IV CONTENTS. 



LETTER III. 



Michigan.— Ferry Steamer.— Betroit.—State Agricultural Show,— Bailway Hints 

 for Home, to Prevent Dust, and commimicate -witli Driver.— Shelter for Engine 

 Driver.— IllinoiB.— Extent of the Eich Valley of the Upper Mississippi.— 

 Chicago.— Its wonderful Progress.— Eailway Investments.— Development too 

 rapid.— Encouraged hy 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 S5 



LETTER lY. 



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 hy 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 of Settlement. 

 — Unusual Failure of Wheat Crop.— Discouragement caused hy this.— Temp- 

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

 SiBtoryof 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.— Accoxmt of it hy 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 Oflcers 

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

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

 Settlement of Frenob 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 wltb 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 



