72 



THE ILLINOIS FAKMEE. 



Dec. 



Rhubarb Wine. 



We have but little faith in the merits of rhubarb 

 wine, for the reason, that we do not think any- 

 thing can be made from it that will command a 

 ready sale as vAne. It may be sold as a cheap bev- 

 erage under some name ; bnt wine is made from 

 grape juice, and not from anything that contains a 

 juicy substance. "We may as well make "wine" of 

 apples, sorghum, cornstalks, &c., as from rhubarb, 

 because these articles produce a saccharine juice 

 that may be fermented, &c. 



Here is what the American Agriculturist says in 

 regard to "Rhubarb wine :" 



The Wine Plant Humbug is still carried on in 

 various parts of the country, as we learu from sev- 

 eral letters. For example, Mr. B. F. Brown writes 

 from Duane county, Wisconsin, November 8th, 

 that an agent is there selling Linseus Rhubarb at 

 $3*7 50 per 100 plants — many of them not the size 

 and length of a man's little finger — telling people 

 that they can make 1^ gallons of wine from each 

 plant next season, which will sell readily for $2 a 

 gallon; that government agents are contracting 

 for all they can at this time, etc." This is sheer 

 lying and swindling. Neither government agents, 

 nor anybody else is doing, or will do any such 

 thing. A plant set now, will not make 1-J- gallons 

 even of what is called wine, next season. Reliable 

 men, King and Murray, of Flushing, and others 

 have this year advertised in the Agriculturist, 

 good Linseus Rhubarb roots at $18 to $25 per thou- 

 sand (only $1 80 to $2 50 per 100.) Our previous 

 notice of this matter has probably put upon their 

 guard all our readers except those subscribing re- 

 cently. Don't believe the stories told, nor trust 

 the samples of real or pretended wine shown. 



If any of our readers can show that these re- 

 marks are incorrect, please send us your evidence, 

 that we may give the other side of the question.— 

 Rural American. 



The facts as we learn them are that this wine 

 plant humbug has had a most splendid run through- 

 out the state of Xew York, at least we hear little 

 of it in this part of the parish. Would it not be 

 well for our eastern cotemporaries to offer prem- 

 iums of the wine plant, and thus save their readers 

 from the plant swindlers ? 



The Rhubarb makes a drink bordering upon poor 

 whisky, and as that commodity has gone up be- 

 yond the reach of old topers it might prove an ob- 

 ject to them, as it is neither wine or whiskey; no 

 duties can be levied on it under the present law. 

 The stuff will be made and drank — in fact, some 

 samples of it are quite drinkable in a small way. 

 If it was called the whisky plant the name would 

 be nearer the truth. It might be duplicated over 

 the same region under this name, without doubt. — 

 Ed. 



in the hands of those pursuing a mixed husbandry. 

 The work could not have been more opportune, 

 as it will serve as a guide to those who intend to 

 purchase flocks and commence the business under 

 the present excitement in the new demand for 

 wool. It shows how improvements should be made, 

 and how the farmer pursuing a mixed husbandry 

 will be benefitted in adding sheep to his other 

 stock. In short we have the whole subject of the 

 history of the various breeds, their relative values, 

 breeding, feeding, general care and veterinary 

 practice. We would copy largely from the work, 

 but as every wool grower must have the work it- 

 self, we shall use our space for other subjects. 

 We shall give more attention to wool growing at 

 the West, now that it is fast becoming one of the 

 great staples, but at this time we can do this class 

 of cultivators no better favor than to recommend 

 them to send for a copy of the work. It is sold 

 only by canvassers and at the office of publication. 

 Bee card of D. D. T. Moore, Rochester, N. Y., in 

 advertising department, and remit him the $1 80, 

 and receive a copy per mail at once. 



CONTENTS 



The Practical Shepherd. 



This work from the press of H. S. Randall is 

 what we had anticipated, a complete guide to the 

 aheep husbandman, and should at once find a place 

 not only in the library of every wool grower, bu 



Editorial: page. 



Floral Hall at the State Fair S53 



December 354 



Two Horse Cultivators 355 



Crops of 1S63 35S 



The Sewing Machine 359 



Poetry : 



The Fall of the Leaf 391 



C0RRESP0:«DEXCE : 



Our Hard Times 361 



Agriculture : 



Annual Report of the Executive Board of 

 the Macoupin County Agricultural and 



Hortieultuial Society 362 



Report of the Committee of Agriculture 362 



Horticulture : 



Winter Meeting of Illinois Horticultural So- 

 ciety 363 



The Experimental Garden 363 



Small Fruits 364 



Fruit— Apples 364 



Marking Trees 365 



A Vineyard 365 



Stock : 



Saltfor Stock 365 



Vermont Sheep 366 



Miscellaneous : 



White Willow— Salix Alba 366 



The Geological Winter 377 



Dairy Prospects of Northern Illinois 36S 



Editor's Table : 



Close of the Volume 369 



Tax on Rail Road Lands — Dairy and Or- 

 chard Lands 369 



The Horticulturist 369 



Direction Tags 370 



Layering Grapes 371 



Diphtheria among Children 371 



Rhubarb Wine 372 



