HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY - 259 CHAPTER VIII. (RETURN TO THE TITLE PAGE) AGRICULTURE AND AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES-DRAINAGE-DISEASES OF DOMESTIC ANIMALS -HORTICULTURAL---FOREST CULTURAL - CLIMATOLOGY, ETC. "Who doth ambition shun, And love, to live in the sun, Seeking the food he eats And pleased with what he gets, Come hither, come hither, come hither, Here shall he see No enemy, But winter and rough weather." -Shakespeare. AT the time of the settlement of Delaware County, agriculture was in its infancy. The farmer was contented and happy, if he raised grain enough for his own wants, and a few bushels, perhaps, to spare his newly settled neighbor. There were no grain merchants in those days, with big warehouses, and banks full of money with which to buy up the surplus products of the county. Stock was on a par with everything else. There were no blooded horses, cattle or hogs, but a limited number of work-steers, a few poor, old bony horses and hogs (of the "hazel-splitter" breed) running at large and fattening on the mast." These comprised the domestic animals of the early settler. Their mode of cultivating the soil was equally primitive. The ground was poorly plowed with wooden plows, slovenly scratched over with wooden-toothed harrows; the wheat was sown by hand, brushed in by a bushy-topped sapling, cut with a sickle, thrashed on the ground by the tread of horses or oxen. The corn-ground was plowed in the same way, marked off both ways with a plow, planted with a hoe and cultivated with hoes, and single-shovel plows not larger than a man's hand. Truly, agriculture was in its infancy then, and the great and grand family of agricultural implements were not yet born into existence ; neither were the people familiar then with agricultural and mechanical associations, and societies for the improvement of stock and farming. The first account we have of the organization of an agricultural society in Delaware County, we find in the Ohio State Gazette (now the Delaware Gazette) of June 28, 1833. It says: " At a meeting of the citizens of Delaware County, convened under an act of the Legislature of Ohio, to authorize and encourage the establishment of agricultural societies in the several counties of this State, passed February 25, 1833, Dr. Noah Spalding was appointed Chairman, and F. Avery, Secretary." A number of resolutions were adopted. The first one, "That a society be formed called the Delaware County Agricultural Society, etc." A second resolution required that "Each member pay 50 cents annually to the society." The officer elected were Milo D. Pettibone, President; Wilder Joy, Vice President; Frederick Avery, Secretary; William Little, Treasurer; and John Curtis, David Prince, James Carpenter, Hugh Lee, J. N. Cog. William S. Drake, Forrest Meeker, Amos Potter, A. Root, Jr., and Robert Jameson, a Board of 260 - HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. Managers. The President, Vice President and Secretary were appointed a committee to prepare by-laws and a constitution. Another meeting was to be held on the 4th of July, 1834. We extract from the Gazette the full proceedings of this meeting, which are as follows: At a meeting of the Directors of the Delaware County Agricultural Society, held on the 4th of July, 1834, said Board resolved that there be an exhibition and show of domestic animals and manufactures on the first Friday in October next, and that premiums be awarded as follows For the best stud horse .................................................. $7 00 For second-best stud horse ............................................ 3 50 For the best brood mare ................................................... 5 00 For second-best brood mare ........................................... 2 00 For best mare or gelding, not over three and one half years old ............................................................. 4 00 For second-best mare or gelding, not over three and one-half years old .................................................2 00 For best spring colt ......................................................... 3 00 For second-best spring colt ............................................. 1 50 For best bull .................................................................... 5 00 For second-best bull ........................................................ 3 00 For third-best bull ............................................................ 110 For best cow .................................................................... 3 00 For second-best cow ......................................................... 2 00 For third-best cow ............................................................ 1 00 For best pair of work oxen, on trial ................................. 5 00 For best pair three-year steers, in yoke ............................ 3 00 For best heifer, not less than three years old .................... 2 00 For best spring calf ......................................................... 1 50 For second best spring calf ............................................. 1 00 For best merino or Saxon buck ...................................... 2 00 For second best merino or Saxon buck ........................... 1 00 For best pair of pigs ......................................................... 1 50 For best piece of ten yards, and upward of jeans.............. 2 00 For second best piece of ten yards and upward of jeans ............................................................................ 1 00 For best piece of ten yards and upward of linen............... 2 00 For second-best piece of ten yards and upward of linen ............................................................................ 1 00 For best piece of ten yards and upward of flannel ........... 2 00 For second-best piece of ten yards and upward of flannel .......................................................................... 1 00 For best pair of woolen socks ........................................... 75 For second-best pair of woolen socks ............................... 50 For best cheese of twenty pounds weight and upward ......................................................................... 1 00 Any person offering any animal for premium must give satisfactory assurance to the Board that he is the actual owner of such animal, and that it is his intention to keep such animal in the county at least one year. By order of the Board. F. AVORY, Secretary. July 26, 1834. The meeting was held as set forth in the original announcement, on Friday, October 3, and David Gregory, H. J. L. Brown, Charles H. Pickett, Benjamin Powers and James Eaton were appointed judges to decide all questions relating to premiums. After a deliberate and impartial examination of the various objects, premiums were awarded as follows: DOMESTIC MANUFACTURES. Miss Martha Ann Joy, for the best piece of jeans.................. $2 00 Miss C. A. Avery, for the best piece of flannel ..................... 2 00 Mrs. J. Said, for second-best piece of flannel ........................ 1 00 Mrs. J. Said, for best piece linen ............................................ 2 00 Mrs. .J. Carpenter, for best pair of woolen socks..................... 75 Mrs. L. M. Avery, for second-best pair woolen socks ............. 50 Mrs. H. S. Jameson, for best counterpane .............................. 2 00 Mrs. Martha Joy, best cheese ................................................ 1 00 ANIMALS. John Sherman* for the best stud-horse ................................ 7 00 G. Allbright, for second-best stud-horse .............................. 3 50 Wm. Sweetser for best brood mare ....................................... 5 00 Forest Meeker, tar second-best brood mare ............................ 2 00 Alex. McCutchen, for best three-year-old mare .................... 4 00 Moses McElvain, for second-best three-year-old mare .......... 2 00 Forest Meeker, for best spring colt ......................................... 3 00 John Reid, for second-best spring colt ................................... 1 50 Wilder Joy, for the best bull ................................................... 5 00 Rodney Smith, for second-best bull ....................................... 3 00 Nathan Dustin, for third-best bull .......................................... 2 00 Joseph Prince, for the best cow ............................................... 5 00 Mathias Kensel, for second-best cow ...................................... l 00 David Cadwallader, for third best cow .................................... 1 00 S. H. Allen, for best yearling heifer ......................................... 2 00 Joseph Prince, for best spring calf ............................................ 1 50 James Carpenter, for second-best spring calf ........................... 1 00 Calvin Woodbury, for best pair of oxen .................................. 5 00 Abram Williams, for best merino buck .................................... 