l"iiv Library
Of the IndUaa We-thtr Earrlca la tcop.ratloa wlt_
lh« United Stat.s Si. al Berries (or tn. waok aiding
Batnrda.. Jamil, 1110.
The renditions of the weather during
the week were, in most localities, favorable to crops, their cultivation and to
harvesting, but in somo sections very
heavy rains during passing thunder
storms rendered the soil too wet for cultivation, or they wero otherwise unfavorable to growing crops. Rains fell in some
parts of tho Stato every day and tho precipitation was in excess except at a few
stations, where it wasdeiicient; uniformly
warm temperature, abovo the averago, and
average sunshine prevailed. In the Southern portion of tho State the wheat and
clovor harvests have begun; corn is growing nicely in most fields, but no encouraging improvement of the oats crop is re-
I>orted; in the southwest portion of tho
State, west of tho Monon and south of tho
O. and M. railroads, tho oats are almost
entiroly destroyed by a grain louse (Tus-
ojitora (Iraiiniits) similar to tho one affecting wheat, but smaller; somo Holds of
wheat iu Clarke county aro badly affected
by tlie hossian lly, and some Holds of corn
in Bartholomew county by a Ilea beetle
' (C/autocttcme J'ttblicaria).
SOUTHERN PORTION.
Voviay, H v. it_rl__d Co.—KacossIvo ruins
during tho week havo seriously impeded
all farm operations, rendering tho soil too
wot for cultivation, consequently weeds
throatou to choko small tobacco plants
and corn; wheat is ready for tho harvost
and now is tho most critical timo when
favorablo weather is needed; tho corn also
is greatly in need of warm, dry weather;
tho rainfall here during tho past 10 days is
3.50 which is above the average for the
month.   Rainfall, 6.30.
Worthington, Greene Co.—Tho wheat
harvest began two or threo days ago, the
grain appears to be plump and the quality
fair; corn is doing remarkably well; and
the potato crop looks finely, but a fow
millions of the Colorado beetle to the aero
have to be destroyed.   Kainfall, 0.18.
Mount Vernon, Posey Co.—Tho weather
is delightful; the song of the reapor is
heard in many wheat tields, binding tho
golden sheaves; corn and tho grape look
woll; the oats crop is heading out and has
improved fully 10 per cent in looks during
the past seven days; our farmers are well
pleased with tho fine rains.   Kainfall, 0.07.
DeGonia Springs, Warrick Co.—Wheat
cutting is the order of the day now, harvesting commenced tho 10th; tho wheat is
injured somo by the grain aphis; corn is
very small yet for tho timo of the season,
but it is healthy and doing well; hog
cholera continues and some farmers aro
losing all their hogs.   Kainfall, 1.21.
Columbus, Bartholomew Co.—Tho past
week has given us numerous showers,
which have delayed the cutting of clover,
hay and the cultivation of corn, but thoy
have been favorable to tho growth of tho
latter; the wheat harvest will commence
on Monday.   Rainfall, 1.20.
Seymour, Jackson Co.—High tempora-
ture, frequent showers and generous sunshine, during the past week havo boen favorable to the growth of crops, but tho
rain has delayed the clover and wheat harvest; all crops, except oats are in good
condition; the oats crop is about ruined
by the grain aphis and other insects; tho
wheat harvest has commenced and tho
yield will exceed all expectations, while
the quality of tho grain is excellent; corn
is in excellent stand and tho melon crop
promises to be the largest and best for
years.   Rainfall, 1.02.
Iluntingburg, Dubois Co.—Cloudy and
threatening weather prevailed with much
rain but nevertheless  the  wheat harvest
tinned with all prospect of a fair crop;
corn is standing well, there will be a largo
grapo crop if nothing happens. Kainfall,
3.50.
Mareugo,Crawford Co.—Tho weather was
very warm and showery with heavy rains
falling accompanied by thunder; the
wheat harvest began to-day, most of tho
wheat will be harvested noxt week. Itain-
fall, U.50.
CENTRAL PORTION.
Rockville, l'arke Co.—The corn crop has
mado splendid progress during tho past
week and is in line condition; wheat is
doing well and harvesting will begin in
about a week; tho grain aphis will damage
the oats crops badly.    Kainfall, 1.11.
Indianapolis, Marion Co.—The weather
was quite favorablo; clover is being cut
and the wheat ripening and nearly ready
for the sickle; corn is growing rapidly and
in fine condition.   Rainfall, 1.17.
Franklin, Johnson Co.—Tho clover harvest has boen good; wheat looks bettor;
oats improved but littlo; corn is growing
nicely.   Rainfall, 0.33.
