54 



THE ILLINOIS FAKMEE. 



Feb. 



seen a great many wonders in our day ; ■wmJer- 

 fu] seeds and wonderful implements. 



But a few years since the world was to be fed 

 with the Chinese Yam, alius Dioscoria Battatas, 

 and twenty years ago every American was to 

 wear si'k Cotton, flax, and wool were to be 

 kept as samples of a past barbarous age, but the 

 age of Multicaulus is past and the world wags 

 on, Rgape for new wonders. 



State Geological Survey — We learn that 

 there is some pr spect of the publication of the 

 very able report of the State Geologist, Prof. A. 

 n. AVorthen. We have taken the time to look 

 over a part of the manuscript of these reports 

 and ktow that they wi4l prove valuable to the 

 firmer. Of coure they do not embrace every 

 thing in regard to our soil, but they make an 

 at)le beginning. We had almost conc'.uded that 

 the Legislature was composed chiefly of bogus 

 farmers, or fhe thing would have been attendtd 

 to the last session. When the Legislature is 

 composed of a majority of farmers one would 

 8'jppose that the interest of this class would not 

 be overlioked, but it is too oftfn the case that 

 our farmers, when holding that pos.tion, tiiher 

 turn politician or are led by the nose. 'J he pres- 

 ent memb_rs seem to be more out of the hading 

 strings than former ones, and we shall, in con- 

 sequence, look forward to some more tang.ble re- 

 sults. 



Pettifogging lawyers and political farmers 

 make poor Legislators. They are too needy or 

 too ignorant to be of any use to the industrial 

 classes. The masses of the people are becoming 

 too well educated to put up with this class of 

 men much longer, mere demagogues, too lazy to 

 work and without sufficient energy to steal, 

 they are foremost in kicking up a row in hopes 

 that something may turn up to their adv-mtage. 

 Tney have everything to gain and nothing to 

 lose. 



It is this class of men who are now busy in 

 breaking up social order and producing a state 

 of anarchy. They have foisted themselves into 

 high places, and are intent upon sucking the 

 life blood from the body poLtic. Illinois has 

 commenced clearing the Augean stable of these 

 harpies, and the first fruits of their absence is 

 the attention given to the encouragement of the 

 great interest of the State, Agriculture. 



any time when you can drive on the meadow 

 without tramping before the grass starts will do, 

 Next to the garden the me tdow is most benefit 

 ted by manure. 



-—- 



Top Dbess Your Grass Land — Meadows are 

 greatly benefitted by a top dressing of manure 

 The fall is a good time, perhaps the best, but 



Several Subjects. 



Janua'-y has been mild with occasional touches 

 of frost, but February has done itself fair credit, 

 as the great northern storehouse of cold congeal- 

 ing chemicals were sent to make huge ^^locks of 

 crystal ice to lay at her shrine, that the busy 

 hand of mnn should store away in '-tan"' or "saw 

 dust" for use, when the dog star will place ice 

 cream at a premium. 



Now, when planting shade trees will soon be in 

 order, we shall hear one great ever present 

 theme, rainy weather, deluged towns, bad roads 

 and overflow!' g rivers ; the farmer cannot plant 

 or haul his grain tomirket; and if bis farm im- 

 plements are lying about loose, taking the drip, 

 pings of the murky rain cloud as it passes over, 

 or his team receive the gentle leakage of a board 

 roof stable, as they stand half knee deep in a 

 mixture of hay, mud and manure, his face must 

 have an additional elongation with a deeper 

 shade of blue. But in all thirjgs there is some 

 consolation, and even to this class there is hope 

 of better days. When the rain is pouring down, 

 dumaging his uncovered cribs of corn, unprotec- 

 ted implements and sadly housed teams, let him 

 sit down, slate in hand, and figure up the profit 

 and pleasure of his peculiar style of far^iing ; 

 he may also apply the rule of three to the matter 

 of housing his property, and see if he had not 

 better sell part of his stock to make better sta- 

 bles for the remainder; or have less implements 

 well housed; or less horses with more comforta- 

 ble stalls ; in fact to have a proper proportion of 

 housing for all these things. That great blue 

 arch, srimelimes. studded with stars or hung with . 

 rich drapery of the mjstic clouds, is after all but 

 an unprofitable canopy for a reaper, wagon, or 

 steel clipper, and we much prefer a vulgar roof 

 of good shingles. The bleak winds which 

 "Clear the air, and drive tlie fog away," 

 contain no flattering property, nor will it add to 

 the daily milking in either cheese or cream. It 

 is all well enough in. its way, but give us shelter 

 for our stock from its rough touches, and we will 

 be content with a small number of our horned 

 friends. 



Many of our farmers have too much land> 

 which they overrun with bad culture and dignify 

 it with the name of farming. They expose their 

 stock and implements to the bleak winds, scorch- 



