THE ILLINOIS FA-RIVJIEI^. 



155 



EDITOR'S TABLE. 



The September sun, mellowed by the approaching autumn, 

 is sinking into the west and we again taice a seat at the fire- 

 side of the readers of theFARMEB- The. burthen of our con- 

 verse Is the abundant crops, — the better times and the plans 

 for ImproTement — a fence here, a building there, and shade 

 trees along yonder border ; the small fruits that we are to 

 plant when spring shall again send the sun up the southern 

 sky ; the orchards that we shall set before winter shall lay an 

 embargo on the earth ; the housing of the potatoes and other 

 vegetables ; husking of the corn that has made such wonder- 

 ful returns ; the fall plowing of the stubble for the coming 

 season and the general garnering of the products of the sum- 

 mer, all these are topics of desp interest, which we may dis- 

 cuss with pleasure and profit. 



A Fbofosed Excursion. — It has been suggested that an 

 excursion to some prominent farmer, one who takes an active 

 part in our State agricultural and horticultural societies, 

 whose farming and orcharding is on paper, and whose gjounds 

 are filled with weeds, and orchard with dead and decaying 

 branches and brush, simply to show the difference between 

 preaching and practice, would be of vast vtility, so that if we 

 eannot 



" see our oursels as others see us," 

 that we can be seen and our bad practice laid open to the in- 

 spection of oar friends. This will have a tendency to bring 

 our practice to correspond to our preaching. In a conversa- 

 tion a few days since with Superintendent Arthur, of the Illi- 

 nois Central, he proposed to give four hundred free passes 

 for an excursiou of inspection to the grounds of a certain 

 prominent agriculturist on the line of his roM. We are for 

 the trip, what gay the readers ef the Farmer ? The name of 

 this lucky man, who is to be ,tbe recipient of this favor, we 

 will withhold for the present, as the visit must to him be a 

 surprise. If the excursion is determined on, due notice will 

 be given in the Farmer. Any fanner who thinks he is the man 

 can clear up hisgroiuids at once, and thus escape suspicipn. 

 Who is he? 



all of the right sort. Why has this society been so success- 

 full ? Is it because it is located in the valley of the Rock 

 river ? ' Not altogether that, but it is, that the managers have 

 deyoted themselves to the task of making it so. We mention 

 this to arouse the attention of our counties who have equal 

 advantages. The receipts of this society last year waa 

 $3,600, much more than paying all expenses. 



The Raspberbt. — We are indebted to Dr. Garst, late of 

 Dayton, Ohio, for many valuable hints in relation to the cul- 

 ture of this valuable fruit. The Dr. has been very successful 

 In growing fine crops of the small fruits. 



Fair at Dixon. — The Lee county fair, at Dtxon, ts Bet for 



October 1st to Olh. The premiuui list is the largest of tuny 

 in the State, containing cash premiums of $2,000 in the regu- 

 lar list, and some f500 in discretionary and miscellaneous 

 departments. On Thursday, the 4th, the Hon. 0. B. Denio 

 Is to deliver an address. The farmers may expect a rich treat 

 on this occasion, a straight forward and practical address. 

 Mr.D. is one of the sons of toil, and with his own right arm 

 will carve his name in the liistory of the West. With a na- 

 tive eloquence and persevering industry he has done much 

 toward raising the standard of labor and to make it dignified. 