2 00 The Gazette thus editorializes on the subject: "Being the first exhibition of the kind in thin county, the Society did not anticipate so large an exhibition, nor so general an attendance, in both of which, we are pleased to state, they were agreeably disappointed. The show was creditable to the county, in quality and number of manufactured articles and animals offered for premiums. as well as in the character of those who encouraged it by their presence and aid." In 1835, another exhibition was held and many additions made, including "domestic manufactures, fruits, dairy and household productions." The highest premium was $8, and the lowest 75 cents. To the advertisement and premium list, which is published in the Gazette, was affixed the name of Wilder Joy, as President of the Society, and Frederick Avery, Secretary. In 1836, a similar announcement is made through the same channel (the Gazette), of the " Third Annual Cattle Show * Not the secretary of the Treasury, HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. - 263 and Exhibition of Domestic Manufactures," which will take place in October next. Further additions were made to the premium list of stock, grain, seeds, fruit, farming implements, etc., with half a column of rules and regulations. The highest premium is $8, and the lowest $1. Nathan Dustin's name is attached to the premium list as President, and G. W. Sharp, Secretary. Considerable interest was manifested in the Society by the farmers and business men of the county. These early meetings and exhibitions were held, partly in the public square and partly on the commons. The exhibitions of " Domestic Manufactures" took place in the court house, and the show of animals was usually made on the lot where the Baptist church now stands. The Society flourished for a number of years, and then took a little Rip Van Winkle nap, and from it awoke under a special act of the Legislature, pissed at the session of 1847-48. The Society was re-organized under this act, and in May 1848, a meeting was held, which elected the following officers: David Bush, President ; Wilder Joy, Vice President : B. Powers, Treasurer; L. Glessner, Secretary, and H. P. Havens, Robert Faris. E. S. Mendenhall. James Carpenter and Sabeers Main, a Board of Managers. The following is from an editorial in the Gazette of September 29, 1848; "The first fair of the Delaware County- Agricultural Society will be held in this place on Tuesday next. Since the passage of the law for the encouragement of these societies. they have been turned in most of the counties in the State, and many of them are in a highly flourishing condition and doing much to add to the science of agriculture, and develop the resources of the counties in which they exist. Delaware County is well adapted to agriculture, containing scarcely any land but is susceptible of cultivation. One great object of societies of the kind is the united benefit of the members, produced by diffusing useful intelligence connected with agricultural pursuits, and emulation in the rearing of stock, raising of grain, fruits, etc., and the production of articles of domestic manufacture. Farmers should all become members, and strive to make the Society successful." The first meeting held under this act was "far more interesting than was anticipated," etc. About fifty premiums were awarded, ranging in amount from $5 down to 50 cents. The domestic manufactures were reported by the Secretary as being "very fine. also fruit; apples could not be beat in any county in the State." Jesse Said, of Concord Township, is reported as having exhibited twenty-five different varieties of apples. The present agricultural association of the county dates from its re-organization under the act of the Legislature above referred to, thus making the last exhibition the thirty-second annual meeting. The meetings of the association were held first one place and then another, wherever circumstances favored, until 1854. In February of that year, a lot of ground was purchased from the heirs of M. D. Pettibone, deceased, comprising seven acres, for which the Society paid $150 per acre. It was inclosed and improvements made to enable the Society to hold its next exhibition upon the newly acquired grounds. Since then the grounds have been enlarged, by purchasing additional land, until it comprises about thirty acres or more, substantially inclosed, and possesses comfortable and commodious buildings. The estimated value of the ground is about $150 per acre, although some of it cost, at the time of purchase, $200 per acre, as we were informed by Thomas F. Joy, Esq., and the additional value of improvements, buildings, etc., is about $1,000. The grounds are beautifully situated on the east side of the river, a convenient distance from the city, and are well adapted for the purposes for which they are designed. The following are the officers of the association for 1879: John J. Fleming, President ; L. P. McMaster, Alice President; C. M. James, Secretary, and C. D. Potter, Treasurer. The Board of Management was composed of James Dyer, Genoa ; Riley Graves, Harlem ; James Scott, Kingston ; R. K. Willis, Liberty ; Rufus Carpenter, Orange; John McCay, Porter ; Stephen Thomas, Radnor; Silas Rodefer, Troy; Al Shaffer, Trenton, who were elected for one year; John Finch, Berkshire ; A: Freshwater, Berlin; N. T. Longwell, Brown; E. J. Healy, Concord; John Sanderson, Delaware ; Elias Cole, Marlborough; Seth Slack, Oxford ; J. S. Jones, Scioto, and Samuel Shoup, Thompson, who were elected for two years. The last report shows nearly 900 members of the Society. Its annual exhibitions have increased somewhat in importance since that first exhibition and cattle show held in 1834. At that meeting there were but twenty-seven premiums awarded ; now it takes quite a pamphlet to contain the different classes, premiums and awards. At the exhibition held in the fall of 1856, a melancholy accident occurred, which closed the meeting unceremoniously, and cast a shade of 264 - HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. gloom over the city and county. A new steam engine, built by Bradley, Burnham & Lamb, of Delaware, was on exhibition, when, from some defect in the boiler, which had been made by Pearsol & Moore, of Sandusky City, it blew up, resulting in the death of Mrs. A. Walker, Thomas Williams, F. Smith, James Nicholson, Wiley Finch, Louis Powers, Hiram Nafus, Henry Stimmel, Tone, Oscar Markle, and an unrecognized stranger. A number of others were wounded, of whom Mrs. Markle, Mr. Wade, and Mr. Newberry died in a few days. A meeting of condolence was immediately called, of which Hon. T. W. Powell was Chairman. Business was entirely suspended, and the most intense sympathy manifested for the sufferers, and resolutions to that effect unanimously adopted. Subscriptions were made, the society declined paying any premiums, but added the funds in its treasury to the subscription, for the purpose of defraying the burial expenses. Welch & Lent's circus, which was to have exhibited in the town on the, day of the funeral, at a request from the citizens, postponed their exhibition, and nobly tendered the use of their wagons and horses for the funeral, which was gratefully accepted. The sad occurrence cast a shadow on the community, and left a mournful sorrow behind it that was not soon forgotten. The people of Delaware County display much interest, and devote a good deal of attention, to the breeding of fine stock. We have the authority of Thomas F. Joy, that his father, Wilder Joy, and Judge Williams, brought the first blooded cattle to the county, about 1826. They purchased them in Pickaway County. Among the number was a short-horn bull, a dark roan, and a very fine animal for that early period, when most of the fine breeds in this section had been crossed until their blood was getting thin. About 1836, Gilbert Van Dorn brought some shorthorns into the county, and, in a few years, Mr. Jones, of Radnor, brought in some Durhams, which he had purchased from M. S. Sullivant, of Columbus. These were followed by other purchases and importations in different parts of the county. At the present time, there are some half-dozen or more very fine herds of blooded cattle in Delaware County. The largest and finest herds belong to Messrs. Jones, Hills; T. F. Joy, Norman Perfect of Sunbury, John Worline and N. Leonard. There are many others owning smaller herds. Draft horses also receive their full share of attention; quite a large number having been bred in the last fifteen or twenty years. The principal breed, and the one seemingly best adapted to this section, is the Percheron, or Percheron-Norman, so called from La Perche and Normandy, in France, where they are extensively bred, and whence they are imported to this country. Without going into a detailed history of these famous horses (which our space will not allow), a few facts in regard to them may not be out of place. The Percherons are noted for their docility, mildness, patience, honesty, kindness, 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 midst of the field or on the highway. The first Percheron-Norman horse ever brought west of the Alleghany Mountains was "Louis Napoleon," or, as he was familiarly called, "Old Bob." He was brought to Union County, Ohio, by Charles Fullington, in 1851, and, some time after, became the property of Hr. Lee, of Delaware, and, still later, of Peter Engard. Finally, he was sold to parties in Illinois. The following description of this breed of horses is said by horse men to be a correct one: " Head clean, bony, and small for the size of the animal; ears short, mobile, erect and fine-pointed ; eyes bright, clear, large and prominent ; forehead broad ; nostrils large, open, and red within; jaws rather wide; chin fine; lips thin; teeth round and even; neck a trifle short, yet harmoniously rounding to the body ; throttle clean, crest rigid, rather high, and gracefully curved ; mane abundant with silky hair; breast broad and deep, with