decided to do their work early, and it was done to their hearty satisfaction. Mr. Bemis owns, in round numbers, 600 acres of farm, one-half of which lies in Sherman township, Huron county, and which he uses in the summer as his stock farm. His home farm, on the ridge, comprises just 300 acres, twenty-five of it timber, and is undoubtedly one of the most valuable farms in the county. The surface is just enough rolling to suit the eye and surface drain; the soil, black muck and sand, with some clay, is very rich, is splendidly tiled, and tilled with scientific hand. One hundred acres of the prairie, or low land, is tiled once in four or five rods from corner to corner, and a complete system of tiling, with good outlet, established. Fences are in good repair, mostly board and hedge, of which Mr. Bemis has planted largely, and with fine success. He has this year in crops, on the home farm: Wheat.... Corn..... Oats Hay Acres. 65 60 30 70 2 Potatoes And of stock he keeps: Horses 26 65 98 24 His average yield of products for the three previous years has been, wheat, twentyeight bushels to the acre; corn, fifty bushels shelled; oats, about forty-five; potatoes, one hundred; and hay, one and two thirds tons. Average market value of other products, $1,500 per year, and stock sold $2,000. A trip through his fields of growing grain, revealed one of the richest harvests in promise to be found in fertile Erie. His wheat was among the finest seen on the two days' trip. One of his very best pieces was the seventh crop on the field since seeding, and only one year alternating with oats. Mr. Bemis raises several different varieties of wheat, and has this season a large field of the Clawson, which bids fair to exceed thirty bushels to the acre in yield. A noticeable difference in the growing crops observed by the committee between the townships on the east and west side of the Huron River, was in the corn. Through Oxford and Groton, the corn was generally much ahead of that in other townships in growth, and Mr. Bemis's corn was no exception. It was, for the season, well advanced. The committee, in their tramp of inspection, came upon a small piece of wheat, not over a couple of acres or so, in which Mr. Beemis had standing not less than four different varieties, three entirely new to this section. They were from samples sent him last year from the Department of Agriculture at Washington, and labeled Jennings's white winter (bearded), white touzelle (bearded), imported from Marseilles, France; Fultz, and Tappahannock (bald). From the bearded varieties our reporter gathered heads, filled throughout, that measured over six inches long. Chairman Casswell, noted as a wheat farmer, pronounced the specimens as remarkable. Mr. Bemis had, likewise, growing a small piece of winter barley, from government seed, that was exceptionably fine. After the stroll over Mr. Bemis's broad acres, the committee inspected his buildings. In barns, he has no less than four; a new and handsome hay and stock barn, 32x65, that is a model in arrangement; a horse barn, 28x36; corn barn, 24x28, with stable addition of thirty feet; a grain barn, 20x24 feet, and carriage-house 20x40. Mr. Bemis has two good tenant-houses, valued at not less than $1,500, and his own residence is a '11 large-roomed, substantial frame, 30x60, built after the old style country-house of people enjoying intelligent prosperity, and finely furnished. An ice-house, well filled with ice, a shop for all work, and wash-house contribute to the comforts of a truly delightful country home. A large orchard, near by, with all the fruits, large and small, a splendid garden (an exception, strange to say, among farmers), and turkeys and chickens in abundance, made up the liberal quota of good things for the family table. Of the general arrangement and contents of cellar and pantry, a special committee, composed of Prout, Ferris, and Milner, chosen solely on the ground of capacity, was delegated to inspect. They had assistance, however. Strolling through one of the summer cookrooms, Prout and Ferris came across a huge kettle, steaming hot. "Well," says Ferris, "wonder what's being cooked here in this huge pot." Prout "I guess some food for the pigs." Just then Farmer Bemis came in, and in his quiet humor, saying "Let's see what's this," raised the lid, and the reader can imagine the beaming change that stole over the countenances of the Sandusky farmers, when two twenty-pound turkeys, nicely cooking, came to view. Those smiles-they were child-like and bland. In the splendid cellar, provided with milk-coolers, great refrigerators for butter, etc., our reporter counted seventy eight full pans of milk, waiting for the skimmer, and it wasn't a very good day for milk, Mr. Bemis said, either. A truly sumptuous dinner, in the providing of which Mrs. Bemis is scarcely equalled, was served, with a monster turkey at each end of the long table, and the hospitality that comes from the heart, seasoned with a flow of soul, closed the labors of the committee, and for the party the pleasures of a visit to one of our county's noblest families, a household in which true happiness, intellectual culture, and the graces of Christian instruction and character go hand and hand with economy, industry, and fidelity in the discharge of life's daily labor. On the following