VOL. XXVIII.
INDIANAPOLIS. IND. NOV. 25, 1893.
NO. 47.
FABMEB'S INSTITUTES IN INDIANA.
During the season of 1889-90 Farmers'
Institutes were held in' fifty counties, and
in 1890-91 In forty-one of the remaining
forty-two counties, under State auspices,
and with an appropriation of $5,000 for the
two years. Since that time we have had
an annual appropriation of $5,000 for
Farmers' Institutes, with which such Institutes have been held in ninety counties
inl891-92, and in eighty-nine counties ln
1892 93. We are now assured that every
county in the State will hold at least one
Institute during the present season.
Indiana has thus heldl a greater number
of Farmers' Institutes for tbe expenditure
of State funds than any other State in the
Union. This result has been attained
through the united efforts of our most
progressive farmers and the generous support of public-spirited professional and
business men of our towns and cities.
FABMEBS' INSTITUTE EXPENSES.
The expenditures of our Farmers' Insti
tute fund for the year closing October 31,
show as follows: Expense of holding
eighty-nine institutes, $3,702 06; salary of
superintendent, $633 33; printing, stationery and postage, $21214; clerical work,
$296 95; traveling expenses of superinten-
ent, l$94 49; general and office supplies,
$36 10; miscellaneous, including express,
freight and telegrams, $24 93.
LIFE OF DB. bTt. BB0WW.
We have several copies cf the Memorial
of Dr. R. T. Brown our pioneer assistant
editor, which we can send to those desiring the book at 40 cents a copy. To all his
many friends and admirers it will prove
a valuable keepsake. We will send a copy
to any one sending us a new subscriber for
18&4, with $1.
Nov. 13. Indiana Farmeb Co.
THESTATE!S FINANCES.
The annual report of Indiana State
Treasurer, Albert Gall, for year ending October 31st, shows: Balance in treasury
November 1, 1S92-3 $482,850 86; receipts
from all sources, $6,609,447 01. Total,
$7,092,297 47. Disbursements for all purposes, $6,719,659172. Balance in treasury
October 31,1S93, $372,637 75.
THE VALUE OF INDIANA PBOPEBTY.
The total assessed value of taxable prop-
ertyin Indiana thisyearis $1,2S7,678,83950.
The land leads in value, the number of
acres being 22,450,745, with a valuation of
$449,101,123. The real and personal property is assessed at $1,123,076,767.
The cruelties perpetrated upon that
noblest of the lower animals, tbe patient,
friendly horse are almost numberless.
The other day while passing the door of a
livery stable near our office we saw two
men engaged in clipping an old roadster.
One held a grip, made by twisting a cord,
upon the upper lip to prevent resistance
while the other operated the shearers. The
clipping itself was not very painful probably, but the loss of the poor animal's
winter coat just as cold weather is beginning compels him to suffer from cold all
through the season. It will be likely to
cause pneumonia or lung fever and thus
punish his owner. The only reason we
can think of why this cruel and foolish
clipping is done at this time of year particularly, is to make the horse look
younger and handsomer and enable the
owner to get more for him than he is
worth. The law onght to put a heavy penalty upon all such cruel practices toward
dumb animals, for whatever reason they
are done.
Decatur County Fabmers' Institute
will be held December 7th and 8th at
Lett's Corner. Hon. J. A. Mount and wife,
and the best of home talent will discuss
jmportant questions of general interest.
articles it is proposed to add to the free
list Is wool, lumber, iron ore, salt, cotton
bagging, binding twine, rice and many
other commodities ot less importance.
The present bounty on sugar will be repealed. The highest duty thus far discussed is one cent per pound, and the
opinion of most of tbe Ways and Means
Committee seems divided between one-
half a cent a pound and admitting lt entirely free of duty.
An encouraging experiment in propelling a canal boat by electricity, through an
overhead wire and trolley pole, was tried
at Rochester last week. It was found that
a heavy canal boat could' be propelled at
the rate of six miles an hour, and at the
very small expenso of two cents a mile. If
no mistake has been made this discovery
will prove a great benefit to the farmers,
as It will greatly reduce the rates of
freight to the sea board, and at the same
time shorten the time very  considerAbly.
