VOL. XXV.
INDIANAPOLIS, IND., MARCH 8, 1890.
NO. 10
INDIANA CBOP STATISTICS.
According to the statistics compiled by
Secretary Wm. A. Peelle for 1889, the total
acreage of
WHEAT
for the year was 2,773,883 against 2,726,111
for the previous year, showing a gain of
47,772 acres. The product for 1888 was 28,-
750,761 bushels, which was increased to
41,5,1,570 in 1889. The average yield per
acre^was 14.9 bushels. The lowest yield
was in Crawford and Perry counties which
produced nine bushels to the acre, while
the highest was in Knox with a yield of 22
bushels. Gibson leads in total yield with
l,469,858Jbushels, a gain over last year of
234,338 bushels.
CORN.
. The raising of corn seems to be on the
decrease in the State:
1838. 1889.   Falling off.
Acreage.    3,419,377 3,418,051 1,326
Yield, bushels .128,436,2-4 106,542,161     21,891,12_
' The highest average yield per acre was
45 bushels, in Crawford county. The lowest was 21 bushels, in Benton county. Tippecanoe county produced -245,742 bushels,
the greatest yield. Marion county has
fallen off 800,852 bushels and* in 18S9 produced 1,546,048 bushels.
OATS.
-There has been an increase of oats, as
shown in the following table:
1888. 1880.     Increase.
Acreage     937,143 '.150.231 13,088
Yield, bushels 27,493,851 28,710,935       l,217,OW
The highest yield per acre was 43 bushels, which was in Carroll county, and the
lowest 13 bushels, in Perry county. Ben-
tonicounty produced the enormous crop of
1,420,402 bushels.
iMarion county fell off 73,442 bushels, but
increased in acreage to the extent of 489
acres.
BARLEY.
*     ' 18S8. 1889. Increase.
Acreage 18,913 19,825 912
Yield, bnshels 493,515 416.325 12,810
Average yield, per acre, 21 bushels.
RYE. .
1888. 1889. Increase.
Acreage  35,497 54,451 18,954
Yield, bushels .545,135 871,216 325,791
Average yield, per acre. 21 bushels.
BUCKWHEAT.
1888. 1889.        Decrease.
Acreage    B,67o 6,411 204
Yield, bushels  91,406 89,754 1,652
Average yield, per acre, 14 bushels.
CLOVER SEED.
1888. 1889.
Yield /£)5,505 bush. 295,505 bush.
TIMOTHY.
■■ 1888. 1889.
. Seed.!      4,18s bush. 33,419 bush.
Hay..... l,_S,88*t tons. 1,823,047 tons.
Clover hay 1,311,430 tons. 2,319,528 tons.
rOTATOE..
1883. 1889.
Irish...; 5,480,960 bush. 7,783,267 bush.
Sweet   234,832 bush. 191,010 bush.
DAIRY PRODUCTS.
> 1S8S. 1889.
Milk 143,233,050 gals. 151,365,005 gals.
Butter  31,231,415 lbs. 33,246,616   lbs.
Cheese       482,745 lbs. 519.838  lbs.
POULTRY.
There were 722,065 dozens of chit-kens,
47,734 dozens of turkeys, 19,845 dozens of
geese; .19,616 dozens of ducks, 21,750,638
dozens of eggs, and 104,592 pounds of feathers raised in the State during the past year.
FENCES.
The lands of the State were fenced in by
2,384,607 rods of rail fence, 790,667 rods of
board fence, and 1,311,316 rods, of wire
fence.
There were 234,552 rods of drain tiie laid.
governing warehouses used for the storage
of farm products and the feasibility of providing for interstate inspection of cereals;
also, the relation of railways and transportation rates to the prices of the product,
the influence of the tariff on the prices of
necessaries of life, its effect on the agricultural interests, and, generally, such consideration of the subject matter of this inquiry as, in the judgement of the commission, shall best secure its object.
It is not very probable that anything
will come of this bill but a few hours talk,
possibly not that.
WHY THE DEPBESSION IK AGBICULTUBE?
Senator Pierce hlft introduced a bill to
create an agricultural commission to investigate the causes of the present depressed condition of the agricultural interests. It authorizes the President to appoint
seven commissioners, at least four of whom
shall be practical farmers, which shall
thoroughly investigate tho causes of the
present depressed condition of farmers'
interests, including the laws relating to
the inspection of grain,   the   regulations
THE "SOUND-UP" INSTITUTE.
Prof. Latta, superintendent of Institute
work in the State, has arranged to hold
the fiftieth institute for the season in this
city, March 27 and 28, which is termed the
"Round-up" Institute.
