Knox County, Illinois - Resources of the County, 1878

We purpose in this chapter to give a short summary of such matters as will clearly show the business and resources of Knox county. To the thoughtful and intelligent reader these items will be invaluable, and we commend them to the capitalists of the country as showing truthfully the resources and standing of the county.

The face of the country is mostly rich, rolling prairie, watered by- Spoon river and Court creek, with their numerous small tributaries, along which are extensive bodies of timber. The farmers have planted artificial groves extensively over the prairie, which has had the effect of ameliorating the climate, by keeping the winds of an open country from the surface of the earth. By the energy and enterprise of the citizens of this county it has been transformed from the native wilderness into one of the most attractive portions of the State, if not of the West. By men whom the country rely upon as authority on such subjects, it is claimed that there is no spot on the face of the earth capable of sustaining a denser population than the Military Tract; and those familiar with this beautiful portion of our State know that Knox county has no superior within its boundary. This will be plainly shown before finishing this chapter; and that this county contains as intelligent, enterprising and thrifty set of agriculturists as probably can be found in the same breadth of territory in the United States few will deny. Fine barns, with all the modern improvements, comfortable dwellings, lawns, gardens, out-houses, etc., are found on every hand.

The natural resources of the county, as above alluded to, for agricultural and manufacturing purposes are excellent, which, with the numerous railroad facilities for transportation and marketing, give to the farmers and manufacturers of the county superior advantages. The agricultural interests of the county are well advanced. The soil is mostly rich prairie loam, and has great productive qualities. It is mostly divided into farms of medium size, from 80 to 320 acres; but very few large farms are to be found. The benefit of this is apparent by the increased population and a better cultivation. The farms are mostly subdivided -by hedges of Osage orange into fields, and a system of rotation in crops is generally practiced. The foolish custom of the early settlers, of burning the straw to avoid making manure, has been abandoned, and now the opposite is followed. It having become a known fact that manure benefits even the best prairie soil, the farmerssave all material that will fertilize the soil, by which system it produces better grass and field crops (except spring wheat) than formerly. Cultivation or change of climate has rendered that crop which, when the country was first settled, was abundant, one of great uncertainty; so much so that the farmers sow but a limited number of acres of it each year, merely enough to furnish flour for themselves. The staplecrops of cereals are oats and corn, which yield abundantly unless the season is very unfavorable. The corn crop is by far the largest in acres, and may be safely said to be the most reliable and profitable one to the farmer.

Extent of Territory. - Knox county is thirty miles in length and twenty-four in width, having within its boundaries twenty townshipsof thirty-six square miles each, or a total of 720 square miles. In each square mile are 640 acres, which makes a grand total of 460,800 acres of land in the county.

Improved Zand. - V>y this statement is meant such lands as may be enclosed and value enhanced by cultivation, by the erection ot buildings, or in the manufacture of articles of profit. It is customary,, in the assessment of real estate, to call any tract improved that ha& any portion under cultivation. The number of acres adapted to cultivation are 419,778.

Unimproved Land. - The proportion of unimproved land is small, being less than one-seventeenth of the entire land of the county. The greater portion of this never will be brought under cultivation, although much of it is of great value, being underlaid with coalr and having in it' several valuable quarries of stone. .Several of the best farms in the county, however, were once thought to be as valueless as much of this unimproved land now seems to be, and it may be that a considerable part of it will yet be cultivated.

Real and Personal Property. - For the wealth of the county, the statement of the amount of personal property, town lots and lands, will give a fair idea. We learn from this that the aggregate value of the three classes of property named is $16,340,742. But as it is not customary to make the assessment on a full cash valuation, we must, in order to fully show the wealth of the county, add the per cent, deficit. The assessment shows only about sixty per cent, of the value . of property; therefore, upon this basis, which is by no means an ex- aggeration, we find the real wealth of Knox county to be $27,234,570, an average of $544.60 to every man, woman and child in the county. The State Board of Equalization has always made a deduction from the assessment of property in this county, while in many counties they have never failed to increase the assessment. The deduction made on personal property assessment has been as follows: 1873, 27 per cent.; 1874, 34 per cent.; 1875, 32 per cent.; 1876, 28 per cent. ; 1877, 22 per cent., and 1878, 16 per cent. On lands - 1873, 24 per cent.; 1874, 26 per cent.; 1875, 23 per cent.; 1876, 29 per cent.; 1877, 21 per cent.; 1878, 16 per cent.

