IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) k <• signlfie "A SUIVRE", le symbole y signifie "FIN". Mapii, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at different reduction ratios. Those too large to be entirely included in one exposure are filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams illustrate the method: Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent dtre filmte d des taux de reduction diff6rents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour dtre reproduit en un seul clich6, 11 est film6 d partir de I'angle supirieur gauche, de gauche d droite, et de haut sr. bas, en prenant le nombre d'images nicessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la m6thode. 1 i t 1 2 3 4 5 6 V^t ^1 PRAIRIE FARMING IN AMERICA. •^1 tONDOtf riiiNTfU) nv spoTTiswooni: ,vyi> co. >h\v sriu.r.T M(ii;ARK> EMIGRANTS RAILWAY C MAP OF NO:?lTH AMERICA J.V/YLD CHARINCCR Prairie Country {coloured Green). I A I L WAY GUIDE "j '^4/ TH AMERICA «>j-^ *"" J.WYLD CHARING CROSS EAST LONDON. Railways completed. Illinois Central Railway, '""""""" Railways in proorress. i ' Prairie Country (coloured Green). PRAIRIE FARMING IN AMERICA. WITH NOTES BY THE WAY o\ ■\\ CANADA AM) THE UNITED STATES. BY JAMES CAIHD, M P. At'TMOB OF " KN,U.,SM AGRICULTCrRK" '« ..RTTkKS ON THK COKN CROPs" HIUH KAKMINO" "tHK WIOST OK IKKLAM)" KTC. LOXDON ^ LOXGMAN, BROWN, GEEEN, LOXGMAXS, & EGBEETS. 18:)9 T/te right of tramlation i» reterveU. s i CONTENTS. I Kniij;?rants' Guide Map to f(tcc Tilli'-payr INTHODUCTION. Present Position of Aj^rioiiltmi.st.s in Kiiirluid Continued Rise of Kent. — Iiirreascd Hate of Wa<^cs nut e(|uallv' certain. — Cornpotition in the Mire of Land. — Wliencc it arises. — Foreij^n Proiluce. — That of Lands of superior Fertility cliieliy affects us. — Increasing Value of Live Stock. — Home Competition the true Source of diminished Profits, — Kxtent to which the IJusiness of Farmin;j^ is giving i)lace to other Occu- j)ations. — Area of ordiiuxry Fannin;.' thus curtai' mI. — Necessity for Farmers to thin the raiiks of Ih^me Conij)etition. — Daily Consumption of Foreign Grain. — Offers a good Prospect to the Emigrant. — Tho Prairies of Illinois a suitahle Field for him. — Their Advuiitagcs. — Price. — Ague. — Stock Farming and Indian Corn. — Cost of Voyage and Journey. — The present a very favourable Time - - Pago 1 LETTER L Voyage in the "Persia." — New York. — The Hudson River. — Barren Soil. — American Railways. — Saratoga. — Extravagant Prices. — Lake George. — Lake Champlain. — Sunshine and Storm. — Burlington in Vermont. — Maine Liquor Law. — TiiK Boundary Link. — Poor French Canadians. — The St. Lawrence. — Montreal. — The Victoria Tubular Bridge. — (Jrand Trunk Railwav. — Ottawa. — The Lund)cr Trade. — Ottawa or Montreal as the Capital. — Shorter Water Route to the West- ern Lakes. — Value of Land. — Grants of Land. — Prescott. — Kingston. — Coburg. — Process of clearing the Forest. — Toronto. — JIamilton. — Complaint of low Wages and want of Employment, - - - 7 LETTER IL Falls of Niagara. — Canada West. — Mode of Farming. — Short Wheat Crop. — Average Produce. — London. — Price of Land. — Climate. — Diseases produced by Malaria. — Rich Lands more subject to thera than VI CONTENTS. poor. — Proposed Route to British Columbia. — Red River and the Valley of the Saskatchewan. — The Hudson Bay Territory — Alleged Fertility of the Country. — Failure of the Selkirk Settlement. — Plague of Grasshoppers. — Mr. • Kitson's Account of the Settlement on Red River. — Policy of abandoning that Country to Canada. — Probable Over-estimate of its Value - - Page 17 LETTER III. Mjciiigan. — Ferry Steamer. — Detroit. — State Agricultural Show. — Railway Hints for Home, to prevent Dust, and communicate with Driver — Shelter for Engine Driver. — Illinois. — Extent of the rich Valley of the Upper Mississippi. — Chicago Its wonderful Progress. — Railwiy Investments. — Development too rapid. — Encouraged by high Prices of Agricultural Produce. — Lloncy Panic succeeded by Failure of Crops ■:'.nd unhealthy S<;ason. — Immigration suspended. — Capacity of Country for rapid Improvement. — View of the State of Illinois on a Line of 700 Miles.— Settlers from Vermont. — Galena. — Dunleith 29 \i LETTEP IV. General View of the State of Illinois. — Comparison of Soil and Extent with England. — Dunleith to Mendota. — Vast Wheat Fields. — Ex- perience of a Scotch Carpenter. — Farming by Shares. — Cost of Farm- houses. — The River Illinois. — Coal Lands of La Salle. — Corn Starch Factory. — Bloomington. — Settlers from New York State. — Account of his Operations by Pioneer of Settlement. — Unusual Failure of Wheat Crop. — Discouragement caused by this.— Temptations of Credit System. — Instance of Purchase and Cost of making a Farm. — History of an e:irly Settler. — The Banking System of the Country. — Profits of Banking. — "Shin Plaster" Banks 42 LETTER V. Springfield. — Appearance of Country. — Cattle Show. — Stock Farming. — Experience of a sucecfsful Farmer. — His Mode of laying his Farm to Grass. — Novel Implements. — Merino Sheep Farming. — Account of it by the Owner of a large Flock. — System of managing Prairie Land reconmiended. — Sowing Grass Seeds on Snow. — Valuable Meadow Vrice of Merino Sheep. — Superiority of Prairie to Timbered Country. — The Governor of illinoif.. — The Public Officers of State. — Manners of the I'coplc. — Decatur. — Lost on the Prairie. — The American Settler. — Mutual Help. — Fences. — Pana and its Neighbourhood. — Settlement of French Canadians 54 CONTENTS. Vll r and the — Alleged , — Plague It on Red — Probable - Page 17 1 Show. — with Driver h Valley of — Railwiy high Prices Failure of Capacity of Uinois on a leith 29 and Extent elds. — Ex- )st of Farm- orn Starch — Account re of W heat [edit System, istory of an Profits of - 4-2 :k Farming. I his Farm to Iccount of it Prairie Land I Meadow. — C'ountry. — Manners of lican Settler. I" Settlement 54 LETTER VL Pana to Contralia. — TIic Grey Prairie. — Bei?t Wheat Soil. — Fruit. — Tobacco. — Vines. — Silk. — Rich Mineral District South of Ccntralia. — Lines of (\)mmunication with Ocean by New Orleans, and l)y Chicago. — Probable ^Market for Wheat in Cuba. — l)cscrii)tio!i of Oroy Prairie-. — Value of Oxen. — German Settlemenv. — J^argc Purchase of Land by Kentucky Grazier. — His Plan and I'rospccts. — Farina. — Trading Spirit of the People. — Urbana — Complaints of Wheat Failure. — Peach Growing. — Large Grazing Farm. — ^SLinagement of Stuck. — Uni- formity of Soil. — Coldness of Weather. — Steam Plough. — Machines for economising Manual Labour in greater Demand. — Dement. — Kentucky Settler. — His Plan of managing 8000 Acres. — Onarga. — Its Neigldjourhood. — Dairy Farming. — Artesian Wells. — Kankakee to Momence. — Price of Land. — Broom Corn. — Country from M(nnenc(^ to Monec. — Management and Produce, Monee to Chicago J'age 65 LETTER VIL Soil anp Climate of Illinois. — Nature of Prairie Soil. — Its chemical Com- position. — Rich in Nitrogen. — Wheat Culture and Produce. — Iiulian Corn. — Facility of Culture. — Oats. — Barley. — Sorghum. — Substi- tute fur Sugar-cane. — Potatoes. — Stock Farming. — Prairie Grass. — Blue Grass. — Timothy LETTER VIIL Average Prices of agricultural Produce in Illinois. — Cost of Labour. — Cost of Indian Corn in England. — Cost at which Pork may be raised by it. — Profits of Farming in Illinois. — Detailed Example. — Land'' ov Illinois Central Railway. — Advantages of their Position. — The Com- ]>any's Terms of Sale for Cash or Credit. — Exemption from State Taxes till paid for. — Comparison between Farming in England and owning Land in Illinois. — Capital necessary to start one Farmer in England !?ufficient for three Land Owners in Illinois. — Profits of Sheep Farming. — Lands farther West only apparently cheaper. — Great Opportunity for Farm Labourers of Character and Skill. — Farming by Shares. — Facility for investing Money in Land. — Even the Labourer can so invest his Savings from Time to Time. — Prospects of Emigrants from Towns 83 LETTER IX. The Ague; Opinion of a leading Physician. — Easily curable. — Wis- consin. — Life-guardsman turned Imjdemcnt Maker. — Success of End- Vlll CONTENTS. grants. — Madison. — Milwaukee. — Its Trade Facilities, — Schools. — l'ul)iic Buildings. — Catholic Church. — Western Shore of Lake Mi- chigan. — General Nature of Country. — Green Bay. — Early French Settlements. — Their Hold in the North-west. — Character of various Kaces of Settlers. — Price of Land. — Its Value chiefly dependent on cheap Access. — Interest of Money. — Credit Low. — " Custom " pleaded for Abuses. — London Carpenter's Experience as a Settler. — The Missis- sippi. — Nails and Glass only allowed by American Government to their Surveying Engineers. — Kiver Steamers. — Anecdotes. — Lake Pepin. — St. Croix - - Page 92 LETTER X. St. Paul's. — Route to Red River. — Minnesota. — Daily Newspapers. — Market Place. — Red Indians selling wild Ducks. — American Militia. — Fort Snelling. — Minnehaha. — Falls of St. Anthony. — Lands and Funds set apart for public Objects. — The Credit System. — Dubtique Bur- lington. — Iowa. — Natural Obstacle to Progress of Population westwards. — Wages. — Nauvoo. — St. Louis in Missouri. — Slave State. — Iron Mountain. — Relative Cost of Production of British and American Iron. 105 LETTER XL Ohio. — Cincinnati. — Vine Culture. — Kentucky. — Bourbon Whisky. — Cincinnati to Columbus. — Small Farmers decreasing. — Westward movement of Population. — Indian Corn never fails Wheat precarious. — Average Produce very low. — Live Stock. — Profits of Farming. — Labour economised by Steam. — Quantity of Whisky produced. — Public Expenditure on Education. — Compared with England. — Rate of Taxation. — Crossing the Alleghanies. — Virginia. — Maryland. — Washington. — Baltimore. — Philadelphia. — New York. — Boston Home 116 Appendix I.— Composition of Prairie and other fertile Soils 125 Appendix II. — Composition of four Prairie Soils, showing the portion solu- ble in acids, and the portion insoluble 126 Appendix III. — Letter of Professor Voolckcr 127 ■ Schools. — f Lake Mi- arlv French r of various ent on cheap pleaded for The Missis- ment to their ike Pepin. — Page 92 PEAIRIE FARMING IN AMERICA. 2wspapcrs. — an Militia. — ds and Funds iique Bur- in westwards. State. — Iron merican Iron. 105 )on Whisky. — Westward at precarious. Farming. — produced. — nd. — Rate of ARYLAND. — — Boston. — 116 125 portion solu- 126 127 INTRODUCTION. Present Position of Ajrriculturists in England. — Continued Rise of Rents. — Increiisi'd llatu of Wages not equally eertaiii. — Competition in the Iliro of Land. — Wiienec it arises. — Fi^reign Produce. — That of Lands of superior Fertility ehielly atfects us. — luereasiiig Value of Live Stock. — Home Comijrtilion the true Source of diminished Profits. — Extent to which the Business of Farming is giving place to other Oceu- ])ations. — Area of ordinary Farming thus curtailed. — Necessity for Farmers to thin the ranks of Home Comi)etition. — Daily Consumption of Forcigti Grain — OH'ers a good Prosjicct to the Emigrant. — The Prairies of Illinois a suitahle Field for him. — Their AdvantaasinLj body, in this competition, Imt to (Contend with men who, havin<^ made money in other ])nrsnits, wisji to ictire to the more plensiirahle occnpations of a country life. It is this competition which is the true cause of the reduced prolits of farnnnjjf, and this is more likely to increases than diminish. (Jreat P)rit;un is the most attractive ])lace of residence on the sui'face of the u^lohe, whether we rei,'ard its e([ua,l)le and healthy climate, its varied scenery and field spoi'ts, the almost sacred character of tlu; ri«:^lits of property in the eyes of its ])eo])h', and the adndrable com- bination of liberty and order which is preserv(Ml iuid«'r its political constitution. JNIen will pay for these a( I van fa ofcs, when they can afford it, a, price which is not measured by the ordinary rales of profit. l^esides this com])etiti()n, which raises the rate of rent, the farmer must now meet in his own market the pnuhice of h)wer-priced forei«(u lands. He will, no doubt, always have the cost of transport in his favour, and this would irenerallv be sufficient to balance the difference of rent; but the land of this country cannot be cultivated without manure, and the farmers of those foreign countries whose soil is rich enough to yield corn for many years without manure, are thereby able to undersell the British producer in his own market. The cost of lalour, when the value of the food of working stock is calcidated, is nearly the same at home and abroad, and superior fertility alone will be foun.d to turn the advantage in favour of the foreign producer. The special adaptation of Britain for the production of live stock, and the constantly increasing demand for that branch of the farmer's produce, have hitherto moditied the effects of foreign competition in corn. But even these, excellent though they have proved, cannot permanently WILL COMPEL EMIGRATION. 1. He liMS iiicnMsiiiLi; iiicii wlio, i'tirc to the It is tliis 1('(m1 jd-oiits ■reMSc tliiiM VC jlliU'C of r we ri'L^ard ;cH'iu'rv and 10 rijjflits of lirablo coin- ml iindtM' its advantau^cs, neasiuvd ])y •ate of rent, the produce )ii])t, always tliis would lee of rent; ted without itries whose ars withoTit ish producer the value of rly tlie same one will V)e the foreign irochiction of land for that modified the , even these, permanently counteract tin' cause of the farmer's diminished prolils: viz. Iioiiic coiiipetitioii for tlie possession of land. The soil h(M'e is now hecoming more vaJualdc for other purposes than ordinary farminL,s and the proportion hctwecn tlie jiroducers and consuiiici's of" food is undcri^oing a ra}>id chanL,^'. It appears from the Census thiH, in IH;")!, only 1(1 per cent, of the adult ])opulafion of Kn;;'land was occu- pied in the business of ai^n'iculture. l)urinL,Mli(! pr<'vious twenty years tlie pro])()rtion had fallen from 28 to IG p(.'r cent., from no actual (h^crease of tli(! numlters employed in aLTriculture, hut from the far <^n'(!ater proportional increase of trade. The same m'adual cliaTiir*^ is 'Toiujjf on. At this time there is prohahly not nioic than one- tenth of th(! adult population of KnL,^laiid employed in the culture of the laud. The manufacturing^ mining, and town populations are thus gradually n,hsorl)ing thehusiness of tlui countrv, increasin\ mill mi si IS nl llic I'liiliMl Slalt'M Nliowiii';' thai Ihm' drallt rate in I S.M) was l.ss lluui II in llic lOOO, wliilr llial. uf iM>«;lMn(l is al incsml rallirr more llian 'J I. W'liilr I I liink il riL;lil l<> tlii(M'l llic (MniLTi'-'nit's allcnl ion lo Ihr a^nc as an ilaf rlcnuMil in Ins (•aicnialions, it Imins in i(>alilv .'i very sina II ('(tunl('r|)nis(> li> the nianv advanlai^'CM uliicli arc <»(»cii t<» tintsc who make judirions and \V(>ll-choson set ticincnis on t h«' Western l*rairi(>s. 'rh(M(> arc two l>rancln\s ol" his imsiiicsM to which I wtuild s|tcrially ask the altcnlioii of llio llritish cniiuMaiil to Illinois. \i/,. slock tanninLi^. and the cnllivalioii ol' Indian corn. I''nll d(>lails will he I'oiind on holli snhjecls in these letters. A L;ood stock {^\ cattle or sheep can he hoiiLjht- lt\ a coinparati\<>ly small outlay ol Capital : and, so loii;^' as th(> op(>n l*rairi(> is thinly settled, j^rass tor hall' Hie vear mav he had tor iiothinn', •'"•'' ''-''V l<»i" Hk' other hall" lor »»n!\ the cost ot saviiiL,^ it. In rejj^ard to Indian corn, hoih climate and soil are more snilahle to it than wheat. Il can h(> urown to any \ crv v<'ar, and, unlike wheat, this ^rajn may he h;ir\( \cd with satety o\er a. period of many weeks. A small and r(\L;'ular supply of lahour thus siilhces tor the mauauemeut of a lai'L;(M>\t(Mit of land. 'riiei(> is alwa.ys a, mark(^f for it. and tin* lowest price* at which we have ever seen it in l''nij^land will atVord a very L,'ood rc^turn io tin; Prairie* farmer o\' lUineis, after tleducting a,ll the charges (>f lrans]>ort. An (Muigiant from tiiis ctMUitrv may he s<'t down in llliu(Ms at a total cost from Liver[)oo] or (ihisgow of (]/. T^'., inclusive of provisions. The ]>i'esent is a nu^st favourable time for conun(*neinL;" to tarm in Illinois. The ])anic of 1S57 lias not yet been forgt^tten. and the prici's at whicii every sort of contract (Iniilding. fencing, ploughing) may be executed, are 50 per cent, below the average rates. ilr l)i:il <>r iili< I tliiiik M^IM' .'IS .'III vnv siii.'ill H' open |o Iniii'iils on icli I would iiiijj;i'.'iiil l'> I ol' liidiiiii »'(s in 1 lioso l»(> |)OllL(llt' nd, so lon;^' or li.'ill III*' licr liiill lor ndiim corn, lian wlical. nio.'isuro ol a,in ni.'iy !><' \v(>i>l\s. A ic('S tor tlio > is ;il\vMys J I, li.'ivc ever turn to tlio llu^ ('ji.'ir^n's lot down in >w ol ()/. 7cS'., I'oinnioncinj;' lot yot been of ciHitr.act 1 ted, are 50 4 i.i/nr.it I. Viivhl',1' ill ilic " I'lisin" — New Vnrk. Tin' lliidsoii Kivrr. Hiirn'ii .Siiil. Ann ric;iii IJiiilwiiyM. ■ - Siiriilo^^ii. - liMiavn^iint I'rici <. - I,iikf (iln|;i'. |,;ll r ('lialll | illl i II. — iSlI II ^llj IM' lllnl Slnllll. I'.ll I I i ll^l i Hi |M \iiiiiiiiil. Miiiiir l,ii|ii(ir |,ii\v. — Tlic I»(iniiil;uv I. inc. — I'lutv I'rnicli ( jiiiiiiliiiiis 'I lie Si. l/.iwuiicc. Mmitrnil. 'I'lic Vicdinu 'riilmlnr hiid^c. — (IniiMJ 'riiiiik l>,iil\viiy. - Ollfiwii. 'I ln' I.iiiiiImi- 'I'dhIi'. — • OtI;i\\;i . \iilii('(il IjiimI. (iriiiits (iI I.iiikI. rr(->(ut and towers ' 1,50 niih'S (I land and roni Albany people, all lat occupied d tlie soil is led n(»thing heapness ot :'ity of such wland along- the upland een Albany orn, but the uo pleasant j)ictures(|ue lie, and the )\ving sand, ire very lui- (Vcn and luieasv. When I awoke after my first clav's ride i thuiiLflit myself at sea ajjfain, fi'elinLT the sensation which one cxju-ricnccs after a stormy V(iyai,^e. Tiiis was ;it Saratocra., the ''reiit waterin<'-pla,ee to whicii the Americans resort duriuLj the fashionable season. 'I'he season was now over, and only a few lin<^^'iin,L,' visitors remained. The town is iin asseml)laL,'e of hotels, at which you .-ire "taken in and done for" at lO.s'. Vxl. a, day. 'IMie hotel in which we stayed is the larLi'cst. It has IkmIs for about lOOO, and the waiters ar<' all blacks, slow, and not veiv oblii^niii^. The |)rices ot cverythinLf are enormous. A LTuide-book costs S.s'. 4'/., a bottle of sherry 8.s. 4'/. to lO.s'. (J//., .Madeira 24.S'., I^ass' beer 2.n'. (h/., a cab for three miles (Sn. to lO.s'. The horses are not unlike their masters. Tluy hold u]> their heads, shake their little cocktails, and away tlu'V Hy with the sj)i(ler-wheel carria(,'e which the fast Yankees drive. They seem in a desperate hurry at the start, and yet I have not found them more en(lurini'ils oil at lirtiTii iiiilfs an liniir t hroiii^li tlir smootli water, the stciic *iii tlic Idl iHcsnit in;,' a |nrllv lorcLjioniul ot laiins alotiLj tlir lake. Iiacknl hv IIm" Inlty Wdotlcd inttiiiitain raii;,'i' ol" this part ot tlicSlato nl Now York. roiiiitlnl liills, willi pati'lios ol" NvotiiMaml ami corn, lail cliiclly in i^'iass, ^rcon lor this i-mint r\ , and ^ivini,' to tIn'Stato its cliaractor and nanio ol \ rrniont. Snddndy wo Icol a wliilV in onr laces, 'riie wind lias elian^'cd, a. dense Idackiiess is cov^a- iiii,' the skv norlliwanJs. and in liallaii lionr we liave sailed into a tlinnderstoriu. It was accoinpanied an- in( r lake was sMrLrini,' like the Allaidic. ()nr white L,'ala- dav steamer was (piile unlit tt> cdpe with this, and the shakes slic LT-'^v*' when struck hy a heavy sea, shook the nerves of most ot' the passeuLTtMs on l)oar(l. I'y the eveii- \\\\X Nve reached l>urlinLrt«Mi, on the N'erniont shore, where, with oth(>r MnLrlishnuMi, we landed lor the uii^dit, at; a lar«jfe hotel, with the hope ot" a L^ood supp(>r alter our storni-tossinL;. Hut we had eckotied without oiir host; — W(^ t'oiuid ourselves in a teinperance State, actually under the Maine i.i(|Uor Law, pl(Mity to eat, hut not a, drop of anvthiuLj stroni:(*r than water to driid\, without a nie(lica,l C(M-titicat(\ 'V\\c men lookiul no l)ett(>r than those in tlw^ other States, th(» l>ar room Ixmul; lilhMl with idlei-s chewinij^ and spittiuiX. The women certainly seemed more fresh and ruddy, yet it is m\{\ that they alone should show tin; <;ood et^ects of a law which could not have been intended for the ijfentler sex. Next morninuf w t> ]iroceeded by raHway towards Montreal, orossiuijj Lake Champlairi at a, narrow point by a long W(Hiden bridufc, and shortly afterwards entered Canada. The line between the two countries is an ideal one, not MONIKKAI,. 11 r tlintiiLjIi ; :i prrlty tlic lolly • ul' New i i^'.'il.'i- ;, niitl ii( nioiniti;^ finni 7 1 1" I I. '{"he eniiiitiv i -1 very ll.'it, lait Ihc land improves in (jiialilvJis we appina<'li Hie Sl. LaAvrerice, wliieji, <.pp(i itc Moiilnal, is a nia/^^iiliernl stream, lil;<' an iirm ol the sea, nishiiiLT with a, 'Meat tide, twd miles hroad. l''ron the leiiv sleannT the eilv is seen to 'Teat a,d vaiitaLTe, its wharves stretehiii'./; alon'^r the river, and the tin roofed liniiscs and eliin'ch eiipojas spaikliiiLC hrilliant I v in the s'lii. II is a remarkalily handsome town, l»a,elrocee(led to Ottawa., takin'_( railway to La Chine, and there emharkiiiL,' on a wide lake-like water which is tin; eontluence of the rivers St. Lawr(.'nce and Ottawa. Some miles farther uf) we reacli the rapids of St. Anne, the scene of Moore's son<(, and tlie [loint at vvhicli the (irand Trunk Jiailwav crosses from the island of ]Montreal to the mainland by anot.her large engineering ,tff»^ ^^ ■ »WiiM»-gi «#»*«»' ' 11 I 5 I -I i ) f : i 12 OTTAWA AS A CAPITAL. vwii'k, a tiil)C and bridc^p, five liundrod yards long. ]^eyond this the stream divides, sendiiiLC part of its waters ahmg the northern side of the island of .Alontreal, which is nearly forty niilos in length and fertile, farnitHl ])y French pea- sants and English and Scotcii farmers. On the opposite northern shore a fine tract of wooded country, about ten miles s(juare, has been reserved for an Indian tribe, whose village is on the shore. They are said to be completely controlled ])y French pric^sts, who suffer no intercourse with settlers, and allow no wharf to be made in case it might encourage traffic. We escape another series of rapids by changing to railway for ten miles, through a wooded country, wliich, where partially cleared, is nearly covered with huge boulders of granite, a poor country, supporting a poor French popu- lation. We then again embarked on the river. Its banks nearly all the rest of the way to Ottfiwa, sixty-five miles, are low and swampy, farther back partially cleared, witli wooded liiti'ldand on the north shore in the background. At the outlets of the rivers falling into the Ottawa there are generally saw-mills and large piles of " lumber" or sawn timber, the Kideau Falls thus being made to cut up 170,000 logs in a season. The city of Ottawa is finely situated on the summit of the bank. From the flagstaff on the hill the view of the falls, the river, and the surrounding country is extremely fine, and nothing can excel its position as the site of a town, strongly placed for defence if need be. But except with a view to a future plan, if such were contemplated, of a shorter way to Lake Huron from the Atlantic, one cannot imagine why a place like this, in the wilderness and out of the present line of traffic altogether, should have l)een chosen by the home government in preference to Montreal as the capital of Canada. Even if Ottawa should SHIP CANAL WANTED. 