Year: 1869

not do in all cases to follow the Tourists
Guides" Or to place implicit confidence in
all the "offician statements published and
scattered broadcast by interested parties,
merely for the purpose Of influencing immi-
grafton to this or any other frontier Western
State. In the early times of the California
fever the writer of this, among thousands of
others, fell victim to and was literally 'car-
ried OFF, by that malady, and on his arrival in
sacramento, having met an old acquaintance
who had been few months in the country.
inquired OF him what cautions or laws of ac-
ton his experience would suggest for the
benefit of new adyenturer. The answer to
this reasonable request, though slightly pro-
fame and decidedly Californian, was eminent
ly worthy OF acceptation: "Don't believe
more than half of what you see, and not
id word of what you hearp Few men
who have had experience in new, speculat-
ing countries, whether on the Pacific or near
er the rising sun, are lkelyto dispute the gen.
eral wisdom Of observing this cautionary ad-
vice.


The truth is, the lands OF this State-and
the same is true generally of the West-in
their natural condition, are either entirely
devoid of timber or densely covered with it,
and the treeless regions ordinarily consist of
immense tracts, often scores of miles in ex-
tent, with scarce a tree to relieve the eye
There may be small patches of Coax open
ing covered with gnarled and apparently
stunted oaks, resembling in appearance an old
neglected apple orchard, but while such land
is poor, and generally has a light, sandy soil,
rendering 1t undesirable for cult sation, the
wood itself is worthless for timber and of
small value for fuel The proportion which
the hardwood timber lands bear to the prai-
rie is so small that spectators get hold of
them as speedily as possible, that they may
take advantage OF the increased value which
time must give to growing wood in a State
where such an article bids fair to become IN
conveniently scarce. am told that eight or
ten dollars an acre is very common price
for uncut wooded lands, far off in the 'big
woods" and beyond the reach of the large
towns by the ordinary means OF horse-team
communication.


No man from Maine can assign valid rea-
son for coming nearly two thousand miles to
this State to make farm in the wilderness
for while the growth, soil and general ap-
pearance Of such land bear striking resem-
blance to the lands in Aroostook, portions of
Penobscot, Somerset and Franklin counties
in Maine; while they are no more easily
cleared or put under cultivation, and yield no
larger crops, the lands are not only more
difficult to obtain, but the crops when raised
are worth much less money, and besides, the
settlers prospect of living to see good roads
are more remote, inasmuch as he must make
them himself besides paying for his land,
while with you, under the liberal policy of
your State, the Aroostook lands are put to
actual settlers at small price, every cent Of
which they are allowed to pay in building
roads for their own convenience.


l have not space in this communication TO
speak of The advantages or disadvantages of
prairie farming, where the farmer is obliged
to purchase his own firewood,-of which he
ATCuo uO ouidlA pilC III q N4AAdtC WAChN bAS
mercury goes down among the forties, and
where the scarcity of materials prompts to
the erection of houses of a decidedly OPEN
work style of architecture perhaps obtain
ing it at distances so remote that by the ut
most activity he cannot draw with horse
team more than three loads a week.


Nor shall / in this article speak of the edu-
cational advantages-in the rural Districts
which had so captivated my friend from
Maine. Of these things I shalt take occa-
sion to speak hereafter.


There may be facts concerning even
these pleasant themes that real estate agents
and statistical bureau officers have studiously
omitted bringing to the front, which, when
carefully considered by the well-to-do people
of Maine, may constitute "shady side" to a
picture which has appeared to them hereto
fore altogether luminous. If / touch upon


these facts shall do so fairly, with no de-


sire to misrepresent, but with single pur-


pose to present picture true to nature and


to facts. OBSERVER.