Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1852-10-14

CoNCLUDED.
Wheat is the best here, where il j
properly cultivated, that ever seen il
any country. Corn is not much cult
va'ed, only liitle by those who like
Tor bread; there is no particular need o
u for feeding TO stock. the grass being a
bundant all the year, aud cattle, horses
sheep and hogs will keep in good orde
and even fat all the year round. w,
killed beef last March, that was os fa
as any person would want, off of the
grass. Oats. potatoes, peas, beans, beats
radishes, turnips, cabbage, onions, pump
kins, squashes, cucumbcrs, aud melons
all grow well here. The people in this
country are negligent in their farming
operations; they very frequently cut the
third crop Of wheat and oats from one
sowing, the ground making two volun-
ieer crops; when they put their grain in
the ground, in the the Fall, in good or
der, they tell me they get from 80 to so
bushels of wheat 10 the acre-and it is
always full and plump in the grains il
there is but & grains in head. The
white smooth wheat is generally raised
here, and is now worth 81 SO per BUSH
ell; Oats ST.; Potatoes so cents to 81; on.
ions 80 to SO; pork SO 10 $40 per hun
dred lbs; beef 81 TO So; chickens 81 TO
SlO per dozen; butter so cents per Id;
eggs so to rs cents per dozen; good
American mare from $3.50 10 $500; good
COWS $50 to SIS; sheep So to SO per
head. People think tina, raising wheat
here at 81 so and oats at ST. per bushel
wont pay. Stock growing is the great
business of This country; they can just
let them grow themselves, without any
attention winter or summer.
Now as regards an outfit to come to
this country from the States: You should
have good, light, strong wagons, yokes
and chains, with lock chains on both
sides OF the beds, & ourgood yoke of 4 to
to 6 year old oxen, SO lbs of flour, SO
of side bacon, 20 of sugar, 8 of coffee,
o. tea, IL of rice, IL of dried fruit,
20 of crackers or sea biscuit, and IL of
dried beans to the grown person, or vary
the quantities of these articles as you
think you would use more or less oil
them. Then for family OF or 10,
ID OF tartaric acid, and stir little of
it (at noon) into bucket Of water sweet
ened: this is very grateful to the taste.
and conducive to health in hot weather.
Ii is well to put up little medicine
Have good gun, and two or three ID Of
powder aud lead or shot to suit, TO each
Wagon. Do not carry many boxes nor
trunks. Put your things up in sacks of
no, over loo lbs weight-because you
will frequently have to unload and carry
your things across foot bridge, or fer
ry with a Wagon bed. 1t is not neces-
sary 10 caral your cattle in a close pen
a, night; turn them out and detail or
persons to watch them until they feed,
and then close them up within few
rods of the camp anG watch them, and
they will soon lie down. You cannot
use too much caution i'll watching the In.
dians--they are treacherous race Of
beings. Small parties should not VEN
ture out too far from the main company
on hunting excursions. Many persons
run their horses after bufraloe until they
give out, and they have to leave them on
,he way; all possible care should be ia
ken of all animals, TO fatigue them as
little az possible and il is essential to
give them time TO feed in the evening
No time should be lost unnecessarily
There is great advantage in travelling
with those who have crossed the plains
and know the ground.
You should have double covers TO
your wagons, and double tents well
liked to faslen down 10 the ground
Storms of wind, rain, shunder and light
ming are very hard upon the former part
of the journey. After crossing the
Rocky Mountains :here is but little rain,
no thunder. have never heard only i
Distant thunder in Oregon. You should
have two or three water kegs of or 5
gallons each, and box on the hind par!
OF the Wagon to carry them in. Ii is
frequently necessary to fill your vessels
with water and haul it. Tin water YES
sells are apt to wear out and become
useless before you get through; whereas
a good painted, iron bound vessel will
last you through and be useful after you
get here. We carried feather beds,
and got them through very we'll; cover
them with an extra linen tick; you can
spread bed in each Wagon, and il You
have more spread them in the tent: roll
them up and lie them in the morning,
and toss them into the Wagon. We
are glad we brought our beds, for fea,h.
ers are worth 81 per pound here; al
though there are thousands of wild |
geese here. yet il takes some time to
catch enough Of them to make bed
The wild animals are the grizzly and
black bear, elk, deer, panther, wolf,
wild-cai, fox, pole-cat, four kinds of
squirrels, rats mice, &c-and of fowls
the sand Hill crane, wild geese. brants,
ducks, phcasants, grouse, partridge and
numerous kinds of small birds-but
there are no wild turkeys here; there are
tame turkeys and some few tame geese;
no bees that have heard of.
The timber is lin the mountains) fir,
cedar, yew, dogwood. alder, maple, ash,
service, flbert, and kind of laurel that
often grows two feet in diameter. The
fir and cedar are mostly used for build