UQ 



THE ILLINOIS FAEMEK. 



Mat 



(For the Illinois Farmer.^ 



Sterling, Whitksidb Co., April 1862. 



Fribkd Dunlap : — I am anxious to get a copy 

 of your last years number ? 



(Last years number exhausted. — Pub.) 



The Executive Committee of the Whiteside 

 County Agricultural Society, will meet sometime 

 in May, at which time I will suggest that a num- 

 ber of copies of your paper,, may be used as 

 awards at our county fair. Please name your 

 premium terms. 



(Fifty cents a copy to any address. — Pub ) 

 .4.W0BD ON HoRTicuiTUEB. — I received a few 

 days since a letter from an old friend, Charles 

 Downey, and was gratified to learn of his con- 

 tinued zeal in the cause, and regret to say that I 

 cannot say as much for myself, not that I have 

 lost confidence or interest in the ultimate success 

 of fruit growing, especially the apples, but it is 

 that every year more and more fully convinces 

 me that it will require years of careful experi- 

 ment and experience, to decide on such as are 

 best suited for cultivation in this peculiar locality 

 — (Northern Illinois). Need I say that from the 

 great losses sustained in this northern portion of 

 the State for the past five or six years by those 

 attempting to raise ftuit and ftruit treees, that 

 many of us have been obliged, in order to main- 

 tain ourselves, to engage in a general farming in- 

 terest, or in some other business. 



The depressing effects of the war on all our 

 operations, have been such that I have conclu- 

 ded to rest and " bide my time." And hereafter, 

 you may expect me to be with you " through 

 evil, as well as good report." 



I will read a short article on flax before our 

 association at its next meeting, if you are with 

 me in the views there entertained, especially on 

 proteotion,publish it. That you are with us, in a 

 protection for the industry and labor of the 

 State, I entertain not a doubt. 



Very traly, 



L. S. Pknkington. 

 . — To Dr. Pennington is due the first demon- 

 stration in the way of low headed fruit trees, and 

 for the past fifteen years the Doctor has labored 

 to inculcate his views. The winter of 1855 

 nearly !):uined his magnificent orchard, which 

 contained too many tender sorts. We shall hope 

 for the sake of pomological history, that the 

 Doctor will give US the history of his orcharding* 

 — of varieties, height of head out. Shall we not 

 hear from you on this subject at an early day ? 

 Now that the public mind is ready to hear argu- 

 ments in favor of rational culture, you will find 

 eager readers. ; , Eb. 



(For the Illinois Farmer.) 



stock Laws— Are there Any? ,.^, 



Milton Station, Coles Co., April, 1862. 

 Eeitor Illinois Farmer : — Do the laws of 

 this State require every man to take care of hif 

 own stock, or is the stock of every man's free 

 comoners at liberty to go just where they please ? 

 Is not tame pasture more profitable (counting 

 the cost of making such pasture) than the wild 

 prairie pasture to which we have access free of 

 charge ? 



These are questions of vital importance to the 

 farmers and stock raisers ; therefore, I for one, 

 would like to have them fully diecufised in the 

 Farmer. 



I have had some experience with stock running 

 at liberty; it is, undoubtedly, a loosing game to 

 all parties; it is a loss to the farmer. A few 

 breechy animals lead the whole of the neighbor- 

 hood stock just where they like ; into the wheat 

 field just as the grain is ready for stacking; 

 knocking the shocks right and left, threshing the 

 grain in the field free of charge. Next into the 

 corn field, destroying three or four bushels, 

 while they eat one. Finally when the wild grass 

 is dry and the cold rains of November have 

 thoroughly softened the ground, they are into 

 the wheat field, treading the wheat into the 

 ground by the aore, putting the ground in nice 

 order to shake the strength out of your hordes, 

 and your reaper to pieces. Fine work this for 

 sake of wild grans free of seeding and fencing, 

 to say nothing of the pleasure of galloping for 

 three or four hours over the prairie when you 

 want your cattle. 



Then it is a loosing game to the owner of the 

 stock. Your stock gets into your neighbors field, 

 out comes the neighbor in a fit of vexation, to 

 say the least, chases the cattle with dogs. They 

 are worried and loose the gain of two or three 

 weeks ; some of them are foundered and ooea* 

 sionally one dies, others survive to drag out a 

 miserable existence wholely unprofitable to the 

 owner, others again stray away and are lost or 

 cost much time and trouble before they are re- 

 covered. 



With tame pasture the grass starts much earl- 

 ier in spring, and continues later in the fall than 

 the wild grass. So here then is a saving of three 

 tofiv»-weeks feeding. The grass is much better 

 than wild, your cattle feed quietly, you know 

 where to find them, know they are safe, know 

 your crop is safe, and finally you are in no fear 

 of a quarrel with your neighbor on account of 

 enreftttJ«. 



