Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1879-10-04
THE UPPER PENINSULA.
Ii is Likely to Prove the Great Wheat
Fiesd of Michigan-The New Rail-
road Will Soon Open IL up to Settle

It Is Likely to Prove the Great Wheat
Field of Michigan-The New Rail-
road Will Soon Open IL up to settle
ment. '.--
From the Detroit Post and Tribune.
The early building of the Detroit
Mackinac and Marquette railroad being
now an assured fact public attention is
naturally directed to the region of cOun.
try which it will traverse and to its char
acter as habitable and productive pOr'
tiOn of the state. The opinion has hith'
ertO prevailed that it was practically
worthless for agricultural purposes, thai
it was almost hyperborean in its charac'
teristics, the winters being long and Sc.
we're and the summers too short and un-
certain for the successful production OF
crops. But within the last year or two
this opinion has been essentially mOdi-
fed. The rapid growth and development
of northern Minnesota and Dakota, and
especially of Manitoba and the region OF
the Red river of the north, far higher
latitudes than any portion of Michigan
have shown that not only has the eli
mate been misunderstood, but that it is
in many respects better adapted to the
great cereal crops than the more south
ern portions of the country. Practical
experiments have definitely settled all
the questions relating to climate. rs.
The face of the country and the nature
of the soil of the peninsula between
Lakes Superior and Michigan and Huron
have been almost as little known as the
interior of Africa. Only until recently
have there been any settlements and at
tempts at agriculture in it. The mag.
nificent display made by Chippewa cOun-
ty at the state fair of 1873 first opened
the eyes of the people of Michigan to the
capabilities of that region. Now the
testimony is overwhelming and uniform
from a variety of sources that there is
no richer or more productive soil in the
state, and no region better suited to the
production of grain than this hitherto
much despised peninsula.
The building of the Detroit, Mackinac
and Marquette railroad will soon open it
up to settlement and development. That
company will at once put its lands into
market and give titles to them as soon
as earned, which will be within year.
For the purpose of gaining infOrma-
tiOn respecting these lands reporter OF
the Post and Tribune called on Judge d.
j. Evans of Detroit, who is thoroughly
conversant with the region, having spent
several years in its exploration, and who
is recognized authority on all that per
tains to the upper peninsula. He said
in reply to questions:
"The upper peninsula of Michigan, be-
ing almost surrounded by the great
lakes, possesses a generally mild and
equable climate, is we'll watered and suf-
6ciently rolling to afford ample drain
age. The eastern part OF Chippewa
county, best known as the burnt land
region has generally strong, lOamy
soil, underlaid with clay and mari, and
largely intermiXed with fine limestone
gravel. The timber originally growing
on these lands was mixed hard wood.
Early fires swept through this section,
which were followed by windfalls, and
these by successive fires, until the lands
i'm many places are now ready for the
plOw, no further clearing being neces-
sary. Vast areas are covered with lux
uriant growth of species of blue joint
grass, rendering them already famous as
natural pastures. Every effort at farm
ing has brought most satisfactory re-
suits. All varieties Of grain except corn
have yielded abundantly, and in
most years the corn has ripened fully.
From Chippewa county and the straits
of Mackinac westward to Marquette are
most magnificent forests of sugar maple
and other mixed hard wood, and gener-
ally throughout this distance the streams
have their source and are fed by springs
of the purest water. The principal
swampy or OverflOwed lands are largely
the result of old beaver dams, and when
these are removed from the channels of
the streams drainage and reclamation
will be attained, and the lands will prove
among the very best for general farming
purposes.
Nearly every variety Of soil is found
allnvial, clay, loan, sand, gravel, and