reliable
statistics for crop reports as it is possible to collect. The State
provides but $1,250 for the general expenses of the Board, and it is
thus dependent upon voluntary aid in the matter. The Board will defray
all expenses of postage and stationery. Competent persons willing to
undertake this work for the public good should address J.W. Sanborn,
Secretary, Columbus, Mo. Such persons will receive, free, the monthly
and annual reports of the Board.

In March of last year Secretary Fisher, of the Illinois State
Board of Agriculture, submitted his report for 1882 to Gov. Hamilton.
This report has just made its appearance. It has taken the State printer
ten months to get the volume printed and bound for distribution, a work
that any respectable job office in Chicago would have turned out in four
weeks without any extra exertion. The report is valuable, of course, but
it would have been worth a deal more had it appeared last April. Such
papers as the report of Prof. Forbes, State Entomologist, for instance,
might have been of immense benefit to the people of the State if the
information it contains regarding noxious insects had reached them in
early spring.

SEED SAMPLES.

We have letters from several parties desiring us to publish an offer
they make to send packages of seed corn and other seeds to any one
applying and inclosing stamps to pay for trouble and postage. Some of
these parties also send samples of the seed. There is one great
difficulty in the way of publishing this class of communications. Once
we begin, the door is open to the practice of petty frauds upon our
readers which we have no right to encourage or allow. Now we are almost
certain that all these writers, thus far, are honorable men, who wish to
confer a favor upon their brother farmers, and who do not wish to gain a
farthing in the transaction. But some of them are personally unknown to
us, and we do not feel like vouching for their responsibility, still
less so because it is difficult to tell who will next propose a similar
scheme. There is to be a brisk trade in seed corn during the next four
months, and parties having a well tested article will find no difficulty
in disposing of it at good prices, providing they can convince people
they have exactly what they claim. The way to do is to advertise the
seed corn in the regular way, giving as references such men as the
postmaster, justice of the peace, banker, etc., as may be most
con