13 1 is nearly eiieh pea- B opposite about ten ibe, whose completely :ourse with e it might r to railway ich, where )oulders of inch popu- Its banks ■five miles, eared, with ackgroimd. tawa there er" or sawn up 170,000 summit of ^iew of the i extremely e site of a ]-5ut except item])lated, tlautic, one (lerness and hould have eference to :awa should become the route to the West, Afontn^al is still the outlet to the ocean thmutifli which all must pass, and is alreaily a rich and populous city, with all the necessary pTd)lic build- inii^s, barracks, and acconnnodation for the seat of govern- ment. It would be little more al)surd to decree the n'moval of the seat of government from liondon to Norwich than it was to prefer Ottawa to Montreal. There can be no doubt that sooner or later a shorter and better water route from the Atlantic to Lake lluion than that through the Welland Canal must be constructed. Not only may the route be vastly shortened, but what is of even :nore consequence, a canal mth capacity for shi])s of 1000 tons is wanted. If that were provided the teeming har- vests of the West could be shipped direct to the Atlantic, and the position of (Aanada enaljles her to command this traffic. The shortest route, if there is depth of water, would be by connecting the navigation of the Ottawji river with French liver, down which a passage may be opened to Lake Huron. This would cut off 4o() miles of the present water route between the shores of the three western lakes and the Atlantic. J^ut if ade([uate depth of water is not to be had by that way, a ship canal betw^een Toronto and Georgian Bay would probably secure it. The Canadian Government and Lemslatiu'e would do a great service to their country by the early construction of a ship canal in the best route possible, not only to secure the transit of the Western 8tates, but to serve the territorv on the north shore of Lake Suj)erior, and of all that vast cf)untry on the lied Kiver, and the Saskatchewan, whicli will shortly be opened to their enterprise, and more especially if it should be determined to make this the route to the gold region of Fraser Kiver and Hritish Cohuubia. * I visited the Chaudiere Falls by moonlight. The view from the suspension bridge is extremely fine, the body of .iS* I' •'I 14 '. i. It i f I I. rUICE OF LAND — FHKE CHANTS. wnt(T TriMufnifu'ciit, nnd the v.'vricd forms info wliicli tlic water hn'aks, all aloiisj; tiic ('xtcndtMl face of I he rocks, arc; vcrv Ix'aulit'ul. This is flic u^rcat seal of the Iiiiiihcr ti'adc. Tiic loufs, cut far bark in tlio woods of Canada-, find flieir Avav down the river fo t!iis point, icd pine, vellow, and wliite, — and a. kind, the hardest ol' all, Norway ]>ine. H(>re many L^'real saw-nnlls are at work, aliout 2()(),()()() loi^^s heinuf cut up in a. season. r'arther up the riverthe land is said fohe mu<'li lief ter than that helow Otta.wa.. Wheal is jjfrown wifli some success, and for cl(\a,red farms lonix ])rices are asked. I was told of one farm, hiixldy im])roved, about ein'hteen miles al)ove Ottawa,, for which as much as 20/. an acre was expected. This very ufreatlv exceeded a,nv (>stimate tiiat 1 could foi'ui of th(; value of the land in such a locality. The summers are very hot, and the mus(|uitoes abound in tlie woods to such «an (^xtent as to remler it impossible almost to live in them at that season : ;ind the winters are loiii^ and severe, costly in fodder tor cattle over such an extended jKiiod. l^etween the Ottawa river and I^ake Hui-on free [(rants of land, not exeeedinne man and his family may be reasonably expected to clear in a, period of foui vears. The whole of tliis country is covered with wood : the Ho[\ being more sandy than most cither parts of Lower Canada, it is found better suited for autumn wheat: but it is generally too poor, even when cleared, to be profitable. From Ottawa to the St. Tiawrence at I'rescott the country presents a similar character. On the shore of the river there are some good farms tolerably cidtivated, with hop-gardens on favourable spots. From this point to -.■m'^''^ CLKAUING THE FOREST. 15 wlilcli tlic ntcks, ivrc! iilicr tr.'ulc. , Dnd their cllow, .'Uid •way ]»in('. it 2()(),()()() 1 letter than uiecess, and told of imv )ve Ottawa, Tliis very )rn\ of" the ers are very to sneli an \c in them vere, costly d. tree [(rants to settlers, idi; on the ition twelve (.> probably le man and a pei'iod of with wood : ts of l.ower leat: but it ])rotitable. 'rescott the here of the ivated, with is point to KiuLTston, and theiuu; to Cobnr^', the country is but j)Mrtially cleared ; very often the tra.iu slioots for many niih'S to- ^j^ethcr throUL,di tiie primeval Ibi-cst, a path haviuL( been cut in the wood for the railway track, and tlie ieilcd trees and l)i-anches still lyinij where thrown to hoth sides of I ho line. Northwards of the line, l»etwe(!n (-obni-j^r juid 'I'oronto, there is a better tra(!t of country, which has well repaid the labour of th(^ iarmer. i^'orniidabh; tlntunh the cuttini^ down of the forest apjiears, to the stronij ai-m of a, healthy vouuLj man it is one of the most pleasing' of out-of-door occupations. ThoUL,di tlu^ winters arv, cold tin; weather is steady, and a,n active man may woi'k in his shirt sleeves in the shelter of the forest (lui'in,L( most of the (;leai-inL( sea- son. To cut down the trees on an acr(! ol" land, and pile them with th(! branches ready for burniuLC, is reckoned a good month's work, and by steady [x'l'severaiice, six acres may thus be accomplished during the wint«'r. When the ground has become dry and warm, the })iics arc; set on fin;, the ashes ;ire afterwanls scattered over tla; surface, and early in autumn the ground is sown with wheat, whicii generally prcjves a good crop. On fair land, in a good situa- tion, a hard-working man, if he gets the land for little or nothing, may soon earn a livelihood in this manner. I hit if he has to pay such prices as 1 heard (pioted, — 51. to 6/. ar: acre in any eligible locality, — and reckons the value of his own labour in clearinans of tlu^ (nand Trunk and (Jreat Western K*ail- ways it aheady possesses every facility for conununication by land. The drive towards Ffainilton aloiiij^ the shore of the lake, which lay (|uite smooth and calm, was beautiful. The coiudrv is about half cleared, a liea,vy wheat, soil, (>n which the new-sown wheat Htdds were all can^fully waier-furrow^Hl. In some places the land was a stiff red clay, but most of it a h(>avy brown clay loam. There seemed to ho. very little Indian corn, and tin* jj^rass on the ])astures was either bad, or (juite eaten off', or scorched u]). As tlie line nears Hamilton we pass by a wooden bridge over a chasm, which by the breaking of the bridge was the vscene of a frightful railway accident some time ago. This town is placed on a bay at the head of Lake Ontario, from the waves of which the harbour is jn'otected, like Toronto, by a natural breakwater. There are several handsome streets and houses in the town, and the villas in the neigh- bourhood are as substantial and eleiiant as those in the vicinity of our best towns in this country, with shrub- beries, lawns, and greenhouses kept in the nicest order. From Hanulton to Niagara the railway runs along a broad tract of low conntry, stretching from a range of high table- land on the right to the shores of the Lake. At all points where we stopped for an excursion into the country, there was a uniform complaint among the Irish labourers uf low wages and want of employment, and the wheat crop in this part of the country had proved a very short one. h4\ 17 itli splendid ; inosjx'rit}^ L'ouiitry, juid ^j wiMi Ii!ik(; Ids lloiirisli- niii^uiciitcd. cstcrn J\ail- iimuiiicatioii of the lake, itiful. Tlio il, v\\ wldcli [^'-furrowed, but Tiiost of to be very 's was either oden bridw d<^'e was the * ago. This ntario, from ke Toronto, [ handsome I tlie neiirh- liose in the kvith shrub- licest order. )n^ a broad high table- it all points iiitry, there irers of low 3at crop in t one. LKTTKIl II. Falls of NiM^j^iini. — C;viiii(lii Wosr. — Mode of Knnniii;;. — SImrt Wlicit Cro]). — Avcnij:*' rrdducc — liOiKlmi. — Vvm', of Liiiid. — ('liiimtc. — DiscMsos |ir(idii('('il hy Midiiriii. — liicli Lands more sul)jc(.'t, to tlirm tlian jioor. — rr(i|i()S('d Kiiiito to JJritisli ( 'oliindiia. — Knl llivcr and \\\y\ Vallcv of till' Saskatchewan. -- TIki Ilinlson I>ay 'I'cnitory. — Allr^^i-d I'ertdity of the (jonntiy, -- Faihire of the Sidkirk Scttlcmcnf. - I'hiLjue of Grnsshoppfrs. — Mr. Kitson's Accoiint of the Sctth nicnt on K'cd liiviT. — Policy of aliandoiiiii;^ that Country to Canada. — J'roliahlc ovcr-cstiiiiatu of its Value. TowAHDS evening the train landed us at Xiagnra, 1)ut we c.iught no sign, either by sound or sight, of the gicat l'';dls till we founlete success, then took a moonli«dit view of the Falls, durinLT which we had the ofood fortune to see a lunar raini)ow. After a two-mile walk to the suspension bridge, 1 I'egret to be ohbged to confess that my first impression was one of disapj)ointnu'nt. '^''he country is tame and flat though wooded, and tlu; river leaps from this flat info a deep gorge, on wliich you look down, instead of finding yourself in a valley /Vo/zt whicii you might h)ok up. During the night you are roused by a sound like a fearful storm, l)ut it continually changes, and presently you might imagine that you were close to 1000 railway engines blowing off their steam. How eagerly one springs up to get the first view in the morning sun! C 18 MAGAIJA. At I i; 11 ^V(' were inrtmuitc in Tn;ikiii,L,' (lie ni(|n;iii>t;in('(' of Mr. Clmi'di, the 'runicr nl' yXiiicric;!, \vli<»s(' <^m'(';iI itictiirc of NiiiU'i I in was not loni;' ml;** • \Iiil>i(('(l in London. Jlc w.'o sdll liorc, studvin.uj :»ii(l skctchini;' (Iiis on ('i--('li;int^nnLi' scene. AVilli liini as onr L;ni(le we soon diseoveicd eanse for wonder i\\n\ adnuration. DeseendinL^^ l>y a steep pallilotlie bed o f 11 \c rivei", we ( ross in a leiTV-l»oat lielow the I\m1Is, and live drawn up an inclined plane in a t'.ninel nearly 200 feet to the top, on the AincM'iean side. Jlei-e, from the lient l)i'aneh of a e<'(lar literally li;in,i;in,L,' over the preeijn'ee, \\c ^j dire lace hotli of the Ai ohtamed a view aloiiLC the entire lace both ot me American and Horse Shoe Falls. We next crossed a little neck of land which broiinht us to the edL,^^ of the river al)ove the Vail, and within a tew l"e(>t of the hrink, — the water here rnnninu- so clear and shallow that a child mis^ht wade in it ■with safetv. Some hundred j'ards farther up wc }»ass hy a hridue to (ioat Island, a ])ictures(iue spot, covered with natural wood some si^venty acres in extent, w'iiich divides the Kails. Cressiuij^ this island we tind ourselves in j)re- seuce of the «j^rand arm of the river, where the rushinijf Avaiers, sur^'ing six to ten feet hijL^h, art^ ])ourinLj^ towards the Horse Shoe Fall. We ])ass by a frail wooden hrid^j^e to a tower built in the water, and close to the edge of the ])recipice. This we ascend, and there, close below and before us, rushing on now as it has done everyday and uight for (U)0() years, was this tunudtuous sea. Its chief graiuU'ur is the central mass of green solid water, which glides unlir(»ken over the Fall, ten thousand tons a minute, i?ito the horrible abyss, 160 feet below. Noise there is enouLih. but it does not seem to come from that smooth tongue of water which in a moment would suck into destructi^'U the Great Ship herself. A magnificent rain- bow spanned a great part of the gorge below the Fall, and, for some hundred yards, the surface, clear of the spray UNDKll THE KAM. ]!> lice of Mr. |»i ct lire of II. He \v;is i,L;iii,n'S('('no. t<»]" wonder io f||(> 1)C(1 I^'||ls, and iy 200 iWt in Mio l)tMit ccipicc, \v(,' ' American Ic Meek of al)ove file vater liere wnde in it (' pass ])y ^'ored with ell divides 's ill pre- e riisliiniT L,' towards en I)rid<:e the edge >se helow y day and Its chief cr, which I minute, there is " smooth ick into 'nt rain- 'all, and, le spray wliich rises in front, is like <*ne mass of eliurninLC cif.ini. Ive('rossin<4 (ioat Island we jiad a second view of flie American l'\-ili, wliicli lias little of the grandeur of the Canadian side, the liody of 'ater lieinir smaller and iikuc shallow. There is here a little islet, connected with (i;s. KeturniiiL,^ to the (\aJiaut I was almost smothered with the s])ray, faint for want of breath from the a.l»sobit(! h)ss of air in the thi(;k tlvin*^ foam. At this point it is liardly safe to turn with the face towaids the Fall, and a very short stay liere will satisfy the most curious. (Jetting ])ack to a more secure position, we stood for some time watching the sun as now and tluMi he was to be seen through a momentary thinness or (j{)ening in the falling water. On rea(;hing tlie top of tlie bank, we drove up the Canadian side to view the rajMcls, wliich are ])erliaj)s c(pial in granch'ur to any part of Mie scene. Standing by the river si(h' and looking up tlu; stream, we see notliing wh it- ever between tlie horizon and (juiselves but the irreat rivei- roaring and leaping down, miles broad apj>arently, th(lp' of the world and saw tiic sea. (ronic Icapiiii; down tlic ^oi|). 'I'lic dosccnt, wliicli is licrc sixty feet in ;i mile, aids tiio illusion, lor the vision is cin'uniscrilx'd and tlio eye cannot rcacii tar U|> tlw river. Tin's is a, scene which one is loath to leave, hut we must on to the liot sid- j>hur spriiiLj, where the i^uardian, an old Scotchman, liujhts the intlammahh' i^^as tor our inspection, and seems literally to set the water on lire. Smell enout^di, and of a similar kind, comes from the Thaines in hot weather; s(» if tht? .ii:uardians of that not very crystal stream (^an-y their sys- t(Mns too far, they may see the Thames on fire some (la,y y<'t. When our _i,nu"de had shown us all, I asked him ahout the larminn" i'l the nei^'hbourhood. He was from Alxjr- deenshire, and had been thirty years here. "Oh, man," said he, "they're meeserable farmers. It would break your lu'art to s(>e how tlu'y just scarf the; ,L(run\ It's no very <;'uid ony way, but they dinna .^ne't a chance." A few days may be s])ent with Ljreat satisfaction in wanderiuL,^ about Niagara, the grandeur and beauty of winch seem to increase from day to day. Mr. Church has fallen in love with the Falls. He has made them his misti'css, and niornini!; noon and lught he watches her in everv varvino; mood and loves her in them all. At the dizzy eilge of the Table-rock he will sit sketching all day witli his easel before him, and, to the terror of the whole neighbourhood which hxst sight of them for twenty minutes, he kept the little steam-boat, which plies below the Falls, all tliat time battling with full steam, to keep her nose in the spray in the very front of the (Ireat Fall, whilst he studied the effect frul(l l)reak i\ It's no e." >fa(;tion in ])eauty of 'hureh has them liis les her in . At the n<^ all (lay the whole y minutes, "the Falls, ler nos(,» in whilst he a passion hed artist, 1(1 picture ity of the KctuniiiiL,' liy railway 1<> Hamilton, I continue(l my j'»iii- Mcvlhrounh Canada, West. 'I'he ci/untry to I)uiidas, and onwards lor torly mih'S to I'aris, i^ nndnlatinLTi <'iiid sccnud an easier and more i'ertih' soil. \'ery little ot" it is wholly cleared, ('(itainly more than halt" is still nnl>r<»l\en forest. Hnt the tioes are immensely tall, and show the rapid Ljrowth which only a i'ertile soil could pi'oducc. 'rimn'^h this district is (juite within the limit oi" the jirolitalilc <'nl- ture of Indian corn, a small pro|»ortii>n oidy of tho land seems to he oc(a!|»ied hy that crop. Its L,n('at valne is evervwhcre admitted, hut on this description of s<»il its cnlti\ation demands too much lalxau'. 'I'he last :L;ra in crop can Iiardiv ha\'e been LTreat, tor in vcrv few instances II deed IM •ks to h 'U outside the hariis, and Klced ai'e any tiny are not capacions enon;^di to contain lar^e ci'ops. 'i'here has heeii, in fact, a very slioi't cr(»p in \\'estci-n < 'aiiada. :;tj 'I'he yoiniLC wheat is already ,L,M'een, as it is lound necessary to sow very early in order to have the plant stron;^dy roott d before frost sets in. On tin; Ix'st land wheat and clov<'i' are often taken in alternate succession, the clovei' heinL,' ]>loUL,died down in the hot summer weather, when ti:e weeds are easily and cheaply destroyed, while the cloM't i;ives condition to the land for the wheat crop. All ai^ri- cidtnral of)erations in this country are necessarily governed by the hi^di price of labour. The principh; whi('h i^niides the American fanner is to take the most j)ayinL( cro]> which can l)e grown at the least cost of labour. ]>eing the owner of the soil, he has no kuidlord to consult as to its manage- ment, and he regulates his cropping by the cost of labour and the value of the produce most in demand. In (ivery country men differ in their ideas on these points, and here as elsewlnn-e some farmers iind it most prt>titable to have their land chieflv under tillage, while others in th(,' same locality think they realise a larger net Ijalance from stock c 3 .*^*'- ruopici: AND rincK of kand. "■ '• il 1 itr. rMnnini,'. Tlic w licil »Mii|t on 11h' Ih-^I muIIm n irMs licic I'lnin riixlitrcii 1<» lliiii\ hiislich .-iii .•hit, mikI ncit nld Stnilli l^iwii s|i(><>|>. ulicrc well in.iiiMurd, wcipli *J()|l>s. n (|ii;irl«'i'. I |i to IIk' liiiic ol llir inoiH'V pMiii*' ol i.'isl :iiitiiiiiii tli)> \;iln<' of ImikI ill llic Itcsl |>;irlM ol ( ';in:i(l;i, NN'rsl li.'id liccii lor somtmI vtmi's coiisImiiIIv li^iiij^'. 'riinc u;is iii»\v;i cniii- pl. ((■ lull. ;iinl |tric('s were on (li(> docliiio. (JitmI liopcM li.id I'oon luiill on ( lie oin'iiinu' U'> of I lie (•(iiiiil IV hvlliolwo no.irlv |i;ir;illtl lines ol' r;iil\v;iv. >vliifli, mI dilVornil |ioinls, lv;i\ors(' (';in;id;i \\'osl, .'ind roniircl Miclii'^Mii willi L:ik(' (hilnrio. Tlioso \\rr(> r(>;ilisrd ni(»ro r;i|tidl\ IJi.iii roiilil liMSo Immmi «'\jnM'l«'d. .'lidod Itv llio Iiiu'li |ni('<'s rjiiiMrd liy M MMi(N ol" sliorl (TitiiM in I'!iii"o|>r, wliicli sliiniil.Mod |no- dut'tion iinnuMisoh lor ji liino. .-iiid led l(» \vil insl.'inccs liol'oro ,tio ol" rnnns in lliis j'.nt iA' l\in:ulM. onlv jiMrlinlly ('loiir*>d, wliicli llioii sold Jil. l.V. an a('r«\ and ar<' now liardiv worlli tin* liall ol' llinl nioiK-y. A liu'lil sandy lojiin ol" lT'xxI «|nalily. t»nly liall" ol(\'vod. is still valued at Troni 7/. to S/. an acre. II is tliis conijiaraliN (dv liiL>ii |>ri<'«' ol' land, in addition to llio (*t^st »»r ('I«\arinL;' oTt' tlu» tindxM', that forces llie eiiiiij;iaiil Westwards t(> a CiMintry wIkmt better soil, with (MHial faci- lities o\' transport, .'an he \)o\\n. (>nwards t(> 'IMiaint'sville, I^othwoll, and Chatluun, ttio land stHMUiHl K>ss valuable, and three-fourths of it still in natural fort^st. As we near the lak(\ and the St. ('lair Kiver. it beeonu^s marshy. There setMued no pH>at source here for much local trattic for a railway, and yet tlie (Jreat Western ears were crowdeci, but ohieHy Avith through pas- seoixers to Detroit and the west. « I I'Vr.ll AM) A(ilK 2.\ licrc IVoin nlil Sulllll .'I i|ii;ii Irr. iihiiiiii I li)> I IiikI Immmi II >\v M (•< tlll- •(';if lin|»('M >y (lie two 'III |)uiiits, ^vitli liiikc ll.'lll rniiM (•;iiis(mI I)V ImtiI |nu- M'ciil.'il ions IS ill (liis •II sold ;i|, If of tli:il «>lllv ll.'lll rr. II is on to tli(> rniin-|;||ij (|ii;il liici- llic iiicro cry rising' I vmIIcv ol" iivouralilc easy ciil- CliMthani, of it still [ St. (1;iir Mt source l\\c (ireat )iigli pas- Ti M • r I • 1 1 1 ; 1 1 ■ • II ( ';ili;ii|;i, w I i iii'iK' r'ivoiir;ilil»' lo .'i;.';ii 1 •iilliiji' lli;in lli.it ol ( ';iii;i(l;i, l'',;i I,|Im uinhi . Imiim/ ■ lioi Icr ;iii(| ijol -o scvnc lint I owcr < ';ili;i(|;i, ist irioii' III'.' I loiii l('\cr ;ii)il ;i;Mir'. 'I'lic (lisr/isi-s rjiijscij liy iii;il;ii i;i, (wliicli is I lie most I mil III I oiij^'iii ol di cn^c in Noilli Aiii, ,^oiil li of j.V of l.'itilnde, ;ire e(|ii;dlv siiliject to lever ;iiid .'iL,Mie, more or los inten ilicd |»y llic ;_Me;iler lie.il ;iiid liniiiidify ol the siininier. The settler m.iv ni;d;e Ids elioiee with [leiTeet eerliiinty of tin- result. The [»oor soil, with ni;^"4;ird velvet at ion ,'ind h;irsli clinin.te, is exempt Irom m;d;iiioiiH lever, thoiinh lavoiir;d»|e to eolds ;ind diseases ol the respi- ratory or-^'a lis. 'I'lie rich and a,l)iinda,nlly pi odint ivr- ,-oil, where nature helps man in every w'a.y to make his lahour prolitahle, nourishes also that exiiheranee of ve^^eta.tion t he d''e,iy of which produces malaria. Iiiit as these rich Countries heconie populous th<' excess of V('(.M'.tat ion dis- appears, ; id malaria diminishes. 'I'hat has heen thf; unirorm experience of tin; Mastern Stales of America, as also of oin" own rich Hals on the ru^^i of luKdand. t'ertairi it is that, notwithstanding^' malaria, and its consefjiienr^es, jiopulation tlo('ks towards the richer territory, and increasf;H more; rapidly in it. Canada West is richer tlian Canada l^^ast, and it is more po})uloiis; hut there is a richer terri- tory still farther west wliere labour is yet more productive, and, though in the present state of tlie country the risk of health is <(reater, it is ten times ri lore pr.pi do US, for men c 4 ^>' i 21 luuTisH uorTi: TO Tin: rAnnr piisli nil t(» tlic IjukI ill wliicli tlicy r;m most (|iiii'kly and asil y cMni ;iti iiMlrjiciKlrncf l^t'orc It'.ivin^' Caiiada iiiid (Mitcriii;^^ tlic I'liitrd Stntcs at Dcfrnit, it iii;iy Im* well to notice Iktc n siihjrct iniicli agitated ill the |>rovinc«' ;it {jrcscnt, and also ol nationa iiiipoitaiicc, vi/., tlic opcninjx 'da direct route tliroUL,di tlie Hritisli territory Ix'twcen Canada and tlie Pacific. A com- pany with most res|)ectal»l(' colonial naiiK's is liein^" organised to ](l;ice ;i continuous lioat and portaije communication Ix'tweeii Lake Superior and the oastern side of the Rocky ^Mountains. There are said to l»e two practicable routes, one exclusively through Uritish territory, commeiicin,!