USA > Minnesota > Minnesota as it is in 1870 : its general resources and attractions for immigrants, invalids, tourists, capitalists, and business men ; with special descriptions of all its counties and townsand inducements to those in quest of homes, health, or pleasure > Part 9
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Illinois,
14,422,448
N. York (decrease) 4,440,393
Indiana,
10,633,809
Iowa, 6,918,822
Wisconsin,
11,371,327
Michigan,
3,410,479
Ohio,
631,696
Kentucky,
5,251,987
Virginia,
1,918,361
Maryland, 1,608,800
Penn. (decrease) 2,325,526
California,
5,911,242
Minnesota, from 1860 to 1868, 13,938,882 (eight years.)
Bushels of Wheat produced in 1867 :
Average per acre.
Illinois
28,000,000
14.5
Wisconsin
22,000,000
.... 12.3
Ohio.
18,000,000
. . .. 11.6
Indiana
16,861,000
10.5
Iowa .
16,300,000
· · ··
12.7
Minnesota (1868)
16,128,875
. ... 17.75
Michigan
15,250,000
. ... 12.4
Pennsylvania
15,000,000
. ... 12.5
New York.
8,250,000
.. . 14.5
100
CORN.
We give the above figures as the latest, to show the present status of Minnesota among the great wheat growing States, how rapid has been her progress towards the head of the list, and how few years it will take at the same rate of progress to make her the first wheat growing State in the Union.
CORN .- Average per acre in Minnesota, 1866, 23.32 bushels ; 1867, 31.95; 1868, 39.93. Mr. Lincoln, in the address before noticed, said: "The average corn crop of Illinois, from year to year, does not exceed 20 bushels per acre." Average of Minnesota, 1860, 35.67. " The average yield in Ohio for the last 6 years reported is 31 bushels per acre." (Wheelock's report, 1861.) The census of 1860 shows the average in Ohio, 36 bushels ; Indiana, 33 ; Illinois, 33; Iowa, 32 ; Michigan, 32 ; Wis- consin, 35 ; Pennsylvania, 20; New York, 27.
Though corn is the most delicate of the cereals, and most liable to injury from frost, Whittlesey, in his official report, says : " I have seen corn growing at Red Lake, in latitude 48° north, which produced. thirty bushels to the acre." Owen's report speaks of flourishing corn fields at the same place, and at Cass Lake, and good crops raised by the Indians and missionaries.
Hind's report on the Sascatchewan, speaking of the Red River climate, says : "It cannot fail to be noticed, however, that the general absence of late spring and early autumn frosts, with an abundant fall of rain during the agricultural months, are its distinguishing features in relation to husbandry. The melon growing in the open air, and arriving at perfect maturity in August and September ; Indian corn succeeding invariably, where due precautions are used to ensure the ripening before the middle of September, are strong proofs of the almost uniform absence of summer frosts."
101
SUMMER HEAT.
This testimony relates to a more northerly and colder latitude than Minnesota. Our actual product of 4,598,760 bushels of corn, in 1868, is a sufficient answer to the question whether we are too far north for corn.
As there is much incredulity on this subject in other States, and it is important in its bearing upon our capac- ity for stock growing, the following figures are added to fortify the above facts. Blodget says, "The extreme limits of Indian corn northward are defined by the iso- thermal of 67º for July, and it may go a little beyond 65° for the summer, one month, however, being required of a higher mean than this."
Minnesota has 73º4 for July, and 7006 for the summer, and compares thus with Chicago and other points, ac- cording to Blodget's climatological tables, and the Army Meteorological Register.
MEAN SUMMER HEAT.
St. Paul, Minn.
70°%
New York City,
71°3
Lancaster, Penn.
71°2
Stubenville, Ohio,
71º1
Philadelphia, Penn.
70°8
Chicago, Ill. 67º3
MEAN OF EACH MONTH.
April.
May.
June.
July.
Aug.
Sep !.
St. Paul,
46.3
59.0
68.4
73.4
70.1
59.0
Chicago,
46.0
56.3
62.7
70.7.