Wheat. - While wheat is decidedly preferred to all other grain, and next to corn is the most important crop raised in the county, yet for a few years past the yield has been light and the quality poor. Indeed the average yield of the crop has scarcely compensated for the outlay of seed and labor. Wheat, although not an aboriginal grain, was introduced at an early day. Charlevoix, who went down the Mississippi in 1721, writing from Kaskaskia, speaks of the Illinois soil "as extremely proper for wheat;" and Du Pratz, who wrote a description of the country in 1758, says: u The French post of the Illinois is, of all the colony, that in which with the greatest care they grow wheat, rye and other like grain, for the sowing of which you need only to turn the earth in the slightest manner; that slight culture is sufficient to make the earth produce as much as we can reasonably desire. I have been assured that in the last war, when flour from France was scarce, Illinois sent down to New Orleans upwards ot 800,000 weight in one winter." This would be almost 4,000 barrels. Monett states, on the authority of Martin, that 600 barrels of flour were sent to New Orleans in 1746. Pittman, in 1770, mentions that " in the late war, flour and other articles were sent down the Mississippi," and notes mills " for corn and planks " at Kaoquias, Saint Phillipe and Kaoquias. Gov. Reynolds, in his u Life and Times," states that the French in 1800 " sowed spring wheat as their common fields were occupied by the cattle all winter. The Americans mostly raised fall wheat, and at times some spring wheat also. It was tolerably well plowed in with the ox team." Even as late as his day the sickle or the reap hook was the only implement used to cut the grain. It was stacked by the Americans and put in barns by the French. It was thrashed by horses, and winnowed with a sheet, which latter process the Governor pronounced the hardest work he ever performed. J. M. Peck, in 1831, says that " wheat produces a good and sure crop, especially in Morgan, Sangamon and other counties north." He mentions crops of 35 bushels to the acre-

"Few of our farmers," he concludes, " have barns or threshing floors: the grain is put up in stacks, exposed to the weather, and trod out with horses on the ground, with considerable loss and injury."

In Northern Illinois spring wheat was made a crop of great prominence between 1840 and 1860. Since 1860, however, it has generally declined, and is regarded as an uncertain and not very profitable ctod; while the drill, which was introduced about 1850, has not overcome the disadvantages of a colder climate and more open soil for winter wheat. In the early settlement of the county abundant crops of wheat were raised, and of a superior quality, winter wheat being principally sown. Of late years spring wheat has very generally taken its place, the cause being that winter wheat has nearly always been killed by the severe cold of our winters. In 1850 there were raised in this county 201,181 bushels; in 1860, 442,127 bushels, and in 1870, 275,418 bushels. In 1877 there were sown 730 acres of winter wheat, which yielded 12,030 bushels. The same year 5,196- acres of spring wheat were sown, producing 59,715 bushels. The largest number of bushels of win-ter wheat were raised in Orange township, being 3,697 bushels. The yield was the largest per acre, in Maquon township, being a fraction over 20 bushels. This township also yielded the largest number of bushels of spring wheat; from 611 acres 6,611 bushels were raised, Lynn township raising the most per acre. From 216 acres in that township 3,226 bushels were raised^ ' - about 15 bushels to7the acre.

