VOL. XXVII.  (^
.-;
INDIANAPOLIS, IND., OOT. 1,1892.
NO. 40
Written for the Indiana Farmer:
Flues and Insurance,
BY JOHN M. STAHL.
More farm houses are burned during the
winter than during the summer. The explanation is easy enough. In winter more
fire, are kindled, and hotter fires are kept.
Any one who notes the frequent mention
in the daily papers, of the burning of
farm-houses, will be forced to the conclusion that these incidents are much more
frequent than there is any need of there
being. In the country each conflagration
Is responsible for itself. The farm houses
are so far apart that the burning of one
does not ignite others. In the city, not
infrequently the burning of one building
involves the burning of several others adjoining it, or near to it. This is not the
ossein the country. If the farm house
burns the fault belongs at home.
Very nearly or quite four-fifths of the
aocounts of the burning of farm-houses
state that the destructive fire originated in
a defective flue; and oftener than otherwise tbe flue was one that had not been
used for some time and had just been put
to use, or had been used but a short time.
-Now in this there is a hint for the wise
person.
EXAMINE THE FLUES.
Examine every oneof them, bat with
especial care the Hues that have bsen
" auui.tH_ during the summer. Of course
this examination should be made before
the stoves areput up. Bat do not neglect
to examine carefully the tl aes that have
been kept in constant use. Not one should
be overlooked. It is the unsuspected floe
that does the damage. The flue known to
be unsafe is really safe compared with the
flue supposed to be secure; for presumably the former will be repaired before it is
used, while the latter will be neglected.
It is not the gun known to be loaded, but
the gun supposed to be empty, that kills
•the person, as you have doubtless observed, and it is not the faulty chimney,
known to be faulty, but the faulty chimney supposed to be safe that does the damage.
Flues become unsafe in various ways.
The most common is the dislodgement of
the mortar between the bricks or stones
by the action of the wind. The high gales
and furious windstorms of the summer
rock even ths stoutest buildings and this
movement will not infrequently dislodge
pieces of mortar, forming holes through
which sparks find their way to very dry
wood worker rubbish. When examining
the flues particular attention should be
given to this point. Look out for crevices
between the bricks or stones.
Very unsafe flues .are those built only
from the garret floor up. The stove pipe
enters these flues in the garret and
throngh a hole in the side of the flue.
Now, the point where the pipe enters the
flue is one of danger and should have especial care. After the pipe is carefully adjusted in place the crevice between it and
the chimney should be closed with mortar.
Press the mortar well in the crevice and
then plaster it against the chimney and
the pipe. If this crevice is not securely
closed Bpaiks will find their way throngh
it into the garret, and in the garret there
is nearly always something that is' easily
ignited.
Another thing to attend to at this time ia
INSURANCE AGAINST LOSS BY FIRE, ETC.
I have seen the question asked, "Does
insurance of farm property insure?" Well,
it insures if the risk is taken by a good
oompany, and there are plenty of good
companies. Of course there are always
losses from a fire for which money can
not compensate, and it is hardly possible
to insure property to its full value. But
insurance in a saie company is a good
thing. I would not have my buildings uninsured.   Risks on farm property
are taken at what aro really low figures.
It is worth all the cost to have the satisfaction of knowing that If your buildings
are burned yon will not suffer a severe pecuniary loss. Too many make the mis
take of insuring in a company that is not
strong and safe, because they can get insurance in such a company for a little less
than in a good company. It wonld be
hard to name any more foolish economy
than this. Another thing, how often
the house burns when the insurance has
run out! I have heard it remarked, "The
house never burns until the insurance
has expired." Of course this Is an exaggeration. We take insurance on the burned
ho_s3 as a matter of course; it is the fact
that a burned house was not insured that is
fixed on our minds. However, the burning of a house shortly after the insurance
has expired is, an occurrence of such frequency, that we shonld be very careful to
renew insurance a few days before it expires. I hope every reader will be sure
that his property is insured in a safe company and that the insurance has not ex
pired.
Quincy, 111.
 . m » —
WBATHKB CROP BULLETIN
United States Department of Agriculture
Weather Bureau. Weather Crop Bulletin
ofthe Indiana Weather Service, in co-operation with the Agricultural Experiment
Station at Purdue University, ending Tuesday Sept. 27, 1892.
