Page 205

”Mr. Ralph Ware, President of an Agricultural Society called the “Buel Institute,” in Putnam and the adjoining counties, Illinois, writes as follows: ‘The best varieties of wheat grown here are the crate or velvet chaff and the red-chaff. The latter is the heaviest, and stands the winter best. . It weighs about 62 lbs. to the bushel. The crate wheat is somewhat the earliest, and suffers less from rustic; time of harvesting from 1st to 8th July; average yield, 18 bushels per acre. The principal difficulties in its cultivation are from rust and dry freezing weather in winter. Spring wheat this year has been a failure. The average yield of wheat per acre is increasing Id this section, from a better knowledge of the soil and climate, and from greater attention paid to its culture.’ ”

Page 261

”From Granville, Ill., Mr. Ralph Ware writes as follows: ‘Root crops we but little cultivated, except potatoes. These yield on an average 200 bushels per acre, and the cost of production is about 6 cents per bushel. They have not suffered from the rot here, except in 1848, and a little in 1849.’ ”

Page 293

”Mr. Ralph Ware, of Granville, Putnam county, Ill., writes thus: ;Timothy hay is generally preferred, but in seeding we use a mixture of timothy, clover, and red-top. Average yield, 1 1/2 tons per acre. The cultivation of grass is rapidly increasing, as the wild grass cannot be relied upon, for two reasons: 1st, It is very late in spring, and fails early in the fall; 2d, The open prairies are being fenced up to such an extent that it is quite too far for cattle to go daily for pasture and return at night.’ ”

Page 297

”Mr. Ralph Ware, of Putnam Co., Illinois, says: ‘Market for cattle at Chicago; thence many are driven East, or shipped down the lake. We prefer the Durham in this section. Large numbers of horses are raised, and find a ready market at home—average value, $65; but few mules are used. Average weight of hogs, at 18 months old, 250 lbs.; consumed 25 bushels of corn; pork worth from $2.25 to $2.50 per cwt. Much pork raised at a loss to farmers. ”

Reference Data:

Annual Report of the Commissioners of Patents, Part 2, 1850, pages 205, 261, 293 and 297