of level lands, studded at intervals with picturesque clusters of trees. Many of the upland prairies are skirted for long distances with noble forests, while those bordering upon the rivers are rarely productive of any description of timber. The whole earth is replete with vegetable wealth. Upon the prairies there is, at the proper seasons, intermingled with gay and odorous flowers, a thick covering of grass, growing to a height of seven or eight feet. The soil of the prairies, as well those which are elevated as those which lie along the rivers, is surpassingly rich, the loam commonly reaching to a depth of two to five feet. The trees of native growth comprise several varieties of oak, walnut, maple, elm, sycamore, beech, ash, linden, locust, sassafras, buckeye, cottonwood, cherry, and mulberry. The most important of the cultivated products are wheat, Indian corn, rye, and other grains, potatoes, and various other esculents. Grapes, and indeed fruits of all kinds peculiar to the climate, grow profusely. Among the many valuable staples of this state are large quantities of beef, pork, butter, cheese, sugar, wool, tobacco, and hemp. D

AGRICULTURE.

There were in this state in 1855 over 6,000,000 acres of land improved, and about 9,000,000 acres unimproved land in farms. Cash value of the farms, about $150,000,000. Value of implements and machinery attached thereto, $7,000,000. Value of live stock, horses, oxen, cows, &c., $25,000,000.

The wheat crop last year was 15,000,000 bushels. Rye, 149,897. Buckwheat, 200,000. Indian corn, 73,950,000. Oats, about 7,000,000. Barley, about 50,000. Potatoes, over 2,000,000. Sweet potatoes,

over 2,000,000. Value of fruit produced, $400,000. Value of produce of market gardens, $75,000. Pounds of butter made, about 14,000. Cheese, about 700,000. Maple sugar, 3,000,000 pounds. Molasses, 200,000 gallons. Wool produced, about 3,000,000 pounds. Flax, about 300,000 pounds. Hops, about 100,000 pounds. Tobacco, 1,500,000 pounds. Hay, 413,000 tons. There were made 15,000 gallons of wine, sparkling Catawba, &c.

INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS.

The Wabash and Erie Canal, 187 miles in length, connecting the navigable waters of the River Wabash with those of Lake Erie, is the most important enterprise of the kind in which this state has been concerned. Nearly 100 miles of its extent are in Indiana, and the residue in Ohio. The whole was completed in 1843. The Whitewater Canal, a work of much less magnitude, is partially completed, and several additions are contemplated. A railroad, commencing at Indianapolis, connects the capital with three or four different points on the Ohio, a distance of about 100 miles. From the same point of beginning, another road, partly macadamized, extends northwardly to Michigan City. Other railroads have been projected, some of which are in course of construction.

GOVERNMENT.

The executive power resides in a governor and lieutenant governor, the latter being president of the Senate, and acting as governor in cases of vacancy. The legislature consists of two branches, Senate and House of Representatives, — apportioned to the counties according to the number of qualified electors, in such ratio that the number of representatives shall not be less than 36 nor more than 100. The Senate is never to contain less than 12 nor more than 50 members. All the above are elected by the people triennially, except the representatives, who are chosen every year. The legislature convenes annually. The chief magistrate cannot hold office longer than six years in any term of nine years. The secretary of state, treasurer, and auditor are chosen by the General Assembly in joint ballot, the first for a term of four years, and the two latter for three years.

EDUCATION.

Attention to this important interest has been considerably awakened within a few years. A common school fund, to be derived from various sources, was founded by a law of the state in 1849, at which time the several funds set apart for the purpose were valued at upwards of $700,000. By the census of 1840, there were within the state over 38,000 white persons, above the age of 20 years, who could neither read nor write.

Asylums for the blind, the deaf and dumb, and the insane, have been established. There are several colleges, and numerous academies, in various parts of the state. The names and locations are as follows: Indiana State University at Bloomington, Hanover College at Hanover, Wabash College at Crawfordsville, Indiana Asbury University at Greencastle, University of Notre Dame at South Bend, Hartsville University at Hartsville, Indiana Theological Seminary at Hanover, Ecclesiastical Seminary at Vincennes, Indiana Medical College at Laporte, Indiana Central Medical College at Indianapolis, Indiana State University Law School at Bloomington, and Indiana Asbury University Law School at Greencastle, the whole having, in 1850, 1069 students. There were also 131 academies, 6185 pupils; 4822 schools, 161,500 scholars; 151 libraries, aggregate number of volumes 68,403. School fund (productive and unproductive,) $4,998,000. Present available annual revenue, $159,501. There is an institution for the education of the blind at Indianapolis, an institution for the education of the deaf and dumb near Indianapolis, and also a hospital for the insane. The state prison is at Jeffersonville.

RELIGIOUS STATISTICS.

In modes of faith there is much diversity. The most numerous classes of Christians are Methodists, Presbyterians, and Baptists; there are also considerable numbers of Lutherans, Episcopalians, Roman

Catholics, and Friends. There were in the state, in 1850, 428 Baptist churches, 187 Christian, 2 Congre gational, 5 Dutch Reformed, 24 Episcopal, 10 Free, 89 Friends, 5 German Reformed, 63 Lutheran, 778 Methodist, 57 Moravian, 282 Presbyterian, 63 Roman Catholic, 5 Tunker, 5 Union, 1 Unitarian, 15 Universalist, and 13 other sects, the whole having 2032 churches; total value of church property, $1,529,585.

POPULATION.

The population of Indiana, since the year 1825, has increased with unexampled rapidity. At that date the number of inhabitants was estimated at 185,000; 1850, 988,416; 1855, about 1,200,000. Among the causes which have conduced to attract settlers thither, the extraordinary fertility of the soil, the low price of lands, the facilities for inland water communication, and the healthful climate, are doubtless among the most prominent.

INDIANAPOLIS.

Capital of the State of Indiana, and seat of justice for Marion county. It is situated very near the geographical centre of the state, on the east side of the west fork of White River, which is navigable, except at low water, for steamboats from the Ohio and Wabash Rivers to this place. The ground on which it is built, together with the suburbs, embracing, all together, four