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120 



THE ILLINOIS FAEMEE. 



April 



Wheat Growing Countries. — The New York 

 Tribune publishes an interesting article upon the 

 subject of the culture of wheat, and which con- 

 tains some very valuable information. 



It is an error to suppose that ours is the great- 

 est wheat producing country. We do our full 

 share, without doubt, but our system of agricul- 

 ture is steadily exhausting our best lends, and in 

 a few years a diminution of the yield will be ap- 

 parent in our census returns. 



Last year's crop is assumed to be 180,000,000 



bushels, but the average is probably only 120,- 



000,000. The average yield of other countries is 



as follows: 



France, 191,422.248 



Britain, 145,300,000 



Two Sicilies, 64,00i',000 



Canada, 60,470,134 



Spain 46,914,800 



Austria, 27,735,568 



Sardinia, 19,975,000 



Russia, ex. only, 18.921,776 



Belgium 13,350,000 



Portugal, 5,500,000 



Turkey, ex. only, 4,629,000 



Holland, 3,000,000 



Denmark, 3,000,000 



Sweden and Norway, 1,200,000 



Here is an annual production of over 606,000,- 

 000 bushels. If the crops of this continent are 

 included, the total may be safely assumed to be 

 900,000,000, as the unascertained product of Rus- 

 sia ajd Turkey must be very large. No better 

 evidence of the primary value df the wheat plant 

 to the human family could be given than such an 

 exhibition as this. It proves that where the high- 

 est civilization has been attained, there the great- 

 est production is realized. 



-•••- 



It mat, then, be safely asserted, taking the 

 deficiency in the yield per acre in tho produce of 

 flour per quarter, and in the loss from the weather 

 and the protracted harvest, that the wheat crop 

 will prove to be one-third at least less than an 

 average, or five to sis million quarters deficient. 

 This, with an annual consumption of nearly five 

 million quarters beyond the native produce, will 

 render necessary an importation of ten million 

 quarters between the harvests. Such was the 

 deficiency as estimated in the Mark Lane Express 

 on the eve of harvest, a result, however, deplor- 

 able, that has fully justified cur calculations — 

 supported, as these were at the time, by so few 

 of our cotemporaries.^^z. 



Eightly millions of bushels of wheat wanted 

 to supply the deficiency of England, one-half, 

 the annual short coming, and the other half 

 from a short crop. With this fact staring us in 

 the face, need we be alarmed as to our surplus — 

 it will be wanted there ; take the best possible 

 care of it. 



Number of Trees to the acre. 



At 4 feet apart each way, 2,729 



" 5 " " " 1,742 



" 6 " " " 1,200 



« 8 " " " 680 



" 10 " " " 430 



" 12 " " " 325 



" 15 " " " 200 



" 18 " " " 1.35 



" 20 " " " 110 



"25 " " " 70 



" 30 " " " 50 



" 4 by 6 feet, 1,815 



This last is a good distan?,e for gooseberries, 

 currants, grapes and raspberries, and the distance 

 that we are setting the above fruits. Our or- 

 chard is set twenty-four feet each way. Dwarf 

 apples and pears will do well at ten feet, and the 

 May cherry at sixteen feet, six acres of which we 

 are now setting. This is rot the May cherry of 

 Downing, which is a Morrello, but a kru'ish of 

 the Early Richmond family, but better adapted 

 to the west, in fact it is of Ohio origin. 



Wool Pbospeots. — All the wool dealers in this 

 city, and indeed in most of the towns east, appear 

 to be of the opinion that, the prices for wool this 

 season are to be low. Yet it should not be for- 

 gotten that the same opinion prevailed among 

 buyers and manufactiirers at this time last spring, 

 while the re-^ult did not confirm the opinion. 

 Wool sold at a good and fair pi ice all last season, 

 and every one who speculated in it for a rise. 

 made money. — Chicago Democrat. 



Farmers near our large towns are beginning to 

 turn their attention to both mutton and wool, 

 with good prospects of profit, and were it no; for 

 the great number of worthless curs, wool grow- 

 ing would soon become a leading feature in the 

 country, every farmer could then keep a small 

 flock, and not only find a profit in the wool, but 

 an economical and healthy food for his family. 



Rat Terriers. — Mr. A. J. Honford, of Wau- 

 kesha Wis., has a supply of rat terriers, of the 

 best bred English stock, black and tan. His ad- 

 vertisement should have appeared in the January 

 No. but somehow between us and the printers it 

 became mislaid, and we therefore make the an- 

 nouncement at this late day. We have one of 

 these puppies and find it one of the most active, 

 busy little animals that we have seen. No soon- 

 er does a rabbit make his appearance about our 

 nursery than he is nabbed up. Rabbits, rats, 

 squirrels and cats have to keep outside of our 

 premises. We could not well keep house vithout 

 our ratters. Persons ordering from Mr. H., will 

 raise no common curs we can assure them. 