68.5
60.0
It thus appears that we compare favorably with the best corn-growing States in the matter of climate as well as in our yields. The past summer (1869) was one of the coldest and most backward we ever had. May and June were the coldest, except two, for ten years, and July 9º colder than July, 1868 ; the mean of May being 57°65, June 64°41, July 69º73, August 68°38, the summer mean 67º50 ; and yet we have raised a good fair crop of corn, the first frost occurring on the night of September, 26th, after the crop was generally fully matured and safe.
102
PRODUCTS.
" Let it be remembered that the growing season of Minnesota is exempt from long, cold storms ; that it is less liable than are the States of Ohio and Illinois to the ravages of late spring and early autumnal frosts; and further, that its high northern latitude gives it a day of sixteen hours, when the latitude of New Orleans has but fourteen; whilst the nature of the soil scarce admits of the radiation of heat during the short nights that intervene between the long days of bright, cloudless sunshine. These characteristics of climate, combining remark- able richness and fertility of soil, render Minnesota superior to many, and equal to most of the States of the Union as a corn- producing State."*
OATS .- Average per acre in Minnesota, 1866, 23.37 bushels ; 1867, 34.54; 1868, 34.97; 1859, 33.9; 1860, 42.39; 23 counties, 1865, 44 ; Ohio, 1864, 29 ; Indiana, 26 ; Illinois, 31; Wisconsin, 27; Iowa, 32 ; Missouri, 25.
POTATOES .- Average, 1866, 113.62; 1867, 101.32; 1868, 97.08; 1859, 115; 1860, 138; 23 counties, 1865, 150; Ohio, 1864, 95; Indiana, 80; Illinois, 81; Ken- tucky, 81; Missouri, 39; Wisconsin, 118; Iowa, 76; Michigan, 79 ; Kansas, 43,
BARLEY .- Average, 1859, 29.1; 1860, 33.23 ; 1865, 23 counties, 30; Ohio, 23; Indiana, 24; Illinois, 22 ; Ken- tucky, 23; Missouri, 13; Wisconsin, 21; Michigan, 19 ; Kansas, 23; Iowa, 21.
RYE .- Average, 1859, 19.4; 1860, 21.56; 1865, 23 counties, 173 ; Ohio, 1864, 12 ; Indiana, 19 ; Illinois, 15; Wisconsin, 12; Iowa, 15; Missouri, 15.
BUCKWHEAT .- Average 1859, 6.05; 1860, 15.73; 23 counties, 1865, 23; Ohio, 1864, 17; Indiana, 18; Illi- nois, 17; Wisconsin, 16; Iowa, 17; Missouri, 15.
SORGHUM .- Average, 1860, 722 gallons per acre ; 1865, 23 counties, 851 acres averaged 75 gallons per acre.
* Prize Essay of Mrs. Mary J. Colburn.
103
STOCK GROWING.
HAY .- Average per acre, 22 tons (see " Natural Mead- ows," page 21.) Ohio, 1} per acre. Cost of saving by patent mower, $1 to £1.50 per ton.
TOBACCO, 1859, 38,938 lbs. HEMP, 109 tons. FLAX, 1983 lbs. MAPLE SUGAR, 379,669 lbs. Maple molasses, 23,038 gallons. Sorghum molasses, 14,178. HONEY, 34,- 285 lbs. RICE, 3286. Butter, 2,957,673. Cheese, 196,- 314. Peas and Beans, 18,988 bushels. Sweet Potatoes, 792 bushels.
These figures are from the official reports of the U. S. Commissioner of Agriculture, and other official sources.
We might multiply them and give higher yields, but they are sufficient to show that Minnesota compares favorably with the best agricultural States in the Union.
STOCK GROWING .- Our people pride themselves upon our pre-eminence as a stock-growing country, in the follow- ing particulars :
1st. The healthiness of all stock-sheep, hogs, horses, and cattle-a most remarkable pre-eminence.
2nd. The luxuriance and nutritious qualities of our grasses and natural meadows,-including blue grass equal to the best Kentucky, also white and red clover-the abundance and cheapness of hay more than compensating for the long winter-the only drawback. See " Natural Meadows," page 21, showing facts on this subject- also page 36. The haying season lasts from 75 to 90 days.