Com. - Among the products of Knox county, as well as generally in the United States, corn takes the precedence as being the most popular and peculiarly adapted to the soil. The origin of Indian corn has been a source of much controversy; and although there has been much written on the Eastern origin of it, yet it is certain it did not grow in that part of Asia watered by the Indus at the time of Alexander the Great's expedition!, as it is not among the productions of that country mentioned by Nearchus, the commander of the fleet. Neither is it noticed by Arrian, Diodorus, Columella, or any other ancient author. And even as late as 1491, the year before Columbusdiscovered America, Joan di Cuba, in his " Ortus Sanitatis," makes no mention of it. It has never been found in any ancient tumulus, sarcophagus or pyramid, nor has it ever been represented in any ancient painting, sculpture, or work of art, except in America. But in this country, according to Garalaso de la Yega, one of the earliest Peruvian historians, the palace gardens of the Incas were ornamented with maize in gold and silver, with all the grains, spikes, stalks, and leaves; and in one instance, in the " Garden of Gold and Silver," there was an entire corn-field of considerable size, representing the maize in its exact and natural shape, a proof no less of the wealth of the Incas than of their veneration for this important grain. In further proof of the American origin of this plant, it may be stated that it is still found growing in a wild state, from the Rocky Mountains in North America to the humid forests of Paraguay, where, instead of each grain being naked, as is always the case after long cultivation, it is completely covered with glumes or husks. It is moreover a well authenticated fact that maize was found in a state of cultivation by the aborigines on the Island of Cuba at the time of the discovery by Columbus, as weli as in most other places in America, first explored by the Europeans.

The first successful attempt of the English in North America to cultivate this grain was made on James river, in Virginia, in 1608. The colonists sent over by the " London Company " adopted the mode then practiced by the Indians, which with some modifications has been pursued ever since.

There were in cultivation in this county, during the year 1877, 155,060 acres of this grain, yielding 4,894,359 bushels, - an average of 32 bushels per acre, which, as the season was unfavorable throughout the Northwest, should be satisfactory to the farmers of Knox. Indeed it was the largest crop of corn ever raised in the county, as comparison with former years clearly shows, and the aggregate number of bushels was greater than ever produced by any county in the State of Illinois as shown by the census returns. In 1850 the crop amounted to 1,570,361 bushels; in 1860, 3,155,470 bushels; in 1870, 2,708,319 bushels; and in 1877, 4,894,359 bushels. Ontario township led the van, both in number of acres and yield: there were 10,- 861 acres, yielding 570,500 bushels, an average of 53 bushels to the acre. There were planted during the past year 171,418 acres of corn, being over two-fifths of all the land under cultivation in the county ; and as the yield will be much larger this year than last, it is safe to make an estimate upon the basis of 40 bushels to the acre. This will give an aggregate yield of 6,856,720 bushels; but as the corn crop is applied to so great a variety of purposes, and is such an indispensable article for farm consumption however abundantly it may be produced, the country's increasing demand will press heavily upon the supply. Very many of the farmers do not pretend to sell a bushel any season, because they find it more profitable to feed it to stock than to sell it in its bulky

Oats. - When considered in connection with the artificial grasses^ and the nourishment it affords to stock, especially the horse, this grain may be considered as one of the most important crops produced. Its yield is generally abundant and profitable. In 1877 there were 27,326 acres sown, yielding 926,370 bushels, an average of 34 bushels to the acre. For 1878 there were 26,955 acres devoted to this grain, but the yield is much heavier than for the former year. It will not fall short of 45 bushels to the acre, which will make the aggregate yield 1,212,975 bushels. The general market price varies from 20c to 40c per bushel.

Meadovj. - The hay crop is becoming one of great importance, the vast prairies of Knox county affording an abundant yield, which with the little labor required to raise it, and the generally fair market price, makes it a very profitable article of culture. Besides, it enables the farmer to rest his land. Clover and timothy are the chief crops grown for hay, but the former in this latitude is liable to be killed by freezing in the winter. "When used for pasture land both give way to blue grass, which seems to be as natural here as in Kentucky, and grows equally luxuriant. The sod which this grass makes when broken up, produces large corn crops. The market price of this staple article varies from $5 to $12 per ton. The season of 1S77 there were assigned to the cultivation of grass in this county 42,967 acres, producing 62,483 tons of hay, - an average of almost 1^ tons per acre. This season 44,307 acres were allotted to grass.

