no manufacturers of drain tile within the county, who either keep a sup ply on hand or are willing to make them for such prices as they bring in other counties. It is to be earnestly hoped that some man, who thoroughly understands the manufacture of drain tile, will commence the business in this county, and be disposed to sell them at reasonable rates, so that farmers may be encouraged in their more extended use. Thus far, no part of this county has been thoroughly drained, in conformity with the views of those who have given the subject their careful attention. THE MANAGEMENT OF GRASS LANDS, as it exists in this county, is essentially different from that which prevails in localities where grass lands are mainly used for grazing purposes. With us there is scarcely any such thing known as "permanent pastures." There are on some farms, some small portions of land which are too steep or too broken for easy or profitable culture. Such pieces of land are continually kept in grass. So of our wood lands. They are being cleared up, by using up old logs, by burning brush, and the removal of decayed timber, and are sowed with mixed grasses, for the purpose of using them as pasture lands. Our farmers, however, do not thin out their wood lands, with the view of converting them into permanent pastures, as it is done in Kentucky and in the grazing counties of this State. Our grass lands, with but unimportant exceptions, consist of the following: First. Lands which have been sown in timothy primarily for the purpose of producing hay. Our best meadows are established by sowing timothy seed with wheat or barley, in the fall-by sowing timothy seed, in the spring, upon either fall grain or spring grain, or by sowing the seed by itself, upon ground properly prepared for that purpose, early in September. Generally, too small a quantity of seed per acre is sown. Many use the one-sixth of a bushel per acre, when it is always best to use from a peck to ten quarts. Our timothy meadows are not expected to remain long. They are mown from two to five years, depending entirely upon circumstances, of which the farmer is to be the judge-pastured one or two years, and then broken up and cultivated in corn, or sown with some variety of small grain. Before broken up or used as pasture, other meadows have been established on the farm, so that the usual quantity of hay may be harvested. Our meadows have generally received very little attention in the way of top dressings of any kind. Long manure is scarcely ever used, as a dressing for our meadows. Well rotted manures are occasionally used by those who give proper care to their meadows, and who rely upon their hay crop as one of the surest and most valuable of all they produce. The returns made of the number of acres in meadow, and the number of tons of hay made, are embodied in the statement below. There is no doubt but what the number of acres of meadow returned is intended to refer exclusively to those which have been mown for hay, and not to meadows which are used for pasturage, as is exceedingly common in this county. Statement of the number of acres in meadow, and the number of tons of hay harvested, in the years specified: 1858. 1859. 1860. 1861. 1862. 1863. 1864. 1865. Number of acres in meadow.. 6,852 6,853 7,223 7,983 7,650 6,595 6,424 8,396 6,810 6,807 8,657 9,301 7,664 7,019 6,521 10,366 The above statement shows that our meadows vary in their product from one to one and one-sixth of a ton per acre. This showing does not correctly indicate the true productive capacity of our properly cared for meadows. Nearly nine-tenths of our farmers pasture their meadows which are intended to produce a crop of hay, not only in October and November, but sometimes during the winter and spring. The average product of well established meadows, properly cared for, is about one and one half tons of hay per acre. Second.-Lands sown in clover. These lands are put down by our farmers for sundry considerations. Clover is regarded as an indispensable food for the vigorous and healthy growth of hogs, and as the most sure and economical food for increasing their size and weight. It is very frequently sown in combination with timothy for the purpose of producing a quality of hay much esteemed for milch cows and other farm animals. Some raise clover for the production of seed, but much the largest portion of our people sow it for the large amount of pasturage which it affords, and its indispensable qualities in restoring and maintaining the fertility of our lands. The following statement exhibits the reported amount of land in clover, the number of tons of clover hay made, and the number of bushels of clover seed harvested in the three preceding years: This exhibit shows what most of our farmers have believed to be true, that we do not produce more than half the quantity of clover seed which is annually required for our own use. Our farmers are unwilling to do without the late pasturage, and prefer to purchase seed. A course of policy of very questionable propriety. The quantity of lands in meadows and pasturage, as found to exist in Butler county, is exceedingly small, as compared with the amount produced in foreign countries. We have no data at hand, if, indeed, such exists, by which to ascertain the per centage of lands in meadow and pasturage in any of the adjoining grazing States. We apprehend, however,. that their amount would exceed the amount in this county. From the examinations made, we find that Butler county and the entire State of Ohio have, relatively, a very small proportion of their lands in grass, as will be seen by the following: Statement of the amount of meadows and pasturage in the countries named : Total area under The per cent. Countries. Total area in statute acres. England Ireland. France Holland Ohio Butler county meadows and in grasses. pasturage. The