270 



THE ILLINOIS F-^HMER. 



Juno, if you gather them as late as you canj 

 put them into well washed and perfectly dry 

 river sand, and cover well every layer. 



H. J. Chase, in Peoria county, covers his 

 farm buildings mostly with thatch. Ho 

 uses for thatching a coarse article of grass ho 

 finds in the bottoms of Creeks, which lasts 

 well, is a cheap and effectual covering. 



The five-tined fork, with handle like a 

 spade, is a very convenient implement to use 

 in the digging of gardens. It does the work 

 better than the spade, and with half the la- 

 bor. 



Poke is used as a culinary vegetable in 

 Arkansas. The roots are dug up in the fall 

 and planted out like asparagus. The young 

 roots are cut and dressed like asparagus, and 



aaid to be a delieato dish. 



Dandalions arc often used, in the East, as 



early greens. The plants are becoming 

 plentiful in the West — more so than desira- 

 ble. When used for greens, they should be 

 par-boiled well, the water then turned off, 

 more water added, then boiled, and the greens 

 will then be delicate food — besides having 



some valuable qualities as a spring medicine. 



<•» 



Mr. Dunlap's Nursery. 



This is a new nursery, commenced two 

 years ago, in Champaign county, about three 

 miles south of West Urbanna, immediately 

 on the Western side of the Central Rail road. 

 Mr. Dunlap formerly had a nursery in Cook 

 county, and we believe brought most of his 

 valuable stock from that point. 



The lands occupied by the nursery are 

 beautifully adapted to that purpose. They 

 rise gently from the Eail Road, and can bo 

 drained without difficulty, if that should be 

 required. Thirty-three acres are now em- 

 braced in the nursery grounds, which are 

 laid out in a very convenient and tasteful 

 manner. 



He has all tlie variety of fruit and orna- 

 mental trees, and ornamental and fruit shrub- 

 bery, and herbaceous flowering plants, de- 

 sired in this region. His stock of evergreens 

 embraces many thousands of all the hardy 

 and best kinds, and he is increasing this 

 stock rapidly — the increasing demands for 

 evergreens justifying a large expenditure in 

 this department. Of the silver maple, he 

 has ten thousand trees,- a great portion of 

 which are of the right size for transplanting. 

 On i^rairie faruis this tree is valuable for its 

 quick growth, and its beautiful form — mak- 

 ing rapidly protective skirts of timber. It 

 is not subject to disease, is clean, sweet, and 

 does not throw up suckers like the locust — 

 growing quite as fast. Prairie farmers, and 

 the residents of our towns cannot too soon 

 provide themselves where they desire decid- 

 uous ornamental trees — with the silver ma- 

 ples. Mr. D. has the other varieties of or- 

 namental trees — larch, horse chestnut, &c. 



The apple trees growing in the nursery are 

 such as a good orchardist would select lor 

 transplanting. They are stocky, thrifty, i 



with low heads, suited to prairie cultivation. 

 His stock of apple trees is very large, aud in 

 the coming fiill he will have many thousands 

 of a suitable size for transplanting. He has 

 all the varieties recommended by the Fruit 

 Growers' Association, for cultivation in Illi- 

 nois, and many other varieties which are 

 sometimes asked for by emigrants from dif- 

 ferent portions of other States. Persons ap- 

 plying to Mr. Dunlap for apple trees, and 

 giving the general selection to him, will be 

 Bupplied with the best trees and the best va- 

 rieties. 



Of Peaeh trees, he has a large stock of all 

 the choice varieties ; as also of plums, apri- 

 cots, cherries, quinces, and dwarf and stan- 

 dard pears. His dwarf pcare are as handsome 

 trees as we hayc seen. He has a large stock 



of gooseberries, currants, raspberries and 

 strawberries. His grounds are ornamented 

 with a largo variety of the hardy June Ko- 

 ees, and his hardy pcrpetuals, may be 

 counted by hundreds. It is rarely the case 

 that so great a variety of this latter valuable 

 and popular variety of Roses is found in one 

 enclosure. In a few days more of good 

 weather, the bulbous plants will be in blos- 

 som and make a fine show. 



Mr. Dunlap took possession of these 

 grounds some two years since. He has 

 made great improvements within that time. 

 He has k most excellent and well arranged 

 barn, good yards, comfortable houses and 

 other buildings, and is still going ahead with 

 his improvements. 



