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HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY. - 273 CHAPTER VI. THE AGRICULTURAL SYSTEM-EXTENT OF CLEARINGS-STYLE OF CULTIVATION- GRASS CROP- GRAINS -MINOR PRODUCTS-STOCK RAISING-AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES. The great resource of a country in its early history, and the true secret of its independence in it's later years, is found in its agriculture. Here are found the elements that make up the distinctive characteristics of the national life- the secret enginery that carries on the nation to is-, appointed destiny. Upon this the national policy is based, and whatever there may be of manufactures, of science or of art. finds its alma mater in the productive labor of the farmer. No historical survey, therefore can be complete that neglects to trace the rise and progress of the agricultural system, and to none of the great factors of a nations progress can intelligent effort be placed to greater advantage than when applied to this root of all industries. In a recent address to an assembly of business men, one of Ohio's greatest leaders said: "You are living illustrations of the first children of the pioneers who planted Ohio. When your fathers were born, Ohio was unknown except as a trackless wilderness, and yet where the smoke from not a dozen white men's cabins ascended to the sky in all this territory, now three and a quarter millions of happy people, prosperous honorable and successful, are living and guiding the destinies of a people as great at in numbers and wealth, as all who inhabited the thirteen colonies when our fathers won their independence. What a spectacle is that'. And all this prosperity was won by the simple, plain straightforward Process of downright hard work -that is what did it-labor first laid out on the raw material that God made and then Capital, which is only another name for crystallized labor, saved up, protected and saved by the strong arm of equal and just and honest law. Now this is Ohio." In a restricted sense, it might be just as truly said, "This is Crawford County." Authentic data by which, to determine the earlier practices of the farmers, and their are difficult to obtain, and the letters of Flint. an English traveler, written from the Miami, Scioto and Maumee Valleys in 1818, may give, perhaps, as correct a picture of that interesting period of agriculture as can be obtained. He says: "I saw some people threshing buckwheat they had dug a hollow in a field, about twenty feet in diameter and six or eight inches in depth. In this the grain was threshed by the flail, and the straw thrown aside in the field to rot. The wheat is cleared of the chaff by two persons fanning it with a sheet, while a third lets it fall before the wind." On his way to Chillicothe, he stopped some days at a cabin, and writes of his host, a farmer, as follows: "He told us that Indian corn sells for 25 cents per bushel and that he could procure twenty-thousand bushels of it within three miles of his house. This appeared to be somewhat surprising, on considering that the cleared grounds form only small detached parcels when compared with. the intervening woods. Wheat sells at 75 cents Per bushel. This sort of crop is at present more profitable than Indian corn, as in most cases it yields more than a third part by measure it does not require to 274 - HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY. be cleared of weeds, and is more easily carried to market. The predominance of crops of Indian corn is occasioned by the ease with which it is disposed of in feeding hogs and other stock, and, perhaps in some degree, by prejudice. Farming establishments are small most cultivators do everything for themselves, even to the fabrication of their agricultural implements. Few hire others permanently, it being difficult and expensive to keep laborers for any great length of time. They are not servants, all are hired hands. Females are averse to menial employments. The daughters of the most numerous families continue with their parents. There is only one way of removing them. * * The utensils used in agriculture are not numerous. The plow is short, clumsy, and not calculated to make either deep or neat furrows ; the harrow is triangular, and is yoked with one of its angles forward, that it may he less apt to take hold of the stumps of trees in its way ; light articles are carried on Horseback, heavy ones by a coarse sledge, by a cart or by a wagon. The smaller implements are the ax, the pick-ax and the cradle scythe-by far the most commendable of backwoods apparatus. The lands of Ohio are understood to be more fertile than those of Pennsylvania. With good culture, from 60 to 100 bushels of maize per acre are produced. On an acre of land near the mouth of the little Miami, one or the first settlers raised the extraordinary quantity of 114 bushels. The advanced state of population in the southern part of the State, has withdrawn the most choice tracts of ground from the land office; good lots, however, may still be bought from private individuals at a moderate price. The higher country, lying nearly equidistant from the River Ohio and Lake Erie, is understood to be healthy, fertile, abounding in springs of water, and possessing a good , navigation downward in wet seasons of the year, by means of the Rivers Muskingum, Scioto and Miamis. The northern part of the State is described as having many large prairies, of a rich quality, but unhealthy." This picture, though of general application, presents in vivid colors the crude beginnings of sixty years ago. In Crawford County, as truly as of the spot where he wrote. The experience of every agricultural community in the State passed through all these stages, but, before even such advancement could be noted, there was a work to be done, of which the curious Englishman could give but little account. The first white settlers here found, for the most part, a country thickly covered with a heavy growth of timber and the land shielded from the piercing rays of the sun by the dense forest foliage, saturated with the moisture which the character of the country favored. To erect here a home and render the land subject to an annual tribute for the sustenance of his family, tasked the powers of the pioneer to their utmost. It was an even-handed struggle for subsistence, and anything accomplished might safely be set down as an improvement. This was practically true of the first twenty years in the history of a settlement. An average of five years were consumed before the frontier could he relied upon to furnish a support, and in the meanwhile, the fare supplied by the abundance of game and « wild fruit; was eked out with economical purchases of corn from the older settlements. After erecting a cabin with the aid of hospitable neighbors, from five to ten acres were felled. It was then "chopped over," i. e., the trees cut into suitable lengths for rolling into piles for burning. After the universal bee for rolling, came the burning, which was not the least exacting of the frontier farmer's labor. When the amount of labor performed, and the dearth of labor-saving conveniences are considered. it will appear that, in accomplishing so much. labor was not less effectively applied than now, but in such a consideration the methods must not be lost sight of On a single claim. this much was HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY. - 275 frequently done in three months, and a smll crop of corn harvested in the first year, but the average results were not so favorable. The point to be gained was to get in readiness for the "bee" as early as possible, for when the rolling season "began, there was uninterrupted demand upon the settler for from six to eight mouths in the fields of his neighbors. Many were called upon when they could least afford the time, but, from the necessities of the situation there was no refusal possible, and. large as this demand appears, it will not be considered exorbitant when it is remembered that neighborhoods covered an area of from ten to fifteen miles square. Under such circumstances, the prevailing tendency is to underrate the value of timber. and to carry the work of clearing to the very verge of denuding the land of this important aid to agriculture. This tendency has not been so marked in Crawford County as in many of the older comities of Northern and Northeastern Ohio. While the clearing has been carried to the farthest extent consistent with ordinary prudence in some parts, there are other parts, especially in the western portions of the county, where the proportion of timber lands is considered the farmers too large and the timber is marketed very freely. Another fact which has a tendency to bring up the proportion of woodland is found in the prairie district of the county. Here, forty years ago the timber was kept back by the frequent burnings of the Indians: but, since the land has fallen into the hands of the whites this timber has grown to a serviceable size, and almost obliterated the distinctive characteristics of the plains. Wood is still the principal article in use for fuel, selling moderate prices save where the bad roads of spring and winter make its delivery more expensive than the timber itself. Coal found its way into the larger villages of the county as fuel but comparatively, a few years ago, and is even now used as much on account of its convenience as because a cheaper material than wood. Its introduction was not marked, perhaps, until 1868, and it has not yet found its way into the public buildings of the county. The prevailing system of agriculture in Crawford County may properly be termed that of mixed husbandry. Specialties find little favor with the farmers. The practice is to cultivate the various kinds