USA > Nebraska > Hamilton County > History of Hamilton and Clay counties, Nebraska, Vol. I > Part 39
USA > Nebraska > Clay County > History of Hamilton and Clay counties, Nebraska, Vol. I > Part 39
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tical knowledge of the work, and the ('zar gave $39,000 and exempted all land of those who built beet sugar factories from tax. At least one great discoverer and experimenter in this field, in Germany and France, was offered $100,000 if he would declare that his supposed discovery was a failure, but it did not attract him. The Napoleonic wars destroyed this great industry in Russia, Germany, and finally in France-after Napoleon had appropriated millions of dollars to give it a substantial footing. It did not rise again in France until 1825-26, nor in Germany until 1835. From that time forward both France and Germany, as well as Russia, Austria and Belgium, have put forth great efforts to extend the production of beet sugar, both by bounties and by drawbacks on exported sugar from beets, as well as a tariff on imported sugar. The stimulants offered resulted in such a measure of success in France, that in 1839, a special tax of 15 francs on every 220 pounds of raw sugar was imposed. This operated harshly, and the product fell off over one-half. New laws more liberal were passed from time to time, a tax going hand in hand generally with bounties and drawbacks, until, in 1878, France collected as tax, on sugar made in that country, upward of $22,000,000. This, in brief, is only a part of the early history of beet sugar production in France: and Germany as a matter of economic policy, followed in swift pursuit. Such was the development of the industry that in 1883-84 there were 2,000,000 acres devoted to the production of the sugar beet in France, Germany, Austria-Hungary, Russia, Poland, Belgium, and Holland; and the aggregate beet sugar product, leaving out Russia and Holland, was 1,485,000 tons with 1,242 factories. At that time Germany had outstripped her great rival, France, because of her liberality and superior knowledge of the subject. So great was the quantity of beet sugar produced in 1883, that there was a temporary glut of it in the English market, indneing some farmers to ask a change in the laws, while others resorted to less acreage to reduce the surplus ; meantime our people are paying from 6 to 9 cents for their sugar, entailing an expense to our population annually of over $75,000,000, the great part of the raw material of which goes abroad for refineries from Cuba; 240,000,000 of pounds imported by us in 1887 coming from England, Germany, France, Austria, Belgium and the Netherlands. Consul-General Walker says on the point. "It is to be noted that the sugar produc- tion of Germany has been stimulated by heavy protective duties and by bounties on export sugar, and the French tariff act of 1884 was a step toward adopting the policy which her great rival, Germany, had found so effective.
To show the effect of these laws, it seems only necessary to say that while the acreage in beets in Germany, in 1870, was 282,500, in 1883 it was 352,100, and tons of sugar produced in 1829 were 2,850,000, while in 1883 it was 4,205,000 tons.
THE POTATO INDUSTRY By R. F. Howard, Horticulturist, The University of Nebraska
Nebraska ranks about tenth among the large potato producing states. Over 140,000 acres of potatoes were grown in the state in 1917, representing a total yield of over 12,000,000 bushels. A large proportion of the yield is from western coun- ties, including Scotts Bluff, Box Butte, Sheridan, Dawes, Kimball, Banner, Sioux, and Brown. Approximately 2,000,000 bushels are grown with irrigation in Scotts
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Bluff, Morrill, Sioux, and Kimball counties. Potatoes are raised on most farms and ranches of the state.
The Nebraska Potato Improvement Association promotes the potato industry in Nebraska along the lines of production, transportation, and utilization of potatoes. Through it we may expect to see the best varieties, and strains of seed potatoes grown and disseminated. It will aid in establishing and maintaining the proper cultural practices and crop rotations in relation to soil fertility and yield.
There are almost unlimited possibilities for extending the potato industry in western Nebraska. Over half of the land suitable for potato production is still in native sod. A three or four-year crop rotation with potatoes as one of the erops makes it possible to grow potatoes indefinitely. It has been demonstrated that the potato soils of this region will grow this crop indefinitely without addition of artificial fertilizers provided a proper rotation of erops is used.
