SOUTH DAKOTA UNVEILED ITS 

 RESOURCES AND NEEDS. 



The following is an address delivered 

 by Mr. John W. Hestin, president of the 

 Agricultural College of South Dakota: 



South Dakota is really an empire in 

 itself. It extends north and south 225 

 miles, and east and west 3GO miles. 



Comparing it with all the New England 

 States it is one-fourth larger. With Illi- 

 nois it is one and one-half larger and more 

 than that ahead of Pennsylvania or New 

 York. It is not located so far away as is 

 often intimated; 600 miles almost due west 

 of Chicago, and you are in South Dakota. 

 This brings the state within easy reach of 

 the great markets of the country and 

 makes her products valuable and desir- 

 able. 



The climate of South Dakota is not that 

 of the frigid zones, but about the same as 

 New York, Michigan, Wisconsin and Min- 

 nesota. Instead therefore of it being un- 

 desirable, it is a delightful state in which 

 to live and its climate even exceeds that 

 of many other states of the Same latitude. 



South Dakota resources are varied and 

 extensive. For sake of convenience they 

 may be divided into: 



1. The soil and climate. 



2. Minerals. 



3. Irrigation advantages. 



4. Railway facilities. 



5. Cheap lands. 



6. Educational advantages. 



7. Character of her people. 



But a few words can be said on each of 

 these topics in the time at our disposal. 



The soil and climate need but little ad- 

 ditional explanation. Nowhere in the 

 state is there any lack of soil adapted to 

 the various agricultural activities of the 

 people. 



For several years the state has been 



recognized as valuable soil for cereals, 

 grazing purposes and especially creamery 

 interests. 



It has just recently been discovered 

 that the sugar beet can be grown to most 

 excellent advantage. Tests made from 

 more than 300 samples grown in various 

 parts of the State, show wonderful results 

 and adaptability of soil to this purpose. 

 The sugar test has gone as high as 24 per 

 cent in some samples and all tested stood 

 above the 12 per cent necessary for com 

 mercial purposes. The following figures 

 indicate the adaptability of the soil for ag- 

 ricultural purposes, and tell their own 

 story. In 1896 the state produced : 



31,136,950 bushels of corn valued at 

 $5, 604, 651.00 ; 27. 583,450 bushels of wheat 

 valued at $17,'101,739 00; 17,957,445 

 bushels of oats valued at $2,334,468.00; 

 3,308,736 bushels of barley valued at 

 $628,66000; 6,048,384 bushels of potata- 

 toes valued at $1,209,677.00; 2,683,320 

 tons of hay valued at $8,371,958.00. 



South Dakota has 115 creameries now 

 in operation and several cheese factories. 

 The value of her monthly exported butter 

 is about $285,000.00. South Dakota 

 butter leads in the markets of the world. 

 There is none better anywhere. 



The irrigation advantages of the state 

 are important. There is a broad belt of 

 country extending through the state from 

 north to south called the Jim River Valley 

 where abundance of water may be had 

 anywhere for the digging. It is known 

 as the Artesian basin and is of great 

 value to the state. It is not always real- 

 ized, but it is none the less true that irri 

 gation is of great commercial value where 

 it is possible and practicable. There are 

 statistics to support this tneory. 



