60 



THE ILLinsrOIS FA-HMER. 



SPRINGFIELD, APRIL 1, 1860. 



BAILHACHE & BAKER, PubUshers. 



M. L. DUNLAP, Editor. 



Connty Fairs. 

 County Agricultural Fairs have now 

 become a part and parcel of our social 

 enginery, and without some substitute 

 they could not well be abandoned. The 

 old annual * 'muster," or general train- 

 ing day, has become obsolete, and in its 

 place stands forth the annual County 

 Fair. We grant that it is a decided im- 

 provement, but there is a respectable 

 margin for more of the same sort. — 

 There are loud complaints of favoritism 

 in the awards, and of the want of tact 

 in the management. As a general thing, 

 we think the proof is wanting in the 

 first, but abounds in abundance in the 

 second. The management generally de- 

 volves upon a few individuals, and often 

 these have been chosen and entrusted 

 with the management, when if the mem- 

 bers had asked themselves the simple 

 question, are these men capable ? the 

 selection would have been different. 



In no position do we need bettor men 

 than in our County Agricultural Socie- 

 ties — honest, thorough business men — 

 men who will see that no bills are incur- 

 red but those absolutely necessary — not 

 parsimonious, but liberal in all that 

 would enhance the usefulness of the so- 

 ciety, and when debts are incurred see 

 that they are promptly paid. A President 

 of an Agricultural Suciety, who puts its 

 funds to his own use, and wKo has to be 

 sued to compel him to dioburse, should 

 be looked upon with the most supreme 

 contempt, and hereafter branded with the 

 infamy that he deserves. To thus trifle 

 with the annual amusements of the peo- 

 ple, and cut off their source of enjoy- 

 ment, should put him without the pale of 

 good society. On the other hand, those 

 \ ho give of their wea. is and oi their 

 timj, should be held in grateful remem- 

 1 ranee for their liberal and unselfish 

 acts. We do not wish to be invidious, 

 but it may be uaefuljto point a moral, to 

 show how things are done in some place 

 in a Buccessful way, that others msiy 

 pro tby the exam^)le. 



Tiie farmers and hiidnes? m n o Le:" 

 county, he a . air i;i Di.i n last Octo- 



ber. They commenced without funds or 

 fixtures, but they had a set of officers, 

 among whom stood foremost, W. H. 

 Van Epps, the efficient Vice President 

 of the State Agricultural Society for 

 the 2nd District, and I. T. Little, now 

 Corresponding Secretary of the State 

 Horticultural Society. Backed up by a 

 couple of dozen of workiog men for as- 

 sistants, they boldly announced their 

 premium list of $2,000, and challenged 

 the world; and this in the face of bad 

 harvest, and crops cut off by frost. — 

 But the motto of these men was go 

 ahead, and .'f struck down, "up and at 

 'em.'* Well, Fair week came, and so 

 did exhibitors after the two thousand 

 dollars, and so did the crowds to " see 

 what they would see'' — and they did see 

 a noble sight — a most successful and 

 glorious Fair. Everything in its place, 

 and order in every department. The 

 receipts were $3.j16, and after paying 

 all expenses, they have seventy-one dol- 

 lars, and an excellent reputation as new 

 capital for the year 1860. 



Among the premiums off.Ted, was a 

 large amount in agricultural journals, 

 and so well pleased are the officers with 

 this class of premiums, that they will 

 enlarge the list this year. Mr. Van 

 Epps, and nearly all his associates of last 

 year have been re-elected for the cur- 

 rent year. Out of last year's receipts, 

 they purchased seventy thousand feet of 

 lumber, and put up seven new buildings, 

 and this year they intend to put the 

 grounds in the most complete order. — 

 With good crops, we predict, that under 

 the management of such officers, the 

 next Fair will be little, if any, behind 

 the State Fair at Freeport, and second 

 only to the State Fair to be held at 

 Jacksonville. All those who wish to 



attend one of the most important Coun- 

 ty Fair in the North West for 1860, will 

 consult the time table of the Lee Coun- 

 ty Fair, at Dixon. 



««. 



Premiums Oflered by the Illinois State Agri- 

 cultural Society. 



Aqkicctltcral Rooms, ) 

 Springfield, Ulinois. f 

 -EV?. farmer : The following is the List of 

 Premiums offered by the Executive Committee 

 of the Illinois State Agricultural Society, for 

 farms, nurseries, field crops, &c., &c., for I860. 

 John P. Reynolds, (7<w. Sec. 

 March 9, 18 GO. 



FIELD CROPS. 



(COyflNID TO THIS STATE.) 



