The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-12-22
THE COURSE OF EMPIRE.

e~o<-~>~-~~~S~~>~~~~-~
AGsiouturaI Capacities or the West-Erro-
sssus lu,pfessions Of Its Soil and Clinsso-
Natural Agencies Employed In the Forma-
don of the seil-Its Wonderful Fertility
Agricultural Resources Of Other Territories
and Stafes-Incrcasing IramIsratIon-Ths
Question Of Irrignfion.-Fn Prospects Of
ths West.
DENVER, Colorado Territory, Dec. 10, 1889.
From tile time OF the earliest explorations OF the
West until very recent period the opinion was
quite prevalent that there was considerable por-
ti0n OF the country west bf the Missouri we'll
adapted to agriculture 1t seemed to be assumed
that The climate was essentially sayere that the soil
was sterile and SO appropriated with alkaline earths
that no crops could be produced; that the great
plans between the mountain ranges were nothing
more than vast tracts OF desert country where no
liie either animal vegetable could exist for thus
were they misrepresented on the maps; and the
public mind appeared to be convinced that most
or tho Trans-Missourl country was In fact
the great desert OF America Only Ten years ago,
upon the discovery or gold In Colorado near the site
oil this charming little city, people came here with
an eye to mining alone, believing that everything
necessary for the sustenance OF life must needs be
brought on wagons hundreds OF miles across the
plains. And the Overland Stage Company, which
for many years kept up the transcontnental
communication with California, brought TO different
dep0ts by wagon transportation everything req uired
for tho subsistence OF their employees People had
idea that the most inviting OF the valleys
the soil and climate were adapted to the production
OF the simplest roots and grains So universal was
this impression that people in the mining districts
made attempt TO test the capacities OF the soil,
hut rather, lived breadstuffs, meats and vegeta-
bes brought from the oder-settled States and sold
~ enormously high prices At length there came .
revelation OF the truth that not only were the exten
sive plains by no means Saharan in their wastes,
but that even in the hGtle mountain valleys not far
below the line Of perpetual SHOWS the soil was sus-
Ceptibe Of tillage. Many million acres In Kansas
and Nebraska nave nowhere been surpassed
for their fertility The whole OF the southeastern
section OF Nebraska the delightful valley OF the
Elkholn and the more familiar valley OF tue Platte
ore being rapidly reduced to cultivation. Botn
Kansas aud Nebraska are essentially agricultural
and pastoral States. And US to Colorado which rst
attracted people by Its royal metals only tue annual
production or It's locks and herds and crops has
already far exceeded In value that OF It's silver anu
Its gold Although the yield OF the precious metals
has SURPASSED the most "a ugnIne expectations oil the
eager pioneers the products OF the soil for the pre-
sent year Will probably be ten tunes as great as the
product OF the mines. North and south OF Colorado
and on the Pacific slope people have analogous ex-
perienCe. Cau1ornid, which attracted immigrants
by the glitter OF its gold, and was deemed OF little
",
OF our foremost agricultural Stales Cafornia
wheat, SO much desired III Europe, IL now q staple
article oil export. California fruits are equally cele
hraLed. With a decrease OF TIE mineral we get an
increase OF the agricultural product miner OF To-
day is tomorrow farmer or shepherd. As With
California so " Is with oregon. Indeed the aGrlcul-
tural resources OF all the western States and Terri
tories are beyond accurate ejaculation.