great. muscular development ; shoulders smooth, and sufficiently sloping for the collar to set snug to them ; withers high; back short and strongly coupled; body well ribbed-up, round, full and straight on the belly, which is much longer than the back; rump broad, long, and moderately sloping to the tail, which is attached high; hips round and smooth at top, and flat on the sides ; quarters wide, well let down, and swelling with powerful muscles." Among the first importers of the Percheron-Norman horse to this county, and who still art extensive breeders and dealers, are the Covell Bros., of Delaware. They were concerned, also with the Radnor Importing Company, and the Delaware Importing Company, and have made several trips to France for the purpose of purchasing horses for this country. W. H. Case was also HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. - 265 among the early importers of Percheron horses. Among those who are now breeding and handling these horses, are the Covells, Mr. Chase, John and Edward Thompson, Capt. Weiser and Stephen Thomas, of Radnor, whom we may mention as perhaps the most extensive dealers and breeders in the county. In addition to the Percheron-Norman, there have been some of the Clydesdale and Belgium horses brought to the county, but they have never been so popular as the former. Many farmers are interested in fine sheep and hogs. Miner Tone ( now deceased), of Liberty Township, was the owner of one of the finest herds of sheep in the State of Ohio. Mr. Willis, his son-in-law, at present has charge of his flock, and devotes the same attention bestowed on it by Mr. Tone. Mr. Green, in the east part of the county, also has a large Herd of fine sheep. The favorite breeds are Leicesters, Merinos and Southdowns. Many fine breeds of Bogs are also to be found throughout the county. In no way can we so well give an idea of the kind and amount of productions of the county, as by the following condensed abstract from the Assessor's books STOCK Number Value. Horses......................................................................... 8001 $467,336 Cattle .........................................................................177131 312,003 Mules ........................................................................ 146 7,270 Hogs.......................................................................... 31898 80,187 Sheep ....................................................................... 101698 215,805 Horses died from disease (during year).................... 108 8,360 Cattle died from disease (during year) ..................... 132 3,684 Hogs died from disease (during year)....................... 730 3,135 Sleep died from disease (during year)....................... 1510 3,252 Sheep killed by dogs (during year)............................ 370 1,113 Wool shorn, 402,092 pounds. Products Number of Number of Acres. Bushels. Wheat .........................................................................13472 208096 Corn............................................................................. 39245 1245833 Oats .............................................................................. 7449 230512 R.ye............................................................................... 711 7242 Buckwheat ................................................................... 264 2316 Barley ........................................................................... 30 872 Potatoes ....................................................................... 994 83705 Timothy. - 28,447 acres; 39,202 tons of hay. Clover.-1,838 acres; 2,418 tons of hay; 2,200 bushels of seed. Flax.-681 acres; 125,553 pounds of fiber; 6,567 bushels of seed. Sorghum - 94 acres: 77 pounds of sugar: 5,743 galIons of syrup. Maple Sugar and Syrup.-13,924 pounds of sugar; 9,871 gallons of syrup. Bees and Honey.-1,579 hives; 25,169 pounds of honey. Dairy Products.-547,601 pounds of butter; 5,175 pounds of cheese. The following extracts from an article on the system of drainage, published in the Ohio Agricultural Report of 1867, and written by a citizen of Delaware County, is not inappropriate in this connection, and will be found of some interest to the agricultural class: " From the first settlement of the county, some attention has been paid to carrying off stagnant waters from the surface of our lands. After sowing the wheat crop, furrows have . been made along the low places to carry off the surface water, and usually the ground is thrown up in lands for wheat, so that the water may find its way off in the dead furrows. To convert the swamps into dry lands, open drains have been dug ; but these, filling up in a very short time in the black lands, were a serious obstruction to cultivation while they lasted. For these reasons a practice prevails in some parts of the county, of plowing these drains out to the width of ten to twenty feet, depending upon the depth required, and either hauling away the earth and spreading it upon the high and poor lands, or taking back and spreading it out evenly on the banks with a road-scraper. Such a job will be permanent, will never fill up, and call be conveniently driven over with wagon or plow. Some underdrains have been constructed, and wood, stone and tile used, and the unanimous testimony of all who have used either, is most decidedly favorable to underdraining. "In some of our best flat lands, oak plank have been set up at the sides of the ditches, and the tops covered with staves of the same material placed just low enough so as not to interfere with the plowing. The object in making these drains is not to make the land more friable, as is our purpose in clay lands, but simply as a most convenient method of taking off the surface water without interfering with the cultivation of crops. By constructing these cheap drains along the swales, some of our white-elm swamp lands have been made to produce corn as well as the best bottoms. * * We have drains upon our lands constructed with poles, with broken stone and with tile, and as yet we can perceive no diffcrence in their operation; the water being discharged just as freely from the two former as from the tile drain, and they seem in all respects to have as good an influence upon the 266 - HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. soil. But we have not used the tile drain long enough to witness the full effect of their action. The drains of wood and stone have been in operation several years. Their influence upon tillage crops is very marked, much more so than upon grass. In winter, when the land is in wheat, the difference in the appearance of the soil near the ditches is strikingly manifest; it is much dryer and much warmer, as is proved by the fact that the snow thaws much sooner near the drains than upon other parts of the same field. There has not been underdraining enough done in Delaware to test fairly the effect upon the production of crops. There has been no thorough drainage of any farm, and we have, therefore, no accurate means of determining how much it adds to our products. But the general opinion is, that upon lands which require draining, as most of our clay lands do, the increase will be about one-third. "It appears that the rudest methods in underdraining afford such conclusive evidence of its advantages, that parties who once make a beginning in the work, never fail to go on with it, or to finally adopt what has been clearly demonstrated to be the best material-the drain tile. It is obvious that although but a small amount, comparatively, of underdraining has yet been done in this county, the work will very rapidly spread and increase in the future. All we now require to insure this result is the establishment of tile works in the county. There is no doubt but it would at once find a demand for all the tile it could turn out. * * * Whatever branch of agriculture a man may be engaged in, whether mainly in tillage crops or in stock, there cannot, in either case, be any profitable results, unless he have his land in good condition. Large crops are always profitable; small crops are always grown at a loss." The article quoted from was written before drain tile was much known. Their trial has but demonstrated their utility over other systems of drainage, and the several factories now in operation in the county, are very good evidence of their growing popularity among farmers. As a matter of interest to our farmer readers, we make the following extracts from an article on the " Losses Occasioned by the diseases of Domestic Animals," written by N. S. Townsend, which will be found to contain some valuable hints, and farmers will do well to profit by the suggestion therein made : "Domestic animals are subjected to unnatural conditions, as well as to much hard treatment ; to these causes may be attributed much of their sickness. Horses are driven hardwhen the weather is extremely cold ; the necessarily increased amount of cold air taken into the lungs, may be, of itself, enough to produce diseases. After hard driving, horses are often allowed to stand only partially protected, or wholly unprotected from the cold ; the result is likely to be inflammation of the lungs, or some other disease of the respiratory organs. Horses are frequently kept fasting too long, then they are overfed or otherwise fed improperly, and hence, colic, indigestion, or inflammation of the stomach or bowels. Then what innumerable lamenesses come from overdriving, overwork, or unskillful shoeing. * * In 