1870. 



NEW EXGLAXB FAE:MER. 



399 



intended to keep in the house. Collect the 

 bulbs of dahlias, tuberoses, amaryllis, gladioli, 

 and such others as are desired to be saved. 

 These should be placed in a dry room, away 

 from frost. Gather seeds of annuals that 

 have not already been collected, marking their 

 varieties distinctly, and place them where they 

 will not contract moisture. 



If there are pear trees in the garden or on 

 the farm, give them attention. All pears, we 

 believe, ripen best away from the tree. To 

 know when to take them off, and just how to 

 treat them, is the point to be gained. Differ- 

 ent varieties ripen at different times, extend- 

 ing from July to mid-winter. When gathered, 

 they should be laid away in masses, as if laid 

 on shelves singly they shrivel and are worth- 

 less. They have no oily matter in the skin, as 

 apples have, and soon lose their juices by 

 evaporation. In order to ripen them fully they 

 should be taken from the box, or whatever 

 packed in, a few at a time, and laid on the 

 mantelpiece or other shelf, where they will 

 become yellow and delicious in a few days. 



Mr. John Gordon, of Brighton, Mass., who 

 cultivates the pear largely, lays a woolen cloth 

 on the bottom of a box, then a layer of pears, 

 and so on until the box is filled. In this way 

 they turn yellow, and come into fine condition 

 for market. As they are needed, they must 

 hi ripened off as stated above. The culture, 

 preservation and ripening of pears must be 

 learned chiefly by experience. 



Harvesting Indian Corn. — We have come 

 to the conclusion, by the aid of careful experi- 

 ments, that the best way to harvest Indian 

 corn is to cut it up near the roots and shock 

 it as soon as the kernel is fairly glazed over, 

 and is somewhat hard. 



1. It is less work than it is to cut the stalks 

 or "top it," as it is called, tie them in bundles 

 and bring them out of the field, as it must be 

 done, by hand. 



2. According to experiments made in Eng- 

 land in harvesting small grains, the wheat 

 which was cut two weeks before it was fally ripe 

 gave the most flour and of the finest quality. 

 We can see no reason why there would not be 

 a similar condition with corn. When cut in 

 that stage it has reached its growth, the ear 

 and kernel are fully formed, the leaves have 

 began to wither, and action between the roots 

 and soil has probably nearly or quite ceased. 



But, as in the case of the wheat, nature's f-f- 

 fort is to perfect the seed, and the juices of 

 the plant go to complete that process. 



3. Although it may seem improbable to 

 those who have not tried it, it is nevertheless 

 true, that it is easier to husk corn cut up at 

 the roots than where the tops are cut off, if 

 care is taken to load the butts all the same 

 way, and keep them so In unloading. That is, 

 keep the butts of several shocks the same way, 

 and then of several more in another direction, 

 if more convenient in loading. In this way 

 there will be no entangling among them. 



4. When cut up at the ground the fodder is 

 much better than when left standing later. 

 Rain does not penetrate the shocks much, and 

 they come to the barn with a rich green and 

 pleasant fragrance. 



5. And lastly, when cut up and shocked, 

 there is no danger from frost, and consequent 

 losses by it. 



Muck. — We would urge upon the farmer 

 once more to lay up a store of this manure. 

 By its liberal use he will increase his crops, 

 permanently improve his farm, and raise money 

 to pay taxes, purchase carriages, pay for 

 school-books, clothing, groceries, and many 

 other things which are essential in the family. 



Finally, we suggest that it is an excellent 

 rule to do all kinds of work in the fall that will 

 facilitate business in the spring, and that it is 

 the favored time to make general improve- 

 ments. 



Cheese Factories in Illinois. — A corres- 

 pondent of the Chicago Journal gives a list of 

 111 cheese factories in the counties of Kane, 

 M'Henry, DeKalb, Cook, Dupay, Boone, 

 Kankakee, Lake, and Winnebago, all of 

 which are in the northeastern part of the State. 

 The total number of cows given in this list is 

 33,580, valued at $50 each. Total capital 

 invested, $1,079,000. Amount of cheese 

 made, 16,093,000 pounds. Total value of 

 cheese made, at 14 cents per pound, $2,253,- 

 020. Tiie pasturage of this section is excel- 

 lent, and an abundance of pure water is gf- 

 forded by the tributaries of the Fox and Rock 

 rivers, and numerous never- failing springs. 

 Probably other portions of Illinois are well 

 adapted to the dairy business, and we see no 

 reason why the factory system will not be ex- 

 tensively introduced into most of the northern 

 part of the great West. 



