MARION COUNTY.

[EXTRACT FROM REPORT OF 1854. ]

The Society has three hundred aud sixty-six members. It was expected that a much larger portion of the farmers and mechanics of the county would have united themselves with the Society, had it not been for the excessive drouth of the last summer, which af fected the farmers in their crops to such a degree that it appears in some measure to have extended to the farmers themselves. Many of our first farmers appear to be wholly engaged in getting good prices for their produce, but seem to have little desire to attend our agricultural meetings, or lend a helping hand to improvements in agriculture. This will be corroborated by the fact that a premium list of some eight hundred and ninety dollars was made out by the executive committee, and that the amount of the premiums actually awarded to the different competitors is less than five hundred and fifty dollars.

Farms and Improvements.-The general aspect of the improvements in our county is cheering, and every where visible in the . increased cultivation of farms in many parts of the county, showing that the earnings of the people are being expended at home, instead of being invested in new tracts to lie unproductive for years to come, thereby rendering their families more comfortable after having endured years of toil in opening their present homes from the wilderness.

Horses, Mules, Cattle, and Sheep.-But little improvement is discernable in this class, although a few are laudably engaged in good, permanent, and marked improvement of the various breeds; but the generality of farmers continue in their old-fashioned manner, whether it be for the better or not.

Swine. This prominent and main staple of the county, instead of being improved in the breeding during the past season, has been neglected, and on account of the extreme drouth many stock hogs were sold and driven north, out of the county, where the corn crop escaped the drouth.

Wheat. The yield of wheat this year has been various, both in

quantity and quality; varying from eight to thirty bushels per acre, and not averaging more than twelve or fourteen to the acre. The causes assigned are various, but the one which is probably nearest right, is the extreme heat at the time of ripening, shrinking the kernel. Varieties-blue stem, Mediterranean, and Alabama. The best is Mediterranean.

Corn. The corn for the past year was much injured by the drouth, and there is probably not more than one half the ordinary yield. Price from 40 to 50 cents per bushel. There was more than usual planted last spring. It goes south to Kentucky for a market the present year.

Barley, Oats, and Hay were good, although there was but little barley sown. Price of barley, $1.00; oats, 33 to 40 cents; hay, from $10.00 to $14.00 per tun. Reliance as to the amount raised cannot be placed upon our own opinions merely, but we shall soon have a more sure data from the assessors' lists, if the law is properly carried out by the assessors.

Potatoes. Both Irish and sweet potatoes felt most severely the effects of the past uncommon dry season.

Buckwheat.-None raised.

Turnips.-The late rains brought them forward and produced a fair yield.

Farm Implements.—Improved farm implements are more called for, and the buffing, rusty, rough mould-board is giving way to the best polished cast steel, making the draught for the team much easier, as well as lending some aid to the holder, and enabling him to do his work not only better but more of it. Several enterprising mechanical establishments have been located in this county during the past year, at which implements of husbandry are made of which the manufacturer may justly be proud.

Fruits.-Much attention has been given during the past year to the introduction and cultivation of good qualities of all kinds of fruit, and thousands of trees are now being brought from the eastern nurseries in addition to those raised by our own nurserymen and sold within the county. The late spring frosts cut off much of

those fruits whose blossoms were opened at that time, making a scarcity of many varieties, except grapes, which were in abundance.

Dairy Products.-The different branches of the dairy have not received that special attention which their importance demands. Good butter packed in May or June for consumption during the next winter is valued by but few persons here, and as a consequence the market is sometimes bare of good butter. The price varies from 20 to 25 cents per pound, though some times it falls to 15 cents. So few make cheese at all, that indifferent cheese brought (and to our shame be it said) from Ohio retails at from 12 to 15 cents per pound. Accompanying this report is the description of the process of making, on the first award, of butter made in June last, and also for cheese-making.

