1863. 



THE ILLINOIS f AEMER. 



249 



Mikfn i#k 



BAILHACHE & BAKEE - - - PTIBLISHEES. 

 M. L. DUNLAP, Editor. 



SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS, AUGUST, 1863. 



August has been preceded by a dry month in 

 most parts of the State, and the corn crop is at the 

 crisis. Without more abundant rain and a hotter 

 sun the yield will be small. At this writing we 

 think the prospect is for only half a crop, but Au- 

 gust has the greates influence on this crop and to 

 its keeping the crop must be consigned for weal 



or woe. 



«•» 



State Pair. 



Our readers should not forget the State Fair, to 

 be held this year at Decatur, Sept. 28th, 29th, 

 and 30th, and Oct. 1st, 2d, and 3d. 



The grounds are among the first in the State, 

 and easy of access, being near the junction of the 

 Illinois Central and Great Western Railroads. 



The location is in the midst of a beautiful grove 

 and contains one thing in abundance that no oth- 

 er State Fair can boast, and that is pure water in 

 abundance. This is supplied by a fine spring that 

 pours out its cooling treasures in no stinted sup- 

 ply. In addition, a small branch or brooklet runs 

 through the lower parts of the grounds. In the 

 center is a natural amphitheater, level as a house 

 floor and of ample size. 



Decatur is a thriving city and fully alive to the 

 interests of the coming Fair, and we may expect 

 to see every thing in order. 



We anticipate a fine show and large attendance. 



Trial of Implements. 



The week previous to the State Fair to be held 

 at Decatur, the Society is to have a grand trial of 

 farm implements. This will bring out the plows, 

 cultivators, rollers, harrows, threshers, etc. We 

 have no doubt that it will be an interesting time. 

 The Executive Committee have had no little ex- 

 perience in these trieila, and ought to be able to 

 manage it in the most admirable order. Our mole 

 and tile drainimg machine makers should be on 

 hand, as the people are now ready to give both a 

 fair trial. The tile is good everywhere, while the 

 mole answers a good purpose in all clay bottomed 

 low grounds. 



<•» 



A Fruit Picker. 



A few days since we received per express the 



above instrument, from EUas Hibbard, of the firm 

 of E. &. J. H. Hibbard, booksellers, Alton, 111. 



It is a light rod of pine, with a small rod cut 

 out of the same, and which by bands works in its 

 own groove. At the end is two cups working 

 against each other to grasp the fruit, one speci- 

 men of which it takes at a time. ^ ^ * 



It is a most admirable contrivance, by which to 

 pick soft fruit from the top of the trees, certainly 

 aheadofthose operated by a cord. The gearing 

 works very nicely. Its cost can be but a trifle 

 compared with some of the fruit pickers in use, is 

 light, and can be handled by ordinary sized boys 

 and girls. We trust they will soon find a place in 

 all our seed and implement stores. It is just in 

 time for our use to take down ripe specimens with, 

 out bruising. We should not think it intended to 

 pick winter apples for market, but to pick the 

 more delicate summer fruits. ;<• 



Here is a tree of the Red Astrichan with half a 

 dozen beauties up out of the reach of the step lad- 

 der, shaking off is the only way to reach them, and 

 they wiU come down sadly bruised, but with "Hib- 

 bards Fruit Picker" the thing is done, and the ap- 

 ples as fair as when perched out of reach. 



Marketing op Apples.— In the marketing of 

 apples, in many parts of the State, it is the prac- 

 tice to put in all sizes and qualities as they are 

 found on the trees, both sound and unsound. This 

 we have so often seen, that it appears almost if 

 not quite the rule. Of course, when such fruit 

 reaches the city market it is at once assigned ita 

 place, and a corresponding price is determined for 

 it. But too often this mixed fruit is sent to cus- 

 tomers along the raU roads, at small towns, who 

 have ordered and paid for it in advance. 



The law is plain on this point, that all goods of 

 the kind shall be merchantable. But the remedy 

 in this case is inadequate and only the reputation 

 of the farmer suffers, but not in dollars, for the de- 

 mand is good, and some new customer comes up to 

 be victimised. Inmost cases, as much or even a 

 better price could have been obtained by carefully 

 assorting the fruit and selling the best at a higher 

 price, and either make cider of the refuse or sell it 

 at a less price. No fruifgrower can afford to send 

 bad fruit to his customers, even if he gets the pay 

 in advance, for it will sometime come up against 

 him, when he may least desire it. 



In the harvesting of the apple, it is too often the 

 case that they are shook from the tree ; tumbled 

 into a wagon and carted to market. Such fruit 

 sells at about half price. Thus by a bad or care- 

 less practice, half of the value is lost, and this too 

 in a country not over supplied with fruit. When 



, i'j^ '-^;;ji. _., t^t M^t:^^ ^ 



■?!^-'j- » a ^>V ' j»J M B <>|i.i'jj| 



