VOL,. XV.
INDIAKAPOLIS, INDIANA, $ATUBDAY. DEC. 18. 1880.
   4 ■ __________________________________________	
NO. 51.
rwt »ai_p_
FOR BALE—Pure blood Jersey Bed hoes. Address
PETER MILLER, Martinsville, Clark connty,
Illinois.
FOR BALE—Farms—In various parts of Indiana,
by M. ARBUCKLE, Agent, 58 East Market
street, Indianapolis, Indiana.
F
OR SALE—Chester Whites.   Extra pigs: ready
for use, _md Bome sows bred.   Address DR. Is.
MOODY, Eminence, Kentucky.
OR  SALE-1W0OO apple, peach, cherry, pear,
      and other kinds of stock, at wholesale and re-
talL   Address WILLIAM SIQEItSON, Wabash.Ind,
F
FOR SALTS—No. 1 White and Yellow Seed Corn.
Kind and quality Kuaranteea. Address AN-
ANDREW VANAUaDELL, Dublin, Wayne .coun
ty, Ind.
FOR BALE—A choice lot of Poland China sow
figs, all from recorded stock. Will breed tbem
if desired bv purchasers. Address W. O. REV£AXj.
Clermont, Marion county, Ind.
FOR SALE—Thoroughbred Jersey cattle. Registered in American Jersey Cattle Club. E^st
batter strains known. Address W. J. HASSELMAN, IndianapoUs, Ind.
FOR SALE—We have Just imported 69 head of
thoroughbred Cotswold and Llncomhlre Bheep
Jrom Canada. Address WILLIAM SIGERgON,
Wabash, Ind.. or PERRY KESLINO, Onward P.
O. Cass county, Ind.
TD^OR, SALE—A choice lot of Poland China pigs
J? ready for service; either sex; wlU breed some
line sows and ship at any time to suit purchasers.
Also Short-horn bull calves for sale. Please write
me before you buy. L. II. AIKMAN, Box 21, Dana,
Indiana.
FOR SALE—A fine lot of thoroughbred Poland
China hogs, from pfgs to those old enoagh for
breeding pu*po*ea. Prices reasonable, and stock
guaranteed in all respects. For further particulars
address ALEXANDER COOK, Sevastopol, Kosciusko county, Ind.
FOR SALE—Two young Jersey bulls and two bull
calves of the very beat butter family In tbe
State. Dams make from 12 to 14 lbs. of butter In 7
days, also 4 young graded Jersey cows. Would trade
some ot the above stock for a good work horse. T. J.
JOHNSON, Greencastle, Ind.
~CiOR SALE—Orchard grass seed, crop of 1880, my
_E own raising, \*2 per bushel; sack 25 cents. A
Jew bushels Beauty of Hebron potatoes trom seed
from the Agricultural Department" at Washington
city, $2per bushel; *aek2> cents. Dallvered free on
cars.   Address J. W. ARCHHR, Spencer, Ind.
FOR SALE -7 Tartar Games, 1 pair Irish Grays, 1
pair Blue Games, 2 pairs Rouen ducks. 2 pairs
finellruwn Leghorn fowls. 2pairs Buff Cochins, 5
Black Spanish hens, 4 pairs G. L. Sebright Bantams,
and will exchange 1 Wnlte Leghorn cockerel tor
hen, and 1 B. B. K. Game cockerel for hen. Address
G. W. DUNNING, Poultry Fancier, Marlon, Grant
connty, Indiana,
POR SALE—840 acres of good timber land. 80 acres
cleared, and house on it, balance heavily timbered with white oak, ash, hickory, gum, etc.; good
water-power, 150 horse-power. This land lies near
Black river, in Arkansas, up which boats run the
year round. The hardwood on tbis land maybe
sawed up by the water-power on it and easily marketed. The whole tract will be sold at $5 per acre.
Address W. C, careoi Indiana Farmer, Indianapolis, Ind.
FOR SALE—A grain and stock farm of U7Jf acres
5 miles southwest of Bloomington, Monroe Co.,
Ind., land rolling, timber plenty, a good frame
house «f fi rooma and cellar, good barn and all other
outbuildings, good young orchard of 100 trees Just
beginning to bear, plenty of house and stock water
convenient; In a good neighborhood; churches and
schools convenient. Price $3,000 if sold soon. Correspondence solicited. Address, or call on J, B.
