VOL. XVIII.
INDIANAPOLIS, IND., SATURDAY, DEC 30, 1882.
NO.L
Postal Qasid Ouyreetpoiuieneeo
unsworn, i.
Stoi>i>aiip Co.—I mado 1,017 gallons of sorghum syrup this season. Wo have line soil
for sorghum.   Corn crop was also food.
J. W. II.
J»KI.AtVAKE.
Kent Co.—Agricultural Interests hero arc In
good condition. Livestock high and scarce.
Farm hands are paid is to S13 per month.
j. r. a.
IOWA.
SiIEiBY Co.—Improved land is selling at S25
to *Boper pert." * Corn made 10 to 60J)usheIs hero.
Wheat was a poor crop.- Cattle are plenty.
.   " • ■ '    C. It. P.
MOUTH CAROLINA.
Chatham Co.-Lands arc improving in prices
from two to  ten dollars peracre.   Livestock
is also advancing.   Labor 38 to 412 per month.
C. E. Johnson.
ltA*>.sA*.
Johnson Co.—We havo a vory large crop of
corn iu this part of Kansas;40 to tiObushelsper
aero and will average .'il. .Stock commands
good prices, aud farmers are doing well.
T. S. II.
KENTUCKY.
RorrnoN Co.—Tho past season was a pros-
porous ono for farmers. Crops all yielded
well except fruit. Tlie prospect for the growing wheat not us good as at this time last year.
S. K.
DAKOTA.
SeniNU Co.—Land here is worth from Soto
?20 per aero. Wheat here averaged 25 hushels
per acre, and oats 40. Wheat is selling here at
"Scents, and oats 40.   Corn was not a success.
j. K. II.
MIW YOUK.
f'.mu.u:a-Wo have had good sleighing
here. Wheat looked well when snow came.
Laud is selling here at S75 to S100 per aere.
Horses are scarce and high, and cattle are
scarce, and the same is true of sheep. Labor
from 57c to SI per day. J. BtrnNs.
NKHUASK.A.
Nemaha Co.—Corn good and will average
from 50 to Oft bushels to the acre; prico 38 cents.
Land from £35 to WO an acre. Hands scarce,
SI 25 to 51 50 a day or SIS to $25 a month. Evory
thing brings good prices. Fanners in good
cheer. 1*. IIkioiit.
TliNNKSSKK.
GILES Co.—Lai£e quantities ol corn and
wheat have been exported from this section
recontly, and many head of live stock. The
land here is black and impregnated with limestone; excellent for clover. It can be bought
for?10 to S2U per aero; before tho war it was
worth S75 per aere. A great deal of lumber is
being shipped. J. 11. II.
MASSACHUSETTS.
Wokcestek Co.—Farmers Chilis are organized and meet regularly in almost every town
here, and county societies hold their Institutes frequently, whore caro and management
of stock are discussed. Field crops wore cut
.short by drouth tho past season, but tho hay
crop was good. Out door labor Jl 25 to -?1 50 per
,l„y. E. ISACON.
INDIANA.
Knox Co.—Wheat looks very bad and a great
deal is damaged by lly. . Hogs fatted very fast
this season.   Apples plenty but rotting some.
E. W.
Pike Co.—Farmers are about through gathering corn, and the crop was an  average one.
Wheat is backward In growth on account of
tile Hy. Early sown wheat was hurt the worst.
Hogs scarce. J. 11. W.
-Mono an Co.--Wheat is looking bad. Corn
was a good yield.'and is about all cribbed.
Hogs nearly all sold; sfock hogs scarce and In
demand nt, good prices; nooholora here. Stock
Is looking well. Fruit was almost a failure.
Farm labor SI 1 to SIS per month. L. T.
Clinton Co.—Hogs arc scarce this season.
Corn not so good as was expected. Wheat
looks well, and a large crop wassown. Farmers here are aware of the bene tits of tile draining, and are governing themselves accordingly. There aro 500 rods of tile drainage In-this
county where there were but live a few years
ago. J. F. G.
OIIIK
CtlMoy Co.—Hogs are worth about 0c per
pound. Traveling here Isgood tlie roads being
generally graveled and the streams bridged.
Growing wlieat looks well. J. S.
Faiiii-'iet.ii Co.-Wheat wassown late and
made a good stand, but is short. Corn produced about half a crop. Potato crop very
poor.   Hogs and cattle scarce. (1. Ii. C.
Trsc'AHAWAsCo.— .Stock hero is mostly of the
scrub kind and scarce at that. Most of our
corn, wheat, oats, etc., arc eonsunie,<! at'homc,
by railroad employes, miners, etc. * *C. T. I).
