Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-10-28

Iue SOL is DlacK loan very largely veg
etable deposit. There is very little if any
sand found in it. and when dry and placed
in the open hand can be reduced by rub
bling to fine ponder. There is slight
mixture of alkaii in it which makes such a
successful wheat producing soil Beneath
this surface soil which has an average
depth of from two (2) to three 90 feet in
depth lies a subsoil O: yellow clay with
something of a mixture OF sand and
gravel ana which will receive and
absorb Ike a vast sponge the sur
plus moisture, with which the sur
face soil may at any time become charged.
Unlike the hard. impervious blue clay
which undeziies large part of the valley
and which like the churl neither receives
OK takes. the subsoil of this region be-
comes p vas! store-house where supply
accumulated during the extreme wet
seasons is Kept constantly on hand to be
drawn from its deep earth reservoir in
times OF d-outh and need. Thus it will lie
seen that such is the nature and
formation of the soil of this section that
it becomes at once more desirable in
the extremes of wet and drouth
than very many other localities. Of its
productiveness I shall speak further along.
STONE.
There is no limestone ledge underlying
this part of the country except it be at a
depth to which as yet.no excavations nave
been made, nor are there quarries any
where in this vicinity. II the chaotic
period vast vegetable growth must have
become submerged or deposited here, and
if any ledge exists at all the iearthy de-
post has buried it entirely. On the sur
face, however, but in places only, are found
numerous surface stone easily raised from
the slight depth to which part of their
surface has become sunken and which are
readily adapted to the purpose Of building
foundation and cellar walls.
PRODUCTIONS.
Wheat and other cereals are grown here
as naturally and with as great degree Of
perfection as can be found to exist any
where. GraceviIle may be said to be TO-
Gated on the verge Of the great wheat belt
but yet clearly sc;taia it. The yield Of
wheat in this section averages from sixteen
il6) to thirty (30) bushels per acre and OF
q very superior quality. Oats readily
produce from 600 to eighty 800
bushels per acre, and barley
and fax IN ADJUST and fair propottion. OF
grasses the native upland prairie and
slough grass is of the most rank and lux
uriant kind. Thousands OF tons os tie
finest hay are burned upon the ground
annually IN each township simply because
witt. such an abundance there is no posi-
bic way Of using it were it Cut and cured.
This native hay is Of the most nutritious
character and will keep stock in fine CON
dition all through our long Minnesota win
ters. Tame grasses. as yet. ARE no. much
raised, for. rs yet, but three or four sue
cessive crops have been grown here and
the land not needing the rest, and
Wild hay and pas.urage being
so abundant and of so excellent a quality
no necessity for growing tame grasses has,
as yet arisen, but the test has been made
and any tame grasses that can be produced
IN this latitude DO remarkably well here
Corn o. early varieties does well and is q
very remunerative crop here. The pas;
season. which has been so unfavorab!e fer
corn throughout the entire northwest. has
dem onstrated that corn can be raised here.
The soil Is so light and porous that it is
easily heated and worked and the growth
OF the CORE crop when properly tended is
wonderfully rapid and natures nicely.
VEGETABLES.
Vegetables of all kinds are raised in the
most remarkable profusion and excellence.
At the Big Stone county fair this past
season g finer display of vegetables was
N ade than any state fair in Minnesota
ever produced. Potatoes, onions, beets.
cabbages, beans and all kinds of vegeta-
bles are raised anywhere in this locality in
state OF such wonderful perfection and
to such prodigeous yield as to surprise
every one who beholds them. Further on
examples of this enormous yield of vegit-
tables which came under my own obser-
walton will be given. :
Having thus given faint conception of
the desirable features which the section Of
SSuAeIJ WAASA 40 tiiO OtSlS VI LIS dEtlClc
furnishes, having given its geography.
topography, soil, climate and productions
now propose to show something of the
other attractions which the country affords
and the inducements which are offered to
the farmer, mechanic or business man to
come here and locate and am certain
from careful investigation of the prem
ises that when once this beautiful
section becomes known to
the public and their attention
is directed to the admirable opportunities
which it affords for acquiring comfortable
and even elegant homes and also for es-
tabiishing remunerative and extremely
profitable business there will be such an
Influx of population as has not been seen
in any section of our great and growing
northwest. Ishall hold myself responsible
for each and every statement which this
article contains. and desire and need no
confirmation of any of them. but the per-
sona1 inspection Of all who
doubt them of the premises.
HISTORY OF THE COLONY.
The colony of Graceville. rs I have
before said, is located in the southern half