KIRBY, Bloomington, Monroe countyylnd.
FOR SALE-Farm of 160 acres, second or third
best in tnis county in soil, improvements and
location. Will produce 80 bnshels ot corn; 40 bushels ol wheat, and 3 tons of hay per acre of agood
season. The fine large brick dwelling cust $4.5C0;
the barn and other buildings cost $3,000, and the tile
ditches cost ?2,50U; a total expend tu re oi fl0,000,
after paying $75 per acre for the farm In 1867. The
farm is only 7 miles northwest of this city on a pike,
In the best improved partot this connty. Prise §T5
per acre. M. ARBUCKLE, Agent, 68 East Market
street, Indlanapells, Ind.
MXSC EZJaASKO L,S.
JOHN KIDD, attorney-at-1 aw, rooms 23 and 20
Thorpe Block. Proprietor of "The World's Collection Bureau." Collections and commercial litigation a specialty. Personal attention to ciiy business.
f- Q K WATCHES, 4 oz. silver cases for $18. Every
■ O-t) watch Jeweled and warranted two years,
hen ordering state name of express office. Watches
sent C. O. D. with prlvlledge of examining belore advancing any money. N. A. STEVENS, Jeweller,
Brandon, Wisconsin.
.LOANS.
M'
ONISY to loan on Improved Farms at 7 per cent,
interest.  M. II VHTfON, IndianapoUs, Ind.
MONEY to loan on Improved farms at7 per cent.
Commissions reasonable.   WM. HENDERSON,74 E. Market street, IndianapoUs.
MONEY to loan on farms at 7 per cent, interest.
My terras are fair and liberal. THOS. C. DAY,
87 East Market street, Indianapolis, Ind.
W-AJiTED.
w
A-NTED--Improved farm of 5 or 10 acres within 8 miles ol city.   Address E. MAY, city.
||UI£    JptOtlte
Late importations of live stock Into the
north of France is spreading the foot and
mouth disease.
There is quits an epidemic prevailing
among the eattle of Newton county, Ind.,
that resembles the epizootic.
The Yellow Stone Valley is getting famous for horse raising. The business is
found to bo profitable, as the animals are
subsisted in the main on grass alone.
A stock farmer in Pennsylvania states
that he grew ninety tons of green corn fodder on three acres of land, which was cured
for feeding to cows. That is a very large
and profitable yield.
One of our correspondents, who is a stock
farmer in Illinois, writes us that he grew a
field of corn which yielded ovpr a hundred
bushels per acre, and which cost him but
nine cents per bushel to produce it.
 __.
"A youno farmer inquires whether the
Jersey Red hogs are a better breed than the
Poland Chinas. Thoy are reported a good
breed when bred pure, but the brooders of
each kind will claim theirs tho better. The
Poland Chinas are the preference of a very
large number, and are a most excellent
race, and safe to adopt.
L. H.  Aikjian,   Dana,  Ind.,   returned
' home from Oxford, Ohio, last week, where
he bought from the well-known swine
breeders of that place, some very fine thoroughbred Poland China hogs, for breeding
purposes. He secured some of the finest to
be had, believing the best is the cheapest,
though they cost a good round price?.
 m
The well-known swine breeder, Wm.
Macy, I_ewisville, Ind., is having large demands for his fine Poland China pigs. Bis
large sales in the past season were to fine
stock breeders of standing, who know his
strains, ''Spotted Beauty," and "Hoosier
Prince," which have taken many prizes at
the State and other fairs. His herd is now
in fine health and condition.
PLETJEO-PHEUMOHIA.
The Committee on Agriculture in the
lower house of Congress have gone earnestly at work to consider what can be done
in the way of legislation to crush out
pleuro-pneumonia among the cattle of this
country, and to prevent it in the future.
A telegram from Washington states that
all other business of the committee will be
laid aside till something can be agreed
upon and recommended to the House on
this important subject. It is said that the
committee will probably find serious constitutional obstacles iri the way of the details of a general law to be effective in all
the States. It is to be hoped, however,
in the face of so great a danger to one of
our leading industries, that there will be
no hair-splitting on the power of the general government to do what is necessary
in the premises. The people of the country will expect this Congress to afford a
way for relief from the threatened danger.
COOKING FOOD FOB STOCK.
It has been well attested by numerous
experiments that there -is great economy
in cooking food for live-stock, especially
where the herds and flocks are considerable in number. One who has long
tried this mode of feeding says of his own
experiments: When fattening a lot of
twenty steers (all ef the same weight, 1,100
pounds), I tried the effect of cooking upon
corn meal. Commenced feeding each ten,
three bushels of uncooked meal per day,
with steamed hay and straw. This was
readily eaten. Then a bushel and a half of
meal was made into a thin pudding, and
while briskly boiling, six bushels of short
cut hay were stirred in, and all were boiled
together. This was fed each day to ten of
the steers, while the other ten were still fed
upon three bushels of uncooked meal.
This bushel and a half of cooked meal appeared to satisfy the ten steers as well as
the three bushels of uncooked. Each ten
were thus fed till disposedof tothebutoher,
nearly four months, and the butcher pronounced the ten fed upon cooked meal the
best. This would appear to prove that
meal is doubled in value by cooking. Another, experimenting with hogs in cooked
food says:
I found that five bushels of whole corn
made 47% pounds of pork. The same
amount of meal well boiled and fed cold,
made 83% pounds of pork. (
Items about Short-Horns in England.
From a correspondent ot the London Field: .
On May 3,1880, there appeared in the Agricultural Gazette some extracts fro in an
old catalogue published by a str. Lakin
of Powyke, Worcestershire, respecting his
Short-horn cattle. It says of one cow, old
Strawberry, that "she was the best milker
Mr. I/akin ever possessed. She gave an average of 1,050 gallons a year for fifteen years.
She, with all her descendants, resisted the
foot and mouth disease and pleuro-pneumonia, when all the rest of the herd were
infected. She wassoldto thebutcher when
27 years old, having ceased to breed; and of
the hereditary character of old Strawberry's
good qualities this proof is given: 'Her
daughter Star gave an average of 800 gallons for seven years, and her granddaughter Stella an average of 9S0 gallons for five
years.'" Of another cow of Mr. Lakin's,
it is stated in this catalogue thst "Novice
gave an average of 1,040 gallons for five
years." Of what other breed, equally
adapted to become beef when the milking
is over, can anything like this yield bo asserted? And the butter-making records
are equally astonishing. The statement of
Barforth (a cow of last century), whieh
made 24 pounds oi butter in a week, has
been surpassed. The late Mr. Wetherell,
in a catalogue of a sale by him in 1850, asserts that tho Short-horn cow Eleanor, by
Wilberiorce, the property of Mr. Willis of
Carperby, whoso cattle are well-known in
every show yard, gave "24J4 pounds of butter from one week's cream." Nor are the
beef returns undeserving of attention.
In a paper, drawn by the late Mr. R.
Booth in 1818 for Mr. .White, Woodlands
• s
near Dublin, the following memorandum
appears respecting a sistor ofthe bull Agamemnon, which Mr. White had purchased:
"His own sister Agnes, after taking a prizo
as a heifer at our show, produced a heifer,
Harmonica, which in her turn was first-
prize heifer at Bedale in 1817. Having cast
her calf in November, and beiDg very fat
and unlikely to breed again, I sold her to a
butcher for 40 gs. before she was three years
old, and her carcass weighed two or tbree
pounds less than 78 stones, of 14 pounds to
the stone." In the number of the Royal
Agricultural Society's Journal just issued
will be found a most instructive paper by
Mr, Little, who was commissioned to examine the farms in the Lake country whicli
competed for prizes offered at the time of
Carlisle meeting. This country was once
the home of quite different breeds. Yet
Mr. Little reports that, throughout the district, almost every farmer is now a keeper
(as his ordinary farm stock) of pedigree
Short-horns; and that the returns of late
years from the breed—in milk, butter and
beef—were aston.s_.ing to a south-country
observer, going from tho fens, where almost every grazier has had to report a yearly loss. One hardy north-country man,
while asserting that 1879 was the worst
year he had ever known, yet confessed his
balance-sheet was still on the right side:
"I addled a bit; I addled a bit!" And all
agreed that their very best assistant, in bad
times, was the Short-horn.