Hahiiin Co.—The condition of growing
wheat Is','5 per cent. Fat hogs are scarce and
command good prices; hundreds of hogs are
dying here of cholera.   The condition of other
live stock good. ('. Kl'LE.
Champaign Co. —Karly sown wheat was
damaged by the tly. Corn up to the average.
Hogsdefloient In number;soineellolcra. Stoek
in good condition. We now have more than
400 miles of free pike in this county and aro
constructing more. s. E. P.
LiLL^JsO'**.
Kowakiis ('o.—Corn produced from one-half
to two-thirds of a crop this year. Stock S'-arce.
Growing wheat looks well. J. Ii.
Cole» Co.—Stock rather scarce. Plenty of
feed of all kinds. Farmers are giving considerable attention to tho raising of colts. Diphtheria prevails to some extent. .       W. G. C.
Cass Co.-The soil In this section is sandy
and adapted to theraisingof sweet potatoes,
melons and all kinds of vegetables; also,
whoat, oats, corn and hay.   Stock plentiful.
J. M. S.
Hamilton Co.—stock scarcoand high. Farm
products above an average crop, and selling
for good prices. Labor Sl.'i to Shi per month.
Winter wheat has been, badly injured by the
lly. H.
Fulton Co.—Wheat looking well, although
there is some complaint of the lly. Stock in
good condition. Many of our fanners have
been doing fall plowing for the benelit of the
corn to 1)0 planted next spiing. F. L. .
Aiiams Co.—Early sown wlieat looks well;
late sown poor. Corn on tiat lands was a failure; on dry land good. Hogs below the average In number and quality. Cattle in good
condition. Xo disease among farm stock of
any kind. '     J. JI. S.
IitoQi.'ois Co.—Corn produced no more than
a half crop. Corn,oats and timothy generally
do well here, but wheat, rye and flax aro uncertain. Stock is high and hard to get. Ditching and grading have vastly Improved our
roads, and the farmers are sub-ditching and
tiling their lauds extensively. Ii. F. Ii.
WHAT THE CE0PS ABE W0ETH.
The liurcan of statistics, from tlie data reported on the agricultural productions of tills
Slate for Inn:!, estimates the homo value of the
principal crops at S225.0ftfl.0oa. Tlie current
market quotations for the autumuund fall oil
each production Was taken as tin: basis for estimating values. A largo percent, of this , is
surplus and rinds a, market outside of the
State,
INDIGENOUS  POTATOES  IN AEIZONA.
At a mooting of the California Academy of
Sciences, November ti. Mr. John C. Lemnion
reported the results of a summer's tour of botanical exploration among .tin' mountain
ranges along the .Mexican frontier of Arizona.
Among bis" discoveries were two or three varieties of Indigenous potatoes, found growing
abundantly In high mountain meadows sur-
soundod by peaks attaining a height of 10,000
feet above sea level. The tubers were about
the size of walnuts. Mr. Lciiinion brought
home a supply which will lie carefully cultivated. This interesting discovery goes far to
settle the long vexed question of the origin of
the potato.
LOOK TO YOUR SEED C0EN.
Corn that was caught out ill tin; Held during
the lute cold \yo;,ithcr Is probably unlit for
soed, ns it matured this season si, laic thai It
was scarcely so dry that it would not freeze
enough to destroy thegerr.i. A.oonospondent
of tho FAirMF.n from Central Ohio, who is a
practical farmer says that the hue cold
weather there froze all corn so as to kill the
germ, unless the corn was dry, or in a place
sutliclontly warm to prevent freezing. Those
that are 'ordinate enough to have corn that
will make good seed should save it carefully,
as It will be needed. By exposing tho germ,
which may be done with the point of a knife,
you can readily toll if it is sound. If sound it
Is of an Ivory color and linn. If frozen it will
be soft anil yielding, and of a dingy or yellow
color.
MINEEAL EESOURCES OF INDIANA.
The Stato ISnrcunof Statistics has collected
from the several counties of theStato the products of the coal mines and stone quarries for
18S2, us compared with tlie same' last year.
Tlio '.igures show the cubic yards, bushels and
tons of the minerals produced for tho years
named:
I SSI.
015,027'
l,12S,2N0
14l,5(«
2,12S,077
21(1,722
202. WS
18S2.
foil ,783
*>IU,02S
S!.!I.'1S
1,118,520
100, i;«
,700
Sandstone, cubic yards,
Lime, bushels,    -
Cement, bushels,   -
Coal mines, tons.
Gravel sold, cubic yards
Fire-clay, tons,   -      -     .. _,.„..
Li mestonoquarriod.ouhio feet,2.713,450 3,034,750
The decrease In,coal for 1N.S2 is accounted for
by tho mild winter of lSxl-82, us the large
amount of 1881 was due to the severe winter of
I8S0-S1. Nearly 75 per cent, of tho coal mined
in this State is used for heating purposes.
