Demoine courier., 1855-03-29
MISCELLANY.
@From the Iowa Farmer and Horticulturist
General Features Of the State Of
SEHia Iowa.

r rom the Iowa Farmer and Horticulturist.
General Features Of the State OF
5gai y Iowa.
The State OF Iowa forms almost a
square, being about three hundred miles
in length, ami the same In breadtil, pack.
ed Between Missouri on The south and
the Territory Of Minnesota on the north,
the Mississippi and Missouri rivers form
80 III. eastern ant western boundary.
The climate, in extremes of heat and
cold some what resembles that OF the
northern portions OF Indiana, Ohio and
Pennsylvania. and southern New York,
Ceing nIlder than that Of Michigan and
Wisconsin and Minnesota.
IN extreme fertility OF land. and the
large proportion which the lillabIe soil
bears,o that unfit for cultivation, Iowa
may well challenge The entire Union
Her parties are neither SO bleak or Hat,
or coldas siose Of Illinois, neither is any
mountainous or billy range worthy the
|. name toNbe found within her boundaries.
bands which are now rejected by the
fustidious purchaser as not suited to his
purpose. would be regarded in many 9th.
or States as possessed Of superior farm
ing capacities. y
Y Southern Iowa, comprising the frs,
three tiers Of counties, from the Missouri
boundary line 10 the mouth of the Iowa
river, is the best settled portion Of tile
State at present, and during the summe
season presents q charming appearance
70 the traveller. With a soil which leaves
nothing to be desired by the farmer,
beautifully divided into in,eryaIe and up.
land alternate prairie and timber, il is also
bounlfully supplied with pure water.
stone, gypsum, or plaster of paris, btu
minous coal and wafer lime.
= The soil is principally a deep rich allu
vial upon a lime or clay bottom, varied
in localities approaching the water cour-
ses. by sandy ridges, and presents the
usual appearance of the lime stone re
gion. The streams, originating in the
upland, and draining il Of surplus water.
have cut for themselves through many
ages, deep channels in the soil, forming
the only approach 10 a billy country
which can be found. The timber. which
grows principally upon the waller courses,
10 small and scrubby in comparison to
that Of lhe States east of Illinois. The
observant traveller who can pass through
Mis- sectlen of country is indeed hard to
please il he fails To appreciate its extreme
beauty and capacity for sustaining a
dense and highly prosperous populesion.
The valley Of the Fesmoines river, up
wards of two hundred miles in length
will, ere long, be one entire garden spot.
The improvements in this part Of The
Stale are good, many farmers having hand
some brick houses, good barns. fine stock,
well fenced fields, and all The appur,enan
ces of a thriving, well settled country.
Central Iowa hos not hitherto been a
great point of attraction for emigration.
The soil. though extremely fertile. is
generally lighter and more s;Ady, and the
Prairies are larger, though dry and roll
ing. and possessing every capacity for
cul,ivaiion. than ihose farther soath.-
The early settlers OF Iowa had a dread
OF wide praries in which their successors
do mot share; consequently Central Iowa
IA now settling up quite as rapidly as any
other portion Of the State. The man
who has lived all his life in a heavily
timbered region Of country is surpri
sed when he gets upon a westerns prai-
RE, to see how little wood-is really need.
ed for farming purposes, and what a
cmoll Dvou,rtiou his ,;n,ho.od Lad noxl
bear TO the rest of his farm. Ills sec
ton of the State charms the eye Of the
traveller with is fine rolling land inter.
spersed wiahsbeautiful groves, ana is az
tracing great numbers Of settlers al the
present time. ea5
Northern Iowa will always be the
point OF attraction for the emigrapt from
the New England States. Its fertile soil,
park like groves aud never failing streams
Of living water bursting from Out the
prairie and filled with speckled trout
all indicate a country adapted for health
and all the enjoymenis Of life. Hitherto
more lhinly populated thsc any other part
Of the State, Northern Iowa is now rap
idly being filled up with a class Of people
that would do honor to any Siate,-the
rugged, industrious, shrewdand prospe-
rous sons of New England and the
Northern States.
The Improvements 10 Central and
Northern Iowa are as yet poor in com
psrison with those Of the Southern part.
CLIMATE AND HEALTH.--We have be-
fore briefly alluded to the climate Of our
State. The temperature, particularly in
winter, OF course varies considerably in
q State occupying nearly six degrees Of
latitude, and We have but little knowledge
OF the extremes Of cold in the northern
portion. In Southern Iowa. the cod has
been as eveFe as twensy.six degrees be-
low zero. and frequently goes down to
fifteen. The absence Of snow, which
visits no but about once every six years,
Mna = H. As-- tA-aI