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ITHS ILLINOIS FARMER. 



247 



be found in many other parts; and the ex- 

 aminations have not yet been sufficiently ac- 

 curate to justify such a conclusion. It is 

 sincerely hoped that before the next meeting 

 of your society, there will be a general ef- 

 fort, in all parts of the State, to present 

 specimens of lime. 



People should not be deterred by the high 

 reputation of the Alton lime, which, al- 

 though it excel in whiteness, may not be a 

 whit superior, for building purposes, to the 

 darker qualities which are known to have 

 been produced ia several sections of the 

 State. 



The coal of Illinois must necessarily have 

 been a subject of the deepest interest, and 

 although there were few districts represent- 

 ed, there was enough to stimulate the pride 

 of every citizen of Illinois. 



The coal of our State holds a place only 

 second in importance to its agricultural 

 wealth. The Illinois coal field is bounded 

 by an out-line, starting, say at the mouth 

 of the Wabash, and thence following the 

 Ohio and Mississippi rivers to the mouth of 

 Rock river, near Rock Island; thence east- 

 ward nearly by Joliet, — through the north- 

 ern part of Vermillion county, and thence 

 south, to the beginning. Within this line, 

 all may be said to be a coal-field. Of 

 course, within this field, there are many 

 places where there is no coal, but these are 

 only "the exceptions to the rule," and no 

 one has a right to say that there is not coal 

 at any point within this outline, until he is 

 certain of having touched the carboniferous 

 rock and failed to find coal. In some places, 

 it is, doubtless, very deep; though in no 

 place is it too deep to be worked when neces- 

 sity or convenience shall have stimulated 

 enterprise. No one has yet realized the 

 half of the applications of steam, as a mo 

 live power; and the time is not far distant 

 when coal will be the only fuel employed in 

 the generation of steam. Every new bed 

 of coal is, then, to be hailed with profound 

 satisfaction, and cherished, as a real boon 

 to the country. The specimens exhibited 

 at Peoria were all of a quality eminently 

 capable of usefulness; though that from La- 

 Salle would seem to justify the opinion that 

 in that region is a sort of central point in 

 the great coal-field. 



But our surprise was greatest on examin- 

 ing the specimens of salt from the Equality 

 salt works of Gallatin county, near Shaw- 

 neetown. Of the quality of this salt, and 

 iti capacities for preserving meats, we had 

 no means of satisfying ourselves other than 

 by its general appearance, and the testi- 



mony of persons who have used it. The 

 impression we received was that it was 

 vastly superior to the salt of the Kanawha 

 Salines; quite equal to the Saline salt of 

 New York, and but little inferior to the 

 Turks Island. If this impression be nearly 

 correct, then the salt of Gallatin county is 

 destined to exert an inimense influence ou 

 the interests of our western country. 



The annual consumption of salt, in the 

 packing business is already immense, and 

 must increase every year, as the agricultural 

 resources of the State are developed; and 

 if the annual expenditures for this article 

 can be retained, it must tell materially on 

 the finances of Illinois. Col. A. McOallan 

 informed that one single well, of eleven 

 hundred feet deep, has been, for some 

 months, yielding one thousand bushels of 

 salt per day, all of which has been readily 

 sold at thirty-five cents per bushel. But he 

 assured me that should the price of salt fall 

 to one half of that price, they could, never- 

 theless, continue the business with success 

 and profit. This seems to preclude the pos- 

 sibility of failure to the enterprise. We 

 feel assured that it will now go on, and 

 prove a new source of wealth to the State. 



Many articles of minor importance were 

 entered, some of which possessed much 

 value, but which I have not time nor space 

 to notice. Most of them will be foimd by 

 reference to tlie very judicious reports of the 

 committees. 



In conclusion, I beg leave to tender to 

 you my congratulations on the results of 

 your recent exhibition. Exhibitions of this 

 nature are certainly calculated to stimulate 

 enterprise, awaken a generous and healthy 

 emulation, and call forth the resources of 

 our State. No one can have attended 

 your late exhibition without being astonish- 

 ed J^t the new evidence of "hid treasure" 

 which must be brought to light in due time, 

 nor have returned home without a loftier 

 pride in his "Prairie State." 

 Yours truly, 



S. Y. McMASTERS, 

 Supt. of Department of Natural 



History, Geology, d?e. 



A WisK Fowl. — In a California paper we 



find a patriotic production, dedicated to the 



"American Eagle." It is in "varse," of which 

 the following is a veritable stanza: 



"Keep your eye ever fixed on the American I!ag7e, 

 Whom we, as the prond bird of oar destiny haU; 



For that wise fowl thou cans't not inyeigle, 



By patting a handful of old musty salt on it« Tenerik 

 ble taU." 



Txrv, 



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