100 CARROLL COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



one-half million of bushels in 1879, and it has now one-third 

 more sown. With much better preparation of the land, and 

 earlier sowing, we confidently expect to sell one-half million 

 of bushels the next year, in the early market, to supply the 

 European deficiency, and then we will be happy. 



SAMUEL PRESTON, 



MOUNT CARROLL, CARROLL COUNTY. 



'■''Preston Prairie Settlement " — The '■'-Crrout " House — Cost of 

 Raising Grains — Uses Cistern Water for Horses — Sheep 

 Special Favorites — Management of the Flock — Artificial 

 Fish Culture — Orchards — No Big Farms, But Big Farm- 

 ing — A Beautiful Country. 



The plan gives a good idea of the fish-ponds in connection 

 with my buildings. The land (without the improvements) seen 

 above the highway was originally a part of my father's estate. 

 He died in 1850, and his farm passed into the hands of stran- 

 gers. My father and I came here in February, 1836, staked 

 the first claims, cut the first timber and built the first cabin in 

 this (Mt. Carroll) township. It has ever since been called the 



"PRESTON PRAIRIE SETTLEMENT." 



My house was built in 1851. The walls are "grout," made 

 hollow by a device of my own, with a new and I think a bet- 

 ter plan of arranging the boxes, which was published in the 

 Prairie Farmer some time afterwards. But Mr. Wight, who 

 was then editor, held grout houses in contempt, which he ex- 

 pressed in the following language : " Condemn me to a log 

 cabin , but deliver me from one of those damp, rickety, grout 

 iceries." It is a sufficient reply to such an aspersion, on my 

 part, to say that in twenty-eight years in my family averaging 

 eight persons there has been but one death, that of my 

 mother at the age of eighty-one, and for the last sixteen years 

 we have not required the services of a physician. The 



