Loi-2-
INDIANA .FARMEK.
Devoted to Agriculture, Horticulture, Mechanics and the  Useful Arts.
D. P. llollow.iv, W. T.Dennis,
It. T. Itf ed.—Kditors.
RICHMOND, AUGUST 15, 1855. j>Vlli^v.^\^5'o.Iao:
The Itains and the Harvest.
Driven again from the harvest-field by another shower, we arc half inclined to while
away a rainy hour by telling our distant readers how we are farming in Old Wayne, in the j
way of getting our bountiful crops taken care
of.    And we will begin bluntly by saying that j
the last of July has not produced a singlo dry }
day,—not a single day without a shower, and |
some of them most copious ones,  not only J
showers, but dashing rains, taking away fences j
that have stood for years.    The consequence
is that scarcely any hay has been saved in order, none  except what was cut early—and
much is perfectly rottenSn the field.     What
remains uncut at present date (July  31st) is
dead ripe, much of the seed falling from the
heads.   When it is (o be cut and taken in, it
will need no curing—does not at present appear, as we see no symptionsof tho raiu abait-
ing, and the weather settling.    The oat crop
is mostly cut.    Some of it dead ripe, and the
straw falling.    Much, however, is too flat already to be worsted in that way.    What little
is in shock or in the barn, has mostly been cut
and bound up immediately, with little  or no
turning, an expedient we have seldom or never known resorted to.    Flax is either  uncut,
or lying in tho swath, taking all the rains.—
The wheat  crop is   nearly all out yet, and
where it is well shocked, seems to be injuring
but little.    There is much however, growing
in tho sheaf, not being- in" a proper condition
to trun thc rain effeotuaily'. ' A lktle has been
threshed aud sold at SI,25 to §1,50 per bushel.    We overheard one of our wholesale produce merchants remark, this morning, that if
it rained another week, flour would bo higher
here than it has yet been, that is more 85,00
per cwt.    We hope not.    As might be expected the ground is completely  soaked with
water, so that it will bo almost impossible  to
to haul in our wheat and other grain, when a
day of sunshine shall again come to cheer the
desponding farmer.     In  many   places tho
empty wagon cuts furrows deep* in tho fields
not plowed since last autumn.    Thc corn crop
never looked better, but how it has managed
to endure so  much   wet without taking tho
"yellows" is more than we can guess.
8th mo., 7th.—We have had two or three
clear days in succeesion, and wheat and oats
are most safe, the former threshed or in the
barn, the latter in shock. Harvest will be
nearly over by the date of our paper;:
A note from Western New York received
a week since, describes the prospects of the
farmers there, as gloomy in the extreme. The
sun bad not been seen for two weeks, and this"
in tho middle of harvest.
White Clover.
One of our cotemporarias, the '"Maine Farmer," urges the propriety of sowing White
Clover, and -says that for several years past he
has never laid down land to grass without
adding this to the variety. He says it makes
excellent hay, and full as much as any of the
southern clovers. How it may answer in the
soil and climate of Maine we know not, but
here wo have never know it cultivated for
any purpose; yet it seems to be indigenous to
our soil, often making its appearance after a
wheat or oat crop, forming a complete sward.
It makes good pasturo, but less of it than
other grasses. We never knew it mown for
hay. We cannot see, however, why it might
not be profitably sown with timothy or other
grasses, either for pasture or hay. It would
form an undergrowth for meadows without
at all interfering with the growth of the timothy or clover, and would thus add considerably to the product. ^ In England their pastures are composed ofa number of kinds of
grasses, generally, if not always including
white clover, and if such acouisewere adopted here wc have no doubt many more  cattle
could be produced on a given amount of land.
 , ■ . ■ ■	
Credit.— Some of our editorial friends
make sad complaints every now and then about
credit, and we have been thinking we had as
well add a word to the mournful ditly. Well,
it is only this: We noticed two or three of our
I artices among our exchanges lately credited
or rather signed "A Farmer." Now, we
wish our friends to know that we are not only
a farmer, but Ihe Farmer, the Indiana Farmer, and if they will thus mark our articles,
we shall think none the less of them or their
papers.