, 1859-12-28
FARMING IN ILLINOIS,
CONDITIONS Or Successful Farm,nr-.
:anses OF FAILURE ana Hale remedy
nufseTie: anA +OrclaaFds.--Fen
der Drainage exe,

and 1fcdRcs..0eep piossinc..Un.
ocr Drainage e1e.
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REPORT pF TIE :cnAla44x OF coxs,rr9E OF STATE
u. EesaccLTrKAl $oc1E1r TO .11Ax1SE
r. f rASAs AID, xrnsra1rs
.7a ii: :It4+u'ioe Committee Of tie 1l7iaoi. stat<
Ayr7enftarat 4Society:
.GESrlrxEs-The undersigned, hnsiug been
appointed Chairman Of the COMMITTEE Tor the
Examination Of Farms and Nurseries. was pre-
Vented 1rom making tia entire tourot obsaara-
tiou, bJ sickness; md other inevitable tdusGs
The awards, therefore, were nude up by the
othcr members Of the Committee, and for which
he is i'll no way entitled to credit, and iu no
+ manreE- respon8ihae.s= =9sa-4zr1as= he: made tho
trip, lie was greatly interested. he saw much
erwise; and something he saw then and bus
thought of since, in tins connection, he has put
down su this report, believing that every farmer
should, as far as in him lies, Improve every op-
portunity to communicate facts, record obser-
vaaions, an. gire others thu benefit -of auy real,
grcss of agricultural knowledge.
7uE, COUNTIES yiis.7En.
The Trip Of observation began at Frceport, On
the 18th Of August, aud the Committee spena
two weeks in tie counties Of Stephenson. 6gle,
Ice, Wianelago, Boone, Kane, Kendall, Du-
page, GIunly, La Sale, Mclean, Sangamon
aud Morgan, and adjourned over for the Stale
and Natiooal Fairs. Subsequently ia the Inter
part Of September. Nessrs. Clapp and Rosen-
pa,En where the undersi gned was present), and
made examinations in sansamou, Mation and
Adams.
E1rEkr or WHEAT CROP.
An matter Of paramount interest to the far
n1ers Of Illinois, 10 the State Agricultural 20
ciety. and in some manner nB q measure of the
general prosperity OF the STATE. the extent and
condition Of the wheat crop were among the
first things to engage the attention Of the Com
ulttcc. In 1hus patt Of the State in which the
examination commenced, large wheat harvest
bud been secured under very favorable circum.
stances, and the whole country looked liks a
camp, SO numerous were the grain stacks. II
seemed, indeed, ns il tl,at portion passed over
iu Stephenson and Ogls had had half o. its
Whole surface ia wheat CT other spring grain.
Certainly, il nut Luu the whole surface, more
+; than hall tie whole area under cultivation was
: iu wheat. Meadows and pastures appeared Of
small dimensions, hogs aud cattle wete scarce,
gaEdens seemed to lAEe been neglected, aud
corn-the crop OF crops for l!llnois-was every
where suffering from, the concurrent evils uf
weeds, drought and the want Of the plough.
i The stale Of the corn crop was no doubt
due to The frosts in June. tile drought which
spanncd the season from May until September,
and in consequence Of which the wheat harvest
ca.,,c on from two to three weeks earlier tha,,
usual. and. in n,anr cases. drore tue farmer out
Of his cornGe'd before he had time to 90 tlroug,
With : second ploushing. -
EFFECTS OF FROST AND DROUGHT. j..
Tic complaints Of the unfavorablness o. the
season, were universal over tic whule northern
portion Of the Slate; Tue prevailing drought
and the June frosts being tue cuusgs alleged.
There does not appear to bt uuy ,re yentiye
of ti,ese suIden ani sweepiur frosts: but lie
remedy for the luxurious effects Of drought. to q
ureut c.teut. tLe Comunittre Lad several onnor-
iuait;es Of ouseryinr. is suLsoitip. decp pfow.
tLe fr1urr. Inf ryiirntiy c;,en 1hs;r Ie.t t;ne
ia The whrat crop tbe average il iI,ese uor,l,rrn
.,,nntr.s lie fr,Ien nj liz, frst;mnnv tl,rn md
sinca ATTAINED ~rncs Ia s1,nw c,m'1 unt I,arn
Lreu OVER ten bushels 10 Tie acre. Viii, tl,.
market at flItr ceufs Il * doubtful whether flat
weld and t1,at nricc- fcren were 1hc latter ;n-
e.t.uscL len or fifteen cents ner bu.le1l- would
ieayr tie farmer Ir;nc nrofit
,...,-,.,,->. ,.s1.zr,,,,-
- *>oA4"''N 'AL'''a
Nevertheless. tue progress Of improvement ln
this portion Of Illinois Is little less than wonder
ful. Ten yeRss ago much OF the country was
wild, open prarie; now there is scarcely rood
Of unenclosed land, except portions Of the tim.
ber along tlIc rivera and streams. The tarms
"e'E "on:' - ~ u1 ~, e44'"'' a''u 1ou1
l'a'aHet' "e' eu!i' ateo. 4"e'e "efe s"ou
rlssn ct ahi.s ,.st n,cadows nn;rsr.a,ir u1 VII.
,nada grain stacEs and n ,,rnara1 mir n} thr;f,
md Reinforcement
!.
y PROBABLE CHANGE or caors'
Another ten years will, 10 doubt, produce
change equally surprising to the close observer:
Tue cultivation Of wheat, ~ the main crop, will
hare given way to corn, and with corn will come
Il greater breadth Of meadow, wider pastures,