SOLON ROBINSON, 1840 121 



for years. Corn is often planted by dropping in every 

 third furrow as the plowing proceeds, and singular as it 

 may appear to eastern cultivators, often produces twenty 

 bushels to the acre without any after culture. Oats and 

 wheat are often harrowed in upon the sod, and produce 

 good crops. If plowed deep, that is, five or six inches 

 at first, it is best to put in the second crop without dis- 

 turbing the sod. The necessities of the new settler 

 should be the only excuse for breaking prairie early in 

 the spring, or late in the fall ; and above all, the new set- 

 tler should not attempt too much the first year. But the 

 land is so inviting, that he often overtasks himself, and 

 gets a large field in crop, but half fenced, and undue 

 exertion and exposure of health brings on an attack of 

 that universal malady in all new countries, the ague, and 

 he is left worse off than ever any emigrant was from 

 the "awful effects of a burning prairie." 



For the amusement of some of your eastern readers 

 who have forgot "auld lang syne," I intend in my next 

 to illustrate life in a log cabin. 



Respectfully, &c. 



Solon Robinson. 



Lake C. H. la. Dec. 15, 1839. 



Cheap Sheds for Cattle — cheap Gates — and 

 other Matters. 



[Albany Cultivator, 7:52; Mar., 1840] 



[January 24, 1840] 

 "A merciful man is merciful to his beast." 



Editors of the Cultivator — I wish your correspond- 

 ent, "L. A. M.," would write his name in full. Not that 

 it would add value to his valuable essays upon sheep 

 husbandry ; but a man, possessed of such benevolent feel- 

 ings towards the brute creation, must be a valuable ac- 

 quaintance : and one great advantage, derived from such 

 a work as the Cultivator, or your late Genesee Farmer, 

 is, that it adds many valuable acquaintances to our pres- 



