1863. 



THE ILLINOIS FAEMEB. 



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A correspondent of the Prairie Farmm\ writing 

 from Southern Missouri says: "This country tho 

 high, is subject to early andlate frosts." Tliefar 

 famed peach region in Southern Illinois, being in 

 similar latitude, we should suppose subject to sim- 

 ilar casualties ; and cultirators -well know that 

 frosts at the time of inflorescence are usually much 

 more disastrous with a still air than when p. mod- 

 erate breeze attends. Timber to the north and 

 west of orchards, often deprives of the benefit of a 

 light breeze, and it also increases the evil of too 

 warm spells which are liable to occur in winter, 

 and hastens the blooming season in spring. And 

 still our pomological savans mount and ride this 

 hobby of timber shelter as the universal panacea 

 for the fruit grower, north or south. "What has 

 become of the old theory of " northern slopes ?" 



Every farmer knows the importance of wind- 

 breaks for his stock, and though his cattle can 

 live, and perhaps be raised profitably with the 

 shelter afforded by belts of timber or high board 

 fences, he admits the economy of well built barns. 



Timber shelter is all right when it answers the 

 purpose, but when it does not save our trees, and 

 when it fails to save the fruit crop — it may be fire 

 wood, fence rails, &c., to the farmer, but it is a bar 

 and a nuisance to the pomologist. 



" A. cold wave" from the north occasionally ex. 

 tends its devastating influence down near the Gulf; 

 and again in mid-winter a warm unclouded sun, 

 co-operating with balmy breezes from the south 

 awakens an untimely activity in trees, and the fruit 

 grower can only fold his arms and wish in vain 

 his shelter to the north and west, transposed to the 

 south and east ; but even this would not answer 

 his purpose. He wants some covering over his 

 trees to exclude the warm air and the sun's rays, 

 capable also, when a "norther" sweeps down the 

 valleys of warding off the blast and returning the 

 heat constantly radiating from the earth — a cover- 

 ing of glass, canvass or other material affording 

 positive and reliable protection. 



Our system claims to be more than simply 

 "a shelter for the peach and other fruit trees ;" it 

 guarantees sufficient protection, by which we 

 mean a positive modification of temperature, ade- 

 quate to the purposes desired. It assumes to be 

 worthy the dignified appellation of a fruit house — 

 constructed in the simplest manner possible, and 

 of the cheapest material, capable of forming such 

 a structure. James Weed. 



— So soon as we have disposed of the fairsand 

 fall setting of trees, we will endeavor to find time 

 to discuss this subject. Ed. 



Imiii 



'^^>'^ 





Our Howadji in Egypt. — ■ 



Midsummer in Egypt — Fniit Prospects at the G«and Chain- 

 Hindrances to Cnltivation — Want of Proper Dvrellings — 

 Adofee Houses — Their cheapness and durability — Maaner 

 of manufacture.- .; 



Editors Peairie Farmer; — To a Eniekerbocker, 

 born and bred among tlie iccbegs of Xorthern New 

 York, a transition to the climatic parallels of the 

 capitals of Italy and Dixie, presents some very 

 striking features. Whew ! The very thought is 

 stiiiiDg ! With shirt dripping with perspiration, 

 the mercury up to a hundred, and not a leaf stir- 

 ring, what wonder ! Exertion not to be thought 

 of for a moment. Northern activity soon "runs 

 itself into the ground." You feel sleepy, and close 

 your eyes for a nap-— confound the flies ! No relief 

 in oblivion, you pick up Fanny Kemble's now book 

 to find condolence in its raoHrnful pictures ; but 

 you find it was written in tiie winter time, and in 

 spite of its charming composition and fine periods 

 you nod and lay it aside. Not a sound is heard, 

 except now and then the falling of ripened apples 

 from their parent stems. You "stir around" to 

 work off the oppression, but only to produce a 

 headache, and so passes the day. But the nights, 

 thank Heaven, are glorious. The air is cool, and 

 not a mosquito to glut his fiendish desires upon 

 your person. They evidently dislike the dry, rari- 

 fied air of the high table lands or fruit zones, and 

 prefer the low, cool and moist valleys of the Big 

 Muddy, the Drury and the ealhham. 



Amusing, to say the least, are the reports of the 

 horticultural sap-heads who yearly visit this region. 

 They see strange sights, and build up theories, and 

 take it for granted that tliey have made important 

 discoveries, wonderful to relate. But sad and 

 mournful are the experiences built upon such theo- 

 ries, without the aid of a little horse sense, and a 

 few practical comparisons. One party is sanguine 

 of a fortune in fruit, which he imports at a great 

 expense from the coast of New England, but to 

 find it totally unsuited to the climate, and which 

 proves a failure. Another, with immense wine 

 cellars full of barrels stored with wine, ^nth a 

 rapacious demand for the same at a fabulous price, 

 all in his fancy, plants a vineyard. Is not the 

 Catawba and Isabella tip-top on the Hudson ? In 

 course it is. Then why not all the better for the 

 Grrand Chain? They are procured in quantities, 

 stuck into post-holes, and left to shirk for them- 

 selves. And, alas for human dreams ! After years 

 of hope and letting alone, they bear a few bunches. 

 "Next year, wife, we'll fill our wine barrels." An- 

 other year comes soon enough, and with- it the 

 seeds of destruction, and the vine is loaded with 

 roifere grapes. ;, . .ri y ., ,; . 



Now we like the enterprising spirit that dictates 

 all their experiments; but there seems to be a 

 radical defect in adaptability of choices. We may 

 come here with all of our northern habits, may 

 introduce to our homes all the et ceteras of the 

 high civilization of New York and New England, 

 and with success ; but when the soil and climate 

 are consulted, Dame Nature makes rather wry 

 faces at many trees and plants foreign to her fancy. 



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