3d. The small capital required. A man with capital to stock a farm with young stock, can make more money in Minnesota in proportion to his capital than in any of the older States, where land is high and ten times the amount must be invested in the land.
Here the land is free, the pasturage free, running streams and lakes free, the hay free-costing neither
104
DAIRY BUSINESS.
plowing, planting, nor fencing, and the stock free to roam at pleasure.
4th. The high prices to be obtained. All the Forts west to be supplied, and the growing and ever-coming immigration keep prices high : beef on foot ranges from 5 to 8 cents ; oxen, $125 to $175 per yoke ; horses, $100 to $300 ; hogs, 10 to 13 cents, dressed ; sheep and wool temporarily set back by unfriendly congressional legisla- tion. For amount of live stock in Minnesota see page 27.
DAIRY BUSINESS .- Cheese wholesaling at 15 and 20 cents, and butter retailing at 30 to 45 cents-the same abundance of grass, pure water, &c., makes this a profit- able branch of husbandry.
A Wisconsin paper says : "A gentleman living near Kenosha, last season, with the milk of seventy cows, made 40,250 lbs. of cheese-556 lbs. per cow. Which at 164 cents per lb. (the average price last year) amounted to $6576.10, or $93.93 per cow-the cows being worth perhaps $4200."
Minnesota farmers estimate the cost of keeping a cow at $12.50 per year ; her milk at 300 gallons, equivalent to 300 lbs. of cheese ; and the whey and butter $10 more. Good cows in the spring are worth $30 to $45.
There are already quite a number of large dairy estab- lishments in the State, and more preparing to begin.
Hon. James W. Taylor, of St. Paul, writes Robertson's Monthly for October : "A gentleman just returned from a careful exploration of the celebrated dairy districts of Northern New York and Vermont, expressed a confident opinion that nine-tenths of the route from St. Paul to Duluth will be occupied for the production of butter and cheese-staples which are destined to great prominence among our exports to Europe, and which will seldom be in excess of a remunerative domestic demand.
105
WINTERING STOCK.
" In the same direction, although with a wider range, is the enterprise of an English gentleman, W. Thomas Emsly, who has purchased 4000 acres near Rush City, and made arrangements for a stock farm. His purpose is to import cattle and sheep of the best blood.
" If the dairy is destined to be the leading interest of North-eastern Minnesota, we can readily anticipate a dense and permanent population-always an incident of that form of agricultural industry."
WINTERING STOCK .- Sheds made of straw are generally built by farmers, and all stock thrives better by protection during what are called the " cold snaps." This is no more true in Minnesota than elsewhere. And the dryness of our winters makes it little if any more necessary to house here than in milder but rawer and chillier latitudes.
Stock generally runs out during the day time, and some farmers, who have tried closely housing them, claim that they thrive as well, if not better, to take the open air night and day.
Except the working stock, sheep, and hogs, stock are wintered on hay, straw, and fodder' only, and keep in good condition. Young colts thrive well for three years on such feed. Working cattle are fed on turnips, or ruta bagas occasionally, or a little corn.
RUTA BAGAS are raised either on the sod or old land, planted as late as July 12th, and yield hundreds of bushels to the acre. Some estimate as high as 600 to 1000 bushels per acre.
CORN FODDER is raised by sowing the corn broadcast or drilling, and from four to eight tons per acre may be gathered.
CLOVER, TIMOTHY, AND BLUE GRASS flourish, and the best of " blue joint" grows on the prairie without culture.
106
PROFITABLENESS OF FARMING.
THE PROFITABLENESS OF FARMING IN MINNESOTA .- Our large yields will be worth little to us beyond affording an easy living, unless we have commercial advantages for marketing at remunerative rates. Our rivers, lakes, and railroads will be shown in the proper place to give us these advantages.
Before coming to them, hear what Major-General G. K. Warren, who was engaged last year in surveying the Upper Mississippi, says in his official report of October, 1868, in response to a resolution of Congress requiring " a full statement of the facts tending to show how much commerce would be promoted by certain works of im- provement."