of Grain and grasses, and to raise, keep and fatten stock, the latter business being the leading pursuit of about one-tenth* of the farmers. The mode of cultivating the farming lands has not been of the highest. Provided with a rich and varied soil. the average farmer has not felt the need of studying the principles of such branches of learning as relate to agriculture, and has frequently hesitated to receive, or rejected, the teachings of science. A few persons, however. were found at a comparatively, early day who brought to the business of farming that amount of patient investigation which the greatest industry of this country demands. Farmers are becoming less and less unwilling to learn from others, and the husbandry of the county is attaining a commendable thoroughness and is improving in every respect. Owing to the productiveness of the soil, the subject of fertilizers has not received the attention which it has obtained in many other parts of the State. Phosphates and plaster are seldom used, and many have scarcely exercised the customary care in preserving the ordinary accumulations of the barnyard, much less to add to this store by artificial means. Barnyards are arranged to carry off the drainage to the stables, rather than retain it for use on lands and straw and other feeding refuse is left to the disposal of stock, without a consideration as to the best means of converting it into the best medium for restoring the vitality of the crop lands. There are many fields to be found in the county that have been cropped with wheat or corn for years without renewing or *Agricultural Report of 1876. 276 - HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY fertilizing, and others have only been relieved by a rotation of grain crops. This practice has, in most cases, borne its legitimate result and is awakening a decided interest among the most progressive farmers in this vital subject. Rotation of crops, on a more or less extended scale, is now being gradually introduced, corn being the first crop planted on sod ground followed by a second crop of corn, or oats, or flax, and then wheat. With the latter crop the manure is used, as it is thought it shows largest results in this crop, and leaves a better soil for the grass which follows. Deep plowing has never been popular with the mass of Crawford County farmers. Some experiments were made with the Michigan double plow, but its great draft with the general lack of appreciation of the value of deep plowing, soon caused it to fall into disuse. The objection that the upper soil was buried so deep by the Michigan plow that several seasons were required to eftect the proper mixture of the soils, was remedied by a later experiment. This consisted of two plows, between which the team was divided. A shallow soil-plow turned over the surface. which was followed by a lone steel-plow without a turning board. This proved, in many places, a vast improvement upon the old plan, furnishing the requisite depth without burying the upper soil, and loosening the subsoil, furnishing a natural escape for the excessive moisture, which the character of the hard-pan too often resists, allowing it to escape only by evaporation. But the prejudice against subsoiling was too firmly rooted to allow the experiment to spread and it is now considered impracticable or even injurious to the land. Artificial drainage has been necessary front the first in many parts of the county. In a large portion of the eastern part of the. county, at an early date, marshes occupied almost the whole country, and pioneer life was little more than a hopeless struggle against the miasma of the air and the miry condition of the earth. Speaking of the Maumee Valley, in which this comity is situated, Secretary Klippart says "Every acre, almost, of the entire Northwest requires thorough underdraining, because there is nowhere a porous or gravelly subsoil, but, on the contrary. I have everywhere found a stiff clay subsoil. Even in places where the soil was very sandy, the subsoil was all almost impervious clay. Without thorough under draining the actual fertility of the soil cannot he developed."* Surface draining, by county ditching, has been carried to a considerable extent the State Report of 1876 placing the number of public ditches at forty, with an aggregate length of 195 miles. The longest of these ditches extends twenty-four miles, and four of them connecting ditches of adjoining counties. Less attention has been given to the training. According to the report referred to, there were but two tile manufactories in the county at that time. There has been a marked increase of interest in this subject of late years, however, and many are learning the value of the even in meadow lands. The demand has increased so that the manufactories of these goods are driven to supply the demand. The increased value which these efforts have added to the lands of the county, would be difficult to determine. Low lands that were an entire waste are being reclaimed, so that there are not more than 300 acres in what can be properly called waste land in over 252,000 acres in the whole county. The land thus underdrained produces the finest crops, and, it is claimed, can be cultivated much sooner after a rain or from eight to ten days earlier in the spring. The subject of grass lands has always been an important one in Crawford County, from the fact that a majority of the farmers are more or less interested in grazing stock, though forming a more prominent feature in the southern part of the county. In this part of the county, * In Report of 1876. HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY- - 277 grain is raised principally for home consumption, and the system of husbandry, so far as and has prevailed, has been directed mainly to secure the best results for the grass crop. Timothy grass. with a mixture of clover is mainly, relied upon for the supply of hay, meadows being turned over about once in five years. Meadows are generally pastured and are turned out frequently as pasture lots, after serving in their prime as meadows. Of late, some attention is being paid to under-draining this class of grass lands and some attention is paid to top-dressing with barnyard manures. Orchard and blue-grass though introduced in a limited way, have not taken any strong hold upon the interests of the farmers. There is considerable hesitation manifested in experimenting with blue-grass, as it is claimed by many among them some scientific agriculturists-that the June grass, poa peatensis is the same thing modified by the difference of soil and climate. Millet anal Hungarian Grass supplied a want in the agricultural economy of twenty years ago, but are not now used at all. In the matter of clover lands, the prevailing policy is to grow it for the seed which is a cash article, and finds a really sale. For this purpose, the seed is very sparingly sown in order to secure a large stalk, and a consequent large yield of seed. Three bushels is very large yield and two bushel is considerably larger than the average yield. It is generally sowed in combination with timothy, for the purpose of producing a quality of hay highly esteemed for milch cow and sheep. It is largely used as pasturage, but the predominant purpose is for seed. The acreage turned under has been very small in past years, but this short-sighted policy is being remedied of late, and more value is being placed upon it as a means of renewing exhausted lands. In the cultivation of the cereal, the distinctive features of the husbandry of Crawford County are plainly marked. The aim of the early settlers was, obviously, to derive from their lands, their only resource, a simple but sure subsistence and to this end, a system of mixed husbandry was a necessity. Their descendants, hedged about by the results of their fathers' experience and aiming to sell their surplus product in such form as would take from the land the smallest amount of its fertility have, from the nature of the case, followed in their footsteps. The Maumee Valley, while not rivaling the Miami or the Muskingum Valleys, as a wheat country, is nevertheless, well adapted to its cultivation. Of this division of the State, Crawford County's average for nine years, immediately subsequent to 1849, 14,781 acres producing 187,980 bushels, was third in the list of counties. This showing, would. doubtless, have been greatly changed, had not so large a proportion of her territory been devoted to stock-raising. In 1876, though the acreage had increased to 23,281 acres, with a product of 232,075 bushels, it had been outstripped by Sandusky County, which had increased from an acreage of some 12,000 to over 30,000 acres in 1876, and stood fourth in the list. In the report of 1879, Crawford County still retained its position of 1876, with a breadth sown of 29,880 acres, and a product of 617,786 bushels. In the early culture of wheat, a great many discouragements were met. The first settlers found the blackbirds an almost insuperable obstacle, and when rid of this pest, found it of so rank a growth as to he unfit for use, which gained it the name of "sick wheat." Later, the weevil destroyed it year after year, and, when no particular exception could be taken to the season, the crop seemed to fail because it has in an uncongenial climate. During the period succeeding 1849, the yield, it will be observed, was less than thirteen bushels. In 1876, the yield was still lower, being less than ten bushels to the acre, but for the last four years, the product per acre has rapidly increased. as it has, in 1878, over 278 - HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY. twenty bushels per acre. During later years, and especially during the past four prosperous years, there has been a marked improvement in the results