Tliis nursery is at a convenient point for 

 sending off trees, &c., to different parts of the 

 State . It in about the centre of Illinois, 

 north and south. Lying on the Central 

 road, it is within five miles of the Great Wes- 

 tern at Tolono. Orders were filled while we 

 were at the nursery every day, and sent north 

 and south — so that trees can be had in one 

 or two days after being taken up from the 

 nursery, in any part of the State situated on 

 those roads — a very great object for those who 

 purchase trees. 



In passing over this large nursery, and 

 noticing its extensive and varied stock of 

 fruit, ornamental trees, shrubbery, &c., we 

 could not but be surprised that our citizens, 

 intelligent farmers, and others, are often in- 

 duced to purchase trees from tree pedlars, 

 which come from a distance — subject to all 

 the casualitics of long passage — put up with- 

 out care — uncertain in size, thrlftiness, or 

 variety — and neglect the fine trees in the 

 nurseries of our responsible nurserymen, ac- 

 customed to our climate, certain to be true 

 to names, and which, taken direct from the 

 nursery, if planted out as they ought to be, 

 are sure to grow well. Where are the mil- 

 lions of apple trees which have been gold in 

 this State by foreign pedlars? 



We have a schedule of the prices of trees 

 sold at "Dunlap's Nursery," which are twen- 

 ty-five per cent, lower than the prices offor- 

 eign trees, and which, besides, are larger and 

 better. This schedule we shall give here- 

 after. 



The post office address of the proprietor, 

 Hon. M. L. Dunlap, is ''West Urbana, 111." 



-«•»- 



"Cua^e's Hand-books of Knowledge for 

 Praikie Lire." — Thesoaretobo published" in 

 ft scries and are intended to embrace ail sub- 



jecta connected with Agriculturo and Horticul- 

 ture in the Prairies. The first number is pub. 

 lished;— it is entitled, "The Prairie Fruit Cul- 

 ture: or what to plant and how to cultirato in 

 the West." It contains within a small compasa 

 much practical and useful information on fruit 

 culture. It is well worth the price, 25 cents; 

 and should bo in the bands of every farmer. 



4%t — 



Illinois State Fair. 



The premium list for the Fair of 1859, is 

 now published, and in the course of distri- 

 bution. Copies can be had at the offices of 

 the Agricultural papers of this State ; of the 

 officers of the State Agricultural Society ; of 

 the officers of the County Agricultural soci- 

 eties, and of S. Francis, Corresponding Sec- 

 retary of the State Agricultural Society, 

 Springfield. 



The Premium list presents a valuable list 

 of premiums. They exceed sixteen thou- 

 sand dollars. No entry fee is required in 

 any case. This rule of the Society is not de- 

 parted from. From the interest manifested, 

 especially in the region embracing the North 

 half of the State, we are confident the State 

 Fair of 1859, will equal in the number of en- 

 tries, in the attendance, and interest, any 

 State Fair, which has preceded it. The ar- 

 rangement for the operation of the steam 

 plow will be full and perfect, 

 '•» 



MAGNIFICENT tiaERAtlTY. 



IMPORTANT TO STOCK RAISERS. 



We see from notices in the papers that the 

 St. Louis Agricultural and Mechanical Associ<' 

 ition offer as premiums for their Fourth An- 

 nual Fair, to commence on the 26th day of 

 September next — about $20,000; and that they 

 invite competition from the whole Union. 



Among others we see that they offer 



For boflt til orongh bred stallion $1,000 



" " romlHter DtAlIion (ia harness) 1,000 



" " tboroiigh.brcd bull 1,000 



Their premiums to be paid in plate or coin 

 at the option of the successful competitor. 



JJ^^And HO entry fee required in any de- 

 partment, on stock, machinery, or anything 



else. 



>•• 



Currants and Gooseberries. 

 If you want your currants and gooseber- 

 ries to do their best, you must manure them. 

 Dig in rotten manure about their roots — first 

 cleaning away the grass and weeds. 



Houghton's Seedling is a capital goose- 

 berry — good enough. White Dutch and 

 Red Dutch are capital cuiTunts — and are 

 quite large when well manured and pruned. 

 — ■ —* 



Great Sale of Stock. — Mr. Alexander, 



of Kentucky, will have a sale of stock belong- 

 ing to his world-renowned herd on the first 

 Wednesday of June nest. £^^ Sec adver- 

 tisement. 



— .«> 



Valuable Rcceipes. 

 Warts. — Hub them with fresh beef every 

 day until they begin to disappear. 



I'oR A Sting. — Bind on the place a thick 

 pla.^ter of salt moistened. 



