iiiiiliifiiiliilillil' H-T____fe_f_BW_^^
VOL. XIY.
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, JUNE 7, 1879.
NO. 23.
FOB SA1__
SS^----^fe»
F!^_^^^^«sa£^_^
Clayton, Ind.
FOR S ALE—Slx handsome Partridge Cochin Cock-
erels at *2 each.   Order soon.   GEORGE VESTAL, Cambridge City, Ind.
riHORT HORNS-Bates and Booth kinds for -sale
%^SS-V%___^t * *¥IS*5?_3_I;
FOR SALE—Ashton's salt  for butter.    "Lump
KOCk" for salting stock.   CHAS. L   DIETZ,77
__st Market street, Indianapolis, Ind.
FOR SALE—Farms In Marion, Rush and other
counties In Indiana,   G. W. ALEXANDER, 36
__. Market St., (side door Central Bank).
FOR SALE—Charles Lowder A sons, still have a
few nice Short-horns calves for sale cheap. Ad-
4reS3 MATTHEW S. LOWDER, Plainfield, Ind.
F°?nJ hS_J- H*B.r?Tn* Manilla, Rush county,
Ind., breederof Light Brahmas of Felch and
Danley's stock, and White Leghorns. Send orders
for eggs-
FOR SALE—210 acre grass farm three miles north,
west of Greencastle. Price S15 per acrn. Easy
parraenls, SMITH A HANNAMAN. Loan Agents,
Indianapolis. .. .   .
FOR SALE—Good farm of 50 acres 2_ miles south
of Danville. Hendricks county. Indiana, at a
peat bargain. \V. M. A C E. COFFIN, 34 North
Delaware street, Indianapolis.
FOR SALE—The Farm Register and Account
Book. Complete method of keeping farm accounts. PrieeM eacb. Address INDIANA PARMER
COMPANY, Indianapolis.
We have received the catalogue of purebred Short-horn cattle owned by E. C.
Thompson, of Edinburg, Johnson county.
The list includes 16 head.
FOR SALE—Some very fine thoroughbred Jersey
Bed pigs, ready to ship, at prices that cannot
fail to please. Write me and see, reader. Address C.
p. STACKHOUSE & SON, Rensselaer, Ind.
FOR SALE—A fine well-improved farm of 200
acres in Washington township, in Hamilton
county. Price. 830 per acre. This is a rare bargain.
Inquire of VINSON CARTER, No. 21 Vance Block,
Indianapolis.
FOR SALE—A Jersey bull. "Bob Ingersoll," 2,404.
Dropped January 20,1876; sire Ramchunder 718;
dam Lillie Fair No. 1C07; bred by F. _l. Churchman;
dam Bonnty. 1606. Address, PETER RAAB, Cumberland, Marion Co., Ind.
FOR SALE—Pampas or Northern Rice. Healthy,
nutritious food for man or beast. Very best
chicken feed. Now is the time to sow. 25 cents a
packet or 5 for Jl. Postpaid. Address J. H. BROTJ-
_>„S. care Indiana Farmer Co.. Indianapolis. Ind.
FOR SALE—Alderney bull calf "Wonderleigh,"
No. , dropped April 28,1879, dam my celebrated cow "Maud Howe," No. 1856; sire "Cllve
Duke." No 1901 A. J. C. C. Come and see dam, sire,
and calf, if you want one of the best bulls ln the
State.   R. S. DORSEY, Indianapolis, Ind.
FOR SALE—I see In the Farmer of the"24th. Inquiry for good farms near county seats. I have
that kind of a farm two miles west of Greensburg,
Decatur county. Indiana. The farm contains two
hundred acres. Can be divided into two farms. The
farm is in good repair, good house, barn and orchard.
1. W. MAGEE, Greensburg. Ind.
FOR SALE—The Ashland Adjustable Bag Holder,
the most complete device for the purpose ever
offered to the public. Every farmer, miller, thresh-
erman, grocer, grain dealer, and all others who use
sacks, Should not be without it. It is adjustable,
made of iron, will not get outof order, and will last
a lifetime. It will tit any sack, long or short, wide
or narrow.   Price, ?150.   Address Indiana Farmer.