Growing Seed Potatoes. The production of high quality seed potatoes in western Nebraska is a possibility as yet only partially realized. An effort should be made to supply the southern states with seed from this region. Potatoes grown in the cen- tral and southern states under ordinary methods of cultivation should not be used as seed the following year. It is generally known that potatoes produced in a cool climate will give a heavier yield when used as seed than potatoes produced under warmer conditions. A comparison of the yielding qualities has been made the past two years of seed produced under dry land conditions of western Nebraska with seed from various other states, including Maine, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. These tests indicate that Nebraska seed will yield as well or better than seed produced in the other northern states.
Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, and Louisiana need each year approxi- mately 2,000,000 bushels of seed potatoes.
HORTICULTURAL RESOURCES
By R. F. Howard, Horticulturist, The University of Nebraska
It was demonstrated early in the history of the state that Nebraska could grow fruit of many kinds. There are over two million apple trees now in the orehards of the state, and cherries, plums, grapes, pears, and strawberries are grown in abundance. The greater part of the commercial plantings are in the eastern half of the state; several commercial orchards and hundreds of home orchards, however, may be found in many places in western Nebraska, especially along the Platte and other valleys.
The deep loess soil formation in the eastern part of the state is especially well adapted to the production of fruit. This soil possesses the elements of fertility to a great depth. It also has a structure that permits the roots of the trees to penetrate it to a depth, making it an ideal soil on which to grow trees of many kinds, espe- cially fruit trees, and vineyards. Large commercial plantings are now being devel- oped there. The natural advantages for growing fruit of superior quality in this region together with the moderate price of the land, make it probable that this will develop into one of the most important fruit growing sections in the middle west.
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One of the chief advantages in growing fruit in this section is to be found in the fact that there will always be a market within a radius of a few hundred miles.
Nurseries. There are over forty nurseries in the state, growing fruit trees, shade trees, ornamentals and other plants. Several of these nurseries are doing a large volume of business, shipping their goods to many other states.
Vegetables of many kinds are grown in every county of the state. The home garden is an important part of practically every farm producing not only fresh vegetables for the growing season but sufficient for canned, dried and stored vege- tables for the entire year as well.
The city home gardens constitute in the aggregate an important part in the total garden production of the state. The Junior Division of the Extension Service of the University has forty-one towns doing organized garden work. There are 2.468 boys and girls enrolled.
Commercial Trucking is highly developed in several parts of the state, especially in the vicinities of Omaha, Lincoln, Beatrice, Hastings, Nebraska City, Grand Island, Fremont and South Sioux City.
DRY FARMING
By C. S. Hawk, Member, State Board of Agriculture
The western part of the state is known as the sub-humid area because of its comparatively low rainfall. There are several kinds of soil in this part of the state, some of which are suitable for farming, and others which are better suited for grazing.
Failure and Success. The early settlers did not distinguish between the soils, neither did they understand that they had come to a country where the amount of rainfall is a controlling factor in agrienlture. Many of them used crops and methods of cultivation which were suited ouly to humid areas. There were failures for a number of years, except for years with heavy rainfall. Finally, after much practical experience and experimentation by state and federal departments, it was found that crops could be grown successfully in mnuch of the western part of the state, but that it required technical knowledge regarding the soils and cultural methods. Seeds from sub-humid areas were introdneed and large yields of wheat, oats, rye, corn, and potatoes have been produced.
Much of western Nebraska outside the irrigated areas is well suited to the so-called dry farming. One of the best areas is on Dalton Table where the land has been successfully cultivated for a number of years. All told, dry farming is an important factor in the agricultural development of Nebraska. Much of the land formerly grazed has come under extensive cultivation by using methods which con- serve the soil moisture and by growing dronth resistant crops. With these practices for the last ten or twelve years northwestern Nebraska has continued to produce good yields of the hardy varieties of small grain, corn, and potatoes.
IRRIGATION IN NEBRASKA By G. E. Johnson, State Engineer
Irrigation is practiced quite generally and successfully in the western part of Nebraska, where the rainfall is lowest. Much of the irrigation is from canals, but
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part is from wells. About 450,000 acres are covered by irrigation systems and much of this is irrigated from canals. Much of this is in the North Platte Valley, yet there are successful irrigation enterprises in the Lodgepole, South Platte, Repub- lican, Frenchman, Pumpkin Creek. Niobrara, Hat Creek, White River, and other valleys. The total mileage of canals built in the state is about 2,400 at a cost of more than $11.000,000.
