GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF THE TERRITORIES. 



303 



Lad reached a depth of about 30 feet, when suddenly the water broke 

 in upon the w"orkmeu, who escaped with ditliculty. The water rose 

 rapidly to the surface and has been flowing freely ever since that time. 



If we follow a line from Saint Paul to the southwest corner of the 

 State we find the country somewhat similar to that toward Breckeu- 

 ridge. It is broken and timbered until we reach Crystal Lake, rather 

 more so than toward the northwest. This strip of timber belongs to the 

 Big Woods, and consists of deciduous trees, such as oak, ehn, ash, &c. 

 After passing this point we enter ui>on a beautiful undulating prairie- 

 section, devoid of timber, except the little strips along the banks of the 

 streams, which continues to and beyond the southwestern border of the 

 State. The soil is of an excellent quality, and the subsoil is generally 

 more or less mixed with a kind of finely-comminuted marl, though at 

 some points it is composed in great part of clay. There are some small, 

 clear lakes, but the surface is seldom marshy, the entire area as a gen- 

 eral thing being susceptible of cultivation. 



The following statistics, taken from the "Statistics of Minnesota for 

 1870," published by authority of the State, will give au idea of the 

 amount and character of its agricultural products : 



Crops of 1869. 



Product. 



Wheat 



Oats 



Corn 



Uarley 



Ryo 



Buckwheat 



Potatoes 



Beans 



Acres cultivated. 



1, 006, 007 



278, 487 



147, 587 



85, 201 



4,(532 



3, 023 



21,156 



1,910 



Bushels produced. 



17, 6G0, 467 



1(1,510,969 



4,519,120 



938, 466 



75, 628 



51,025 



1,580,431 



29, 003 



Sorghum, gallons 



35, 



Maple-sugar, pounds 205, 



Maple-syrup, gallons 14, 



Koney, pounds 9'^. 



Hay, wild, tons 532, 



Hay, cultivated, tons 69, 



Hops, pounds 283, 



Wool, pounds 382, 



Butter, pounds 6, 552, 



144 



702 

 815 

 (i51 

 183 

 129 

 335 

 902 

 455 



Cheese, pounds 321,969 



Apple-trees growing 316,552 



Apple-trees in bearing 20, 800 



Bushels of apples produced 9, 932 



Quarts of strawberries grown.. . 148,024 



Timothy-seed, bushels 2, 279 



Flax, pounds of fiber 15, 106 



Flaxseed, bushels 7, 801 



Average yield of field-crops per acre. 



Bushels. 



r.r. 



Oats .37.74 



Corn 30.62 



Barley 26.92 



Bnslielg. 



Ryo 16.32 



Potatoes 74. 70 



Buckwheat 16.83 



Beans 15. 17 



It is not probable that any considerable progress will be made in fruit- 

 growing, as it is evident that the climate is too rigorous for the profit- 

 able growing of any varieties except the most hardy small fruits, as 

 strawberries, currants, gooseberries, &c. 



As before stated, the consideration of the climate is reserved for a 

 future report, which will be devoted to this subject. 



DAKOTA, 



This Territory has been so recently settled, except a small section in 

 the southeast corner, that but little can be said as to its agricultural 

 prospects, save what we can infer from an inspection of its surface and 



