420 INDIANA HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS 



kind of feed, he will still cry "no money;" and still go 

 on in the same way, for he will not inform himself of a 

 better system. His rotation of crops is corn, weeds, hogs, 

 mud and corn. His reading, if indeed he happen to be 

 one who reads at all, consists of a very brief insight of 

 one book, and one well con'd paper of the one party in 

 whom he places all faith. In such a community, better 

 informed men are out of place, and all their innovations 

 looked upon with jealousy, and their better success from 

 better management, with envy. 



On the morning of Jan. 16th, I intended to leave 

 Springfield, but was detained by a thunder shower till 

 evening, when I drove out on the St. Louis road over wet, 

 uncultivated prairie, 5 miles to "Lick creek timber," an 

 excellent body of good land, good farms and fine timber. 



Notwithstanding this is an old county, that is old for 

 this young country, there is an abundance of uncultivated 

 land, and that too within gun shot of the capital. On 

 most of the creeks and ravines, coal is found in abun- 

 dance. The streams through this part of the State are 

 sunk in deep hollows, and run between high, steep, muddy 

 banks. 



At a poor deserted looking village called Auburn, I met 

 with a rare sight — an actual live nursery of well assorted 

 fruit trees, cultivated by the Rev. Wm C. Greenleaf, a 

 very worthy Presbyterian minister, whose talents not 

 being appreciated sufficiently to support his declining 

 years, has turned his well cultivated mind to the culti- 

 vation of trees, and for which he finds more persons will- 

 ing to pay, than he does for preaching, which they prefer 

 to have of a cheaper quality. Mr. G. is trying a hedge of 

 native thorn; and will give the result when ascertained. 

 Like all well educated gentlemen of his profession, he 

 takes an active interest in agricultural improvement, and 

 uses his influence to extend the circulation of agricultural 

 papers. By his advice, I called upon one of his neigh- 

 bors, upon a farm upon which he keeps 100 head of cat- 

 tle, and a "right smart chance" of hogs, but they are 



