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VOL. XXXIII.
INDIANAPOLIS, IND., AUG. 27, 1898.
NO. 34
gsptricucc Ocparimcttt.
Please Give Experience of Yourself and
Neighbor With the Corn Harvester--
Does It Pay--ln What way Does
it Fail?
1st l'remlutn.—I have used a Scientific corn
harvester three seasons. When the corn stands
up it gives excellent satisfaction, but if the
corn ia badly down it is a complete failure.
The advantage in using this machine (in corn
that stands up well) is that it shortens the time
required for cutting up the corn, and does
away with quite a good deal of slavish work.
Two men can cut about seven or eight acres
of corn a day by using this machine, and
there have been instances where 10 acres have
been cut, but this is too much. If the ground
is to be sown to wheat it is sometimes an advantage to be able to cut the corn up quickly
as soon as it is ripe in order to make preparation for wheat sowing. There are circumstances
also, where the use of the harvester is a disadvantage, even though the corn is standing and
could be easily cut. Sometimes a field ripens
very unevenly, so that it cannot all be cut at
the same time. This necessitates either cutting in the old-fashioned way or else cutting
part of the field too green and part of it per-
io rij.o  , As to the  qorp   hinders   thov j
iimnced fuilvrroa iiythlf* nart ~tJ
te.      " B.
hart Oo.
Some machines have abandoned the fixed
knives as a nuisance and depend on strong
sections. One machine has changed the
mower section to a sickle section. Which is
best I do not know but I expect to buy some
kind of a corn binder this fall.
I have 55 acres to cut. This will cost $(i0 by
hand, and with a harvester it will cost not
over $25 for two shockers and twine, besides
myself and team and machine. And tho corn
will be put up tied in bundles and will be cut
quickly. Last year we began cutting by hand
as "green as possible," so it wouldn't get too
"dry'' at the finish. The fodder is much more
valuable cut as ripe as possible and save the
blades. I expect one of the greatest helps
from the machine to lie in quick work, say
six to 10 acres a day.
The motto in tho postoffiee mission this
week is: "Man's world is still in the process
of building and the confusion is g»eat." The
best is yet to be, "The last of lifo for which
the first was made."
BEVTEW.
I am surprised that so little experience is
forwarded on this topic. It is true that manufacturers say that their harvester trade is
still to be developed here. That they are
rushed farther north.
Two kinds of corn harvesters are prominent
in the field—those that bind corn lying down
and those ^u *t bind standing. The "down"
men claim that by shifting the "butter" they
can quickly change the binding to suit the
hight of the stalk. The "standing" men say
they change tne machine. Th*e difference is
that one can't change the machine quickly, as
in going over hills and through valleys with
small and large corn. While the "down" men
can change the "butter" as they drive.
There are small drive-wheels and large. My
experience with down binders in wheat make
me prefer a high wheel.
Tbe corn binder takes but one row at a
time, but it utilizes the idle team. The sled
harvester with a knife on either side takes
two rows and is liked by many. It costs about
$15, and if corn stands fairly well it cuts it
nicely. Two men ride standing and take the
corn (each man his row) in their arms as they
go. A boy rides the horse. I was surprised
to see how much these would cut and how
nicely too. Of course they stop to empty their
arms.
These do not bind, and I always have
trouble to get shocks to stand when put up
without gallowses. When tied in bundles it
stands much better. It can be shucked out
without untying and set up again if desired.
It is so very much more easily handled in loading and every way.
There are two causes for knocking off ears.
First, leaning corn, if toward the team, will
suffer by the horses snapping off ears. In
such case one may cut one way if he desires.
The other cause is the machinery. The early
machines ran about the ear line in the stalk.
But the modern ones can be changed to run
above or below the ear. Some trouble was.
experienced with early machines cutting *
stalk with two knives that we*- :Ueu in ,,
gathering arms. They would sometimes clog
in hill corn and pull it up. This has been
avoided by placing these farther apart and depending on scythe sections, like those of a
mower, to finish cutting the stalk if not cut
entirely off.
No. 129, Aug. 27.—Please give experience of
yourself or neighbor with the com harvester.
Does it pay?   In what way does it fail?
No. 130, Sept. 3.—The use of fertilizers on
wheat. Stable manure and boughten. How
used and does it pay?
No. 131, Sept. 10 —How. do you know a
cjgod caif or *S **?y— *Y"i soo IX?
Mo. ib2, Tstj™ 17.—fii-w do you seed to Blue-
grass?
No. 133, Sept. 24.—Under what conditions
may one practice fall plowing for corn and
oats?
No. 134, Oct. 1.—How is water supplied to
your house, spring, windlass, hand pump,
wind pump or engine? What conveniences
for bath?
Premiums of $1, 75 and 50 cents will be given to 1st, 2d and 3d best articles each  week.
Let copy be as practicable as possible and forwarded ten days before publication to
Oarmel. E. H. Collins.
<$tietnj nn& &uswzx.
W. P., Jasper Oo : Give ns the date of the
paper and we will look up the article. We
have not time to look through the files for it.
I would like if some reader would give his
experience with winter oats. How many he
bows per acre, etc. Inquirer.
Delphi.
—We tried them once and thought them a
success. We sowed the usual amount, two
and a half bushels. The winter was favorable.
Some winters the crop might fail, so we would
not recommend sowing a large area. Let
others report on the subject.
Oan you tell me whether the Lincoln pear is
blight proof, or as nearly so as any. in northern Indiana. M. W. B.
Lowell.
—We do not know this pear, but doubt its
being blight proof, because, we know no pear
that is so. Even Keiffer blights to some extent, and so does Seckel, as we can show in
our own orchard.
Pleased With the Farmer.
.Editors Indiana Farmer.
We are well pleased with the Fabmeb; think
it better every issue, and shall do all we can to
increase its circulation and fnrther it along in
its good work. J, W. T.
Lapel.
If we were to spend half the money in mak-
X shelters for our manure piles that we have
m wont to lay out for commercial fertili-
i.^e, we should not only be the richer for the
saving, but the gainer in having that which
is of more value. Nor do we realize fully
what things come under the head of manures;
but, then, there is so much we might do that
we do not.
IN DELAWARE COUNTY.
If the traveler of 1827 could travel over the
territory which now comprises Delaware
county he would at once say, "Well such
changes, truly we live in an age of progress."
Where the Muncie tribe of the Delaware Indians roamed at will, now will be found fertile farms, large cities, and factories of all descriptions. Part of the ground upon which
this noted tribe of Indians erected theii wigwams is now the permanent home of the Del"
aware county Agricultural Society, where annual fairs are held. The county was organized by an act of the Legislature in January,
1827, and was named after the Delaware Indians. In the succeeding month of April, a
call was issued and the first county officers
were elected. At this time Delaware county
was one of the largest and several sections
were taken from it and added to other counties, until it was reduced to 12 townships with
sT total acreage of 256,399. Jt is noW oM'of
the wealthiest countjas in that state, not only
in agricultural but in manufacturingjnterests,
the latter is the result of natural gas. A'tjejaoj^
of the county is generally level, orslightlyTm-
dulating, so much so that the creeks are bordered by low banks or in. considerable bluffs.
Some, prairie lands exist, formerly they were
very wet, but susceptible of ready drainage,
and were mostly used for meadows and  pas-
  thfjy are very^ferti'.e, a/d
very few acres 9 ,aste land may ba
The soil being very rich. Two rivers "may be
found in the country, namely White river in
the center and the Mississinewa in the northern portion, these rivers and their many
tributaries offer excellent drainage. The
county has more good gravel roads through
it, than any county in the State, thereby making it a pleasure to live in the country. The
railroad facilities are excellent, the Lake
Erie <fe Western and Big Four running
through the county in all directions. The
farmers of the county are very prosperous,
many owning large farms, well improved.