  <    —   s)
For the Indiana Farmer.
Tho Principles of Breeding—No. 2.
BY CASSIUS 31. CLAY, KENTUCKY.
FCOC OR "FEED."
Meat eating animals are content with
and may live upon one variety of flesh,
beeause that flesh has all the elements required in those animals. But no doubt
they ei*joy the variety of flavor in the different kinds fed on. In graminivorous animals variety is desirable, not only to gratify the taste but to form the elements of
the new body. For it maybe that no one
grass or herb supplies all the elements of
nutrition. It is admitted that grass is the
most wholesome ol "feed" for stock, and
where blue-gras**, (poa pratensis) flourishes,
it is thought to be the most valuable. Tbis
is the greensward of EDgland, and I have
seen it grow as far south as Middle Tennessee, and as far north as St. Paul, in
Minnesota. I have seen it also at St.
Petersburg, Russia, in latitude 60° north.
The blue-grass delights in a rich limestone
clay-Boil; does not form a sufficient turf
in sandy lands, and prefers cool springs
and falls to hot and dry summers. I have
no doubt it will flourish all through our
continent, from east to west, between '.the
latitudes of 34° and 40° north.
IN THE BLUE-GRASS REGION
in our State it is thought by good judges to
be the most valuable erop; that laid down
in sod longest being the best. So much
impressed with this belief are some of our
farmers, that a wealthy citizen of Clark
county, Kentucky, divided bis grazing
farm by will among his several children
with the proviso that whoever ploughed
up his blue-grass pasture should forfeit it,
Thomas Shelby, the son of Governor
Shelby—the hero of King's mountain—
used to take most of the premiums for fat
cattle, and he told me that of all feed, blue-
grass, with a little corn meal, mado the
fattest animals; and that they sometimes
got so weighted down with flesh that they
had to be_lifted by men to their feet. If it
be true, then, that plentiful and nutritious
food is always necessary to the highest animal type, we must in all blue-grass
regions raise the finest stock. For here
it may be used all the year round; so that
the animal is not dependent upon the herd-
man for quantity and quality of feed, as is
the case when cattle are housed and fed.
Tf these be facts, it is well for all persons
in Indiana and the belt spoken of, to lay
down grass land? wherever it is practicable. So other grasses in all climes may
be used, cut and fed in stalls and small
inclosures, or made into hay for winter
use. I think grasses are healthier and
cheaper than grains, more especially when
we look to the preservation and improvement of the soil.
DIFFERENT KINDS OF STOCK.
I have found that domestic stock eat
varieties of grasses and weeds in the following order: The horse eats few, the mule
more and tho ass most. Cattle eat more
varieties than these; sheep more than
cattle, and the goat most of all. The goat
and ass, no doubt, of all our domestic animals living upon our poorest pastures, may
well be cultivated in proper soils and
climes, i have never bred the goat, but in
Mexico I found tho kids the most delightful food, better than mutton or lamb.
They have been bred in all ages, and now
that the Angora and other fleece-bearing
apecies can be had, it will, no doubt, prove
profitable in many poor places where sheep
and cattle would not pay. In my experience I have found sheep in many respects
the most desirable stock. The mule mak6s
disagreeable paths through the pastures,
bites the shade and other trees, and breaks
the fences and gates. Cattle are also more
difficult in treatment, and the bulls often
endanger life. The horse is liable to many
accidents, and runs much over the grass
lands, to their injury, when its hunger is
satisfied. The hog is tho meanest rascal of
them all; rooting in and out of season, de
stroying sod and breeding weeds, in spite
of ri»igs in the nose, which are often lost,
andtttot always a sure prevention in wet
piaffes. But the sheep has all the qualities
thatjdre agreeable, and continually advances i*-*ie productive power of the soil, so
that)'the English say they haye "golden
hob/a."    ""_
-    |!        G1IM.BSA1. MANAGEMENT.
