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| We remember
years ago, when Illinois was a new State and its prairie lands were
being sold at a bargain to induce emigration, hearing a practical
farmer, who had been reading a description of the country, remark,
"Why, thar aren’t no stumps to plow around!" The
generally prevailing impression in regard to prairie country is not
unlike that of the old farmer; and it is believed by many emigrants
to the West that farming on the prairies of the West is easy labor.
The soil is undoubtedly rich, but it is no light labor to turn it.
Such has been the experience at least of the multitudes of farmers
who have followed the Pacific Railroad, and who are engaged in
breaking land along that route. Our artist has given us a sketch of
a farmer breaking soil for the first time on a Kansas prairie. The
heavy sub-soil plows require three and four yoke of oxen to drag
them through the tough, solid soil; and our illustration fully
represents the difficulties of prairie plowing. |
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