The Nevada Democrat., 1859-09-28
Arrlculture en the Plans.

| There is a radical mleappfenehslou III tue
public mind with regard TO the true character
Of The s.Great Plains Of America. as complete
as that which pervaded Europe respecting the
Atlantic Ocean prior to Columbus. These
| plains are not 'deserts,n but the, opposite, and
will in future add much to the empire Of COM
merce and industry now being exerted on this
continent. Their position and extent may be
easily understood. in stating that they are
comprised within the meridian line on The west
side of Louisiana, the boundaries OF Arkansas,
Missouri, and Iowa for their eastern limi', and
the Rocky Mountain crest for their western,
with Texas at the south, and the Arctic coast
on the north. embracing longitudinal paral-
telegram of somewhat less than 1000 miles in
width They have gentle slope from The west
| to the east, abounding IN rivers, running al
lertly in the Missouri. Mississippi, the st. Law
renee. and to the Texan coast. They are of
homogeneous formation, slightly undnlating
and continuous, without timbered space or lake.
The soil, though compact. is fine cacareous
mould. producing an abundance OF herbage
peculiarly adapted to the climate. During
temporary prevalence of moist atmosphere, al in
the spring, the delicate "Gramma" and "Buf-
| falo' grass flourish. and are cured into hay
| upon the ground by the gradual returning
| drought. 1t is upon this longitudinal belt OF
perennial pasture that the buffalo finds his win
ter food, subsistng upon it without regard to
latitude and here, are found vast numbers OF
wild horses, the antelope. the elk. and numer-
Gus other animals peculiar to the continent.
As the larger portion of 'he Great Plains"
lies within the temperate zone, the position
with respect to climate is favorable TO intellec-
tual and physical development, health, and
longevity. The seasons are comparatively
rainless. except during the melting OF the snow
| on the immense mountain masses beyond, when
the rivers swell like the Nile, and yield cop-
ous evaporation in their long courses, causing
the storm-clouds to gather oil the sumiis. roll
down their 1anks, and discharge themselves
over the earth in vernal showers The atmos
phere is almost perpetually brilliant with an
azure sky, tonic. healthy, and inspiriting to the
tempere, corresponding to, if not surprising
that of the historic climates Of Arabir and Sy-
ria, whence we have inherited all that is ethere'
oil and refined in our system of civilization.
The "Great Plains" abound in fuel, The ma
terials for fencing, and the construction. OF
dwellings. Btuminous coal is abundantly ln-
terstratifed with the cacareous and sandstone
formations as well as in the tianks OF the mouu-
tains, are easily obtained. The dung OF the
buffalo il scattered everywhere, and readily
burns when dry. The order of vegetable growth
in many respects being reversed by the aridiiy
of the atmosphere, what appear above as mere
shrubs insinuate themselves deep into the earth.
! and form below an immense arboscent growth.
Fuel of wood is therefore found by mining. or
digging, instead of telling trees. Freestone,
| Limestone plaster. clay and sand occur to an
unlimited extent. The large and economical
adobe brick hardened in the sun without fire,
supercedes other materials for walls and fences
in these arid regions, and, as in Egypt aud Sy'
ria, for centuries resist decay. The dwellings
thus formed are of the most healthy kind, be-
ing impervious to heat and cold, damp and
wind. ..,
These regions embrace an ample proportion
of arabic soil for farms The 'bottoms" of the
rivers are broad and level, being only few
inches of elevation above their waters. They
may be easily and cheaply saturated by means
of artificial irrigation. Under this treatment,
the soil being aluvial and calcareous, both
from the snlphate and carbonate formations,
could be made to return prodigous yield,
independent of the fall of rain and snow. Al
most every variety of grain, grass, fax, hemp,
cotton, as we'll as vegetables. grapes and other
fruits with the fora, under al uneonded sun.
irrigated at the root attain extraordinary Wig
or, flavor, aud beauty; and hence this cOu try
offers permanent home for man.
1t is probable that the aggregate aboriginal
stock (the buffalo, the elk, the deer &C., of the
Great Plains' still exceeds the existing nun
Der of farm quadrupeds in the settled portions
of the United States It is all spontaneously
suppUTlcu uotuiVf nuus " panty W 'S"SN"'
it is to be inferred thai must, if not all. of our
domestic animals would flourish there eaqually
we'll with the indigenous ones. Three tame
animals may besubstituted for every wild one,
and vast territories might be re-occupied, from
which the aboriginal stock has been reduced
by indscrimiuate slaughter aud the increase OF
wolves.
The American people. then, are about to in
augnrate new and immense order of ndnstri-
al prodnction-pastoral husbandry. Its chief
theater of action will be this terra incognitd, in
termediate between the two oceans Once
commenced it will rapidly deveope. We also
anticipate here the successive inauguration and
syetematic growth of other distinct orders of
husbandry culture of cereals, hemp, frnit,
tobacco, and the production of meats, heather
aud wool Railroads, and other channels for
transportation by land or water, will he estah-
lished, connecting these regions with either sea;
internal commerce will flourish. and this great
pastoral garden of the world will become the
happy abodes of untold millions Of generations
yet uuborn.-Patent Office Report for 1851.