I l^ive no-experience in breeding sbeep
on BtArile or mountain ranges, but tn rich
pastures and valuable landa I advise the
mixfbg, always, sheep with cattle.   Where
sheev' only are grazed, they avoid the long
and »at the short grass, which is sweeter;
wheia cattle run, they will eat the long
grasi   and  large weeds  and brushwood,
wbitst the sheep will eat the small weeds
left'»'untonched  by the cattle.   This the
pastures will be cleared at little cost of
weening, and nothing is lost.   The relative
nunjber of each will depend upon the pastures.   I-have found about one-fourth cattle a; very good ratio.   The catile should
precede the sheep always, as the odor of
the sheep is repulsive to cattle, and fattening cattle are  very fastidious, neglecting
water and food which  smell offensively.
In al*"- pastures the scythe and hoe should
precede the graziers.   For it often happens
that the grass is eaten and the weeds take
possession; end there ls no way of destroying weeds on many lands without such
process.   A thriftless  neighbor once told
me that he had destroyed the briers (blackberry) by sheep. "And what of the sheep?"
said J, "Why, it killed them too!"   Most
stockf eat, of choice, some weeds, when
they tave as much grass as they want.   I
suppose that, on one hundred acres, fifty
cattlakwould  desire  to  eat ten  acres of
brierft,. If you .cut tbat ten acres once the
cattl&would eat up the briers thereafter;
but if.there.were twenty acres, the cattle
woulHv«at^.tbeir ten acres* and the rest
woulS^grow -and spread, till  the" whole
hundred might be filled with briers.   So
that very foul pastures, with the help of
the scythe and hoe, and by grazing, may
become very clean.   My rule is, when pastures are very foul, to use the scythe only;
as they become cleaner and the weeds or
briers isolated, I use a fine steel hoe, about
three or four inches broad in  the blade,
with a long handle.   These  can be, then,
as expeditiously used as the scythe; and
by cutting the crowns off the plants they
are permanently destroyed.
White Hall, Ky,
her mouth—greenish color.   She is losing
in milk and flesh very fast. T. J. R.
Take ginger four ounces; bloodroot, flour
of sulphur, nitre, sulphate of iron, black
antimony and resin of each two ounces.
Mix, and give in chop or ground feed.
Dose, one teaspoonful three times daily.
Editors Indiana Farmer:
Our cow was fresh on the 7th of this
month; her time was not up until the 8th.
She appeared all right on the Sth except
that she had very little milk. On the Oth
her appetite was very poor, and the afterbirth began to make its appearance. We
supposed it had passed soon alter the call
was born. On the 10th her appetite was
some better; to-day her appetite is good,
but the afterbirth remains just as it has for
two days. There is a bloody water running
from her almost constantly.     .  E. H. B,
Tne best thing you can do is to let nature
work its own remedy. Many fine cows are
killed by tampering with the laws of nature; when her time is full it will go away.
Faring Horse Hoof.
Editors Indiana Farmer:
Accept my thanks for the good instruction I receive from the Veterinary Department in your valuable paper; instruct me
how to pare a horse's hoof to keep him
from interfering. I have * valualble four
year-old horse that interferes all around. I
think he can be helped. Please give your
opinion and the method. I would rather
not shoe mine if he can be treated successfully without it, as I keep him on the farm.
W.T.
Much  obliged for your opinion of the
Indiana Farmer, and of the V-eterinary
Department.
. Take your horse to the shop and have
the outside of the foot pared down as low
as safe shoing can be performed; commence at the center of the toe round to the
heel; leave the inner wall untouched.
Make a shoe double as thick on the inner
side as that of the outer; by this method
the foot while on the ground will be out of
reach of the passing foot, and if the horse
is "yd UDg Tiis pas'terMVUT'CB-JiiErTttiaifeB't
very soon.     ■■**■-
Postal Card Correspondence.
dmnnrji.
Thlsfdepartment is edited by Dr. Jolin N. Navlnj
Veterinary Burtceoh, author of Navin's .Explanatory
Stock, poctor..
Rui*3* to be observed by those expecting correct
answefs;.
1. Stjue tlie rate of pnl.e.
2. TaeJSreat-ilng., -
S. TSa stsndlnE attitude.
4. Appearance of bair,
5. Iscongh, and secretion from nose, whether
glandt-jet-rreen the Jaws can be felt, and how near
the bojie.
6. If breathing ts rapid, accompanied by rattle or
rushlfis sound, no time must be lost ln bliaWriug
throal, ai_sl using tincture of aconite root and tincture of belladonna 20 drops on tongue alternately
everyit wo hours, for time Is too short for an answer.
7. Ptlrtlea deslrtng answers by mail must enclose a
stamp,- ... ~
INDIjVXA.
Newton Co., Dec. 11.—The wheat, com
and oats were fair this year in this section.
Farmers are generally cheerful in view ol
the remunerative prices obtained for produce. The horses areeffeeted some here,
bnt riot fatally. Stock looks well and
feed is plenty. Stock cattle are scarco
and high, s. A. S.
Boone Co., Dec. 10.—Corn was good on
well drained land, on wet land light but •
very sound. Early potatoes good, late
none. About the usual amount of wheat
sown, but looks rather bad, got a poor
start last fall. Stock doing well; prices
rather low and dragging. Tiling will bo
the order of the day next spring, judging
from the tile I see scattered over farms.
W. H. N.
Randolph Co., Dec. 6.—Wo never had as
^old a November. People were generally
prepared, although some had all of their
apples and potatoes frozen. Some apples
were yet in the orchards, boxed under She-
trees awaiting to be transfered to places,
intended for keeping. Hogs nearly all
sold, the bulk at $7 per hundred. Wheat
was mostly held for one dollar; not as
large an acreage sown as common, and
generally in stalk ground. The Bnow haa
been a great protection to the growing
wheat during the cold weather.
H. M. A.
ouio.
Chami-akin Co., Dec. 11.—Stock are
doing well thus far in winter, with promise thus far with heavy drafts oh forage
and grain to go through winter. Wheat
did not get tho growth it did last year when
winter set in, but is in fair condition,
'R.H.L.
Uj-LIXOIS. ,
Shelby Co., Dec. 10.—The wheat went
under the snow looking quite well, though
the growth was not so large as last-season.
The acreage is a fair average. A pretty
heavy draft will be made on stock feed, if
the winter continues through as it has
begun.   Stock looking well. A. J;
__t___VTUt-JtY.
Bullett Co., Dec. 5.—Corn In this county
% crop. Wheat from 5 to 20 bushels per
acre. Plenty of ftuit of all kinds; apples
rotted and fell off very badly; plenty oi
mast. Hogs scarce. Stock cattle selling
from  __. 50 to §3.   Stock sheep have been
Gravel Boads.
Editors Indiana Farmer:
Having had some experience in making and repairing gravel roads, I will
give "Northfield" apian which isgiving
good satisfaction here. But first let us
see what we want, and notice some of
the defects most common in existing
roads.
We want to. build as economically as
possible, and we want something durable, a road that will not be out of shape
and needing repairs in a year or two.
The wear of the wheels on a country
road is slight compared with the washing by rains on the slopes and hillsides I scarce and demand good, selling from $2 to
\iyy■'•" Bloody Milk.
Editor, Indiana Farmer:
Will you please tell me what ails my
cow?| A portion of her bag swells and she
gives lumpy milk arid sometimes bloody
imlktout of one teat, and changes from one
to tbb other; appears good out of the other
teats. Cow fat and in fine condition.
■)' Subscriber.
Pafct the affected part of the bag with
tlnctlre of iodine once daily. for several
days|and give the remedy prescribed for
T. J.|r's cow, in this issue of the Farmer.
|i        Stump Sucker.
Bdlton Indiana Farmer: „
. Will you tell me how to break a horse
that & a stump sucker? I have a good colt
thretf years old that will put his teeth on
the isanger and suck, or make a noise. Is
theref any cure? J. D. M.
. Board y.our stall too high to be grasped
in his teeth and make his manger too low,
or about the hight of his knees. When
you take him out and hitch to a post, use
a jockey stick for a hitching halter.
"-,y_ ■ Lameness.   .   i .^ .
Eiiltccs Indiana-farmer: .
. Will you ptease tell me what ails my
iriare; and what 'will effect a cure? About
two- months ago she became lame in her
righthind leg; her leg commenced swelling j list above the ankle on each side of the
largeleader, similar to wind puff.., although
more solid; he ankle seems stifle I am
now 'using the blistering solution recom-
mendedj but has no effect yet.
■    ' . ' A Farmer.
Blister severely, and continue, for fifteen
days, then grease. If this tails, the chance
for a cure is meager.
