The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-06-09
Four Crops Year Constitute the
General Rule, with Weight of
from Four to Five Tons to the
Acre of Land.
HOGS AND ALL LIVE STOCK
THRIVE ON 1T AMAZINGLY
Dallas County and the Territory
Tributary to the, City of That
Name Have Grown Rich from
This Grass.
BY HERBERT vANDERHooF.


In northern Texas lies county called
Dallas. Through this country there runs
a stream named the Trinity river and
another called Mountain creek, which
joins the river, the Trinity Along this
river and, in fact, through the whole
country, the land is extremely fertile, cor
respondingly productive, and to this ter
ritory has been applied the sobriquet ''the
Black Land belt" the land being black,
waxy land, and, as has been said, ex-
tremely productive. r
With a land as rich as this, with the
products Of the earth so abundant, the
question arises, What product Of the
earth yields more to the acre than any
other, and what product Of this paradise
of the American farmer will yield him the
largest and the biggest number of crops,
and, incidentally, that which all Ameri-
cans are seeking-money?
For many years the farmers Of Texas
had sought grass that would thrive |
in the arid districts of the Lone Star
state, and, after years Of search, they de-
termined to try alfalfa, which has been
found to grow we'll in Arizona. upon the
arid lands of that state. Parts of Texas
did resemble Arizona. In climatic and
pertinent was tried in Texas the farmer
knew he could lose nothing, but would
get an even break.
Alfalfa In Dallas County.
The experiment. was not confined alone
to the arid districts, but that part OF
Texas known as Dallas county-the Black
Land district-was included In the eX,
pertinent. the success Of which Wiii
present to the reader shortly tosether
In the first place, let us consider what
alfalfa is. Less than decade ago this
in Texas It is species of clover, whose
roots penetrate the earth to almost un-
believable depths, and grows upon dry
or moist soils.
ing in the state Of Texas will produce as
good a crop as alfalfa. It's roots pene-
trate as deeply as twenty.eight feet into
and in the bleak days Of December and
| January herd of cattle can go out upon
| range Of alfalfa and Craze upon It as
@ grod It Wer thrse ana four
son, but in and around Dallas four crops
is the average for. season. In 1act,
in Dallas county there Is grown more
Utah.
The rich alluvial lands situated near
and at the city of Dallas are best suited
for the growing of alfalfa, for the rich
land enables the plant to retain its
vitality for years, and without reseedlng
supply crop after crop.
Value of Alfalfa.
Experiments made with. mules and
horses have demonstrated the fact that
! these animals will do as good work When
fed on alfalfa alone as they. will on other
foods Why even p4 }he ywi iTvg months
the use Of alfalfa as food for hogs keeps
aGT nr the g Ian 1 as eha food to
| H. IT,, incl
FOR r0 cotton ton crops to and which had almost
4 become barren and sterile, planted them da
over over the ss soil, fertiiizing it to such an
extent, by this process as to enrich the
land wonderfully, for, as the plant feeds
upon the air that is within the ne. sc son. foa az
in Immense amounts for its own benefits
and whatever crops are soWn a1ter"aru
upon the same soil. I'LL
indeed be Of interest to every farmer or
agriculturist The average production of
alfalfa in Dallas county and near the Guy
tons, and in some cases five to the acre;
it costs about 50. per acre to harvest: IL
can be sown either in the spring or at
harvest, preferably early fall 1t IS m M T.
ketable at SIS per ton; yields from l2O TO
$50 pounds Of seed to the acre, the price
for seed ranging from to IL gents per
pound, so that this shows the great
|
A Gatherer Of Nitrogen.
Not long ago a series of experiments
was made by an agriculture! chemist TO
ascertain the amount and value OF nitro,
gen instilied and deposited in the SOL SOL
through the medium Of alfal1a, ana e n15
f the value o'e Of the nitrogen present
Now. take these facts, remember tnem'
l,~o HOY n irnDOrtanC6
las "a a commercial point, as far as
farming and other products are concerned,
e ef ba XHu f fo th au Worid see 'ns
" The CITY of Dallas is situated in the
| famous Dallas county, wherein Is locateo
the famous black LAND Delt a. It's ,, ,ahas
and Mountain creek. Situated upon the
o ths ptty is the rich aao prosp1iff rs
water supply from the river and a large
finest in the world. The city has dug a
almost 5000 feet eee deep iro of Water
a day, and stratum affords water foI
medicinal purposes, and scarcely hotel
or office, in the city is without one OF
'n The city t Of Dallas affords good mar
: ket tor farming products, especially
t Small fruits, which are abundant, due te
Of the City, and many fine horses. hogs
5 and cattle come off the ranges and farm
3 lands. 80 n,u.s
have been found fine clay PEGS t. suitapi f
many firms use the clay for making out
T Groupings for limestone.
Educationally Dallas ranks second e
Inc city in the Southwest: Tnat tnls II
Is .eG easse By b the tonna there
including Six medical schools, three @
which are Of university standing. Musi
cal. technical and scientific schools are
a also found within its confines
: Its Commercial Importance.
g When we look upon the city of Dalla!
X from a commercial standpoint we see {
y city second to none IN the Soutn amet
as modern as those of New York: II
:, streets are well paved, we'll kept and Q
a good width. Dallas is today the secons
y City in the Union in the Distribution
\ farm machinery and vehicles; II IS IN
d franks to the interest Of the federal gov
E. eminent, the Trinity river is now pelni
drained and is practically nay1gable, eve
3, at this time, from Dallas to the city Q
:, Galveston on the gulf OF Mexico, there
Is by insuring water way from the CIT
, able traverse the city and county; open
y ing the country to the north, SOUTH cas-
ii and west.
~ A few statistics regarding the manufac
Of capital invested in manufactures
n about 100000 900, the value OF producI
In being about SIG, 00O, 900. The prominen
In industries are packing houses, preWerie'
" cotton mills, plants for rendering cotto
I'd seed oil. one Of which has capacity 9
1000 barrels day; flour mills printin
!. houses. one Of the latter being the larges
y; in the Southwest; factories of almost CIV