1866, a succession of cold storms about shearing time destroyed a great many thousand sheep in Ohio, almost all of which might have been saved if shearing had been delayed, or sufficient shelter and protection had been afforded. The contagion of hog cholera is believed by many to be generated in the intestinal canal, and to be propagated by the evacuations of diseased animals ; yet how few farmers take pains to secure clean quarters for their swine, even after cholera has made its appearance. * * * * * * " The death of so many sick animals in Ohio is caused by little or no appropriate medical or surgical treatment. Whatever the disease, many sick animals receive absolutely no treatment ; the owner does not understand the disease, does not know what to do, and, perhaps wisely, does nothing. In another case, the owner of a sick animal consults all his neighbors, and finally resolves on something, after the opportunity of arresting the disease at its outset by a timely remedy has already passed. An animal may be known to have some form of disease; the owner of the animal is also the owner of a work on veterinary medicine, but unfortunately he may not be accustomed to examine the pulse, has no means to ascertain the temperature, and no skill on judging of the stage of the disease, or of the condition of the patient. He gives what his book advises, and what would be the right thing in a particular stage of the disease, but which at another may be the worst thing possible. Some farmers make the mistake of supposing that all the veterinary help they require can be obtained from the columns of a newspaper, but unless a disease is trivial, or has become chronic, too much time is likely to be lost before this method can be made available. Few farmers can so HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. - 267 describe a case that a veterinarian can obtain a correct idea of the actual condition of an animal ; or if that were done, there is no assurance that the condition will remain unchanged until a prescription finally appears in another number of the paper, Much valuable information on veterinary topics is given through agricultural papers, but this is rather applicable to future than to present cases. "By the prompt employment of skillful veterinarians (wherever such can be found), a skillful and not expensive operation may save the life of a valuable animal ; so a timely dose of medicine may prevent serious illness and loss of life. The ordinary operations that all farmers make, or procure made, are often so unskillfully. managed that the losses within the State, in a single year, would afford a good living for ten times our present number of competent veterinarians. Perhaps it will be said that we have but few competent veterinarians within the State, and that the employment of such as we have is uncertain, and often unsatisfactory. If this be true, it is much to be regretted, but it is equally to be regretted that the stock-owners in Ohio are doing so little to secure a better state of things. Is it not remarkable that Ohio, with domestic animals assessed at $ $78,000,000, and actually worth one-third more, or $117,000,000, and sustaining annually a reported loss of more than 3 1/4 per cent. on the whole amount, should exhibit such lack of interest Well-educated and accomplished veterinarian ought to find appreciation and plenty of encouragement in Ohio ; such men are needed, no only to treat disease, but to investigate its bid den sources, and to devise better sanitary, well as curative management. Many diseases are already better understood than formerly, but ther are others which need more careful investigation "A better knowledge of the anatomy and phys iology of animals, on the part of intelligent an enterprising farmers, would greatly diminish our losses ; not by enabling them to dispense with the services of veterinarians, but by suggesting success ful measures for preventing disease. Sanitar science, or the science of preserving health, is a applicable to animals, as to human beings. Man losses might be avoided, if all stock-owners won] constantly keep on hand a few effective remedies and a few needful instruments to meet promptl the emergencies that will arise. Just as a prudent mother will keep castor oil, hive syrup, and paregoric ; so a prudent farmer should never be without Glauber's salts, saltpeter, tartar emetic, laudanum, and spirits of turpentine. "The most serious losses reported for the year have been occasioned by hog cholera. It may be difficult for farmers to change at once the form of farming for which their soil is so well adapted, but to some extent it would seem to be a part of prudence to rely less on the production of their great staples, corn and pork, and to turn their attention to other crops less subject to uncertainty and disappointment." The writer here describes a visit to the university farm, when the hog cholera was prevailing, and closes with the following: "The first point which appeared to be established is, that the j infection of hog cholera may be carried by a stream from an infected region above, to farms below. Unless this be true, we cannot explain the appearance of the disease on the university farm. Acting on this conviction, all the hogs were removed from yards through which the stream ran ; and, without shutting the hogs from the brook, they could not have been induced to take the articles we desired to give in their drink. The removal to fresh quarters from where the disease was first manifested, and to a fresh place day by day, was resorted to, from the conviction that this disease bears a close analogy to typhoid fever of the human subject. Thecontagion of hog cholera, whether it be analogous to a ferment or consists of parasitic organisms, carries with it the power of reproducing its like, and whether communicated by direct contact, through the atmosphere, or by a stream, or by all of these, it would seem to be wise to remove animals from all places already - reached by the infection. "A diet of corn exclusively is doubtless very fattening to healthy hogs; but in the sick it excites a high grade of fever, and the more fever the more local inflammation, and the greater the danger. Potatoes, beets and pumpkins are better than corn for sick hogs, but a fluid diet is best of al ; milk, sweet or sour, is the best food ; or, if it were convenient to make a soup from butchers' offal, this would equally well replace the nitrogen consumed in the course of the disease. In typhoid of the human subject, milk and beef tea constitute the diet, to the exclusion of solid food. "Finally, it seemed to be proven that the mor tality from hog cholera may be greatly diminished by careful, humane and intelligent treatment. Other measures may be more efficacious than those 268 - HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. adopted on the university farm. We had, however, the satisfaction of getting through the disease with the loss of less than a fourth of the animals affected, and much less than a fourth of the value of the herd. No specific has been discovered, and we doubt if one ever will be; our success was not what we wished, though the result has been more favorable than we feared. It is something to say that we are not discouraged, but are persuaded that we might profit by some mistakes, and secure a still better result, if ever compelled to make the trial again." In matters pertaining to horticulture, the inhabitants of Delaware County have, until recently, paid little attention. Considerable progress, however, has been made, in the last few years, in these pursuits, and an improved taste is being manifested by the people generally in beautifying and adorning their homesteads, by the liberal planting of fruit and ornamental trees, vines and shrubs. Time and experience have demonstrated that, with care and attention, certain varieties of fruits can be successfully grown. Many owners of "country seats " take pride and pleasure, in this age, in fine grounds and tasteful gardens; and in the cities nearly every house has its garden-spot, tastefully arranged with choice flowers, vines and evergreens, and kept in the neatest order. The following article, on the horticulture of this county, was written by George W. Campbell, Esq., of Delaware, especially for this work. His reputation as a horticulturist is sufficient introduction "Horticulture, or gardening, in its restricted sense, can hardly be regarded as a very prominent or important feature in the history of Delaware County. If, however, we take a broad view of the subject, and include orchards, vine-growing, small-fruit culture and all kindred branches outside of agriculture, we should find more of interest and value. The climate of Delaware County is not well adapted to general fruit culture, by reason of great variability of temperature, being subject to frequent and sudden changes, to extreme cold in winter, and to late and severe frosts in the spring, as well as to early and killing frosts in autumn. "The apple is the hardiest and roost reliable of all fruits for this region, and there are probably more acres in apple orchard. than in all other fruits combined, in this county. We have no accurate data of the earliest planted orchards in the county, but, there arc still remaining within the limits of the city of Delaware; apple-trees, the remains of orchards planted forty-five to fifty years ago by Mr. William Little, and Rev. Henry Iran Donlan, both deceased, who were among