Foundered.
Editors Indiana Farmer-. ■
I have a fine Durham cow which ate too
much ^orn about a month and a half ago;
swelled terribly; she has apparently got
over that. Now when she chews her cud
it looks as though she had her mouth full
of water and food; the water runs out of
and overflowing in low places; this we
must guard against if we would make a
success. Culverts are also expensive,
and often the cost of cutting a sufficient
side ditch would not be one-half as
much as an extra culvert, while it would
be cheaper in the long run if it cost
double. .Now for the grade. Don't
make it too wide, leave the sides rounded
or sloping from the outside of the side
ditches to the point where the gravel
will rest when packed, and let it be
nearly level uuder it. Make the fall in
the side ditches as near uniform as possible, so they will clean themselves. On
sloping ground but little grade will be
necessary, but where the ditches have
little or no fall) the grade must be rained
above the surrounding surface so that
water will not stand against it. A great
deal of labor may be saved by a little
good judgment in this matter. Put on
good, sharp gravel, 12 feet wide, 15
inches thick in the center and six inches
at the edges. This will require at least
six perch to the rod. Put all stone in
the bottom and spread the gravel even,
put the travel on it immediately. Don't
have your grade cut up and the gravel
pushed out of place by passing teams.
Scrape with a slanting scraper as soon
as it begins to get in ruts. Don't make
a i'hog-back" of it, but round it up nicely, not allowing the gravel to spread
more than eighteen inches on each side.
Scrape lightly as often as the surface becomes uneven, and you have a road that
will last a long time without much expense for repairs. B. B. B.
Dalton, Wayne Co.
|4 per head,
acre.
Land rents frem §3 to 87 per
J. M. H.
A Philadelphia millionaire, and
would be nabob, has contracted with the
Pullman Car Company, for an elegant
$30,000 car for his own use. When he
travels he don't intend to mingle his
breath with that of the vulgar crowd.
The capital invested in dairying in the
United States is about §500,000,000; 3,000,-
000,000 gallons of milk, worth ?600,000,-
000,1,500,000,000 pounda of butter, and 400,-
000,000 pounds of cheese. This year, exports of butter and cheese will exceed ?15,-
000,000 in value.
3^
IOWA.
Benton Co., Dec. 11.—Crops good excepting wheat, of which there was very littlo
sown last spring, owing to chintz bug.
Corn good, making from 45 to 75 bushels
per acre. Fruit plenty, such as plumbs,
grapes and apples. Potatoes good. Snow
the first to cover the ground this winter
fell on November llth, to the depth of two
inches; very cold since. T. F. McM.
MISSOURI.
Green Co., Dec. 8.—A large acreage of
wheat sown and looks well. Not much
corn gathered on account of weather being;
unfavorable. Potatoes not overly plenty.
Sweet potatoes plenty, will not command
over ten to twenty cents per bushel. Hogs
not as plenty as last year. This county and
the southwest generally is getting well
stocked. The railroads are taxed to'their
utmost to take the stock and grain to market. Another road - will be open this win*
ter. The mule crop is large. The country
is prosperous. W. P. E.
AltK.VNS AS.
Little Rock, Dec. 7.—I lately relocated
In the florists business here, arriving about
the 18th of November, during your spell of
cold weather, and found about six inches of
snow here when I arrived. Since the snow
want away the weather has been warm
and pleasant—could have plowed and
planted field crops any time in tho last ten
days; weather clear with frost at night,
about equal to early October weather in
Indiana. After I get time will write you
in reference to couutry, etc.       J. W. V.
Saline Co., Dec. 9.—The month of November gave us the most unfavorable
weather for farm work ever experienced
in this State at the same season. Cotton
about \)i picked out when the bad weather
commenced, but now the sun shines bright;
it is warm and pleasant and the crop will
soon be gathered. Here is where the cotton crop has an advantage over cereals. A
few days of bad weather ruins tbo wheat
crop, but tho cotton can stand out, threo or
four months and then bo harvested in gcod
condition. Winter wheat, oats and rye
look well, though grown in small quantities compared with states north of the Ohio
river. Plenty of work for everybody—ail
farm products bring a good price and wt.
farmers are happy. W. H. T.
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