Other Products. - Under this head are included rye, barley, buckwheat, potatoes, and such other articles as are commonly cultivated in small quantities. Alloted to the use of these products for the year 1877 were 14,256 acres; for 1878, 18,408 acres.

Bye and Barley. - These grains are generally a sure crop, and the yield heavy; but there being no home demand, and the general market price so low, other grains are more profitable: consequently but a small portion of the land is allotted to their culture.

Buckwheat. - This grain is but little cultivated in this county, - in fact not enough to supply home consumption, the farmers claiming it to be unprofitable.* In 1877, 392 acres were raised, yielding 5,529 bushels.

Broom-Corn. - This is another product that receives but little attention from the farmers of Knox county. In 1877 there were cultivated 1,302 acres, yielding 365,316 pounds. Of this amount 600 acres were grown in Galesburg township.

Potatoes. - The common Irish potato, so extensively cultivated in most of the temperate climates of the globe because of its value as an item of daily food, is regarded of but little less importance than corn or wheat. In this county the yield is generally heavy. The Colorado bug, which for several years was so destructive of the potato, killing the vine before the potato matured, for the past few years has not made its appearance to any considerable extent. It is hoped that the days of this enemy of the potato are past. The general market value is extremely fluctuating, ranging all the way from 15c to $2 per bushel. In 1877 there were 1,410 acres planted in potatoes, yielding 120,397 bushels. In the city of Galesburg 254 acres yielded 68,580 bushels, an average of 270 bushels to the acre. The aggregate number of acres is larger this year, as also the yield.

Pasture. - The number of acres of pasturage at present in this county is 134,508. This is used for pasturing cattle, almost everjr farmer having a few acres enclosed for that purpose. Some of the land is woodland, and can be used for no other purpose; but being well watered and good for grazing, it is valuable.

Miscellaneous Products. - In 1877 there were 36 acres of beans grown, yielding 1,421 bushels. Two acres of peas, producing 135 bushels, was'a portion of the products the same year, as also 50 acres of sweet potatoes, yielding 3,244 bushels. Of sugar cane there were 126 acres, from which was made 10,993 gallons of syrup. From the .34 acres of grapes raised but 142 gallons of wine were manufactured. There were devoted to turnips and other root crops 247 acres, yielding 10,960 bushels. There were but 695 pounds of tobacco cultivated. The seed crop amounted to 3,471 bushels, mostly timothy.

Wood Land. - As before mentioned Knox county is largely prairie land, although there are many streams and large creeks running through it which are bordered by timber. The timber, however, does not extend a great distance, the wood land being only 34,003 acres. The timber land is principally in the central and southern townships. The principal varieties are white, red and black oak, hickory, elm, cherry, maple, white and black walnut, birch, etc. This land is not considered as valuable now as it was in the earlier history of the county, when it was deemed essential by every farmer that he should have the greater part of his farm in timber, that he might have sufficient for building purposes, fencing and fuel. The question of supply and demand puzzled the pioneers greatly, but it has been effectually solved by the introduction of the railroad.

1493. He left Spain as Admiral of seventeen ships, bringing a collection of European trees, plants and seeds of various kinds, a number of horses, a bull, and several cows.

The first horses brought into an}7 part of the territory at present embraced in the United States were landed in Florida by Cabeca de Vaca in 1527, - 42 in number, all of which perished or were otherwise killed. The next importation was also brought to Florida, by De Soto, in 1539, which consisted of a large number of horses and swine, among which were 13 sows, the progeny of the latter soon increasing to several hundred.

