92 



THE ILLmOIS FAEMER. 



Maeca 



are more than hulf killed. This result we attribute 

 to the occurrence of extreme cold later in the sea- 

 son, the sap having commenced circulating freely 

 in the mild weather since the middle of January. 



James Weed. 

 ilcscATiNE, Iowa, Feb. 24, 1864. 



— Above we present the subject at length in re 

 g;irJ to shutters, for the protection of peach and 

 other tender fruits. Should the plan prove feasi- 

 ble on trial, in a pecuniary point of view, we can 

 then npplv it to the growing of figs and other 

 semi-tropical fruits. Dr. Weed does not give the 

 ostimated cost of this kind of structure, nor the 

 best mode for their construction — whether in 

 short sections or extending the' length of the 

 house. 



During the pnst winter we have seen the need 

 of shelter for our green-house, to guard against 

 sudden changes. On one occasion, at nine o'clock 

 in the evening, the weather having been very mild 

 through the day, was oidy two degrees below freez- 

 ing, the ordinary fire was made, but at daylight the 

 mercury was 4 ° below zero and two or three 

 hundred pots frozen up and the plants mostly dead. 

 Shutters would have prevented any such disaster, 

 and on all occasions would economize heat. The 

 illustrations will show how the shutters are ap- 

 plied, — Ed. 



The Weather. 



TMERMOMETER IX THE OPEN AIR. 



Mean for the month 32| 



February, like January, has startled the farmers 

 with its sudden changes and sharp frost. On the 

 night of the 15th, the mercury was at 30 ® , only 

 two degrees below freezing, towards morning it 

 went down rapidly, and stopped at 4 ° below zero. 

 Green-house plants suffered severely, for the fires 

 had been slackened during the warm spell, and 

 this sudden change occurring at a time of night 

 when all were snug in bed could not be warded off. 



We have not been able to detect any injury to 

 trees in either the orchard or nursery. 



In our own grounds the injury to trees by frost 

 is very light. The last year's growth of peach and 

 pear are somewhat nipped. The Lawton blackber- 

 ry is killed to the ground, and our improved black- 

 berry has the tops severely nipped. Tlie purple 

 cane and black cap raspberry look uninjured ; un- 

 protected grape vines have their fruit buds more 

 or less killed. Winter wheat and rye look well 

 thus far, as we have had litte heaving of the sur- 

 face soil 



We trust that fruit trees will come out better 

 than gennerally anticipated. Some very nervous 

 people have cut down their peach trees, just as 

 though the sanre work could not be as well done 

 after the spring growth had fully settled the ex- 

 tent of the damage. But over sanguine people must 

 have their ups and downs, and hence are not the 

 safest to be trusted with the orchard 



CONTENTS: 



Editorial: page. 



March 65 



Manufacture of Sorgho Sirup 60 



Fruits for Egypt 71 



PoExra' : 



The Petn.-mt 72 



CORUESPONDEXCE : 



Durability of Willow 73 



Grafting the Cherry 73 



Forcing Principally by Sun Ileat 89 



Agricultdre : 



Winter Meeting 74 



Farming Long Time Ago 75 



Cattle Fastenings 76 



Horticulture : 



Indiana Horticultural Society 76 



The Apple Crop of Monroe County 78 



How I Protected my Peach Trees 79 



Scarcity of Nursery Stock 79 



Apiaky : 



Which is the host Bee-Hive 80 



Poultry : 



A short chapter on Poultry SO 



Miscellaneous : 



Farming in California SI 



Rhubarb ^tine 82 



Cornish mode of liaising Early Potatoes 82 



Why Farmers should Write for Agricultural 



Papers ■ 83 



How I Killed the Botts S3 



Income Tax 83 



Something that Farmers' Need 84 



Stalls for Horses S4 



