ads under the recent grant of large portion of
these lands by Congress, are constructed from and to the different
points indicated, this extensive and heavily timbered region will
speedily be reclaimed, and become one of the most substantial and
prosperous agricultural portions of the West.' After speaking of the
timber in that country, the same writer adds: 'But as the timber is
exhausted, the soil is prepared for cultivation, and a large portion
of the _northern part_ of the southern peninsula of Michigan will be
settled and cultivated, as it is _the most reliable wheat-growing
portion of the Union_.'

"The Detroit Daily Tribune of 1857, says: "Michigan is greatly
undervalued because greatly unknown. The tide of emigration sweeps
past us to Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa and Minnesota, because the public
do not know--what is but the sober truth--that Michigan possesses
advantages unrivaled by any sister State in the Northwest, and an
undeveloped wealth that will far exceed any one of those named. This
is not a random statement, originating in State pride or
self-interest, but the simple truth which is slowly being found out by
the shrewd among men. We propose to speak of some of the advantages
which we possess in the northern half of our lower peninsula, as yet
almost uninhabited and unknown.

"'No other State can boast of such valuable forests of such perfect
timber. Already our lumber trade exceeds in value and importance that
in any other staple products, not excepting wheat, while if it were to
increase in the ratio of the past five years, in five years more it
would exceed all the other staples united, excepting only copper. But
such a rate of increase would exhaust the pine timber to a great
extent within ten years' time. Yet the demand for pine lumber is
absolutely unlimited, and cannot be met.

"Look for a moment at the vast region depending upon the pineries of
Michigan for its supply of lumber for building purposes of every
kind--houses, fence and shelter of every description. The great States
of Illinois, Iowa, and Missouri, and the Territory of Minnesota,
depend almost solely upon Michigan, and must do so. The present
season, lumber has been taken from the forest of southwestern New York
and northern Pennsylvania, and sold in the market of St. Louis, so
urgent is the demand and so entirely inadequate are the present or
prospective rates of supply for that demand. We have before us the
statistics of the lumb