Vol. XI
INDIANAPOUlS, IKDIANA, JULY 15th, 1876.
No. 28,
EXCHANGE DEPARTMENT.
PERSONALS.
Persons in any part of the state seeking the address or attention of parties in other portions of Ihe
state or country should make inquiry in this department
Lost, Strayed or Stolen.
No bettermedium could be selected than this department of the Farmer for the recovery of stock.
Tell your neighbor of it when you hear dt the loss
of his stock.
A two or three line notice will cost you only 25e
each Insertion.
FOR  SALE.
FOR SALE.—Ten Short-horn cows and heifers;
no bulls.   Recorded stock.   J. A. JOHNSON,
Poolsville, Warren county, Ind. 24-10t
""COR SALE.—A few choice Berkfhire pigs from 3
C to 4 months old. A. C. SHORTRIDGE, Indianapolis, Ind. 28-tf
FOR SALE.—Eggs of white-faced Black Spanish,
81.50 per 13 now. of my finest hens and by first
premium (Chicago). J. BENNETT, Sunman, Ind.   lt
T^OR SALE.—Eggs of Pekin Ducks, 82.50 for 9,
P these eggs are large and nine is a good setting.
J. BENNETT, tunman, Ind. 28-lw
EOR SALE—One Hundred Stands Italian Bees
for sale, at 810, with right of hive. Also honey
at 81 for 4 pounds and jar. Residence 5 miles northeast of Indianapolis on Fall Creek. Address, W. A.
Schofield, Indianapolis. .   25-lw
STOCK NOTES.
Mr. H. C. Willett, of Greenfield, Hancock county, has recently been on a trip
west in search of some fine pigs. While
in Charleston, IU., he purchased ol*
Messrs. Shepherd & Alexander, a Poland
China sow pig out of old "Black Bess,"
which is thought to be one ofthe finest
pigs ever brought to Indiana. On his return home, he stopped at Mr. Jas. Mustard's, Broad Ripple,[this county, of whom
he also m"de purchase of a very fine sow
pig out of his "Black Bess.". He has.
since been offered, $100^for the Illinois
pig. Mr. W.'now has' seven full-blooded
Poland China sows of the Black Bess
stock, besides a large number of other
Poland China hogs just as good.
Mr. S. H. Todd, of Wakeman, Ohio,
sends us a statement in reply to that made
by Mr. Guilliams, of Putnam county, this
State, regarding a Chester White boar the
latter bought of the former. In justice
to Mr. Todd, who stands high and honorable among well-known breeders, we
condense the points of his statement, as
we did that of Mr. Guilliams, and give it
to the public, and both having had a
hearing we shall expect it to end here.
Mr. Todd says the stock out of which
the pig sold to Mr. Guilliams was produced, was bought as pure Chester White
from Geo. B. Hickman, some nine years
ago; he has bred over a thousand pigs
from that stock, and none of them ever
had a black hair on them. Scores of
persons to whom this same stock has
been sold have had like results with it.
He calls attention to the fact that Mr.
Guilliams in his statement said himself
that the spotted product from his boar
was that from grade sows onlv, and not
thoroughbred. Mr. Todd says that he
will pay a hundred dollars for pigs with
black hair oh them, if the boar he sold
to Mr. Guilliams is bred to pure Chester
sows. Certainly there can be no surprise
at getting spotted pigs, when the boar is
crossed with grade and impure sows. This
result will not and ought not to surprise
any one.'
Mr. Todd is as highly recommended by
his sales, as well as by hosts of prominent
farmers in this and many other States, as
any breeder in the country.
 ■—•   m   •   ■	
Fast Breeders.
Editors Indiana Farmer:—I see quite
a number of articles in the Farmer on
different breeds of hogs. Mr. Cox of
Jackson county, claims that half or three-
fourths stock fatten just as well as full
bloods, and he says he is certain tbat
they breed faster. I think Mr. Cox is
mistaken. I would advise him_ to buy
one pair of full blood Poland Chinas of a
prolific family, and see if they don't
breed fast enough for him. I have a Poland China boar, "Jim Crow," a grand
Eig, from Shepherd & Alexander. He
as bred 107 pigs from ten sows this
spring. I don't believe that any half-
breed can beat that. I have a young
sow, "Mollie," that is suckling 11 pigs
from him; she farrowed May 12th, and
is in pig again. All my sows that pigged
in April and May are now in pig again,
and I think that is breeding fast enough.
