Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1910-04-07
AN OVERLAND DRIVE.
A Trip Through the Rich Farming
Region of Stanley County.

~ AIiP AurouSh tuc NCu E"nAuS
Region of Stanley County.
In md August of last summer,
(190S), the writer drove from Pierre,
through Stanley county. to the Mo-
reau river by way of lie and the
Cherry Creek. 1t was my first trip
through the homestead country of
the western cattle range and I OBJ
served conditions narrowly. I was
surprised at the heavy growth of ex-
cellent grass and at the large amount
being converted into hay. From the
summit of the Missouri river hills
to the Cheyenne, the country was
one vast meadow upon which there
| was an average of more than one
ton per acre Of wild upland grass.
| This was being demonstrated wher-
ever the sickle was put into it.
Thirty years ago I settled upon a
| homestead in western Minnesota, and
farmed .here for five years. From
every surface indication the west
Missouri region is equal to the vest
ern Minnesota country.
Occasionally we came upon place
that was occupied for several years
and there were found every indica-
tion of thrift and comfort. Fifteen
miles before reaching the Cheyenne
we came upon country which had
been longer settled and was much
better developed. Here we found from
twenty to one hundred acres Of corn
to the quarter section and as far IA
the eye could reach was spread Of
waving cornfields. At that early
season the corn. almost exclusively
OF the Minnesota 3 variety, Was
beginning to harden. The best corn
grown in South Dakota this
year Is in that locality. say this
advisedly for 1t has been my business
to see and report upon crops condi-
tions throughout the state.
| Crossing the Cheyenne river reser-
vation by way of Cherry Greek
Valley, we stopped at the Day school
where Prof. Frank Carson has oper-
ated farm for sixteen years without
a single crop failure. His crops this
year are superb In eastern Meade
county, found an extensive country
but little settled. 1t Is remote from
market, but upon the Face OF it the
| finest wild region | nave ever visited.
1t is filed with beautiful timber line
running streams is finely grassed and
as as could observe very fertile. The
surface is gently undulating, the
creeks from one to two miles apart 4
Driving in this region in the early
morning q drove of antelope sprang
from the grass but few yards from
us and scared away like flock Of
birds. A little further on we came
upon pair OF iine deer. Our trip took
us one hundred and fifty miles from
Pierre all Of the distance through
lands that are destine to become the
homesteads Of happy and prosperous
mem. The railroad facilities provided
by the extension Of the Northwestern
lille from EleTTt To TthplQ CtCy
brings the most of this region access
ible to markets and ta speedy deyel-
ment is assured.
| am impressed that this ia to be
come rich dairy section. The abun-
dant and excellent quality Of the wild
grasses in this more than usually dry
year, the ease with which feed grains
are produced and the mildness of the
climate all argue for such destiny,
All of this region it will be observed
lies within the area Of the famous
snoWless range where for countless
ages the buffalo have thronged for
the enjoyment of the winter pastures,
and where for the past eighteen,
years hundreds of thousands of
cattle have ranged throughout the
year without shelter. The homestead
has broken up the range, driven the
herds away but in the place of these
will come the mild eyei dairy o,g
and the CHEEKY milkmaid. .-Doane
; Robinson.