Vandalia Whig and Illinois intelligencer. [volume] (Vandalia, Ill.) 1832-183?, 1834-03-20

u .hdt tniS description OF enclosure,
=, property constructed, at proper season
N OF the year, will resist the operation ,
e drought, frost, and other causes. whic
J. were once supposed would occasion de
cay; and will endure much longer tina
Is any wood fence now ia use. The oriei
l. pal cost of this species of fence is abou
e he same as a common rail ferce. A.
J, we before observed, forests of timbel
5 may be easily cultivated: indeed, il j,
IIo"ly necessary to keep the fires which
annuaiiy sweep over our prairies, from
D the groves now in existence, to ensure
, a most rapid increase of timber. Ii is
d fact well known to our early settlers.
that where these fires are kept out, the
groves encroach rapidly upon the pfai-
RE and enlarge on every side; oak.
hickory. walnut and other valuable tim
her spring up and grow with surprising
Ivlgor. Those acquainted only with The
slow growth OF forests in the old states.
will scarcely believe that timber may be
raised from the seed in twenty -five years,
OF size adapted to most OF the pur-
poses of building. Such however is
unques,ionabiy the fact, from which we
are led to the conclusion that in less than
half century. should the wants of the
country require it, building and fencing
timber, except perhaps pine, will be-
mere abundant here than in tire cid
t;ickly settled parts OF New York. We
believe we hazard nothing W hen we say,
that the northern part Of this state, not
wi'hstanding its apparent nakedness,
has less TO apPrehend from want of
timber than many portions of the east
ern statcs-when their forests are ex-
hausted it will require Centuries to re-
place them; here it is but the work of
"a quarter of century at the extent.
The soil Is extremely rich aud fertile.
OF Il black mould, and varying in depth
from eighteen inches to three feet. ex-
cspt on the river bottoms, where it is
much deeper. The color and lightnessl
OF the soil III some respects resembles
the earth above coal PIT after Inc coal
has been removed, with which is inter
mixed PARTICLES OF file white saod that
CLUTTER and sparkle in tie sun with the
h'llli"nc, OF the damoad. These fine
sandy particles. il is presumed attract
the SUES rays. mid in.part warmth and
vigor to the soil. !: IS rel par, he'd or
baked by drought like clay soil; nor is
it materially affet led by heavy rains:
the water rapidly disappears, and the
operations Of the husbandman may be
resumed almost as soon as the rain is
over.
The productions of the soil are vari-
Gus and extensive: wheat and corn are
raised in the greatest proiusior, of the
finest quality ard with much less labor,
we believe, than in almost any other
state in the Union. We are informed.
and we believe correctly, that two or
three crops Of wheat are frequently
raised in succession from once sowing,
without tilling except what is bestowed
in getting in the first crop, and the addi-
ton of sometimes narrowing the field
after each crop is gathered if it appear
to require it. In collecting the first
crop, sufficient seed is scattered to pro.
duce second, and So with third, un
Ill weeds spring up and render further
tillage necessary, when the ground may
be again sown in the same way with
similar success, without exhausting the
soil and producing from twenty-five to
fort, bushels to the acre, and sometimes
more, unrivalled in quality even by the
far famed Genesee wheat of western
New York. Corn is also raised with
nearly equal facility: the hoe is very
little used in its cultivation. III opening
ii new farm upon the prairie, the sward
is GU up and turned over by plough
of peculiar obstruction, in such man
ner that the turf is not rolled as is COM
mon to the east, but lies fiat. even OF
smooth; and in every third or fourth
turrow the seed is dropped and covered
by the succeeding 'urrow. Thus the
process of ploughing and planting con
| true together, and are both concluded
at the same time. No further attention
to the crop is required until autumn,
, when it is usually cut up and shocked.
: and the field sowed to wheat and mere
S ly narrowed in. By this simple process
t Of cultivation, from twenty to thirty-hve
! bushels of corn are raised upon the acre,
and the following season about an equal
o quantity Of wheat upon the same field
j. After the turf is completely subdued
d from fifty to seventy, and sometime
" eighty bushels Of corn are produce'
mana xx,;th1,,t tho did ,,f I'm