Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1908-06-26
/! AND Ola
This Part sc State an Ideal
Section for Farming
and Dairying

upon his surroundings. To those who
like the woods q wooded region appeals.
In locating on a-prairie they must
learn how to succeed under the con-
ditions found on the western prairies.
In order to give this phase of the sub
iect due consideration take reports and
compare the number OF persons living on
the plains and prairies who have become
insane, with the number from the woods
and m0untains.
To those whose home has been among
mountains, brooks, birds and varied
scenery, the broad, unchanging plains
seem desolate and dreary and he becomes
respondent or restless. The busy farmer
finds pleasure in his thrifty cattle and
fertile fields. This pleasure is part of
his wealth, but there is more to be had.
The writer was born farmer and has
been through all the experiences of farm
life. he can look back upon his boyhood
days, the farm home, the farm work,
the farm itself, the varied surroundings
in that beautiful region, and note their
influences upon the development OF his
mind spirit.
!. He recalls the spring brook with it's
sinners and clubs and trout; the cobble
field with it's lodges Of rock fringed with
columbine, it's variety oftrees and bushes
and flowera; the sugar making there,
the squirrels, rabbits, groundhogs and
foxes; the ash swamp where the seasons
wood and the annual supply Of rails
were made. The general variety of
scenery and occupation have tended to
enliven his experience, to increase his
capacity for observation and his adapt
ability and have made him able to get
more out of life than would have been
possible under the influence OF the
monotonous prairie. -.
Score also the points of advantage for
the more substantial, the heavier work
OF life, the mere growing and marketing
of produce to obtain a living and sur
plus for comfort and enjoyment which
the woodland of Northeastern Mimi
esota offers in excess of that offered by
other wooded regions.
Take map. See three of the greatest
navigable waterways of the heating
in and leading TO and from
this region, assuring intense commerce,
complete use of natural resources, great
Industries and home markets.
At the heads OF the great water sys-
TENS freedom from disastrous floods is
guaranteed. Here is sufficiently high
altitude, remarkably heathful and
invigorating climate, the most beautiful
and satisfying scenery, an unlimited
supply of purest water and great scr-
plus OF it for manufacturing power.
An enormous store of forest wealth
has been accumulated here by nature to
encourage the coming of men. West of
the woods in western Minnesota and
ho no mic nd
plains, acres upon acres, to supply beef
and grain but here is the place for
intensified farming.
glance from rapid run across the
trial prominence and a great population
to this region, but good as these prom
ises of prosperity are there are more.
Mining men have found enormous de-
posits of iron ore in this region and
| the world. Over thirty million tons of
ore worth above $500 per ton at the
mine were taken out of the ground the
past season, and during the past two
years the known deposits of iron ore
continually being found, business and
mills are building and iron mining and
manufacturing are to be greatly increas-
ed. About 800, O00,O 600 are now paid
out as wages to men mining and hand
ling ore. These men must buy all their
food.
These conditions make great markets
for farm produce. Farming in this re-
gion has not kept pace with mining,
numbering, transportation and. COM
merce. Farm produce is brought in by
train loads bought in the markets Of
other regions.
The few pioneers who are farming
near these mining towns are reaping re-
wards. Before me now is letter from
farmer near Hibbiog who says: Last
fall T sold $l11.O0 worth of hay from
three acres. Milk is now eight and ten
cents quart and not half enough of
it. l sowed celery seed out in my
garden last May and got the finest sort
Of q crop. All vegetables are high and
it is almost impossible to get them
strictly fresh"
This region is pre-eminently q dairy
and vegetable country. The writer
here in Aitkin county, has q field that
was seeded to clover, timothy and red
top in the spring Of 1895, without plow-
ing or even narrowing. For twelve
years now this field has yielded as much
of the hay as could be cured on it. In
his garden, without any special care, he
has grown ninety-five pounds of pota.
toes from one pound Of seed. Toma-
toes do well and get ripe if reasonably
cared for. Celery grows remarkably
we'll. In fact! almost everything in
grass, vegetable and small fruits grow
here luxuriantly.
The wonder is that there is not q
great rush of dairy and truck farmers to
occupy this region. There surely must
be rush before long. Lands are not
high in price. While homestead land is
about gone some good land can be
bought of the state at $500 per acre,
near school and road and railroads, and
5000 to $1,000 per acre will buy the
best of unimproved land. Most Of this
has timber enough on it to pay for the
clearing, and the portion that is only
| brush can be cut off and seeded, secur-
ing good crops of hay and good pasture
without breaking.
A man with 81 900 can get. eighty