NORTHERN PORTION.
Logansport, Cass Co.—Wheat is doing
woll, also corn and oats, especially on high
ground, but tho lowlands Buffered very
much on tho 15th, many fields of corn,
oats aud wheat wero put undor wator by
hoavy rain, after drying tho grain was yellow and much damaged: on tho morning
ot tho Hth tho heaviest rain for years, fell,
3.31 inch fell in four hours; tho toinpora-
turo was high.   Kainfall, 1.22.
Point Isabol, Grant Co.—Heavy rain foil
at tho closo of last week which injured
corn as it prevented farmers from tilling
till tho middle of tho week, sinco then tho
weathor has boon quite favorablo; corn
needs tilling badly, as many weeds have
started; wheat is improving and other
crops look well; fruit and berries will be
plentiful.   Rainfall, 2.35.
LaPorte, LaPorte Co.—Temperaturo bo-
low normal; very littlo sunshine and
much moisture; pasturago is splondid;
hay promises to boa largo crop; many
com fields aro looking wocdy and aro uncultivated becauso of tho rain; our hope of
a good whoat crop has boon rudoly blasted,
the half formed kernels have turned black,
it is called smut, but it lacks somo of tho
fungus characteristics of that disease, it
has developed within this week; a hasty
examination indicates that our niagnili-
cent crop will bo cut off ono-fourth by it;
tho odor of tho imperfect wheat is rank,
and the diseaso is discerned by tho senso of
smell from a distance   Kainfall, 1.50.
Lafayette, Tippecanoe Co.—Tho past
week has boen too wet for tho proper cultivation of corn, too wet and cloudy for the
harvesting of clovor hay and in fact unfavorable to all crops, except pasture.
Rainfall, 1.79.
II. A. Huston,
Director Indiana Weather Service.
Written for the f ndiana Farmer.
Taxes and Salaries-
No. G.
BY JOHN M. STAHL.
Under our form of government it is undoubtedly best that all public officials
should receive adequate compensation
from the public funds. Where the government is altogether in the hands of an
aristocracy, and when the higher positions
can be filled by only members of tho aristocracy, salaries for many of the higher
officials may not bo necessary and any un-
neccssaryjniblicoxpense should be avoided.
Tho aristocrats are presumably people of
wealth, hence can subsist without pay for
public services; and, further, for the services they render tho Stato, they aro compensated by special privileges nnd distinctions, of teu not without a monetary valuo.
But under a popular  government  where
even the highest official- must como from
the plain people and whero itjis an accepted
theory that it is best for tlio peoplo that
their ollicials should belong to the poorer
rather than tho richer, public servants
receivo pay for their labor, and manifestly
it is better for their pay to como from tho
public fund than from voluntary contributions mado by admirers, schemers and
beneficiaries. If pay for public services
had to como from the lattor source, corruption and misgovernment would soon
bo appalling. Honest men or men of self-
respect could not hold office and only tho
weak and corrupt, tho ready tool,of scheming and dishonest men, would administer
on public affairs.
It being granted, then, that tho public
servant is to bo paid for Lis services by tho
public, wo aro next confronted with a
question as to tho mode of payment. ".Shall
compensation be a lixed amount, or shall
it bo derived from foes? I think thero can
bo no doubt that in tho vast majority of
cases the fixed amount is by far tlio bettor.
Wherever fees aro all or part of the olll-
cial's compensations, corruption and extortion aro sure to result. Tho recent ox-
posuro of tho workings of tho shorilPs offico in New York City is a striking caso in
I'oint. Thero is no doubt that a thorough
overhauling of many county ollicos in
which fees, form a part of tlio compensation of tho ollicials, or in which tho compensation of tho ollicials is based upon tho
foos collected, would reveal corruption.
Of the ovils resulting from making foos a
part of tho compensation of ollicials, wo
may form somo idea from tho wrong doings of tho United States Court's ollicials,
that aro now being investigated.
Having decided that a iixod salary is tho
proper form of compensation, tlio noxt
problem is to determine what amount is
best for tho public intorosts. Somo think
thatthe salaries paid now aro too high;
others think that thoy aro too low. I
think that tho salaries paid somo ollicials
aro too low, and that tho salarios paid
many moro aro too high. If I was asked
to make a broad division, I would say that
tho smaller ollices carry too high salaries
and tho largost oUlcus too small salaries.
Tho salarios paid county treasurers and
shcrills aro altogether out of proportion to
tho salaries paid United Stato Senators or
Justices of tho United States Supremo
Court.