 We like these self made men, who have won their way step by 

 step with their own uaaided powers, such men have always, 

 and will continue to sway the dastines of the people ; ever 

 active and ever vigilent, they are ready to do or die. Their 

 muscles have been inured to labor and they have the ability 

 to lead. Mr. D. is one of the great advocates of raising the 

 grade of our common schools so as to give the mass of the 

 people in the rural districts the same advantages that the 

 common schools now give to the cities and villages. Not in 

 the same department of learning, for that is not necessary, 

 but in those branches pertaining to their calling. It is of this 

 class of men that our agricultural societies should select their 

 speakers. We want no divines, no lawyers, no merchants 

 with a smattering of green fields to teach us the poetry of 

 farming. We want plain, practical lessons in our calling, 

 men whose brows have yielded to the sweat of labor under the 

 glowing heats of the summer sun ; men, who if they have left 

 the farm for the forum, green fields for the sacred desk, shady 

 lawns for the bar, have been imbued with the love of nature, 

 have become strong through honest toil and who look back to 

 their count rjr home with a just pride, and whose most ardeat 

 wish is to spend their last years in the quiet retreat of a sub- 

 urban home. Such men, with their eloquence, with their ex- 

 tended observation, their close logical reasoning, can be em- 

 inently useful on these gala days of the farmer. 



The Lee county society has been eminently successful. Its 

 managers have put their hands to the plow without looking 

 back. The President, W. H. VanEpps, Is one of the Vice 

 Presidents of the State Agricultural Society. His depart- 

 ment is that of " texable fabrics," and all visitors to the State 

 fair will havo observed the excellent management of his 

 charge. We mention this to show that the Dixon Fair is in 

 most competent bands. Mr. J. T. Little is one of the very 

 best Corresponding Secretaires in the State ; Mr. Chas. V. 

 menny. Recording Secretary ; Henry T. Noble, Treasurer, 



Champaign Countt Fair is io be held near the cities of 

 Champaign and Urbana, about one mile from the depot, 

 17th to 21st September. Wm. Park, President, and 

 Wm. B. Weber, Secretary. This society will pay their 

 premiums in cash. Their experience in mlver-ware 

 has not been one of the most pleasant episodes in the 



history of county fairs. Champaign always makes a super- 

 ior show of cattle, horses and mules. If the society would 

 extend their list, we think they would be second to none in 

 the State, but it will require over $31 to draw out a good 

 show of textile fabrics, or $26 for farm products, $7 for fruits, 

 $10 for flowers or $18 for dairy products. When we com- 

 pare these with $70 for needle and ornamental work, 

 we are led to think that the oscfullness of the society might 

 be enlarged. 



SuGAB Mills. — We hear inquires for sugar cane mills, for 

 one and two horses. Who has them for sale, and at what 

 price? 



Raspberry Jam. — The Lake Superior region, and the is- 

 lands about the " Soo " and the Straits of Mackinac, are cov- 

 ered with thousands of acres of raspberry bushes just now be- 

 ginning to turn up their luscious, flavorous red berries to the 

 tardy wooing of the sun. And for miny seasons past the 

 residents thereaway have -'appreciated their advantages" 

 and made "jam." They make it by tont. Think of that ye 

 who linger so lovingly over a teaspoenful of the article — tons 

 of it. Svhite settlers and Ked Injuns all are "jamming" at 

 this season, and for some weeks to come, and the product of 

 the harvest will find much of its way thitherward. One 

 single establishment here, that of Samuel Faulkner, No. 22 

 State street, will sell from two to three tons of delicious rasp- 

 berry jam this season, the entire product of one maker, and 

 he the most celebrated of ail, Mr. Church, of Sugar Island. 

 Most of our readers have eaten jam, but we think they will be 

 astonished at this exhibit of the amount bf the article brought 

 to this city in a single season. The quality varies, of course, 

 for Mr. Indian is not the neatest of cooks, but Mr. Church 

 and the very few of his stamp, vie wilh any city confectioner 

 in skill and care. That is how and whence jam comes. — 

 Chicago Press and Tribune. 



Mr. 0. Taylor, of Freeport, sent as last fall a dozen plants 

 of the Lake Superior raspberry. They have grown very 

 finely, and though cut back to two or three eyes the young 

 shoots have shown good specimens of fruit. They do not 

 showmuch disposition to thrown up suckers, like the Fran- 



conia and Allen, and ■we hope that further trial will prove 

 Kattsraciury. The raspberry should rooaiva mora utteoUon, I 

 for it is one of the most valuable of the small fruits. 