FOR SALE—Cheap for cash. A fruit farm and
nursery. Orchard containing, about 3,000 trees;
some in bearing; all selected choice fruits for this
latitude; 80 acres of land, good buildings, well, etc.;
•lOacres fenced; good wind break around the buildings; pleasant location; 5 miles from the new and
thriving town of Onaga, Pottawatomie county, Kansas. Farm without the nursery stock. $1,500. Address me with stamp, until June 15, at Hutchinson,
Eeno county, Kan a*, after that date at Vienna, Pottawatomie county, Kansas.   J. J. MEASER.
—ISCEItttA-ir.OUS.
s.
M. GOO DE—Dentist, over
nia street.
I North Pennsylva-
C.
C. BURGESS, Dentist.  Office ln room 4 Va-
Jen's Exchange Block. N. Pennsylvania St.
TIT*ALTER SHORTRIDGE, Indianapolis, breeder
t\ Rose-combed Black, Bantams exclusively.
First Premium birds.
A CROP of cabbage, gooseberries, etc., insured to
all who have our "Worm and Pest Destroyer."
Ko expense. Two recipes 25 cents, cash, and stamp,
SCOTT MORRIS. Franklin, Ind
MORTGAGE LOANS NEGOTIATED AND
first-class fire insurance placed on all classes
of insurable property, farm-houses and barns Included, 64 East Market street.   Q. a. HOLMAN.
"nrHO will be President in 1880 ls uncertain, but it
i V    is certain I am selling Hedge Plants cheaper
than the cheapest, will do to set out last of Mayor
first of June. W. R. LOYD,
Jordan, Jay county, Ind.
lO.OS.
LOAN-MONEY—In sums of »300 to |10,000, on
Improved farms in Indiana, at eight per cent,
interest, payable annually (no commissions charged).
The principal, or any part of it can bepaidatany
time. H. B. PALMER*. CO., No.78Ea Market
°t.,Indianapolis, Ind.	
LOAN—Six per cent, loans made on long time
on real-estate security at 6 per cent, interest,
special arrangements for those wishing loans In from
«to 12 months at lower rates. A. w; PRATHER,
State Agents.
Agents wanted ln every connty in the State. Office
ts Jrorth Delaware street, Indianapolis, Ind.
WASTED.
"TVTANTED-100 Distributing Agents to sell the
o J Household and Farmers* Cyclopedia, the only
"fnenltural cyclopedia ever published Address, I.
^OLCOT. 36 East Market St., Indianapolis.	
"V\TANTED—Make your Chicks and Pigs grow by
, ' ' feeding Ground Beef Scraps, 4c per pound,
V_-t- 10° Pounds.    Ground Oyster Shells 2c per
.         E. G. BAGLEVS, Indianapolis, Indiana.
^iut jgtodt.
The horse completes his dentition at five
years old, when he may be said to be mature. At eight or nine years the lower
'eeth lose their marks or black concavities,
after which there is no positive evidence of
a8e, which, however, can be tolerably accurately guessed at from the length of the
front teeth or nippers, and from the gen-
eta* appearence of the horse, especially
about the eyes.
 A   *_.   _*	
Sales of Short-Horns.
George S. Wren <fe Son have recently
'old the following Short-homs: Theyear-
■*>n8 bull, Jemmy Williams, to Ben Booker
™°ne Co., Ind: the yearling bull, Earl
Ducia, to VT. D. Starkey and B. C. Booker,
■J^ne Co.; the yearling bull, Dick Cam-
w**a*2d, to c. XV. Graves, Boone Co.; to XV.
*• Yelton, Montgomery Co., the yearling
b"1*, Tom Hendricks; to VT. Sbockly,
™>°ne Co., the bull calf, De La Matyr; Ed.
phoney, Hendricks Co., the bull calf,
faster Mason, all at prices that any good
e*" can afford to pay.
What was the Matter "With My SowP
Editors Indiana Farmen
Last week I lost a fine sow. The symptoms were something like those ot the kidney worm. In the morning the sow was
all right and ate heartily; at noon she
reeled on her hind legs and could hardly
walk. At night she dragged ber hind legs
on the ground, and the next morningcould
not get up, and died before noon. She was
stiff half an hour before she died. Who
can tell me what was the matter?