Extract from General Warren's report :
The region of the Upper Mississippi is pre-eminently adapted to the production of wheat; and the low price at which land can now be purchased, and the ease with which it can be tilled, make wheat growing one of the most profitable of pursuits, The present year, upon farms well conducted and situated conveniently to water transportation, wheat has averaged about twenty bushels per acre, and sold for about one dollar and a half per bushel, realizing thirty dollars to the acre, and at a cost of production of about ten dollars, leaving a clear profit of twenty dollars per acre. A farm of two thousand acres would, at this rate, make a clear profit of forty thousand dollars. This would be sufficient to take up another equally large piece of land, break it, stock it and fence it, and show a profit of one hundred per centum on the original investment. Under such a stimulus as this, it is easy to see how rapid must be the expansion of the area of land cultivated for producing wheat.
Large Farms .- Capitalists turning Farmers .- Pennock Pusey, Esq., Assistant Secretary of State, in response to a request from the Chicago Post, writes that paper some particulars of the farming operations of Oliver Dalrymple, Esq., about twenty miles from St. Paul.
107
J. W. PAXTON'S FARM.
On three farms of 2000 acres, 1700 were in wheat. His yield in 1867 was 35,700 bushels, gross price $53,550, profits $14,500; 1868, yield 39,000 bushels, nett profits $20,400. His profits would have been larger, except for the extremely high prices which ruled in 1866-seed wheat costing $2.50 per bushel, with corresponding dis- bursements for first breaking and other expenses. These
expenses include interest on the capital employed in land and otherwise. "The original cost of the land averaged about $12 per acre; so that after allowing amply for the expenses of building, fencing, and other improvements, the nett profits on two years' crops were more than sufficient to cover the whole, while the market value of the land and improvements is to day nearly or quite three times its first cost.
Mr. Dalrymple was so well satisfied with two years' trial, that he continued in 1869.
The Stillwater Republican says he has 2000 acres in wheat, besides other crops, "which with a good yield will give him 50,000 bushels. Last season, Mr. Dalrymple employed one hundred men and a hundred horses in har- vesting and threshing his crop. His farming operations, although yet in their infancy, have made him a fortune, and enabled him to extend his operations from year to year. Mr. Dalrymple has demonstrated the wealth and value of Minnesota lands, and the fact that capital and business ability can be successfully employed."
J. W. Paxton's Mammoth Farm .- The special reporter of the St. Paul Dispatch says of this farm, located near Redwood Falls, far up the Minnesota Valley :
One of the prominent features of Redwood is the "Paxton Farm," four or five miles south-east of the place. It is owned by J. W. Paxton, late of St. Paul, a very enterprising gentle- man, and one of the best citizens of the place. There are 1000
108
PROFITABLENESS OF FARMING.
acres under cultivation, and it is designed to "break up" almost the entire portion of the 8000 acre tract as soon as possible. Mr. Paxton has, all told, upward of 15,000 acres of land in this vicinity, with enough timber to give each purchaser a sufficient tract of wood land to supply the demand for build- ing, fencing, &c. He is preparing to set out soft maple and cottonwood groves on different parts of his lands, which in the course of four or five years will afford excellent protection against the wintry blasts. From the valley of the Minnesota he is having a large quantity of soft maple seeds gathered, with which to plant the low lands and meadow lands. He is also preparing to build a large number of farm buildings on his premises, to let to persons desiring to cultivate portions of the land on shares. This will be a great convenience to farmers of limited means, who will thus be enabled to select " claims," and by renting cultivated land any person can acquire sufficient capital to equip his own farm quite comfortably.
Hon. Clark W. Thompson, of the Southern Minnesota Railroad, has a farm of 9000 acres in one body near Wells, in Faribault County, which he is dividing into farms of 160 acres, with a brick house on each 100 acres broke and fenced, to be leased to parties on such terms as will make it an object to them to abandon the idea of going " out West" to make a homestead claim.
