Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1863-11-06

rolling prairie afforded good selections d
about $500 acres within few miles OF Mel
bourne. The good wheat crop OF the pasl
season, like that in the counties for 100 miles
Eastward, and the large yield of corn, to.
gothsr with tho large growth of tho best ma.
tive grasses, and the good condition Of the
| cattle and horses, as was the case elsewhere
in this district, are all indications of the a.
ricultural resources that will be developed
along this railroad and upon and near thu
College lands. ssa
This county has but few settlers, and
like the neighboring counties has q larg,
quantity Of vacant land Of good quality
The selections of few thousand acres are
all made near the Big Sioux river, mostly o
the fine, wide bottom lands not subject tc
overflow, and are in the Northwest part o
the county. .. 4s s,, 80.
-.--. ..r. LYON COUNTY. .,.-s....-
The selections Of about 1000 acres in
this county, are similar in character to those
in Sioux County, and are situated in the
West part Of tho county on Big Sioux
river. A number Of tracts were chosen oppo.
site large body Of timber in Dacotah Terri.
tory. .-.
ADDITIONAL REMARKS IN RELATION 70 rnE stout
CITY LAND DISTRICT.
Some further remarks are proper in refer
ersnce to the characteristics of the Sioux CITY
Land District. The lime pebbles, indicating
. good soil for wheat have been alluded to,
also the tendency to growth Of timber. -
On the latter point will refer to locality
West Of Correctionville, in Woodbury. coun.
ty. Over space Of several miles anions
the ridges and at the heads of the timbcred
ravines, extending mile or two from the
Little Sioux, there are frequently seen patch.
es Of young caks Of a years growth, growing
as thick as weeds, and some spots that have
escaped the annual fires Of two or three years.
with some spots also Of larger growth where
the thinner grass, in burning, had only in.
jured, but not killed the young trees. II Is
probable that at not very remote period
there was q forest of oak, encroached upou
by the prairie fires, with the roots still remain.
ing, and supporting the dwarf forest that
bears ac0rns, even upon the second and third
years growth. Tho same fact as to the Of.
fort Of nature TO clothe the hills with timber,
was observed in some other localities. II the
fires were kept away from such tracts, the
land would in few years DO covered by a
dense forest. Another popularity of the
Missouri slope is the absence Of boulders--
hut few being seen except along the face
of the bluffs of some of the rivers
The drift deposite appears to have been
deeper than on the Mississippi slope, and
hence but little rock is seen In place, even
where the beds Of the streams are hundred
feet below the average level Of the prairie. y
The channels of tho rivers have probably
worn into the rock, but the clay, gravel and
surface soil have slid over the erosions until
the rock, IL once exposed, is now seldom seen.
The rivers are generally very crooked have
a strong current, and with beds and banks of
clay or alluvium composed Of the surface
soil. The winding courses Of the streams
across the wide bottoms, sometimes without
timber margins, have the appearance of
canals. ....
II is another popularity that tho soil, tho
80 loose, does not wash, but in tho absence
OF rain becomes SO absorbent as to receive
the rain and melted SHOWS without forming
rills or brooks to much extent, except when
supplied by unfailing springs '0
Perpendicular banks Of streams ten or flf
teen feet high, often with trees growing up
directly in front of them, are curiosity. at
least to those who are accustomed to see earth
banks Of at least 45 degrees of inclination
The soil in some places is fof lighter color
than usual on prairss, and on some of the
higher lands, IS in Plymouth county, il has
a shorter and thinner growth Of grass, but
such are found to be superior wheat lands.
But little rock was seen until reaching the
sandstone on the Floyd above Sioux City.
The timber along the Rig Sioux and Mis-
souri, is mostly oak among the ravines and
Cottonwood On the river bottoms. gE
The climate of this district is csdct,tlv
more dry, there is usually less snow, and the
annual fall Of rain is less than near the Mis-
sissippi. This slope may be considered the
Eastern part OF the dry region extending to
the base Of the Rocky Mountains, but with.
out that Objectionable degree Of dryhess com.
mon to the plains Of Western Nebraska. II
is country well adapted to stock growing
and especially to sheep In this respect It Il
unsurpassed. There is less exclusively grass
land than in the other land dstricts. Many
Of tho sloughs" marked on the plats OF the
Government Surveys, are the best quality Of
grass land and may be driven over with
team at any season Of the year. Some OF the
prairie also, marked second rate" probably
nrovsd 10 hs ~. I hs.t su's sr.;n g,dss 9Ie now
hrttar w.t.r.d .h.n .a." .a s a'so
though thsra ~. .nr,. - .,sras;ny sy suPPgscu,
mart Of tho d;str;ct r;.h",,t .... .ne NUI.n
GOOD water l. found ~ r. . d.n.h h'..uaans, a, out
from tom r. tnsn.v fsat ''p'n se"cra''y o.
The want of % timher !. ,hs srr...,.. u,...
cIa 70 .stsI.mens .ud - v so,.s sea.ss. oos,a
culture of forest tres. .;i III ."s .va,es Tue
sorted to for : snrnIv | wv" Tha e".Iy De 70,
lhe locnst ana os%aprp pp a. ~ as ou'uvat'on o.
commsrcsd .cc,, "s. LII us 80 =. uuIaolc tmoer,
rosa ,;.s snd ssn,;~ wn ..,S VIZ" 70 Supply ran
of fsw vasrs e, hS .I enr.S..h, mS ~ .ne leturns
If hns;rsss r. .eh;ot : v'a1' su.;.o ~ my orancn
envaro r.c"mnan9 a.ie .h.Ia .a.mefs could
TrH.fs.. ~ .ha Tnii"n 'Le's'oIc, h, 20 tne
inn snts an ~. ny Uss Uo;,t !" ".,e sUne e1Pe'
rsr~, IA "A r..s. .S ps .1uo a..' :. tue Conege
f.cts on ~ ..t;. ~ o'.s, na,,l' ianuS' Ano thst
H.