Washington, May 28.                 A. P. H.
 m —a _*	
The Oakland Herd of Short-Horns.
The herdof Short-horns at Oakland farm,
near Cambridge City, which is advertised
elsewhere, to be sold Wednesday, June 18,
at public sale, are doing quite well, and as
they are an extra good lot, it may prove of
some interest to know more of them than
is stated in the advertisement. The catalogue opens with the great show bull, Forest Napier.now eight years old. This bull is
of Booth blood,and though not so fashionable
in this country as it once was, it is still in
great request in England, and there the
same spirit of rivalry is maintained between
the Booth and Bates as in former years.
We find that Forest Napier has held his
form remarkably well, and he would to-day
make a good show in any ring. He has
proven a valuable sire in this herd, and has
stood among the first in the show ring, not
only in his class, but has several" times
been shown with success wiin nis get.
The cows with Booth blood, in the herd,
have been bred to him. !
Imp. Geneva Wild T3yes is a pure Bates
bull, of the Wild Eyes tribe, and though he
will not be sold he should be mentioned,
because many of the young things are by
him, and the cows of Bates blood have been
bred to him. He is a capital bull, of great
substance and plenty of style. His calves
are remarkable for their evenness of finish
throughout.
There is a splendid two-year-old bull, «a
Moss Rose, by 20th Duke of Airdrie, a pure
Duke bull that was recently owned in the
herd. This is a fine young bull; is a good
worker, and as he is a capital show bull,
will no doubt soon head one of our Indiana
herds.
There is a nice lot of yearlings and several bull calves, under one year, that will be
looked after by some of our stockmen who
know what they are doing. We would call
especial attention to a red calt, nine months
old, "Wayne," by Geneva Wild Eyes, and
another, a red and white, of the Young
Mary family, named "Cheney." These
are both remarkably fine calves. There are
some younger ones by Geneva Wild Eyes
and Forest Napier, that are also extra good
ones. Here, however, is as fine a lot of
heifers and calves as any one could wish to
see. In fact, it is hardly probable that the
same number of extra good ones owned together can be found. There are 25 beautiful heifers and heifer calves on the salelist,
that are two years old or younger. In addition there * are some young cows with
their second calves. These are all either
reds or good roans, of good, pure breeding,
and splendid individual excellence. Some
©f these heifers and calves would grace any
show ring, and there are none but would
be found useful to farmers in the improvement of their stock. The family of Myrtle
Princesses are all show animals. The old
cow is to be retained in the herd, together
with her last heifer calf, but her three previous calves, all heifers, making four heifers
together, will be in the sale, together with
their progeny, two bull calves from one,
and a heifer from the other. The Eudoras
or Raspberries are all great milkers. They
are cows of great substance, and have immense bags. One of them with a calf one
month old, now gives an ordinary bucket
nearly full twice a day, after the calf has
taken its full supply. There are seven fe-1
males of this family, and two bulls, and
four of them are fine show animals.
Ophelia and her cow calf, by Wild Eyes,
would grace the show yard in any herd.
Two Donna Rosas are capital show heifers,
deep reds, and their dam was a great
milker.
The Short-horns at Oakland have been
bred and kept for their useful qualities, for
milk as well as beef, and that they are good
milkers is here proven in this herd by
many examples. In fact there is not to-day
a poor milker in the herd. There are plenty
of cows with immense udders and good
teats, that few such can be found in any
dairy. There are plenty of cows here with
fine form and pedigree that give a bucketful of milk twice per day.
Cambridge City is accessible by railroad
to all our readers. Being situated on the
great Pan nandle line, with four passenger
trains each way daily, it will be no trouble
to reach there from the east and west.
The Ft. Wayne, Muncie and Cincinnati,
and White Water Valley, as well as
the Cambridge branch of the Jeffersonville,
Madison and Indianapolis railroads, will
take passengers from the north or south.
BIKER'S   UIFROTKD   KCBr.W   FEED   OKAIX   ltltII.I_
CONVENTIONS, ETC.
SHORT-HORX   BREEDERS.
