nd mill, find out all about the
Nichols' Centennial as advertised in our columns by Nichols & Daggett,
and see if you do not think it just fills the bill. It is strong,
durable, steady, and it takes and uses all the wind there is going.

Hon. E.B. David, member of the Illinois State Board of Agriculture from
Mercer county, made a brief call at THE PRAIRIE FARMER office last week.
From him we gathered the facts regarding the late meeting of the Board
mentioned elsewhere. Mr. David has long been a staunch friend of THE
PRAIRIE FARMER, and his call was a very welcome one.

Immigration at the port of New York fell off last year to the amount of
66,405 persons, or about 14-1/2 per cent from that of 1882. The total
number landed this last year was 388,342. The greatest decrease was from
Sweden and Russia. From England came 30,818; Ireland, 52,555; Germany,
164,036; Italy, 24,101; Norway, 11,536; Hungary, 11,448; Switzerland,
9,447; Denmark, 7,770; Bohemia, 4,652. Last year the arrivals were
182,893. It is not unlikely that there will be a greater falling off
this year for times are not sufficiently promising here to greatly
stimulate emigration from Europe.

The Crystal Palace Company, of London advertise the holding for six
months, from April 3 next, of an "exhibition of arts, manufactures, and
scientific, agricultural, and industrial products," and invite the
participation of American exhibitors. A court in a central position on
the main floor has been set aside for expected American contributions,
and the ordinary charge for space is two shillings per square foot. This
will probably seem a trifle steep to American exhibitors who are not
accustomed to pay for space in their own exposition buildings.

Last year was not a very surprising one in the matter of railway
extension within the limits of Illinois. The report of the Railway and
Warehouse Commissioners will show that but 135 miles of track were laid.
But there are 10,456 miles of track in use in the State. The companies
among these lines numbering sixty-four, operate 29,370 miles of road or
nearly 20,000 miles outside of Illinois. The total net income of these
companies was $81,720,256 and the dividends amounted to $36,374,474. In
1882 the dividends amounted to but $29,000,000. The average freight
charges in 1883 were 1.09 cents per mile, while the year before they
averaged 1.20 cents, hence it must follow that the amount of traffic
greatly increased over th