Cherokee History

SOIL

The surface soil in Cherokee, in the norther part, belongs to what is called the Drift Deposit, in the south aprt to what is called the BLuff deposit, and the bottoms of the principal rivers are alluvial. Language can convey no adequate idea of the measureless fertility of these soils. The rich surface mould in many cases reaches to the depty of five feet, and this is underlaid by a stratum of dark yellow soil, equally rich with the vegetable mould abaove. This soil has been largely formed from the annual decay of the luxuriant grasses that for thousands of years have grown and rotted upon it, a compost as rich as that the farmers of the east haul for miles to replenish their exhausted fields. The sub-soil alluded to is underlaid by several feet of gravel, in which a pure, healthy drinking water is found.

The soil is extremely porous and is therefore not readily influenced by atmosperic changes, neither drouth nor wet affecting it easily. When once stireed by the ploy it never "bakes," but uninfluenced by wind or weather, remains kind and mellow. It is remarkably easy wrought, but at the same time requires careful working, as from its extremem richness it is liable to become weedy. The ingredients composing this soil have in effect given Norther Iowa the advantage of a climate 200 miles to the south of it. Iowa Geology, Vol. II, p. 204: "The fortunate admixture of soil materials give a warmth and mellowness to the soil which is so favorable to the growth of crops, that they are usually matured as early as they are upon more clayey soils of the southern part of the state, although the latter are 200 miles farther southward." The above accounts for the fact that seeding is, in the majority of seasons, completed in Northwestern Iowa earlier than in southern Iowa, while wheat, corn and other cereals are usually more forward, up to harvest time.

To the exhibition at Philadelphia in '76, a number of the counties in this stae sent specimens of soil, each encased in a glass tube, representing a column of soil six feet deep with its layers in position just a they are in the earth. Of the forty seven counties represented, Cherokee had the proud distinction of receiving special mention, as having the greatest dept of mould and the richest sub-soil, and this in a state that the reports of the Agricultural BUreau at Washington prove to be the most fruitful and profitable farming state in the Union. It produces wheat as luxuriantly as Minnesota, corn as abundantly as Illinois, potatoes as prolific as Michigan, and oats, barley and rye in Luxuriance. Melons, and all trailing plants can no where be equaled, while all the root crops known yield up to the fullest measure or desire of the Husbandman.

CLIMATE

Much has been said and written about the climate of Iowa, and the northwestern division has often been represented as severe. While it cannot be claimed that the climate is languid, it is not true that it is too vigorous. Summer and autumn are not more delightful in any parallel of latitude. The air, for days and weeks together, is as pure as is possible to imagine, and the sky is as soft and beautiful as the boasted sky of Italy. Autumn is usually prolonged much beyond the ordinary expectation of the term, and is dry, pleasant and healthful. The winters in general are steady, remain clear and dry, with a very light fall of snow, so little that sleighing seldom extends beyond a few days; and snow, many a winter does not fall to exceed a couple of inches at any one time. As a general thing the fields are bare during winter, and cattle may be seen picking in the fields and corn-stalks in January and February. This present winter the thermometer has been only once below zero, and at this writing the ground is bare. Spring is surprisingly early for the latitude. Wheat is often largely sown in March, and seldom ever is sown later than April 10th or 15th. The ground is so friable and dry that it admits of being cultivated just as soon as the frost goes out.

The rain fall is abundant and copious, refreshing showers fall through May and June every few days. In seven years, only one season has been over dry, while two were wet and four medium. Prairie winds are often complained of, true they are periodically severe; but a continuous moving current of air is what makes the summers and autumns so delightful and healthy. The months of May and September have frequently cold nights, though seldom frosty ones; June, July, and August are entire free of frost, the days are warm and vegetation seems to smother the earth. One peculiarity of the climate is that the nights are cool, seldom or never sultry; that though the day may have been scorching hot, a good bed cover is always in demand before morning. To enjoy the luxury of an August sleep one must go west.

TIMBER

Except along the Sioux River and Mill Creek, Cherokee was a treeless plain up to its settlement; but the law of Iowa encourages tree culture by exempting the lands planted to timber from taxation for a number of years. This, and the necessities of the case have given the timber cultivation an impulse it could not otherwise have had. There are already hundreds of groves in the county, embracing an area of at least 5,000 acres. Timber grows astonishingly rapid. Groves planted but seven years ago have trees a foot in diameter, so tall and heavy as to afford shelter for field meetings, and by annual trimming out of the groves in many cases, sufficient timber is obtained to supply the wants of fuel. These groves consist principally of cottonwood, a species that attains in a few years the dimensions of a tree. We have seen 15 year old cottonwood twenty inches in diameter, with a trunk of fifty feet. The timber problem is practically solved. In ten years time from this date, it is safe to predict,Northwestern Iowa will have sufficient timber for all home demands, building purposes excepted. The principal fuel used is coal, obtained at Fort Dodge, eighty miles east, and sold at all the stations in the county at $5.00 per tone, which all must admit is a cheap firing. There are many families in the county who have never burned aught but wood, and timber burned is yearly becoming more plentiful.

FRUIT

All new countries have to go through a probationary period on the fruit question. Defeats, disappointments and failures seem everywhere to fore run final success. Success in fruit growing is always the result of careful observation, by studying the climate, the varieties, the soil and mode of culture. Immense quantities of fruit trees have been sold by unprincipled agents, and because their worthless stock died,the croakers at once settled it that fruit could not be grown here; but, though injured by this procedure, hundreds have gone right on testing it year after year, and the result is that the county has many thrifty young orchards, which have produced as fine specimens of apples as are to be found in the state. The principle varieties are the Tetsoecky, Astrachan, Snow apple and all the varieties of crabs, Cherries, plums and pears also do well. Small fruit grows luxuriantly and is very generally cultivated. Public attention is being yearly more and more directed to the culture of fruit, nurseries devoted to raising the varieties suited to this soil and climate are now selling their stock, grown in an adjoining county, fully acclimated and placing the successful cultivation of fruit beyond all doubt. Grapes do exceedingly well. Twenty-five bushels were raised from a few vines by a farmer in the western part of the county last season, and in many other instances very excellent varieties have been grown. All that is necessary in this climate is to select the proper varieties --the Concord seems the favorite - and take care of them; the result is sure.

ROADS

In a prairie country it is not difficult to make roads, were it not that gravel is difficult to obtain; but Cherokee is fortunate in this respect, having along the Little Sioux many splendid gravel beds, which will supply material enough to gravel the whole county. The Little Sioux is well bridged, three large structures spanning its banks, two of them wooden and one a magnificent iron bridge, the latter built this season, and is second to none of the kind in Iowa. Mill Creek and the Maple are also bridge. The bridges of the county have cost upwards of $20,000, an outlay that counties not favored with streams have not needed to make; streams gives, the county would net all the bridges combined. The level nature exchange for double the outlay of all the bridges combined. The level nature of the lands, its dryness and compactness, gives the county a very air road system without much labor. The small streams have been generally bridged, and all others are being so as required. Practically one can, so far as roads are concerned, go any where through the county at any season of the year.

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