The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1920-04-23
A "MILLION-DOLLAR" SNOW

utdEleSI SHOWS Ol tne eDtlTe winter
: 'as on began falling here last Saturday
night shortly after dusk and continued
undated until Monday evening.
/ The snow was very wet one, and
while az first it melted nearly as fast
as it fell, Sunday evening it began TO
7 lay on the ground pretty evenly, and
Monday morning the ground was
covered with a good twelve or fourteen
inch coat on the level. 1t was not
cold at any time during this storm,
bat stock that was exposed to it no
doubt was badly chilled and we
expect to hear of heavy losses of range
stock as a result of this storm. 1t
was practically impossible for stock
to get anything to eat on the range
from Sunday morning up to this time
aud unless they could get at some
! hay no doubt stock suffered some
from hunger. Hay is very scarce with
many of our larger stock raisers, and
even though it could have been
! bought from neighbors the snow was
50 heavy that it was practically i'm
possible to get the hay to the stock
We would not be surprised to hear
Of the stock loss in this county being
as heavy, If not heavier than it was
during March and April of last year.
Many large operators were forced to
tbe wall last year on account Of heavy
losses, occasioned by the scarcity of
feed and no shelter, and there is no
question but what like losses under
seif-ame conditions this year will
force other large operators out of
business. Ia sense this is consider
able of calamity, and vet we are
optimist enough to believe that these
heavy stock losses will in reality prove
to be blessing to this section of the
country in the long run. These losses
will eliminate the large cattle operators
e greater or less extent, aud this
Pill he p to give the small fellow a
better chance, and the people will
naturally deyote more time and
attention to farming tilling of
the soil. This section of the country
IS good cattle country, there is no
denying that fact, but it is also true
that 1t is mighty good general
farming country, and it is the farmer
who in the end is the real developer,
the real producer Of wealth, the man
who adds value to the lands, and
who brings to the country the modern
conveniences and real country life as
we know it in the older settled
countries.
This storm, while source of loss
to the man who devotes his attention
exclusively to range stock and the
producing of beef cattle alone, to the
diversified farmer it is worth millions.
1t Will be. big help to the small
grain crop and the alfalfa. while it
will put the ground in prime condition
for corn planting, and the result will
be that the diversified farmer will
probably experience another year of
great prosperity, We want to see
more attention paid to farming in this
section and less attention to large
herds OF range stock. The farmer
who will plow up his acres and SOW
wheat, oats, barley, alfalfa, corn,
potatoes, ETC., keep herd of from
twelve to twenty four good milk cows
and milk them, a few good hogs and
flock of chickens cannot help but
prosper and grow wealthy here within
few years, especially if prices for
farm produce keep where they have
been. His losses will be reduced to
the minimum if he will provide
suitable shelter for his stock, and take
care OF them. Shows such as we have
received this week will be a welcome
visitor to him, Instead of menace to
his prosperity.
We haYe the country here, if prop.
|erly developed, to make this, the
richest spot IN the state, if not 10 the
central part of the United States, and
the road to that goal is intelligent
diversified farming. Let US then take
advantage Of the opportunities that
beneicent nature has endowed us
with, and develop this virgin country
as farming country, and to our
mind the quickef we do this the
better for everybody concerned.
Wednesday evening it began TO rain
and it rained practically all night ad