of wheat culture. The grain seems to have become acclimated; and farmers, gaining more confidence in its stability, have sown during the present season-fall of 1880-a larger breadth than any year previous. The favorite seed in early years, was the old bluestem. This. however, was late in maturing. and proved objectionable on that account. This was supplanted by the Mediterranean, which matured some ten days earlier, and is still cultivated to a considerable extent. Under continued cultivation, it has lost much of its "rye appearance," to which many had objections. The Fultz wheat was introduced by Dr. George Keller, by seed from the Agricultural Department at Washington about 1872. This is getting to be a favorite with the farmers, and larger quantities are being sowed. Experiments have been made with the Genesee, white Mediterranean and Amber. No particular system has been adopted in the cultivation of this grain. At an early date, the practice of plowing "bare fallow., " during the summer and then re-plowing the same before sowing in wheat, was occasionally practiced, but it is now resorted to in scarcely a single instance. The object seems to be to put no work into the cultivation of the grain. that can be possibly avoided and get passable results. There seems to exist. also a feeling among a large class of the farmers, that improved methods are an injury to the soil, and that the old way is the only safe way. Corn ground is sometimes used for growing wheat, but generally it is sown on oat or flax stubble lands. After plowing, manure is spread upon the surface; and when the seed is sown broad-cast the wheat and manure are harrowed in together. When the drill is employed, as in a majority of cases, the manure is well harrowed in the first place. The practice of sowing wheat upon the same ground for several successive years, does not obtain to any great extent, save where occasionally the soil seems well-nigh exhausted. The breadth of land sown is quite uniform, with a gradual increase from an average of 14,000 acres up to 1858, to 23,000 in 1876, and some 30,000 acres in the present year. The difficulty experienced in commanding anything like a complete file of the State Reports, renders anything like a comparative statement impossible, and we shall be obliged in this chapter to forego any attempt to tabulated statement. The grain is threshed in the barn or barnyard, the straw being piled, with little effort at stacking, in the yard adjoining. Horse machines were introduced about 1840, which, with the various improvements, held the ground until late years, since when the steam thresher has been the favorite. Traction engines are used considerably, as the level character of the land is quite suitable to this mode of locomotion. Rye and barley are but little cultivated. The former is cultivated almost exclusively for the straw. which finds a ready sale in limited quantities for binding stalks and when chopped up, as packing for eggs. The average yield of the grain is about fifteen bushels per acre. Barley is occasionally raised to some extent and, where the soil is fitted for it, proves a valuable crop. Its cultivation, however, has received very little local encouragement. Though there are several brewing establishments in the county, there is very little local demand, as they use corn principally in their manufactures. The crop for 1878 was 4,658 bushels from 232 acres-an average of a trifle over twenty bushels per acre. This is a considerable falling-off from the earlier years. In the early history of the county, buckwheat was sown considerably, as a substitute for wheat. but, as the culture of the latter grain prospered, the former has become less prominent, and the acreage has shrunk from an aver- PAGE 279 - PICTURE OF CHARLES HETICH PAGE 280 - BLANK HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY.- 281 age of 867 acres in 1850-58, to 169 acres in 1876 and 40 acres in 1878. Oats are extensively grown, but find a home demand nearly equal to the supply. It is a reasonably sure crop, and though occasionally affected by droughts, it is relied upon with considerable confidence. Rust has at times proved a serious drawback in the early years, but it has not been a subject of serious complaint in later years. The breadth sown is quite uniform, and does not vary materially, save to gradually increase in extent. The crop inl 1878, was 617,968 bushels from 17,283 acres, which was an average crop for the past five years. The corn crop, while not grown to the exclusion of the others, is one upon which the farmers most confidently rely, and the land devoted to its culture, especially in the, southern part of the county is only limited by the necessities of the situation. It is far more stable in its yield, less liable to disease and may be slighted in its cultivation with greater impunity, than any other crop. The soft varieties of seed are generally preferred and are usually planted on sod ground, though a second crop off the same field is not an uncommon occurrence. It is usually well put in, the ground being prepared with considerable care, and worked until it "tassels out." The old rule of "going through" the field a certain number of times before "laying by" the crop, has since been abandoned by the better farmers. The last plowing after the corn has reached the height of five of six feet, is considered the most effective in its cultivation, but the exigencies of the season often prevent the farmer's bestowing this crowning attention. The majority of the farms in the northern part of the county being small and worked principally by the owners alone, the wheat and clover cutting coming close together, frequently obliges the small farmer to slight his corn. When, however, the farmer is able to hire help, or has boys who can be trusted to do the work, the plow is kept going through the corn, an expense that is amply repaid by the increased yield. The manner of harvesting the crop differs materially in the different sections of the county. Among the small farmers of the north part of the county, the crop is usually cut and husked in the field, and the stalks either stacked or hauled to the barn for use during the winter. In the other section of the county when large farms are the rule, and feeding stock the leading occupation, the crop is frequently not cut or husked at all. The general practice is to husk enough to supply horses with feed, and the rest left standing for the cattle and hogs that are turned in to feed indiscriminately. Husking from the standing stalk is practiced occasionally, but it is generally considered wasteful of time and material. The Maumee Valley for years was greatly retarded in its development on account of the lack of natural drainage, which converted a vast territory into what is generally known as the Black Swamp, and by the Indian reservation, which held large tracts of land out of the market. Since 1850, however, there has been a rapid advance in the cultivation of cereals, and this division is rapidly gaining upon the Scioto and Miami Valleys, which have so long constituted the corn-fields of Ohio. Among the eighteen counties that make up this division-the northwest part of the State-Crawford stands third in her corn product, with an average yield of 615,370 bushels from 18,943 acres in 1850-58. 1,159,259 bushels from 29,777 acres in 1876, and 1,531, 111 bushels from 32,048 acres in 1878. But a comparatively small proportion of this is exported the greater part of the product being consumed by stock fed in all parts of the county. Some of the largest results shown by farmers in raising this crop were by Linus Ross, in 1852, one acre, with a yield of 126 bushels; by E. Barritt, in 1853, three acres, with an average yield of 129.2 bushels per acre; by S. S. Caldwell. in the same year, three acres, with an average of 124.25 per acre, and in 1859, by Jo- 282 - HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY. seph Kerr, from one acre, 128 bushels, Abel Dewalt, from one acre, 117.29 bushels, and Abram Eckart, from one acre, 117 bushels. The other crops that occupy or have occupied a more or less prominent place among the agricultural products of the county, are potatoes, flax or sorghum. The quality of this soil is well adapted to the raising of potatoes, and farmers who have given considerable attention to the proper cultivation of this highly prized and indispensable esculent, have always been well rewarded for their labor and painstaking. It is a staple vegetable, universally used, always commands a fair price, and its general cultivation for exportation would undoubtedly prove highly remunerative. The fact, however, seems to have been overlooked or the obstacles greatly exaggerated, and no more are produced than are needed for the home supply. The leading varieties are the Early Rose, Early Ohio, with the Peerless and Peachblow cultivated in considerable quantities as a winter potato. The Triumph is highly prized and cultivated by some, while the Prairie Seedling and White Peachblow are being cultivated as experiments. The Neshannock, Early Climax, Brownell's Beauty, Beauty of Hebron, Dunsmore Seedlings, are among those that have strong friends among the farmers. The average yield of this crop is good, and is not often seriously affected by disease or insects. Flax, although grown in this county to some extent every year, is subject to violent fluctuations in the acreage devoted to its culture. It is now raised exclusively for the seed, which has become an important article of commerce, large amounts being purchased annually by the warehousemen at the villages of the county. It is an exacting crop, and the fiber is only incidentally valuable, owing to the unsalable condition in which it has to be sold ; an amount of discouragement which is only