JUNE 24 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
425 
What Will the Harvest Be ? 
(CONTINUED. 
The Figures show the number of reports received. 
Maine. —Wheat good, 50 reports; medium, 
20 reports. Oats good, 100; medium, 100. Rye 
all good. Corn medium, 110; poor, 90. Barley 
all good. Potatoes good, 120; medium, SO. 
Grass good, 150; medium, 59. Fruit good, 
80; medium, 75; poor, 45 
Connecticut. —Wheat good. 20 reports; me¬ 
dium, 40. Oats all medium. Rye ditto. Corn 
good, 15; medium, 45. Potatoes good, 10; me¬ 
dium, 50. Grasses and fruits all reported good. 
New York. —Wheat good, 150; medium, 
125; poor, 75. Oats good, 188; medium, 115; 
poor, 47. Rye all good. Corn medium, 160; 
poor, 140. Barley generally good. Potatoes 
good, 200; medium, 100. Grass good, 160; 
medium, 100; poor, 40. Fru't good, 270, 
medium, 30, 
Pennsylvania.— Wheatgood, 12»; medium, 
80. Oats good, 120; medium, 80. Rye good, 
k); medium, 150. Corn good, 111; medium, 
90. Barley all reported medium Potatoes 
good 75; medium, 125. Grasses good, 120; 
medium, 80. Fruit good, 150; medium, 50. 
Virginia. —Wheat good,* 80; medium, 20. 
Oats good, 64; medium, 36. Rye good, 75; 
medium, 25. Corn good, 80; medium, 20. 
Potatoes all good. Grass all good. Fruit 
good, 20; medium, 20; poor, 60. 
West Virginia.—W heat all good. Oats 
good, 50: poor, 44, R e all good. Barley 
all good. Potatoes all good. Grass good, 65; 
poor, 35. Corn good, 20; poor, SO. Fruit good, 
15; medium, 30; poor, 55. 
Kentucky. —Wheat good, 80; medium, 10; 
poor, 10. Oats good, 80; poor, 20. Rye good, 
75; poor, 25, Corn good, 50; medium, 30; 
poor, 20. Barley all good. Potatoes good, 88; 
medium, 12. Grass good, 55; poor, 45. Fruit 
good, 20; medium, 50; poor, 30. 
Arkansas. —Wheat all good. Oats good, 
50; medium, 30. Cor i good, 50; poor, 30. 
Potatoes all good. Fruits all good. 
Tennessee. —Wheatgood, 126; medium, 14; 
Oats good, 75; medium, 30; poor, 35. Rye all 
good. Barley, 75; medium, 65. Corn good, 
119; medium, 21. Potatoes good. 115; medium, 
25. Grass good, 70; medium, 70. Fruit good, 
45; medium, 95. 
Alabama. —Wheat all good. Oatsallgood, 
Corn good, 45; medium 35. Potatoes all good. 
Texas.— Wheat all good. Oats good, 180; 
medium, 00. Rye all good. Corn good, 180; 
poor 60. Barley all good. Potatoes good, 80; 
poor, 100 Grass all good. Fruits good, 120; 
medium, 40; pocr, 80. 
Ohio —Wheat good, 200; medium, 100. 
Oats good, 200, medium, 50; poor, 50. Rye 
good, 220; poor, 80. Corn good, 20; medium, 
200; poor, 80. Barley good, 225; medium, 60; 
poor, 15. Potatoes good, 175; medium, 75; 
poor, 50. Grass good, 260; poor, 40. Fruit 
good, 70; medium, 160; poor, 70. 
Indiana —Wheat good, 180; medium, 60; 
poor, 40. Oats good, 23S; medium, 24; poor, 
18. Rye all good. Corn good, 80; poor, 200. 
Barley all good. Potatoes good, 250; poor, 30- 
Grass good, 140; medium, 80; poor, 60. Fruits 
good, 180; medium, 70;poor, 30. 
Illinois, —Wheat good, 240; medium, 120. 
