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2=52 



THE ILLINOIS FAEMEK. 



Septembee 



ests of the people ia this matter of the weak 

 against the strong. I hope it will be brought be 

 fore the people on every proper occasion. 



BEES, 



You speak of your bees. I am glad you take an 

 interest in trying to diffuse a knowledge for their 

 more humane and successful treatment. It would 

 be wrong to judge of the merits of bee-keeping by 

 this and the previous j'ear, (1863.) I have no re- 

 collection since my settlement in the State (1836) 

 of two seasons following each other so disastrous 

 and discourrtging as the present and the past. The 

 Langstroth is undoubtedly a good hive, but, after 

 all, any well formed and chambered hive, if used 

 with an intelligent care, cannot but succeed. Bees 

 need protection from the nun in summer and from 

 the cold in winter; also plenty of honey in store 

 to carry them thicugh the trying months of March 

 and April. Young swarms seldom do and never 

 should leave clean and cool hives, especially if pro- 

 tect'.'d from the sun. Artificial swarming I have 

 never practised, requiring some experience and 

 more time than I generally have had at command. 

 Bee-keeping, to make it a success, should be car- 

 ried on in a favorable locality, and with such num- 

 bers as will make it remunerative. It costs almost 

 as much time to look after ten as one hundred 

 swarms. 



CROPS AND FRUIT PROSPECT. 



The want of rain is here being seriously felt, and 

 except it rains very soon, our staple, the corn crop, 

 must be much shortened ; and at any time subject 

 to an eirly and destructive fro-^t. The apple crop 

 up t.) this time has been promising, but the drouth 

 is now telling fearfully on the older trees, especial, 

 ly those not cultivated or in grass. The gradual 

 ' decay not only here, but I have noticed in many 

 of the older States, of our most reliable varieities 

 of apples, cannot but awaken serious apprehension 

 as to the permanency and future of our orchards. 



STORING OF CORN. 



I am now shelling the crib of corn noticed by 

 you when list here. That crib of corn is not with" 

 out, or rather has imparted some usefnl and prac- 

 ticiil lessons. The outside crib or bin, after being 

 stored nearly four years, was found well preserved, 

 except a few ears on the outside, and those might, 

 I believe, have been saved, had bevelled boards 

 been used instead of square edge. But I cannot 

 say as much of the middle crib or bin. You will 

 recollect it was eight feet wide, and surrounded on 

 all sides by at least one foot open space, yet it in- 

 spected, "soured," retaining at the same time its 

 fresh appearance. From this experiment I am sat- 

 isfied that Indian corn can be preserved if kept 

 dry and in the ear, provided the cribs are not too 

 large, any reasonable length of time ; an item of 



experience which individuals may, but which 



States cannot overlook. ■■'■'.'■> 



, ^ Very truly, 



L. S. Pennington. 

 — We have heard of numerous complaints in re- 

 gard to the Galena railroad warehouse monopoly, 

 but we trust the new management will see the mat- 

 ter in its true light and if they have not already 

 corrected it, will do so at once. Doubtless the 

 difficulty is more imaginary than real, yet railroad 

 companies should not allow even the appearance 

 of favoritism in regard to warehousing. The en- 

 hanced prices are what we all submit to in these 

 inflated times. While the Dr. complains of the 



high freight he makes no similar allusion to the 

 high price of corn. We think he will survive both 

 these inflictions, especially the latter on his thirty 

 thousand bushels of ten cent corn, even if part of 

 it inspects sour 



The Dr. is right on the storage of com. If put' 

 up dry and kept well aired it will keep sound a long 

 time. We had saved up four years' surplus, and 

 are now feeding and selling from the crop of 1861. 

 This had been exposed to several rain storms after 

 cribbing before the roof was put on, and inspects 

 sour, while that of the year 1861 is perfectly sound, 

 having been kept dry from the time of harvest. 



We have before stated that Dr. P. is one of our 

 most successful bee keepers, and from him we have 

 had many valuable hints. Had he the Langstroth 

 hive as now improved, we have no doubt that he 

 would be pleased with it. To keep out the miller, 

 it is ahead of anything that we have used. If bees 

 are damaged by them it will be our own fault. — 

 Last year with us was a bad one ; but this year is 

 highly favorable, considering the bad condition in 

 which the winter left our stocks. 



We have another suggestion in the good culture 

 of the apple orchard If we would make the apple 

 crop profitable we must plow and mulch. Not a 

 load of sorgo begnsse should be left at the works, 

 but all of it should go into the orchard and among 

 other trees ; it will pay to haul it out. — Ed. 



Swine I Swine ! 



Those wishing specimens of the breed of Swine for 

 many years bred of the Dlinois Hospital for the 

 Insane, and now favorably known as the "Hospital 

 Breed," can obtain choice animals at moderate pri- 

 ces. Apply to E. P. JONES, 



Farm Steward. 



N. B. — Persons having these Swine, if they wish 

 to effect sales, are requested to correspond as above 

 stating time and place of purchase. ^ . ' 



Jacksonville, HI. June, 1864. - 



Aug. 1, '64 



