern part of this state. The eastern
section consists of the famous James
river valley, having Stutsman county
as its center, the Sheyenne river Sec
ton and the Red river valley. These
are the sections of greatest fertility.
The Red river country was the first
settled, and land there commands
the highest price on account of its
great population. The productiveness
of the different counties of these sec
tons is about the same. Wheat crops
range from twelve to thirty bushels an
acre in each of them and other crops
in like proportion.
In the production of fax the state
leads the Union, while its rank in the
growth of wheat is third. The aver
age yield of flax a year ago was twelve
bushels to. the acre, which at 81
bushel in many cases paid the entire
expense of making the crop, besides
paying for the land. While the state
was long considered too far north to
raise corn successfully, yet varieties
are being developed suitable to the
climate, and which compare in nutri
tive properties with the celebrated
hard wheat, which ranks as the best
in the world North Dakota corn won
second prize, silver medal, at Pan
American exposition, in competition
with the great corn states.
Vegetables of all kinds are success
fully raised. Possibly potatoes lead
in this class, both as to quality and
quantity.
Barley, oats, rye and speltz are
among the staple crops from which the
Dakota farmers receive good revenue
North Dakota's greatest growth has
been since statehood, and the best evil
dence of the states continued prosper
ity is an examination of the volume of
business done by its national and state
banks, and here are the official figures:
Number of national banks in 1898,
80; loans and discounts, 1864 600;
capital, $2,215, 600; deposits, $4,636 600;
total volume of business, $S,919 600;
number national banks in 1900, 81;
loans and discounts, $5,426, 900: capital
$1,525,000; deposits, $5,016,000; total
volume of business, $S,047, 900.
Number of state banks in 1895, 20;
capital, $1067 500; deposits, $685.
1868; total volume of business,
1886, 91346; number of state banks in
1900. 1871; capital. $1,4S3,4 400; deposits,
$5,599, 1858; total volume of business,
$S.047 ,S38S4.
The following table shows the sur
plus and cash on hand of the several
counties; those in which there is
deficit, or rather a surplus of liabili-
ties over assets, being indicated: