Vol. IX.
nmiAKAPOIJS, INDIANA, SEPTEMBER 5, 1874
No. 35.
LiYe Stock.
Keeping Sheep on Wheat Farms.
Every wheat grower possessing one
hundred and sixty acres of land should
keep at least one hundred sheep, and his
farm should be so fenced that they may be
changed from one field to another every
. two years. By this system his land may
be kept tolerably free from weeds, and
always be in good condition for wheat.
My plan is this: I keep a flock of about
one hundred and fifty,.and every spring
seed thirty acres with timothy arid clover.
•The following spring my sheep and cattle
are turned into this field,_ where they are
■ kep^-two seasons,: ploughing it up in the
fall of the second year for wheat the next.
This field is now clean, and will produce
large crops for three or four years. When
I 'first commenced this-practice, jimme-
. diately after/the war, my land was so pom:
pletely overrun with weedsthat it would
not produce a paying crop, while the wild
rose bushes were so thick that my hansd
and knees needed .to: be case-hardened in
order to-stack, it with anydegree of comfort. I now get largecrops of wheat on
the oldest laud,, and there panUofr. be a
briar found .on thefarm.' The benefit to
the land pays the keeping of the sheep, and
I have the wool arid increase clear profit.
This year my flock sheared' four and three-
fourths pounds per head, and produced
between forty and fifty, lambs. Every
fall I sort out all the wethers over, two
years old and the old ewes, feed them
three or 'four month's arid sell them- for
mutton, at generally from five to six dollars per head. I also sell from fifty to
sixty • dollars worth of : mutton to the
butchers during the summer, and can
always have a: supply of fresh meat for my
own table at small cost.
Some seasons I have turned my'flock
into a field without seeding, .using the
plough wherever opportunity presented
during the summer. This plan works
well also, and a field served in this
way will produce as mueh wheat the next
year as it would in two years following
without. When this plan is adopted, sufficient stock must be put on to keep the
weeds from going to seed.        . .
There may be better ways to " keep up"
a farm, but the results obtained from my
system are very satisfactory.—Cor. Farmer's Union. "
Ashes as Food for Cattle.
The Live Stock Journal has a correspondent who found his cattle given to the
habit of eating wood, chewing bones, etc.
They became thin in flesh, refused to eat
hay, and, presented a .sickly appearance.
He had; no impression that their food
lacked the constituents for making bone ;
and his neighbors use bone-meal without
noticing any good results whatever. At
last he put about four.bushe's of leached
ashesin his" barn-yard and threw., out to
them :about a . shovelful each day.
•Theyall ate with evident relish. After
turning them out to pasture, he put: one
peckroF dry-ashes per week on the ground
in the pasture..: They ate it all andgnawed
off the grass where it had been lying. The
cattle began; to. improve, gaining flesh and
looking! hetter than they had done for
seyeraliyeafs. He says:this morbid appearance-was unnoticed years ago, from
the fact; that.the ground was new and ashy
from'tbeburning of the woods and . land
clearings: n Since, this discovery he gives
one .quart 6f ashesiinixed with one quart
of salt, to twelve ihead'of cattle about once
a/week. -.:■•-    ■*:-.-.:.: i .:
For the Indiana Farmer.
Devon Cattle. ,
Bowltjsville, Ind., Aug. 31,1874.
By your request I send you these .few
lines in reference to Devon cattle. It is
said that in England the Devons are kept
chiefly for beef. It is in reference to this
that the breed has been improved; and
for oxen, no ox, equals tha' Devon in ability to labor. (He is very active and strong.
Youat says: '-Four good Devon steers
will do as much work in' the field, of on
the road, as any three'horses, and in as
quick, and often quicker time.'.'
The editor of the National Live-Stock
Journal says:''ThetDeyon is,certainly a
valuable race of cattle,' 'possessing points
and qualities which commend it to the intelligence and prudence of thrifty farmers,
and we trust to see it more widely disseminated in this country. And for, myself I
believe the Devons^ for general purposes,
surpass any breed of cattle, that has, ever
been introduced into tbis.country."    <
The cows are good milkers, and give a
quantity of rich milk, that makes a very
fine quality of rich, nutty butter, that will
sell for fancy pricesl. Some of the cows
are very large milkers, and. have been
known to make fourteen pounds of butter
per week. - Jesse Mead.
Let the Horses Roll.:
Horses that are  kept, in the stable
during summer, should be given daily the
luxury of a roll on the earth.   Boiling is
the means given by nature for the animal
to rid itself of vermin and skin diseases,
and it tends to make the animal healthy.
Some owners object to allowing a horse to
roll on the bare earth because it gets dirt
into the hair and makes extra work to
keep the animal clean, but the extra work
pays if rightly understood.   We allow our
.horse to roll in the dirt when he is not
[moist with perspiration, and then stand
San hour or two with, his coat full of dust
.before being cleaned up. .
; ;l! Milk as. Well as Beef.
" .During i\ rde'erli discussion at a meeting of English" breeders on the manage-
rneht'iiof )Short-Horn,- cattle,: the Chairman said:~'*One great fault of Short-Horn
feeding had'deen that they had looked too
nfuch'tqbeef arid too 'little to milk'. He
hijlbeengrieived to see a Short-Hornheif-
erunable.to bring up her calf and to require an inferoir animal to be used. Mr.
Thomas Bates and other breeders used to
boast about the milk as well as the beef-
producing qualities of their animals, but
this was not so now. The object of the
early breeders of Short-Horns was not to
have fashionable-herds' but animals in the
best condition. The miners and well paid
artisans would not buy those great lumps
of fat, but as prime mutton and beef as
could be had. What the farmer now
wanted was the.class of stock fit to bring
into the market as early as possible, and
which would bring the greatest profit.
What was wanted was to produce two-
year-old bullocks as prime as they formerly were at four years." Ourown breeders would do. well to give heed to the
above observations; for too many of them,
espacially at the West, have latterly greatly neglected the milking qualities of their
Short-Horns, paying almost exclusive attention to them for beef. We have repeatedly seen the first przes at our cattle shows
awarded to cows that had but two or three
servicable teats, arid to others whose udders and teats were so small they could
not produce half milk enough to bring up
a calf. , It was not thus with the early
Short-Horns—they were almost universally gTeat milkers.
A Pert School-Girl Rebuked.   ,!■
It hardly answers for pert young people
to act the critic and correct their elders,
unless they are sure of being in the right,
and are ready to hold to it, A schoolgirl got into trouble by being over-forward."'      ,.   :., ;,    ■, ,*,.,. . ,*
."So you have finished your.-studies at
the seminary?. I was much pleased with
the closing exercises. The author of that
poem—Miss White,: I think you call her
~bids,fair to become known as a poet."
•'We think the authoress. \rtll become
celebrated as a poetess," remarked the
young lady, pertly, with a marked emphasis on the two words of the sentence.
"0, ah," replied the old gentleman,
looking thoughtfully over his gold spectacles at the young lady, "I hear her sister
was quite an actress, and under Miss Hos-
tner's instruction will undoubtedly become
quite a sculptoress."
The young lady appeared irritated.'.
"The seminary," continued the old gentleman, with imperturbable gravity, "is
fortunate in having an efficient board of
manageresses. From the Presidentess
down to the humblest teacheress, unusual
talentis shown. There is Miss Harper,
who, as a chemistress, is unequaled, and
Mrs. Knowles has already a reputation as
an astronomeress. -.. And in the department of music, few can equal Miss Kellogg
as a singeress."        .'   ,...
The young lady did not appear to like
the chair she was sitting on. She took
the sofa at the other end of the room.
•; "Yes," continued the old gentleman, as
if talking to himself, "those White sisters
are very talented.. Mary, . I understand,
has turned her attention to painting and
the drama, and will surely become famous
as an actress and paintress; and even now,
as lecturess—"
A loud slamming ofthe door caused the
old gentleman to lookup, and the criticess
and grammarianess was gone !
Produce for Market.
' A mistake is very comonly made in preparing produce for market in not assorting
thoroughly. Apples should be carefully
selected and if marketed in barrels, should
have the first and second layers of apples
carefully and closely laid with the stems
down, then fill up the barrel with none
but perfect apples, pressing in the head
tight (a screw for packing should be used
if it can be had) then turn the barrel bottom end up, and mark with shipping directions, those receiving will open the
end marked, and the stems of the apples
will be up in  nice   layers.   Such   apples
[For tlie Indiana Farmer.
Marion Fair.
The Marion County Agricultural and
Horticultural Association will hold its
Annual Fair at Valley Mills, on the Indianapolis and Vincennes Railroad, September 10th, llth and i2th. Arrangements have been made with the Railroad
Company to stop, in addition to the regular passenger trains, all the extra trains
on the llth and 12th, for the accommodation of visitors to the Fair. The Association has offered as liberal premiums as
its means will allow, so as to be able,
without involving itself in debt, to meet
THE   GLADIOLUS.
will if honestly packed, bring-in market a
third more, and often twice as much, as
carelessly and dishonestly packed.
Potatoes should always be sorted and as
near as possible of uniform size, tightly
packed with a press screw; a few small potatoes will damage a barrel of potatoes two
or three times more than the space they
occupy—and especialy avoid imperfect
potatoes—one potatoe decaying will affect
a dozen more in a short time, new potatoes
should have small spaces cut out around
in the bulge of the barrel to give them air,
and holes made in the head will facilitate
evaporation.
Small fruits of all kinds put up in neat
packages carefully will always amply repay
the producer.
Butter—what shall we say as to butter,
knowing as we do that everybody makes
good butter, indeed, "my butter should
command the best prices, and we are puzzled to know where the mean butter does
come from." In the New York market
Orange County,. butter is worth 40 to 50
cents wholesale. Indiana butter 20 cts.
Whatmakes the difference in price, that's
the question. . Who will answer how the
consumers of butter perverted tastes, if so
they have been for years. It would be
presumption on our part to suggest anything as to the necessity of good feed, pure
water, quiet and regular handling of the
cows,' or the necessity of clean pails, clean
hands, clean pans, pure clean cellars or
milk houses; careful churning, the necessity of washing out the buttermilk without
breaking the grain, avoiding by all means
this working of butter into paste, or the
necessity of salting butter well. Oh no,
we will not presume upon your patience,
but one thing we would insist upon, and
that is when lard is added, that it should
be well mixed; when old' and new are
mixed, mark it old butter; when our inner
garments are used to cover butter, please
see* that they are thoroughly cleansed,
especially if the same is to be exposed to
public sale. Butter for market should
always be covered with clean white cloths.
B.
The Grangers are doing more to project
and establish substantial enterprise in
connection with their organizations than
all the efforts of legislation and capital
have done heretofore. At Red Oak, Iowa,
they propose the organization of a stock
company for establishing a linseed oil mill,
toconsume the large amount of flax seed
raised in that vicinity. We hear many instances of this kind every day, and hope
that the good work may go on with redoubled energy.—Omaha Union.
all its engagements upon demand, and also
has secured about five acres of ground on
which it has began permanent improvements, the success of which now, as in the
future, depends upon the interest taken
by the citizens of Marion and adjoining
counties. Come, then, and help as contributors, or come and bring your families
as visitors, and encourage by your presence
an enterprize of agricultural pursuits, and
of home enterprize.      J. W. Furnas.
■ . ♦ »	
Our sister Republic, Mexico, as will be
seen by reference to the official correspondence elsewhere printed, has signified
her acceptance ofthe official invitation extended to her to take part in our Centennial
Celebration of 187G, and that her acceptance is not prompted by mere formal politeness is shown by the measures taken for
the organization ofa Mexican commission
to have in charge the contributions of that
country to our great fair. Mexico, in many
departments of national wealth, will range
well to the front among the nations of the
earth, and for her own sake, as well as for
ours, we will gladly welcome her as a coadjutor in our vast undertaking.—PKili-
delphia Press.
.■  : :—■   *   ■    .
If every man who keeps an Alderney
bull would break him to the yoke or to
harness at eighteen months old, he would
have a good-tempered, serviceable beast,
worth more for every purpose and capable
of. earning his board by effective labor
before the horse cart or stone boat or snow
plow every day in the year.
— . ♦ «  —'.	
The grasshoppers made a clean sweep
in Sheridan Valley, Montana, this year.
The valley is_ usually one of the most fertile and prolific in the territory, but the
pests have eaten "every green thing" this
season.
Potato bugs must be immortal. A man
has kept some-corked up in a bottle, without air,_ food or drink for a year, and they
are as lively as ever. He proposes, if he
lives long enough, to see now long they
can stand it. ■
Rawhide Boxes for Machinery.—
A correspondent of the Scientific American says: " I have run a piece of machinery in rawhide boxes for fourteen
years without oil; it is good yet, and runs
at 4,500 per minute. • I put it in while soft
and let it remain until dry."
 ■ ♦ » _
On July 18 the harvest upon a 400-acre
ranche in Calafornia was finished and
yielded 7,242 sacks of wheat, or over 40
bushels per acre. On another ranche
20,000 sacks were found too few to bag the
crop.
 ■ * ■
The Exposition will open next Monday
the 7th inst.
Farmor Family.
Lst us have enough of this brief correspondence to
fill a page.
Newton County.
Goodlasd, September lst.
