iii.i^ nji and iiiipi-dviii;: tlic land, fiiinisli a liaiidsdinc ii\ iii^; fur tlic srilh 

 wliilo cloarin.i; saiiic. 



The .sciil in tlio rcjiiiin is varied. Imt rantxc 

 ](iain soil to jieat-loam soil, usually nnijerla 

 plant life. We made repeated inquiries of tl 

 and Northwestern eoni were said to niatui 

 rye and barley. ("Iomm- and grasses also yielded two to three tons per acre. 

 There is no reason why peopl(> who fio into this region for the iinriKise of 

 niaUing a living farming should not succeed. But too many men have taken 

 up land with no other intention than to .«ell it to the timber ]»eopIe for any 

 other {Missible buyer) a.s soon as they could iirove uji on same. Improve- 

 ments, therefore, are not what they should be .-iinl loo few settlers ha\(' 

 cows and chickens in ;i country where both do well and bring |irolitabb' 

 returns. Furthermore, there is no reason wliy farmers who intend to farm 

 and make a home sliould not go to tliis region. There are some home- 

 steads yet to be had. In addition, land is cheap that is owned privately 

 or by the state of Minnesota. 



In a mineral way nothing is known of this region. Float coal Is said 

 to have been found in the stream beds, but no veins have ever been located. 

 Quartz rock formation, exposed both on the Little Fork river near the 

 town of the same name and also on the Big Fork river near Big Falls, is 

 often sprinkled with gold that is said to assay well. Placer deposits have 

 also been found that run high in gold locally. Geologically speaking, the 

 region seems to be underlaid with Lower and Middle Huronian rocks 

 (Couehiching formation) plus Archaeon rocks. The Huronian rocks are 

 likely to contain iron deposits. In fact iron boulders have been found in 

 many places and all the streams are impregnated with iron. 



The region is crossed by the Minnesota and International Railroad, the 

 terminal points being Bamidji and International Falls with the towns and 

 railroad centers of Little Fork in Little Fork valley and Big Falls in the 

 Big Fork region. Otherwise the region is practically in the virgin state. 