the early settlers of the town of Delaware. Many of the varieties were such as are still planted, and held in high estimation by fruit-growers. Among them were Rambo, Bellflower, Seek-no-further, Putnam, Russet. Autumn Strawberry, Black Gilliflower, Rhode Island Greening, Spitzenberg, Willow Twig, Early Harvest, Earl y Strawberry, besides many other kinds of inferior character, whose names have not been preserved, and which probable never lead more than a local reputation. Among the largest growers, and most successful orchardist'. in the county. arc Horace T. McMasters, of Brown Township. and, as a general fruit-grower. Mr. Westervelt, of Genoa. There are other extensive growers. but their names cannot. at the moment be recalled. "Peaches, by reason of the unfavorableness of climate before mentioned, are exceedingly uncertain, and are but little planted. Late frosts in spring usually cut off the crop, either in the blossom or when the voting fruit has just formed. And, in addition to this, there occurs, every few years, a winter of such severity, that even the trees themselves are seriously injured or destroyed. The peach erop is much more precarious than it was thirty years ago, the climate seeming to have become more variable and the winters colder. The remarks upon peaches are also, to a considerable extent, applicable to cherries of the finer kindsthe sweet cherries, as they are usually called, ,f the heart, or Bigarreau class-as the trees are somewhat tender, and the blossoms liable to be destroyed by late frosts in spring. The hardier kinds, such as the Early Richmond, the Morellos, and the May Duke, with others of its class, are much more reliable and hardy and often yield fine crops. "Plums are scarcely grown at all, owing to the prevalence of the curculio insect, although the trees grow well and remain healthy. The Blackknot, which is so destructive to plum-trees in many sections, is here unknown. "The smaller fruit, raspberries, blackberries, currants and strawberries. are considerably cultivated throughout the county, mostly in the neighborhood of the towns and villages, and with average success, when intelligently cultivated. "Pears are planted in a small way, principally in gardens; but no extensive pear orchards are known to exist in the county. There is no other HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. - 269 reason why pears should not be grown extensively and become as plentiful as apples, except the tendency to blight, which the pear-tree shows here as well as in most other localities in the United States. "Grapes are found to succeed reasonably well in most parts of Delaware County, though the extensive culture of vineyards in a large way has not been attempted. The Delaware and the Concord grapes have been more extensively planted than any others; but the Delaware grape requires more skill for its successful cultivation than many others; and often fails from Mismanagement and neglect. It is very liable to become enfeebled by being permitted to overbear; and then suffers from weakness and a kind of mildew which attacks and destroys the foliage and prevents ripening of the fruit. "This remarkable and celebrated grape-the Delaware-was first disseminated from this county, arid took its name from the town of Delaware, somewhere about the year 1850, when it was discovered growing near the banks of the Scioto, in the hands of a Mr. Heath, and Mr. Warford, who brought it from the State of New Jersey a dozen vears or more before that time. Mr. Thomson. the editor of the Delaware Gazette, who was, in those days, an enthusiastic and intelligent horticulturist, discovered the merits of this grape in 1853, sent specimens of the fruit to Maj. P. Barry, who was then the editor of the Horticulturist, and its superior character was recognized and made public. The introduction of the Delaware grape created quite an excitement in the horticultural world and gave rise to a furor in grape-growing; which has often been called the 'grape fever.' The abilities of grape propagators were taxed to their utmost to supply the demand, and Delaware grape-vines were sold in enormous quantities at prices ranging from $1 to $5 each. The wildest ideas prevailed, and the most extravagant anticipations and expectations were entertained as to the profits of grape-growing, and thousands of persons embarked in this pursuit without either the skill or the knowledge requisite: for success, and the result was just what might be expressed in the single word failure, so far as the great mass of inexperienced cultivators was concerned. The Delaware grape, however, maintained its high character, and is still recognized as the finest in quality of all American grapes, and one of the most valuable, in all localities suited to its culture. "The origin of the Delaware grape, is, and must always be, a little doubtful. In New Jersey, it was found growing in the garden of an old Frenchman by the name of Paul H. Provost, and there was a story of its having been sent from France with a lot of other vines, about the beginning of the present century. But. it has been found so entirely devoid of the characteristics of all foreign grapes (both itself and seedlings from it), so purely native American in habit of growth and adaptability to our soil and climate, that the idea of its foreign origin has been abandoned by the most intelligent horticulturists. It is now supposed to be a chance seedling which sprung up in the garden above mentioned, from some of our native grapes, possibly fertilized with pollen from some foreign kind. The latter supposition is hardly probable, for the reason that no seedling from the Delaware grape has been produced resembling the foreign sorts, all showing unmistakably their native American character. And, besides this, the strictest search among foreign varieties has never discovered the prototype of the Delaware. "The discovery and introduction of the Delaware grape is one of the most notable and important events connected with the horticultural history of Delaware County, and the credit for this, mainly, is due to the enterprise, as well as the judgment and discrimination, of Mr. Abram Thomson before mentioned. This gentleman had also about that time one of the most complete and extensive amateur collections of the finer varieties of pears, not only in the county, but in the State; as well as a fine collection of strawberries and other choice garden fruits. "The first public garden of much importance was established in the corporate limits of Delaware, by the late Judge Hosea Williams, somewhere about the year 1854-55, and continued until the time of his decease, in 1876, largely to supply the citizens of Delaware with berries and small fruits as well as with vegetables. Since the decease of Judge Williams, this garden has been discontinued, but several others have since been established in the vicinity of the city, and the markets are tolerably well supplied with fruits and vegetables in their season, though a large amount, especially of early vegetable products, are annually imported from a distance. "The writer of this article established a grape and small-fruit nursery with greenhouses, in Delaware, in the year 1857, and during the period of the excitement incident to the discovery and introduction of the Delaware grape before mentioned. From this nursery a large number of Delaware 270 - HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. vines, and all other varieties of value, including some seventy different varieties, have been sent, not only throughout the United States, but to nearly every quarter of the civilized world. Smallfruit plants of all kinds, as well as greenhouse and bedding and flowering plants, are still produced at this establishment, as well as grapevines, not only for the accommodation of the citizens of Delaware and the county, but for shipment to all parts of the country." There is no regularly organized horticultural society in Delaware County, nor has there ever been one to amount to anything. Something like a quarter of a century ago, such a society was organ- j ized, but its organization and election of officers constituted the larger part of the proceedings during its momentary existence. The Gazette of June 9, 1854, contains a notice of the organization of the Delaware County Horticultural Society, and its first election of officers. The officers elected were as follows. viz.: A. Thomson, President; H. Williams and T. W. Powell, Vice Presidents; John F. Latimer, Treasurer ; and H. Van Horn, Secretary: On motion, G. W. Campbell, C. Hills and A. Thomson were appointed a committee to draft a constitution and by-laws. Two or three I unimportant meetings were held after the election of officers, at one of which the by-laws were adopted. By degrees, however, the Society went down, and finally died out altogether, and we believe no efforts have since been made to re-organize it. The following, from an able article by M. B. Bateham, Secretary of the State Horticultural Society, will be found of considerable value to all who are interested in horticulture: "It appears from the Assessors' returns that the number of acres of orchards in the State in 1877 was 418,289. In 1873, the number of acres was 385,829, thus showing an increase of 17,426 acres in the four years. Without claiming that the returns are strictly correct, and they show rather too much variability, it is certain that a good deal of orchard planting-apples, pears, peaches and plums-has