The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-10-24
Indiana Farms and Farming.


Indiana has a great variety of farm lands.
Some parts of the State have deep n
prolific soil, while other parts are broken,
barren and unproductive. But taking into
consideration it's soil, mineral desposlts and
its climate, but few, if any States have in
combination superior advantages.
This has been a varied and peculiar year
in Indiana for farming. They have at
some times almost unprecedented rains,
and at Other times parched up with drought.
Their crops are not equal to those of Iowa.
In fact, they never are. But a man who
has enjoyed the glorious crops of the Hawk
eye State for thirty-fOur years continuous
ly, is scarcely qualified TO Judge OF what Is
they do not come up to our measure, It Is
hardly fair to call their crops failures. but
the farmers of Indiana are but little in
debt. The State is thirty or forty
years older thar Iowa. The
and stocked. The second lot of better
houses, on the farms, such as dwellings,
barns. cribs and out-houses. which always
Supersede the first crude and cheap build
ings erected by the frontier settler, were
built years ago. This second class have
long since been paid for. The HOOsiers are
q cOntented people, and are not so much
striving to buy all of the land adjoining
them. hence. there is no occasion for so
as much striving after large fortunes by
short routes. y 1t is probable we
never so fully appreciated the beauty and
grandeur of Indiana as q farming country
as we did last Tuesday. coming from lndi,,
annapolis to Columbus. The diversified
scenery of natural timber groves and farm
lands is marvellous. The farms are clean.
neat; the woods trimmed out and sOwn to
bluegrass, as clean of brush and rubbish
rolling enough to be delightful farming.
The farm houses are all neatly painted. and
being untarnished with coal smoke, they
all look as if they had just been
painted. The fall thus far has evidently
wheat. for we never recollect seeing fall
wheat look so well the first week in OctO-
Der. From the time we left Peoria, ILL.,,
going east, we found all of the streams and
spring brooks were flush with plenty of
water, not from recent rains, but indicat-
ing that the earth was soaked, and all of
its watery arteries we'll supplied. Pastures
are remarkably good all through Illinois
and Indiana. But the corn crop indicates
that in both States. on level lands,
man cases small crops of corp, with too
much grass for blowing in wheat among
the standing corn. Through Illinois and
Indiana there is not one-half as much corn
cut up and shocked as we have noticed on
former occasions.
The Republican boys In a good humor to-
day have resurrected their tin horns, and
with toots, given with q vim. are remind
an election in the two Dakotas, Montana
and Washington. There is more personal
feeling mixed up with the politics of Indi-
ana than there is further west, and almost
every Republican you meet here is warm
ing himself up already for the contest in
this State next year. They are chatting for
the fight. The outrages which have been
committed by Democracy in districting the
State for members of the Legislature and
Congress. and the villainies they have COM
miffad on inafica and on the Rennhlloan
party in the Legislature, are arOusing feel
ings which we know but little about in
Iowa. We see nothing to prevent as ex-
citing an election next year as it was last.
and though the apportiOnment is all against
the Republicans. the determination which
they propose to put forth to right the great
wrongs is seldom unsuccessful. Doubly
armed is he whose cause is just.