counties, but our cattle and sheep will compare with any county in the State. The only draw back on sheep has been the dogs, of which he have our share, and were there a good round tax placed on each dog there would be less dogs and more sheep throughout the whole State of Ohio, and consequently a great benefit would be conferred on the sheep growers and agriculturists generally. The amount of wheat and other crops raised in this county cannot be correctly estimated. We do not get any statistics until the assessors' report in the spring, but we must guess at it, I suppose : Wheat.... Rye...... Barley... ...... Corn.... Buckwheat... Oats..... Potatoes. Coal.... Acres. Bushels. Average. Hay.... Our dairy products are as follows: Butter, 936,700 lbs.; cheese, 771,220 lbs. This is supposed to be below the correct amount of dairy products by quite a large amount. We have no statistics in regard to the wool product, but it is very large. In my statistics obtained at the auditor's office the valuation of sheep injured and killed by dogs amounts to about $1,000; quite a loss to a farming community of the size of our county. The past season was dry, but some crops were very good. Grass was not as good as in former years. The oats, corn and grass were injured by the army worm, grass-hopper and cut worm. The army worm was very destructive; they traveled over acres of crops, and destroyed them as they went. It did appear that they were sent as a plague; they came by the ten thousand everywhere. The grass hoppers were very destructive in some localities, but not as plenty or as destructive as the army worm. They appeared to take a great liking to growing oats; in some instances they passed around farms where there were no oats, and again came together on some adjoining farm, where oats were growing, entirely or nearly destroying the whole fie'd. The fruit crop is good, but not as good as usual. The worm affected the apple crop very bad this year. Peaches were no crop at all; we don't depend on them of late years Perhaps by underdraining, and some other improvements, the peach crop might be partially saved, but at present it is a failure every year. MIAMI COUNTY. The fifteenth annual Fair of the Miami County Agricultural Society was held at Troy, September 24th, 25th, 26th and 27th, 1861. Owing to the unhappy condition of the country, and that over twelve hundred of our citizens had enlisted in the war, a large proportion of whom were connected with the agricultural interest of the county, it was a matter of doubt whether to hold a Fair or not, but, when the experiment was tried, to the gratification of all. Those who remained at home were fully alive to the necessity of keeping the agricultural interest of the county up to its full standard, so much so, that our Fair, instead of being a failure, was a complete success. The number of entries were 813, falling a little short of the number last year. Our organization contains a membership of 600. The success attending our last Fair, under the circumstances of the political troubles of our country, gives an earnest of future usefulness very gratifying to the members of the society. The horse show was the best ever had in the county, embracing all the different stocks in great perfection. Cattle, owing to the indifference and bad feeling among cattle growers of the county, the exhibit was poor, both as to quantity and quality. There were no competitors for field crops. The principal crops raised in the county are wheat, corn and barley. The average yield of wheat is 13 bushels per acre; corn 35 bushels per acre; barley good; oats fair crop. The summer was unusually cold, thereby retarding the growth of our corn crop, which is the principal cause of the crop falling short of former years. The present crop of growing wheat has suffered from the fly. Invariably on ground upon which wheat was raised last year, and from all experience, we find the policy of sowing wheat successively upon the same ground proves more or less subject to destruction from the ravages of the fly, and should be discontinued. MONROE COUNTY. We here with present the annual report of the Monroe County Agricultural Society. The Fair was held at Woodsfield, September 18th, 19th and 20th, 1861. The whole number of entries for this year was 407; which, in view of the excited state of the public mind over the unhappy condition of our country, and the con. sequent lack of interest in agricultural pursuits, was considered quite a success. The number of members for the year 1861 was 150. The principal agricultural productions of the county are tobacco, wheat, corn, oats, buckwheat, hay and potatoes. Sorghum was extensively cultivated this year; it is thought that sufficient was raised to supply the county. MONTGOMERY COUNTY. The Tenth Annual Fair of the Montgomery County Agricultural Society was held on their beautifully located Fair Grounds in the southern part of the city of Dayton, on the 2d, 3d, and 4th days of October, 1861. The Board having had the experience of holding our Fair after the State Fair on last year, thereby diminishing our receipts from eight hundred to one thousand dollars less than our receipts were for several years previous to holding the State Fair, again this year the State Board having determined to hold their Fair on our grounds, and having set the time so early in September that we could not advantageously hold our Fair before, thereby was compelled to hold no Fair, or, equivalent thereto, to hold it after the State Fair, which was done, believing at the same time our loss would be equal if not more than last year, which has proven, we are sorry to say, to be more. The Board, however, do not feel discouraged. When we refer to the entries made and premiums awarded at the State Fair to the citizens of Montgomery county, thereby warranting us that it was not for want of enterprise or energy on their part, but that one grand Fair was sufficient for the times, we feel assured in saying for old Montgomery, that if we are, through Divine Providence, permitted to hold another Fair, and times get