The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1857-08-22
The "Weed-Lands


Hearing much about the s:weed- land'' and
the one thousand acre patch Of corn grow
ing there; of the numerous gardens. Weld
etables; Of the ssoceans'' of wild fruit there
abouts, and Of the beautiful prairie land
intervening, we imbibed a strong desire to
"taste and see'' for ourselves, and. accor-
dinghy, a few days ago, set out to see what
kind Of crops can be raised so near sun
down. The 'sweed-land' is located about
three miles south west Of this place, and the
road leading to it traverses some of the best
and most beautiful prairie land it has ever
been our pleasure to see. This prairie land
is covered with luxnriant growth Of very
nutritious grass, upon which hundreds of
cattle can daily be seen browsing. What a
glorious contrast with the sterile fields Of
some of the older states, in this almost
boundless sea-like field of verdure! Here
tens of thousand Of cattle might browse and
grow fat, and yet consume SO little Of the
great expanse of grass that it could scarce-
" be seen where they had fed. Large for
tunes could be made in avery short time bv
buying lean cattle iii the spring Of the year
and driving them upon this s.free pasture.o
where they would speedily fatten without
the least expense to the owner. But we are
departing from our text. a.
Reader, have you ever seen thousand
acres of corn in one patch, the stalks from
10 to Is feet in height, each one bearinE,
from 2 to 3 enormous ears, so high up on
the stalk that 'ssix-footer'' could not
reach them to ascertain whether they had
arrived at the dignity of roasting ears? If
not, YOU have not seen what can be sean BY
visiting the ssweed land.n What wilder
ness of corn! What variety and profu-
Stop of vegetables! What harvest of po-
tatoes there will be! Why is it. asked we,
that corn is So bushel; potatoes from 81
to So, and other farm products in about the
same proportion, while ifthis proves good
season throughout, there will be sufficient
corn raised on this one field to supply every
inhabitant and every animal in our precinct
with 25 bushels each? True enough. repli-
ed our companion; but you must recollect
that very little land is titled (and a great
portion is wholly unfit for farming purpo-
ses) north and north east of US. and part
of our crop must go to supply the defcien-
CIV there. And this is correct. For years to
come the grain, &C., consumed by the in
habitants of the country north of us, will be
raised on the Missouri Bottom in the vicini-
ty of, and south and east Of Sergeant's
Bluff. While this is the ease-and we cam
not see when it will be Notwithstanding
will be the most remunerative occupation
which can be engaged in, in all the vast
country comprising the Missouri Bottom.
The drops on the ':wced- land" were prin-
cipally put out by young men living in Ser
geant's Bluff. To show that they are making
a good thing of it, land at the same time
having good time of it.--their crops being
past hoeing, they need do nothing but clay
on their oarss and await their maturing,)
we need only state that, after giving por-
ton of the crop for the use of teams, &c,
they will have from $500 to ST. 200 each
clear Of all expenses, for their summsr's
work. And this from the one crop Of corn.
What might not the practical farmer make;
who would, in addition to corn, raise wheat,
oats, potatoes, and numerous varieties of
garden vegetables, which could readily be
disposed of at remunerative prices. Can
not some Of our farmers answer this ques-
ton, or are they ashamed to tell how much
money they have been making?
But the crops growing on the 'sweed land'
does not constitute the extent of the farm
ing operations in this vicinity. On the nu-
mereus well improved farms in our imme-
date neighborhood, is seen the evidence Of
judicious farming and the promise of an
abundant harvest.-Seryeant's Bluff hide
pendent. wL