1862. 



THE ILLIKOIS FARMEK. 



103 



another feature in the sweet potatoe business 

 that should not be 07erlot.ked, and that is: the 

 efiFects of the climate in preserving them through 

 the winter. It is well known that in some parts 

 of Kentucky and points south, that the sweet po- 

 tatoe is easily kept through the winter without 

 artificial heat, while in all the States north of 

 the Ohio liver, they are kept with the greatest 

 care in buildings warmed with artificial heat. 

 This has added so much to their value, that few 

 can afford to use them on the table; the usual 

 price being one and a half to two dollars a bushel 

 — a price that excludes them from most tables, 

 and which can only be paid by those wanting 

 them to sprout for seed. Mr. Nesbit finds no 

 difficulty in keeping them over winter. After 

 d'gging, they are left on the surface to dry; if 

 the weather is favorable, sometimes they are left 

 out two or three days. After drying in this way, 

 they are put in the cellar and mixed with dry 

 sand. The only danger is in keeping tbem too 

 warm on the start. To avoid this, the cellar is 

 kept well aired, and of course must be located in 

 a dry airy place ; but so soon as there is danger 

 of frost, it is kept very close, and only opened to 

 admit air when the themometer is above forty 

 degs. At the north, if the potatoes are left 

 above the ground a few days, they will rot, 

 while at this point they commence to grow. No 

 advantage has, as yet, been taken of this dis- 

 covery to preserve large amounts for market. 

 We have, during the past six years, seen sweet 

 potatoes kept over in the cellars of the farmers 

 in this part of the State, and have often eaten 

 them in March, and it is a matter of surprise 

 that no one has gone into the business. Mr. 

 Nesbit has for some years been in the practice 

 of keeping over seed for his neighbors, for which 

 he has only charged a dollar a bushel, and which 

 he considers as profitable as to sell them in the 

 fall at seventy-five cents. This being the case, 

 the time cannot be distant when the northern 

 cities will have a spring supply of sweet potatoes 

 at a reasonable rate. We are satisfied that the 

 crop is a profiiable one at fifty cents a bushel ; 

 to this add twenty-five cents for wintering ; 

 freight to Chicago by the car load, twenty 

 cents ; cost of packing, five cents, making one 

 dollar in the hands of the wholesale dealer. If 

 twenty-five cents is added for cartage and retail- 

 ing, the price will be within the reach of most per- 

 sons, and will soon place them among the staple 

 vegetable of tl e market. That this result will be 

 reached, we have no doubt. The most valuable 

 lands for this vegetable at this point, are not 



adapted to the peach and other valuable fruits, 

 and the same crop can be grown year after year 

 on the same ground without the aid of manure. 

 We often hear of much larger crops, say from 

 two to three hundred bushels to the acre, but we 

 have confidence in this estimate of Mr. Nesbit. 

 He IS a careful cultivator, and whatever may be 

 grown at other points, he is positive in regard to 

 this. We have occasionally seen a larger yield * 

 three hundred miles north of this, while the ave- 

 rage is not one-half as much. 



PROFITS OF FRUIT CPtTURE. 



The profits of fruit culture depend upon a 

 proper selection of varieties, and upon the care 

 of the trees. Mr. Baker has peach trees three 

 years set in his orchard that produced over one 

 and a half bushels the third year and sold for 

 three dollars a bushel, paying him five dollars. 

 The treeswere Coolage's Favorite and Old Mixon 

 Free. These peaches sold in Chicago at three 

 dollars the basket of half a bushel. The planters 

 are confining themselves to a very few varieties. 

 Troth's Early stands first and foremost, though 

 the Early Barnard is coming into notice. Large 

 Early York, Early and Late Crawford, Old Mixon 

 Free. Coolage's Favorite, George the Fourth 

 and Heath Cling for late, are the most popular 

 and generally planted. Among the apple, Kes- 

 wick Codlin and Horse Apple for cooking and 

 drying. Red June and Early Harvest for eating. 

 William's Favorite, Benoni, Summer Sweet, 

 Paradise, Sweet Bough and other popular sum- 

 mer varieties are, as yet, little known, and their 

 value for this climate not decided. The Summer 

 Queen has thus far given promise of great value. 

 Buckingham for autumn and early winter are 

 ab ut the only sort that are considered of any 

 value. The winter varieties are limited to Wil- 

 jow Twig, large quantities of which are grown in 

 William and Johnson counties. White Winter 

 Pearmain, Winesap, Smith's Cider, and of late 

 Rome Beauty is attracting attention. Apples at 

 this time sell readily at a dollar a bushel and not 

 a supply at that. Peaches are sold by the bex 

 or basket of half a bushel at from one and a 

 half to two and a half dollars each, while the 

 common seedlings brought in by the farmers, sell 

 at twenty-five to seventy-five cents, and yet but 

 few of these old settlers can be induced to set 

 out thenew varie ies, preferring to sell out and go 

 further west. The result is that the population 

 is rapidly changing, and will soon be mainly com- 

 posed of northern and eastern neonlo 



