WHEAT AHD OTHEB CHOPS CVJV
We are now within a few days of April,
and our reports from all sections of the
winter wheat States are to the eflect that
the. wheat crop Is in better oondilion than
for aeveral years past at this date. The
first half of March is tbe hard period (or
the plant and it is past that and not damaged, our correspondents say. The winter
waa very unlike that of last season, when
the wheat grew, and was so tender that lt
was killed by a March freeze. During the
fall tbe plant attained a line growth, and
the past winter, though mild, brought
light freezing from the start, and continued Into March, which kept back growth
and a repetition of last year's disaster.
During the worst March weather the
ground was covered with the deepest
■now of the winter and afforded a complete protection. And thus spring opens
with the best prospects in 10 years for a
big wheat crop.
Out reports also show that the clover
plant and meadows are in like line condition;
"The same is true of all kinds of fruit,
which has become an important (actor in
the general prosperity.
Live stock are very generally in the best
condition, and enter upon spring with
much promise.
BETTEB PBICES.
Wheat, corn, oats, cattle and hogs have
permanently advanced in the markets.
The damage reported abroad by the severe
European winter, to the grain crops seems
to be one of the causes of the advance in
grain.
The permanent advance in cattle and
hogs, though expected earlier, has come at
last. Short supplies are pretty well established, caused by a rush to market on ac-
cohnt of short grain crops last year. The
wlhter has been a fortunate one. Comparatively open and mild, cattle in many
latitudes grazed till well into winter, and
the subsequent mild weather has not required nearly the usual amount o( feed to
keep stock in good condition. Last week
good grade beeves touched ?6 25 per hun-
d**'»ki)withthecommonfallIng?2 below this.
The recent sharp advance is no doubt
partly due to the removal o( (oreign re
stiictions on export cattle. Hogs of prime
grades went to a fraction over _4 last week,
the best fl 35. With foreign restrictions
removed on pork, we shall no doubt have
better prices for hogs permanently established.
The McCormick Building.
We give an excellent illustration of the
magnificent structure ^ recently erected,
and now occupied by the McCormick Harvesting Machine Co., in Indianapolis. It
is one o( the finest and most substantially
built business blocks in the West, and tho
only six ttory and basement building in
Indianapolis. In an architectural senso it is
as handsome as it is imposing, the front
showing a harmonious blending of effects
which only brick, terra-cotta, blue Bed-
(ord stone and granite can give.
It Is occupied (rom basement lloor to
roof exclusively by the McCormick Harvesting Machlno Co., and Is the largest,
finest and most thoroughly equipped edifice in this country, and probably in all
the world, used exclusively in the harvesting machine trade. The building carries
an almost unaccountable supply o( binders and mowers for which the McCormick
name is famous.   One lloor  is  given  up
back of which is the office of the shipping
clerks.
Speaking tubes and electric bells connect the different offices with each other,
and with all parts of the building. A
speedy elevator 8x15, with a capacity for
heavy work, assists in the rapid dispatch
of business. Mr. Hey wood states that
when it was decided to erect this building
and equip lt with modern appliances, the
object was to serve their customers more
promptly, more certainly and more satisfactorily. They expected the venture
would prove more expensive than the old
time methods, but are agreeably disappointed not only in the increased satisfaction experienced by their customers but
in the fact that the percentage of t\*e cost
in transacting their business is loss now
than by the old system. Perhaps the
dlllerence between the use of the Self-
binder and the cradle will best Illustrate
the point.
WHEAT DAMAGED Iff FBAKCE.
The latest reports from France, regarding
the largest wheat-growing and exporting
countries of Europe, state that fully 50 per
cent damage has resulted to the crop by
that extreme winter just passed. This
seems to be affirmed by the sharp advance
In the price of wheat in this country.
Wheat touched one dollar and above last
week in Chicago, and the prospect for bet-
teriprices for the coming crop are much
better than for several years past. In sympathy with this corn and oats also advanced the former touching in Chicago G3
to 65 cents per bushel.
, SOWIH(J OATS.
From various quarters comes word that
• targe oats crop will be sown this spring
Far-mere find that the oata crop when good
briagsthem early money in the autumn for
meeting bills, and find this crop an Impor-
taatone. Much land is already in condition for sowing in the southern sections of
the State, and Indeed on tile drained land
■owing has begun. On the heavy clay soils
more fertilizers than usual are being used
on the oat crop. It has been; found valuable in the increased production. The present prices and outlook for the future justl-
t_r a large acreage in oata, and from present appearances there will be a large area
•own. •
MCCORMICK  I1LOCK, INDIANAPOLIS
entirely to binder twine, an article of
which this company sold over 40 car loads
In Indiana last year. Another floor is especially fitted up for the repair stock, and
so ingeniously is it arranged with its
4,000 boxes and 1,000 bins and system of
indexing that it is easier and much quicker to find any extra part of a machine that
is wanted than to find the name of "John
Smith" in a city directory, with the directory open at the Smith's. The Indiana
farmers owning McCormick machines
have the same advantage for procuring repairs, (duplicate parts) in case of accident
as though the factory were located in Indianapolis.
The first floor Is devoted to samples and
office rooms. The building occupies a
corner lot and is therefore well calculated
to furnish light and cheerful offices, which
fact has been taken advantage of. Ranged
in succession on the south side we see as
we enter, first on our right the general
office, next comes the stenographic and
correspondence room, adjoining which is
the private office of the manager, J. B.