The Portuguese took cattle and swine to Newfoundland and Nova Scotia in the year 1553. Thirty years after, they had multiplied so abundantly that Sir Richard Gilbert attempted to land there to obtain supplies of cattle and hogs for his crew, but was wrecked. In 1609 three ships from England landed at Jamestown, Va., with many immigrants, and the following domestic animals: 6 mares, 1 horse, 600 swine, 500 domestic fowls, and a few sheep and goats. Other animals had been previously introduced there. In 1611 Sir Thomas Gates brought over to the same settlement 100 cows, besides other cattle. In 1610 an edict was issued in Virginia prohibiting the killing of domestic animals of any kind, on penalty of death to the principal, burning the hand and loss of the ears to the accessory, and twenty-four hours' whipping to the concealer. As early as the year 1617 the swine had multiplied so rapidly in the colony that the people were obliged to palisade Jamestown to prevent being over-run with them. In 1627 the Indians near the settlement fed upon tiogs which had become wild, instead of upon game. As early as 1750 the French of Illinois were in possession of a considerable number of horses, cattle and swine.

Horses. - Horses stand first in aggregate value among the live stock of Knox county. As early as 1800 Gov. Reynolds says large stocks of them were grown by the inhabitants in Illinois. He adds, that the horses were of the Arabian strain. Col. Wm. Whiteside, in the year 1797, introduced into the territory a fine blooded horse of the Janus stock. It is supposed, by the best judges of horses, that a better horse has never since stood in Illinois. Ford, in speaking of the horses of Illinois, says: "A French pony was a proverb for strength and endurance. These ponies were made to draw sometimes one alone, sometimes two together, one hitched before the other, to the plow, or to carts made entirely of wood, the bodies of which held about double the contents of a common, large wheelbarrow. Nothing like reins were ever used in driving: the whip of the driver, with a handle about two feet and a lash about two yards long, stopped or guided the horse as effectually as the strongest rein." Peck, as late as 1831, saj's that "wild horses are found ranging the prairies and4brests in some parts of the State. They are caught in pens, or with ropes having nooses attached to them."

About 1850 the Morgan horse, under its own and various other cognomens, began to be introduced, and about twenty years ago was all the rage. Some twelve years ago the Norman or Percheron horses began to appear, and have during the last few years absorbed more attention than any other race of horses. The Clydesdale horse was introduced in 1857.

During the year 1878, there was 16,409 horses in this county, with an average value of $38.75. Last year Knox county was excelled, in point of number, by only three other counties in Illinois.

Cattle. - Even more than horses, cattle have been a favorite product of Knox county. Some of the most enterprising farmers have turned their entire attention to stock-raising. The buffaloes that roamed the native prairies of Illinois were called "wild cattle" by the Jesuits, and they suggested herds of tamer animals. Charlevoix, in speaking of Illinois in 1721, says: "Cattle and sheep would multiply wonderfully here. Even the wild buffaloes might be tamed, and great advantages drawn from a trade of their wool and hides, and from their supplying the inhabitants with food." Pittman, in 1770, says: "The captain of militia at St. Phillippe has about 20 slaves and a good stock of cattle." Reynolds states that in 1800 cattle were abundant, and that the plowing was generally done by oxen " tied to the plow by a straight yoke, which was tied to the horns of the oxen by straps of untanned leather." The horned cattle, he says, came from Canada, and " were a hardy race, - not large, but of neat formation, with generally black horns. They stood the winter better, without grain, than the American cattle, gave less milk in summer, and kicked more all the time."

Knox county ranks among] the first counties in the Northwest in quality of cattle raised. We refer the reader to chapter on "Blooded Stock" for a full exposition of this stock. There are at present in this county 34,060 cattle, valued at $471,870. There were 11,262 tat cattle sold during the year 1877. The average weight was 1,135 pounds. Rio led in point of number; from that township alone 949 were sold, the average weight being 1,200 pounds. The highest average weight was from Knox: 584 were sold, averaging 1,350 pounds.

