No. 85. J 359 



then sown in wheat; it brought a good crop, and now it is well set 

 in clover, from the seed which remained in the ground. 



I believe it to be as good land as we have, if we take care to im- 

 prove it by means of clover, small grains, &c. 



The state of agricultural improvement is not equal to what I un- 

 derstand to be its progress in New- York. Yet I can see something 

 added every year. Our plows are better than formerly, and the har- 

 row is now in use. We use the Peacock plow with others. On the 

 prairie, a large plow is used, suited to the prairie, which in breaking 

 is drawn by from four to eight yoke of oxen. I have examined the 

 models of plows in the patent office here, and find several very fine 

 plows which are unknown to the west. I would be pleased to see the 

 most approved models introduced, and am satisfied that the proprie- 

 tors and patentees would do well to visit the west, and induce our 

 smiths to mcinufacture them. 



I am unwilling, by speaking at random, to place any one plow 

 above others, which may be quite equal ; indeed, I find several wheel 

 plows that I *think are very nearly balanced in point of excellence. 

 But I saw one (Prouty & Mear's,) plow tried here, and was much 

 pleased with its performance. The cultivators, I feel assured, mio-ht 

 be introduced in the west with great profit. I would remark here, 

 (for the ear of the emigrant to the west,) if this letter should find a 

 place where it may be read, that farmers and mechanics of every de- 

 scription do exceedingly wrong when they emigrate to the west, to 

 " sell out" their household goods and industrial utensils. This they 

 often do, too, on a credit. Now the better way is, (for we have now 

 a water passage, you know, from New-York city to the heart of the Wa- 

 bash valley,) to bring every thing, plows, harrows, log-chains, hoes, 

 axes, mattocks, hand and cross-cut saws, inch, inch and a half, and 

 two inch augurs, and, (if a mechanic,) a complete chest of tools, 

 suited to the particular pursuit ; and to all this I would add, if they 

 have pots, kettles, cooking stoves, household furniture of all sorts, 

 bring it along, and when they arrive, go to work and realize at once 

 the good fruits of a provident forecast. Our country is such as I 

 have briefly described it to be, and we have millions of acres, lying 

 uncleared and uncultivated for want of labor. Our valley will ad- 

 mit of three times its present population. The Wabash and Erie ca- 

 nal runs through it. It will be finished in a year or two to Terre 

 Haute, and w^e hope before a great while to Evansville, on the Ohio 

 river. It will then be four hundred and fifty miles long. 



We have made some progress in improving the breeds of stock. 

 We have the most improved breeds of the hog. Our sheep are com- 

 mon, except a few improved stocks have recently come in. Cattle, 

 too, have been somewhat improved, so have horses. 



