814 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



FOUNTAIN, WAEREN AND VERMILLION. 



The Fountain," Warren and Vermillion Agricultural Association held its twen- 

 ty-fifth annual fair at Covington, September 16th to 19th, inclusive, 1884. The 

 attendance was larger than ever before, the receipts being $2,700 and the ex- 

 penses the same, leaving the society about even. The badge system (we charge 

 $1.00 for a family badge) is ruinous, as it is abutted to such an extent that we have 

 learned of fifty persons getting admittance on a single badge. 



Our fair is run on strictly temperance principles, and no gambling is allowed 

 on the grounds. Our show of stock this year was extra fine — ^we had four herds of 

 fina cattle and some very fine horses. Our farmers were in good spirits, as the corn 

 crop was larger than it has been for years, in many places uplands producing as high 

 as eeventy-fire bushels to the acre. The wheat crop was excellent, the crop on the 

 river bottoms, firr a wonder, being a success. This always means abundance for 

 this section, as the Wabash is the western boundary of this (Fountain) county, and 

 the eastern boundary of Warren and Vermillion. The lower or southern portion 

 of this county is rather wet, but the tile industry is booming, and it would he safe 

 to say that there has been more ditching done within the last two years in this sec- 

 tion of the State than in any other of equal area. The result i^ wonderful, and the" 

 farmers claim that they can plow corn in an hour or two after a rain, where they 

 formerly waited from two to three days. 



I am also happy to say that the sheep industry is looking up; the dogs were 60 

 bad formerly that it was almost impossible to raise sheep with any degree of suc- 

 ce.ss The hog crop for 1884 was extra large, immense numbers being shipped to 

 Chicago and Indiynnpolis. 



Farmers are buying less land, and paying more attention to getting out of debt 

 and making substaniial improvements in the shape of good houses and barns. 



Under the new gravel road law we are building gravel roads, the counties com- 

 prising this district being favorably located for a fine article of gravel. Barbed 

 wire fencing is coming into general use, as the .scarcity of timber makt-s the old 

 reliable rail fence too expensive. New orchards are being set out, and our j^pple 

 crop last fall was good. New coal fields are being opened at Yeddo and Silver- 

 wood, in the southern part of this county, and very lately a mine has been opened 

 at Covington. The vein is not thick, ranging from twenty-seven to thirty-two 

 inches, but the coal is tine block. We have had no hog or chicken cholera this 

 Reason, and, taken all in all, this has been a bountiful year indeed, the only draw- 

 back being the extremely low prices for grain. 



O. P. Lewis, 



Secretary, 



HENRY, MADISON AND DELAWARE. 



The Henry, Madison and Delaware Agricultural Society held their annual fair 

 August the 19th,.::0th, 21st and 22d, it being one of the most successful fairs ever 

 held at this place. The receipts were largely in excess to any previous fair, as 



