, 1859-04-02
Prairie Farming in the West.


TIdlTlt Farming ILL tuC UtS1'
BIZ JAMES oA1RD, MP,
AeSs eae as fa Iss 8, as Com
LETTER III.
sp,4nsn<ld.-.gpp<Araacs or Eoxafry--C4s3l<
Ehoe-Sfoek Farn.iws--Erp<rtesfs Of a
8ueeessfYi Far,aer--Nfs mpdt Of Laying
hts Farm to Hr"ss---s'or<l fmpf<mfnfs.-
.n<rtno sf<<p FArmtas--.5efoanf ell ~
The Oten<r 0f a large FIorE:s-sys1A6 or
Changing Prairie La*a Reeo*~'nehdtd--
seei*E t'ra.s St<d. on non--1'ai.~ti<
ortfY or FFafrf< to 14M1fr<d Eouasry-~
T.< Gor<rnor Of IHfnofs.~Tiae Public 0fi~
eatnr--Ioss ON fhe Frafrt<-1H< .1m<riean
StfEltr--.HHfaal H<ip--Fsnees--Fnna ard
tts .sTts34borhood--stfsftm OF French
Canadians.
From Bloomington proceeded southward to
center Of the State Of Illinois This is fine
town., With good streets and shops, and the
neighborhood is diversified by timber. It is,
like al! other places in this part Of the country,
surrounded by the wideprairic. The view frolu
the top of the State Housc much resembles thai
Of the plain Of Lombardy as seen from the Duo
mo Of Milan, except that there is nowhere
boundary Of mountains. But there is the same
rich, farstretchiug plain, with trees in lines and
groups, the timber becoming dcnser along the
banks Of the streams, which haye cut tut for
themselves hollow passages winding about on
the panoramic 1andscape spread before the eye.
The inhubitants Of the town, like tilnse in the
country, are not this season exempt from ague.
! visited the County Cattle Fair or Show
which was then being held in field close by the
town, The best short-horn stock were exhibit
ed BY Nr. Brown, d celebrated cattlc.breeder Of
this State, whose acquaintance had the good
fortune to make in the st.ow-yard. lie exhibit
ed i short-horn COW, bred by himself, si1 wears
DID, which had had five calves, large, fat hand
some animal, which would have been 4 prize
taker ut any English -how. He showed also
three year old short-horn bull from Lord Ducies
stock, imported last year. The lnrge stock
turner's ofthe West, who are tile really ,ronegeI
men, urc taking great pains to improve the quail
ity Of their cattle by the importation oftlc best
English blood. 1t is an excellent policy, and
they arc ubundantly reaping the reward IF their
enterprise. For, though at this autunlnal SEA
son, the prairie grass looks course and iuuusri-
tious, stranger has only to examine the cattle
which urc fed upon it to convince himself uf
its feeding qualities And, this grass is every
| where to bc had here for nothing, tic grazicr
| consults his OVID interest by incurring some cx
pense in Improving the present breeds Of cat
tie, and thus obtaining earlier maturity, better
quality, and quicker returns from his extensive
| gr:zings. of the cattle common to thc country
there we're several Specimens exhibited. Of cnor
| nous size. One red and white OK with wide, u.'-
| turned hori,s four and half years old, mea.-
ured 2,70v lbs. weight, lie handled well, though
very strung in the bone and limbs. Another Vi
2o.*p lbs. gross weight WAS reckoned on The sp"t
| worth El4 at the current price Of bert, VIZ
about ed. a pound dead weight
Mr.. Brown has been many years in the coun-
4 try engaged in t;rtliing- 1ir farnB largely. and
believes TINT more money may be nad-, and has
been made, in this a.ate by stock farming thas,
corn growing. Norris this remarkable, inssn'uel.
grazing land On the prairirs could be lad tu,
nothing, costlug neither rent nor taxes, while
corn land must bc bought, inclused, and cutivu
ted, md labor has hitherto been expensive
However, till vrry recently there was ne nu.lcI
for corn. Railways arc rapidly altering the for
mcr state Of things, aud Indian curu is uo long
cr unsuitable 1T 3D. abtl.hcl. liz las fund short
llnFn stuck the most profitable, which il no doub
chiefly owing ~ the high prices lie is enabled II
realize in thu sale Of weii-bred stock fsr inpsov
ing the breeds Of the country. But liz las no
found tlem 81 successful IN the natural prairi,
grass, Of which On his own lands l,c has nu loi,
ger any. Though tic prairie grass may f,e ex
! irpatcd in time by clusc feeding. lie has D.lnl
| it thu best practice to break it up. anu after
course of tiltage. to saw the Land out with blu
grass and clover. Tie lh!c grass is ricFI, thick
s',cculent grass of Il BLUSH culUr, which grow
with great success on the limestone soils Of Ken
tncky, mud is fund 10 succeed admirably I'll th
] uIA!IJt5 "HtH A&'h IL. lflSkulc. Improve
every year. aud Yields fci'd ior six mnntas, b.
