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Show 612 WESTERN WILDS. black sandy soil dries out thoroughly iu a week; but the air is still cool enough to justify an overcoat, and for a fortnight there are only brown plains and gray woods, with no hint of dawning life. A few dayg of warmth, and there is a swelling and fluttering perceptible an the bosom of nature ; then grass, bush, branch and vine spring quickly into living green, and in one month tropic luxuriance suc-ceeds wintry death. But September clothes this region in its most attractive dress. The frost turns one thicket purple, another bright red or golden yellow, while the large timber is still green ; through the glades blows the cool and stimulating air, and over all is the soft blue sky of the Garden State. The advantages of this country are: abundant timber and running water, regular and exceedingly healthful climate, fertile soil, freedom from droughts and freshets, and land of excellent quality still to be had at reasonable rates. Its disadvantages : a long cold winter and occasional liability to grasshoppers the latter, however, very rare. The vegetable productions are remarkable, though report sometimes exaggerates. Tradition tells of one Minnesota Granger who happened to be examining a cucumber just as the season of rapid growth set in. As he backed out to give it room, the growing vine followed him so rapidly that he took to his heels, but was soon overtaken. It grew all around him, tangled up his legs, and threw him down. Reaching in great haste for his knife to cut himself loose, ne found that a cucumber had gone to seed in his breeches pocket. The adjoining part of Dakota has similar climate and soil, but two disadvantages : there is less timber and more wind. But land is much cheaper. Hundreds of sections in every county can still be had at Government rates ; and in the older settlements improved farms can even now be bought very cheap. Timber grows rapidly, and all the old settlers assure me they soon grow accustomed to the wind. I have noticed in all my western wanderings that the regions of abundant wind are those most free from malaria. The only ex-ception, if it is one, is in the Indian Territory, where there is wind enough, and yet much complaint on the score of fever and ague. Despite my experience with the high winds of Dakota, I am inclined to set down as fabulous the statement sometimes made by the envious, that an old Dakotian can not talk if the wind suddenly stops blow-ing. So used to it, you know. Iowa I have already described at some ( length. I can not get rid of the impression that the northern part of it is colder than the neighboring part of Minnesota. There is less timber, and the wind |