“Nearly 1,000 bushels of potatoes, or, to be exact, 974 bushels and 48 pounds, have been grown on one acre of land in Johnson County, Wyoming, the past season.  This crop wins the first prize of several hundred dollars offered by the American Agriculturist for the largest yield of potatoes on one exact acre.  It was grown on virgin soil without manure or fertilizer, but the land was rich in potash, and the copious irrigation was of water also rich in saline material.  There were 22,800 hills on one acre, and 1,560 pounds of sets, containing one, two, and three eyes, were planted of the early Vermont and Manhattan varieties.  The profit on the crop on this first prize acre was 714 dollars, exclusive of 500 dollars in prizes.”

Thus, this one acre would have produced L142 worth of potatoes.  I do not mention it as an example of what a settler may or may not do at Merced, but as the land at Merced which I am offering for sale is of the richest quality, rich results may certainly be expected.

    COST OF GOODS, &c., AT MERCED.

per lb.

    Beef (to boil), 8 to 10 cents
    Beef (steak), 10 cents
    Beef (shoulder), 10 cents
    Beef (choice), 12-1/2 cents
    Beef (porterhouse and tenderloin), 15 cents
    Veal, 10 to 15 cents
    Mutton, 10 to 12-1/2 cents
    Pork, 10 to 12-1/2 cents
    Sausages, 12-1/ to 15 cents
    Corned beef, 8 to 10 cents
    Bacon, 12-1/2 cents
    Hams, 15 cents
    Tongues, 10 cents
    Flour, 4-1/2 to 5 dollars for a barrel weighing 200 lbs. 
    Tea, 25 cents to 1 dollar
    Coffee, 24 to 45 cents
    Candles, 15 to 20 cents
    Chocolate, 25 cents
    Cod fish, 10 cents
    Corn meal, 3 to 4 cents
    Cocoa, 50 to 60 cents
    Cracker biscuits, 8 to 10 cents
    Graham flour, 3 to 5 cents
    Macaroni, 15 cents
    Oatmeal, 5 cents
    Rolled oats, 6 cents
    Rice, 5-1/2 to 8 cents
    Salt, 1 to 2 cents
    Soda, 4 cents
    Starch, 10 cents
    Sugar, 7 to 8 cents
    Sugar (house), 6-1/2 to 7-1/2 cents
    Butter, 25 to 40 cents
    Eggs, 15 to 40 cents per dozen, according to season
    Coal oil, 1.40 per 5-gallon can.

One of my clients recently visited England with his family, and says that one can live cheaper at Merced than in England.

The cost of a twelve-roomed house is 3,000 to 4,000 dollars, according to finish, i.e., from L600 to L800.  Most of the houses are built of wood, and such a house could be built in twenty to thirty days, if necessary.

Stabling for two horses, with room for buggy, wagon, harness, and hay, would cost 250 dollars or L50.

A ten-roomed house would cost from 2,500 to 3,500 dollars, according to finish.

An eight-roomed house would cost from 2,000 to 2,500 dollars.

A six roomed house would cost about 2,000 dollars.