No. 2. Farming on a large Scale. — Instruction to Young Fanners. 



61 



Farming on a Large Scale. 



What large tracts of land are sometimes 

 tilled in the Western States under the name 

 of farms, may be judged from the following 

 article which is found in the Peoria Press: 



An Illinois Prairie Farm. — Mr. Isaac 

 Underhill, of Peoria, has a farm about 18 

 miles above this place, at Rome, on the Illi- 

 nois river, which is the largest, or at least 

 one of the largest in the State. 



The first field of this farm that meets your 

 view in approaching Rome, consists of five 

 hundred acres, under what is sometimes 

 called Virginia or worm fence, eight rails 

 high. Three hundred acres of this are in 

 wheat, principally put in last fall, and which 

 was sowed upon the sod, last year for the 

 first time broken up by the plough. From 

 such ground a full crop is never expected, 

 before the large furrows, which had lain in 

 a solid body of matted roots for ages, are 

 thoroughly decomposed and pulverized, which 

 cannot take place in a few months. The 

 wheat is now (July 9th,) "white for har- 

 vest ;" and it is estimated that parts of the 

 field will yield twenty-five, and some thirty 

 bushels to the acre, though the whole may 

 not average much over twenty bushels. The 

 difference in the crop is mainly attributable 

 to the time and manner in which the plough- 

 ing and sowing were done. The balance 

 of the field is in corn and oats. 



The second field, which is nearest Rome, 

 and separated from the first named, by the road 

 leading' from Northampton to that place, con- 

 sists of two hundred acres, which is enclosed 

 with a beautiful and excellent board fence. 

 This was done at an expense of $ 126.5, 

 which was about the cost of the fence around 

 the five hundred acres. This field contains 

 wheat, rye, oats, and corn, and shows what 

 the La Salle prairie can do when under full 

 subjection to the hand of the cultivator. 

 The wheat here presents a scene beautiful 

 beyond description. It overtops the fence, 

 which exceeds five feet in height; it is clean, 

 well headed and even, and must produce 

 thirty-five bushels to the acre. A descrip- 

 tion of the rye and oats, would be such as 

 might excite doubts of its truth in the minds 

 of those who have never seen the crops of 

 our prairie state. The corn, though fine, is 

 not so well grown as it is at the same time 

 of the year in ordinary seasons. 



The third field, which lies north of the 

 second, will be of mammoth size when com- 

 pleted, which will be in a very short time. 

 Much of it is now under fence, broken up, 

 and a part of it in corn. It will consist of 

 sixteen hundred acres, all under one fence. 



The whole farm comprises about two thou- 



sand three hundred acres, and has a straight 

 line of fence on one side, three miles long. 



Mr U., expects this fall to be able to put 

 seven or eight hundred acres in wheat. 

 Much of this will be in ground a second 

 year under cultivation, and with an ordinary 

 season the next year's crop of this and the 

 sod wheat, or what will be put in new ground, 

 may reasonably be calculated to yield at least, 

 an average production of twenty-five bushels 

 per acre. 



The breaking or ploughing of the prairie, 

 cost Underhill $2,50 per acre by contract, 

 and wheat sold here nearly all last winter at 

 75 cents per bushel. We add these prices 

 to the preceding account, that the reader 

 may form some idea, of what can be done in 

 the way of prairie farming in Illinois. 



Mr. U. is now building two large barns, 

 30 by 50 feet, on the bank of the river, at 

 Rome, where there is one of the best steam- 

 boat landings on the river. The first of 

 these was raised last Saturday, and the 

 frame of the other will be ready to go up in 

 a short time. 



For the Farmers' Cabinet. 

 Instruction to Young Farmers. 



While your valuable paper enables the 

 experienced and long established agricul- 

 turist, to graft upon his modus operandi, the 

 improved instruments, and practice, and 

 stock of modern times — and others from 

 year to year, to make advances towards per- 

 fecting their system, there remains a class 

 of persons, who will unite with me in desi- 

 ring, from one so competent to give it, a 

 series of essays, which do not take for grant- 

 ed, so much previous experience and know- 

 ledge. 



In our early years, we knew something 

 of the manner in which our fathers had fol- 

 lowed in the steps of their parents, in their 

 farming operations; but we left those peace- 

 ful homes, and have for years been engaged 

 in other pursuits, with various success. Now 

 at length, we are disposed to return to our 

 hereditary occupations. And with these 

 feelings, as we take up your paper, we are 

 at a glance constrained to pause, and say, 

 Surely this is not the way in which our 

 fathers farmed ! 



That we may avoid the loss and disappoint- 

 ment of purchasing experience, at a rate so 

 Irsfh as this view of the matter causes us to 

 fear; and especially, feeling that we have 

 no remaining years to waste, we beg of you 

 to favour us with the papers at which we 

 aim. 



We remember that much used to depend 

 upon local circumstances and other contiu- 



