256 
in Indianapolis, are built of this stone. The coal of Vigo county is said to be 
very valuable for smelting iron ore, as it does not need coking. Limestone is 
also found in abundance, and immense quantities are burned for shipment to the 
south. Peat is found in several counties and is attracting attention. The soil 
throughout the entire State is generally of the very best quality, and well 
adapted to all kinds of grain and fruit. 
4. Indiana cannot be said to have any speciality in farming. Wheat, corn, 
oats, hay, and flax are grown and generally yield good crops. In Wayne 
county the yield of corn and wheat is much smaller than formerly, and the latter 
now scarcely pays for cultivation. Many of the bottom lands yield $20 per 
acre profit when planted in corn. In referring to the failure of the wheat 
crop in some of the counties, our reporter in DeKalb says : 
Wheat has heretofore been made a specialty here, but for three years past has failed, and 
as but little attention has been given to stock raising the county is nearly impoverished by 
the failure. 
Rye and buckwheat are cultivated to some extent in Bartholomew, Cass, 
Greene, and Martin, and produce well. Corn is much depended on for domestie 
purposes, and appears to be the favorite crop, never failing, and in some locali- 
ties yielding from 50 to 100 bushels per acre. 
5. The Mediterranean varieties of wheat are generally preferred. Amon 
the kinds cultivated are Blue Stem, Lancaster, Tappahannock, White Italian, 
Delaware, May, Wabash, Baldwin, White Flint, “ Lancaster, or Weevil proof,”’ 
Canada Club, Alabama White and Swamp wheat. In several counties the 
“Weevil proof” is preferred, and the Delaware, and Tennessee, or May wheat 
in others. In Benton the Bearded Mediterranean is preferred, because it stands 
the winter and escapes the rust. In Brown county the Swamp wheat super- 
cedes the Red Mediterranean, and in Howard it is the general favorite, while in 
Decatur both are preferred to other kinds. Our reporter in Howard sends 
us the following in regard to “ Swamp ” wheat, which is supposed to derive its 
name from the fact that it will stand the winter in low, wet ground, when no 
other will: 
Many kinds of wheat have been tried in this county, (Howard, ) but.the ‘‘ swamp” appears 
to be the universal favorite among our farmers on account of its early maturity and almost 
total immunity from the midge. 
It is also highly spoken of in several other counties. 
The Mediterranean is generally sown from the 1st of September to the 30th. 
The usual time for sowing all varieties of winter wheat ranges from the 1st of 
September to the last of October, and harvesting from June 15 to July 25. 
No varieties of spring wheat reported. 
In 22 counties reported, more than half the acreage is drilled. In Jennings 
the proportion is nine-tenths ; in Fountain, Warren, and Fayette, three-fourths ; 
in Decatur, Clinton, Vigo, Bartholomew, Kosciusko, and Montgomery, two- 
thirds. Steuben, Spencer, and Lawrence report “none ;” Putnam, “very little ;” 
Posey, “some little;” Scott, “no drills;” and Tippecanoe, “mostly drilled.” 
It appears probable that from four to five-tenths may be drilled. In 27 coun- 
ties, out of the 53 reported, drilling is the preferred mode of culture, in speaking 
of which our Cass correspondent says: 
Drilling is the usual mode in the prairie lands, for the reason the crop is more easily and 
evenly put in, and the further reason that the strong winter winds strip the roots of the grow- 
ing crops of that which is sown broadcast, the soil being light and sandy, causing it to be 
killed by the frosts. On the contrary, the drilled crop is rather improved by the wind, the 
growth being in a small furrow, made by the drill, in which sand and light earth drift, and 
cover more completely the roots and protects them from the frost. 
6. Blue grass, timothy, and clover grow abundantly. Blue grass, however, 
is the most prominent. It supplies the place of other grasses which die out, 
and in some counties takes possession of the pastures in a few years. Regular 
pasturage costs from $4 to $10 per head during the season. In Warren, good- 
