Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 14.djvu/726

NORTH DAKOTA. grasses and other forage plants. The principal trees are cottonwood along the rivers, and oak, elm, birch, ash, and poplar in the Turtle Mountains.

The rock formations of the State include the Archæan, Cambrian, Silurian, Cretaceous, and Tertiary systems. The Dakota sandstone of the Cretaceous system is an important member, being the chief water-bearing stratum on which the artesian wells of North Dakota depend. Most of the rocks, however, are covered by a deposit of glacial drift, composed of sand, gravel, and clay. In the Red River Valley there is a thick layer of alluvium deposited by Lake Agassiz, whose ancient shore-lines have been traced all around the valley. The central and western portions of the State are underlaid with extensive beds of lignite, which is being more and more utilized. The production in 1901 amounted to 166,601 tons, valued at $214,151. Clay is the only other mineral utilized to any considerable extent, though some building-stone is available, and lime, salt, and a little iron are found.

Although stock-raising made considerable progress in the decade 1870-80, the putting of the land under plow was almost wholly the work of the succeeding decades. The number of acres included in farms doubled from 1890 to 1900, and amounted in the latter year to 34.6 per cent. of the total area. Of the farm area, 62.1 per cent. was improved. During the same decade the average size of farms increased from 277.4 acres to 342.9 acres—a larger average than is found in any other State. In 1900, 1346 farms contained over 1000 acres each. Excepting that of the ‘bad lands,’ in the southwest, the soil is not only unusually fertile, but also easily tilled. Its composition is fortunately such as to favor the retention of moisture. Nevertheless, there are occasionally severe droughts.

Everywhere wheat is the dominant crop. In 1899 it constituted 56 per cent. of the total crop area. In the same year the per capita acreage of wheat, 13.9 acres, was larger than in any other State. The Red River Valley, which extends entirely across the eastern end of North Dakota, is perhaps the most famous wheat-producing region in the world. In the six counties bordering the Red River almost half of the total area is devoted to wheat. Oats is the next most important cereal. The cultivation of flax increased during the decade 1890-1900 from a few thousand acres to an acreage exceeding that of any other State. Barley is most extensively produced in the northeastern counties and corn in the southeastern. Potatoes yield abundantly and are an important crop. But very little fruit is raised.

The following table gives the acreage of the leading crops for the census years indicated:

The prairie lands afford excellent pasturage, and large areas of wild salt and prairie grasses are annually cut for winter feed. With the exception of mules, all kinds

of domestic animals showed large gains from 1890 to 1900. Cattle and horses are the most important varieties. The following table, taken from the census, shows the relative prominence of the principal varieties of farm animals:

But little manufacturing is carried on besides the so-called neighborhood industries. In 1900 the wage-earners numbered 2398, and the total value of the product was $9,183,114, of which $4,134,023 represented the flour and grist-mill output.

In 1870 the combined mileage of the railways in what is now North and South Dakota was only 65 miles. In 1890 North Dakota alone had 2116 miles, which figure had increased in 1900 to 2810. The eastern part of the State is well supplied with railroad facilities. The Great Northern crosses the northern part, and the Northern Pacific the southern part. In addition, the Saint Paul, Minneapolis and Sault Ste. Marie enters the State at the southwest corner and extends in a northwest direction entirely across the Commonwealth. These three lines with their branches constitute the greater part of the total mileage. All three have connections with the Canadian system of railroads, the two former by way of the Red River Valley. There is a railroad commission empowered to alter tariffs, to make rules and regulations, and to hear and decide complaints subject to the revision of the courts. The Red River is navigable part of the year, but is not extensively used.

Until the organization of the State there was very little banking within its confines. In 1873 the first private bank commenced operations. The first incorporated bank opened in 1878 as a national bank. At the time of admission to Statehood there were 30 national and 8 State banks. One of the first measures of the Legislature in 1890 was to pass a stringent banking law prohibiting private banking; creating the office of Superintendent of Banks; and providing for reports and examinations. Under the security of this law many State banks were organized, and the number of national banks diminished somewhat. In 1892-93 the reputation of the North Dakota banks was seriously injured by the long list of failures of the so-called ‘Mears Banks,’ organized by E. Mears according to the Territorial law, and therefore not amenable to the new regulations. The last of these banks went into liquidation in 1896, and the reputation of the banks of the State was restored. The condition of the banks in 1902 is shown in the following table: