Yol.X
D-DIMAPOUS, INDIANA, JULY 3rd, 1875.
No. 26.
EIGHTEENTH  DUKE  OP  AIRDRIE   (11,678)  AT  FIVE   YEARS   OP   AGE. --■
Bred by A. J. Alexander, of Kentucky. Owned by Aimer Strawn, Ottawa, Illinois.
LiYG Stock.
INDIANA AS A GRAZING   STATE.
Read Before the Indiana Short-Horn
Breeders' Convention at Indianapolis, May 26,1875, by S. F.
Lockridge. Greencastle, Ind.
The smbject selected as the basis of
my remarks does not, I think, properly
include the enumeration and history of
the grasses, but more particularly confines me to the discussion of the State's
material resources for grass producing
purposes, its capabilities, and possibilities in this direction as compared with \
other grass-growing States of the Union.
It is now generally conceded that ours
is destined, at no distant day, to rank
with the best of grass-producing States,
if, indeed, it has not already attained to
that eminence. Lying, as we do, between
the 38th and 42d parallels of latitude,
as it were within the great
GRASS BELT OF THE NATION;
skirting the immense basin of the Mississippi, the natural grain field of the
continent; and possessing a climate peculiarly suited to the raising of live
stock, we have every reason to be satisfied with the situation in which our
lines have fallen to us. And when we
sum up our material resources we congratulate ourselves upon the fact that
we are possessed of all, or nearly all the
advatages and facilities for the successful operations and experiments of the
agriculturist and stockgrower.
OUR SOILS ARE RICH AND VARIED,
deep and loamy in the valleys for tillage
purposes, and strong and compact on
the uplandH where it requires a firm,
tough sod for the grasses. Water facilities are pre-eminents Perhaps no State
in the Union is better supplied with this
all important article. Rivers intersect
the land in every direction, with smaller
streams and bubbling springs, while in
the norther portion numberless lakes,
some of them thousands of acres in extent, insures us against serious injury
from aridness and drouth. Our timber
resources were once unsurpassed; and
are still sufficient, with proper care, for
fencing, shade, and the_ protection of
those grasses which require more or less
protection. It has been said _ that soils
are the most productive which derive
their substance from the greatest variety
of rocks, which by chemical process
furnish the proper nutritive force for
the roots of plant life. This being the
case, the great abundance and rich variety of stone found in nearly every
part of the State are guarantees of the
extraordinary fertility of the soil. Added to these natural advantages is the
fact that no mountain chains interpose
their barriers to occupy and render useless a vast amount of country, but nearly every acre of the soil is capable of
being reduced to a condition of cultivation, or to the production of the grasses.
Neither, as a whole, is it too flat,but sufficiently rolling for natural drainage
Purposes, and, in case it should ever
require it, for easy and economical irrigation.   Nearly
EVERT VARIETY OF GRASS
ican be successfully grown on our soils.
Uover and timothy yield abundant
harvests all over the   State,  and  in   a
large section the blue_ grass grows luxuriantly, and and is rapidly proving itself
capable of being sustained in soils once
theught uncongenial. For in those
parts where it is still a stranger, the native forest grows in unchecked magnificence, and the soil retains its original
coldness and moisture. When these
forests^ have been thinned to the proper
condition, letting in the sunshine and
air, and the soil warmed and dried by a
systematic courso of drainage, it will be
found, in my opinion, that the blue
grass will there grow freely and vigorously and afford rich and abundant pasturage.
BENEFIT OF UNDERDRAINAGE.
Very few graziers appreciate the benefits to be derived from a thorough system of underdrainage, and of that number but a small proportion put their
knowledge to a practical demonstration.
The grasses, like the rest. of the vegetable kingdom, require more or less care
and_ cultivation. Some soils require
drainage before they will produce grass,
others require enriching. Drainage and
manuring in fact, are important subjects
in the future economy of the farmer
and grazier. As it is, some of our soils
are becoming worn out and exhausted
from over work and lack of proper sustenance. Nature is a munificent mother
when kindly treated, but vigorous and
sparing of her gifts when neglected.
We often tax her beyond her endurance
and then unmercifully condemn her • if
she fails in the task imposed. Here is
a man who has never practiced a rotation of crops, but year after year plants
his fields in corn, and when ten or fifteen, or twenty years have passed and
instead of raising 60 or 75 bushels to the
acre he only gets half _ that amount, he
becomes dissatisfied with his fields and
declares he will not remain in a country
that will not afford him an honest livelihood, and so disposes of his lands at
less than half their value and goes elsewhere to repeat his system. Yet, nature
is wiser and more liberal when left to
herself, and constantly contributes the
refuse of the old life to the nourishment
of the new.
As before remarked all the more useful grasses grow kindly in our soil, but
for grazing purposes in
THE OLDER PORTIONS.
of the State where it has been thoroughly tried, nothing equals the much praised
blue grass. It may, I think, be truly
said to be indigenous to our State. For
though many claim to have been the
first to introduce it from otherand older
States, it is still a fact that when the
Northwestern army, under General Harrison, was serving on the Maumee river
and other parts of the State,, in the war
of 1812, it frequently came upon the
sites of old Indian towns where the blue
grass grew in rich abundance. Nearly
the whole of the now State of Indiana
was then a dense and pathless forest, except the northern part across which ran
a broad belt of prairie. In the Indian
towns and clearings exposed to the sun
and atmosphere, the blue-grass sprang
up in great abundance. Whether the
seed was introduced by strolling hunters
and traders before the advent of the
whites, or whether it is indigenous to
the soil and only needed exposure to the
sun and air to quicken it into life, is a
question now not easily determined;
but the familiar sight met the eyes of
the soldiers of 1812, and many a worn
and famished army horse reveled for a
day or night on the exuberant herbage.
Blue grass may, I think, be truly called
the
QUEEN OF THE GRASSES.   •
Perhaps no other grass, or combination
of grasses meetsthe requirements ofthe
grazier so well in countries where it
flourishes. Whether for summer, autumn or winter grazing it is in this country the surest and most valuable. It is
more than anything else the natural food
of our domestic animals, and except for
one or two months of the year, no other
grass is so nutritious and fat-producing.
They nip it eagerly in its first shoot in
the early spring, and when sere and
brown from summer suns and autumn
frosts, and in the dead of winter they
will patiently seek it under drifts of
snow. Even in that short period of late
summer when it has become withered
and apparently lifeless from excessive
heats and drought it still retains a vast
amount of nutriment, and it is doubtful
if_ a substitute can be discovered that
will serve the purpose so well.
THE BEST SOIL FOR IT.
■ It is generally conceded that blue
grass delights in a gently undulating
country, with a strong top-soil, and clay
sub-soil on a limestone foundation. Yet,
it is a question, whether, with thorough
drainage and a liberal use of proper fertilizing substances the most stubborn
and unprofitable of our soils may not be
rendered suitable to thc_ production of
this valuable grass. It is a question for
future graziers to determine.
OTHER. GRASSES.
For curing purposes timothy and
clover are, of course, the chief grasses.
As a winter feed for cattle the_ last is
especially esteemed, many considering it
almost equal to corn. And certainly as
a single variety of food it combines more
good qualities, perhaps, than any other
kind known to our soil. If cut and
properly cured before it becomes too
ripe, and stacked under shelter in large
ricks, or put away snugly in the barn, it
forms the finest of winter food for stock,
affording excellent nutritive matter with
the necessary bulk. _ Clover prepared in
this manner, when it retains its green
color, is greatly relished by stock, and is
nearly equal as a diet to winter pasture.
Mixed timothy and clover is highly
recommended for pasture by those who
have tried it in countries where the
blue grass does not flourish ; and doubtless it would form an excellent substitute for the latter, during the portion of
the year, for it is claimed that stock fatten rapidly upon it. But in most portions of our State where blue grass is
queen, it yields to the encroachments of
the latter, and constantly requires new
settings to keep it in vigorous growth.
VARIETY FOR STOCK.
The brute creation are like the human
in the respect that they like variety in
their food, and will put themselves to
some trouble to procure it. I once had
occasion to observe the movements of
cattle that had a range of pasture including blue grass upland and clover
bottom. All the morning and until the
middle of the afternoon they contented
themselves with the blue grass, but regularly about 3 or 4 o'clock they would begin to move towards the lowlands where
they would end the day with a meal of
clover, and often eating with a relish
the coarse sedge and bunch grass that
grew about the wet and marshy lands.
The following morning would find them
on the upland again ; and this programme they repeated daily. The grazier
will find it profitable to allow his animals a variety of pasturage, for they will
greatly appreciate the favor, and return
it by many additional pounds of excellent beef. , ,
Since grass is the natural food of our
domestic animals, if it can be furnished
them through the winter their health
and improvement are more certainly secured, while the cost of their keeping is
greatly lessened. In blue grass regions
this is not difficult, and in my own section this grass sometimes affords one-
half or two-thirds of the winter forage
of many animials. The pastures are
grazed until the middle of summer or
later and their being suffered to grow
rye during the autumn, a healthful and
cheap food is furnished your animals
which they greatly relish. As a substitute for winter grass,  roots   of various
kinds, such as turnips, mangle-wurtzels,
etc.which our soils produce readily, can
be fed with profit. They are laxative
in nature, cooling and nutritious, and
prore an agreeable charge to the apeti'es
of animals fed chiefly or grain and
other dry foods. Cattle that have access to winter pasture, or that receive a
daily feed of nutritious mangle-wurtzels
or turnips, rare slough off the hair,_ or
suffer from a superabundance of thick,
unhealthy blood. Your own experience
will teach you that fruits and vegetables
of eome kind or an occasional winter
diet add greatly to your health and spirits. Why should not the rule apply to
the domestic animals?
GRAND FUTURE BEFORE US.
In concluding these random remarks
I repeat; that our geographical position,
our-material wealth, and our very respectable climate warrant us in the be-
belief that we are destined for a place in
the first rank of stockraising and grass-
producing States. As we grow older
we shall grow better and richer in this
respect. What we most need is the application of science to the labors of the
agriculturist, tho grazier and the breeder. Tho countries of Europe know this
better than we, and the eastern part of
our own country better than the western. Science isoften condemned as fit
only for the inside of college walls, but
tho map of the future who rejects it
from his economy does so at the peril of
hispocket and his social position. The
agriculturist who cannot analyzo the
soils of his own fields which annually
pour into his_ granaries their bountiful
harvests can in the future certainly aid
but little in the advancement of his
country and his profession.
For tlie Indiana _ armer.
SHORT-HORN SALES.
I have made the following sales of
Short-Horns this spring:
Duke of Black Hawk, by 2d Airdrie
Duke 9,416, out of A. C. Stevenson's
2!)th, to W. M. Robe, Jessup, Iowa.
Piae Apple, of the celebrated Bates
Wild Eyes tribe, to H. F. Brown, of
Minneapolis, Min.
Bull calf, got by 2d Airdrie Duke, out
of Stevenson's 9th, to J. W. McGrew,
Putnamville, Ind. J. AV. Robe.
Greencastle, Ind.
Some Fine Lambs.
Editor Indiana Farmer:
I see quite a number of reports of
heavy clipping from sheep, and I thought
I would give you one that I think is
hard to beat. A flock of lambs which I
think would not weigh over 70 lbs.
after shearing, averaged from eight to
eleven pounds clear wool. This beats
anything I have sheared in the last forty
years of my experience as a shearer.
This flock is owned by John C. Long, of
Delaware county, Ind. _ I also sheared
one male sheep for William Carroll, of
Blackford, Ind., that yielded 174 lbs.
Brethren, beat it if you can.
John S. Bliss.
Montpelier, Indiana.
NOTES AND QUERIES.
Editor Indiana Farmer:
Seeing there is some hog cholera in the
country, I send this recipe, as one which
has been tried and proved successful in
a number of cases. I copied it from the
Rural New Yorker a few years ago:
Madder, 1 lb.; saltpetre, 1 lb.; sulphur,
1 lb.; resin, 1 lb.; black antimony, J tb.;
asafoctida, 2 oz. Dose, in case of sickness, 4 tablespoonfuls for 5 hogs, once a
day. Once a week as a preventive. Mix
in slop.
Herd Book.—A subscriber asks several questions about the American Herd
Book. Lewis F. Allen, of the Live
Stock Journal, Buffalo, New York, is
the publisher of the book. A copy has
has been ordered for our State Library.
Owners claiming pure blood in animals
have their pedigrees registered in these
books, and if the claim is not genuine,
the fraud may be detected by an examination.
The Willows.—Inform D. M. Lett
that if he will cut through the bark of
the common willow some three or four
feet from the ground and pull the bark
down in strips to the ground, letting it
remain fast to the tree at the ground, he
will find it a successful way in getting
rid of them. Have had no experience
with the button alder. J. B. W.
Hall, Indiana.
The King of Siam has appointed J.
H. Chandler, a native of Pomfret, Conn.,
but who has resided in Siam for the past
thirty-two years, to represent the kingdom at the Philadelphia International
Exposition.
 .    s»    «	
The Red Cloud aud Spotted Tail Indians have signed an agreement to sell
and relinquished their right in Nebraska
lands, for $11,600 in horses, $9,000 in
cows, $2,100 in harness and $2,300 in
wagons.
Indiana Farm.? Family.
Onr Portal Card Correspondenoe.
Crops along; tne I. P. s_ C. Railroad.
EDITOR'S POSTAL CARD.
It was raining when we left the city, and the
dripping clouds are still hanging over us
seventy-live miles north.
Marion county.
Corn generally small and weedy. Wheat
rank, and ls much fallen down,—meadows In
same condition.
HAMILTON COUNTY.
Corn some cleaner than ln Marion, and averages larger.  Wheat and gross about the same.
HOWARD COUNTY.  '
The corn is all clean, has a good stand and
color, and averages 12to 15 Inches high. Wheat
looks well.
MIAMI COUNTY.
Some of the corn ls quite poor, bnt most of lt
promises extremely well, and the same of
wheat. Potatoes look well all along tlie way,
and show no signs of the bugs. J. G. K.
DAVIESS COUNTY.
In this part ol the county wheat will not be
more than half a crop. Both oats aud grass are
short. B. Pnirrs.
BENTON COUNTY.
Weather very wet. Six Inches or rain feU
here on the 21st Instant. Fine prospect for
corn. More grass on the ground now than for
two years past. Nursery stock looking splendid. W. M. S.
VIGO COUNTY-June 22nd.
Our wheat ls not so good as was anticipated
it would be Bome time back. Corn looks only
tolerable. We have had heavy rains during
May and June, making it rather wet for our
crops, generally  . A Patron.
FROM ANOTHER.
Most too much rain for wheat, although the
prospects are good for an average crop in
this, tho northern part of the county. Corn
looks well on high, sandy land, but ln
low and bottom lands, it ls small and very
foul. Early potatoes will be good. Grass will
be above an average crop. Fruit will be scarce
—no peaches, and very few apples. The Farmer Is growing in favor in this vicinity, ls read
with interest, and ls a welcome visitor to all.
RUSH COUNTY—June 21st.
Early sown wheat looks well, while that
which was sown ln corn ground is very thin.
There will be abouthalf a crop of wheat in this
county. Harvest will be late. Corn looks well.
A large crop was planted. Onas*co_t_.of lallure
j of wheat, many flelds were plowed and planted
ln corn. More ought to have been planted ln
corn, as the wheat will not pay, especially that
which was sown broadcast in corn. Oats and
flax look well, except some which was sown
early and killed by the freeze. A great deal of
flax was sown. Fruit will be very scarce.
Apples, peaches and cherries were about all
killed. Some small fruit, such as strawberries,
gooseberries raspberries and blackberries.
Potatoes look well and promise a good crop.
Stock hogs are scarce and hard to buy, commanding a good price. Fat hogs fed far spring
and summer market are about all sold. The
Farmer Is a welcome visitor. Grangers are
numerous and in good working order.
J. H. A.
PIKE COUNTY-June 20th,
Crops look well. Corn all planted. Wheat
crop light. Oats look well, and promise a good
yield. Meadows fine. Early potatoes large
enough for use. Fruit will be scarce. Old corn
ls getting scarce. Wheat ls wortli fl; corn 60
cents. Stock hogs scarce, and still dying with
cholera. Grangers are working well, and the
membership ln good spirits. The older we
grow ln the Order the better we like it, and the
more we are benefitted by it.    Laf. Taylor.
MARION COUNTY-Near Acton-June 19th.
The crops look well. Wheat is coming out
better than was supposed it would a while
back; yet some flelds can't make much of a
crop. I learn by a friend from Decatur county
that the wheat crop in that county would be
very poor. Com looks very well considering
the chance it has had. The late heavy rains
have left some in a bad fix, as nearly all the
corn is drilled, and the grass threatens to choke
out the corn unless the ground gets dry enough
to work it soon; If so, much Of it can be
redeemed yet. Some say they can plow it
better than hill corn. I heard an old neighbor
say the other day he would rather plow than
eat, and he Is sixty years old.
Henry Copeland.
BENTON COUNTY-June 20th.
There ls but little wheat ln this county, and
it looks quite indifferent. Some oats have been
plowed up on account of the ravages of the
chinch bug; otherwise oats are looking well.
Corn is small for the season. The acreage ln
corn is very large. Potatoes are doing finely,
there being but few bugs to disturb them this
season. Apples, peaches and cherries were
about all killed. Cattle plentiful and in good
condition.   Hogs rather scarce and high.
M. V. Bowman.
' ORANGE COUNTY.
Many acres of wheat have been plowed and
put in corn. There are a few fields that look
reasonably well; but much the greater portion
will make but little more than the seed sown.
Wheat harvest will be later than usual,
giving its enemies more chance to prey upon it.
I hear but little complaint of the chinch bug's
depredations. More corn was planted than
usual, and It is generally in fine growing condition. Oats were sown late, and the April
freezes Injured them considerable, but the past
two weeks have been favorable for them,
and they now promise a fair yield. Meadows
and pastures are doing well just now. Apples
and peaches are almost an entire failure.
Fanners generally seem to be neglecting the
Improvement of their herds, being content
with the common kine. Their flocks might be
much benefitted by the introduction of other
blood. There are, however a few good sheep ln
the county. They are paying some attention
to the improvement of hogs. W. C. Shirley.
GIBSON COUNTY-June 29th.
Gibson county is very wet. Com all planted.
Harvest commenced. Wheat will average eight
bushels per acre. J. K.
MONROE COUNTY-June 26th.
Weather warm and very wet. Com looks
fine. Oats never much bett«r. Wheat looks
bad. Potatoes best ever known at this time of
the season. Stock hogs are very scarce, and
consequently high. No fruit except the small
varieties. J. H. Tarkinoton.
KOSCIUSKO COUNTY-June 28th.
The weather is fine. Wheat ls much better
than we expected it would be lnthe spring.
Corn and grass are d oing well. Oats the best I
ever saw In Indiana. Pasture good. Stock
Is doing well. Wheat harvest will be late.
Stock hogs are scarce and selling high. Not
much doing in tbe cattle line, as regards sales.
We are getting some Short-Horns here in
Kosciusko and Marshall counties. But few
localities can beat us on grass, we think.
Wash Iden.
HENDRICKS COUNTY-June 29th.
It has been very wet here for several weeks,
and will be too wet to plow for some days yet.
A great deal of corn not planted, and hundreds
of acres not plowed over yet. Foxtail is about
as high as the corn, and a good stand (of foxtail)^
Some wheat very good, and some not worth
any thing. Oats are generally good. J. K. S,
MORGAN COUNTY-June 28th.
We had a wet spring, and still lt rains. Considerable damage has been done to the growing
crops in the bottoms. Fruit all killed. Timothy rather light. Clover excellent, except
where it was pastured too close last summer
and fall—a common mistake among farmers.
Stock hogs scarce, and worth 6 cents. Success
to thj Indiana Farmer. Would not be without it for any reasonable amount. Hoosier.
JASPER COUNTY-June 26th.
Corn ls looking exceedingly well. Oats never
looked better at this season. Apples very
scarce. Peaches an entire failure, but grapes,
berries, etc. in abundance. Chinch bugs have
put in an appearance, and the result of their
coming is yet to be learned. The Farmer is
welcomed by us all. Grangers in good cheer,
and looking forward with glorious anticipations. J. G. Culp.
HANCOCK COUNTY-June 25th.
' We are having considerable wet weather,
however, corn looks well. Wheat about an
average. Oats and flax as good as ever seen.
Timothy meadows good, but clover Is light.
Early potatoes are splendid—large enough to
use.   No fruit and few berries. J. A. C.
PUTNAM COUNTY-June 26th.
We are having very heavy rains in Putnam
county, weather entirely too wet for working
corn, which is getting very foul, and turning
quite yellow in the low wet places. The crop
of clover is light, and the weather too unsettled
for making it into bay. Other grasses in abundance. The weevil is reported as injuring the
wheat very badly, also has the rains.
J. W. Robe.
PARKE COUNTY-June 27th.
Prospects for a good crop this year are not
flattering by any means. Our prospect for a
wheat crop was not good at all, and now comes
the midge and is destroying it very fast. Entire
flelds are at this time rendered useless, and not
worth cu tting. How much damage will be done
can only be conjectured, but I fear that we will
pretty nearly fall entirely, from present indications. The grub worm (or what is called grub
here,) ls Injuring our corn considerably. We
have had a good deal of wet weather, In consequence of which there is a good deal ol weedy
corn. No clover cut as yet in consequence of
rain and unfavorable weather. E. Thomas.
DECATUR COUNTY-June 26th.
The present season for excellence has no parallel in the history of our county. All vegetation is growing nicely, weeds Included. Corn
ls all planted, and its present appearance
indicates a fine crop. Wheat is very thin, but
what there is of it is good. Oats are good.
Potatoes look well. Large acreage planted.
Bugs scarce. No panic caused by the grasshoppers, of which there are a few. Grangers are
happy, and are reaping the benefits of the Order
ln spite of middlemen,monopolists,politicians,
and all other enemies. Hereafter if no one else
represents old Decatur In your columns, you
may hear from W. S. Fleck,
GRANT COUNTY-June 24th.
Of late the weather has been very wet. On
the 17th we had a rain and flood of water that
washed away many bridges and culverts, and
drowning out much corn. Our corn is \ery
uneven, and touch of it is missing by rotting
in the ground. Our land is not well ditched.
We must have thorough ditching for such
seasons as this has been. Our wheat does not
look so well as it did amonth ago. The chinch
bugs are damaging it ln many places, and of
late the red midge or weevil is eating out the
forming grain, bnt it ls yet too early to say
what damage they will do. Our flax and oats
are too rank In growth, which we fear will
lodge and be of no account. Clover Is heavy,
but one fourth of the ground is bare of it. It
rains nearly every day, and we cannot cut it,
nor plow our corn, or do much other work.
The apples' have all fallen off, except a very few.
This is one of the odd seasons thus far, but we
hope for better weather after a while. Our
Grange, Sweetser, No. 221, ls in a prosperous
condition, and bids fair to do better hereafter.
John Jao.ua.
SWITZERLAND COUNTY-June 25th.
J thought I would like to let the readers of
the Farmer know something about this almost
God forsaken county.   When compared with
the abundance of last year, It seems that the
blessings of a beniflcent Providence   have
forsaken tbe people of Switzerland county to
a great extent.    We were blessed with the
largest wheat crop last year we ever raised.
Fruit of all kinds was abundant.   The hay
crop was  an average.   Corn was excellent.
Potatoes were plenty.  Hogs were no object.
But to .lay lt is truly gloomy.  Our wheat ls an ,
entire failure.   All kinds of fruit have failed
except currants and gooseberries.   Potato bugs.
seem to be determined to live and devour tho'J
potato vines.   Corn looks badly on account of
the cold backward season.   Stock hogs very
scarce, and selling at 7 to 10 cents ps_r pound.'
Beef cattle very scarce.  The hay crop will be
very Ught. I*. «• Boyd.
' _B