The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-03-01
BEST ON THE
CONTINENT
Writer in Western Farmer Says
the Red River Valley Is Wonder
full in Productivcness.

extends beyond the seas because of
her wonderful No. 1 hard wheat.
There is probably no tract of land on
the continent containing as large
percentage of rich, fertile land. This
area is an empire of itself, containing
approximately 10000 square miles, or
100000 acres, drained by the Red
river, which rises in western central
Minnesota and flows directly north ex-
tending to Lake Winnipeg, Manitoba
Canada.
One peculiar feature of this magnifi-
cent country is it's physical condition,
it is stretch of country of almost I'M
limited distances as we'll as of match
less fertility, the face of the country
is almost level. We rarely saw an
undulating district The Red river is
the dividing line between Minnesota
and North Dakota and the valley ex-
tends into each Of the above states
about forty miles, making the average
width about eighty miles. There are
various streams emptying into the Red
river from the east and west, which
in measure drain this land of Won
derful fertility in both of the above
named states. While nature has been
lavish in giving all that she could be-
stow upon his favored land, yet there
are a great many obstacles that con-
front the farmer. 1t has been an I'M
parallel wheat producing district,
hence it's name, 1.-The Breat Basket of
the World" While it is destined to
sustain this reputation, the enterpris-
ing agriculturalist realizes that condi-
tons are changing, and that things
that contributed to it's marvellous
growth and prosperity at one time do
not exist now. Because of continuous
wheat cropping, the humus in the soil
is becoming exhausted and it rebels
and refuses to respond as it did in
earlier days. This condition is not
peculiar to this valley, but has extend
ed from the rock bound shores of New
England to the far west, and while it
has seemed hardship and has de-
pressed the people for the time being,
it has invariably proven blessing in
disguise. This is critical period in
the history of this vast section, per-
tinently called the Nile of the North
west, on account of its being in a
transition stage. There is no DISPOSE
ton to advise the abandoning of the
crop that has given the country ma
tional reputation, but it is apparent
that the great need is diversified farm
ing, In order that the drain on the
fertility of the soil may be checked.
AS live stock seems to be neces-
sity in the further development of this
part of the northwest, the question
that surmounts all others is, what kind
Of live stock? In considering this, we
must study the conditions. We find
that native grasses of all kinds abound,
that paririe hay is found in large guam
titles at prices barely paying for the
labor in making. We also find that
when the virgin soil is cultivated and
placed in good tillage that clovers do
well. We also learned of some in
stances where alfalfa gives great
promise. While this valley is not en-
braced in what is ordinarily known as
the corn belt, yet we find all kinds
of fodder corn, when properly cult
waited, producing eight to twelve tons
of green fodder, the flint corns rarely
fail to mature, and in many instances
we saw dent corn that would vie with
that of the middle west. Oats, barley,
flax, in fact, all kinds of small grains,
produce enormous crops. All kinds of
root crops do we'll, in fact the potato
f, ho ut IN fI,a In<I
valley. We never saw finer favored
tubers. All these conditions are ia
vorable for diversified farming, con-
piled with stock raising. We have
stated that this large area is inclined
to be fiat, yet it has ample opportunity
for drainage. This is the one crying
need. The state government is doing
something in. this line, but is not act
ing fast enough to meet the needs of
the people. Surface and under drain
ing is imperative, the latter is prefera-
BILE as fast as it can be reached.
Space forbids of our speaking of ap-
pie and strawberry cultivation, both
of which give great promise. Dairy
ing has been profitable and has met
the expectations o. those who have
been willing to make proper provisions
for the dairy COW. In the Red river
valley she is not unlike those found
elsewhere, when sheltered on the
windward side of barb wire fence
and her feed furnished from straw
stack economic milk production be-
comes failure, yet the so-called
dairyman is abroad in this land, an
nouncing that dairying in the Red
liver valley is a failure. There are
broad acres to be sure of luscious
grasses, that are unsurpassed for graz
ing and when properly cured make
excellent hay, lying unutilized that
would give feed summer and winter
to untold thousands Of live stock.
While this is destined to be in the
future great dairy country and our
inclination tends in this direction, we
incline to the opinion that it would
be far better for the average farmer
| to produce beef cattle until he is bet
ter prepared to take care of the special
dairy COW. While we have stated that
| IL is imperative that live stock be
| literally introduced on the farms, we
| want to emphatically reiterate our
statement made again and again to
those people, that we can not what
! kind or breed of cattle they procure
SO they are good kind and good in
dividuals. If dairy cows should be
| their choice, the best should be sell
ected and they should be given the
best of feed and care. If beef cattle