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grained, all of which possess nearly the same properties. It grows about three feet high and terminates in open hairy spikes, which contain the small round grain, enveloped in chaff. In tropical countries it flourishes during long-continued drought and heat, when other food fails, and at such times it becomes a valuable resource, and constitutes the chief food of the inhabitants.

Poland or German millet, is a different species, which grows about a foot high, and is cultivated for food in Poland and parts of Germany.

Millet is usually prepared and eaten in the whole grain, as rice. But it is also ground into flour and makes good wholesome cakes.

GUINEA CORN is a species of millet, but so different from the plants usually known by that name, as to require separate consideration. The Great Indian millet, sorghum or Guinea corn is a large plant resembling Indian corn. It terminates in large bristly panicles, similar to the spikes of Turkish wheat. These are succeeeded by large roundish seeds, covered by a loose investment of chaff. It is easily thrashed and cleaned, and the grains are converted into flour with great facility. It is extensively cultivated in Persia, China, Turkey, and India. And in Arabia the same plant is called DURRA or DORA, and the flour from it is very white and makes excellent bread. Guinea corn is also cultivated to some extent in the South of France and in the West Indies, but the bread is coarse and dark, wholly different from what it is in Arabia, nevertheless it is considered excellent and hearty food for laborers.

This valuable plant flourishes best in hot countries, but it easily accommodates itself to all soils in a wide range of climate, and it is worthy of a much higher rate in commerce than it now holds; for while its grain makes excellent bread, the leaves are the best of forage, and its stems valuable broom straws.

BUCKWHEAT.

Considering the good qualities of buckwheat, it is probably less appreciated than any other bread grain. Writers on agricultural products seem to eschew it as food for man, and regard it only as a mischievous adulteration of wheat flour, or a last product of poor soil for cattle. It is of a totally different family of plants from the cereals, and will flourish on sandy hill-sides which are barren for other grain. It is probably the most easily cultivated and the cheapest bread grain in the world. The buckwheat plant is a native of Asia, but it was introduced into Europe towards the latter end of the fifteenth century, and is adaptable to a wide range of climate.

It is extensively cultivated in Belgium and some parts of France, where it forms the basis of food for the inhabitants. It flourishes in all of our Northern and Middle States, where it is the favorite winter bread. Though its properties are very different from wheat, it is nevertheless quite as rich in all important compounds, and in extremely cold weather it is more substantial food than wheat. It is, however, less digestible, and apt to disagree with weak stomachs, or persons unaccustomed to it.

By analysis buckwheat is second to wheat in gluten, but deficient in starch. By the addition of one-fourth quantity of oat or Indian meal to buckwheat flour, the bread is very much improved.

Plaster of Paris, chalk, and other compounds of lime, have sometimes been found in buckwheat, and when there is cause to suspect them, the sample should be tested with acid.

Art. V. COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL CITIES OF THE UNITED STATES.

NUMBER XLIX.

PEORIA, ILLINOIS.*

THE city of Peoria, the county-seat of Peoria County, Illinois, is situated on the Illinois River, about 180 miles from its entrance into the Mississippi, which is at a distance of 42 miles from St. Louis. Its distance from Springfield, the capital of the State, from which it is directly north, is 70 miles, and its distance by railroad from Chicago is 161 miles. It is the second city in the State, in population, manufactures, and trade. Its immediate location is on the right or west bank of the Illinois River, at the outlet or southern extremity of the expanse called Peoria Lake, which at this point is about one mile in width, with sufficient depth of water at all times for the larger class of Mississippi River steamboats. Below the city, the river contracts to a width of about 600 feet. The lake is about twenty miles in length, and from one to four miles in width. It may be regarded as the combination of two lakes, since at the ferry, long called "Little Detroit," and afterwards "The Narrows," five miles above Peoria, the water is contracted to the usual width of the river. Its water is clear, its bottom gravelly, and its current slow. It forms a very beautiful feature in the natural scenery of the vicinity, and is useful as well as beautiful-in summer supplying the inhabitants with fish, readily taken with the seine; and in winter with abundance of excellent ice. Nearly every winter it is frozen to such a thickness that heavy teams can pass securely over it. Most of the eastern shore is low bottom and swamp, subject to inundation. Its western shore is closely approached by the high river bluffs, and near "The Narrows" these overhang the road. Above that point there is a rich and timbered tract of bottom land, between the lake shore and the bluffs. Still further, opens the beautiful, undulating, rich prairie of La Salle, and the bluffs retire in low ridges to the distance of several miles. Opposite to the city there are two bridges-one a wagon bridge, 2,500 feet long, with a draw for the passage of steamboats; and the other a railroad bridge, having (or it is so reputed) the largest span for a turn-bridge of any in the country.

