346 INDIANA HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS 



carrots, &c, but they can be raised cheap. The summer 

 feed costs little or nothing, and as often as every other 

 year, hogs will get fat upon the mast, which our oak and 

 hickory groves produce abundantly. The next question 

 that I expect your eastern readers to ask, is, Can prairie 

 farmers raise grain at these prices? I will state a few 

 facts, and they shall draw conclusions. 



The first cost of land is $1 25 an acre. The first plow- 

 ing we generally count as cost, though erroneously. This 

 is worth $1 50 an acre; or to be better understood, I 

 will state differently. Prairie land is abundant at gov- 

 ernment price ; but timber is mostly in second hands and 

 is held higher. A quarter section of Prairie, that is, 



160 acres at $1 25, is $200 



Timber, say 40 acres, which is more than enough, 



at $3, 120 



Breaking up the prairie, at 1 50, 240 



Fencing it into four lots, eight rails high and 

 stakes, 960 rods, or 3 miles, 15,366 rails at 1 ct. 

 153 66; 3,840 stakes, at l/ 2 ct. 19 20, 173 



A good comfortable double log cabin, such as first 



settlers generally occupy, 50 



Other small buildings and temporary sheds, 50 



Average cost of a well with pump, $30, with buck- 

 ets, $15, 15 

 I will add to cover contingencies, such as half an 

 acre of land well paled in for garden, a cow yard, 

 hog pen, and other "fixings," 72 

 This makes the cost of the farm, independent of the 

 woodland, just $5 an acre — the total, $920 



Here, then, are 160 acres of as rich soil as it is possible 

 to imagine, all ready for the emigrant to take possession 

 of and put in a crop, for the sum of $800. The first crop 

 of corn will average about 15 bushels; in oats, about 20 

 bushels ; in wheat, about 10 bushels ; potatoes about 150 ; 

 turnips, or rutabagas, 300; buckwheat, 25; beans, peas, 

 millet, pumpkins, mellons, &c. &c. "a right smart chance," 



