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Madison also claims to be one of the best fruit counties in the State. Applesand 
peaches seldom fail ; the pear and cherry also do well, and all the small fruits 
produce abundantly. The grape does well so far as tried, and our reporter 
thinks they have the best grape soil and climate in that part of the State of 
any in the west. From the very encouraging reports of our correspondents 
fruit culture is becoming an important interest in Missouri, promising complete 
success in quality of productions and remunerative profits. 
NEVADA, 
1. Our only reports from Nevada come from the counties of Washoe and 
Esmeralda. ‘The agricultural portions of the former were sparsely settled prior 
to 1860, and but little attention had been paid to raising cereals or even vege- 
tables, the chief production being hay from the wild grasses bordering the 
ponds or streams of water; the opinion generally prevailed that the soil 
beyond these margins named was worthless, but from small experiments made, 
confidence in the productiveness of the soil in the higher portions of the valley 
began to increase, and at the present time it is generally conceded that all of 
the cereals and more hardy vegetables can be raised with profit. Many tracts 
of land have been taken up, therefore, and rendered productive and valuable, 
that have been considered worthless. The grass lands of 1860 are probably 
worth no more now than then, excluding improvements. Of Esmeralda, also, 
very little.was known prior to 1860, at which time the mines were discovered, 
bringing in large numbers, and as a consequence most of the agricultural lands 
were taken up, and are now under a good state of cultivation, showing an 
increase in value of not less than 100 per cent. 
2. The average price of wild or unimproved lands in Washoe is $2 50 per acre, 
being government as well as Railroad Company price, there being none’ held 
outside. The character of such lands suited to agricultural purposes is upland 
valley, covered with sage brush; soil sandy, in many places a loam predominat- 
ing, in others a kind of clay. In Esmeralda the soil on the margin of the rivers, 
and in the valleys where there is water, is rich and deep; four-fifths of the 
unimproved land of the county are covered with sage brush, rocks, and a few 
secrub-trees, and is consequently worthless; the wood is pinyon pine, with a 
small portion of timber. 
3. Washoe county embraces no marked or peculiar resources excepting in min- 
erals, which have not been thoroughly tested, not to an extent sufticient to 
demonstrate their value. Peavine mountain, lying in the western portion of the 
county, evidently contains large bodies of ore, copper probably predominating, 
fused with gold and silver, but from the pecuniary inability of the owners of 
leads, together with other hindering influences, they have not been developed. 
Our Esmeralda reporter writes a6 follows : 
Our minerals are principally silver and gold in most of the districts. The ledges are large 
and the rocks rich, they being the only productive minerals thus far; but we have copper, 
iron, lead cinnabar, gypsum, and some large salt beds, some of which are 20 acres in extent 
and the salt two to four feet thick. For the great want of capital in this new county the 
mines are but partially developed, and it is believed that no place offers greater inducements 
to capitalists than this county. 
4. The hay crop is the specialty in Washoe; the grass of the natural varie- 
ties mainly, though considerable attention is now being paid to timothy, and 
some to the clovers. But little dressing has been put upon these lands as yet, 
but they would doubtless be improved thereby. In Esmeralda, wheat yields 
about 30 bushels to the acre; barley about 35 bushels ; oats 40; corn 30, and 
potatoes 150 bushels—the culture and profit of which are satisfactory. 
5. Australian and Sonora wheat are mostly cultivated in Washoe, the former 
being generally preferred as more hardy, producing a large white berry and 