Annual Convention of Their State
Association. ;
Address by the President, Jndae Cravens^
Various Matters of Interest Discussed.
The members ofthe Short-horn Breeders' Aflsocfi
tlon met on Tuesday of last week, May 27, at tl
rooms of the State Board of Agriculture.   Judge Hail
vey Cravens, of Pendleton, president ofthe associ
tlon, occupied the chair; and among the gentlemen
present were Messrs V W Thrasher, Groves; J W
Marlatt, Milton; E S Frazee, Orange; T \Y W Sun-
roan, Spades Station; It G llaworth, Liberty; Thos.
"VVllhoit, Middletown: Albert Marlatt, Milton; Fielding Beeler, city; J M Woodruff, Nineveh; J T Williamson.Thorntown; John Morgan, Plainfield; J W
Robe, Greencastle; DrAC Stevenson, Greencastle;
Matthew  Lowder,  Plainfield, and  J   I* Forsythe,
Franklin.
The following new members were elected: E C
Thompson, Edinburg; Woodson Hamilton, Greensburg, and Daniel Cox, Cartersburg.
The president delivered a brief opening address,
his topic being "the general utility of Short-horns aa
a breed."    He said:
"Although the subject is full ot interest to the meat,
milk and butter producing interest of this and all
countries inhabited by civilized man, I do not think
it expedient to attempt anything like an elaborate
consideration of the theme, for the reason, among
others, that I address an assembly of men, to say the
least, quite as Intelligent on the subject as myself,
and forthe additional reason that I am impressed
with tbe idea that short essays and a general interchange of views is not only the most pleas ant but
also the most profitable manner of conducting- our
association meetings. Therefore, ln whatever I may
have to say on this subject I will endeaver to be brief
Then let me remark that as beef-producing cattlej
conceding the quantity, the quality and the early
maturity ofthe animals by quite common consent of
that portion of mankind that ought to know, and
probably does know what is the best, they are generally conceded the first rank; In so saying I would
not intimate that there are not other good and highly
valuable breeds of other cattle for the same purposes.
On the contrary, it Is their high reputation when
compared with the best of other breeds, that establishes their general utility in tbat line, and I think I
am quite safe in assuming that as beef producers
they stand as the peers of any other breed of cattle.
Again, for the purpose of crossing on other breeds
they seem to be qnite the equal, if not the superior,
of any and all other breeds. In a land where cattle
are extensively used for the yoke, I would not be inclined to assign them a high rank, and yet, I have
seen some very valuable grade Short-horns under
the yoke rendering valuable service. I remember
among my boyhood snorts In Franklin county. Id-
dlami, the breaking of aShorMiorn bull, purchased
[.by my father ot some Kentuckians, and the remarkable docility ofthe animal compared with the wild
and furious leaps and lunges of what is generally denominated our native cattle, attracted my attention
and I might add that, owing to my sport-loving disposition at the time, that he seemed rather tame,
still he worked well and kindly.
"But an impression haa prevailed quite generally
that they will do for beef, but will not do for milk or
butter, and yet, when I look around me, among
men giving attention to the dairy business, I find
grade Short-horns quite prevalent, much
admired and sought after, many expressing the
opinion that they are good milkers, and that when
they have served their time in that line that they
are more valuable than anything else that they can
get hold of for beet In theyear 1877 or 1878, I discovered in the show ring at the Marlon county fair,
competing as the best milkers, some grade Short*
horns and one thoroughbred. I also discovered that
one ofthe exhibitors was a great admirer and breeder
erof Jerseys, who had spenthls time and his money
freely for Jerseys, and yet when called on to compete
for firat premium on milch cows, he brought in his
grade Short-horns, leaving his Jerseys out. The
best milker we ever owned was a grade Short-horn,
and to-day we are milking two thoroughbred Shorthorns, one a two-year-old, the" other a three-year-
old, with very satisfactory results as to the quantity
and quality of milk, and I will add that with same attention given to selecting the best and breeding for
the best milkers, that it is my opinion that they will
stand at the head of any other breed of milkers in
this country, The tendency to breed for the show
ring, with a remarkable amount of flesh, I think has
caused the milking qualities of the*Short-horns to be
neglected, yet I find some Short-horn herds that
show fat calves In the ring have the mothers of the
calves frequently in a very different condition. Now,
If I am right in relation to the valuable qualities of
the Short-horn, so long as hungry mouths are to be
supplied with beef, milk, butter and cheese they will
be held In high repute by men who are trying to fill
their mission on earth by feeding the hungry.