Tuesday, July 2d, the Committee, with their former escort in full force and equipment, completed their work of viewing. The farm of Mr. John Lavin, of Perkins was first visited. After a cordial greeting at Mr. and Mrs. Lavin's pleasant residence, a short distance west of the Brick Church, that made all feel at home, the Committee entered upon their work. Mr. Lavin has a farm of just fifty acres, located in one unbroken piece, every foot of it under his eye from his door yard, and not an acre idle. A prettier farm of fifty acres does not respond to the hand of industry in all Northern Ohio. Mr. Lavin has 900 rods of tile laid in systematic manner, it varying from two and one-half to four inches in size, all put in by himself. Every field on the farm, of which there are seven of about six acres each, is traversed by a tile and the drainage is perfect. Mr. Lavin said to our reporter, "My experience is decidedly that tiling pays the farmer." His fences are in fine order-a large per cent. of them being hedge that cannot be beat in Erie county. There are 140 rods of it three and one-half feet high, trimmed two feet at bottom to eight inches square top. The soil of Mr. Lavin's farm is sand and muck, with clay subsoil. He has this season in crops thirteen acres of wheat, eight of corn, four of oats, two of barley, about two and one-half of potatoes, nine of hay, and in stock keeps three horses, three cattle and eleven hogs. His yield for 1876 was, wheat, six acres, 139 bushels; corn, ten acres, 1,000 bushels; oats, six acres, 300 bushels; barley, three acres, 122 bushels; potatoes, four acres, 520 bushels, and hay, ten acres, fifteen tons. He sold that year $265 in stock. His record of yield for 1877 was as follows: wheat, ten acres, 280 bushels; corn, nine acres, 800 bushels; oats, three acres, 127 bushels; barley two acres, 50 bushels; potatoes, two and one-half acres, 300 bushels, hay, nine acres, 18 tons, and stock sold, $115. It would be difficult to find a farm of fifty acres whose aggregate production excels Mr. Lavin's. His buildings are fully adequate, a comfortable dwelling house, over which a neat and prudent housewife presides, two good sized barns, and a fine granary and carriage and tool house. A small apple and peach orchard, with smaller fruit and a garden, cover a couple of acres near the house. Mrs. Lavin's, after the fashion of Perkin's housewives, spread an elegant dinner, at which a few friends not in the Returning Board happily joined, an the party left with many kind wishes for the premium farmer John Lavin and his truly hospitable wife. The final attack closed the day—a rain had begun to fall, but nevertheless, one more victim remained, and early in the afternoon the part swooped down upon Mr. George H. Morgan and family. Mr. Morgan has a farm of 102 acres, of which 20 acres ís a choice wood lot of heavy unculled timber, and all lying in a body on Columbus Pike, in Perkins township. A wide lane starting from the farm yard extend directly back through the farm, dividing it in two parts, and every field opens to the lane. First class board fences, kept in complete order and clear of weed and bush, enclose each field. The farm lies level; the soil, chiefly black sand, with clay sub-soil, 250 rods of tile with good outlets in open ditches, give drainage. The timber, mainly hickory, oak, ash, and walnut, is large and stands thick. Mr. Morgan has this season 20 acres of magnificent wheat, 10 of corn, 10 of No. 1 oats, one-quarter acre of potatoes, 17 of fair hay, and he keeps four horses, six head of cattle, 16 sheep, and some dozen hogs and pigs. A splendid orchard, one of the finest in the county, annually supplies hundreds of bushels of apples, peaches, etc. Mr. Morgan's average yield of farm products for the past three years is, wheat, 26 bushels per acre; corn, 80 bushels; oats, 40 bushels; potatoes, 115 bushels; and hay, 1 tons, other products, $700 per year; stock, $250. A splendid showing, especially in view of the fact that his wheat in 1876 was seriously injured by winter frost, and his oats, in 1877, by rust. Mr. Morgan has one of the best houses on the road, 40x32, new, frame, arranged inside with special convenience, tastefully painted and furnished throughout, and valued at $2,500. His barns, one 32x42, another, 18x50, and stock shed, 18x70, are in good condition and neatness, order and careful husbandry are apparent on every hand. The committee, despite a heavy rain, went over Mr. Morgan's farm thoroughly and to their conviction of its merits, as the report given below shows. A social visit under Mr. and Mrs. Morgan's hospitable roof, and an elegant supper closed the labors of the Awarding Committee on Farms for 1878, and the pleasures of a three days' tour, among Erie's premium farmers that will long be fresh and green in the memories of every participant. The thanks of the party are due and extended to Chairman Caswell for the difficult part he filled in sustaining the general dignity for the party, and also for kindly viding a capital team of horses for the trip. ro OFFICIAL REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE. T. F. Spencer, Esq., Secretary Erie County Board of Agriculture : DEAR SIR: As your Committee on Farms, we have to report that on June 27th and 28th, and July 2d, we examined the farms entered for competition. Beside the personal inspection given each farm, we obtained from each competitor a statement, giving the committee much information concerning the cultivation and improvement of the farm, all of which considered, we have made the awards as follows: On Farm of 100 Acres or Over.