The commercial club, this city, opened
a book for registering applications for
work, last Monday, and before night 110
names were entered. Some of the applicants were so needy as to be almost desperate. Fortunately work was found for
most of them. Many would like places on
farms. Any of our readers desiring help,
either for a short time or permanently,
would do woll to' address .* William For
tune, secretary of  the* Commercial  Club.
Warhinoton correspondents assure the
public that an income tax will be made a
part of tho proposed tariff reform law.
They say that only one or two Democratic
momberq are opposed to it.   Among tbe
Wheat is still weak and low In this
market. Only 56Ji bid. An unexpectedly
large supply Is in sight.
The magnitude of the life insurance
business in this country may be inferred
from the fact that the different companies
hold an aggregate of $850,000,000 of property. Their annual receipts amount to
$175,000,000. They pay out about $2,000,-
000 a week, or $100,000,000 a year to the
families of insured in the form of death
losses, dividends, etc.
JCDOEBBOwNof the Circuit Court, this
city, on Monday rendered a decision in the
case of Attorney General Smith against
J. F. McClellan, trustee of Wayne township, Marlon county, refusing the demand
of the Attorney General for the unexpended balance of the common school
fund, turned over to the defendant as tuition revenue.
William Fortunk, secretary of tbe
Commercial Club, this city, has been appointed a member of a committee of three
on national legislation for good roads. His
paper before the road congress in this city
two years ago, and an article in the October
number of the Century, have shown him
to be well posted npon the subject.
Tiie rain that began last Monday night
was welcome. Wells and cisterns are dry
in many sections, and the wheat is at a
stand still for lack of moisture in the
ground. From the low stand of the mercury in our barometer we expect a good
deal of rainfall, after the long dry spell.
.
Indiana Academt ok Science will hold
its winter meeting in this city, December
27th to 29th. The program committee consists of Lucien M. Underwood, of Greencastle, and William A. Noyes, of Terre
Haute, either of whom may be addressed
for information regarding the meeting.
An Acre ln Sugar Beets.
Editoiw Indiana r auukk:
Your article on page eight, No. 45, of
your valuable paper, under tbe heading,
"Now Field for Indiana Farmers," is to
tho point. Low prlcos for all produce of
late years should be stimulus enough for
farmers to turn their attention to something moro promising than tbe production
of grain. But it requires tho offorts of the
press, and especially a papor like yours, to
rouse the farmers up to patriotic (?) deeds.
We have raised for the last four years,
at our farm near Morristown, patches of
sugar beets in different fields of our upland, and we had every reason to be satis-
lied with the success of beet culture on our
soil. The beots grew to gocd size, were
very sweet when cooked, and splendid
food for hogs and cattle. The latter came
running from all quarters whenever the
man made his appearance with a basket of
cut up beets. This year, for the first time,
we have tested our black bottom land for
l ■':*■' rx-.V'-iT. of sugar •: Mis, whicb cortainiy
proved a success as far as growth Is concerned. The majority of the beets reached
a large size weighing four and nine pounds
each, and are very sweet when cooked,
while those on upland are smaller and
sweeter. We used imported seed, but
whether of the most desirable quality we
don't know, of course. From my experience of the last few years I am satisfied
that the Blue River Valley may afford a
great field for beet culture because of it»
fertility. We have a number of good
farmers near Morristown who will cultivate an acre of sugar beets each in the .season of '91, in order to demonstrate the
adaptability of their soil. If their effort
should prove a success, of which theie Is
no doubt, if they proceed in good earnest,
it is possible that the syndicate may locate
a factory in our neighborhood, which
would be of inestimable value to our part
of the country. With a fine location like
ours, plenty of pure water, railroad facilities, with an abundance of natural gas for
manufacturing and other purposes (one of
my wells has a pressure of 300 pounds) a
selection like the neighborhood of Morristown would seem highly advisable. If
ten or more farmers in the neighborhood
would proceed in good earnest the coming
season to raise an acre each of sugar beets
and be instrumental in having a sugar
factory located in their midst, it would be
a source of congratulation for each one of
them. Kindly put me down for one who
Rgrees to cultivate an acre of sugar beets
according to instructions in the season of
1894. Cuas. F. Moth.
Shelby Co.