Following the president's address there was a
lengthened discussion in which the whole question
ofthe advantages of Short-hom breeding were discussed by DrAC Stevenson, Messrs Sunman, Marlatt, Hamilton, Robe, naworth and Thrasher.
The secretary, Mr Sunman, next read a communication from Mr Charles Lowder, of Salem, Iowa,
on "Pedigree and its value," which was also the
theme of a lively debate, In the course of which the
breeders who put fancy pricea upon their animals,
■solely on account of pedigree, were severely con-
demned. It was urged by Mr Thrasher and other
gentlemen that the great need of farmers w-as to get
good individual aninrils, which ranked weU as to
breed and meat and ralk producing qualities.
The question of the hest kind of grass to cultivate
for grazing purposes in this State was then discussed.
The drift of sentiment was strongly In favor of Kentucky blue grass, which was called the "king of
grasses." Some advocated the mixing of white clover therewith, and ft was generally conceded that
English blue grass and orchard grass were both inferior and not to be relied upon for permanent pasture, although they were each of some value as af
fording feed for cattle In the fall, Just when Kentucky
blue grass is always least flourishing.
The afternoon session closed with the reading of a
paper by MrThomas Wilhoit,of Middletown,In reply to the question: "Has there been any improvement in the quality of Short-horns in the last fifty
years?" His answer was In the affirmative, and
said: "I do not contend that our Short-horns are
larger at maturity than they were fifty years ago,
but that they will mature at an earlier age, have
finer bone, finer style and more quality than they
possessed at that day."
WEDNESDAY'S SESSION.
The Short horn Breeders' Convention reassembled
at the Agricultural rooms on May 23, and in the absence of Judge Harvey Cravens, the president, who
had been called home by telegram on professional
business, Mr. Robert Mitchell, of Princeton, president ofthe State Board of Agriculture, was called to
tbe chair.
Rev E S Fracee, of Orange, first read a paper on
"The moral obligation of one breeder to another in !
buying and selling Short-horns," In which he urged |
that breeders could not afford to be dishonest In the
disposal of their stock, as the man who misrepresent- |
ed the quality ofthe animals he sold, especially when
the purchaser was young and Inexperienced, would
speedily lose the confidence and respect ofall reputable breeders.
Hon L MeDaniel, Rushville, followed with a paper showing the value of Short-horns as compared
with other breeds of cattle for the common farmer.
Lively discussion e»sued in regard to both of these
papers, quite a numberof the members participating.
Mr W \V Thrasher Introduced the next topic of
discussion.   He said:
"The handling qualities of a Short-horn, and its
effect upon the eating of the beef, is the ssbject of
this paper. It is a question perhaps less understood
even by the breeder himself, than any pertaining to
the Short-horn as a breed. Indeed, it takes the expert butcher to fully comprehend the question; the
masses of the people know nothi'ng about it. In giving my views on the subject, I expect that what we
say will be sanctioned by any and all expert butchers. I should be glad if some of them were present.
What do we mean by a good handler? We mean one
soft and elastic to the tonch; that you can roll up a
handful by taking hold on the animal's sfde. What
is meant by bard handler? We answer, one that
feels hard as aboard when yon touch It, or right the
reverse of the other. _Sow as to tbe effect on the eating qualities: The soft and mellow handler will
produce tender, sweet. Juicy meat of first-class flavor,
with lean and fat marbled through It, while the
other will be tough, unsavory, and, when a steak Is
cooked of it, it will be tough and turnup at the edges
like an old saddle-skirt, and is about as unsavory and
hard to masticate as the old saddle-skirt would be.
