The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1905-03-24

ties that will never come again in the
life of the present generation, if ever.
Fortunes have already been made in
South Dakota lands, and still larger
gains await those who take advantage
of the prices at which desirable hold
ings can now be secured.
Money invested in lands is always
safe. 1t neither burns up nor is blown
away, nor is stolen. When periods of
depression come there is always a sure
dependence in time of ~need-that is
your land. South Dakota land has
reached the point when to W it is to
be certain of independence.
Soil and Climate.
The soil of South Dakota east OF the
Missouri river is a deep, black loan,
with a porous subsoil, which serves as
a reservoir for moisture to be given
up in heavy dews when most needed.
Except in limited areas little gravel is
found, nor is the land sandy. There is
no appreciate difference between the
soil of South Dakota and that of
0ouJllClA AIltlCoold dllu III III "COlClu
Iowa.
The rainfall in nearly all Of the state
east of the Missouri river is ample to
mature crop The United States
weather bureau gives a record Of sew
en- consecutive years, showing an av-
erage annual rainfall of from eighteen
to thirty-ive inches, according to local
ity.
Sure Crop Area Extending.
Soil changes with settlement and
cultivation. During the past thirty
years the area Of sure crops has ex-
tended steadily to the north and the
west. In the eastern and southern
parts of the state it took from ten to
twenty years for farmers to get the
best results from their land. 1t was
not believed that corn could be raised
successfully, and fruit culture was not
thought of until a few years ago. Land
offered at prices from $3.50 to IS an
acre was a drug on the market. The
same land is now selling from $50 to
500 an acre.
Now corn is successfully grown all
over the state, while lands that five
years ago hunted buyers at So to IS
an acre, are changing hands at SIS to
$40 an acre.
For a time artesian wells supple
mented the rainfall, giving to many
parts of the state, especially in the
James river valley, an inexhaustible
supply of water of an ever temperature
wells were found most valuable for
stock growing, and sometimes for pur-
poses Of irrigation in times of drouth.
The water is usually of a temperature
of about rs degrees, and in the winter
stock drink freely of it, as they would
not do of cold well or lake water. In
the past two years hundreds or arte-
sian wells have been sunk, and the
country is fast becoming dotted with
little lakes and ponds, many of which
have beer stocked with fish. Some of
the wells, notably those in towns and
cities. are of six and eight-inch bore,
and furnish a supply Of water for mu-
nicipal purposes at high pressure.
Other wells furnish power for electric
light plants and Touring mills.
Artesian wells with a pressure of
125 to $50 pounds to the square inch
are common all over the state. For
merly it cost from $4,000 to $4,000 to
sink an artesian well. Now, with the
improved machinery and better knowl
edge of the work, a farmer may yet
strong, flowing, i~nexhaustible wells at
a cos not exceeding $500, in less than
one weeks time.
The climate of South Dakota is one
of the most delightful in the world. AS
a rule little snow falls before the holt
days, and cattle and horses find green
grass until the first of December. The
long Indian summer gives opportunity
to care for all crops in pleasant wealth
er. The snowfalls, when they happen,
in 1nidwinter are always followed by
sunshine. Foggy, shivery weather,
which causes sc much discomfort in
Eastern states, is unknown in South
Dakota.