Oats good, 260; medium, 100. Rye good, 260: 
poor, 100. Corn medium, 120; poor, 240, 
Barley good, 340; medium, 120. Potatoes 
good, 300; medium, 60. Grass good, 180; 
medium, 126; poor, 54. Fruit good, 120; 
medium, 200; poor, 40. 
Michigan.— Wheat good, 180; medium, 20. 
Oats good, 160; medium, 40 Rye all good. 
Cora good, 65: medium, 15; poor, 120. Barley 
good, 160; medium, 40 Potatoes good, 150; 
medium, 50; Grass good, 100; medium, 50, 
poor, 50. Fruit good, 150; medium, 40; poor, 
10 . 
Iowa. —Wheat good 200; medium 80. Oats 
good 220; medium 60. Rye good 200; medium 
40; poor 40. Corn good 98; medium 98; poor 
84. Barley, good 210; medium 70. Potatoes 
good 160; medium 80; poor 60. Grass goi d 
200 ; poor 80. Fruit good 54; medium 108; 
poor 118, 
Nebraska.— Wheat good 110; medium 90. 
Oats good 150, medium 50. Rye good 150; 
medium 25; poor 25. Cora good 100; medium 
80; poor 20. Barley good 160; medium 40. 
Potatoes good 90; medium 110. Grass good 
120; medium 00; poor 20. Fruit good 100; 
medium 50; poor 50. 
Wisconsin.— Wheat good, 180 ; medium, 
40; poor, 20. Oats good, 132; medium, 61; 
poor, 47. Rye good, 160; medium, 60; poor, 
20. Corn good, 43; medium, 154; poor, 44. 
Barley good, 40; medium, 200. Potatoes good, 
70; medium, 126; poor, 44. Grass good, 114; 
medium, 80; poor, 46. Fruit good, 210: poor, 
80. 
Minnesota, —Wheat good, 240; medium, 
20. Oats good, 190; medium, 70. Rye good, 
160; medium, 50; poor, 50. Corn medium, 
80; poor, 180. Barley good, 156; medium, 
104. Potatoes medium, 180; bad, 80. Grass 
good, 75; medium, 70; bad, 15. Fruit medi¬ 
um, 40; bad, 220. 
Kansas. —Wheat good, 360; medium, 20; 
poor, 20. Oats good, 320; medium, 70; poor, 
10. Rye good, 800; medium, 80; poor, 20. 
Corn good, 240; medium, 100; poor, 60. 
Potatoes, all reports promising. Grasses 
generally reported favorable. Fruit good, 300; 
medium, 100. 
Colorado. —Wheat all good. Oats good, 
138; medium, 22, Rye all good. Corn medium* 
60; poor, 100. Barley all good. Potatoes 
good, 125; medium, 45. .Grass all good. 
Fruit medium, 60; poor, 100. 
Dakota.— Wheat good, 102; medium, 18. 
Oats good, 105; medium, 15. Rye good, 100; 
medium. 20. Corn good, 48; medium, 72. 
Barley good, 90; medium, 30. Potatoes all 
good. Grass all good. 
Canada —Wheat good 50; medium, 150. 
Oats all reported good. Ryegood, 50; medium, 
50. Cora good 45; poor, 55. Barley good, 
100; medium, 60; poor, 40. Potatoes medium, 
150; poor, 50. Grasses good, 140; medium, 60. 
Fruit good, 160; medium, 40. 
Various. 
IRRIGATION ITPMS 
Collected in Western Kansas by our Rep¬ 
resentatives. Improvement and Pro¬ 
gress. The Experiments Meeting 
With Success. 
MESSRS HOLMES AND SWEETLAND. 
(Special Correspondents of the Rural Nkw Yorker. 1 
An abundance of water does not necessarily 
insure a plentiful harvest, a fact which none 
will dispute; whereas a sufficiency of water 
properly distributed and at intervals during 
the growing season, is almost indispensable 
for the production of crops. During the past 
year this has been shown to perhaps greater 
advantage than at any time previous, and a 
great many farmers who have heretofore hes¬ 
itated between possessing a farm on very wet, 
or on very dry land, now infinitely prefer to 
run the ri<ks of an adequate rainfall, and 
take one in drier regions. 
