SOUTH DAKOTA 907 



302 to $1,166,096,980 ($902,606,751 land; $102,474,056 buildings; $33,786,973 implements: 

 $127,229,200 domestic animals). Of the land area 52.9 % was in farms in 1910. The average 

 value of farm land per acre was $34.69. Farms were operated largely by owners (57,984 

 by owners, 429 by managers and 19,231 by tenants). In 1909, 500 farms (63,248 acres: 

 Pennington county, 19,463; Butte, 14,378) were irrigated by enterprises capable of irrigating 

 128,481 acres. The acreage included in projects was 201,625. For three-fourths of the 

 acreage streams were the source; for one-fifth, reservoirs. The larger crops irrigated were: 

 wild grasses (17,652 acres) and alfalfa (10,005 acres). In 1912 (preliminary estimates) the 

 principal crops were: Indian corn, 76,347,000 bu. (2,495,000 A.); wheat, 52,185,000 bu. 

 (3.675,000 A.); oats, 52,390,000 bu. (1,550,000 A.); barley, 23,062,000 bu. (887,000 A.); 

 rye 312,000 bu. (16,000 A.); potatoes, 6,510,000 bu. (62,000 A.); hay, 672,000 tons (460,000 

 A.); and flaxseed, 5,323,000 bu. (619,000 A.). In 1909 (U.S. Census) the value of vegetables 

 (excluding potatoes) was $1,033,163; small fruits, $47,263; orchard fruits, $209,339 (apples, 

 $158,729). On January I, 1912 there were on farms: 675,000 horses, 13,000 mules, 366,000 

 milch cows, 894,000 other neat cattle, 605,000 sheep and 1,104,000 swine. 



In 1911 laws were passed permitting counties to maintain demonstration farms or to con- 

 duct the county poor farm as a demonstration farm; establishing a demonstration farm at 

 Vivian and a dry farm experiment station in Fall River county; and authorising county 

 commissioners to issue bonds or warrants to pay for seed grain for needy farmers. During 

 the last two years the agricultural experiment station has worked on the hybridisation of 

 small fruits, particularly raspberries, plums and apricots, and on breeding alfalfa and sugar 

 beets. The Federal department of agriculture has a "dry land" farm in Fall River county 

 and a field station on the Bellefourche Reclamation project (see E. B. xxv, 5070). This 

 project irrigated 33,362 acres in 1911, and in November 1912 it was 93.6% completed. 



Mineral Products. In 1911, total value, $8,037,372. The value of gold was $7,429,500, 

 ranking the state 4th, with an increase of nearly 40 % over the output of 1910. The output 

 of silver, $108,200, was nearly three-quarters larger than that of 1910. The gold comes from 

 low-grade milling-amalgamation-cyaniding ore and the silver from refining gold mill bullion. 

 Stone was the only other important item. 



Manufactures. Total value of factory products for 1909 $17,870,000, an increase of 36.6 % 

 since 1904. The capital invested was $13,018,600 (71.6% more than in 1904); the number 

 of establishments 1, 020, and the number of persons engaged in manufacturing 5,226. The 

 principal products were: flour and grist-mill products, $6,208,000; butter, cheese and con- 

 densed milk, $2,686,000 (2^3 % more than in 1904); and printing and publishing, $1,976,000; 

 lumber and timber products, $945,000 (150.7 % more than in 1904). Sioux Falls ($2,889,000) 

 and Aberdeen ($1,575,000) supplied about one-fourth of the total. 



Transportation. Railway mileage, January I, 1912, 4,195.82. 



Legislation. The regular session of the legislature was held from January 3 to 

 March 3, 1911. It ratified (Feb. 3, 1911) the proposed amendment to the Federal 

 Constitution providing for an income tax. By 62,302 votes to 26,814 the people at 

 the general election in 1912 adopted an amendment to the state constitution requiring 

 that, in taxing corporations, franchises, licences to do business in the state, gross earn- 

 ings, and net income shall be taken into account; and that the power to tax corporate 

 property shall not be surrendered by the state. A primary law, which does away with 

 state and county conventions, provides for publicity pamphlets, and adopts the Oregon 

 plan for the choice of United States senators, was defeated in the legislature, but was 

 proposed by popular initiative petition and was carried (51,154 to 28,892 votes) in 

 November 1912. Constitutional amendments and referred laws are no longer to be 

 published in official newspapers but are to be printed by the state and distributed 

 through the mails to all electors by the county auditors. A board of immigration 

 was created consisting of the governor, the secretary of state and the commissioner 

 of public and school lands; it was authorised to choose a commissioner of immigration. 

 For the completion of the state capitol $35,000 was appropriated. The legislature 

 passed an employers' liability law for common carriers by railro.ads in intra-state 

 commerce. Contributory negligence does not bar recovery but diminishes damages 

 that may be asked, and assumption of risk is no defence incase of death. A new rail- 

 road code was adopted which enlarges the powers of the railway commission. Upon 

 the recommendation of any municipal authority railways must maintain safe crossings 

 over highways. The office of telephone inspector was abolished and the railroad 

 commission was authorised to regulate telephone companies. Telephone and telegraph 

 companies are to be assessed by the state board of assessment, count}' by county, and are 

 to be taxed on this assessment at county rates. The railroad commission is required 



