Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1878-03-25
IMPORTATION FOR 1MM1aRAnrs

From the numerous letters in the posses
sion of Judge Brookings, all bearing upon
the subject Of Dakota and its desirability as
a home for farmers, our attention has been
attracted to one written by an extensive
grain raiser who resides near Amboy, Him
OILS. He had read the letter published in
the Chicago Tribune by DIR. Duis and is
anxious to know if the statements Of that
gentleman are reliable. The writer asks:
us it DIR. Duis' letter. an accurate and
truthful description of the country, or was
it gotten up in the interests of some rail-
road company or land spectators ?"
We are able to state that DR.. Duis' letter
was not written in the interest of any rail-
road or land Spectator. He came among
us a stranger. He saw our country and
after looking it over wrote his honest con.
%victions regarding it, without solicitation.
Unfortunately Dakota has no railroad to
advertise its advantages and few land spec
ulators to labor for its settlement. Our
lands are free to those who will take them
and need only the pillow and the seed to
bring q bountiful yield.
The writer Of this letter wants to know
further:
''Is it true that the climate of Dakota is
exceedingly mild, the winters not severe
and can stock be wintered at a much less
expense than in regions farther east in the
same latitude?"
All this is true, though a contrary opin-
ion exists among the people of the east who
have never spent a winter in our territory.
We have little snow, our winters are uni
formly mild and there are large areas within
the boundaries of Dakota where stock will
live the winter through on the grasses which
cure without being made into hay. In the
valleys of the Big Sioux, the vermillion
and the Dakota Tor Jim) stock raisers put
up hay at a cost of about one dollar per
ton and upon this alone cattle live the win
ter through and in the spring are as fat as
the stall fed beeves Of the east. West Of
these localities the buffalo grass grows and
upon this cattle will thrive the year round.
Another clause in his letter says:
Are the rich bottom lands along the Da-
kota and Vermillion rivers, of which DR..
Duis speaks in such high praise, susceptible
of easy cultivation? l have heard it said
Of land similarly situated in Kansas that
the soil is so deep and heavy that no ordi-
nary pillow will work it"
The soil Of all of these valleys as we'll as
that of the uplands, can be as easily worked as
that of the old cultivated farms of the east,
There is no heavy sod, no tenacious clay
the ground is light and loose and furnishes
no distractions to al ordinary pillow with
an ordinary team. This is a special feature
which~h has not been generally mentioned by
those who write for the press regarding Da.
kota's agricultural lands.
To the questions;
"Is Dakota cursed with drouth, chinch
bugs and grasshoppers, as in Kansas"
We answer must emphaticallY, no
There Is absolutely nothing In the way Of
prolific growth Of grain each year. Oul
wheat is the best which can be produced
Il brings seven cents per bushel more OF
the Yankton market than the eastern mark
ct quotations and the yield is from twent,
to thirty.nye bushels per race.
Finally this enquirer after knowledg,
ssys:M as
"Wby Il II that We don't here more abou
.Dakots through the press? In Almos
every psrer We SO advertisements Of otbe