19 



to one crop may for a time be very successful, but, sooner or 

 later, force of circumstances, change of climate or of demand 

 will compel him to grow more than the one crop. The ten- 

 dency at present, however, is toward (and will continue to be 

 toward) specialties, on the farm as in the factory, or among 

 professional men. The farmer who has been brought up to 

 grow grain or stock finds no time to grow vegetables or fruit, 

 but instead prefers to purchase them from someone who de- 

 votes his time to their production. Small fruit growing is 

 working out of the hands of small producers to some extent, 

 and the planting of great commercial orchards will soon give 

 another direction to that branch of the business. In some re- 

 spects this is to be regretted, but as diversified agriculture 

 will continue to be the rule in northern and central Illinois, no 

 wide expanse of country will suffer from the loss of a crop of 

 apples, as is sometimes the case in other states, where the 

 diversity does not exist. 



Granted, then, that a diversified system of farming is the 

 most profitable, especially for the man of small means, and 

 with a growing family, all of whose members can be made use- 

 ful in a great variety of ways in the lesser operations of fruit 

 and vegetable growing, it becomes our duty to seek for a suit- 

 able place to begin operations. The first thing of all, perhaps, 

 to select, is a healthy location, with salubrious climate and 

 fertile soil. The first of these is the most essential, for with- 

 out health there can he no happiness. 



THE GREATEST DESIDERATUM 



of all, however, is a suitable market; for of what value is an 

 article for which there is no demand. Why locate even in the 

 Garden of Eden, if the crop of apples, pears, and other fruits, 

 rots for want of consumers. The market of all markets, we 

 who have studied this subject for years from a practical stand- 

 point, believe we possess without a present or prospective 

 rival. 



Geographically, the State occupies nearly the central point 

 between the Atlantic coast and the Rocky Mountains, and its 

 south end very nearly the half-way point between the Canadian 



