Straw-Burning Engine.—Fig. 78. 
farm 
BONANZA SERIES—No. 7. 
(See Illustration on page 185.) 
Thrashing 1 . 
In th® preceding six numbers of this series 
we have given, somewhat in detail, the pro¬ 
cesses und methods of plowing, seeding, har¬ 
rowing and harvesting, showing the transfor¬ 
mation of the native prairie into the Western 
farm, and the garnering of its crop; and yet 
the important question of results remains un¬ 
answered, which, in this article, we will en¬ 
deavor to solve. 
Upon the Bonanza farms managed by Mr. 
Dairy tuple he used in 1881. thirty steam thrash¬ 
ing machines, or an average of one to each 1)00 
acres. Each machine averaged about 1,000 
bushels per day, or a total for a day’s work of 
80,000 bushels of wheat—more grain than 
many a farmer, who has imagined himself an 
extensive producer, has raised in a life-time. 
Each day's thrashing required 81 curs to move 
the wheat to market, equivalent to three 
trains every 24 hours, or more than a load for 
a lake vessel of large capacity 
'lhe average yield upon me Bonanza farms 
ha9 been twenty bushels per acre yearly since 
the enterprise was inaugurated which has in¬ 
variably graded “ No. 1 Hal'd.” This grade 
of wheat is ths only one so far produced from 
which can be manufactured the “New Patent 
Process Flour,” which commands the highest 
price m this country und Europe. The variety 
is known as the “ Scotch Fife,” and the ex¬ 
treme, flint-like hardness of the kernel sug¬ 
gested the making of flour by pulverizing be¬ 
tween steel i oilers instead of the old method 
of grinding. The wheat raised upon these 
farms is shipped by the owners to Buffalo via 
the Northern Pacific Railway and the great 
lakes, where it is subsequently sold in blocks 
of from 5,000 to 10,000 bushels to the millers 
of Western New York and consumed iu mar¬ 
kets supplied by them. 
Thrashing usually commences from the 
shock about six days after harvesting begins, 
h e machines being centrally located in the 
fields. The sheaves are hauled to them and 
the grain is drawn to the nearest railroad sta¬ 
tion and usually loaded directly into the cars. 
The power for thrashing is by portable steam 
engines and iu these straw is used for fuel. 
It requires 20 horses 
and 25 men to each 
machine to thrash 
from the shock and 
move the grain to 
the railroad sta¬ 
tion simultaneously. 
These 750 men and 
800horses and mules 
work under the 
same division man¬ 
agement heretofore 
mentioned, the men 
receiving as wages 
their liourd, lodging 
and $2 per day. A 
brief estimate will 
show something of 
the magnitude of 
this enterprise. Mr. 
Dalrymple raised 
last year 27,400 
bushels of wheat 
which, at an aver¬ 
age of 20 bushels per 
acre, would be 
548,000 bushels, 
which at an esti¬ 
mated average price 
of $1 per bushel, 
would make a gross 
income of 8548,000 
for one year’s crop. 
The cost of thrash¬ 
ing from the shock 
and hauling for 
shipment is $2.50 
per acre, less a small 
deduction where 
parties own their 
stock and machin¬ 
ery. 
Mr. Oliver Dal¬ 
rymple is a two- 
thirds owner in the 
total amount cropped, and manages this 
vast interest in person by employing superin¬ 
tendents, each of whom takes charge of about 
0,000 acres. These tracts are sub divided into 
divisions of 2,000 acres, each inchargeof a di¬ 
vision foreman. The uieu and teams in each 
division are apportioned into ‘‘gangs” o 
about 25 in charge of a 1 gang foreman,” who 
stays with the stock and field work continu¬ 
ally. 
Each farm has its headquarters, embracing 
the superintendent’s dwelling, boarding houses 
for the men (owned and conducted by the 
proprietors of the Bonanza farms), barns 
shops, granaries, and machinery halls. Upon 
the occasion of our visit the farming imple¬ 
ments were stored for Winter. They were no¬ 
ticeably clean and arranged with remarkable 
precision, aud with the primary object of 
preservation, economy of space and utility 
and ease of handling when desired for use the 
coming season, “ Wbat is the necessity of 
such perfect order in the storage of these im¬ 
plements i ” we asked Mr. Dalrymple. He an¬ 
swered by quoting an old saw—"Anything 
that is worth doing at all is worth doing well.” 
