VOL  XX.
INDIANAPOLIS, IND., SATURDAY, APRIL 11,1885.
NO. 15
THE CROPS.
Aereage and Condition of Crops in the
Central West.
Condition of the,Live   Stock, Fruit,
Etc.
We give thia week a full report of the
leading crops in the great winter wheat
States of the Central West, Ohio, Indiana,
and Illinois, from our own reporters in the
several counties of these States. The acreage and condition of the crops in these
three States, in the heart of the Central
West, will fairly indicate the same in the
others. Unlike any winter in many years
past there was no general thaw-out either
in January, February or March. Even at
this date; ^prfifBtb,. the frost is out of the
ground hero in * Central Indiana, only to
the depth of one foot, and at least another
foot beneath this, frost and winter lingers.
South of the -^d parallel the ground was
bare of snow during the whole of March,
while north of that there was more or less
snow on the fields as protection to the
wheat plant. There was much severe
freezing weather in March, and the top
of the wheat plants were browned and
frozen; in the heavy clay loam lands the
wheat fields looked as if utterly destroyed.
Many of our reporters state that in consequence of this condition of things it was
hard to tell really what the true condition
of the wheat, on April 1st was as on some
former occasions, under similar conditions,
the wheat improved by warm suns and
showers to the surprise of all, and in some
instances made fair crops where It was believed to be destroyed. The wheat plant
Is very hardy, and unless the roots are
broken by the freezing, there is a possibility for a better crop than now appears.
It will be noticed by the detail table given
for Indiana, by divisions and counties,
that the lowest condition for wheat is
found in the Southern division, while in
the Central it is better,and in the Northern
the best. The same conditions obtain in
the Southern, Central and Northern divisions of Ohio and Illinois. In the two latter States, as in this, the soils in the
Southern sections are heavier, and the
snow was deeper and on the fields much
longer in March in the Northern sections,
for protection.
WHEAT—SDMMABT.
Indiana—Per cent of crop sown 83, condition 68. Last year same date crop sown
95, condition 86.
Ohio—Percent of crop sown 92, condition
78. Last year same date, crop sown 07,
condition 84.
Illinois—Per cent of crop sown 86, condition 60. Last year same date, crop sown
89, condition 69.
As already stated, the reporters in the
Southern and Central divisions, nearly all
state that it is difficult to tell the real condition, for the reasons we have already
stated. We may say in this connection
that our reporters are intelligent and practical farmers, and used to observing and
reporting the crops,    •
CONDITldN OP CLOVER AND TIMOTHY.
Indiana—Clover 78, timothy 91.
Ohio—Clover 90, timothy 91.
Illinois—Clover 78, timothy 94.
This is a higher condition than was reported in April last year for the three
States.
CONDITION OF APPLE AND PEACH BUDS.
* The question asked was "per cent of
buds alive." For apples, in Indiana we
have 78, peaches 41, but only a few counties' reported peaches at all, and these in
the Southern division. Ohio, apples 77,
peaches 36, but few counties reporting
peaches. Illinois, apples 80, peaches 23;
the same being true here as to peaches, as
in the other States.
RYE AND BARLEY.
Neither rye or barley are general crops
in either of the States, and we refer the
reader to the table of averages by States,
for a summary of the acreage and condition of these crops, the per cents there
given are the averages on the number of
counties in each State where the crops are
grown. The figures given do not differ
materially from the reports given for the
same date last year.
CONDITION OP LIVE STOCK.
With the exception of a few counties In
each of the three States, the condition of
live stock is very nearly the same as at
the corresponding date last year.
Indiana—Horses 96, cattle 93, hogs 94,
sheep 92.
Ohio—Horses 99, cattle 97, hogs 99, sheep
97.
Illinois—Horses 97, cattle 84, hogs 79,
sheep 85. •
It will be noticed that the condition is
lower in Illinois on all but horses than in
other States. This, reporters state, is
owing to the diseases prevailing to a greater extent last year in Illinois than in
either of the others, especially among the
cattle and swine. It mu«*t be borne in
mind, however, that it is the low reports
from a few of the Central counties that
makes the average for the State lower
than in the other States. In most of the
Illinois counties the condition of live
stock is excellent.
AVERAGE BY STATES.
The following shows the averages of
crops and live stock by States:
Wheat, per cent of average crop sown...
Wheat, per cent of condition... .	
Clover, per cent ol condition	
Timothy, per cent of condition	
Apple buds, per cent alive-....—	
Peach buds, per cent alive. 	
Rye, per cent of average crop sown—
Kye, per cent of condition  „	
Barley, per cent of average crop sown.
Barley, pur cent of condition- ,
Horses, per cent of condition	
Cattle, per cent of condition .„ —,
Hogs, per cent of condition..- „	
Bheep, percent of condition	
=j
85
60
781   78
94
REMARKS OP REPORTERS—INDIANA.
Wabash Co.—Though a long winter,
stock came through in fine condition.
Carroll Co.—Snow still to be seen on the
north hill sides.
Fulton Co.—No rains yet this spring.
White Co.—Peach trees killed by freezing.
Noble Co.—It is difficult to tell the real
oondition of wheat.
Wells Co.-Wheat is in as good condition as ever known hore.
Porter Co.—I may alter the report as to
condition of wheat a little later on.
Whitley Co.—Too early to tell true condition of wheat.
Kosciusko Co.—Snow not all gone yet.
Marshall Co.—Snow storm March 31st.
Allen Co.—Some wheat under snow yet.
Montgomery Co.—March was a severe
month.
Union Co.—No green fields of wheat.
Grant Co.—Early sown wheat looks well.
Jay Co.—Wheat on undrained ground
badly damaged—much was sown too late.
Shelby Co.—Very dry. The outlook is
good for planting large crops this year—
much wheat will be plowed up.
Marion Co.—Wheat, clover and timothy
not started to grow April 1st—can't give a
very reliable opinion concerning them.
Tipton Co.—Hard to tell condition of
crops yet.
Johnson Co.—Sugar water very sweet,
one and one-half gallons sirup from one
barrel of water.
Delaware Co.—Wheatnever looked worse.
Monroe Co.—Oats partly sown where
frost was out three or four inches deep.
Jefferson Co.—Apple buds very back-
war*}; but I think injured-rcan tell hotter
in my May report.
Warrick Co.—Clover badly lifted.
Bartholomew Co.—But little oats sown
yet—backward spring—frost still in the
ground. v
Dearborn Co.—Many sowing oata on the
wheat ground. '
Fayette Co.—Coldest March ever known
here.
Jennings Co.—"Very cool and dry.
Washington Co.—Wheat and clover badly frozen out.
ILLINOIS.
Madison Co.—Hogs in bad condition on
acconnt of the ravages of cholera last year.
Union Co.—Strawberries will be a full
crop.
Macon Co.—Wheat looks as if dead.
Menard Co.—Dry and cold spring.
Morgan Co.—Season very backward.
Randolph Co.—Many sowing oats on
wheat fields.
Pope Co.—Season is too backward to tell
accurately the condition of wheat.
OHIO.
Allen Co.—Wheat condition is high here
—good snow protection in winter and late.
Champaign Co.—Very few peach trees
here.
Wyandotte Co.—Ground covered with
snow nearly all winter, and wheat in fine
condition.
Wood Co.—Frost not out of ground and
no plowing yet.
Van Wert Oo.—Season backward, fair
outlook for crops.
Portage Co.—The condition of the wheat
is excellent—above the average season.
Ottawa Co.—Grapes were mostly killed.
Montgomery Co.—Apple and peach buds
and barley not in best condition.
Logan Co.—Wheat in very fine condition.
Hardin Co.—Live stock in nne condition.