Edoab CotiKTT Fair.— Through the politfeness of Dr. Kile, 

 we are in receipt of the premium list of that society which 

 holds Its Fair from the 4th to the 7th of September. This 

 will be one of the biff County Fairs. Edgar is one of the old- 

 est and richest counties in the State, and with such a man as 



S. H. Elliot for President, and G. W. Reaves for Secretary, 

 to say nothing of Dr. Kile and others, wheel horses ef Agri- 

 cultural progress, they will have nothing like fail about it. 



DcNLAP's NuRSEBT. — The catalogue of this nursery is now 

 ready for delivery. Address M. L. Dunlap, Champaign, Illi- 

 nois. The trees in this nursery are so grown that when prop- 

 erly set on the prairie they require no staking up. 



Warder on Hedges and Evebgbeenb. — This valuable 

 work can be had at most of our bookstores, and should be in 

 the hands of all our farmers. Its cost is but a dollar, and to 

 the tree planter is worth ten times the cost. The author is 

 now engaged in preparing a work on Western Pomology* 

 which we may look for early in winter. He is horticultural 

 editor of the GtTtcinnaitus, a valuable monthly published in 

 Cincinnati, Ohio. 



Indiana Fabmeb. — This is one of the most readable of our 

 exchanges, containing a large amount of original matter, 

 especially on the subject of soils. We are glad to hear that 

 it is being well sustmned by our Hoosier neighbors. 



Rock Island Countt Fair — Is to be held at Rock Island, 

 September 19th, 20th and 21st. We have the pleasure of ac- 

 knowledging the receipt of a complimentary from the Secre" 

 tary. D. F. Kinney. We fear that our other duties will pre- 

 vent our attending many of our county fairs this fall. 



Ackowledgkmbnt. — The junior members of our family 

 were regaled with a bushel of summer pearmains from the 

 orchard of Mr. Arms, near Attica, (Aug. 6th) They were 

 full of mellow richness, just in the prime for eating, melting, 

 rich and rosy. We think they are Sops of Wine, or Wliiams 

 Favorite. It is five or six years since we have seen this lat- 

 ter fruit, but we think we cannot be mistaken in its identity. 

 Mr. Arms has a fine orchard a m le east ot Attica, from which 

 he ha» sent thousands of bushels of apples into northern Illi- 

 nois; his trees ai'6 now loaded. The orchard has been set 



some twenty years, and kept in constant culture, having been 



cropped with corn, potatoes, or oats. Uses his manure when 

 well rotted. 



Bees. — In our visit to Attica and vicinity, we were sur- 

 prised at the absence of bees, we only saw one farmer who 

 had them. Ha complains of the moth; uses the Vermont hive, 

 which is no better than a common box hive ; winters some 

 twenty stands ; kills the bees for the honey when they do not 

 furnish a supply in boxes ; has seven new swarms from twen- 

 ty stands. Of course has not read Langstroth Quimby, or 

 Phelps, and thinks bees not over profitable. 



CATALOGnES.— Geo. Jackman & Son, Waking Nursery, 

 Waking, Surey, England; W. P. Sheppard, Agent, New York- 

 Wholesale list of plants. Nurserymen and others wishing 

 trees and plants from the other ^de of old ocean would do 

 do well to consult this list. 



Lewis Ellsworth & Co., Napiervile, HI., presents to the 

 planting public a large list. 



F. K. Phenix of Bloomington, is out with a fine list of al- 

 most everything wanted, with no small amount of good ad- 

 vice in relation to the biiMness. See his card in another part 

 of the Farmer. 



Political.— Our exchanges we so distressingly filled with 

 politics that we fear they will forget that we have a country 

 that the farmers have crops to gather, that times are improv- 

 ing, that there is some com, and a little more com. Their 

 paragraphs are all headed "great "gathering," "tremendous 

 turn-out of the people." One would suppose from the reading 



that the dear people did nothing but attend these gatherings. 

 We do not recollect any allusions to the County Fairs, and but 

 few to our State Fair. 