That Knox county is fast becoming a dairy is evident from the following carefully compiled statistics, which, although large, do not fully show the extent of her interests in this respect, as there was no doubt much butter and milk sold in a small way which was not given in. There were 10,102 milch cows kept in the county, Henderson having the largest number - 639. From these, besides the large quantities of milk sold and cheese made, there were 416,151 pounds of butter marketed, Galesburg township alone furnishing 102,680 pounds of this, which was four times the amount sold from any other township.

There were 94,682 pounds of cheese sold, the greater portion being manufactured in Ontario, which is fast becoming the cheese center of this part of the State, that township selling 66,756 pounds.

The quantity of milk sold represents only what was sold for domestic use, which was principally in Galesburg. Out of the 53,623 gallons sold in the county, 48,025 were in that township.

Mules and Asses. - Notwithstanding these animals will do more with the same amount of care, they do not appear to be a favorite with the farming community, there being only 856 head, or one-twentieth as many as there are horses. The mule is less enduring of cold and wet than the horse, and the unstableness of our climate has driven them mostly into the southern part of the State. The breeding of this stock was begun at a comparatively late day. Reynolds states that the monks of La Trappe, on Monk's Mound, Madison county, kept a jack in 1808.

Sheep. - There has been a remarkable decrease in the number of sheep raised in Knox county during the past few years, caused by the low price of wool in the general markets. During the war wool-growing was a most profitable business and largely engaged in by the farmers; but the demand for woolen goods has decreased greatly, and the price realized is so small that other business is now much more profitable. There are now in the county but 8,127 head of sheep, with &n average value of $1.96 each. In 1854 there were 9,571 head, but were worth but a fraction over $1 each. Even as early as 1840 there -were 6,907 head of sheep in this county, and in those primitive days it must be remembered that wolves roamed at will, and it was only with great difficulty that sheep were protected.

During the year 1877, 43,411 pounds of wool were shorn from the sheep of this county. There were 3,730 fat sheep sold, which weighed an average of 111 pounds. Ontario sold 'about five times as many as any other township, the sales amounting to 1,542. There were 290 sheep killed by dogs. These were valued at $132.65. Haw Creek lost -12, which was the largest number lost by any one township.

The first account we have of sheep-raising in the State was in 1797. A bodv of emigrants from Virginia settled in Monroe county. Reynolds says of these that they '' cultivated fall wheat for market, and raised sheep and made linseys for clothing." Faux, an English farmer who visited the State in 1819, speaks very minutely of the sheep raised at the time, which he calls " very mean ones." Evidently mutton was not generally used as an article of food, for he further says: " These Americans hold mutton in the utmost contempt, and 1 have heard them say people who eat it belong to the family of wolves."

Sioine. - This stock was first introduced in to this State by the French, but was not extensively used, as they lived more on vegetable diet that the Americans. Woods says of the swine in the Wabash country in 1820: "Pigs are numerous, being easily raised; they are of various sorts, but many of them are of a sandy color and some with wattles, - that is a piece of flesh about two inches long and a half inch thick, growing out on their cheeks. They are of a middling size, but from very hard, keep they do not rise to much weight. It is not uncommon for one person to have from 60 to 100 in the woods, and left to shift for themselves, except giving them now and then a little salt. During the summer when grass and herbs are dry, and before the frosts begin to fall, it is almost impossible to describe how excessively poor they are. Most of them run until they are two and sometimes three years old before they are killed. Some years when there are a large quantity of acorns and. hickory-nuts, they are said to get good pork. A hog of 200 weight is called a ' fine chunk of a fellow.' "