side l.;stf feed durin. the Winter, whereas I'll!
natural prairie grass Is in its best state only fl
1hc first four months after Spring. Mr.. Brow
hus al his lands now laid down in - fame
grass, Us i!it sown grasscs commonly teEN,e
here. lie keeps M stock except his thorough
bred *lor'-nrns. and let's lis surplus grass tt
grain. as 81 a month for each animal. turin
the Summer und Autumn. lie feeds Iii, ow
| stack during Winter on the pastures, Elyin
them corn aud hay in time nf sI,uw. As liz Gil
bug Indian corn in his part Of the State ut !
this is thc Kind If farming which be>ts suits |
lino'S.,. lie had tried sheep. and found them I
do well. but having taste for them, JIG krrT
exclusively 10 cattle.
, There were vnrimls nuvcl agricultural i1np1
nlentS cxhbte!in the slnw yard. Flows 1ao!ltl
I'd IN I'M axle. with high wheels, the only :aval
taEr Of which St,ll,ed 10 be that seat WAS tfl.
Il provided for tic driver. There were seed plan
: rrS ii ingenious construction. circular sci
< cleaning IarrIw, which always nrcs r.,1l,,I abu,
while being dragged f"rward-littic land III
chimes for washing clothes upun, which arr >al
| ia vconou!ze lat.nr l'a' per cent--and cllai
bucket pump: IN extremely simple, cheap III
| clGcirnt article.
drnye L fcw niles out Of town to visit ii
/ | farm Of Mr. MCuuacll, who Wis recommend.
tu ME by the t;oyeFnnr Of tile State :i< u man
E | great intelligence, integrity. aud experience.
walked and druvc over his farm, examined l,
# stock, anu received from him very clear Il,
i distinct information liz is },ractical man vi
has bern all Ills life engaged in farming, anil Ii
u fought his way up 10 i very comfortable ind
pcut!cncc. lie left ''the old country" in Isl
iarmed in small Way for thirty years in Il
State Of New York. where he first settled. III
M moved thence to Illinuis seventeen years az
He had always preferred shcep-far1nin. ii
III brought his small flock Of ncrinos with lii
They hare been remarkably healthy, ncrca
0ne.thrd every year, and his flock nnw n,,lllbe
= a3."m. His hreccs average four to five pun
y cacl, and the wool sells for ls.od to -. puur
T. lie bought his farm ut Il I'LL acre. and con
~ NOW sell it at ;E1h, Us il II in i yood posiic
tr near the capital Of the State. But lie is
a' firmly persuaded Of the rapidly growing veal
IT, Of this fine State, thar lie has no doubt Of
farm being worth E2n an acre Il few years hem
lEe considers tIlr land for ltp miles rou
: Springfield 10 hr the best in the world.
Mr. Mcconnell sends his ilock to the open pr
rss in April. places about ,.<"s nnscr t!'e char
!, If nne shepherd, wl,o tends them and suppl
> them with salt. They nctl 10 other fnul
six months. lie brings them to his cnclos
. ground in Winter, and sites them hay vii
: they need it, aud little corn. His Heck |
l. never suffered from any epidemic. but on
II. contrary have been extremely free frolu disea
= His original flock grew one-f1urth in weight IL
: size after being brought from Scw York st
L. 10 this better soil liz prefers the mrrino
IS: | the SauthdnWn for t(lts climate and soil. Il
" ns found frnm ria! that tic mcrinos Welded
- much mutton and far bctttr WOOL. liz inpo
= pure ucrino rams from Germany and Spai,
tE improve his flock.
Mr. Mcconnell finds that By feeding pra
up grass clrse with sheep, i. III 4 few years. ri
way to blue grass and white cloyer-wl,icll Gu
:, naturally Of Themselves and without being sol
l, but the plan he recommends for layins
land down into gaod meadow aud pasture. is
break up tic soil some time between the Il
-- die Of May aud middle Of July u few days
r lier or later may be tolerated. but mot murc
~ If prairie land is broken out Of season tAr IN
~ is worse than lost.( Sow whca, in end Of
IT, IT, gust or 1st Of September: the following seas
e. utter wheat, take crop Of Indian corn. wi
= must BE- kept clean; after the crop is rensoy
s. level the ground well, and in February sow
peck Of Timothy to the acrr-if IN the s1ov
much the better, as the dark seeds attract
suns rays, and gradually melt passage
c. themselves to tile suil below, and tile mon
- the Snow disappears, they, being already en-!
.ied in tho damp soil. spring up ut t'ncc.
take the start of all other vegetation. Lat
~ March add two pounds IF clovcr>sccd per Il
~ and Il good hay crop will be certain. can
| e.. Il. &c t1,