1864. 



THE ILLINOIS FAKMEE. 



217 



The Temperature. 



THERMOMETER IN THE OPEN AIR. 



?^I 



Mean for the month 66 



The average temperature of the month has been 

 low, with several sudden changes attended with 

 considerable high wind, from the direction of Lake 

 Michigan. 



On the 2nd inst. strawberries commenced bloom- 

 ing ; on the 6th the pear was out ; the crab apple 

 on the 7th, and the cherry and apple the 8th. On 

 the morning of the 10th we had a hard freeze with 

 high wind, which has f eriously lessened the apple 

 crop. The 24th we bad a slight sprinkle, but not 

 sufficient to wet the ground an inch deep ; — no 

 other rain during the month. 



The first ripe strawberries were picked the 30th 

 and the first fruit had on the t ible the Slst inst. 

 These were the Early Scaelrt, or Virginia Scarlet, 

 a favorite variety with us. 



byC. D. Wilber. 



7th. The Avalanche of the Ocean, by Prof, Tur- 

 ner. 



8th. Limits of Aborescent Vegetation in Illin- 

 ois, by Dr. Vasey. 



9th. New Theory of Respiration, by Dr. J. A. 

 Sewall. 



10th. The Illinois Coal Fields, by C. D. Wilber, 

 with forty illustrations. ■ 



11th. Chess and Wheat. 



12th. Miscellaneous Papers. '- 



13tli. Secretary's Report. 



14th. Curator's Report. 



The number of specimens added to the Museum 

 since June 26th, '63, is 4,000, includtng plants, 

 fossils, minerals and crystals. A large and splen- 

 did collection of casts of rare fossils, from Europe- 

 an Museums, has just been received. The Society 



is free from debt, and is rapidly carrying out the 

 objects for which it was founded. 



It had been our intention to have attended the 

 June meeting of the Society, but we have some ac- 

 tive duties to perform at this time about the farm, 

 the orchard and the garden. In fact our time is 

 so fully occupied at home that it is about out of 

 the question to take even a hasty look through the 

 State. :, . :.-.-■ '■■-■■; .^ 



»3K When you are trying to sleep, it is not 

 pleasant to have two dogs half a mile apart, dis- 

 cussing a dogmatical difference of opinion. 



Report op the Illinois State Sasitaet 



BuEEAU — Through the politeness of Col. John R. 

 Woods, the Recording Secretary and General State 

 Agent, we are in receipt of this interesting report. 

 Whatever may have been or is now the difference 

 of opinion in regard to ihe war and its cause, it is 

 certain that this State is one of the hirgest contrib- 

 utors in men, money and material. 



At the beginning of the war the resources of the 

 State were just beginning to be developed on a 

 scale of magnitude that was challenging admira- 

 tion ; but the plow was left in the furrow, the 

 tools in the workshop, and goods on the counter, to 

 grasp the musket and to train the cannon. But if 

 the stalwart sons of the State thus left their wont- 

 ed vocations, others, if not as strong, took their 

 plows and pushed the State forward on her career of 

 greatness She has poured out money like water 

 and men as trees to stay this rebellion, to wipe out 



its curse and to reach an honorable peace. May 

 the end be not far off' ! 



The report is a closely printed pamphlet of 

 ninety-eight pages, and contains a detailed account 

 of the Commission. It is to be: hoped that a copy 

 will find its way to every aid society, if not to eve- 

 ry fireside in the State. 



Address CoL John R. Woods, Recording Secre- 

 tary, Springfield, SL 



mam 



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