been going on of late years in various parts of the State. On the other hand, there have been many of the older class of apple orchards cut down as no longer profitable, and many peach orchards have been destroyed by severe winters and other causes; so that the amount of orchard planting done each year is much greater than appears from the increase of the aggregate acreage. "The apple crop of 1877, as stated in the report, was a very light one in most parts of the State, though not so nearly a failure as the northern residents supposed, for it was found that in the extreme southern border a number of counties were favored with nearly half a crop, viz., Washington, Athens, Meigs, Scioto and several others. The fruit from this district is mostly shipped by the river to Southern cities, and does not contribute largely to the supply of our own markets. The aggregate crop of the State for 1877, is reported as 6,248,677 bushels, but it is believed that the number is somewhat overstated in several of the northern counties. The crop of the previous year (1876) was reported as 29,641,200 bushels, and, as much of the fruit was never gathered or reported, the crop may be set down as 30,000,000 bushels; while that of the previous `odd year' (1875), was only 1,530,049. These figures show how generally the orchards of the State have fallen into the unfortunate habit of bearing full crops every alternate year, with scant ones or failures between. This can be more distinctly seen by taking the returns for three year. of a group of counties in any district of the State. "The apple crop of 1878 was again, of course, an abundant one, and, the same being true of most other States, the markets were all glutted, and the prices for fruit so low as to hardly pay for gathering, shipping and marketing ; so that, as in 1876, much of the crop was left ungathered in the Orchards, and no profits resulted. The trees, too, are weakened by bearing an excessive crop, so that they require all the next season for recuperation, and hence little or no fruit is then to be expected excepting from the young orchards. "The question is often asked, whether anything can be done to prevent or lessen this alternating habit of apple orchards. Some time was spent in discussion on this topic at the late annual meeting of our State Horticultural Society, and the practical conclusion was that it can be measurably prevented by thinning off, the fruit severely when trees of only moderate size are setting a full crop, and, at the same time, giving such culture, with manuring, if needed, as to keep the trees in a growing condition. Another suggestion is, that as a large portion of the orchards are old, and the trees too much stunted to admit of their being recuperated or made profitable, young orchard should be planted in their stead, and the old ones cut away. In planting new orchards, care should HISTORY OF DELAWARE . COUNTY. - 271 be taken to select good deep soil, and prepare it thoroughly, also to choose the best varieties of apples for the location, and the purpose for which the fruit is designed. Much useful information on these points may be found in the annual reports of the State Horticultural Society, which are published each year as an appendix of the State Agricultural Report. "The peach crop has not been good throughout the State since 1874, when it amounted to 2,235,574 bushels. Most of the trees were injured by overbearing that season, and, as a consequence, many of them were killed the following winter. The next year, 1875, the crop was a complete failure in most parts of the State, and the aggregate was only 36,583 bushels. The crop of 1876 was very little better - 47,298 bushels and that of the past year, 1877-483,086 bushels. The sections where this fruit has done the best the past few years are on the hill lands bordering the Ohio River, of a few southern and eastern counties, and in the northern parts of the State. Along the lake shore, and in the vicinity of the islands, the crop was quite profitable the past season, and fair the year previous, so that many additional orchards are being planted. "Pear culture has not become a success in Ohio, though much planting has been done, and persistent efforts put forth by intelligent horticulturists. Some of these men have attained a. fair measure of success for a time, but sooner or later the trees have generally succumbed to the dreaded blight, a disease that has long vexed and puzzled the horticultural world. Many of the trees supposed to have died from blight have really been killed by the winters, along, with overbearing or starvation or from being planted on unsuitable soil. These matters are now better understood than formerly by those who take pains to investigate them. and there is reason for the belief that a larger measure of sucess will hereafter attend the cultivation of this very desirable fruit. "Plums, especially damsons, are quite extensively gown in several of the southwestern counties of the State. Much planting has also been done, of late; in that section and elsewhere, of the finer plums as well as damsons; so that if the orchards are at all successful this fruit will, in a few years, be of considerable commercial importance, and j deserve to be included in the statistics of orchards. The main difficulty in plum-growing is, not as usually supposed. the ravages of the curculio-for that can easily be prevented-but the liability of the trees to winter-killing, and this seems to be more a consequence of the premature shedding of the leaves in summer than the severity of the winter. "Cherries, of the sweet or heart class, are but little grown for the markets in this State, owing to the very perishable nature of the fruit, and its liability to rot on the trees when ripening, also the depredations of birds. But in the southwestern quarter, around Cincinnati especially, large orchards exist, of the Morello variety, called Early May, which are very productive and profitable, the fruit being shipped long distances and selling well. Small orchards of the kind are found in the north, and are also successful. "Grape growing has been less successful than formerly, for two or three years past, in consequence of the increasing prevalence of the rot, besides some damage by the winter and spring frosts. The cause of the disease of the fruit, called rot, is as much of a mystery as that of the pear blight. It seems to be mainly the effect of atmospheric influences, and bence not easy to prevent or control, though it can be partly avoided by judicious selection of soil and location. "There has been a marked increase of the amounts of strawberries and raspberries grown and marketed in this State the past three or four years. The people of our towns and cities seem to be increasing their taste for these summer fruits, and using them more freely.as a part of their daily food. The crop of these fruits was quite good the present year (1878), and the prices at which they were sold were lower than usual, which fact, doubtless, contributed largely to the increase of consumption. Raspberries, coming immediately after strawberries, are also increasing in demand and use, and the sales are very heavy, especially of the blackcap varieties, as these bear distant transportation better than the reds, and can be more cheaply grown ; but some growers, located near city markets find more profit in the reds, as they bring higher prices. "Currants are in demand next after raspberries, or along with them. The domestic supply of this fruit has been materially lessened by the ravages of the currant worm, and those who take the pains to fight off these insects, and also to give good culture to the bushes, find the crop as profitable as the other small fruits, and it serves to prolong the season of selling." 212 - HISTORY OF` DELAWARE COUNTY. The following statistics are from the annual report of the Secretary of State Orchards, number of acres .......................4,962 Apples, number of bushels .....................11,102 Years, number of bushels ...................... 148 Peaches, number of bushels Grapes, number of pounds .......................3,185 As the cultivation of forest trees is, of late years, becoming a matter of considerable interest, we give a few extracts in this connection from an able article written by M. C. Read, Esq., and which will be found of some importance to those interested in the subject. Mr. Read says: " Observers are not fully agreed as to the extent of the climatic influences resulting from the destruction of the Ohio forests. Whether the amount of the annual rainfall is diminished or not, it is probable that the number of rainy days is diminished, and that the rainfall is not as equally distributed as formerly. It is certain that very many springs and streams that were formerly perennial now fail entirely in protracted droughts. Old mill-sites are abundant on the banks of streams which are now very insignificant, and would furnish no valuable water-power. On farms that were once regarded as well watered, wells are sunk to obtain water for the domestic animals, or mere excavations made to catch and retain the surface water, in stagnant pools, thus securing an uncertain and a very unwholesome supply. Some of the causes which have produced these results are easily recognized. The forests retained the rainfall, checked the surface flow of the water, and the net work of roots carried it downward, so that the earth became saturated to a great depth. After the forests