Saturday news. (Watertown, S.D.) 19??-19??, 1914-07-09

II does so by degrees. By June the
grasses have attained q growth of al
Jew inches, anyway, and ifthe moist
ure be insufficient to keep them grow
ing they mature, or cure on the
ground, thus supplying forage, some
what In the form of hay, for winter
grazing. The lack of snow as q rule
in the winter enables stock to subsistl
until the grasses start again In the
spring. But, Of course, the range must
be much more extensive for q given
number Of head than In those sections
where the grasses attain q greater
growth.
Old ranchmen tell me that they do
not wish much rainfall for grazing
purposes during the latter part Of the
season. They prefer that the grasses
cure before the fall frosts make their
appearance, Frozen grass does not
supply the nourishment to stock that
cured grass furnishes.
Homesteaders West Of the River.
The rush of homesteaders to points
west Of the Missouri river was induc-
ed largely by the unusual rainfall for
a few years preceding the influx Of
| settlers 1t was unfortunate, in n
sense, that the section in question
was favored with SO much moisture.
1t led people to believe that such men
as Major Powell and the other geolo-
| gists were mistaken concerning the
general characteristics Of the region.
Homesteaders Hooked thither by the
thousands only to tiock out again
when their crops began to fail and
their fields began To dry up.
Between Rapid City and Fort Pierre
il is a continuous procession OF de
serted cabins and abandoned homes
Some Of these homes wers somewhat
pretentious buildings. At least foul
out Of every ~iye--some of the ranch
men tell me THAT the proportion is
at least mint out of. every ten--of the
homesteaders have abandoned theil
farms. In some cases the mortgages
has foreclosed his lien; in other in
i stances the Wne is merely ALLOWING
ii his homestead to remain ~unpccupiet
in hopes that the country Will recuI
and that values viii return
when he viii either dispose of hi
i holdings on resume his farming opel
ii ations.
For the most part, those who ar
REMAINING there appear to be doin
fairly well, financially speaking. The
are reaping a reasonable measure Q
prosperity, deriving their chief SUI
s port from their stock.
: Where Farming is Farming.
: Aside from the d%istinctive1y irrl
gated regions, saw but little ev
: dence Of what / would term rea
farming until ! approached Water
town ON my Journey home.
= True, there are many fields OF cor
: west of the Missouri river, and tbi
: year such crop viii be a reasonabI
success. It is true, however. that TO
approximately twenty miles N eithe
: side OF the Cheyenne river. som
hundred odd miles west Of Pierr,
there had been insufficient rainfa
and the grasses were beginning I
droop and turn yellow. While th
corn was still looking fairly fresh,
Z could not long so continue .wfthor
{ d further supply Of moisture, whic
presume followed later in June.
t In all irrigated sections farmin
Il operations are much more expensive
/ acreage considered. Twenty busheI
of wheat, for instance, on any irr
gated farm would be considered
Ii failure. The cost Of producing
would .eat up the entire crop.
For general farming, so far as m
observations have extended and ais
based upon my personal experience,
WYNN pISlSi d AGSiuti WHSAS ~
horses perform the greater part (
the labor.
sunshades on cuitiyators.
was impressed with the farmin
eoperations a IS ans within astril
! ings distance Of WATERFOWL, Th
e farmer was seen riding behind hi
q harrow He was c%ultiyating his cor
2 with four horses Frequently five
hitched to n ~cultivator. Perhaps h
was shaded with a large umbrella a
tached to his machinery. He was ei
Toying all the sluxuries' Of which hi
. city-fed brother boasts. His field al
tomobile. with canopy top, with hai
y q dozen horses as the motor, was hi
2 emblem Of ease and atfluence.
In his private garage, beside hi