fertile district of country has, so far as the
production of wheat is concerned, been "shouted forth in
acclamations hyperbolical." My own impression in regard to it is,
including the states last named, derived in part from observation,
from intercourse and correspondence with intelligent agriculturists
of these states, and from a careful examination of a geological
survey of two of them, that the soil and climate of this whole
district of country are _not_ particularly favorable to the
production of wheat. The popular idea I know to be otherwise. I am
not going to dwell upon it, or to examine the subject at any length.
There is a single remark that may help to explain the reputation
that has gone abroad in reference to the wheat-producing qualities
of these lands. The prairie sod, when first broken up, generally
produces wheat well, often most abundantly, provided it escapes the
rust, insect, &c. But, when this ground has been much furrowed,
becomes completely pulverized by exposure to the atmosphere, the
light and friable mould, of which most of it is composed, drenched,
as a good deal of it is, at times, with surface water, fails to hold
or sustain the roots of the plant, it is thrown out, or
winter-killed; and "winter-killed," "winter-killed,"
"winter-killed," we all know, is among the catalogue of disasters
that almost annually reach us. Sometimes, when escaping the winter,
the high winds of spring blow this light soil from the roots,
exposing them to such an extent, that, in a dry time in particular,
the wheat often perishes. When breaking up fresh prairies, there was
much encouragement and promise of hope, but which, I believe, has
not been, nor is likely to be, realized by their husbandmen, in the
degree that early experiments induced them to look for.

As appears by the last report of the Commissioner of Patents, the
crop of Illinois, in reference to population and production, is
below that of Kentucky, and both Indiana and Illinois are below that
of Tennessee. The crop of Indiana is set down at 8,300,000, her
population at 1,000,000, or equal to 81/2 bushels a-head. The
production of Illinois is stated at 5,400,000, her population at
800,000, or less than seven bushels to each inhabitant--and both
these "fair and fertile plains" are still farther behind the old
"batte