The ground is covered with snow to a small extent, and the roads are in a fine condition.  The crops are all good here except corn, which is very poor indeed, even the crop in most cases is small.  Farmers are not at all satisfied, and times are not at all encouraging.

  H.A.P.  WEISSBERGER. 
  Will co., Ill.

[A] 355 Western Avenue (south), Chicago.

A FARMER’S LIBRARY.

As this is the season to make up our list of papers and magazines for the ensuing year, I will take a glance around my own cosy room set apart for a library.

It is here that I do the most of my reading, writing, and planning; and although I pretend to be deeply engaged while ensconced in the large willow rocker, strictly forbidding entrance to my farmer office, yet the children and “Spot,” my Gordon setter, will intrude, making things lively for awhile, driving my thoughts wool-gathering and breaking many a thread of thought that I had fondly hoped would place my name high on the roll of scribblers.  It is a good thing to have the little innocent children and the dog to blame for these shortcomings, as they can not take issue with us on the question.

But I started to talk about a farmer’s library; and taking my own for a small sample, let us see how it looks.

For the purpose of keeping my papers in order, I have prepared thin laths of tough wood dressed with the draw knife to a thin edge, the back being one fourth of an inch thick, leaving the lath one and a quarter inch broad; these are cut in lengths to suit the paper they are intended to hold.  Take for instance the prairie farmer.  I cut the lath just two inches longer than the paper is long, then cut notches half of an inch from each end, in which I tie the ends of a cord; this forms a loop to hang up the file.  In this I file each paper so soon as read, by which means they are never lost or mislaid.  When at the end of each three months the papers are taken from off the file, the oldest number is laid face down on a broad piece of plank and the number that follows laid face down on the top of the first, then they are squared evenly and a strong awl pierces three holes in the back edge through which a strong twine string is laced and tied firmly; this finishes the job, and the book thus simply and quickly made is placed on the shelf with its mates.  This done the file is returned to its hook to await the next number.

This is a simple plan for filing papers of any size, and any farmer can do it, there being no expense or outlay for material.  On glancing up from the stand on which I am writing, the first objects that attract my notice are my breach loader, cartridge belt, and game-bag hanging on the wall; then by the side of the stove hangs the file of the prairie farmer, within easy reach of my left hand; next it swings the Country Gentleman, then comes the Forest