(Preface:) It is now near half a century since any work of this nature has been published, comprising real practical information, and embracing every part of the United States of America; this fact will, of course, sufficiently establish the necessity and utility of the Volume now presented to the Public: for, although several volumes of travels, and many journals of tourists have been published within that period, they are chiefly confined to mere local descriptions, of little moment to the future emigrant.