ANNUAL REPORT—AGRICULTURE. 
27 
This must ever be the leading crop of the state, for the reason that 
it not only furnishes excellent and nutritious food for man, but is 
the crop upon which the farmer must ever rely to fatten his cattle, 
hogs and sheep. It is also good food for horses, particularly in 
cold weather when they perform labor which requires only a 
slow gait. For the roadsters, oats, or other food of less heat pro¬ 
ducing qualities are no doubt better. I cannot too strongly urge 
upon the farmers of the state the importance of raising this staple 
in abundance. It is less exhaustive to the soil than any other 
general farm crop, can be converted to more numerous and profit¬ 
able uses than any other, and is with proper care and cultivation, 
a sure crop. Lands may be seen in some parts of this state, where 
this cereal has been grown for twenty years in succession, and 
nothing of a fertilizing nature but the stalks returned, that in 
1871 produced as good crops as in any year during the period 
mentioned. The culture, care and preparation of such lands have, 
however, not been neglected. I would not advise this continual 
cropping to corn, but neverthelesss I do believe, that with a seed¬ 
ing to clover, say one year in ten, taking off one crop of wheat and 
one of hay, with eight of corn, that the land, if deeply and 
thoroughly cultivated, stalks plowed under carefully each year 
when in corn, will produce good crops for an hundred years. 
OATS. 
A slightly increased yield of this crop was apparent, and of su¬ 
perior quality. Oats are principally used as food for horses, but 
experience has shown that they are also very valuable food for 
stock hogs, a feed being occasionally given them instead of corn. 
'They contain more of the bone forming elements than corn, or 
wheat. This crop is more exhaustive to the soil than any other 
general farm product, and unless made very remunerative by 
nearness to high oat markets, I would not advise its culture ex¬ 
cept for home consumption, 
BARLEY. 
About the average crop produced, but of inferior quality. Ex¬ 
cept in localities where there is a home demand, and at highly re¬ 
munerative prices, I would not encourage its production in abund- 
