1861. 



THE ILLmOIS F. 



153 



shrubs are not sufficiently pruned and cut 

 back, not only at the time of planting, but 

 afterwards; this gives a strong growth, so 

 necessary to fine flowers. We would re- 

 commend to our lady readers a pair of prun- 

 ing shears, with which to cut back and prune 

 roses, gooseberries, etc. Nurserymen and 

 orchardists, of course, will supply themselves 

 with at least two pair, one to work with one 

 hand and the other to be worked with both 

 hands, and which will take off" branches an 

 inch or more in diameter with perfect ease. 

 It is a little too late in the day to run your 

 risk in cutting off large branches with a 

 dull jack-kniffe or old saw. It is seldom 

 you will need to cut off larger branches than 

 you can with tho shears, and of course will 

 seldom need the saw. 



[From (he Chicago Tribune.] 

 Improa^emext IX Westebn Business — One of 

 the strongest indicat'ons that the Northwest is 

 getting fairly over the hard times which have so 

 long prevailed, is the fact that the Messrs. Fair- 

 hanks have sold here during nine or ten month ^ 

 pRSt, nearly three times as many large railroad, 

 grain and stock tcalen, as ever before in the same 

 period of time. This shows a very gratifying 

 improvement in all branches of business, espe- 

 cially those in which much weighing is required 

 to be done. It is conclusive evidence, also, that 

 Fairbanks' sca-es, which have been steadily 

 growing in public favor for over thirty years, 

 are now, after so long and thorough trial, more 

 highly esteemed than ever before, all through the 

 West. It 



[Written f r Field Not e.] 

 Prunikg Koses. — Cut them back. Don't be 

 afraid! If you have any perpetual Bourbon or 

 Bengal roses, lion't be afraid of the knife, but 

 proceed at once to cut taen? all down to within 

 two buds of the ground. Do the same with any 

 plants of these sorts that you are about planting 

 out. They will make far stronger growth, and 

 flower better during the entire coming season, 

 than if left wiih all the old wood upon them. 

 Moss roses, prairie and other June blooming 

 roses, should only have the weak wood cut away 

 until after they have done bloomiog in June, then 

 they should be cut back to about one foot high, 

 and all the wood of two years old and over en- 

 tirely cut away. F. e. b. 



"James, jusi run and put this bag on the 

 peacock's tail, it's coming on to rain, and the 

 poor dear will get wet, and his beautiful tail will 

 be entirely spoiled." 



For THfi War. — Two of our sons, find all of oar 

 hands except one have enlisted for the war. If 

 they are accepted we shall be left with one hand, 

 wife, and a lot of small boys, to run the farm, 

 nursery, and edit the Farmer. Our health is 

 now measurably restored — we have taken off our 

 coat and intend to wade in. 



Blooming of Fruits. — Apricots, April 1.5th ; 

 carnation cherry and plum, 23d ; June-berry and 

 peach, 25th ; pear, common Morello cherry and 

 Siberian crab, 26th ; May cherry, 27th ; the ap- 

 ple will be out about May 1st. This is on the 

 prairie, in our grounds. Trees under the shel- 

 ter of the grove are some three or four days in 

 advance of this. Our timber butti are yet too 

 small to be of any value in the way of protec- 

 tion. 



-—-■ 



Special Notice. — For terms see prospectus on 

 page 155. All exchanges and communications 

 for the eye of the editor should be directed to 

 Illinois Farmer, Champaign, 111. Electrotypes 

 and business matters, and subscripdons, to the 

 publishers, Springfield, 111. Implements and 

 models for examination should be sent to the edi- 

 tor. The editor will, so far as it can be done 

 personally test and examine all new machines «nd 

 improvements submitted to his inspection. He 

 will be fouTid at home, on his farm, nearly all of 

 ■ he time. So far as it is possible the conductors 

 on the I. C. R. R. will let off passengers at his 

 place, which is directly on the road, three and a 

 half miles south of ihe Urbana station, now the 

 city of Champaign. tf 



STAND AKD 



SCALES 



OF ALL KIXLS. 



FAIRBANKS & GREENLEAF, 



172 LAKE STREET, CHICAGO, 



And corner of MAIN and WALNUT strrets. ST. LOUIS. 

 Si Id in Springfield by 



Buy only the genuine. 



E. B. PEASE. 



iipl-ly 



PLOWS! PLOWS!! 



rpHE GR.'^ND DETOi'R PLOWS AND CDLTIVATOES 

 1, hftva no sup'riors in the West. Th ir deep tillers, 

 br«^fcifig ai d sh vi 1 jdows have ni eqnai. J here is re oih r 

 dfc^^tSr that will threw out .so cl an a furrow and at the 

 sam" lime .soconipleiely pulv. rize 'he soil as our our ^o 4 

 With our Bixtt ei. inch Pralri- Breaker two h' avy horses will 

 break . w,. acres a day. Th s- are sup ; lied with ex' ra shares 

 whwn required For shovel plows Ave cannot bS excelled, and 

 no farm r need use up his team with the old lumbering dirt 

 carriers so often seen in vn. In the cons ruction of our 

 plows w8 use the best of material, both of wood, steel and 

 iron, and we call especial atten'.ioa to our 



CAST STEEL PLOWS AND CULTIVATORS. 



Our work will be found at the foil .'Wing places : 



L. Lancaster, Champaign. 



At the shop, Grand Detour, Ogle county. Ills. 



ANDREWS & BOSWORTH. 



