The Kadoka press and Kadoka reporter. [volume] (Kadoka, S.D.) 1910-1923, 1916-01-07
West River Lands
Valuable Alfalfa Land
From Rapid City Guide.

have commenced to realize that in
the alfalfa seed industry they have
one OF the greatest assets that any
section can possibly possess, but
even they do not comprehend the inn
mensity Of the returns which can
and will be realized when anywhere
near the maximum yield of seed
which can be produced here is
reached. That this fact, however,
is apparent to some people who do
not live here, and whose perspec-
tive is not confused because of their
nearness to the source OF the seed
supply, is shown by the letter
which follows, written by d. b.
Gurney, of Yankton, president of
the Gurney Seed g. Nursery Co.,
to James HALEY, president of the
First National Bank, of this city.
Mr.. Gurney's position as the head
OF a large firm which handles large
quantities of western South Dakota
alfalfa seed, as much in fact as
they can get, places him in shape
to be an authority on the matter,
and that he firmly believes in the
future of this section, and especi-
ally in that part Of it which relates
to the alfalfa seed industry, is
shown by the statements which he
makes in his letter. His statement
that the Black Hills country, and
by this he means all of western
South Dakota, produces more seed
than any entire state in the Uuion,
will come as a surprise to those
who are not in touch with the mat
ter, but it is true. 1t is estimated
that in 1914 out OF Meade county
alone approximately 5000, COO worth
Of seed was shipped, and the com
petition for this was keen among
the seed house buyers, for it is not
only the quantity OF this seed which
can be produced here, but also the
exceptionally high quality which
appeals to the people who make a
business Of handling it, Mr.. Cur
ney's frank and unbiased statement
as to the present production of al
falfa seed and the great possibil-
tiles which lie in future is very well
come to the people who believe in
western South Dakota, for it is an
other confirmation of the fact that
so far only small part of the vast
resources of our country have been
developed:
Il have received the Holiday
Greetings from Rapid City and |
wish to congratulate your city on
its progressiveness and the nerve
that it takes to get out such
beautiful book. | have gone over
it very carefully and | do not krow
that il could be Improved on in any
way with the exception, think you
have devoted too little space to the
profits in growing alfalfa for seed
in that section Did you know
that the Rapid City country or
rather the Black Hills country is
probably producing more alfalfa
seed each season than any entire
state in the Union? We have been
told that the Black Hills of South
Dakota contains 100 squars miles,
the richest in the world. This is
your king section. think you
can safely say that western South
Dakota has several hundred miles
Of the richest agricultural land in
the United States, land that will
produce more dollars per acre with
tie least expense and these square
miles may be increased almost to
fhe Missouri river. / refer entire
N to the production of alfalfa seed.
wa have paid in that country sew
4 Gxal times as high as Sroo per acre
tf eced and in one case we paid
is where the land, | believe, was
Srcd for sale at $500 per acre.
~ 4 xtere fortunate to have money
11nrh to buy 100 acres OF west
n outh Dakota alfalfa land and
Snfed to get rich quick with the
possible exertion, would
Ily invest that money in the
land and let nature do the
Wishing you, your people
AncL and the reople of Rand