The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1850-04-10

that stock must be fed we ought to be thank
full that Providence has so wisely ordered
a part of the land for meadows. We shal
not complain that some of the surface O.
, the country is wet, when it produces an ar
ticle of SO much value as grass.
Cranbsrries are produced from marshes
properly so called, probably no state oi
general cultivation by tillage, would render
the richest soil so valuable, as the same ex-
tent of wild cranberry marsh.
Several thousand barrels Of these berries
were exported from ST. Paul last season
collected from an infinitesinal portion OF
the country. At no distant day. they are
destined to be an important element in the
productive wealth of the Territory. The
pro6tableness Of collecting cranherries is
surprising. IT is not uncommon for one
active man, to gather from ten to twenty
dollars worth in day. II sounds like ro-
nance to hear of men getting their ounce
per day from the golden sands of the Sacra-
mento; yet here in Minnesota, there Is an
ever renewing branch of industry, at which
the ralue Of an ounce Of gold may be made
per day.
Another valuable material production of
the country, is wild rice. Ii, like the cram
berry, springs from wet land, in fact from
in its present uncultivated state, supplies
the principal food Of the bands Of Indians
that live in the vicinity of the lakes. 1t
will soon he cultivated and constitute sta
pie of Minnesota. Are lands without val
ue, that produce in their wild, uncultvated
state food for man and beast as do these
cranberry marshes, rice lakes and hay
meadows' Do not they give additional
value to the country, rather thnn detracl
from it?
OF swamps, the principal part are COW
cred with tamarac, a useful species of tree;
and rs they abound in parts not well tim
bered with oak, maple and other hard
woods, are very valuable To farmers who
tiud the smaller trees well suited for fenc-
ing, being obtained at less cost tnan split
rails The larger trees grow tall and stout,
without limbs to near the top, and ARE
found TO make oar-Stems, taasts, spars &c.
On the ST. Croix and other rivers east OF
ms, it is now being cut extensively and run
to the markets below on the Mississippi for
the above uses. Ii can too with peculiar
facility lie worked into square timber for
building frames. Another use is that TO
which we have seen it applied in the con-
struction of the steamboat at our landing;
the base and root of the tamarac is better
adapted than any other tree for boat-knees.
In the state of Maine getting it from the
swamps for this use, is an extensive bust
ness.
Black ash, in some parts, is the principal
growth on swampy lands; IFS uses are gen.
orally known. Ceder grows in swamps.
On the lakes towards the source Of the
Mississippi it is abundant, and described by
those who have explored il to be large and
i'll rhap IN fhn
world. With the facility for getting it
to market afforded by the Mississippi upon
which it can be brought down in RATS, il
will soon he the profitable field of the enter
prsing aud hardy lumberman's operations.
Shall we not conclude that our swamps
even, have some value!
Manufacturing ranks next in importance
to agriculture as great interest of the Uni
ted States. We will inquire what resour-
ces and facilities Minnesota has for manu-
features.
In extent and cheapness Of control, the
water power of the Territory is not sur
passed elsewhere in the world. That
which has made Lowell and Rochester
will make ST. Anthony, St. Croix AMI in
Vulnerable other points on the water cours-
es Of Minnesota. If any one wants an
idea of the extent Of our water power re-
commend that he attempt calculation ol
the capacity of the falls Of St. Anthony
and St. CrOix.
Power may exist, but valueless, by being
uncomfortable. Niagara is an example
but here the Father Of Waters, is as trac
! table as child. The giant willingly lend:
) his mighty energies at the bidding OF man
We have too, the raw material for manu-
featuring without stint. The inexhaustble
H.
the north shading every river, creek, brook
and lake that can he made to float log
will furnish for indefinite time food for th,
: hungry saw. The ST. Croix, our eastern
boundary, sent out last season near twenty
millions feet Of lumber and logs, worth il
st. Louis market from ten to fifteen dollar
per thousand, and then there are but few
! persons and little capital employed com
pared with wha, might be with advantage
That the manufacturing Of lumber will b.
! to Minnesota what it has been and is Il
Maine, no one can doubt. Look at tb
Map and see the country south of Us yet Il
| teem with millions that can only look t.
this country for their supply Of lumber.
is supposed by some that the pineries vii
2 soon he exhausted. There are few fact
| which it would lie well for those who enter
3 tain this opinion to know. The ST. Croi
river has been operated npon for twelv
n years and one might suppose that its pin
by this time was pretty thoroughly explored
: yet last winter more pine was discOvere
: unknown to exist before, than all that lum
9 bermen previously knew Of. Ano.he
J, obvious fact seldom considered is, that th
timber is constantly and rapidly growing
i An intelligent lumber man on St. Croi
r found, by actual measurement, that the il
!. crease in eight years was from six to seve
u inches; this increase will, from small saI
5 lings, make in thirty or forty years, respet
= table sized trees for saw logs. 1t will b
n seen that if all the pine now suitable ft
i manufacturing is consumed in the ne,
re thirty years, its place will be supplied t
,e the younger growth Of which no M
d. tice is now taken. Ii is worthy of nor
$, too, that the quality of lumber is in
N proving every year, which disproves Il
W suppositon that the best is taken first ar
I'd that there will be deterioration. Logge
take that to which they come first regar
n less Of quality, and it is found that ih
ne which stands nearer to the streams is inf
a rior to that some distance back.
nd Few persons unacquainted with the bus