The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1917-04-20

brought from Ely, and as there was
no road he had to carry the middlings
on his back along a trail through the
woods. All other supplies for the
family also had to be packed the first
year.
A lumber company which had de-
cided to cut some timber near the
Saari farm the next winter made a
rough wagon road from Ely to the
farm in the fall of 1898. This was
good luck for the backwoods farmer,
for now he could make his trips to
town with horse. Other settlers
also came and filed on claims near
the Saari homestead, so the next year
he had some neighbors whose COM
partnership he valued. By co-operat-
ing in many tasks, as buildings barns,
clearing land and other jobs requir-
ing more than one man, these settlers
were able to do many things that they
could not have done working alone.
To remove stumps from the soil
was the largest problem Mr.. Saari
had to solve. He cleared some land
by cutting the largest roots on the
trees and then waiting for a high
wind to fell the trees. This method
was not successful, so the stump pull
Ter came into use and also dynamite.
After using these methods in Northern
Minnesota Mr.. Saari has found the
cheapest way is to cut off the forest
and sell the timber and then by burn
ing the brush and sowing clover,
which grows like a weed, the land
produces good pasture for stock, while
the stumps rot. It takes from five to
seven years for the stumps to decay.
During all the years that Henry
Saari has been on his farm dairy
cows, clover and potatoes have been
the best sources of profit. Glover
produces from one to over three tons
Of good feed per acre on his farm.
He figures that he cannot afford to
sell any Of his clover because other.
wise the soil, which is generally light
and sandy, would not produce If the
fertility is not returned; so dairy
cows are kept. Besides keeping up
the fertility of the farm, they produce
butter which is sold in Ely for prices
varying from 80 cents in summer to
as high as so cents in winter.
Although it is said that cows should
be fed with farm-grown grains, Mr.
Saari finds it more profitable to buy
all the grain for his stock and to
raise potatoes instead. BY adding
manure to his potato fields and by
proper cultivation and handling of the
crop, he finds that he can produce as
much as 300 bushels of potatoes on
every acre at a cost of about $50
Selling potatoes at the average price
of 80 cents, he gets a profit of about
$240, which he could not get by rails
ing any Of the grains. He then buys
grain for his cows with the money he
makes from the sale of potatoes.
Today the neighborhood, which was
dense wilderness when Henry Saari
went to live on his claim, has been
transformed. Many other farmers
have made their homes there and
through cooperation with their neigh.
bors they have all made homes for
themselves. A first class road has
been constructed to Ely, the nearest
market place. All indications are in
favor of strong agricultural com.
munity being established there. That
it is possible for a man to make his
living from the soil in Northern Min
nesota is the belief expressed by the
farmers living in this community.
Drainage, removing the stumps, stones