The Professor, with the local committee,
composed of Sylvester Johnson, E. J.
Howland, Col. F. Beeler, Theo. "Wilson, J.
J. W. Billingsley and Mrs. Wright, met
in the agricultural rooms at the State-
house on Monday, organized by electing
Sylvester Johnson chairman and J. J. W.
Billingsley secretary, and made out the following list of persons selected to prepare
papers to be read at the institute: Hon. J.
N. Davidson, Whitesville, subject, Sheep
husbandry, D. L. Thomas, Rushville,
Growing hogs for the general market; J. J.
W. Billingsley, city, Improvement of
public highways; J. W. Pierce, Peru, Cost
and value of ensilage compared with other
fodders; Senator J. A. Mount, Shannon-
dale, How to increase the profits of farming; Mrs. Meredith, Cambridge City, Privileges and possibilities of life on the farm;
Prof. F. M. Webster, Purdue University,
Injurious insects; J. B. Conner, The agricultural press; Dr. J. H. Smart, President
of Purdue University, Lafayette, Industrial education; Hon. Milton Trusler,
Bentley, What can co-operative effort do
for farmers? Sylvester Johnson,Irvington,
Small fruits and how to have them; J. N.
Latta, Haw Patch, The ideal horse
for the farmer; Dr. E. L. Fur-
ness, Furnessville, Farm dairying;
Mrs. J. A. Mount, Shannondale, How to
better the intellectual and social conditions of farmers' families; Prof. W. C.
Latta, Superintendent, Lafayette, The Institute work; Mrs. Mary B. Danley, city,
Poultry-raising; Mrs. Dr. Rachel Swain,
city, Cooking and its relation to health;
Hon. E. J. Howland, Fish-culture and its
protection; Mrs. Cassa Robbins, city, Bee-
culture; E. S. Folsom, city, Beef breeds
and the future of the beef interests. An
invitation has been extended to Governor
Hoard, of Wisconsin, to be present and address the Institute on the Dairy cow. The
papers read are to be discussed by the Institute. All who are interested are cordially invited, and it is hoped that this
"round-up" of the present season's institute work will be attended by a large
number of the leading farmers of the
State.
UNDIGNIFIED FABMEBS.
We had the pleasuro of listening to an
unusually interesting essay on the subject
of Dignified Husbandry, by J. M. Carter
at the Fayette County Farmer's Institute
two weeks ago, and by special pleading
got permission to bring the manuscript
home with us and make somo extracts
from it. We would be glad to give it entire if our space permitted. The lady is
somewhat sarcastic and her points are witty and forcible.   Here are a few paragraphs:
Good farming demands social intercourse, enlightenment, united effort and
scientific research, but it does not call for
strict attendance at every political meeting
at all tho cross roads, nor punctuality at
every circus that comes to town. It is
your duty to see that the officers who are
elected are the right kind of men, with tho
right kind of principles and to keep pace
with the demands of the government, and
if one of the fraternity of husbandmen is
the man, through his careful attention to
business, frugality, industry, honest convictions and proper education, to represent you in office, give him your votes in
preference to some one who is of no account only to hold office.
With somo men, young and old and
middle-aged there is such a longing desire to sit in the corner grocery, railway
station, nights and days; first of course
when it rains too hard to work; then when
Ihe sun doesn't shine so very bright; then
whether it rains or thesun shines; whether
the work is pressing or not there must be
some place to give vent to the wit that is
crowding their brains, until it almost pushes off their hats, the funny jokes you
know must be told. At first you would
rather your boy didn't hear that wicked
man tell his sharp tricks and coarse jokes;
then you are not particular whether some
one else's boy is present or not, then you
forget your own son, who drinks in the,
not always purest or most chaste language,
learns to spit as far as anybody and take
as big a chaw. All of this is very undignified for your present and future calling.
No farmer can get dignity lounging around
stores, taking a draw occasionally, or telling rough jokes.
Then you are a prominent member of
so many lodges. The clubs meet Tuesday,
Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights.
What matters it that your wife would
like your company at home the long, lonely evenings! What does it detract from
your dignity that your sons, finding home
lonesome without father, should roam the
country in search of evening pastimes!
Parents need to improve all the time given them in training their sons and daughters for a nobler, broader, truer manhood
and womanhood, so that they will aspire
to all that is high and pure in this lifo, and
be prepared for a higlier sphere in the life
to come.
