Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1909-09-24

was OF HILlc Vdlue. OOmeLn.ng else
mus be done Dairying and stock
raising was the only escape from failure.
Then the farms began to recover in fer
tility and mortgages vanished. Land
rose in value and now ranges in the
older sections of the state from 500 to
$3.50 per acre.
''In the old time, when thousands of
Wisconsin farmers left their depleted
wheat farms to seek virgin soil farther
West to subject to the same depleted
conditions, the vast areas in the north
ern Wisconsin were almost unknown.
The agricultural value lof these areas
was not recognized even by those who
from necessity visited them. Dairyiug
and stock raising was supposed to. be a
drudgery, necessary only where wheat
had depleted the soil
But opinion changed and dairying
n stock-raising opportunities
northern Wisconsin came into demand.
This was about ten years ago. Scienti-
fic farming was then just assuming its
destined position in the agricultural
world. Tests were being made of the
food values of the various grains and
grasses. In this work Wisconsin was
in the front rank, and it was then that
the pioneers in research found and de-
clared the merits of these northern
Wisconsin areas, and settlements
sprang up at the many stations of the
various railways where lumber camps
had located.
1.-THE early settlers accomplished lit
tie for few years, mainly because
they were poor and must work out"
most of the year. But they showed
that the soil was fertile, especially in
clover pastures and meadows, that the
water was clear and pure and that the
climate was invigorating. Durin G
these years the experiment stations
were demonstrating the supremacy Of
clover and that the smaller corn of the
north in the form of silage had no SUI
perior. The value of all the forest pro-
ducts advanced, SO that where timber
must DE removed in clearing land an
income was assured.
''There was no general land boom.
The owners realized that these lands
would increase in value and were in no
haste 20 sell them. So as moderate,
steady agricultural growth prevailed
During the last year, however, more
settlers came into some sections than
had previously located there Paper
mills and other industries have been
established in recent years with the
result that employment is always at
hand when wanted. Many poorer set
tiers divided their time between home
and mill, but those who can always
prefer to devote their whole time at
home, making as large an income from
timber and other products and improv-
ing their homes.
The future value of farms establish
ed in the areas referred to is indicated
by the fact that those that are old
enought to be cleared of stumps are
being held, and sometimes sold, at $50
to 500 per acre.
"Dairying and stockraising is being
supplemented with sugar beets which
yield $50 to $50 per acre, tobacco at
from 500 upward, clover seed at from
$25 to $75, potatoes from about $50 to
500, in some instances small and gar
den truck.
''There is no room for doubt that
this great area of more than 10000, 900
acres in northern Wisconsin equals any
section in America as dairying region.
In years to come it will yield handsome
returns for labor expended and attain
value consistent with its productive
ness.
THAT corn can be successfully raised
throughout this whole area has been
demonstrated in too many of the older
settlements to longer be questioned.
The experiment station has produced
SPLENDID crops within ten miles of Lake
Superior. Fields as large as Ito acres
are now growing in the northern
counties. For silage purposes this
corn is of the highest value. This area
has market in Superior and Duluth
and adjacent iron region of over SIS ,oO0,-
00O worth of food products per year, in
the copper region of immence proper
tons, has direct transportation to Chi
cago and other market centers. The
area is filed with manufacturing cities
and villages that have sprung up with
the development of water powers
I'm the future, as our multitude of
magnificent water powers are develop
ed, with resultant urban communities,
these markets will be greatly multi
piled. These powers are rapidly being
developed an ach development
means n city or vtllage-a local market.
What the influence of these markets
will be on the future value of these
lands no one can say-that it will be