INDIANA HOKTICULTUKAL SOCIETY. 515 



Officers for 1904: President, Oliver Burgess; Vice-President, Stephen 

 Kuth; Secretary, Walter S. Ratliff; Treasurer, T. E. Keuworthy, and Cor- 

 responding Secretary, Hon. Joseph C. Ratliff. 



Our organization, until within later years, has united with the Rich- 

 mond Fair and Trotting Association, which has been holding county fairs 

 east of this city, and it has had charge of the exhibits of seeds, grains, 

 vegetables, fruits, flowers and culinary articles. 



AGRICULTURE. 



The average farmer has not been blessed as in former years in basket 

 and in store, as a combination of circumstances hath otherwise decreed; 

 but has been able to grow, harvest and dispose of his products without 

 any very material losses. 



Wheat— The past harvest was relatively a failure. The severe winter 

 and spring, together with the attacks of the fly and isosomas rendered the 

 crop practically worthless. Many fields were early sown to oats or plowed 

 for com, and of those remaining but an occasional one, when cut and 

 threshed, yielded grain that could have but a low rating. The recent 

 sowing did poorly, owing to the protracted drouth following seeding time, 

 and with serious ravages of the fly on the young plants, it has not en- 

 tered the winter in a very flattering condition. 



Corn— A large acreage. The late, wet spring retarded planting, fol- 

 lowed by a long spell of dry weather. August showers greened up grow- 

 ing corn, and with late frosts, this maize made a late growth, ripening 

 unevenly and slowly. At cribbing time the ears wei'e largely soft and 

 chaffy, with a yield of but 35 to 45 bushels to the acre. 



Oats— An unusual crop of fine sti-aw and grain. The season being 

 most favorable, an occasional yield of 60 bushels to the acre was har- 

 vested. 



Hay— Clover was heavy and saved in fine condition, but timothy was 

 light and not very tall, but with a small acreage of the latter, the prices 

 for hay have induced farmers to part with all they can handily spare. 



Live Stock— Low-priced cattle, milch cows and hogs have had a de- 

 pressing effect on feeders, and apparently fewer marketable animals have 

 been offered. Later feeding has been advocated to utilize the unsound 

 grain, 



FRUITS. 



The average fruit man has not been pleased with his year's work in 

 his plantations and orchards. With a profusion of bloom, the prospects 

 were flattering, but the later frequent showers interfered with successful 

 spraying with poisonous solutions, and the late frosts lessened the pros- 

 pects of the early blooming varieties. A very light consignment of nursery 

 stock was planted this year. 



