Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1859-06-03

J
Agriculture in Iowa.
The failure of the crops, last season, in
Iowa, and other States, was sad blow to all
classes of community, and especially to the
farmer. We are inclined to think, however,
that much depends in agriculture, upon al
vays cultivatins all the land that can posi-
bly, be attended to. 1t is true, large crops
may be put in and failure may be the re-
suit; but the advantage is this that when
the yield is good, The surplus will be on hand
to supply the deficiency Of the succeeding
year, should there be one. If there is
not it is better to have the grain lying in
the garner than to have run the risk of being
without it. But there is every prospect at
this time that every bushel Of wheat raised
by our farmers, if not this year, next, will
find ready market in Europe. France and
Austria have commenced war that may not
end until all the nations Of Europe shall be
drawn into it, and which may be of many
years duration. And what nobler enterprise
could the United States be engaged in than
furnishing food for the soldiery of these
nonarchial governments, while they cut each
others Threats thus Kidding the people of
these nations of their cruel tyrants? 1t will
no doubt be the policy of this government to
maintain strict neutrality in the coming
struggle, and to reap all the benefit of it,
while millions of their treasure will have to
be forthcoming, not only for provisions, but
many other articles that we can best supply.
Our railroads and some other public works
have depended to a considerable extent upon
European capital; now the order Of things
will be reversed, and they will have to
rely upon us for what they cannot do with
out-provisions to maintain the bone and
sinew of their war capital, their military.
What we most wish to speak of in this
article, however, are the farming prospects
of Iowa. There is no other State in the
Union where the profit is so large with so
small expense. The soil is well adapted to
pecaly corn and wheat. Oats, also, yield
good and potatoes do better than in any other
section of our country. 1t is to be regretted
that so many farmers remain in the east as
renters, and make barely their living, while
thousands of acres of land lie uncultvatcd in
this State, upon which, with half the effort,
in two profitable seasons, they could make
enough to purchase tract Of land sufficiently
large for all practical purposes. We do not
speak at random in this, but what we know
to have been the case. And tho renter has
everything to gain and nothing to lose;
being free from taxes, and free from the res
possibility of failure of crops, should it
occur, as cash rent is seldom paid and only
at the option Of the renter.
The rich bottom lands of the Cedar and
Iowa rivers offer inducements to the farmer
to be found in no other part of the West
The soil is of the very best quality, and is not
subject to the drought that sometimes Injuries
the crops in other localities. Another advan-
tage is their proximity to market. Although
this region is settling up very rapidly, thous.
ands of acres yet remain uncultivated, that
with half the labor which is required on the
hillsdes of the eastern States, will yield
double the amount of all kinds of grain
There are class of people throughout the
State, though we rejoice to say their number
is small, who are dissatisfied complain of
the climate, and would complain if they were
in The Garden of Eden. They will probably
60 south, where the climate will be too warm,
and, wherever they go, their complaining
spirit will accompany them. But we have
another class Of whom We are proud to
speak. They are the farmers who located in
Iowa ten, fifteen and twenty years ago,
bringing with them, in some instances, a few
hundred dollars, and many bringing nothing
but their strong hands and stout hearts.
They are now the wealthy and influential
class-the men of our State. We can point
out dozen farms in our view as we write.
belonging to men whose effects, when they
came to the State, were contained in two
horse wagon, who are now worth ten, fifteen
and twenty thousand dollars. And their
success was no chance work, but merely the
result Of energy and perseverance.
Come. then, ye dissatisfied Pixies Peakers,
and give DER your wanderings by finding a
home among us. and in few years you may
be able to rejoice in as "fat" wallet as your
hearts could wish.
W Judgs Ranney, the Democratic nomi-
nee for Governor in Ohio, is Douglas DEM
ocrat. His associates on the ticket are sup.
posed to be Of similar stripe. 1t was an
object to get candidates not known to he