Iowa news. [volume] (Dubuque, Upper Mississippi Lead Mines, Wisconsin Territory) 1837-1841, 1838-05-26
county, New Jersey.

me in selecting me as the organ thro' which
Won seek the desired information. lcould wish
tina, were more practically acquainted with
the business Of farming in WISCONSIN,, that
might be the more competent to comply with
your request, but what little knowledge have
on the subject. will cheerfuliy give you. and
will be pleased, at any time, to answer such
enquiries as my old friends may make on any
subject within my reach.
GU ask. Ills the mineral region suscepii-
bic OF being farmed to any advantage!" Yes
sir. an! TO great advantage. to give you la
comic answer. But to give you more extern
ded impression of the advantages Of this coun-
try over the barren aud sterile sands Of New
Jersey, l will give you few facts that have
come within my own knowledge, and other
circumstances that hove been related to me
by farmers in the vicinity. AS you wish me
to be particular in my descriptions, | will first
Inform you Ut the manner Of getting posses
sion OF Inc soil, or making "a claim" IN es-
tern pariance his is a simple operation ,ha,
all western people are familiar with, but TO
eastern people that never slept, except in a
leather bed, It does not, at first, appear very
agreeable.
The men provide themselves with proyi-
sions and tools for week or ten days cam
pa,yn, and set out in search OF a location to
sun their wishes, which they are not often
long il. finding, as all the land no. already c.
curled, is open 10 their choice, and what will
not sui. ole, is often precisely such place as
another man is seeking Tor; and in this way
the country is filing up. aud population still
extending westward. The individual after
viewing the natural advantages, with regard to
liMber, prairie, soil, water, &c. &c. commen-
ces ertc,ing "a temporary cabin, which is done
in few days; his next Object is, iii he has
family to commence better house---thou9h
| built OF logs, will answer his purpose for MA
ny years. Eut l.ere will inform you, that
| there are always claims for sale, ard often
with very good improvements, at very low
rate;-.-tiiese have been made by individuals
without families, whose object in making them
was. 10 sell out 10 new comers. and GO them
selves further west or north, which appears t.
lie an inherent disposition with this western
cua.muniy, always to be on the frontier, ard
l know OF many who are settled with larg"
families in the Indian country, far beyond the
line Of the purchase made by government at
Washington last fall. and yet they feel as safe,
Surrounded by the red men Of the forest, rs
you do in Jersey, protected from foreign vio-
IeLce by unarned militia
| After the settler has his faml y made secure
from the exposure Of the weather, his next OBJ
jec, is The making OF rails, and p'oughing the
ground. The ponghing Of the prairie is la
borous and expensive process, requiring three
.r foof yoke o'o.o.,h'.. ,i,o timber land Is We
ry easily ploughed after it is cleared, being We
nv mellow, and o.! The richest u deepes, mould,
prodncin. all kind Of grain and vegetables.
common 10 the same latitudes, and in abun.
! Il f,rs
quaiu,ed with in your State. Wheat yields on
AN average crop 40 bushels to the acre. oats
50, corn 40, aud If potatoes aud other vege,a-
bles the amount is almost incredible know
one man that raised 600 bushels ofpota,oes on
one acre OF ground, but that was an extraordi-
nary case, and not a fair sample. Cabbages,
beeis, radishfs, wacf melons, pumpkins, and
lurnips, for size, surpass any that ever saw
eisf where
Eut it is no: only for the quantity and quail
iy uf the productions Of this county, that il
has the advantage over the older States, and
Of the western county also, but il is the read
market. and i.ish prices, that the farmer can
Away obtain. Tor any thing that he has 10 DIS.
pose Of. Perhaps one half Of the population
in the mineral region, are engaged in mining.
besides many merchants that never cultivate
the soil, 80 that the farmer will always be d.
bic to command the cash for his produce, at his
own prices.
Flour is now $40 per bbl., corn fl.25 per
bushel, and often ssl.5O. potatoes 81 90, lresi,
beet ranges from 10 l21 cts, and pork l2i
els, butter % to 37& per h., eggs ga pei
doz., inwls Si.OO per pair. A large portion OF
the necessalias Of life are imported from Mis-.
spuri and Illinois. the home production not be-
Ing any thing like equal to the demand.
| From uI,at is above stated, think you will
able to Judge Of the advantages Ibis country
possesses over yours, SO far as it relates to a.
gricul.ural pursuits. and wish you were here
that you might have ocular demonstration OF
tue fact, aid wish that many others in your
vicinity were here. and they would find that
one-four,h Of the labor which they bestow on
their old, worn out land, would, il put upon
the soil here. yield them greater crop. and in
tsw years make 'he.a Independent. Whilst
now. they are toiling from year 10 year, hop
ing agains, hope, and every year becoming
poor; and many laboring men, who now work
; will, You for ei.h, dollars per month. or fifty
cents per day, can here obtain from $50 TO $40
per month, ard from s so TO So. 90 per day,
and the choice Of the lard as said before. is
omen to every ore, Wills, with You i, requires
a fortune to purchase farm. and after yon
/ have Il. aud bestow all your tire upon II, yon
/ can scarcely make living. These you know
1 ~ ne f.c,s Bot there is another view which
take. in looking at the advantages of This
country, Or the Iowa District generally; over over
yours. Whilst with you, the Old world joys
IN in her usual coo,sr. tie old people die and
their heirs I'll up their places; s'f'nse lace
rs as rare as III. appearance Of a comet almost
| one continual pruutGno,;s round. IgGlil year 10
year, and from century 10 century. Ln' mere
! all i, new. all i, excitement: steam hoa's ha'.
| ~, arriving with new settlers. the country aud
HE towns las, filing uy. where five years ago
Was an Indian iIiage. and last year a corP'I!-