,376 INDIANA HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS 



Pork can be made to advantage here, but it can be 

 made to much greater advantage farther south, where 

 Indian corn is "the great crop," and grows with such 

 luxuriance as would astonish an eastern man. The Wa- 

 bash and Erie canal which is now completed, will open 

 an outlet for an immense amount of this article, or the 

 pork grown from it. 



If I thought it would be interesting to our mutual read- 

 ers, I would willingly increase the length of this letter, 

 but my sheet is full, and as in the operations of Tyler- 

 ism I have lately lost the franking privilege, I must close 

 — for I cannot afford to pay double postage. I hope you 

 will continue the correspondence, until our friend Tucker 

 cries, hold, enough. With sentiments of respect and 

 brotherly kindness to you, and numerous other of my 

 friends and acquaintance made through the columns of 

 the Cultivator, I remain the same 



Solon Robinson. 



Lake C. H. la., Aug. 17, 1843. 



Tobacco, Hemp and Wool vs. Wheat, Corn and Pork. 

 By Solon Robinson. 



[Chicago Prairie Farmer, 4:40-41; Feb., 1844] 



[December 20, 1843] 



"Tobacco! Faugh! Why, do you smoke?" 



"Yes I smoke !" 



"Why, I thought you were a temperance man !" 



"Well, and so I am I hope, in most things — I use alcho- 

 hol in all shapes — only as a medicine; and I use tea and 

 coffee in the same way; and I use tobacco" 



"As a medicine too, I suppose." 



"No ; I can't conscientiously say that I use it as a medi- 

 cine — and still, long habit has made it a luxury, and al- 

 most a necessary to me." 



And so it is to many thousands of our fellow creatures. 

 And it is a point yet to be decided, whether it is noxious 

 or innoxious to the human system ; and if we do and will 