The corn crop ls a magnificent one here, maturing rapidly. Oats was short but good. Flaxseed
above, or fully an average. Not over half a hog
crop ln this county. Fruit below average. Pasture tolerably good yet. Local corn market 55 to
UOcnts rer bushel. D. ty.
lohnson  County.
■ Bluff Creek, September, 2.
Not seeing any crop report from our county, I
thought we must not be behind. Wheat crop
was about an average. Corn considerably over
an average. Hay was very light. Fruit hardly
an average. Hogs scarce, and a good price. Some
are loseing their hogs with cholera. Farmer a
welcome vistor at our house. J. C. AL.
Hamilton County.
. Noblesville, Aug., 29.
We are well pleased here at the Interest yon
take in the welfare of the farmers. Wheat here
is thought a little above an average crop, and
mostly of good quality. Nearly all Is threshed.
Corn prospect good as we ever had. Hay was
short. Oats was an average crop. Potatoes and
.other vegetables very good. Apples fall below an
average, and dropping off badly. Plenty of peach
seeds on the trees, but not much peach. Generally
a good crop of pears, of pretty fair quality. Grangers hopeful of better times, and bid success to
your valuable paper.     * JOHN DBMOSS.
Gibson County.
I write you In regard to some wheat I raised
the present season. On llj^ acres I threshed 12%
bushels to the acre, and on 20 acres 37% bushels to
the acre. It Is a new variety here in Gibson
counts-; Is Mice, white, plump,smooth wheat;
stands up well, so is well adapted to strong land.
It Is callad the Georgia wheat here. The present
season here has been favorable for wheat and
corn, but oats, ha}- and potatoes are not more
than a half crop. Generally will be a half crop
of peaches. No winter ^apples scarcely. Some
fall apples in certain localities. Hogs are very
scarce and high. Some dealers have been out
several days and have bought thirty to forty
head; they report no hogs to be had at any price.
Cattle very scarce, and worth about three cents
gross. Jasper Davidson.
Knox County.
September, 1st.
So far as heard from Knox is the banner wheat
county this year. The crop is turning out splend
idly on all kinds of soil. Clay lands, sandy soil
and rich alluvial river bottom laudsall had heavy
crops of wheat. Oue farmer on rich upland reports forty-five bushels of wheat to the acre, another thirty-five; another thirty; two on sandy
land near Vincennes report thirty bushels to tiie
acie.all machine measure, which gives a considerable Increase when weighed as the average
is about sixty-four pounds to the bushels, and of
course by measuring after the machines the
wheat was very much compressed. The corn
crop on low lands is splendid. There has been
just rain enough to suit, bottom laud, but not
quite enough for dry uplands. Still, the crop will
be above an average In this county. Grass did
well, but oats were almost a failure. Fruit on
some farms is about an average, ■ but in most
places not good. Grapes rotted, peaches were
stung by the curculio and fell off, apples a fair
crop. Melons are a grand success. Irish potatoes
a very short crop. Our market is well supplied
with all kinds of garden vegetables, of goo<J quality. No danger of starving ln Knox this year,
and we can spare large quantities of grain, to
sustain those who have not been so fortunate.
Our Fair which commences on the 5th of October,
promises to be an improvement on former displays of the kind, at least our farmers have the
goods to show, if they can only be Induced to
bring them to the front. a. P.
"What Constitutes a Car Load. ,
As a general rule, 20,000 pounds, or
Y0 barrels of salt, 70 of lime, 100 of flour,
60 of whisky, 200 sacks of flour, 350 bushels wheat, 260 of corn, 650 of oats, 10 tons
of hay, 350 bushels of potatoes, 375 bushels of barley, 1,000 bushels of bran, 125
barrels of apples, 15 to 20 head of cattle,
50 to 60 h*ead of hogs, 80 to 100 sheep.
Lumber—9,000 feet of solid boards, 17,000
feet of siding, 13,000 feet of flooring, 40,000
shingles, one-half less of hard lumber.
The foregoing table may not agree with all
the roads, but approximates olosely to the
general average.
 ■ » »    ,—
[For the Indiana Farmer.
Sale of Stock.
I have sold, since last report, the premium yearling Bull, 2d Duke of Athol,
and ten months heifer, Red Rose, to G.
W. Woodyard, Morristown, Shelby Co.,
Ind. Also, six yearling Leicester Ewes,
to W. L. Woods, Princeton, Ind.
J. T, Williamson.
Goldsmith Maid beat her best time1
at Boston on Monday last, making her-;
mile in 2:14. The best ever made before»
was 2:14|.
g^v
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