^"^"TTrO^^'T, 



THE ILLINOIS FARMER. 



253 



^^Onr people hare heretofor* been almost en- 

 tirely dependent spon Eastern books and cata- 

 logues for their iufonaation about the Tarieti«s 

 of fruita, and Kpon Eastern narterymea far their 

 frsit trees, ao that of oar orchards are compos- 

 ed of the Tarieties of fruits that are found most 

 adapted to tha Eastern and Northern States; 

 and it is found that, as a general rule, the most 

 commoB and popular winter apples of those 

 States are the sorest to fail here, both from 

 rettinff and frem winter killing. 



In spite of these facta, which are bsf inning to 

 be well known to some of our people, the evils 

 are perpetuated and extended by the annual 

 purchase and planting throns;hout the West of 

 millions of trees of these Tery kiads that are des- 

 tined to ceruiu failure. The greater part of 

 the business of the numerous large nurseries of 

 Western and Central New York, is in supply- 

 ing trees at wholesale to the Western States; 

 and in proof of the unfitnegs of these tr«*8 for 

 the Western country, it can be shown that of 

 the dozea or twenty varieties of winter apples 

 that are found best adapted for the soil and 

 climate of Central and Southern Ohio and the 

 greater portien of Indiana, Kentucky, Illinois, 

 etc., not one of them is commonly foand amon* 

 the assorrmeati furnished at wholesale by the 

 New York Nursprie3!"^Take, for instance, the 

 toUowiB* most reiiabl^and approved kinds for 

 this region: 



Wine Sap, Rawles' Janette, Rome Beauty, 



Red Vandervere, or Newtown Spitzenbergr, 



Smith's Superb, ('brmerlj Smith's Cider,) Ortley 



or White Beliflewer, Pryor's Red, Fallenwalder, 



Par»dise Winter Sweet, Willow Twig, Winter 



Piennock, Gilpin or Little Romanite." 

 ,^ 



Barley— Economical use as rooa for Borscs. 



The value of barley, in one form or other, 

 as an article of use, has acquired in some 

 countries a factitious importance, from its 

 easy convertibility into malt and spirituous 

 liquors; but, viewing it simply as an article 

 of diet for man, it must be assigned a lower 

 position than w'leat,* oats or Indian corn. 



In an economical point of view, the grain 

 or barley, when boiled, has long been em- 

 ployed in Europe as a mash for horses after 

 a hard day's work, or when unwell, acting 

 as a gentle aperient, as well as a sudorific, 

 opening the system and ofteuiug the skin.^ — 

 In Egypt, as also in all parts of the East, 

 it has been used in an uncooked state from 

 time immemorial, as the common food of 

 horses, where the use of rye and oats is un- 

 known. 



Barley, when fed to horses in a half- 

 malted state, is said to be perfectly harmless, 

 however highly heated they may be, irre- 

 spective of the quantity they may eat. The 

 only preparation it requires for their pur- 

 pose, is to soak it in water for twelve or 

 twenty-four hours, after which it may be fed 

 to the flnirnal in the usnal way. — [Patent 

 Office Report, 1855. 



THE GARDENER. 



The Good Gardener, will remove all the 

 weeds kosn his garden in the fall, throw the rab- 

 bish which is to rot in heaps, and dig up a good 

 portion of his garien. If trenched it will ad- 

 vance the crops next spring. This is done by 

 throwing the ground into ridges. In the spring 

 the treaches will be found dry, and the ridges 

 levelled, it will be in the best order for planting 

 and so wing. • 



AspABAcus AKD PiE Plant. — The beds of 

 Asparagus and Pie Plant should be covered 

 with manure this fall; — s© that in spring the 

 lighter portions of it can be forked into the 

 beds. This will enrich the ground, preserve the 

 roots from injury, and greatly increase the crops 

 the coming year. 



Spinach. — Spinach, or spinage, may be sown 

 during the early part of this month for fall, 

 winter, and early spring use; the sowing may be 

 oontinned at intervals up to at least the middle 

 of the month. The quality of the spinach de- 

 pends much upon the richness of the soil; the 

 object should be to induce a rapid growth. 

 Spread on and dig inder a goed eoatine of old 

 tarn-yard manure; the older the better. Sow 

 the seed in drills about six inches apart; for the 

 last sowing, intended to be kept over for early 

 spring use, the drills may be only four inches 

 apart. When the seed is well up, give the 

 plants a hoeing, as well to destroy the weed as 

 to encourage a rapid growth. If the seed has 

 been sown thickly, the plants will probably need 

 thinning out. On the approach of cold weather, 

 cover the beds intended to be kept over winter 

 with hay or straw. This covering is not indis- 

 pensable, but its advantages are sufficiently 

 great t© warrant the trouble. The plants are 

 not so liable to be thrown eat by frost; the tops 

 are less injured by extreme changes in the 

 spring. As to kinds, the broad-leaved Savoy is 

 probably the best. 



-.<•>- 



The varieties of the Chinese chrysan- 

 themum are many, and ihe flowers are exceed- 

 ingly beautiful. These flowers come at the 

 commencement of winter, when the gardens 

 are desolate, and give a most cheerful aspect to 

 the dwelling. They are of the easiest culture, 

 and when the plants have done blossoming, 

 they can be set away in the cellar, or buried in 

 the ground, and will give no further trouble 

 until spring. 



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