She had a word for the wives too, a
house kept without taste often leaves a man
or children without that strong attachment to home and its ways, which next to
religion is the strongest tie for good in the
world.
In closing she urged her hearers to allow their minds and souls to broaden wider than their rich farms, to love the calling
which is above all others the freest from
servility and temptations and vice. Make
use,she said .of all proper means to educate,
refine and ennoble self, that through you
your occupation maj* be dignified.
ber of hogs slaughtered, Chicago, Omaha
and Kansas City only leading. Kingan &
Co., killed 40,000 more hogs than were
killed at all tho Cincinnati packing houses.
The firm named is now killing only
1,500 to 2,000 hogs a day.—Journal.
THE FABMEBS' ALLIANCE IN IOWA.
The following are the resolutions passed
by the Farmers' Alliance in Iowa, sent us
by one of our subscribers in that State.
They go strait at important subjects upon which all are interested.
Resolved, 1. That we denounce option
dealing in any and all formsandwedemand
a prohibition of, or taxing of the same
if indulged in.
2. That we demand free necessities and
ask for taxed luxuries.
3. That we favor a bounty from the government to the manufactures of sugar
from the production of the   United States.
4. That we demand taxation on a basis
of net worth to all parties or corporations,
and that in case of refusal to give in a true
inventory the state shall confiscate the
same, or assess such other penalty as may
be deemed necessary.
5. That wo favor the passage of a law by
the 23d General Assembly providing for
a uniform system of text books in our public schools, to be furnished at cost, and we
demand the passage of such law in tho interest of popular education.
Since Nov. 1, the beginning of the packing season at the Indianapolis packing
houses, thero have been killed 316,000 hogs,
against 278,000 during the corresponding
four months last year. But one packing
house, that of Kingan & Co., is now killing. For the first timo in its history, Indianapolis takes fourth place in the num-
The Farmer's Home.
Editors Indiana Farmer:
No doubt a great many of the readers of
the Indiana Farmer have as attractive
and inviting homes as need be desired by
anyone. But from a limited and unprejudiced observation the writer feels confident
that the average farmer's home is not what
it should or could be. How common an
expression it is to hear young people want-
lag to get into the city, say, "We can't
have any fun or good timo on the farm;
all we can do is work, eat and sleep," which
quite often is true.
The farmer is deprived of many advantages of an elevating and entertaining nature, also, ho is free from many allurements
and enticements of a demoralizing nature
and influence which the city affords. But
there are many conveniences and attrac-
tions available to th farmer, which would
make the home more enticing to the young
people of the family. Every farmer should
have his home well supplied with good
books, which can be selected from almost
any bookstore. He should also supply his
family with several good newspapers and
magazines, and never allow a week to pass
by without several good agricultural papers appearing conspicuously upon his
table. With the present low prices of
musical instruments, such as pianos or organs almost every farmer can afford one.
How invigorating and refreshing to the
farmer on coming in from his day's work,
often worn out and maybe discouraged, to
sit and listen to the soothing strains of
music produced by his accomplished son
or daughter. There are also many games
of amusement and pleasure of an innocent
nature which are very exhilerating to one
tired and weary from physical labor, and
often prepai*e his mind for something more
profitable, which ho would otherwise let
alono. There are also many ways by
which the farmer's daughter can make the
home attractive. By the arranging and
placing of pictures and mottoes on the
walls, and by keeping the house well supplied with boquet.. of flowers during the
summer months. Allow your boys and
girls free use of the family horse and carriage, and if there is a lecture oi entertainment at the public hall or church, with an
admission fee of 25 or 50 conts, give them
the necessary amount cheerfully and don't
frown and scratch your head and say "We
farmers cannot afford such things; they
are for city folks." Also, see that they are
well supplied with good, comfortable, well
fitting clothes, such as you can afford.
When there is a picnic in the neighborhood do not try and arrange your work so
that you and your family will be compelled
to stay at home, but try and arrange matters so that you can hitch up and take your
family and have as enjoyable a time as
your neighbor. A great many farmers
will say, "Could I get a dollar a bushel for
my wheat, etc., I would provide my family
with more of the comforts and pleasures of
life." True, it is, the farmer seems to bo
the worst oppressed of all the oppressed.
But if they would supply their families
with the many advantages within their
reach, I do not think there would be so
many going from tho country to the city
On account of tho unattractiveness of the
farmer's life and home. J. M.
Logansport.
It ia Searched Through.
I want to toll you how much we appreciate your paper. We take a great many
papers, religious and otherwise. All are
searched from beginning to end, as is tho
Indiana Farmer. J. H.