^^ at Pi'^eoti River (di Lake Superior, thence to ived River at Fort (larry, the I'ritish settlement there, — down the i»ed River to Ii;dol(l join. Hitherto the vast territory proposed to be opened up by this route has been represented to be unsuited by climate for settlement, and capable of pro(hicini( only furs and hi(h>s. It has been so used by the Hudson's Buy and North West Companies ever since the French were expelled from Canada. And the urgent efforts of Lord Selkirk, so early as 1805, to colonise a tract which, from his personal know- ledge, he estiinated as capable of supporting thirty millions i Ki;i) UIVKU AND SASKA'R:IIKU'A\. 35 piirkly aiitl iii(Ml Sfntcs Itjt'ct imifli <»r ii.itioiiji lllolli^rli tin. C. A coTIl- H' <>i",L;.'iiiisc(l iiMinic.'itioit tilt' I\(K'kv J lie routes, nciu'iiii^ at ivcrat Fort IvN'd KivcT lake to its XlK'h of tll(» h is said to s iia,viLral)le •0 miles, to Moiiiitaiiis. II Hio Lcold OL^iiisat St. ) (iialiaiii's sti'eam is he J^ritish ^ ^'dd join, ued up by jy climate ^ furs and and North elled from i, so early nal know- V millions of pe(t|il(', unc, l.y a eojuliiiiMtioii of ohstruetiou^* Jind disasters, linallv oxtiiii^'uisiicd in favour ol" tlir liir ti;i(lr. M(»r(' it'crnt investiLT-ttioii ii;is sjiowu tlint tlio rliinate is !iot uiifavourahlc to settle, uenf, the suuuner tt'iii|tri;it lu'c on the south Itr.'Uieh of the Snsk.'itehrw.iii liciliLC tin' same as in the icit'lc reL,d<>n of iiortlnrii Illinois .-md south- iseoiisiii, while tlu; liutl";ilo winters in the helts of lid oil tlirse iiortlin'n rivers ;is s;it"t Iv ;is in the ern W Wooulll l.'ititndc of St. I'.'iuPs. It is said that all the grains <.f the (•(to! t('ni|>crate latitudes can lie produced ahundant 1\ . It is the '^reat resort of the hiillalo herds, the presence ol'w liici in vast nunihers siifhcieiitly attests the plentiful siipply o, L,'rass on tlie plains at all seasons. lliose who take perliap- a saiiu'iiiiie view of the siilijeet assert that there is a country here toiir times the si/e ot' the Uritish Islands, with a fertile soil, navin'ahle rivers, and ahundaiice of coal, ii(»w almost wholly unoccupied, which is pertectly adapted to settlement. They compare the stat<' of this unnoticed territory to that of Murope at the perior of that city, a man of great intelligence, who has been during the last fourteen years engaged in the fur trade at Pembina, on the American side of the boimdary line at Ped Piver. He has been at the British settlement during all seasons of the year, and knows no country in which the people live such an abundant and easy life. Their farms extend for thirty miles along the river. With very little laboiu- they produce every thing that they require. The rivers and lakes swarm with tish, and the land has an abundance of game. But the summer is short and the winter Ion of. The chief danixer in the climate arises fro ii early frost, which generally comes in Septem- OF THE COUNTRY. Company, ^shoppers, wiiiir year says that 3e, or four th thorn. ).s like sea eiy vege- id to the ii-iijg the ^, by 11 n- fi'oio tlie 826 they eir crops e]-s again crops in .'ere pro- ted cala- ' produce -ompany, '. Ivitson, tice, wlio 1 the fur loundary ttlement iiitry in asy life. . With at they md the is short climate Septem- ber, but sometimes in August, and prevents tlie corn iVoTu ripening. The crops, however, are rarely lost tVoni this cause. The grasshoppers are more to be feared, liut the population, now about 4,000, increases. Tlie p(M»pK' aic chieriy Scotcli and French Canadians. i\[r. Kitson liad never been on tlie Saskatchewan, but had often lieard the valley described as very fertile. The soil in all the valleys he had ever seen in that country is a rich black loam, and near the rivers there is plenty of timber. Cultivation has ])een very little tried, as the Indians liere live on game and meat alone. They raise no c(trn and eat none. Their daily food in all seasons is meat, the daily rations for a man being 7 lbs., and for a woman 5 lbs. 15ut, whih^ Mr. Kitson believed that the valley of tliis river enjoys a milder winter climate than Montreal, he is doubtful whether In- dian Corn would ripen in it any more than it does on the Ked l\ivcr, which is considerabK farther south, and where it is only grown as a garden plant. He thinks the route this way, and over the Kock}^ Mountains to Fraser's Iviver, is quite practicable. Indeed the country, as far as the Kocky Mountains, is said to be so level that the journey might be made the whole way in a carriage. Nor would the fur trade of the Hudson's IJny Company be materially interfered with if their lease of this valhy of the Saskatchewan and the ]\ed Ixiver should not be renewed. Thev derive all their best furs from tlu^ Mack(>nzio River, and the vast territory to the north and east. I-Juffalo skins are their chief produce at present from this rich tract of country, and these are of minor importance. l^ut the luiglish people have a duty to j)erform to them- selves in this matter. H" they are to hand over to Canada the ahsolute property in this great territory, Canada should be made to [)ay all claims for compensation to which the Hudson's Bay Company may be entitled. Why sh(juld we y« 'VOi^ niSTANT low SIViri.KMKN 1' Im> 1;>\(m1 iiM ;m itlijrrl iliwlllt'li lli(>\ mic r|ii<>ll\ inl t'l rsl cd ? It (Ii<^ (cniliMx is nol worlli more Ihnii llic miiii Io Ik* |);iii| ,is «'oi\i|)rns;(l loll, \vli\ l.ilvo it liKin llic 1 1 ih!.;t'ti's I»;i\' ('.unp.iin ;il mH ? S|K>,'il«.in'' in llir iiilcKvl nl' l'liii;l;iiiil :il.Mi(-. it S(M Ills lo 111( (1 i;il ll IS hrller lor ll; In I i;i\o Mil l'!li>,li-ll ( 'olup;ili\ ,s| i;i ri 11 ;•, Ml no I I'M hour ;oI\ OS in 1 lii < roitlil rv llio siujilns |Molils ol' (IimI ro;',ioii, (Iimii (IimI \\(> slioiiM |imv M Imi^'o Sinn in roni|>l\' lor llio ploM-iiro ol' 1 iMii -ItMiin'; lli(> projioilv so MCtpiirod lo ('miim^m. TIio ('MUMtliMll^ Mlt^ llio l»Osl jluli^(>S ol its \mIiIO. Mlltl lIlO IIIOsl rM|>MMo ol (l<^\ olojuii!.; il, IT il turns out to lio so ricli ms It liMs lh>oii r<>|M-osonto(l. it will l»o tlioir iiittMosI to ciH'omimc oini^iMtion \o il. Ami it is (mjiimIIv tlioir intoicst with oiirs lo ojxMi M roiit(^ \o tlio I'Moilio. lor tli(> projits on tlic tiMiisit will Im> 1 lioii s. Mn«l tlio more tln< coiinlry liocoinos Known ;uul M^^'«>ssi^i(> llu> nior(vs])0(>(lilv will it Mtld li>tlio rrsoinccs Miul wi\illli of 1 \\c )iro\ iiioo. ll is indc^Nl liMidK «'oiiO(M\ mI>I(> IIimI m «'oiint!\' i^n liir in iho inlorior omu \^c jmoIiImMn sottlod so loii;;' ms tlioro is MlniinlMiu'(« ol luMlor prMirit^ Kuiil tit l»(> t'oiiiul 1,00(1 miles ii(\n«M' lhMU('. Aiiil IIkm'o is m (IIiVkmiIIv wliicli Iims not lioon ;ul\(ii(Hl \o. llu> li«>slilil V of tli(> liidiMiis. m xtMVWMiliko rMco luM(\ w lio liMx (* liil liorlo liMt11(>d m11 Mltoni|»ls of llio Hud- son's l\)\ l\uu)>;uiv lo form i-iLiriruKuial stllltMiu'iils. 20 il<'r(-Mlr(| ? :oii's |{;iy l'ill)',l.'tll(| • ll.'l\ (• ;iil IM coitlil rv I "I I Id |».'iv • l.-i. Tl,,. I lie liKtsI <"• y'u']\ ;i,s 'lh()||r}|n<« W i< ll (HM'H H' liMiisif s known icsdiirccH f>«> Ihi' in Hi ere is l>(> niil(«s lltti |i('(MI lilvc r;i('(> 1." Mud- M M IlI'MI \a:\\\m III, I r'l'irv SlciiiiMr. hrtiuit. St(il<' A^ri''iiltiirMl SIkc, II |{;iil\viiv lliiilM |i'i lldiiir. I(» |iiiv( lit |)iml. iiimI «'((iriirmrii' at'' willi Ihiv i Sin ll' I I'lir Knuiiir I Jiivcr. III.' I> M IH'^l'^-lillpl. Illiii'ii-i. I'',xl'ri( of tlir 1 1' ll V'nili v "' ( 'liif'iii^ii. Il'i vvoiiiji rliil ]'ti>ii\i-H-^. Kiiil'.vny liivt'slinriim, — I )ivt|i)|»tiM'iit, foil iii|iiil. I'iiicoiiniK'd l>y lii;;li rrirc-; (iC Agrii'iilhiini! rnKJncc. . Mumy rtiiii'' Kt{(iifi\i'i\ l>y I'niliiii' i,\ (!r(i|iM. nml iniliinltli v S'';i'iMii. liiiiiii:M;it infi kic^ik'H'I''!. ' ■i|iii''ii y i,! ('iiiiiilrv \'>r iii|iii| liii|ii'>vi'rii''iit. - Vu'WoI' tli'' Stiitf. ol IIIiikih (hi ii. liiin'oirito MiJrH. -- SrUlfrH liom Vii, liy flic SI. r|;ii|- l.'ivci, ;i, (liM'|» ri\sl!d sli'';uii, ncMily ;i niilf li(o;i,(|, llovvirif^ wilh ;i. t^cnl If cnncnt of I licfc milr,; ;i,n lionr. 'I'liis is flic I'o '.|»|jorii ; of Norlii AniciicM, l»y wImcIi llic n:i.vi;.^ilion of flic Sf. Lnw- rcncc ;wid flic Lower Ljikcs lindH ;icccss fo fli<- three (.qr-if inl.'uid sens of f liis <'onf inent. 'I'lie l"crry~sfe;(,riier- hy vslii'}, we crossed w;i;-; lnr""e enon-di to ;iccoriirriod;i,te (')()() r,r HOO pi'isseii'/crs witli nil flieir Iwi^'i^JK^e, Jind, in flic, s;doon on tlic Mpj>er-den<^ theinsiih' of the roof, acontinnons connnnnication from every earriaj^'c to the enijine driver. This is in <^'eneral nse Itoth in Canada and the States, and when any ciianLje took place in the ai'ran;^('ment of the carriai,^es, the connection of the si«^nial rope was effecte*! withont anv ditticnlty or loss (»f time. 'rher<' is anotiier little matter which mnst have often strnck railway tra- vellers in Kni^dand; t!ie nnnecessary exposnre to weather of th(^ engine driver and stoker. In the coklest, wettest, and stormiest nights these two men, npon whose care and eon- scionsness the safety of the whole train depends, are whisked throngh the air at enormons speed, withont aii\' shelter or cover exce])t an npriL,dit piece of i. >n witii jj^lass in '^ to pro- tect their faces when looking ont ahead. In America,, these nsefnl ofhcials liave a roof over them, ;id. wliicli s^ixr it diicft ,'.('cr.>;,>4 to Moiitrc/d, Nrw York. Mild l*Iiil;id(>l|>liiil. hut on tlir iiorlli. Iiy inrj'.iiM oi" llir l;d\»'s ;nid tlu> St. I .;»\\ iciu c, ;md on the siMltll ItV the Alis- sissij>j>i l\i\('r. it possi^sscs ;i roiit inuniis w.'itrr (•(tiniiiiiiiirn- t ion w it ii I li(> At Innt if. Nolliin^ «';in illiistr;d(> nioro InrciMx lli(> v.-mt ii;ilnr.'il ;dunid;in('(> ;ind vcsoiut'cs (»l this sph'iidi.l coiintrv thnii the hist;i! city with npw.Htls ot rjO.()()0 |i(M»|»I(\ with w h,n\ cs and L;r;in;nicM I'oi' niih's idfUm" th»^ n\("r »';uim1 w hicli ojkmis into L;ds(> Miclii<4,'m, ;ind with sir<>ots. pnhhf hnihhni;s. rhnrchos. .-ind priv.'ito dwell- ings that ni.n vio witli tiios(> of I,ondon itscll'. Tlu' sloros (Ml tho priiu"i|tai strorts arc ('<)ual in si/,o and architoctinal »'h\Lian«'t^ to tht> iKwv row «>i liin^ hnildinj^s w hicii loads IVom Cannon Stii^^t into St. Panl's Chinch Yard. Thoic aro nnnuMons stands tor liaoknov-t'oa«'lios. and various lin(>s ol' (Mnnihus(>s plv alontj^ tln^ st roots. And ('hiraL;o is actually tlu> oiMitit^ ot' nior(* niil(\s ol' railway, conijthu'd and in (nnM'atiiUi, than K»Mid(Mi. \o\ it is only twenty yoars siiu'(Mln^ tirst shipnuMit of sonu> forty ha<;"s ol wh(>at was iuad(^ tV(>n» it. In 1S.'>7 its (>\ports anmunlod to ahont 100 husht^ls of LTvain. in IS 17 th(>y had r(>a('ii(«d -J.'il.'^OOO busliols. and in ISaT, u|)wards ol" IS.000.000 hushols. (Miica^o and all its \V(vdth aiHMU tiu't a projtorty croalcd by tho ]M'(>tits arisinLi' in tlu> nion^ transt'or tVom hand Jo hautl o\ tht^ surph ^ pvtnhuM' oi' hut a small |>;nt of this >vondtMt'ul country, i.ookinijf to Illinois alon«>, ol" ^vhi^h C'hiv'aiit^ is tlu^ conmuMcinl capital and onth^t, this surplus, gro;U though it is. is capaMi^ o( Iumul:; iucroasod tonlold, jK-5 only ono-tonth oi" the I'tMtiK' lands o( tills Sttito are be- lieved to be vet broii^iit luider eidtivatiou. l;AII,^VA^ ddvkijm'Mkni' .';:» « ItMlildIV I il. Anil Mttiis line,'! Irc.'ll, Nrw .".ns! (il 1 lir , {\\r Mis- iiiiimiiiirn- «1 nnl'irnl V lIlMll I \\r iMii \ ilI:iL,^<* I I upw.inls lor iniirs 'hii^.in, '.\\\i\ v:il(' (Iwcll- 'I'lir stores •(•hil<'('liir;\l 1(>;hIs iVom 'I'luMC JMC »us lines ol is ;u'ln;»lly (h1 and in Mity years wheat was to about. ii,2 1 :?,()()() bushels, created by \\\ haiul lo ut ol" this of whieh lis surplus, d tenl\)ld, to arc \)c- llul while no niMii who has sern the eoiinfi y '"ad enfer- tain adonbt of its vast rapabililv <'! Iiirl Imt de\ elopnienl, it does not sn?"piise nie that capitalists in London air dis- .'I'tpoinlcd with their railwav inve,;t nnut ; heir. In I'ac.dand wc make railways t(» lai dit;ile nn exislini; t rallic l':i; I no rat< statistics ;ire lurnished to show the extent ol the pre^:cnt bnsinessol theconntry proposed to lie aecoinniod;ited. I'.iit in the A'estern States ot Ainericn railways jue made lor hun- dreds ol" miles throui^di the wihleniess, not to )iceoninM»d;ite but to create Irallie. Vou may ojten travel lor miles throui_di the open prairie wit lioiit seeing; a, livinj^ cre;iture, till the shrill whi.^tle ol' the ent^diie startles a. solita,ry sand- hill crane or a. ci>vey of prairie lowl. An l'',n;.dislimati ca.nnot at tirst ima^diH' the possibility ol a, trallic to be i'ontid in such a country, adeipiate to the support ol a, railway. I»nt, the experienced American Uiiows better the rapid ra,te a,t which popidation a.iiplies from the iJlack Sea, durinj^ the Russian war, caused such a demand for tla; jH'oduce of Western Ainerica, as ;., once doubled tin- [>rif;e of wheat, and thus rendered the cultivation of firairie lands enormously profitable. l''or even in the tii.-t veac that such land is broken up, it can be successfully cr(jpp('d D ])n»(Mir('(l. TIic l('iM|)tji,tioii to settle on land, the very tiivit oro|» of wliicli in many insta,iiees realised inorellian douMe the Cost of the land itself, was so «^n'ea,t that iiu n with their families flo(0romise. In two years the ex])ort of wheat rose from two to nine milli(tn hnshels. The trade in tind)er, with which the new firms a,r(^ housetl and fenced, increased in like ])roporti(»n. So sndden and extensive^ a, demand on the carrvinijf resonrces of the railways led many of them to provide workinij stock ade<|nate for the tra.tH(! of a fully ]>eopled and occupied country, their directors hastily con- cludinuf that this sudden ])rosj>erity would be continuous and proiji-ressivc*. And n(^w lines were started in all direc- tions by local land speculators, and by others who were not slow to ])rolit by the flow of foreiijjn capital which these o-olden ])rospects naturally directed to the west. 'J'he early antici|)ations of increasinjj; traffic, u]>on tlie ho])e of which several of the great lines had raised their ca,])ital, were already more than realised; and distant shareholders saw no reason to doul>t the sanijjuine anticipations of directors, who themselves might well have been deceived by such rapid ])rosperity. In this inflated state the money panic of last year fell upon them. The price of wheat dropped a half, the farmers refused to sell, the rate of lake freights fell one half, and the receipts and traffic of the railways began to show a similar decline. The reduced prices continued during winter and spring, and were followed by a cause of even greater discouragement, — a season of exiraordinary humidity, succeeded bv sudden and excessive heat, the effect of which has in many places nearly destroyed the wheat crop, and in others reduced it to less than half of an BUT IIorKFUL rcTi'Ki:. ar, v Clin he very tlrcit 111 (louMc vith tht'ir M.'lstlTF) this liind •osi* from \)v\\ with rcasi'd in 'UiMud on of tlicni of a fully ,stily oon- Dntinuous all ( li rec- all o were tal which the west, the hope ea])ital, •eholders it ions of deeeived year fell lalf, the fell one beuan to X)ntinued |i cause of lor (Unary leat, the oyed the lalf of an avera'^e proihice. So •^'eiieral was this nidavonrahle season in the north-west, that its etVccts ai'c everywhere visiiih-. After such a summer the autumn has naturally proved iiii- healthv, and had crops and bodily ailments coniin'; toijetiier, the S|>irits of the settlei's have liecii sadly depressed. I'ad news travel fa.st. Mi;^M'atioc from the Kastern States is suspended, and fbreiLCn immiL,n"dion has almost ceased. It does not seem to me jxissihle tiiat there can he any real improvement in the t rather of the west<'rn railways lu'fore next liarv<'st. 'I'lie chief produce of the country which at [tresent creates tratlic, is the '^r.i'wi trade. Theie is hut one crop in the year, and if that proves u partial failure, there is no help but to wait the result ot another harvest, l^ut natm'c is so b(»uiitiful in this coun- try, and so small is the ])roj»ortion of land yet under culti- vation, that when tlx' tide turns we may look for a rapid chaiiLre. if with not more than a tenth of tiie tfood land of Illinois under a rudi; system of cultivation, the; a<,n-icul- tural j)roduce exceeded for a time the carryin<^ capacity (»f the railways, what may it not become as tin; country becomes peopled and cultivate*! ? With less than a million and a, half of people, Illinois .afforded in 1S,37 an amount of tratfic which left a ])rotit to the railways. A very few years, at her averaj^e rate o^' proj^ression, will double that population, and at the same time double her ai^mcultural produce. And if directors and sharcholdeis will in the meantime act with pni<'«'nce and patience thvir capital will soon again become remunerative. Before examining particular localities in the State, I was anxious to obtain as it were a bird's-eye view of the coun- try; such a general impression of its surface as would enable me to select points tor special inspection. I there- fore first traversed the entire State on the line of the llli- D 2 il l\Ci KANKAKEE. 'I III- ii nois Coiitml Kailway, from nortli-("ast to south, and from Hoiitli to north-west, a total distance of abou^ 700 miles. The State of Illinois (>xtends from 37° to 42" 'MY north latitude, heinj^ thus nearly the sanu? len^'th as I^ni^dand, hut further south, and on the same parallel with Spain and Italy. This first journey occupied threes days, the last day of Septend)er, and the first and second of Octolu'r. In\mediately after leavin*,' Chicai^o we enter on tlu^ prairie, which, near Lake Michi<,^an, and for the first twenty miles, is low and wet, better suited for pasture and dairying than the cultivation of corn. The country then be<;ins to rise, and in the next twenty miles the surface becomes dry and undulating; the soil a black mould, varying in depth from twelve to thirty inches, and resting on clay, or a mixture of clay and gravel. From this point to the Kankakee Kiver, the first large stream we cross, the prairie is a series of long and gentle undulations, less abrupt than the chalk downs of England, but otherwise resembling them in general form and sweep. The charac- ter of the soil is very uniform, and the face of the wide open coimtry is sparsely dotted with farm-houses. Where the prairie is unbroken, it is covered with long coarse waving grass, from three to four feet high ; and in the hollows the grass is so high as to hide completely any cattle that may be grazing there. Before reaching Kan- kakee we pass through a settlement of 800 French Cana- dians, which has been growing for the last fifteen years. Each settler has about forty acres, and their farms are laid out along parallel roads at right angles to the railway. They exhibit signs of cn,reful cultivation, and the village and church of the colony are prettily situated near the woods on the ri^'er side. The town of Kankakee is finely situated on the river, fifty- six miles south of Chicago. Though there was not a house here five years ago, the population already numbers 3,500, n^ .-'I ■,-KJ m, rRHAXA. o< nid from )() unit's. Uy linrtll th Spain > tlio last ober. on tlio the first pasture a country niU's the a black dies, and 1. From itream we Inlations, otherwise le charac- the wide Where ig coarse id in the 3tely any ing Kan- Lch Cana- en years. !arms are i railwa}'. e villaire near the ver,fifty- t a house IS 3,500, i ztmi with verv irood streets and shuns, tlie rciiti-c of a rii-h ai^M-icnltural district ati'ordinLT a sutficient tratUc forasjMM'ial daily train in and out from Chicago. 'I'hc land behind it is a fertile, black, sandy loam, lying on limestone, ex- cellent for oats and potatoes, and productive of rich grass. Crossing the river, which is a broad clear stream, as wide as the Thames at Richmond, rumiing between lime- stone cliffs clothed with tind)er, the road traverses a con- timious prairie, more or less dotted with houses and farms for the next seventy miles. This is all a good range oi country, and though the railroad i'rc(iuently runs in a perfectly straight line for many miles, the surface while rather tlat is very -seldom a dead level, as mav be at o!ice observed by tlu^ varied depth (d' the cuttings and endiaid<- ments all along rhe line. At every eight or ten miles we pass a station round each of which a town is rapidly springing up, very often with a steam flour-null in its centre capable of manufacturing 1.30 barrels of Hour a day. At Urbana, 12S 'uiU's south of Chicago, there; is a flourishing town and station, the population numbering near 4()()(). 1 saw a peach plantation in this neighbour- hood which was said to be in some seas )ns extraordinarily productive and remunerative. High prices are paid ))y tlie graziers here for the best breeds of cattle to improvt; their stock, one man whom I m(.'t at the station having last year paid 500/. for a short-horn bull from England, The soil is very black and rich h)oking. Generally, even on the flattest prairie, groves of timber are visible some- where on the horizon, but they become more frequent after we pass southwards of Crbana, and until ]Matto(m is reached, a few miles from which, and at about 180 miles south of Chicago, the general level of tin country falls about eighty feet. This forms the termination of the line of black loamy prairie, the gTey wheat-soils of southeiu I> 3 OS s()i;'iin;iJN (iUKv ruAiun:. H llliiiitis MOW roimnciiciiiL,'. Tlic open pr.iiri*' liccumoH MMriiiwcr, Jind the woods, wliicli wro i'VcrywIhTc tomid aloiii^^ tlh' lu'ds (if till' rivers inid strcuiiis, scfin to lie witlnii littlr iiiorr tlinii a iiiilc .'ipMrt tVoni cmcIi otlirr. Tlic soil is tiiitr*' silicioiis tli.-tii the M.-u'In soil of the up|K'r prairies. Mini li('tl»'r ndaph'd lor winter wlieat, of wliieli it seldom tails to produce t^ood crops of tine (|uality. It is also con- sidered L;t>od tor i;-ra/iii»^' eat tie ; Imt is not so proliliir ot" Indian corn or oats, nor so snitalde tor potatoes or suLjar- I'eet. all ol" wliicli L,'row very successl'idly on the Mack praiiie. 'I'lie lace ot" the countrv, however, is more pic- tin('S(|ne, and the woods more diversilied, the white oak j4i'owin_LC to a i,'reat height. There is also aitnndance of coal and huildinL,^ stone in this portion of the State, and the winter climate is occa^iionally so mild that in tavour- ahh' seasons cattle can liv(^ tlu^ whole year on the prairies, with the aid of little or no fodder. l*'rom this point to Cen- ti-alia, where the junction is made with the main lino of the railroad, and onwards to the south as tar as Desoto, which is 'M)\ milessouth of (MiicaL,n>, the same whitish L,n'ey pi'airie soil continues. The country near Ducpioin, a, station on the line, is all underlaid with coal, in seams fro!u five; to nine feet thick, ,.i a depth of seventy to eiL,dity feet. Jt is easily wrouijht, hut at present there is not much sah^ for it, as tlnuMtuntry is very thinly settled, and there is no scarcity of wood. In the whole country, for nearly the last l.")