The New York herald., 1870-01-02
THE RED RIVER COUNTRY.


It's Climate, Soil and Advantages for Settle
ment.
TO THE EDITOR OF TIE WAsnINGroy CuRoN.cLE:-
The region OF Northwest British America, which
now exctes so much attention as the scene OF an
insurrecton against the extension Of Canadian uris
dictipn has hitherto been occupied by fur trading
corporation interested In repressng any movement
for its colonization. Great stress has been laid by
publications. in the interest OF the Hudson Bay
Company upon foundations OF the Red river valley,
an occasional incufsion Of grasshoppers excep-
tional irosts and droughts during the summer
months-eyents which, occurring elsewhere IN the
great interior basins OF the Continent recognized
as casualties and permanently impairing the pros.
poets OF agriculture. Regarding 1t rs quite pOr.
tant that the peope of the Unel states should not
especially az the present juncture, underrate the
natural advantages OF the Red river and Saskatche.
wan districts, a citizen OF ST. Paul so!icis brief
hearing for authorities whose testimony Is favorable
TO the country.
There is abundant evidence that the Red river
country is inhosptable desert, repugnans 60 the
increase OF the human race. MIR. Lorn BlodSett, in
his standard work on the 'Chmatoloyy OF Mort
AMERICA has pointed ont the existence OF a vast
wedgeshaped tract extending from Al degs to SO
iegs. OF northern latitude, 10 degs. OF Longitude deep
al the base, which may be denomlnated the Winn.
peg basin. II contains 100000 square miles ol habit
able land and is subject to few and inconsiderable
variations OF climate. This author gives summer
OF ninety five days 10 Toronto and OF ninety DAYS TO
Cumberland House, on the Saskatchewan river, IN
latitude "a deg5 A Canadian euglneer, Mr.. Simon
Dawson, from personal observation, compares the
climate OF Fort Garry TO that OF Kingston. Professor
Hindes, in an elaborate report TO the Canadian gov
ernmeny places the mean temperature OF Red river
Tor the three summer months at 07 degs. 76 min.,
nearly three degrees OF heat more than is neces-
sary for corn while July has four degrees OF heat
more than J., required tor It's best development. Mr..
Bodgeit claims that the whole saskatchewan valley
has climate very nearly as mid In its annual aver
age as that of Sc, Paul, which would give it VIM
ter mean or fifteen degrees ana an annual mean OF
fortyfour degrees representing the climate OF WIS.,
consn. Northern Iowa, Michigan, Western Canada,
Northern New York ana Southern New England.
In report or the Treasury Department upon For.
egn ana Domestic Commerce OF the Unitel Slates,n
Senate document, June 20, 1854, occurs the follow
ing summary
The country northwest Of Mnnesota, reaching from the
selkrk settlement to the Rocky Noun aims om
four degrees and to ats fhve degrees on the paec
coaa as favorable to grain and animal production any
and observed the forysecond forty
~ r,sS ssg Ss Michigan @ . and Wisconsin On. s. h.
the Saskatchewan latitude fftyfve degrees the
i whce district Of British america is threat in al dirsc
ns hr the nay.abe water lines which converge 10 Lake
Winnipeg.
.sOur soils to repeat the language OF an intelll.
gent settler ut Red river, Mr.. Donald Gun who Is
valued correspondent OF the Smithsonian Institu-
yields large crops OF the finest wheat weighing from
alxty.four to seventy y-four pounds per imperial
bushels, and mas been occasionally known TO exceed
that: and when the average returns fall below forty
bushels per acre are realy to complain OF small
returns some patches have been known to produce
twenty successive crops CT wheat without iailoW or
manure.n Barley, oats, potatoes, grasses and vege.
tables are cultivated with equal success.
The above statement almost exceeds belief, but
Hon. Joseph Howe, OF the Canadian Ministry, VINO
visited Selkrk since the harvest or 1862 a.tcSs that
one farmer gathered 5000 bushels OF wheat from
800 acres, whlc the growth or the vegetables vas
matter OF con3lal. surprise Mr.. Howe added that
the land In Bclgium Is not more productive than the
kcd river farms.
As early as 1883 committee OF the Minnesota Leg
isature compiled great variety OF testimony upon
the resources OF Central British America, incudiag
narrative BY Governor now SENATOR Ramsey
OF an official visit 10 Pembna on the northern from
tier or Minnesota and trip to Fort Garry seventy
miles beyond Penblna Alter describing, with
some enthusiasm. the first approach to civilized set
tlement, uteen mites south OF the junction OF The
Assinlb0ln and Red rivers the Governor groups the
following picture OF life on ked riyer:-
imagine a rres nowns silggsh,y norhward through
fat suva par. and the NJ H lined continuously
over thirty miles with cutiyate farms each presenting those
appearances of Thrift aroili them which mentioned
surrounding the trs farms each farm with
row frontage on the river OF only wentyfour rods in width
but extending back for miles and each Of these
aops the river 'front.' with lawns sopng to the waters edge
and srabpcy and vines literally trained around them and
trees ntermnBcJ The whole presentng the OF
long, snuarb1n vsg" such might East
seaboard, such find exhibited pictures of
English counry villages with the resemblance rendered more