Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1858-03-05
Horticultural.
yIsIr no AYTIINoIs rARM.

VISIT TO AN ILLINOIS FARM.
Yesterday afternoon we rode ont and spent
m hour in looking at the farm of Thomas
Mcneil. situated sis miles south of this city,
On the road which passes the Poor House.
asst in the edge Of Ogle county, the farm ly-
az in three counties. Oglc, Carroll and Ste
,henson. Mr. Mcneil has a farm which is
worth long ride to visit II contains 2OOO
ceres, of which 900 have been broken, and
400 are now in crops Think of that, We
eastern farmers who are grabbing among the
tones and stnmps. Loss than two years ago,
this whole farm was what is called wild land.
Mr. Mcneil then lived on 400 acre farm
which he still owns IN the town Of Owen.
Ninnebago county. six miles from Rockford.
One thousand acros Of his present farm he en-
tered with land warrants which he bought of
Col. Mitchell, at one dollar per acre. The
other thousand he purchased year ago last
November of the Illinois Central Railroad Co..
for $40 per acre. lie commenced making inn
provements upon this farm a year ago last
March. and has since that time expended a
bout $4,000 upon it. He has built eight
tenant houses. with outhouses. &c. besides a
large two story white house in which he re-
sides himself, and has built also t,reire miles
of fence. part Of it board fence and part wire.
He has the families living on his plantation
for it is certainly deserving that name-all
of whom arc thriving and happy. Mr.. Nc
NELL furnishes the seed, and they do the
work and give him half the grain they raise
BY this arrangement, Mr.. McNell's time is
chiefly occupied in visiting the different por-
tons of his domain, and seeing how they
prosper. lie and his worthy wife seem to
enjoy it as they should. and are surrounded
by happy and contented circle of families,
all of whom are prospering to their heart 5
content
In one field he has 700 acres Of wheat, and
in another 300, making 900 in all. He thinks
il can be safely estimated at 30 bushels to the
acre, making an aggregate of % 400 bushels
He has also 200 acres Of corn and oats. The
corn is a middling crop, the oats heavy. Last
year was the first year he ever raised any part
Of it. He only had then 200 acres of wheat.
The year before he broke 800 acres, last year
he broke 500 and this year he has broken
500 more. The cost of breaking is SO per
acre. He keeps 100 head Of cattle. aud about
/ 5 horses He has three bountiful springs
which water the whole tract, and with as
good water as we ever tasted He has also q
good stone quarry out Of which he has taken
some 200 cords of stone In short, his farm
is in every respect just what it should be to
make it one Of the most desirable homes in
the world. 1t lies handsomely rolling. as far
as the eye can reach, and the soil is rich and
deep-nO better can be found. To East
ern man, an account like this, of farm which
when only about half Of it is in crop, Yields
an income of from 10000 to so 700, seems t,
be fabulous And it will appear even NOR,
so when we state that butt few years ago Mr.
Mcneil was poor man-poorer than nine
tenths of those who will read this article
He is entirely sclfmadc He was poor, but
honest and Industrious and with that only as
capital to start upon, he now stands up as
one Of the richest and happiest men in all this
section of country. lie came into Winneba-
90 county 10 years ago, and when he arrived
at Rockford, his entire inventory of thi,
worlds goods was span Of horses and wa
gon, a wife and three children, and fifty cent
in money lie began work, but a succession
Of financial disasters followed him, as often a
he gained anything, being sure to lose it, anC
it was not until about six years ago that h,
got his head fairly above water. At one time
he was so harrassed with his creditors. h,
left home and stayed away six months in tn,
pineries, to avoid their opportunities. lie a
length surmounted all these trials and latter
ly has been eminently success ful. He is nov
enjoying the fruits Of his struggles, and hi
history is beacon and cheering guide t
all who are passing through similar tribula
tons. 1t proves conclusively that "wher
there is will there is a way and that to
young man of the right sort Of energy Their
is no such word as fail. Mr.. McNiel's ex
ample should be held up one deserving o
imitation. Guided by high sense Of honor
and by perseyering spirit Of endurance an,
energy, united in whole-souled generosit
which ever sees the clouds with its Z" silye
Innings" he has mastered difficulties whicl
would have crushed less resolute men. Lon
may he aud his "gudo wife live to enjoy tn
right fruits of their united labors.-FTeepo,
Journal