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1863. 



THE ILLmOIS FAEMER. 



185 



Cotton Crop. — ^We planted a small field of 

 cotton May 6tli, of seed from Commissioner of 

 Agriculture, since that time we have had no 

 rain, and the weather has been dry and cold, 

 and yet we have a good stand of plants, and 

 have no doubt of growing cotton." We hear good 

 accounts from the planting of this spring, and 

 shall be disappointed if the crop does not fur- 

 nish enough to place Illinois among the cotton 

 growing States. 



Sweet Potatoes should now be planted if not 

 already done — make the hills large, or if in ridges, 

 draw them up round and full with a hoe. The 

 plants should be set about a foot and a half 

 apart, one in a place. Dry weather is the best 

 in which to set the plant ; set with a dibble or 

 stick, if the dry earth fills in around the plant 

 no matter, but follow at once with the watering 

 pot and give each plant from a pint to a quart 

 of water, but do not wet the leaves if you can 

 avoid it. 



Land Sales of Illinois Central R. R. — 



The following is the monthly statement for April, 



1863, of the business of the Land Department of 



this road: 



Acres, Jtmownt. 



Construction lands sold 7,828.78 $87,319 47 



Interest fund lands sold 3,689.60 33,860 00 



Free lands sold 2,997.54 35,945 71 



Total sales April, 1863, 14,515.92 $157,125 18 



Add town lot sales 1,744 30 



Total of all $158,869 48 



Sold since Jan. 1, 1863 63,298,70 $671,788 97 



bold previously (net sales)l,198,326.00 15.139,473 89 



Total 1,261,624.70 $15,811,262 86 



tonstruction bonds cancelled previous 



to March 31, 1863, $2,354,400 00 



tash collected in April 122,385 41 



Since the public have taken to the funding of 

 Government securities the sales of "Western lands 

 have fallen off rapidly, and at this time there is 

 little inquiry for land, and these confined to actu- 

 al settlers. Another year must change this, for 

 the foregoing interest is now the best paying and 

 of course will be sought for. With corn at 35 

 to 40 cents a bushel at the depots, more land will 

 be put under culture. Wages are high, it is true, 

 but then with the labor saving implements much 

 can be accomslished. 



^ ■ « ■ 



Hovey's Seed List.— This list reached us too 

 late for a notice last month. Hovey is doing a 

 large business in the way of garden, flower and 

 field seeds, and ^those having seeds to either sell 

 or buy will do well to consult him. See his card 

 ^n another part of the Fabmeb. 



The Garden. — ^This is the family medicine 

 chest, and will do more to ward off and cure 

 disease than all the 'doctors in the country, 

 that is if well filled with small fruits and vegeta- 

 bles. The farmer who cannot find time to take 

 care of the garden will some day be obliged 

 to find time to go after Doctor Boliis, spend much 

 of his Jtime in the sick roomgand foot some 

 unpleasantly large bills for very unpleasant medi- 

 cine. Our a«'vice is if you wish to economise time 

 do not neglect the garden. Many persons, pre- 

 tend to think that we cannot grow good vegeta- 

 bles, which is a fact in three fourths of the gardens 

 in the State, and we give these sagacious individ- 

 uals the benefit of our evidence in their favor — 

 they can't grow we know very well — for they are 

 not cultivated, and won't grow without. We leave 

 this class of farmers to take calomel and quinine, 

 while those who take care of their gardens have 

 good health and believe in food before physic. 



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J. M. Redmond & Son. — ^The card of these 

 gentlemen will be found in our advertising 

 department. Mr. Redmond has for a long time 

 been connected with the Land Department of 

 the Dlinois Central Railroad, first as Treasurer 

 and more subsequently as Commissioner, in 

 which capacity he has earned a most excellent 

 reputation for promptness, and fidelity in the dis- \ 

 charge of his duties. He is now devoting time ' 

 exclusively to the commission business, and we '; 

 take great pleasure in recommending shipments 

 to them, and can assure those entrusting business 

 to their care that we have no doubt 'that the most ' 



ample satisfaction will be giveiu 



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Rural Register. — This morthly journal of 

 agriculture comes to us from Baltimore, and is 

 ably edited. At the beginning of the war the old 

 American Farmer took the traitor side and soon 

 went under, while this loyal sheet has stood the 

 brunt of the storm and comes out useful and hon- 

 ored. 



<•• 



The Kirkbridgb White. — In the last number, 



on page 134, this is erroneously called the Kirk- 

 bridge Winter apple — a very important difference, 

 as it is a summer fruit. 



The Weather. — At this writing. May 27th, the 

 month has been dry and cold. Farmers complain 

 of the bad state of the soil, as it breaks up very 

 cloddy ; large numbers are waiting for rain to sof- 

 ten the clods before planting, but we prefer to 

 give them roller practice and plant as we plow, 

 and our com is coming up well, notwithstanding 

 the dryness of the soiL 



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