1864. 



THE ILLINOIS FARMEK. 



247 



Iowa State Agricttltcral GoLLsas. — ^Through 

 the politeness of Gen. W. Duane Willson, Secreta- 

 ry of Iowa Board of Agriculture, we are in receipt 

 of a photograph of the plan of this institution. Io- 

 wa is a progressive State ; there is a go-ahead en- 

 ergy among her people that knows no failure. — 

 She has not been cursed with a large emigration 

 of the poor white trash, to bar her way in the field 

 i>f progress. Hers is a bright record for common 

 schools and liberty ; and now she is to put the gift 

 of the General Government, designed to give the 

 farmer a splended education for his calling, into 

 practical use. Will our State allow young Iowa to 

 get the start of her in this grand enterprise ? 



Iowa Houestead. — This valuable paper has 

 changed hands, Mr. Miller retiring from the busi- 

 ness department and giving his whole time to the 

 editorial. The paper has been enlarged and im- 

 proved and presents a highly prosperous condition. 

 We are pleased to see this state of things in our 

 neighbor over the river, as it shows that the 

 plains of Iowa are in the hands of a reading and 

 consequently intelligent class of farmers. 



The Homestead aims at teaching western farming 

 in its practical bearings, and, thus far, has been 

 eminently successful. 



«•* 



Pumps. — We ordered a couple of pumps of J. F. 



Powell, Chicago, some two months since, and was 



pleased with both pumps and price. The cost 



was as follows . 



One pump, ten feet .$6 00 



Eight feet pipe 1 20 



Freight 60 



^ :; -y., ^1 80 



This morning a pump peddler called to sell us 



one of same size and similar make. His prices 



were: 



One pump, ten feet $ 8 00 



Eight feet pipe 4 00 



$12 00 



Diflference .$ 4 20 



All peddlers will excuse poor men like us from 

 dealing with them — we can't afford the luxury. 

 All well to do farmers can always buy of peddlers, 

 as they have the money to spare ; but those who 

 wish to plant orchards and make their homes 

 pleasant must purchase at first hands or regular 

 dealers. They have no time or money to throw 

 away on any class of peddlers, homemade tree ped- 

 dlers included. But we forgot to tell the cost of 

 the other pumps. One ten foot cistern pump, $6. 



Ganaky Sees, of which we have twenty-five 

 acres, is light. Next monih we intend to give a 

 full account of our experiment with this new crop. 

 It is very probable that another year will close the 

 importation of canary seed to this country. 



TuENiPS. — Seedsmen report an unusual demand 

 for turnip seed. Although the crop is not a certain 

 one, yet we cannot afford to pass by the time of 

 sowing without an effort to grow a few hundred 

 bushels of this desirable root. 



ScGAB Beet. — ^We hear nothing of sugar beets 

 this season. We trust the idea of making sugar 

 from them is not abandoned. .; V 



On the whole the crops are fuHy up to the aver* 

 age, and are being got in in good order and in rea- 

 sonable season. The improved implements have 

 done much to make amends for the scarcity of labor 

 Not an acre of old land was idle ; in this respect 

 there is a marked gain over last year. Besides 

 this, a large amount of prairie has been broken up. 

 which wil add to the area for next year's planting* 

 With Burson's binder, the labor of binding is re 

 duced to a single hand, to from eight to ten acres 

 a day. It is true than when we take the cost of 

 wire into account the saving is not so much, but 

 then the harvesting is done and we do not have to 

 board and lodge the wire, nor will it strike for $3 

 a day and then take the work aiset/. 



Bl-MONTHLY BSPOBT — DEPARTMENT OF AORICUL- 



TCRE. — ^If the Commission would issue ten to fifi 

 teen pages monthly it appears to us that the re- 

 port would be more useful. This report is an im- 

 provement, being cut down to 38 pages, and con- 

 tains an immense amount of facts without being 

 loaded down with absurd theories. Our readers 

 who wish a copy should address Commissioner 

 Newton, who will take pleasure in supplying them. 

 -«•» 



Shelter. — Every year's experience adds to the 

 testimony in favor of shelter, whether to stock or 

 crops. In the garden we use hot beds to forward 

 early vegetables, but the present price of glass is 

 making this rather an expensive luxury. ■ 



To overcome this difficulty Dr. Jas. Weed, of 

 Muscatine, Iowa, has been in the practice of using 

 what he calls a tree and plant protection, which is 

 simply a shelter from the winds and severe cold 

 For plants these shelters can be made cheaply, and 

 so simple that a child can handle them. 



If lumber does not get more dear than glass we 

 shall give the plan a trial next spring. For the 

 covering of green houses they must be valuable in 

 the saving of heat and to ward off hail storms. 



Our maple and willow belts are having a good 

 effect on our orchard, and no money would tempt 

 ns to dispense with them. 