The locality from which we write, west of 
the 100th meridian in Kansas, and traversed 
by the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe R. R., 
comprises the counties of Sequoyah, Kearney 
and Hamilton. At present these counties are 
but sparsely settled, and the reason for it is, 
not the inferior quality of the lands, by any 
means, but the insufficiency of the rainfall 
during the growing season. The year 1881 
has been an experimental one in irrigating the 
vast regions contiguous to the Arkansas River, 
along whose banks the railroad runs. The 
experiment has proven to be a remarkable 
success. There is no question in regard to the 
advantages of irrigation for the purpose of 
raising crops of all sorts, but it is questionable 
whether irrigated lands can be utilized to an 
advantage to the farmer for the production 
of the cereals, when immense crops of vege¬ 
tables or fruit may be raised upon them. 
There is no kind of farming which is older 
and whose principles are more thoroughly 
understood than that which is conducted on 
irrigated lands, and one peculiar feature which 
we have noticed, in regard to the system is, 
that those who have cultivated irrigated farms 
will not be satisfied with any other kind. 
There are probably two reasons for this: one 
is, that they have perfect control of the water 
with which their fields are moistened during 
the growing season, and in case of a deficiency 
of rainfall can supply the loss with the means 
at hand; the second is that a man can make a 
profit upon ten acres of irrigated land much 
larger than four times the amount that can 
be made by the ordinary processes of culti¬ 
vation. 
One striking illustration of the success of 
this system Is in the Territory of Utah, where 
we never hear of drought and where the 
Mormons have been successful in raising the 
largest crops, and the finest fruits ani vege¬ 
table produced in the West. Of couise, the 
area of tillable land which can be irrigateil 
to advantage in the United States, is compar¬ 
atively small, when you take into considera¬ 
tion the vast territory entirely dependent 
upon rainfall, but where irrigation is possible, 
and the supply of water sufficient anil reliable, 
there is no question that land possessing such 
advantages excels any locality dependent 
upon rainfall. 
When pursuing our investigations in regard 
to this character of farming, wo stopped at 
Garden City, in Sequoyah County, where the 
greatest width of the Arkansas Valley on the 
north side is found. There we met Mr. J. R. 
Holmes, a gentleman who is thoroughly 
posted in regard to all of the interests of the 
locality, and from him we obtained consider¬ 
able information, and by-the-by, he informed 
us that he would gladly answer any cor¬ 
respondence upon this subject, or devote his 
time and attention to any visitors who might 
desire to become more thoroughly acquainted 
with what had already been done by the 
irrigating system, in Western Kansas. 
Sequoyah County has now about 1,000 
population and it is expected by the end of 
this year, there will be at least 1,500, the 
necessary amount for organization, at which 
time Garden City will unquestionably be the 
county seat, and consequently have the 
business of all the counties west, which is 
now taken to Dodge City, the nearest county 
seat of an organized county. A bill has just 
parsed for a new land district, and a govern¬ 
ment land office will undoubtedly be located 
in Garden City. The city has now a popula¬ 
tion of about 400, and is, in fact, nothing more 
than an enterprising, thriving little town. 
The school facilities are fair, and a new 
church is now under contract. The develop¬ 
ment of the town only began with the offered 
sale of railway lands, March 1, 1S82. One 
thing which seems to insure a certain growth 
and permanent prosperity, is the fact that 
since the organization of the town from thirty 
to forty sales have been made to gentlemen 
each of whom is worth not less than 110,000 ; 
and where capital is beginning to organize 
and invest we may be assured there is some¬ 
thing more than wind. 
We were informed by Mr. Holmes that the 
largest ditch in this vicinity is that of the Gar¬ 
den City Irrigation Co., which Is chartered by 
the State and owned and operated by farmers 
living near at hand, also that farmers settling 
here can buy shares of stock in the ditches, 
which will rapidly increase in value. The 
cost of the present improvements of this com¬ 
pany is about $45,000, which represents 24 
miles of main ditch, capable of irrigating 50,- 
000 acre3 although the area which may be ir¬ 
rigated here is over 100,000 acres; a fine mill 
site for a water-power is situated at the head 
of the main ditch, for which parties are now 
negotiating. 