Domestic Manufactures.-Much of the domestic fabrication in this county is worthy of the praise bestowed upon the different articles exhibited, and quite a brisk competition existed at our last Fair, and the premiums offered were competed for and mostly if not wholly taken.

Flax and its Culture.-Much as has been said and written on this subject, we have no information of any having been extensively raised except for the seed, and that cut by reaping machines, without endeavoring in any manner to save the lint, and until labor is more plenty and the price of the lint higher, it will not more than pay expense.

There were 411 entries made at our county Fair, and quite an increase on horses, cattle, domestic manufactures, and garden vegetables.

This report comes forward to the 24th of November, being the annual meeting of the Society for the election of officers, at which time the following officers were chosen for the ensuing year:

President, Fielding Beeler; Vice President, Evans Bristow; Secretary, John S. Tarkington; Treasurer, Powell Howland.

A. R.-10.

An address was delivered at our county Fair, to a large audience, by the Hon. Samuel E. Perkins.

POWELL HOWLAND, President.

JOHN S. TARKINGTON, Secretary.

STATEMENT CONCERNING PREMIUM BUTTER.

The butter made by me and presented to the committee on dairy products, was made in the latter part of May and first of June. The milk-pails, strainers, pans, churn, butter-bowl, ladle, and the jar in which it was packed were all well washed and carefully scalded with boiling water previous to use, to free them from all acidity or rancidity. Care was observed that no pail, pan or strainer was wet when used, as the cream or milk sours sooner if done. The milk was set in a cool, well ventilated cellar, and no ice or spring water used to cool the milk. After the butter was churned, the milk was well worked out, and, as near as guess-work could come, an ounce of Liverpool blown salt was added to each pound of butter, and then worked over twice more and packed in the jar. which was covered with a cloth, on the top of which was placed a layer of salt and moistened sufficient to make a brine to exclude the air, and then placed on the pavement of the cellar bottom. The milk of two cows only was used, and churned with the common upright dasher churn.

MAHALA HOWLAND.

STATEMENT CONCERNING PREMIUM CHEESE.

My method of making cheese is as follows: The night's milk is strained into a tub, dipped ont into pans, and set in a cool place over night. In the morning, the morning's milk is strained into the tub with the night's milk; the heat is then raised to eightyeight degrees, and then sufficient rennet is added to produce perfect coagulation in from thirty to forty minutes. When the curd is completely formed, cut it across each way with a broad wooden knife, made for the purpose; let it stand half an hour, when I gently break it with the hand, and commence raising the heat until it is heated to one hundred degrees, breaking it and keeping it stirred moderately; then I commence dipping off the whey, and cooling the curd carefully, not stirring it so fast as to start the white whey. When the whey is all drained off, to thirty pounds of curd I put one pound of lake salt. It is then put in press two days,

turned twice, into a dry clean cloth; it is then taken out and painted with annatto and put on shelves in an open room to dry. MRS. HIRAM BACON.

Washington Township, Marion County, Indiana.

N. B. Sage cheese manufactured in the same way, except adding the sage.

MIAMI COUNTY.

[EXTRACT FROM REPORT OF 1854. ]

The second annual Fair of the Society was held on the 12th and 13th days of October, 1854. The display of agricultural and other products was large, and altogether creditable to the industry, skill, and enterprise of the citizens of the county.

JOHN A. GRAHAM, Secretary.

ROBERT MILLER, President.

MORGAN COUNTY.

[EXTRACT FROM REPORT OF 1854.]

At a meeting of the Society, held August 21, 1854, the following persons were elected officers:

William B. Thompson, President; Uriah Ballard, Vice President; Addison Hadley, Treasurer; John S. Hubbard, Secretary.

The fourth annual Fair of the Society was held at Monrovia, on the 12th, 13th, and 14th days of October last. The weather was quite unfavorable for our Fair-raining, with but little intermission, the first and second days. On the third day it cleared up, but was still unpleasant under foot. In despite of the inclemency of the weather, a large number of persons were in attendance, both