GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF THE TERRITORIES. 311 



most, ami in weight of crop this section ouly falls below California. Wheat grows 

 well on the high ami the low lands ; and oats and barley yield abundantly, while maize 

 is everywhere successful. Taking a period of iive years, an average yield of wheat is 

 found to be 17.70 bushels per acre ; maize, 33.54 bushels; rye, 20.C6 bushels ; oats, 36.65 

 bushels ; barley, 26.75 bushels ; and buckwheat, 26.33 bushels. The wheat grown here 

 retains its characteristics without deterioration for a longer period than in most parts 

 of the country ; but still it is desirable, now and again, to renew the seed. lu view of 

 this fact, the Burlington and Missouri River Railroad Cou)pany proposes to import from 

 the old countries the best descriptions of seed for those among the purchasers of its lauds 

 who may desire new seed. Potatoes, sweet potatoes, turnips, beets, and all root-crops 

 yield abundantly, the average production of potatoes for live years being 79.H0 bushels 

 per acre. The systematic culture of the sugar-beet would give an abundant supply 

 of sugar. Sorghum is of free and rich growth ; aud an excellent sirup is manufactured 

 from its juice, though theprocesses of manufacture are at present crude. Table-vegeta- 

 bles all grow freely ; aud the castor-bean finds the soil and climate suitable! For a few 

 years past attention has been devoted to fruit-growing, and peach aud apple orchards 

 have been established in many parts of this section. At one time there were doubts 

 whether fruit-culture would ever be sucessful here. These doubts were the offshoots 

 of theories that had never been tested by experience ; but now, and as the result of 

 experience, they have been entirely dissipated. In three years young peach-trees corao 

 into bearing ; aud apple-trees in from four to five. One strong proof that fruit takes 

 kindly to the Nel)raska soil is that, at the exhibition in 1871 of the National Fruit-Grow- 

 ers' Association, the premium for fruit was awarded to the State of Nebraska, of which 

 the section of country to which this report applies is one of the best parts. The grape 

 is successful under proper conditions. The Missouri blutfs are similar in character to 

 the loess of the Rhine banks, aud throughout the broken prairie the culture of the 

 grape can be yuofitably undertaken. Small fruits grow luxuriantly; and the wild 

 strawberry aud the raspberry of the timber-skirtings are of excellent flavor. Tobacco 

 is grown to a small extent in the bottoms. The plant thrives, and the leaf comes to 

 maturity. Flax has been grown in this section for seed ; but both flax aud hemp might 

 be cultivated for manufacturing puqioses. In a new country like this the manufacture 

 of linen and agriculture might go hand in hand, provided immigrants who are accus- 

 tomed to the twofold operation can be brought into the State, for to this day it re- 

 mains a fact that hand-made linens can compete in the market with the productions of 

 the power-loom. 



Qiiesiion 4. What kind of stock is best adapted to your section, cost of raising, value, 

 &c.? 



Answer. The raising of cattle has succeeded wherever tried. The native grasses 

 which form the pasture of the buffalo aud antelope are luxuriant. The blue-joint, 

 which grows on the highlands, attains the height of six feet ; and a grass locally 

 called "tuley," which grows iu the bottoms of the Missoixri and the Platte, is equally 

 rich. These are both excellent as feeding grasses ; but there are many others, and most 

 of the year there is pasture upon the prairie, for even after the slight frosts of the fall 

 have browned the grasses they make good cattle-food until they are entirely shriveled 

 in the dead winter. Hay is also reaflily cured and stacked. The winters, as a rule, 

 are not long. Open weather continues to the end of November, aud spring has fairly 

 returned by the beginning of March. Cattle, therefore, can be kept in the open air 

 for most of the year; and during ordinary years, with the exception a few weeks, all 

 the year round. For these few weeks, however, shelter is needed ; and when shelter 

 is provided the worst winters experienced are not at all to be dreaded by the breeder. 

 So far in the history of this country the stock-owner's worst enemy has been the care- 

 lessness induced by the general moderation of the winters. He comes to depend on 

 the mildness of the season ; and when a severe winter occurs, and he has not adequate 

 shelter for his stock, loss ensues. The fault here indicated experience will correct. A 

 good i)rofit is made by purchasing Texan cattle and grazing them on the prairie for a 

 season, before shipping to the eastern market. Cattled thus treated go to market in 

 si)lendid condition. When cattle-lireeding becomes one of the regular operations of 

 the farmer, it is well to cross the Texan with the Durham. Horse-breeduig will be 

 one of the industries of the section. Except for the iiurposes of the farm not many 

 horses have been raised ; but qualified men are here and there turning their atten- 

 tion to tlie subject. The broken aud rolling prairie, intersected by draws, (ravines,) is 

 suitable for horse-bveeding. As the land is not the best adapted for the y)low, it is the 

 cheapest of the lands in the section, though, as it is the most suitable for the stock- 

 farm, it is the most valuable of all. In the draws water can always be found ; and, from 

 whatever quarter the wind blows, the animals can find shelter. It would be well, how- 

 ever, for the hcu'se-breeder to plant willow in suital)le places as wind-screens. Feed, 

 iu the shape of oats and corn, is readily raised. Sheep are valuable stock for these 

 prairie-lands; and will make large returns as well in wool as meat. Good pasture is 

 plentiful, and the sheep recpiire no more than the most ordinary shepherdnig; but that 

 they must have. The dry, open winters conduce to the health of the sheep, which are 



