01 

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The soil is composed ol' a black sandy loam, but its constituent elements, I be- 

 lieve, have never yet been ascertained by analyses. The southern part of the 

 county is undei-laid v^ith sandstone, and the northern part with trap rock. Some 

 fine linre stone quarries have been discovered and worked to a considerable ex- 

 tent for home use. 



Crops. — Corn is a sure crop. The yellow and white dent corn, such as is 

 raised in Illinois, is the kind most to be relied on ; the average yield per acre is 

 about fifty or sixty bushels, and it is cultivated mostly with the plough. 



Winter Wheat is also a sure crop, the berry being remarkably plump and 

 bright ; the average yield per acre is about thirty-five bushels. 



Oats are cultivated to a considerable extent, .and sixty bushels to the acre, 

 weighing thirty-seven pounds to the bushel, is a common crop. 



Potatoes do well on dry sandy soils; in marsh clay soils they are very apt to 

 rot. Three hundred bushels per acre is the usual crop. 



I am so little acquainted with Agricultural pursuits, that I am unable to give 

 the method of cultivation, or its defects and remedies. The county is so diversi- 

 fied that persons, by suitably choosing their locations, can tui'n their attention to 

 any branch of husbandry they may wish, and make a very profitable business 

 of it. 



Stock. — So recently has attention been turned to farming in this county (only 

 about four years) that we have no blooded stock — farmers bringing only such as 

 were absolutely necessary for work and family use. No sheep have been intro- 

 duced, and at present I think it would be an unprofitable speculation, in conse- 

 quence of the abundance of wolves and other wild animals ; although I believe 

 when the county is sufficiently inhabited to drive off" these animals, sheep will do 

 remarkal)ly well. 



Horticulture. — Only within the last two years has any attention been given 

 to fruit growing, and what few trees have been planted appear to be doing re- 

 markably well. 



Markets. — Our lumbei'ing interests make a home market for every thing the 

 farmer can produce. The piices for the last three years have been as follows : 

 Corn, from 75 cents to one dollar. Oats, from 40 to 75 cents. Potatoes, from 

 60 cents to one dollar per bushel. Butter, from 15 to 30 cents per pound. Pork 

 in the hog, 6 to 8 cents per pound. Chickens, 25 cents each. Eggs, from 20 

 to 50 cents per dozen. 



Manufactures. — Our manufactures are at present all confined to lumber. 

 About sixteen millions feet of sawed lumber are annually sent to St. Louis and 

 intermediate points for market; valued at about $192,000. We also send 

 twice as much more in the log, worth about seven dollars per thousand at the 

 market. 



