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on best lands for cash, and no buyers at that: Montgomery, prices much 
depressed for two years after the war; but a good crop this year, and 
emigrants coming in, have brought them up to twenty-five or thirty per cent. of 
prices in 1860; Sebastian reports decrease at ‘“ten-tenths,” but looking up. 
The average depreciation for the State is fifty-five per cent. 
2. Homesteads and other government lands at usual rates in Johnson, Clark, 
and Conway counties; some very fertile, but few entries. Hilly, heavily tim- 
bered lands in Montgomery at $1 25; Madison, at $3; Benton, table lands of 
Ozark mountains, $3 to $5. These are fertile for cereals, fruits, peas, beans, 
&c. Johnson reports government lands held by speculators at $5 to $8 for 
river lands, and $3 to $5 for uplands; and State lands, swamp and overflowed, 
at 50 to 75 cents—the same held by speculators at $1 to $3, and if good farm 
lands, $3 to $5; Sebastian river lands, $8 to $15, and uplands $2 50 to $5; 
produce cereals, potatoes, vegetables, and cotton; Union, various soils, at 75 
cents; uplands produce 200 to 300 pounds cotton, and ten to twenty bushels 
corn; St. Francis, varied soils, $1 25; will produce 400 pounds of cotton, thirty- 
six bushels of corn, or twenty bushels of wheat or oats; Mississippi rice lands, 
annually overflowed and requiring levees, at 50 cents. Monroe, good black loam, 
at 50 cents to $10; will produce 500 pounds cotton, 30 bushels corn, and 
25 bushels wheat; Prairie, hill or upland for 75 cents, and bottom land for $1. 
The upland prairie or timber lands will produce 35 bushels corn and 20 bushels 
wheat; under good system of cultivation, one-half more. In Drew, farms 
produce 200 to 300 pounds ginned cotton, 15 to 25 bushels corn, and 150 
to 250 bushels sweet potatoes, without manuring; generally well timbered; 
forced sales at two and three cents per acre. In Clark, at forced sale, a section 
(640 acres) sold for $15, and a quarter (160 acres) for $5. No voluntary sales; 
money scarce. 
3. Soils reported “rich” and “fertile,” in Newton, Madison, Mississippi, Prai- 
rie, Conway, and Jefferson. Timber, of many varieties, reported in Newton, 
Madison, Sebastian, Union, Prairie, and White counties; pineries in Benton, 
Clark, and Prairie, and cypress forests in Monroe, (timber can be floated to the 
mills in overflows at little cost,) and Prairie counties. In Newton county lead 
and silver are found on the surface; in Madison, iron, coal, and lead; Mont- 
gomery, lead, silver, gold, and copper; Sebastian and Union, coal; White, coal, 
and salt by boring; but all undeveloped except a little coal for smithing. Benton 
abounds in minerals undeveloped. Clark reports that since the demise of King 
Cotton they have no resources—“everything lies around loose;” sandy lands 
abound in magnificent timber, but nothing is developed. Prairie county reports 
soil unsurpassed for farmers, timber for lumberers, black-oak and hides for tan- 
ners, railroad and river facilities abundant, healthy climate, good water, and 
plenty of good schools. Drew is the centre of the cotton region, and well sup- 
plied with water facilities for transportation. Jefferson has excellent soil, plea- 
sant climate, and healthy country, but all destitute. 
4. Union, Mississippi, §t. Francis, Clark, Prairie, White, and Conway report 
that cotton was their specialty, but likely to be abandoned. Sebastian, 
Monroe, White, and Drew report cotton and corn, the latter probably to super- 
sede the former. Montgomery and Madison, corn for bread, and for feeding cattle 
and hogs for market. Newton, corn, wheat, and sorghum abundant, and with 
little labor. Johnson, wheat, corn, and potatoes for home and market, and cotton 
for export. Sebastian, corn, cotton, and some wheat, but not cultivated in far- 
mer-like manner. In Benton, apples are becoming a specialty; trees bear fruit 
at five years old; five to ten bushels at ten years old, the fruit selling at fifty 
cents, to be taken to Texas, where it commands high figures. 
Prices reported in Montgomery : corn at 50 cents to $1, and raised at a profit 
of fifty to one hundred per cent.; in Johnson, corn, 60 to 75 cents; wheat, $2; 
sweet potatoes, 50 cents per bushel; Sebastian, wheat at $1 50 to $2. 
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