Omaha daily bee., 1911-01-28
South Dakota's Offer to the Settler
Health for the Homeseeker, Wealth
for the Industrious Man.
CLIMATE AND RESOURCES RICH
Upland and valley Team with
Fecandity and Invite the Wan
of Effort 60 Conquest Of
Certain wealth.

Of Effort 60 Conquest Of
Certain wealth.
BY p. L. Wesley. GOVERNOR or
SOUTH DAKOTA.
" IL now generally conceded that the
middle western section OF the United States
At this time Is the producing center OF the
entire country. In REGARD TO agriculture
he eastern portion OF tho country is a
thing Of the past at least in so far Rs
PRODUCING the surplus field products neces.
s8ry 20 feed the people OF the eastern
cities. there heing at the present time but
FOUR states east OF Chicago producing as
much wheat as they consume. and not
more than four probably only three. that
produce the necessary amount Of corn.
The surplus products are com ng from the
great valleys OF the Mississippi and Mis-
souri, rivers and what was once considered
n part Of the Great American Desert Is
now 4he fruitage land OF the country.
South Dakota IL and should be indeed
proud to stand among the great surplus
producing states Of America. and It Is GER
talnly remarkable that a state 80 young
and more than half undeveloped should
have for the last ten years and more pro-
duced more wealth per capita than any
other state in the union. There must in
deed be reasons for this condition con-
unuing for such a length OF time To
state the matter tersely the man who has
spent his efforts in Sou.h Dakota during
the last ten years has had as his reward
Of this worlds goods. for each days work.
end each years work. shan he would have
had spent that same time and made an
equal effort in any Of the other states OF
the union. This in itself should be suf-
ffcient iuducement 10 the man seeking
home. It matters not what his occupation
or calling South Dakota offers him OPP
p6rtunlties.
Health for the HOmeaeeker.
One Of the subjects appealing most ser
iousy TO the homeseeker is that OF health
for himself and family and in this
particular none excel us. We have vary
ing altitude from less than 1000 feet to
more than $500 feet and the newcomer
can get even higher than this II he cares
20 go to the tops OF some Of our mountain
peaks.
Not only does our altitude vary, but
so also do conditions within the state. II
a stranger should come into South Dakota
from the east he would find country
titled and farmed after those methods
10 the conditions in Illinois and Iowa. II
he should approach us from the south he
would find half or nearly so. Of the fields
to be Of corn. one-half OF the balance oats,
and the remainder clover or alfalfa. These
are the great staple crops OF the south half
OF our state. Each farm contains some
pasture land. or lands devoted to pasture,
and the stock in South Dakota grades
higher than probably in any Of the states
TO the east or the south. In our state there
have not been as many changes from dairy
ing 10 beef and from beef to dairying as in
the older states.
when the Crops Grow.
II the newcomer enters our state from the
east and nearer the north line of the state
he will find the crops to be principally
small grains. Too much OF the area OF the
state Immediately along the east line has
been brought under cultivation and kept
there continuously for a series OF years.
There is still abundance OF fertility, but
rotation should be more generally prac-
ticed. In this part Of the state considerable
corn is grown, but the industry is not car
ried to the extent that II should be. Glover
is finding It's place, but as yet timothy Is
grown much more extensively.
Passing on to the center OF the state
either from the south OF the east, into the
great valley OF the James river, you will
find vast level stretches OF country devoted
60 the growing Of small grains and corn
and TO pasture. Probably half OF the en-
tire cultivated area is devoted TO the rails
ing Of wheat; the other half TO corn and
other feed grains and to grass. most Of II
being native prairie. However the clover
field Is now appearing all over this section
of the state and corn il being very largely
learned by experience that one Of nature s
laws Is that the crops must be rotated and
are accordingly changing their methods
that they may comply with these require
ments.
Along the Missouri river the land is more
largely devoted to grazing. although adj
Nanced agriculture is practiced to q greater
o. less extent on almost every section of
land This section Is one OF the great
stock producing localities OF this country.
Arteslan water is here produced in abund-
6nce and at small cost This Is generally
warm and particularly adapted for use In
the growing OF live stock. II is from the
prairies of tho character found in this part
Of the state that the best feeders as well
as the best grass fat cattle find their
way to the markets of the world
West of the Missouri.
Crossing the Missouri we find vast I'M
dulating prairie penetrated by frequent
streams that run very rapidly. the banks
being generally considerably broken. Be
tween these streams the general course OF
which Il towards the Missouri river, or
tho east. are vast plsteaus Of most excel
lent soil. capable Of the highest type OF
agriculture when properly titled, and we
note that the settlers or owners are rapidly
learning these methods Alfalfa Will be
the great money making crop Of this sec
ton OF South Dakota. It probably seeds
better here than I'm any other known place
on the American continent. Thirty-five
dollars worth Of seed per acre after har-
Nesting a good crop OF hay Is a usual thing
seventy dollars worth OF seed has been
known, number OF times and in one in
stance this year nearly SO worth was
throshed from small field, The principal
other crops grown in this section are wheat
oats and spelts Corn Is not as largely
grown as II will be later for the reason
that our prairie soils do not produce this
crop TO the best advantage until after they
have been SOME what subdued,
The banks OF the stream are quite steep