The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1907-03-14
GOOD FARMS in SOUTH DAKOTA
Diversity Of Interests Found Farming Is Generally
procticed Large Ranches Devoted 10 Stock Raising
Well Equipped Diaries Yield Good Profits

There was a time. and that not more
| than thirty or thirty-five years ago.
| when the idea was very prevalent in
| the older Eastern states that the prai-
| ries of Dakota were not adapted To
permanent, successful farming, and
that no amount OF Improvement would
ever make them profitable To the till
ar OF the soil.
The devastating prairie fires seemed
| always TO swoop down upon the ven
| tureSome homeseeker who should at
| tempt TO wrest livelihood from the
| SOIL and greedily devour all that hard
| labor had accomplished. In the win
ter the wind blew an icy blast, and in
| the summer its hot breath parched
the soil and ruined the crops. The
| rainfall was frequently scanty and al
ways uncertain, pure drinking water
was often not obtainable, the soil,
| though apparently rich, had not the
| sustaining qualities OF that OF tim
| Der country, hardships faced the set
tier at every turn, and II ever he did
| succeed in raising a good crop he was
so far from the markets that he could
not dispose of it favorably.
Such a discouraging picture as this
| could have few attractions for the
farmers of the East. and settlers did
not come in large numbers into the
| territory, which is now the state of
South Dakota. until lSS0-1SS3, al
| though several OF the eastern counties
| had fair population and few strip
| ling cities before that time.
Railroads Bring Settlers.
The coming of the railroads in the
'70s, during the time OF the rush OF
| goldseekers to the Black Hills. inau-
| gurated great homestead boom over
the entire eastern section. and set
tiers came in large numbers.
Then followed the inevitable period
| of disaster, because these homestead
ers' did not understand the nature OF
the soil and the climatic conditions.
| Many OF them were without means as
well as without experience, and We're
obliged TO run in debt for their farm.
ing machinery seed, horses. cattle.
and the necessities of the household
The majority placed their sole rel-
ance upon wheat, and when the crop
failed, as 1t did on many occasions,
Il meant the loss Of their entire in.
come.
Hundreds gave up In despair and
sought homes elsewhere for Ii verify
seemed as II all the tales of the I'M
kindly elements in the prairie country,
which had been circulated in the
earlier days. were entirely true. Those
who remained gradually learned
through bitter experience that II was
best to divide their farming interests
and plant other grains as well as
wheat and give attention 70 the rails
ing OF cattle. sheep and hogs to their
poultry products. and to dairying. Bet
ter farming machinery was manufac-
tured. and great care was taken TO
improve farming methods. The re-
suits can be seen in the marvellous
prosperity of the past ten years or so.
Diversity of interests.
Even yet there is room for vast
| improvement, as II Is very probable
that even the best farmers do not
get the fullest returns from the soil
that 1t is capable OF yielding, for
South Dakota soil is marvelously fer
tile. In the portion of the state
east OF the Missouri river the soil is
| almost entirely glaciated, and has
| proved itself 10 be we'll adapted TO
the cultivation of wheat. corn, oats,
| barley and fax. Mixed farming Is
generally practiced throughout this
| region, although there are also large
ranches devoted to the raising of live
stock for market. and also finally
equipped dairy farms.
A good example of the diversity OF
| agricultural interests and the general
prosperity to be found I'm South Da-
kota cities and towns is to be seen
in Moody county. II lies on the east
| ern side of the state, IN the region
| which received the first settlers His.
tory records that In the spring of 1857
hardy pioneers found their way into
the valley Of the Sioux river and es-
| tablished themselves in little settle
4 hhNh'p bSt"Nch ihV AZ scicoh-
| ings county, near the northern boun-
| dairy OF Moody county, and the site
OF Sioux Falls today
The population grew slowly until the
| homestead boom of 1SS0-1SS3, and
| then large numbers OF settlers came
into the county.
The Chicago, Milwaukee & st. Paul
| crossed the county from east to west.
| and also built along the Sioux river
from Sioux Falls Junction south, so
| that gives the county excellent rail-
road facilities, thus enabling the farm
ers to market their produce readily.
Population Growing.
According to the census OF 1900 the
population of Moody county numbered
1926, but during the six intervening
years there have been many who
have taken advantage of the excellent
opportunities which it offered to those
who desired to purchase fine farming
land at very reasonable prices. There
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