And it might be a good thing for every farm¬ 
er to remember, too. 
The supplies for the farms go into store up¬ 
on arrival at the several head quarters, and 
are drawn upon the written requisition of the 
superintendents. As complete a system of 
books and accounts is kept on and with the 
different fat ms as is found in any manufac¬ 
turing or banking establishment. 
While in winter quarters, about three men 
are retained to every one hundred horses and 
mules, and while there is good stabling for 
nights and inclement weather, there are also 
large, tight board inclosures for yarding the 
stock through pleasant days. 
The general character of all the buildings 
is far above the average, being convenient in 
design, nicely painted and grained, while the 
sui roundings are exceedingly neat and clean. 
We had the idea that where so many men of 
laboring classes and of different nationalities 
were associated, there would be (after work¬ 
ing hours especially), more or less ribaldry, 
profanity, and obscene language; but Mr. 
Dalrymple assured us that his rules were re¬ 
markably strict upon that point. His super¬ 
intendents and foremen are always civil and 
courteous to the men, and no difficulty is ex¬ 
perienced at all in having their rules observed, 
especially under the influence of prevailing 
good example. 
In No 4 of this series we promised to an¬ 
swer the question, “ Are there not serious ob¬ 
jections to Bonanza farming iu its influence 
upon the thrift and prosperity of the sur¬ 
rounding country V We answer, “Nol” The 
objection to Bonanza farms would come al¬ 
most exclusively from the tradesmen in adja¬ 
cent towns, because a dense population resi¬ 
dent upon small tracts would necessarily 
contribute a larger patronage, as supplies for 
these farms are purchased at wholesale by 
the proprietors; but, as applied to the sur¬ 
rounding country, such farms are a decided 
rec?ived the money for their development by 
working for him. With the settlement of the 
country, the improvements and consequent 
appreciation of lands, the tendency is to sub¬ 
division and consequent ownership in smaller 
tracts. 
To close we will give two statements, -with¬ 
out detail, to show what can be done and witn 
what results by opening a farm in North 
Dakota. First, upon a piece of government 
land of 160 acres: 
Entry fee . $14 3,ZOO bush, wheat, $8,200 
Breaiillig.$43<J 
llftck setting. 
SeeU.$2 i0 
Seeding.SilZo 
Harvesting. 
Thrashing & Marketing $4iA 
Interest. 
building-Estimated. $l,uu. 
Total - - - $3,4G Total --- - $3,200 
This statement is for the first crop which 
will be at the end of two years. The land 
will double in value by cultivation, and 
the succeeding crops will be less entry fee, 
breaking and building improvements of 
the tlrst two years. Should a farmer desire 
to locate uearer the railroad than the location 
of governuient lands, he can purchase of the 
N. i J . R. R. any quantity desired from 160 to 
640 acres at 44 per acre. 
Of course such a purchase would add $640, 
less entry fees, $14, to the above statement. 
The third year’s crops would cost $1,320, with 
$100 interest, making a total expenditure of 
$5,470 at the end of that time. Two crops— 
6,4U0 bushels—realize $6,400 or $030 and the 
improved farm (which would be worth from 
$10 to $15 per acre, at least) profit at the ex¬ 
piration of three years! Mr. Dalrymple says: 
“ It costs about $10 per acre to put on the ne¬ 
cessary buildings, teams, machinery, and 
household gooas for carrying on a wheat 
farm,” He also summed up our conversation 
with the following remark:—“Results:—If, 
therefore, you raise your first crop and get 21 
bushels per acre, and sell at $1 per bushel, 
your entire investment is returned, aside from 
the land which by its cultivation has been en¬ 
hanced in value at least 50 per cent., inde¬ 
pendent of the natural appreciation incident 
to the country.” 
In conclusion we wish to return our sincere 
thanks to Mr. Dalrymple for his courtesies in 
allowing the publication of his picture and 
the pains which he was at to furnish us with 
lucid and complete particulars regard; ng the 
working and results of his mammoth and, 
advantage to its settlement, which we can 
best illustrate by reference to the fact that 
the Bonanza farms are almost exclusively 
made from railroad lauds. The farms under 
consideration were purchased of the Northern 
Pacific Railroad Co., by the exchange of N. 
