394 STATE BOARD OP AGRICULTURE 



MARQUETTE COUNTY. 



Marquette county (the first to bo reported), lins over two hundred farms, contain- 

 ing about 8,000 acres of improved land and twice that number of unimproved hind. 

 The township of Chocolay, south and east of the city of Marquette, contains the 

 larger number of improved farms and is considered among the best for farming 

 purposes. The land for farming purposes is somewhat scattered, or in other words 

 is not in continuous large quantities. On hardwood ridges the land is as a rule 

 fertile. The soil is not deep but in its new state is quite productive. Potatoes and 

 grass are the main productions. Dairying to a limited extent is being caiTied ou 

 and in my judgment should be made one of the chief adjuncts in agricultural pro- 

 gression in that locality. The potato acreage in 1894 in the county was about 600 

 acres with a yield of about 7,000 bushels; and the acreage is still increasing. One 

 farmer two miles from Marquette City has this year ('96) 70 acres of this crop which 

 appeared very promising. 



From three to five thousand acres of hay are cut yearly, yielding from 3,000 to 

 5,000 tons. Fine specimens of apples and plums were shown, while small fruits are 

 grown in abundance. Nearly all kinds of vegetables are now grown and specimens 

 exhibited were a credit to any locality. In this county large tracts of the best agri- 

 cultural lands are owned by railroad companies, and are held too high in price con- 

 sidering the low price of farm products and the amount of hard work necessary 

 before such lands can be put in good farm shape. Unlike the lower peninsula 

 the wood upon such lands is not very valuable at present and in clearing has to be 

 wasted in a large degree. Although as far north as latitude 47 and 48°, when the 

 county is more generally cleared up and the low places drained, late frosts in the 

 spring and early frosts in the fall will probably be less frequent and the county 

 become better adapted to the growth of a greater variety of agricultural products. 

 To a stury and determined class of young farmers without much means and who 

 are willing to iindergo privations and some hardships incident to a new country, 

 this part of the State offers a variety of inducements. 



IRON COUNTY. 



Iron county, the next in order, has between one and two hundred farms, contain- 

 ing about 4,000 acres of improved, and 17,000 acres of unimproved farm lauds. The 

 township of Iron River contains the largest number of farms, Stambaugh, adjoin- 

 ing, being next in number. Mastadon following next in order. This county, like 

 some other counties, has suffered on account of what is known as the homesteaders' 

 trouble, on account of insecure titles to these lands. The matter is being adjusted, 

 and it is hoped that in the near future these troubles will have disappeared and a 

 marked hindrance to the improvement of the county annihiliated. This county, as 

 its name indicates, is full of valuable iron lands or mines. Vast amounts of wealth 

 lie buried in its hills and only await the good time which everyone is hoping for to 

 bring forth from its hidden sources large quantities of this wealth. The best farm 

 lands are those situated on the large tracts of elevated hard wood lands. They are 

 rich in fertility, with limestone in profusion, which if lime was requii'ed as an 

 article of merchandise would be a very valuable acqusition. The township of Iron 

 River is largely peopled with Swedes, who are an industrious, hard working people 

 and who will in the course of a few years have their farms in fine shape and also 

 profitable as money-makers. The principal crops are potatoes, hay, and oats, 

 though wheat is being grown to a limited extent. In 1894, one hundred and ninety 

 acres of potatoes w-ere planted and about 20,000 bushels of potatoes harvested, and 

 the quantity planted and the amount harvested in 1895 and 1896 far exceeded the 

 above quantities, both in acreage and yield. Over 2,000 tons of hay were cut in 

 1894, and over 4,000 bushels of oats harvested, and in 1895 very much larger quan- 

 tities of both crops were secured. In 1895 oats yielded frequently 60 bushels per 

 acre. In 1896 the straw was heavy but the yield and quality not so good. Wheat 

 is being grown in limited quantities, but this locality bids fair to become quite a 

 wheat growing region, especially of spring varieties. Fruits and vegetables grow 

 well, apples predominating in the fruit line. The same remarks as to people and 

 farming made with reference to Marquette county will apply to Iron county, and I 

 think the prospects for the farmer better on account of a superior soil and fully as 

 mild a climate. 



