278 



THE ILLINOIS FAEMER. 



Sept. 



of temperature. Vegetables and vines of all kinds 

 find a place among the trees and along the bor- 

 ders, but as the trees become larger and cast a 

 dense shade, these will become less and less pro- 

 dvictive. The dwarf apples have thus far 

 given the poorest retui-n ; they occupy a large 

 space and show little inclination to fruit. This 

 we have found to be the case on all prairie soils, 

 while on the timber lands they do much better. 

 A few eady bearing, upright growing sorts treat- 

 ed as dwarfs are certainly more profitable in such 

 yards on the prairie soils. We shall expect to 

 see a large number of similar gardens not only 

 in Centralia but in other villages along this road. 

 In fact fruit growing about-Centralia has already 

 become a leading feature, and some of the 

 best orchards in the State are within two 

 miles of the station. Ed. 



Crops in Central Indiana. 



Ed. Fakmer. — Seeing no correspondence in 

 regard to crops from this section, I send you a 

 few observations for the benefit of your readers. 



WINTER WHEAT. 



Of this crop an uncommon breadth was sown 

 last fall. >[uch of it was hurried in oa the "dive 

 and scoop " principle, unclean seed, shallow 

 plowing, and all the other ills which belong to 

 the cut and cover system being used putting it 

 in. In the spring many of our wheat growers 

 found themselves chess growers, and could ac- 

 count for the unexpected crop in no other way 

 than tram-mutation. Leaving this question for 

 the eld fogies, we find many fields were badly 

 winter-killed, while others were as badly chessed, 

 some of it so much so that it was left uncut 

 We have made inquiries of those engaged in 

 thresliing, who estimate the yield as far below 

 the average per acre. jNIost of this loss belongs 

 to and will, of course, fall on those who still use 

 the old pioneer system of putting in seed, whi'e 

 those who drilled in their seed make very little 

 complaint about the crop. 



CORN. 



There is much less planted than usual, and 

 •will not yield as much per acre as last year. 

 This is attributed to short tillage and a dry sea- 

 son, making short ears. How the benefit of the 

 late fine showers may effect these estimates we 

 cannot say as yet. We think the crop will come 

 nearer to an average than many of our farmers 

 now admit. 



OATS AND HAT 



Are both good, in quality and yield, and have 

 been put in barn and stack in good condition. 



There are but few Oats raised in this part of the 

 State, Corn being used almost entirely for feed. 



FRUIT. 



Here we notice a large falling off from tho 

 usual average — say, nearly half below. Most of 

 the summer apples were cut off by the frost of 

 May 2d, so that we find but few in market. Late 

 varieties did not suffer quite as bad, but will fall 

 far short. Peaches are few, mostly seedlings at 

 that; so we are compelled, if we want anything 

 else, to seek them abroad at high prices. There 

 is considerable interest taken in purchasing good 

 varieties of the apple tree, but with most of our 

 farmers a peach is nothing, more nor less than a 

 peach. Many of them, seemingly, are unaware 

 of the many excellent varieties to be had nearly 

 as cheap as the seeding. 



If more good agricultural papers could find a 

 place at the firesides of our farmers in this part 

 of our fertile State, we think much greater pro- 

 gress would be cade, and many comforts be 

 added to the farm-house, of which their dreams 

 have not yi-t darrd to unfold. 



Attica, Ind., Axig 17, 1861. W, ru>:LAP. 



President's Whitewash. 



A correspondent of the Rural New Yorker 

 gives a recipe for what he is pleased to call the 

 Pi'esident's whitewash : 



Take a half bushel of rice unslaked lime ; 

 slack it with boiling water, covering it during 

 the process to keep in the steam. Strain the li- 

 quor through a small seive or strainer, and add 

 to it a peck of clean salt — previously well dis- 

 solved in warm water — three pounds of ground 

 rice mixed to a thin paste and stirred in boiling 

 hot ; half a pound of powdered Spanish whiting, 

 and one pound of clean glue, which has been 

 pr'^viously dissolved by first soaking it well, and 

 then hanging it over a slow fire in a small kettle 

 within a larger one filled with water. Add five 

 gallons of hot water to the whole mixture, stir it 

 well and let it stwnd a few days, covered from 

 the dust. It should 1 e put on quite hot ; for 

 this purpose it can be kept in a kettle on a port- 

 able furnace. It is said that about o e pint of 

 this mixture will cover a square yard upon the 

 outside of a house if propeily applied. Brushes 

 more or less fine may be used, according to the 

 neatness of the job. It retains its brilliance for 

 many years. Coloring matter may be used. — 

 Spanish brown stirred in, will make a red or 

 pink, more or less deep, according to the quan- 

 tity. Lampblack in moderate quantities makes 

 a slate color, very suitable for the outside of 

 buildings. Yellow ochre, stirred in, makes a 

 yellow wa^h ; but chrome goes further, and 

 makes a better color. Green must not be mxed 

 with the lime, the lime destroys the color, and 

 makes the whitewash crack and peal off. Where 

 the walls are badly smoked, and you wish to 

 have a clear white, it is well to squeeze in indigo 

 and stir into the whole mixture. 