The North Platte is the largest project. Its storage reservoir, known as the Pathfinder, is located 43 miles southwest of Casper, Wyoming. This reservoir holds more than one million aere feet of flood water which when released, flows about 150 miles on the bed of the Platte to the Whalen Diversion Dam where it is diverted to each side of the valley and finally carried to the land to be irrigated. The North Side Canal earries flood water to Lake Alice and Lake Minatare reservoirs of Scotts Bluff County. The north and south side government projects combined have an irrigable area of 252,000 acres, of which about 150,000 acres are irrigated this year. The Inter-State or North Side Project covers 129,270 acres of beneh land between Whalen, Wyoming, and the divide between Red Willow and Indian creeks in Nebraska. The south side or Fort Laramie part of the project will cover about 48,000 acres in Nebraska when completed. The Inter-State Canal has a capacity of 1.400 seeond feet at the headgate. This is reduced several miles eastward to 1,200 second feet and finally to 800 second feet. Lake Alice has a capacity of 14,000 acre feet and Lake Minatare of 67,000 acre feet. Water from these large reservoirs and the river is carried through canals and laterals to the fields and erops.
There are other large Platte River projects in Nebraska. Some of the larger ones are the Tri-State, Gering, C'entral, Chimney Rock, Belmont, Brown's Creek, and the Beerline C'anal, which receive water from the government under contract and from the normal flow of the river. These just named have a combined capacity of considerably more than 100,000 acres. There are quite large projects in other valleys.
The irrigation waters of Nebraska have been carefully surveyed by state and federal departments. They are under the administration of the State Board of Irrigation, Highways and Drainage. Plans are under way to construct additional reservoirs to hold flood waters and to increase the efficiency of water used in irrigation.
Irrigation Farming. The irrigation districts produce vast quantities of alfalfa, oats, wheat, potatoes, beets, corn, vegetables, and fruit. The country is nearly all successfully farmed and well improved. It brings good returns to the land owner and to the renter. Land values range between $100 and $500 or more per acre.
THE BEEF-CATTLE INDUSTRY
By Howard Gramlich, Professor of Animal Husbandry, The University of Nebraska
Nebraska has high rank in every branch of the beef industry, whether it be cattle on-ing, breeding, feeding, or slaughtering. The industry is supported by extensive grazing areas, fattening feeds, favorable climate, and good water supplies coming from springs, streams, and thousands of wells. Not much shelter is used except windbreaks. The usual absence of winter rains insures comparatively dry under-
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footing. The industry has grown to a point where the state has 2,374,262 beef cattle (1918).
Cattle Ranches. Much of west-central and western Nebraska is a native prairie which supports successful grazing. The best developed cattle ranches are in the Sandhill Region, yet there are many in the dry farming areas to the west. As a whole, these ranches are large and well managed, some of them having thousands of acres and most of them fenced, and containing both pasture and hay land. In many places the pastures are divided between summer and winter ranges. Small tracts of land are given over to grains, potatoes, and vegetables for ranch use.
Nearly all the ranches have well-bred cattle, prevailing breeds being the Here- fords and Shorthorns. Pure bred sires have been used for many generations and most animals are now of good quality.
Ranch Products. The main product of the cattle country is steers. These are mainly shipped as two and three-year-olds. The calf crop is usually dropped in the early spring. The cows and calves remain together until weaning time. No feed other than grass is required during summer. The calves are branded in the summer and weaned and dehorned in the fall. They are kept in corrals adjacent to the ranch buildings during the winter and are sometimes fed a small amount of cotton- seed cake and alfalfa in addition to the native hay. The animals graze upon the winter range which is land that has not been pastured the preceding summer. The hay is fed during storms and when the ground is covered with snow.
After the first winter the calves are permitted to rustle for themselves, receiving no additional feed, except hay, until they are marketed at the age of about three years. Two-year-olds weigh 800 to 900 pounds and three-year-olds 1,100 to 1,200. The heavy steers are sold direct to the packers for beef purposes and the lighter ones are sold as feeders.
