153 - 



Kenily half the returns from Indiana are unfavorable, and tvfo-thirds 

 of the remainder are only average. Drought in seeding gave a poor 

 preparation for winter. Wheat is more injured in Ohio County than 

 for nine years previously ; is 50 per cent, belov?^ average in Scott ; makes 

 a very poor show in Washington ; badly injured in Jennings ; in a largo 

 number of other counties the injury is less positively asserted. In 

 Dubois drilled wheat looks positively well ; and in Cass and Clinton 

 better prospects are reported than for several years. Specimen extracts 

 of remarks of correspondents are given : 



Dearhorn : From all accounts and from personal observation, I do not think one acre 

 in fifty of wheat ■will be left. It may be set down as a total failure. The same is 

 true of what little rye was sown. Franklin : Winter wheat looks very badly ; little snow 

 and long-continued severe freezinj^. Barley is an important crop here, yieldinj^ generally 

 more money than any other small-grain crop. It appears now to be almost entirely killed 

 by the severe freezing. When the mercury fell below 12'-'' there was no snow to protect 

 grain, and barley will not endure such a degree of cold. Much of the wheat was also 

 killed. Fulton : Winter wheat is one-half killed by hard freezing without snow. Soicard • 

 Wheat and rye have wintered admirably ; the snow has disappeared and the wheat looks 

 green and promising ; no winter-killing or spewing out as last winter. Prospects 25 per cent, 

 more favorable than last spring. Marion : Wheat is in first-rate condition. It has made 

 scarcely any growth yet in consequence of the very protracted cold weather ; but it is well 

 set and the roots in a very sound and healthy condition, aiid I should say that present pros» 

 pects are decidedly favorable for a good crop. Ohio: Wheat and rye are the worst winter- 

 killed that they have been for nine years ; from present appearances there will not be more 

 than one-fourth of an average crop. Ripley: Winter wheat is looking very poor at this 

 time, it being badly winter-killed from the long, dry, freezing weather, from the 1st of 

 January until the lOth of March, 1875, when we had a deep snow. Before that time there 

 was not two inches of snow altogether. Spencer: Fair average condition. We have had 

 a severe winter, and many supposed that wheat was nearly all killed; but since spring has 

 opened it has shown that the suppositions concerning it were erroneous. Steuben: Winter 

 wheat comes out very nice. It has started out wonderfully. It was very dry last fall and 

 did not get a good start. Wabash: I have examined some fields and find the roots alive, 

 but the top looks bad just now\ We have had the longest severe winter that has ever 

 been experienced on the Wabash. Ice was twenty-seven inches thick on the river. 

 iVnrren : Winter wheat is looking fine, and the prospect is good for a full crop. Wash- 

 ington : Several of our farmers, last season, sowed their wheat in the mouth of August ; 

 it came up well, and looked very well for a short time. In September it was entirely eaten 

 lip by a worm that resembled the army Avorm. Wheat that was sowed in the fore part of 

 September on good ground, and drilled in, looks well. All the wheat that was sown a little 

 broadcast and liarrowed in makes a very poor show ; in fact, in some neighborhoods farmers 

 report it all killed. IVclls : Wheat and rye look unusually well, and is not frozen out. The 

 blades are browned, but the roots are sound. 



The appearance of winter grain in Illinois is considerably below an 

 average. The number of counties reporting this mouth is sixty-nine. 

 Of these fortj^-eight grow winter wheat, though some of them only a 

 small quantity; of which twenty return below average, nineteen aver- 

 age, and nine above. To avoid repetition, a few extracts concerning 

 wheat have been given ; and the following digest of the wheat-returns 

 of this State will illustrate the peculiarities of the situation in April : 



Alexander: It has stood better than waa anticipated. Early sowing that was drilled 

 or plowed in looks very well, but late sowing, broadcasted and harrowed in, in corn 

 ground, is damaged badly. Bureau: Winter wheat and rye prospects splendid. Crawford r 

 Badly injured by severe winter. Cumberland : Wheat and rye are both in very fair condi- 

 tion apparently. Clinton : From present ajjpearances 25 per cent, of the winter wheat killed. 

 Cass : Condition of winter wheat 50 per cent, worse than last April ; winter rye 25 per cent. 

 worse. Clark : Unusually good ; never had a better prospect for a good crop. De Kalb : 

 Wheat will be almost entirely killed ; rye in fair condition. De Witt : Better than for some 

 time, especially that which was sown with a drill. The past few days of warm sunshine 

 have developed it wonderfully, and from present indications the harvest will be bountiful. 

 Effingham : Wheat and rye as fine as we ever saw it. Ftnjelte : Wheat and rye looking well, 

 and the prospect is flattering for a good crop. Franldin : A large proportion of our wheat 

 was sown with drills, and with but few exceptions the wheat has come through well. A 

 much larger breadth was sown last fall, and much more pains taken in preparing the ground 

 and putting in the seed, than has heretofore been practiced. Ford. : Allhough the winter has 



