Saint Paul weekly Minnesotian., 1859-11-19
The Rocky Mountain Region.

The Rocky Mountain Region.
From the Washington Republic. @ 4
4 From one of the descriptions of the Pixies.
Peak region we make the following extract
"The valley of the Platte, its tributaries,
and the prairie range on the eastern foot of
the mountain chain, are found to be far more
fertile than was at first supposed. Vegetables
are plenty in the settlements, and there is lit
tie doubt that all the cereals common to the
zone will grow luxuriantly in these
localities Gold is not the only mineral found
but evidences of silver, platina, and other ores
are abundant. Salt, also, will be one Of the
great staples"
We have had several recent instances in
this country of the inaccuracies of the judg-
ments pronounced, at first view, against the
capacity of particular sections to support pop
ulations. ...l. - ss d,
Michigan was once reported to be region
worthless for agriculture, by the Government
surveyors, and was so geneeally regarded
down to as late as the year 1882. When
Gen. jackson offered the State of Maine three
millions of acres in Michigan for cession to
Great Britain of her territory north of Saint
John, he was met with the responsibility
not offer us lands in the moon ?" And the
opinion of Michigan which prevailed in Maine
at that time, was universal in the country
And although that opinion of Michigan has
since yielded to better knowledge of the
subject, yet it is only within half dozen years
that the real capacities of that State for ag-
ricuture are beginning to be fully understood.
The first swarm of gold hunters pronounced
California to be an unlimited desert, and in
more than one letter written there during the
early period of American occupation, it was
said, and perhaps truly, that there were thou
sands of persons who had been lured thither
by Colonel Fremont description ofthe climate
and productions, and that they would gladly
revenge themselves by lynching him, if they
| had him in their power. Those doleful ac-
counts were given by those who saw and des
| cribed the parched fields of California in the
dry season, when it has, to experienced eyes,
the aspect of desert, although even then il
| is not so in truth, because the dried grasses
of that region are wonderfully nutritious, and
will support animal life in most teeming
abundance Still another error of these des
criptions was the forgetfulness of the fact, that
it is sufficient if only small portion of each
year is adapted to the culture and growth o
artificial crops and this forgettulness was the
more remarkable, as large part of the set
tiers in California were from the regions where
the earth is locked up by frosts and covered
with snow during long winters.
i 1t takes time to become accustomed to new
methods of agriculture, and to American ir
igation is new, although practiced from tirn'
ilnmemorial. Water is essential to vegeta
ton but if it can be had, it matters littl'
whether it is from bitches or the clouds, will
this difference, that artificial irrigation is un
der the control of man, while he is subject t.
sad and frequent misfortunes where he is de
pendant upon the "early and the latter rain.
The valley of the Nile, the land of corn, owe
all its fertility to irrigation and it is irriga
ton which to-day makes LOmbardy the agri
cultural wonder of the world
The great plains which stretch beyond Kan
sas to the Rocky Mountains are pronounced
to be desert. Yet buffalo range, such a
tlose plains notOriously are, cannot be des
ert, and country that will support cattl
will undoubtedly support men, for the obviOu
reason that men can subsist upon the mill
and beef which cattle furnish. These grea
plains may be unfit for the plow, but the,
will doubtless maintain great pastoral pop
ulation.
1t is one of the most singular prejudices
not Of mankind, but of the American portio
OF mankind, that countries are only valuabl
in proportion as they are arabic. This is
theory which rejects the natural fruits of tn
earth as of no account. Statistics show tina
animals furnish a greater amount Of fOoc
reckoned in this country, than all the cereal
and all the root crops. And even of England
with its confined limits and wonderful tiltf
it has been said by one who ought to know
that "half its toealth Is on the hoot." Ever
house keeper is aware that his butchers bi
is larger than his bakers bill; yet, stIangel
enough, countries which will only supper
cattle are adjudged worthless, the whole en-
) and aim of man being supposed to be the rais
ing of wheat and corn.
In due time, we shall see millions of peOpl
subsisting in comfort and opulence upon tn
mineral and pastoral resources of that sentr;
, region, which lies between the arabic skirt
the Mississippi and Missouri on the one side
and California. and Oregon on the other an
it is this middle region, to be developed b
railroads, which is to be the greatest futur
market of the valley of the Mississippi. 1t
the men who will tend flocks and herds in tn
} parks of the Rocky Mountains, and in tn
| great plains which lie at their base, who wi
consume the wheat Of Iowa, Missouri Kansa
and Nebraska, as in olden times, it was til
shepherds Of Syria who went down to EgyI
e to buy corn.