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210 



THE ILLINOIS FARMER. 



FLORIST. 



It will soon be time to plant ont hardy 

 balbs. This may be done in the latter 

 part of this month, and indeed they will do 

 well if you wait a month later. This 

 should be done in the fall. Spring plant- 

 ing will give little satisfaction. Yon shoald 

 now provide yourself with tulips, hyacinths, 

 crocus, snow drops, narcissus, hardy glad- 

 iolus, &c. 



K you desire that these bulbs shall put 

 on their handsomest dress in spriug, you 

 should prepare a bed for their reception 

 that will secure the best developement of 

 their flowers. In doing this, in our black 

 soils, the bed should be made some three 

 feet wide and as long as you please; it 

 should be raised eight inches above the 

 surface and the soil improved by a mixture 

 of one-third river sand and some thoroughly 

 rotted mannre. ^The bulbs should be put 

 into the grounds in rows, at least eight in- 

 ches apart Do your work in this manner 

 and you will have a show of flowers that 

 you may be proud of. 



Fine bulbs of the varieties named can be 

 had at the nurseries. 



The Ameiiean Short Horn Herd Book. 



THB THIRD VOLtlMB. 



The following very just remarks are from a 

 oorrespondent of the Ohio iarmer. We shall 

 be breaking no confidence, and to many telling 

 no news, in mentioning that his signature is 

 that of Rev. Dr. Breekinridge of Kentucky. 



Lewis F. Allen, Esq., of New York, publish^ 

 ed in 1846. ^'TTie Am&rican Herd Book" in 

 one vol. 8vo., of 240 pages. In 1855 he pub** 

 lished an additional 8vo. volume of 608 pages, 

 with the title "American Short Horn Herd 

 Book," vol. ii. And now, in 1857, he has pub- 

 lished a 3d vol., containing 718 pages 8vo., un- 

 der the title "American Short Horn Herd Book" 

 vol. iii : this volume being just issued from the 

 pressofJewett & Co. Buffalo New York, and 

 in the course of distribution to the subscribers 

 for it. 



All three of these volumes, and especially 

 this third one, are illustrated with numerous 

 engravings, showing precisely what the Short 

 Horn is. This last volume contains also, sev- 

 eral prints of very great value, showing what 

 the Short Horns were: for example a superb 

 likeness of Collins' famous bull Comet, and of 

 Bates' famous cow Dutchess — likenesses which 

 may well make the breeders of the present day 

 pause, before thej assert that we have made 



any great improvement in this stock, in the 

 last half century; and which ought to put to 

 rest, with us, the question of close breeding, 

 when we reflect on the pedigrees of these two 

 animals, and on the pedigrees and character 

 of their principal descendants, down to our own 

 day. 



This volume is sot up in a beautiful manner 

 and brings down with great completeness the 

 history of the SborthornB in America, to the 

 present moment. We are now in possession, 

 through the skill, intelligence, and industry of 

 Mr. Allen, of an almost perfect record of all the 

 animals of this race, and of nearly all their 

 breeders and owners, in this country — a record 

 as indispensable to those interested in this 

 stock, as a public repository of land titles is to 

 the owners of the soil. If, with such advantan 

 ges, breeders see fit to rematn in ignorance on 

 these vital points, or to stand aloof from this 

 common movement of our great brotherhood, 

 for our common interest and security, they 

 have, of course, a perfect right to do so, upon 

 condition, hewever, of the inevitable risks at- 

 tending any such course. Moreover, a great 

 deal is due to the enterprising gentleman, who 

 at considerable risk, and with so great labor 

 undertook and has carried through a work of 

 such magnitude and difficulty, the more so, as 

 he is undoubtedly the fittest man in America, 

 for the work he has done. It is not less our 

 duty than our interest, to see that he a^all not 

 fail either of just remuneration or the sincere 

 respect, to which he is so eminently entitled. 

 We have no interest more clear, as Shorthorn 

 breeders, than that Mr. Allen should continue 

 to preserve and issue in volames, from time to 

 time» these permanent records for us; saving 

 us alike from the evils of ignorance, and the 

 dangers of imposition, and seouring to us the 

 cheapest, the surest, and the most enduring 

 method of knowing each other, and all the 

 herds in the nation, while we advertise our own 

 under the guarantee of an upright and comps- 

 teut judge. 



The immense and continued extension of the 

 Shorthorns in this country and the perpetually 

 increasing demand for them in all countries 

 suitable for them, and always at remunerating 

 prices, have already brought this race of ani«. 

 mals into such a position as to make them one 

 of the great staples of all the Middle and Wes- 

 tern States. Their present owners and breed- 

 ers have a mine of wealth in their hands; and 

 the satisfaction, besides, of knowing that they 

 are conferring a lasting benefit on the country, 

 while they are pursuing one of the most ra- 

 tional, engaging and remunerating forms of 

 rural economy. Let us be at once wise and 

 just in our treatment of Mr. Allen, who has 

 reduced to perfect order, out of great chaos, the 

 vital matter of our pedigrees, and to whom we 

 are so much indebted, by this means, fer the 

 prosperity of this great interest. AGRICOLA. 



-*t- 



JB^^The total value of real and personal 

 property in Chicago and Cook county, for the 

 year 1857 is $42,875,543. 



