Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1908-09-25

Ill uOl Ill III LII lSColl "dS q
bare prairie used for a stock range.
There were only three Or four ranches
for distance of many miles and the
owners Of these were nearly mon
archs of all that vast country. 1t is
true that along the railroad there
were q few section men and others
having business in the country, but
the main part was still in the condi-
ton that nature made it. AS result
people going through on the trains
concluded that it was not suited for
an agricultural country, but the expe-
rience of the settler and the actual
armer proves that this part of Bur-
eigh county yields as much money
N crop values per acre as other parts
Of the state, and is the equal Of any
land in the United States to yield
a good interest on the investment.
The country north from Driscoll for
a distance of six to eight miles is
nearly level. There is a range OF
low hills from two to three miles
across in the narrowest places and
quite a little wider in some other
parts The land in the level coun-
try is mostly loan soil with clay
subsoil. But in parts, there is no
doubt, that much of this land was
once the bottom of large lake, and
there are occasional sloughs yet, but
there is but little sand or garvel to
be found, and this is in a limited area
and quantity that it does no harm.
Underground Waters.
But there is a large sheet of water
lying only few feet from the sur
face that is going to be of great value
to the farmers of the neighborhood.
On the north side of the flat this
water comes so near the surface that
a hole dug three or four feet deep
furnishes an abundant supply Of
water, and on the side nearest town
wells from eighteen to twenty-five
feet deep are inexhaustable with any
pump so far used. This water is clear
and of excellent quality. What this
is worth to the farmer cannot be be
computed. First Of all there is an
abundant supply of water for all do
nestle purposes and for live stock.
Then as semi-subirrigatio for GER
tain kinds of crops and grasses 1t is
of great value and can be used for
surface irrigation in moderate acre
age at light cost. But strange fea-
ture-strange to those who have not
studied the cause-is the fact that
only a few rods away well must
be bored to hundred or more feet
in depth to give the same result. But
this is easily understood by a study
of the formation and by tracing the
shore line of this old lake 1t is not
difficult to tell what the result. will
be before the drill goes down. But
in all cases there is to be found an
abundance of good water and at very
light cost as compared to the cost of
wells in many of the eastern states.
The Hill Country.
Perhaps no part of the state has
been so completely underestimate as
this so-called hill country. The hills
in eastern Burleigh and western Kid.
der counties are merely part OF
the range running from the British
territory at the northwest corner OF
the state towards and nearly to the
southeast corner. This is known as
the coteau, or little hill country
and is a rolling country full Of hills
and lakes and very poor drainage
The soil is very rich and produces
a quantity, and quality, of grain thai
is surprise to all who see it, ant
while the land suited to grain farm
ing in the hills is not to be found II
large tracts, yet there is much of 4
in the aggregate and as grass coun
try it is Of such nature, that fol
mixed farming and dairying it is des
tined to be very profitable.
~ S. 49, "A7aF1 g. g.. -zaaszs- eao,@t-s-'s
Among the Farmers.
L. A. S1aatenhus came toNorth DE-
kota about fifteen years ago, Twin,
in Emmens county for, seven years
and for the past eight years a few
miles north of Driscoll on an excel
lent piece of land, upon which h
has good improvements in the wa,
of a house and barn and other. build
ings. such as chicken houses, covere,
e pig styes, etc. There are about 100
Norway poplars and 400 willows grow
ing on the place. The trees plante
on land that is well subdued by ru
tivation are doing well, but those Of
land not cultivated long enough t