A good handler is always a good seller; indeed, a
first-class expert butcher will buy no other; it would
min his trade and reputation. Now I know this will
not be denied by the butcher. We have all observed
tbe difference In eating beet, that Bome Is tender and
nice, while some Is as already described, but do not
know why it is so. There are other reasons why a
good handler ls more valuable. They are always
good feeders and good milkers, and make better butter. We then can see tbe importance of this question.
"I would say in conclusion, that this valuablequal-
ity predominates In the Short-horn more than any
race or breed of cattle known tome, therefore we
praise them so highly. Hard handlers should never
be kept as breeders. In the show-ring they ought
to receive no premium; they should be discarded for
they are worthless as breeders, and by giving them
no premium It might learn the owner something to
his profit."
At the close of the discussion upon Mr. Thrasher's
paper, in which his views were generally Indorsed,
Dr A C Stevenson was called upon to offer some re
marks as to"*, Che question, "Can Short-horns be
raised in the Smith, In Louisiana or Texas?" The
doctor answered the question very decidedly ln the
affirmative, stating that while spending three winters In the Southern States he had become firmly
convinced that cattle raising might be successfully
carried on, especially In the interior of Mississippi,
where native and other grasses grew In rich abundance, and furnished food of the very best character.
He had, however, little hope of the colored people
ever being able to make much progress as cattle
breeders, not from any inability, but because they
were rented their lands upon such conditions that
j they were almost compelled to cultivate cotton to
the exclusion of every other product. If cattle-
breeding VrS ever to become an Important ceuimer-
cial Interest ln the South lt would be through Northern men.
The following new members were elected; JQ A
Newsom, Columbus; Lewis Gwyn, Aroma; C B Jackson, Centerville; W D Cooper, Cadiz, and SW Dungan, Franklin.
Officers were elected as follows; president. Judge
Henry Cravens, Pendleton; vice-president, ES Frazee, Orange; treasurer, W W Thrasher, Groves; secretary, T W W Sunman, Spades.
A committee consisting of Dr Stevenson, Mr
Thrasher and Mr Frazee were then appointed to arrange a programme for the next meeting and submitted the following list of papers to be read:
1. "The milking qualities of Short-horns; how developed and maintained, and at what age to be bred
ln order to develop the best milking qualities." John
W Robe, of Greencastle, Ind.
2. "In-and-in-breeding." Claude Matthews, of Clinton, Ind.
3. "At what age should we sell our steers to be most
profitable to the breeders." C B Jackson, Centerville,
Ind.
4. "Is It important to have experts as committeemen to pass on Short-homs at our fairs" Robert
Mitchell, of Princeton.
5. "What are the qualities and characteristics that
should govern the price of Short-homs?" W W
Thrasher, of Groves.
6. "At what age should we commence using youDg
bulls?"   Thomas Wiilhoit, of Middletown.
The convention then adjourned to meet again next
May.
I will divide them into three grades.   I will take the
same ten acres aa above, and let our average farmer
take thirty common ewes, put them on as we did the
cattlefiand hogs, run them during the season.   We
will shear §30 worth of wool and raise twenty lambs at
least,at $3 apiece, $60. The wool and lambs will bring
too,or $3 peracre, at the very lowest.   This Is only
allowing fitwenty lambs for thirty ewes, and five
pounds of wool to the ewes, at 20 cents  per pound.
Any farmer In the State can do this.   Think of it for
a moment;?$90 on ten acres!   My next grade would
be thirty choice ewes, bought the 1st day of January,
high  grades, say three-fourths   ftock,  bred  to a
thoroughbred buck.   A sheep man will raise thirty
lambs, and they wlu bring ?4 per heud, making $120.
He will shear seven pounds of wool per ewe at 20
cents per pound, making-»42.H Lambs, 5120; wool, $42
—?1GZ.   Allow §1 per head for keeping these sheep
from 1st of January to 1st of May, as all the other
stock was bought the 1st of May; you will have on
this grade $132, on your ten acres.   Gentlemen, In
fthis grade ls where I operate.   If there is any error
Ini my calculations I  want you to prove it.   The
third grade I call fancy sheep at fancy prices; to
show and to make certain crosses, I have been compelled to buy a few even at very high prices.   I can
take this same ten acres, well-set in blue grass, buy
tenl tnoroughbr. d ewes at $20, and a buck at (40. and
raise seven iambs, sell them at $20*each, making
fl40, and |20 worth of wool, in all making $160.   This
can be done, but we only need one of this kind of
men in a county at a time, and an honest one at that.