Captain W. F. Davidson's Farm .- This gentleman, the president of the North-Western Union Packet Co., has purchased a tract of several thousand acres of land in Redwood County, with a view to the prosecution of farming operations on a large scale.
Governor Marshall's Farm .- Governor Marshall and Major J. H. Donaldson have a farm of 2200 acres in Mower County, with 1000 acres in wheat this season.
They have this season made a large purchase near St. Cloud.
Mr. S. Jenkins's Farm, near Lakeville, Dakota County, twenty miles from St. Paul, containing 800 acres was
109
PROFITS ON SMALL FARMS.
offered for sale last year with the growing crop and all utensils and machinery for $40,000.
Still Another .- The Mower County Transcript (Austin) says :
Messrs. F. P. Stearns, C. C. Wilson, and Charley Morton, all monied men of Rochester, have just purchased some three thousand acres of land in the town of Waltham, including the whole of sections 17 and 18, parts of 19, 20, and 21, for $4.75 per acre. This is a splendid tract of land, and we are glad it has passed into the hands of men able and willing to cultivate it.
PROFITS OF SMALL FARMS :
Mr. Jonas Burrill gives us the exact amount of produce raised by him this year on less than twenty acres of land. He claims that in general farmers pretend to cultivate a large number of acres with as much ease as they can a smaller number, and in that they are much mistaken, as his experience in this matter will prove-that there is a general neglect in the proper build- ing up and sustaining the soil by giving it plenty of manure and thereby enriching its qualities. He says that from ten acres he raised 310 bushels of all No. 1 wheat, or 31 bushels to the acre; that four acres produced 260 bushels of oats, or 65 bushels to the acre; that from five acres were raised 593 bushels of corn, or 118 3-5 bushels to the acre ; and lastly 60 bushels of carrots were produced on five rods of ground one rod wide .- Mankato Union.
As an evidence of what men can do where they have a will to work, we will refer to Andrew Barlow, of Ban- croft, who, thirteen years ago last October, landed in New York city from the old country, and was compelled to leave his family for want of means to get them West. Work- ing his way out himself, as best he could, he accumulated enough during the winter to send for them in the spring. With industrious habits and good management he is now able to make a show of 320 acres of excellent land, 50 of which are in crops for the present year, and 30 more under contract for breaking ; a barn which cost $800; a
10
110
PROFITS ON SMALL FARMS.
house which cost $1000, besides having his farming im- plements, including an interest in a threshing machine .- Freeborn County Standard.
Another Instance .- Ten years ago this fall, the writer bought the " claim" of Peter Legro, near Lakeville, for $100. With this meagre sum, Mr. Legro, with a wife and five children, a wagon, plow, and one ox, with a hard winter before him, he made his way to Stearns County, near Paynesville, nearly eighty miles north, made his " claim," and in the spring planted according to his limited means. A few weeks ago he informed me that he could sell his farm for $5000. Having stock and utensils also, and a good store besides, he is independent.
He thanked the writer for the advice which dissuaded him from going back to Michigan, where he was offered land to "rent " on favorable terms by a brother. To show that notwithstanding this rise, it is not too late for similar speculations by other poor men, here is-
Still another in the same County .- The St. Cloud Jour- mal says last fall J. A. Casler, of the Minnesota House, took a homestead on the east side of the river, some sixteen miles from St. Cloud, in the timber, and put up a shanty worth about $100. This spring he sold his home- stead right in the tract for $600.
One more .- Frederick Hilderbrand writes Robertson's Monthly his experience with a twenty-seven acre farm near St. Paul, which he purchased over two years ago, in a wild state. He had been a mechanic in the city, knew nothing of farming, but went into it as the only escape from early death. He says, " I have farmed this land two years-only part in cultivation. It pays. Here is the result for the first year. First, we have had our living, except clothing and groceries, from the farm. We sold butter to customers to the amount of $769.60. . This was
111
EXTRA YIELD OF WHEAT.
the product of eight to nine cows. We sold eggs and chickens for $176 and pork and garden stuff for $330; making in all $1269 cash income; and paid out in expenses for the help of a man on the farm, and a girl in the house, about $300. Myself and wife, both being in poor health, have not done much work-and no hard work. We have depended almost entirely upon hired help, but I have always looked closely after my business and directed the work."