() miles, tliere was scarcely a settler four years a<^o, l)ut so ra])idly has settlement followed the opening of the railway, that it is estimated that half a million of acres of land have already been brought under cultiyation along this part of the road. Frt^m Des(»to to the southern boundary of the State the country is all hills and hollows, rocky and wooded, with ^uod farms intersjjersed. The climate is very mild iu '-3 :■ ■■■,■■. n inCII CKNTKAI. rUAIKIi:. ao r<' fomid Im' williin I'lic soil is r pr.'iiiics, i' sclddin also ('o?i- >i<»li(ic (»!' '>•■ SlIi^MI-- li«' Mack iiorc pic- •liil(! oak (l;ni('(; of •f.'itc, and II lavoiir- (»r.'iirii's, t to ( Vn- I lilK^ of I)t'sofo, tisli ,L,'r('y a station rom fiv(5 f(rt. It nvU salo 're is IK) lU'ly tlio irs a' winter rmd hot in siunnicr, Miid M(hiiitH of the j^'rowth of mII kinds of fruits and toitaeco. It produces white wheat of llie liiiist 100 miles north of Tacusah the whoh; country is very tine, much (tf it s(;ttlt;d and enclosed, and dotted with lious(!S, as far as the eye c.'ui see. 'riie cultivation is on m, lar great a altogether ettled for lave now lern part ie popu- en years, ber ratio, re, being country, e people te clover railway ly. Tlie 3nty-five i)f about ik Kiver, of sliel- ixon the md, and £3, where ntly for d tliirty ! the air re more :er pro- vender. Indian corn is n(.^ so productive by one-fourth as it is in the rich midland portion of the Stjite, and winter wheat is so precarious that the s[)ring-sown variety is cliietiy cultivated. Hut this district is admiraldy suited for oats and potatoes, Jind for sunnner grazing. We have now reached Freeport, a flourishing town of 7(H)() people, on th(.' IVcatonia river, northwards of which, for the next forty or tifty miles to near Galena, the pnurie soil is thin- ner and more rolling, but covered with white clover wher- ever the natural grass has given way. This terminates the prairie land. Galena is the great seat of the lead nnnes in AuHM'ica, and yields anmially about thirty million pounds weight. It is a large and thriving town, situated on the baidStat(; to compare with the town of Galena. From Galena to Dunleith on the Mississippi, and near the north-west boundary of Illinois, the country has no interest of importance to a farmer. It is chieHy wood- land, and, where open {jrairie, it is already "settled"' and mider cultivation. ii 42 •U :i' ^^1 i I.iyiTKK IV. Gcnoial Viow of the State of Illinois. — Coiiipnrison »)f Soil and Kxtont witli KiiirlaiKi. — Duuii-ith to ISU'iulotn. — Vast Wheat Fields Hx- poiii'iiei' ol' it Sroteli ('arpi'iiler. — Kaniiiiip; by Sliarcs. — Cost of Fariu- housi's. - 'i'lic l\ivor Illinois. — Coal Lands of La Salle. — Corn Stareli Faetoiy. — niooniiiijrton. — Settlers from New York State. — Aeeount of his bprrations by Pioneer o{' Settiouicnt. — llnnsiuil Failure of Wheat Croji. — l)iseoiiraj;enient eaiised liy this. — 'IVniptations of Credit System. — Iiistanee of I'nrehase and Cost of makiii;j; a Farm. — History of an early Settler. — The Haidvinj; System of the Conntry. — IVolits of ]{an*king. — "Shin Plaster" JJanks. l (WNNOT b()|)0 in the proccMliiiij; description to li;iv(i con- vevcil to my reader more than I myself received in this hnrried ride, mimely, a general impression of tiit; main teaturi's of the conntry, and an ideti of an almost endless extent of fertile soil. Some time was re(inired, and a care- fnl stndy of the map, before even the ontlinc; featiu-es of this extensive conntry l)ec;vme Ineldly ti.xed in my mind. I had tirst jj^one more than '.lOO miles due sonth of Chicago, and had then turned back, and, by a more westerly line, had run about 450 miles north, thiH)ugh the centre of Illinois to its north-western bovmdary at Dunleith on the ^Mississippi. To give a homely and at the same time pretty accurate idea of its extent, and bearing in mind that England and Illinois are nearly eH]ual in size, let the reader imagine himsc^lf starting at Newcastle and proceeding by York, Newark, Peterborough, and l^edford to London, and then on to J^righton, — there let him turn back, retrace his course to London, and then take a north-westerly route by way oi' Kugby, Stafford, ^Nlanch ester, Lancaster, Car- lisle, and so on to Glasgow; — let him imagine the whole , 1 DUNLKITII TO MKNDOTA. 43 jviid Kxtcnt d.ls. — Hx- St of Furin- Uoni Starch — Accumit re of Wheat editSystcii). istoiy of Hii - I'rolits of iav(; con- id in tlilH iu; main t endless d a care- iituies of riy mind. Cliicago, 3rly line, centre of li on the me time lind that le reader Lading by ion, and , retrace I'ly route er, Car- le whole ^){' tliis t'\t(!nsive country, witli the exception of that \un- tion lictween London and Hri<,diton. to \h' an undulatini^ plain, un(lerl;ii(l in various pl;i,ces with extensive deposits of coal and iron; — hetween liondon and liri^Miton let the country appear to him to Ik; (-((vered with tiird)(;r, with a climate and soil p(H'uliarly favoiuahh; to tlu; cultivation of fruit and .L,Mapes, an00 miles, during whicli it drains nearly all the centre of Illi- nois, increasing its voIuuk? l»y the waters of m.any tri])U- taries. It has been navigated by steaml)oats for many years, aiid furnishes a cheap water comimmication for the interchange of products anywhere along the liuv; of the Mississippi, from St. Paul's to New Orleans. .Aly object in stopping liere was to inspect the coal-lands, of which La Salle is the gr6at centre. Taking waggon at Ottawa, we crossed the river and drove some ten miles across the prairie, through a good country — all occipied — till we reached the bed of another stream, called tin; llig Ver- milion, where the coal makes Us appearance on the surface. Here, from the stns+^a, on the river side, we entered a shaft which penetrates a seam of coal nine feet thick, so situated that it drains itself. Near this, some thin seams of cannel coal have ])een found. All this part of the country is underlaid with coal, which may be mined with the greatest ease. The surface is fine, rolling, fertile prairie ; and there is abundance of limestone everywhere. The La Salle coal-field, as at present worked, produces about 1000 tons of coals a, week, and is capable of any re- quired extension. Keturning to Ottawa, I visited a manufactory for making starcli from Indian corn. It is situated advantageously in a good country for purchasing the corn, and with every advantage of abundant water-power, and canal and railway communication. Tln-ee kinds of products are uianufactured, one of fine starch, one of ordinary starch, and one for making puddings. Two pounds weight of corn yield one of starch. The corn costs a farthing, and the starch sells at the factory for 3c/. a pound, so that this business should leave If ■■:! ^tl 1( 1 I I (if ■' lii i' t 4G FARMING ON THE PRAIRIE a . in file t.'iMc to its its way to name of palatal )!(' 'riiis use puiposes duct 2000 stream, 1 Ikto rise < of S07110 nthiii the nitory in f liiul the I of much his own ulge, and conn try, > settlers. , and are irlv total (1 me his «o mncli ^ised liis ixample. can be ccessful. e on the He was de it, in ' last he )y frost, it He plonc^'hed this np and sowed aicain with sprincj wheat, which succeeded adniirahly. liust antuinn he laid down (JOO acres with wheat, but was somewhat late and out of season in f^^ettini^ it sown. The sprint,^ proved nnprecedeutedly wet. the wheat was late in maturiiii^s extreme hot weather set in, and his wheat, which till then lookcul well, was in one week rendered nearly worthless. Ine lon<(-continned rains in spring had given them no season for oats, and Indian corn had for the same cause been planted out of season, with the land in an unfavourable state, and the breadth very limited. This crop, which should be in the i^iound early in May, could not this year be planted till towards the end of June. P'ortunately they had not had early frosts, so that there would be a fair yield. There had been no such unfavourable season for seventeen years in Illinois, and he knew that the farmers who had recently settled in the country, and who had had only last year's experience, were much disheartened, l^ut personally he felt no apprehension, as he had the utm(»st confidence in the natural fertility of the soil, which he did not believ(i could be exhausted. He had seen similar land in this State from which twenty-four crops of Indian corn had been taken in succession, without manure, and the last was a splendid crop. The next settler \vas a youuf^er man, a ! ' i' lui'i 7i' h^ t I Ihtc IrnriMMl llic liishtvv <•♦' oiw ol' (lir nuly mikI mosi siicccssrul HctllciH ill Illiiiitis. lie mikI liis hrtillirr, tlirn voimn" iiHMi ol' twcniy jukI tw<'iil v-niic. «','imr In lliis SImIc tbirtv-lonr yrMis jino, Iimvjiilj Irlt ( )lii(» .'iltcr mii iiiisiiccrssriil julvcMifiirr in cMtlK' Ir.ulij'u'. Tlicy were in ticltl ulicii lliry Ix'ijfMn husiiu'ss ill lliiiiois. Tliry .'urivrd in uli.il \v;is tli(M) M wiidtMiii'ss, Mild piti'lMMl tlirir tent on tlir sjinl wlicrc onool llwm now rcsitlcs. 'I'licy |iroUL,'lit willi flioiii a pair ol «>\r liis arrival, lu^'Mradctl" tor a luccdiiiLj sow. Tlicy \vork«'d away, i^atlicn'd live stock, tlicrc hciiiLj no limit to tlu» liluMly o\' [X^wy.iw^, drov(> tlicni i^Mcat distances to market, and accmnulatcd money. Astlie money i^^atluMcd tli<\v lM>uo|it up all the land tliey c'oiild ^ct at the i;o- MMnnieiit salt\s. at 'ts. an acre, continiKMl their stock I'arm- ini^ ami now send 1(U) tat cattle weekly to New York n\arkct. duriiiL:; the tall season alter the cattle are I'at. One cf tlu* brothers is believed to have now, in this pnideiit way. ac(|uireil land worth a (piarter of a. million st(Mlin_L,^ 'Vhc soil in all this district is a rich black sandy loam, Ivinu: in tine i^enth* swi^eps, admirably adapted tor carryinj; on with (\is(» and (Vont>my all the operations of husbandry, and. to us(> tlu> phrase of the coiuitry, is very '* handsomo "' prairii\ ()n my n'turn to lUoominijjton 1 bad an op])ortu!iity of learninir somethimr o\' the bankinermits any man, or company, who can purchase 10.000/. worth o\^ State stock to issue bank notes. He depositr> this stock with the treasurer of tlie State as secu- rity for the li(|uidation of the nt)tes, and is then autho- ri.->ed to issue his owu notes to the extent of 9000/., which Tin: iiANKfNc; svstkm. &l y Mild most ollirr, llicii • I his Slate insiircrNst'iil ulicii IIm V I wli.'il \v;is )|| llir Hjxtl Willi lliciii II I nisi Is, ;i .U'rovc," Mini tioll lo tlir li.'il wliicli, ■!<>\v. 'I'lu'V iL,' no limit listjinccM lo 'V ^^'itlicrcMJ .'it I lie <^t)- (ock r;irni- Ncw York (' tal. ( )lir is pnidciit sicrliiiLC. \\u\y loiuii, )!• ciirryin^f nislcuKJiy, laiidsonic '' ortiiiiity (tf K' CDMllllV. 1 purcliMsc lotc'S. ]{(' c as secu- ivn aiitiio- 0/., whicli air ('nijiitcisi^MH'd Itv^'"' Jiiidilor (»rilir' Stair. 'I'Im'^i' ri(»t«'H ln' NikIm out to liis riisldMM'iH at llic riiririit rales ol" JnhT- rsf. Tlic imtrs arc paNaMr in i^'old on doina.iid, and if |iavniriil is icl'iisrd, llu' liuldcr jMolrslM tlir noh-s and «■arlir^; tlicni til the Stall' auditor, who is io lliatca.sr «iii|i(.w«r«'d to sell so nnii-li ut' I lie dr|i Hie |»io|rstn| lioh'S. 'I'liiiM il" Ilic Stale slock is ••oiivcrt ihh' at or near [»ar, the nole-liolder is always sale : and the lianker makes an excellent Imsiness ol il, as lie receivi s his n idm lie recjuircs a comnnssion, not that he disputes his liahility or the sountlness of the notes, but l)ccause he deems himself entitled thus to add to his profits, on the plea that if ^old was wanted the holder of the note would have to incur a certain amount of charj^e in sendin*^ it to the distant place of issue! 15ut there is a still more ([uestionahle kind of banking,' adopti!(l by some smart men in this western world, though I did not meet with any instances of it in Illinois. It is denominated the *' Shin Plaster " or " Wild Cat " banking system. This is the description given to me by a man, who spoke from experience, of the way to get up such a bank. You go into a State where the stock is below par, say at 70 or 80. You buy 50,000 dollars of that stock, lodge it with the Sta.te auditor, and obtain his counter-signature to your bank notes. This paper money you take into the wilderness, knock up a shanty, write *• Bank " over it, and date your paper money there. The more inaccessible the place is the better, as your paper is demaiidable in coin only at the place of issue. Having performed these necessary rites, you bring your notes to some centre of business: they receive currency at once from the State auditors signature, and as you are a sharp business man you lend them readily on mortgage of real estate at H to 2 per cent, per month. There is little fear of your notes coming back on you for payment, as the place of issue is undiscoverable. Every man into whose hands they come is interested in keeping them afloat. By ■ 1 IMSCOUNTEXANCEI). 43 ■p auditor to wifliin that I j^'old. JI,. <) liis usual listaut, and VN'licn tile nission, not t" tlie notes, to add to the holder it of cliarj^e of ban kin*' rhl, thounrJi Jois. It is ;" bankinir by a man, t up such k is below rs of that obtain his per money mty, write lere. The ir paper is . Havinjr r notes to y at once re a sharp ?e of real e is little ?nt, as the ito whose ioat. By (h'^'recs thoy nro worn oiif, juid thus with (.rdinnry lurk you secure yuur own drposit wifli tlie State, aTid its repre- sentative, which, in tlie hands of tiie public, has ^q-adually (lisapfM'ared I However improhnlth' it may seem, I was assured that such practices are to tiiis moment followed; but of course tluy are utterly diseountenanced hy all hankers of standing antl respectalnlity. S 3 I> 54 LETTER V. ' ♦! ;*.' I {• ' !l Ml ^' II (Ml SprinRfield. — Appearance of Country. — Cattle Show. — Stock Fiirniinrr. — Experience of a successful Fanner. — His Mode of laying his Farm to Grass. — Novel Implements. — Merino Slice]) Farnlin^^ — Account of it by the Owner of a large Flock System of munajrinir Prairie Laml reconmiended. — Sowing Grass Seeds on Snow. — VaiuaMe Meadow. — Price of Merino Sheep. — Superiority of Prairie to 'J'inil)ered ('ouiitry The Governor of Illinois. — The PuIjHc OtKeers of State. — Manners of the People. — Decatur. — Lost on the Prairie, — The American Settler. — Mutual Help. — Fences. — Pana and its Neighbourhood. — Settlenieiit of Freueh Canadians. From Bloomington I proceeded southwards to Springfield, the capital, a,nd not far from the centre of the State of Il- linois- This is a fine town, with good streets and shops, and the neighbourhood is diversified by timber, it is like all other places in this part of the country, sur- rounded by the wide prairie. The view from the top of the State house very much resembles that of the plain of Lombardy as seen from the Duorno of Milan, except that there is nowhere a boundary of mountains. But there is the same rich far-stretching plain, with trees in lines and groups, the timber becoming denser along the banks of the streams, which have cut out for themselves hollow pass- ages winding about on the panoramic landscape spread before the eye. The inhabitants of the town, like those in the country, are not this season exempt from ague. I visited the county cattle fair or show which was then being held in a field close by the town. The best short- horn stock were exhibited by Mr. J^rown, a celebrated cattle breeder of this State, whose ac(|uaintance I had the good fortime to make in the show yard. He exhibited a short-horu cow, bred by himself, six years old, which had '^f STOCK FARMING. 55 >tock Fiirmiiifr. ny: his Fiirni to - Account of it : Priiiric Land )Ie iMeiulow. — ■ed C'ouiitry — iManiior.s of lerictui vSottltr. !. — Scttlcuiont KSpringfield, State of U- and shops, ber. It is untry, sur- the top of he plain of except that •ut there is [1 lines and Einks of the ^llow pass- Lpe spread like those ague. 1 was tlion best short- celebrated I had the xhibited a which had had five calves, a large fat handsome animal, which would have been a prize taker at any English show. He showed also a three-year-old short-horn bull from Lord Ducie's stock, imported last year. The large stock farmers of the West, who are the really monied m(>n, are taking great jtains to improve the (juality of their cattle by the importation of the best English blood. It is an excellent pojiey, and they are already abundantly reaping the re- ward of their enterprise. For, though at this autunuial season, the })rairie grass looks coarse and innutritions, a stran«'er has only to examine the cattle whieh are fed upon it to convince himself of its feeding qualities. And, as this Lrrass is everywhere to be had heri; for nothin<', the i^razier consults his ow!i int«M'est by incurring some expense in im- proving the present breeds of cattle, and thus ohtaining earlier maturity, better (juality, and quicker returns from his extensive grazings. Of the cattle common to the country there were several specimens exhibited, of enor- mous size. One red and white ox with wide upturned horns, four and a half years old, measured 2,700 lb. weight. He handled well, though very sti-ong in the bone and lind)s. Another of 2000 lb. irross wei<_rht was reckoned on the spot wortli only 14/. at tlui current price of beef, viz. about 2(1. a pound dead weight. ]\Ir. Brown has l)een many years in the country engagcul in farining. He faruis largely, and believes that more money may be made, and has been made, in this State by stock farming than corn growing. Nor is this remarkable, inas- nuich as grazing land on the prairies hitherto could l)e hiid for nothing, costing neither rent nor taxes, while corn land nujst be bought, enclosed, and cultivated, and labour has hitl»«'rto been expensive. However, till very recently there was no outlet for corn. Iiiaihva3s are rapidly altering the former state of things, and Indian corn is no longer uu- E 4 3! " i 56 LAYING PRAIRIE TO GRASS. I I f'M' I 'rl IN (1 A" « i. saleable at 6f/. a Imsliel. He has found short-horn stock the most profitalile, which is no douht chiefly owing to the liigli prices he is enabled to realise in the sale of well Ijred stock for improving tlie breeds (»f the country. But he has not found them so successful on the natural prairie grass, of whicli on his own lands lie has no longer any. Though the prairie grass may be extirpated in time by close feeding, he has found it the best ])ractice to break it up, and, after a course of tillage, to sow the land out with blue grass and clover. The blue grass is a rich thick succulent grass of a bluish colour, which grows with great success on the limestone soils of Kentucky, and is found to succeed ad- mirably on the prairies when laid down as pasture. It improves every year, and yields feed fur six months, be- sides hall feed during tlie winter, whereas the natural prairie grass is in its best state only for the first four months after spring. Mr. Brown has all his lands now laid down in " tame" grass, as the sown grasses are com- monly termed here. He keeps no stock except his thorough- bred short-horns, and lets his surplus grass for grazing at one dollar a month for each animal, during the summer and autumn. He feeds his own stock during winter on the pastures, giving them corn and hay in time of snow. As he can buy Indian corn in his part of the State at an average of Sd. a bushel, he has no doubt that this is the kind of farming whicli best suits Illinois. He had tried sheep, and found them to do well, but having no taste for them he keeps exclusively to cattle. There were various novel agricultural implements ex- hibited in the show vard. Ploughs mounted on an axle, with high wheels, the only advantage of which seemed to be that a seat was tluis provided for the driver. There were seed planters of iugenioiis construction, a circular self-cleaning harrow, wliich always goes round about while I A MERINO FLOCK. 57 t-horn stock owing to the of well hred Hut he has irie grass, of Though the ose feeding, p, and, after le grass and ent grass of 3ess on the succeed ad- msture. It nonths, be- -he n;iturul 3 first four lands now s are com- ! thorouirh- grazing at le summer winter on e of snow. >tate at an this is the had tried taste for nents ex- 1 an axle, eemed to r. There I circular out while })einL' dracfc'ed forward, — little hand machines for washing clothes upon, whicli are said to economise labour 100 per cent, — and a ciiain-bucket pump, an extremely simple, cheap and efficient article. I drove a few miles out of town to visit the farm of ]Mr. M'Connell, who was recommended to me by the Governor of tiie State as a man of great intelligence, in- tegrity, and experience. I walked and drove over his farm, examined his stock, and received from him very clear and distinct iid'ormation. He is a practical man who has been all iiis life engaged in farming, and has fought his way up to a very C(>mf)rtable independence. He left '"the old country ' in ISll, farmed in a small way i'ov thirty years in tlie state of New Y(>rk, where he first settled, and inoved tiienee to Illinois seventeen years ago. He had always preferred sheep-farming, jind brought his small Hock of merinos with him. They have been remarkal)ly healthy, increase one-third every year, and his flock now munbers 2.