New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-08-11
OUR CORN-FIELDs

DoNGOLA, Union Co., H., July 81, 1861.
From the vicinity Of Cairo " line l1o miles
north, there had been no rain but once since the
fore part Of June In the immediate neighborhood
of Cairo there frequent rains and 1t was IKE
moist point on the extremity of dusty cone
North of the line referred to, it IVES dry through
May and to the Goth of June. Since then there has
been q plenty of showers In the southern section,
much of the corn was not likely to bring i've bush'
els to tho acre. gardens were dried up nothing but
cotton seemed to thrive. But yesterday it CON-
menced 10 rain without warning, and We had heavy
showers oil day.
Through the whole Of tho State wheat and oats
are fully an average in some places, particularly
on low prairie ground, the Winter wheat coaid
not DO better. In some places, in the extreme
north, the chintz bug did much damage. This
was in strips from two and half to five miles
wide, and from twenty TO forty miles apart. AL
Dixon, on the Illinois Central, this bug, was
pointed out to me as continually flying across the
doorway. The air seemed to be filed with them,
and they resembled NOTES in the sunbcams.
From vandalia in 39o, TO the north line Of the
State, in 43o-that is, 20 or $50 mies-the corn
never was better. South of this it will be about
half a crop. have just returned from journey
through the whole region, terminating near Wis
consin. and on the west near the mouth OF Rock
River. From my own observation, and from con-
versation with grain dealers and the farmers,
conclude that the number Of acres Of corn planted
exceeds that Of any previous year; 1t is two weeks
more forward than it was at the time last year.
and that If VIZ have frost this year on the Both of
August, such We had last year, IL VIII not huTt
the corn because il will be matured. IL Is now OF
full hight, aud in few days the ears VIII be III
good roasting state This includes part OF South
ern, and all Of Central and Northern Illinois. Or
course the same is TO be said of Southern Wiscon-
sin, which is an extension of the prairie country
! Never in my life did ! see such magnificent
sight as these corn-6olds present. II was some
thing % rec the vast fields Of wheat and oats now
in shock being from 10 to 20 So 100, and oven 200
acres In the evening, or on rising ground, they
look something like the many miles OF breast
works made by the Rebels and by our men under
the engineering skill Of Gen. Mcpherson at Cor
NTH; or like the rifle pits around Donelson and
Vicksburg. In another sense, aud without COM
parison, they are strong military works by which
we shall conquer. Many long raid in tho Rebels
rear, and many a vigorous chase after covardly
guerrillas, hereafter 70 end with ropes, will these
oa-felds sustain.
/ But the corn, the corn, q, the cornl Let him
who likes to rhyme, write songs about those won
dorful fields. In other States, Ohio, New-York,
PennsJ wanna there are woods back Of most fields,
frequently woods come 10 the road, and extend back
through the country either in solid masses or hong
strips and everywhere the horizon is circle Of
woods. There is no place whore tho eye cannot zee
the forest.
Here on the pmiies, Ia no timber; instead il is
corn A grass, wheat, or oat-ield borders the road
or runs back into the country; all beside is com.
The corn il shown best where a low, narrow swalc
desccnds several miles from some gentle ridge; the
corn runs upon each side in straight lines, like
forest, and reaching the high ground it closes upon
the view. When ono travels across the country
and comes TO some hight, he will look over vast
extent Of country and instead Of tree-tops, or viz
lagos and farm houses and orchards, re viii see
corn. There seems 10 be- q house for about every
so ceres .. corn, or IL hides the houses. Some OF
the lofty bluffs or knobs sgeor Rock River, 200 or
800 feet high, and which in other countries would
be- crowned with timber are crowned with corn.
The rows run from the low lands up 10 their tops,
and then over the other side to the bottom again.
think saw many stretchers Of corn from five
TO ten miles with scarcely break. Then there
would be grass or ghcat-next, corn. In several
Places extending from twenty TO thirty miles,
there are no fences cattle herded or tied singly
10 stakes with long ropes, or else the cattle arc
fenced. while al crops are on the common. Here
corn is planted largely; it cannot be said to be III
fields il is in Il wilderness which itself makes
Very frequently the houses are from one TO three
miles apart; it is thckly settled where they are half
mile apart. Bat the is seen in all directions
Everywhere the horizon is corn.
Where the farming is more general il is quite a
Gno sight. There are corn wheat oats, flax, po;a-
toes orchards and clumpS Of trees. Then, naturally
the traveller Will look away TO where the SKY and
earth meet In search Of the spires Of city. Nat
that faint green streal is corn.
Clearly enough this is not what We call good farm
ing. The whole country is newer than Great
Britain was at tho time of Julius Cesar. This is
simply raising grain and cattle. On these parties
where the houses Gro 50 distant from each other,
thcra can be neither schools nor society, and often
their dwellings are mere shelters from the weather,
with few barns few orchards, little Of the com
forts and elcgances of life They have settled in !
stocked their fields in haste. And yet much
similar farm worl. has not been done in the same
length Of time anywhere Oh the face Of tho earth
since the creation.
Does il look us though this haste was through