E. Smith.
Greenfield, ind.
THE DISPROPORTION OF PREMIUMS PAID AT FAIRS   IN
HORSES AND CATTLE.
A paper prepared to be read at the State
Short-horn Breeders Association by Henry Craven:
This intelligent Convention of Shorthorn Breeders will pardon me for suggesting that I am at much loss to understand just wl it is intended by the proposition. The phraseology of the proposition would seem to indicate that it is a
recognized fact on the part of this convention that a disproportion exists, and
it would be reasonable to infer that the
disproportion was such as to work manifest injustice to the cattle breeders of
Indiana, by reason of a discrimination
against them and in favor of the horse
breeders, for it is not at all reasonable to
suppose that the party receiving the
lion's portion would be found complaining. If it is a fact that there is a disproportion and that it works manifestinjiist-
ice to the cattle breeders of the State, it is
the duty of this convention to protest
against it and by all honorable means to
endeavor to correct the wrong. The duty
of preparing an essay on the subject has
been assigned to me by this Association,
and if I was fully convinced of the correctness ofthe proposition, I should feel
that my only duty was to suggest the
best mode of correcting the wrong. Still I
am quite loth to believe that so intelligent
a class of gentlemen (whose profession
daily calls for investigation, critical observation, and a high order of reasoning,)
will unhesitatingly jump at a conclusion
and at once assume that the proposition
is correct just because somebody has
made complaints upon the subject, for
permit me to suggest that that kind of
reasoning is to-day holding too many industrious farmers in the old beaten path,
and causing them to feed-out to infirm
animals multiplied thousands of bushels
of grain, the product of their honest toil,
which animals when put upon the mar
ket will never bring the cost of the grain
consumed by them. Farmers and stock
breeders are the last men that should
hastily jump at conclusions.
For one I am not willing to concede
that any_ serious disproportion of premiums exists whereby the cattle breeders
are discriminated against and the horse
breeders favored. Of course I am unprepared for anything like an exhaustive
discussion of this question. I lack the
statistical facts, and to gather them up
fully and carefully would require the examination of all or a large portion of the
premium lists of the several county and
district societies of the State, a task quite
too great for me to undertake just at this
time.
But believing that the premium lists of
the State Fair would be as reliable an index to what other fairs throughout the
State are and have been doing, I have
concluded to draw the attention of this
convention briefly to the
lists of 1859 and 1875,
the first that I happened to lay my hand
upon in looking among some papers per
taining to the subject of fairs and premiums awarded. The two lists being at
periods of time somewhat remote are perhaps none the less fair as a basis, the first
quite early in the history of Indiana
State Fairs and the last of the latest date.
I conclude to content myself with this as
a want of time and the press of other business serve to forbid a lengthy examination. In 1859 the premium list shows
that $1140 was offered in premiums on
horses including trotting, pacing and saddle horses, and at the same time the same
list shows that the premiums offered on
cattle amounted to $1045; deducting $190,
the amount offered for trotting, pacing
and saddle horses, and we have the sum
of $950 offered for premiums on horses,
or $95 less than was offered for cattle. In
the year 1875 the Indiana State Fair offered for premiums on horses, $1907, and
$1100 on speed, making a sum total of
$3007 on horses, and on cattle the same
list shows that premiums were offered to
the amount of $2360 or $430 more on cattle than on horses exclusive of speed.
Permit me to suggest that I deem it
hardly fair to include premiums offered
on speed as a part of the premiums offered on horses, for this convention is aware
of the fact that our fast horse men pay
pretty well for their sport, generally 10
per cent, for entrance, while cattle quite
frequently are entered without fee and
such I believe was the case at our last
State Fair. And yet I am inclined to
think that it is the
PREMIUMS OFFERED ON SPEED '
that this Association is disposed to complain of, and while I am at a loss to
know just what stand high toned morality should take on this subjest, one thing
must be admitted, and that is, the Amer--
icon people are a sport-loving people and
will indulge to a greater or less extent in
sports and fits of merriment. Not long
since I read an article purporting to be
from the pen ofthe president of a college
or university of high standing, justifying
the amusement of horse trotting as an innocent and pleasurable one. For me I
am inclined to let people laugh and grow
fat and believe that I would go a considerable distance to a fair to see a few well
trained bulls put upon a trial of speed.
