The labor world., 1910-04-09
HOLDS UP
M|LACA AS PATTERN
FOR us TO INITIATE

vi W ~ IIIlI NIL
The following tribute to the agricul-
tural possibilities of NorthQn Mime
sofa is paid by A. G.. Mcclure, super
lntendent of the northeast experiment
station of the states agricultural de-
partment.
Mr.. Mcclure is one Of the few men
at present treading the agricultural
lecture path whose word is reliable
in the matter of boom talk. Too many
of the so-called agricultural lectur-
-ers with which Northern Minnesota
is cursed are men whose sole thought
is to draw their check for their lee
ture and make good showing in the
eyes of the land company in whose
interests they are really enlisted.
MIR. Mcclure, on the other hand
is conservative, conscientious apostle
of the ''close-to-nature" business and
his words, bear with them the ring
Of truth. He says:
March Oath I attended a. meeting
of dairy farmers at Milaca, MINI.
Milaca is near the southern border
OF the pine growing section of north
eastern Minnesota. It is sc miles
south of Duluth and "a miles north
of st. Paul. 1t is in the cut-over Sec
tlon and has few scattering pine
standing. The farms run from 40 to
100 acres with an average of about
40 acres under cultivation. These
farms have been made by cutting
brush and getting out stumps as best
the farmers could. The land there
was no easier to clear than the aver
age cutover land of Northeastern
Minnesota-the soil is no more fer
tile, and yet the farmers around Mil
aca are prosperous and rapidly be-
coming well-off farmers
Mllaca has a creamery that is
owned and operated by the farmers
in 1909 this creamery made 3OO,756
pounds of butter, from which the
farmers received $71,16OO7 in cash.
after paying all running expenses.
This creamery has been in operation
but two years and the farmers have
been dairyfng but four years, yet
their output is we'll up toward the
best creameries in the state. Fur
thermore, the area from which the
creamery receives patronage is only
single township
| In talking to one of the business
men, 1 asked: ''Who owns the farm
out. here that can be seen from the
railroad where there are such fine
buildings?" "Well," he answered, II
really don't know which one you
mean. There are so many modern
farm buildings going up that it is
hard to keep track of them!"
"How have the farmers made their
| money!" "Well, sir; they have made
| it from seven to fifteen COWS to a
They have made it through dairyine
| and their creamery
The Oath of March was a spring
day. The fields were ready for the
harrow. There was a great outdoor
call for the field work that only q
farmer can ever know, and yet nearly
| every farmer in the community was
at the meeting.
Instead of giving these farmers in.
structlons in dairying, I felt that ]
wanted, them to tell me how they
had accomplished that which for si,
years l have been telling the farmers
of Northeastern Minnesota that they
could do through dairy farming.
L: i had the theory, and on the Elk.
pertinent Farm had demonstrated
athat dairying paid, but these farmers
| with practically Inothing to beRir
with but a farm covered with brush
and stumps, have made dairying az
/ successful as I have seen dairyins
anywhere in the state. They have
made their creamery pay from the
very start. Through their success
in dairying they have increased the
value of land around Milaca over 100
per cent. Best Of all, they have shown
what may be~done throughout North.
| eastern Minnesota. Any farmer, who
may feel discouraged with his land
of brush and stumps, should visit
/ Milaca; is wholly a farming town
land is one Of the most prosperous
towns of'its size between Duluth and
Est. Paul. 1t may also, be worthy OF
note that It has no saloons, but ii
lhas three banks and its farmers have
l.bank accounts-and it's merchants
livery few accounts that are uncollect.
Fable. II. @.,.t ...ss i. /
4 Let the dairy industry be the aim
Eof every farming community through
Eout Northeastern Minnesota, and in
Eevery community It may be made. as
successful and prosperous o Ntlaca,