1862. 



THE ILLINOIS FARMEK. 



57 



a bushel is as cheap as wood at $3.50 per cord. 

 If half our corn be consumed this winter for fuel, 

 the remaining Lalf will be worth next spring 

 more than the whole will otherwise be, and then 

 a winter's expense for fire will be saved. Corn 

 will be low as long as the sudpV exceeds the de- 

 mand, which will be the case for at least eight 

 months to come. If the rebellion should be put 

 down next summer, we should still find but a 

 meagre market for our corn, for the South will 

 raise less cotton and sugar and more cereals. We 

 have more corn than can be used to profit in the 

 ordinary way of trade, and so we must put it to 

 new uses* Some think it almost wicked to burn 

 corn, and at the same time have no hesitation or 

 compunctions of conscience in selling it to be 

 made into whisky. We maintain that as far as 

 morality is concerned the weight of evidence is 

 all on the side of burning it. Again, what's the 

 difiFerence whether we set apart a portion of land 

 to raise corn, or timber, for fuel ? Many old coun- 

 trymen feel about the same in regard to burning 

 wood that we do in burning corn, and we are not 

 sure but they have the best reason for so feeling. 

 Cast aside your groundless scruples, and cram 

 the corn into your stoves If some of our sub- 

 scribers will bring corn in the ear on subscrip- 

 tion, we will give two cents above the market 

 price, and follow the advice we give to others." 



We agree wi'h the Times that it is as proper to 

 burn corn as wood, provided that it cost no more. 

 Fluid that has been so extensively used for light 

 is the product of corn ; certainly no one felt any 

 compunction of conscience in its use, nor would 

 they now if kerosene was not both better and 

 cheaper. As will be seen in anothpr part of the 

 Farmer we do not subscribe to all the views of 

 the Times. 



Something New that is Worth Having. — 

 The new War Map recently published by Asher 

 & Co., Indianapolis, Ind., has just been revised 

 and thoroughly corrected so that now it is not 

 only the most convenient Pocket WaeMap, but 

 the most correct. They advertise for county 

 agents to sell in each county, and offer a good 

 discount. We advise any person in want of a 

 good map te send twenty-five cents by mail and 

 they will receive the worth of their money. Any 

 man with from five to ten dollars capital can 

 make good wages as county agent. Address as 

 above. 



— "If there is anybody under the canister of 

 heaven that I hate in utter excrescence," said 

 Mra. Partington, " it is the slanderer, going 

 about like a boy constructor, circulating his 

 calomel upon honest lolks." 



-••»- 



— Who is the laziest man? The furniture 

 dealer; he keeps chairs and lounges about all 

 the time. 



From the Chicago Tribune.] 



Illinois State Agrieultiiral Society — 

 List of Premiums, etc. 



SraiNGFiELD, Jin. 16, 1862. 



The Treasurer reports on hand $500. This, 

 with the $3,000 due from the State, will make a 

 respectable fund for the beginning of the year. 

 The society's journal, it is supposed, will be self- 

 sustaining. It will be edited by the Correspond- 

 ing Secretary, J. P. Reynolds, Esq., who will 

 make its pages interesting. 



The samples of sorghum sugar and syrup are 

 numerous, and in the main highly creditable; the 

 syrup is probably all that could be expected of 

 the crude article, audit is now generally conced- 

 ed that it is much improved by refining, as is cus- 

 tomary with the Southern article. Most of the 

 samples of sugar aro more or less clammy, and 

 the only sample that has a lively appearance and 

 color similar to fair New Orleans, is from Ohio, 

 made on Cook's evaporator ; yet, like all the sam- 

 ples, it has the vegetable or sorghum taste. The 

 truth is, that no certain mode has yet been dis 

 covered to granulate the syrup, and it is certain 

 that when this end is attained, it must be refined 

 to please the taste of a majority of our people. 



PREMitTMS ON ESSAYS. 



Essay on the Cnltivation of Cotton. — On this 

 subject there were four competitors, one of them 

 a lady. The award was made to C. T. Chase, of 

 Chicago, $10. Subsequently an essay was re- 

 ceived on the adaptation of cotton to the southern 

 half of the State, and its culture, for which a 

 special premium of $10 was awarded. 



Culture of Sugar Cane. — 1st premium, $10 

 awarded to E. F. Newberry, of Montgomery 

 county. 



Preparation of Soils. — Premium of $10 to J. 

 B. Turner, of Jacksonville. 



Draining. — Premium of $10 to H. M, Kidder, 

 of Cook county. 



Orcharding — Premium of $10 to J. T. Little, 

 Dixon. 



Insects Injueious to Vegetation. — Premiums 

 of $25 each to C. Thomas, Jackson county, and 

 Gen. B. D. Walsh, Rock Island. 



Both essays are valuable and will prove of vast 

 benefit to the farmers of the State. The com- 

 mittee were unable to decide which was the best, 

 and cut the gordian knot by awarding a like sum 

 to each of those gentlemen. If our State had 

 paid one tithe of the amount to investigate the 

 living insects that feed on our crops, that they 

 have to those imbedded in the recks, we should 

 have seen some benefits from it. Five thousand 

 dollars a year for the history of dead insects 

 turned to stone, but not a cent to those that come 

 in swarms to disappoint the cultivator. 



premiums on essay for 1862. 



In addition to the list of last year the Board 

 added $10 for essay on Flax Culture; $10 for 

 culture of Tobacco ; for $10 for bes-t essay on 

 culture and manufacture of the Sugar Beet. 



