VOL. XXI.
INDIANAPOLIS, IND., SATURDAY, DEO. 18,1886.
NO 51
INDIANA CROPS.
What the Indiana Bureau of Statistics
Shows.
The coming report of the Indiana Bureau of Statistics will contain aome interesting facta and tUures respecting the
growth and development of agriculture In
thla State. The last legislature foolishly
amended the law ao as to authorize a report only onoe ln two years. But the
Cnief of the Burean went on gathering
facts for comparison, and the forthcoming
report will be a valuable one.
The yield of the leading crops thla year,
aa shown by the statistics, are aa follows:
Crop. Acre*. Bushels.
Wheal  *,tta,9a *I^M^t7
Corn...-  l.'ta.ttf
Oats       aja*
Barley __ „      1»,UT
flax _        II.**.
By* 	
Irian lOtatoea.......	
Sweet potato.• ..........
Buckwheat ,
Clover seed ......  —
Timothy „_.__. —
Tntre were 1,820,421
n.ois
1US,217,.0>
_B,Oj.102
a*J,t78
iu,ia
raun
M*a.Ua.
-U.aft)
105.714
2io>ia
U.Ms
timothy
tons of
from 1,296,710 acres, and clover about the
aame tons from 1,0T5,71* acres. There
were 17,803,470 pounds of tobacco grown.
In referring to the oorn crop, the report
says:
"The moat productive of Indiana cereals
showa a net lnoreaae in fifty-one oonn-
tiee and a net decrease in forty-one, the
former standing ln the ratio of 66 1113 per
oent to the entire number. Tbe average
increase ln fifty- one counties was 6 3 bushels per acre, and the average decrease in
forty one counties waa 4 7 bushels, a difference of 0 6 of a bushel in favor of the
counties presenting an increase. A comparison of the wheat yield for the aame pe
riod shows a net Increase in twenty-nine
counties, and a net decrease ln sixty-three
oountries, the former being but 31 2-3 per
oent of the total. The average lnoreaae ln
twenty-nine counties waa 1.7 bushels per
acre, and the average decrease in sixty-
three counties 2.6 bushels per acre, a difference of 0 9 buahel per acre against the
counties showing an increase. The oats
crop for ths same period ahows a net increase ln eighty-seven counties, and a net
decrease ln five, the former being 94 3-13
per cent of all the oounties ln the State.
The average increase in eighty-aeven
counties waa 9 bushels per acre, and the
average decrease ln fire counties waa 3.9
bushels per acre, a difference of 6.1 bushels per acre tn favor of the counties showing an lnoreaae. From thia analysis the
fallowing deductions are made:
Oora.   Wheat.   Oata.
Per cent, of counties *bow-
| Ing gain  66101I   1112-U   91.1 It
AT.rage gain  per acre In
bushels   i MO   1J710 »
Percent, of constl a Show
log loss. MS-IS Ml 10        sio-i"
Average loaa per   acre   In
boabal*-    47-10    1S-10 39-10
"It will be seen from these oompari-
sons,"ssys Mr. Peelle, "that oata, possibly
the least Important of the cereals, haa the
largest per oent. of counties showing gains,
and that the average gain per acre ia
largely in exoeas of the other two, being
8 7 bushels per acre ln excaaa of wheat;
also, that the per oent of oounties In
which this cereal shows a 1,
than either
the loss per acre la 0.8 of a bushel less
than oorn, and but 1 3 buahel ln excess of
wheat. The latter, and the moat Important of the cereals, not only has the smallest per oent. of oounties showing gains,
but ita average gain per acre is also leas
than either of the others, thus making a
wide difference between the aggregate of
the crops on an average basis. Tbe fact
that sixty-three oounties show a decrease
ln five years in wheat, and forty one a decrease ln oorn, should of Itself Inspire the
farming community to provide against a
further decrease. The land in Indiana
should increase, instead of decrease, in ita
products under the influences of improved drainage and the new and tried
fertilizers. The decrease oan only be accounted for on the hypothesis that the
tillage is defective, and that fertilizers are
but sparsely or improperly used. The alternation of crops affords no re*t, and the
land oan be kept np to the standard of
production only by a liberal and Judicious use of fertilisers,"
Of the diseases of domestio animals, Mr.