foregoing statement does not accurately represent the entire area in clover, or in permanent pastures, either in the foreign countries named, in Ohio or in Butler county. The number of acres in grasses in England, Ireland, France and Holland, do not include what are in these countries termed "hill pastures." To what extent they exist, the reports consulted do not state. Neither does the statement of the quantity of land in meadows and in clover in Ohio and this county include the pasture lands or the natural grazing lands of the State, or the woodland pastures of this county. The quantity of either kind not included in the above statement, it is confidently believed, will not materially change the relative quantities of lands in grasses. If in any case the result would be changed, we have no doubt but that Ohio would have an increase per centage of lands in grasses. The foregoing facts are especially deserving of very careful consideration. One of two things they forcibly indicate. The European countries named, and others, have too large a proportion of their lands in grasses, or else we have too small a proportion of ours. Their labor is cheaper, and the grain they produce of more value. Not only so, but their popu lation per acre greatly exceeds ours. And yet upon an average, they have more than five times as much land in grass in proportion to their area as we have in Ohio!! And we have in Butler county relatively not one-seventh of the amount!! The facts are exceedingly important. They are suggestive of some modifications of the general system of husbandry as it exists, not only in the Miami valley, but in Ohio also. By the cultivation of more of our lands in grasses, we may be better able to preserve and promote their fertility, and ultimately to find the labor of the husbandman less oppressive and even more remunerative and inviting. THE GRAIN PRODUCED. Under this general head it is proposed to give a brief account of the mode of culture, with the results of wheat, barley, corn, rye, oats and buckwheat, and to present such other facts and statements in reference to the same as may be deemed of general interest. WHEAT. This is one of the staple and most profitable crops raised in Butler county. The mode of culture generally adopted gives conclusive indications that our farmers have given great attention to the production of this favorite crop; and the results prove that they have generally met with fair success. Wheat ground is generally prepared with more than ordinary care. Everything necessary to be done for the proper preparation of the ground is more faithfully attended to, than in preparing our lands for any other crop. The grain is generally put in with a drill. There are some, however, who adhere to the old way of sowing broadcast. Barnyard manure on hand at the time of plowing for wheat, if unrotted, is carefully plowed under. If thoroughly rotted, it is applied as a top dressing before the ground undergoes thorough pulverization with the harrow. The old mode of plowing up "bare fallows" during the summer, and then replowing the same before sowing in wheat, has fallen into almost general disuse. If we have any fallow grounds, they are what are termed in England "green fallows." Clover fields are esteemed the best for the production of a good crop of wheat. There are many who have great faith in the productive capacity of a good timothy meadow field, or timothy and clover field under pasturage for a good crop of wheat. Wheat stubble, barley stubble and oats stubble grounds continue to be used by many for growing wheat. The practice of sowing wheat upon the same ground for many successive years is not so common as heretofore, although very frequently followed. The breadth of land sown in wheat in this county is by no means uniform. It is as variable as the product per acre is uncertain. The crop harvested in 1862 was nearly forty five per cent. greater in breadth of land than the rop harvested in 1865; and the aggregate product of wheat in the county in 1862, more than doubled that harvested in 1865!!! The yield per acre of the crop of 1862, was 15 bushels, while the yield of 1865 was less than 11 bushels per acre!! As the product for 1866 has not yet been returned, we shall not attempt to institute any comparison of the crop of that year with other years. It, however, may be stated that the crop of 1866 was less than any which has been raised within the county for the last forty years. We do not mean only that it was less per acre, but we mean also that it was less in the aggregate of bushels. To show the capacity of Butler county as a wheat producing county, we herewith present a statement showing the number of acres sowed and the number of bushels harvested per annum. Our statement refers to the years in which the crops were produced. Average product per acre for 16 consecutive years, 14 5-100 bushels. BARLEY has been extensively cultivated in this county for many years. It has in many instances been one of the most remunerative crops grown, particularly when sown upon land specially adapted to its production. At times when barley commanded a high price, some of our farmers have produced such crops as would enable them to realize from fifty-five to seventy dollars per acre for a single crop. The soil best adapted for raising barley, must be a rich, warm, loamy soil, in good tilth and condition. On poor soils it is an unreliable and poorly paying crop. Fall barley is more generally raised than spring. The first is more certain as a crop, and is more desired by brewers. Neither are regarded as being as exhaustive of the soil as wheat; and the stubble of barley is generally regarded as favorable for sowing wheat upon. The straw of barley is much used for feeding cattle, and as a substitute for hay for horses that are not performing very severe service. In the table |