246 INDIANA HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS 



most enterprising improvers that I have ever met with. 

 He has now growing, one of the best fields of wheat I 

 ever saw; and this upon land that would not produce five 

 bushels to the acre, a few years ago. Some of his cattle 

 are equal to any northern herd. He has, also, some most 

 superb horses, and most decidedly the best mule teams 

 that I ever saw in harness. He keeps 80 cows, the milk 

 of which being made from his most excessively luxuriant 

 clover fields, commands the highest price, (13 cents per 

 gallon,) in the Baltimore market. His barn and stables, 

 as well as all the arrangements about the dairy, and as 

 every other of his farming operations, are a little su- 

 perior to anything else in the south, and, in my opinion, 

 equal to anything in any country. 



Nearly all of his land that required it, Col. C. has 

 under-drained, making use of hard bricks to form the 

 drains. The benefit of draining some pieces of land that 

 did not, to one unacquainted with the effect, seem to re- 

 quire such an improvement, have been wonderful. In- 

 deed, all his operations have been so. For he has not 

 only, by his own energy, built up a large manufacturing 

 village, but has shown to all the people around him, that 

 these old, barren, tobacco fields, can be made productive ; 

 and, at the same time, be made to pay all cost and pro- 

 duce a profit. Solon Robinson. 



Laurel Factory, Md., June 1th, 1849. 



which his father and brother were extensively engaged. In 1829 

 became superintendent of the cotton factory of James Buchanan 

 and Company in Maryland. In 1836 erected and became superin- 

 tendent of the factory in Laurel which acquired a reputation as a 

 model factory. Also began farming on an extensive scale. Later 

 moved to Illinois. Served as United States commissioner of agri- 

 culture, 1867-1871, as commissioner and chief adviser of Japanese 

 government in development and settlement of island of Hokkaido, 

 1871-1875. See sketch in Dictionary of American Biography, 3:484- 

 85. 



