The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1868-12-03
Minnesota Correspondence.
ST.. PAUL, M1NN. Nov. IS


ST. PAUL, MINI. Nov. IS, 1869.
Some two weeks have elapsed since tho
writing of the following letter, and we there
fore omit that portion relating to the poiti.
cal affairs of Minnesota. The writer, it Will
seen, does not give very 1attcrng descrip-
lion of the State for profitable farming
EDITOR TELEGRAPH THE weather for this
month has been as changea5le as was the
Democratic party during the late campaign
never two days alike. Since the 18th it has
showed or raincd every day except two, and
Is showing now; and there has not been an
entirely pleasant day this month The road
are nearly impossible, while the streets and
crossings are swimming in mud and slnsh
When consider The obstacles in the way of
successful, remunerative farming, in this
State, am at a loss to know why it is so par.
tic,tlarly commended to The Agriculture
who is DESTROYS of securing home-a farm
! pleasant and rcmunerative. Winter com
mences in Novemb err aud lasts until April
Six long months of intensely cold weather, ID
which stock consume more than their value
in hay aud ain, at the market prices. The
summer is so short that corn is seldom ever q
successful crop; the result is, it commands a
higher price than wheat aud when fed up in
10 beef and pork, the same is so dear that il
can be shipped chea per from other States.
i'ila winters being so long, and corn an I'M
Ieeftain' crop, that stock-raising and wool
growing is not attempted as one of the auxil-
tafles oIremuncratiue farming. Spring wheat
= the staple product, yet the yield per acre
does not greatly exceed that of Illinois, Wis
Iconsin ana Iowa. while the quality may excel
hat in some localities OF the States men
Itioned But now for results. Harvest help
is deGrer and more scarce than in either OF
the other States, and wheat brings from sixty
TO one dollar and twenty five cents less per
iuShel than in either of those States. The
facilities for shipping is not equal to the
amonnt produced. Buying is a monopoly.
and in most cases by those who have an in
terest in the means OF transportation, and
they are careful TO ship only their own pur-
chase. Mlllers buy at the monopoly prices,
just enough TO keep their mills running, but
sell their -four at the rate it could be obtained
from Chicago and Milwaukee This being
more profitable than doing custom work, the
farmer is obliged to exchange his wheat at
Minnesota prices for flour al Chicago prices,
or do without it. Small farmers can barely
live, andsmany who have tried it for five and
ten years, are no better off tDan when they
brgan, except the advance in real estate, and
often that is little, as the improvements made
ale few, circumstances not admitting better
Wheat, oats and potatoes are the principal
crops produced We have seen how the first
is disposed of; the second commands perhaps,
a better price than wheat, but the revenue
per acre, does not exceed it The latter grow
well if not disturbed by intervening causes
But the amount produced exceeds the home
y f's 80 nd tho sscfc IN way
OF wheat here interposes--want of shipping.
The winters are so inclement that but few
can keep potatoes in large quantities until
spring The result is they are rushed into
market before cold weather Q gins, and are
sold VI less thau producing prices. Fruit the
luxury OF the farmer, is as scarce as rare flow
ers Apples, pears, ounces, plums and
peaches are out of the question, except in
lew rare cases. These luxurcs the farmer
must forego unless he purchases them at ship
prices.
st Paul is the business emporium of the
State-the market from which all the country
stores obtain thelr supplies. 1t is not situat-
ed in wooded country, and the supply is
brought by rail or by boat down the Minneso-
Ia river There arc no discovered coal fields
IN the State. Wood is often scarce and high.
This the farmer has to pay when he obtains
his dry goods and groceries, be it in St. Paul
or in the country store. Il follows that every
Thing he has TO buy is more dear than any
where in ciIher OF the three States mentioned,
while nearly everything he has to sell brings
less han in the same States. All these diff
cal les more r. communication will not
entirely ooV,ate. The cause lies in the eli
mate--lts inadaptation to produce everything
turned from the farm, so as TO enable the pro-
dlc~r to successfully compete with those
5 ales VIII" seek the same market with itself.
That he climate is healthy, few deny. vet
those who have long resided here inform me
that II is Tar more changeable than it was sew
erai years ago. CTS.