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country has over the prairie are simply—timber for first fences, and fire¬ 
wood at hand for an indefinite length of time, while the land is not quite 
so bleak in the winter season. I regard the soil not quite so strong and pro¬ 
ductive, but very good. With plenty of means to operate with, all who 
have knowledge of these matters, will admit that a praiiie farm can the 
soonest be made most productive, a fact which those who are looking 
after quick returns will do well to regard. There is one consideration 
above all others, which those desiring farms should bear in mind, the 
first crops on a soil are the best and surest; I may with propriety add, in 
this connection, that during a residence of ten years in Wisconsin I have 
never known a crop of spring wheat to fail in land newly broken up. 
There have been some seasons when the yield was not large, but nothing 
like a failure has happened. The second crop is often better than the 
first, the ground being in a better condition to receive the seed. One 
reason why the crop is not sometimes greater on sod ground is, that pains 
are not taken to get in the seed thoroughly ; the turf should be torn in 
pieces by a heavy cultivator in the first place, then a good harrowing 
afterwards will do up the Avork effectually. 
As an instance of the productiveness of new land, I may mention a 
field of eighty acres within my knowledge which was sown the present 
season with wheat. The cost of breaking up this land was $2 20. The 
owner built 1^ miles of fence to inclose this field, at an expense of $120. 
The seed for sowing cost $120—the sowing and getting in the seed cost 
$50. The crop was something over two thousand bushels, but only this 
quantity was secured in good condition. The harvesting of this, in con¬ 
sequence of the high price of labor this year, was not less than $200, 
and the threshing $110. There was an immense waste in this field in con¬ 
sequence of the sudden ripening of the grain, which was variously esti¬ 
mated at from 200 to 400 bushels. The wheat shelled badly on the 
ground ; and in many places in the field the grain was lodged, so that it 
was necessary to cut it with a scythe. The most of this field was cut 
with a reaper. The owner sold his crop for $1 per bushel and something 
over, realizing $2000 in money, after owning the land only 18 months, 
and expending $820 to make it productive. This, added to the cost of 
the land, $400, makes nearly the sum total of the investment. This 
is a specimen of new land farming in Wisconsin. His neighbor on the 