I fear that Short-horns in such a contest
would not be entered, especially if we had
to pay 10 per cent, entrance fees. I
trust that no one will infer that I dislike
Short-horns; but it will be a long time before they come into general use in this
country for traveling in buggies, carriages,
etc., or before they will be substituted for
horses in cavalry service. Horses and
cattle are both useful, eminently useful
in their places, and should both be encouraged, and between horse and cattle
breeders there should be no controversy
as there is ample room for both and in
both there is great need of improvement
on a very large majority of the animals
of this country.
 ■  •  .	
The Coming Short-horn.
The National Live Stock Journal makes
the following sensible observations:
The condition of the Short-horn cow
that makes her a poor milker is a purely
artificial one, opposed to her natural inclinations and tendencies, and so she re,;
sponds promptly to the efforts of the.
breeder who makes the effort to bring her
back to her old natural habit. And the
time is near at hand when breeders of
ARKANSAS.
Navigable Rivers—Geographical and
Climatic Peculiarities—Healthful-
; nets, Etc, Etc.
Little Rock, Ark., July 1,1876.
To the Editors of Indiana Farmer:
, Arkansas has no less than five navigable rivers, affording over three thousand
miles of navigation within ita limits.
These rivers are so distributed as to give
access to all parts of the State. And for
more than five hundred miles the great
Mississippi Biver forms its eastern boundary; altogether giving Arkansas more
than double the extent of navigable rivers
than can be found in any other area of
fifty-two thousand equare miles on the
i-Earth.
'.' These great rivers with their almost innumerable tributaries supply the State
with excellent and unlimited water powers, which, as yet, is little used; though of
t&e most inviting character. This vast
rwlmber of streams secures for Arkansas
me largest area of rich valley agricultural land of any State in the Union.
8 Owing to the geopraphical location of
ffche State, between the 30th and 40th par-
fallee of north latitude, it has the most
ypikl and desirable climate, and as there
Tj| a vast expanse of evaporating surface
^sputh, and contiguous to it, the rainfall is
'iinmense, averaging fifty-three inches annually, which, with the exceeding rich
soil and plenty of sunshine, insures a
very luxuriant and mature growth of
vegetation, and all the  grains,  grasses,
Short-horns will be compelled to pay more
attention to "milking qualities"—when it
will be said of an animal that her dani, •. ■- . ,,   ■    .   -_ •,,  _*-tv.   i ~       «. *
madespmanypoundsofbutterinag*
time; the dam of the sire gave so many
thousand pounds of milk within the sea^
n^pS^co^
fairs—the first among an hundred entries',
There will be more music in this, and'
more dollars in it, than in the senseless
twaddle about the pedigree with which,
every Up is loaded now. Farmers have
no use for cows that simply raise a calf.
They require a cow that will raise a big,.
climate is somewhat allied to that of the
■tiorth western States, though as a rule
'the.wifiters are very much milder and
.more agreeable, and the autumns much
longer and freer from cold winds and
early frosts. The summers n Arkansas
(are riot characterized by intense heat, as
stout calf, and more than pay for the* %aJv}n^Vh% ™*^£X&5P ^
•.^uiLssHi,^.;!    rt^;/;afK„V;^*t*3(Fto950Fahr.,from the first of June
until about the last of August, when the
nights begin to grow cool, and no heat
during the days, worthy of note, except
about noon. As September approaches,
the heat of noon gradually disappears,
and by the 20th of the month Autumn
has fairly commenced, and is gratefully
acknowledged, as it is characterized by a
cool and bracing atmosphere, with no
sudden changes and "cold spells."
The healthfulness of northwestern Arkansas is remarkable, and the opportunities for good investments in the finest
farming, fruit-growing, timber and coal
lands on the continent, are found here,
alongthcline ofthe Little Rock and Fort
Smith Railway, where lands are cheap,
i Conway.
keep besides at the pail. This is the kind
of cow the breeder of Short-horns must
provide, and when it comes to be generally known that Short-horn cows will do
this, the demand for them among plain,
practical farmers will surprise the most
sanguine.
 s   m   m
Cows in Calf.
