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194 



THE ILLINOIS FARMER. 



meat in thisdepartmeot, the inrentiye gen- 

 iosfof America andEnrope. 



Much titne, experience, and large expend- 

 iture have been involyed in the production 

 of improved implements of husbandry. 

 Consider for how many centuries capital, 

 science and practice have been at work to 

 produce our present model ploughs. ,But 

 the dispatch of our time requires a more 

 rapid inarch towards the culminating point 

 of excellence in this department of human 

 indtssitj. 



The importance of labor-saving machines 

 to the cause of American agriculture, it is 

 scarcely possible to overrate, and the de- 

 gree of excellence which we have already 

 attained is a distinguished national honor. 

 What American does not feel a generous 

 pride in the success of these implements at | 

 th» great Industrial Fairs of Europe, 

 especially in our ploughs, reapers and mow- 

 ers, distaneipg all competition, and exciting 

 the astonishment and admiration of the 

 world? 



For these hon(yj8 we would not forget our 

 special obligations to you, gentlemen, the 

 inventors and manufacturers of these imple- 

 ments. We welcome you as the authors and 

 almoners of these blessings, as the benefac- 

 tors of mankind. Yon have promptly and 

 generously responded to our call, and have 

 come np'here as "Greek met Greek," in 

 the ancient Olympic games. It was not the 

 simple sprig or wreath of myrtle which 

 fired their ambition, but the love of appro- 

 bation, the desire to inscribe their names 

 upon the roll of fame. But you are here 

 for higher and nobler purposes, to relieve 

 the fatigue of labor, to aid the conquest of 

 mind over matter, to ameliorate the con- 

 dition of your fellow-men, to make valuuble 

 contributions to the cause of civilization 

 and improvement. Those who shall be 

 crowned with success in this exhibition, we 

 trnst will bear mind that it is not the intrin- 

 sic, but the relative value of t^ese national 

 prizes which gives them pre-emment import- 

 ance. Those who obtain no other prize, 

 will certainly enjoy the high satisfaction of 

 increasing an honorable competition, multi- 

 plying facilities for improvement, and 

 brightening the prospect of victory, on the 

 rettirn of our next annual contest. 



N«W !Patint3. — Among the list of new pat-* 

 esib isBued from the Patent Office last week, 

 are the following : 



Grain Saparators — Amasa Curtis, of Lena, 

 Illinoia. 



Corn Harvesters — Israel Dodenhoff, of 

 Bloomington, Illinois. 



Grop> in Illinois. 



When it was found in spring that nearly 

 the whole crop of winter wheat was destroy- 

 ed in Central and Northern Illinois, — and 

 added to this, a spring of unusual coldness 

 and backwardness, our farmers were almost 

 appalled by the prospect before them. It 

 was, indeed, discouraging. The broad 

 fields which they expected to see covered 

 with grain, were as bare as the lands of the 

 desert. But they went to work — procured 

 all the spring wheat for seed possible — sow- 

 ed this seed, — sowed barley, oats, flax seed, 

 corn, millet; — the spring season was coid, 

 backward, — but this weather, which kept 

 the corn back, was just that required for the 

 spring grains — and the result is, that we 

 have now matured and harvested most 

 wonderful crops of spring wheat, barley, 

 oats, flax and millet — (the two last crops 

 small in amount, because little seed was 

 sown;)— and when the spring crops had ad- 

 vanced to a point beyond great danger, the 

 weather became excellent for corn, and we 

 have now in prospect a far greater and bet- 

 ter crop of corn than was ever grown in 

 Illinois! 



From a well-founded calculation by the 

 Chicago Press, taking into consideration 

 all the facts of increase of population, in- 

 crease of land cultivated, increase of pro- 

 ducts to the acre, the Press arrives at the 

 following result as to the production of 

 grain in the State of Illinois for the present 

 year: 



Production of Illinois, 1857. 



Indian Corn, bnsheU .-. 190,000,000 



Wheat, bn 35.000,000 



Oate, Rye, Barley and Buckwheat, bu 60,000,000 



Total bushelB 220,000,000 



We are aware, says the Press, that ihese 

 figures will startle by their magnitude many 

 of our readers ; but those of our own citi- 

 zens, who are familiar with the productive 

 capacity of the State, and who are aware of 

 the impulse which railroads, agricultural 

 machinery and high prices of breadstuffs 

 have given to agricultural industry, will not 

 be disposed to question their accuracy. If 

 any one, however, either at home or abroad, 

 is disposed to have doubts upon this sub- 