overbalanced by the fact that the seed frequently commands a high price, and is always a cash article. It is not relied upon to any great extent, however, as a source of revenue. Some years ago, a flax-mill at Galion, made a market for the fiber, but the usual fate of these institutions overtook it, it was burned down, and the promise of business did not warrant its rebuilding. The history of the cultivation of sorghum cane in Crawford County, is similar to that of most other parts of the State. The first introduction of this cane in the United States. was by D. J. Brown, of the United States Patent Office. He procured the seed in France, and left it at the Patent Office in November, 1851, whence it was distributed through the States of Georgia and South Carolina, here it was thoroughly experimented with, and a good sirup manufactured and exhibited at the fair of the United States Agricultural Society in 1857. Experiments were early made in Crawford. by William Cox, of Sandusky Township, but it did not take any strong hold in the county until 1862. In the early part of this year, the papers of the county took up the subject and urged upon the farmers the necessity of cultivating sorghum to supply the deficiency of shipments from the South. This advice was quite generally heeded, and the first introduction of the seed was received by the farmers with treat enthusiasm. The first seed. perhaps, was brought in about 1857, and small bags containing about half a pint, sold readily for a dollar each. The experimenters, however, were not over-sanguine, and. though the aggregate acreage reached a considerable extent, the largest amount under cultivation on a single farm, was not more than two acres. The requisites for the successful cultivation of this crop, as given by the most eminent authority upon the subject, R. G. Peters, of Georgia, are "First, appropriate soil a warm, dry soil, and, where it is practicable, sandy loams or those of a limy nature; rich upland rolls are better than bottoms: sandy loams with clay subsoil are good; any soil good for winter wheat will do; the rich, black HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY - 283 corn lands produce as large or larger stalks, but the juice is not so rich, nor the flavor of the sirup so good. Second, pure seed: Much of the cane of this country has become mixed with broom corn: it will not pay to raise such the pure sorgo and one or two kinds of the imphee will pay. One pound of good seed is enough for an acre. Third. proper culture: Plow deep and let the ground be stirred afresh just before planting, that weeds may not get a start: the largest yield may be had by drilling one way four feet one way by two the other, does very well: most persons plant as they do corn; cover not over half an inch with fine dirt: don't plant until the ground is warm - from the 15th to the last of May, according to the season. Fourth, prepare the seed: Put the seed into a vessel, and pour boiling water on it after about a minute,. turn it into a basket for the water to drain off, and cover it with a wet paper, and let it stand for about twenty-four hours in a warm place: this will crack the hull, and cause it to start some seven or eight days sooner than if started dry, thereby causing it to get the start of the weeds and ripen earlier in the fall: stir the ground from the time you can see the plant, utitil three feet high : about six seeds in a hill is the, correct quantity." The experience of the farmers here is summed up in an article by J. H. Cox who took an active part in this project as follows: "Here comes a man with a load of cane, and the question is how much cane did you plant? Well, I planted about an eighth or a quarter of an acre as the case may be and after a long time it came up, I hadn't the ground in very good order : and when it still come, I thought it was so small it wouldn't come to anything, so I just run through it a couple times with the shovel plow and let it go. I did not go to see it until after harvest, or until I even to cut up my corn, and I found it had done pretty well after all, considering the chance, so I cut it up, and brought it down to get it worked. Here is another : He has done a little like the first, only he sowed buckwheat on his cane patch, and harrowed it over. but the cane would grow, and he got five gallons of excellent molasses. We have made over 150 gallons of sirup from the cane grown on half an acre. * * * * * We have in our possession a gallon elf' sirup that we will put in competition with anything that anybody has made and it was made from green cane. * * * My experience is, that it will stand more cold than corn. * * * It will stand drought better than corn, for the reason that the roots grow deeper than corn. Wet weather will work out its destruction."* The papers were full of discussion of this sort but with a unanimous conclusion in its favor. Mills, both iron and wooden, though the former here considered preferable, were secured and put into operation, and hundreds of gallons of the sirup manufactured The first produced in most cases, owing to the lack of information on the subject, and the carelessness with which its manufacture was conducted, was sorry stuff, To the skeptical part of the community, this result strengthened the prejudice formed against the under taking and greatly discouraged many of the experimenters, Another cause which contributed to this result which is suggested in the foregoing quotations, was the exercise of a ruinous economy on the part of the majority of farmers..Instead of purchasing new seed. and sparing no pains to make a fair trial of this new crop, the majority of those who planted it borrowed seed of their neighbors and allowed the work of the farm to seriously interfere with the cultivation of the cane. The result was that the cane deteriorated in quantity and quality and the whole thing was voted a failure. A few, however, were not so easily discouraged. and kept up the experiment until a really fine molasses was obtained. Experiments involving considerable expense were simile to pro- * Bucyrus Journal, March 28, 1862. 284 - HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY. duce sugar from this cane, but its manufacture was found to be so expensive that it had to be abandoned. A poor grade of sugar was made much cheaper, but it was of no commercial value, and but little interest is now manifested in the enterprise. Some four or five establishments do a limited business in this line, and, by careful and intelligent handling of the cane produce a first-class article, which has attained a considerable local reputation. In 1878, some seventy acres were planted and sixty-one pounds of sugar and 5,878 gallons of sirup manufactured. Tobacco has been cultivated to a very limited extent, simply for the private use of the grower, and it may well be hoped that its culture may not be farther extended. It is an exacting crop upon the land. and sooner or later the exhaustive process will work the deterioration of any neighborhood or farming district where its culture is a prominent part of the farming operations. The forests of Crawford County are well suppled with the sugar-maple, and the people have not been slow to utilize them in the way of making sugar. It was a practice at an early date to make the product of the maple into sugar as in this shape it answered the needs of the household to better advantage, and this practice continued down until more recent years, when cheaper cane sugar made maple sugar no longer a necessity. The product is now about equally divided between cake-sugar and sirup, the demand, however, considerably exceeding the supply. A survey of this branch of Crawford County's agriculture would hardly be complete without some reference to the famous June frost of 1859, which operated so disastrously all over the State. It occurred on a Saturday night. On the preceding night it rained, and Saturday morning opened warm and bright as usual; but before evening it grew unaccountably chilly, and as night closed in the weather was decidedly cold. Wit this change of temperature came a " killing frost " that left scarcely a vestige of the growing crops alive. Corn was about eight or ten inches high, and potatoes had reached the growth that made the effect of the frost most damaging. All grain was ruined, and the people suddenly found themselves brought face to face with the prospect of almost starvation. On the following day, the churches in many places were almost deserted. The farmers wandered aimlessly about their stricken fields, while the villagers thronged the country ways, anxious to measure the extent of the disaster, which had involved town and farm alike. Fortunately, there were some late crops that had not come on far enough to be hopelessly crippled by the frost, and the less fortunate farmers set about repairing the misfortune so far as possible. The corn and potatoes were replanted. buckwheat was sowed in place of wheat. and. thanks to an unusually long season. these crops were fairly matured. The wheat was a total loss. The straw, if it had been cut at once, and well cured would at least. have proved a feed for cattle, but by standing a short time the sap which would have filled out the ear, exuded upon the stalk and rendered it finally unlit for fodder. There was a large proportion of soft corn in the fall hundreds of bushels of which molded and proved a complete loss. This blow was severely felt by the agricultural community and, through them, scarcely less by the whole county in all branches of business. Fruit culture may be safely said to be yet in its infancy in Crawford County. The first settler, deprived for a time of its use, and realizing the great demand in every family for this important article of food,. early set about