212 THE CULTIVATOR. July 
good in improving and extending navigation over our 
great lakes and great rivers, and in stimulating private 
enterprise in furtherance of railroads, canals, &c., es¬ 
pecially over the western prairies, the beauties and 
riches (naturally) of which are so little known. Yet 
the immigration this way has vastly increased, annually, 
since 1843; and the present year will, probably, show 
greater than usual increase, as we are led to suppose 
the numbers flying from famine in Europe, will far ex¬ 
ceed any previous year. 
I have noticed with pleasure the movements making 
for extending the raising and keeping of sheep in North 
Carolina, Western Virginia, &c., and wish all success; 
and if the parties conduct the whole enterprise judicious¬ 
ly, and have patience and perseverance for three or four 
years, they will command success. I have found that 
at least three years are necessary for acclimating a 
flock in a country differing in climate, feed, surface, &c., 
from that where they were raised, so that the result is 
quite satisfactory. My flock, since the spring of 1844, 
when I began to keep sheep on these prairies, have done 
better than almost any other flock of which I have know¬ 
ledge, (and there were many brought into northern Illi¬ 
nois about that period.) Yet they suffered considerably 
from the changes—many died—others lingered—fleeces 
were inferior, and they did not breed well. But these 
obstacles, I observed, decreased every year, and en¬ 
couraged me to persevere, feeling assured as I did, that 
with such fields, and so extensive, of rich grass to range 
in, a surface so elevated, rolling, and dry, with far less 
rainy, vapory weather, than in the eastern states, there 
could be no doubt that when once the animals were 
acclimated , they would thrive here at least as well as 
elsewhere, and this season has proved I was not mista¬ 
ken, for the sheep are in admirable order in all respects. 
Those bred here I think preferable to any driven in, 
however long the latter have been in the country. Up 
to this time, I have not known any of those diseases 
that make havock with the sheep elsewhere, among the 
animals here. 
There were many persons who began sheep keeping 
this way, within six years, but they soon gave up, and 
without a fair trial, because all was not at once satis¬ 
factory. 
Wolves, though they were numerous when I entered 
upon sheep keeping, and for two years preyed exten¬ 
sively on my flock, especially on the lambs, have done 
me no harm since last May—now a year since. I at¬ 
tacked the 11 varmints” with poisons, by hunting them 
over the prairies and to their dens, giving them no rest, 
especially in the spring, the period of breeding, and the 
result is satisfactory. ’Tis true, they destroy animals 
within some few miles of my place, but with their pe¬ 
culiar cunning, they have learned my boundaries , and 
respect them. 
With my experience now, were I about to gather a 
flock of sheep for these prairies, I would give preference 
to those raised here, even at much higher prices than 
those lately or just driven in. I deem the former cheap¬ 
er, intrinsically , (of course other points equal,) at $3 
or $4 per head, than the latter at $1 to $2—to say 
nothing of vexation and disappointment for three or four 
years, wearing upon one’s temper. 
There are several first rate farms for sale around me, 
beside two or three of myown^ and at fair prices—each 
combining rich prairie timber enough, with streams and 
springs of pure water. 
I shall take pleasure in giving all information in my 
power regarding this section of country, either by re¬ 
plying to letters, or personally, to those who may call 
upon me. 
The population around me, say within a circle of 
twelve miles, has about doubled since 1843, made up 
of good, honest, industrious settlers, generally from the 
middle and eastern states. 
Taxes here are about 40 per cent, less than in Wis¬ 
consin. I stats thus much unhesitatingly, for I have 
compared the taxes by visiting that territory. 
The prairies are covered with fresh grass, and look 
like a vast emerald, dotted with numerous flowers. 
By the way, I would state that I have laid out an 
extensive orchard of various fruits, and have planted 
last and present season some 600 trees-—say, apples, 
pears, cherries, peaches, plums, &c., See. Generally, 
they thrive well—especially the apples. John Shil- 
laber. Dixon , III., May 25, 1847. 
Kephart’s Patent Fruit and Vegetabe Pre¬ 
server. —The outer columns in the above cut, repre¬ 
sent walls of stone, enclosing the inner construction. 
The light shading at the bottom, descending to the cen¬ 
tre, represents the earth. The dark shadings, A. A. 
and K. K., represent two boardings, with from six to 
ten inches space, and this space filled with a substance 
that will exclude heat. F. is the fruit room, in which 
articles are to be placed for preservation. C. C., a 
floor, or cover, to the fruit room, made water tight, 
with a coat of pitch over its surface, to prevent moisture 
from penetrating. an apartment to be filled with 
ice, supported by the floor C. C.. and designed to 
contain ice enough when filled, to last during the 
year. B. B. and D. D. are spaces around the fruit 
room, intended for the meltings of the ice on the top 
floor, to pass off. This ice water, as it passes down 
these spaces around the fruit room, and over the tight 
floor at bottom, in the space D. D., serves to absorb any 
heat which may find its way through the non-conductor, 
K. K. 0., the outlet for ice water. H., hatchway, or 
entrance into the fruit room. The fruit room, F., is 
intended to be below ground, and the ice apartment, /, 
if desired, can be above; buildings above ground being 
more generally preferred for ice to those below ground. 
It will be seen from the construction, that the non¬ 
conducting substances, A. A. and K. K., are designed 
to prevent the admission of heat from the earth at the 
sides and bottom, into the fruit room F.; while the ice 
upon the floor C. C., acts by keeping the fruit room at 
a constant uniform temperature, and so cold as to ex¬ 
ert a preserving influence upon articles placed therein. 
As will be seen by the above drawing, its success de¬ 
pends entirely upon chemical truths. The room F., in 
which fruits, &c., are placed for preservation, will re¬ 
main the whole year at a constant, uniform tempera- 