This class of stock has received great attention from the farmers of Knox. Notwithstanding the large number that have yearly been carried off with the cholera, none seem to abandon the business. The large yield of corn, the readiness with which the hog fattens and the advanced market price all together afford abundant compensation to the farmer or stock-rais'er. In 1840 there were 28,854 head of hogs in Knox county: in 14 years they had increased to 44,729, and 24 years later the number is almost double, being 73,101. But it must be borne in mind that the table was compiled from the assessment made in May, when there are a less number than at any other season in the year, sucking pigs never being counted and nearly all the marketable hogs shipped. The assessment will never show the true number, for many pigs that are not assessed are sold before the next yearly assessment. Thus we see a steady but rapid increase. In 1867, 62,723 hogs were marketed, the average weight 304 pounds, which makes 19,067,792 pounds of pork sold from the stock Knox county raised for one year. Henderson township took the lead in point of number, there being 4,046 sold from that township, having an average weight of 325 pounds. The heaviest hogs were from Lynn the average weight of 3,037 being 345 pounds. The very large number of 48,817 hogs and pigs died with the cholera during the same year, the average weight being 85 pounds. Rio was the heaviest loser, where 7,768 head, with an average weight of 108 pounds, died from this dreaded disease; while in Ontario, the adjoining township, but 219 died, the average weight of which, however, being 150 pounds.

Orchards. - As a countrjT grows older, the more extensive are her orchards and abundant her fruit crop. Knox county now ranks among the foremost fruit-growing counties in the State, in regard to both quantity and the quality of fruit grown. In this county there are now 5,585 acres devoted to this purpose, which if we calculate 80 trees to the acre would make a total of 446,800. This number is divided among the different kinds of fruit grown, such as apple, pear, peach and plum.

Apples. - The greater part of the orchard ground is devoted to apples; the principal kinds grown being jenneting, winesap, rambo> bell-flower, Ben Davis, Jonathan, Pennsylvania red-streak, red June, and early harvest. These are now considered standard. Formerly were grown to a considerable extent Roxbury russet, Rhode Island greenings, Baldwin, white wTinter pearmain, and phoenix. There were last year 4,462 acres of apple orchard, which yielded 47,466 bushels. Galesburg having 422 acres, f yielded only 2,706 bushels, while Chestnut, with 157 acres, raised 5,270 bushels, being the largest yield per acre of any township, and there only 34 bushels- This clearly shows the crop to have been light; but it was light throughout the Northwest. The yield the present year will be large. About 600 bushels to the acre is considered an average crop. Reckoning upon this basis, the crop would be over 2,500,000 bushels; but in many places the heavy hailstorms destroyed the crop. In the orchard belonging to Mr. Geo. Ratekin, three miles southeast of Galesburg, the fruit was totally destroyed. Mr. R. has 3,000 trees (perhaps the largest apple orchard in the county), and it is evident it would have produced 15,000 bushels had the hailstones in May last not beaten off the germs.

Peaches. Pears and Plums. - These are not especially adapted to this climate, and seldom yield enough to justify their culture. The quality of the peach i's very poor. Formerly large quantities of good peaches were raised, but climatic changes have operated against them.

Cherries. - The principal varieties of this fruit grown are the English Morello, Early Richmond, and May Duke, the two former being superior in quality to the latter, and more certain to bear. The yield is usually large and of a superior quality.

Grapes. - This fruit is becoming one of the staple products of the county, the yield generally being very heavy, when the proper care and attention is given. The market is good, and at prices that make its culture profitable. The varieties mostly cultivated are the Concord, Delaware, Hartford Prolific, Isabella, and Catawba. In 1877 there were raised, as reported, 37,891 pounds of grapes: 11,600 pounds of them were credited to Salem.

Small Fruit. - The small fruit cultivated in this county are the currant, gooseberry, raspberry and strawberry, all of which yield well and are found quite profitable. The quality of each is good. It has been only in the last few years that any attention has been given to the raising of small fruit; but as it is found to be profitable, doubtless ere long it will be largely engaged in.

Carriages and Wagons. - Knox county appears well supplied with vehicles of all kinds; and as the county grows in wealth more will be used, especially of the finer grades. There are 5,999 of such vehicles, valued at $157,971.