>,000. His fleeces average four to five pounds each, and the wo(>l sells for Is. Hd. to 2s. a pound. He bought his farm at 1/. an acre, and could now sell it at 10/., as it is in a gocul position near the capital of the State, l^ut he is so firndy persuaded of the rapidly growing wealth of this fine State, that he has no doubt of his farm being worth 20/. an acre a few years hence. He considers the land for 100 mih's round Springfield to be the best in the world. Mr. M'Connell sends his flock to the open prairies in April, places about 1200 under the (;harge of one she[>herd, who tends them and sup])lies them with salt. They need no other food for six months. He brings them to his enclosed ground in winter, and gives them hay when they need it, and a little corn. His flock has never suffered from any epidemic, but on the contrary have been extremely free from disease. His original flock grew one-fourth in weight }' '.1 58 FAKM MANAGEMENT. i !V; 51 : fj I ' H t ' \ I ! ! I «! and size after l)eing hrou'^^lit from New York State to this better soil. He prefers the nierino to the South Down for this climate and soil, and has found from tri.d that the merinos yiehl as much mutton and far hetter wool. ]fe im])orts pure nu-rinos rams from Germany and Spain to improve his Hock. Mr. jNI-Connell finds that by feeding prairie fj^rass close witli sheep, it, ia, a few years, <,dves way to lilue «j^rass and white clover — whicli come naturally of themselves and without })eing sown, l^ut the jilan he reconunends for liyinsj^ tliis land down into good mea(h>w and pasture, is to break up tlie soil some time between the middle of ]May and mi(hlle of Jul}'; a f(.'W days earlier or later maybe tolerated, but not more, as if prairie land is broken out of season the labour is worse than lost. Sow wlieat in end of August, or 1st of Septeml)er: the following season, after w'leat, take a crop of Indian corn, which must be kept clean ; after the crop is removed, level the ground well, and in February sow one peck of Timothy to the acre, — if on the snow so much the better, as the dark seeds attract the sun's rays, and gradually melt a passage for themselves to the soil below, and the moment the snow disa])pears, they, being already imbedded in the damp soil, spring up at once, and take the start of all other vegeta- tion. J^ate in March add two pounds of clover seed per acre, and a good hay crop will be certain. — I can testify to the success of this rnanagtnnent, as I walked over a meadow of many acres on this gentleman's land, on which there was ricked a crop of at least two tons an acre of very ex- cellent mix(Ml clover and grass hay. The aftermath was rich close luxuriant clover, on which a floc-k of lambs were grazing, ju: t such clover aftermath as we should find in this country on good land after the first crop of hay. I thought it had been the first crop, but learnt to my sur- FERTILITY OF SOIL. 59 State to this South Down •"1 trial that hettvr wool. and Spain to i grass close Je grass and m selves and nun ends for '•'isture, is to Idle of Miiy iter may Ije hroken out vv wiieat in n'ng season, ■h must he the ground ^thy to the dark seeds )assage for the snow damp soil, er vegeta- r seed per 1 testify to a meadow lich there f very ex- math was Lnd)s were lid in this hay. I ) iny sur- prise that tlie meadow had ])een sown out twelve years ago, that it had little manure all that tinu% had borne a crop of hay e 't year, and been fed close afterwards with sheep, during \>: /*'r and spring, till the prairie; grass grew. I have never seen u d in Hritain that would ])ear a close clover aftermath at ; 'leriod so distant from the time of l)einourhood. After driving a few miles throutrh the enclosed farms which surround the town, we reached the o])ea unbroken prairie, and turning short off the track on which we had hitherto been driving, we stood across th(5 great plain which stretched out before us. The horses struck without hesitation into the long coarse grass, through which they pushed on with very little inconvenience, although it was in many places higher than their heads. It was not thick, and parted easily before them ; then sweej)- iujj: under the bottom of our waggon it rose in a continuous wave behind us as we passed along. The surface of the ground was firm and smooth. We had fixed our eve on a grove of timber on the horizon as our guide, and drove on for about an hour in a straight line, as we believed, to- wards it. But stopping now and then to look at the soil and the vegetation, we f«)und that the grove had disap- peared. Without knov/ing it we must have got into a hollow, so we pressed on. ]^ut after two hours' steady driving we could see nothing but the hjng grass and the endless prairie, which seemed to rise slightly all round us. I advised the driver to fix his eye upon a cloud right ") •1" I h f I 'i V I I ) ir r G2 SETTLERS FIRST START. ahead of lis, the day heinf,' calm, and to drive straiglit for it. Proceedinuf thus, in about lialf an hour we ai^ain cau<,dit siglit of the throve, still very distant, and the smart yomitf American driver "owned up" that he had lost his way. We had got into a flat prairie about five miles scjuare; one of the horses stepped a little quicker than the other, and we had been diligently driving in a circle for the last two hours. We soon struck upon a track which led us towards the risinof ground and among some new settlements. One man here had entered to an eighty acre lot last spring, had built his house, broken about ten acres and sowed it with wheat, and had his little cop of " sod" corn gathered and stacked out of harm at close to his dwelling. The first care of an American > n the prairie is to provide for the first winter. If he ; cirts '; Alay he ploughs a few acres up, and very commonly plants the Indian corn on it by making a slit with his axe on the tough upturned sod, into which he drops the seed. Kiide though this prepa- ration appears, it is generally followed by a crop, sometimes a very good one. Having thus started his *' sod " corn, he constructs his house, and spends the rest of the summer in " breaking " the prairie in prepa ation for a wheat crop, and in cutting and making some prairie hay for the winter provender of his live stock. He also plants a few culinary vegetables and potatoes. In the end of August he sows his wheat, and, when that is completed, he harvests his " sod " corn. This keeps him out of the market the very first winter, as it is often made to suffice for the food both of the family and the live stock. " Hog and Hominy " is not infrequently the only food that the settler has to set before his guest during the first year of his possession. And though homely it is wholesome. When the crop of Indian corn is secured, there is time to begin making fences. The neighbours have a mutual interest in this and assist each I FENCES. — rANA:^r.v. C3 straight for af^'uin caii<^dit ijiiart youiiL,' lost liis way. square; one i other, and the hist t\V(» (1 us towards nieiits. )t last sprinf,% nd sowed it orn gathered elling. The is to provide loughs a few in corn on it ^turned sod, this prepa- ), sometimes >d " corn, he 3 summer in wheat crop, r the winter ew culinary he sows his s his " sod " le very first both of the ny " is not set before si on. And p of Indian nces. The assist each otiier. The fences are made of posts and sawn pine timber : the posts of cedar, seven feet long, cost \\il. It seemed market of St. f^'eiitlem.Mii, ji |»u,<,dit !i I.'iri^a' li Caiiadiiuis. arly as nuuiy )ts at GC)S. an y to succeed, iieurs sundry LETTER VI. Tana to Ccntmlia. — The Croy rrairic. — Host Wlioat Soil. —Fruit. — 'r(jlmc('ii — Vinos. — Silk. — l{i(h Mineral District South (if Contralia. — l.iufs of C'onmiuiiication with Occau l>y New Orloaus uiitl by (.'hica^r". — rrohalile Market tor Wheat in Ciilia. — Deseription of (Irey I'rairie. — Viiliie of Oxen. — Gernuiu Settienu'Ut. Larj,'c Purchase of Laml liy Kentucky (jrazier. — His Tlan and Prospects. — Farina. — 'rrailiin-; Spirit of the People. — Urhana. — Complaints of Wheat Fuilin'e. — Pc.ieh Grownig. — Lari^c Grazing Farm. — Manaireineiit of Stock. — I'ni- I'ormily of S(jil. — Coldness of Weather. Steam Ploui;h ^^acllinls Jnr economisin<; Manual Labour in ;;rcater Demand. — IJinient. — Kentucky Settler. — His Plan of mapaj.;inf; 8000 Acres. — ( )nar;;a. — It.s jVeiizhlnpurhood. — Dairy Fanning;. — .Artesian Wells. — Kankaki'e to Momenee. — I'rice of Land. — IJroom Corn. — Country from Momencc to Mouec. — Management and Produce. — Monee to Chicago. FnoM Pana T took the railway to Ceutralia, a station aliout sixty miles fartlier south, and, in nearly a straii^ht line, si.\ty miles east from St. Louis on the Mississippi. It is the point of jiuiction of the main line of the Illinois Central railway with its branch to Chieaijo, and is jihout 100 miles north of the southern terminu> of that line at Cairo. Tiie surroundiuL,' country is the ^^'I'V prairie soil of southern Illinois, which ]tro(luces the tinest (piality of white wheat in the State, but is not so pvolitic of Indian corn or oats as the black prairie already described. It is, however, a superior fruit country, and po.sses.ses a climate suitable for the cidtiu'e of tobacco, vines, and even of silk, thou«,di the last branch of industry has made no progres.s. Of tobacco there is produced annually nearly {i million pounds weight, and the crop of fruit is valued at 200,000/. But the whole country for the next thirty or forty miles 'Ml l» ^ «( I t tfi ^ I I* w M SOL rilKKN ILLINOIS, is also mi(lril;iilaced for th(» cities of the Mississippi, and is nearer to the ocean than ('hicai;"o. When the line of railrt)ad is comjileted thronLrh- out to New Orleans, which it is expe('t<'d to he within a year from this time, soiith(»rn Illinois will he l»rou«dit within from .')()() to ()()() miles of si'a-<;oin(,r ships at New Orleans, which is little more than half the distance hy railway from ('hica<;o to the Atlantic. And if the market of Cuha, where little or no wheat is «(rown, should he thrown open to America, a circumstance every year l>ebomin«jj more prohahle, the flour of southern Illinois will form the main supply of the Ifavannah market. These are considerations worthy of heinjj^ kept in view in forming an estimate of the comparative value of ditierent parts of the State. From Centralia I drove throut:jh the country, first south- wards ft)r ahout ten miles, and afterwards to the north between twenty and thirty miles. The aspect of the coun- try from the road is very ditferent from the impression ojie ^ ITS SOIL y\\n SCKNKUV 67 Aliirh uf rid one, iii.'irl)li', tnlllKl Iiri-f. •rt ill tliick- t>l.*l('l\, iLfllitrs II .'llliolllit l)t' .'Si'Illlilcs tile It lias iiiaiiv <>t western icii ('lll|)IuVC(l if traiisjMiit- i large |h'1- m the ijcreat lias hitlierto >lai'e(l for llie ocean than ed throiiLfh- he within a 1)0 ln'oiiu^lit ii}>s at Mew distance l)y the market , should he every year rii Illinois di market. in view in »f ditlerent first soutli- the north f the coun- •ession one t h ih H nj»t to receive in |»assiii'^' ia|»nlly over it hy railway. Instead ol' lieiii;; very iinitoiin and llaf, as a, stran;4er is apt to think it, there is nnich undnlation ; so niiieh i:re than 4/. I must now ask the oader to turn hack with me in a north-easterlv direction, hv the branch line of the railwav. towards Chicago. On this ourse we shall have a distance of 250 miles still to traverse. For uearlv eiS HLUK CllASS. lAlUNA. luu'tli of ('rnhMliji \\\o pr.Miri^M'onliniirM oj" tlir snnic j^'icy soil wliifh I li.'ivr jusl drsfiilM'*!, iiioir siliciniis (li.iii llir 1»1;h'1\ soil. Mini llirrcrorc hoHcr m(1;i|»1o(I lor wiiilcr wlicil, iiMrtllv so pvolilio ol liMli.iu roni, nor so siiil;iMc lor o;»ls ;n»(l |>oiMlt>os. I( is inor<' |iicliir('S(|no, more \vooi|«m1, Itiit also, noMr llio rivor hollonis, moro lialilo lo Irvor and aL^io. Noar Nooj^a lliorc is a lliriviiii; (icrniaii sclllomciil. I luol a Konhh'lvv |Mo|ni('lor who, Iwo yoars aLro, lioii^lil .')()()0 aiTos in tins (|iiart(>r lor \0s. i'x/. an aero. lie has licLinn lo injprovoit hv hroakinij^ np Iho prairii' lor whoaf, wilh \vlii
  • land down wilh l)ln«' Ljrass. Misdrsiro is (o hriiiL,' th(» land early iiilo jjjood LTi'M/inLj ijroniid. and Iho Krnhicky lthn' L^^rass sconis lo In* an ohjcci of adoration lo Konlncky n\(MK and yet (Mlhor it, or Iho soilol' Konlnrlvy,or I 1m tH male, nnisf \\o iidorior \o our host liniostoiu' lands in Mni^land, tor h(* adniittod that Iwo a«'r«>s ol' his host hlno lTI'-'I'^'^ land W(M«' no(Mlod tt> fatten a t hr«'o-y('ar-old shy nsinLj Iho open prairi(» with all his cattle tor three or lour months, while at its lu>st, and then liavinLT the enlti\ated Ljrass on his ars(> and ronL^h in tlu' antunm. As a Ken- \\wk\ uTa7,i(M- he had I'ound j^n-eat ulvantaijjo in the inlro- iliietion ot' iniprovtnl hn^eds of e;.ttlo fn)ni Isni^dand, his t^xpiMMtMU'e lieiui^' that a thrt>e-y(Vir-old short-horn o\, on tlu» sanu^ land, attained as jjfttod size and lu'tti'r (|ualily th;in tht^ uninipr»)V(Hl hreed of the eouiitry at live years old. Fa- :;« is a n(>w station surnMMuled hy this line iJ^rcv prairio, Thouijh not many houses are in si^jht, there are a LTooil many st>ttlers in tlu^ district of which this is ahout to lHVt>me th(> ctMitre. The stationmaster, an active and intelliijent vouhlT man. had within tlu' week opened a, store, in which ho had lariiu^ supplies of all the re(|uisites o{ a farmer's household. His sales already reached Hi a ! ii. nnJANA. I'KACFr (JUOVVINd cu ic s.imc Kiev MIS tilMIl Hir sillier wIm'.'iI, ■ iMc (or o;ils Uoudnl. IhiI • T ,'|||(| nunc. 'Miniiciit. I lM>iiL,r|,f fjooo llMS ll('L,'llll to I, widi whicli IT is lo ltriii<4 H' KniliM-lsv lo K<'llllic| ()|)i'ii mills, wliijc ^M-.'iss on 1 1 is wild <;rnss As M Kni- 1 tlu' iiilro- u^lniid, liis lorn o\, oil Itor (|u;ilily I live 3(';irs is line ,ufr('V f, IIkmc arc his is a 1 tout. iU'fivc niid o|K>ii(>d a. ' i('<|uisit('s Lcliod 8^ a 1 1 to deal rvrry ilria;^'ihal»l» d;iv. II'' was |»rr|»arr(i lo (irai in rvrry iiria;^'mahir u;iv, ;iiid lur rvny iMiaL^NiiaiiJc tllill^^ lie l»;irf<'ir(| liiniid rlulli lor ulM-at. caiHllr.s lor iia/cj iiiits. rildions lor a|»|»|i' , ; , l.iil iiotliiii" \v;is liroii'dd lo jiiin tliat h;- (rliiscd to talo- ;il a |tii<'c, and to pay lor in kind, 'rinic sccihh to In- a iiiarlvi't lor rvcrytliiiiL,' in tli<' \V«'st, the s(»ii it «»t " t nidini; " is so t liiiroiiL,ddy ini,'ia.ini'(l in tin* (h'o|iIc. At cvrrv Hlntion is to lir seen a lar«,^' wooden hIoit wit Ii the words *' ra.di lor ulicat" (diis|»inioiisly |iiiiitrd n|>. Tin' daily «|iiot;if ions at riii(aL,'o arc known i»y tli at cNcry station, and tlir |tri('c, Irssco.st of transport, risk and prolit,arc ;nran;/cd without dillicnlty. Tin' wlaat this yc;ir onie lar^'e iamlholders, not larmers hy profession, were -o miieh alarmed hy the loss of the crop that they had di^eonf inucfj sowini,^ wheat. One man sjtoke (»f peach t^M'owin;^ as a matt<'r of protitahle tarniin;^, and said that he had produced on his ()()() hii->hels an acre. This was done, howeV( r, on a. very limited >cale. There was a steam thrashing,' mill at work here, the owner i)f which assured me that he could thrash with ii lO(H) l.ii>hels vi' good wheat in a day, and that he liad thrashed 1.30 i 3 15' V r >i f: ) ' 70 CATTLE FARMING. Imslifls in an liour. J^it in thut case tlio wheat liad been cnt with htth' straw, ami the yiehl was very •jivat. Pusliini; (til tliroULCh tiie \u\\if prairie <;tmss tor some five or six niik's tartiier, we eaiiie to tht; land ot" a larLfe cattle fanner, a eelelnated Illinois uraziiM*. Jle is the owner of several thousand acres of land, and has been so snccessful as a feeder as on one occasion to have delivered 1(H) cattle at Cliica^'o in one lot, theaveraije W('iL;lit of which was 2:U)() lis. I roih e over his tarni, and throUL!'h one enclosnre of 2.>0() acres, which was partly in natural prairie, partly in sown n'niss, and partly m wiieat stul)lile, and part where the wheat \\iu\ never been cnt, as it was considered worthless. We rode backwards and forwards over this extensive field for some time, under the uniidance of the maiiajjfer, looking in vain for a herd of 250 cattle, which we at lenj:fth came suddenly upon, all lyini^ among the long grass, and (piite hidden by it until we were close upon them. They were all fine animals, ntse up slowly, stretching and licking themselves, 100 of them being fbur-year-old oxen of great weiixht and fatenou«di for the butcher. Hut it was thou put two ^ i'c<|uired than 100 Jt'nient is •ndinnf to < to open the corn, ■n can be mce from r I 1 STEAM AND MANUAL LABOUR. 71 fhe railwnv, .'it about ten ])ence a busiiel on tlie avernge, iind at tliat price this kind of firming is found renuniera- tive. I ct.iitimied my drivi- onwards through the prairie, the iiiMst of wliich was still unbroken and unoccupied. There sccuicd no (iitfcrrnce in the (juality of the soil, which possesses a reinarkabh' uniformity, the oidy ajt|iai('nt dis- tinction being in the greater flatness of some sections, and conse<|Ueiitlv the greater liability to injury tV<»m wet seasons, wliei-e the land has not a sulficient undulation to ke<'|) it free from surface water. This (la\' (middle of October) was bitterly cold, coldei' tlian I ever felt the wind at limine, .'lud we weic glad to get olf the bare j>rairie, and into the shelter of the wood- lands. We pi<l<.ugh wliieh was moving itself ah »ng a pi'airie i*rairie, which he was brinut thounh tliis oc- casionally succeeds, the process of breaking' up the ]>raiii(! and sowiiiL? it out after one or two corn crops is ])referre(l. Turnips are jj^rown here as u,n experiment with fair success. Sown without manure, after wheat harve^:t, the roots are now 2 to 3 lbs. weight. Large tr. cts of lahd are for sale here at prices from 40.v. to .'50*. an acre. Iveturniui' from Ikuncnt to Urbana I drove thnMi'di a fine rich roiliuL^ prairie country, the larijj'er ])rop(>rtion of which is still open and unoccupied. A nurseryman has established near the railway line a very thriving and ex- tensive nursery of various fruit and forest trees, the thriving condition of which sutiiciently proves the capability of the tx ■f Wi^ OXAHGA. DAIKV FARMING Lves a passaLT nil station on [>le had bet ;i 1 wheat ri()}» h>}»r('ssio') (»f w farm of a liad houu-ht ic, which h<' O acres sown ^t h;i(l Ik'cji a ilicls an acre. WSOWillhavo it all t 1000 acres, n«,'liis cattle, mually, and, i^e extremely here spoken I'times sown irnt ofi; t]iv L;h this oc- » the praiii(! s i)referred. fair success. (^ roots are -ire fur sale thron<^di a 'oportion of iryman juis ig and e\- he thriving ility of the jH'aiiie soil for the growth of fruit trees ;:nd ornafuental tindn'r. Taking th-. lailuay «'d I'rhana I Jigain proeeeded aiiout i'l rty mile., liirther north to the station of ()n;irga, a rising U vn on a tine prairie, which sei'iU'^ all (lotted oscr with neat two-story houses. I visited a good many recent set- tlers in this neighliourhnod, most of them men with no ]ire\ious experi«'nce of ;» country lite, mid without any kiiowledge whatever of the practical details of farnnng. These persons were all disheaiteued hy the failure ot" \\[v. m wheat Clop. l>i:t others again, who had heeu brought up I to farming and understood their husiness, Wi-re hopeful and ' making every e\erti(»n to ensmt^ success. The tirst man ! we called <•!! Wiis a dairv farmer from the Kastern States, an iiit<'lligent pra<*tical man who thoroughly imderstoud his husiness. He has hrd the same ill luck in his cn«p as other people, hut kuows that risk of sea.sons is oneof thost; risks which tanners in all countries must mon* or less reckon upon. He has a dairy stock of thirty-eight cows, and makes the milk into cheese. He can sell his cheese on tlu' spot at 42>'. a cvvt., which is not far sh()rt of the average price realised hy dairy tarmeis in S(;otland, wiienj the mil is liKilnr IIkiu (he pr'trc of liiml in Hlinois. \\o linds the natural prairi*' grass very productive of milk till the month of Septend)er. His cows yield him 2 Ihs. of che«'se each, daily, during the |)eri«)d of good grass ; and they c;ni l)e foddered very cheajdy during the wii:^er on jirairie hay. He expects to improve his stock and n turns materially, as he goes on, liv jtroviding succulent l"t;otl tor the autumn and spring. 'I'he prairie in this district fre(|uently rises t*- rounded hills, which thounii n)ore pictiU'es(pie than th<' long gentle sweep of what is termed a " handsome" prairie, is not so fertile. The soil is much more saiidv. There are several artesian II ,^' m 1 74 KANKAKEE. BROOM CORN. ^ ^JJi ,1 ^J ■ .!( I) 11 wells here. I saw ono, the water r/ wliicii was rnsliinf:r r.p full, through a four inch pipe from a borini^^ 127 i'vv\ deep. It '.vas ircm tasted, hut very wholesome, and is constantly ])ourin(( out at this rate. The last station at which I stopped to examine the country was tliirty miles farth.'r north, at Kankakee, wliieh is tifty-six miles south of Chieni^o. From this thriviuL,^ town I drove for aljout tweb e nules up the north liank of the river to a town called jNIomence, and thence struck riij^ht through the prairie for upwards of twenty miles to Monee, a station within tlurtv-four miles of ('hicago. Tlu; tirst part of the ride as far {is Momence was through a very fine dry rolling prai'ie, which comes down to the hank of the Kankakee river, a broad clear strean\, running over a limestone ])ed, the banks of which are W(>oded and pictu- resque. Im])roved land sells here at 51. to 8/. an acre. The Indian corn was good and well managed, and I oh- served several fields of broom corn, a tall plant, exactly resembling Indian corn Jind cultivated in the same way, but bearing its seed, which is like millet, at the top. It is largely cultivated for the manufacture of brooms, for which the seed-bearing fi))res, which are tough, elastic, and flexible, are used. An acre of this plant is mueh more val'i.-i.ble than Indian corn. ]Ntanufactories are established in the State for making it up, antl a cro]) which is in jdl respects suitable for the purpose yields sometimes as much as 20^. an acre. From Momence to IMonee we passed through the same description of dry black rolling prairie. The country is higl t r here, and the i^iut^rs more severe. A settler told me that they had geuerjiiv to fodder their stock for seven months, for though tlie .snow did not lie long, the frost bound the soil eighteen inches viown. Li order to secure the safety of the winter wlie^tt it is sown among the grow- I MO^IE^'CE TO MONEE. to '< rnsliinr^ r.p J7 feet (!