VOL. XXXI.
INDIANAPOLIS, IND., SEPT. 12, 1896.
NO. 37
EXPERIENCE DEPARTMENT
1st Premium.—I think the fairs are a
help to the farmers in several ways, and
would do more good if more people
would take things for exhibition and get
interested in good farming and raising
better grain and vegetables, and also in
having better stock of all kinds. I support our county fair [which is one of the
best in the State, as people say that attend a good many of them], by going and
taking my family to enjoy the fair, and
furthermore by taking all the articles
that I think will do to take, and taking
cattle and horses. The fairs would be a
help to any farmer that will take an interest in them, and try to raise better
grain and more of it to the acre than his
neighbors, for he would get the benefit of
the crop. This is to be the 37th annual
fair at Corydon, August __4th to 28th,
which 1 have helped to support from the
beginning, by taking a share in buying
the grounds which is a fine site for a fair
ground. It'also has a fine large spring
which never goes dry, and the water is
piped to all parts of the grounds. The
fairs I think are the cause of farmers
getting more fine stock in the county
which is a benefit in general to the
county. H. C. F.
Corydon.
I expect to attend our State fair this fall.
I take horses, cattle and hogs to the fair
and it enables me to sell my stock, as I
always have a few I want to sell. It also
helps me to buy flne stock from foreign
men and by so doing I increase the quality of my stock. I also learn many important points about farming and stock
raising from all the leading farmers and
stock raisers all over the State. I also
take grass seeds and vegetables of all
kinds to the fair. If I don't win anything
it helps the fair, for the more there is on
exhibition the better the fair will be.
Our fairs may be- improved by having
our neighbors take their stock and fruit
and vegetables to the fair, and try their
luck. I take everything I can raise to
the fair, and let the judge have his way
and if he places the ribbon on somebody
else's stuff I do not get discouraged but
try again. Our fair does not allow any
liquor or gambling stands on the grounds.
We think we have the finest fair grounds
in the State. A Fabmeb.
Harrison Co.
2d Premium.—I have been supporting
the local fairs tor .several years, but I
hs/l-e never attended a State fair, though- -*it«M*M*«mths^jus^i*osr»^t*mi^ the
worthy exhibits and transporting to and
from the fair and in showing them.
This requires large premiums. The
attractions bring out many people, especially when near cities, who are not
interested in agricultural implements or
grain or stock exhibits. If the races and
other attractions are clean they famish
a restful change for all classes of visitors.
One needs a variety in seeing as well as
in other duties of living. The responsibility of seeing that these are decent
morally and physically lies with the
management in fairs, as well in other
large crowds.
No greater calamity could befall a fair
association than to insult and disgust the
best sentiment of the general public.
Since transportation and advertising are
so cheap more people visit the large fairs
and the necessity for local fairs near
these centers does not exist. Such localities as Corydon, Ft, Wayne, Terre Haute,
remote from large fairs can and do keep
up local fairs.
You will notice in the history of fairs
that the geographical location points out
the best communities for enterprise, and
also in line of good soil, good schools and
general prosperity and enlightenment.
Two of our correspondents' mention
"always taking every worthy thing they
have to show it." This is the key to success, especially in local fairs. Large fairs
are also helped by it but competition has
brought about a system of prepared lists
Thirty wagons are hauling gravel from
our pits to about three miles, putting two
yards to the rod. It makes us hustle to
uncover it.
No. 27, Sept. 12.—Do you support the local and State fairs? In what way do they
help you, and how may they be improved?
No. 2S, Sept. 19.—Tile drainage. Practical methods of ditching.   Size of tile, etc.
No. 29, Sept. 20.—Describe a convenient
arrangement for keeping milk and butter
for family use.
No. 30, Oct. 3d. How do you manage
poultry in fall and winter—variety preferred for eggs and for market?
_iTopic No. 31, Oct. 10th.—What is your
money crop? How do you plan your
farm management so as to make money?
Topic No 32.—Oct, 17 th—Tell our readers what the saloon does for you and
your neighbors. Ask your county
clerk what additional taxes you pay
on acconnt ot the crime and poverty resulting from the nuisance.
