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THE ILLIIST^OIS F^HnVIEIt. 



229 



to make a living by d jing an entirely fair 

 business and obliging men in whom he 

 has Confidence, God help him ! for he is 

 on the road to ruin. If business men 

 must scarcely have confidence in any 

 body; he must bear about him the convic- 

 tion that he is engaged in a bitter strug- 

 gle for life, and that the community is 

 made up of selfish individuals who would 

 take the last copper from him, to benefit 

 themselves. 



Look at this thing as it is — and I ask 

 if I have not stated facts ? If this is so, 

 you would probably inquire what would 

 be my suggestions in this state of the 

 case ? 



I answer, let farmers so educate their 

 sons as that they will understand the 

 happy position of the farmer. He can 

 live mostly within his own resources. — 

 He will not find it necessary often to ex- 

 ercise his wits against those whose busi- 

 ness it is to overreach the unwary. He 

 can depend on his own industry and the 

 smiles of a good Providence. He can 

 study his profession, which will furnish 

 him with a vast and interesting field for 

 investigation. He is away from the 

 scenes of guilt, and folly and heartlessnes 

 which are spread out ia our cities. He 

 can look up to heaven and witness its 

 wonders and abroad upon the earth and 

 see the handiwork of Deity — and smiling 

 say, "My Father made them all." 



I am glad, Mr. Edi:or, that a senti- 

 ment is prevading the minds of our coun- 

 try lads in favor of home and of the em- 

 ployment which was first given to man 

 by his Maker. And this disposition has 

 arisen from increased intelligence — from 

 a better knowledge of the world, and a 

 better knowledge of their own profession. 

 I hope that disposition will increase. 



Blessings on the common school sys- 

 tem of our State. It is carrying knowl- 

 edge where it is most needed. It is ed- 

 ucating a race of farmers that will 

 make their mark in a few years in 

 Illinois. 

 One who has been a Shop Keeper. 



EveTgrecns for Screens. 

 Mr. Editor : — Several recent writers 

 have intimated in the columns of the 

 Farmer, that if Evergreens for screens 

 and beltings of fruit and house lots, 

 stock yards, &e., could be had at rea- 

 sonable prices, our farmers would go 

 into it. Now, I do not know what would 

 be claimed reaisonable prices, surely 

 Evergreens can never become In this 

 country, as cheap as the Hedge Plants. 

 For to acclimate on evergreen, from two 

 to four years are required which always 

 ought to be done, and must be done, 

 before It can be made, in all seasons, at 

 all reliable for such a purpose, eosts 

 more than it would to raise a hundred 

 j^edge plants. But Evergreens are now 

 t least one hundred per cent, cheaper 



in this State, than they could possibly 

 be afforded for a few years ago, of the 

 same quality — and I would now myself 

 engage to furnish the evergreen plants, 

 of the best kinds, and of good quality, 

 thoroughly acclimted, at such rates that 

 such screen hedges, cr evergreen break- 

 winds wo Id not cost at the Nursery 

 more than from one to two. dollars per 

 rod which is not the first cost of a plank 

 fence, and I know, many others, and I 

 presume all the Nursery men who deal 

 in Evergreens would furnish them by the 

 quantity at the same rate, and perhaps 

 some of them cheaper. 



I do not see, therefore, that there 

 need be now any great delay, in some, 

 at least commencing thus so desirable an 

 improvement on their farms. Of course 

 smaller and cheaper plants could be 

 furnished at still less prices, — or the 

 farmers might send on to the whole- sale 

 dealers and purchase and grow and accli- 

 mate them for themselvec; and in that 

 case, the cost would be little aside from 

 the labor and delay. The objection to 

 this is, that so many of them would 

 neglect to take proper care in acclima- 

 ting them, and either kill them outright, 

 or Stunt them so that it would be years 

 before they would make any good 

 growth. But any way that any one can 

 best contrive to get small beautiful and 

 economical screens around his yards and 

 his home, will pay him in the end for 

 all his toil and care, and add more to the 

 wealth and beauty of the state than any 

 similar move that could be made. 