('(')). is cujistaiitlv xamine tlio :nk(_'(.', whirii liis tliriviiH*- >rth li.'uik of ciK-e struck ity miles to licMjjfo. The 1 tliroui(]i a to the bank iniuijf over a and pictu- 8/. an acre. and I ob- int, exactly same way, he top. It ).vooms, for ehistic, and nui-li more estabiislied li is in all El's as much m^^ Indian corn, plenty of the stalk of which is left wlieu t!ie corn is reapeil to catch and hold tin' snow, wiiich thus shelters the voumr wheat from the intense frost. Tiic averaj'e croi) of wheat is twenty-tive bushels an acre, fortv to fifty bushels of Indian corn, and forty of oats. ]»ut tl lis year o its pr oyed a total failure. White clover ami blue grass everywhere make their a])pearance anioui^^ the prairie-grass, where that is closely pastured. Cattle tlirive well on these prairies, and the natural hay cut in August or 'pte mher, on tl le ui) •land I )ranMe, niaUes exct h'Ut fodder for both horses and cattle. Hut h cuusidcr its " tlic prairies, my attention ores of land, tate covered ly, June, and ! to six feet unnecessuv it we luive a or tli(Misands ss, the ashes time acUlinj: back as we 1 the custom in autumn, •fid rapidity, X the atniu- I sphere for weeks with smoke. In tlie course of af tni inolies, an ac'ic of tlicsf ])rairies will contain n])\vai(ls of three tons of nitro«:en, and as a lieavv crop of wheat with its stnnv contains aliout tiftv-two noiunls of nitroLjen, there is thns a natnral store of ainnionia, in this soil sntlieient for more th.'in a hiindreil wheat cro|»s. In Dr. Voeleker's words, " it is tliis lari^e amount of nitroi^en, and the heautiful state* of division, that impart a ])eculiar character to these soils, and distin-niish them so favourahlv. Thev are soils upon which I imai^nne Hax could he j^'rown in ])erfe('tion, suj)]»os- in«r tl le 'limMte to he otherwise favourahle. / /no- never before (Hiali/sed soils which contunicd so mueh nlfror/eu, nor the frost. )ut by the s fortunate 1, as it was rciuLC sum- luck-heap. t crops of ner as our too heavy ' growth is e ear d.ies r indicates )f lime, of It would consolidate the s(»il, render the wheat less lialdc tojjc hoven, and help to streni^then the straw, and render the LTiowth less rank. There is }d)undan('e of lime in the countrv. So that tiie renie(lv is at hand, and will und(»ulttfdlv 1 >e applied under a more seientitie system of a^ricidture. Autumn wheat is the most valuable corn, hut it is al-o the most ditticult to 1m- ;^'rown, for it has to withstand the unprotected severity (if winter. TluM'arlier it is sown alter the 1st (tf SrptendH-r the more likely is it to succeeil, and it is s^^enerally successful when sown on the tirst and second crops of a newly-ploiiLjhed prairie which has been broken in ])roper season. If any of it shoidd be destroyed by frost, the L,'round is sown in s[)rinLr ^^i^'' sprin:^' wheat, and this seld<»m fails. 'I'he crop varies from tifteeii to forty bushels an acre, twenty bein^f reckoncil a fair averaire. Indian corn usually tbrms the thud crop, and, if the land is kept clean by diligent horse-hoeing, this crop mny be repeated as long as the farmer likes. It is undoubtedly the main crop of the prairie farmer: it never fills. In some seasons it is more productive than »»thers, Imt tlie m(»st (trdinary care will secure a cro[>. rnp is I hat a large breadth of it can be cidtivated by one man and a couple of boys. Two men and a boy with fotu- horses can till 100 acres. Instances have be<'n known of loo acres of Indian corn and .>() acres of wheat being all managed by a man with his two sons and their horses. Therti is no hurry in harvestim: it. It can be cut at any time after it is ri])e, and takes no iniury by .standiiiLT either uncut, or in the shock, for many weeks. When consumed on the ground by cattle, the shocks are merely opened, and the cattle shell the corn for themselves. It is always con- \ ».« ^.^-v. IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 1.25 ■56 |2j8 |2.5 1^ 12.2 •" 136 i "* ■::: !!!!!2.o 1.1 l.-^l i.4 1.8 1.6 <^ ^y /. % '} '/ /A Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 '^ 'v- £<^ F.^^ <^^; #> % p,y|-j H ■ is ' I , ■;:) 80 OATS. BARLEY. SUGAR. TOTATOES. vertible into money, cither aa corn or pork, and it is exten- sively used in distillation and in the manufacture of starch. Oats are not so certain a crop, but they are extensively grown in Northern Illinois, and nver^^e about forty bushels an acre. They are light compared with good Scotch oats, and more resemble the oats of Northern (jermany. Barley is a valuable crop when it succeeds, as it is largely used in the making of beer, for which a growing demand is springing up throughout America. I have little doul)t that the application of lime to the prairie would render it a better barley soil. The croj) averages forty bushels an acre, on suitable soils. Sorghum saccharatum, or Chinese sugar-cane, is cul- tivated in every part of the State, as yet experimentally, for the production of sugar. The leaves are found very succulent and nutritious as fodder when taken off before the plant ripens. It grows precisely like Indian corn, and can be produced successfully on the best corn soils, it must not be sown near broom corn, as the plants hybridise, and both are deteriorated. Some carefully conducted experiments show that the yield of sugar, per acre, from this plant has amounted to 1221 pounds, with seventy-four jjallons of molasses, which is about two-thirds of an averacre cane sugar crop in Louisiana. It has been satisfactorily proved that this plant may be made a substitute for the production of sugar by white labour, should any circum- stance hereafter curtail the cane produce of the slave States. The prairie soil is also admirably adapted for the OTowth of susfar beet. Potatoes are a productive and valuable crop in the northern part of the State. They yield from three to seven tons an acre, which sell at from 30^;. to 3/. a ton. The rates of price f(^r agricidtural produce in America, as has been already shown, depend on the increase of the rRAIRIE GUASS. 81 population, and tlio capability of tlie land to j)rodiice cer- tain crops. Price is also very mnch modified by iin}>roved means of railway transit. J^eforc.' railways \ver<' introduced into Illinois the expense of transport was so u^reat, that no farmer, unless he lived near a large town, could cultivate aiiv kind of corn profitably. Stock farniiiii:^ was then the most remunerative kind of husbandly, and the men who have become wealthiest in the State have made their money ])y stock farming. I shall now th<'i-<'1'ore devote a few sentences to the value oi' the different kinds of grass and provender produced in Illinois. The prairie grass shoots up fresh in the month of Alav, and continues green and succulent till August. All kinds of stock thrive on it during this period. Cattle, which have been carefully wintered, and are tui'ne(l out upon it in good condition, will become ([uite fat. Milch cows yield well U])on it, and Merino sheep also thrive. After August it shoots u]), and liecomes comparatively hard and wiry. The most forward stock should then be placed on '"tame" grass, but growing cattle of all kinds may be kept on tlu^ prairie till November. In September and ()cto))er it is usual to cut as much prairie hay as may be refpiisite for winter provender. This is got very cheaply. I was told l)va larfife stock-master that tliree teams a dav, one cutting with machine, one raking, and one stacking, might in these two months save as much hay as would winter lOOf) head of cattle. I do not think that the natural ])rairie grass is nearly thick enough on the ground to Tnaiiitain so much stock on a given extent of land, as our good pasture land in England. But at present that is not a (juestion of much importance, inasmuch as unenclosed prairie can be had in most parts of the country for nothing, and when the ])opu- lation becomes dense enough to occupy all the ])rairie G ■A I ^•■^■P"**" iU t; I 82 BLUE GRASS. lands, these natural grasses will have disappeared and haw given place to corn and cultivated grass. The grass most generally preferred is the hlue grass {Poa 'pratens(s), which is indigenous on tlie liniestnuo lands of America, and v\ill usurp the place of all other grasses on such soils in the course of years. It is said to yield a greater return of beef, milk, mutton, wool, or pork, chan any of the cultivated grasses. Timothy grass is not adaj^ted for pasture, hut is gene- rally used for hay. It yields from one and a half to two and a half tons an acre. ; 1 j 1 tr ■)■ 'm -vJ. ■^' I I ed au;t only apparently cheaper. — Great ()p|iortuinfy for Farm Labourers of Character and Skill. — Farming by Shares. — Facility for investing Money in Land. — Even the Labourer can so invest his Savings from Time to Time. — Prospects of Emigrants from Towns. What are the profits of farming on the prairie lands of Illinois? That is the question of interest to the agricul- tural readers of this little hook. The average prices of wheat and Indian corn in Chicago, since 1850, and those of beef, pork, cheese, and butter, since 1854, have been: — Wheat, per bushel Indian corn „ Beef, per lb. Pork „ - Ciicese ,, Butter „ These prices may be reckoned, on an average, as about s. (I. - 3 9 - 1 8 - 2i - f) 2 - 4 - 8* t 11 * Prices in Chicago on 25th of January, 1859: — Wheat, 4.s. 3(1. to 5s. ; Indian corn, 2s. 2(/. ; oats, 2s. ; barley, 3a'. G^/.; and potatoes, 2s. to 2s. 6d. per bushel. G 2 "^ it) i' ,t 84 COST OF PRODUCTION. ir 1 I !.•! I } 1., I i ii' Olio half tlie value of the same articles in En^^dand. If the cost of production in tlie two countries were nearly the same, tlie price of land of e(iual ([uality should be twice as great in En<:(land . s in Illinois. It is, however, thirty times as great, and //i this (lifij'Mirltjj cons/.sfs the advantaf/r ivhtch a settler rriaij hope to reap hj hayuuj land in Illinois. The cost of production is an important element of price. Manual labour is 100 per cent, dearer in Illinois than in England; but the cost of keeping horses is 100 per cent, cheaper, and as a larger proportion of the work of the farm is done in America by horse power and machinery than in England, the cheapness of horse labom' will fully compensate the prairie farmer for the dearness of manual labour. The cost of production, in so far as labour is con- cerned, is thus much alike in the two countries. I have already said that wheat has proved, during the last two years, a very precarious crop. It can usually be grown with safety as the first, and sometimes the second crop, on newly broken prairie. And it is also a pretty safe crijj) to follow grass land when first broken up, after having been some years laid to pasture. But Indian corn is the crop of the prairie farmer, and there is always a market for it either by selling or consuming it in the fattening of hogs. If grown within 150 miles of Chicago, it may be carried by rail to that port, there shipped to Montreal, and thence to England, where it may be delivered at 25s. a quarter, after paying all expenses, and it will then leave Is. Sd. a bushel to the growler. At such a price there would be a demand for any conceivable quantity, as it would be tlie cheapest food for horses, cattle, and hogs that we have ever had in England. It was calculated by ]Mr. Lawes, as the result of experiment, that about 4 lb. of meal produced 1 lb. of pork. Indian corn meal at this price would cost EXPENSE AND PROFIT. land. If file '(' nearly tin? Id be twice as wever, tliii't\- 'lip. aducuiUif/r iufj land In ment of price, inois than in 100 per cent. work of the rid macliinerv our will fully 3.SS of manual labour is con- ies. id, during the 3an usually be les the second 10 a pretty safe p, after having ian corn is the ways a market be fattening of \go, it may be Montreal, and ered at 25s. a mil then leave ce there would as it would be 's that we have ]Mr. Lawes, as meal produced rice would cost less than ^ 3^ I ;'' improved, with a stock of horses and implements, and the whole of his orirovide him with a capital of 2,000/. J5ut if, instead of making his son the tenant of another man, he determines to purchase a farm of the same extent for him on the prairie, he may pay the advance interest of the purchase money of the land, fence it, build on it, stock it, and sow the first crop for less than 600/. Two years elapse before the first instalment of the price is due, and by that time, with good management, the land should have yielded enuagh to pay it, besides all the expenses of management. An intelligent, prudent man, with 600/. in his pocket, may rely on finding that sum sufficient to start him successfully on 320 acres of rich prairie land, if he avails himself of this credit system. His position will be this. He enters into a contract with the Company for the purchase of 320 acres of their land, at the price of 50s. an acre. He pays two years' advance interest upon this, but he pays nothing further for two years. His first instalment, one fifth of the price, then becomes payable, and each year thereafter, till all is paid, another fifth. His account will stand thus : — o 4 '1 j ^g iii fc it 88 CREDIT AND CASH rUKCIIASK S. ■t ' ' I Two years ndvaiice interest on price of laml iit 7 l>''r cent. Contract price offeMci.iLj l(l() acres, l)rci".kin;^ it, sowiiii; with winat, reuj)int; ami tlinisliiM;^', and lor liiiildinj^ a house, staltle, and shi d Price ol' iiorses, implements, and harness - - - . . Vuhie of first crop -------._ Sccotid year : cojitract for fenein^ anotlier 100 acres, sowiiij^' it with wlieat, reaping and tln'asiuny ------- AVa;;es paid and horse keep for cultivatin<^ 100 acres of Indian com --------.-- £112 .'500 llo .*J5() £172 150 loO £472 His 200 acres of corn crop will now yield liini from 600/. to 700/., tlnis more than recoinpoiisinjj^ his outl;>y, and leaving })lenty in hand to pay his first instalment, and to i)roceed with the vi<;orons cultivation of the land. The same sum which would be needed to start one son as a farmer of another man's high-rented land in England, would tlius start three sons as the owneks of farms, fenced, stocked, and under cro}:), on the fine prairie soils of Il- linois. Many English emigrants may, however, prefer to pay cash for their land, and take the benefit of the large dis- count allowed. It is a less speculative system, and, where there is capital sufficient to begin with, I should decidedly recommend it as the best, and really cheapest, mode of making a purchase from the Eailway Company. They allow a discount of 20 per cent, for full payment in cash. A capital of 41. an acre will be found adequate to all the expenses of buying and stocking one of their prairie fariiis, the land being paid for, out and out. The fact that land which would sell for 60/. to 80/. an aore in England can be bought in Illinois for 408. or oO.s., . — while the population of the United States, already CAPITAL NKKDEI) 15 V KMICiHANTS. 89 it with Jiidiiui - £ll'2 .'100 lio .'}r>o £172 1 00 loo £4 72 liini from his outlay, aliuoiit, aiui laud. The [le son as a u Kuglaud, I'll IS, feuced, soils of li- efer to pay 3 large dis- aud, where d decidedly it, mode of my. TIkt 'ut in cash. ! to all the airie fariiis, . to 80/. an Os. or oO-s., 3S, already I twcufy-ci'^lit uiilliuiis, is iucrcasiuLC uiudi more rajddly thau Miii::iau(l, and tlic facility of trauspdrt is rcjually l," •<»(!, — must carry its <»\vii wcij^ht to liif miud of every tliiniv- iiiL,^ mall \vli<» has a family to provide for. r liav(i ill a, jirevious letter pointed out the jn'ofitahle nature of sheej) farming in Illinois, and woidd again refer to it here, as an o1)j(!ct well worthy of the consideration of Voun<^ emiLTrant farmers. Merino slieen i>rove verv healthy, and can ht; kept cheaply on the [irairie. Their wool is nearly as valualile in America as in Kngland, and the sup- ply is not ade(|uate to the increasing home consumption of that country. A large stock of sheep may he purchased with a small capital. I cannot help thinking, that the safest speculation for an enterprising immigrant farmer would he, the purchase of a section of land in the midst of untouched prairie. 1I(; could enclose and crop his own section, and winter a large sheep stock on it, which he might graze on the open prairie during the summer, at no otlier cost than that of herding. The price of the land is the least consideration that a British emigrant need take into his calculations. For if he avails himself of the credit system, he may enter on as much or as little as he likes, for an immediate payment of only 7s. an acre ; and his next payment is not due until he has heen two years in possession, hy which time the produce of the land ought to be much more than sufficient to meet it. The travelling expenses, the expense of maintenance, the building of a house, and the necessary outlays for stock, are nearly as great to start a small farm of fortv acres as one of four times the extent. A man with his wife and four children, could not transport himself and them from this country to Illinois, and place himself com- fortably even on a forty acre form, for less than 100/. But 40/. more would suffice to place him in a farm of 160 acres. 'Ml ■mTiTn 00 lACIMTV OF ACQlIIinX(J LAND. I f 1 1 ' 1 ' "^ iii • > !S ^' > • ) % L ■i.l i I «'nimt»l, llicrcrorc, Milvisc iihmi nvIk* nre minlilc to scrnpc' nini'i' ttttrrtlicr lli.iii will iiint'lv p.ma' tlicir Ir.'ivclliiiLr t'\- pcnscs fo Ljo l'> Illinois. And \';\v Icsm can I advise llicm to ij^o i'artlur west, Sn|»|MiS(' tliry conld obtain lant labour, for carrvin«jf it on. Thev fnrrnsh the la,bour, and share the ])roduc(» with the owner. This is a, transaction which is v(M'y common in Illinois; it answers the purpose oi' both ])artit's: and a ])rudent active man who enters upon it, will ^'eiuM'ally in a few years realisi' enoULjli to start liimself in a farm of his own. I heard of many instances of ^^nwt success attendini]^ this sort of arran«;'ement, and from my ])ersonal knowledge, I am sure that there are manv hundreds of our northern airi'icnltural labourers possessed of the recpiisite skill and prudence to ensure success. To such men, I shouhi be hap|)y to offer any information in my power, on application bein^ made to me I One great advantage which an emigrant of any class possesses in the Western States is, the facility -with which land may be acquired ; not merely its cheapness, but the readiness and simplicity with which it may be legally transferred. Every tive pounds that a man saves, may at • ii :l ^ A. LAM) OF rrJ'ATV. 91 (' to scrM|)(» Vcllillir (-x- isc llii'iii to 11(1 ill low.-i, \ li.iir Hk' osil, would udditioiuil to |MircliiiS(> sc. iil.'itioii, for IIILT liirii of ii,L,dit up to If uiJi..a(• iiiveslcii Ml Iniid il I ; 1 1 H I « -d r iiee( Is f o run no v]s k of linnk l.iilurt's: ;iiid Ins i.-iiidrd iuvrstninit is coustaidly iiMpi(»\ iii;( ill \;dii»', tlMMi'4li he wcn'ludo iM»tliinL,Mvliatever uitli il. 'I'lir saiue pr(M'css i s LToiuL^ on at liotnc, lait llie laltoiii iii'^^ man at lioin"- cannot sliure in an advan- la^je l(» wliicli lie liiin scI I' cunt riltiites, as flic land is too dear for liiin, and the co^t ol" t ransrcrriiiL,^ a small parcel ot it is nearly as i^'reat as the cost of the land itself. lie is thus shut out altoLjether Iroiii t Ik; hof»(! ever of heini^Mhe possessor oi land, and cannot tliere!bre p/iiticipate in that increasiiiLr value which is tin; j/ood fortuiu! ot" tla; rich alone. 'riioUL;h I have doubts of the success of even prudent men who lia\'e no more capital than their wits, and no aLjricultural kriowlei|«^'(! or experience, I feel hound to say that such is iml the <^eneral o|,Miion of experienced men in Illinois. One i^rcjitleniaii of lii;4li reputation and fortuiu.' in ('liicaL,^o, assured me that Ik; knew innuniera])le instances of people hroii^ditup in towns, with no knowh-'di^c; (►f country life, and very limited means, who liad blundenMl into experience and (;omfort in a year or two. " In tliis country,*' Ik; said, ''every necessary of life is sluttishly "plentiful; it is n(.)t possible here to tind a man linn^ny ; ' nature is so abundant that no prudent man can help ' becomiiiL,^ rich : atid tliou,L,di they may sometimes have a ' set back for a time, they will soon rebound and take a fresh start. 'I'here is plenty for all, 5) any class with which 5S, but the be leo-allv res, may at HkUL- 92 ■J I hi,'r; i r i^ -I 1 I. LETTER IX. The Ague; Opinion of a leoding Pliysician. — Easily curable. — "Wis- consin. — Liic'-guardsnian ttinicd Irnjilcnicnt ^Makcr. — Succfss of Emi- grants. — ^ladison. — jMilwaukcL'. — Its Trade Facilities. — Schools. — Public ]iijildii)gs. — Catholic C'lmrch. — Western Siiorc of Lake Mi- chigan. — General Natnre of Country. — (Ireen Bay. — Early French Settlements. — Their Hold in the North-west. — Cluiracter of various Riir-os of Settlers. — Price of Land. — Its Value dependent on cheap Access. — Interest of !Money. — Credit low. — "Custom" pleaded tor Abuses. — London Carpenter's Exiierieiice as a Settler. — The Missis- sippi. — Nails and Glass only allowed l)y American Government to their Surveying Engineers. — Kiver Steamers. — Anecdotes. — Lake Pepin. — St. Croix. I irAYE already referred to the risk of fever and ague which every emigrant to the western states must face. Before leaving Chicago I had an interview with a leading physician, who has been twenty years in practice in Illinois, and who kindly favoured me with his experience on this sul)ject. He has foiuid ague easily curable by proper management. It is usually preceded by diarrhoea and followed by fever, and the whole may be greatly mitigated, and even averted, by preventive and remedial treatment. It is caused in his opinion by excessive heat when it follows a moist summer. Siunmers of great heat, when the thermometer, for four or six weeks, is continu- ously 92°, 94°, or so in the shade, are always followed by an unhealthy season. Such seasons have been observed to come ir succession at intervals of about ten years. For some years l3ack there lias been little sickness in the western States. Last year there was a great deal. In all new countries in these latitudes, especially after the I 4 1 I I I •, THE AGUE. WISCONSIN. 