318 Lbtter to [Part III. 



in woods, as far as building is concerned. And the 

 truth is, that the boards and plank, which have been 

 used in the Prairie, have actually been brought from the 

 Wabash, charged with ten miles rough land carriage : 

 how lar they may have come down the Wabash I can- 

 not tell. 



601. Thus, then, the question is settled that building 

 must be cheaper here than in the Illinois. If, there- 

 fore, a house, 36 by 34 feet, cost here 6000 dollars, 

 what can a man get theie for 1500 dollars I A mise- 

 rable hole, and no more. But, here are to be farm- 

 buildings and all, in the 1500 dollars' worth ! A bam, 

 40 feet by 30, with floor, and with stables in the sides, 

 cannot be built for 1500 dollars, leaving out wagon- 

 house, corn-crib, cattle-hovels, yard fences, pig-sties, 

 smoke house, and a great deal more ! And yet, you 

 say, that all these, and a farm-house into the bargain, 

 all " exceedingly comfortable and convenient," may be 

 had for 1500 dollars! 



602. Now, you knoAv, ray dear Sir, that this is said 

 in the face of all America. Farmers are ray readers. 

 They all understand these matters. They are not only 

 good, but impartial judges ; and 1 call upon you to con- 

 tradict, or even question, my statements, if you can. 



603. Do my eyes deceive me 1 Or do I really see 

 one hundred and fifty dollars put down as the expense 

 of " plantinrf one thousand eight hundred rod of live 

 '■'■fence " 1 That is to say, nine cents, or fourpence 

 halfpenny sterling a rod! TFAai plants "? Whente to 

 come 1 Drawn out of the woods, or first sown in a 

 nursery I Is it seed to be sown 1 Where are the seeds 

 to come from 1 No levelling of the top of the bank ; 

 no drill ; no sowing ; no keeping clean for a year or 

 two : or, all these for nine cents a rod, when the same 

 works cost half a dollar a rod in England ! 



604. Manure too ! And do you really want manure 

 then 1 And, where, I pray you, are you to get manure 

 for 100 acres 1 But, supposing you to have it, do you 

 seriously mean to tell us that you will carry it on for 

 two dollars an acre 1 The carrying on, indeed, might 

 perhaps be done for that, but who pays for the filing 

 and for the spreading ? M ! my dear Sir, I can well 



