The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1870-07-27

it honestly too, l have never yet
seen any country that compares
with Missouri for beauty Of land,
scape and fertility Of soil. On
leaving st. Louis, I passed up
through the Northeastern portion
of the State, on the North Nilsson,
ri Rail Road as far as Mobcrly
City in Randolph County. I found
the section between St. Louis and
Moberly a beautifully rolling prai.
rie country, with plenty Of timber
for all practical purposes. This re,
gion is especially adapted to graz,
ing, but is good for all the cereals.
Corn yields upon an average about
forty bushels per acre; wheat,
abou; fifteen and as to oats, they
are raised here as in all parts OF
the State, in burdensome abun-
dance. Tobacco is also extensive
ly raised. 1t is as good a Blue
Grass country as central Kentucky.
The Blue Grass grows here under
trees, among the thick bushes,
and in fact everywhere that the
land is not in actual cultivation.
Improved lands are worth from
ten to twenty dollars per acre
unimproved, five dollars. 1t was
here thatI frstsaw the sulky plow
inc peration. l scarcely saw any
other plow in the State in use.
The "City of Moberly," as the
inhabitants style it, is three years
of age,-there not beng a single
house where the "city" now stands
three years ago-has six lawyers,
FIVE doctors, two dentists, six land
agents, four churches, two schools,
two lumber yards, two meat mar
kets, two hotels, any number of
stores of various kind, three thou
sand inhabitants, and last but not
least, an editor and a newspaper.
I relate this to convey an idea Of
the wonderful development Of this
wonderfully favored land. Ispcnt
a day at the "City Of Mexico" in
Andrian County, about thirty
miles South Of Mobcrly. This
place had one Observation-Disclosures
when the war closed. 1t now has
between four and five thousand.
The country is full Of such exam
pies.
From Moberly City I Travelled
by the Southwest Branch Of tho
North Missouri Rail Road to Kan
sas City. This road passes across
the famous Grand river valley, no.
torious for it's productivcness, and
through the celebrated alluvial
; bottoms Of the Missouri river. [
had heard and read Of these rich
lands, and Of course my anticipa-
tions run high, but they were far
more than realized. Twas told
by different individuals that the
soil Of these bottoms was usually
about twenty-five feet deep. In
digging wells it is usual to find
nothing but the rich black soil all
the way down. I was also in
formed that these bottoms rarely
overflow. They extend miles and
miles from the river, arc mostly
prairie, level as a floor, with not a
stump or rock to be seen. They
are mostly in a fine state Of cult
walton, and look magni6cently.
The farmers were harvesting their
wheat as L passed through, and a
splendid sight it was. The wheat
being so very heavy, l noticed
that four big fat horses were in
variably attached to the reapers.
The shocks at q short distance
appeared so thick that it seemed
almost possible to step from one
to another. The crop is fine this
year, and as l was told would ave-
rage about fifty bushels per acre.
1 was more struck with the corn
through here than anything else.
1t was nearly waist high, and in
looking over the field it had the
appearance Of being sown. The
ground could not be seen at all.
It is planted altogether in the hill;
the rows being two feet and half
one way, and two feet the other,
with about seven stalks in each
hill. About one hundred and
twenty-five bushels per acre is the
ordinary yield. Hemp is cxten-
sively raised here, These bottoms
arc very loose and porous-almost
like the uammocl<s Of Florida.
No bitches are needed, as exces-
sive rains sink readily, as in sand
bed. Neither does drought make
much impression. A dry spell of
several weeks was prevailing when
l was there, yet the corn looked
'black." The prices of lands
through this section depends, as it
does in all parts of the State, upon
! improvements, nearness to towns,
Railroads, churches: schools, &c.
| From twenty to forty dollars per
acre are the usual prices. A small
farm touching y town or railroad,
and very highly improved, may
bring fifty or sixty dollars per
acre. Through this portion of the
State, as we'll as in "South-west"
Missouri, I noticed many magnif-
cent country residences, similar to