VOL. XXIV.
INDIANAPOLIS, IND., DEO. 7,1889.
NO. 49
DECEMBEB WEATHER-P3BHAP3.
Prof. Blake, ot Topeka, Kansas, the
noted weather prophet, gives the Hawk-
Eye of that city the program of weather
during this month. It's very convenient
to have lt in advance. If any of onr
readers choose to lay oat their plans on
the schedule the professor 'presents, all
right; there Is no charges. Wo intend to
take the weather as it oomos, as heretofore,
bat will try and notice how often the confident predictor hits it.   He says:
Probably many people are not prepared
for the very cold weather which will be
here in a few days. For last winter I calculated that the minimum temperature
would be warm; the minimum in December, 1889, will be very cold. I ao not think
navigation on the lakes will be sate after
this week. The December weather will
be hard on stook not sheltered, hard for
railroading and hard for late sown wheat
in open fields where not protected by
snow. In the advance letters which I sent
oat last summer I advised farmers to drill
wheat as early aa possible, where wet
enough, so that It would make a good mat
to cover the ground, hold snow and keep
the oold winds from the roots. The year
of 1890 will not be a year of means, but
much of it will consist of extremes both
as to temperature and rainfall, while part
of the year will prod ace good weather,yet,
floods and drouths will be extensive,
though varying materially from those .of
1889. In such a season extra .efforts muat
' be made to get the right kind of crops
seeded at the right timo and in the most
appropriate localities. Farmers should
make their plans now for proper ssedlng
next spring. If they do not obtain the
right seed and prepare ln timo they may
expect a partial failure next season; but
with proper planning now, I think, fair to
good crops may bo assured. Those who
followed my advice, as indicated by the
expeoted weather, have their winter wheat
in gocd shape now aud it will doubtless
sor-vive the bitter oold. I do not pretend
to calculate all the little changes and local
showers. My chief aim is to calculate the
weather for tho various months and different localities , ss to indicate to the
farmer what crops it is- best to plant and
what ones to avoid. For instance, I advised listing corn as fast as the binders oat
the wheat In 1888, because I saw that frcsts
would come late in the corn belt and that
late summer and early fall rains would ba
abundant. Many so planted and secured
good yields. I also advised seeding extensively all through the fall of 1888. J.t
yielded bountifully. No time shonld now
be lost before preparing for very cold
weather in December.
CALL JOU A TEMPEBABTCK CONFERENCE.
A copy of a call to a conference in the
in the interest pf prohibition, signed by
165 ministers of tho different denominations in the State, has been sent to us.
We heartily sympathize with the object
of the oonferencs and gladly give plaoe to
the principal portion of the call:
The pastor of churches and secretaries of
Y. M. G. A's in Indiana, hereby request
every congregation of Christians, and
every Y. M. C. A. in the Siate, to appoint
one or more judicious, earnest men, as
delegates to a conference, to be held in the
Y. M. 0. A. hall, at Indianapolis, Wednesday and Thursday, Dacember 18;h and
19th, beginning at 2 o'olock p. m. Wednesday, to consult as to tho bast methods of
procuring prohibition, Slate and National
and pending the success of this movement,
how best to secure and enforce such laws
as shall tend to the closing of the saloon;
bat in no case to form, or aid, or assail
any politioal party as sach.
Will you take suoh measures as you
deem best to see that delegate*! are sent to
this conference? The demand for each a
meeting is imperative.   The saloon is in'
ths ascendant. It has millions ot money
at its command, and a compact organization, while there fs no organization in the
State to successfully antagonlza it. If
need be, let a fewpay the expenses of at
least one delegate from every church, and
every Y. M. C. A., and more than one,
if possible.
If yon cannot come or send one delegate
or more, will you send your snggestion as
to the best method of organizing and
nniting the anti-saloon element of the
State? Yoa can not be indifferent to the
issue. Send at least a postal card, expressing your sympathy or approval or orlti-
ciam If you prefer. Address your letter
to Rev. Samuel Sawyer, 85 Virginia Ave-
nne.
Special terms have been secured with
the railroads. All persons who pay fall
fare going, taking a certificate to that fact
at the place of buying the tioket, will be
returned at one-third fare, the ticket to
be good from and including Taesday, the
17th, to Saturday, the 2lst.