We regret to learn of the death of one of
our oldest and most esteemed subscribers,
Amos Heavilon, of Clinton county. By
industry and close economy he amassed a
fortune exceeding $100,000. Recently he
gave $35,000 to Purdue University.   The
deceased was 65 years old.
■.
Our city council has passed an ordinance taxing vehicles used in the city, as
follows: heavy wagons, $20, light wagons,
$15; omnibuses, $8 and $10; smaller vehicles from $2 to $5. Heavy wagons must
have Urea 1.» to .2 inches wide on the
wheels.
An Acre of Sugar Beets.
Editors Indiana Farheb:
I noticed in the last Farmer a short article on Sugar Beets, giving some inducements to grow them in this State. I am
here at Purdue studying agriculture, but
expect to return to my home in Hen-
drlck's County in March. I would like to
know something more about the inducements offered to those who will grow
beets; the profits one may expect, and if
they want any grown in Hendricks
county. ,0. M. Hadley.
Purdue University.
—We are glad to put you down on the
list of sugar beet experimenters. Full instructions as to cultivation, probable profits, etc., will be published in due time in
pur columns,
ThankegiviDg Proclamation.
By the president of the United States of
America.
While the American people should every
day remember with praise and thanksgiving tbe divine goodness and mercy which
have followed them since their beginning
as a nation, it is fitting tbat one day in
each year should be especially devoted to
the contemplation of the blessings we have
received from the hand of God, and to the
grateful acknowledgment of his loving
kindness.
Therefore, I, Grover Cleveland, President of the United States, do hereby designate and set apart Thursday, the 30th day
of the present month of November, as a
day of thanksgiving and praise, to be kept
and observed by all the people of our land.
On that day let us forego our ordinary
work and employments and assemble in
our usual places of worship, where we
may recall all that God has done for us,
and where from grateful hearts our united
tribute of praise and song may reach the
throne of grace. Let the reunion of kindred and the social meeting of friends lend
cheer and enjoyment to the duty, and let
generous gifts of charity for the relief of
the poor and needy proved the sincerity of
our thanksgiving.
Grover Cleveland.
By the president:
Walter Q. Gresham, Sec'y of State.
Thanksgiving- Proclamation by Governor Matthews.
State or Indiana,        ")
Executive Chambers, y
Indianapolis, Nov. 6,1£93 j
To the people of Indiana:
A happy custom, long honored and
revered, has come down to us through all
the years of the Republic, that one day in
each year should be especially set apart as
a day of public thanksgiving and praise
to the Divine Ruler of our destinies in
grateful acknowledgment for the bountiful blessings heaped upon us as a people,
through loving Providence.
And as it has pleased the President of
the United States, by proclamation, to
designate Thursday, November 30, for
that purpose,
Now, therefore, I Claude Matthews,
Governor of the State of Indiana, do call
upon the people of our State to faithfully
observe this day, and through suitable
offerings of prayer and praiso around the
firesides of the home and in the public
places of worship render that devotion
due from grateful hearts for the mercies
of the past, and a continuance of the loving care and protection of Almighty God
In the coming years. No more appropriate thanks can be given than come through
generous remembrance of the unfortunate
and distressed.
In witness whereof, I have hereunto set
my hand, and caused to be affixed the
Seal of the State, at the City of Indianapolis, this, the 6th day of November, 1893.
Claude Matthews.
By the Governor:
W. R. Myers, Secretary of State. -
Elephants Fine Food.
Dr. Livingstone speaks of elephant's
flesh as excellent. We had the food
cooked for breakfast and found itdelicious.
It is a whitish mass, slightly gelatinous
and sweet, like marrow. A long march to
prevent biliousness is a wise precaution after a feast on elephant's food. Elephant's
tongue and trunk are also good, and after
long simmering much resemble the
humps of a buffalo and the tongue of an
ox; but all the other meat is tough, and
from its peculiar llavor only to be eaten
by a hungry man." The elephants eaten
during the siege of Paris were said to be a
great success, and the liver was pronounced finer than that of any goose or
duck.—Scottish Review.