The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1855-02-02

line Of his fence, with his own hands en-
close his land, belt his trees, and with bis
one horse plow break his ground and put il
in cultivation. But in Kansas there is no
such land for cultivation! Every foot oi
TIMBER Is needed for fuel and fencing. The
timber is confined 10 the banks OF the
streams, OIL the bottoms and the breaks oi
hills; hence, iimbered land is less fitted tor
cultivation, while on account Of lis scarcity
it is far too paluable for thai purpose. Farms
must be made on the prairie. The farmer
must have team 10 haul his rails, and in
most cases they must be hauled SO far as 10
rcnder fencing TOO costly for lihle fields
Large fields alone, by reducing the psopor-
liion OF fencing, can render Its cost reason.
able. Dwellings must be framed, or ol
brick or stone. But, perhaps, the greatest
Of all the difficulties in the way OF The poor
man, is the first COS, Of breaking prairie
To do this requires Two hands, Snd at least
six yoke OF oxen. IF hired, II will cost al
least three dollars per acre butt cannot
be hired in Kansas for years there, every
man will have his own land 10 break; every
settler must, hence, have his own team, his
own plowman. In no instance has prairie
land been first settled by poor men. Ailer
country is settled, and every facility is
afforded, il is jus, possible for one here and
there 10 make farm on the prairie. In
Missouri such instances even yet are rare.
In Northern Illinois, with all lis facilities.
its rich prairies lay virtually waste until
railroads were made through them.
Such are some Of the difficulties which
have driven those who have been sent out
by The Emigrant Aid Societies, back 10 the
towns of The East; which have compelled
so many OF those who enligraled from The
non.slaveholding States 10 return. Oh those
from the non-slaveholding States who re.
main. the substantial men OF means and
intelligence, a large proportion, so soon as
they are enabled 10 see slavery as II really
exists, are freed from their prejudices, and
from sheer necessity become slave holders,
for no other labor can be had. While, then,
prairie is SO ulsuiied 10 the poor man, on
The other hand, 10 the man who can com.
mand labor, who has one or more slaves,
il presents many and grea. Inducements.
The outlay, il is true, demands some ac-
,ual capital. The house must be built by
workman - must be paid for yet 1t is
not 10 bo supposed that the cost is very
heavy. Al frs, the settlers must be content
Nth small houses = with only the necessary
rooms. A framed house will hence cost
but little. The unlimited supply OF The
bes, building stone, tho blue and gray lime
stone, will render some houses rs cheap as
framed. The lime can be burned on The
ground. .-... .... ........
As I have said, the greatest difficulty is
in the command Of the requisite labor,
the hands and team necessary 10 break and
enclose The land. To one who has This, II
is far easier and cheaper TO make farm OF
one hundred acres or more, in the prairie
Than in the timber. Indeed, in Missouri il
is deemed better and cheaper in the end 10
make farm OF 300 acres in the prairie and
10 haul the rails len miles than 10 clear
timbered lard. ,--,
The plow used will turn over from 90 10
25 inches, and one team will break from
two 10 two and half acres per day. The
cattle require no other feed, but will keep
"a, on The grass while at work. The proper
season for breaking prairie is from the first
of May 10 the middle Of July up 10 which
time corn can be planted. The corn is
dropped in the furrow, By boy who can
sit on the plow, and is covered by the plow.
7, will usually maiuIe and make good com
II plan,cd as early rs the first OF June
Tha, planted later will make good stock
feed. -. 81 ,r.. tI.Ia
Prairie may be broken as late as tho mid
do Of August, and will, II sown, yield a
whea, crop equal 10 any that can DO ai'er-
wards grown on the ground.
To one who has stock TO Feed Tho crop oi
corn on the sod is always worth The cost oi
breaking; and will, in good season, pay
for breaking and enclosing.
In the second year, the farm is In perfect
condition There are no siumps. but The
sod is rolled, and your field clear OF weeds
and grass, is light and mellow as an ash
bank. In the prairie, too, hand can cul-
iiva!e one-,hird more land than in The Inn
ber. ST.. .,.... -. ~. .s. - ;.
a prairie larm will pay for itself three
times over, before farm can be cleared In
the timber.
| find very common error prevailing. as
10 prairie, among the citizens OF the Allan
,ic States = It is, iha, the prairie is always
fiat. On the contrary, until country is
settled, much the larger portion u the prai.
rie is high and rolling. Tho rrairies are
caused by fire, and the low we, lands moi
burning SO readily, are more oflen covered
with timber. So soon as the fires are kept
down, the prairies will put up timber - IN
many placcs the halle will spring up in
one year, timber follows Immediately. and
in n few years the timber will grow fasler
than il con be used.
Such are some OF the inducements 10
those who can command labor; TO those
who have, say, one or more slaves 10 ss''ie
in Kansas. -''..'-'
| ough, here TO say ,ha, both in Missouri
and Kansas, the winters are always dry,
and with but little snow, and hence hands
are able 10 work during the entire winter.
Consumption, too, is almost unheard oi
amongst Us. ., .i ia .....
.. Is slave labor profitable in Kansas!
As ye, no opportunity 10 ascertain its
value has been uiven l can hence only re-
fer'you 10 lis value in Missouri, and say that,
living in the samo latitude, Immediately
west and along side Of Missouri, The SOIL
and climate of Kansas canno, ditier male
rally with those Of Missouri. am Inciin.
ed 10 believe iha, Kansas will prove even
healthier than Missouri, iheIo being less
low marshy land m Kansas. There can
Thus be no reason why slave labor should
no, be as profitable in Kansas as 'i MIS-
sonri. ..5...,.,
Anticipating ,ha, such inquiries m'Sht oc
mado during my visit 10 virginia, oelo'e
leaving home, ! procured from Intelligent
farmers in platte, a county bordering on
Kansas, q statement showing 'hcemount OF
LAM; which one hand can culllva'c, win
,he yield per acre, and The market price Of