28 
DRIVING SHEEP TO THE WESTERN PRAIRIES. 
almost impassable hedges so loaded with fruit that 
their boughs were everywhere gracefully bending 
and resting upon the ground. It is the most beauti¬ 
ful ornament that decks the wild prairies, forming a 
striking contrast to the rest of the foliage, from the 
blue appearance of its leaves, by which it can be dis¬ 
tinguished for miles in distance. The fruit which it 
produces in such incredible profusion, hanging in 
clusters to every limb and twig, is about the size of 
currants, and not unlike them in color and flavor, 
being acid and almost unpalatable until they are bit¬ 
ten by the frosts of autumn, when they are sweeten¬ 
ed and the flavor delicious, tasting much like grapes, 
and I am inclined to think would produce excellent 
wine. The shrub resembles some of the varieties of 
the thorn, though it differs certainly in the color of 
its leaves. It grows to the height of 6 or 7 feet, and 
often to 10 or 12, and in groves or hedges for miles 
in extent. We several times took a blanket, and 
spreading it under the bushes and by striking the 
stalk with a club, we received the whole contents of 
its branches in an instant on the blanket. We fre¬ 
quently got 4 quarts from a single blow, and the 
bushes, relieved of their burden, instantly flew up to 
their native position.” Such a shrub must be a 
beautiful ornament to pleasure grounds, and you will 
confer a favor by eliciting information where it can 
be procured. The intercourse with that region is 
now so frequent by our western citizens, that it 
could be easily procured and sent here in great abun¬ 
dance. Rusticus. 
We are indebted to Mr. Browne for the following 
information in relation to the above inquiries, and 
would refer Rusticus to Mr. B’s work on the trees of 
this country, which will shortly be issued from the 
press. 
The Buffalo Bush (Shepherdia argentea ) is per¬ 
fectly hardy in any part of the United States, and is 
one of the first trees to announce the return of spring, 
often flowering in the neighborhood of New York in 
March. It arrives at great perfection in Messrs. 
Winship’s nurseries, in Brighton, near Boston, where 
stands the parent tree which gave rise to all the 
plants now cultivated, both in Europe and in this 
country. It was planted in 1823, from seeds sent 
from the Rocky mountains by Lewis and Clark, and 
has attained a height of about 20 feet. This species 
has also been propagated in the vicinity of Boston as 
a hedge plant, and shows no want of hardihood or 
vigor of growth. Trees 3 to 5 feet high may be ob¬ 
tained in most of the American and European nur¬ 
series, for about 50 cents each, single, and with a 
reasonable deduction when larger quantities are re¬ 
quired. If wanted for a hedge it would be best to 
obtain the seed, which may be had for about SI the 
quart. 
DRIVING SHEEP TO THE WESTERN 
PRAIRIES. 
I have already written “ Advice to Western Emi¬ 
grants,” as well as some information upon the sub¬ 
ject of keeping sheep in this prairie country, “ Cost 
of a Prairie Farm,” &c., for which see Vol. I. of the 
American Agriculturist. I now propose to furnish 
your eastern readers a guide-board, to direct those 
vast flocks of sheep whose heads are turned west¬ 
ward to stock the prairies; and these I will start 
from the western part of New York, and drive them 
to the north-western corner of Indiana, and there put 
them into winter-quarters. 
I will suppose a flock of 1000 sheep, with a large 
proportion of ewes, at least three-fourths, and about 
30 good rams. I will also suppose the lambs yeaned 
about the 1st of April, and shearing over the 1st of 
June. 
“ Then up and away with jingling bells, 
Over the hills and through the dells; 
The prairie land is far away, 
But full of grass and sweetest hay.” 
But first of all, before you start, get ready . And like 
the member who spoke upon the “ hog law,” who 
remarked that “ he ought to know something of ’em, 
for he was brought up among them,” I would also 
have you during the drive as familiarly connected 
with the sheep as he was with the hogs. Every 
night you must lie down with the flock, and with 
them rise in the morning. To do this then, first of 
all, before you start, 1 say again, get ready. Shall I 
tell you how ? “ Yes!” Well then—first procure a 
good stout, steady, quiet yoke of oxen. “ Ha ! ha ! 
ha!!! to drive sheep with, hey! Why, confound 
the fellow, he is going to plowing among the stones 
of his old native state.” Oh, no ! lam going to tell 
you how to drive sheep with a yoke of oxen ; to 
which I wish you to attach a good substantial 
wagon, with a box 14 feet long, having boards about 
one foot wade projecting out over the wheels, to sup¬ 
port the cover, and thereby make more room inside, 
which is to form a house in which you will cook, 
eat, and sleep for the next two months. In the for¬ 
ward part you will have a small light cooking-stove, 
with all your dishes of tin ; a table with folding legs 
(the projecting board upon each side forming seats); 
and upon a platform made level with the projecting 
boards you will have ample room and space for a 
bed for yourself and three hands, while underneath 
you have stowage room for trunks, &c. 
Procure for yourself a cheap saddle-horse, which 
you can turn out upon grass at night, or tie to the 
wagon and feed, and two dogs, and with three steady, 
sober young men, and then, after provisioning your 
ship, you are ready. 
Of course, you will not neglect to put on board an 
axe, a water bucket, and sundry “ small fixings,” that 
will enable you to live without committing that hei¬ 
nous sin—“ borrowing.” 
You must, particularly at first, and on dusty oi 
muddy days, drive slow—not over ten miles—increas¬ 
ing as the weather and roads are fine, to 15 miles. 
Upon rainy days, don’t expose yourself, and hands, 
and flocks, to disease and death, merely because “ it 
is such hard work to lie still.” Keep quiet—drive 
slow—let the sheep graze—and be sure that you get 
up in the morning, and put the sheep to eating the 
dew—rest an hour at noon, and always stop, the sun 
an hour high. And above all things before you start, 
procure an account of the sufferings of the prisoners 
confined in the black hole of Calcutta, and whenever 
you are tempted, “ to save trouble,” to shut your flock 
up at night in some dirty little yard, just read that 
account before you do it. Give them at night ample 
room to spread themselves. 
After you havp got a little out of the settlements. 
