New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1878-07-31
A RIDE THROUGH THE PINERIES
OF MINNESOTA.
WRITTEN FOR THE REVIEW.

WRITTEN FOR THE REVIEW.
BEAVER BAY, Mimi. July la.-It Is natural to us
to picture to ourselves particular ; country or
Few, except those living or travelling in this
part of our State can have a correct concep-
ton of it. Here are so many things different from
what we are accustomed TO see that upon enter
ing this region for the first time we fancy our
selves i'll a strange land We may travel through
the southern part Of this State and through Iowa
and still find much that reminds us of our own
homes But let us take the train for Duluth, at ST..
Paul. More and more OF contrast appears as we go
further north. The surface and soil changes as
much as the vegetation which adorns them. The
black loom of our fields is here wanting. Upon
approaching stream we naturally expect some
their ways along depression hardly to be distin-
gusled from the general level. For a distance of
one hundred miles along the st. P & p r. r., there
is not any one point that reaches the height Of 90
feet above the swamps whose area by far exceeds
that of the dry land. All places along the road
more favored than others as to height have been
chosen as town sites, aud these bear no comparison
to a location like that of New Ulm.
There is a station every ten on fifteen miles, but
none Of these, except Pine City, deserve even tho
name OF village. S
farming. Here and there potatoes are planted
where a huge pine has been uprooted by the wind
People are glad to take advantage of such acct
dents, for it is labor OF years to make clearing
in these forests. The land throughout is covered
with dense growth OF evergreen trees, such as
pines, frs, larch and cedar Rarely do our eyes
meet afAmlliar shrub Or tree, except it be such
which with us glow only under cutivatlon Among
these are the Arbor Vitae, White Cedar. {Thuja
Americana), White Spruce (Abies alba> Balsam
Fir [Abies balsamea1 and the mountain Ash [Pyrus
Amorcanus.] In order to get correct idea Of their
size and yigor of growth these should be seen in
their native soil The Arbor Vitae. which we nsu-
ally see In trimmed hedges as mere shrub, here
attains the dignity of tree. It is not to find
one two feet in diameter at the base Their height
is less in proportion Various kinds Of berries
grow in abundance. Suffice it to mention but
few The nackberry [nHbuS y;ilosHs Raspberry
[Ruhus Nutkanusl and Black Huckelberry [Gay-
lussica resinosa Of these the r.. villosls
and r. Nutkanus are very conspicuous for their
flower like white rose, fully as large, is not met
with till near Duluth. Although it is a luxury to
have nice berries, it is nothing compared to our
large crops OF wheat of (which this section will per-
haps never produce enough for its own consnnp-
tion. The main reliance for subsistence is placed
In numbering %it&'
With the exception of the few stations along the
railroad this region il wilderness, the DISC
late and hOrrid because man has brOu ght devaSta-
ton into it. Undisturbed by him it would present
al aspect Of solem grandeur. But as it is now
,ide through these Forests gives to mind sensitive
to the beauties of nature only tlirob of pain in
stead of thrill of joy Thousands Ofacres OF forest
have been destroyed by fire; nothing but the char
red trunks remains standing as dole:ul monuments
of former grandeur.
The scenery along the road is all new, but IN.
fortunately the new is all the same and soon be-
comes monotonous. AS We approach Duluth some
diversity begins to meet our view. The grant
bluffs that here appear contrast strongyboth in con
tour and vegetation from the fats. For wild and
romantic sceneries the Dalles OF the ST. Louis River
not easily surpassed. It clears height Of about
two hundred feet within two miles Whe!p it seems
to be nothing but n mass OF foam tashng down.
ward along its rocky bed. but after reaching the
plain below it becomes calm and placed and gratu-
ally wild till its water mngles with that of Du-
.luth Bay, b. J.