No rain fell except in n few localities,
light showers on one day; excessive temperature and much sunshine prevailed;
these conditions were beneficial to farm
work, growing crops and pasturage and
ripened corn" rapidly; most of it is out of
danger from frost; much is in shock and
on onlj few fields, the grain is still soft of
the late planted corn; the crop seems to
have improved rapidly in many localities
and promises a good yield; wheat sowing
is nearly completed everywhere and the
early sown wheat is coming up green,
strong and vigorous.
SOUTHERN PORTION.
Seymour, Jackson Co.—Weather conditions of the past seven days have been unusually favorable for farm work and to
the maturing of corn and late vegetables;
early planted corn is fully matured and
muoh of it Is in shock; in some late fields,
the grain is yet soft, but a few more days
of favorable weather will ripen the entire
crop, which is abundant and above the average, beyond danger from frost; much
wheat has been sown and fall plowing is
almost completed; the soil is in fine condition and early sown wheat is up strong
and vigorous in growth; more than the
average acreage will be sown; lat© vegetables are a good • crop and ripening well,
and fall pastures are excellent; live stock
are in prime condition; a few grasshoppers
have been noted and an occasional field
of wheat has been slightly Id jared by the
fly.   Rainfall, 0 26.
Worthington, Greene Co.—Corn is maturing rapidly and the early planted crop
will be ready for the crib soon, and
smaller corn will soon be out of danger
from frost; wheat is coming up nicely:
the larger per cent has been sown, and
there will be a large increase of acreage
planted.   Rainfall, 0 50.
New Albany, Floyd Co.—The temperature this week has been above the average,
the maxlum reaching 85 degress to-day; it
is unfavorable for seeding, but little wheat
has been sown; the more judicious farmers knowing the danger of damage by fly
to the early sown wheat in this latitude;
the first half of October is the most successful time for sowing wheat here. RainfaU, 0.07.
Princeton, Gibson Co.—Wheat sowing
ls in progress with the ground in splendid condition but it is getting dry and
quite dusty again: the weather has been
such, just as late corn needed it; within a
short time most of it will be safe from
frost; turnips and latejsown meadows
need rain.
Butlervllle, Jenninjs Co.—The wheat
crop Is mostly in the ground and a large
acreage has been sown, the early sown is
up and looks well; a heavy hail storm on
the 15th and another on the evening of
25th, did some damage to corn and cabbage.   Rainfall, 0 66
DeGonia Springs, Warrick Co.—The
last week the temperature has been above
the average; much sunshine and little
rain; splendid weather for wheat sowing
which is progressing rapidly and the ripening of late corn; pastures good and
stock doing well; winter apples very
scarce. Rainfall, 0 23.
g Mt. Vernon Posey Co.—About 80,000 acres
of wheat land is being prepared for the new
wheat crop; seeding will commence
in Ostober; corn is safe from frost;
fall pastures need rain; stock in good
condition.   No rain.
Vevay, Switzerland Co.—The weather
during the past week continued pleasant
by day and cool by night, both conditions
favorable to corn and tobacco crops, which
are maturing fast; heavy dew occurred
every night and refreshed vegetation;
gentle rain on 20th and 21st facilitated
plowing for wheat; some of onr best informed farmers predict large crops for the
coming year, judging from the great quantities of fertilizer being used throughout
the county; the potato crop will be very-
limited in size and'quality; butterflies and
grasshoppers abound, but mosquitos scarce
and frogs abundant; all kinds of stook is
reported in a healthy condition throughout the county. Rainfall during the week
0.25 inches on 20th and 21st.
CENTRAL PORTION.
Franklin, Johnson Co.—The weather of
the past week has been excellent for farm
work, the ground being in good condition for plowing and sowing and much
wheat has been sown; the early sown is
looking well; some farmers are not
through breaking stubble ground; a large
portion of the wheat is being sown in the
standing corn; most of the late planted
corn is ripening well and out of danger
from frost.
Irvington, Marion Co.—This has been an
average September week, with pleasant
weather—warm enough to make the grass
grow; hence all pastures are good} wheat
sowing is about at an end, a large area has
been sown.
