Catholic Colonization in Minnesota: Revised EditionCatholic Colonization Bureau
History
Catholic Colonization in Minnesota: Revised Edition
Catholic Colonization Bureau
Agriculture -- Minnesota; Catholics -- Minnesota
These results, so favorable to Minnesota as a corn growing as well as
wheat growing State, will surprise no one who is familiar with the fact
established by climatologists, that "the cultivated plants yield the
greatest products near the northernmost limits at which they will grow."
COMPARISON WITH OTHER STATES.
A comparison with other States affords the following exhibit:
Bushels per acre.
Ohio, average of nineteen years 32.8
Iowa, average of six years 31.97
Minnesota, average of nine years 30.98
POTATOES.
The average yield in Minnesota and other States is here shown:
Bushels per acre.
Minnesota, average for five years 120.76
Iowa, average for five years 76.73
Ohio, average for nine years 74.55
HAY.
Among the grasses that appear to be native to the soil of Minnesota are
found timothy, white clover, blue grass and red top. They grow most
luxuriantly, and many claim that they contain nearly as much nutriment
as ordinary oats. So excellent are the grasses that the tame varieties
are but little cultivated. The wild grasses which cover the immense
surface of natural meadow land formed by the alluvial bottoms of the
intricate network of streams which everywhere intersect the country, are
as rich and nutritious in this latitude as the best exotic varieties,
hence cultivation is unnecessary. The yield of these grasses is 2.12
tons to the acre, or 60 per cent more than that of Ohio, the great hay
State!
SORGHUM.
The cultivation of the sugar cane is fast becoming popular among the
farmers of Minnesota, and one Mr. Seth H. Kenney, of Rice county, claims
that it can be made more profitable than even the wheat crop. The syrup
and sugar produced is of the finest character, possessing an extremely
excellent flavor. An acre of properly cultivated land will yield from
one hundred and seventy-five to two hundred gallons of syrup, worth
seventy cents a gallon.
FRUITS.
The following short extracts are taken from a paper written by Col. D.
A. Robertson, of St. Paul, a scientific amateur fruit grower; one
thoroughly conversant with the subject on which he writes, and to whose
disinterested labors in this branch of industry the State owes much:
"There is no doubt that Minnesota will become a great fruit State,
because wherever wild fruits of any species grow, improved fruit of the
same or cognate species may be successfully cultivated. The indigenous
flora of Minnesota, embraces apples, plums, cherries, grapes,
strawberries, raspberries, currants and gooseberries. We may, therefore,
successfully and profitably cultivate the improved kinds of all these
fruits. The conditions of success are only these:--experience, knowledge
and perseverance.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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