The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1861-07-05
Correspondence Of the Jefersonan Democrat.
From Iowa.
TOECOND IIE III.
STEAMBOAT Rock. HARDIN Co.,
Iowa, June 25, 1861. {

(SEcOHD LETTER.)
STEAMBOAT Rock, HARDIN Co.,
Iowa, June 25, 1861.
EDITOR DEMOCRAT Il propose in this
letter, TO give your readers some ideas OF
commencement" upon the prairies, or
the opening of farm, necessary outfit,
-"moduS operdndi," &C., as indicated in
my first communication. Iowa is prairie
State in general; but little timber, and
that bordering upon the streams. There
is an insufficient amount of timber, for
all practical purposes, in this State, but
the near proximity oi the pine forests oi
Minnesota and Wisconsin, and railroad
facilities, will supply all deficiency, al
reasonable rates, in that line. The timber
land and prairie adjoiningis the first Sc
lected for farms, and all such locations are
occupied or held at high rates by specu
lators. Consequently, that class Of farm
ers, with limited means, who wish TO OBJ
tain a farm home as cheap rs possible,
most launch forth upon the broad prairie.
AS most Of the villages are located upon
the streams, a great distance out would
be :nconvenient, on account Of getting
timber for building and fencing, and
communication with stores, shops and
post offices while, on the other hand, il
is convenient to have plenty Of sea room,
so as to raise crop or two before fencing
against neighboring cattle.
The best time to come west in search OF
locations is in the fall of the year, so that
you can have the winter TO make arrange
ments to be here in the spring, which is
the best time to commence opera;ions.-
Having selected your location 10 your
best advantage for timber and water, you
have then the owner 10 find. With an
assistant who is accustomed 10 finding
corner stakes and numbers, the county
records will inform you OF the owner
Then, il you are lucky enough TO find
your selection in the hands Of specu-
lator who is hard up, (not hard to find,
per acre. There are tens OF thousands Of
acres within 90 miles Of where l am
writing, that can be bought within the
range Of these prices. Spectators must
sell TO pay taxes. Having found the
owner, then consult your means as TO
how much you shall buy. II your cash
capital is limited to from 81 900 to 1000,
a quarter section of 100 acres is all you
ought TO exIend in land. as you need
some for improvements. You should
have half Of your money left, at loast, after
paying for your land. Your means may
be be limited TO from $500 10 81 900 ;
then 40 or an 90 acre piece is enough
with that capital. Il has been great
error with many OF our farmers 20 get too
much land. They now find themselves
oppressed with paying taxes upon land
that they cannot make the taxes FROM
They expended all their money in land
had nothing left for Improvements, have
to shift every way TO get along and i'm
prove; are, in fact, "land poot"-a West
ern phrase.
Having obtained your land let us make
sn inventory Of land and necessares tC
make beginning. We will say yol
have:
100 acres at 50, so per acre, S40O
One breaking pIow l6 inch cut, 80
Three yoke cattle, S7O per yoke. 2l0
Chains and yokes, 10
Ready to commence operations at
an expense OF $50
But there are some other expenses. -
q You must have temporary residence
for your family and other necessaries tina
i you can conceive Of. not necessary for m,
9 TO mention. You want to he ready t
h commence breaking by the first Of May
b. As you turn over the sod, your boy o
y girl can drop the grains Of corn ir the edg
!! Of the furrow, and you can raise, if no
. TO dry, a tolersble crop Of sod corn, whic
I, does well toward wintering your CATTLE
You can break ill the first Of July; the
= the breaking season is over. 1t is nc
i well to plant sad corn later than the 81
OF June. II you do well, you will hav
so acres broke, the first season, by Jul
lst. Then employ your teams in oblair
ing fencing, which you can get at th
70 nearest point on the river, rails at S3 pc
10 hundred, posts st 81 TO IS per hundred
at post and rail fence being the most ecC
of nomical as well as the best. Set all III
fence you can around your breaking in Ii
fall. and secure your sod corn for fodder
I'd During the winter do all you ca
At toward building your house and OF
OF buildings. Straw sheds do very well f
10 cattle shelters the first winter. As SOC
:. H. as the frost is out Of the ground in II
Ia spring, so that you can get harro
tooth in 2 inches, commence harrowin
the sod you turned over the spring beior
Harrow twice and SOW wheat, drag il il