The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1871-01-19

from SO 70 100 miles, penetrating
ito the interior to the pinerles. and
giving easy water communication into
he country in all directions, as well
, a. affording excellent water power tor
. numbering, milling, and manufacturing
purposes. Among other rivers not
navigable are the Rum, Crow, Elk,
Sank, Grow Wing and VermilIion.
. There is no elevation of land 10 MIN
nesota that approaches the dignity Of a
mountain, the nearest approach being
the towering bluffs along the shores OF
tho Mississippi; and from Dubuque to
s.. Paul, viewed from a distace, these
ranges of bluffs have the irregular ont
line Of mountains seen in other portions
of the Union.
The State enjoys IN en7iablc reputa-
ton for its healthy and invigorating eli
mate.
The atmosphere in summer is very
clear, cool, and pleasant, with westerly,
south.westerly, and southerly breezes.
The nights are always cool and bracing.
Largo quantities Of rain fall and heavy
thunder storms are frequent. The
most remarkable Characteristic of the
winter is its extreme dryness, there be-
ing an almost total absence Of rain or
moisture. The mercury in winter,
though almost always below freezing
point, is seldom below zero.
The summer mean temperature is
70.6o, which corresponds with that of
Central Wisconsin and Southern Penn
sylvania. The winter mean temper
allure is 1919, which comedies with
Northern Wisconsin and Central Yer
ment. Mean annual temperature, A 60.
With an average temperature Of 160 ,
the dry atmosphere Of winter Of Min
nesota is said to be less cold to the
sense than the warmer, yet humid
climates several degrees further south.
No State in the Union exhibits
more rapid progress in agricultural
pursuits than Minnesota. 10 1859
: there were but 345,0O0 acres under
cultivation, while in 1869 there were
100000, showing an increase, for the
decade, Of 1,345,000 acres, or 800 pei
cent, an unprecedented development,
The number of improved farms in 1864
: was 2s,7S7, and in 1869, period Of
Eve years, there was 46,740, being an
increase Of 90 per cent.
In agricultural pursuits, wheat, the
great staple, may be considered speci.
slity, SURPRISING all others in promi'
. hence. History abundautly afirms the
fact that in the dominating nations Of
the world, from the nation Of antiquity
which prospered coeval with Egyptian
wheat.delds to the present time, whea
has been the prime food, and no nation
= has long Jagged in the race Of civiliza
ton which assigned to this cereal {
conspicuous place. The achievements
of Minnesota in the growth Of this
staple assume proud prominence
In the average per acre, and in the
i. magnitude Of operations, she has nc
rival.
From 1858, in which year there
were but 124, 1863 acres appropriated
to the culture Of wheat, yielding 2,
374,4l5 bushels, occupying only 81
per cent. of her whole cultivated sur
ase, there has been a constant absorp
ton of area by this grain, so that it
occupancy in 1868 was nearly 62 pc
cent. In that year there wero 858,
BIG acres devoted to wheat, producing
1881, 1922 bushels.
The average yield during the pas
eleven years, ending with 1869, hs
been II bushels per acre.
There appears to be an iuvaluabl
property in the soil and climate Of tn
State which enables this grain to mea'
/ urably resist the extremes of heat, colo
or moisture, and for the industrious IN
intelligent immigrant no other occup'
ton presents so practicable a field 1
wheat growing, and no more invitio
region can be found for his operation
than in tho rich, gently swelling, an
tractable prairies of Minnesota.
While wheat is shown to be ! specia
yty Of the State, overshadowing all othe
crops in Importance, it must not be il
ferred that the soil is not adapted I
the production Of tho other leadin
cereals of tho northern latitude. Dat
corn, and barley thrive admirably, an
the cultivation of these crops durin
the past year has been emiuently SUI
oessful. The oat crop Of 1869 exoelle
any previous year, both in quanti'
and quality. The yield is estimated
l2,2lo,29s bushels, averaging, for tt
whole State, 43 bushels to the acre, an
there are well-authenticated instance
Of averages reaching 60 to IS bushe]
\ Although corn hold, a subordina
place 10 agriculture 10 Minnesota, e,
psrience has shown that the capacity
the soil for the culture of this grain
equal to that of States situated in mo
southern ATTITUDES. The crop Of 186
showed . total Of 4,849,936 bushel
and an average Of 81 bushels to Il