The emigrant aid journal of Minnesota. [volume] (Nininger City, Minn. Terr. [i.e. Minn.]) 1856-1858, 1858-03-03

We last quoted speaks Of : the few scattered tracts as re,
brought under cultivation, showing abundant evidences
Of its great fertility He then proceeds:
We come now to consider a belt of country extend
ing in breadth from the Big Woods to the Chippewa
river, q distance Of seventy miles, which has been anti,
termed the Farmers Paradise with q surface admira.
by divided between rolling prairie, woodland and
meadow, and watered by a thousand crystal lakes and
streams; 1t also has an exceedingly fertile and durabl.
soil closely resembling that Of the Big Woods
:Ihe country between the Chippewa river and the
Bots de Sioux river is but sPsringly supplied with tim.
from adjacent regions. 1t has IN alluvi.l soil. rich.
deep and lasting, which is capable Of producing in the
highest perfection, every grain and root adapted to n
Western climate. The species of grass called red.top j.
indigenous, and reaches frequently = height Of six feet,
furnishing . sure index to the productive qualities OF
the soil
We quote again from the same report after stating
that the region between Crow Wing and Ottertail Lake
possesses few advantages, he proceeds to describe the
valley Of the Red River as follows:
The surface is rolling prairie interspersed with fine
groves Of timber, amply sufficient for the purpose Of u
dense population and is we'll watered. The soil is uni
versally described as excellent, and many do not hest.
So much has been said and written Of late concerning
this wonderful region, that but little can be added. All
agree in assigning it a prominent rank among the un.
settled portions of the West
The country adjacent to the great Bend of the Min.
nesota river, including the Blue Earth region-has long
been represented as ono Of the most fertile and beautiful
in the United States. DR.. b. F. Shumard, United
States Geologist Under Owen. thus speaks of it:
The fertility of the soil and the background of for.
est will undoubtedly make this, at no very distant day.
a desirable locality for settlers seeking a new home.
The woodland abounds in linden, white aid sugar maple,
aspen, elm, butternut and hickory, with an underground
Of prickly ash, g~ooseberry and grape-vines.'
W. mood howovor ~ No f,rt1o, tNI-..
suffice to demonstrate til It We still retain millions Of
unpre-empted acres as choice rs any that have yet been
taken up within the borders Of Minnesota. The emf.
grant must mt suppose that because We have accumu.
lated here sufficient population to entitle US to the rank
Of a State that all the opportunities afforded by a new
country are passed. We must bear in mind that we
possess an area almost twice as great as the State Of
Ohio, and that the population Of Ohio in 1850 was
nearly two millions as contvasted With our one hundred
and fifty thousand, so that an increase Of the present
population of Minnesota twenty times would fail to bring
us up to the position of Ohio in point of density.
1t must be admitted that occupying a high North
western locality, We are subject to q greater degree of
cold during the winter months than IS to be found in
the majority Of the States. This however has been
much exaggerated and made a formidable weapon #
argument against US, while it applies with equal force
to the greater par: Of Wisconsin aud Michigan, against
whom, however, it is never urged. We think that there
are one or two circumstances which materially tend to
mltlgate tue temperature OF Minnesota as cOntraSted
with Iowa and Kansas. In the first place, it does not
follow that the same degree Of the hermometrical
temperature will produce the same results in localities
where the amount of humidity 10 the atmosphere or the
quantity and character of the winds is different.
One quotation will determine this as to the question
Of humidity. We quote from Lorin Budgets work be-.
fore referred to, p l6l:
1T may be said here, however that the effect of ex
tremes in the growth Of vegetation is apparently similar
t. that on animal life, and that the absence of heat NAY
be borne as much more easily in a dry climate than its
excess in a humid one. Col. Emory. in a paragraph
already quoted, remarks that the greater humidity Of a
night near the ella made a temperature of 80 more
severely felt than one of 25o in the dry regions
We would here add, that the climate Of Minnesota is
essentially a dry oue-more particularly so during the
winter months. The following table shows the amount
of rain and snow that falls at St. Paul during the winter,
as contrasted With other points in the Union.
Mean Fall Of Rain and Melted Snow-Depth in inches ard