of which is Boon's Lick. Colonel Nathan Boone, and Daniel Boone, son of "Colonel Daniel Boone, Hunter, of Kentucky," came to Boon's Lick and made salt in 1806, and continued until 1810, when the works were taken by James Morrison and Wm. Becknell, who made thousands of bushels of salt annually from this spring, from 1810 to 1821, when Becknell sold his interest to Morrison, who continued the business till about 1832, when he sold out to Lindsey P. Marshall, who worked the springs three years and then suspended the works for four years, when they were rented to Mr. Ainsley, of Boonville, who worked them three years, at the expiration of which time L. P. Marshall sold them to John T. Marshall, the present owner. Nothing has been done at salt making here since Ainsley left the Lick in 1842--nineteen years ago.

A few of the choice spirits whose names are enrolled above still survive to relate the particulars of the thrilling events that transpired upon the spot now sacred to them and their children. Tomahawks and scalping-knives, with other instruments of Indian warfare, are still preserved in the families of those hardy pioneers who endured hardships only known to the early settlers of this country; and their bloody blades and battered edges indicate but too plainly the manner in which they were last used. Each surviving member has some history or bloody incident to relate associated with those sad mementoes of the excitement and dangers that surrounded the pioneers of Missouri.

Besides Boon's Lick, there are Burckhardt's salt works, Buffalo Lick, near old Fayette, and the Moniteau salt springs, each of which were profitably worked for some years, but are now abandoned.

Soil and Productions.-The soil of this county is exceedingly fertile, and produces an abundant yield of all kinds of grain, grasses, fruit, and vegetables that grow in this latitude, farmers having gathered as high as 1500 pounds of hemp, 2000 pounds of tobacco, 100 bushels of corn, 400 bushels of wheat, 50 of oats, etc., to the acre. Tobacco Culture.--As tobacco is one of the staple products of this county, as well as of the State, we deem it not out of place to insert the following article relative to its culture and manufacture, contributed to this work by B. W. Lewis, Esq., of the firm of B. W. Lewis and Bros., the most extensive manufacturers west of the Alleghany Mountains.

MESSRS. HUYETT & PARKER:

GLASGOW, MO., August 29, 1860.

GENTLEMEN-In reply to your letter of this date, making inquiries relative to the growth and culture of tobacco, together with the proper

period for sowing the seed, setting the plants, and the preparation of the land in Missouri, I beg to say, that the seed should be sown broadcast, in beds situated in a warm location, which should be well burnt to destroy any indigenous seeds that may be in the ground; then the earth well pulverized and nicely prepared to receive the seed, which should be sown in February or March, and as early as the weather will permit the proper preparation of the beds. The usual and best time for setting the plants in this latitude is between the twentieth of May and the twentieth of June. The land intended for setting should be fresh, (new land lately cleared is preferable,) thoroughly and deeply plowed, evenly laid off in hills, or drilled three feet each way. When thus prepared, the plants may be drawn from the beds immediately after a reasonable rain, and set in the hills in the same manner as cabbage plants. The ground, after being planted and until the maturity of the plant, should be well cultivated and kept perfectly clear of weeds and grass. As the plant approaches maturity, it should be topped, leaving from eight to twelve leaves to each plant-the grower being governed in this operation by the size and strength of the plant and the richness of the soil as to the proper time that this should be performed. After topping, with favorable weather the plant rapidly approaches maturity, and ripens usually in September; but in all cases the plant should stand in the field until it fully ripens, when it should be cut and housed. In this process great care should be taken, as the best crops are frequently ruined by neglect and improper handling at this time, such as getting sunburnt, bruised and broken. As soon as it can be carried to the tobacco barn, which building should be without floors, and throughout the interior of the house poles some four or five inches in diameter should be placed across in tiers, about four feet apart, horizontally, and the tiers so placed as to leave a space between them of four or five feet; the plants are now hung on small sticks, four feet long and one inch in diameter, from six to eight on each stick. The sticks so hung are then placed with either end resting on the poles. In this manner the house is now filled, and, should the weather be wet, fires should be kept under the tobacco until cured, but if dry, and the house well ventilated, it will cure without fire. When properly cured, which will require until about the first of November, the tobacco will, after a warm rain, absorb sufficient moisture to permit its being handled; it may then be taken down; placed in the house; the leaves stripped from the stalk; assorted and tied up in hands of from fifteen to twenty leaves; tied at the stem with a leaf of indifferent quality. When this is completed and the "order" is not too high, that is, the tobacco

does not contain too much water so as to cause mould and damage, it may be nicely put in bulks ready for delivery when sold; but should the order be too high, it should again be hung up until the proper order is obtained. It is now ready to pass into the hands of dealers and manufactures, and if these are not judges of the article and familiar with its growth, and aware of the causes that injure it, may suffer heavy pecuniary loss, as many know by sad experience, for the article of tobacco is subject to injury and damage from multitudinous causes, from the period of planting until it is manufactured and ready for market.

Your obedient servant,

BEN. W. LEWIS.

P.S. The average yield of tobacco in the vicinity of Howard County is 1000 pounds per acre-but as high as 2000 pounds have been raised on an acre in several instances.

B. W. L.

To give the reader a more correct idea of this celebrated manufactory, we present to them a view of the works, drawn and engraved expressly for this work; deeming its magnitude and extensive business as entitling it to the place it occupies in these pages.

B. W. Lewis & Brothers, tobacco manufacturers, Glasgow, Missouri. Firm composed of Benjamin W. Lewis, James W. Lewis, and Thomas J. Bartholow, in connection with the firm of Lewis, Perry & Co., St. Louis, Missouri, which latter firm is composed of William J. Lewis, John D. Perry, and Benjamin W. Lewis. The Glasgow house handles annually about 1,500,000 pounds of leaf tobacco, which in the main is purchased direct from the planters and delivered by them loose, in wagons, at the factory, during the months of January, February, March, and April, principally; the price paid to the planters varies, of course, with the relative value of the article in the Eastern and Southern cities, and also in the markets of Europe. The quality also of different planters' productions varies, and is purchased according to quality, and its adaptation, whether for export to foreign markets or suited for chewing tobacco for home consumption, the latter article generally being the most valuable; but the great difference in quality frequently makes a wide range of prices. As an instance, this firm, the present year, has purchased tobacco at prices ranging from three to thirty dollars per 100 pounds; the latter, however, is selected leaves, adapted to wrapping fine chewing tobacco, and was purchased at the warehouses in St. Louis, prized in hogsheads, where they also purchased at the