To any Intelligent person who has not been lnl3ed
by tho earlier popular OF lnhOspitaDle climate,
alkaline earths, American DESERT the very physical
formation OF the western country would seem to
aud fertile. DIVIDED nearly equally INTO two grand
divisions by the lofty Sierra Madre range or noun
tains, whose towering tops and sides have been
materially denudcu OF their vegetable growth and
the constituents OF their rocks by the action OF the
winds and waters, those pisalDs and valleys nave
been covered with rich aluyai soils by lnnumerable
deposits. For those poweriut agents The Wild winds
sweeping FOODS OF the drllt period, have been per-
forming their gigantic work during silent and
nnnumDered ages. And other agencies have been
~ work The rains and melted SHOWS which have
washed the mountain slopes nave carried the decay
ing annual vegetable growths down 70 the elevated
plateaus and secluded valleys; the creeks aud
formed by those accommodating waisis have borne
productive elements further on along the larger val
Icys; so That nearly every where soil composed
OF tie best material for agricultural purposes Inc
productions OF the big Biue ana Tue Ekhorn, IN
Nebraska, OF the Upper Arxansas aud the South
Platte. In Colorado and oi the Cache, the Great
Basin and tne southern section OF Utah aie ample
Illustrations OF tle fertility OF inc soii Tor the pro-
dnctiOn OF cereals vegetaD es anu fruits. WHAT
would be considered al average yield In the great
grain-raisng States OF the Northwest (east oI the
Titan and California, be looked upon AS compare
tive failure OF tie crops. The general supp0s!ton
has been that the alkaii, about winch such aacous
Impressions have prevailed, was destructive ele-
menS in the composition Oh tue soil; but the contrary
10 the fact. Those alkaline earths are compose OF
the sails VI SODA, potash MaSne5la ana iline-tne
very elements wnlcn people ende8vor TO replace III
the worn out wheat ana corn lands In the Eastern
States. Where these salts to be prevalent
in soil there the yields OF gram vegetables ami
fruits have been most abundant, and tner nav0rs
most delicate. These CHARACTERISTICS apply par.
the Pacific Railroad where supplies for
passengers and residents are drawn from
Missouri; sometimes IRON Nebraska Colorado Utah
and California. one need not he an eplculo to soon
be able to Distinguish between the vegetables raised
in the dry soil and climate OF the distant West and
those raised IN The camp ground anu atmosphere OF
more Eastern States. ING supefiori.y OF ,lc Veget
The great basin OF Utah, which has been settled
longer taan any Other part Of tue far West. Ii Ia its
climate, soil and general situation not unlike
thousands OF Otner valleys large ana small, In thus
sMssouri country, and therefore may be taken
As example Of what other localities susceps.
ible OF yielding when cultivated. The Mormons are
not only producing enough food 10 supply them
serves and the thousands OF destitute proseiytes
arriving from Europe every year, but they have a
surplus TO SEND TO the mining dstr.cts or Nevada
Idaho, Montana and Wyoming WHOSE own agrlcu
tura resources have as yet been but little deveoped
and to feeu thousands OF visitors to the
New Jerusalem ana travellers across the Contn-
emit N the spiritual sOpnistry OF the Mormon creed
cannot receive our commentator, the material re-
snlts Of Mormon labor must. East OF the sierra
Mhdre range, Colorado and Nebraska are already ex-
porting grains. And yet the development OF the
agricultural resources OF botn may be SAID to have
been only commenced. The unsettled "bleedlng'
Kansas OF few years ago Is now nourishin2 agrl-
cultural State And yet single line OF railroad
through the state when is TO facilitate develop.
nent IL not quite completed. An enumeration Of tue
fertile valleys Of the west would ill q,iadruple
issue OF tue HERALD. Look at single streail. The
Platte river drains but small portion OF the vast
the eastern side OF me Rocky Mountains; yet
the Platte with both ts forks 1900 miles length,
And has some G000 600 OF magnificent bottom lands,
quite ~ susceptible OF highly productive cultivation
rs any part OF the earthly paradise OF the SAINTS.
Follow one OF the forks OF the Platte into Wyoming
the last the organized Territories, and, may say
without disparageinent 10 It's other valuable
sources one OF inc least III Its agricultural prospects
In the West The North Platte IL one OF the
IL to Its tributaries, We mud gathering most OF creeks
and rivers, as, Tor example, TO name q few, crow,
Horse, Red Spring, Cherry, Lodge Pole, Chug Water,