Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1873-10-03
Vegetables grow nicely here, but

Vegetables grow nicely here, but
of course the soil must be irrigated
which is very simple process.
They have on their tables here, some
of the most tender and delicious rad
ishes I'VE seen. Potatoes are very
good and yield up to $50 bushels
per acre. Onions, bcets, asparagus,
&C., which | saw on an Italians
ranch near Eureka, looked splendid.
Potatoes are now down to p cents
per Id, cabbage 6 cents with heads
from 25 pounds downwards. Fruit
comes from Cal. So one can live
well here it he has the money to pay
for it; but for four bits you can get
an excellent meal as have said be-
fore. The last time l dined at En-
reka, the waiter named "roast beef,
roast mutton, corned beef, veal pot
pie, stuffed veal and baked heart
and stuffed" So you see that is
ahead of any of our hotels. They
nave nice green corn and water and
musk melons raised here. Water
melons that you pay ten cents for,
are here sod for Is cents, and what
you pay Is cents for are here $3.50
a trifle difference to be sure, but a
man here will "plank" his $1.5O
with as much sang froid, as the peo-
pie there will 10 cents.
Sheep and stock raising, are get
ting to be an important industry in
this State. Sheep are now lower
than last year, still they pay big.
The biggest trouble is the difficulty
is in obtaining reliable herders.
This want causes q good deal Of
trouble to both sheep and cattle
men. But the fact OF their not hav-
ing to pay for their land, is good
thing, as ifthe land had to be bought
they might as well giveit up first as
last. The cattle are Texan and Cal
ifornian and are being constantly
improved with the finer herds. The
sheep are of the kind known as the
Spanish Merlno, which are best suit
ed to this ceuntry and climate.
There is talk of trying to improve
them, somewhat other kinds, to en-
large them, somewhat OH account of
the value ofmutton, but the trouble
is in overriding the matter, as some
breeds would eat their heads off, in
expense and care. Our yearling
lambs average As pounds each of
mutton; this we know from having
sold O, er 700, and 2 year-olds, the
two-year-olds average over II lbs.
more. After the first year the in
crease is not so rapid. This band
Of sheep is much larger on an ave-
rage, than any have seen either in
the States or Canada. A man who
begins here with stock and sticks to
it, will get rich in time. Sheep in
crease more rapidly than cattle and
their wool is an item. The Spanish
Merino wool is fine and my broth
er's sheep averaged six pounds I'M
washed The Cotswold, Cheviot
and French Merino are being rails
ed quite successfully in California,
but are not adapted to extensive
growth here.
Fish are not plentiful here, except
speckled trout, and black bass, l
was about to say, but to save my
veracity / must say that the latter
are not so numerous as about Chi
cago. Your city reader awill doubt
less "take." Most of the fish come
here from Columbia, and are sold
at fifty cents per can of two pounds.
Fresh speckled trout sell at 81 per
pound in coin. Dear, is it not?
Game is not plentiful. around. here,
though it is in some parts of the
state, and consists of sage hens,
(nearly like prairie chickens, but
larger), wild ducks, hares, rabbits,
(jack rabbits), antelopcs, and deer.
l have omitted speaking of the pine
nuts growing here on the coast, said
to be sure cure for consumption.
The Piutes and Shoshoncs live
mostly on them. A couple of Sho
shones have just been in begging
for bread and potatoes. told them
to pick me some nuts and l would
supply their wants. They said, Gin
two days." but | couldn't see the
point. They were both well dress
ed-pants, shoes, shirts and hats,
like white men, and both rode one
horse.
Incidents since my arrival have
been scarce and unimportant. A
couple of Hadies'' from Phoebe have
arrived lately from Eureka. Two
men, who had been paying them
special attentions, were arrest
ed on a charge of attempting to
blow one of the females up by put
ting a quantity of powder into her
mattress. She, the female afore-
said, alleged to the Justice that she
had not the slightest objection to
going up, which she thought might
be very pleasant, but the coming
down, which would be the natural
result of going up so suddenly,
might not be so pleasant, and might
possibly result in considerable dam
age; therefore, she prayed for their
punishment. They were according
ly bound over, etc. About three
weeks since man named Green,
from WaIla Walla, w. T., with
horses, was found murdered, and
suspicion rested on young man
who had been in his employ, and
who was missing. Strict search
was made all around, and he was at
last discovered at Elko, and brought
back to Eureka. His brother from
Washington Territory was sent for
and the trial came off last week, but
as a jury could not be got in Eure-
ka on account OF the people having
given such strong expression to
their opinions, change of venue
was taken for an adjoining county.
The people here came very near
lynching him. 1 do not think he
will be convicted, as person here
scarcely ever has been.
l must now bid you adieu until
1 get back from my trip farther. l
am still detained, but expect to
leave soon. I have been practicing
horseback riding tho past eight or
ten days, and intend riding from