-First premium, George H. Morgan, 102 acres, Perkins township. Second premium, Henry Hoak, 135 acres, Berlin township. On Farm of Under 100 Acres.-First premium, John Lavin, 50 acres, Perkins township. As the first premiums are not sufficient in number to go around, our friend Samuel Bemis will pardon us for giving you his statement, which is as follows: Whole number of acres, 300; acres of timber, 25; surface level, soil black muck and sand, with some clay, well tiled, with a good outlet; 100 acres of the prairie land is tiled once in four or five rods all over; a total of six miles of hedge fence on the farm. Average products of farm for past three years: wheat, acres, 50, bushels, 1,400; corn, acres, 60, bushels, 3,000; oats, acres, 35, bushels, 1,450; potatoes, acres, 3, bushels, 275; hay, acres, 60, tons, 100; market values of other products, $1,500; value of horses, cattle, and sheep sold, $2,000. Crops, etc., now on the farm: acres of wheat 65, acres of corn CO, acres of oats 30, acres of potatoes 2, acres of hay 70. Number of horses 26, cattle 65, hogs 92, sheep 24. Buildings: residence, value, $2,000; tenant houses (2), $1,500; ice-house (new), $200; shop, cairiage house, and wash-room; barns (new), $8000; horse barn, $500; corn barn and stable, $500; granary, $400. We think Mr. Bemis is entitled to a commended card and your further consideration. Respectfully submitted, Crop of wheat, five acres by J. A. Kithcart, average yield per acre 33 bushels and 20 pounds. Wheat was raised on an upland, part limestone and part freestone soil, the best wheat being on the part that was limestone. Was sown broadcast about October 1, and harrowed in. No manure or fertilizers of any kind used; was sown in corn ground. Red wheat, known in this vicinity as the rough and ready. Crop of wheat, five acres by J. L. Parr, yield per acre 284 bushels; was grown on an upland freestone soil. Stubble ground, sown September 15, broadcast, and harrowed in, No manure used. Red wheat-Mediterranean. OATS, Crop of oats, five acres by Jno. Rickey, was grown on an upland limestone soil. Sown March 28; ground was in corn the previous year; sown broadcast and harrowed in; variety, the common white oats; average yield per acre 624 bushels. CORN. Crop of corn, five acres by W. Bates Naylor, average yield per acre 116 bushels and 10 pounds. The corn was grown on an upland freestoue soil, with limestone sub-soil. A sod of seven years standing plowed in February and March, about seven inches in depth; planted May 10 in rows three and one-half feet apart; drilled in the row; worked four times. A small portion was manured. Yellow corn of the saw-log variety. CONDITION OF THE SOCIETY. The condition of the society is very encouraging. Since the organization of the society in 1877, it has paid about three-fourths of the indebtedness then incurred. During the past year the debt has been reduced $590, and it is thought in another year the debt will be entirely obliterated. The membership numbers about eighty. Since the organization of the society there is a marked improvement in the quality of live stock raised in the county, especially that of hogs, cattle, and sheep, and all the different branches of agriculture have been benefited to a more or less extent. In regard to the future usefulness of the society, judging of the future by the past, and from the healthy and prosperous condition of the organization, we have no hesitation in saying that it bids fair to be a source of perpetual benefit to the people of the county for many years to come. CONDITION OF AGRICULTURE. The condition of agriculture, so far as our knowledge extends, is generally satisfactory This being an undulating portion of the State, there is probably not as many of the different improved agricultural implements brought into requisition as in the more level portions, but of those that can be used to an advantage and profit, our farmers as a rule are well supplied. HARRISON COUNTY. CORN. Three acres of corn raised by Hngh Anderson, Stock township, Harrison county: The soil is a black walnut soil; no manure of any kind was used. Plowed about April 1, to the depth of about five inches; planted at the usual time; rows about four feet apart; hills ten to fifteen inches apart. The following is the cost of the crop : Before me, George McKinsey, a justice of the peace in and for said county, personally came Hugh Anderson, J. M. Adams, and Daniel Carpenter, and made solemn affirmation that the above report was true. Given under my hand the 21st day of December, A.D., 1877. GEORGE MCKINSEY, Justice of the Peace. We hereby certify that, at the request of Hugh Anderson, we proceeded to measure three acres of ground upon which the above named crop of corn grew, and that the measurement was correctly done, as we believe. Given under our hands the 21st day of December, A.D., 1877. J. M. ADAMS, One acre of corn raised by IIngh Anderson, of Stock township, Harrison county, Obio The soil is a black walnut soil. No manure of any kind used. The plowing was done |