The Kadoka press and Kadoka reporter. [volume] (Kadoka, S.D.) 1910-1923, 1912-01-05

"South Dakota ranks fourteenth in
in land area and thirty sixth in popu-
lation among the states and territories
of continental United States. The
state of South Dakota lies in the
northwestern portion of the great
Mississippi Basin. The lowest alti-
tudes within the limits of the state
are found in the extreme southwest
ern counties within the alluvial bot
toms of the Missouri River. The
eastern portion of the state consists
Of high, rolling plateau which has
been heavily glaciated, and whose
elevations range from 100 to 500
feet above sea level. West of the
Missouri River the surface of the
state consists of the rolling and some
what dissected area of the residual
prairies, which attain to increasing
attitudes toward the margin of the
Black Hills. The latter constitute the
highest eleYations within The state,
attaining to attitudes in excess Of
1900 feet. The Missouri River and
its principal tributaries are bordered
by narrow aluvial bottoms. Four
fifths of the entire area of the state
lies between attitudes of 1000 and
5000 feet above sea level. The soils
of the glaciated plateau region, COM
prising the eastern two-ffths of the
state, are derived from a layer Of
glacial till, which varies in thickness
from few feet to more than 200 feet.
These soils are largely brown or yell
low silt loans and loans well suited
to the production of the grains and
grasses. The surface is undulating
to rolling and usually well drained.
In the extreme southeastern por-
tion of the state q small portion of
the slaciated upland has been cover
ed by the soft silty loans. suited to
general farming and to the raising of
apples.
West of the Missouri River the soils
consist of sandy loans, loans, clay
loans, ard heavy elays, derived
through the weathering OF the under
lying shales and sandstones. The
Black Hills region consists OF noun
famous uplift within which only a
few narrow valleys are at all suited
to any agricultural purposes.
Throughout the state the precipita-
ton is sufficient for growing grain
crops without irrigation, the normal
annual rainfall in the section west OF
the Missouri River being Is to 20
inches. Irrigation is parcticed to q
considerable extent in the vicinity OF
the Black Hills.
The average value per acre OF farm
land in every county west OF the river,
except Gregory, is less than S25,
while east of the river the average
value is below this amount IN bat
counties, and in Ii counties is between
$50 and S75.
Unlike the older states, South Da'
kota shows for the past decade great
er relative increase in number oil
farms than in population, the number
of farms increasing 476 per cent, anc
the population 40 per cent. The acre
age in farms increased 1914 per cent
and the acreage of improved land 4o.-
per cent. The average size OF farms
decreased from 1921 to 1851 acres.
Farm property, which includes land
buildings, implements and machinery
and live stock domestic animals
poultry and bees), has increased IL
value ss6s, $4,000, or 291.9 per cent
This increase is chiefly made up o
increases of $7i3, 400, 600 in the value
of buildings. There has also been al
increase of SS3, ,624, coo in the value o
farm equipment, which includes I'M
plements and machinery and hY'
stock, of which about three-fourth
represents the gain in the value 0
live stock, although a greater reiatiy'
gain occurred in the value of imple
ments and machinery.
Inc dFtTdSc NdiuO VI =" iNA "'N
its equipment in 1900 was S5,554, wnil'
10 years later it was Sl5,OlS' IN
average value of land per acre NOR
than trebled, rising from 1892 in 1870
to $500 in 1910, this advance beini
accompanied by increases IN the aV
erage value per farm of implement
and machinery and OF live stock.
OF the n ,644 farms in the state, 50C
or 0.6 per cent, were reported as irr
gated in 1909. The acreage reporte
as irrigated in 1909 was 63,24s acres
or 0.4 per cent <of the improved Ian
IN farms. The area to which entel
prises existing in 1910 were capabl
OF supplying water was l2S, 48l acres
and the total acreage included in irr