Indianapolis, Marion Co.—But little
rain fell and high temperature and much
sunshine prevailed; plowing and seeding
is finished: corn is nearly safe from frost
and pasturage Is In exoellent condition.
Rainfall, 0.18.
Veedersburg, Fountain Co.—The
weather during the week has been warm
and dry with much sunshine, it has been
beneficial in ripening corn.
Farmland, Randolph Co.—The continued warm weather has been favorable for
seeding and farmers are almost done; the
heavy rains on the 13th gave tbem a good
chance to finish breaking, but now it is
getting dry again; fields of corn which
30 days ago were thought to bo of no value
have developed into splendid fields of
corn far beyond expectations. Rainfall,
0.10.
NORTHERN   PORTION.
Warsaw, Kosciusko Co.—The weather
has been very favorable for farm work,
sowing wheat and clover and ripening
corn; wheat is making a fine, healthy
giowth; seeding is done, an unusual acreage of oorn ground has been sown and
much is coming up; muoh corn has been
put in_shock but some fields are not safe
from frost yet; the warm dayB and nights
ot the past week completed the ripening of
corn and potatoes; swamp and muck potatoes promise a big yield and are still of
vigorous growth; the upland crop Is of but
little account; clover is mostly cut for
seed but little has been threshed yet, in
general it is turning out well; horses are
in demand, and the best are picked up by
shippers at a fair price.   No rain.
Michigan City, LaPorte Co.—The
weather during the past three days has
been very warm, the thermometer reaching i)2 degrees on the 23d; the corn crop
is doing very nicely and most of it ls out
of danger from frost; some of the late
planted corn would be injured if frost
came soon; winter pasture land doing
very well; farmers have nearly completed the sowing of wheat which is coming up and growing finely; there was a
slight frcst on Saturday morning but it
did no damage.   No rain.
Ashboro, Clay C..—Temperature and
sunshine about normal; seeding is the
general order of the day, the ground be- •
irg put in good condition; early corn
is being cut and the general crop promises to ripen without damage from frost.
No rainfall.
Lafayette, Tippecanoe Co.—The weather
has been favorable for late corn, but less
so for early planted corn, wheat and pasturage; the ground is getting again too
dry for sowing wheat.   No rain.
Hatch's Mills, LaPorte Co.—Wheat
nearly all up and looking well; corn ripening up good;* no frost yet; many are threshing their clover seed, and some complaint
of light yield; nice light rains and good
roads; potatoes good quality but not many
in a hill.   Rainfall .50.
H. A. Huston,
Director Indiana Weather Service.
Per C. F. R. Wappenhans,
Local Forecast Official, Assistant Director. TJ. S.  Weather Bureau.
<_»*_ wzml Utews.
Happy indeed are the homes which contain "Garland" Stoves and Ranges.
A Paris physician asserts that the present cholera came from the germs brought
there in 1881.
A meteor about a foot in diameter fell and
shattered a rock a dozen times as large,
near Livingston Manor, N. Y.
There were two serious railroad wrecks
last week, one on the Santa Fe and the
other on the Pennsylvania road at Shrevo
Ohio.
A singular disease is prevailing among
horses on the southern part of Jo Daviess
county, Illinois. It resembles distemper,
but is more fatal and causes more sudden
deaths.
Three children of Mr. and Mis. Carman
Ries, of New Reigel, Ohio, died within an
hour of black diphtheria, bo the parents
state. They were absent from the house
when two of the deaths occurred.
The rivers of Russia grow shallower-
year by year, and the Norskla, once an
abundant triDutary of the Dnieper, and
comparable to the Hudson or Delaware
being 250 miles in length, has completely
and permanently dried up.
Mrs. Elizabeth Stanton died at her home
in Paton township, Center county, Pa,, on
the __!_.., aged 117 years. Her maiden
name Elizabeth Jamison, and she was
born in the spring of 1775, In Lancaster
county. Her age is beyond question, Doing proven by .the family Bible, several
hundred years old.
The canning factory at Hoopeston, 111.,
broke the world's record in canning eighty-
thousand cans of corn Thursday, the 22d.
This is. said to be twenty-thousand cans
more than ever tamed out by any canning
oompany before. About three hundred
persons are employed by this company.