132 



THE ILLINOIS FAEMER. 



May 



ed to all parts of the State, at all sea- 

 sons of the year, to either the north or 

 south, give to the orchardists of the 

 State great advantages that cannot be 

 overestimated. 



While the climate of Ohio, Indiana 

 and Michigan is yearly becoming less 

 valuable for fruit growing on account of 

 the clearing up of their forests, this 

 State is becoming more valuable from 

 the increased growth of timber belts, 

 that tend to modify the climate, guard 

 against sudden changes and gives to the 

 country a more equable distribution of 

 rain. 



The prairie orchards, thus far have 

 produced uniform good crops, and some 

 of them now send to market two to six 

 thousand bushels of apples annually. 

 An increased attention has been given 

 in this direction within the past three 

 years, and the number of trees planted 

 have been nearly doubled since the 

 spring of 1863. 



GKAPE GROWING. 



The State must soon stand first in the 

 list of grape growing States. This fruit 

 can be grown to more or less advantage 

 in all parts of the State, but the loess of 

 the Mississippi stand out most pre-emi- 

 nently in this respect. In Hancock Co. 

 it is estimated that there are now 400,- 

 000 vines, while Madison and Adams 

 counties are but little if any behind. — 

 The planting at Warsaw is as follows : 



In 1855 there was planted. 



In 1858 " 



In 1859 " 



In 1860 " 



In 1861 " 



In 1862 " 



In 1863 " 



.... 20 vines. 



100 " 



650 " 



3,329 " 



3,135 " 



2,365 " 



65,000 " 



In Nauvoo up to and including last 

 spring, there was estimated to be 190,- 

 000 vines. 



No branch of rural economy is re- 

 ceiving more attention than fruit cul. 



ture, in the apple orchard, the vineyard 

 and the small fruit gardens; apparently 

 only limited by the trees and plants 

 within reach of the planters. 



PEACH CULTURE. 



The peach lands lie south of the 40th 

 parallel and within the Mississippi and 

 Wabash rivers. This section has no 

 serious competitor. The peach crop of 

 Michigan coming at the close of the 

 crop from this part of our State. The 

 banks of the Mississippi and the grand 

 chain of hills in the south part of the 

 State are remarkable for fine peaches, 

 and it is on those formations that most 

 of the peach orchards are located. These 

 orchards now cover some thousands of 

 acres. 



SMALL FRUITS. 



These are assuming no small impor- 

 tance, even if we do not include among 

 them the grape. The strawberry is 

 sent to market from the south part of 

 the State May 10th, at the time they 

 are in bloom at the north part of the 

 State, and the first ripe peaches go 

 north August 10th ; so the small fruits 

 fill a void that the orchard cannot sup- 



The strawberry is followed by the 

 raspberry, and that by the blackberry, 

 between which is sandwiched the cur- 

 rant and the gooseberry. The May 

 cherry goes north with the strawberry 

 and follows the season in its progress, 

 thus extending the small fruit season 

 over a wide area of summer. Illinois 

 is the fruit and vegetable garden of the 

 valley of the upper Mississippi. 



Reapers and Mowers. 



Until within a year or two manufac- 

 turers have persisted in making com- 

 bined machines, but as soon as the far- 

 mers had an opportunity to test the 



