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

this has in person experienced. A sim
lar experiment with the swamp water
the lower country on the Mississippi an
Ohio, would be like drinking in poiso
and ready made fever.
The practical results Of farming i
Minnesota, 80 far as tried, confirm tn
theoretical anticipatiens:
First, as to Indian Corn: The follow
ing extracts from newspapers publishe
at St. Paul, the capital, will afford al
idea of its adaptation to the soil and eli
mate of Minnesota:
"GREEN CoRN-Mr Bass, of the St
Paul House, regaled his boarders will
an excellent mess of green corn, yester
day. We believe some Of the article
has been on private tables in our towr
heretofore this season, but this is tn,
first We have seen at any Of our hotels
Our neighbors three hundred miles soutf
Of this are scarcely ahead of US in thi.
respect"
The above extract is from the Mime.
sofa Register, of July 81, l849. In the
same number Of the paper, the "Pros.
poets of the Crops" in the Territory
are thus noticed:
"The corn crop all over the Territory
so far as We have learned, looks remark
ably fine, and promises an abundan,
yield. Any persons residing in more
southern region, who are skeptical in
regard to the capacity of Minnesota to
produce corn, had better come up and
take look at some of our luxuriant
fields. 1t is now in tassel, and will have
abundant time to ripen before FROST
Potatoes also look remarkably we'll
The season has been very favorable for
their growth. This crop will yield upon
our soil $50 and 800 bushels to the acre.
Good potatoes have been selling in St.
Paul this season, at one dollar per
bushel."
The Minnesota Pioneer, another paper
at St. Paul, dated the I'd Of August,
lS49, contains the following article;
"CoRN.-Mr. Hoyt, of St. Paul, has
presented us with some fine large ears
Of corn, roasting ears, raised upon the
soD--that is, the first crop on the ground.
The soil, Mr.. Hoyt says, on which this
corn grew, is Of no better than second
rate quality Of land, being very sandy ;
yet the corn is now standing upon it u
feet high. The world may be safely
challenged to produce better soil than
ours for Indian corn; and yet corn sold
here last winter for 81 per bushel, and
will sell as we'll every winter for years,
to supply the Indian and lumber trade,
and the wants of immigrants"
The writer of this sketch saw the
corn last mentioned, both at its begin
ming and maturity. We never beheld
finer anywere; and it matured well be-
fore the frost. 1t was Of the southern
variety of corn-though the St. Law
renee corn of Western New York, is
probably better species to plant in Min
nesota.
The next extract given below, is from
the Minnesota Chronicle and Register
of St. Paul, under date Of September
22d, IS49, as follows:
"Messrs. Burris and Hone, Of Point
Douglass, left at the Secretary's office
on Monday last some vegetable products
of their neighborhood which would as
tonish the natives of any country. The
following is a list: Several cars Of corn,
measuring ii inches in length, The
seed was planted on the 18th day of
June, and the crop was just three months
coming to maturity and ripening. Spring
Wheat, grown from seed Of the Black
Sea species. yielding forty bushels TO the
acre; sown on the sixth Of June, and
harvested about the Goth of August. A
head of cabbage, measuring feet 6
inches in circumference. Several onions,
grown from the seed this season, mea-
surfing one foot in circumference.
"1'here is no richer soil in the world
nor country better adapted to all kinds
of farming, than the prairie" between
here and Point Douglass. The facts
given above in regard to what it is capa-
BILE of producing, will fully attest the
truth of this remark"
The extraordinary specimens of vege-
tation above mentioned, were examined
by the writer. The corn was very fne
The ears were long, cob small, and grains
large, firm and even set in the rows
The seed planted was of the St. Law
renee Yellow Flint variety. The wheat
was plump and full, and the product ex-
traordinarily heavy. The cabbage was
without any loose leaves,-a compact,
solid and round mass of vegetation, one
foot and six inches in diameter! The
onions were of size that nearly made
ones eyes water to look at them.
The newspaper last quoted from, Of
the previous date of September Is, lSl9,
says:
"We have before us turnip, Of the
common fiat species, said to have been
raised on the farm of Councillor Sturges
fifty miles north Of here, measuring
thirty inches in circumference. 1t is true,
we have seen larger turneps than this,
but it should be recollected, the grow
ing season Of this vegetable is now in
its midst, and will not be over for four or
FIVE weeks. Had it been suffered to re-
main in the ground until cold weather,
it would probably have grown twice its
present size"