The cows and bulls are shipped to market after a few years of use for breeding purposes. Though most of the eattle of the ranch country are raised in Nebraska, many animals are shipped in from other states and finished on the ranches and in the feed lots of the state.
Cattle Raising on Farms. The eastern and southeastern parts of Nebraska are devoted principally to farming. C'attle raised on these farms are sold either as feeders or finished for market. In many places animals serve for both beef produc- tion and dairy purposes. There is not so much specialization in beef production here as in the ranch country. The dual purpose type of cattle is also found in the dry farming and irrigated areas of the western parts of the state.
Feeding for Market. The agricultural sections of the state produce an abun- dance of finishing feeds, such as corn, alfalfa, and beet pulp. Many farmers engaged in cattle feeding finish their homegrown animals for market. A specialized form of the industry is carried on in large feed yards, such as those at Central City and Scottsbluff, where thousands of animals are handled. Some of the feeder steers come from nearby farms, but most of them are shipped in from the range country.
Cattle Breeding. Nebraska is an important cattle-breeding state. Most of the breeders are in the eastern and southern parts of the state. The Mousel Brothers of Cambridge carry a breeding herd of 500 registered Herefords. Registered animals of these. and other breeders are sold at advertised sales and used locally or shipped throughout the state, or to other states. Many breeding animals are imported.
C'attle Market. Some of the best animals of the ranches are shipped directly to
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market. Others are finished in feed lots and marketed in Omaha and other places for slaughter. The Omaha market is one of the largest in the United States, with its big slaughter houses and packing plants. The records show that the Omaha market received 1,993,366 head of cattle during 1918, of which 1,150,635 were from Nebraska. In 1919 this market received 1,975,236 cattle of which 1.066,204 were from Nebraska. During the last thirty-five years 30.481,18? head of cattle have been shipped to the Omaha market.
THE SWINE INDUSTRY By Sam MoKelvie, Clay Center, Nebraska
Corn and hogs are closely related in production and partly owing to this fact Nebraska is now the second greatest swine producing state in proportion to its pop- ulation, being second to Iowa. Though corn has always played a very large part in feeding, a second factor, alfalfa, holds an important place in the hog industry of Nebraska.
The report of the State Board of Agriculture shows that there were 1,680,460 hogs in the state in 1910. By 1918 this number had jumped to 2.038,460. The total value of hogs in 1910 was $18,084,400, while in 1918 it was $61.147,080.
From my personal experience, dating back to the "20s, I regard swine production in Nebraska one of the most profitable, if not the most profitable, of our live stock pursuits.
Breeds. The main breeds of hogy raised in Nebraska are the Duroc Jersey. Poland China. Chester White and Hampshire. Although the hog business is primarily a market venture, there is a great deal of pure-bred stock, and practically every community has its breeders. Hogs might be called a universal erop in Nebraska, since practically every county raises its share. Most animals are found in the areas growing most alfalfa and corn.
Quick Returns. While both cattle and hogs conserve the fertility of the soil, one gets quicker returns from the hog than from the steer. One calf is produced by each cow annually and usually has to be kept until about two years old before mar- keting, while a sow will produce a litter in the spring that with careful treatment can be marketed before the snow flies, and even a second litter within the same year. I would say frankly that I would not think of trying to operate a Nebraska farm profitably without growing hogs thereon.
Market. Omaha, with railroad lines radiating out into every section of the state furnishes a fine market for hogs. The Omaha yards received 3,429,533 hogs in 1918 and received 67,500,753 during the 35-year period from 1884 to 1918 inelusive. In 1919 these yards received 3,179,116 hogs, of which number 2,214,936 were from Nebraska. Another development is the motor truck method of hauling hogs to markets which in eastern Nebraska is becoming more common. Some Nebraska hogs are shipped to Denver, St. Joseph, Kansas City, and Sioux City.
THE SHEEP INDUSTRY
By J. D. Whitmore. President of the Valley Stock Yards Company
Sheep raising is increasing in Nebraska. Many farmers and ranchmen carry a few animals to clean up ronghage. Sheep raising has great importance in the states
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to the west and northwest of Nebraska, from which many animals are shipped into this state for feeding, and to market. Much of the breeding stock of the sheep- growing states is produced in Nebraska.
