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THE ILLINOIS FAKMER. 



June 



The Oregon Fakmer. — This is a valuable semi- 

 moDthly, published at Portland, Oregon. It 

 proves that Oregon is not an exception to all 

 newly settled countries in the way of wants and 

 trials, to those carving out new homes. It ap- 

 pears that one of the most pressing wants is ma- 

 terial for farmers' wives, as thousands of bache- 

 lor farmers have their own housekeeping to do. 

 It must be funny to see them making their own 

 butter, frying slap-jacks, washing dishes, and 

 sewing on buttons, with nary bright eye to smile 

 on them. Alas! poor unfortunate bachelor farm- 

 ers of far off Oregon, without the pale of wo- 

 man's smiles — no wonder that you complain of 

 hard times and the want of society. Will not 

 some benevolent person send out a ship load of in- 

 dustrious young ladies to cheer up the desponding 

 spirits of our distant cis-Rocky Mountain farming 

 friends. A young lady at our elbow says she is 

 ready to go in the van of this daring enterprise, 

 and will take up arms where valor leads, and love 

 will follow. 



Frost and Fruit. — Up to Thursday morning 

 of last week there never was a fairer prospect 

 for fruit, of all kinds, than we were enjoying in 

 this locality, but in one night the destroyer came 

 — the fret ze of Wednesday night made the bloom 

 on the trees bite the dust ; and to-day it is doubt- 

 ed if there is any evidence left that this fair 

 prospect had an existence. In regard to the mat- 

 ter we Lave made many enquiries, of many dif- 

 ferent persons, and the answers were as varied as 

 the enquiries were frequent. With one the crop 

 was destroyed entirely; with another, the de- 

 struction was partial ; another, that bis apples 

 were not injured, but that all other kinds were 

 kestroyed. So it goes. While we believe that 

 the prospect for fruit, generally, is injured, and 

 may be in some localities entirely destroyed, and 

 that every man may be honest in his convictions 

 in regard thereto, we believe that there will be 

 apples and cherries in sufficiency for home use, 

 if not hereafter destroyed. The peach and pear 

 we believe to be wholly destroyed ; of the ber- 

 ries we have no knowledge. _ Let us be satisfied, 

 whatever the result may be. — Ledger, Attica, 

 Ind., May 9 th. 



We hope the above is the worst side of the pic- 

 ture. The vicinity of Attica is one of the best 

 for fruit, though they have been unfortunate in 

 the peach crop for several years. 



f> 



Commerce of Chicago. — We have received, 

 through the politeness of Messrs. Hammill & 

 Reynolds, commission merchants, No. 161 Kin- 

 zic street, Chicago, the third annual statement 

 of the trade and commerce of Chicago, for the 

 year ending 1860, reported by the Board of 

 Trade of that city. It contains one hundred and 



four pages of closely printed matter, and gives 

 ample evidence of the industry of the Secretary, 

 Mr. Seth Catlin. The capacity of the grain 

 warehouses is set down at 5,475,000 bushels 

 storage ; can receive and ship 675,000 bushels a 

 day, and ship alone 1,835,000 bushels. 



For the first seven months, that is to August 

 1st, there was received of wheat 2,360,728 bush- 

 els of the crop of 1859, and for the next five 

 months to January 1st, 1861, of the crop of 1860, 

 12,066,364 buBhels. The crop of 1859 is estima- 

 ted at 8,955,607 bushels, as received at Chicago, 

 showing that it was vastly below that of the crop 

 of 1860. On the whole it is a highly interesting 

 document, as showing the prosperity of the 

 country. Copies can be had of members of the 

 Board of Trade, or of the Secretary. We shall 

 have occasion for the use of these valuable tables 

 from tim&to time. 



Valedictory. — With but a brief interval of 

 absence, I have been connected with the Prairie 

 Farmer since the fall of 1855. With the present 

 issue my connection with it ceases. Circum- 

 stances over which I have no control compel this 

 step. It is neither necessary nor my duty to ex- 

 plain those circumstances. It is proper, how- 

 ever, to say that my relations to the readers of 

 the Prairie Farmer have been simply those of an 

 editor, not publisher, as some have supposed. I 

 have had no pecuniary interest in the paper. 



This step is unpremeditated, and as unexpected 

 by me as by the reader. I trust, however, this 

 change will not necessarily affect any public in- 

 terest with which I am or have been identified, 

 and in connection with which I am or have been 

 identiffed, and in connection with which I have 

 been entered into obligations of hospitality, I 

 have no doubt snch obligations will be discharged 

 cheerfully by Chicago without my presence or 

 effort. 



It is due the publishers of this paper to say 

 that my relations to them have been of the most 

 satisfactory and cordial character. 



I must say further that no one could have la- 

 bored more zealously, or used their means more 

 liberally and self-facrificingly, than they have to 

 make the Prairie Farmer worthy of the confidence 

 of Western agriculturists. They deserve suc- 

 cess ; and the continued effort of the friends of 

 the paper should be given to sustain it. 



It is not a pleasant duty to say farewell. I 

 have no words to express my thanks for the acts 

 of courtesy and words of kindness I have receiv- 

 ed from the friends of the paper. I can only 

 pledge my grateful remembrance. I go with a 

 clear conscience. I have labored to discharge 

 my duty to the best of my ability. Whatever 

 errors I may have committed have not been wil- 

 ful errors. I have no doubt the charity which 

 covereth a multitude of sins has been properly 

 exercised to cover them. I trust so. 



With the best wishes for the prosperity and 

 happiness of the readers of the Prairie Farmer, 



