Charlevoix county herald., 1909-08-28
Know Thyself!
People of Wester Michigan Have
Been In Ignorance.

A great a. complishment would be
credited to tho Western Michigan De
velopment Bureau II 1t should nc
more than remove some of the foolish
traditions that have too long served
to prejudice people against Michigan
lands. For a generation half inform.
ed people have told what you can dc
and can't do on the lighter lands OF
Western Michigan, and only recently
has much of this inexpert advice
been found to be mistaken.
A few bolder than the rest put the
sandy lands to various uses and made
wonderful successes. Then came
along the scientist and explained why
It was.
The writer remembers when sandy
land was thought to be poisoned" by
pine needles.
We know now that the land was be.
reft of It's soil bacteria by fierce for.
est fires. We know that there is no
land, however light, that will not pro.
duce good clover crops II 1t is inoc.
ulated with bacteria and that the
process Is so cheap and easy to be
no burden upon the farmer.
We know that clover results in the
accumulation of nitrogen in the soil,
and that II also furnishes humus,
which is of value to many crops.
These are few of the facts which
the Western Michigan Development
Bureau hopes to present to home
w vlnr tn hvtrn
embracing twelve counties of the
western part of the lower peninsula
aims to develop a great democratic
movement for encouraging the settle
ment of these counties.
To overcome some of the ignorant
prejudice that has existed the bureau
will be able now to point to many re-
markable successes on even the light.
est of our lands.
That this district embraces the
finest fruit lands between the Rockies
and the Alleghenies Is admitted every.
where. That 1t Is "the land Of op.
portunity" also for the general farmer
Is apparent to all who know the facts
The comparative production OF
heavy and light lands last year when
we experienced the most severe
drouth in fifteen years was a revela
tion and 1t bore out all that has been
claimed for sandy land. The sahd
everywhere and always is underlaid
with moisture. In the dryest part of
last year one could find the moist
sand by denting II with his heel while
in the clay land 1t was bone dry for
many feet down.
This is possibly the greatest virtue
of Michigan's lighter soil. But there
which Is the ease with which the land
is worked and its warmth early in the
season and consequet quickness in
producing growth.
The farmer on light land can go
on 1t at any time to work 1t and he
cultivates it for a small part of the
expense Of cultivating heavy land. 1t
is far cheaper to keep free from
weeds. The tendency is to encourage
frequent cultivation. which again as.
sists In conserving the moisture of
the soil
The lake shore climate is peculiar.
ly adapted to the lighter soils, for 1t
is characterized by an abundance of
moisture and the sand land is never
harmed by too much rain.
1t was formerly said that any land
was good land which could be used
to grow clover. We know now that
clover can be grown. by proper inoc.
ulation of the land, in even the very
lightest Of sand land Glover forms in
large measure the basis OF the
farmers prosperity, affording a valu.
able crop either for seed or for forage,
and constantly enriching the land 1t
grows upon.
All root crops. including potatoes,
thrive upon Western Michigan's
lighter lands as nowhere else, and are
freer from blights and pests than
the same root crops grown on heavy
land.
Our quick, responsive, easily work.
ed land has a great future for corn
production, which is just being prop.
erly realized. No claims are made
for wheat. New England farmers
ruined themselves trying to compete
with the bonanza wheat farm OF the
prairie. Michigan settlers know too
much to follow their example.
On much of our unoccupied land
there Is a natural grass which fattens
sheep and the mild winter climate
makes an irresistible bid for the
favor OF western sheep ranchers, who
are taking up our land rapidly.
We have seen these millions of
acres rise from few cents an acre
to a price OF $S to SIS an acre In
the past four or Ave years. We peo
pie of Western Michigan know that
this is only beginning and we want
to inform the entire country of the
advantages we have to offer, because
a more rapid settling up of our land
will increase tax valuations, lessenine
the rate of taxation nd will permit
OF building better roads, bigger
schools, and securing more and bet.
ter lines of transportation, as we'll as
building up our towns and cities and
so creating better home market.
This, then, 10 the direct object OF
the newly formed Western Michigan
Development Bureau. II deserves the
hearty support Of every resident OF
this entire region.