Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1863-11-06
REPoRT OF COMM fss1ONER on sE.
LkCTI0N OF AGRICULTURAI COL.
u.EnE l. a NnQ ..a- T----


REPORT OF COMM fsslONKR ON sK.
LECTION OF AGRICULTURAL COL
LEGE LAMBS. @ sra bsrlrc-
| CEDAR FALLS, JAAuARr 10Th, 1858.
10 HE Ercelisncy, SAMUEL J. Knxwoop, r-esE
s fe Gocernor Of the State Of Iora.
sa. CONCLUDED rasx LAST WEEK. -.r
REMARKs ON THE FORT DODGE LAND DIsrsIcr.
The number of acres selected in this Dis.
trict in the counties named is about 115, ,O00
acres. The Western tier Of townships in
Calhoun, PocAhontas, Palo Alto counties, are
in the Sioux City District. aII
Before passing to the next counties would
remark that all the counties named are
GRAINED towards the Mississippi river-t that
the elevation Of the l15, 900 acres of College
lands OF this district, in nine counties, ranges
rom 500 to l4O0 feet above the ocean that
the difference of level between the beds Of
the rivers named and the average level Of the
prsirie lands is about 250 feet, with less
District. AT2 8 2 ~
The bed Of tho Des Moines river at Fort
Dodge, is about 80 feet lower than the Iowa
Ct Iowa Falls, and 30 feet lower than the
Boone at Webster City. The prairie, ~
miles East OF Fort Dodge, near the college
lands in Hamilton County, is about $40 feet
higher than at Des Moines, and the prairie
on the line OF the road 40 miles West Of Fort
Dodge is about $40 feet above the river
Some OF the College lands are near those
SUBMITS, Though there are no elevations that
can be dignified by the name of hills; the
slopes nom the river, after leaving the inme-
diate bluffs, being SO gradual, that good rat.
ural drainage is effected without the liability
Of the cultivated soil to wash, and afford.
ing at the same time good facilities for ar
tificial draining in all cases where it may be
required. a ".." D.. -
The timber along the Iowa, Boone and Des
Moines, and some Of their larges tributaries,
is Of considerable variety, including several
species Of oaks and naples, besides white
and black walnut, hickories, blackberry, linn,
and some others Of less practical value. There
is also cottonwood of large size on the Boone
and Des Aoines. There is not, however,
timber enough to supply the intervening
prairies, when settled. unless il is very pru.
IDENTIFY used. But when the country is more
settled the prairie fires will be kept away
from the farms near the rivers and the groves
will naturally extend upon the prairie, as has
been the case in all the Eastern counties of
the State. The extensive prairie tracts will
eventually be developed and beautified by
the culture of forest trees, raising them from
the seed. One Of the best adapted to the
soil for this purpose and for rapid growth is
the locust, the most durable for posts and
fencing Of any Of the introduced trees. Like
any other timber attempted to be grown on
the prairie exposed to the stormy winds, 1t
should be planted thick, that the trees may
afford each other mutual protection and have
tendency to grow tall. If properly cultiva-
ted, the locust is often large enough for
fence stake in the fifth year, for post in the
seventh, and for railroad ties in the ninth or
tenth year. One species Of willow now cul-
tivated is said to bo well adapted to the prai-
ries. 1t Is more durable than many Of the
soft woods, and has very rapid growth
Even the cotton wood, though not valuable
timber, and seldom growing to its degree Of
perfection except on bottoms along rivers, on
account of rapid growth will afford speedy
protection to farm yards and orchards. But
other kinds Of timber should not be neglsc-
ted. The oaks and hickories are Of slower
growth, but the product Of crop of 10 to
20 years would be nearly as profitable as the
locust The naples grow rapidly, and bet
ter than these are the white and black wal
nuts. which. If planted thickly, will grow
on the prairies nearly to the height and per-
fection that they attain along the rivers
The evergreens are less adapted to the cir
cumstances Of prairie culture, yet many of
them, with proper care in planting and cult.
vstion for a few years, will amply repay all
they cost. Among the best Of these is tho
red cedar. SH5
The natural history Of the Fort Dodge Dis
trict will be Of much interest to the students
OF the Agricultural College, many of whom
VIII no doubt become farmers on the College
lands. Some specimens of grasses, seeds,
gypsum, alabaster, limestone, coal, sand
stone, fossils, &C., have been collected and
will be placed in the College Cabinet. In the
course of my route one or two birds were
seen that are not common along the Missis-
sippi. Elk and deer are found in some
counties, and many of the migratory birds
OF the kinds that only pass over the South
ern and Eastern part of the State remain
during summer in the sparsely settled coun.
The drift deposite over this District, Of
gravel and clay, commencing from two or
three to ten or fifteen feet deep, extends to
the rock often 80 to so feet from the surface.
Water 10 usually found on reaching the first
clay stratum at = different depth in some
places. but generally from ten to twenty feet
from the surface
Next to the want Of timber on some of
the prairie tracts fartherest from timber, the
want Of stone will occur, but it may be OBJ
tained in most townships within few miles,
and mostly in the neighborhood Of timber.
but the opportunities to open prairies arc not
frequent. 'RsE 'i33fT7d5
3 sioux CITY DISTRICT.
Ii All the lands in the Sioux City District.
With the exception Of those in the four town.
ships referred to, and few thousand acres
in Buena Vista and Sac Counties, are on the |
= Mississippi; Slope" The difference in ap- |
pearance Of the land on passing the divide
between the tributaries Of the Des Moines
md the Missouri is very apparent. Very
lew boulders are seen, the slopes Of the roll.
ing prairies are longer, the land is more gen.
orally dry, the small streams cut deeper chan
nels In more friable soil, with the immedi.
.te banks moro steep, with wider bottoms of
ine grass and grain lands along the rivers.
he peints Of the bluffs near ravinss more
rounded. and the slopes with few exceptions
more uniform.
BuENA VISTA COUNTY.
The Niger part Of about II, 900 acres 60
ected in this county is near the Little Sioux
liver in the Northern townships. There are
'ome large groves Of oak, maple, ash, black
walnut, cotton wood, &C., near the College
andS, but the aggregate of timber for fhe