93 irable. — Wis- ucccss of Emi- . — Schools. — of Ltikc Mi- - Early Ereiich :tor of various (lent on cheap " pleaded f(ir k-The Missis- ninent to their Lake Pepin. — r and ague must face. h a leading practice in > experience curable by by diarrhoea be greatly ad remedial Lcessive lieat '. great heat, , is continu- followed by en observed j ten years. kness in the it deal. In lly after the crround is newly broken, he considers strangers morr or less liable to it. l^ut settlement, drainage, more comfort- able houses, and care in. diet and clotliing gradually lessen its effects. In New York State, in the Clenessee valley, about twenty-fi\e years ago, people were extremely subject to a^ue. Now it is little known. Settlers comini: from Europe are most liable to it when they come in summer. Arrivinix at the cool season in autumn, and i^oinsj: into a good house, with care not to expose themselves to hard labour in the sun, and to keep themselves well clothed, they are less likely to be attacked. Old people in his opinion ought not to come out at all, — it is very fatal to them. Salts or purgative medicines taken at the com- mencement of the attack are very injurious, and he has found that the English emigrants are generally jirovided with such medicines, and take them at once, without waiting for advice, on the plea that salts never did any l)ody any harm. Nothing is more difficidt than to remove the bad effects of this dose. The doctor said that Chicago was now almost free from ague, that typhus had taken its place in a greatly modified extent, and that pneumonia and rlieumatism were the only other diseases that w^ere severe. Though I paid a second visit to Illinois before leaving the Western States I have now completed all that I mean to say upon it, and will ask the reader to accompany mo into Wisconsin, and thence up the ]Mississip|»i to St. Paid's in ]Minnesota. The same railwav facilities are found in the southern part of Wisconsin as in Illinois. In the railway carriage I met a Sheffield man, who, though only thirty-five, has been nine years in the country, and had been previously for some years a soldier of the 1st Life Guards. He had been brought up a mechanic, started in Cincijinati as a maker of files wdien he Mrst came out, and iim^ --- ^ -- '' --' ' ^ ' * 94 MADISON. MILWAUKEE. »'/ ) i ) ■■■((- }^ i 'I sul)sequently removed to tlii.s State as a partner in an af,Ticultural implement factor3% He lias Leen doing a large business here, and a pr()tita])le one till this year, when the general failure of crops has dried up the source of his trade. He told me that the majority of the emigrants are people from towns who never saw a furrow turned till they came here, that they have everything to learn, great hardships to endure, hut that with prudence and sobriety success is so certain tliat he had never seen an instance of it otherwise. He said, moreover, tluit such people, with dear-bought knowledge, turn out tolerable farmers in a short time. The country towards INIadison, the capital of the State, is dry prairie, lying on gravel for most of the way. The wheat crop here has been only half a crop of inferior quality, oats nearly a failure, but Indian corn good. Madison is prettily situated on a high ridge between two lakes. But though this is the capital, ^Milwaukee, on Lake jNIichigan, is really the chief town of Wisconsin. It is one of the most pictures(piely situated towns of any size that I have seen in the west. It is placed on both sides of a river wliich falls into a fine bay of I^ake jMichigan, the town rising from the valley of the river, on either side, to high bluffs facing the lake. The river is navigable from the lake, and vessels discharge and land their cargoes direct into, and from, the granaries and warehouses which line its banks. Tramways from the various lines of rail- road run along the other sides of these warehouses, so that the greatest facilities are afforded for the transport and handling of produce and merchandise. The extent to which labour is economised in this way, both here and at Chicago, is really wonderful. By the aid of steam power half a million bushels of grain can be dail}^ received and shipped through the granaries of Chicago, the whole of it fi •I I 4 1 EDUCATION AND RELIGION. 95 trier in an m doing a ; year, when >urce of his iiijjfrants are ed till they earn, great bnd sobriety instance of )eople, with irmers in a f tlie State, way. The rior quality, ^ladison is ikes. e, on Lake nsin. It is of any size ith sides of a ichigan, the :her side, to iixahle from leir cargoes Diises which ines of rail- ises, so that msport and 3 extent to here and at team power eceived and whole of it being weiglied in draughts, of 400 bushels at a time, as it passes from the railroad to the vessel. This can be done at a cost of a ftxrthing a bushel, and so (puet is the whole process that there is little external evidence of nuich business going on. The finest church in Milwaukee is the ]\oman Catholic Cathedral, with the palace of the bishop on one side of it, and an orphan asylum on the other. Ther(3 are many handsome private residences, some built of white marble, and the principal hotel of the city, the New Hall House, is very little inferior either in size, architecture, or interior fittings and arrangements to the Hotel de Louvre in Paris. There is a i:)opulation of ()0,0()() in this city, whicli only twenty-three years ago was the site of a single log cabin, but now, in the one month of October, ships a million bushels of wheat ! From the bluffs the lake looks exactly like the sea, as no opposite shore can be seen, and the white-crested waves come rolling into the harbour just as they do on the Atlantic, though not with the same long and heavy swell. There are numerous schools in the city, free to all, and well endowed by the State. Kduca- tion in the Western States seems to be far more highly prized than religion. I have often thought that the status of the schoolmaster and clergyman in Britain should be more nearly equal, but the latter ouglit not to be l)elow the former, which is practically the case here. The Ivoman Catholics are certainly an exception, for wealth is lavished on their churches and cathedrals, — wealth drawn from the poor Irish, who, though they can't save money for them- selves, are liberal to holy church. If one may judge from their edifices the Roman Catholics are making head in America, not so much in the way of converts, but because the Yankees and the Protestant settlers are too keen on business to pay sufficient attention to religion. Tiie Ca- M^l t pi ! V OG EARLY SETTLEMENT BY FRENCIL tholics are moreover the only cliurcli in America wliich is bound together l)y an fill pervading system of union. From Milwa\ikee I proceeded by rail nearly 100 miles further, to I^ake Winnebago at Fond-du-lac. The country most of the way is timbered like Canada ; indeed, all the western shore of lake IMichigan is so. There are oak openings here and there, which are little prairies of rather sandy soil in the midst of the woods, and which are all cultivated. The woodland is a reddish soil lying on gravelly hills, which is found to produce a good quality of wheat, the ^Milwaukee wheat holding a high character in the American market. The Indian corn seemed a small crop, and not much cultivated. After passing Iloricon we enter on hue prairie, which continues for many miles through the county of Marquette, — but all good land here, where improved, is, if anything, dearer than in Illinois. To the north of this the country is marshy or sandy, and, still farther north, it is all covered with pine timber, — the great timber region of Wisconsin, which yields more than 50(J millions of feet of limilier in a year. Green Bay, which is a sheltered arm of Lake JMichigan, 100 miles long and 30 broad, was the site of one of the earliest French settlements more than 200 year.^ ago. It is a remarkable fact, that before the pilgrim fathers landed at Plymouth, nay, even before the English cavaliers settled in Virginia, this far western country had been dis- covered by the French, who had sailed up the St. Lawrence and the lakes from (Quebec, ai^d whose missionaries as early as 1624 were preaching the Grospel to the Indians on lakes Huron and Superior. By degrees, under the policy of Louis XIV., they stretched to the ]Mississippi, and were the first Europeans who held that magnificent valley from nearly its source to New Orleans. For a cen- tury they continued to hold the entire control of the North- CHEAP LAND. HIGH RATE OF INTEUEST. 97 ica wliich is union. ^ 100 miles riic country .eed, all the ire are oak es of rather lich are all il lyiii.i^ on »(1 quality of character in ned a small ing Iloricon many miles 0(1 land here, Illinois. To ly, and, still •,— the E^reat re than 500 lay, which is es long and liest French frim fathei's lish cavaliers ad been dis- ■5t. Lawrence sionaries as the Indians s, under the Mississippi, mafrnificent For a cen- of the North- i West, till, in 1758, \V(dfe'8 victory over ]\Iontcalni at Quebec wrested this dominion from the French. T\w. poor French Canadians of I^ower Canada are the only remnant of their power, and (freen Bay, one seat of their first appearance in the west, is now being rapidly settled l)y Germans and Norwegians. From this f)oint thove has been a water connection formed with the INIississippi. I was g^lad to learn that the Scotch settlers bear a hif 8teani-boats J submit to it. iUgers, " from terms on the vith the com- we must get between the Lcate German ,e station, on irough ticket, in mud in the seat, but told xundled it off ., and the last rough the mud orhtest aid. I assengers that this was shameful, and expressed surprise that a free people would submit to such insolent imposition. I said that in England the railway company would he bound by h vv to fulfil their contract, and to provide at their own cost the necessary transport from station to station. An American answered that it was certainly very bad, but "guessed that the company could defend themselves at law by the plea of * custom.' " I expressed astonishment, when a 'cute Yankee beside me interposed, " I reckon, stranger, that you are about right. I don't think custom would carry it. Least I knew a case where it didn't. Two steamers were racing on the Mississippi. A passenger was seen, — both made for him. A plank was shot ashore from tlie foremost boat and he stepped on to it. But they were in such a hurry that they drew in the plank and threw him into the river. An action was raised, and the owners of the boat pleaded ' custom.' But the judge held that a contract to ' carry ' could not be fulfilled by throwing a man into the water, notwithstanding custom." " Was the man drowned ? " said I. " No, but he war dar \ near't." On my way across the State to Prai 'ie du Chien I met a Cornishman, who hail 'vorked for many years in Londim at his trade as a carpenter, and who had come out to Wis- consin and bought eighty acres of " oak opening." His first crop of wheat yielded twenty bushels an acre ; and the second, notwithstanding the unfavourable season, fif- teen bushels of spring wheat, which he was then selling at 3s. 9(/. a bushel. Besides lookirig after his farm, he works at his trade, at which he earns 5s. a week more than he used to make in England. Bat a tradesman without land will, in his opinion, spend all the difference in keeping himself. Men with families, he said, can get on better here than at home, provided they can buy land enough to H 2 II _.-.--iMf rty ^^ 100 THE MISSISSIPPI : i A " I I I '■ ! I' • i! h 'V I i \ i|■^ support their families, and when they save any money they can })uy more land, an impossibility at home. He thinks that ajjfricultural labourers would benefit by a change to the West more than any other class, because their wages at home are so low, and their peculiar skill is the thing most needed in an agricidtural country. At Prairie du Chien we found ourselves on the iNIissis- sippi, the Father of \^''aters, wliich at this point is nearly 2000 miles from the sea. This was formerly a French trading post, and more recently a frontier post of the Americans. There is here a loop-holed barrack capable of lodging 400 men. It was discontinued soon after the last fight with the Indians here in 1833, the frontier garrison having since that time moved many hundred miles farther west. It is now abandoned and going to ruin. The American system, as I was informed by an engineer officer of the service, is to spend no money in keeping up establishments after the object has been accomplished. Their surveying officers on the frontier are allowed only nails and glass, and with these they may erect quarters if they like. If not, they may live ill their tents, — at all events, they are not permitted to spend public money. We here embarked on the Mississippi for St. Paul's, a voyage up the river of 300 miles. The river at this place is about as wide as the Khine at Cologne, but with a less rapid current and not so deep a stream. The west side is very picturesque ; a series of limestone-bluffs, 200 feet hiixh, covered on their face and summit with autumn tinted woods, and broken into irregular forms by little valleys branching off from the main stream. As we quietly proceed on our course, every new reach opens out a fresh scene of beauty, and we are soon shut in on both sides by lofty ridges of limestone rock. In many places this ridge AND ITS STEAMERS. 101 money thoy He thinks 1, change to their wages s tlie thing the ^lissis- int is nearly ench trading I Americans, loddng 400 it fight with having since west. It is iin system, as service, is to ts after the [cr officers on 1(1 with these )t, they may 3t permitted St. Paul's, a at this place it with a less he west side iffs, 200 feet vith autumn ms by little \s we quietly s out a fresh 3oth sides by 3S this ridge retires a short way from the water, its sharp ednc disiip- pears, and a round grassy face, smooth antl regular as a lawn, runs up within twenty feet of the top of tlie sliarp peak or frowning rock which crowns the whole. Single trees are scattered like ornamental tind)er over the <'reen hill sides, which present the most charming natural sites for building. But houses there are none, except here and there at a landing-place on the river, where a wooden store and "office" invite the traveller to land and become an unit in the incipient " city.'' There are also huts on the edge of the water at convenient points for " wooding," oc- cupied by wood-cutters, who prepare fuel for the steam- vessels. In summer the banks are infested with nuis- quitoes, and the people live in the open air, round large fires, to protect themselves from the insect. It is said that the farther north you go in these latitudes, during the short but hot summer, the more you are liable to be tor- mented by musquitoes. Our steamer, which draws only 28 inches of water, is a hufje structure. The saloon is 200 feet lonjf and 8 feet high, with Gothic roof painted white and gold. Tliere are little sleeping cabins along both sides of the entire length, sufficient to accommodate 130 passengers. The fare includes provisions, and an abundant table is served three times a day. There is hardly any difference in the meals in this western country, except that to breakfast and sup])er we are offered tea and coffee, while at dinner cold water is the only beverage. The manners of the people we meet with on the Mississippi are not a whit exaggerated by Dickens in "Martin Chuzzlewit." I have met with instances of every dirty habit which he describes, and any Englishman who desires to see the West must steel himself against disagreeable incidents of hourly occurrence. He will be H 3 ii 102 TIIKIK CONVKNIENCK AND UISKS. fl ki'ft i 1! '^: /: 1 ,1 i amply ropai*! for any inctnivt'iiicncj; of tliis kind l>y tin* Viistnt'sH of tli<» new scenes constantly ojR'nin;^ hcforc liini. The lugh-pn^ssurii enj^ine every minute emits ji melan- choly si, and when the steamer " bars," down rro the stilts, the tnckie is made fjtst to the capstan, the? men pull upon it, and raise the ship a toot or moH', (;lean off tlu^ bottom, at the hows. The paddles are then set on full steatn, and th(i vessel is literally jumped oV(;r the l)ar. 1 aske'd the captain 'if by this means he could get over any ordinary bar. '' I reck<»n I could lift her over the river bank, if she would han<^ t()L,'ether," w.as his reply. We passed at ni<,dit throui^di Lnk*; Pepin, an expansion of the river, from two to three mil(;s broad and tweiity- five miles loni^. Tiie scenery is said to ])e very beautiful, but we could only catch a L,dim])se of the " Maiden's Kock," which rises sheer up about 200 f(!et from the wat<*r's (ulge. A nmiantic American, an individual rarely met with, told me its story in the starli^dit. Winona, the dau('iililic Olijicis. _ 'lUv Cnilit Syhfcin. — Ddwii tin; rivir to |)ii|jiH|ii(;. — I{iiiliii;;toii. — I.ta(li; to I'lo^n .ss of rnpu- htioii wcstwanlH. -- Wai^'cs. — Naiivoo. — St. liOiiis in Missoiiti. — Slav»! State. — Iron Mountain.— t'oin|iiiraiivo C(jht of I'njductiouol Hriti-ii and Atiicricaii Iron. 1 1 il St. 1*aiti/s, tli(u';if»it,'il of MiutH'.sot;!, the; lastStjit(; julmittcd t(» tilt! Union, HtaiMl.s very hctmtifully on aslopintr liin.'stoiH! v'uh^v i)i' tli(! AIis.sis,sij»[)i, iipwaid.s of 2()(H) iniN'S from its moutli at Nt'W OrlcaiiM. It may l)e rc^^'anh'd as tlio licad of unintcrruptod navi^Mtion, for tin; Falls of St. Antliony, only nine inilcs fnrtlj(!r np, close tli(^ pas,sa;^f('. Above the Falls, liowever, steamers ply l.OO miles still fiirtlier north- west. From this hi<.,die,st poii»t it is proposed to make a land connection with the Jied J^iver, which Hows north, and is navii^ahle f(»r 3(J0 miles befcjre it enters the J British territory at Pembina. Tlie new state of Minnesota has an area considerably grejiterthan the British Isles. The southern ])artis chiefly prairie, very level for <,'reat distances west, as was shown to me in a section of the railway now ])eing con.structed. The soil is consideraljly more sandy than that of Illinois ; the winters are intensely cold, but the summers, though comparatively short, generally mature the various corn crops which are cultivated. This State has its northern boundary along the British territory, at present possessed by the Hudson's Bay Company. The crops for the two t^ I If ? ; I: lOG ST. I'AUL\s, its BONDS, NEVVSrAPEllS, AND MAUKICTS. f i :i- I . 1- f; i i -I l.'.^t y(vir.s li.'ivc Ihm'Ii tlireatciicul, and partially iiijuivd, l)y a j»l;ii;U(' of uirjisshopprrs. A l)ri(l,ijf(* is in course of construction to coinicct tlie two hanks of river, on hotli of which the city is hcinj^ huilt, the owo to he called Kast and the other West St. Panl's. The honses are solidly l)uilt of limestone, th(5 nuiterial f« r \ho walls and mortar heinj]^ found in excavatin^^ the foun- dation. All kinds of puhlic improvement are rapidly carried into ex(*cntion, city honds bcnng issued to defray the cost. Th(\s(» honils can he purchaseil to yield 12 or 15 per cent., and may prove a. good security if pojndation continues to Hock to Minnesota., lianks. land an as he should make his appearance. The market-])lace on Saturday was thronged with ]ieo])le buying and selling their various produce. The Irish had sacks of potatoes and other vegetables, the Ame- ricans dealt in beef; but the most remarkable looking mercliants there were the Red Indians, who were selling wild ducks. They were in considerable niunbers, both uien and women, in tlieir native costiuiie, the men gene- rally carrviuiif good double-barrelled guns. There are still several Indian tribes at no great distance from St. Paul's, who live entirely by the produce of their guns. I was introduced here to a State senator who, with basket on his j.rm, was making his morning's market. I was afterwards indebted to this gentleman for a presentation to the governor, whilst he was reviewing a corps of vo- limteers at the State-house. They were very soldier- like men, their uniform more like the French than i MARKETS. mJiirmI, hy ct tli(* two ciiiL^ huilt, St. I'aurs. I ate rial f( r the foiiii- idly carried ly the cost. ) per cent., iiitinues to and news- tHnvs]);i|)(U'S uliiy niorn- iirpiised to 3 liaTuHe of he owner's ce. nij^ed witli hice. The , tlie Aine- )le looking vere selling ibers, both men gene- ere are, still St. Paul's, who, with market. I iresentation irps of vo- ry soldier- rench than MILITIA. ST. ANTHONY. 107 iMiglish, and they scjemed to go tlirough their evolutions very creditably. They had a brass gun, and three or four artillery men in the corps. The United States have an enroMed and organised militia of upwards of two millions and a half, from whicli a very formida)»le army might readily be selected. The people are fond of soldiering. In every considtTable town, some voluntiser cavalry or infantry corps may be found [)arading about, but I never saw a, soldier of the regidar army all the time I was in tin.' Union. These are all posted in the interior of the con- tinent on the Indiati frontier. In pursuing our course to the Falls of St. Anthony, we skirt along between the prairie country and th<' bank of the Mississippi. We cross the river by a ferry below Fctrt Snelling, one of the old frontier posts now abandoned. It stands on the point of the promontory, wiiicli juts out into the junction of the Minnesota Kiver with the Missis- sippi, at an elevation of 150 feet, and must have been capable of easy defence against any sort of Indian warfare. Two miles farther we came to a little gushing stre.