The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1871-11-09
THE END,
MINNESOTA.
HER CLIMATE AND PRODUCTs-A
LETTER FROM THE COMMITS.
6lONER OF STATISTICS,

To the Editor Of the ny. Tribune.
SIR: have read With much pleas.
ure your very instructive letter en-
bodying the result of your observations
upon your recent visit to Minnesota.
While it contains much valuable infor-
nation, evinces just appreciation of
The character Of our people and the ex-
tent of our resources, and abounds in
timely and excellent advice, You have
been led into serious misapprehension
OF some important facts, to correct
which l solicit sufficient space in the
columns of the Tribune. You speak
in commentator of the mammoth yep-
etables exhibited "beside the Falls Of
St. Anthony where the mercury falls
to 400 below zero and the growing sea-
son (!rom frost to frosD averages about
one hundred days." Now, while it is
true that on an average once ia ten
years the mercury sinks to 400 below
zero, the exceptional character of this
degree Of cold is shown by the fact
that the mean temperature of the three
Winter months is about 1922 abope
zero. With reference to the length of
the growing season in Minnesota, it is
sufficient to say that only once since
the State was first Inhabited by white
men has the period Of total exemption
from frost beeo 80 short as 100 DAYS.
In that year (l859), the abbreviated
season was shared alike by all the
States north OF the Ohio River the
June frost Of that year having .eri-
ously injured the growing wheat in
Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, while no
damage was sustained in Minnesota.
Moreover, the careful meteorological
records, kept for over 30 years at Fort
Smelling, and IL years at St. Paul
both for official purposes-incontestably
prove that "the growing season, from
frost to FROST" averaged, during that
whole period, l49 days. I have not
at hand the exact figures requisite for
a comparison with other ATTITUDES, but
the following table showing the mean
temperature, for series of years, Of
the two. months embracing the CON-
mencement and termination Of what
may be deemed the growing season,
will afford fair comparison both of
its length and character, in the sever
al places named:
April. Mean. September. Mean.
st. Paul....".".......46.so St. Paul ........5Sso
Rochester, N. Y.....45.7o Cherry Valley MY 80
Utica, N. ....A.7o Rochester, n Y6O3o
Boston, Mass....-". 1870 Utica, N. Y..5s.4o
1t will thus be seen that the average
temperature at St. Paul comedies close
ly at the opening and close of the grow
ing season with that of Northern
Illinois, Southern Michigan, and Gen.
trail New York, each upon latitude
about 80 south Of St. Paul, while for
the whole six growing months it is con-
siderably warmer at the last named city
than at the other places nam.d, the
Summer mean Of St. Paul being pre-
cisely that of Philadelphia aud Cen
tral New-Jersey, 50 further south.
Whatever may be the cause Of these
isothermal pecul'arities, the .tacts are
thus indisputable; in view of which it is
almost needless to add that all the pro.
ducts which can be grown anywhere
north Of the 42d parallel can b. sue
cessfully raised in Minnesota, with the
possible exception Of peaches while
most Of them, it Can be safely claimed,
are more speedily and perfectly grown
here than elsewhere, owing as we'll to
our quick, friable soil and kindly skies
IS to the operation of the well-estab-
hsbed Chronological principle that
cultivated plants yield their greatest
and best products near the northern
most limits Of their growth"
You acknowledge the triumphs
which have been achieved here in
fruit growing within the past six years.
In confirmation Of these, I may ad-
duce the facts that the official returns
for 1869 shows total product Of 1882
bushels Of apples, while careful CAL
culation passed upon subsequent re-
turns justify an estimate of 10000
bushels as the aggregate product Of
the present year. This cannot be
deemed large achievement, but it il
important us efectually vindicatisg the
practicability of apple.raising in Min.
nesota, which was for many years 4
matter of serious doubt.
I rejoice that our farmers have been
SO wisely couuselcd by one who largely
possess their confidence, respecting i
proper diversifcation of husbaadrY,
particularly in relation to stock and
wool-grcwing. But you greatly Ell
when you state that Minnesota Aas
hardly more sheep now than in 1850,
as will he seen by the following COM
parative statement from the census re.
turns:
Number of Sheep.
1o6O."................ ,595
................129,525
showing an increase greater than
that of either wealth OF population dur
ing the decade. It is nevertheless
true that there has been a steady de.
cline in sheep-growing since 1866 -; in
which year, under tho stimulus Of
high prices resulting from the war, the
number of sheep in Minnesota reached
the maximum of l93,O45. The de.