498 INDIANA HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS 



breath." I wish it was true. But if those who depend 

 upon prairie grass for fall feed, don't get the wool drawn 

 over their eyes," then I will acknowledge the sand in 

 mine, and will even believe that sheep can live and grow 

 fat upon the "dry fog" on the prairie in the fall of the 



year, just as well as the birds could breathe the same 



material and live. The want of fall feed has killed more 

 sheep than all the diseases that ever prevailed on the 

 prairies, wolves and dogs included. And unless some 

 better provision is made by prairie farmers to sustain 

 their sheep through the fall months, I don't think they 

 will "care who owns the land," nor their owners either. 

 The doctrine that sheep can do well enough upon prairie 

 grass alone, has been preached long enough, and I am 

 glad to see you, Messrs. Editors, mowing you way into 

 it. It is time it was cut down — for all who have depended 

 upon it have felt the blighting effects of a hard frost — 

 in their pockets. 



And here is my opinion about the vignette of your last 

 volume, which served for "a looking-glass" for your re- 

 viewer to see Suckerdom in. Well, if that is a true sketch 

 from any known spot, I should like to have a look at the 

 original — until which I shall continue to believe that it 

 gives just as true a view of a new settlement on the 

 prairies as could be seen from the top of Mount Pisgah. 

 I'm glad it's worn out — for to me, it always "looked a 

 lie," which conveyed an impression to the minds of "in- 

 quirers who think of emigrating here" contrary from "a 

 true sketch from nature." I have no objection to your 

 getting a new one, whether it be a view of "starved rock," 

 or the view of any other spot where starvation ensues 

 from the miserable manner of cultivation of the richest 

 soil in the world: not forgetting to add that sheep can 

 live just as well upon starved rock as upon frost bitten 

 prairie grass. I object to a view of the "Indian mounds 

 on the American Bottom," until it is proved that they are 

 really Indian mounds, instead of mounds formed by the 

 action of water. As to hedges, I shall believe that neither 