Defiance Co.—Can't tell certain as to
condition of clover and timothy. Wheat
splendid.
Brown Co.—Wheat never looked worse
at this season bf year. Many lambs have
died.
Clinton Co.—Part of oats sown, but
ground frozen Below the surface.
INDIANA—AVERAGE BY COUNTIES  AND DIVISIONS.
The following table gives tho averages in
per cents, etc., compared with a full average area and condition at same date in
other years, and not of any particular year:
Indiana Counties.
Northern DlvUlon
Adams.-	
Allen	
Benton— „	
Carroll	
Cass-	
DeKalb	
Elkhart	
Fulton-	
Huntington -	
Jasper—	
Kosciusko „	
Lagrange	
Lake-	
Laporte	
Marshall. 	
Miami-	
Newton—	
Noble-	
Porter	
Puhvskl.-	
Starke	
Bt. Joseph	
Steuben „	
Wabash .......
Wells 	
White	
Whitley „	
Average	
Central Division
Blackford-	
Boone	
Clay	
Clinton  ,
Delaware--	
Fountain  .......
Grant	
Hamilton—	
Hancock	
Hendricks-	
Henry _	
Howard— .
Jay—.	
Johnson _ ,
Madison -	
Marion —	
Montgomery	
Morgan __	
Owen 	
Parke	
Putnam —	
Randolph.-	
Bush	
Shelby	
Tippecanoe	
Tipton	
Union	
Vermillion—	
Vigo	
Warren	
Wayne._	
100
On
90
100
90
95
95
100
no
50
9»
80
90
95
80
90
90
95
90
100
95
95
80
80
90
100
75
90
75
95
100
100
100
100
80
100
50
65
90
100
100
75
45
90
95
40
100
95
100
90
80
JOD
70
90
80
100
95
100
95
00
loo
60
90
85
100
75
100
90
85
90
100
100
10
90
Average	
Mouthern Division
Bartholomew „	
Brown	
Clarke	
Crawford	
Daviess.—	
Dearborn 	
Decatur	
Dubois - -.
Fayette—	
Floyd	
Franklin—	
Gibson.	
Greene-	
Harrison 	
Jackson	
Jefferson—	
Jennings—	
Knox	
Lawrence	
Martin _	
Monroe	
Ohio _	
Orange— —........
Perry—	
Pike „	
Posey 	
Ripley-	
Scott	
Spencer	
Sullivan	
Switzerland	
Vanderburg	
Warrick	
Washington...-	
75
80
85
87
70
90
100
90
90
80
85
90
75
90
90
IOO
90
50
100
90
Average..
80
100
100
90
»0
50
80
90
90
90
90
90
90
80
90
100
90
90
90
90
90
90
90
100
100
80
40
eo
85
100
80
101)
100
100
100
100
100
100
90
90
90
90
100
80
50
• 70
75
90
50
100
90
80
70
95
75
50
75
70
60
75
90
81
100
100
75
100
10,
CO
10(1
60
10IJ
100
100
90
100
70
100
100
91!
70
100
50
100
70
100
100
90
101
IOC
100
75
50
91
100
lUt
80
100
GO
CO
25
80
100
90
80
80
90
100
100
100
100
100
90
100
90
100
100
90
100
90
100
100
100
85
100
80
75
80
90
50
90
85
80
100
90
90
90
90
90
90
90
90
100
90
90
90
85
100
90
90
75
85
75
90
50
100
85
85
95
100
90
100
80
50
50
50
75
75
60
92
90
90
90
90
50
90
90
90
90
99
IOO
100
30
100
90
50
30
85
80
80
85
100
100
40
90
80
79
WHEAT IN FARMERS HANDS.
The Department of Agriculture at Washington has reports to the effect that there
is about 30 per cent of last year's wheat
crop yet in farmers' hands, being a greater
amount than at the same date last year.
We find that while this is true in^me
localities, the per cent is much less in
others, there being very little difference
between this and last year at same date.