, 1872-12-23


from the North, who buy peaches OF their South
I ern brethren took this q little to heart, and
spoke feelingly on the subject, rs though they
| had not been fairly dealt by. But they were
| members OF the Society. This was satisfactory
| for time; but, as all the packages Of peaches
| were packed with the same object, it was pre-
! sumed that no member OF the Society had shipped
| any peaches the past season, though many of
them had large orchards; and the question
| arises, Who takes the ep1int after sp1int from
| the peach-basket, and shaving after shaving
! from the peach-box, that have reduced the
three-peck package to 8 level eight quarts
! That Is, five baskets or boxes, that once held
each three pecks, have now shrank to bushel
| of peaches that is, fifteen good honest pecks
are reduced to four. In order to put stop. to
this rate Of Hhrnkage it WAS decided to appeal to
| the scales, and
SELL. ALL FRUIT By WEIGHT.
/ In order to accomplish this, the Boards OF
Trade Of st. Louis and Chicago Were appealed
! to to carry out the rule aud thus put honesty
| in the packing Of fruit at premium.
| MANAGEMENT OF THE ORCHARD.
| The culture and general management Of the
| orchard were passed by for the want Of time,
| and yet sufficient was developed to show that
! the plow and harrow, clover-seed, and thinning
| Of the fruit, we're becoming familiar to the Or
chardst. How much, and when, shall we prune,
are also subjects not definitely settled. We
shall, therefore, have few subjects left over for
J the next annual meeting.
The capital now invested in fruit culture in
this State represents many millions. Of dollars,
and is q branch of industry that should be fost-
! cred by the State. In fact, to the Hberaity Of
the State, for the past six year. e due the success
! Of the State Horticultural Society, as the
| 80, 600 per annum has enabl ed it to continue
the good work, and:without thia aid it cannot go
| on in it's broad field Of usefulness, as contem-
] plated in the new order OF things. It must
| have aid to publish its Transactions, which is
the handbook Of the year Of horticultural prog
| IeBs.
Forest-tree culturawas also largely discussed,
| though but little new was developed beyond
the white and blue ash for forest-tree planting.
The 1arch plantations we're spoken highly Of as
| SUCCESS IN al cases where early spring plant
| ing had been practised.
TRANSACTIONS OF TEE DEPARTMENT OF Aanr-
| TURE.
have Just received from the Secreto.ry, A. n.
! Garland, the above for the year 1871 These an
nua1 volumes Of Transactions are. in fact. hand-
books Of the year, and to have them sent out to
| the pubEe the last month Of the Succeeding wear
nual is sometwo or three, if not four years, as
regards time, ahead of.some OF its predecessors.
OF which there are eight IN all. a few days will
close the year 1872, when the ANIMAL volume for
1872 will be ready for the State Printer, and the
work should be ready for distribution at least by
| the 1st day Of March, 1873. In that case, its
contents will be Of value to the several indus
tries Of the State. As matter OF course, these
/
in al public and private libraries,
and for depositing in corner stones Of
public buildings; but, for the public benefit, for
the taxpayer who meets the expense Of the work,
/ they are Of about the same value as that OF
last years almanac. I would suggest that the
Secretary be authorized to let the printing and
binding this yearbook OF agriculture to the low
| est bidder, who will guarantee its completion
not later than March /. While State Printer
may be useful for the printing Of bills, and to
supply the daily needs Of the General Assembly,
for the printing and binding OF these and simi-
lar reports he has thus far proved failure, and
the people arc tired Of paying taxes for any
such long delayed services. If partisan presses
are to be sustained, let the Assembly make
direct appropriation for that purpose, but
do not withhold knowledge until its value is lost,
as has been the practice with that public inatitu-
tion, the State Printer.
This annual contains many pages Of valuable
papers, the list Of awards Of the State Fair at
Duquoin, reports Of County Societies, and d
| history Of the Board OF Agriculture from 1858
to 1871.
The new Board, that meets next month st the.
State Capital, will have responsible task be-
fore them. We have passed the pioneer age and
the age Of wooden towns, and are now entering
On one Of more permanent improvement and
manufacturers. New industries are almost
daily inaugurated, and these must have place
in the State Fair, and the whole field Of expoai-
tion be vastly brondened.
District Fairs becoming Prominent, and
the people are looking forward to something
that shall fully present al Of the varied interests
and Industries Of the State. The great feature
of our State Fair has been its show OF liye stock;
but the present age demands more than this; it
demands equal fostering of every department
Of productive industry that is adding value to
the State, and giving it more enduring future
TIE WEATHER AND CORN.
Since the 18th Of November, we have winter
weather. most of the time, dry, clear, and cold,-
and well adapted to the thorough curing Of the
immense yield Of corn, andita harvesting. To the
surprise Of ell, almost the entire crop is ready
for shelling and shipping. We do not mean
ping, but for immediate use for milling and dis
tant customers, and large cmounts 60 East daily
for this purpose. The price paid is 20 to SO
cents bushel Of 70 pounds IN the ear, or an ad-
freights are now some cents per bushel to
Eastern markets over the winter rate Of last
year, and it is just this difference that takes off
the profits. If the farmers could have this ex-
ira cents, they would be very well satisfied,
and in the end the railroads would make a better
profit, for it would beget better mutual und'4t-
standing between the producers ami carriers.
Corn IS King, and any monopoly that comes in
its way must go Under. Some farmers tall OF
dropping the corn crop out Of their List Of fsrm-
staples, but this is all nonsense; corn is, and
will continue for all time, our great staple; and
the roads that ara wise will so grade their charges
as to encourage steady demand and supply.
This increase Of rates at this time Will result II
a reverse, and may prove loss in the end. No
prudent business man would pursue such o
course with his customers, for he would expect
that such treatment would divert business from
him at every opportunity. Two OF three short
crops would show struggle for freights that
might seriously lessen rai1road dividends. Ny
advice is, to charge fair rates at all times,
upon basis Of live and Let I've. Extravagant
prices are not desirable, for they lead to extrava
CAN'T expenditures: Nor can the railroads afford
to depress any agricultural staple, as such an
act is boomerang in their own hands. The
prosperity Of the West ia, at this time, at the
mercy Of the Eastern railroads; will they be
wise and reasonable, or will they earn the i'll
will Of their best customers? This is the ques-
ton Of the day, and a question that cannot, or
will not !, be thrust aside, RURAL.
Anna e. Dickinson interrupted
From the Ne1o York Sun, Dec. 18.
Last night Miss Anna Z. Dickinson addressed
a to1e1ably fair audience in Steinway Hall on the
subject Of labor. She declared agait1st strikes,
which, she said, only served to i'll our factories
with foreign work1nen, and cousign the American