1861. 



THE ILLINOIS FARMEK. 



53 



The Horticulturist. — This indispensable work 

 is now in the hands of Messrs. C. M. Saxton & 

 E. D. Baker, publishers, New York, who furnieh 

 it as follows: 



One copy one year §2 00 ; four copies one 

 year, .^-S.OO ; the edition with colored plates, one 

 copy one year $5.00; four copies one year, 

 $15.00. Any jerson sending us $2.25, we will 

 send them a copy of the Horticulturist and Illi- 

 nois Farmer, each one year, or for $4.00, will 

 send two of each to any address. The money 

 for this can be sent either to the publishers at 

 Springfield, or to the editor, Champaign. In ma- 

 king this offer, ve do so for the purpose of de- 

 veloping a more correct taste in the establish- 

 ment of our western homes. The edition with 

 colored plates is especially valuable, and should 

 be in the hands of all who can afford the outlay. 

 The plate for January is a painting of the Galu- 

 sha grapo. 



We have all the back volumes of this work, 

 numbering fifteen, not a volume missing, ard we 

 look upon them as the richest part of our library, 

 nor would we part with them for no snaall sum ; 

 in fact they make quite a complete library of 

 rural art and rural taste. In the first number 

 we have the first faint dawning of an improved 

 horticuliure, which advanced from year to year, 

 the history of whose progress is written in its 

 pages as time wore on, and to-day wo find the 

 country occupying a proud position in this re- 

 gard, and the adornment of cur homes among 

 the actual reces.ities, as well as the luxuiies of 

 the age, much of whioh is due to the valuable 

 teachings of this monthly visitor, which, for the 

 last fifteen years has found a warm place at the 

 fireside of all lovers of the beautiful. We hope 

 to see its ciiculaiion widely extended among cur 

 well to do farmers, and assure them that it will 

 prove a friend indeed. 



Bees. — Now is the time to make tuch changes 

 as you intend with the stands of bees. They 

 should be placed where they are to stand. Among 

 our new hives we have had one set in a south- 

 east exposure, under the shade of. a row of peach 

 trees ; it has the benefit of the morning dew un- 

 til about three o'clock. This swarm made twice 

 as much honey as any other young swarm. They 

 were out of the wind, and having the benefit of 

 the morning sun, were out early to work ; and as 

 the hive became cool towards evening, the bees 

 did not leave the hive late, and consequently 

 all returned to the hive at night. We shall place 

 all our stands in a similar position, and about 

 eight feet apart. We have a double row of peach 



trees on the south side of our garden — they are 

 eight feet apart, and under the south row, front- 

 ing the southeast we shall place the hives. Those 

 that are not double we shall protect with a board 

 roof, to set on the boxes to shed off the rain and 

 to keep the hives cool. It will not do to move 

 the hives after tbe bers begin to go out, as when 

 they first go out, they mark the place, and return 

 to it; it is, therefore, important that they be ar- 

 ranged where they are to ttand for the summer. 



Last year we neglected this prec ution with 

 some half dozen hives, and they annoyed us not 

 a little, being directly in the way Now is the 

 jime fo purchase bees and to get them home. 



Stocks that have got thus far through the win- 

 ter, and have a good supply of honey, will be 

 pretty safe. No farmer should be withe ut bees ; 

 they cost but a trifle, and with the Langstroth 

 or Phelps hive are easily handled, and the sur- 

 plus honey can be taken oflF at any time. 



Thoelet's Food for Cattls. — Some one has 

 sent us a handbill setting forth the merits of this 

 quack nostrum. It is quite reasonable to suppose 

 that concentrated cattle food can be gotten up at 

 77 Newgate street, Caledonian Road, King's 

 Cross, London, England, f^bipped across the At- 

 lantic in casks, thence I y rail from New York to 

 the western prairies to make betf and pork, to be 

 in turn stnt back, of course to a large profit to 

 all parties, purchasing this at the agency, 21 

 Broadway, New York, at $14 per cask, containing 

 a measure and suflicient for four hundred and 

 forty-eight feedings or mixing, which to feed 

 with such simples as good hay and corn meal, 

 We commend this new found food to the attention 

 of certain parties in St. Louis who did tbe coun- 

 try such vast service in introducing the Honey 

 Blade grass ; and now intent on another philan- 

 thropic measure in disseminating Japan Wheat ? 

 which produces at the rate of two to three hun- 

 dred bushe's to the acre ! ! ! of course it will do 

 all this, give it enough years Well, great is 

 humbug, great shall be Mr. Thorley, the West 

 shall build a monument to his memory, for her ce- 

 forth we shaU need but a few casks of his "food" 

 to fatten our beef and pork. That a pound of it 

 will make four to six pounds of pork we shall 

 never doubt. As the food belongs to the 

 "quack" line, that is a secret nostrum, we can- 

 not tell exactly how this is to be done, but will 

 take the statement of its friends at par. Will 

 not some cute Yankee beat Mr. Thorley at his 

 own game and fat beef and pork by reading a 

 recipe to the animals. Wonders have not ceas- 

 ed, and we mey look for them daily. We have 



