N the Dairy and Creamery Industry O Minnpqnta

m*d* WHY NOT OWN A MINNESOTA FARM? In central eastern Minnesota land may be purchased and a home established on a smaller capital than in any other section having the advantages of the best of markets, excellent soil, healthful climate and abundant rainfall. The annual rent paid by the average farmer on rented land will keep up the payments on 160 acres purchased here. Lumber for buildings can be taken from the land, a small charge being paid for sawing. In many cases enough timber can be sold from the land to more than pay for it. The present method of opening farms in timber sections involves but little grubbing. The timber is cut off and the brush burned. The land is then seeded to timothy and clover and will soon furnish the best of pasture that will last until most of the stumps are so rotted as to be easily removed. A few good cows will pay the living expenses of the settler. Here are numerous fine lakes and the sum mers are delightful. On account of the shelter of the forests, the winters are less severe than in the more exposed parts of southern Minnesota. This is country pre-eminently adapted to dairying and is so considered by our leading dairymen. The dairy cow has brought wealth to thousands of Minnesota farmers. If given a chance, she will do the same for those making homes oiw these lands. We believe there are many farmers now living on rented farms who could secure homes here and greatly improve their conditions. Why not investigate now? For further information call at our office, FIRST NATIONAL BANK BUILDING, NORTHFIELD, MINN., or write us, or address STREET BROS., MOOSE LAKE, MINN. SKINNER & STREET, NORTHFIELD, MINNESOTA INNESOTA DAIRYMAN Vol. Ill, No. 11 Northfield, Minn., January, 1909. 25 Cents a Year resident Roosevelt on Farm P Homes and Farm Education 3BE BE 3 The following is a reprint of ex that the six millions and over of the national department of agricul tracts from a letter recently written farm families, more than thirty mil ture, and by the State experiment sta by President Roosevelt and printed by lions of farm people, are in a good tions, to show the extraordinary pos special permission in Minnesota Dai position already; but I wish this po sibilities in improving the breeds of ryman: sition to be made sure and better. our food plants and of our animals. The prime thing to be done for the It would be a very great wrong to The successfully managed family farmer, as for everyone else, is to allow our country people, who have farm gives to the father, the mother help him to help himself. prospered so much, whose welfare and the children better opportunities There never has been in history has meant so much for the Nation in for useful work and for a happy life any movement comparable to the the past, in any way to fall off from than any other occupation. Our ob wonderful westward march of the their former position. There is no ject must be so far as practicable to hard-working American pioneer farm need whatever for this happening. do away with the disadvantages of the ers, and of those who came after With wise care of our natural re family farm, while conserving its them, who have overspread this con sources, our forests will grow better many and great advantages. tinent, who are now filling its remot each year, our rivers more available We wish to keep at its highest point est corners, and thanks to whom there for navigation, while the soil of our the peculiarly American quality of in are uninterrupted stretches of farm farms will improve with wise use in dividual efficiency, while at the same land from sea to sea, from the Gulf stead of deteriorating. While as a time bringing about that co-operation to the watershed of the Arctic ocean. Nation we are growing wealthier and which indicates capacity in the mass. Now that the most desirable areas wealthier, we should see that the Our aim must be to supplement in of our public land have been settled, schools and the roads—in short, all dividualism on the farm and in the the homestead law does not meet the of what may be called the rural real home with an associated effort in new conditions, and we adhere best ty—should be improved. Here, as those country matters that require or to its spirit when we try to modify everywhere else, our prime object ganized working together. the system of land ownership in such should be the development of the Our system of public education a way as to insure continuous prog highest type of average citizen. should be so broadened in its scope ress and uplift, so that the American Therefore, we should especially de as to include not merely the tradi farmer may not only obtain material vote ourselves to the things that are tional cultural studies, excellent and prosperity, but on it build a high type of interest to the average citizen. The indispensable in their way, but also of civilization. Important the city is, country school is therefore of even instruction relative to the farm, the and fortunate though it is that our more importance than the higher col trades and the home. cities have grown as they have done, lege, thoroughly alive though we all Industrial training, training which it is still more important that the should be to the vitalizing force which will fit a girl to do work in the home, family farm, where the home-making these higher colleges represent. There which will fit a boy to work in the and the outdoor business are com must be improvement in farm man shop if in a city, to work on a farm bined into a unit, should continue to agement; this is even now being if in the country, is the most import grow. brought about partly by the joint ac ant of all training aside from that The farms of America are worth tion of the farmers themselves. So which develops character. some thirty billions of dollars, and far as it is possible we should strive I thoroughly believe that our people their annual produce amounts to for a common sense co-operation in approve of the higher education; but about eight billions. For this pres institutions which shall do what the I also believe that they are growing ent year, 1908, the crops as a whole isolated farms cannot well do by more and more to demand a reform do promise the largest aggregate in themselves. As an example we can in secondary schools which shall fit quantity, quality and value ever pro refer to the experiments recently car the ordinary scholar for the actual duced in our history. This means ried on by private individuals and by work of life. Therefore, I believe MINNESOTA DAIRYMAN that the National government should take an active part in securing better educational methods, in accordance with some such system as that out lined in the bill introduced in the last congress by Mr. Davis. Jas. J. Hill Tells How to Raise The growth in the consolidated ru ral school, which has in so many in the Average Yield Per Acre stances supplanted the old-time dis trict school, offers the chance to do In response to a request from Minnesota Dairyman Mr. the best possible service by means cf James J. Hill the great railroad man and agriculturalist such a system as that outlined above. The secondary agricultural schools sent us the following signed article which tells more than is should be in farm communities rather usually found in a page of the average agricultural articles: in towns, and the training should be "While I am in full sympathy with the work you are do of the most practical character and ing in educating the dairymen in Minnesota, I have been call such as will not only fit the scholars ed upon so often to discuss agricultural matters that I shrink to do their part in farm work, but from further publication. also fit them to enjoy in the fullest "Dairy farming, in Minnesota, if carried on as it might degree the pleasures and opportuni ties of country life. be, and I have no doubt will be at some time in the future, The Nation ought to co-operate with would give the farmers a much greater return than they are the State to help the people help them now getting from the cultivation of their land for grain alone. selves through better educational fa Continued cropping of the land is very rapidly destroying its cilities, the schools being left wholly fertility. The average yield of wheat in Minnesota is now and directly under the control of the about thirteen bushels and even that will be reduced unless people through their local authorities, the land can be fertilized. The only fertilizer available to but suggestion and general oversight, Minnesota farmers is furnished by cattle manure. In my own as well as improvement, being sup experience the past season on land that was summer fallowed plied by the experts employed by the Nation. and manured at Humboldt, in the Red River Valley, the yield This would, merely be putting into was thirty-five bushels per acre while the average yield in the effect that cardinal American doctrine neighborhood was about fifteen bushels per acre. of furnishing a reasonable equality of —JAS.

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