172 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
June 
in the other only 29, being one-fourth difference in the 
yield. 
In the first experiment, it will be seen there was a 
saving of seed, in the second an increase of the crop. 
East Ware, N. HDec., 1845. Eaton. 
FACILITIES FOR WOOL-G-ROWING- IN ILLINOIS. 
Mb. Editok —Turning over files of your most valua¬ 
ble paper, my attention was drawn to “Notes of a 
Traveller—No. 1,” contained in your number for May, 
1845, signed by S. B. Buckley, which have much merit. 
The portion of the communication I would allude to 
and remark upon, is as follows:—“If we look at the 
history of sheep, we will find that they have always 
flourished best in hilly and mountainous districts; there¬ 
fore it is not probable that the wool-growing business 
will be profitable on the western prairies, because there 
is too much sameness in the scenery, and often the want 
of pure water and air; besides during the summer sea¬ 
son, the prairies are often parched by drouth when the 
grass becomes dry, affording little nutriment, and then 
it stands ready to be, and is sometimes consumed by 
fix-e. At such seasons every one knows that sheep 
would not have sufficiency of shade, food, and water. 
I allude more particularly to the middle and southern 
portions of Illinois, and I speak from impressions made 
in a tour through that region in the dry summer of 
1838.” 
Now although the gentleman is guarded, and in¬ 
tends only to convey the ideas and opinions formed by 
him during a tour over part of southern and middle 
Illinois, yet as some of your numerous readers, pei'haps, 
may, without further inquiry receive the above views 
as applicable to the whole of Illinois, and parts adjacent, 
I will attempt a limited description of pai’ts of northern 
Illinois, (which I regret Mr. Buckley did not also visit,) 
at the same time hoping you may find room for my com¬ 
munication in your pages. 
There is as mai'ked a difference in the surface—its 
altitude, variation, beauty of scenery, &c., between the 
parts of Illinois Mr. B. alludes to, and the north-western 
section, as the contrast Holland displays with the 
choicest parts of England—say Gloucestershix-e. North¬ 
western Illinois has none of the sameness alluded to, 
except perhaps in spots of limited extent. The surface 
generally is high rolling prairie—with ravines, bluffs— 
and though not mountainous, comes within the term 
hilly—for, from points, one may catch a view of 10 or 
25 miles of surrounding country, although that does not 
lie low; a fiat of over 10 or 20 acres is rare, and the 
whole country is admirably drained, as was proved in 
that unprecedented wet season of 1844, the effect of 
which mainly was only to reduce the quantity of the 
crops about one third. There were no overflowings in 
this favored region, sweeping away fencing, stock, 
houses, and people, as elsewhere, nor were the roads 
impeded to the extent of retarding travelling. 
The summer of 1845 was unusually diy; from May to 
winter thei*e were but two or three slight showei*s of 
an hour or two. Yet the crops did not suffer—the 
grass continued good though not quite of usual height, 
and hay made of it has proved most excellent in flavor 
and nutriment. I made and stacked over 350 tons of this 
hay, and so good is it, that my eastern hoi-ses prefer it 
to timothy. Much certainly depends on making it at 
the right time and in the right manner. 
With reference to the air of this country—its purity, 
fx-eshness, elasticity, and freedom from sultriness is what 
first attracted my attention when ti’avelling in north¬ 
western Illinois, during the summer of 1843, after hav¬ 
ing visited and resided in the choicest parts of Europe 
and Asia, and several of the islands of the east. I have 
never felt a climate more delicious, exhilarating and 
healthy, than in this valley of Rock River, nor have I 
viewed scenei'y more attractive for beauty and variety, 
though mox-e wild and grand I have cei-tainly seen. 
Sheep do thrive well, excellently well here, as others 
and myself have proved, and the cost of keeping is little, 
about 40 cents per head per annum, including shepherd, 
interest on capital, and every other charge. On my 
farm are about 1100, and it would afford me pleasure to 
show them to Mr. Buckley and all other persons who 
take interest in rural affairs, feeling assured, as I do, 
their condition would convince the most skeptical that 
thei’e is no section of the United States whei*e the ani¬ 
mal thrives better in every respect, especially for wool 
and breeding. My flock has been fed mainly on prairie 
hay during the past winter, and with very little grain, 
not a quarter part of the quantity stated to be fed to 
flocks in New-York, Ohio, &c. 
The dryness of our winters and clear cold weather, is 
favorable to sheep. The rainy days here being less by 
aboxxt one-half than in New-England and New-York. I 
have proved this truth, and in summer, it is rarely the 
sun rises without a breeze coming with it, continuing 
into evening or night. I have never known a l'eal sul¬ 
try day here. 
Those who have doubts of this section of the west 
being favorable for sheep or other stock, and who seek 
choice spots for farming with unusual advantages, on a 
large or small scale—especially the former—I invite to 
call upon me, and proffer my services, vehicles, and 
horses to show them around—pointing out the slopes, 
gentle and abrupt—the bluffs and ravines—hill and 
dale and richest bottoms, on all which sheep delight to 
walk and pick the green food they are most fond of—- 
near which are springs and creeks of pure water that 
never fail—also groves and openings of ancient timber 
ranging up to the most elevated points—choice shelter¬ 
ing places for the animals, from summer’s sun and win¬ 
ter blasts. 
There is no richer land or more easily worked else¬ 
where. Such is the soil generally. Yet upon the 
l’ange of a large farm may be found spots of 10, 20, or 
40 acres of three or four kinds of soil—clayey loam— 
sandy mixture, &c. 
It is true that generally, Illinois, is not so fully tim¬ 
bered or well watered as some other sections of our 
country, and the remark will apply to the favorite 
range I allude to. Yet there are spots that have all of 
wood and water that is desii’able, with other adequate 
combinations in soil, surface, elevation, &c., &c.,— 
therefore, in contrast, are the more valuable. 
I own a ti*act, rather extensive that has those com¬ 
binations—land, and timber, and water, &c., sufficient 
for several large farms, which I would sell, or join per¬ 
sons with means and cultivate farms on joint account. 
These lie near the farm I am carrying on, of which, 
over 600 acres are fenced, with other improvements in 
pi’oportion—also stocked. It commands over 10,000 
acres of richest prairie, therefore adequate to keeping 
any desirable number of cattle, sheep, &c. I should be 
glad to meet a person of means to take one-fourth or two- 
fifths of this farm, who would engage to reside upon 
and look after it part of the time, that I may feel at 
liberty to ti’avel. 
With i*eference to Mr. Buckley's remark that “prai¬ 
ries are often parched by drouth, &c., I would state 
that so far as I have seen or heard, our prairies are not 
more liable to be parched than the fields of grass in any 
other section of the United States; and as for buniing, I 
believe it impossible, until severe frosts have nipped 
the grass in latter autumn or winter. Here prairie 
fires are not fearful events, but otherwise, for what with 
roads, improvements, &c., our property is not jeopard¬ 
ized by them. Aud although I have read of these fires 
sweeping over the earth with a rapidity that cannot be 
escaped, even by a race horse, I have never seen the 
flames at a speed that I could not easily outrun, with¬ 
out the aid of horse. The fact is the grass here is sel¬ 
dom over 16 or 18 inches high. But where there are fires, 
as described, that surpass the deer in speed, the grass, 
cane, and weeds, reach to four, five, and six feet 
in height. Burning the dry grass has a beneficial effect 
on the succeeding crops of grass, especially in bring¬ 
ing it forward eai'lier and sweeter. 
Permit me to state a few facts that contrast gi’eatly 
with the doings of those who clear a farm in a country 
heavily timbex-ed. 
