p 



360 



THE ILLIIS^OIS EA-KIMEII. 



SPRINGFIE:£,0, NOVEIMBBR 1, 1859. 



Fall Basiness. 



A good deal of wheat has been shipped 

 ofiF, and much yet remains. We see no pros- 

 pect of materially improved prices. The crop 

 is light in all Central Illinois. 



A good many beef cattle are going for- 

 warb, at low prices. The prospect is that 

 cattle will not be high this winter. 



Stocks of hogs are moving to Chicago. 

 We would not learn the prices paid for them. 

 5ic nett is paid for hogs in Cincinnati ; a 

 tolerable good price. We do not believe that 

 the crop of hogs is great, but while this is 

 so, it is well known that much old pork is 

 yet on hand. 



The crop of corn in Central Illinois, is 

 amply sufficient to fatten well, all fine hogs 

 ana cattle, designed for market. 



Fall Work. 



Seeding and much other farm work is over 

 for the season. There is however, still much 

 to do. Are our farmers prepared for win- 

 ter ? Have they done their full plowing ? 

 Have they provided shelter and comfort for 

 their cattle. Have they secured their veg- 

 etables from frost ? Have they selected their 

 seed corn ? Are their fences in condition 

 to prevent cattle from going into their orch- 

 ards and gardens. Have they made arrange- 

 ments for wood ? Are their houses in proper 

 order to secure the inmates from the indem- 

 nities of winter ? Are the children and 

 other members of the family provided with 

 shoes and clothing for cold weather. Have 

 they good schools, and is the school house in 

 a condition to be comfortable, with good sup- 

 plies of wood ? Have families newspapers 

 and other reading for the long evenings of 

 winter ? Are all selling their crops, and 

 making every efiFort to pay debts, with a de- 

 termination to make no new ones ? 



Here are important questions, and every 

 farmer ought to be able to answer 

 them. 



■<«•*. 



Grapes. 



A few years ago' we had only two kinds of 

 grapes that were deemed valuable for gen- 

 eral cultivation, the Catawba and Isabella. 

 Cultivators have been hybridzing and produ- 

 cing new varieties, until the list of Ameri- 

 can grapes is extended to some dozens, many 

 of them of great excellence. At the late fair 

 in Chicago, more than a dozen most superb 

 varieties were exhibited. The Diana, Con- 

 cord, Hartford Prolific, Clinton, Delaware, 

 Union Village and several new seedlings 

 from near Cincinnati. We tested the Del- 

 aware, and it could not possibly be impro- 



ved. Some grape growers insist that it is an 

 European grape ; the Traminer ; but if it is 

 the plant has become so well acclimated as 

 to produce fine crops with open culture on 

 American soil. The plants cost a good deal, 

 some $2 or $3 ; but the other grape plants 

 we have named, can be bought at most of the 

 nurseries at fair prices. 



In a few years there will be scarcely found 

 a garden or farm in this country, destitute of 

 grape vines. They are easily cared for, and 

 yield much valuable fruit. We know an in- 

 dividual in this city, who from some young 

 vines, (and who loved money better than he 

 loved his excellent Isabellas,) sold eight 

 dollars worth of fruit — and at half the usual 

 prices. 



-••»- 



Dull Times. 



Merchants complain that business is dull. 

 How can it be otlierwise, when farmers have 

 little to buy with, and when they have been 

 sufficiently scorched not to go upon trust, if 

 they would. Had the same economy been 

 practised for the last three years, the 

 country would not be in the condition that 

 it now is. 



We counsel economy, as far as possible. 

 Live on the products of your farm. 



Have Farmers Fears that Iheir Stoek and Feed 

 y^iW be Short ? 



This should be thought of in time. There 

 are ways for making a small amount of feed 

 for stock go far. We repeat, this should be 

 thouglit of in time. The commencement of 

 saving should be at the ctmimoncement of 

 feeding. Corn and grains fed to stock, will 

 go one third further, if ground, than if not 

 ground ! Think of that. You can thus 

 save or add to your means essentially for 

 keeping your stock by griuuing your grain. 

 Again, you can make your fodder, your hay 

 aud straw, go much further by cutting than 

 by feeding it without cutting. Have your 

 cuttiug^ boxes in order ? The old fashioned 

 one can be made to work well, and will cost 



you but little. 



««» . 



Awarding Committees. 



These are essential to the carrying on of 

 fairs. It is all important that members un- 

 derstand their duties. These do not extend 

 further in awarding premiums than the pre- 

 miums ofiered ; when they are about award- 

 ing premiums they should see what premi- 

 ums they are authorised to give, and they 

 should award no more, and thus save exhib- 

 itors and officers of societies, great vexation. 



«*» 



SoRoiio Syrup. — Mr. Goltra, at his 

 Sugar Mill, near Lincoln, is turning off forty 

 gallons of excellent syrup, per day. He in- 

 tends to go into the business largely, next 

 year. 



Fall Plowing. 



The ground was never in better order for 

 plowing. Why are not the plows going for 

 spting crops — spring wheat, flax, spring bar- 

 ley, oats and corn! Why not take time by the 

 forelock ? Why should we see the boys and 

 men sunning themselves by the stable, barn, 

 house, when such an opportunity for bene- 

 fiting themselves is presented ? D«./n't we 

 know that nine times out of ten, we have 

 much weather in spring unfavorable for 

 plowing ? Don't all know that plowing in 

 the fall, kills many weeds, many insects, and 

 secures the ground in better order for spring 

 sowing and planting, than it can possibly be 

 when water follows the plow in the furrow ? 



We repeat, perhaps for the twentieth time, 

 that the best crops of spring wheat and oats 

 have been made from ground plowed in the 

 fall. 



"Root Pits." 



Many farmers have not cellars, in which to 

 save roots — beets, potatoes, carrots, cabbage, 

 &c. They are compelled to put them in pits, 

 for winter use. When this is required, the 

 open field is the best place for a Root Pit. 

 They need ventilation. A warm spot is sub- 

 ject to too great and sudden changes, and in 

 such places as the north side ot a building 

 or piece of woods, the cold penetrates deeper 

 than there is any need of. Dig a trench two 

 feet deep, and four feet wide, throwing the 

 earth equally on each side. Then fill in the 

 roots — beets, carrots, or potatoes or cabbages. 

 Fill to the surface of the ground, then pile 

 them up as steep as they will lie. The an- 

 gle of the two sides at the ridge should be a 

 right angle. Cover them with two or three 

 inches ol straw, and then throw the earth on, 

 and spat it down hard with the shovel. Ouce 

 in eight feet an opening shuuld be made in 

 the ri .go, a haniiful or two of straw lo( sened 

 up an.j pulled out ; a stake stuck in anu some 

 long straw bound upon it so as to slied rain. 

 ••» 



See to yuur Gardens. 

 Now is the time to set out rose, goose- 

 berry and currant plants, as well as all 

 flowering shrubbery which starts early 

 in the spring. Lawton Blackberries 

 and Raspberriess hould now be planted 

 out ; also strawberries, pie plants, flow- 

 ering bulbs, Peonias and Lillies. You 

 have more leisure to attend to these 

 things now than you will have in the 

 spring. On a very small space of ground 

 you can raise all the small plants you 

 need ; you can raise pie plant suflScient 

 for all your wants — and besides have 

 flowering shrubbery and Herbaceous 

 flowering plants, to make your gardens 

 beautiful — to attend to which will re- 

 quire but little labor. 



J^ 



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