Arkansas true Democrat., 1858-09-01
THE STATE OF ARKANSAa.
 Area and Boil.

three millions, four hundred and six thousand,
 seven hundred and twenty acres*. This be-
 ing exclusive of the territory covered by rivers,
 lakes and unexplored swamps, we may safely
 set down the area of the whole State at 55, 900
 square miles. This is equal to the States of
 Rhode Island, Connecticut, Delaware, Massa-
 ehusetts, Maryland, New Hampshire, New
 Jersey and Vermont.
 The State of Arkansas is as large as the
 great State of New York, with New Jersey
 thrown in.
 The government surveys, in the north
 eastern portion of the State, are very imperfect
 and alleged to be fraudulent. It is said
 that large bodies of land, laid down on the
 maps and pats as sunken lands or lakes, are, in reality, irregular swamps or low places, with
 large islands iu them, of comparatively dry
 land No attempt was made to survey them
 and there is no doubt but that proper exam
 ination and survey of this region would give to
 the State, under tho provisions of the act of
 Congress of 18th September, 1850, thousands
 of acres of swamp land.
 No State in the Union presents greater va-
 risty of soil or more diversified features. If
 we divide the State into four parts, by the Ar
 kansas river from east to west, and by an i'm.
 agnary line from north to south we shall have
 four sections of country widely different from
 each other. In the north west, we have ranges
 Of high hills called, by courtesy, mountains,
 with fertile valleys and tables of land. In the
 northeast, the nearer we approach to the Mis-
 sssippi river we find the swamp and supposed
 sunken lands of the St. Francis. In the south
 west We have country interspersed with
 prairies, in some parts hlly and rolling, in
 others level, but generally susceptible of culti-
 vation. The south. eastern, now the wealthiest
 portion of the State, is generally level, and
 when the overhowed lands shall be reclaimed
 will be very generally fit for cultivation.
 The northwestern section is rich in mineral
 wealth. Besides lead, iron, silver, etc., there are inexhaustible beds of coal and quarries of slate, granite and marble A geological sur
 vey of the State, now being made, will develop these, and we look with some anxiety for the report of Dr. Owen, the able State geologist,
 for information in this particular. The water in this part of our State is unsurpassed by any in the world. Besides the clear, cold springs of pure water there are all kinds of mineral spripgs which, as the country improves, are destined to become the resorts of the invalid and seeker of pleasure. There is one spring in White county. the water of which is an in- fallble cure for dyspepsia It has been tried repeatedly, and never failed of cure, even in the most severe cases. In fact, the State abounds in medicinal springs, both hot and cold, the most prominent at present being the Hot Springs in the county of that name and the Dardanelle springs in Yell county
 As grain- producing country north western Arkansas is unrivalled.
 We receive here at the capitol, four of the best northern brands, by way of Cncinnat- We have the celebrated Genessee brands and flour from the most celebrated Ohio mills but the -four manufactured in our own State is ac- knowledged to be a superior article In fact, 1t sells for fifty cents more for the hundred pounds than the imported flour. The steam tourlng mills in Washington county, the mill of Pennywit at Van Buren, and of Brown at Clarksvlle, turn out the best flour we have ever seen. Those who have used northern flour and Arkansas flour, all give the preference to the latter. The steam mills create demand for wheat which will always sell in the vicinity of where it is raised for from seventy-five cents to one dollar and twenty-five cents busheI- Thus, 1t will be seen, that the farmers have a market at their own doors. Of late years, the wheat crop in that section of country has grown greatly in importance Vast numbers of patent thrashers and several reapers have been intro. dueed and the owners of them have found more demands for the labor of these machines than they could fill. AZ other grains are success fully cultivated. The great staple is, of course, Indian corn. So great has been the product some years that in some parts of those coun- ties remote from the river, any quantity could have been bought for from ten to eighteen cents per bushel. We have heard of corn bought in Carroll county for fifteen cents. Of course this country is the very paradise of hogs and droves are taken every year to the south. It IS to bs regretted that attention has not. heretofore been paid to the procurement of the best breed of hogs aud cattle, as such breeds would doubly pay the farmer. If we take into account that besides the abundance and chean- ness Of corn, there are vast forests, some al most entirely of oaks, with their abundance of mast, we can imagine how easily it is to raise swine in that country. The country, or great part of 1t, though called mountainous, is cover ed with verdure and there are thousands of acres of vacant lands, which are free pastures for all. Of late years, in that and the south. western portions of the State, attention has been turned to the raising of cattle and horse s. The flies and gnats, so troublesome and de sructive to cattle and horses in Texas and other places, are seldom seen here, ard the peculiar features Of the country, where a prairie is bor dered by mountains or hills, affords an oppor. tunity for the cattle to feed in the hills and woods during the day and on the praires at night. On the rivers and creeks are found cane- bottoms where the cattle live during the winter. We have been assured by persons from that portion of the State that cattle often remain in the bottoms all winter, and that unless it is c very severe season, there is no necessity to feed stock for more than a month or six weeks in each year. The praires and hills to their summits, are covered with nutritious grass and this has been found to make excellent hay In addition to this the market forstock is found at the farmers own door. The country is visit cd every winter and spring by persons buying up cattle to drive to California Kansas and other places; besides army contractors who pur- chase to kill. Neat cattle sell at the farms of their owners for from twelve to twenty dollars a head, milch COWS from fifteen to thirty dol I