Formerly Delaware county was the leader in
fine stock breeding, but many pioneer breeders have either died or discontined the breeding industry, yet those who are still pursueing
this branch of business are of the best and
most successful. A recent visit of a Fabmeb
representative demonstrated this fact. Starting in at Muncie we first visited Almeda
Place, owned by M. S. Claypool, where trotting horses, Jersey cattle and Shropshire
sheep are bred; Watt Wilson & Son, the
Southdown breeders, havo 100 head of good
ones, the mutton kind, and also the well-
wooled ones; across the fields is A. B. Shaw,
the Poland China breeder, who has some 90
head of the most noted families and led by
Cyclone and Governor, Not far from here is
A. W. Ross, the oldest Poland China breeder
in the State, who for the past 38 years has
made this branch of live stock a study, and
he has been successful, his herd of 60 head is
led by Victor Muggins by Victor M, he also
has some 200 White Indian Game chickens;
L. W. Davis, Granville, has been a breeder of
Poland Chinas for 30 years, his herd of 75
head is led by Hands Up and Sanders
U. S.; Vol. Gilbert, Muncie, also has a
fine herd of Duroc-Jerseys. Last buj
not least is the firm of S. Hamilton
<fc Son, proprietors of the Delaware county
herd of Duroc Jersey swine. They have at
present about 125 head of extra good ones.
They will hold a public sale this fall.
The breeders of Deleware county, while being confined to Muncie, are wide awake and
energetic, who spare neither time nor expense
in buying good breeding stock and who keep
up the interest. Visitors will always find a
hearty welcome among them.
oming-
factory
lier than
was un-
about
bush-
TOMATOES AS A FARM CROP
We witnessed the startiri
dale, Parke county,  tomal
on the 17th.   It was [a few
usual, and the amount of to
usually large for the first day.j
200 bushels were expected,  !
els were delivered.  The factory^WFcapauity
to put up 2,000 bushels a day, but the farmers
arc slow to see it to their  iutereet to devote
their land and time to growing the vegetable.
Only about 350 acres   were planted  in the
crop last  spring, and of  this amount Dr.
Myers, manager of the factory,  has 65 acres.
The average yield of tomatoes fit for the cannery is not far from 300 bushels, though often
400 bushels are grown.   The price at Vie factory is 18 cents, which  certainly pays fairly
well, and much better.than any ordinary far1
crop, at its beet yield and highest price. \ F
ic is not safe for an oggmrf farmer,
other crops and *touk to H ir, to urn-
take to tend and gather more  than five or
acres.     Most farmers,  ho v
prosperous but that they
to $300 cash down for +* * i
average acres.   S
that no more the art
crop iu the vicinity r-»
Must Have ..
„tov5_ 'jttJSSsmsmlmV^
\jkju*..^mmWWcr^3mMsa}
can't well get along witno_ ,.nei_
too  careless about payment draw on my ....
count through the Peoples'   National   Bank,
Washington, which will be satisfactory.
Daviess Oo. James Pobteb.
POSTAL CARD CORRESPONDENCE.
Ogle Co., III., Aug.—Oats thrashing progressing very slowly on account of showery
weather; rains twice a week average; terrific
thunder last night and this morning*- five
inches of rainfall this morning; threshing and
stacking about one-half done; yield and quality of oats generally good; has been plenty, of
cherries and berries, but apples few and quality poor; hay crop heavy and pastures good;
no hog or cattle diseases; all well as common.
C. B. S.
HowABn Co., Aug. 20.—Wheat made from 15
to 30 bushels per acre in this locality; oats 20
to 25 and not heavy at that; nice growing
showers; corn will be good; tomatoes fair.
H. H.
Daviess Co., Aug. 20.—Weather warm and
too dry for plowing; most plowing for wheat
done; wheat crop in this county good; oats,
hay and potatoes over the average; full crop of
all kinds of fruit, except apples, which are almost a failure; the corn crop prospect fine, the
only thing that can prevent us from having
one of the largest corn crops ever grown in
the county will be early frost. J. p.
Washington.
Habbison Co., Aug. 20.—We had the most
beautiful rains last week, the ground is well
soaked, so people can plow any kind of ground
they choose; our county fair will be held at
Corydon, beginning August 29th, ending September 2d, the prospects are good; marketing
is a better price, butter 18 cents, eggs 8 cents.
T.L.
A law granting $500 to every burgher who is
the father of 12 boys has been introduced in
the Transvaal V'olksraad.
Wayne Co., Aug. ll.-Quite warm and wet;
Threshing has been delayed by rains, and there
is some complaint of damage to grain in
shock; corn prospect was never better; a large
acreage of wheat will be sown; plowing progresses rapidly; pastures good; stock doing
well, but swine disease exists on a few farms*
farmers are in better financial condition than
for several years past. J. q, y/m g_
Economy.