Por the best flel i of wheat not less than 5 acres. "The 

 Manny Prize" of combined reaper and mowing 

 machine, valuu »hq 



B«st crop of fall wheat not lens than 5 acres, nor 



less than iUbustiels per acre 1 $25 00 



2d best, (the yield per acre not limited) 15 lO 



3d " " " " 10 00 



4lh " " " « "The Wheat Hant" 



aud Ag. Periodical. 

 Same premiums for spring wheit: the minimum 



y iela for Ist prize to be 30 bushel- per acre. 

 Bent crop of Indian corn not less than 6 acres, nor 



less than 120 buahela per acre $50 00 



2d best, (the yield per acre not limited) 26 00 



3d '• ♦• '' " 15 0l> 



4th " •• " " 10 00 



(See statoments required for this crop.) 

 B Bt cr< p fall barley not less than 50 bushels per arre.. 26 00 



2d best, (yield per acre not limiied) 15 00 



3d " " •• " 10 00 



4th " " " " ,~..."The Wheat Plant" 



and Ag. Periodical. 

 Same premiums for spring barley, and same mini- 

 mum yield for Ist prize. 

 Best crop rye not less than 5 acres, nor lesi than 26 



bushels per acre $10 00 



2d best, (yield per acre not limited) 8 00 



3d " " " " - 5 00 



4th " " " " Transactions. 



Best crop oats not less than 5 acres, nor less than 8U 



I'UshpU p<-r acre $26 00 



21 best, (yield per acre not limited) 10 00 



Be-t crop buckwheat, not less than one acre In 00 



2d beat, " " '' 6 00 



3(1 " " " " " The Wheat PI nt" 



Best crop white beans, not leas than V^ acre 10 00 



2d be-t, •' '• " 6 00 



B Bt ' rop potatoes, not less than }^ acre 10 00 



2d best, •• •' " 5 00 



Berii crop sweet potatoes, not less than ^ acre 10 00 



2i best, " " " 5 00 



Best crop onions, not less than ^ acre Id 00 



2d best, '* " " 5 00 



Best acre of hemp 10 00 



Bt.»t acre of flax 10 00 



B>^8t acre of broom corn 10 00 



Best acre of clover seed 10 00 



Best acre of timothy seed 10 00 



esi acre of blue gra s seed 10 00 



Best acre of millet seed -. 10 00 



Best acre of flax eeeii 10 lO 



Beat KCre of CHHtor beans 10 00 



Best 'Top of carrots, not less than ^acre 10 00 



Best crup of field beet^. not 1 ss than ]4 ^cre 10 00 



Best crop of Swedish turnips, not less than yi acre... 10 00 

 Best crop of En^liah turuips, nut less than }^acre... 10 00 



Samples of each of the above crops must be 

 exhibited at the Fair — and sent to the Agricul- 

 tural Society's rooms in Springfield, for exami- 

 nation at the January meeting, 1861. 



See statements required. 



Best 10 fits, of sugar made from Chinese or Africtn 



sDgar cane 15 00 



2d best 10 00 



3d '• 10 00 



Beat gallon «yrup, made from CLineBe or African 



sugar cane, without the me of cleansing agents 



other than fire aud tho skimmer 26 00 



2d best 15 00 



3d " 6 00 



Competitor to furnish careful detailed state- 

 ment of mode of manufactures, machines and 

 implements used, and cost of production — veri- 

 fied by affidavit, and samples to be sent to the 

 Agricultural Society's Rooms, for the January 

 meeting, 1861. 



Awarding committee— Executive committee of 



the State Agricultural Society. 



FARMS, NURSERIES, ETC. 

 Best Improved and highly cultivated iarm, not less 



than 500 acres |26 00 



2d best 16 00 



Best improved and highly cultivated farm, not less 



thaa leoacreg 25 00 



2d best 16 OO 



Best improved and highly cultivated farm, oot less 



than 60 acres „ „ 26 00 



2d best 16 00 



Best improved end highly cultivated farm, not It as 



tlinn 40 acres 26 00 



2d best 16 00 



Best improved and highly cultivated farm, not less 



than 20 acres 25 00 



2d best 16 00 



Best arranged and economically conducted dairy farm 26 00 



2d best 16 00 



Best grove of cultivated timber, not less than 6 spe 



cle« 26 00 



2d best 10 00 



Beit traogplanted forest tree§. Dot leiB than lix foet 

 hlgh^ for permanent growth, and covering not less 



than one acre of ground 10 00 



Best g»rminated forest tree seeds, not less than five 

 species, covering not less than one acre, for per- 

 manent growth, not as a nursery 10 00 



Best arrnnged and cultivated nursery of fruit trees 



and fruit shrabs 20 00 



2dbe«t 10 00 



Same of grafted apple trees one to four years old 20 00 



2d best 10 00 



Same of grafted apple trees, one to three years old... 20 00 



2d best ;o 00 



Same of one and two year old grafted or budded apple 



trees 10 00 



2d best 5 00 