no worse, that she will do credit to herself, and be second to none in the State. The number of members in our Society do not tell in numbers, as many other societies, from the fact that an additional dollar is paid to constitute membership. Those only who have paid the additional dollar can be enrolled as voting members. The number of voting members now enrolled is 35. There are some who do not feel like expending an extra dollar until election time, when the list will be somewhat extended. The principal crops in our county are wheat, rye, corn, barley, potatoes, tobacco, and a considerable quantity of sorghum. This being a new thing, many of our farmers were induced by the nature of circumstances to plant from one-fourth to three acres, the result of which has been very satisfactory, producing in our county from five hundred to one thousand barrels of syrup. We have no doubt, from the feeling now existing, that the increase next year will be one hundred per ceat. The crops of small grain were materially injured this year by the army worm. Expense of improving our Fair Ground the present year has been but light, say $250, for farm implement hall, stalls, &c. The number of entries was 538, viz.: thoroughbred horses, 2; horses for general purposes, 51; draft horses, 7; matched horses, 3; light harness horses, 13; saddle horses, 12; fast ring, 13; sweepstakes, 15; jacks and mules, 3; thoroughbred Durham cattle, 22; graded, 10; sweepstakes, 9; fine wool sheep, 10; long wool, 6; graded, 6; mutton, 2; swine, 16; poultry, 20; entries in other departments, 288. MORGAN COUNTY. The officers of the Morgan County Agricultural Society, for the year 1861, respectfully submit the following report: Our Society during the present year made alterations in the list of premiums. offered, by increasing the premium in some of the classes, and reducing it in others, and also by extending some of the classes and diminishing others. The total amount of premiums awarded was about $640. The number of members is 463. The Tenth Annual Fair was held on the grounds of the Society, near McConnelsville, on the 24th, 25th, and 26th days of September. The interest manifested by our farmers and mechanics in the affairs of the Society, though not so flattering as heretofore, yet, considering the derangement in business of all sorts, and the excited state of the public mind, it is perhaps as great as could reasonably be expected. The whole number of entries made in the several classes this year were 665. The number of persons who attended our Fair cannot be stated accurately, but, though less than in 1860, was very respectable. The display of stock, and especially of horses and cattle, has not often been exceeded in numbers, and perhaps never in quality. The display of agricultural products, though respectable, was not so large as in 1860. The various branches of mechanical skill and industry were fairly represented. The display of fruit, excepting grapes, was small, owing to the almost entire failure of apples, peaches, pears, &c, in this county. Our grape crop was unusually fine. Floral Hall was tastefully and beautifully decorated by the ladies, showing their hearty co-operation in the efforts of the Society. In addition to the ordinary decorations, it was further ornamented by a variety of articles, the result of female industry, taste, and skill, surpassing any thing of the kind heretofore exhibited. It is difficult to make out a satisfactory estimate of the condition of agriculture in this county, or the present prospect of usefulness of the Society, at this time. Such facts as we have been able to procure, are stated below. Statement of the Crops raised in Morgan County in 1861. The season was not unusual, excepting a want of rain during part of the summer. The weevil is about the only insect that injured the crops, and that is decreasing. MORROW COUNTY. The Twelfth Annual Exhibition of the Morrow County Agricultural Society was held on the Society's grounds, at Mount Gilead, the 2d, 3d, and 4th days of October last, and, considering the season, it was a very creditable exhibition. The attendance was good, much better than was expected, when two adjoining counties were holding their Fairs at the same time, and a large portion of our young men were in the army. The number of exhibiters, and the amount entered and exhibited, was about as large as usual, and would compare favorably with any county exhibition in this region. The past season was unfavorable to agriculturists, and worse to horticulturists. Corn, the staple cereal, was seriously damaged by drought, especially on high clay ground. Wheat below the average; winter-killed and injured by the fly. Oats injured by drought; below an average. Early potatoes an entire failure; late potatoes good. The grass crop and summer pastures seriously injured by the dry weather through June, July, and August. In fact, every crop must have been affected by the continued dry weather; the southern portion of our county apparently having suffered the most. Clover-seed so late in maturing that very little was secured. The sugar-cane is being cultivated to a considerable extent, I think satisfactorily; almost every neighborhood has an apparatus for making the syrup, and it is fast superseding imported syrups, and many families using it almost to the exclusion of sugar. The fruit crop was seriously injured by the May frost and drought. Apples less than half a crop; peaches and pears none; cherries scarce; grapes and berry fruit a fair yield. But, notwithstanding the frost and drought, as a county we have an abundance for the subsistence of our people, and a large surplus of pork, beef, horses, wheat, corn, oats, flax and timothy-seed, beans, potatoes, wool, and some apples, for exportation. The financial condition of our Society is somewhat embarrassing. But with a respectable fair ground, well fenced; good, substantial buildings, stalls, pens, &c., and an increasing popularity with the masses, we think, with reasonable financiering, the Society will liquidate the last dollar of indebtedness next year. |