When the cow is about half-gone with
calf, she should not be fed on grains,
turnips, or other succulent food, unless
accompanied with some dry fodder, as
hay, etc.; neither should she be turned out
to grass when the season ia far advanced,
or the pasture very moist. Potatoes
and such other watery food, are very apt
to produce abortion, when given liberally,
on account of their laxative effects. In
feeding a cow half-way gone in calf, a
proper medium must be observed in the
proportion of the different kinds of food
given, so that the bowels may be kept
regularly open, and no more. During
the whole parturient state it will be advisable not to keep the animal in too high a
condition, on account of its greater liability to inflammation after calving, parturient fever,etc.—Livestock Journal.
Crossing the Breeds of Sheep.
The Live Stock Journal says there are
a great variety of opinions on the best
way to cross sheep to improve them.
That a cross of the long-wool—say Cots-
woW, Leicester or Lincoln—will insure
an increase of carcass to nearly or quite
double the value of the common, or native, dam. >, The fleece will have additional length, considerable improvement in
style, and a perceptible increase in weight.
The improvement in length and lustre
will add to ita market value. A cross of
middle wool—say Southdown, Shropshire, etc., will add greatly to the quality
of the meat, somewhat less, though considerable, .to ita quantity; will thicken
somewhat the fleece, and give it slight additional weight, without adding much to
ita value per pound.
A cross of the. American Merino will
make a marked improvement in fleece—
adding to all its desirable characteristics,
except that of length. The weight, in
many instances, will be doubled, while in
any other than an anomalous condition
of the market, the value per -pound will
be somewhat increased. The size of carcass will not be increased, though its
compactness and symmetry of outline
will bo greatly improved.
Wisconsin Crop Prospects.
The Milwaukee Sentinel publishes reports from nearly every county in the
State, showing the condition of the crops.
From these it appears that the acreage of
wheat is as large as usual, and that the
fields generally promise well. The damage from bugs and other causes is confined to small areas, and the yield will
be large. Corn will fall below an average.
The yield of oats, barley and rye promises to be unusually heavy.
better per cent, than you now getjit will
be a source of wealth to the farmers of
theState.     *
I thought I would try "animal dust" as
a cabbage fertilizer, and in each alternate
row I used about a spoonful of the "dust"
to each plant, mixing the dust with the
soil and sett ing the plant in it, but I find
that about one-third of the plants thus
treated failed to grow at all, and those
that did grow are not growing rapidly
like those in the other rows.
Did I use too much or did I apply it
improperly? *
I also tried ita effect on pepper plants,
treating them the same as I did the cabbage plants, using the same quantity of
"dust," but the result was very, different,
the fertilized plants growing much faster
than the others.
What kind of fertilizer would you recommend for turnips, and how should it
be applied? ' F.W.
Nora, Marion codnty, Ind.
 » ♦ ■—. '
OUR CENTENNIAL LETTER.
NEWS   OF  THE   WEEK.
'zone, and some of the tropicals, yield the
JJargest crops here. In the northwestern
.portion of the State, the surface is undn-
Brine for Bathing the Feet of Horses.
A correspondent writing to the Practical Farmer, in relation to the use of salt
and lime for bathing the feet of horses,
says:
I have tried strong brine on foundered
or hoof-bound horses, and with good
results. I made a solution of salt and
applied it three times a day by washing
the legs and pouring upon the bottom of
the feet, and holding them up a few minutes to let it strike in. Isawthe wonderful
effects in a few days. I account for it in
this way: Salt will extract moisture
from the atmosphere, which keeps the
feet moist. Salt operates nearly like
grease upon the foot. The hoof becomes
soft, yet pliable. Like a chunk of wood
saturated with salt or brine, it is tough yet
moist. Thus it is with a horse's- foot.
Here let me add, that the practice of rasping a cracked hoof to toughen it is .all
folly. Apply brine, and you will effect a
cure. A horse that is driven upon a
hard road is liable to get stiffened. I
have seen valuable horses, driven upon
our own plank roads a few days, get quite
lame. I reasoned to myself as to the
cause, and adopted the use of brine as a
remedy, which proved effectual.
—• s   m   s —
ANIMAL DTJST FERTILIZERS.
Editors Indiana Farmer*—I have been
trying "Animal Dust Fertilizer," and with
but indifferent success, and I wish,
through the Farmer, to say a few words
to the Indiana Fertilizer Co.
