Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1876-01-06
For the Gallipsiis journal.
From wisconsin.
PRAIRIE FARM.
RaRRnx EouHrY, WIS,


E,,roR JouExAL--SIR:-Thinking
the readers of your valuable paper
would like to hear from this part of
the country, thought to write few
lines through your paper.
The whole country is nearly level
or slightly rolling, tile drainage is
complete, and there is not marsh in
the country that cannot be cheaply
and easily drained or improved.
These same marshes are to the set
tier the most important acquisition,
yielding an abundant supply of grass
and hay. There is variety in the
soil. The prairies and wood lands
have as predominating soil, a sandy
loan, with rich leaf mould mixed
with clay, possessing an excellent
soil, pure living streams and myriad
lakes; these lands present to the set
tier many attractions.
This section was known among the
traders and hunters as the ground
most prolific in all that is held valua
BILE by the Indians. Astounding in
game of all kinds, rare varieties of
fish in abundance, water, rice and
fruits best known to them. 1t is the
natural home of the grasses. Clover,
timothy, red-top and bluejoint are
luxuriant and marvellous in crops,
and have been known to yield two
and half tons per acre.
For all the leading roots and cereal
crops, they are equal in productive
ness to those of any country. To
the growth and maturity Of wheat,
oats and potatoes. both soil and eli
mate have a peculiar adaptation.
An average yield of oats is fifty
bushels per acre-reaching a.maxi-
mum in some localities of seventy
five; potatoes. three hundred bush
els; barley ranges from thirty to
sixty; spring wheat will average
twenty-five bushels; winter wheat
is very successful crop, the size of
the kernel is superior; it attains
more than the ordinary weight per
bushel; it makes the finest kind of
flour, and is free, thus far, from any
liability of failure, whether from
winter killing, the ravages of insects,
rust or blight.
As for fruit, there is no doubt but
the usual intensity of the winter at
this high latitude is much softened
by the equalizing humidity of the
large water area, and that the roots
of the fruit trees are protected by
the snow falls, so uniform in depth
and so long continued.
Water powers are valuable and
numerous; they are found in every
section of the country. Hundreds
exist, untouched, waiting the coming
hand of industry and capital.
This region is north of the belt of
the summer tornadoes and hail
storms, the real terror of the West
1t is seldom that the winter storms of
Iowa and Nebraska reach US. When
compared with the piercing moisture
of more southern winter latitude, the
dry, invigorating and almost still
atmosphere more than eounterbal-
ances the few days added to the
length of the winter. Spring opens
early, and the Fall, with its Indian
summer, is unsurpassed in any land.
With the greater portion of
Northwest Wisconsin-this country,
has been overlooked by 'the mighty
tide of emigration" to the West.
Now that the imaginary terrors- of
the winters have disappeared before
the experiment of actual settlement,
the hardy pioneer seeking home,
and the industrious man of capital,
will find this climate not only beara-
BILE, but possessing conditions and
attractions not found in a latitude fur
ther South.
For fear l may weary your readers,
l will close for the present.
Respectfully,
M. SHELTON.
N. B. Enclosed you will find one
dollar and fifty cents, for which, send
me the JOURNAL, as we are lonesome
without it. NJ. S.