The site of the city possesses many natural advantages. The surface at the side of the river and lake is sufficiently elevated to prevent any damage from rise of water, and thence it rises by a gentle slope, giving excellent drainage. The part most thickly populated has an elevation of about forty feet above the water. Extending north and south, parallel to

* We received, several months since, from an intelligent citizen and prominent business man of Peoria, Illinois, a general description of that city, including a summary notice of its manufactures, trade, and other business. In the present article we have embodied the statements furnished, with other statistical detai's already at our hand. We should, however, have been glad to present a more complete account of the several branches of industry in the city. And we will here suggest to some of our esteemed correspondents, that we should generally make more ready use, than we now do, of their contributions, if they would furnish us with COMPLETE, CONCISE, AND AUTHENTIC STATISTICS of the subjects upon which they write. In the course of this series, we intend, sooner or later, to furnish a reliable statistical account of every considerable commercial and industrial city and town in the Union, each exhibiting the rise, progress, and present condition of the leading branches of industry and trade therein prosecuted.

the river, about three-fourths of a mile from it, is the range of the river bluffs, elevated from sixty to one hundred feet above the principal part of the city proper. This is occupied by some of the most beautiful private residences that can be found in the State. It commands a magnificent view of the country for many miles around, embracing the meanderings of the Illinois River for ten or twelve miles. The surrounding country is diversified with bluff, bottom, and prairie; or, as these would be termed in the Eastern States, hill, valley, and plain.

The history of Peoria dates from 1679. In that year La Salle descended the Illinois to the outlet of Lake Peoria, and having been kindly received by the Indians whom he there met, he built a fort, which he named Crève-cœur, (meaning affliction, literally heart-breaking, having reference to his previous losses, etc.) Shortly afterwards he returned to Canada, and left this fort in charge of Tonti and others of his companions, who were not long in deserting it; but in 1682, La Salle, having been rejoined by Tonti, founded a permanent settlement at this and other places with emigrants from Canada. The latter married the daughters of the Indians, and thus with their children they gradually formed a small village, situated one mile and a half above the outlet of the lake. About the year 1778 or 1779, the first house was built in what was then called La Ville de Maillet, afterwards the New Village of Peoria, and subsequently Fort Clark, situated immediately at the outlet of the lake. As the new village had better water, and more healthy location than the old, the people gradually removed to it, and by the year 1796 or 1797, the old village was entirely abandoned. The inhabitants consisted generally of traders, hunters, and voyagers, and had long formed a link of connection between the French residing on the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River. From that happy felicity of adapting themselves to their situation and associates, for which the French are so remarkable, the inhabitants lived generally in harmony with their savage neighbors. It appears, however, that about the year 1781, they were induced to abandon the village from an apprehension of Indian hostility; but soon after the peace of 1783, they again returned, and continued to reside there until the autumn of 1812, when they were forcibly removed from it, and the place destroyed by a Captain Craig, of the Illinois militia, on the ground, it was said, that his company of militia was fired on in the night, while at anchor in their boats before the village, by Indians, with whom the inhabitants were suspected by Craig to be too intimate and friendly. The people fled to the French settlements on the Mississippi.

In 1813, Peoria was occupied by the United States troops, and a blockhouse erected, and called Fort Clark. The timber was cut on the opposite side of the lake, and with considerable labor transported across, and hauled on truck-wheels by the men. After the termination of the war, Fort Clark was abandoned, and the buildings soon after burnt by the Indians.

The population in the forepart of the summer of 1833 consisted of about twenty-five families, and in the course of a few weeks this number was more than doubled from immigration. Its subsequent increase has been as follows:

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In 1844, Peoria was incorporated as a city, and divided into six wards. It is regularly laid out; its streets are wide, well graded, and cross at right angles, and a public square has been reserved near its center. Brick is the principal building material. The levee is lined with substantial stores, and many of the dwellings are notable for elegance. The city is lighted by gas, and has public water works, etc.