If your fertilizers are all that you claim
for them, and if an actual trial will prove
that by their use farmers and gardeners
"can double their crops," you certainly
are not treating the farmers of Indiana
fairly in shipping so valuable a fertilizer
to other parts oLthe country.
Perhaps you will say: the farmers of
Indiana do not look to their own interests enough to be willing to buy a fertilizer;
but if you will show them how they can
"double their crops" by using fertilizers,
every pound you can produce will be
used at home, and besides paying you a
Philadelphia, July 5th.
To the Editors of the Indiana Farmer:
The grand Centennial holiday is over
and we have returned to our task of sober, hard work among the competing
products of the labor in this great world's
fair.
THE SHOW BY THE STATES—THE SOUTH.
I think I promised to say something of
the show which the several'states make
of their respective agricultural products.
The southern states make but a meager
exhibit of their vast resources.   It is a
curious—perhaps I should say a signifi-
cent fact that Victoria, Queensland and
New South Wales make a greater display
of their resources, though located on the
opposite side of the globe, than do our
own   Southern   States.     New   Orleans
makes a show of cotton second only to
Brazil and Virginia gives a large display of
tobacco and West Virginia of coal.   Missouri and Arkansas makes a fair show of
grain and forest timber.   Perhaps Kentucky may make amends for her entire
absence in Agricultural Hall now, by her
display of fine stock at the cattle show
in September; but regret the present neglect of those states, because Of the bad
impr*ession it leaves on the thousands of
close observing ' foreigners,    who   very
naturally attribute this deficiency to lack
of resources, or to a want of public spirit
which would prompt them to show what
they can do with their fertile soil and genial climate.
NEW ENGLAND.
With characteristic energy, makes a
magnificent display of her agricultural
and mechanical industries. Massachu-
etts displays the crops of her stony hills
and sterile soils, in a manner that will
betray a stranger to believe that her
fields are as fertile as the Nile. New
Hampshire, to lead her show, exhibits
two Chester white pigs, (stuffed specimens, of course) one of which weighed
1,200 and the other 1,300 pounds at sixteen months old. Near these ia shown
the old plow which Daniel Webster made
and followed in his youthful days. This
may be true, but these Yankees have
very vivid imaginations. Maine, Vermont and Connecticut all make very respectable exhibits of their varied industries of farm and shop, and are not at all
modest in urging their claims to attention.
THE  MIDDLE STATES,
especially New York and Pennsylvania,
have contributed liberally to make
the display in Agricultural Hall interesting, and this hardly so much in the direct products of the soil as in their manufactures of theseinto useful forms, such
as starch oat-meal, farina, hulled and
cracked wheat, etc.; large manufactories
of which are maintained in, or near the
great cities of New York and Philadelphia. Delaware has a good display of
timber adapted to ship-building purposes,
and strange to say, shows in.this collection the largest Walnut log in the whole
exhibition! Marylarid and New Jersey
are well represented by private exhibitors, but their State collections are of but
little interest.   Of the
WESTERN STATES,
Ohio and Indiana make a good show of
mineral wealth in the southern annex to
the main building, but riot one in ten
thousand of the visitors see it, or even
learn that there is such a place. More
knowledge of our mineral resources has
been communicated by the few blocks of
coal and stone at the Indiana building,
which everybody sees, than could have
been given by fifty annexes ever so well
filled. In field products neither of these
make a show more than barely creditable,
and Michigan and Wisconsin are but little in advance of them. Illinois makes
a fair grain display, but strangers go
away with the impression that western
grain is chiefly produced in Iowa. This
State has done herself great credit by
the attractive display she makes of her
farm and orchard products.' Minnesota
and Nebraska make proof of their capacity to produce them. California, through
the Pacific R. R. makes a very attractive
display of her wealth.      R. T. Brown.
state Jfews.
Lafayette furnished one murder on the 4th.
The result of drunkenness.
George Heaton, of Kokomo, aged twenty-
four, was drowned while bathing, a few days
since.
White river at Gosport claimed its victim on
the 9th, in the person of Albeit Clark, who
waa drowned while bathing. v
The deaths in this city last week numbered
thirty-seven. Nineteen were under one year
of age.
