VOL. XXX.
INDIANAPOLIS, IND., MAY 4, 1895.
NO. 18.
Resources of*
HAMILTON COUNTY, INDIANA.
This county is  exactly 20 miles square 1 ordinary care in crop rotations this qual
and contains 400 hundred square  miles,  ity may be  maintained  indefinitely.   As
and was organized ln 1823 It was a part
of the "New Purchase," and opened to
public entry by the treaty of St. Marys of
1818, when the title was quieted from the
Delaware Indians. Noblesville was made
the county seat at its organization. Its
growth in population is seen in the following figures from the census dates named:
Population ln li__ „   1.7 7
Population ln 1&10 9,855
Population In J8f0  12,66-1
Population In 1560 „ 17,310
Population in 1870 _ -20,882
Population ln 1880 „„ _ 21,801
Papulation In 1690. 26 121
The growth in population since 1890 has
been greater than in any previous decade,
which was due to the discovery of natural
gas and manufacturing industries.
The oounty lies at the summit of the
drainage flowing both south to White
river, and north to the Wabash river. It
is mainly level, broken only in the vicinity of the rivers and other large streams
that flow through it. That section lying
east of Noblesville and drained by Stony
Creek has quite an undulative surface,
The northern part of the county is nearly
.-level, the streams flawing near the surface
and with little depression. Tn the -western
sections are numerous ridges and large de
posits of gravel, excellent for making
roads. The chief drainage of the county
is by White river and its tributaries.
While this river has many first bottoms of rich alluvial land, terraces of wide
second bottom lands abound on both sides
which are also very fertile. The oounty
once had a few small wet prairies, but
since the drainage of these the land formerly deemed worthless has become the
richest in productiveness. The blaok
lands formerly were covered with burr oak
and other timber. Since the system of
drainage bas been extended to the high
bat wet plateaus, these soils have become
very productive.
There are several excellent chalybeate
springs of water iuthe oounty. Among
these are many near Sheridan, which are
strongly impregnated with Iron, magnesia
and soda. The water has been tested and
found valuable for impaired digestion and
general debility, and there are many
places of popular health resort with water
no better than is found here near Sheridan.
The county is one of most excellent
soils, and where treated properly, very
productive. There Is very littlo waste
anywhere.
THE TIMBER.
The county was once very heavily timbered with yellow poplar, sugar tree or
hard maple, walnut.oak, ash, cherry,beech
and other timbers. The heaviest and best
of this timber has been removed, and
much of it was destroyed in clearing the
lands before there was a demand for it. In
subsequent years the timber was a source
of great profit. But the large timber, except here and there a few acres, is gone.
Including that left and timber pasture
lands, there are still about 55,000 acres of
t'mber lands.
THE LANDS AND VALUATIONS.
The county has placed valuations on
250,860.17 aores of lands, which together
with the improvements are put at f 9,798
995. Adding to this the valuations placed
on city and town lots and improvements,
personal property and the railway valua*
tions for taxation, and the total valuation
for this purpose is put at 115,610,264,
LEADINO AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIONS,
As we have already shown,  the soils of
showing what the soils will do in a fairly
good season, and the value of the staple
crops in period of fairly prosperous times,
we give the following figures of actual
production in a good year:
Bushels.
1,017.380
Acres,
Wheat 68.130
Corn  .{9.171.*
Oata  7 000
2 2'8,<60
28..0.0
Valu*..
•J712 166
899 381
112,010
The county has grown two tons of clover
hay per aore on  22 000 aores, and IX tons
wheat, 40 of corn and 40 of oats per acre
on part of his land. Ho drills Mb wheat
from 1st to 15th of September ou tile
drained land; cultivates his corn shallow.
He has a fine apple orchard which promises a good crop this season, always tin
drains his orchard lands.
Ell Jay averages 25 to 28 bushels of
wheat and 50 bushels of oorn per acre,
both on tile drained land.
A. M. Bell averages about the same but
runs much live stock on 00 acres of pasture lands.
J. B. Faulk averages 25 bushels of wheat,
50 of corn and 40 of oats per acre; cultivates
corn first deep, then shallow to finish two
last cultivations.   He has an apple orchard
per aore of timothy  on 15,000 acres.   The [ of 100 trees which this year promises to be
MARI Orvi       C«.
HAMII/rON COUNTY—Explanations.
The figures given at Noblesville and Westfield are feet elevation above the sea.
(*£) This indicates the natural gas field.
11111 Niagara and wateriine limestone ln the northeast corner of the connty.
—   —   —   — Dash lines indicate gravel roads.
= -—— Parallel lines show gas pipe lines.
NATURAL (IAS AND MANUFACTURING.
This is one of the important natural gas
counties. Three natural gas pipe lines
penetrate and cross the county drawing
ga1) to Indianapolis acd one takes gas from
the county to Crawfordsville and one to
Lebanon. Besides these, towns and factories in the county get their supply here.
This product is a source of great wealth.