Special terms are made with the following hotels: Bates, Grand, Dsnison and
Spencer, $2 50 per day. English and Occidental, $1 50 per day. Brunswiok, Enterprise and Pyle, $1 00 per day.
IS AOKICULTTJBE DEPBESSED.
An exchange sometime ago asked its
subscribers to give their. Ideas as to the
cause of the depression in agriculture in
the Easter*.. Stotea. We give the points in
some of the replies reoeived. One gives
as the reason, a desire among the young
men for an easier life than farming. Another is the lack of thoroughness among
farmers, rendering the business unprofitable. O-hor reasons are: The higher cost
of labor than formerly; The lack of economy, buying what might be done without, In other words living beyond Incomes. The bonanza farming of the West
and Narthwest, by which tho cereals and
stock can be raised much more cheaply
than in the other States, whioh with the
facilities of transportation enable the shippers West to undersell producers East.
One man charges the depression to the
tariff, whioh he says lays a tax of about 47
per cent on an average on the products of
the conntry, as a consequence he says the
farmer's income is taken to supply the
farm and household. He intimates that
if we had more farmers and fewer lawyers
in Congress, legislation would ba had that
would make a decided Improvement in
farming.
We presume if the question were asked
our readers: Why farming poes not pay
better here? that as great a diversity of
opinion would be expressed. That such
a variety of reasons are given leads to the
conclusion that no one knows the true
reason or reasons. It is one of those
intricate questions which only master
minds are able to solve, if indeed thoy are
capable of solution at all.
It ia questionable, we think, whether, as
compared with other callings, farming is
Buffering from depression in the Central
West, at least. Is it true, we would ask,
that our farmers, as a rule, are worse ofl
that other people? Are tbey not living
as comfortably, clothed as well, as able to
school and provide.for their children, to
give to churches and charitable institutions, and have as good credit in'the bank,
now as at any time daring the past 15 or
20 years? We are disposed to reply affirmatively to these questions, and if we
are correct weare right in claiming that
farmers as a class are tally abreast with
men in other callings in progress and
prosperity. Of course we do not include
the trusts and combinations.
We refer to the productive classes and
the professions. The truth is that everywhere competition is . stronger, than in
former years, and in farming as everywhere else only the best methods and
most careful management  are rewarded
with marked eunct-ss.
THE LATEST AITS TBE WORST SWIHDLE.
One of the shrewdest schemes we have
heard for trapping unsuspecting farmers
is thus described: "An oily-tongued lightning-rod agent goes to the farmer's house
and tells him he has been rent out by the
company in which his house is insured for
the purpose of examining the lightning-
rods to ascertain If they are in good condition, and it not, he represents that the
oompany intends to fix them. A paper
purporting to be a statement that the rods
are in bad oondition, is signed by the
farmer, which, as usual, turns out to be a
promissory note."
Again we repeat the advice, never to
sign your name to a paper in the hands of
a stranger.
The annual meeting ot tne Olio State
Horticultural Society v. HI be held at Columbus, O , December 11 to 13. Au unusually interesting program has been arranged—copies can be had by addressing
the secretary, W. W. Farnsworth, Waterville, O.
The meroury went down to 5° above
zaro at our home in Irvington, on Satur-
morning tbe 30 ih ult.
.	
The Indiana State Orange meets in the
Agricultural rooms, in State-house, on the
10thinst,,,___. ...      ...,...-.
Bead  John  Habberton's   last  storyi
Country Luck, begun in this number.
%wm jg^artmjctit
BT VIU80N CAKTB3. BSft., THIB CITT.
Correspondents who desire an Immediate reply to
their queries should enclose a stamp for the purpose
\
If a married woman buy property with
money left her by her parents and wants
to sell It, will it be necessary for her husband to sign the deed, or can she make a
gcod title for it without his signature?
Greensburg. G B
Tbe husband must sign the deed.
A rents B a certain field for five years,
for a given amount of money to be paid
annually. B cultivates the ground four
vears and then wants to quit the lease, can
B give np the ground or can A force B to
keep tbe ground the full time, the article
ol ngreoment not being recorded.   N. S
Kimball.
The lease Is good-as between the parties
to it without being recorded. B must pay
the rent.
1. If a man buys a farm lato in the fall,
the agreement being made between seller
and buyer, for tha taxes to be paid by present owner to date, and gives warrantee
deed. Which is liable for the payment of
same?
