23 acres of Wheat,               30    bushels per acre, net profit $453.00
17-1/2 "    "    on Corn ground, 22-1/2  "         "         "       278.50
9-1/2  "   Spring Wheat,         24      "         "         "       159.70
2-1/2  "   Winter Rye,           22-7/12 "         "         "        10.25
5-1/2  "   Barley,               33-1/4  "         "         "        32.55
12     "   Oats,                 87-1/2  "         "         "       174.50
28-1/2 "   Corn,                 60      "         "         "       638.73
1      "   Potatoes,            150      "         "         "        27.50
103 Sheep, average weight of fleece, 3-1/2 lbs.,             "       177.83
15 head of Cattle and one Colt                               "       103.00
1500 lbs.  Pork                                               "        35.00
Fruit, Honey, Bees, and Poultry                              "        73.75
21 acres Timothy Seed, 4 bushels per acre,                   "       123.00
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$2287.31

A farm of this size, so situated, with the proper buildings and stock, may, at the present price of land, be supposed to represent a capital of $15,000—­on which sum the above account gives an interest of over 15 per cent.  Is there any other part of the country where the same interest can be realized on farming capital?

But this farm of 240 acres is a mere retail affair to many farms in the State.  We will give some examples on a larger scale.

“Winstead Davis came to Jonesboro’, Illinois, from Tennessee, thirty years ago, without means of any kind; now owns many thousand acres of land, and has under cultivation, this year, from 2500 to 3000 acres.”

“W.  Willard, native of Vermont, commenced penniless; now owns more than 10,000 acres of land, and cultivates 2000.”

“Jesse Funk, near Bloomington, Illinois, began the world thirty years ago, at rail-splitting, at twenty-five cents the hundred.  He bought land, and raised cattle; kept increasing his lands and herds, till he now owns 7000 acres of land, and sells over 840,000 worth of cattle and hogs annually.

“Isaac Funk, brother of the above, began in the same way, at the same time.  He has gone ahead of Jesse; for he owns 27,000 acres of land, has 4000 in cultivation, and his last year’s sales of cattle amounted to $65,000.”

It is evident that the brothers Funk are men of administrative talent; they would have made a figure in Wall Street, could have filled cabinet office at Washington, or, perhaps, could even have “kept a hotel.”

These are but specimens of the large-acred men of Illinois.  Hundreds of others there are, who farm on nearly the same scale.