IV CONTENTS. 



LETTER III. 



Michigan. Ferry Steamer. Detroit. State Agricultural Show. Railway Hints 

 for Home, to Prevent Dust, and communicate with Driver. Shelter for Engine 

 Driver. Illinois. Extent- of the Rich Valley of the Upper Mississippi. 

 Chicago. Its wonderful Progress. Railway Investments. Development too 

 rapid. Encouraged by high Prices of Agricultural Produce. Money Panic 

 succeeded by Failure of Crops, and unhealthy Season. Immigration sus- 

 pended. Capacity of Country for rapid Improvement. View of the State of 

 Illinois on a Line of Seven Hundred Miles. Settlers from Vermont. Galena 

 Dunleith . . 35 



LETTER IV. 



General View of the State of Illinois. Comparison of Soil and Extent with Eng- 

 land. Dunleith to Mendota. Vast Wheat Fields. Experience of a Scotch 

 Carpenter. Farming by Shares. Cost of Farm-houses. The River Illinois. 

 Coal Lands of La Salle. Corn Starch Factory. Bloomington. Settlers 

 from New York State. Account of his Operations by Pioneer o*f Settlement. 

 Unusual Failure of Wheat Crop. Discouragement caused by this. Temp- 

 tations of Credit System. Instance of Purchase and Cost of making a Farm. 

 History of an early Settler. The Banking System of the Country. Profits of 

 Banking. "Shin Plaster "Banks 48 



LETTER V. 



Springfield. Appearance of Country. Cattle Show. Stock Farming. Experi- 

 ence of 'a successful Farmer. His Mode of laying his Farm to Grass. Novel 

 Implements. Merino Sheep Farming. Account of it by the Owner of a large 

 Flock. System of managing Prairie Land recommended. Sowing Grass 

 Seeds on Snow. Valuable Meadow. Price of Merino Sheep. Superiority of 

 Prairie to Timbered Country. The Governor of Illinois. The Public Officers 

 of State. Manners of the People. Decatur. Lost on the Prairie. The 

 American Settler. Mutual Help. Fences. Pana and its Neighbourhood. 

 Settlement of French Canadians . 59 



LETTER VI. 



Pana to Centralia. The Grey Prairie. Best Wheat Soil. Fruit. Tobacco. 

 Vines. Silk. Rich Mineral District South of Centralia. Lines of Communi- 

 cation with Ocean by New Orleans and Chicago. Probable Market for Wheat 

 in Cuba. Description of Grey Prairie. Value of Oxen. German Settlement. 

 Large Purchase of Land by Kentucky Grazier. His Plan and Prospects. 

 Farina. Trading Spirit of the People. Urbana. Complaints of Wheat Fail- 

 ure. Peach Growing. Large Grazing Farm. Management of Stock. Uni- 

 formity of Soil. Coldness of Weather. Steam Plough. Machines for econo- 

 mizing Manual Labour in greater Demand. Bement. Kentucky Settler. His 



