Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1882-11-23
An Answer to Many InquirerS.


ing many questions regarding Dako-
Ia. To answer every letter-which
we have done so far--requires some
time and many postage stamps. To
save both, and inform many, we,
with your permission Mr.. Editor,
will speak through the TnIBUNE In
what we write, one thing must be
kept in mind, we only speak from q
seven months experience. Strange
as it ray seem to others, some have
written us to know if it is ''brushy"
OF prairie country. TO all we an
swer, it is vast sea Of Slightly an
dulating prairie. 1t is not SO level
that you can see a great distance IN
any direction, but it is easy to get a
position where you can sc. for many
miles every way. The sol is black
ioam, seldom less than one foot deep,
generally about 8 inches, and often
two and three feet deep. The sub
sol is a light colored clay and very
productive. There is no doubt that
Dakota has the finest soil in the
West. "What can you grow?" AL
most anything. This season has per-
haps been a remarkably good one
but it is orr only season to speak
from. Wheat in this county has
ranged from % to 40 bushels to the
acre. Oats, from 80 To rs bushels
to the acre Fifty, is the lowest |
have heard of in this county this
season, and that was on sod, In one
instance oats went 100 bushels, ma
chine measure, per acre. Corn, on
what is termed old ground, j.e. ground
broken one year ago last Spring, has
averaged from 40 to 20 bushels per
acre, in some Instances much higher.
Sod corn has gone from Is to 40
bushels per acre; all depending upon
the time it was planted We raised
about 20 bushels per acre of good
hard corn, but the first was not
planted until the 25th Of May, and
some of it not until the goth of June.
Barley and buckwheat do we'll so
they say All kinds of roots grow
most wonderfully. We had no land
broken until the middle of May, and
we grew potatoes, early and late, If
excellent quality and large size. We
also planted peas, beans, onions and
carrots, all on the sod, and had good
yield. The prairies produce excel
lent grass. Taking it on the whole
it will yield nearly one ton per acre
Selecting patches you can cat from
two to three tons per acre. We
have a great variety of grasses.
Three kinds cal ed buffalo grass, one,
antelope grass, then we have wild
timothy, red top, and blue joint, as
well as the common fat prairie grass.
The weather on the whole is delight
fai Our rains have been abundant
and heavy, but no drizzles We
have rain or dry weather. The at
mosphere is dry and exhiliarating.
But the winds--Dakota winds! Yes,
we have wind, more wind than you
have in Wisconsin,, but not more
furious than you have it. Then 1t
does not blow here all the time.
This is Friday evening, and the 18th
of November, and we have not had
a severe blowing day for the week.
This has been as lovely day as one
could wish, for the time of the year.
Thermometer at early morn only two
degrees below freezing point. The
water in this section is invariably
good. ''Have you no alkali?" None
whatever. In some instances it is
hard to find, but never alkalied. But
there is alkali in some parts. Auro-
IA county, however, is peculiarly free
from it. as there much land yet to
be taken in the county?n Compar-
atively, not much Land seekers are
coming constantly; township after
township is being cleared up. Au-
rora county shows growth that few
counties in the territory can show.
Eleven months ago the inha5;tants,
all told, numbered 1850, now, there
are between three and four thousand
in the county. "What are the pros
poets for q poor man?" One would
think they were good OF course
for year or two there must be close
Economy and the priyation of many
things, but alterward there will be
ease and prosperity. If people have
enough to carry them through the
first year, they need experience no
pinching at all. "When is the best
] time to start West?" In February
8or the beginning of March, if you
want to make sure of crop the first
year. Sod crops to do well should
Sbe planted early. II is better to en-
.dure the unpleasant weather Of
9tIarch than to have no crop to har-
Vest. "Yhat should we bring?'
This depends on circumstances.
EYou don't need to bring machinery,
knor groceries nor hardware. You
scan get them as cheap here as where
Il n II 1