The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1884-07-04
THE LAND OF NO. I HARD
An Interesting Letter from One
Who Knows Whereof
He Speaks.
Hope, STEELE Co., NORTH DAKOTA. I
May Goth, 1884.

Hope, STEELE Co., NORTH DAKOTA. /,
May goth, 1884.
Editors Iowa State Press:
In your paper of the 14tl inst, you say, in
speaking of my sojourn in the Red River coun-
try of Dakota, 'We expected to hear from him
and learn of this famed wheat growing valley,
its railroads, settlements and the prospective
wealth Of the owners Of the soil, but he is as
silent as an Egyptian mummy"
Now, that you may not be longer expecting,
and lest some Of your readers might think-if
l should remain ''sient'-after the above
challenge, that nothing favorable can be said
of this country, I will endeavor to give you
talk on the topics you have here suggested,
and if am little lengthy you must relneln-
Der that the subject is a big one, and that
mere statement of conclusions without giving
reasons, Or discussing related questions is of no
possible value.
is the boundary between Minnesota and Dako-
ia from Lake Traverse $50 miles west of Saint
Paul to where it enters the Dominion of Cana
da 265 miles north of Traverse.
1t flows through the Dominion 90 miles fur
ther and empties into lake Winnepeg. Along
its course 1t receives numerous continents, the
principal Of which are the Sheyenne, Maple,
Goose, Turtle, Park, Tongue and Pembna
rivers in Dakota, and the Buffalo, Wild Rice
Marsh, Red Lake and Grand Marias in Minne-
sofa and the Assinnaboine river in Manitoba,
The Red River is navigable large part of the
season for barges and small steamboats, to
Fargo, 235 miles from its mouth. There is
considerable timber of both hard and soft
wood, on all these streams, and in many places
quite heavy bodies. The Red River valley for
20 miles on either side Of the stream, Except
the belts of timber mentioned and where it is
cultivated) is, for the most part level or
gently undulating grassy plain. Farther back
from the river the country becomes more roll
ing and elevated, and strange as it may aeem,
water is obtained at a much less depth and Of
greatly superior quality. The water in Steele
county is as good as ever saw, and is reached
at depth of from rs to 80 feet, and I think
this is generally the case throughout North
Dakota back from the river. think there are
many places near the river where the water is
good, but there are localities where it is not.
The soil in the level land of the valley is
deeper and blacker than in the rolling uplands,
containing in many places what is called
"gumbo," Which renders the land tough and
heavy. In other places there is more sand,
making tillage easier, and this is the case gen-
erally'with the upland, where the soil is not 80
deep, but is uniformly good, and is dark, veg
etable loan over sub-soil of peculiar forma-
tion-being composed Of clay and abraded and
dislntegrated rocks-largely limestone. In
fact this sub-soil is full Of pieces of limestone
which have been worn smooth and round by
the action of the elements, and which now
seem to be in process of decomposition. The
top soil also contains much lime brought up
from this immense depository. As the mois-
ture evaporates from the surface, the water
below-holding lime and other fertilzing ele-
ments in solution-comes to the surface and is
evaporatcd, leaving tho elements held in solu-
tion to fertiize the growing vegetation.
In investigating the soil Of North Dakota,
one is reminded Of the pecularitiee OF the soil
OF the long celebrated Geneseo valley for wheat
production rs described in 1883 by Daniel
Webster, who says: Its fertility is very
great, especially for wheat and clover. When
ploWed, pebble stones, as they would seem,
are turned up in great plenty, but these crum-
bic or dissolve by exposure to the air, and seem
to be mari, or mixture OF lime and clay, or
some such thing which do not exactly know
about. This land grows better by cultivation.
1t will yield two crops of wheat then one of
clover, then ono year of pasturage, and then
wheat again without manure"
This similarity Of the Genesee valley with
the Red River valley is in the lime contained
in it. Mr.. Webster does not inform us, and I
do not know whether or not the Genesee valley
possesses such wonderful deposit Of lime as
is contained in the sub-soil Of this valley, which
seems to be inexhaustible.
There is another very significant and striking
fact that relates to this question OF lime in the
soil in this valley and believe elsewhere in
North Dakota. Granite boulders In many To-
calities which lie partly ombeded in the soil on
the prairies, have a thick coating Of lime on
their under sides. Iwoud like to have the
opinion Of some scientific man as to the cause
OF this. had never heard of the fact until 1
observed it myself. The only way that could
attempt to account for it would be that either
the bou!ders had at some time been submerged
in boiling sea Of lime water and had received
their coating Of lime after the manner of lime
deposits in teakettle, and that az they after
wards lay partly emheedSed In the soil, that by
exposure to the air and the action of rain,
wind and sun, the portions above the surface
Of the ground have been denuded Of their
lime; or that as they lay SO imbedded, that
lime has been deposited on their under sur
faces on being brought up from the bed of lime
In the sub-soil by water as before described
But whether it be attributable to lime which
is in such rich and apparently inexhaustible
deposit, the soil as well as the climate seems
to be perfectly adapted to the growth Of wheat
in almost absolute perfection. It is hardly
worth while to elaborate this proposition, or
the one that this valley is marvel Of fertility.
Its reputation for "No. hard" wheat is world
wide and 1t has received the appellation Of
1.-THE VALLEY OF THE NILE OF THE NORTH
This wheat is unequalled by any in the world
except by the celebrated Saxonska and Sag
anrog wheat Of Russia.
The Red River valley and that portion Of
Dakota north Of the 46tl, parallel is the only
territory iu the United States-except perhaps
some parts Of Montana-which is capable Of
producing the 'No. hard" wheat, which is
now being sought SO much by New York and
other millers in this country and Europe, as
well as by Minneapolis and other northwestern