Are they all to be swallowed up In the race for office ? We 

 will assure our readers that, let who will be elected, the price 

 of produce will not be essentially changed, that cotton, su- 

 gar, corn and potatoes will continue to be planted, that Niag- 

 ara will continue to pour his floods into the abyss, and shake 

 the foundations of his bed with his deep toned thunder. The 

 sun will shine as brightly over the prairie, and commerce will 

 seek Its wonted channels. Let the platform makers and the 

 big guns hurrah themselves hoarse. Let the country press run 

 wild and burst with patriotism, we farmers will attend to our 

 crops, and when November shall gather the cohorts of free la- 

 bor, may we be there to see, for we like to work and like to see 

 the mechanic and the farmer appreciated. 



Blacebebries. — The Egyptian Republic at Centralia says 

 it is estimated that over two hundred bushels of blackberries 

 have been gathered within six miles of th&t clty,rand shipped 

 North, this season. ». ■.-■■.■.■.'•... 



Indiana State Fair. — This is permanently [located at In- 

 dianapolis. The next Fair will be held October 15th to 20th. 

 The premium list has been much enlarged, and reaches $12,- 

 000, being the largest ever offered by that State Board. All 



communlcaUons in reference to the Fair, may be addressed to 

 W. T. Dconis, Sec., *o., Richmond. Ind». .,...;»^._i. .. 



Wisconsin.— The Committee on Farms orfhe8tat«'*ArrcaI- 

 tural Society of Wisconsin, from a careful estimate, set down 

 the wheat crop of t<iat State for the year 1S60, at 22,000,000 of 

 bushels. 



Hogs. — An anxiety Is manifested here to secure the early 

 delivery offat hogs this fall. The first contracts coming un- 

 der our notice were at $5.l2><^net for early November deliv- 

 ery, and now we hear of 8,000 taken for latter November de- 

 livery at $6.00, and also understand that smaller engagements 

 have been made, to enable the drovers to get the hogs secured. 

 This all looks as If pork was to bring a good price this fall, 

 at least in the early part of the season.— Com. Express, Ohi- 



COffO. 



Bkbribs and Hbaltb. — A correspondent of Xi/e ZUustra- 

 ted says of berries : 



I have been trying them for several years, and find that 

 when I can get plenty of them I enjoy better health than at 

 any other time. They keep the bowels open, and relieve the 

 system of all waste matter, and I believe that if they were 

 used freely by all our citizens, we would hear less talk of 

 "bowel complaints," and other summer diseases, and the 

 thousands of humbug preparations for the cure of cositiveness, 

 bowel complaints, &c., would lie on the shelves of the drug 

 stores uncalled for. 



I prepared them for use by puttlng'the berries into an ear- 

 then ware boiler, covering them with water, and then boiling 

 them for half an hour ; and if there is anylliiug better than 

 berries cooked in this way, I have never yet found it. 



Crops In Michigan. — The Michigan Farmer estimates 

 the wheat crop of that State this year at 9,000,000 bushels.- 

 Another authority estimates that of Ulinoii at 26,000,009 

 bushels ; Ohio, 8 >,000,000 ; and Pennsylvania 10,000,000. 



Smut in Sbbd Whbat.— All those who are proposing to 

 sow winter wheat should bear in mind that smutty wheat is 

 not desirable, neither is chess. Both of these are cheaply got 

 rid of. Wash the seed in strong brine and skim off the chess 

 — ^the wheat will sink ; drain off asd add a small amount of 

 slacked lime, and the smut is done for. Some use blue vit- 

 riol ; that is good for the smut. The other is equally so, and 

 at the same time you kill two birds with one stone, but do not 

 let it lay in a pile as it will soon heat and the seed will not 

 grow. If you prefer to try the vitriol (salphete of copper) 

 two pounds will do for ten bushels, dissolved in water and 

 pour in your wheat ; dr«n it off in a basket, and it will soon 

 be dry enough to sow. 



