GRAIN FARMING IN NORTH DAKOTA. 3 
guished from the ranchers, the latter being found at present only in 
the more inaccessible and less desirable lands. The discovery of 
artesian and other underground water made it possible for the new- 
comers to locate in almost any place where land was found desirable 
for tillage. 
Fic. 1.—Headquarters of a North Dakota wheat ranch. 
As settlement advanced, far-sighted pioneers in railroad develop- 
ment extended their lines, greatly facilitating the general settlement 
of the State. At present the trunk and branch lines make practi- 
cally all farming land accessible to outside markets. 
As the land was broken up, the four crops, wheat, oats, barley, and 
flax, were produced extensively, the last-mentioned crop being partic- 
Fic. 2.—These “shacks” were typical homes of early homesteaders in North Dakota. 
ularly adapted to freshly broken sod. Ever since farming became gen- 
eral in the State wheat has been the important money crop, and for 
many years only enough stock was kept to furnish power to till the 
land. However, the same experience was encountered as in other 
regions where a single-crop system of farming was followed, namely, 
the decrease in yields. This condition is very generally recognized 
