The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1915-09-09

IN n ZZG OCAzNT
prising areas of two distinct types,
viz, those on which hardwoods grew
and those producing pines and other
conifers. Stump lands upon which
hardwood tiISber grew, If promptly
rough-burned and seeded to a mixture
OF grasses and legumes, and then pas
tured for a few years until the stumps
decay, may be rapidly and cheaply re-
claimed for grazing and crop growing.
A larger portion of the lands in the
state, comprising group CD will UNI
doubtedly be utilized than is at pres
ent anticipated. For this purpose fruit
growing is being resorted to where
the conditions are peculiarly suitable.
These very light lands, instead OF be-
ing farmed intensively in small areas,
will some day undoubtedly be operat-
ed in large tracts and utilized for
grazing purposes, when the proper
methods of handling, seeding and i'm
provement are solved, which they
surely will be. The sand areas, under
laid with clay subsoil near the sur
face, give promise Of usefulness for
horticultural and crop production, as
well as for grazing purposes. Where
the sand exists as such without clay
subsoil, as heretofore referred to, the
problem of agricultural production is
still an uncolved one. 1t is a great
misfortune for Michigan that some OF
her pure sand lands have been sold by
INSCRIPTIONS spectators to city citi-
zens, who have been parted from their
savings of years and left without eXpe-
rience or a soil with which to recoup
their lost savings. Experienced farm
ers could not make a living on these
types of soils by operating small areas
only, and could not be induced to buy
them in this way. Ii is unfortunate
| that people, particularly those without
experience, will persist in buying lands
without even seeing them or making
inquiry of responsible people.
1t may be said of group ca that the
possibilities of increasing agricultur-
al production in Michigan by drain
age are practically equal to the pos
sibilities of increased crop production
in the average arid state of the West.
The reclaimable, tillable swamp and
overflow acreage in Michigan, accord
| ing to recent estimates of the bureau
of statistics, amounts to 100000
acres. In respect to the swamp land
area. Michigan ranks sixth among the
states. In this one reclamation project
alone there are great possibilities in
the state. Cooperative effort has al
ready greatly cinreased the productive
ness and value of low-lying farm lands
by means of township and county
! drainage systems. The recovery of
Michigan low-lying lands, as far as the
work has progressed, demonstrates
their unusual value for production be-
cause of the peculiarities of their for
nation and composition, geographical
location and peculiarly favorable eli
matte conditions, resulting in large
part from environmental influences,
such as contiguity to large bodies OF
water Most of these lands, when re-
claimed, produce some kinds of farm
crops and are adapted particularly to
specialized crops of high value, such
as garden truck. root crops, pepper
mint, onions, celery, ETC., thus increas-
ing the resources of the state by add
ing both to variety and wealth.
The Upper Peninsula.
The land area of the Upper PENN
sula includes 1O,682,240 acres, little
less than one-third of the entire state
In 1909 the land area in farms amount
ed to 913,7S4 acres, of which 340,602
acres were improved. The number oil
farms at that time was 1894.
The following interesting data was
procured from a report Of the Upper
Peninsula Development bureau, dated
from supervisors and in some in
stances township clerks. Their report
covers the year beginning May /, 1912
During this year the number of fami
lies locating on farms in fifteen Upper
Peninsula counties was Ito; acres Of
land sold for farming purposes, 1890
and timber land sold, 337,24S acres
The following fruit trees were planted
viz: Apples, $3.50; cherries, 1912
and plums, S,103. At this time there
were 761 schools, of which 40 were
organized in 1912; the total school at
tendance was 52,01S. This part of the
state included 3S2 churches. DURING
the year $5S9,S16 was spent on roads
including 1899 miles of gravel anC
macadam. State roads included 65A
miles and county roads 597A miles.
The opportunities for agricultural
development in the counties of the Up
per Peninsula of Michigan are very
great, indeed In this area, according
to the census report, no county excep
Menominee has more than 20 per cen
of its land in farms. This portion o
Michigan will some day be developed
into a veritable agricultural empire
Contrary to widespread opinion tina
this part of the state consists Of an al
formation of rocky wastes and swamps
there is to be found there some OF thu
finest agricultural land In the state
, | II IA n land NJ great noaeihilftiea IN,