4 BULLETIN 757, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
at present and the farmers are gradually diversifying their produc- 
tion. The raising of stock on the farms has increased materially, 
indeed, in some instances enough to overcome the decrease in crop 
yields. It has been found, also, that certain feed and forage crops 
can be produced successfully, among these being corn, alfalfa, and - 
sweet clover. 
Among the early homesteaders in North Dakota were many who, 
unable to withstand the trials of the border line of civilization, sold 
their homesteads or relinquished their claims. By acquiring these 
lands some were able to secure title to large acreages of excellent 
farming land. Others secured large acreages from the railroads, to 
which the Government had made extensive grants as bonuses to 
further the construction of railroad lines. Notable examples of large 
holdings are to be found at present at Casselton, Amenia, and 
Larimore. : 
With the passing of the one-crop system it is found that these ex- 
tensive bonanza wheat farms are not only less and less profitable, but 
unsuited to the new system, and they are gradually being broken up 
into smaller farms and sold or leased. However, the size of the aver- 
age North Dakota farm will doubtless remain comparatively large 
for a long time to come, and some of the holdings are still much too 
large to be managed efficiently under systems of diversified farming. 
GENERAL CONDITIONS INFLUENCING GRAIN FARMING IN 
NORTH DAKOTA. 
In topography North Dakota varies from level to hilly, with a 
very large proportion of undulating to rolling land which is well 
adapted to grain farming. 
The soils of the greater part of the State vary in texture from 
sand to clay loam, and in the Red River Valley very heavy clay is 
found. The loams and clay loams appear best adapted to grain 
farming, although excellent crops are produced on the clays when — 
the moisture is not in excess. | 
The climate of North Dakota is extreme. Winter temperatures 
ordinarily range from about freezing to 30° F. below zero, with occa- 
sional extremes of from 40° to 50° below.. In summer the tempera- 
ture ranges from 60° to 90° above zero, with occasional cold nights 
when it is as low as 40°. Occasionally temperatures slightly above 
100° are recorded, but these are uncommon. On account of the very 
low humidity of the Great Plains area, the extremes of temperature 
are not so keenly felt as where the air is damp. 
The dates of the latest Iilling frosts in spring on record for the 
State range from May 31 to June 28 at various stations. The dates 