The Arkansas River above here is a peculiar 
stream. It is about one half a mile wide, with 
a constant current, which never disappears in 
the sand, and in the river or many islands, 
rendering the damming and control of the 
water a comparatively easy matter and a 
certain result. There can be uo lack of water 
during the growing season when it is most 
needed, for at that time the snows from the 
mountains are melting and the stream is con¬ 
stantly supplied. The flow is regulated by 
a long main ditch through the farming 
section, tapped on each side by ditches belong¬ 
ing to the farmers who can secure at any time 
the water necessary for invigoration of their 
crops. The expense of operating the Garden 
City ditch is about $1,000 per year, and the 
price charged for the nse of the water is now 
$1. per acre, although most of the farmers 
using it are advocating the raising of the price 
to $2.50 per acre, so that additional improve¬ 
ments can be made iu the ditch, in which most 
of them are stock holders and part owners. 
The water is allowed to flow on the lands at 
intervals, and, contrary to the rule in a great 
many irrigated localities, does not flow off 
again, so that the fertilizing elements it con¬ 
tains from the vegetable matter gathered by 
the streams and rivulets pouring into it from 
the adjacent hill sides, are deposited upon the 
fields, and the soil enriched in consequence, so 
that repeated cropping will not impoverish it, 
and the fertility will be constantly increasing. 
Besides the company mentioned, the charter 
of the Kansas Irrigating Company covers a 
length of 30 miles, 15 of which are already 
constructed, issuing about three miles west of 
Sherlock and six miles north of Garden City. 
The Minnehaha Irrigation Company .chartered 
July 6th 1880, has a ditch over 10 miles in 
length, irrigating a beautiful tract of land 
embracing over 20,000 acres. The Great 
Eastern Irrigation Company organized by 
some Kansas capitalists, is proposing to do 
great things, extending their ditch 50 or 60 
miles. The organization and labor of these 
companies show that capital is becoming in¬ 
terested in seeing what can be done by irri¬ 
gation in Western Kansas, and certainly the 
results of last year have not been dis¬ 
couraging. 
We visited the farm of Squire Worrell with 
Mr. Holmes, and were regaled with items 
that would fill a volume, in regard to what 
has been done iu this region. We used our 
eyes, however, as well as our ears during our 
ride, and noticed that upon each side of the 
road, which led along close to the main ditch 
the farmers were busy in their fields, some of 
them flooding at the time of our visit, and in 
some of the more advanced fields of early 
planting the crops were already in sight and 
doing finely. 
As we approached Mr. Worrell’s house we 
were invited to jump out of the buggy and 
take a stroll. We did so, and passed through 
one of the most beautiful fields of A lfalfa 
(Chilian Clover) that we have seen. Mr. 
Worrell informed us that during 1881 he gath¬ 
ered five crops, He estimates the average of 
his crops last season as follows; Irish pota¬ 
toes, 400 bushels tv the acre; sweet potatoes, 
600 bushels to the acre; onions 600 bushels to 
the acre; cabbages 4,000 heads; melons 8,000 
heads; turnips 1,000 bushels; and spring wheat 
20 to ‘25 bushels per acre. He has farmed here 
for two years. He irrigates two, three, or 
four times, as it seems necessary for the cul¬ 
tivation of the products, and gives the pref¬ 
erence of products to potatoes, onions, and 
cabbages. He says it is his opinion that any 
man can come here and upon a few acres, 
purchased where irrigation is practicable, 
can make more money than many other char¬ 
acter of farming. We asked him if he would 
sell out; he answered, “No, gentleman, I have 
no desire whatever to sell, in fact, I am pur¬ 
chasing, and making additions to my farm 
this year.” lie has a pleasant house and 
around it are a number of cottonwood trees, 
which he tells us were set out in slips two 
years ago, entirely eaten off one year ago, 
yet now by measurement they are fourteen 
feet high. He says that fruit grows well, and 
all his small fruit, and his orchard are doing 
finely. 
