"m 



274: 



THE ILLWOIS PAEMEE. 



Sept. 



worm in all its stages have been prepared by Dr. 

 Walsh, of Rock Island, for the " Transactions of 

 the State Agricultural Society," and which the 

 Doctor has kindly consented to allow us to use 

 in a future number. They are now in the hands 

 of the State Printer, who is at work on the Trans- 

 actions. Since writing our article in the July 

 num'er we find that the worm has (raveled be- 

 yond the limits then assigned him, as will be seen 

 by the above. We had supposed that the chrysa- 

 lids all batched within a short time of maturity. 

 We have dug up a large number, all of which had 

 hatched out the moth. We have seen the miller 

 in large numbers here the last of June. It is 

 possible that a part only of those i:)laced in boxes 

 in a dry room might not have hatched, while 

 those in the field all hatched. Enough is now 

 known of this destructive insect, to be prepared 

 to arrest his progress in a great measure. As 

 he has become identified for the first time in 

 aearly all his changes, he will be recognized on 

 Lis first appearance and a successful war waged 

 agaiiist him. We had supposed that they always 

 appeared first in the meadow or grass lands, but 

 it, appears they do not, as several persons have 

 assured us that they first appeared in wheat and 

 rye fields distant from the meadows, but the mea- 

 dows are certainly the favorite places. They 

 avoid the prairie grass as well asclover. 



Under the head " Remedy," we would call the 

 especial attention of our farmer boys to the value 

 of preserving specimens of insects for future use 

 and identification of them at a future time. la 

 the insect family there are so many that are so 

 nearly alike, that without a proper specimen it is 

 impossible with persons not experts, to identify 

 them correctly. At the State Fair will be exhib- 

 ited numerous cases of prepared insects, and"we 

 hope our young readers will take a sharp look at 

 them so as to enable them to get up their own 

 specimens. Ed. 



-«©>- 



[For the Illinois Farmer.] 



Talks at the State Fair. 



At the two last State Fairs there has been an 

 evening meeting, puii®£rting to be made up of 

 farmers, and gathere^P^ether for the ostensible 

 purpose of talking farmers' talk ; of enlighten- 

 ing each other on matters pertaining to the far- 

 mer. Now I have a question to ask : what real 

 benefit results from these meetings? The gates 

 a.re all shut and no one admitted except on espe- 

 cial occasions after dark. The farmers have 

 mostly gone home, and we are to have a practical 



meeting of practical farmers, made up of horse 

 jockeys, cattle dealers and their men, implement 

 exhibitors and a class of editors, reporters, nur- 

 serymen and fruit exhibitors. We have paid 

 very close attention to the discussions, having 

 attended nearly every meeting, and yethavefaiU 

 ed to hear anything that I did not before know, 

 but on the contrary have heard the same experi- 

 ence re-told and rehashed, time and again, by 

 the same persons. I have noticed the same 

 speakers on hand, and if a new man comes with 

 any new idea that clashes with their theories, 

 they pitch iaio him and he is completely used up 

 instanter. Wheat growing, wool growing, fruit 

 growing and draining have all been discussed un- 

 til they have all run dry, and now I should like 

 to hear some new questions talked about, or the 

 old ones dropped. We all know how to sow 

 wheat, we know that dogs will kill sheep, we 

 know that some trees will bear fruit, and that 

 others will not, which fact may be ascertained by 

 leaving the selection of your trees to the nur- 

 seryman ; and we know that the farm and garden 

 are benefi.ted by draining, and we know thatthe 

 drains have got to run down hill, or they won't 

 work ; now as everybody knows this what is the 

 use of riding it any longer. H. 



—There is some show of truth in the above, so 

 far as it regards the audience, and yet a large 

 amount of information has been gleaned at these 

 meetings. The meetings should not be held on 

 the Fair grounds, but in some convenient place 

 in the city, ample notice of the time, and place, 

 and subject to be discussed should be given. Our 

 correspondent is in error when he asserts that 

 everybody knows how to grow wheat, wool and 

 trees to the best advantage, for thesesubjectsare 

 far from being exhausted, and we know of no 

 other subjects of more interest to the farmer than 

 these. The wheat crop has become one of vast 

 importance to the State, as its culture is better 

 and better understood ; while the long lusterous 

 wools are taking the place of the fine silky ones, 

 we may consider the propriety of the change.— 

 Orchard culture is yet in its infancy, and notun- 

 til a uniform practice obtains is it time to cease 

 the discussion of the subject. That there are 

 other subjects of as much importance that might 

 profitably occupy the time of the meeting wt 

 have no doubt. Ed. 



-—*- 



^ — There are a great many subjects to be 

 wise and witty upon — and just as naany to be 

 ignorant and foolish about. 



