ought
to be, one of the most important points in the West.

"The State of Michigan is in all respects more favorably situated than
any of the Western States, being surrounded by the lakes and with
railroads extending in every direction, affording the most
extraordinary opportunities to reach markets of every class, great or
small.

"With these natural advantages of transportation considered with the
immense natural resources of this region (soil and timber) no one will
doubt the very great value of Michigan lands.

"Fruit of all kinds is abundant in every part of this State. All our
exchanges from the interior are acknowledging presents of luscious
peaches, plums, pears, apples, etc., etc. This is as it should be. May
they all, each succeeding year, be remembered in like manner.

"What is here said of the northern part of Michigan, is directly
applicable to Wisconsin, the northern half of which must contribute
directly to Mackinaw. Of the agricultural capacity of this new State,
we need say no more, than that it has already attained half a million
of inhabitants, and pours forth its surplus products though the ports
of Lake Michigan.

"Of Minnesota, and its productiveness, less is known. As three-fourths
of that rich and beautiful country, and the regions around the heads
of the Mississippi, must contribute to the commercial importance of
Mackinaw, let us glance at its agricultural capacity and prospects.
Minnesota, of which we heard but yesterday, has now two hundred
thousand inhabitants, produces this year two millions of bushels of
wheat. St. Paul, its principal town has fourteen thousand inhabitants,
and far to the northwest from St. Peters to the Red River, and
Assinibone, the settlers are crowding in to till farms and create
towns, where but recently the wild wolf and the wilder savage, alone
possessed the face of the earth. In latitudes higher than that of
Mackinaw, Michigan or Canada West, settlements are forming, and it
requires no flight of imagination to see that beautiful land of lakes,
rivers, forests, and prairies,--cold as it may be in winter--settled,
tilled, and civilized. The fact of its rapid progress in population,
is sufficient proof of its agricultural capacity; but we shall again
refer to the testimony of actual observers. Turning to Mr. Ferris's
first description of the Northwest, we find his summing of the
climate, and agricultural advantages of Upper Minnesota. 'Minnesota is
destined to