Nothing can better show the wealth, importance and standing of Knox county than a comparison of assessments with other counties of the State. Such a comparison, which is by no means unfavorable to this county, will clearly set forth the resources of Knox county as in relation to the other counties of Illinois. It is not our desire or intention to make a commendable representation when not substantiated by facts; we only propose showing wherein this county is excelled by others, and also wherein she is a successful competitor. We give nothing but authentic figures, such as are filed from each county with the State Auditor, and therefore may be relied upon as bold, stubborn facts.

We will take the assessment for 1877, which, although a small per cent, larger than that of the present year, is the latest we have of all counties, as reported by the State Board of Equalization. For that year there were 426,987 acres of improved land in Knox county, valued at $9,878,365. In point of number of acres of this land she was excelled only by Bureau, Henry, La Salle, Will, Iroquois, Livingston, Sangamon, McLean, Champaign and Yermillion, all of which counties are much larger than this. In the value of such land it was sur- passed only by Ogle, La Salle, Sangamon, McLean and St. Clair. There were but 21,264 acres of unimproved land in the count}', which was a less number of acres than any county of half its size had, except De Kalb, Grundy, "Will, Livingston and Douglas, and a fewer number of acres than had any county of like dimensions, save "Will. The average value of this land is higher than in any county with the exception of Boone, Cook, Ogle, Kane, Stephenson, Grundy, Kendall and Macon. Knox had 7,226 improved city and town lots, a larger number than possessed by any other than Cook, Kane, La Salle, Sangamon and McLean, all of which contain large cities; and a less number of unimproved lots than any other county containing so large a number of lots.

The total value of personal property, lands and lots was higher in Cook, Ogle, La Salle, Adams, Sangamon, McLean and St. Clair than in this county.

In comparison of stock, Knox also ranks high. But seven counties had a larger number of horses, and of these in but two were they more valuable. In cattle, twelve counties excel Knox in numbers. In but five of these, however, was their cash value relatively higher. Knox was far behind in number of mules, sixty-two counties having a greater number, several of them four or five times as many. This animal is used mostly in the southern counties. There were, however, according to the report of 1877, only seven where the average value exceeds that of this county. As in the mule^trade, Knox county evidently makes no pretensions to sheep-raising, twenty-nine counties having,, in 1877, a larger number. The average value, however, was exceeded in but seven. In number of hogs, Knox stood fifth, Henry first. La Salle, Bureau and Livingston excel. There were 68,545 hogs, as reported - 5,000 less than the present year.

Twenty-five counties had a larger number of billiard and pigeonhole tables, twenty-four others an equal number, this county having twenty-nine, since nine have been added. Fourteen counties exceed in number of wagons and carriages. There are, however, but four counties whose people ride in finer and costlier vehicles, being exceeded only by Ogle, Cook, Calhoun and Shelby.

The citizens of Knox county are certainly lovers of music. This is practically evident by the large number of musical instruments owned in the county. In number of pianos only eight counties exceed, and in average value none of them are higher. In melodeons and organs but seven counties have a larger number, and the average value is exceeded by none.

of this, and nine with more money invested in manufactures, tools and machinery. There are but six having a larger sum invested in agricultural implements. In household and office property but five have more money invested. But five have more money invested in shares of State and national banks. These are Cook, Winnebago, La Salle, Morgan and Sangamon. .

In railroad property Knox ranks among the leading counties of the greatest railroad State of the Union. She is excelled in amount of personal property of railroads, as well as the value of all railroad property, by Cook, Kane and McLean. There are 79 miles of railroad in this county - 71^ miles belonging to the main lines of the C, B. & Q., 2 miles to the P. & R. I., and 5|- to the St. Louis division of the C.j B. & Q. In connection with the C, B. & Q. were 21 miles of side track in the county,- - a larger number of miles than a single road has in any county of the State excepting Cook, and a larger number of miles of all roads in any county save Cook, Kane, La Salle, Peoria, St. Clair and Will; and these have several roads passing through them.