The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1880-11-04
Agricultural.
Letter f rom England Prairie.

Nov. I'd, 1880.
EDITOR FARMER our great
snow storm, l went poking around Eng
land Prairie, observing the crops, the
climate and general prospects of that
vicinity. was prompted to this by
the varying criticisms made on the
extract you lately published from L.
A. Paddock's report to the n. p. r. r.
Co. year or two ago.. Some critics
endorse all that report as simply facts,
while others point out items as more
OF less exaggerated. All agree that
had the present season been made the
basis for Mr.. P.'s report, the yields
per acre would have been generally
diminished, that of wheat to about II
bushels, and of potatoes-previously
abundant-would be set down as a
failure. The alternate heavy rains
and drouth having injured nearly all
the various crops.
But careful observation shows that
the different estimates of crops made
by the different settlers, are constitu-
tional in the men who make them,
rather than in the soil they cultivate.
One class-like Paddock-plough deep
and broad, and harvest correspond
ing crop. If these men go out hunt
ing, they go for game and come back
laden with it. Others plough shall
low and reap accordingly; and when
they go fishing OF hunting, the man
before then, gets their game; it is their
luck. and each mans estimate is gov
erned hy his luck.
\ chief source Of good luck enjoyed
in this region is the convenient mix
ture Of timber with prairie land. CIV
ing buildings, fences and tireWood,
while from the first season the new
broken prairie furnishes for the fam
lily and stock. Thus a new settler gets
comfortably started much faster and
cheaper than he could either on the
open prairie or in the woods, and he
continues to enjoy these superior ad-
vantages to the end. The influence
of Il forest in modifying the climate
is well known. The action of timber
as Il break to the prairie winds is OBJ
vious. But trees raise the tempera-
ture by other means, which need ex-
planation: Friction produces heat in
air and in water, as it does in solids.
Friction against the air heats the fall
ing meteor. just us wind saves vege-
tation from freezing, and raises the
thermometer; or, as the rapid flow of
water in a river or sluice prevents the
formation OF ice. In the same way
the friction of the wind passing over
the prairie, explains the rise of tenn
perature which comes with the bliz-
zard. When that wind passes through
the trunks and branches OF Il forest.
the extra friction accounts for the in.
creased heat. Timber is partial con-
ductor of heat, and trees conduct heat
from the earth, us hairs conduct heat
from an animal. The root Of hair
has the heat of the animal; the point
the cold of the air; and the heat be-
tween is modified by the distance from
either end. So the root of tree has
the heat Of the earth, the top is cooled
by the surrounding air, and the tenn
perature between is modified by the
conduction. These combined in
huences are best seen in the thick CO.
dar swamps of the north, where the
ground, and even the snow remains
unfrozcn throughout the winter.
a new settler can get no immediate
shelter on the prairie, unless he digs
Il hole in the ground like Il gopher. and
then he cannot live-like the gopher