The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-06-13
Opportunities to Be
Found in Cass County
Nintey Percent Of its Area CuvatedM G. Boecher Has
Splendid Article in Pioneer Press Of St. Paul
Descriptive Of the County

tiers. This impression is absolutely
without foundation and short resi-
dence in the county is all that is need
ed to prove its climate equable, health
full and really delightful throughout tho
year.
County Has Remarkably Fertile Soil
One of the chief assets of the county
Is without doubt its remarkably fertile
soil, which generally speaking consists
| OF rich black loamy formation from
one and one-half to three feet in depth,
and Is underlaid with clay. 1t is easily
worked In most cases and retains mois-
ture wonderfully, as was fully demon
strated in 1910, when there was a
marked deficiency in rainfall through
out the northwest. Last years partial
| drought was an advantage rather than
calamity in that 1t has been the
means of bringing about better and
more careful farming methods on the
part Of the average Cass county farm
err 1T has practically done away with
the careless methods in vogue prior 10
this season. This can be seen on every
hand this spring. A recent editorial
| in The Fargo Forum, treating on the
subject Of Better Farming, is printed
below for the information it contains:
Farms Look Like Garden Beds.
"A trip over the Red river valley
these days viii convince the most skep-
tical that the gospel of better farming
is spreading. There is an absence in
most cases of the old shiftless methods
of preparation of the soil The farms
look more like garden beds than grain
fields.
The summer following and the fall
blowing was so extensive last year that
the farmers had more opportunity this
spring to put the new methods into
practice. They disced and dragged
and harrowed-and dragged some more
before seeding. After that they
packed the soil and, as a result. the
grain fields are as loose as ash beds
and the soil thoroughly pulverized
1T is encouraging to see the improv
ed methods. 1t looks more like farm
ing has become scientific industry
instead of a make-shift method of
earning. precarious existence. 1t
means bigger yields--a conservation Of
the soils fertility-and greater pros
perity for the agriculturists."
cass County Crops Varied.
While wheat today is and probably
always will be the main crop. the
crops to which the countrys soil are
adapted are quite varied, as the fol-
lowing shows: The county produces
over 100000 bushels of spring. durum
and winter wheat annually. between
two and three million bushels Of oats.
100000 bushels of barley. Consider
| able fax rs also raised each wear Po-
tatoes are a source of considerable
! revenue to the farmers in the county.
While the production in the county
proper Isl considerably below the half
million bushel mark, upwards of / $50. :
GOO bushels are shipped out of Fargo.
the county seat each year. This Is,
or course, due to the fact that Cass
county adjoins Clay county, Minnesota.
one of the heaviest potato producing
sections of the northwest. Corn is q
very successful crop in the county,
both as to husking and fodder varieties
and a larger acreage is being, put into
this crop each year. Millet timothy.
bronze grass and alfalfa are also ex-
tensively grown. The soil is peculiar
iy adapted to clover raising, the com
mon varieties raised being red. man.
moth, alsike and white.
Markets Are Good.
In the matter Of markets and nrices
received for products raised, cass
county is well favored, as good prices
are always received. This Is true not
only of wheat, oats and other cereals.
but also as to dairy and like products,
In the city of Fargo is to be found
one Of the best of markets for dairy
and similar products, and New York
prices are there paid every day in the
year. The city Of Casselton also is a
splendid market point, especially for
cereals and dairy products.
Inc hundred and twenty-five or more
elevators scattered through the county
atong the main and branch lines OF
railway make long hauls for the farm
er unnecessary. The average farmer
has an elevator within a few miles Of
his farm and a haul of five or six
miles from farm to elevator or other
marketing point is very uncommon.
some Other Advantages.
A point calling for particular and
careful investigation on the part of the
man considering a new location is that
OF water, its quality and supply. In
this respect, Cass county is particular
ly favored. There is an abundant sup
ply of good water in all parts of the
county and generally speaking ii is
found at moderate depth. Artesian
and flowing wells are found here and
there are also numerous springs of
good clear water. The county is
watered by several streams, namely
the Red river along the eastern edge,
the Sheyenne, Maple, Rush and one or
two others
Good roads are valuable asset to
any community and Cass county lacks
little in this respect There is Of course
room for Improvement, but generally
speaking the county's roads are in
very good condition. The Fargo Auto
mobile club now has plans under way
looking toward countrywide move
ment for better roads Credit must
be given the average farmer in the
county for his assistance in keeping in
good condition the roads IN the vicinity
Of his farm and in many cases between
his farm and marketing point.
In addition to the railway facilities
previously featured the county has a
network OF telephone and telegraph
lines totaling over 1000 miles. There
is excellent rural free delivery mail
service throughout the county. Con-
sidering therefore from the standpoint
49,