1S70. 



NEW ENGLAND FARRIER. 



289 



under cultivation by the same means. Once 

 start the plants by irrigation, and moistur ■ 

 seems to increase, we hardly know how, till 

 land that never saw a shower, begins to feel 

 the grateful rain ; and the once sand, blossoms 

 like a rose. The initial proceedings there 

 were done by the Viceroy of Egypt, by means 

 of Artesian wells, and once the water runs, 

 grass and trees start up, rains fall, and plants 

 grow with all tropical vigor. 



All through Colorado and New Mexico are 

 evidences of this increase of moisture visible. 

 Strange theories are advanced in regard to it. 

 The natives, Mexican and Indian, say the 

 Yankee brings rain with him ; and there seems 

 some truth in it. Thus at Denver, the town 

 was first built on what was then supposed to 

 be the dry bed of Cherry creek, as natives 

 did not remember of water running there. A 

 tremendous flood washed the town, and now 

 bridges span the bed, and water occasionally 

 runs, though not always, as ditches above, for 

 the gold fields use it all before it reaches 

 Denver, except in times of rain. Many creeks 

 in this vicinity, formerly dry the most of the 

 year, now run constantly, and even new creeks 

 have been formed in some instances. Ditches 

 for irrigation, in some cases, have been al- 

 lowed to go to decay, the increased moisture 

 rendering them unnecessary, and oats and 

 corn grow luxuriantly now, where three or 

 four years ago nothing would grow. 



Mr. Thomas says, in one of these reports, 

 from which I have quoted freely : — 



"With these facts before them is it strange the 

 citizens of the territories should claim that there 

 is a gradual increase of moisture ? * * * Has 

 the introduction of an active population into the 

 country anything to do with this increase ? I re- 

 lieve it-has. But I am met by the objection that 

 the amount of population is so small, compared 

 with the extent of country. I admit the force of 

 the objection; yet, until the climatic condidons 

 of the country, and the relations of population to 

 these conditions have been more thoroughly 

 studied, the ohjection should not be allowed to 

 prevail. We knuw not how nearly counter-bal- 

 anced the contending agencies of aridity and mois- 

 ture have been. The effect of opening mines in 

 the mountains, stripping and burning tne pine 

 forests, making roads along the canons and over 

 the plains, ploughing and planting the valleys, 

 building towns, &c., &c., has not been hufficiently 

 studied in the Rocky mountain regions to decide 

 what number of individuals are necessary to dis- 

 turb the climatic condition. Be this theory right 

 or wrong, the facts showing an increase cannot be 

 denied." 



The same was true of Kansas, when the 

 land was new. There is moisture enough 

 there now. 



There is another theory which has some 

 claims to plausibility, that may upset the last 

 one mentioned. Some writers think there is 

 a cycle of years, say fourteen, during which 

 time the rain fall has gradually increased the 

 first seven years, and as gradually decreased 

 the next seven. As it is a new theory, time 

 only can determine its truth. 



For the New England Farmer, 



NOTES ON ILLINOIS AND ILLINOIS 

 FARMING. 



Editors New^ England Farmer : — Ac- 

 cording to promise, and by your kind permis- 

 sion, I propose to say something under the 

 above heading. 



Theoretically considered, Illinois is a vast 

 plain, not quite horizontal, being more ele- 

 vated at the north than at the south ; as is 

 shown by the direction of the principal rivers 

 within and about her borders. 



On a practical examination of the surface, 

 we find it everywhere more or less undulating, 

 in many places hilly, but never mountainous. 



The rivers, creeks and brooks within the 

 State, have their origin, most generally, in the 

 level prairies, and depend for their water upon 

 the rains ; which, falling upon the porous, 

 loamy soil, slowly finds its way down the im- 

 perceptible declivities into the more regular 

 channels. 



Toward the middle mouths and junctions of 

 the streams, the more regular woodlands and 

 forests are found, and the land is more uneven 

 and hilly. The largest and finest forests are 

 found in the southern part of the State, yet 

 timber is everywhere plentiful, except that the 

 great width of the prairies, sometimes makes 

 distant hauling necessary. Strange as it may 

 appear, the woodlands rise in price much 

 slower than the prairies. This fact is contrary 

 to the predictions of all the early settlers, and 

 may be accounted for on the ground that na- 

 tive timber is much less lavishly used than for- 

 merly. Everywhere live hedges, cheap and 

 excellent, are taking the place of all other 

 fences. Coal is cheap and abundant, and pine 

 lumber from the north is extensively used for 

 building purposes. 



Our native forests continually reproduce 

 themselves, and in the absence of prairie fires 

 annually enlarge their borders. 



The principal forest trees are the oaks, 

 hickories, maples, elms, ashes, poplars, black 

 walnut, mulberry, sycamore, &c., &c. 



We have four distinct soils ; 1st. The pale, 

 or mulatto loam on the prairie ridges ; usually 

 free from gravel, but sometimes quite gravelly 

 on the sharpest knolls. 



2d. The black loam of the more level prai- 

 ries, which is by far the most plentiful, and on 

 the whole the most valuable suil we have It 

 is our great corn and grass soil ; entirely free 

 from stone and gravel, it is easily worked and 

 naturally very fertile. 



3d. The yellow clay loam of the woodland 

 hills. This soil is fine for clover, wheat and 

 potatoes. It is very retentive of manure, and, 

 when once well enriched, becomes the strong- 

 est and most productive soil thus far men- 

 tioned. 



4th. The alluvial black soil of the creek and 

 river bottoms. This is Nature's best soil, 

 made and manured to order. Always the first 



