COUNTY AND DISTKICT REPORTS. 293 



A few words on the topics sup'gested by President Mitchell, of the State Board : 

 The fence question is now upon the farmers of Indiana with feeling force, and when 

 looking at his surroundings can not but inquire, why is it that our Legislatures do 

 not take lessons from our neighboring State?, and remove more than half the burden 

 when nine-tenths of the agriculturists ask it at their hands? I fear the true 

 answer is, that farmers are an unorganized body, busied by the cares of home, not 

 besieging legislative halls to be protected in their God-given rights ; whilst the 

 idler and city votes command in boisterous tones a negative action to known 

 duties. Farmers say this is humiliating; yes, and until you speak as one man, 

 you may suffer and bear not only in this but in many ways, and your keen remind- 

 er is twice a year— your tax duplicate tells the tale. Year by year, from every 

 available standpoint, the farmer importunes the Legislature for a better protection 

 to his sheep. The present dog law is insufficient, and legislators know it. In 

 my position I speak the sentiments known to me of the farmer, whose interest I 

 am placed to represent, in my humble manner. I in each annual report repeat 

 some of their pressing and fair demands, until I am weary of not seeing some 

 fruits from those many appeals that go to the Legislature from all parts of 

 State. And now I say a word to the farmers: Organize in some shape; make your 

 wants known through petition ; speak in thunder tones, and you will be heard — 

 without, I fear you will ever bear and wait. 



Comparative Progress. — I give you this in an inferential way. Highly im- 

 proved farms here bring from $80 to §100 per acre. Tile drainage is pushed and 

 appreciated in every locality. Turnpike roads cover every highway that enters 

 Rushville. All cross-roads are being cared for by being graveled. Three railroads 

 pass Rushville. Convenient stations in all directions accommodate the outposts. 

 All land fenced, and blue-^rass sods the woodlands. Grain mostly corn and wheat. 

 An increase in hay annually. Improved stock of all kinds largely enter the com- 

 bination, or I may say mixed husbandry. From this picture I trust correct con- 

 clusions may be drawn. LoN Link, 



Secretai-y. 



SHELBY COUNTY. 



The annual exhibit for 1884 of the Shelby County Joint Stock Agricultural 

 Association was, all things considered, the most propitious in the history of Shelby 

 county. The people were in an unusual political agitation, there'was a general 

 financial depression, and the weather, as the exhibition approached, was unfavor- 

 able, yet in every department there was a full display. During the fair week we 

 were required to add to our stabling forty new stalls, having added forty the year 

 previous. The Live Stock Department was never so largely represented, and in 

 the Department of Agricultural Products it was found that our building capacity 

 was quite insufficient. Strong evidences were offered that our farmers are improv- 

 ing the breed of their live stock, particularly cattle, hogs and sheep, and are devot- 

 ing mental labor, with extra manual force, to the selection of seeds and the tilling 

 of crops. The county is purely agricultural, and grazing is not pursued in any 

 portion of it beyond the pasturage of the farm stock. 