This city contains two ladies, a Mrs. Charles
and a Mrs. Shea, whose respective ages are
ninety-eight and one hundred and seven.
The opening of the political campaign in
this State is being arranged for by all parties.
It promises to be a hotly contested one.
The Independent party of the 9th Congressional District has nominated Leroy Temple-
ton, of Benton county, for Congress.
Thursday night of last week the store of D.
Mark Hernian, in Hickory Ridge, Posey Co.,
was destroyed by fire.   Loss $2,000.
The Vincennes National Bank, on the 6th
inst., reduced its capital stock from $200,000
' to $100,000. Since the organization ofthe bank
the stockholders have received $290,000   in
dividends.
Lucius Pierce, an old resident of Monticel-
lo, White county, and Independent candidate
for Sheriff, while chopping wood nearly severed a foot from the leg. His recovery waa at
last accounts thought to be doubtful.
Wm. Nelson made and used the first wheat
thresher in Putnam county. It was called a
"ground hog." He brought the first hogs to
the county, built the first foundry west of Indianapolis, is sixty-five years old, and can yet
do as much hard work as any man in Putnam.
A brilliant meteor was observed in the northwestern heavens on Saturday night last, which
is described as having been very large and
luminous, leaving in its course a bright belt
of light, for twenty minutes after the disappearance of the meteor. It was observed at
different points in the State.
The old State-honse at Corrydon, Harrison
county, still stands and is doing service for
the county. In it the first legislature of Indiana held its sessions. What was the Senate
chamber is occupied as a court-room and the
hall of the house as jury rooms. A local paper
declares it now presents a more creditable appearance than our present State-house.
The New Castle Mercury last week made a
savage assault upon a saloon in that town and
a drunken gang which congregated there.
Saturday night the office was visited, during
the absence of the proprietor and the employes, the presses badly damaged, the files and
part of the subscription list destroyed, and
$12,000 worth of accounts stolen. It is supposed that the parties mentioned in the article
above referred to were the raiders, and it is
hoped that they will be brought to justice.
General ""feres.
Robbers boarded an express train on a Mls-
""   and secured $16,000.
souri railroad on the 7th,
The impeachment trial of Belknap is going
forward in the Senate.
Congress will probably adjourn within the
next ten days.
There is no probability tha*the Senate will
pass the equalization bounty bill this session.
Miss Lou C. Allen, of Peoria, read the Declaration at Decatur, 111., on the 4th.
On the 9th the mercury reg istered 101° in
the shade in New York.
The Indian policy will now be the extermination of the savagas, unless they go back to
their reservations.
Governor Hayes has issued his letter of acceptance of the Republican nomination for
the Presidency.
The Government has sent forward re-enforcements of troops to the army in the Indian country.
John Dixon, the founder of the town of
Dixon, Lee county, 111., died July 4th, aged
92 years. 6
Rossville township, Vermillion county. 111.,
has repudiated her railroad bonds by a majority vote of 111.
On the 25th ult. General Custer attacked a
camp of 2000 or 3000 Sioux Indians, on the
Little Horn river, and he and his whole command, about 300 toldiers, were killed.
Representative J. G. Blaine, of Maine, has
been appointed TJ. 8. Senator,' to till the vacancy occasioned by Senator Morrill's acceptance
ofthe Secretaryship of the Treasury.
The recent floods in portions of Iowa, were
very destructive to the crops and other property. A whole village in one instance, was
washed away, drowning 30 or 40 people.
One of the Milwaukee whisky ring recently
returned from Europe, plead guilty to defraud-
in g the revenue, and was sentenced to one
day's imprisonment and $10,000 fine.
 . ■» .	
Those having a crop of Sorghum to work
this season, should now be looking about for
the best Evaporator. Seward ft Co., Bloomington, Intl., are making the celebrated Van
Slyke Pan, which has done so much to lessen
the labor, and improve the quality of Sorghum
Syrup. Send to them for an illustrated circular. 28-lw
, s   m   s	
.   You Can't Afford It.
No good farmer can afford to market wsry
grain. A moderate quality of grain, well
cleaned, brings a better price than the nicest
grade in dirty condition.
Dealers and farmers who wish to see the
best Grain and Seed Kan in the United States
will find it on exhibition in south end of Agricultural Hall at the Centennial. It is manufactured by A. P. Dicky, Racine, Wis.   2"M w