GEOLOGICAL SUEVEY OF THE TERRITORIES. 311 



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

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

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

 found to be 17.70 bushels per acre ; maize, 32.54 bushels; rye, 20.66 bushels ; oats, 36.65 

 bushels ; barley, 26.7h 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. In view of 

 this fact, the Burlington and Missouri River Railroad Company proposes to import from 

 the old countries the best descrii:)tionsof seed for those among the purchasers of its lands 

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

 yield abundantly, the average production of potatoes for five years being 79.80 bushels 

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

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

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

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

 years past attention has been devoted to fruit-growing, and peach and a^jple orchards 

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

 whether fi'uit-culture would ever be sucessful here. These doubts were the offshoots 

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

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

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

 kindly to the Nebraska 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 gi'ape 

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

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

 grape can be profitably 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 and hemp might 

 be cultivated for manufacturing purposes. 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. 



Question 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 and antelope are luxuriant. The blue-joint, 

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

 called "tuley," which grows in the bottoms of the Missouri 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 readily 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, therefoi'e, 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 ; aud 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 profit 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 

 syjlendid condition. When cattle-breeding becomes one of the regular operations of 

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

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

 horses have been raised ; but c[ua]ified men are here aud there turning their atten- 

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

 suitable for horse-breeding. As the land is not the best adapted for the plow, 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 horse-breeder to plant willow in suitable places as wind-screens. Feed, 

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

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

 jjlentiful, and the sheep require no more than the most ordinary shepherding; but that 

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



