The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1850-04-10
EXTRACTS
From Mr.. I'm. II. .Marshall's address,
before the Saint .anthony Library As
sociation, March 81, 1850.

Of the United States, are agriculture, manu-
factures, commerce and mining. We will
enquire in what relation to these leading in
terests, the natural resources and capabili.
! ties of Minnesota stand.
! Agriculture is the foundation Of national
wealth-ihe broad interest upon which a
people inhabiting u country exceliibg IN cli-
mate and soil, may securely build; the most
permanent and enduring source OF prosper
ity.
The important conditions directly affect
ing agriculture, are climate and soil. The
high northern latitude of Minnesota, has by
many bsen considered to preclude the possi-
bility of its ever becoming an agricultural
country.
Less than fifteen years ago, il was thought
that farming was impracticable from the
shortness of the season, in the Galena min
eral district. The farmers of middle and
southern Illinois, would 90 up and spend a
/ few months OF summer in mining, and re-
turn in the fall, believing that it never would
do to undertake farming in so cold country.
But. now, northern Illinois and southern
/ Wisconsin prove as favorable for the staple
products of the west, as any other part. 1t
may seem strange, yet is nevertheless true,
that frosts generally occur later in the spring
and earlier in the fall, az Galena than here.
This, in connection with the peculiar adap-
tation of our soil to cold climate, should
satisfy the most skeptical, that the climate
of Minnesota is favorable TO the pursuits of
the husbandman. If, however, anything
more is wanting, it will be found in the fact
that there is n fiourishiDg agricultural set
clement three degrees north of this.
To one who has seen cultivated, the fer
| tile prairies of Illinois, the soil of MinnesO-
IA will appear barren and unprOductve,
| from the proportion of sand being much
| greater, than in the soils of the states Just
south Of us. But experience proves, that
| this inter mixture of considerable r0r-
ton Of sand with the clay aud decayed veg
etable matter, that compose the soil, is high
! iy advantageous; by receiving and conduct
ing the suns heat, it quickens vegetable
growth aud thus fully natures crops in the
short summer allotted to our climate. The
short time required for vegetables to mature
in this soil, is subject Of wonder to these
who witness il for the first time; and is ow
| ing altogether 10 the great proportion of
sand. With clay soil, such as prevails in
the states south of us, our crops would new
er ripen. Equally unfavorable, in the lati
tude of ST. Louis, would be the sandy soil
of Minnesota. 1t does not retain moisture
as clay does; and the quality of readily re-
ceiviDg solar heat, would in that region, be
the certain extinction of all vegetable life.
Ia the existing facts, we see wise adapta
ton. There are few circumstances of
minor importance, yet worthy Of note. Our
summer days are long; in midsummer day
light is not absent more than five hours. w g
| are far in the interior; rains are less fire.
quent, and we have little cloudy weather. -
When it is borne in mind that light and heat
are the supporters Of vegetable life, it will
be seen how these circumstances favorably
affect the farmer. Solar heat is not as in
tense as farther south, but it is longer con-
tinued and more seldom withdrawn.
That the soil of Minnesota will produce
well all the agricultural staples Of the north
and west, has been thoroughly tested and
proved by intelligent farmers, for the last
! ten years.
1t is objected to the agricultural capacity
of the country, that there is much waste
iand-a large portion of the surface untitled
for cultivation by being marshy. Ii is true
that there is a great proportion of swamps
AMI marshes; but aside from the possibility
of these having some value, which presently
we will examine, does the fact really detracl
so much from the value of the country p
| Now as much as believe we are entitled
TO think of Minnesota for farming, | am
very far from believing, that agriculture Is
to he the great dominant interest. think we
have reason to believe that there will be a
union, a blending Of all interests, agrlcultu-
rail- manufacturing, commercial and mining
that will produce much higher prosperity
and more equal distribution Of wealth and
happiness, than would result from the grea,
preponderance Of agriculture, if every acr.
OF the soil were the riches, and every other
condition the most favorable; thereby in
suring TO that interest the ascendency.
If we look to the older states we shall see
that all land susceptible of cultivation is
not cultvated; and that the presence o
mountains renders great part unfit for til
Ilage. That there is mere arabic land thar
will ut any time, to which we can look for.
ward, be cultivated, is sufficient answer tt
the objection, that al! the land in Minnesota
is not arabic.
In natural connection with tillage, is wool
growing and stock-raising. Sheep that have
been brought to the country do well; and al
persons who have had experience in th'
business, agree in the opinion, that there i.
nothing wanting in the natural adaptation
OF the country to woolgrowing.
The extensive prairies, between the Mis-
souri, and St. FeterS rivers, anu extending
to the northern limits Of the Territory, ar
now traversed by vast herds Of buffaloes
that find there subsistence, summer an
winter. Those praires are natures pas
: lures; will not they he mans! When thel
present occupants disappear before the ad
vance of the white man, will not droves {
domestic cattle fatten in their stead, for ca:
tern and southern markets! From all dt
scrip,ions, the south western and wester
portion of the Territory, is the finest gra
zing country in the world. We may be sun
that Yankee aequisi,iveness and enterPr':
will not long permit il to remain unoccupie'
We can say to our Western Reserve friend
= that they can save the cost of transportatio
nm the butter and cheese which they no
furnish US, by bringing their churns ar
presses, and establishing dairies here.
: A word in regard to waste lands-gover
ment surveyors have found some of II
swamps and marshes, not the most favor
bile land in the world for their business, al
II without rejecting that they might have va
!" ue for others, have pronounced sentence
condemnation. OF land that passes und
the denomination of marshes, il will
i. found that very considerable portion,