2. What is the law concernlm; line
fences between two farmers?    E. V. H,
Way back.
1. The seller.
2. Etch party must maintain one-half
of the partition fence.
1. When the wife has property deeded,
in her married name, to be hers during
her life-time then to go tothe heirs of her
body, should sho die before her husband
and leave such heirs, some under age,
under whose control and in what way
does such pronerty become till the heirs
become of age? Suppose there should be
no sach heirs?
2. But when the wife has property
deeded to her in her married name, withont limitation, condition or the mention
ot heirs, assignees, etc., should Bhe dia
before her husband and leave minor chtl
dren, to whom would such propsrty go?
3. When a debtor who is under the law
and publicly known to bs bo dishonest as
to make no effort to pay ap,(unless a debt
that Immediate self interest -requires it),
has money owing to him, is there any
legal way for his creditors to secure said
money or part of lt, on what he is owing
them? For is not the non-payment In
suoh a case evidence ot fraud.    B. W. T.
Wanamaker.
1. The words "heirs of her body" do
not limit her estate, but she owns a fee
simple and at her death the land goes one-
third to tho husband and two-third* to
the children—it there are no ohlldren then
it all goes to the husband.
2. One-third to husband two-thirds to
the children.
3. No.
<_§mv_ ixu& gmstttjer.
Give your name and address when asking questions. Many queries eo unanswered for failure to
observe this rule.
Correspondents who desire an Immediate reply to
tbeir queries should enclose a stamp for the pnrpos
1. Where can I get a book treating en
telegraph operating?
2. When a person wants to be a telegraph operator where must he go to learn
it? W. R. W.
Monroe City.
1. Of Bowen-MerrillCo., this city.
2. To a telegraph ofli _e, or Business Col-
I have some chickens that have a kind
of scab on their legs and it gets worse and
worse, and one has died. Please tell what
is the name of the disease, and how to
cure it. C. M.
It is probably the scaly leg, and is caused
by an insect or mite that fasten upon the
legs and live upon the blood of the flowls.
Saturate a rag with ooal oil and rub the
legs, especially the parts oovered with
scabs, and they will soon disappear. Then
clean out your ohlcken house and whitewash the perches, and the mites will trouble you no more.
In your interesting article, The soil we
cultivate, last week, you speak of the decomposition of rock. Will you please explain what that means, and how itis done.
And tell us why all the rocks are not decomposed if some are. And, what are
crystalline recks? You say that the soil
west of Indianapolis generally rests on
sandstone, are you not mistaken? lam
Bom9what acquinted with Putnam, Paike
and Owe a counties, and I know there is a
great deal of limestone in that region.
Where did the soapstone come from or
how was it formed? Aud the granite?
  X Y. Z.
Grov. ing on tbe farm of Mr. S >mmer-
ville is a oherry tree 40 years old of the
variety known as Early May cherry. Now
there is odo side of said tree whose fruit
ripens three weeks sooner than the rest of
the fruit. The frnit is of equal s'zaand
flavor. Will some of our horticulturists
solve the mystery ? The tree stands equally exposed. Mr. Snmmerville lives three
miles southeast of Mllroy,Ras__ Co. For the
reliability ot Mr. Mommerville, we would
refer ynu to your Bush county, agent
Gaorge B laves. I. B. L.
The difl srence In time of ripening is
probably due to difference ln soil on opposite sides of the tree or exposure. But we
will refer the question to our 8tate Hortlcnltaral Society at its meeting in December. 	
Please give through the Fabmeb the object and purposes of the organization
known as the Farmers' Alliance and their
plan of organizing. Some contend that
they are arrayed against every other business.   State such facts as you know.
Homer. D. J,
The obj act of the Alliance and similar
organizations is to benefit the farmers, as
a class, socially and financially. This organization like others educates the farmer
as to his rights and privileges and how
best to secure them. The purpose is to
aggregate so large a number of farmers
having similar grievances and making
similar demands on the Government'as to
influence the law making powers to comply with their requests. It is said that of
the 4,500,000 farmers in the country 1,000,-
000 or more are inoluded in organlz ations
of some kind; not all in the Alliance or
Grange, however. If the statement is
true, the several organizations should
combine at least on soma prominent principles at Issue, and urge their adoption.
In this way their purposo might be effected.
It Is rumored that suoh a combination is
soon to be attempted.