The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-04-18
REMARKABLE IMPROVEMENT IN
CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA.
Mammoth Crops Of Flax, Grains, Hay
and Live Stock Make Farming a
Veritable Bonanza in the Northwest
{ ern Country.
Nv HERBERT vANoERHooF:.

man in this state and it has been the
purpose of these articles to give prom
-inence to such actual facts as might be
of interest to settlers and investors. In
the early stages of settlement the rail-
way builders had one main purpose. and
that was to find the shortest and quickest>
routes to the mines Of the Rockies on the +
west and the granaries on the east. In
those days the central part of North Da-
kota seemed to offer few inducements,
even to pioneers. It's soil was not under
stood, its productiveness had not been
tested, and accessibility of markets had
not been made possible. With the con-
struction OF trunk and branch lines
through this part Of the state a new era
has been opened and an empire of wealth
created. 8 A.#:sl -
the great stretch Of land known as the
l lake VEST t Of Brand foriss Traiil and
Missouri slope. Here the land Is not only |
exceedingly fertile, but is well watered by
lakes and streams. especially In Suits
man. Griggs and Foster counties. These
FORM i,gn as a section Of North Dakota, which
was unclaimed and neglected for. years,
Railway facilities, had been we'll settled.
valley OF the Red River Of the North, the
rich pasture lands in the western end o.. OF
commercial highway Of the northwest,
became reasonably well peopled at
comparatively early date
The Moot Profitable Crops.
- When the tide Of immigration from the
east and south first turhed 10 tnat PAT
ing there was an attempt to make Wheat
and oats the main drops, and this effort
was not altogether successful measured
by the standards prevailing in the east
ern and northern sections The yields
were larger than those obtained in the
eastern and central eastern states, IS from S1,i
the farmers had based their expectat tons
upon what were then known as bonan,
"a" crops, and unthinkingly many q
able. Today these men realize their
olunder. Modern methods and the injec-
ton Of brains as well as muscle into the
management of farms are fast making
wealth for energetic agriculturists in the
very places which some twenty years
ago were pronounced unfit for farming
purposes. OF course, the railway extern
sions already referred to, have been an
important factor in this work, but the
main influence has been the fertility of
the soil, climatic advantages, and the
common sense shown by those who stud
led the conditions and put the land to
the purposes for which it was best suited.
1
number of enterprising land owners began
experimenting with flax as substitute
for wheat So we'll adapted was the soil
to the growing of fax that In Hve years
from the time the first attempts to grow
it were made it became one Of the staple
products of North Dakota. AS a result
thousands of acres of land that had beer
abandoned were reclaimed and are nov
producing abundant crops each year:
was told by the manager of the Caring
ton Land company that it's first crop o.
fax, grown in 1896. of which the average
was small compared with the amount O.
land under cultivation, yielded per acr'
a better revenue than any five years
cropping had produced.
Great Demand for Land.
While flax is by no means the onl;
product Of this part OF the state, yet l
Is the one thing that called the attention
of land owners and land seekers to thf
very fertile parts of North Dakota. Tn
demand for land in these counties In
creased so rapidly that when, in 1898, tn
board of university and school lands of
fered its first public sale of institution
and common school lands the averag
amount received per acre for these Land
set by the board. Land seekers flocke
to this part of the state SO rapidly tina
the population Of one county (Wells) In
CREASED 800 per cent in less than tw
years and a half What is true Of til
advance in population In this county ais
applies in large degree to other oountie
In the same territory.
With the cultivation Of fax as the prir
ciple staple firmly. established, interest
the raising Of wheat, oats corn, ar
other grains revived, and there came
ant yields, so that now the production
not only largely profitable, but well dive
sif1ed. Today I find comfortable hom
and well barns 1,ar all f ever the taL gre
pardonable pride in telling about the vie
per acre, pointing to the admirable, COZ
dition Of his live stock as proof that
is indeed land Of plenty. Barley Is
prime favorite as crop, and the avera
yield is about thirty bushels to the ac1
Oats run about thirty-four bushels, VIII
There are no statistics available as r
CARDS corn, but the production has !
creased fourfold In ten years, and Is st
advancing: Flax remains the leadi
source of income, over 81 per cent Of t
total yield in the United States being pr
duced in North Dakota. ~.
Lands on Easy Terms.
there was time when the cattlem
laughed at the idea of providing win'
feed for his live stock. but IN this, as
other lines. common sense mas prevail,
- and as a result the live stock indus1
is yearly becoming more and more va
able The land Is particularly adapted
the growing Of hay, and under cult1vat'
mammoth yields Of the better grades
tame grasses are secured.
It will probably surprise the uninttia1
Ia know that the central section. Of No
Dakota is the only real rival to Kalan
zoo. Mich. in the production Of cele
hut it is a fact All through the J
river valley this vegetable grows i g
thrives fully as well as in Michigan, g
there are many farms on which celery
raised as the principal staple with VIII
and oats as incidentals. =. h.
While there is a steady influx Of POI
Iation there are thousands of acres
land in this section just as productive
any under cultivation that may be had
easy terms The state Of North Oak
has unsold. and for lease, thousands
acres the railways have large tracts
the market private owners who bou
for song years ago are Offering barga1
and there is still goodly quantity Of g
eminent lands subject, to honest
entry. At the present rate Of INNING
ton however. the more desirable secti
are fast going out Of the market. Fl
what have seen while here. and lear
from farmers who came here poor,
nav now be classed wealthy. it Is
tainly most desirable place to locate
Especially for those who rent farms in.
older sections Of the country, and fin,
difficult to make Roadway.
As explained in some of w previ
Ietters. there has been lot of misin
ration sent abroad concerning North
kofa Contrary to general belief.
country Is well watered, the climate
good and the soil unusually rich At
FINE the question of fuel was ser
me but, this is now settled The n
branch railroad lines crossing
mart Of the state have brought to