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as above,

May 1, 1861. Paid third instalment, being one-fifth,

One year's interest, in advance, on bal-
ance due ($20), as above,

1862. Paid fourth instalment, being one-fifth,
as above,

$160 00

9 60

169 60

160 00

One year's interest, in advance, on bal-
ance due ($160), as above,

4 80

164 80

1863. Paid fifth instalment, being one-fifth, as above,

and received deed,

160 00

Making the full payment, principal and interest,

$896 00

If the purchaser of these 80 acres brings only 20 of them into cultivation each year, by raising Indian corn on the one half and wheat on the other, according to the average yield, as stated on page 291, viz., 56 bushels of Indian corn, and 24 bushels of wheat, per acre, the average price of the former, as mentioned on page 292, being 33 cents per bushel, and that of the latter $1.27 per bushel, his yearly returns will be as follows:

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From the sum thus obtained, deduct the entire purchase-money, amounting to $896, with interest included, and there will remain an average annual income of $1000 to be used for alimony and the

defraying of farming expenditures, which will be found more than sufficient to cover such expenses. The farmer will, then, not only be free from debts, and possess an unencumbered farm of 80 acres, but the value of his farm will in the mean time have increased to two or threefold its original cost.

Considering the ease with which prairie-soil can be put under cultivation, it is hardly probable that an enterprising farmer will be satisfied with making only 20 acres arable in each year. As stated on page 317, one man, with a team of horses, can farm about 40 acres, needing hired help only in harvest time; and hence we may suppose that the owner of 80 acres will make them all arable within two years, or 40 acres in each year, and in this case his returns will be as follows:

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And he will thus, at the expiration of such a very short term, be enabled to hold his property entirely free from debt.

These figures, although they are merely assumed as an approximation to what may be realized, nevertheless furnish an irrefutable proof that the credit system, as established by the Illinois Central Railroad Company, affords the greatest and most favourable facilities to persons, even of very limited means, to become possessed of valuable real estate, independence, and wealth.

While on this subject, let us regard the testimony of one who, in the year 1853, himself purchased, from the Illinois Central Railroad Company, forty acres of land, situate in the neighborhood of Bloomington, and who therefore speaks from his own experience. In a letter to Mr. Chas. M. Du Puy, Mr. John Lindley says:

DEAR SIR:

Having seen a publication, made by you, in relation to the value and productiveness of the lands belonging to the Illinois Central Railroad Company, I take the liberty to make the following statement of my own experience in the premises.

In August, 1853, I purchased of said company the N. W. quarter of the S. W. quarter of section 32, township 23, north of range 2, east, containing 40 acres of prairie-land, six miles from Bloomington, in the county of McLean, and State of Illinois.

I broke up the 40 acres of land, and put it all in fall wheat; and from my first crop, which I harvested in July, 1854, I raised, on the 40 acres, eleven hundred and ten bushels of first quality white Genesee wheat, which I disposed of as follows:

1st. I sold, to different individuals, 100 bushels, at $1.25....

$125 00

2d. I sold Brown & Mayers 300 bushels, at $1.25..........

375 00

3d. I sold to Brown & Mayers 600 bushels, delivered at Bloomington, at $1.50

900 00

110 bushels I kept for my own use, say.

165 00

Showing the aggregate value and receipts to be

$1565 00

as the production of 40 acres of land for one season, and that being the first crop raised on said land, — being what is known as fall wheat — crop sown upon the sod, after the first breaking up and turning over of the prairie.

My whole expense of producing the same was:—

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And now, as the 40 acres of land are fenced and broke up, and in fine condition for cultivation, I can readily sell the land at $25 per acre, cash; but I should decline selling if offered thirty dollars per acre.

I make the aforesaid statement for the information of all persons who contemplate coming to this State, that they may know the agricultural advantages of Illinois.

No one having an intention to settle in Illinois, and whose means are not very great, should neglect to examine the lands of the Illinois Central Railroad Company, before making a purchase in any other quarter. There is much advantage in the method of paying the

purchase-money by instalmeuts, bearing an interest of only three per cent. per annum. On this account, not only settlers from the Eastern States, but even Illinois farmers, heretofore living in other parts of this State, are settling on the lands of the Company, and here providing new homes for themselves.

These lands become liable to taxation only at the time when the last instalment is paid, and after the purchaser has received his deed.

A service may be rendered to those who intend to settle on these lands, by giving a description of them, in their whole extent along the line of the railroad, with particular regard to the qualities of the soil. We will, therefore, commence by following the route of the Chicago Branch-road to Centralia, and thence along the main line from Cairo up to Dunleith.

Calumet, Thornton, Richton. - Land level and rich. By ditching, it may be made well adapted to grazing, and supply Chicago with milk, vegetables, and hogs.

Monee, Manteno. - Splendid rolling-prairie; rich, deep, black soil. Extremely valuable, owing to its vicinity to the Chicago market. A sulphur spring in township 32, range 10, east.

Bourbonnais, Kankakee, Chebanse.-Beautiful prairie-country; well watered and timbered.

Ashkum, Onarga. Rich, gently rolling prairie; well adapted to grazing. Streams fringed with ash, oak, elm, &c. Fine living springs pouring into the Iroquois river.

Loda. - Beautiful rolling-prairie, thinly interspersed with timber. Well adapted to grazing and tillage. Watered by a number of

streams.

Pera. Land high and rolling; watered by the Big Vermillion and Sangamon rivers.

Rantoul.-Vast prairie; highly adapted to grazing and raising stock.

Urbana, Pesotum. - Fertile in the highest degree, and well wooded. The Great Western Railroad crosses south of Urbana, and brings coal from the Danville coal-fields.

Okaw.

Rich rolling-prairie. The Indiana and Illinois Railroad passes north of Okaw. Country well watered by the Kankaskia and its branches. Streams fringed with timber.

Arno. Prairie and wood-land; rich, fertile, and well watered. The Terrehaute and Alton Railroad intersects south of Arno. Nioga, Effingham. Rolling, rich prairie; well supplied with streams and fine groves of timber. Excellent farming country. The National road passes through Effingham.

Edgewood. Timbered with oak, hickory, &c. ; interspersed with almost the same quantity of prairie.

Farina, Tonti. Fine, open prairie, and interspersed with groves of timber.

Cairo, Villa Ridge.

Cairo is the southern terminus of the road, and is situated at the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers. Country back heavily timbered with poplar, oak, cotton-wood, gum, elm, cypress, &c.

Ullin, Jonesboro'.- High, rolling land, heavily timbered with beach and cotton-wood. Wheat, of a very superior quality, ripens in May. Iron ore is found near Jonesboro'.

Macanda, Carbondale. A fine, timbered country, covered with gum, poplar, sugar-tree, mulberry, oak, and ash; watered by the Coal is found in this region. Tobacco

Big Muddy river, &c.

is also cultivated here.

De Soto, Du Quoin.- The centre of the coal region. At Du Quoin it is mined thirty feet from the surface. Fine, open prairie, interspersed with walnut, oak, sugar-tree, &c. Excellent farming

lands.

+

Tamaroa. Northern limit of the coal-field. About an equal quantity of timber and prairie; watered by the Big Muddy river, &c.

Ashley, Richview, Centralia. - Gently-rolling prairie, well watered. Proceeding north, prairie more rolling, and interspersed with groves of oak, ash, &c.

Sandoval, Patoka. - Country well watered, and interspersed with timber. The Ohio and Mississippi Railroad crosses at Sandoval.

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