As showing something of how it h«s stimulated growth of industries in the county,
we give the following comparative figures:
1885. 1896,
Number of establishments         67 130
Number of persons employed.........      320-960
Capital invested _ |1I2,6C0 | 9S0.C00
Value of annual product 871,2.0 1,741,000
Annual wares paid    91,350 28O,.0O
RAILWAY SYSTEM.
Noblesville is the railway cent.r and
county seat, having a population now of
about 5,000. It has about 60 miles of railway ,but with ths Pan Handle system.and
the Ii E & W. Railway lines, practically
four lines of road traverse the oounty,
which affords abundant facilities for shipment and travel Sheridan, in the northwestern part of the county, with a population of abo it 2.000, Is the second town of
Importance, situated on the Monon line of
railway, and with rapidly growing industries.
soils are well adopted to all the other
minor crops, Including barley, rye, flax,
potatoes, etc.
LIVE STOCK.
In years prosperous to cattle and
sheep growing the country devoted
about 15,000 acres to blue grass pastures. This is the great grazing grass
of that section of the State, and
at one time there were e'ght fine herds of
pure bred Shorthorn cattle,and severalherd
of other beef breeds and Jersey cattle. It
has for many years been noted for its
herds of pure bred hogs. A great corn
county, hogs have always been a large and
profitable orop. The summary given here
Is that of a recent year:
Horses and mules 10,793
Cattle of all kinds.....*...'..   18.2S-8
Hogs, all breeds ."  83,119
Sheep _ -   12,511
In a good year of production and with
prices normal, the county agriculture, including horticulture and Uve stock have
amounted in value to over $4,500,000. This
includes the products consumed at home
and that sold and shipped away.
HIGH LEVELS OF PRODUCTION.
Among the large number of farmera
replying to questions of their own experience in farming, we note the following:
the county are very productive,  and with I    Michael Orr averages   30   bushels  of
full of fruit.
W. M. Rtwlings averages 50 bnshels of
oorn and 50 of oats, deep corn cultivation
Clark Millikan averages 25 bushels of
wheat, 50 of corn and 40 of oats per aore
on tile drained land.
S. W. Cook averages 30 bushels each of
wheat, oorn and oats per aore on tiled land;
drills wheat last of September. Mr. Cook
finds his silo with corn ensilage a valuable
thing.
Auga Smith averages 50 bushels of corn
on tllod land and cultivates shallow and
level towards the close.
Levi Withmoyer averages 30 bushels of
wheat aud 40 of corn to the acre; tiled land;
cultivates shallow.
J. R. McKenzle averages 50 bushels of
corn and 50 of oats per acre. He has au apple orchaid of 100 trees which promise a
full crop.
John W, Knight avorages two and one-
half tons of timothy hay per acre.
There are many more farmers in this
county whose reports come up close to
these figures. All of the high productions
are on tile drained lands. The wheat is
nearly all sown from the 10 th to the last
of September. Several farmers report
making from 600 to 1.000 pounds of butter
annually.
Quckij awl Qusvotuxs.
Will someone please tell me through the
Farmeb which la the better way to keep
bees, whether scattered about the yard or
arranged on a stand together? and how
far they should be from the ground?
Wllmot. C. A. J.
' Bees seem to do equally well either way.
The hives should be raised eight or. ten
inches from the ground.
What is the law in regard to the assessment of Building and Loan stock? Is one
required to give in the amount of one's
installment stock in such associations?
Parke Co. C. H. Lamb.
Installment stock is not taxable, but
money that is loaned to a Building and
Loan Association should be listed for taxation. 	
Please answer the following: Do the
numerous small lakes or ponds in the
northern part of the State belong to the
State or not? If not can they keep a person from li.bing In them? We have a
natural pond fed by springs and is considered real estate and assessed accordingly.
Can we not li.h without regard to law and
in any manner we see fit? Would you publish the fish law as passed by the last general assembly? With best wishes for the
Farmer. C. A. J.
Noble Co.
The small lakes are regarded as belonging to the farms that border their shores.
There seems to be no other law on the
subject than that of common consent.
We will try to get a copy of the new fish
law for publication in noxt number.
Postal Oard Correspondence.
Kosciusko Co , April 27.—Apple, pear
and cherry trees are just bursting into
bloom; wheat and grasses are looking some
better, though needing rain badly; stock
doing well; not many beef cattle to be seen;
a large quantity of hogs of good quality
and in good shape; this county has sent
something near 60 car loads of horses to
other markets; but few mares to foal this
season; eggs, 11 to 12:; butter, 13c; hay, $8;
oorn, 383; wheat, 52c. A. T. C.
Harrison Co —Nothing was hurt here
by last cold snap: will be a fair crop of
peaches all along the Ohio river. All other
kinds of fruit trees are full of fruit buds.
Amsterdam is a regular paradise just now.
Everybody I have talked to likes the
Farmer better than ever. If it had not
qeen for it, I doubt much if the Senate
had passed the Nicholson bill. They
would have choked it. Through the
Farmer we learned of the disgraceful
closing of the Legislature. Suoh scandalous conduct is letting down the Btandard
of onr noble State, and the disgraceful
Sabbath closing scene at our national capital of our Congress. I am glad you had
the norve to publish moa rascal! tv.
F.L.I.