planting orchards. But little care was exercised, in the majority of cases, its the selection of varieties, or in their care of orchards after once well set; and taking into consideration the value of good fruit as a substantial element of food. as a valuable agent in preserving and promoting HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY. - 285 health, and as a luxury which all classes may enjoy, this subject has not received the attention which its importance merits at the hands of the careful agriculturist. The orchard culture of apples has only of comparatively late years begun to command the serious attention of farmers. The old orchards have heen prolific producers, and in favorable season;. large quantities marketed. Betore the railroads made the markets accessible, large quantities of fruit were dried and hauled to market, and frequently large quantities were feed to stock. This abundance of fruit, and for many provided without their thought or effort, has made farmers careless of the subject, but many are now awakening to the fact that unless something is done to renew these orchards, there will b an interregnum when there will be a scarcity of this fruit in the county. The result of this awakening is to be seen in many parts of the county in the numerous young orchards coming on, and the nurserymen, both at home and abroad are finding this county a profitable field for their goods. Among the varieties now found here are the Baldwins. Bellflower, Belmonts, Bell Davis. Fall Pippins, Fall Wines, Rambos, Rhode Island Greenings, Roxbury, Russets. Kink of Tompkins County, etc. The latter variety is a favorite for a large apple, some of the fruit measuring fourteen and one-half inches in circumference, and at the same time retaining its fine flavor and smooth grain. The apple is the hardiest and most reliable of all the fruit, of this region, and there are probably more acres in apple orchards than in all other fruits combined. Peaches, by reason of the unfavorableness of the climate. are of late year, exceedingly uncertain in Crawford County. In the early history of the county, this kind of fruit did well, but the severe winter of 1856, and the succeeding year or two killed most of the trees then planted and since then have never been a success. These trees are periodically renewed but late frosts in tile spring usually cut off the crops, either in the blossom or when the young fruit is just formed. or there occurs, every few winters a season of such severity that the trees themselves are seriously injured. or destroyed. Another enemy to the peach-tree here, which works fatal results when not prevented. is the borer. This is a small, white grub which gnaws into the bark just at or a little below the top of the ground. They penetrate the bark and work between the inner bark and wood. and gnaw out as much of this as they wish for food. sometimes encircling the tree completely, and generally working a little downward as they progress, but taking generally irregular courses. Their presence can be detected by examining at the root of the tree. If the borer is there, you can notice the gum of the tree in small or large quantities at this point. They are sometimes numerous, say twenty to fifty working at one tree. Sometime you may find but one. They are sometime as small in diameter as a common pin, and from three-eighths to a half-inch long, sometimes a half-inch through and three-fourth's of an inch long. The effect upon the peach-tree is to lessen its vitality. and if the borer encireles it in its ravages, the peach-tree dies, and may die if not fully encircled, as the least injury of this portion of the tree tends to kill it." Another enemy that is as old as the peach-tree itself is the plant lice or aphides. Their presence is indicated by the curling of the leaves. This never kills the trees, however, though not contributing to their healthful development. This curling is observahle most after sudden changes of temperature and is explained by the fact that the aphides seek the under side of the leave; as a protection against the sudden changes of' temperature, where they may he observed in the middle of a warm sunny day or in the early part of a chilly evening. The remedies suggested for the extermination of the * J. Soule, in Bucyrus Journal, July 4, 1862. HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY. - 286 borer are to use the knife, cutting away the outer bark from the channel made by the insect and killing the insect. Another remedy, which is largely used and found efficacious, is to apply boiling water. The amount to be applied to a tree varies with its size. For a tree a year old, a quart would be sufficient, while a pailful would do no harm to one of' full size, as the earth would absorb the heat before it would penetrate the thick bark so as to injure. The best time to apply hot water is about the 1st of June, and if then neglected about the 1st of September. Dig a narrow basin around the tree, as deep and an high as the borers are working, fill it with boiling water and a cure is effected. Ashes as a preventive, should. when the tree is young, be placed in contact with the bark in a narrow deep circle, as a little will then answer the purpose. The case of cherries of the finer varieties is very similar to that of peaches, as the trees are somewhat tender and the blossoms are liable to be destroyed by late frosts. Sweet cherries are little grown on account of these drawbacks and the tendency of the fruit to rot at the time of ripening. The hardier kinds, such as the Early Richmond, the Morellos. and such as the Early May are reliable and considerably grown for private use. Pears are planted in a small way, principally in gardens, no extensive pear orchards existing in the county. The first trees of this sort were seedlings, which of late years, have been entirely supplanted he dwarfs or their outgrowth of' half-standards. The tendency to "fire blight," which the pear-tree shows in the larger part of the State, has not been so marked in this county of late years, but confidence in the stability of this fruit has not been so far restored as to increase the planting of' these trees. The yield is, however, less variable than of apples. Failures are not apt to occur, it is said, from winter killing of the buds, but the trees are so injured by the cold as to die the following year of blight. An unusually warm fall affects the fruit at times unfavorably, causing the late varieties to ripen too early and to decay before they can be secured. Some of the leading varieties found here are the Bartlett, Flemish Beauty, Vicar of Wakefield, Louise Bonn de Jersey, Beurre d Anjou, etc. Plums are scarcely grown at all, owing to the prevalence of the curculio insect. Some little interest was taken in this class of fruit a few years ago and some planting done, but the outcome has been the same, and but little attention is paid to this kind of fruit in the county. In the culture of orchard-fruits in Crawford County the great demand is for more care and attention to the trees already planted. There is a growing interest in this subject, however, which promises good results in the near future New orchards are being planted the best variety of fruit selected and more care taken of the growing trees. The most reliable apple orchards, however, have fallen into the unfortunate habit of bearing full crops every alternate year, with scant ones or failures between. The effect of the alternations upon the grower are disastrous: the prices are depressed and bushels of fruit are left, on the ground to rot or to be fed to stock, the prices not warranting the cost of marketing the surplus product. This habit, it is thought by eminent horticulturists, may be remedied by patient care and study. Grape culture in the interior counties of the State, though securing some attention in a small way, ha never been considered successful. This is particularly true in Crawford County. A few winters ago, the vines were badly injured, and a fatal rot destroys the fruit more or less every year, especially where hot, damp, sultry weather occurs in July. Another discouragement to grape growing here is the nearness of Ottawa and Erie Counties, the great grape-producing counties of the State. Grapes are shipped from points on the lake and sold here at 3 cents per pound, which has the effect to discourage any HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY. - 287 attempt at the cultivation of grapes on an extended scale. In the matter of small fruits or berries, there is a far greater interest manifested. The important villages of Bucyrus, Galion and Crestline furnish a food market for all that can be supplied, and quite a number in the county devote their attention to furnishing berries, though not in quantities to supply the demand. The persevering patient care and investigation which seemed to be wanting in the cultivation of crops does not appear to have been lacking in the raising of stock. It would seem that the early settlers had a predilection for fine stock, and stamped this characteristic upon the agriculture of the county. There has been a constant effort to improve breeds until Crawford County now boasts of as good an average in stock as almost any other county in the State. In this department, the prevailing disposition of the farming community is apparent, and no class of the domestic animals is developed to the exclusion of the other, unless we make an exception in the case of the mule. The history of the early horses in Crawford is not definitely known, if it can he said to have a history. It was some years before horses were needed or introduced to any extent. Oxen were better suited to the work of clearing, were easier kept, and not so liable to accident and disease and these qualifications