78 



THE ILLINOIS FARMER. 



appropriation. As there are several 

 hundred cattle yet to be criticallj exam- 

 ined and their treatment decided upon, 

 it is not impossible that the $10,000 will 

 prove an inadequate sum. 



{Quantity of Seed per Acre. 



In a late communication to the Rural 

 jLmet'ican, Mr. John Johnston says : 



I once sent a man out to sow clover 

 seed with a sowing machine that would 

 sow five quarts of timothy seed, or any 

 quantity more I might wish. I set it 

 for sowing clover the same as for sowing 

 five quarts of timothy. I gave the man 

 seed enough to keep liim sowing till 

 noon, as I thought; but in about two 

 hours he was home for more seed. Be- 

 ing sure that he had either driven the 

 horse far too fast, or sown far too thick, 

 I went to see, and found he had sown 

 full twenty-four quarts to the acre ; and 

 as the machine could be set no closer, I 

 stopped it, and had the balance of the 

 field sown by hand, at the rate of not 

 quite ten pounds per acre. The result 

 was, where the twenty-four quarts was 

 sown to the acre, the clover never got 

 taller than the natural white clover we 

 some seasons have in such quantities, 

 but which is generally too short to cut ; 

 while that sown at about ten pounds to 

 the acre was as good as I could wish. I 

 never have sown over twelve pounds of 

 clover seed to the acre, unless done by 

 mistake, and I have always had large 

 crops if any one else in the neighborhood 

 had. Half a bushel of timotliy seed to 

 the acre will give a better quality of 

 hay, but with me the quantity is much 

 less than with six quarts. I know we 

 read that those who sow bountifully shall 

 reap bountifully, but this Avill not hold 

 good in farming. I vibrated between one 

 and three bushels of wheat to the acre 

 for several years, but settled down at one 

 and a half bushels, believing it to give 

 the greatest yield; although with two 

 to two and a quarter, the wheat ripens a 

 few days earlier. To prove this, a far- 

 mer has only to sow half an acre with 

 from two and a quarter to three bushels 

 per acre, and sow the other part of the 

 field one and a half, and it will be found 

 that the thick sown will be ready to cut 

 a few days sooner than the thin. 



IIoG Cholera. — We regret to learn that 

 many hogs are dying in the country of cholera. 

 AVe ' believe it.s effects have been more severe 

 along the Illinois river than any where else, 

 though we have heard of its ravages in other 

 quarters. ^Vc know not to what extent it may 

 prevail, but we fear it will materially Ussen the 

 pork crop next U\\\.-—JerscyrilU rruiric Stdtc. 



I3edff,li.ow-ess Every IS'innT for Eighty- 

 EiouT Years.— The Nantucket Inquirer says 

 that Miss Phebe Newbegin, who died in that 

 town recently, at the advanced age of ninety- 

 three years 'and eight months, leaves a sister 

 nearly ninety years of age, irifh irliom xhc has 

 slept erenj iinjlit for ei<jhtii-eight yeiirs, with the 

 exception of three weeks during childhood. 



ED ITOR'S TAB LE. 



We are ngnin at the flresiile of the farmers of the Northwest, 

 and we find a wide difJ'erenoe of eliiunte amorg tliom. In 

 Union county, the wlicat is Iieading out ; the fruit ia well ad- 

 vanced, and all nature Is wearing the livery of summer; the 

 forests are clothed in the deepest green, and the feur of frost 

 no longer troubles the i)each grower or the market gardener. 

 At our own home the blossoms are just dropping from the 

 apple, the spring grains are sending out their tillers and 

 corn planting ia the order of the day. Since the 20th of 

 April the corn farmer has been busy dropping the seed. 

 Away further north the blossoms of the apple are just burst- 

 ing forth, and the tiny leaves of the forest are putting forth 

 their verdure, but May will be far gone before the deep shades 

 of the waving leaf, full grown, shall proclaim the reign of 

 summer. Hut all these changes fail to thrill the heart of the 

 Editor as of old; labor to him is a task, and it is with an 

 effort that he is enabled to keep out of doors to enjoy this 

 change of the season, this llirowing off the mantle of russet 

 winter and assuming the garb of full robed spring, crowned 

 with its vernal flora. Now that the busy season of the nur- 

 seryman is over, and the soft 7ei)hyr9 of the south-west come 

 to kiss the cheek of tlie laborer and the invalid, we shall hope 

 soon to recover our wonted tone and fill tlic pages of the 



Farmkr with practical matter, fresh from the farm, the 

 orchard and the garden ; we nni^t tlierefore crave the indul- 

 gence of our readers for any short coming this month, and 



can but hope to make full amends when health resumes htr 

 sway. 



