The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1911-03-21
THE MIRACLE STATE SAYS
CHICAGO CORRESPONDENT

Iance, with an annual yield of about
12,OOO,00O bushels. Oats, barley and
rye are grown on the higher lands OF
the western counties, and produce
equally well.
The humble and honest potato is 4
great money maker, two crops being
grown on the same ground each year,
with total yield of a million an6
quarter bushels. The first crop is dug
early in June and the yield averages
about $50 bushels an acre. The early
potatoes are shipped by trainloads to
Kansas City, st. Louis, Minneapolis
Omaha and other northern points
where they bring fancy prices. The
second crop, dug in September, yields
about hundred bushels to the acre
and is shipped to Texas, and other
markets.
No state government gives so much
consideration to the farmer and his
interests. A board of agriculture, com
posed of practical farmers, is provided
for by the constitution, and can not
be handicapped by legislative action.
There are agricultural schools in every
county, and the simple sciences that
affect plant life are taught to every
child as soon as he takes a primer
in his hand
The larger area of the state was
ready for the plow when the first
boomer" crossed the line in the mad
charge of the home hunters. Nature
had prepared everything in advance
for the settler, and of the area 365
miles from east to west and 210 miles
from north to south, of the original
territory of Oklahma, there was scarce
ly an acre that was not capable of cui-
tivation and of producing some form
of wealth during the first season. In
the western limits, in what was known
as the Cherokee strip, is high plateau
which will have to be irrigated in order
to insure crops, but in some years the
rainfall is abundant. The reclamation
Service has reserved two sites for
reservoirs on Otto Creek and on the
north fork of the Red river, which will
furnish enough water to irrigate 1885,
600 acres, but the land is not needed
at present and the irrigation system
will not be undertaken until those of
other states are completed. Even that
section is not entirely dry. A story
is told about the engineer who was
sent out to make the survey for the
proposed reservoir. Having received
no report from him, his superior at
Washington sent telegram to inquire
why he did not get to work. He re-
piled that he ::couldn't do anything
until it quit raining and the freshets
had gone down"
Diversifcation of crops is the best
kind of insurance for farmers because
| it is impossible for every crop to fail
in the same season; but there have
been no crop failures in Oklahoma
since the settlement of the territory.
Another interesting and significant
fact is that the average acreage of
the farms of Oklahoma is smaller than
that in any other state, and that six
out of every ten farms are worked
by their owners. This is due, OF
course, to the fact that in the settle.
ment of the territories no man was
allowed to take up more than 100
acres and that the largest proportion
of the settlers was practical farmers,
who Immediately began to plow. There
were many transfers during the first
few years by these restless beings
who are found in every new commun.
| ity, who are never satisfied to remain
long in the same place But during
the last ten years the sales of farm
lands have ben comparatively few The
practical farmers find that 100 acres is
enough and there is no danger that
Oklahoma will ever be exposed TO the
perils that retard Mexico and other
countries of large farms and absent
landlords.
Another interesting fact is that the
variation in the values of farms and
Improvements is less in Oklahoma thar
in any other state. While the ci;ies
Rave many beautiful and expensive
residences, the average farm home
costs about $1,5OO, and the average
value of improvements upon quarter
section farms is about $4,000.
None of the farmers is rich and
few are poor except the shiftless ne'er
do-wells such as may be found ii
every community. The average wealth
Of the farming communities is about
the same as that of Ohio and Illinois
1t is contended by those who hrn
their thoughts to that line of business
that the mineral wealth of Oklahoma