84 



THE ILLINOIS FAKMER. 



Makch 



The experience and observation of one man is 

 little in solving so complicated a question. Argu- 

 ments drawn from analogy are also inconclusive, 

 except when supported by large and extensive 

 practical tests. The census returns for 1840 and 

 1850 (1860 I have not seen) give the results as to 

 potatoes and the meadow grasses, and they are 

 conclusive so far as these and some other crops 

 are concerned. See De Bow's Compendium, pp. 

 171 and 172, and compare as to crops of hay and 

 potatoes the conveniently arranged states, Con- 

 necticut with Georgia, Maryland with Massachu- 

 setts, Michigan with Mississippi, New York with 

 North Carolina, and Vermont with Virginia. 



These crops, (hay and potatoes) so largely con- 

 sumed in northern states, and costing so lar^e a 

 percentage to transport, would certainly be ex- 

 tensively cultivated there if they could be profit- 

 ably grown. But the returns both of 1840 and 

 1850 show they are not. They have their com- 

 pensations but always in crops of which their 

 region is near the northern limit. Take cotton 

 for example, a perennial in the tropics ; where it 

 would seem that the fortunate children of the 

 sun have only to pick oflf the bolls from the trees 

 and grow rich. Yet their crops cannot compare 

 in quantity and quality, and especially in regu- 

 larity, with that of the gulf sta*es where the 

 cotton is almost every year damaged more or less 

 by the frost. 



The same mny be said of rice and suear cane. 

 Even maize, the vegetable proteus of eastern 

 North America, with its wonderful adaptability 

 to our various climates, (wherever there are a 

 few very hot days,) is an uncertain crop below 

 34 ® , and the best and most regular crops are 

 between 35 and 41 ® . In Europe I never saw 

 even &fair crop of maize, the best being a small 

 patch on the ruins of the palace of the Cessars 

 of Rome, (Nero's golden house.) My letter is 

 already too long to be read, so I will give you 

 only one other instance and quit. I grow figs in 

 my garden in the open air (both purple and yel- 

 low.) I own 8 small trees, and have regular 

 crops of fine, ripe figs, gathering often for 6 

 •weeks from half a gallon to half a bushel a day, 

 with little care or trouble. Some of my neigh-i 

 bors, following my process, do the same. But 

 after repeated trials we have all utterly failed to 

 make the cranbery bush succeed, though planted 

 in similar soil (evidenced by the original forest 

 growth) and in similar situations to where as a 

 surveyor, I have wadei through miles of flourish- 

 ing cranberry swamp, in that part of Ohio which 

 lies north of latitude 41 ® . 



I am satisfied we have not begun to find oat 

 the capabilities of our climate, but believe that 

 we shall hs^ve to look rather to the eastern coast 

 of the old continent, (China, Japan, etc.,) rather 

 than to Eqrope for further accessions of plants 

 and animals suitable to our climate, which like 

 theirs is dry, and has great extremes of heat and 

 cold; and to southern ratker than to northern 

 plants. 



Yours, very tr»ly, 



JaS, T. WOEIHINGTON. 



Ellensmere Farm, Chilicothei. 



{Field Notes.) 



Good on Newspaper Scriblers. 



The executive committee of the State Agricul- 

 tural Society has been in session in Springfield 

 for some days past. At a sitting on the 10th 

 inst., as reported in the Chicago Journal, the 

 following action was had : 



Mr. Holder, of Bloomington, introduced a res- 

 olution proposing that the executive committee 

 commence the publication of a monthly agricul- 

 tural periodical, to be called The Journal of the 

 Illinois State Agricultural Society, with John P. 

 Reynolds, corresponding secretary of the society, 

 as its editor. 



Capt. Wait, the venerable and excellent mem- 

 ber from Egypt, spoke warmly in its favor, urg- 

 ing that the society ought to adopt some measure 

 by which it cruld be "independent of the news- 

 paper scriblers all over the country." 



Without questioning the propriety of the Agri- 

 cultural Society establishing an organ, in oppo- 

 sition to the three excellent agricultural papers 

 now published in the state, we would suggest to 

 the " venerable member from Egypt," that the 

 society had better eschew "sod corn" than attempt 

 to make themselves " independent of news- 

 paper scriblers," for the feat is easier of accom- 

 plishment. 



The Agricultural Society, as well as the state 

 of Illinois, owes the success it has attained, to 

 the persistent efforts of these "scriblers." And 

 "Egypt" too, the home of the "venerable" Capt. 

 Wait, is under vast oblioations to the same 

 source, for the advantages they now possess. 

 Had this power been extinct, what, we ask, 

 would have V een the condidon of " Egypt" to 

 day? The same disadvantages under wh^ch she 

 labored thirty years ago, would have clung to 

 her yet. 



Newspaper " scribblers" was the motive power 

 which caused our state to be gridironed by the 

 iron artery, which throbs and pulsates the whole 

 length and breadth of the land, and sends com- 

 merce and intelligence, with lightening speed to 

 every accessible point within her borders. 



In ignoring "newspaper scriblers" the society 

 proposes to install its corresponding secretary 

 into the editorial chair. The selection doubtless 

 is a good one, and we very much doubt that he is 

 disposed to underrate the services of the "scrib- 

 lers" of old Marion county, his former residence, 

 in behalf of the society, nor the unwearied efforts 

 of his village paper, the Salem Advocate, in fur- 

 thering the agricultural interests of that portion 

 of the state. 



The press of the state has made the agricul- 

 tural society a prominent institution ; in its in- 

 fancy they nursed it; in its adversity they admin- 

 istered consolation to it; and, now, when thia 

 same power has brought the society safely 

 through the "filth and mire of Brighton," where 

 its managers had " swamped it," it comes with 

 ill grace for them to talk about Ijecoming *' inde- 

 pendent of newipaper scriblers," Of a truth, 

 the " venerable Capt Wait" must be a fossil of 

 fossils. — (Waukegan Gazette. 



— It is better to prevent a quarrel before hand 

 than to revenge it afterward. 