Hey wood; on the other side are the cashier, book keeper and note clerk's rooms,
Farmers' Reading: Circle.
Pro tempore officers: H. S. Bartholomew,
president, Middlebury Elkhart Co.
W. J. Goodwin, Clear Creek Monroe Co.
Among the books recommended for the
present year's reading are Black Beauty,
price 25 cents.
Wisconsin Farmers, Institute Bulletin,
No. 4, 25 cents.
A Long Look Ahead, or The First Stroke
and the Last, by A. S. Roe.
Mr. B suggests the following topics from
the Wisconsin Bulletin for the first
month's work.
First week, "Small Fruit Growing on
the Farm," -'Noxious Weeds" and "What
Shall we Bead."
Second week, "Potato Experience,"
"Clover" and "Home Education."
Third week, "Corn Culture," "The Business Farmer," and "Some Helps to Home
Making." •
Fourth week, "Gather up the Fragments
that nothing be lost," and "Wild Flowers."
mittee: Mrs. Meredith; Prof L-Hta; Senator Mount; Mrs Laura Davis Worley, of
Ellettsville, and Miss Katherine Callaway
of Terre Haute.
I believe tbat one person should be appointed from each county to work up the
interest in their respective counties. I am
not well enough acquainted over the State
to know who would do in every county,
but I will name a number tbat I know
and others whose names appear on Prof.
I .at La's list of Institute workers, and others
who havo written articles on the Heading
Circle in tho Farm Kit. The names are as
follows: Bartholomew Co., W. T. Strickland, Columbus; Blackford Co., Win.
Noonan, Hartford City; DaKalb Co., Will
Francis, Waterloo; Delaware Co., T. J.
Claypool, Muncie; Elkhart Co., AV. M.
Mitchell, Elkhart; Fayette Co., Hon. Milton Trutlor, Bently; Floyd Co., J. Beard,
New Albany; Fulton Co., J. A. McCling,
Rochester; Gibson Co, Robert Mitchell,
Prlne-t-n: Grant Co., I. N. JMlller, Upland; Hamilton Co., E. II. Collins, Matts-
ville; Hendricks Co., Mrs. John Morgan,
Plainneld; Henry Co.. E. II. Peed, Now
Castle: Johnson Co., S. W. Dungan, Franklin ; Kosciusko Co., S. I). Anglin, Warsaw;
La Grange Co., J. N. llabcock, Haw Patch:
Madison Co., Wilson Cory, Anderson:
Marion Co., J. G. Kingsbury, Indianapolis;
Marshall Co., Lemuel Littleton, Argos;
Noble Co., J. W. Moorehouse, Albion;
Parke Co., Thomas Nelson, Bloomingdale;
Porter Co., E. L. Furnoss, Furnessvlllej
Rush Co., 1). L. Thomas, Rushvllle;
Shelby Co., Dr. C. A. Robinson, Morristown; Starke Co., Jacob Keller, North
Judson; St. Joseph Co., Hon. Aaron Jones,
South Bend; Steuben Co., Prof. Aaron
Holbrook, Fremont; Sullivan Co., J L.
Shields; Vanderburg Co., Miss Jennie
Hooker, McCutchansviUe; Vigo Co., J. M.
Sankey; Wabash Co., Mrs. Kate M. Busick,
Wabash: White Co., 8. T. Virden; Elkhart
Co., H. S. Bartholomew, Mulberry.
%iXxo gcpavlmcnt.
BY VINSON CARTKR, K8Q.., THIS CITY.
Question.* Jluat Have General Applleatlon.
We must decline hereafter to reply to queries by
mall. It was not our intention to open a free legal
bureau, as many seem to think, for the benefit of
private Individuals, although subscribers. AH we
can consistently do is to give opinions on cases of a
general character, such as are likely to occurto citizens In any part of the state at any time, and the
answers to which will be generally useful. These
questions should be stated as clearly and briefly as
possible.
Editors Indiana Farmer:
I will   appoint on
the Executive Com-
1. Is growing wheat  personal property
also clover ana timothy nay?
2. If not while  growing, when do they
become personal property? M. A.
1.   No.
•'2.   They become  personal property as
soon as harvested.
A dies in 188,'!, leaves a widow and children and 190 acres of land, without a will.
The estate was settled without selling any
land. .The widow marries again, B. was
appointed guardian for the minor heirs,
and has since that time rented the undivided y_ to the stepfather, for the keeping and raising of the minors, and also to
keep the buildings and farm in good repairs, also to pay the taxes and insurance.
1. What right has tbe widow now on
the land, and could she be held responsible for debts tbat tbe stepfather has made
lately?"
2. Are any of the heirs entitled to any
rent, before they all become of age?
■i. How must the said guardian invest
any surplus rent, if their should be any,
before the heirs become of age?
Vigo Co. C. S.
1. The widowownsonethirdof.beland.
She is not liable for her husband's debts.
2. Each heir is entitled to his share of
the rents upon becoming of age.
3. Loan it at interest.
Rush Chambers, a well-to-do farmer residing near TaylorsviUe, was fearfully
gored in the left thigh, on Sunday, the
15th, by a mad milk cow. Gangrene has
set in and it will be necessary to amputate
the limb.