The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1872-06-11
PRAIRIE Cry, Iowa, May 90, 1872.


Mr.. Editor.-The word "Iowa" is said
to mean in the language of the Indian
tribes, "The beautiful land" A band of
Indians journeying towards the setting sun,
reached the banks of the great River that
washes our eastern border and looking
across the broad waters, beheld for the first
time the green slopes of our beautiful Prai-
ries, stretching afar in the distance. Their !
exclamation was "Iowa"-The beautiful
land. 1t is a well attested fact that these
sons of the Prairie and the forest, rude
and uncultivated as they are, have mind
appreciative of the grand and beautiful in
nature, and it is not unreasonable to pre-
sumo that such was the origin of the name, |
although it comes down to us as tradition. |
Iowa embraces an area of nearly fifty-six |
thousand square miles and over one million |
two hundred and fifty thousand souls. |
When it is understood that all this extent !
of surface, except that which is occupied
by our rivers, lakes and peat beds of the |
northern counties, is susceptible of the
highest cultivation, then some idea may be
formed of the immense agricultural re-
sources of the State. Iowa is as large as
England, and twice as large as Scotland
but when we consider the relative area of
surface which may be made to yield to the
wants of man, those countries of the Old
World will bare no comparison with
Iowa. The surface of the State is remark
ably uniform, rising to nearly the same
general altitude. There are no mountains,
and yet but little of the surface is level or
fiat. The whole State presents a success
sion of elevations and depressions, with the
same bold and picturesque bluffs along the
principal streams. The western portion
of the State is generally more elevated than
the eastern, the northwestern part being
the highest. Nature could not have pro-
vided more perfect system of drainage,
and at the same time leave the country so
adapted to all the purposes of agriculture.
shall proceed to speak of some of the
leading productions of our agriculture
beginning with those which may be regard
ed as the staples. Wheat-This is lead
ing and staple crop in every county in the
State, but the northern counties are best
adapted to it. So far, our farmers, except
in few of the southern counties, have
raised chiefly the spring varieties. An
average of from fifteen to twenty bushels
per acre, however, is not unusual, and
many man has more than payed for his
land and all the expenses out of the pro-
ceeds of his first crop of wheat.
Corn-This crop is successfully raised in
all parts of the State, but the southern
portion is best adapted to it. Under favor
able circumstances the yield is from fifty to
one hundred bushels per acre. This crop,
as well as others, is raised with less than
half the labor usually required on the worm
out soils, or among the stones and stumps,
with which the Eastern farmer has TO
contend. Our prairies admit of all kinds of
improved machinery, rendering all farm
work comparatively easy, as well as expe-
dious.
Oats--This crop rarely fails to yield abun-
dainty in all sections of the State, though
perhaps the northern portion is best adapt
ed to it. The yield has often been as high
as ninety bushels to.the acre, but from forty
to sixty bushels is the common crop.
Irish Potatoes, usually yield well through
out the state. 1t is not uncommon, with
q careful cultivation, to raise as high as
three hundred bushels per acre. Our
Iowa potatoes are superior in size and
flavor, and the crop is becoming one of
great Importance.
Our soil is also we'll adapted to the pro-
duction of buckwheat, barley, rye, and
nearly all kinds of vegetables, though our
farmers have not given them so much at
tention as they have other crops.
In no other country in the world have so
large proportion of the citizens an abso-
lutte interest IN the soil, and indeed history
furnishes no parallel. This distribution of
the land proprietorship of the nation, places
in the hands of free people the complete
control of their own political and social
destiny. In Iowa there is still room for
many thousands more who may come and
secure new homes at low prices on our broad
rich prairies, with every reasonable assur-
ance of health, wealth, education and free
dom for all who will only exercise ordinary
industry There is still in Iowa uncultivat-
waited land enough for three hundred and
sixty thousand farms, of eighty acres
each. If the toiling millions of the East
who are doomed to incessant labor and
the strictest economy to secure the absolute
necessaries Of life, could only behold the