THE EMIGRANT'S HAND-BOOK. 25 



elf and team during the winter. And upon the prairie 

 soil, you would soon grow rich raising wheat, even at 

 50 cts. a bushel, if it were a certain crop ; but as we are 

 intending to write truth, we must say that we do not think 

 it is. It is liable to winter-kill by heaving, and to rust ; 

 and this year, (1844,) some early wheat is injured by the 

 frost of May 21st, and the Hessian fly has made its ap- 

 pearance in the West, besides another danger in the shape 

 of the " army worm." Spring wheat, buckwheat, oats, 

 barley, potatoes, turnips, peas, grass, and garden vege- 

 tables generally, may be counted upon as certain and 

 good crops. Cattle and sheep fatten and winter well 

 upon prairie hay, and cows are profitable for butter and 

 cheese. The prices of good common farm horses, say in 

 Illinois and Indiana, is about $50 to $60 ; four-year-old 

 working oxen. $35 a yoke ; cows, $8 to $12 ; yearlings, 

 $3 to $4 ; two-year-old, $6 to $7 ; sheep, $1 to $1 25 ; 

 hogs plenty and cheap. 



Again, we will suppose you arrive with $200, exclusive 

 of the other necessaries above mentioned. A small capi- 

 tal, you say, with which to buy a new farm, and com- 

 mence farming in a new country. True ; but many a 

 man in the West is now comparatively rich, who com- 

 menced with a less sum. All that is wanted is courage 

 and industry some would say luck, but luck almost 

 always follows industry. Well, you wish to know how 

 to begin in this small way. We will tell you. United 

 States public land is $1 25 an acre, and thousands of 

 acres are subject to entry upon all the western prairies, of a 

 most excellent soil. You arrive the first of July, and are 

 determined to become an owner of the land you cultivate. 

 You find a region of country, the appearance of which 

 suits you. First get your family temporarily into some 

 vacant house, and then try to buy a small improved place 

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