1863. 



THE ILLINOIS FARMER. 



The culture of flax for the seed alone has 

 proTed profitable the past season. With the 

 present high rate of euchange. it must continue 

 to rule high, and ve therefore, commend its cul- 

 ture to all those who have a ready market near 

 home for the seed. In addition, if they can 

 sell the straw for the purpose of flax cotton, all 

 the better. 



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Whitk Willow.— In the advertising depart- 

 ment will be found the above willow, for sale by 

 B. S. Pike. 



Mr. P. has an abundant supply of the genuine 

 White Willow, and no green-horn need fear to 

 be imposed upon by him. But we have this to 

 say, do not take the word of any agent; however 

 honest he may appear, but demand the author- 

 ity. It is not the agents of Mr. P, who may 

 cheat you, but the villians who would palm 

 themselves off as suoh. Remember then, that 

 you can get the genuine White Willow of E. S. 

 Pike and his agents, while you may get some 

 other worthless Willow of other parties, or of 

 pretended agents. This we think is worth look- 

 ing after, for beyond the cost of the cutting 

 there is a large account to settle — the labor of 

 putting them out — and the deep bitter dis- 

 pointment when the deception presents itself, a 

 veritable living fact. Better, far better, that 

 yon pay ten, or even fifteen dollars a thousand 

 for genuine cuttings, than to receive — as a gift 

 — spurious ones. In this connection we cannot 

 too strongly urge the importance of planting an 

 acre or two for a wood lot in addition to the 

 farm, for though the fence itself will alternately 

 furnish wood and timber, yet you can cut it 

 sooner, or at least will be disposed to do so, 

 from the wood lot. It will require something 

 less than three thousand cuttings to the acre at 

 four feet each way to plant the timber lot, and 

 this in ten years will furnish a large amount of 

 wood, while more or less can be taken the fifth 

 or sixth year. 



It was truly said by one of our farmers at the 

 Bloomington meeting that few people would buy 

 maple and other trees for the timber lot, while 

 with the willow, the cuttings could be so readily 

 set out that few ly^uld now do without them, 

 and timber growing might well be said to date its 

 real beginning in the spring of 1863. 



We would further state that the cuttings of 

 Mr. P. are mostly from hedges of three and four 

 years old, and are the most vigorous that we 

 The tips and pithy portions are not 



have seen. 



included, consequently will require no further 

 assorting to insure a good stand. 



Ohio Fabmkr.— This paper is again in the 

 field, published at Cleveland by Harris & 

 Fairchild. Col. Harris, of the Field Notes is 

 the agricultural editor, and is to travel exten. 

 sively. The Ohio Cultivator will hereafter bo 

 sent out from the same office. These are the 

 only agricultural papers that we know of in 

 Ohio, and we trust that they will be fully BM- 

 tained. 



1^ III m 



Sick ahb Woundkd Soldikks. — ^We are in re- 

 ceipt of the report of John E,. Woods, State 

 agent to visit hospitals of Illinois sick and woun- 

 ded soldiers. 



The report is an able presentation of the in- 

 domitable industry of Mr. W., one of the best 

 men for such an undertaking, and the Governor 

 was fortunate in securing his services. 



The Gabdknkbs Monthlt.— It is with pleas- 

 ure that wc learn that this valuable work is fully 

 sustained, and that there is not the remotest in- 

 tention of a discontinuance. This is the more 

 gratifying, for the reason that it is edited by a 

 man who works at the business of which he 

 writes, thus giving us practical lessons direct 

 from the garden. Too much of our writings on 

 gardening have been but a rehash of European 

 work and practice, compiled in the library, and 

 partake more of elegant writing than of sound 

 practice adapted to our foils and varying cli- 

 mate. It is, therefore, with pleasure we com. 

 mend the work to our readers. We club it with 

 the Farmbb. at the low rate of two dollars, 

 or address the publisher, W. G. P. Brin 

 loe, Philadelphia, Penn., $1 50 for single 

 copy. 



—•*- 



Bright on Gbape Cultubb. — We received this 

 exc.Uent work from the Prairie Farmer office, 

 where it is on sale. To thoso who have but half 

 a dozen vines, this work will be found valuable, 

 and should be consulted. The new work by 

 John Phrin on Garden and Vineyard Culture in 

 the Northern and Middle States, we highly com- 

 mend, but have not had an opportunity to exam- 

 ine it. 



Grape culture is now receiving go much 

 attention on the prairies that it is important 

 that we have all the light possible. 



During thn past year, the Horticulturist hu 

 given a series of chapters on Grape Culture, 



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