Leb County Aghicui.tuhal Societv. — The farmers of Lee 

 county are a live set of men, and know just how to manage 

 their own affairs. A few days since they held a spring fair for 

 the sale or exch.angc of all grades of stock, horses, mechani- 

 cal and agricultural implements — an open mart for the 

 selling, buying or exchanging anything offered, as well as for 

 a general display of all stock horses and stock cattle— thus 

 giving the farming community a rare opportunity of judging 

 for themselves. This is a feature of our agricultural shows, 

 well entitled to our consideration, and we hope to see the 

 plan generally adopted by all our county societies. We hear 

 the sales were large and the whole thing passed off to the sat- 

 isfaction of all. Much credit is due to Mr. VunKpps, the 

 President, and to J. T. Little, the Secretary, for the success 

 of this new enterprise. The arguments in favor of these 

 spring fairs are bo well laid that we transfer them from tlicir 

 hand bill to our cohunn.o: 



"1 . ^fol•e yaliK irill be effecUd. — .\ farmer hns something 

 to sell, which some one el<e wishes to buy, but without a fair 

 it will only be Ijy accident that they liud each other. Hut 

 let every one who wislies to be a seller, and all who wish to 

 purchase, meet face to face, and both cl2sses may be accom- 

 modated. The seller will not be compelled to sell to disad- 

 vantage, l>ecause he knows of but ii sinjile man who will buy, 

 nor will the buyers bo compelied t'> give more than the worth 

 of an article, under the inii)rcssiou tliat there are no others in 

 market. 



2. A ffiir narex travel. — The sellers need not set out on 

 a wild goose cha.se to find a purchaser, neither need the buyer 

 travel hither and thither to find what he wants. A conven- 

 ient time and central place being agreed on and publicly an- 

 nounced, a comparatively short journey wlil bring buyers 

 and sellers together, and much fruitless journeying about be 

 avoided. 



3. Time is fared in hnrgnining.—M fairs, men do not sit 

 on fences and whittle for half a day. There is no time to 

 lose, if one custoruer will not buy, the seller must look out for 

 another ; or if a buyer cannot obtain this animal at a price 

 which suits him, he must try that before some one else h.is 

 purchased it. All this favors dispateh in the mode of doing 

 l)usine3s. Wliy may not a farmer learn to make a bargain us 

 promptl.v a? a niercliant in a store? 



4. A fair yiren oppoHuniti/ for seleciiov. — The man 

 who wishes to purchase a brood mare or a working horse, or 

 a cow, i>robably has in his mind an idea of the animal he 

 wants, l)ut in his neighborhood or within the range of Iiis ac- 

 quaintance, he knows tf no such animal. At a fair, there 

 will probably be many animals belonging to the same class, 

 and some amoHK them may be precisely wliat he wislies; at 

 any rate, the fair gives him a better chance than lie would 

 otherwise have. 



6. A fairNeeurex greater nnifontiittj of price. — Honest 

 men do not always know the market value of the articles 

 they have to sell. Some would expect too much, others would 

 be satisfied w.th le?s than the real worth. Justice and a fair 

 dealing will l)e i)romoted by giving to all, both sellers and 

 buyers, the bcneiit of comparing articles and prices, and the 

 price demanded, witli actual sales. 



In the spring of the year, team horses, working oxen, milk- 

 ing cows, fat cattle and sheep, young cattle and .swine, are 

 often needed l)y tlK^se who had not conveniences for winter- 

 ing them. Such iinimalg may be brought to a fair, and all 

 the pun bases needed for the accommodations of an extensive 

 region of country may be made in a single day." 



Pawkes' Steam Plow.— This plow is to undergo extensive 

 alterations, and is expected to get up steam about the 15th 

 inst., when it will be tried in prairie breaking on our farm. 

 A new machine is being built in Cinncinati, by Miles Green- 

 wood, under Fawkcs' direction, and will be ready for the field 

 this month. We learn from Mr. F., who paid us a visit last 

 week, that a company of capitalists have united with him with 

 the view to perfect the machine, and he hopes to have it 



ready for the farmers during the year. Thus it will be seen 

 that we were not wide of the mark when we dared to eaj- that 

 it wa.^ no great advance over the one exhibited at Decatur. 

 We hope that it will be made a success, for if it can be, it will 

 add materially to the value of prairie lands. Before another 

 issue we shall hope to have lometlilng more definite for our 

 readcrg on this point. 



