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OF THE

ILLINOIS STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY,

WITH REPORTS FROM

COUNTY AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES,

AND

KINDRED ASSOCIATIONS.

EDITED BY JOHN P. REYNOLDS, CORRESPONDING SECRETARY.

VOLUME V.-1861-'64.

SPRINGFIELD:

BAKER & PHILLIPS, PRINTERS.

1865.

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JOINT RESOLUTION IN RELATION TO THE PRINTING OF THE REPORT OF THE STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.

Resolved by the Senate, the House of Representatives concurring herein, That ten thousand copies of the Transactions of the State Agricultural Society be printed, under the direction of said Society, as heretofore; that fifteen hundred copies be distributed by the Secretary of State to the members of the General Assembly, five hundred copies for the use of the State Library, and the remainder for the use of the State Agricultural Society, and for distribution to Agricultural, Mechanical and Horticultural Associations, and public libraries throughout the State.

NOTICE.

The Fifth Volume of the Transactions of the Illinois State Ag-. ricultural Society is now presented. Following the precedent of former years, the matter contained in this should have formed two volumes, the 5th and 6th, of the regular biennial series. It will be remembered that the session of the General Assembly of this State, held in 1863, was brought to an unexpectedly early termination by the prorogation of His Excellency, Gov. Yates. It so happened that the joint resolution ordering the printing of the Society's Transactions for 1861-2, had passed but one House when the dissolution of that body occurred, and the printing was there. fore necessarily postponed until ordered at the following biennial session.

Rather than incur for the State the increased cost of publishing two volumes it was thought best by the Executive Board to condense the matter of four years into a single volume. This rendered it necessary to change somewhat the whole plan of the volume. The entries (at the Fairs) not receiving premiums, but, when published, valuable as a permanent record of the competition in each case, have been omitted, as the size of the volume would otherwise have been increased a hundred pages. Some other matters of interest have been excluded, and what is very much to be regretted, several valuable papers by members of the State Natural History Society have failed to be inserted. Neither was there place for the proceedings of the State Horticultural Society, other than the papers and essays with the fruit lists presented at their annual meetings. These will be found full of practical suggestions of great utility.

The Reports from County Agricultural Societies, owing to the disturbed condition of the country during the entire period covered,

were not regularly transmitted, nor were they in most instances, when received, as full and satisfactory as they might have been made. Such as were received are published, and will be found to contain many statements of facts interesting to all who care to mark the advance of agricultural enterprise in this State.

The papers by Prof. A. H. Worthen, State Geologist, though originally familiar letters on geology, prepared for the Journal of the Society, embody much practical elementary information, and will receive attention.

Professor Wilber's estimates of "our natural resources" will surprise those not familiar with the facts, and convey a far better idea than is prevalent of the wonderful storehouses prepared and filled by nature with valuable minerals for our use.

Except in the department most interesting and important to the farmer and orchardist, Natural History is not well represented in this volume. Insects, and their depredations, are quite fully treated of in the papers by Mr. Thomas and Mr. Walsh, practical entomologists.

In view of the rapid increase of the cotton crop in this State, and of its great profitableness compared with other field crops in the southern counties, the essays of Mr. Dunlap and Mr. Chase will be read by many, and afford much reliable information.

Professor Turner's paper, on the "cultivation of field crops and the preparation of soils," is one of the most valuable from his able pen, and embodies very fully the views upon which he practices.

The other prize essays, and the statements accompanying the entries for prizes on field crops will be found replete with valuable facts and suggestions.

We have been unable, for want of space, to include in this volume much information in regard to the exhibitions at the annual fairs, and particularly, reports of the press containing much that is deserving of record here.

The volume is submitted in the confidence that its careful perusal, and its use as a book of reference in the farmer's library, will contribute materially to the improvement of practical farming in this State.

JOHN P. REYNOLDS.

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