Mr. Holmes mentioned the names of several 
farmers, among them W. D. Fulton, J. B. 
Smith, W. A. Hauber and others, but unfor¬ 
tunately we were not able to see them per¬ 
sonally. Mr. Holmes himself has been doing 
considerable this year iu farming and looks 
forward to his harvest with the longing eye 
of the miner, who is certain that there is a 
rich yield of ore behind the ledge lie is picking 
at, with this exception that, whereas the 
miner’s certainty is largely influenced by his 
hopes, Mr. Holmes is actuated to believe 
from the past experience of himself and his 
neighbors. 
■» >» 
The Orient Strawberry. 
In the interests of accuracy and simplicity 
in our catalogues of fruit permit me to call 
the attention of the readers of the Rural to the 
Orient Strawberry. I would be glad if those 
fruiting it this year would compare it wfith 
the Monarch of the West. I have watched it 
on my own place since it began to blossom 
and have compared the flowers, foliage and 
fruit with the Monarch’s and can detect no dif¬ 
ference. I have no doubt but that it is a seed¬ 
ling of the Monarch as Mr. Oscar Felton, the 
originator, claims, but with our list twice as 
long already as it ought to be, why increase 
it by adding others almost if not quite identi¬ 
cal with some welt known variety. At any rate 
the people ought to be informed that they are 
not purchasing a decidedly distinct kind. I have 
also seen it fruiting on other grounds than 
my own, and experienced horticulturists 
agreed with me that it had every mark of the 
Monarch. I do n „t by any means claim that 
it is so; but would only direct attention to the 
question whether it is sufficiently distinct to 
deserve a place on our lists. E. P. Roe. 
Corawall-on-the-Hudson N. Y. 
CATALOGUES, &C. 
Beks and Honey: or the Management of 
the Apiary for Profit and Pleasure. Thos. G. 
Newman, 925 West Madison Street, Chicago, 
Ill. In cloth, 75c; in paper, 50c; post-paid. 
That a third edition of this work has been 
called for is sufficient evidence of its popular¬ 
ity with apiarists. It contains 160 profusely 
illustrated pages, and full directions for the 
establishment and management of the apiary. 
We notice several new chapters on “ Bee Pas¬ 
turage a Necessity,” “Management of Bees 
and Honey at Fairs,” " Marketing Honey,” 
etc. No bee-keeper should be without it. 
Premiums and Regulation for the thirty- 
third Annual Fait- of the Ohio Board of 
Agriculture to be held in the city of Columbus 
on August 28, to September 1st. W. I. 
Chamberlain, Secretary, Columbus, O. 
Edmeston & Waddell, 2SI Greenwich St., 
New York City, N. Y. A pamphlet of the 
certificates and opinions of practical men who 
have used the John P. Manny Reapers and 
Mowers. 
Special Report, No. 40, on Condition and 
Needs of Spring wheat culture iu the north¬ 
west. By Hon. C. C. Andrews of Minnesota. 
Department of Ag., Washington, D. C. 
List of Premiums and Regulations for the 
43d Annual Fair of the New York Ag. Society 
to be held at Utica, Sep. 25 to 29. Address 
State Ag. Society, Albany, N. Y. 
Report of the Ag. and Chemical Depart¬ 
ments of the State Agricultural and Mechani¬ 
cal College for 1881. Auburn, Alabama, by 
Prof. Win, C. Stubbs. 
Annual Catalogue of the State Agricul¬ 
tural College of Michigan, 1SS1-3. Robert G. 
Baird, Secretary, Lansing, Michigan. 
Report on Condition ok Winter Grain, 
etc. for April and May 1SS2. Department 
of Agriculture, Washington, D. C. 
Peter Vajn Vblsen & Sons, Overveen, 
Haarlem, Holland. Wholesale catalogue of 
Dutch Flowering Bulbs. 
Proceedings of tbe Montgomery Co. Hort. 
Soc. Wm. Ramsey, Sec’y, Dayton, O. 