To sum up:   With hogs we make $5 per acre.   With
steers we make ?fi 40 per acre.   The very commonest
sheep, thirty head to ten acres, if well managed, will
bring $9 per acre.   The high grades in skillful hands
will make $13 per acre.and the fancy grades by proper
care will yield one hundred per cent.   We use 50,-
000,000 pounds of wool in the United States more than
we raise.   Why not supply this demand ourselves?"
A variety of subjects were discussed, all of them
more or less perjaining to the art of making money
out of sheep breeding and wool growing.   Mr. 8. R,
Quick read a brief paper discussing the question as
to the age at which lambs could most profitably be
bred, and other gentlemen gave their opinions upon
the same subject.   The general sentiment was that
lambs dropped in January or February would bring
more money, whether sold to the butcher or kept for
wool, than those which came in April or May.   Mr.
n. C. Meredith and other gentlemen expressed themselves as unfavorable to the feedingofrye to breeding
ewes, and warmly advocated the cultivation of blue
grass ao that there might be a supply all the year
round.
A vote of thanks was passed to the Belt Railroad
and to Mr. Alex. Heron, for courtesies rendered, after
which the convention adjourned until next January.
INDIANA   WOOL    GEOWEES'
CONVENTION.
Essays and Discussions.
The annual convention of the Wool growers' Association assembled on "Wednesday of last week,
May 28, In the agricultural rooms, under the presidency of Mr Fielding Beeler, of this city.
After the call of the roll, the following new members were elected: W W Thrasher. Groves; J F Farquhar, Trenton; M Pierson, Greenwood; Oakley Pur-
sel, Nora; J W Kobe, Greencastle; Alfred Hadley,
Center Valley, and Albert Marlatt, Milton.
Hon I. McDaniels, of Rush county, then delivered
the following address:
"Ihave been assigned tbe duty of preparing an
essay on the profits of sheep as compared with other
stoek. To do this Ib a practical way for the members of the convention I will not only give my experience, but the experience of some of the best
farmers in Bush county, such as Cyrus Ball, Theodore Morris, Timothy White, and others. We will
make our first calculation on hogs. We win start
with ten acres of clover or blue-grass, as this is about
the amount pastured by our Indiana farmers. We
will put on 40 head of hogs the first day of May. We
will buy them, for It is about as cheap to buy them as
lt Is to raise them. We will allow an average of 150
pounds, we will pay 3 cents a pound, making our 40
hogs cost Jiso. We will feed them 15 bushels of good
corn per head, delivered, at 33X cents per bushel,
costing -$200. This added to 1180 will make $380. We
put on 150pounds, making an average of 300 pounds,
and at 3). cents per pound, the 40 hogs will bring
fl20-f.-!80, leaves (40 profit, or -(4 per acre rent for 10
acres oi grass. You who raise hogs know this to be
about right. I have allowed nothing for Interest,
salt or cholera.
"Mr Jas Wilson says: 'I can beat that with steers.'
We will allow them the run of six months, which ls
the full pasturage season, from the 1st of May to the
1st of November. He said he would pasture four
steers to the ten acres, or ln this ratio for any number of acres. They should weigh 1,200 pounds, at 4
cents per pound, costing $1*92. He would put on 400
pounds to the steer. This I thought too 'big.' He
said he could- do lt with steers sired by a thoroughbred. This would be 1,600 pound steers. At four
cents he would make $16 per head, or *&t on all,
which is $8 40 per acre profit on pasture. Pretty good
for Short-horns. We have compared the profits on
hogs and cattle, and certainly have given the cattle
all that is due them, and for tbe hog we will allow
one dollar more per acre for what is left on the
ground, making a profit on the hogs of £5 per acre.
It is not necessary to compare horses and mules
with sheep, for the more you have over present need
the worse you are ofT. We now oome, brother wool-
growers, to the sheep,that -golden-footei animal.'
State Board of Agriculture.
The executive committee of the State Board of
Agriculture convened on Thursday of last week.
