284 INDIANA HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS 



ers hear from me occasionally. I remain with respect 



and esteem, 



Your friend, 



Solon Robinson. 1 



Lake Court House, Ind., Nov. 22, 1841. 



Something about Western Prairies. 



[New York American Agriculturist, 1:14-16, Apr., 1842] 



[December 10, 1841] 

 To the Editor of the American Agriculturist. 



In addition to your note, suggesting that eastern read- 

 ers are ever anxious to learn facts about the "great 

 West," I have received a great number of inquiries, some 

 of which I will answer through your columns. 



And although the matter may not be altogether upon 

 the science of agriculture, it may be such as will induce 

 scientific reading, in the contents of agricultural jour- 

 nals. 



In my late tour through the Eastern States, how often 

 I heard the exclamation, "I do wish I could see a prairie !" 

 "How do they look?" "Ah, well ! I shouldn't like to live 

 on one, they are so level." "An't it very troublesome get- 

 ting about through the tall grass?" "How do you plough 

 them?" 



Notwithstanding that others, as well as myself, have 

 often, both publicly and privately, answered these and 

 many other similar questions, "the demand is increas- 

 ing," and the public are "like as two peas," to my little 

 children, with their, "do now father, tell that story 

 again." 



In the first place then, my dear reader, I also wish you 

 could see a prairie. You would feel as you never felt be- 



1 The editor excused himself "for making public a private com- 

 munication," on the ground that he "knew not how to debar his 

 [Robinson's] friends . . . from the perusal of a document so 

 honourable to the head and heart of the writer." He concluded 

 with the wish that Robinson might "long continue an ornament to 

 his country, a treasure to his neighborhood, and a blessing to his 

 family." 