The Garden. — If not already done, the garden should be 

 planted. Put in plenty of the various kinds of seed that you 

 will require for summer and winter vegetables. The ground 



should bejdowed deep, to bury the weed seeds and to insure 

 a good growth. A steel rake Is of great valtii in preparing 

 the gi-ound, to pulverize the surface. Beans, corn, squashes, 

 cucumbers, beets, carrots, parsnips, tomatoes, onious, peat; 

 for late cropi , Lima beans, cabbage, etc. 



Tns OncnARD. — Those who have neglected to prune until 

 now, should attend to it at once, before the leaves have at- 

 tained full size, the sap has ceased to flow and the wounds 

 will soon heal over, unless too large ; in such cases grafting 

 wax or white lead in oil should Ije applied to the wound. 

 Orchard trees are too much neglected when young, the heads 

 are left too thick, and as they grow large, the branches begin 

 to crowd each other and must be cut out. This should have 



been .ivoided by cutting out when small, and there then would 



havp been no ugly wounds to heal over or spoil the tree by 

 making a rotten spot in after years. A stitch in time, Is o' 

 value in tlie orchard. 



Prince & Go's Melodeons. — We hope our farmers will give 

 their boys a little recreation in the long summer days — a 

 little chance, to learn whether their fingers are all thumbs or 

 not. We would suggest that for this purpose there is nothing 

 better than one of these splendid Melodeons. Give them a 

 trial good friends, and our word for it, the boys will fully ap- 

 preciate their value. Kcmember that it was all work and no 

 play that made Jac7.- a dull hoi/; and on the other hand, all 

 play and no work male him a mere toy. Be wise then, ye 

 good fathers and do justice, do not make your boys planta- 

 tion slaves, but give them a chance of a little rational enjoy- 

 ment, and for this purpose what better than music? 



Linr.TXixG Rod?, Prurp, Safes, etc.— Beard & Bro. are 

 dealers in and manufacturers of lightning rods and pumps of 

 all descriptions, which they will be pleased to furnish all who 

 may need, on the most reasonable terms. Purchasing direct 

 from the manufacturer, will be to the interest of all who de- 

 sire to avail themselves of the lowest prices, and the long ex- 

 periences of the manufacturers. All orders by mail will bo 

 promptly attended to and any infonnatinn^iiertainiDg thereto 

 given by them with pleasure. Address Beard &. Bro., No. 29 

 North Main Street, St. Louis, Missouri. 



P. S. — Also manufacturers of the Excelsior Fire and Bur- 

 glar Proof Sates; and Scales, all descriptions, which are fur- 

 nished on the most reasonable terms, and guaranteed equal to 

 any in the United States. Address as above. 



Slate Roofing, Ktc— The attention of our readers is in- 

 vited to the card of Henry Folsom & Co., St. Louis, agents for 

 the sale of the best slates, for roofing and other purposes. It 

 will be found on page 63. 



Grafting CiiEnRiES. — We are now, April 24th, grafting 

 cherries. Some that we set two weeks since are now pushing 

 their leaves. Unfortunately our cions have been started and 

 the bads are swelled ready to burst, and in some cases have 

 done so, and the cion rejected. We shall therefore prove that 

 e.if ly grafting the cherry is not the only successful time to do so. 



The Slocks are nearly in full leaf, and many of the trees in 

 Ijlooni ; what say you old fogy book-farmers, are there not 

 some things yet to be tested that have long been covered up in 

 the old beaten track? 



Western Land Office. — Those who have lands to buy or 

 sell in the central part of the State should not forget to ob - 

 serve the card of T. S. Mather. If you live at a distance 

 from j-our lands, he can pay your taxes cheaper than you 

 can, for his arrangements arc such that small sums can be re- 

 mitted by him to county collectors cheaply. 



Lightning Rons. — The season for puttingup lightning rods 

 is at hand. Our readers should consult the card of Messrs. 

 E. P. Marsh & Co. There is no question as to the super- 

 iority of copper over iron rods. No farmer can afford to 

 leave his barn unprotected. The column of heated air that 

 arises from a barn filled with hay, foruis a most perfect con- 

 ductor, and without a rod to carry the fluid safely to the 

 earth, sure destruction follows. This accounts for the large 

 number of barns, over other buildings, destroyed by this 



mysterious agent of the skies. The first cost of a copper rod 

 is more than an iron one, tmt when we take into account its 

 greater security and durability, it doubtless will prove in the 

 nd to be much the cheapest. 



