Agreeably to promise, I write you some impressions of my journey from Oshkosh to this point. Owing to the excellent arrangements and accurate connections of the lines of Railroads which link the East to the great West, I find myself in Central New York, two hundred miles East of Buffalo, in thirty-nine hours from Oshkosh, at an average cost of about two cents per mile, with better Railroad track, better Cars, more courteous Conductors, than was afforded twelve years ago. You can safely assure your readers that now is emphatically the time to travel.

The devastations of early frost appeared soon after leaving Oshkosh, and continued with occasional exceptions until we reached Detroit. Aside from this, everything gave evidence of prosperity. The plethoric Wheat stacks of Wisconsin, and Illinois, and Michigan; the loaded Fruit-trees of Michigan and New York; the large growth of ornamental trees; the beautiful appearance of the fields and farms, and the improved condition of the fences and the Buildings, all indicate that the husbandman has diligently labored and that his industry has been bountifully rewarded; while the bustling activity of the little town up to the ceaseless noise and rush of the immense commerce and business of Chicago indicates an active and healthy state of trade; and no signs of the great struggle now going on are seen, except the few soldiers in the crowd.

This County (Madison) and the county of Otsego grow nine tenths of the hops in the United States. The crop this year is a fair one. They are now engaged in picking. This work is performed by girls who come here from all directions for that purpose. I have been told that fifteen hundred, at least, have passed this point. They nearly all wear Bloomers; and while I admit the convenience of the costume, I cannot think it adds either grace or beauty to the female "form divine." Hop raising has largely increased here in a few years. I am informed that three hundred tons have been delivered at one point , in one day, at the price of two hundred fifty dollars per ton. Growers find a great deal of money in it and see nothing else; but I see debased moral sentiment, neighborhood quarrels, street fights, corrupt voters, delirium-tremens, widows tears, and orphans cries and the appalling lists of evils which follows the use of Alcoholic drinks to whose manufacture almost the entire crop is devoted. I must make my condemnation of hop raising in the same nature that Van Slyck made his refusal of our application for the use of the Fair Ground, absolute. Tobacco is raised to some extent, and is profitable to the grower; but I think not very beneficial to mankind. Still as so many of my good friends use it, I will do as the Oshkosh School Board did with our application to use the Grove as a Fair-Ground; carefully let the subject drop.

Cheese factories are an institution here. Farmers carry their milk to the factories and receive cheese in proportion to the amount of milk furnished. They are made of uniform size, and by experienced workmen, and fetch two cents per pound more than home dairies. I think, they could be introduced to advantage in Winnebago Co. Next week I will write you from the fair, I think.

Yours.
John C. Wheeler.