118 



Logau, Ottawa, Portaj^je, Putnam, Tuscarawas, Union, Washington, 

 Williams, Wayne, and Wyandot. Though injured in Fayette, it looks 

 well; it is thin in Auglaize, but healthy; injured in Geauga, but the 

 spring has been favorable ; damaged somewhat by fly and frost in Fair- 

 field, but looking well ; above the average in Warren, but not so good 

 as last year ; small, but not winter-killed, in Lucas ; looks well in Cham- 

 paign, except that wiiich was late sown. While much complaint is 

 made, the injury is generally of such ^, character as to be remedied by 

 the favorable weather in April and May ; and later reports indicate that 

 April has brought much of recuperation in its genial weather. 



Michigan. — A majority of the counties of Michigan report favorably. 

 Several experienced the effects of freezing and thawing weather, of ice 

 on flat, bare surface, and the disadvantage of late sowing was quite gen- 

 eral. Tiie worst winter-killing appears in Montcalm, Barry, Hillsdale, 

 YanBuren, Calhoun, and Livingston ; and in Oakland, "■ the j^oorest show 

 for thirty years." It is reported small but healthy in Lapeer, Genesee, 

 Tuscola, Antrim, and Jackson. It is represented in excellent condition 

 in Leelenaw, and makes a good appearance in Sanilac, Alpena, Monroe, 

 Calhoun, Cass, and Macomb. On the first of April it was covered wdth 

 snow in many sections ; in Emmet, to the depth of three feet. 



Indiana. — A general return from this State indicates a condition be- 

 low the average in a majority of the counties. Defective stands, from 

 freezin g and other causes, to the extent of one to three-tenths, are frequent ; 

 and "poor," " much winter-killed," " not so good as usual," and similar 

 expressions, characterize twenty to thirty of the returns. Injury by a 

 "grub worm" is noted in Union; and "injured in the fall, not winter- 

 killed," is reported from Kosciusko. In Fayette, where the condition of 

 wheat is unfavorable, it " is not so bad as in 18C8." Wheat looks well on 

 rich sandy loam in Warsaw, and is poor on clay soil. It is " better than 

 last year " in Spencer, and better than was expected in Pike. On the 

 whole, the injuries are mainly such as are reparable by due proportions 

 of rain and showei'S during the spring months. The Warren corre- 

 spondent says : " In the spring of 1864 the appearance was most unfa- 

 vorable up to the 1st of May, and that year we had the best wheat crop 

 that I have seen during a residence of over fortv years in this neighbor- 

 hood." 



Illinois. — The planting was late, the ground, too, generally badly pre- 

 pared, germination, therefore, irregular, and the winter coming earlier 

 than usual, a poor show of weak plants too often resulted. Under such 

 circumstances, the freezing and thawing of a comi)aratively open win- 

 ter was somewhat disastrous. Yet there were farmers who got in their 

 winter grain early on well-])re])ared land, and some of them upon soil 

 well drained, either naturally or by artificial means, and the residt, de- 

 spite the changes of an open winter, was seen in green and vigorous 

 wheat. Fields that were manured were also exempt from the ravages 

 of the frost king. These suggestive facts appear year by year, and it is 

 a pity that such hints are not more generally taken by the farmers. 

 Among the counties in which wheat is unfavorably reported are Green, 

 Madison, Gallatin, Peoria, Adams, Crawford, Edwards, Tazewell, Han- 

 cock, Kendall, Marion, Clay, Efhugham, Fulton, Macoupin, Pope, San- 

 gamon, Schuyler, Tuscola, (irundy, Knox, Menard, liandolph, St. Clair, 

 Wayne, Vermillion, and Clinton. In many of these counties later re- 

 ports indicate an improving condition, and they may yet yield an average 

 crop. In Pike County wheat is fine on new lands and bottoms ; in Pope, 

 good on fresh land or manured fields. The best farmers prophesy an im 

 proving prospect as spring advances. One correspondent refers to his expe 



