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THE ILLINOIS F'^RMER. 



103 



To Prevent Hens Setting. 



Make a small open pen of laths, or 

 some similar material, in one corner of 

 your hen-house, about eight inches wide, 

 and of any convenient length and height. 

 Let one of the laths or slats be so secured 

 that it may easily be taken out or moved 

 one side, so that a hen may be conveni- 

 ently passed into or taken out of the 

 pen. On the bottom of this pen, and 

 running lengthwise through it, set up a 

 couple of laths on edges, and fasten them 

 about the same distance from each other, 

 and from the sides of the pen. Run a 

 small perch across the pen, and the work 

 is done. When a hen wishes to set, put 

 her in there. She will soon find that sl^e 

 can walk leisurely upon the floor, or roc'st 

 comfortably upon the perch, but she can't 

 set without "riding on a rail," and that, 

 they seem to think, isn't decorous. The 

 length of time for which they will have 

 to be confined will vary somewhat, and 

 in obstinate cases it may be necessary to 

 put a few pegs or tacks into the edges of 

 the laths, — Grenessee Farmer. 



We copy the above article for the ben- 

 efit of our readers, but enter our solemn 

 protest against the pegs and the tacks. 

 A man that would treat an old hen so 

 cruelly, when she is only bent on raising 

 chicken meat for him ought to be 

 "egged." We are decidedly in favor of 

 moral suasion and squatter sovereignty. 

 If you have eggs to set your hens on, 

 let her set; if you have not, and are 

 compelled to put her in the coop, don't 

 use the pegs nor the tacks, l)ut provide 

 a Democratic Rooster outside the coop. 

 When he sees her in prison he will enter 

 his protest against governmental inter- 

 ventioUj declare his sentiments in favor 

 of the largest liberty, and take our word 

 for it, in less than fortj-eight hours she 

 will fall in love with him. Then turn 

 her out ; the remedy is infallible. 



Indiana Farmer. 



If you don't want Biddy to set, or if 

 you desire to take aAvay her chickens 

 from her when they ai-»> young, and 

 have her immediately enter upon the 

 duty of providing another nest full of 

 eggs, take her ladyship, put her into a 

 fine, airy coop, and place in h«r compa- 

 ny a fine gentleman rooster, md she will 

 soon cease grieving for ho'' nest or her 

 chickens, spruce up, a»i re-commence 

 laying. "The remed/is infallible." 



-v~ 



Mr. Editor: M^ apple trees were 

 filled with bloss«*»is, and set a good deal 

 of fruit. Tbii»is now just dropping ofi", 

 and from wh** cause I cannot discover. 

 The fallen^l'nit does not appear to be 

 injured fy worms. I should like to 

 hear^fyjm some one who has investigated 

 thei^atter. M. 



A National Falr->I]i Africa. 



The African Repository for May, contains 

 the official report of the first National Fair in 

 Liberia. It was opened in the city of Monrovia 

 on the 14th day of December last, and the exhi- 

 bition was continued until the 21st of the same 

 month. The report states that the extensive 

 rooms of the Academy buildings were crowded 

 with articles on exhibition, and the enclosed 

 premises were occupied by the cattle, swine, 

 sheep and goats. The number and variety of 

 articles of agriculture, horticulture, manufuc- 

 inre, mechanism, needle-work, &c., wcje said 

 to have been very respectable. Among the 

 articles of agriculture, theie were coffee, starch 

 of arrow root, and other plants; a yam weigh- 

 ing 52J pounds; one hill oJ ginger, the weight 

 of which was upward of one liundred pounds, 

 rice, cleaned and rough, ofgiod quality; cotton, 

 •evcrai specimens — the extensive production of 

 which was entirely practicable; eddoe meal, 

 maiJe from a farinaceous tubor, whicli mado the 

 bread sweet and pleasant, resembling that made 

 ivota i\\e seconds of wheat; cl )tb, woven from 

 African cotton: cabinet work embracing bed- 

 steads, tables; Ac, made of native wofids, suflB. 

 piently tasteful fur any drawing drawn; neeolle 

 work, a handsome display, muny of the articles 

 contributed by young girls. 