Please send copy early.
If our friends will writo as soon as you
can on any of these topics, your copy will
be filed away and be ready when the
topic is published.
E. II. Collins.
:3d premium.—Local fairs have almost
ous-grown their usefulness, and become
in fact, mere race course—a miniature
-Latonia—carrying with them two or
three hundred hangers on, whose sole
business it is to rob houses, fleece the
innocent victims, and corrupt the morals
of our children. The social feature has
kept alive the organizations, which in
most cases should have had their obse-
quies long ago. I have no suggestion to
offer for their improvement. I think
them beyond redemption. I enjoy the
State fair because I see there the newest
inventions inthe farm machinery, and
are thus enabled to move along in the
rapidly advancing column of Improved
methods in farming.
Henry Co. J. A. W.
Changing Seed Wheat.
It is no longer disputed thatin ordinary
farming the sowing of any given variety
of  winter   wheat  continuously  on   the
but It has been our experience that
when new seed has been brought in
either wheat or corn, the yield has been
much better for several years. Generally a poor yield makes a poor product,
which is tho only complaint we would
.make as to quality. ltis a good rule to
change seed at least once every five
years."
The Messrs. Colburn, of the Queen Bee
Roller Mill.", at McPherson, were in substance as follows: "We believe our farmers should change seed as often as once
ln three or four years; not necessarily to
imported seed, but to that raised in a different locality. This we believe with
the exceedingly good milling qualities of
the Russian, or as we term it Kansas
Hard', would hold both the yielding and
milling qualities intact for many yeaTs.
While we are firm believers ln changing
seed at least once in three years it is a
fact that prevailing climatic conditions
make a wonderful difference in the outcome of quality and yield whether the
change is made or not. Everything does
not depend upon seed; we have seen the
choicest of seed sown, only to produce the
meanest wheat, and vice versa. If some
of tho imported was available each year
it would certainly tend to hold up the
I reputation we are now attaining in the
world's markets on 'Kansas Hard Wheat',
as well as the flour made from it."
Prof. C. C. GeOTgeson.of the State Experiment Station,   at  Manhattan, says:
REVIEW.
Centuries ago fairs were held in England often in the church yard or the
church, and usually on days of festivity.
Buyers and sellers met to show articles
ol merchandise and to transact business.
Fairs have suffered many modifications
to meet changed conditions. The amazing growth ot the printing and advertising business has scattered information
broadcast until our people require at
tractions to bring out the crowd. There
is now a large cash expense in preparing
fair circuits. We live in an age of such
wonderful invention that an enterprising
farmer can't afford to miss the lessons of
the fairs.
Three years ago I bought an •'up to
date" bicycle; it would be called a "log-
wagon" now.
A few years ago I bought a table rake
Buckeye reaper for $10. The paint was
bright yet, as the owner had only used it
one year until the self binder came, and
he couldn't afford to use the table rake.
A neighbor who owns a threshing machine says that the improvements had
pressed in on him so constantly that for
years it took all his income to keep his
machine up to date. First a stacker,
then a larger separator; then a blower,
next a larger engine, then a feeding attachment, and a weigher.
The tendency now is as the farms are
older and pretty clear of obstructions to
not only use surface cultivation but
wholesale cultivation. The harrow and
weeder are attracting much attention in
cultivating Tapidly. Lots of clover and
mowing weeds has made our soil less
foul and we can use special tools better.
Think of a man in Nebraska or Iowa
breaking with a lister, with a drill attachment, and cultivating by harrowing
20 acres a day and managing 80 acres of
corn by himself.
We very much need the fairs to show
us the up to date tools.
I know a man who planted some ten
acres of "taters" year after year with
standard varieties, but with seed that had
a low vitality, and he raised GO bushels
where he should have doubled it.
One year he bought a bushel of the
same variety from an Ohio man and the
vines grew as big again, in rows right
through the middle of a patch of the
same variety. If he had talked with "ta-
ter" men at the fair he might have made
hundreds of dollars more money out of
his crops.
Being right square "up to date" is such
a big advantage that one can't afford to
miss the fairs.
I will only call attention to the live
stock exhibit as being equally helpful.
