The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1860-12-07
A Cottage Grove Farm and Farmer

G""oFS re0neer and OeW0crGt.-
That portion Of the adjoining county Of
Washington lying south Of line running
due east from st. Paul IS Familiarity desig-
mated by the general term Cottage Grove,
and has long enjoyed reputation for great
productlveness. This reputation its aver
age crops for long series of years have
shown to be well deserved. Perhaps no
other portion of our highly favored State
possesses so many advantages for successful
farming, all things considered. Comprising
the delta of country lying between the St.
Croix and Mississippi rivers, its admirable
locality will at once be seen. The sur
rounding towns of Saltwater, Lakeland,
Hudson, Alton, Prescott Point Douglas,
Hastings, Nininger, and st. Paul, afford
the farmer choice of markets at all times
while the advantages derived from the
abundance of surrounding grist mills, and
the facilities for building and fencing
afforded by the proximity of the St. Croix
lumber markets, must DE apparent. The
country is generally high, handsomely
rolling prairie-the soil, black, friable
loan, of the first quality. The surest and
most durable soils in this region are admix.
ed with a considerable portion of sand,
underlaid with clay and limestone, and
possess singular capacity of resisting the
extremes of both wet and drouth. Indeed.
it may safely be affirmed that no other
section OF our wide country, east or west,
can furnish record of as uniformly good
crops and superior to that afforded by the
productions of Cottage Grove, during a
period of eighteen years. The retrospect
may be extended so far, from the fact that
this is the Oldest settled portion OF Mime
sofa. The first ground broken 10 the State
for agricultural purposes was by Mr.. Has
kell, near Alton, about twenty years ago.
AS proof at once of the durability of the
soil and its adaptabllity to toe climate, the
first settlers point to fields which have
produced crops of grain successfully, with~
out intermssion and without manure, for
q period of seventeen years. During this
period the nearest approach to failure of
the wheat crop was yield of about 10
bushels per acre, while the average annual
yield of this grain was near %. 1t will
thus be seen that amid all the vicisstudes
which beset the farmers fortune, and from
which in tue States south of us be Jared in
past years so disastrously, the farmers in
Cottage Grove have gone on gathering
bountiful crops, with singular degree of
confidence ard encouragement.
The name Cottage Grove is derived from
beautiful belt of oak timber, stretching
north and south, midway between the two
rivers. In this grove the early settlers
built their houses, their fields running out
into the adjoining prairie. This conoint
appearance of smooth fields and open groves
suggest ideas of the halowed and ances-
trail, which we are apt to associate with
our remembered homes. The traveller, at all
events, cannot fail to perceive that an in
telligent and prosperous community sur.
rounds him on all sides.
Among the best managed, best arranged
and most productive farms in this section is
that of our old friend, Captain N. H. Van
Slyke. This gentleman is a native of Her.
kimer county, New York, and came to
this State in 1858. Since that year be has
produced results of which any farmer
might feel proud. We several times visit
ed his farm during the past season, and
watched with much interest the maturing
of field of 30 acres of wheat. We are
familiar with the best wheat growing re-
gions of Chester and Lancaster counties,
Pennsylvania, and have lived in the "wheat
region l" of Ohio, but we never before saw
anything of more magnificent promise.
The result has just come to hand. The
yield is LOO bushels, machine measure,
which, allowing for the customary excess
by weight, will make between IS and 80
bushels per acre. There were three varie-
ties-Rio tirande, Canada Club and Scotch
Club. Of the latter there were 10 acres, 80
superior to the rest, that the reapers and
all good judges estimated it would yield
fully 40 bushels to the acre. The result
justiies the estimate. In the year 1855
Mr.. Van Slyke raised, on field of Is
acres, an average OF 81 bushels per acre.
His lightest yield, during the seven years of
Minnesota farming, was % bushels per
acre, while his average has been fully 80.
OF other crops he has raised more than
once 70 bushels per acre of oats, As of
barley, 60 of corn, and 400 of potatoes.
He has, besides, been an extensive grower
of Hungarian grass of which as high as
five tons per acre has been produced. Al
together Capt. Van Slyke approaches re-
alzation of practical model farmer, and
we cordially recommend Others to go and
do likewise. PIP.
In an action to recover damages for adul.
terry, brought in the New York City Courts