The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1855-11-28
tCor respondence of the Ashland Union.l
FROM IOWA.
CLARK County. Iowa. Nov. s. 1855

~
Clark County, Iowa, Nov. S, 1855.
FRIEND BusHNELL In travelling
through the State Of Iowa, no one can
but admire and be pleased with the beau
y and fertility of the country. The
clear and placid rivers meandering
through the broad rolling prairies, are
beautiful indeed to behold. The high
rolling prairie land, externally covered
with heavy grass, presents a fine pasture
ground for the stock of the country
The undeveloped resources of the coun
try, and the richness Of the soil of the
thousands of acres not yet taken up, pre-.
sent a fine field for labor and enterprise.
Iowa is indeed " the promised land"-
the garden of the mighty West.
The praires do not prepouderate over
the woodland in this State to the extent
that they do in Illinois, and it is said by
those who know that there is sufficient
timber for the use of the State. The
valley of the Mississippi-which forms
the eastern boundary-is from five to
ten miles in width, and is gener ally well
timbered-suficiently SO at lea ST, to sup
ply the river towns and adjacent country.
The western boundary is the Missouri
valley, with about tho SINE character
%istics. Beginning at the south, we 6nd
over fifteen rivers that empty into the
Mississippi, and about the same number
emptying into the Missouri, all of which
are skirted with fine timber. There are
also innumerable small Streams, border
ed with woodland, emptying into the riv-
ers,, all Of which combined will furnish
timber enough for the lowlands. 1t il
estimated that one-tenth of the surface
of the state is timber land.
There is perhaps no State in the
Union better watered, or that can boas.
Of more noble rivers. Some of the
prairies are broad. but it is not uncom-
mon to find men who would rather un-
dertake to farm ten miles from a tree,
than to go into the woods and spend q
life time among the stumps and smoke
in clearing up a few acres.
Is the soil productive :? There is Ger.
tainly no State where the same labor will
produce as much. Wheat and all other
kinds of grain do well. Corn stands
pre-eminent, and all varieties os vegeta.
bles find here a congenial soil. 1 take
from western papers some notices of
monster Vegetables. AT Eddyville, q
tomato was raised which measured 16
inches in circumference and weighed two
pounds. At O~skaloosa, a watermelon
Weighing 46 pounds. At Ottamwa, q
radish Weighing 81 pounds. At Bur.
lington a beet 26 inches in circumfer.
ence. A pumpkin was raised in the ives.
tern part Of the State that weighed lac
pounds. The farmers become lazy in
that section.
Sheep raising is a good business here,
as the profit is over 20 per cent on the
capital invested-the expenses of keep.
ing included. 1t is said that fne wool
ed heeces become coarse in a few years
owing, perhaps, to the climate. The
value of a common sheep is from two tc
five dollars, and the average yield Of
wool Eve pounds. The best business il
this country, at present, is the raising OF
hogs and cattle, as it costs nothing for
pasture and bat little for corn. Cattle
and hogs meet with as ready sale here
as in Ohio, and at almost as good pri-
ces.
There is plenty of coal in the hills in
every section of the State, and is nov be
ing brought into notice. Rail Roads
will assist greatly in developing the re-
sources of this country. As soen as the
farmer finds a ready market for his pro-
duce, she will rouse himself and work his
lands as they do in the eastern states
Then you will hear of monster produc-
tions, and of a great country sending
forth her bounties to feed the hungry
poor, pcnt up in eastern cities, and
throwing open her store houses to the
starving millions of the old world.
Persons travelling through the state
viii find no difficulty in being entertain
ed when night comes on, as a general
thing. 1 have been refused but once. =
The old folks were absent, and upon
asking the young man in charge of the
house for lodging for the night, he repli-
ed-abusing the Kings English"
don't reck'n you can't get to- stay all
night" Yours, truly,
d. Z. s.
correspondence of the Ashland Union.
PROM NEBRASKA.