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THE ILLIIMOIS FAHMEE. 



Maech 



T,irn-perou3 farm, and a "happy home," save one, and 

 til t the jewel of all. 



We notfd with great pleasure the completeness 

 of the niunageraent of this farm, as it was a proof 

 th it Mr. Stuinback wasa farmer from innate love 

 of it, uud'.Tstood what a farm should be, and had 

 managed so as to make it a prosperous one. As 

 an cvidciice that Mr. Steinback loves his business, 

 we s'ate wliat we saw, and think it proof of good 

 fanning. 



lie h;>..s a large barn of 150 feet long, a large 

 ppi-iou-hay house, capable of holding 200 tons, 

 st.iblos for horses and stock ; blacksmith, carpen- 

 ter, and harness-maker's shops, each separate; 

 also buihliui^s for harvesting implements — of these 

 there v.\'re every kind, cleaned and put away in 

 order, witli all kinds of extra wheels, etc., to be 

 ready when wanted; added to all these is a smoke 

 hou-i\ 



On this farm was introduced the first steam en- 

 gine in CaKfornia. In the granary there was a corn 

 sheller, hai ley grinder, and every fitting and useful 

 tool and implement. 



The residence was raised from the ground to 

 potectit fiom dampness. This home has a nice 

 libiary, with the papers of the day; and hanging 

 in the library is a handsome photograph of the 

 farm and building.^. 



The g ird. n is small, but there is no hand to care 

 for tlie garden of a "bachelor." He has four hives 

 of bee*, wliich are emblems of industry. 



The stock of the farm was all of extra quality, 

 including oxen, horses, etc. The work-horses 

 were specially fine. He possesses a noble Gen. 

 Taylor i'.nd Cheatham colt, and others of superior 

 exfellcnce. 



The pleasure we experienced was great, and this 

 was increased by the cordial kindness and hospi- 

 tality extended in our young bachelor's home. We 

 sincerely t^ ust, as this is the ruling year for the fair 

 ones, tliat they will lay siege, or perhaps, they be- 

 ing of the gentler sex, rather than storm the castle, 

 th^y can take it by a better way, for it is a noble 

 farm, nobly managed, and highly creditable. 



We liuve more to say of Napa farms and farm- 

 ing. — California Farmer. 



Rhubarb Wine. 



James Seelt writes from Caroline, Tompkins 

 County, as follows : " Is it not a fact that rhubarb 

 wine, so fir as profit is concerned, is established ? 

 If this wine possesses comparatively no intrinsic 

 merit, an 1 yot from it« cheapness and comparatively 

 liealthfu! nature supplies a common want without 

 jiractieally interfering with grape-wine manufacture, 

 should it not be recommended as likely to discour- 

 age the use of drugged and poisonous liquors ? Is 

 not the fact indisputable that its merits incite a de- 

 mand equal to the constantly and rapidly-increas- 

 ing manufacture, at prices leaving a munificent 

 margin of profit to the producer, and will it not be 

 some time before people familiar with the whole 

 matter will believe it a speculative juggle? 



"It seems to me the best practical test of quality 

 Ihat tliL' consumer is satisfied. But it may be urged 

 thftt, to tho educated palate of the best wine judges, 

 com^iareu to the best qualities of grape-wine, it is 

 a nauseous, worthless compouad. 



" Tho questdon may arise, however, whether they 



are the best judges of the general want. There are 

 other considerations than mere taste, which go far 

 to decide the choise of the public, even if all pos- 

 sessed a like accurate discrimination. 



"The difference of cost of grape andrhubarb wine 

 is an item to which no American is insensible. Add 

 to this the not infrequent depravity and morbidity 

 of taste which enables a large class of people to 

 endure the preparations called lager-beer, ale, &c. 

 and grape-wine is put at an exceedingly embarrassing 

 discount in the common market. 



"Now, I have no pecuniary interest in the mat- 

 ter, not having engaged in its manufacture or sale ; 

 neither am I interested in grape-wine manufacture 

 pecuniarily. I say this because the seeming haste 

 used in the Club in condeming it tends to excite a 

 suspision that jealousy of a rival buisness, rather 

 than sound judgement, was paramount. 



" I cannot, think, however, that any just ground 

 for jealousy exists, but rather the contrary." 



John G Bergen — I recollect that Mr. Robinson 

 was one of the earliest advocates of the culture of 

 rhubarb for wine, and that he presented a bottle 

 to the Club, as American sherry, which was drank 

 by several who professed to be good judges, and 

 pronounced excellent, and that he then astonished 

 them with the assurance that it had not a drop of 

 grape juice in its composition. I should like to 

 know if he has changed his opinion ? 



Solon Robinson — No. And, so far as I am con- 

 cerned, Ml'. Seely is mistaken in supposing that I 

 have condemned it. I have only condemned the 

 dishonest representations of knaves who sell roots 

 of "the wine plant, " representing it as something 

 peculiar, and the only variety that will make wine, 

 which they know to be a lie. All of the cultivated 

 varieties of the common garden "pie plant " (rhu- 

 barb) will make this kind of wine and one about as 

 good as another. One sort may afford more juice 

 than some other, and for this it is probable that 

 Gaboon's seedling, which is a coarse, strong-grow- 

 ing sort, would give the greatest yield per acre. 

 And speaking of seedlings reminds me that it is not 

 necessaay to go to the expense of getting roots to 

 establish a rhubarb plantation for wine-making. 

 Buy the seed and grow the plants, and if you do 

 not get "Linnaeus" or "Victoria" you may get a 

 seedling equal to either, or better than Gaboon's 

 Downing's seedlings, or at any rate you will get 

 cheap plants that will afford juice and save you 

 from being cheated in buying " wine plants, " 

 which, perhaps, you already have growing in your 

 garden. 



Of rhubarb plants, a beverage can be made to 

 take the place of cider, in sections where apples 

 have entirely failed; as is the case in Northern 

 Vermont ; and also where grapes cannot be ripened 

 for wine, and in such localities, I recommend peo- 

 ple to plant rhubarb, but do not be cheated by 

 wine-plant peddlers. They are humbugs not the 

 plant. N Y Tribune. 



Cornish Mode of Baising Early Pota- 

 toes. 



Sprouting the seed is now universally practiced 

 wherever early maturity is desired. This is done 

 in the following manner: An aii-y light room or 

 loft, with windows to be closed in severe weather, 

 has tiers of shelves filling up all its available space 



,M. 