[ind general principles of farming, January
2.'id, two days.
'-. Discussion of the animal industries and
various modes of breeding, feeding, etc., January 25th, two days.
;>. The ootton crop, Its cultivation, sale and
relation toother agriculture in tho Southern
states, January 27th, two days.
This Is the second series of these important
national conferences inaugurated by Dr. Loring. They bring together men of the most advanced thought in both tin; educational and
practical Holds of agriculture, and can but result in great good to this leading industry.
Dr. Ixirlngls deserving of tlie thanks of the
whole country for' the wisdom and foresight
displayed in this, tlie most imporlant movement in agriculture sinco tlio department over
which he so ably pre.-ldes was organized.
WEALTH OF TEN WESTERN STATES.
. The development of wealth inall (he\udus-
tries. In tlie ten Weslorn stales named below,
is most remarkable. The comparative figures
aro from the census -of llinyears named, and
each eolnnin represent millions of dollars:
. Jlillions of dollars .
IM) 1K0O JS70 1880
Ohio, - 505 1,101       ■■  2,235 S,130
Illinois, -      150 S72 2,122 2,020
Missouri,    -        137 5<i| i,:)sj l,:j|8
Indiana, -       -   2KS 520 1,2>0 1,1(10
Iowa.   - '" ■"*" ""'
.Michigan
Wisconsin.
Minnesota,
Kansas,
Nebraska,
■Jtt
21
110
42
271
;;!
7 IS ll.il.
710 1,80.5
702 085
220 010
iso :rro
00 157
A large per cent, of this increase of \* eallh is
in the enhanced valuo of the farm lands and
their improvements. Another large percent.
is represented by tlie rapid growth of cities
and towns, and in tho development of the
manufacturing industries and railroad building.
INDIANA AS A WHEAT-GE0WING STATE.
The Stato uurcau of Statistics has compiled
from tlie last four decennial census reports
some very interesting facts in regard to the
growth of wheat in Indiana. In 1850 the wheat
product was (l.IiO bushels per capita; in 1800 it
was 12 50 bushels; in 1870, 10.51 bushels, and in
18>0 It had increased io 21.75 per capita. Thus
it Is seen that the increase .of this crop bus
greatly exceeded the growth of the. State in
population. The average yield peraere in tlie
same time has increased about twv'.j per oent.
At the same ration! Incroasedyield In 80years
more the average per acre will not bo loss than
25 bushels. This is not merely possible but
probable—almost certain indeed, for our soil
is not only finely adapted lo wheat growth,
hut the farmlngpopulation isdcveloping very
rapidly In knowledge of selentitieagrieulturo.
Indiana now produces- about one-tenth of tho
whole crop of the United States.
NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL CONVENTION.
Dr. Loring, the. National Commissioner of
Agriculture, has named January 23, 1X83, for
the meeting of the leading agriculturists of
the United States at the Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. C. Tlie convention
will extend its iscssions to January 29th. The
subjects for consideration during the several
sessions are: .
11. The   agricultural   colleges  and  societies
*        AGRICULTURAL N0TE3.
Gkeat ISkitain produces 11. and the United
States21 percent, of tlie iron of tlie world.
The probability now is that thero will bo a
largo demand for soed corn that can bo guaranteed to grow.
The early autumn sown wheat Miflered from
fly In this and adjoining states our correspondents write us.
A cablegram from England of December
23d, states that it is now beyond doubt that the
acreage of wheat for 18%) will be a very short
one.
The tobacco production of 18S0 was the
largest and most profitable in tlie history of
the country. The value of tho manufactured
product was S118,OU5,30G.
Those who have tried it say that air-slaked
lime sprinkled over potatoes lightly when
storing them, will prevent them from rotting
when there is tendency In that direction.
The census returns of 1*0, lately published
shows that the manufactured product of the
cotton grown In this country was valued at
S210,«50,3S3, being larger by' over one-fourth
than any previous year.
It is stated that English farmers find lt Impossible to maintain tho fertility of their land
without sheep, and in some parts of England
there are three sheep to four acres, while in
tills country tlie proportion is one to 30 acres.
The extensive mills of Minneapolis, Minn.,
are turning out 20.000 barrels of Hour per day,
and exporting to a large extent. The .mills of
Jlr. Gibson, of this oily, also aro running to
their full capacity, and have a large export
demand.
A siNGVLAK thing not often occurring in
tills country, was the fact that on the last,
days of Xovember of this year, corn for immediate delivery was higher in J'cw York
than wheat, oorn being quoted at SI OS to $110
and wlieat SI 07 to SI 08. Hut this stato of
things was speculative and did not remain so
long, - ,