The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1848-01-14
Aall3UA 10aAas

.;.c.Iar one. The early part OF 1t
80 yerv cold, backward, and in
t Hi. vicinity wet. Recurring to our
not. hook. we fndit recorded, un-
der date ofof May 20, ''mercury at
sunrise 44deg. For three weeks
net the mercury has ranged from
EOJeo. at sunrise to 4s at noon
T,.ss have not filed with leaves to
anv .xtent." Under date of May %
IL /, said, Mercury at 4sdeg., rain,
;no.n This sort ofwsathr continued
tiIi July. II proved very favorable ::
to wheat, oats and grass; while Po-.
tatoss did not suffer, except to be
nut back in season, and thus exposed
10 rot. In our note book it is sald'
under date of May 20, "Potaioes
nlanted two months since have not
vet ,prouted." The corn crop, in
this vicinity and north of this, was so
much nut back that many fields,
though they had attained beautiful
growth, were not perfe cted when the
Srst frost came, though none occur
red here till near the middle ofOcto-
bsr.s Further south there was the
finest crop ofcorn ever produced in
this State. 1t should be said, howev-
er. that in the western part Of the
State. along the Mississippi river, a
severe and prOtractod drought injnr-
ed the crop extensively, and in some
cases severely; but, taking the
whole West together, there has new
ar been a finer crop Of corn.
Wheat was cut off extensively in
the State of Illinois, by the winter
and spring. The latter season had,
in our opinion, moro to do with it
than the former. Had there been a
kindly spring after the winter was
over, thousands Of acres would have
been nursed into strength, which
were gradually smothered out. In
the Territory Of Wisconsin, north OF
line running parallel with its base,
at the distance of fifty miles from it,
there was as fine crop as was ever
known on this continent. From 30
to SO bushels per acre was not unu-
sual. The quality OF all the winter
wheat grown was very fns-com-
pcnsating, to some extent, for the
limited quantity of it. The quantity
produced in this State would perhap,
equal one fourth Of a crop, on an av-
erage-some sections suffering en-
tire destruction ofit-others grow
ing enough for seed, and others
growing afall Drop. Spring wheat,
in Northen Illinois has been made tc
take the place ofwintsr wheat, and
by its excellent quality has made VI
in considerable degree, for the loss
The prices in our market, taking the
whole season together, have beed ex.
traordinary; and in fact, though the
farmer has been obliged to SOW two
crops to get one, and that one, ant
inferior to his expectation from
the first, still it is to be doubted
if he has ever done better than dur
ing the past season.
South ofus, where spring whea
is not much grown, corn was made
to take the place Of the killed crop
and has in great measure compen
stated for its loss. The price Of thi
product has begun to appreciat
finely in the centre and southern par
ofthe State, where the great burtbeI
Off is grown. Near navigabls wa
ter, it has been found from Is to Al
cents for the past year. The grea
variation ofprice has been owing t
the demand, at particular seasons
for expectation, and the want ofsucl
demand at other times. The guam
tity grown has been greatly increas
ed also by this demand. 1t is est
mated that the whole amount OF tli
crop, for the country will reac
6U0,oO0,OOo ofbushels, or more tina
l50,000,000 bushel, more tia
have ever before been grown. Per
haps this estimate may be too large
but it is certainly considerable.
As consequence of the goo
crop Of corn, hepork is fine in qua
ity and large in quantity and so ia
is bearing better price than here
tOfore. Heavy pork for packing
sold in all directions for about |:
Per hundred.
The quantity Object for packin
fed on grass, does not keep pace Wi
the increased demand, in the ratio
other products. The ratio heret
fore paid has warranted only Il
feeding upon prairie grass, for I
most part; and as this supply grad
ally diminishes, we shall look for
less amount ofgrass fed beef, unit
will payto raise the native grassestl
are getting gradually-very grad
ally in some sections-into cultiy
ton. 1t has been found that the Z
glish grasses do not flourish upon o
drv uDlands very we'll. with IN "a,