P. bonds, and were, of course, in alternate 
sections. Only a few lauds have been bought 
besides these to fill out areas, aud, standing at 
the bead quarters of the Cass-Cheney farm, 
Mr. Dalrymple pointed out a large number of 
thriity farms, varying in size from 160 to 320 
acres, upon the alternate sections in their 
a rea, and informed us that their owners had 
that no small part of the good results from its 
use, lies, in its power to ward off diseases of 
Sjioradic origin, drive away insects, and disin¬ 
fect soils. D. S. Marvin. 
« « ♦- 
Straw Burning Engines. 
We present this week an illustration of the 
new straw burning engine of Russell & Co. 
of Massilon, Ohio. The fuel problem is one of 
those which confronts the progressive West¬ 
ern farmer; consequently any step in 1 he di¬ 
rection of a satisfactory solution is sure to be 
appreciated. The engine illustrated at Fig. 78 
has been shown by repeated and thorough tests 
in the field, to be a success and is worthy of a 
careful investigation. It is from the start a 
straw burner; yet it is capable of producing 
steam with any kind of fuel. By a change of 
grates wood, coal, cobs, cotton seed, etc., can 
be successfully used. This is a great improve¬ 
ment on the straw-burning attachments so 
largely in use at present. The rice straw of 
the South is admirably suited to steam mak¬ 
ing. The boiler of this engine is lagged to 
pi event condensation. We predict a large de¬ 
mand for this engine, especially in the South 
aud Northwest, where good straw burning en¬ 
gines are much needed. w. H. K. 
SUboricMllwrat. 
what has proven by experience to be, success¬ 
ful enterprise. 
-- 
Burned Earth as a Fertilizer. 
A reader of the Rural lately inquired if I 
consider burned earth equal to commercial 
fertilizers. No. The imprisoned gases seem 
volatile, and if not quickly taken up by the 
growing crops, they escape. I simply desired 
to suggest its value in nice horticultural ex¬ 
periments. Of course, when obtainable, its 
use wou'd be desirable for any growing crop. 
Careful experiment,and chemical analysis are 
needed to determine its value. I apprehend 
Wind-breaks—Shelter-belts—Shelter and 
Screen Hedges Where to Place 
Them—When and What 
to PI ant—How to 
Make Them. 
The stormy Winter weather will remind us 
of the importance of interposing barriers to 
protect us from the cutting blasts, and there¬ 
fore it may be appropriate now to consider 
this branch of the forestry question, and to 
suggest to our friendly Rural readers that 
with the opening of Spring they pay attention 
to the planting of shelters. 
WIND-BREAKS, SHELTER-BELTS AND SHELTER- 
HEDGES. 
We begin already in many parts of the 
country to feel the results that inevitably fol¬ 
low the general clearing away of the forests. 
When opened up the land is exposed to the 
drying influence of the sun, and to the desic¬ 
cation of the air, that is set in motion by every 
breeze, which thus increases the evaporation; 
and, as a natural re¬ 
sult, we find that 
the climate has be¬ 
come much drier 
than when first pos¬ 
sessed by the white 
man. These effects 
are greatly exagger¬ 
ated as field & added 
to field, aud as farm 
comes to join farm, 
in succession, until 
large tracts of open 
country occupy ex¬ 
tensive regions that 
were formerly cov¬ 
ered with masses of 
dense timber land, 
its surface strewn 
with their debris 
of decaying logs, 
branches, leaves 
and moss, that ob¬ 
struct the escape of 
the rainfall, and in 
that way main¬ 
tained the even flow 
of our streams. 
Is it not already 
time for us to en¬ 
deavor to correct 
these evils which en¬ 
sue from too much 
clearing of the for. 
ests i Aud can we 
not accomplish the 
desired results with¬ 
out relegating our 
beautiful farms 
back to the natural 
woodland ? This 
question is what is 
now to be consid¬ 
ered, and it will be 
my object to show that wind breaks, shelter- 
belts and shelter-hedges can and should be 
planted on every farm, and that they can 
be used without at all diminishing our crops, 
and that they will actually increase the pro¬ 
ductiveness of the country. 
We should plant these shelters for man’s 
comfort—yes, and woman’s, too. We should 
plant them for the comfort they render to our 
flocks and herds, the dumb brutes that are 
confined to our care; we shonld plant them 
for the protection they will furnish to our va¬ 
rious **rops upon the farm and in the garden. 
We should plant them also for the economy 
FORESTRY-NO 7. 
DR. JOHN A. WARDER. 
