Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1909-07-08
AGRICULTURAL POSSIBILITIES OF RUsS.

In the words of George Washington
agriculture is the most healthful,
most useful and most noble employ.
ment of man" But it is even more
than this: it is the occupation upon
which depends the prosperity Of any
country and especially that of such a
region as Northern Wisconsin, where
the other resources are unimportant OF
exhausted. Since the depletion of the
timber supply, these conditions have
become prevalent in Rusk County
which must now consider it's agricultu-
raj possibilities.
Up to the past five years, little
thought has been given to farming in
this part of the state. The minds of
the people have been turned mainly to
the logging industry and it's dependent
occupations. With the gradual removal
of the timber, however, more land has
been opened up for use, and more peo-
pie have turned to making a living
| from the soil. But, even now, only
about per cent of the land is under
cultivation leaving the remaining SO
per cent to be developed. Of this
amount not more than per cent is I'M
suited for agriculture, leaving :. remain
der of9O per cent or nearly $40, 900 acres
to be turned from brushland to produc-
tive field and meadow.
The work of improvement takes on
two forms, clearing and draining. The
ordinary brush lands which have been
cut over can be cleared easily and
cheaply in one of two ways. The farm
er may give his efforts directly to the
work and soon have the land under cul-
tivation or he may pasture it with a
hardy breed of sheep or Angora goats,
which besides removing the brush and
keeping down the weeds, will fertilize
and loosen the soil. BY the latter
method the cost is inconsiderable, and
ybsthe former it lis soon refunded by
the abundant crops produced.
The draining of the lower lands de-
ponds partly upon the removal of the
brush and timber from the high lands.
When this is done the swamps may
easily be drained, the stumps and
dead trees removed, and more rich land
be opened up for agricultural purposes.
After the land has been drained and
and put into good condition, the ques-
ton arises "What products can be sue
cessfully grown?" The crops that are
suitable to any section of the country
depends upon several factors, such as
the soil, climate, rainfall, and the
length of the growing season.
The soil, which is practically the same
throughout the county, is a rich loamy
clay varying in places to a lighter and
somewhat sandy loan. 1t retains
moisture for a long period and will not
bake, no matter how wet when
worked. The average rainfall is about
SO inches per year, sufficient to insure
the harvest of bounteous crops. This
is so near the amount of rainfall of the
best states in the union that it may be
said to be normal to crop growth. The
climate is on the whole, moderate and
invigorating and is agreeable at all
seasons of the year, both as regards
temperature and moisture. The sea-
sons are regular, with the exception
that the last snow comes later than in
most parts, making the spring some
what late This however, does not
materially effect the maturing of the
crops, as the extraordinary growth OF
plant life soon makes up for the lost
time The length of the growing sea-
son, about 100 days, is sufficient for
any crops which may be grown.
Although nearly all the crops COM
mon to northern states can be success
fully raised here, there are certain pro-
ducts to which the general conditions
are particularly adapted. Among these
are potatoes, which, like other root
crops, yield heavily with but little
care. They have long been a staple
crop in this county, especially in the
southwestern part.
Tame grasses, such as timothy and
clover, grow in great abundance,
crowding out. all other growth and
producing from two to three tons to
the acre. The success of these grasses,
together with the agreeable climate
and pure water, assure the future OF
this section as dairy region. In spite
of the belief that corn cannot mature
here, it has forced itself into all COM
munities with such results that it is
now being generally admitted that the
finest, if not the largest, corn can be
raised in Rusk County.
| Tobacco and sugar beets, only lately
introduced into this section, have beer
so remarkably successful that they
need no further exposition. With the
proper care of the land and rotation OF
crops, they will remain among the best
paying products of the county. Other
crops which have done well here are
rye, barley, oats, peas and clover seed
Although the adaptability and value Of
these are not so strongly marked, they
are decided help to successful farm
ing and excellent factors in crop TO
tation.
1t is clearly evident that nearly al