Peelle says:   "The total number of oattle
dying from accident and   disease in the
State la 1886 was 2_,601,  and in 1886 the
number waa lnorsased nearly 10,000, the
total  being 36,333.   Among horses,  distemper, pink-eye and epizootic have prevailed ln many oounties to an alarming
extent, and in many instancas the distemper proved fatal.   Several cases of glanders
occurred   in Parke  and Starke counties.
Bnt 35 oounties in the State escaped entirely from all the forms of contagions diseases among horses.   The tottl number of
horses dying from accident and disease in
1886  was 14,176;   mules,  1,238.   In   1886,
horses, 16,742, and mules,  1,606.   Reports
from 635 townships indicate a peculiarly
healthful condition of the sheep ot the
State, the only disease reported being the
"scab," and that appeared in only two
oounties,   Porter   and   Switzerland.   The
total deaths, exclusive of those killed by
dogs, numbered  38,125 in 1885, and '9 321
in 1886.   The year 1886,  the report says,
was an exception in the matter of prevalence  of  cholera   among   hoga.   But  20
oounties  in the State were exempt from
the disease, and ln many the reports show
fatalities ranging from 10 to 20 per oent of
the entire number raised.   One trustee reports  that all   the hogs  ln his  township
died from the disease,  and in several 60
per cent were reported dead.   Or a total of
326.555 dying in 1885 and 402,164 in 1886,
at least 80 per oent waa due to the ravages
of cholera.   The  total number  ot  hogs
raised in Indiana ln 1886 was 1,761,629, of
whioh 402,16i,  or nearly 23 per oent died
from  disease.   Ot  the  total   number of
hoga raised  in the  State it ia found that
ISM per cent died from cholera.
The farm value of oorn waa 38 centa per
bushel ln December, last year. It la now
37 cents, 1 cent higher than the crop of 1884.
The average for the previous five years
was 44 7, and for the ten years prior to 1880
It was 42 6 oents. The prioes ln the surplus States are: Ohio, 35>; Indiana, 32s;
Illinois, 31c; Iowa,30c; Missouri, Slo; Kansas, 27c; Nebraska, 20o. Thia ia an increase
over last year of 1 cent ln Nebraska: 3 in
Kansas, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio,and 6 ln
Iowa and Missouri. The average ia 563 in
in New York, 47o in Pennsylvania, and
45o in Virginia, 2 oents lower in eaoh than
last year. Prioes in the cotton States
south and west of North Carolina are higher than laat year—South Carolina, 60s;
Georgia, 60o; Alabama, 68a; Mississippi ,59;
Louisiana, 66c; Arkansaa, 49c; Texas, 60c.
An increase of 11 oents is due to the disss
trous drought.
"The average December price of wheat
ia 69 centa, a reduotion of 8 oents from the
average value of the last crop.and 4S cenu
above the prioe in 1884. The average ln
New York la 84 cents, 12 oents lower than
last year ; Pennsylvania, 83 cents IS cenu
lower. The reduction is still greater in
several Western States. The average of
Ohio is 71:: Michigan, 73c; Indiana, 70j;
Hlinoia, 69 •: Wisconsin, 68c; Minnesota,
61c; Iowa, 600; Missouri, 63o; Kan.
saa 58o; Nebraska, 47c; Dakota, 62c
There la little decline ln the Southern States, ln some of whioh prioes
are higher than laat year. The average in California la 73s, The average
value of oats is 29,93, against 28 5 last De
cember. Rye averages 63.10, against 57 9o
lsst year. Barley, 53o; laat year, 56 3o
Buckwheat, 54.4c, a reduction of 1 5o per
bushel. Potatoes, 46c, one oent higher
than ln December last year. The valne of
hay averages nearly 83 per ton.
CO-OPERATION.
Among the Live Stock Breeders Of the
Ohio Valley.
