In our western view we shall not see so many objects of interest; as not a river [pg 17] pierces the western wall, only a few little brooks, or trout harboring runs,—where they used to catch the speckled trout by the bushel, prominent among which is Cedar run, just, a little above us and Trout run directly opposite of us, on which is located the celebrated “Pick Wick” flouring mills—are all that indent or mar its smooth and even face. Then, everything appears to be so near by. The forms, and farm houses, in such multiplied variety, so plain in sight, just “Over there,” outside of the garden, rough and rugged, to where “Fallen Humanity” was driven. And we are getting tired of looking, so we make a rapid turn, glancing along the wall down over New Amsterdam and Holland settlement, to the point of commencement, and are looking into the closed-up valley, on account of another bend, in this mighty, mighty, Mississippi river, in its exit out of this Garden of Eden.
As we look down once more on this valley garden land, with its little silver lakes, and shining streams, beautiful groves and undulating prairies, and try to peer into its future, we are completely overwhelmed with emotion, as we notice it is just beginning to be checkered up, by marks of intelligent human occupancy, as well as by the Indian tepee and wigwam. But the time of gardening is not yet. And here is room for hundreds of thousands of the fallen sons of God, to come and regain a home in this “Paradise on earth” to all such as have a Paradise within them.
Now, will any one believe us? “Come and see!” Dr. Warner and all. Take this description in your hand, read, and look, and like the “Queen of Sheba,” you will lose your [pg 18] “spirit of doubting,” and say: “It was a true report, though I believed it not, but now that mine eyes have seen it, the one half of its greatness was not told.”
The scenery just outlined, is amazingly grand,
The work of the Deity, worthy his hand.
From our past observation, it is not so very strange to us, that individuals often pass along over important sections of earth with out noticing its beauty and its glory. Not that its flowers and its fruits are altogether hidden, but that they have become common place, or for lack of attention, on account of preoccupancy of the mind, are not noticed. Nor is it much wonder that individuals should reside right in the midst of the garden of Eden and not be aware of it; see many of its peculiar characteristics, and yet not recognize them; simply because they seem natural; were indeed natural; just as God made it; or, the results of natural growth and changes. It is perfectly plain from the Bible account, and that is our guide in this matter, that Eden was a country, and that a very important river crossed or ran through and watered that country, and because of its importance was named Euphrates.—the great river, a very common ancient method of naming things.—And that, “Eastward,” or on the eastward bank of that river, central in this Eden, at a certain point,—where three rivers joined the great river, the four entering, and crossing the garden, and only the great river running out of it,—was located the garden of Eden; [pg 19] One of the most desirable places for a human being to dwell. Conducive of human happiness: First, where there was a plenty of good water, for human uses, and to fertilize the land, also for fishes and fowls, and yet exempt from malarial diseases. And we ask, where can there be found another plat of earth, of the same size and surroundings, so abundantly watered, and with all the requisites for a garden, and yet so free from malaria, as is our garden of Eden. Second, far enough north to catch the dry, balmy, health inspiring atmosphere, and the pure water, the native home of the speckled trout, and yet the summer temperature of the mild temperate zone, a medium from which to send its inhabitants north and south. Third, exemption from the great terrors of mankind, earthquake and cyclone. While the mountains are far away “round about” our Eden, and the minerals in great abundance and variety are within and about it, yet so far removed are they from the garden, as entirely to exempt it from earthquakes; as these are confined to sea coasts, and gas producing regions. And as cyclones are supposed to be produced by the sun's rays,—as they never occur in the night,—and peculiar electric concentration, which requires uniformity of land, or region, and heat, and as our garden is sunk down into the earth to the depth of 500 feet, and in a line or direction, requiring a cyclone to cross it at right angles,—as their course is from the south of west, toward the north of east—and thus would have to leap the chasm, or loose its force in tumbling into it,—and such is the uneveness [pg 20] of the country around it as to lessen liability—for a cyclone is simply an electric wind storm, and not a thunder storm, and moves in a single cloud, and not spread abroad, and would be broken by an uneven country; find also on account of the evaporation arising from the “much water” of our garden, such an electric heated current could not well be formed across it; so we are naturally exempt from cyclone, as well as earthquakes, which must be a great relief of mind, and source of enjoyment to our residents. Yet from its size, and shallowness, we must still be subject to high and purifying winds, and rain storms. And as evaporation and consequently the conducting of electricity from the earth to the cloud regions, must go on more rapidly in our garden, on a hot day, because of its “much water,” so, doubtless, we shall always have our full quota of thunder storms. The rains, however, being generally, of the more steady and general character.
To the language of Bishop Foss in his article on Minnesota, just published in the Christian Advocate:“From my vantage ground of observation, near the center of the continent, I greet you and many of your readers on its distant rim;” we just wish to add, that our garden of Eden is bounded on the west by southern Minnesota, therefore central. Again, “My point of observation is lofty as well as central. Minnesota occupies the most elevated plateau between the Gulf of Mexico and Hudson Bay, and forms the watershed of three great river systems of the central part of North America—the Mississippi, [pg 21] the St. Lawrence, and the Red River of the North—its average elevation being just about 1,000 feet, the highest point 1,600 feet.” Again, “Concerning the climate, I condense the statement of the Encylopedia Britanica: Its elevation above sea-level gives an agreeable rarefaction to the atmosphere, and makes the prevalence of fogs and damp weather unknown. The comparative dryness of the atmosphere neutralizes the severest effect of excessive cold. The Smithsonian Chart assigns to Minnesota an average temperature for the hottest week in summer of from 85° to 90° and for the coldest week in winter from 10° to 20° below zero. The average annual rainfall is about 25½ inches. It is evident that the causes which mitigate the actual severity of the climate as felt, and so many clear days * * are those which render a climate healthful in the highest degree.” What is thus true of Minnesota, is pre-eminently so of our Garden.
While there is in our garden nearly every grade of soil, from the sand blow-out, to the richest black muck, yet it is principally sandy loam, just the foundation, for a garden. Still it produces fairly all kinds of grain.
In our early settlement, over thirty years ago, Deacon Gilbert, raised, near Galesville, fifty-two bushels of wheat to the acre; and it was reported of some one raising 60. On a farm, located midway between the hanging garden and the opposite wall, purchased by D. O. VanSlyke from the government—as “Hopkins choice,” or the refuse vacant land, and last to be entered on the prairie, or entire upper end of the garden,—when, at its [pg 22] best, produced forty bushels of wheat to the acre. And as one forty was devoted to wheat, several crops were taken, averaging over 35 bushels to the acre; then gradually decreasing to the fifteenth crop, one having been of corn, and fourteen of wheat, without the application of any fertilizers whatever, when it produced only 18 bushels of No. 1 wheat to the acre. These facts came within my own observation, and are probably, above the average of the entire garden; as the assessors assessed this farm, for a number of years at nineteen dollars per acre, when it was offered for sale at fifteen dollars per acre. But Trempealeau Prairie has been notable for many years as the “Egypt” for corn producing. And we have no way of estimating what could be done in the line of gardening, for lack of a market, or capitalists to successfully enter competition. But as to the apple-tree, that appears to have been driven out with fallen man; and whether redeemed man can restore it, is a question, as it is not designed at present, for man to live on the spontaneous productions of the earth.
Of the scenery we have never tired. It is always fresh and enchanting. And such an inspiring feeling, of “this is my home!” “O what a delightful home!”