were all that were demanded of the early teams. In later years, as the demand for traveling purposes began to he felt, horses began to supersede the ox, until now one would scarcely meet an ox team upon the road in a month's travel through the county. There was nothing to distinguish the original stock of horses. Each settler coming in brought such animals as chance or their pecuniary circumstances dictated, and were the ordinary stock of the localities from which they emigrated. Among the first efforts to improve this stock was the importation of "Old Blue Buck." by David Cummins. This horse was raised in Knox County, and was a strongly made horse, admirably calculated for farm work. At that time, there was no great choice as to different strains, this being about the only horse offered for breeding purposes. This was the class of horse especially desired at that time, however, as no demand for speed had been developed. About 1830, a small running horse called "Backus," was introduced by a Mr. Cone. It was an imported animal, and created quite a stir among the farmers, but the final outcome to his owner put something of a damper on this class of horses, though his descendants are yet to be found in the country. A match was made up between Cone and the owner of a Kentucky running horse for a race at Sandusky City. In the trial, "Backus " outstripped the Kentucky horse, when the owner of the latter grew abusive, and, without the slightest provocation, it is said, shot Cone dead on the ground. His last words to his son was to take the horse home and not to run horses any more. His murderer mounted his horse and escaped unmolested. The horse succeeding "Backus" was "Sir Dudley," an animal of admirable qualities, and one that made a lasting impression upon the early stock of horses. He was brought from the East about 1837. was of medium size, carried his head well up, and was a stylish roadster. His stock was remarkable for their great vitality, being especially long-lived. In 1840, "Sheik " or "Sherrock." an Arabian horse, was brought here by Abram Holmes. He was somewhat advanced in years when brought into the county, and had faded to a nearly pure white color. He was kept here until he was thirty-one years old, and was in active demand most of that time. His stock was iron or dappled gray and ran from eleven and a half to twelve hundred in weight. They were especially admired as fine carriage horses, and commanded a good price from dealers for this purpose. This strain, it is said, made a marked and valuable addition to the stock of the county. "Gray Eagle," an 288 - HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY. imported horse, brought here from Kentucky, again excited the interest of farmers in running horses. His pedigree took his line back to the imported "Messenger " stock, but he failed to create any great amount of enthusiasm. The "Messenger" stock was brought to the county very early, but little is remembered of them. About 1840 or very soon after, the Black Hawk Morgan strain was introduced,."Flying Cloud " being the favorite representative of this stock of horses. Three horses of this stock were brought from Rhode Island at the same time, the sires of "Long Mane " and "Joe Hooker " being the other two, but whose names have been forgotten. These horses were fast trotters for that time, and "Flying Cloud " was looked upon as a marvel when he could trot a mile in 2.40. His stock were excellent roadsters, and some have shown 2.30 and 2.20 speed. They were very much sought after, and his descendants are still prized by judges of good horses, "Bellfounder" was brought into the county from Columbus, by James Clements in 1851. This was a medium-sized, dark brown, spirited horse, and was very favorably received by horsemen all over the county. He was in the county but four or five years, when he was bought by the original owners and returned to Columbus. His spirit lasted to the very end of his life, and. when thirty years old, within a month or two of his death, he was handled with great difficulty by his groom. The Norman breed of horses was introduced in the eastern part of the county several years ago. Henry Krim, interested with others, imported several of this breed direct from France. These horses are what is strictly classified as the Percheron, but are known in the books and by dealers as the Percheron Norman. "Nonesuch," "Louis Napoleon." or "Old Bob," as he was variously known, was the first horse of the kind ever brought west of the Alleghany Mountains. He was bought by Charles Fullington, and brought to Union County in 1851, and some time after became the property of Louis Lee, of Delaware, Ohio by whom he was exhibited in this part of the State, exciting a considerable interest among stockmen in this class of horses. They originate in La Perche and Normandy, in France and are noted for their docility, excellent health, and a Hardy, elastic temperament They are possessed of great bone, muscle, tendon and hoof, which gives them immense strength as draft horses. Their color is a fine silver gray, the best adapted to withstand the burning rays of the sun in the field or on the highway. The horse imported to this county, "Pulo." is now owned in Galion, and is in active demand by breeders in the county. These horses mature early, command a good price, and are always in demand. Indeed, so much is this the case that one is scarcely seen in any of the farm teams of the county. They involve too much capital and command cash too readily to be used on the farm, and it may reasonably be doubted whether there is much preference for this class of horses for use on the farm here. The average horse of the county is estimated to stand fifteen and one-half hands high, weigh eleven and a half hundred weight, and bring $125 when in good order for shipping. Mules have never been received with favor by the general mass of farmers. Their appearance is not prepossessing, and those conditions to which these animals are supposed to be best fitted have never existed in the county, and the mule, therefore, has never secured a foothold. This is a good field for buyers, and Crawford County contributes a considerable number of horses each year to the Eastern markets. The introduction of cattle into the county was as early as the coming of the first settler. Cows were a necessary part of the pioneer's outfit, without which his chances for obtaining a reasonably comfortable existence were very poor indeed, and few families were without HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY . - 289 them. But, once here, it required all the care and diligence of the settler to protect them against the ravages of wild beasts and disease. The wolves took off the yearlings and frequently made successful attacks upon cows: the murrain, a little later, took off scores of these animals and journeys of a hundred miles were frequently undertaken to replace the animals thus lost. Then the marshes and the rank vegetation took their quota. so that, in spite of the employment of all the available children of the settlement as herders, and the dosing of cattle with soot, alum and soft soap, hundreds fell victims to the snares of a new country. Under such circumstances, the effort was narrowed down to a struggle to maintain rather than improve the breed. Among the early settler, of the county were many progressive farmers, and as soon as the pressure of the first years in a new country was removed. they began to look about for means to improve the cattle of their new homes. The southern part of the county was then distinctively prairie land and stock-raising soon became an important feature of agricultural activity in that part of the county. In 1834, the Ohio Importing Company made their first importation of the Short-Horn Durhams and exhibited them at the State Fair of that year. This set the whole farming community of this part of the State agog to improve their stock, and nothing but the Short-horn Durham was to be thought of. The first of this breed was probably introduced in this county by Robert Kerr, who bought some animals of Wilson, in Licking County, Ohio. John Monnett also bought, at an early date, several head of young thoroughbreds, of Michael Sullivan, of Pickaway County. John Boss, another breeder, brought some of this class of cattle from Kentucky. The interest, however, in thoroughbreds may he said to be on the wane. Though bred to a considerable extent by a number of farmers in Crawford, there is no longer the ready sale at high prices that once characterized the business. Another feature which perhaps contributed to this resuit was the fact that many of the large farmers in the southern part of the county began breeding the ordinary stock for beef purposes. Some of them kept as many as fifty cows simply for breeding purposes, and annually sold off a large number of bullocks for market purposes. This feature of cattle-raising has entirely passed away during the past five years. Since, the general decline in the price of beef, it has been found too expensive to keep a cow just for the value of a calf, and it has been demonstrated that cattle may be bought for feeding purposes much cheaper in the West than they can be raised here as a specialty, several fine herds of Short-Horns are found is Crawford County, the largest of which is probably the one owned by Mr. Carlisle. Others of more or less importance are owned by Jared A. G. Lederer, Horace Eaton, Dexter Bacon, J. A. Klink, Jackson Boss, R. B. McCammon and E. W. Cooper. The Devon breed was represented at the last county fair by animals owned by J. H. Keller. "This is a strikingly distinct breed in form and quality, medium in size. uniformly red in color, comely in appearance, and of decided excellence: the ox for labor, as his agile form indicates; the cow for milk, when cultivated for that object, and the uniform excellence of their flesh when properly fed and matured." They can hardly be said to have much of a following in this county, though generally admired when exhibited. The Alderneys are exhibited by Judge Thomas Beer and George Donnerworth, Jr. "This breed. having a common origin with the Jerseys and Guernseys, owe their present distinctive qualities in appearance to their manner of breeding, and the tastes and preferences of their long-time propagators. In size, they are smaller than our native cows, delicate in form, unique in shape, diversified in color, and blooded in appearance. The prime quality claimed for the 290 - HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY. cow is the exceeding yellow color and rich quality of her milk, cream and butter, in all which she stands without a rival, although her quantity of milk is moderate compared with the weight of butter which it yields."