Whenever tho salary paid a public officer is too la"rge, tho loss and injury aro
much more than would bo measured by
tho amount paid above what a competent
man would bo willing to do tho work for.
To mako very plain: Tlio salary paid is
?2,000, when $1,000 would bo amplo consideration for tho services performed and
when for §1,000 competent and honest men
would bo willing to hold tho position.
Ono thousand dollars of tho people's
'monoy is thrown away each year, it is
true, but this is really but a small part of
the evil. Tho excessively largo salary
leads to various forms of corruption. Tho
position is "mado a financial prize of such
magnitude that men will spend a considerable amount of money in order to obtain it. Candidates mako beer freo in saloons that by thoso means aro got to favor
theiii • candidates go among voters with
cigars in ono pocket and a flask in the
other; tho electioneering is carried on for
weeks and it is demoralizing. It gives our
boys and young voters a very harmful
idea of ollico seeking and oilico holding.
Offico seeking is presented as a financial
speculation, offices aro desirable, not becauso they evidence the trust and esteem
of the peoplo and in them a man may win
publicity by good public service and develop and exhibit superior abilities, but
because thoy yield a very handsomo income.. They aro commercial objects,
scrambled after by men uot scrupulous as
to  ways and  means, and  as a  result the
best class of men aro driven out of tho
competition. A most deadly blow would
be given to tlio saloon in politics if salaries
were so reduced that candidates could not
afford to pay for beer and cigars, for tho
saloons aro in polities solely for the money
there is in it. Salaries too largo waste the
peoplo's monoy, givo us candidates of
poorer character and domoralizo tlio voters,
t.uincy, 111.
. .    s»    s	
Putting- up Clover Hay.
Editors f iidiuna Farmer:
I havo had but littlo experience in stacking clover hay, but havo a satisfactory one
in mowing or putting it in tho barn. Tho
clover season last year was very showery
and I could not get my clover only about
half cured; so I told tho boys we would
take it up oil'tho ground and put it in tho
barn and if it rotted we would havo a nice
lot of manuro to haul out. But to my sur-'
priso it cured out nicely and I nover had a
better lot of feed. W. J. M.
Joppa.
Kditors Indiana Farmer:
I havo handled clover hay for the last
50 years and consider it tho best hay that
is cut, if properly cured. I cut after the
dew is oil' and haul in tho same day if
thoro is any appearance of rain. If 1 havo
any old hay or straw I mix with it, if not,
put it ovor head in tlio barn and let it
sweat ovor night, and shako it loosely in
tho morning; not tramping jt down. If
thoro is a good deal of stubble in tho clovor
it will not spoil in the mow. Nevor lot it
dry in tho sun so as to havo tho leaves fall
oil'. If you can't cure it in tho bam, put
in cocks and cover with canvass. Remember that it must bo cured partly beforo it
is put away. Clover hay should novor bo
stacked unless covered with canvass or
wild grass. P. B. M.
DeKalb Co.
My way of making clover hay (which I
recommend with the greatest conlidonco
that it will givo satisfaction) is as follows:
I cut when there is no external moisture,
proferably in tlio afternoon, and let it lio
in tho swatli until about 11 o'clock the
noxt day; then tho swathes aro turned
over, leaving thom as looso as possible so
the wind can blow through them. Two,
or at most, three hours later wo start tho
rake, but follow immediately with tho
forks and loosen tho wind rows. An hour
later wo turn it, and then at once put it
into small cocks. If it is good hay weather
this clovor will feel to the hand perfectly
dry,but if put into the barn at this stago it
will boat and must. By standing in tho
cock until near noon tho noxt day it will
feel quilo damp, and perhaps slightly
warm, and if it is opened and dried a second time in the middlo of tho day two
hours will finish tlio airing and givo the
best quality of bright, sweot hay. Should
the next day after it is cut provo cloudy or
rainy, do not distuib it at all, and it will
tako littlo harm. I have never yet boon
ablo to cure clover hay satisfactorily in
ono day, but by tho cocking process and
second sunning I can always count on
good, sweet, well-cured hay. Clover
rightly manage- is one of tho most valuablo plants grown in our country and although some of our scientific mon tell us
that there is no way in which wo can exhaust our lands so rapidly as by its use,
my observation shows me that on all
farms whero clover has a regular placo in
tlio rotation, good crops of grain result,
and the land is clean and easily worked.—
Waldo F. Brown in Farmers' Rcviow.
A dispatch from Grand Island says tho
town of Sweetwater, Neb., a little hamlet
of loss than ono hundred inhabitants, was
swept by a tornado, which visited tho
placo Sunday afternoon. No ono was
killed, but a number wero injured.