 Yours truly, 



J. B. TURNER. 



■ .49*' 



Japan Apple Pie Melon. 



Editor of the Farmer — This melon, 

 of which much is being said in the east- 

 ern agricultural papers is really valuable. 

 We grew fine ones last summer from seeds 

 procured in Georgia, where they were 

 then selling at one dollar per dozen. It 

 grows finely, and we have eaten pies of 

 it, not to be distinguished from those of 

 the GENUINE APPLE. It keeps late into 

 the winter. We heartily indorse the fol- 

 lowing remarks of Mr. Lemuel Norris of 

 Ohio, taken from the Country Gentle- 

 man, of February 3, '59. "The Apple 

 Pie Melon attains to a large size. I 

 have grown specimens the past season of 

 from thirty to forty pounds each. They 

 are cylindrical in shape ; color, a golden 

 tint; flesh close-grained ; color of seeds 

 blue. They prove perfectly hardy and 

 easy of cultivation. I consider this mel- 

 on a valuable acquisition. We have 

 tested their quality for pies, and find 

 them delicious." 



We are receiving letters every mail for 

 seeds of the above, which we are willing 

 to fill for proper remuneration. 

 , W. H. Gardner, 



Sublette, Lee CO., HI. 



New Orchards. 



Editor of the Farmer : — ^I want to 

 plant a new orchard, and I want some 

 advice on the subject. I see you order 

 trees from Illinois Nurseries, and perhaps 

 you can tell me how to plant when I 

 obtain them. M. 



1. Select high and dry ground; plow it 

 deep and well. If it is at all disposed 

 to be wet, drain it. 2d. Get your trees 



at an Illinois Nursery; those trees that 

 have low heads are the best. Avoid 

 those that run up like a whip stock. Get 

 few varieties and those of the best, the 

 nurseryman will be likely to recommend 

 such as suit best our climates and soils. 

 3d. Spring is generally the best time to 

 transplant. 4th. Have your trees well 

 prepared for planting. Remove with 

 shoots as are not wanted for prominent 

 limbs. Cut smoothly off all bruised or 

 injured roots. Have the roots covered 

 from winds and rain, and keep them 

 moist. 5th. Dig the holes large; plant 

 the trees no deeper than they grew in 

 the nurserv; throw the surface soil into 

 the hole and among the roots first; see 

 that the roots are all spread out; when 

 the roots are weU covered, tread down 

 firmly and water thoroughly. If the 

 weather should thereafter be dry, mulch 

 with coarse manure or straw over the 

 roots. 6th. Plant hoed crops in the 

 young orchard, and cultivate well. — 

 Never sow grass or grain in a voung 

 orchard. 



Preserve this plan and you will be 

 likely to secure a good orchard, if you 

 give it the proper culture and and atten- 

 tion to protect it from bearers, mice and 

 rabbits. 



Wheat Crop— Grow Wool. 

 Editor Farmer : 



About a year ago you took ground in the 

 Farmer that wheat, as a constant crop, was 

 not a safe or profitable one in central Illinois. 

 I was sorry to see you take that position, for 

 I honestly believe I could always raise wheat 

 here with care. Pretty much all my present 

 crop is destroyed. I put it in tolerably well. 

 But winter wheat is not to be relied on. — 

 New broken land, as a general thing, will 

 produce a crop and sometimes a great crop. 



We must practice a good husbandry. — 

 You recommend small farmCTS to make pork. 

 I recommend them to grow wool. Wool is 

 bound to keep up. The Australians are dig- 

 ging gold and neglecting their sheep. Our 



western farmers are gradually lessening their 

 flocks. The great west is the place for sheep. 

 They do well herej seldom subject to disease, 

 and the food they consume is cheap. V . 



I hope to see many of our farmers com- 

 mence sheep raising the present season. 

 There are capital stocks iu the country 

 Irom which they can purchase. The Mc- 

 Connell's and Hoppiu's have thousands of 

 French merinoes ; C. W.' Price, of Inland 

 Grove, has choice Cotswolds ; T. C. Taylo 

 near Williamsville, has a fine flock of South 