were removed, the surface flow was uninterrupted, the wash of material into the lakes and swamps was greatly increased, their dimensions rapidly diminished, and partly by these causes and partly by artificial surface drainage, many of these swamps and lakelets have been wholly obliterated. The surface along the whole of the table-land which separates the waters of the lake from the Ohio River was originally diversified by a multitude of lakes, swamps and hollows, not the result of surface erosion, but of the agencies which deposited the drift. These constituted so many reservoirs to retain the surface water, carry it deeply into the earth, and feed the springs on each side of the divide, and thus made the streams perennial. Surface channels of drainage now take the place of the subterranean channels which fed the spring. As the roots of the trees have disappeared in the cleared fields, and the cavities which, for a time, marked their places, have become obliterated, a large. percentage of the rainfall flows rapidly off into the streams, swelling them into larger dimensions than they ever formerly attained, but at the expense of the springs which fed them in the intervals of drought. Wherever irrigation is carried out on a large scale, as it was in some parts of India before the English occupation, it must bedone by constructing just such reservoirs to hold in reserve the superfluous rainfall. "The increased rapidity of surface evaporation is one important element in the climatic influences resulting from the destruction of the forests. Every farmer understands the marked effect of a slight mulching of the surface in retaining the moisture in the soil, and careful experiments reported by Franklin B. Hough, of Lowville, N. Y., in his report to the United States Commissioner of Agriculture, `upon Forestry,' shows that the total surface evaporation, from April 1 to September 3, from a square foot of saturated earth, was - In the open fields .........................2,174.60 cubic inches. In woods, without litter ..................847.03 " " In litter ............................................333.04 " " "The first would be equal to a rainfall of 15.10 inches, and the last to that of 2.31 inches. The writer of the report reaches the following general conclusions from the experiments and observations collected by him: 1. The forests alone, without litter, diminish the evaporation of water in the soil, as compared with the open fields (in the mean of two years observed), 62 per cent. 2. The litter covering in the forest diminishes the evaporation still further 22 per cent. 3. Forests and litter together reduce evaporation 84 per cent. 4. In litter-covered forests the evaporation is 60 per cent less than in uncovered forest soil (page 246). "It is evident from all these facts, that in the summer months very little of rain except that which falls upon a wood-covered surface, can reach the sources of the springs, and that they must gradually fail as the forests are destroyed. It is probable that the full climatic effects of the removal of our forests are not yet seen, and that the evils will steadily increase if their destruction is continued. It is certain that the State is already dependent upon extra. territorial regions for its supply of lumber, and that very many farmers cannot obtain from their own land the timber needed for fences and other farming purposes. "The map showing the distribution of wood lands, according to the statistics of the last census, HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. - 273 assigns to the greater part of Ohio from 120 to 240 acres of wood land to the square mile, or from three to six sixteenths of the surface. * * * The partial removal of the timber has left openings, spontaneously occupied by native grasses, which the farmers, through a false economy, have sought to save by making the wood lands a part of their pastures. The cattle, hogs and sheep, roaming through these detached forests, are effectually preventing the growth of any new trees, and it is just here that the first efforts at forest culture in Ohio should be made an effort to save the forests that remain. All seedlings, as fast as they spring up, are destroyed by domestic animals, the young trees are broken down or injured; the undergrowth of small shrubs is destroyed, which formerly protected the surface, held the fallen leaves in position, and retarded the surface flow of the water ; and, unless the practice of making the forests ranges for domestic animals is abandoned, their early destruction is inevitable. If a farm is overstocked, and the pastures begin to fail, it is better husbandry to turn the cattle into the standing corn, than into the forest reserves. The corn-field can be restored in a single season, but when the forest is destroyed, a hundred years are required for its full restoration, and a proper percentage of forests is essential to the best returns from the arable and pasture lands. The lowest amount required to secure the best agricultural results from the rest, is estimated by Marsh at 25 per cent. "The second source of our future supply of timber should be the rock-coverod hills, which are fitted only for the growth of the forests. Many of these, especially in the eastern part of the State, are in sandstone formations, adapted to the growth of the chestnut, where it springs up spontaneously, and would soon occupy the whole surface, if fostered and protected. The renewal of the forests on these hills can be greatly hastened by the planting of young trees in all open places, and by encouraging a dense growth of brambles, or such other shrubs as will spring up spontaneously, to protect the slopes from washing, and secure a moist surface. To secure the introduction of new trees, the seeds may be planted, as soon as ripe, in the places where they are to grow, or they may be planted in nurseries and cultivated for one, two or three years, and then transferred to the hills. As the nuts are liable to be destroyed by ground-squirrels and other rodents, and as most of our nut-bearing trees have lone taproots which are sure to be injured in transplanting, the better way will be to pack the nuts, as soon as gathered, in sand or garden soil, where they will be exposed to the frosts of winter, and, in the spring, planting them in the places where the trees are to grow; or else planting them out after one year's growth in the nursery. On these rock-covered hills, the chestnut finds a congenial soil, makes a rapid growth, and, being renewed from the stump when cut, can be easily maintained in a permanent forest. When thus grown, it is one of the most valuable trees for fenceposts and railroad ties, and, in a long series of years, can be made to yield a crop from these unproductive, rocky hills, of equal value to that obtained from ordinary arable land, while hills thus covered will be sure to furnish perennial springs at their bases, which would disappear if the hills were cleared. "The systematic planting of new forests requires a careful study of the habits of the different forest trees, the conditions of forest growth, and a wise and provident regard for the wants of the distant future, which few are inclined to exhibit. * * * Some of the most obvious conditions of forest growth are a congenial soil and a humid condition, both of the soil and of the air, during the season of most rapid growth. In the native forests, natural selection secures the occupancy of the territory to the species to which the soil and the environment are the most congenial, while continued occupancy of the soil by one species or family often renders it less and less fitted for their use, and better fitted for others that are waiting to take possession ; so that a marked tendency to rotation, a crowding-out of the old occupants and the introduction of new ones, is observed in all forests. In mixed forests, these changes are gradual; in forests composed of one species or family, the change is often abrupt and complete. In artificial forest culture, these tendencies should be carefully observed and them indications followed. The species that are tending to crowd out the old occupants will be likely to succeed the best when artificially planted. "Forests should be planted for all uses to which our native trees, or those readily acclimated, are adapted, but the surest returns will be obtained b; consulting the most obvious wants, and thos which can be provided for in the shortest time The largest permanent demand for timber of moderate size will be for railroad ties, and for fence I posts and fencing. Fifteen millions of dollars are 274 - HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. required each year for the ties for the railroads already constructed in the United States and Territories, and the cost of fencing material for the whole country must be vastly in excess of this. "The Erie Railroad Company classifies timber for ties as follows: First class - Second growth chestnut, white oak, burr oak, rock oak, black locust, and mulberry. Second class-Butternut, cherry, red cedar, white cedar, yellow cedar, Southern cypress, black elm, rock maple, black oak, pitch pine, and black walnut. Third class-Black birch, first growth; chestnut, Northern cypress, red elm, white hemlock, soft maple, red oak, tamarack, and yellow pine. If the catalpa was added in first class, the list and classification might be considered as substantially correct, and where trees are planted with the main design of growing