, 1880-02-04

allyxallogether concealiug the stock grazing
among it. For the privilege of such pas
turage over the unoccupied lands OF abseH-
tees rent is seldom asked or offered. One
successful stock owner showed me, how
ever, last week, several Government Sec
tons which he rents for 1c. 90 acre annual
ly, and without any restriction as to
moving and carrying The hay on to his
own land adjacent. Sheep as yet are not
much cultivated, are generally more or
less OF the merino character, wool rather
than mutton is still desiderated /; the con-
inement of the stock during the long win
ter and their restriction during that period
to dry food interfere with their thriving.
With cheap sheds, more yard room, a few
roots or cabbage. which grow capitslly,
mingled with the hay and corn, and some
attention to their feet, there is no reason
why sheep should not answer well. Hogs
are not so numerous as 10 the more purely
corn-growing States of Iowa and Missouri,
but are generally good. Indeed, I have
not seen o thriftless bad pig since | landed
10 America. Horse breeding ia receiving
attention, and much need, Tor the horses
are neither as big, shapely, nor as prchta-
bic as they shonlJ be.
The prosperity of Minnesota has been
mainly fostered by the extensive and ener-
getic development of her railways. The
Mississippi, navigable for 80 miles above
st. Paul, was originally the great highway
and still proves useful for the moving Of
lumber and some heavy goods. In 1862
the State had but 10 miles Of railway;
now she has 5000 miles, and is laying
down upwards of 800 miles annually.
Through the level prairie, without any
heavy cuttings or entertainments, with only
low wooden bridges, such lines are con-
Structed and equipped at about $4,000 a
mile. The st. Paul and Sioux City and
other enterprising lines DO not always wait
for the march of population westward;
they obtain from tho State a grant of
every alternate section Of enc square milo
of 640 acres for 20 miles on each SIDE OF
their approved line; they push their rail
way into tho new, scarcely inhabited,
country. There are no heavy Parliament
tary expenses, no litigation with captious
owners Directing to severance Of their
estates, not even q sportsman puts in q
plea for the disturbance Of game. Within
six or eight months a line Of so miles is
often surveyed, staked Out, and built, the
iron rails laid, station houses put up every
six or seven miles, and q steady fellow
appointed, whose principal work for some
time is in his garden. But as omigrants
follow along, the mans Importance and
income speedily increase. He has a small
percentage on the business done; be has
something for showing the railway lands
which are soon picked up at prices varying
from 81 to S. an acre. Those three or four
miles back from the railway are 0btainable
at less money. In Minnesota, the Coy
eminent lands have almost al been taken
up under homestead, presumption, or tim
Der grants and the various railway com
panies are hence the chief parties from
whom good, accessible lands can now be
obtained. The price Of lard, as might be
expected, varies considerably with it's
situation and other circumstances, begin
ming as low as So an acre. 1t is, however,
steadily rising. Near railway stations,
ever 100 miles from st. Paul, a great deal
bought or %pre-empted at 81 or So an acre
is now worth S1O, and where buildings
have been erected, trees and fences plant
ed, and other improvements made, even
purely agricultural sections sell for $25.
Although a large proportion of the State
has already been disposed of to settlers.
spectators, and others, and although a
considerable area is u~sefully occupied for
grazing, not One-tenth has as vet been
brought under cultivation, and of that
cultivated portion certainly not one-half
received the ploughing and other labour
requisite to produce the best returns. The
deep, good, easily worked soil which is so
widely distributed in this State only needs
more labOur, capital. and steady ministry