VAIU* OF FAEM PE0DUCI8.
The crop report, just out, of the Department ot Agriculture, ssys that the December returns of average  farm prioes, by
oounties, show   material   reductions,   aa
compared in values of the crops of 1885, in
wheat, rye and barley. Corn has made an
advance nearly equivalent to the percentage of reduotion in quality, and oau, ln
sympathy with oorn, rather than with the
ia mnch small grains used for human food, aver-
ot the others, while  agea a slightly higher valne than last year.
The correspondence whioh hss taken
place during the last three or four weeks
between leading cattle growers of the
Ohio Valley, and the discussion of the sub
ject by the newspapers, have ahown that
there exists a very general feeling in favor of an organization that shall fairly
represent the interests of this great Indus
try. Tiie suggestion of s preliminary
convention at aome convenient point to
consider the matter, has been received
with such general favor aa to leave little
doubt of the ultimate success of this important enterprise.
The hesitation the friends of the movement have in regard to naming a day for
such a meeting, haa been occasioned by
the fact that during the next few week-
there are so many local meetings appointed ln the interest of agriculture, that will
conflict with the time that waa at first
thought expedient to name.
The proposed organization, it must be
remembered, is designed to constitute a
medium for bringing about a concurrence
of opinion among cattle growers all questions of oommon interest, and to furnish
the moat efficient methoda for the expression of such opinions. In this view
of the subject It wss deemed adviaable to
hold the convention  during  the present
month, ao that ita resolutions in regard to
the urgent necessity of lmmedla'e action
by the general government for the extirpation of the contagious lung plague,
whioh Is new threatening the oa*tle growing Interest of these Western States with
such alarming disaster ln time to Influence
the present osngress.
As thi* now seems Impracticable, it la
suggested thst every farmer in Ohio, and
adjoining States, who la acquainted with
any Representative or Senator ln Congress,
shall at onoe write him a letter, urging tt a
immediate paaaage of a bill conferring
upon the general government authority to
appraise, slaughter, and pay for every
animal affected with, or that has been exposed to this disease, and to have suoh
supervision of inter-state transit of cattle
aa will enable It to prevent the spread of
ths contagion.
Now, while the treasury is over flowing
with surplus means that all parties are
making it the aubject of complaint, la the
time when this enormous danger threatening our agriculture may be eradicated
without the slightest financial Inoonvenl-
enoe to the government or the people.
As respects our first oonvention, It will
doubtless be called to meet at an early
date, not later certainly, than tbe beginning of February. And it ia respectf nlly
suggested that steps be immediately taken
ln every locality interested, to secure a
proper representation at this preliminary
meeting. Let every live atock, or other
agricultural association, State, county, or
township, aee to it that they are properly
represented. It is not proposed that credentials shall be required, but if the matter la left without an understanding as to
the parties to attend, it is possible that
many localities will be unrepresented.
We shall be very glad to receive suggestions from all who may be kind enough to
favor ua with their assistance.
T. C. Jonks,
President of the Ohio Shorthorn Breeders'
Association.
Delaware, O., December 8.
||A kkfort from a speclsl committee on
new fair grounds will be presented for
consideration before the Delegate Board
of Agriculture, to meet on the 4th prox.
Our readers should Instruct their delegates
aa to their wish ln this important matter.
Let them know that yon are ln favor of a
removal, and at onoe.
The treasurer of the Montgomery
oounty Fair Association reports 11,724.94
ss ths surplus in his hands after paying
all olalms. The election of offloers resulted ln making W. H. Durham president and F. L. Snyder secretary.
The St. Louis and Western R. R. Company has filed articles of association ln
the office ot Secretary of State. The line
Is to run from this oity southwest, between the Vandalia and the Vincennes
roads.
Last Sunday was very quiet in this city,
on account of the enforcement of the law
against selling liquor on the Lord'a day.
Would it not be well to forbid It every
day*
R. L. Scarlett, Esq., of thla city, has removed with his family to Orange Hill,
Florida, where he haa large landed inter-
eats.