As to the races, I do not watch them
often but the moral atmosphere of allglt-
imate struggle for the championship is a
helpful inspiration toward push and more
earnest endeavor in making all kinds of
life's work more systematic and thorough.
sam*-U_vc_-otic--4i*-«ean.e locality -result*- -"That wheat--doer' d«*«Jior_-_____.. lzr-AW-r:
in its deterioation, both as to yield and
quality.
The numerous letters which each season brings his oflice relative to this condition and as to the sections from which
the most profitable change of seed is
likely to be had have prompted Secretary
Coburn of the Kansas Board of Agriculture to obtain for publication the views
of those having the largest opportunity
for observation in such matters and
noting intelligently someof the practical
results. No other men are in such close
touch with wheat-raisers aud the wheat
interest as the millers, and the tenor of
the valuable information secured from
them in reply to inquiries is well shown
in extracts from some of their letters as
follows:
"Mr. Warkentin, president and manager of the Newton Elevator and Milling
Co., .Harvey county, says experience
teaches him that by sowing the same
variety year after year In the same locality it changes its qualities, both as to
yield and milling. Our so-called Turkey
wheat is becoming softer from year to
year. Of course the growing season has
much to do with this. If the wheat can
mature without too much raiu the per
cent, of gluten, which makes it valu-
uable, will be much larger than otherwise. In my opinion our farmers
should change seed at least every
four or five years, and new seed
should be imported from the Crimea
about every six to eight years. Farmers should be encouraged to exchange
for seed from a distance of say 25 miles,
as I have found it a great means of improvement. Our soil and climate seem
best adapted for the red, hard winter
wheat, with which we can easily compete in the world's markets. I have
twice within the past ten years imported
fresh seed wheat from the Crimea—the
wheatknown as the Russian or Turkey,
the beneficial results of which are very
plainly seen in our county.
Geo. H. Hunter, president of the Hunter Milling Co., at Wellington, in Sumner county, writes: "Our considerable
experience and observation is that continuous sowing of the same wheat in one
locality is injurious to it. We have tried
wheat from other portions of our county
and find a change, especially from thc
North,   is   beneficial.    We  would   not
course of years under tho care that the
average farmer gives his crop I think
must be conceded. The yield becomes
less, the grain of an Inferior quality, and
the millers complain that the proportion
of bran to flour is too large. From what
section it would be most desirable to procure a change of seed cannot be answered
positively. In our experience here at
the station we have as a general thing
had the best results from wheat
grown in about the same latitude
to the eastward of us. The start
for our best yielding varieties
came from Virginia, Maryland and Ohio.
A variety of superior merit, produced
only by selection and culture under the
most favorable conditions can maintain
its superiority only when grown and selected with thesamecare which produced
it. Our farmers do not give their wheat
that care and culture, and the legitimate
result is that it runs out. The main
cause of deterioration then is under control of the farmer himself."
POSTAL OABD OOBBESPONDENOE.
La Porte Co., Sept. 4.—Wheat sowing
just commenced; corn will be a heavy
crop, the best for many years and will
be safe from frosts, nearly all by middle
of this month. Many fields are now past
being hurt by frost, and a few are cutting
corn for fodder. Most of the good
peaches are now gathered; some late
ones are left yet. Potatoes nearly all
dug. Mi.*-. B. A. Davis.
Howard Co., Sept. 2.—In this part of
Howard county the corn crop is heavy;
corn cutting is advancing rapidly. Fall
pasture is good. The heavy rains did
great damage to melons and potato crops;
some complaint of potatoes rottening in
the patch. Weeds are plentiful. Some
few cattle are dying, supposed to be
caused by hot weather and flies. Hogs
are making a good growth and there are
several for fall feeding. Snnday, August
30th, I saw in an orchard near me, bloom
on a Vandiver tree. Also, a cherry tree
in full bloom, and one bloom on a plum
tree. E. E. H.
The largest-sized bug in the world is
found ln Venezuela. It is called the elephant beetle, and a mature specimen is
recommend seed obtained from too great] credited with being about half a pound in
a distance, say not to  exceed 150  miles,'weight.