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

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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 po,cder. There is a slight
mixture of alkali 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 subsoil of yellow clay with
something of O mixture of sand and
gravel and which will receive and
absorb like a vast sponge the sur
plus moisture, with which the sur
face soil may at any time become charged.
| Unlike the hard. imperyious blue clay
which underlies large part of the valley
| and which like the churl neither receives
or takes, the subsoil of this region be-
| comes vast store-house where supply
| accumulated during the extreme wet
seasons is kept constantly on hand to be
drawn from its deep earth reservoir in
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 shall speak further along.
STONE.
There is no limestone ledge underlying
this part of the country except it be at
depth to which as yet no excavations have
been made, nor are there quarries any
where in this vicinity. In 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. Graceville may be said to be To-
Gated on the verge of the great wheat belt
but yet clearly ayithis, it. The yield of
wheat in this section averages from sixteen
Q6) to thirty (30) bushels per acre and of
very superior quality. Oats readily
produce from (5O) to eighty (SO)
bushels per acre, and barley
and fax in a inst ard fair proportion. OF
grasses the native upland prairie and
slough grass is OF the most rank and lux
uriant kind. Thousands Of tons Of the
finest hay are burned upon the ground
annually in each township simply because
with 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 viii keep stock in fine con-
dition all through ourlong Minnesota win
ters. Tame grasses, as yet, are not much
raised, for, as yet, but three or four sue
cessive crops have been grown here and
the land not needing the rest, and
wild hay and pasturage being
so abundant and of so excellent 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 we'll here.
Corn of early varieties does we'll and is
very remuaerative crop here. The past
season, which has been SO unfayorable fer
corn throughout the entire northwest, has
demonstrated 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 corn crop when properly tended is
wonderfully rapid and natures nicely.
vrCETAgrFs
Vegetables of all kinds are raised in the
most remarkable profusion and excellence.
At the Big Stone county fair this past
season finer display of vegetables was
made than any state fair in Minnesota
ever produced. Potatoes, onions, beets,
cabbages, beans and ell 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 a faint conception of
the desirable features which the section of
country which is the basis of this article
furnishes, having given its geography,
topography, soil, climate and productions
I 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 a 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. shall 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-
sonal inspection of all who
doubt them of the premises.
~ HISTORY OF THE COLONY.
The colony of Graceyille, as I have
I,of =. IL .