A Minnesota Farmer writing to the "Hearth and Home," says : " A man rented 160 acres of newly-broken prairie land near me last spring, and got but one-half the crop ; but with that he paid $2000 for the land, and now owns a farm upon which $4000 worth of grain was raised this year (1868) with wheat at but little over $1 per bushel."
COST AND PROFIT OF RAISING WHEAT PER ACRE .- Forty acres, estimated by an economical farmer. Plow- ing an acre, $1.50 ; seed, at $1.25 per bushel, $2; seed- ing, 60 cts. ; hand and team, five acres per day, at $3 ; reaping, $1; binding and setting, $3.20 (6 hands 6 days, at $3, and $3 per week for board;) stacking, $1.12} (hands and team 6 days ;) help threshing, $1.35 (8 hands 2 days, 2 span horses extra, board of hands .. and teams 2 days ;) threshing machine expense, $1 (5 cts. ' per bushel.) Total cost per acre, $11.02. Value of pro_ duct, at $1.25, $25 ; profit per acre, $13.98, besides good wages for the farmer and his teams. The estimate for binding is twice as high as it ought to be, according to other authorities. The price is the average for five years past. The yield is the general Minnesota average.
EXTRA YIELD OF WHEAT AND OTHER CROPS .- The Mankato Review says that on the farm of Samuel M. Walker, a four-acre field of winter wheat yielded this
112
EXTRA YIELD OF WHEAT AND OATS.
season 178 bushels-442 bushels per acre. Spring wheat averaged 28 bushels per acre, and oats 60 bushels.
The Northfield Enterprise says Mr. John Simpson, of Waterford, raised this season 112 bushels of wheat, machine measure, weighing 62 pounds per bushel, from four bushels of club wheat recently brought from Canada.
Albert Knight, of St. Peter, threshed 63 acres of wheat, yielding 2010 bushels No. 1-averaging 32 bushels to the acre.
Mr. Stephen Eldridge, of the town of Homer, in this county, has just threshed four acres of wheat, which yielded 160 bushels-40 bushels to the acre. This wheat was the Golden Drop variety, sown on last year's break- ing, and if anything can beat it the man is invited to step forward .- Winona Republican.
F. C. Maltby, of Minnetrista, has harvested his field of winter wheat, and the same has yielded, by thresher's measure, 40 bushels to the acre. A neighbor of Mr. Maltby had a field of about ten acres of the same kind of wheat, and nearly as heavy a yield. The spring wheat of that town will average this year not less than 28 bushels to the acre .- Minneapolis Tribune.
The Mower County Transcript (Austin) says Mr. G. Robinson threshed 887 bushels of wheat from 25 acres- 352 bushels per acre.
Large Yield of Oats .- Mr. Aiken Miner, of Jackson, raised this year on 40 acres of ground, 2900 bushels of oats, by measurement-the same being 3200 bushels by weight. Eleven and one-third acres of the same field of oats, threshed separately, averaged 106 bushels per acre. The land was measured by G. C. Chamberlin, and the measurement of the grain was witnessed by Hon. J. B. Wakefield, Hon. E. P. Freeman, Major H. S. Bailey, Dr. C. P. Morrill, and C. L. Hecox. Mr. Miner claims the
113
EXTRA YIELD OF WHEAT AND OATS.
belt for the largest yield of oats to the acre in the State. -Blue Earth City Post.
Wheat and Oats .- A correspondent of the Pioneer writes from Shakopee, Scott County : " Facts have been gathered, however, sufficient, I think, to warrant the statement that wheat will average twenty-five bushels per acre in this county, and perhaps more. B. P. Squires, of Spring Lake, last week threshed the wheat from 36 acres, which yielded 1050 bushels, and another piece of 13 acres, yielding 404 bushels. Reports from other quarters show a yield fully equal to the above.
" It is believed that oats will average about 60 bushels per acre. Some pieces have been threshed which have come up to over 70 bushels per acre. I can soon give you a statement which will be more satisfactory."
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