The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1853-11-19
NUMBER 10.

does not drift. and it is seldom more than IL in
ches deep. The temperature remains about the
same, from the last of November to the first OF
| April.
The old settlers say, they have more sun
shine in Minnesota than in any other part Of
the world and that the frequent exhibitions,
| on clear winter nights, of the Aurora Borealis,
rich alluvium, or black sandy loan, exceeding
ly mellow, and easy to be worked. 1t is Of a
warm nature. and brings forth vegetation very
rapidly and corn, or tender plants, are as sure
crop as in Illinois or Ohio. as frost frequently
holds off later. And in wheat oats. potatoes,
melons, and the entire variety Of culinary veg
etables. Minnesota no doubt eXcels either Illi-
nois or Ohio.
The natural fruits of the country are wild
plums, "a large, fine-favored fruit,) cherries,
crab-apples. cranberries, of which there are
hundreds of acres. producing q large, fine berry.
They are so plenty that they will eventually,
become an important article of export.
There are thousands of acres Of wild rice,
that remains unharvested. 1t is said to be,
when prepared for the table. quite equal to our
cultivated rice. 1t will, at some future day,
be brought into general use. Walnuts and
hickory nuts are found in abundance on the
Minnesota and its tributaries. lIuckleberries,
blackbclries, and Strawberries, of delicious fla
vor, are plentiful
The native sweet potato is found in the rich
soil. at the base Of the bluffs of the Minnesota
and Mississippi. The climate and soil seem TO
he remarkably well adapted to our common
Irish potatoes, A to 500 bushels are frequently
taken from the acre. OF wheat, 25 to IS bush
els is regarded as an average crop-j4 bushels
has been raised on an acre /; so bushels of oats
is a common crop; Of barley, GO bushels may DO
calculated on. The average yield of corn is
said to DC 80 bushels to the acre"
As grazing country, Minnesota cannot he
eXcelled. There is an abundance of natural
food for stock. There is enough wild grass to
supply the country until it is ten times as
thickiy settled as at present; four tons to the
acre, is very common yield from the natural
meadows.
Ru1hes grow in such abundance. that in ma
ny places, it is unnecessary to provide winter
food for cattle or horses.
Sheep do better than in Missouri or Illinois.
One flock of 200 were shorn last summer, Of
fecces weighing seven ard q half to eight
pounds each. Hogs do not do as well in the
woods as in Ohio aud Indiana, as acorns and
other nuts are not as plenty. Thousands OK
barrels of the best fresh water fish might be an
nually exported from Minnesota.
There are five first class steamboats, that make
regular weekly trips to st. Paul from Galena
and st. Louis. during the summer months. Tho
average number OF passengers by these boats,
dred per week: in fact the emf grafton to the
Territory. from the old States and Europe. is
almost without parallel. And then the agri-
culturist the grazer. the mechanic, the manu-
faeturar and miner may all find situations
adapted TO their respective occupations. Min
ncsota may be properly called an Cndine re-
gion, there is scarcely six miles square in the
whole Territory, that has not one or mere deep,
clear, living spring-watcr lakes. from q stones
throw across to a mile in extent. and filed with
different varieties OF excellent fish, that can be
caught so fast with hook and line that taking
them ceases to be sport. The water is so trans
parent that you can see the pebbly bottom
where the water is twenty feet deep. The ru-
raj scenery about these lakes, their snrround-
ing Of alternate forest and prairie, is indescrib-
able. Countless locks of wild fowls visit the
lakes in summer and feed Oh wild rice. and be-
come dcliciOusy fat, and are easily taken. The
largest lakes in the interior are Minnetonka
and Mile Lacs they are l6 to Is miles broad.
by 20 to 80 long; and are navigable for steam
boats. Lakes Harriet, Calhoun. Phalens Bass,
McKenty's. White Bear, and many others, in
the vicinity of st. Paul, are trequented by
sportsmen for their game and fish, and are not
ed for their beautiful scenery. Settlers, with
little eyertion. may always be supplied with an
abundance of fish and game. The prairie hen,
the flavor of whose flesh must satisfy the taste
of the most fastdious cpicure, is found in suffi-
cient numbers throughout the prairies Of the
whole Territory.
On lake Minnetonka tw 0 colonies commenced
settlements, one from New York, consisting of
about one hundred families, another from Mas
sachusetts, numbering some less. They have
mills in operation and expect to put a steam
boat for their own use on the lake next year.
The New York colony, in the preamble to their
printed constitution, say, in reference to their
location:
"a =, H..
farming country, that for healthfulness of eli
mate. fertility of soil, beauty of scenery, and
nearness of markets, cannot be surpassed by
any other locality in the country, being within
II or II miles of st. Paul and st. Anthony. Of
minerals. granite and limestone for building
purposes limestone of the best qnalty for
making common lime. Beds of iron ore, cop
per- lead &c. are found in abundance in pOr-
tons of the Territory. Coal has as yet been
of salt water, called Devils Lake, in the north
west produces excellent salt. st. Anthony, 10
miles by land, and II by water from st. Paul,
is a beautiful town O. $500 inhabitants, built on
the rolling prairie, mostly neat cottages. ex-
tending along the Falls, and half a mile back.
1t is destined to be a large manufacturing place
its advantages of water powers are not supas-
sed in this country. There appears to be a suf-
iciency of hydraulic power distributed on the
rivers and large streams throughout the Terri
to carry all the machinery that will be requir-
ed for the use Of millions"
And now, dear reader come with me in mag
ination; and let us climb to the top (as did by
physical eXertiOn) of one of the before described
mounds some 400 feet high. 1t is not an un-
pleasant task, the mound you see, is covered
from base to apex, with short grass and beautl-
ful wild flowers; now we are on the top. Is not
the air pure up here? Now let us take gene
raj view of the surrounding country as ,ar a.
the eve can reach. Away below, on the Missis-
sippi we see two noble steamer coming up, the
white foam rolling up high under their bows;
their decks blackened with passengers, just COM
ing TO their new home. From up the river we
see another coming down, with still greater
speed, having left her precious cargo Of souls
at St. Panl, Let us look away in the distance
on either side; we see the beautiful rolling prai-
ries, theis variegated verdure gently bowling
to the breeze like the waves of the ocean when
near calm: and ever and anon, we see the beau
tiful forests, hundreds of acres of tall sugar ma
ple birch, ash, hickory, elm, white walnut bass
wood, &c; and see these beautiful, silvery lakes
,,;th ho;r oforc 1;Sfo inO the