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I believe that no county in the Slate presents greater inducements for the resi- 

 dence of the farmer than St. Croix County. Probably not a thirtieth part enough 

 is produced to supply the demand, and with the rapid influx of population, and 

 the increase of the lumbering and other interests, we shall be obliged to depend 

 mainly on that part of our own State bordering on the Mississippi River and 

 Upper Illinois, and Missouri, for years to come for our supplies, which will keep 

 up the prices over and above the cost of purchase and transportation. 



No county in the State is better supplied with pure soft water than St. Croix 

 county, which, together with the healthfulness of the location, the j-emarkable 

 adaptation of soil to climate, and its direct communication with the south ; and 

 being, in fact, the head of steam boat navigation. Its abundance of game — its fine 

 streams and beautiful lakes, well supplied with the best varieties of fish — its home 

 market, at good prices, for every thing the farmer can produce — make it one of the 

 most desirable counties for a permanent residence within the limits of the State. 



At some future time I will give you a more elaborate detail of facts. 



Yours, 



OTIS HOYT. 

 To Albert C. Ingham, Esq. 



Sec. of the Wis. State Ayr. Society. 



AGRICULTURE OF WALWORTH COUNTY. 



Geneva, December 30th, 185L 



Its Settlement and Inhabitants. — The first white settlements in this 

 county were made in the year 1836, at Geneva, Spring Prairie, and Troy, by 

 immigrants principally from New York and New England. In the next follow- 

 ing year settlements were commenced at Delavan and Whitewater, on Bigfoot, 

 Turtle, Sugar Creek, and Gardiner's Prairies, and at other places. So rapid was 

 the influx of population, tempted by the beauty and fertility of the country, that 

 when lands in this county were ottered at public sale at Milwaukee, in February, 

 1839, nearly all the land desirable for agricultural purposes was entered. Since 

 that time, all that remained, with the exception of a few scattering forty or eighty 

 acre lots, situated on wet marshes, or sterile " knobs," (small, siiarp hills so called,) 

 has been purchased. 



The population is chiefly of New Yoik and !Ne\v England origin, interspersed 

 with a sprinkling from the inhabitants of various other States in the Union, toge- 

 ther with some Irish, Germans, anil a very few Norwegians. The controlling 

 find almost entire influence and tone of character, ])<>litical, social and religious, 



