The Brigham Young Center

580

G. Salt Lake City
April 19th 1865.

Wm. M. Clark, Strawberry Point P. O.
Clayton Co. Iowa.

Sir:-

Your letter of Feb. 21st, stating that you have a desire to settle in this country and asking what the chances are for buying land in good locations and the nature of the climate and the fruits raised here, &c., has just be received.

Our climate compares very well with that of central New York, being very similar in most respects. We have to depend upon artificial watering or irrigation here, however, for the raising of our crops, as we do not have sufficient rain for this purpose during the summer months. Fruits which do well in that State, do well here, and we raise apples, peaches, cherries, plums, nectarines, apricots and all the smaller fruits of a very fine quality. The hardy grape thrives well here.

There is no government land for sale here. The Indian title to the has never been extinguished. Nevertheless we buy and sell to each other with the same confidence as though we had the most perfect title that Government could give us. We have, under the blessing of the Lord practically demonstrated that the country is a habitable one, which was altogether doubted by those who knew it when we came here. We have comparatively little land -- when the extent of our territorial domain is taken into consideration-- that is susceptible of cultivation, still there are many places where a person can get farms and have them located within five miles of a settlement or as much further off as he chooses.

I remain Respectfully,

Brigham Young