handred. and the catting of large red roots, from 

 ten to twelve hundred pounds. It will thus be 

 seen that the draft is little if any more to break 

 prairie than to stir old land for corn, when done 

 as it should be,— from six to seven inches deep. 

 When well understood, prairie breaking will be 

 divested of its terrors, as it is a simple process 

 requiriag only the ordinary team of the farm; 

 bat great care should be taken to keep the 

 colters and share in perfect order. We prefer 

 the rolling cutter. 



A friend who is on a visit from New York, 

 says he would rather break up our prairie, than 

 their old meadows and pasture land, nor does 

 hejthink it requires more team to do the work. 

 Did they attempt the work with a two or three 

 feet plow, they would need the long string of 

 cattle used here. We intend to try the draft of 

 various breaking plows during this month, and 

 can then arrive at more de^nite data on this 

 very important subject. RURAL. 



West Urbana, June 8, 1857. 



-••»- 



from th« Freeport Jonrnal. 



How to Break Brush Land. 



I have a small farm, and farm it apon 

 rather a small scale, bat I find that a little 

 land well tilled, is oetter ihan a large farm 

 not half cultivated. About five years ago 

 I commenced making my improvements on 

 eighty acres of what is called "Brush" 

 land, which is very difficult to plow on ac- 

 count of the roots and "grubs." My man- 

 ner of plowing such land is this: In the 

 first place I cut the brush and saplings all 

 off as near the ground as possible, partic- 

 ularly the hazle and sumach, with a brush 

 scythe. The larger saplings I cut with an 

 axe — grubbing nothing. I then take a 

 good stout shovel plow, stoutly stocked, 

 sufficiently strong for two horses, and hav- 

 ing a good strong coulter or cutter, inserted 

 through the beam of the plow and extend- 

 ing down within an inch of the nose or 

 point of the shovel, and about half an inch 

 below, to keep the shovel from getting 

 ander the roo<^s. The coulter should be 

 made of bar iron two inches wide and three- 

 quarters thick, laid with steel, and made 

 rounding at the point, and kept sharp, so 

 that it will cut all small roots, and slide 

 over the large ones, giving them such a 

 wound at the same time as to cause them to 

 die in the coarse of the season. It should 

 be set in a standing position, standing a 

 little back at the top, so as to make the 

 plow go into the ground freely. If set too 

 straight, the plow will not keep in the 

 ground well. Ground cleared and plowed 

 in this way will yield forty or fifty bushels 

 of corn the first season, and the second 

 year it can be broken very nicely with a 

 common two horse plow. 



I think this is the best plan for any one 

 who has not money to pay $3 per acre for 

 plowing, and from $10 to $12 per acre for 

 grubbing. The plow will not cost more 

 than $5 at the highest estimate, and any 

 one that can use an axe and auger can make 

 the stock. Two horses are a sufficient team 

 to plow with. S. Y. SHOCKLEY. 



-•»" 



From the Boston Poet, Jane 0. 



Hints to Horse-dealers. 



Tompkins bought a fine hors epaid $300 for 

 him. The horse after a few months proved to 

 be lame in the right shoulder. Tompkins was 

 distressed about it. Tried all sorts of remedies 

 of embrocations, liniments, Mustang included, 

 under the advice of the very best veterinaries, 

 still the lameness was obstinate, and grew rath- 

 er worse. He became desperate, and hit upon 

 this^device to sell the horse. He drove a ten- 

 penny nail plump into the right fore foot, and 

 left it there for ten days ; when be led the tor- 

 tured animal limping to a neighboring black- 

 smith to be shod. The blacksmith was a deal- 

 er in horses and quite a jockey in his way. 

 After a while Tompkins called at the shop for 

 his horse. "Thaf s a splendid gelding of yours 

 Mr. Tompkins; pity he is so lame," says the 

 blacksmith. "He is indeed" replied Tompkins 

 "but he is very lame, and 1 am afrain he can't 

 be cured." "Perhaps not, and may be he can," 

 says Vulcan. "How much would you be will- 

 ing to take for him, just as he stands, Mr. Tomp- 

 kins, money down ?" "Ah, well, I don't know 

 what to say about that. If ke is cured he is 

 worth all I paid for him, and even much more, 

 as horses go now ; but if his lameness should 

 eontinue, you see be is worth nothing — not a 

 dollar. The blacksmith began to chaffer. First 

 he offered |50, then $100, and at last $200 for 

 the animal. Tompkins was persuaded and ac- 

 cepted the last offer. The money was paid and 

 the horse deliverd on the spo*,. "Now," says 

 the blacksmith, "at< the bargain is finished, I 

 will be frank with you, Mr. Tompkins. I sup- 

 pose I can tell you exactly what ailed that 

 horse." "Can you?" says Tompkins; "well I 

 shall be glad to hear it. I thought you knew 

 all about it, or you would not have paid so much 

 money for him." The blacksmith produced the 

 nail, and assured Tompkins, with great appa- 

 rent satifaction, that while paring down the 

 horse's hoofs, he had found that infernal long 

 piece of iron, and drawn it out ofthe frog ofthe 

 near fore-foot. "Is that all you know about 

 it ?" Tompkins asked, quietly. "All !" repli- 

 ed the blacksmith; "All! isn't that enough for 

 conscence's sake ?' 'Well,' replied Tompkins, 

 "I don't know as it is. I will be equally frank 

 with you, since the bargain is finished.— I drove 

 that nail into the foot, but the lameness is in 

 the shoulder, I think you will find." 



-fr~ 



When onoe infidelity can persuade men that 

 they shall die like beasts, they will soon be 

 brought to live like beasts. — Southey. 



