72 
SOIL SURVEY OF WAUPACA COUNTY. 
CHAPTER VII. 
GENERAL AGRICULTURE OF WAUPACA COUNTY 
The development of agriculture in this region was preceded 
by the growth of the logging and lumbering industries. The 
earliest settlements were made chiefly in the sandy portions of 
the county as the forest growth here was largely pine, which was 
the only timber handled by the early lumberman. 
The first farming operations were started in Waupaca County 
in 1849 on a bit of sandy prairie in the town of Lind. The first 
farms, opened after the advance of the lumbermen, were small. 
While farming ventures were first started largely on the sandy 
soils following the cutting of the pine, the highest agricultural 
development has been reached in those sections where the soils 
are heavier. The earlier and more primitive types of farming 
have gradually developed into the present conditions of agri¬ 
culture. Farming lias extended into practically all parts of the 
county with the exception of some areas in the northwestern part 
which are still in a cut-over stage. Even through this section 
a number of farms are already in operation. By far the greater 
proportion of the county is well improved agriculturally. 
While practically all the general farm crops now grown were 
produced in the early history of the county, the relative impor¬ 
tance of a number of the crops has changed to a considerable de¬ 
gree. In 1879, wheat occupied 21,731 acres, which was more 
than twice the area devoted to oats, and nearly twice as much 
as was devoted to corn. In 1909 the total area devoted to wheat 
was only 1150 acres, while there were 38,860 acres devoted to 
oats and 19,948 to corn. The acreage devoted to hay, corn and 
potatoes has steadily increased since the early history of the 
county. The acreage devoted to rye and barley has changed 
less than that devoted to the other general farm crops. The 
development of the potato growing industry has been marked. 
In 1879, there was a total production of 250,307 bushels, while 
in 1909 the yield amounted to 2,392,213 bushels. In 1919 the 
yield was 1,907,046 bu. an average of 106 bu. per acre. 
* Figures given for 1919 are from reports of asses -ors. 