May IS. and reconsidered their action in regard to the
improvements of the State fair ground recommended
by the superintendent, Mr. Lockhart. The committee unanimously gave consent to prosecution of the
work, and authorized the expenditure of the amount
needed The offer of narry Gilbert and Miss Thiers
as to balloon ascensions was also considered, and it
was decided tbat double balloon ascents should take
place on Monday and Saturday ofthe State fair week,
the aeronauts to receive half of the gate receipts on
those days.
VISITORS TO AGRICrLTlTBAL FAIRS.
The visiting committee appointed by the State
Board of Agriculture to visit the fairs in this and
other States for the purpose of obtaining information
as to various matters of interest, met on the same
day in the Agricultural rooms. J HV Smith was
chosen president, and Daniel Royce of Lafayette, secretary. After a general conversation the appointed
visitors were detailed as follows:
John Sutherland, Michigan and Kentucky; Alex
Heron, Ohio and Wisconsin; Robert Mitchell, Kentucky; 31 M Lockhart, Ohio Tri-State Fair, Toledo;
Jacob Mutz, St. Louis; H A Smock, Illinois and
Iowa; IDG Nelson, Michigan; Daniel Royse, Kentucky; J H V Smith, Ohio and Iowa; T D Cardwell,
Wisconsin ; Miss Mary D Naylor, St. Louis; Mrs
Mary E Haggart, Ohio Tri-State, Toledo; Mrs E N
Bacon, Allen county, Fort Wayne; Mrs M F Adkin-
son, Southeast Indiana, Aurora; Miss Ida James,
Ohio; Mias Lawra Ream, Central Ohio; Mrs Joseph
E Cobb, Fountain, Warren and Vermillion, Union
and Edinburg Union; Miss Mary H Sunman, Rushville, Shelbyville, Greensburg and Columbus; Mrs H
V Austin, Southern Ohio and Nebraska.
The object of the visits of the gentlemen to the
State fairs ls to observe and learn any new features
that may aid In succeesful management or be useful
in the way of attractions for the benefit of Indiana
State fairs to be reported to the annual meeting of
the State Board of Agriculture, January, 1880.
The object of the ladies visiting is for the purpose
oi observing, soliciting and working up any feature
that may be of value and Interest to the ladles'department, In the State fair to be held September
next.
It was voted that |100 be allowed to Miss Mary D
Naylor, for services to be performed aa secretary of
the women's executive board, and that the board also
defray the necessary expenses of mailing circulars,
etc., in connection with the women's department.
The committee considered the matter of the salary
due the late State Geologist and his assistant Dr
Levette, and decided to pay the same only to the
date when Professor Cox's resignation was accepted
by the Governor, namely, the Uth of February. The
Professor claimed that he performed the duties until
the 29th of March, when the office of State Geologist
was abolished by act of the Legislature.
L B Custer, of the board, was appointed a delegate
to the annual convention of the American Pomological Society, to take place at Rochester, N*. Y., September 17, and following days.
Baker Screw Peed  Grain Drill.
This implement, greatly improved for
the season of 1879, is meeting with snch increasing demand from year to year that we
feel inclined to give it the attention it deserves, and hence publish herewith the new
cut of the implement. Although well-
known to a large proportion of our readers,
yet for the benefit of those who are unacquainted with its merits, we append the
following slight description:
The feed consists of a screw, the spaces
between whose threads gradually increase
in width and depth toward the discharge
end of theroll. The feed is then governed
by a slide which covers the screw. The
"bunching" difficulty is obviated by having a receptacle for the grain at the end of
the screw, from which it is evenly distributed by an ingenious though simple device
of the inventor, Major J. O. Baker.
Thus having the best kind of a positive
force feed, the drill has further good points
in shape of, 1, spring pressure on hoes, to
insure covering in hard or trashy gronnd*
2, it sows all kinds of grain perfectly; 3 it
sows different quantities without change of
gear-wheels. It is well made of best materials, has a patent bent frame without
mortise or tenon, and is made throughout
of best oak lumber.
Those interested should apply for descriptive circulars to the manufacturers
Mechanicsburg Machine Co., Mechanics-
burg, Ohio.