The Tiffin tribune. [volume] (Tiffin, Ohio) 1848-1859, 1858-10-15
Letter from the west.

IOWA CIrN, october &nd, bB.,
EDIroRs TwrlN TRiBuNE-Sinoe wri.
ting my last, have been over a portion
Of Scott, Musoatine, Cedar. johnson and
Washington Counties. The farmers do
not stand erect rs they do in Northern
Ohio, but are all inclined in forward al.
rocton, meditatiug. The subject that
most engages their attention appears to be-
how shall we pay our debts9 The wheat
crop is next to a failure-many have not
cut their wheat, and those who have, find
It a bill Of expense, / have never seen
so poor a quality Of wheat:-the worst
specimens, seen 10 the zenith Of OLio
veevils, we're better than this is. fear,
that it will not bo safe to use Il for seed.
much Of it is SO imperCoctlJ developed that
It can not grow. The oats crop. was m
entire failure. The people of Iowa must
procure their seed in tie spring, from
abroad; wherefrom, can not tell.
The corn crop is much better than was
anticipated The warm weather. contin-
uing so long, has matured nearly all the
corn that has been "toorksd." / do not
think however, that there will be any corn
to spare in this state. There may bo sur.
icient for home consumption. Some Of
the farmers are already husking their
corn, and taking a portion to exchange
for groceries and dry goods. The buck
wheat crop is proving a tolerablo one.
and will be Of good service. The melou
crop has been pretty good--in size ithas
compared favorably with an eastern pump
kin crop. There has been a suparabun-
dance Of blackberries, this season--thou-
sands Of bushels have been gathered, put
up in cans, preserved, and made use Of in
other ways. The plum crop has been a
total failure; and the "crab.apple" half
failure. There has been no killing frost,
thus far.
am at loss to know what to say
about "the times" Iftimes mean money,
then they are awf1l; but if they mean
health, then they are good.
Money is very scarce, and what is
worse, il must continue SO until there il
something to buy money with, which car
not be, this year, Almost everything
appears to be at a stand. Iowa City, has
an abundance Of empty houses. Rents
are not more than half as high as they
we're two years ago. l attended the State
Convention Of County Superinlendents. in
this city. on Wednesday and Thursday
Of last week. There was a good deal o
business done. There were some seven
ty questions presented to the superinten
dent Of Public Instruction. by the coun
ty superintendents, through the commit
tee on the School Law, for his decisions
There seems TO be some ambiguity in the
New School Law, or else the school Off
GERS are dull Of apprehension.
This week, / have been acting as In.
structor IN Charge Of Johnson County
Teachers Institute. We have had a good
time. I was much pleased with tn,
promptness Of the City Board Of Educa
tion. Az a meeting held by them, pre-
Vious to the commencement of Institute
resolution was unanimously passed. re-
questing all the city teachers to attend the
Institute. It so happened that on the
first day, all the city teachers, were mo-
present:--a motion was made TO appoint
committee to visit the absent teachers
and invite them to attend. One Of the
members Of the Board copy, and suggested
that the committee take a copy of the res
olution passed by the Board. with then
aud read It to the absent ones. and asl
them, 'if they wish the Board TO employ
other teachers" The committee was ap
pointed--the duty discharged and tn
nest, and suJseQusRt days, the institute
was favor ed with J,'H abundance. On
Of the Instructors in the Institute, wa
DR.. VIM. Reynolds, who has been teach
ing since 1916 and who taught the frs
Public School, taught in Iowa.
More hereafter. @. @. N.