PKODUCTION AND INDUSTRY — WORKS OF REFERENCE 545
Production and Industry.— Of a total land area of 49,184,000 acres, 12,908,977 acres are included in Indian reservations, and in 1911 about 7,000,000 acres remained vacant. With the exception of scattered fringes of timber along the water-courses and the planted groves in the eastern part of the State, the only forest area is in the Black Hills. In 1910 there were 77,644 farms, with an acreage of 26,016,892, of which 15,827,208 acres were improved. The yield of wheat in 1912 amounted to 52,185,000 bushels; corn, 76,347,000 bushels ; oats, 52,390,000 bushels ; barley, 23,062,000 bushels. Rye and flax are also grown in considerable quantities, the latter yielding 5,323,000 bushels of seed in 1912. Hay, fruit and vegetables (particularly potatoes), dairy and creamery produce, eggs and poultry, are important. The live-stock within the State in 1910 consisted of 656,000 milk cows and 1,341,000 other cattle, 805,000 hogs, 829,000 sheep, 612,000 horses, and 10,000 mules. From 650,000 sheep in 1911 the wool clip amounted to 3,543,750 pounds of wool, valued at 737,100 dollars.
The mineral products in 1911 were chiefly gold, 359,402 fine oz., valued at 7,429,500 dollars; silver, 200,300 fine oz., valued at 108,200 dollars; copper, lead, stone of various sorts, and clay products, the total ndneral output for 1911 being of the value of 8,037,372 dollars.
The chief manufacturing industries of the State ai'e the making of butter, cheese, and condensed milk, and flour and grist milling. In 1910 there were 1,020 industrial establishments, employing 3,602 wage-earners, and having a capital of 13,018,000 dollars; the cost of materials being 11,476,000 dollars and the value of the output 17,870,000 dollars. The following table gives statistics of the chief groups of industries in 1910 :—
Industries
Capital
Wage- earners
Number 285 139 451
825
Material used
Output
Flour and grist milling . Dairy work .... Lumber and timber . Printing
Dollars
2,873,000
633,000
941,000
2,159,000
Dollars
5,336,000
2,308,000
349,000
456,000
Dollars 6,208,000 2,686,000
945,000 1,976,000
In 1911 there were in the State 3,951 miles of telegraph line and 14,586 miles of telephone line (20,723 miles of wire). In 1911 the steam railways of the State were 4,190-54 miles in length. The chief railways are the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul, and Chicago and North-Western.
Works of Reference.
The State Constitution. .Annual Report of the State Auditor, 1904.
Biennial Report of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, 1903-4.
Annual Review of the Progress of South Dakota for 1904. State Historical Society ,
Department of Historical Collections. Vols. I., II., and III.
Peterson's Historical Atlas of South Dakota.
Robinson's Brief History of South Dakota.
1905.
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