The Agricultural Reports show that there were 278,821 sheep on farms and ranches and 108,000 sheep were owned for breeding purposes in 1918. Larger num- bers than these were fed in the state. It is not possible from data at hand to give the total sheep population of Nebraska.
Breeding. There are a few places in the state where breeding sheep are raised commercially. Mr. Robert Taylor of Abbott (near Grand Island), the largest operator, is among the pioneers. He sells hundreds of lambs and sheep of both sexes to western range sheepmen annually. Several others operate in the same manner in different localities, but on a smaller seale.
Sheep Feeding. This is of two kinds-the feeding or fattening for market and feeding-in-transit. The sheep grown in the northwestern states must be fed on the way to market and many of them are finished for market on Nebraska's prairie hay, and other feeds. Our feeds are between the grazing country and the big markets. This gives to the state a great advantage in the sheep industry. Much feeding is done on a commercial basis, yet there is a noticeable tendency for the land owners to engage in the sheep-feeding business. This enables farmers to market farm products on their land, thus obtaining large quantities of manure and affording winter work. This feeding is principally in the distriets of intensified farming, and particularly in the irrigated sections, where much alfalfa is grown.
Largest commercial feeding of sheep is in the vicinity of Scottsbluff, Gering, and Bayard, where many thousands of animals are fed. Two years ago more than 300,000 sheep were fed within a short radius of Scottsbluff. The beet sugar com- panies and private parties engage in feeding. Some of the largest feed yards of the United States are at Shelton, in an alfalfa and corn belt.
Most sheep-fed in Nebraska are from west and northwest on feeding-in-transit billing, and when finished, shipped to market at a small additional cost for freight over the straight point-of-origin to final destination rate.
Transient Feeding. Sheep fattened on the western ranges are shipped direct to market for killers, and many of them pass through Nebraska on the Union Pacific, Burlington, and Northwestern railroads. "The regulations of the United States Department of Agriculture provide that live stock of any kind shall not be confined for a period longer than twenty-eight consecutive hours without unloading same in a humane manner into properly equipped pens for rest, water, and feeding for a period of at least five consecutive hours unless prevented by storm or by other accidental or unavoidable causes which cannot be anticipated or avoided by the exercise of due dili- genee and foresight, except, however, upon the written request of the owner or per- sons in custody of any particular shipment, the time of confinement may be extended to thirty-six hours.
To comply with these regulations as well as to care for the best interests of the shippers, the railroads have established feed yards along their lines-the Union Pacific at Sidney, North Platte, Grand Island, Fremont, and Valley ; the Burlington at Alliance, Aurora, MeCook, Hastings, and Burnham : the Northwestern at Long Pine and Fremont. Millions of sheep and other stock are fed at these feed yards annually on their way to the Chicago and Missouri River markets, as well as to feed lots.
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Many successful stockmen find that it does not pay to keep stock off feed too long, and therefore feed oftener than is required by law. Nearly all of them feed Ting enough at the last feeding-in-transit point to get back part of the shrink caused by shipment, and put the sheep on the market in a much better condition, thereby obtaining better weights and higher prices.
Markets. The big Nebraska market is at Omaha. The yards here received 3,385,696 sheep in 1918 and have received 51,330,802 sheep for the 35-year period ending with the year 1918. In 1919. 3,289,188 sheep were received, of which 870,330 were from Nebraska, Part of the wool clipped on the ranches and at the feed yards goes to Omaha warehouses. The chief product of the animals at the packing houses is mutton.
THE HORSE INDUSTRY
By William Thomas Bradstreet. President of the Grand Island Horse Market
While horse raising in Nebraska is not a leading industry, there are numerous breeders of pure-bred stock and a large number of farmers who make a practice of raising a few horses as a side line. The auto, truck, and tractor have reduced the demand for horses in most places, vet few farms in the state have been able, with motor power, to do away with horses altogether.
Those who find the horse business a profitable one generally make a practice of keeping a few mares on the place for general work and in addition raise a few colts per year. There usually is a good market for horses and any surplus can be disposed of to neighbors or at sales with little trouble. Just now few horse colts are raised. The mule is preferred and mule colts are increasing at the expense of the horse.
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