Peoria has already gained considerable distinction for its manufactures, and these are steadily increasing. It has a very favorable location for prosecuting this branch of industry. Mineral coal of excellent quality can be obtained in an unlimited quantity for (at present, 1857,) from eight to ten cents per bushel of eighty pounds. The most prominent article manufactured is whisky, and in its production Peoria ranks as the first town in the State. There are eight distilleries, with capacity to consume 9,500 bushels of corn daily. The value of whisky manufactured in 1856 was reported at $4,331,553, and the number of barrels of whisky sold was 383,181. The other manufactories comprise three large flouring mills, a starch factory, planing mills, iron and brass foundries, machine shops, sash and blind factories, steam saw mills, chair and furniture factories, and shops and manufactories of plows and other agricultural implements.

Peoria's facilities for water communication are-northward, through the Illinois River and Illinois and Michigan Canal with the Great Lakes; southward, through the Illinois River with the Mississippi and Missouri, and their tributaries. In each of these courses it has a very great trade. Steamboats make regular passages from the city to St. Louis and other places. In the year ending November 30th, 1852, the number of steamboat arrivals, at Peoria and places below it on the Illinois River, from St. Louis and other points, was 1,608, as stated by Gov. MATTESON, in his message of January, 1853. The value of the trade of Peoria by the river and canal during that year was estimated by the same authority at $2,600,000. We have not at hand reliable data for a statement of the corresponding trade of 1856, which was, however, much greater. A large amount of trade on this route is carried on by canal-boats and barges, towed by steamboats. Peoria Lake was first navigated by a steamboat in 1828.

The railroads leading from Peoria are as follows:-Northward, Peoria and Bureau Valley Railroad, 47 miles, to Bureau, where it connects with the Chicago and Rock Island Railroad; westward, Peoria and Oquawka Railroad, 94 miles, to Burlington, Iowa; eastward, Peoria and Oquawka Railroad, Eastern Extension, which, at a distance of 35 miles, intersects the Illinois Central Railroad, (main line,) and, at a distance of 49 miles, connects with the Chicago, Alton, and St. Louis Railroad; southward, the Bureau Valley Extension Railroad is progressing, to be carried to Hannibal, 120 miles. The projected Peoria and Rock Island Railroad, 82 miles, will, if carried out, bring Peoria and Rock Island into immediate connection.

As a market for grain, Peoria ranks as the second city in the State, and an extensive business is done in shipping grain and other agricultural

products. During 1856, there were purchased 2,569,780 bushels of corn; 828,199 of wheat; 385,565 of oats; and 78,222 of rye. Number of hogs bought, 44,789; number of hogs sold, as reported in the annual statement of the Western pork trade, in 1854-5, 30,000; in 1855-6, 55,000.

By action of the last Congress, Peoria was made a port of entry, and it is anticipated that it will, ere long, have a custom-house, which will also contain rooms for the post-office and other offices for the Federal Government.

In the city, there are four banking institutions, one local marine and fire insurance company. Of first-class, well-kept hotels there are several, and many others of various grades. There are four daily, two tri-weekly, and six weekly newspapers, and four monthlies in pamphlet form. Two of the weeklies are printed in the German language. There are three job-printing offices, exclusively employing about twenty workmen; six newspaper offices that do a very large amount of job-work; and two book-binderies.

The public school system comprises a high school and six ward schools, all having commodious buildings. The latter are supported principally by taxation, the same as in Massachusetts. The erection of buildings for a University, under the care of the Presbyterian Synod of Illinois, was commenced in 1857. There are twenty-two religious societies, eighteen of which have church buildings. Summarily, it may be said of Peoria, that in its appearance it will bear favorable comparison with any of the cities in the West of equal population and of as rapid growth, as well as in respect to intelligence, moral character, and industry.

Art. VI. MONEY AND BANKING.

In the discussions relating to the currency that commonly arise among business men who have not paid any particular attention to the science of political economy, the prominent idea advanced in favor of paper money, and bankers' credits, called "deposits," and used as money, is that there is a great addition to the currency and to the facilities of business in these fictitious dollars. It is not so. If, however, it were true that money is permanently increased thereby, it would be precisely the reverse of the true policy, for the less the volume of the currency, the greater will be the value of the dollar, the lower will be the prices of commodities, the greater will be the exports, and the consequent employment of navigation, the more the employment of the people in the production of property, and in fine, the greater will be the prosperity and wealth of the nation. The wealth is in the commodities and property, not in the money which determines their price. Their value is quite independent of their price, and would be precisely the same with one-tenth of the currency we now em'ploy in their exchange, as with the whole of it, only at one-tenth of the name in money; which would be an advantage, inasmuch as the bulk of the precious metals would be less cumbrous. It would save nine-tenths of the trouble and expense of their transportation for the settlement of balances. The world gains nothing by the increase of gold, but the

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