Premiums were awarded on some one hun- 

 dred and twenty irticles and tins list of pre- 

 miums is most interesting as furnishing 

 evidence of the iniustrial habits uf tlie people 

 and the proihictio!>s of the country. The foK 

 lowing are some *f the articles for which premi- 

 ums were awa'ded: Cabinet ware, urrrow 

 root, cotton. turHes, rice, sheep, Ijutter, pickles, 

 catsup, ginger, iddoefi, tallow candles, lemons, 

 shoes made of African leather, wheelbarrows, 

 palm oil, shower bath, quilt, swine, embroidered 

 blippers, mil^ry boots, ottoman, bag neeJle 

 work, pantaJ!K)ns, pawpaw preserves, plows, 

 African billhooks, bonnets, syrups, daguerreo- 

 types, sugar cane, oars, foot mats, oranges, 

 beans, pofetots, pawpaws, shirt, printed sheet, 

 twisted c*ttou, ginned cotton, cushion, starch 

 from lilh, ground nuts, fringe, canoe boat, bar 

 soap, foivls, paintings, cherry bounce, tin lan- 

 tern, axe, drawing knife, corned beef, under 

 sleeves, coffeepot and candle-stick, coat, knife 

 box, edfloe meal, patent boat, hominy and corn 

 meal, cocoanuts, infant's shirts, prepared sage, 

 tidies, upper leather, cured tobacco, chocolate, 

 palm oil caiidloa, frr«en tobacco, ginger, blank, 

 socks knit of African cotton, worked collar; 

 bunch bananas, fat ox, &c., &c. 



This is quite a respectable list, and presents 

 very strong evidence of the advancement of the 

 Liberjans in all those arts and comforts that 

 make up the blessings of civilized life. In 

 commenting upon the exhibition, the Report 

 says:— "The National Fair is another event in 

 the history of the present Administaation, which 

 cannot fail most favoracly to affect the entire 

 Republic. It was one of the most opportune 

 ideas that could have occurred to the mind. — 

 Coming just after a scarcity more general than 

 had ever been known in Liberia, it has had a 

 more elevating and stimulating effect upon the 

 community than any thing else could have had. 



Something of this kind was needed. The Na- 

 tional Fair supplied tlie need. If any were 

 before inclined to doubt the ability of the coun- 

 try to supply those productions that can sustain 

 her, he became inspired with hooe and confi* 

 dence by the unexpected profasion displayed 

 before biro." 



Jacksoxville, .Tune 1, 1858. 



Editor of the Farmer : — I have not the 

 least possible erround of conjecturing who the 

 writer in the last Farmer may be, who signs 

 himself "B." and writes on "Events, Specu- 

 lation."?, &e.," and indeed it wasonlj accident 

 that I chanced to read the article, as its cap- 

 tion did not particularly atti-act me. But 

 there is one sentence in that, in other re- 

 spects, very interesting communication, 

 which 1 think deserves to be printed in g-old 

 and hung up in every farmer's and me- 

 chanic'.s parlor in the land : and to it I wisli 

 to call renewed and special attention, as con- 

 taining in a few brief word« the practical 

 substance of all tlie theology, and church 

 order, and piety needed by the millions who 

 are to work and keep this great continent of 

 ours. The sentence reads thus : 



"The revival movement in religion con- 

 tinues unabated; the laymeo in the commu- 

 nity being the more active participants, as 

 we think they sliould be. "We hope the sal- 

 vation sought after, will be from sin, from 

 actual tangible wrong doing — so that we may 

 have essentially a better world to live in, — 

 not in any mythic sense, but in some effective 

 sense, and we are constrained to believe that 

 the present movement is in that direction, 

 and trust that the succeeding ones will be- 

 come more efficacious to good work.s, until in 

 time, deed.s and thoughts will foi'm our best 

 prayers, and reference toCod underlay every 

 act of the life." 



Now, Mr. Editor, 1 respectfully submit it 

 to you, whether tliat paragraph h not worth 

 re-publishing in some form, and commending 

 to the most profound study and attention of 

 each one of your readers. 



rour,> truly, T B. TURNER. 



Editor of tlie Farmer: Last year, 

 late in the season, you gave me some 

 sugar cane seed to sow broadcast for a 

 forage crop. The season was not the 

 most favorable; but I sowed the seed, 

 and the crop of blades was very fair. I 

 mowed it before frost, dried it like hay, 

 and fed jt out in early winter. There 

 was no article on my farm that cattle 

 eat with more avidity. They actually 

 eat up stalk and blade. 



I observed, after the cane was cut, 

 that a new crop started from the roots, 

 and had it been earlier in the season, I 

 have no doubt I would have cut a second 

 crop. I do not suppose that the young 

 cane is as sweet as when mature; still it 

 is very acceptable food to stock. 



I shall plant some cane seed for mo- 

 lasses, but shall sow more for fodder. — 

 Perhaps I may put in seed to make food 

 for fattening hogs in the fall. I see in 

 your Farmer that some person has 

 found that the matured cane will fatten 

 hogs. I have no doubt that this will 

 prove the fact. 