railroad ties and fencing posts, trees may well be selected substantially in the order above named, according as they are adapted to the locality, and the grounds to be planted. "An equally early return may be obtained from trees planted for the purpose of producing tough timber for wagon-making, ax-helves, and other wooden handles, and all uses for which small pieces of strong timber are required. For these uses, hickory and white ash are best adapted, and. while generally it will probably be advisable to plant a mixed forest, a plantation exclusively of hickory can hardly fail to yield a profitable return. By selecting the most edible nuts of the shag-bark variety, planting thickly with rows not more than four feet apart, and with the trees not more than two feet apart in the row, in a very few years the harvest may begin by cutting hoop-poles, which will be removed from the stump, and produce a continuous yield, the larger thinnings making , the very best of firewood, and by the time the plantation commences to yield timber for the purpose, indicated above, the crop of nuts will be no insignificant part of the returns. "But there are other uses for artificially grown timber, in which the profits may be made much larger-the growing of ornamental woods for cabinet work and the inside finish of houses; and for this purpose there may- be selected the black walnut, the butternut. the white ash, the chestnut, the soft maple, the catalpa for the southern half of the State, and probably some others. The arboriculturist who will be the first to gather a harvest of well-grown trees for these uses, will find that he has received a return for his labor, in money to an amount which could not be equaled by any ordinary farm. crops. The demand. for such lumber, to cut into veneers, would for years exhaust the supply, and prices would remain high until the market was fully stocked. "The sugar maple is not enumerated in the list of trees given above, but the maple sugar and syrup of the future will depend upon 'sugar orchards,' artificially planted, or upon the careful protection of the seedlings in the present forest reserves. The old trees are fast dying out, and, in rare instances only, are the young trees so cared for as to render them secure. There can be but little doubt that ten or more acres of these trees, well established on a farm of ordinary size, even of a few years' growth, would add more to the salable value of the farm than the cost of planting and caring for the plantation. "The thick planting of trees and encouraging the growth of the `underbrush' in the forest reserves, which is now largely destroyed, will have another beneficial result in increasing the number of our small insect-eating song-birds. Within a comparatively few years, their number has been greatly diminished, and largely because of the destruction of the thickets and shrubs, which are their favorite nesting-places. Let these be permitted to grow in the forests, and they will again be vocal with the songs of the birds. They are also one of the natural checks to the undue increase of destructive insects, and we cannot, without great risk, dispense with their aid. "Very little has yet been done in Ohio toward renewing or increasing our forests. E. E. Barney, of Dayton, has made some interesting experiments, and collected valuable facts in regard to the catalpa and its cultivation. Messrs. Storrs & Harrison, of Painesville, have made a specialty of the raising of chestnut seedlings, and can furnish them in large quantities, and at very cheap rates; and, generally, there is a growing interest in all matters pertaining to forest culture throughout the State. It is often a matter of boasting that there is no waste land in the State, that it is all susceptible of cultivation. But if one-fourth of the surface was occupied by hills and mountains, so rocky and precipitous as to repel all attempts at their cultivation, and compel their reservation for forests alone, our future would be much more secure. The extensive barrens' in many of the Southern States, supporting a meager forest growth, with a soil so sterile that is will not, pay for clearing HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. - 275 and fencing, serve important climatic purposes, and tend to secure the perpetual value of the arable lands. Apparently better favored, we will suffer irremediable loss if we are unwilling to devote a fair percentage of our `good lands' to the growth of forests." The seasons, like many other things, run in cycles-not always of the same duration-but observation extending over the last forty years has satisfied any close observer, that dry, or moderately dry periods, continue not longer, usually, than seven j years. The earth, that is called inanimate, has many of the characteristics of the animated being. It cannot run much more than seven years and maintain its reputation for cleanliness and healthfulness, without having a bath; and, the bath being ordered, the rains descend, until the big, rounded form of old Mother Earth has had a good washing and cleansing from the impurities that accumulate. The year 1828 was a flood year (we are told, it was before our day), so was 1835-36, as also 1844. In the month of June of the latter year, if the traditions be true, there was more water upon the face of the earth, in the Western country, than ever known since the days of Noah's flood. Again, in 1851, much water fell; the next wet spell was some seven or eight years later. The years 1867 and 1868, ending in the spring of 1869, were very wet years in the West and Southwest. The last wet spell began in July, 1876. It being the centennial year, there was a high old time, drowning out all the corn on the lowlands, and keeping up the spree for two years. Having said something of the periodic theory, it has been further observed that when the Iry periods occur in the Eastern Continent, we have our wet seasons in the Western Continent, and vice versa. During the past two or three years, when we were so flooded with water that we would have been glad to have given some of it away, there have been fearful famines in portions of Asia and other sections of the world, produced by the want of the rain that fell where it was not wanted. The change has set in which will most probably reverse this order. Thus, it may be observed that Mother Earth, in taking her bath, washes but one side at a time, and it may be further observed that the law of compensation is ever asserting itself in the adjustment of nature's divine order, by action and re-action, which is the safety-valve of the universe. Planets move in cycles, also, making revolutions in regular periods of time, as do the seasons too. The tides are periodic, and many of the malarial diseases are periodic, as the doctors (wiseacres that they are) will tell you. There are numerous and gorgeously grand geysers in the Territory of Wyoming, spouting forth immense volumes of water-hot, cold and tepid-to the height of the tallest treetops, and all of them are perfectly periodic-some long and some short-but all prompt and regular in their own time, like the breathing of animals. The earth has many of the characteristics of an animal. The rise and fall of the tide once every twelve hours is but the respiration of the huge animal upon which we live ; the great rivers of water that have their internal passway, as well as those that flow upon the surface, are only the arteries and the veins that supply the life blood to the animal; the great mountain range that extends the whole length of the globe from north to south is only the backbone of the animal ; the mountain, that swell up from the body of the earth are but moles and warts upon that body ; the great fountain of oil that lies in the bowels of the earth is what the plain-spoken butcher would call "gut-fat;" the thunders that roll across the vaulted heavens are but the electric spark, that snap and fly from the Thomas cat's back; the shrubs and trees that grow upon the globe are but the hairs and bristles that cover and clothe the body of the great animal ; the mutterings and rumblings of the earthquake are only the eructations and disturbances in poor earth's bowels ; and the opening of the huge crater, vomiting forth fire, ashes, stones, and red-hot lava. what is that but the discharge of an overloaded and disordered stomach, that may have taken in too much unwholesome food or, perhaps, too much - strong drink ? Now, who shall say that the earth is not as much an animal as it is a vegetable or mineral substance? and who can maintain that the myriads of animals that creep, crawl, leap and fly over the earth', surface, and the millions of men standing erect upon that same ground, are any thing more than parasites that feed and fatten upon the body and blood of this same good old Mother Earth? The results of meteorological observations, found on the following page, may be of some interest to the reader. They were made at Urbana, latitude 40° 6' north, longitude 84° 43' west, for the year 1878, by Milo G. Williams, in accordance with the methods adopted by the Smithsonian Institution, the hours of observation being 7 A. M., 2 P. M., and 9 P. M. 276 - HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. CHARTS - MEAN DEGREE OF THE WINDS AND COURSE FROM WHICH THEY COME FOR THE YEAR MEAN DEGREE OF CLOUDS AND THE COURSE FROM WHICH THEY COME FOR THE YEAR SUMMARY OF METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS (RETURN TO THE TITLE PAGE)