Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1906-01-04
WHY SOUTH DAKOTA
FARMER IS REJOICING
Difficulty Encountered by Early
Pioneer Has Been Long
Overcome.
ARE ALL PROSPEROUS
The Artesian Well Has Been the Means
Of Keeping Many a Farmer on
His Claim or Farm and Help.
ing the Cattle Business

IVY WV Sa9tsO
Aberdeen, s. D., Dec. 26.-The past
twenty years has seen northern South
Dakota grow from II trackless prairie
into one of the finest farming sections
of the union. The South Dakota pio-
neer had a vast iimbe of things to
contend with. He had a vast deal to
learn about South Dakota soil and eli
mate n Il great deal to unlearn con-
corning farming operations which he
had been taught in the section from
4 Whence he came.
Hard Lot Of Farmer.
While the South Dakotan vas learn
ing those lessons he suffered. Inn
bued as he was at first with the firm
idea that the only way to riches as an
agriculturist was through raising
wheat, it took several crop failures to
teach him that wheat raising should
not be the sole dependence of the South
Dakota farmer. AT first he secuted the
idea of rising corn in South Dakota In
the first place he did not believe that
aorn could be successfully grown in the
state: In the second place, he consid-
cred wheat raising so much easier a.
method OF earning a livelihood that he
lid not care to devote the time and
hard work necessary to raise a crop of
. CSC VIZ Az NSCfblp
to raise corn persisted in buying seed
from localities much farther south and
az y consequence the crop did not ma
ture in time to escape the early frosts.
Time n experience, however, have
remedied these matters.
Seed Better Acelimated.
The O progressive farmers discov-
sred that by planting northern grown
seed of quickly maturing varieties it
was possible to produce corn that
would mature n be in shape to, gath
er before frost. With this discovery,
which. strangely enough, was made
iirst in the central and northern parts
of the state. instead of in the southern
section. the area devoted to corn pro-
AUCTION has constantly ~broadened until
this year h northern counties of the
state were dotted with corn fields, and
the farmer who places his dependency
upon wheat alone no longer exists.
Do Not Ship Corn.
While northern and central South
Dakota is now IL corn producing sec
ton. ii is not IL corn shipping country.
Practically every ear of corn grown in
South Dakota is fed on the farms and
t'hippcd to the big city markets i'll the
shape of hogs and catt'5.
In this Way the farmer realizes every
cent possible o " of his corn crop.
For instance j. and =. Geyer. pro-
;sveSsivc almcr living near Frederick.
TINS year raised IL 55-acre field OF corn
which they fed to eighty head of steers..
The steers We're Neighed in at the time
feeding began and weighed out again
when sold and the GeyerS found that
they had received $3.50 per acre for
their corn. besides the profit they will
derive from Il bunch of hogs which fol-
lowed the steers.
When the fact is considered thai the
land ,Innn y.1Si..h fln ..rrt, V,.au mise
is valued at but little more than $50
an acre, the profit in corn raising in
northern South Dakota is easily seen.
when ordinary care and intelligence is
displayed.
A farmer near Highmore. under sim
liar circumstances, realized S11.25 per
acre from his corn crop. and many SIM
liar instances are noted.
Creamery Helps Faenre~s.
Another thing that has tended to
make the farmer in this section OF the
state prosperous is h existence of the
In practically every town in
the northern half of the state d cream
cry f1ourishes.
Every farmer has at least Il few
cows. and cream is IuitS generally sold
to the at prices which make
the industry exceedingly profitable tc
the farmer.
Checks are issued monthly for the
cream purchased. an devery farmer is
assured of a steady monthly income
regardless of crop conditions
The industry has proven
the salvation of the farmer in more
than n instance.
Ten years co., for instance. the par
tial failure of the wheat crop which
occurred last year would have proven
an unmitigated calamity Las year
because the South Dakota farmer ne
longer carries all his eggs IN one basket
the wheat failure. while ~discouragiug
did not materially affect h genera
prosperity Of farmers in this section.
Advantage Of Artesian Wells.
The artesian system. TOO has addet
millions to the wealth of the northern
part of r. state.
Edmunds county alone has over ~.
artesian wells and other counties ARK
nearly as we'll equipped.
The artesian wells have changed. ii
a very large degree. h climate of the
country. From the surplus watei
small lakes and brooks have beer
formed. which. in many places. have
become h resort Of Wild fowl and pro
tx ideal hunting grounds.
Blu they have performed a more i'm.
portant part in the development Of thu
state, for. since the advent of the ar
much more plentiful and a total crOl
failure is unknown.
With di, ersifled crops. ~artesian weil
and the creamery. h farmer of north
ern South Dakota has become inde
pendent. He lives in Il neat. wei
painted. comfortably arranged farm
house. ana his wife enjoys the convent
ence. with her sisters in the cities, O
having running water in the house
thanks. again. to the artesian we'll; Il
has large barns. bloOded horses an,
cattle. and IN ali particulars is as 'wel
fixed as the farmers III older state
where land is higher priced. That Ian,
is rapidly increasing in value is show
by the fac that in Mcpherson count
a half section which sold two years ag
for 3.S00 WAS sold again last week 70
$4,000.
BOYS SELL MINK HIDES.
LcstervilIc. S. D.. Dec. I.-Somc of tn
shrewd young boys residing in this viciu
ity are making good money by trappin
on Beaver creek, near here. During tn
tn., ~-rcks tNro, ~ Aho h~~,c 7 -.