-un, where is laid the most beautiful scene of Louirfelhjw's Indian poenij " Hiawatha," " Where the falls of Minnehaha Flush and gleam in shining reaches, Leap and laugh among the woodlands." We dived into the little glen, admired the waterfall, drank of its fresh waters, and finally cut walking-sticks in remembrance of it. It is certaiidy pretty; but, as an American has described it, unusually " neat." The water pours over a rock through a groove which exactly fits it, and runs away below with all the regularity of a '^ill stream. Nevertheless, for the lovely Minnehaha's sake, we did our best to admire it. There is a great distinction 1" in T) r iyi i I- m a k I 1 108 THE FALLS. between American and European scenery in this, that in America there are few accessories to the scene. There is tlie waterfall, but no enclosing mountain — no dashing along over rocky bed before the final leap, and but a very tame gorge below. The face of the country is generally monotonous, — hundreds of miles of bare prairie, breaking down at its edcfes into natural trous^hs for the water. The traveller over the prairie comes upon the great river sud- denly ; and sees, perhaps a hundred feet below him, the vast stream flowing along the hollow trough which it has worn for itself in the course of ages. A few miles farther brought us to St. Anthony, where the Mississippi makes a leap over the rocks of some twenty or thirty feet in height. The river was low ; and as we were then nearly the whole length of Europe from its mouth, we did not expect too much. Moreover, both sides of it belong to Jonathan, and he is a deal too sharp to throw away so good a mill power. On each side, then, the main body of the water is caught, and turned to the servile purpose of sawing lumber. The surplus water is left to run off in the centre, where it forms a little green imi- tation of the Grreat Horse Shoe Fall of Niagara. We literally " hunted " this waterfall, for we were a good hour jumping across the floating logs, and along the various dam faces, before we reached the best point of view. The young American lumbermen employed here are fine stalwprt men, extremely expert in the use of the axe, by which they earn several dollars a-day at piecework. We returned by the other side of the river, which is crossed by a suspension bridge above the Falls. This brought us to the new city of St. Anthony and its vast hotel, now seemingly empty, then past a college which has recently been built for higher class education. The eighteenth part of all the public lands in Minnesota ^^ ■ m t; ADVANTAGES OF THE CKEDIT SYSTE^f. 109 lis, that in There is 10 dashing but a very s generally i, breaking ater. The river sud- V him, the lich it has ony, where )me twenty as we were its month, sides of it p to throw 1, the main the servile [• is left to green imi- ira. We good hour he various dew. The are fine he axe, by rk. r, which is alls. This id its vast which has Minnesota is set apart for the support of schools; 46,000 acres more are appropriated for a State university ; 6400 acres for the erection of public baildings at the seat of government, and 5 per cent, of the sales of all public lands are granted to the State, by Congress, for the construction of public roads and internal improvements. Besides this, every alternate square mile of land, for five miles on each side of the lines, is granted to aid in the construction of vari(3us lines of railway which are intended to traverse the State. The system of credit estal)lished throughout the Ameri- can Union, if very unsound in all times of difficulty, is certainly productive of many useful results. For instance, the State of Minnesota has fine unoccupied land, which is of no value so long as it remains inaccessible. It is deter- mined to construct a railway, and the State finds the funds in this manner : — it issues bonds bearing 6 or 7 per cent, interest, which are handed over to the contractor as his work progresses. These bonds may not be very saleable out of the State, but the contractor lodges them with the State treasurer, and obtains, in lieu, 90 per cent, of their amount in authorised notes of issue. With these he pays his wages and bills, finishes another section of road, re- ceives a second instalment of State stock, makes a second ^ssue of notes, and so the thing goes on until the road is made, the country opened up, and produce brought to market. The bonds are cleared off as the land is sold, and everybody is benefited. There is yet only one way of going to or returning from St. Paul's, and we therefore took steamer down the Missis- sippi over our former course as far as Prairie du Cliien. We proceeded about 100 miles firth er to Dubuque, in Iowa, where, and at Burlington, 200 miles farther down, I had an opportunity of seeing some of the prairie lands of m h I' ' \ '■'. ■ :*s : I 1 I if ■ i 'iM 1 1|-' 110 IOWA. that State. An Irish settler, who had been seven years in the neighbourhood of Dubuque, was enthusiastic in his praise of the country. He said that the grass was as good as in Ireland, the crops of corn better, and more wealth of tin and lead in the bowels of the earth than would make the world rich. He told me of three cousins of his who came out three years ago, with money enough to buy 600 acres among them; — that their cattle, horses, and swine had increased so much already that they could not count them, and that they had bef"^ lately offered twice as much for 1 00 acres of their land as they had originally paid for the whole ! There is a rich mineral district round Dubuque, similar in its character to that of Galena, on the opposite shore of the river, in Illinois. Burlington is iinely placed on the side of a bluff rising from the river, to a height of 150 feet. It has a popula- tion of 15,000, and is likely to increase, as the system of railways which centre in it are opened up westwards. It is the chief town of the southern part of Iowa, and the rail- way now being constructed from it to the Missouri River, traverses the finest portion of the State. By the month of j\Iay, this line is expected to be opened as far as the Des jNIoines River. I travelled on it to Fairfield, itr. present terminus, through a country of prairie and woodland in- termixed. It seemed not more rolling than Illinois, and not so rich. Very little clover or blue grass is seen grow lug along the line, such as cheers the eye to the westward of Mendota. The buildings in the towns are inferior, and the country generally looks poorer. There is no land for sale along the line at government prices, within fifteen miles, — and enclosed land within that distance sells at from ten to twenty dollars (2/. to 4/.) an acre-. But the market on the Mississippi is not equal to that of Chicago, and the land of I(jwa cannot be so profitable as that of Illinois, for the cost of the additional transit must WESTERN BOUNDARY. Ill ears in the his praise good as in ilth of tin make the who came 600 acres swine had mnt them, much for lid for the Dubuque, le opposite bhiff rising i a popula- ) system of irds. It is d the rail- 3uri River, month of as the Des present odland in- linois, and 'n grov, lag estward of and the land for lin fifteen ance sells icru. But that of ofitable as ansit must ■)i', always operate against the former. Beyond Fairfield, tlie line traverses a coal country, and its point of junction with the Missouri Kiver is opposite to tlie terminus of the Platte Iliver, which is said to be navigable 600 miles farther west, so boundless is the extent of this country. Here is a railway being constructed for nearly 300 miles west of the Mississippi, through a region the greater part of which has yet been trodden only by the Indian and the government surveyor, and yet its terminus is but the start- ing point for another 600 miles, through a country as extensive as Great Britain, on the confines of which are the newly discovered gold fields of Kansas and Nebraska. There is ground, however, for believing that, beyond a certain point westwards, the country will be found from climate not so well adapted to the maintenance of popula- tion. The change begins at the meridian of 95° west longitude. The air then assumes an aridity not found any^vhere to the east of it, and at the 98th meridian it presents an abrupt contrast with the country east. jNIr. Blodgett, in his very able and interesting work on the climate of North America, points out this fact, with the explanation that the plains here have an elevation of 2000 feet on an average. This arid climate is not only im- favourable to the culture of corn and grass, but is probably productive of those enormous flights of grasshoppers which for two successive seasons have seriously damaged the crops of Iowa and Minnesota. The western side of both these States is within the influence of this aridity of atmosphere, as is likewise the British settlement on the Ked Kiver, where on several occasions the crops have been utterly destroyed by grasshoppers. There is a population of 600,000 in Iowa. The foreign- ers are chiefly Germans and Irish, the latter mostly rail- way labourers. Wages are now a dollar a-day. We again embarked on the jMissis^ippi, passing Nauvoo, t^i 112 MISSOURI. ST. LOUIS. it '^ ! ' ■■"i i i i ' 'f \ ^ t: • the first Mormon settlement in America, now broken up some years ago. After a farther voyage of 200 miles we reached 8t. Louis, one of the great cities of America, with a population of about 100,000. It was formerly called the "Mound" city, from a great mound at the base of which it was first settled by the Spaniards, and which is said by the Indians to have been the burial place of their fathers for ages, — by others to have been formed by the Aztecs before the time of the Indians, — and not improbably formed by nature before either one or other. Jonathan however has no respect for antiquity, and this famous "mound" will soon be entirely cut away to fill up an embankment on the river, and to enable certain streets to be laid out in a straight line. About the half of it is already gone. In another year probably not a vestige will remain of that which gave the name at first to this city, which in all ages has been a great landmark on the river, the sacred place of the Indians, and which, with a little veneration and good taste, might have been left to form a great feature of attraction and interest in this splendid city. St. Louis is a fine old town for America, situated on rising ground, and covering a large extent of surface, — with handsome streets, stores, shops, squares, hotels, and churches. The quays along the river are literally crowded with steamers, lying abreast of each other in tiers three and four deep. This is a slave State, the domestics are nearly all blacks, the property of their masters. The richest part of the country is along the banks of the river Missouri. Tobacco is chiefly cultivated there. The southern part of the State is rocky and wooded. Vci-y little of it has yet been taken up by settlers, and any quantity may be purchased at little more than 6d. an acre. But it is not agricultural land, is very inaccessible, and Europeans are not fond of settling in a slave State. THE IRON MOUNTAIN. 113 )roken up I miles we irica, with called the f which it lid by the athers for ecs before ormed by wever has und" will Jilt on the out in a ^one. In n of that n all ages :red place ition and feature of uated on urface, — )tels, and crowded ers three sties are banks of ed there, gd. Veiy and any . an acre, ible, and There is a fVimous deposit of iron in this State, called the Iron Mountain, which we were anxious to see. There is a railway to it, eighty miles in length from St. Louis. The line runs along the .lississippi for twenty-four miles, at the base of limestone blutts which are covered with oak, and by an undergrowth of the beautiful red-leaved sumac. The banks and sweeps of the river are very pictures(]ue. When we leave the river, we pass over an uudiilatiug wooded country with many streams. Ch^ared spots yield good crops of corn, now in shock, and the young wheat is fresh and green. But the land generally is not very tempting for agricultural purposes. Vine cultuie, how- ever, has been successfully introduced by the German settlers, and is making progress. The Iron Mountain covers a surface of 500 acres ; it rises to a height of between 200 and 300 feet above its base, and nearly 1000 above the bed of the Mississippi, from which it is thirty-eight miles distant. It is clothed with young oak and hickory trees, which thrive well on the scanty soil between the crevices of the rock, and among the loose stones with which it is covered. The whole mountain, and every stone upon it, is nearly pure iron ore, there being only 2 to 3 per cent, of silica and alumina, 65 per cent, of pure iron, and the remainder oxygen. The quantity above the base is estimated at two million t(jns. A bore of 150 feet has been made, at the base, without meeting with any change, and the geologist of the State says that it may be of any depth, if it is, as he supposes, a mass of iron which has been upheaved through a tissure of the earth's crust. No coal is found nearer than that of Illinois, opposite to St. Louis, and the cost of carriage thus operates as a great bar to the profitable working of this deposit. The Glasgow blackband iron is found in combination with sufficient ■'» 114 AMERICAN AND BRITISH IRON TRADE ! • , ^'i V I . ft I carbon to calcine, and, in some cases, even to smelt it : and there are always strata of coal found with the iron in Scot- land, which gives a f,'reat advantai,^e to the Scotcli iron- masters. Lime, whicli is used as a flux, is got in close proximity to this mountain. Wood charcoal is used in smelting; but this is found expensive, and a tramway is now being made from the quarry to the railway, with the view of transporting the iron stone to St. Louis, in the neighbourhood of coal. When the ore can be loaded directly from the rock, it may be placed on the cars at the cost of 8*^/. or dd. a ton, and may be delivered at St. Louis at a cost of about 4s. There is another iron mountain on Lake Superior, of equally good (piality and purity. An axle made of it was said to have stood the following comparative test : blows before breaking. Lake Superior iron, 177: best Swedish, 77 : English Low Moor, 46. The present cost of pro- ducing one ton of this pig iron on the wharf is 18;^; the cost of the St. Louis, on the wharf, is 16^. At Pittsburg and Wheeling, where the principal iron works of America are situated, they have the same natural advantages for the economical production of the metal as in England, and the supply is inexhaustible. And yet the United States jiay more than 5,000,000^. a year for foreign iron. The native manufacturer is protected by an import duty of 24 per cent., and freight and charges will amount to 10 per cent. more. And yet with this disadvantage of 34 per cent, against him, the English iron-master can under- sell the American at his own door ! The Americans are careless in their management, they have not sufficient capital embarked in their works, and they expect larger profits than the English are contented with. There is not much difference in the actual cost of labour : it may be a trifle higher in America : but an American capitalist E COMrARED. 115 It it : and [1 in Scot- )t(;l) iron- , in close i, used in amway is with the lis, in the be k)aded ;nrs at the St. Louis iperior, of of it was 3st: blows , Swedish, t of pro- 18;^; the cannot obtain the same constant supply of skilled labour as the Englishman can command. The eoimtry is so vast, and the temptation to other and easier ])insuits so great, that there is no constancy to certain employ- ments as in England. The labouring population in America is not stable, it is a shifting, unsteady, improving, advancing mass. And, for many years to come, an old populous country like England will continue to have the advantage of her, in every kind of work which denumds concentration of power, and the application of large indi- vidual capital. But in some States great progress is being made in the manufacture of iron. Between 1850 and 1857, the (piantity of pig iron produced in Ohio increased from 52. 000 tons to 106,000 tons, though even this quantity is little more than one-third the annual produce of the iron-works of a single great firm in Scotland. cipal iron le natural metal as id yet the or foreign an import I amount ajxe of 34 an under- icans are sufficient 3ct larger ere is not : it may capitalist I 2 IIG LETTER XL Ohio. — Cincinnati. — Vino Culture — Kkntucky. — Boiirhon Whis- ky. — Ciiicinuivti to Columbus. — Siiuill Farmers (U'creiisini;'. — Wostwnnl Movement ot Population. — Indian Corn never fnils. — VVheiu preenrious. — Average Produce very low. — Live Stock. — Profits of Furmiti};. — Labour economised bv Steam. — Quantity of Whisky produciMi. — . Public Expenditure on Education. — Cnmparod with England. — Jtate of Taxation. — Crossiufj the Alle<,'hanies.— Viuoini.v. — Makyland — Wasu- iNGiON. — Baltimore. — Philadelphia. — New York. — IJosf:). — Home. ■ I- r 1'^ I PASSED rapidly during the night through Indiana, reach- ing the Ohio Kiver at Laurence burg the next morning. The banks on both sides of this muddy stream are high and clothed with wood. They recede some distance from the river, leaving a valley which is extremely rich and highly cultivated. Near Cincinnati the hill sides are covered with vineyards, with pretty rural villas interspersed. Vine culture has been profitable here, and is extending. Ohio i:)roduces annually 700,000 gallons of Catawba champagne, a sweet sparkling wine, not equal to that of France. Forty years ago Cincinnati was a small town. It has now a population of 200,000, and is a very fine city, with many public buildings, shops, and streets of great architec- tural elegance. There is an excellent public library and news-room, to which strangers are admitted. I took a run by railway 100 miles into Kentucky to Lexington, the birthplace of Henry Clay. This State is famous for its grazing properties, a red soil lying on lime- stone, and the fields, where the country is cleared of timber, are green and rich-looking. The cattle are well-bred short- ioiirhon Wliis- ;■. — Westward icar ))rec'iirious. )t' Fiiiininj;. — ' iirodiiccfi. — iiiwi. — Itati; of [.AND — WaSM- sf'-'i. — Ilumc. reach- KENTUCKY — OHIO. 117 morning, liigh lana, it n are ;tance from ly rich and sides are aterspersed. extending. )f Catawba to that of v^n. It has city, with at architec- library and [entucky to lis State is nris(', (licn't'oir, (li.it llic Indian corn crop of Oliin in IH.")() was a, million l)Usliols loss than that, oC ISl!), ami the wluMt crop of IS.'id actually a, million l)uslicls l(>ss tliaii it was S( vcntccn y»'ars liclorc, in IH.'II). Krom tlic results of a scries of <'rops cxtcmlinLTovcr nine years, it may Ix* inferred that Indian corn never fails in Ohio, luit that the produce alternates in alternate y<'ars; that the y»*ars of least productiveness are those of more than ustial dryness: and that the ditVerence between a }^ood and a had S(\'Json may make a difference of half tlie produce. He- twe(Mi the crop of IS,'),') and that of l.S.ltJ there was a ditV(M-ence of ;;(),()0(),()()() bushels. The production of wheat in Ohio hjvs l)e(>n ced to fourtc^en bushels an acns and th(» averauje for the Stati; in 1854 was only ei^ht bushels ! Such scanty crops can leave no protit to the farmer. Nor have animal products undercjono any n iterial in- crease durinix tlie last eiLfht vt'ars. Horses and mules have; incrojised considerably, but the increase of cattle is met by a proportional decrease of sheep; and the numbers of swine, in the production of which Ohio is the chief State of the Union, have not materially augmented during the last seventeen years. In 1840 the number was 2,099,000, and in IS.')? 2,;j;u,ooo. The net income received from cultivated land in Ohio is reckoned at 10 per cent. This includes rent and profit, ICNOKMOL'S rU( U>i;CTlC)N OK WHISKY. II!) iidi.iii corn li.'in lliMt, «)t' a iriillidii in IH'M). I,' over nine lils ill Oliiii, rs: tli.'ittlic tll.'lll llSUill .'lll bo a very s nir(;ly iii- mtciid not «s (lest rue- rod woovil. to fourtoon 1 1854 was ^e no profit itorial in- inulos havo J is met by rs of swine, tate of the g tlie last 9,000, and in Ohio is md profit, I'xcept lli.'il portion nT (lie prodiirc wliidi i.-. coiii^unird in Hir iiiainh-niiiK't' of llir fMiinrr's rmnily, mikI wiiirli is in- oliKlcd in the oosi olprodiiclioii. 'riir r Mt, «»f furnt l,'tl)our uvri;ij;('s oiic doll.'ir n (l;iy, willioul Itouid. Tlic cxtiiil to wiiicli l;dio!',r is rc(»il(»niisc(| ill t his St;it<' l»v fttc.'iiii power isostiiii.'itod to hfcijii.d to tlic lalx.iir ot'7(M),()()() iiicii. Tlir niiinlH'r ol icMpiiiLj Mitd inowiii;,' iii.icliiiirs iiimhii- factiiicd in I8.'>7 was iiliont 7()()(), wliicli is seven times us many as in all Miigland lor eitlier tliat, year or last. Itisby means like these that America aecomplislies, with eomi»aia- tively lew lia,nds, t he eiiltivatjon of siieh vast extents of land. The (|nantity ol" whisky [n-o(liic((| in ( )hio is extra,oi(iinarv, beini; not less than 2i;,0(M),()()() of j,r;dloiis annnally. 'J'his is doiibh; i\u' (|naiitily made in all Se(»tland, and very nearly e(|iia1s the aiimial eonsnmptioii of spirits in th(! wln»i(! of th(^ rnited Kiiii^dom. TIm! (|uaiitity of spirits eonsnmed in (ir(>at l>rilain has been ('om|)nt(Ml to lie e<|nal to one gallon, or six botth's, a head for every person of all ages and sexes of the entire p(»pnlat ion. lint Ohio leaves US far in the distance, as her production of whisky is e(|nal to sixty-eight bottles for (ivery individual of her entire population. No argument against th(j temfxrate liabits of till! peopl(! can, howev(!r, l)e Ibunded on this faet with any certainty, as a very larg(^ (piMitity of spirits is exj)ort(!d to otiier States, and mucii of it is used in the arts and manufacturers of tlu; country. If j)i'eemin(!nt in the production of wliisky, Oliio stands high in tlu; support of education. She ex}>ends half a million sterling yearly in tin; maintenance of schools, which is at the rate of 12«. G'/. for each child in the State. The public expenditure in Great Jhituin for the same object does not exceed 2s. for each child in the population. It is a very remarkable fact that this single State, which, in the beginning of the century, was an almost untrodden I 4 i ]20 EDUCATION AND TAXATION. ri , fH fc forest, spent nearly as mncli of her public taxes in 1850 on tlie support of (Mlucntion a'3 our own old, populous, and wealthy coiintr}'. Nor is this the whole property devoted to education; for, besides the amount whiah I have men- tioned as levied by taxation, the thirty-sixth part of all the lands, aniountin2^ to 800,000 acres, are set aside for the support of schools. The averasfe rate of taxatir part of )rincipal of them b I have APPENDICES. to New I in the lance of mewhat — I O Q < Ph O !^ O O o o Q Ed Cli ■"J2 c "72 -C ■_ U o o i ^5 £ si te'5b c_;.2J -I 1) 73 ^< £■13 c en E c c2 u n o •X> C) >o M 71 O ■M C (M to o — o o i «o •*■ r-. w oi O so "f oi c?j O 'P> .± *p p CO X O 00 •T '71 O -^ I', p o 6 o 'p ■?" CO r^ I-, p — • — • M T -H o o c o n _. ... - -. CO -f >n CO CO T' ?^ T ?'? ^ ■?''?'? 'P 'P ? o p 6 o 5?i . a = ■= a CO 00 -- . M •^ ?l CI ep »p -1 «;•. p l^-. (N >^ •o ^ — "' " : eo •h • ' 00 o o 6 o 00 (N o> r- o oo O CO — CO 00 F^ O -f o p o o k/ ko ThOeOi-ioiOOco-^ Oi J^ O t^eO--pci'P';-p7- p . o» do 'T •-< ^ ' •^ l-» OOCO'^OiOCO'MTt'iO i-i I, iO'-OOCOCtOO'^-^l^ CO o cr. CO t !-• "^ . «o inh-.«rtcooeoto>OQO ~ 1^ »pipeoy^Ti>oppp . «0 <©(?»* p-« "-^ o 5 00 55 eo o p b o o o b o o p b o 55 •t r>.tfsr>.coo»ciooi~-'t »rs coojepppooppp t^ io T<< I— I I— t 1^ 'n o o b o CO -t CO o to ^ (M CO o «o eo CO o eo t^ O o l~ — s o o CI 1-^ 1^ Ci o to c< o — o >*> CI r- o CT> CO t 1^ o 00 (-4 Cl a o o (M o «D ifj eo '-c i^ eo "T- I- o * t ^ lb •^ 1^ >o ~r f-H CO ci u'j •^i -^ to «^ «0 t !: 126 Appendix II. Composition of the Four Prairie Soils, showinff the Portion soluble in Acids, and the Portion insoluble. No. I. No. II. No. III. No. IV. Soluble. 1 *Or};atiio matter and water of com- "1 iiiiiiUioii - - - - J 7-54 5-76 9-77 9-05 Alumina - - . . - 2-80 1-57 351 3-38 Oxides of iron - - - - 4-95 2-57 4-13 4-30 Liu\e ------ •44 •35 •77 •54 Miijrnt'sia •45 •40 •21 •35 Potash •65 •34 •15 •19 Soda trace trace •05 •08 Phosphoric acid - - - - •08 •05 •12 •10 Sulphuric acid . - . - •07 •05 •14 •08 Carbonic acid, traces of •'hlorine'J^ and loss - - - - J •74 •53 •82 •09 iNSOLT/BLr, I. 11. III. IV. Insoluble silicates and land - (82^28) (8838) (80-33) (81-84) consisting of - Alumina - . - - 3-87 498 5-07 5-36 Lime - _ - - - •9S none 1-07 •59 Magnesia - . - _ •58 113 -61 -26 Potash - - - - 1-04 P06 1-05 1-10 Soda •82 •53 •78 •42 Silica ♦Containing nitrogen 75-04 80-68 71-75 74 11 10000 •30 100-00 10000 100-00 -26 •33 •34 Equal to ammonia - - - •36 •31 •40 •41 Royal Ayricultural College, Cirencester, December 28///, 1858. Augustus Voelcker. Appendix III. " Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester, Dec. 28th, 1858. " Dear Sir, — I have now the pleasure of handing you the results of detailed and careful analyses of the four soils you LETTER OF PROFESSOR VOELCKER. 127 No. IV. 3-38 4-30 •54 •35 •19 •08 •10 •08 •09 5-36 •59 •26 110 •42 74 11 100-00 •34 •41 sent to me about a month ajro. At the same time I enclose coj)ies of two remarkably fertile soils rcstiiiii; on the old n