* The Ayrshires are also represented in the county, but are much less popular than the Alderneys. They are a native of Scotland, and in size are about equal to our common cattle. They are usually red or brown, more or less mixed with white ; are shaped more like the Short-Horn than any others, though lacking their fair contour and comeliness of appearance. They are claimed as a dairy or milking breed. Sheep were introduced into the county as early as 1819, but the rank vegetation and the number and boldness of the wolves made sheep-raising a burden upon the resources of the early settlers. The earliest were probably brought to Sandusky Township, where they soon died from eating some poisonous weed. Another scourge in the early history of sheep-raising in this county was the number of villainous dogs that infested the country. These animals seemed a necessity to the earliest settlers, and there were few families that did not possess one or more of them. As the country began to be cleared up, and game and wild animal's of all sorts became scarce, the demand for these animals to a large extent ceased, but the supply, unfortunately, seemed to be little affected by this change. Many of these animals were crossed with the common wolf, and soon showed the traces of their origin by attacking the few flocks that were kept in the new community. The damage in this way was a great burden, and an indiscriminate slaughter was begun against all dogs found running loose. Gen. Myers relates that out of a flock of one hundred Merino lambs that he brought into the county one year, forty were killed or seriously wounded in a single night. The first * Address before the National Agricultural Congress, Philadelphia, 1876, by S. F. Allen. attempt at introducing an improved quality of sheep was about 1833, when Col. William Robinson brought in some sixty head of the Wells and Dickenson stock, of Washington County, Penn. This celebrated stock was derived from the Humphrey importation of Spanish Merinos, but were bred with a view of securing fine wool but small fleeces. The habit of the best wool-growers of that time was to dip the sheep in water, and then let them run on grass for a few days. They were then washed, sheared, and each fleece wrapped in paper before shipping to market. For such wool, the producer got 85 cents per pound and a suit of broadcloth. Col. Robinson's flock was divided up and sold in parcels of eight to ten in various parts of the county. This class of sheep prevailed for some years, and were known generally as Saxon sheep, though undoubtedly of the early Spanish Merino origin. They were of long, lean carcass, light-limbed, and light fine fleeces. Mr. Lewis sheared a flock of 100 that aveaged only two pounds and fourteen ounces of wool per head. Succeeding these sheep, came the French Merinos, from Vermont. These were larger sheep with heavy fleeces of light-colored wool. These sheep were soon found to be ill suited to this locality. The Vermont breeders had so forced their growth that, when brought out to the West and left unsheltered they at once broke down, and many died, proving, a serious loss to the experimenters. Gen. Samuel Myers was one of the earliest to experiment with this breed of sheep. He found the yield of wool large, but many fleeces remarkably oily. To satisfy himself, he determined to thoroughly wash an unusually large fleece. Before washing, it weighed twenty-four and one-half bounds, and afterward. it weighed just four and a half pounds. The sheep from which the fleece was taken had been carefully housed, and the wool was neat and ordinarily clean, and this result convinced him that the breed was not a profit- HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY. - 291 able one to keep. The Spanish Merino or rather the American improvement of the Spanish importation, was introduced here about 1855. This breed of sheep at once grew into favor, and has increased in numbers steadily down to the present. Nor is the interest in this breed confined to the dealers in thoroughbreed stock. Crosses with the common stock have been made until perhaps one-half of the sheep are more or less high grades of Merino. The improvements upon the native stock are plainly marked, The sixty or seventy-five pound carcass of early years has been increased to ninety and one hundred pounds, and fleeces from three to four pounds to those weighing from five to six pounds, washed on the sheep. A few Cotswold, Leicester and Southdowns have been introduced and have their friends and admirers. They are prized particularly for the quality of the mutton and the long fiber of their wool, some crosses with the Merino sheep have produced a delaine wool which commands a ready sale with good prices. The early stock of hogs were little less than wild animals. Some were brought in by the early settlers, but, large numbers were found in the woods, that had evidently been wild for years, and had probably escaped from other settlements. This class of stock was considered almost as common property, and it was considered no great crime to appropriate any cause to hand. without closely scrutinizing ownership. Subsequently, a system of ear marks was adopted, and each owner recorded his own particular mark with the Township Clerk. Even after this, the line of ownership was not closely observed. It is said that one of the early settlers came to this county owing a considerable debt in the last. for which he had given his notes. One of his creditors, anxious to realize on his account, rode out here on horseback, to get the payment of his note. Of course there was not money here, but, desirous to satisfy his urgent creditor, the settler proposed to pay him in hogs, though not possessing a shoat to his name. The time came when the hogs were to be collected, and the notes having been canceled. they set out to drive the hogs to market. They had not passed the confines of the county when an unfortunate plunge of a dog (which seemed to show method in his madness) stampeded the whole drove, which, taking to the woods. was irreparably lost. The woods breed of hogs is now extinct in this county, and where it used to take two years to make a two-hundred-pound hog a three and four hundred-pound hog can be made in nine to twelve months. The principal breeds are the Suffolk, Chester White. Magies, Poland-China and Berkshire. The latter were first introduced about 1850, but they were at that time a rough, coarse-boned hog and were soon abandoned. A few years later, the Suffolk was introduced. They were fine, smooth animals, easily fattened at any age, but did nut possess, sufficient strength of limb, and were in every way too delicate to meet the wants of this locality. The Chester White succeeded the Suffolks. They are a large, white hog, mature early and are considered large eaters. A cross between these and the Suffolk has been tried, and the result highly prized for market purposes. The Maggie and Poland-China crosses, and the modern Berkshire are taking the lead of late. The latter is probably taking the lead, and is fast achieving a national reputation, a herd-book being issued by an association of breeders, in Illinois, in which the pedigree of thoroughbred animals of this breed is to be chronicled. Dairying is but little known in Crawford County. The farmers appreciate the luxury of fresh milk and butter, and sell their surplus prod uct in the villages to their less fortunate neighbors, but any organized enterprise for this purpose has never found a permanent location in the county. A year or two ago, a cheese-factory was
