The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1850-05-23


limestone has many characteristics whicl
Indicate r metalliferous rock. II occurs il
thick and solid walls, massive and durable
II IS traversed by rents and assures Of deter
inmate course, of which the walls have lit
tie disposition to give way; it is intersectet
by spars, crystalZations, and vein stones
such as usually accompany metallic Ores
Along certain parts Of its range, it bear
evident, marks Of local disturbances, tn,
sign of an adjacent axis Of dislocation, an,
II has many points of resemblance 10 th,
upper magnetism limestone, which is The
lead and copper bearing rock of Iowa ant
Wisconsin.
The lower magnetism limestone may ir
one respect, DR.. Owen thinks, "he consid
cred more fayorably situated than the upper
as a mineral bearing rock. 1t is an estab.
liShed fact that in Geology, all things beine
equal, that the lower or older a rock is, the
more likely it is to te me;alliferous, because
nearer the sources from whence experience
Indicates that metallic materials find their
way into its recesses; in other words, be-
cause it is in closer proximity 10 granite and
crystalline rocks; and j, has been shown
that the lo,cer magnetism limestone is mere
y separated from the crystalline and igne-
In confederation of these geological in
ferences Or. Owen cites several discove-
ries of lead ore in The rock formation in
question: one near the Mississippi, 10 or Is
miles above the mouth OF Turkey river;
several north Of the Wisconsin river, near
the mouth Of the Kickapoo; a, all Of which
considerable lead ore has been obtained. -
On the Upper Iowa river, along the south
or hnnnHarv .,TM g H.
Mississippi, galeniferous "signs" were oh
served; and On the Wazi Oiu river, within
the Territory, vein of lead four inches in
ranging apparently for the distance of half
to three-quarrers Of mile through the lo,c
er magnetism limestone, was discovered by
one of the geological corps. In the New
Half Breed Purchase, which is not far dis
tant from the above location, it is notorious
t" citizens of the Territory, that lead ore
has been found in various places.
On the 81. Croix and amidst the trap rock
forming the Falls Of that river, VEINS of
copper ore have been observed, specimens
from which were seen ly the writer The
opinion WAS expressed To us, hy an intelli.
gent member of the geological corps, who
was exploring in the direction Of Lake Su-
perior last summer, that the northern shore
of that Lake, lying within the Territory,
wIll afford, from the indications, richer beds
of copper ore than any that have already
been opened in either Michigan or Wis
cOn>in,
Coal beds are reported TO exist in the Up
per ST. Peters country. DR.. Owens doubts
this on account of the supposed geological
system of that portion of the territory -
But exploration may show different sys-
tenn of rocks to exist 100 miles back, west
from the Mississippi: and certain it Is, that
the author was a,>ured--he thinks il was
by the Hon. n. H. Sihley--that specimens
of coal found in the Upper ST.. Peters coun-
try had been brought down, and were seen
by my informant.
THE SOIL AND ITS FARMING CAPACITY
The geology Of country is Interesting
not merely for the development of it's metal
lie wealth, but mainly in consequence Of the
influence nf the disintegrated rock strata up
OH the fertility of the soil, and upon its ca
pacity for producing. easily and abundantly
The usual fruits of cultivated lands.
The soil of Minnesota is n sandy calcare-
Gus loan, derived principally from The dis
integratinn or decay of the magnetism lime
stones, and the sandstones; with etratic drift
from The granite and igneous rock regions
farther north-foods, rivers, frost, wind,
and other atmospheric influences, being the
agents in the process of its accumulation.
The soil derived from the decomposition
Of the lower magnetism rock limestone (and
of the upper, also,) is usually" says DR..
Owen, "of excellent quality; rich, MS well
in organic matter as in those mineral salts
which give rapidly to the growth Of plants,
and that durability which enables it TO sus-
tain long succession Of crops" These re-
marks apply 10 The soil on both sides of the
Mississippi.
NicoIIst speaks Of the country hack some
distance from the Mississippi, in the follow
ing terms: "The whole country embraced
10y the Lower ST. Peters and rhe Undine Re-
gion or valley of the Blue Earth or Man
kato river] exceeds any hand of the Missi,-
Sippi above the Wisconsin river, rs well in
the quantity and quality Of its timber, as the
fertility of its soil"
Above The Falls Of St. Anthony the cnun-
try assumes an aspect different from the
lands below; bui for about eighty miles at
least, the soil Of this upper region is good
and highly productive; though containing a
larger admiXture of sand than the lands he
low and around The Falls. In fact, the soil
of the Trans. ST. Anthony country, even
where least promising to The eye, is very de-
ceiving as TO its fertility, the settlers having
ALREADY proved hy experiment, that the lands
looking the most snndy and barren are capa-
!ble of yielding, when broken up aud cult
waited, very large crops without manure.
The chemical character of ihe soil of Min
'nesota, indicates its adaptnbility for growing
.all The leading articles OF cultivation. Anal
:y>is has shown it 10 contain in 100 parts,
80 per cent. OF organic matter, 1l.2 of salts,
Ill per cent. of iusoluble silicates, and O.e
per cent. of carbonate of lime. The aver
age specific gravity is about l 80; while tha,
of Massachusetts, by way of comparison, is
2.44.
THE SOIL AND ITS FARMING CAPACITY.
il is well known that the organic or veg
etahIe matter of the soil is the portion which
communicates its fertilizing qualities
ITO crops; and that the salts which also enter
into lis composition. are CONSIDERED hy chem.
iis,s, as its stimulating ingre,lIents--or, in
:oiher words, that the different salts in any
soil, exert upon the organic matter chem
Eical action, and contribute to regulate and
facilitate the process Of nutrition. Submit.
ting il to these tests therefore, and it will be
perceived that the soil Of Minnesota possess