The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1905-10-12
HOW THE FARMERS
CAN MAKE MONEY
J.. J. Hill Proves by Census Reports That Farmers
Must Diversity Their Interests and Raise Live
Stock to Compete With Earnings in the Older
States.

road delivers an address he produces some
facts of startling significance which are
spo?ie at q fair at Willn,ar. Kandiyohi
county. a few days ago and as usual his
reMArks We're pregnant with food for
thought. A large portion Of his address
was devoted to showing the farmers OF
Minnesota and the Northwest how much
more profitable they could make their
labor and investment. He drew largely
upon the late United States census report
to show how much larger per acre earn
ings are in other states than in Minne-
sofa asserting that the other states did
advantages as Minnesota. The contrast
with the neighboring state of Iowa sub
Stimulated his argument with great force.
Iowa, was actually forced to abandon
wheat raising and go into live stock with
the result that she was according to
census report producing $50 per acre
ago the great reliance of. Iowa farmers
was raising a grade of wheat known as
Amber Iowa and now only the older peo-
PIE remember that there ever was such d
thing as Amber Iowa.
II the farmers of Minnesota realized the
same per acre in dollars and cents as the
farmcrs of Iowa. it would make a diff
ference every year of over $4,000. OCn; and
that is too mnch money to pass idly by
and too large an amount not to be constd-
cred and to make an effort to redeem 1t.
Acre for acre, Minnesota farm lands
are capable OF producing as much or
more wealth than the farm lands in any
other division of the country; yet acre
for acre, they are. with i~ncDnScqueutial
exceptions, producing less, less in volume.
less in value.
Asricultural states like Illinois, Indi-
ana; Michisan. New York. Ohio.
ing from SI.S3 to $500 on each acre of
their farm lands under cultivation. Min
,ncsota is producing only $4.S7.
Yet in walking from the hall where We
had our lunch; Mr.. Eddy, whom many of
you know. told me that on a farm out
here OF about 800 acres he got an average
of $40 an acre, and he got it from his
cattle. l Enow when he told me he got
1t from his cattle. he told the truth, be-
cause in no other way under the sun
could lie get $40 per acre profit.
Minnesota Shy.
kansas. Nebraska. New York. Illinois.
North Dakota Iowa. South Dakota, Mon
tana, Wyoming, Washington and Oregon,
are producing yearly from $3.50 to $l.n:i
workers. whether it is tho man who owns
the farm or the man who pays wages.
The agricultural workers OF Minnesota
are producing only $G2a.
hay worth $155, oOo. 900. with an expendi-
tnre OF So. 900 for labor and the use of
er states in the agricultural column DO
approximately as We'll: some better. Min
nesota eNpends :Sl3.2o0.0oO for hired labor
and uses machinery worth $50. 600. to
$4,000. 600. ~
Labor in the United States averages
~ per cent of. the value of the crop.
IN Minnesota it is 1913 per cent. or almost
so per cent more.
Minnesota Cattle.
The average value per head of cattle
In Minnesota is only $19.37; the average
for the United States is SILT, and the
states ranges from ST. to se4:H5. Bulls
in Minnesota have an average value of
only S2S.2a. In the United States the av-
erage value of bulls is $sa4.49. and in the
reading agricultural states the value runs
from s47.%2 in Iowa to Sas.25 in illinois.
itor each agricultural worker within
tlcI borders Iowa is marketing live stock
and meat products to the value OF SIPS.
as against an average Of only Ssh in Min
nesota. In the other states the figures
run tiHnn,.t from y two and 2ne-half times to four
acre and mar for man.
The value of live stock for each acre
Of arm land % us is s3:$Y in Minnesota. IN
runs down to S4.S5 in the other imDortant
agricultural states,
With most exceptional advantages for
sheep raising, Minnesota has only 5G4. WiO
sheep as against Michigan's o,7M.O M
In producing values the average in Min
nasota is $sso' per acre: In the other
,!'pott;snt agrlcultural states it averages
about $40. In the dairy states. like New
iork, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
with which Minnesota has come to pit
herself; the value of production averages
In Minnesota the average yearly pro-
Guction of milk for each cow is 463 gal
Ions; in MicIigan it is 80 gallons: in
the United States it is 424 gallons; This
general average including the product of
all the ~low-grade and ~non-dairying states.
The dairy farms of Minnesota produced
the average production on dairy farms
was $3.50. or - per cent greater. In the
important AGRICULTURAL states the produce
your own ~neiShbor. Mr.. Eddy, makes $40
an acre here. and every man who win do
tic sumo as he docs can make the same
revenue.
Hay ana Forage.
In hay and forage Minnesota is pro
3.1,7.t!N acres of her farm area devoted
TO these crops. The average in the
United states is S7.s:'. or almost twice rs
I'll Ter hay and forage crop is Sl4. Isl. PSI.
Illinois. on practically thc same area.
raises /. crop worth ever 81, 900, 900, and
Ohio, also on practically the same area.
raises q crop worth SO. Hm.Mn. Michigan
h:lrVests a crop worth sd ttHD.tAm, or
$INN.WM greater than Minnesota. on AN
acreage less by t~hrec-nuar,rrs Of - mil
Hon. The strength of these figures lies
in the fact that. with equal cultivation.
Minnesota has demonstrated her capacity
10 produce more value per acre in hay
and forage than almost any other state
III the Union.
k lie told OF his own Minnesota stock
farm aud how year after year he sent
cattle to the Chicago fat stock show and
Won a itatful of, gold medals. Ono steer
from his farm competed with 10 head or
cattle at Chicago and took seven prizes.
including TIL. sweepstakes.
illinois. he said. took first rank as a
wheat state in 1850; In 1900 she lai
dropped TO fourteenth place. Ohio l,rid
,hiia rlaes in 1ss", proaucing 10 nr, rrnt
she produces only 20 per cent or wheat
She has so thoroughly diversified her
crors thHt she ranks well up IN every
rlass. AS q result she produces $50 to
the acre, as against san for Mi,rn.s,,,
The net value OF products per acre was
Sl.S3 in Wisconsin for 1900, or about 20
per cent above Minnesota.
Wisconsin Farmers reduced their wheat
average from 1,90O, 900 in 1850 to 80 Nla
acres in 1900. while Minnesota increased
hers from $500, 900 TO G.5aD.UN Wisrn,,l
sin fell from ninth place Ia the Wb,,t
row, with 5:4 per crnl Of the Whole r,ul,s
to ,wenty-eighth place. with only IA yt.
cent. BY Intelligent diversitication She
now manages to extract $lo.41 from
every acre Of improved land she farms
as against Only $685. Of improved land in
Minnesota.
or the farms in Minnesota 1873 pep cent
Throughout the United States the aver
age expended for hired labor on FARMS of
this area is $1GG PEI: farm: IN Minnesota
1T is S.4O pr farm, or 44.j per cent
greater.
Minnesota ranks only twcnty-second
among the states in the average produce
ton of milk per COW. with IA record of 4O3
gallons per annum.
The states. ahead of her are: CaIifor-
mia, 800 gallons; Connecticut, 545: Dis
tI"ct of Columbia, $50; Illinois, "A: IN
diana, 439: Kentucky, 43S: Maine. 474:
Maryland. 433; Massachusetts, J72; Mich