292 - HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY. started by John Pease, about two miles south of Bucyrus, which, it is said, paid the proprietor well for his trouble and investment, but was not continued a second year. The conditions in the southern part of the county seem favorable for such an enterprise. A large number of cows are kept. It is fine grazing country, and good water is generally accessible. The only thing that seems to be lacking is the man who has sufficient experience in the business and enterprise and capital to push the matter through to success. The last report (1878) gives the dairy products at 609,354 pounds of butter and 2,831 pounds of cheese. A noticeable and favorable feature of the agriculture of the county is the moderate size of the average farm. In the southern part of the county there are several large landholders, one person owning some 3,500 acres, but the average in the county is put at not over eighty acres. These farms are well tilled. the buildings well improved. and a general well-to-do air of neatness and comfort prevails everywhere throughout the farming community. Farming implements of the most approved pattern are being introduced and generally by the farmers. In the matter of markets, Crawford County is well provided. Bucyrus in the center. Galion in the southeast corner and Crestline on the eastern side, are points generally easily-accessible to all parts of the county. The Pittsburgh, Fort Wavne & Chicago, the Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati & Indianapolis, New York, Pennsylvania & Ohio, and the Ohio Central Railroads all touch or pass through the county, affording the amplest shipping facilities for all parts of the country. The only drawback in this direction is the character of the public highways. These areas unreliable as dirt roads can be, and the whole farming community is frequently travel-bound for months at a time during the inclement season of the year. What is more unfortunate there seems to be no practical remedy for this state of thing. There are no considerable gravel deposits and no easily accessible quarries of stone that can be cheaply applied. The western part of the county is underlaid with limestone, but to what extent it is available or practicable for the purpose of macadamizing the public roads has not yet been developed. The village of Galion is this year (1880) making improvements in her streets and sidewalks with imported stone, and it is hoped by the citizens that a suggestion has been made that will be profitably applied to the country ways. The first movement toward the organization of a county fair was made early in 1848. During the legislative session of 1832-33, an act was passed for the encouragement of agriculture. through the organization of agricultural societies. Under this act, a number of societies were organized and fairs held, but, from lack of interest, most of them were discontinued in a few years. In 1846, a new act was passed reviving the old societies and resulting in the organization of many new ones. The one in Crawford County was one of the number of new ones that sprang into existence. Among the leading spirits in this enterprise were Stephen Kelley, Samuel Colwell, Gen. Samuel Myers, Judge Musgrave, George and William Cummings, William Cox and Abel Dewalt. The first oflicers were: Zalmon Rowse, President: Jacob Mullenkopf, Vice President: J. B. Larwill, Secretary: and A. F Failor, Treasurer. The first fair was held in the old court house yard on the 19th of October 1848. The exhibition was confined to some nineteen entries, all of which received awards. Of course there was no such thing as a fee for admittance. Indeed, the fence was so dilapidated that it had to he patched up to keep the sow and pigs, which were one of the attractions of the exhibition, from getting away. Domestic manufactures were shown in the court house, and it is related that the chief subject of remark was a certain patchwork quilt that had been pieced in Pittsburgh and HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY. - 293 exhibited here. The ladies of Crawford seemed to be unanimous in their disapproval of its general style and execution, and was the chief topic of conversation for the time. The following report. taken from the Bucyrus Journal of September 20, 1872, was published originally in the People's Forum of March 24,1849: M. P. BEAN, Esq.-Sir: Will you please insert in your paper the following list of premiums awarded by the Crawford County Agricultural Society, at the fair held October 19, 1848, a notice of which I should have sent you some time since, but have been prevented by other engagements. I was confined by sickness at the time of the fair, and, therefore, cannot speak from personal observation; but I have understood that the fair was much more numerously attended than was expected, owing to the bad state of the roads, the unfavorableness of the weather, and the fact that this was merely an experiment, being the first held in the county; and from the fact that but very little interest has heretofore been manifested by the farmers and others in relation to affairs of the society. Those who were present state that, although but few articles were presented, and in several cases where premiums were awarded there was no competition, yet that there was much spirit manifested by those present, in reference to the importance of such exhibitions and a determination to have a much more interesting fair next year. J. B. LARWILL, Sec'y The following is list of premiums awarded: HORSES To Frederick Wadams, for beat blooded stallion. . . . . . . . .$.5.00 To David Decker, for second best blooded stallion.. . . . . . . 3.00 To David Decker, for best two-year-old colt . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.00 To Zalmon Rowse. for best blooded mare (not brood) . . . . . . .3.00 To John Moderwell, for hest gelling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.00 CATTLE. To Andrew Worling, for best blooded bull. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.00 To Zalmon Rowse, for best cow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.00 To Alfred Magers, for best calf . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.00 SHEEP To Samuel Andrews. for best buck. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.00 To Samuel Andrews, for second best buck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.00 To Samuel Andrews, for best lot of ewes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.00 SWINE. To John Moderwell, for best sow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2.00 AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENTS. To David P. Norton, fur best wind-mill . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.00 MANUFACTURED ARTICLES. To Samuel Andrews, for best flannel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2.00 To Jacob Mullenkopf, for best thread . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.00 To John Sims, for best single harness . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . 2.00 To William Mallory, for best sample of butter . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.00 To William Mallory, for best sample of cheese. . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.00 FRUIT. To .J. B. Larwill, for best grapes . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.00 In the following year, the fair was held on the 24th of October, in the court house yard again This year the display was more varied, the domestic manufactures and fancy articles being shown in the court house. Pens were also provided for the stock, of which a part was shown on the ground now occupied by the Quinby Block. A total premium list of $103 was advertised. In 1850, another day was added, and the exhibition made on the 17th and 18th of October. This was then called a "cattle show," and was held on six acres of ground, at the end of what is now Galen street, which terminated then at Norton's Grove, just north of the Monnett House. Stock pens were put up here, and opinion is divided as to whether the domestic manufactures were exhibited in a tent or at the court house. "In 1851," to quote from the Journal, "the fair was again held for two days, on the 23d and 24th of October. This year the fair was removed to the grounds out near the cemetery, owned at the time by Henry Minnich, who gave the society the use of the land each year, on condition that they would fence it. This the society was unable to do in a single year, but fully inclosed it the second year, after which it is to be presumed, the society commenced to charge an admissiou fee. Floral Hall and Domestic Hall were poor buildings at best, the former only partially inclosed, the latter consisting merely of a roof covered with clapboards and supported by poles, while the sides were wholly uninclosed. 294 - HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY. Floral Hall, in particular, will be remembered as a rough frame, which was annually covered with muslin. This, after each fair, was taken down and folded away until the next season. The track also at this time was a little better than a circus ring and was surrounded by a rope. In 1857, it was greatly extended and approached a half-mile track." In 1859, a third day was added to the exhibition and annual fairs maintained until the beginning of 1862, when the organization was abandoned. No more exhibitions were held until 1867. In this year, Josiah Koler, D. C. Boyer, Barber Robinson, James Robinson, C. S. Crim, William Cox, Adam Klink, John Bremen, Maj. E. R. Kearsley, James Orr, H. J. Thompson and Luther Myers formed a joint-stock company, called the Crawford County Agricultural Association. They proposed to issue $7,000 worth of stock for the purchase of land and to fit it up for the purpose of holding fairs. But $6,100 worth of stock was disposed of, and, with this, nineteen acres of land was bought on the site of the present grounds. Two years later, nine acres more were purchased, and in 1871, four and half acres more were added. making a total of thirty-two and a half acres. This was inclosed with the proper fencing, a Floral Hall, Domestic Hall, offices, eating-house, pens for stock, and stalls, and a good half-mile constructed at a total cost of about $13,000. A natural amphitheater commands the ring and some three acres of it are covered with the natural growth of timber. The stock has changed hands considerably, and generally at from thirty to fifty per cent discount. Upon grounds thus provided, the re-organized agricultural society held their fifteenth annual fair on the 15th, 16th, 17th and 18th days of October 1867. This organization is perfectly distinct from the stock company, and rent the grounds, paying whatever surplus these may be in the treasury after the season is closed. The payments have been from $500 to $800 per annum. Since the re-organization, the annual exhibitions have been kept up, and in 1872, continuing five days. It has since been reduced to four days. |