ares in the markets, many farmers selling their hay as low as five dollars per ton, and six dollars being the average paid per ton in this county. We herewith submit a statement of the principal crops raised in this county, the same being gleaned from the returns of the township assessors made in April, 1878, the returns being for the season of 1877, there being as yet no returns for the crops of 1878.

There are 414,787 acres owned in this county, and these are divided as follows:

But little complaint has been heard regarding the destruction of crops by insects, except the work of the potato bugs, and this does not seem to have been so severe as in preceding years.

A more intelligent spirit of inquiry and examination of the best methods of carrying on farm and garden work has characterized the farmers of this county during the past year. Agricultural publications are sought after and read, and numerous local and county organizations have been formed for the purposes of mutual benefit and research, and comparison of methods, exhibition of the products of farm, orchard, and garden. In these enterprises the ladies have taken great interest, and have greatly encouraged their husbands and brothers to more intelligent and diligent effort in their calling; and one of the results has been a greatly improved condition of society.

The thirty-second annual fair of the Muskingum County Agricultural Society was held on the 3d, 4th, 5th, and 6th days of September, 1878. The fair, as the preceding four or five years of this society, was a financial success; and while the entries were numerous in many departments, there was not the interest manifested in making an exhibition of the products of the farm as was desired by the directors of the society. The exhibition of horses was very large and fine, as also that of cattle and sheep. The display made in the ring on the last day of the fair, when all of the premium stock was paraded, was pronounced very fine, and gave the best idea afforded by the fair of what was being accomplished in Muskingum county toward the improvement of stock generally.

Our society is completely out of debt, and unincumbered-its beautiful fair grounds of forty-three acres, the building, and structures upon the same having been greatly improved, and the directors are resolved to still further improve the grounds, and add other buildings, which the increased interest in the fair, by the citizens generally, require.

NOBLE COUNTY.

The principal crops of this county are corn, wheat, oats, and tobacco, as also fruits, viz., apples, peaches, and the small fruits, and for home consumption potatoes, beans, and small vegetables. Of corn, the crop for 1878 was a full average and large acreage planted; the yield per acre will be thirty-five to forty bushels. Wheat, large crop sown and excellent yield-say near twenty bushels to acre. Oats crop was good for acreage sown, but not quite so large; crop sown, as usual. Tobacco, the amount planted was less than usual, and yield not heavy, but of fair quality. Potato crop, very light, much

more so than usual; hard to give an estimate, as there is no general crop for market raised in this county. As to apples, the yield was very large, but has not been preserved, being badly rotted. Peach crop was good, full average; perhaps over the usual crop. Plums, larger crop than was ever harvested before in this county, and well matured. The crop of small fruits, consisting of pears, cherries, berries, etc., was of good quality, and full average yield. No insects were observed out of regular order, and crops were not disturbed, save perhaps the potato crop, being infested with the "Colorado potato bug," which are diminishing in numbers very perceivably.

OTTAWA COUNTY.

Our fair was a success, but not in numbers. The bad weather the week before had delayed the farmers in seeding, and they could not leave it to attend the fair, which made our attendance smaller than usual. We have added to our buildings Mechanics' Hall, 36 by 60 feet, and secretary's office, at the cost of over $400.

The crops have been remarkably good, wheat, corn, and hay more than usual. Potato crop small. Grapes fair, although much injured by the wet and extreme heat. The fruit crop was more than abundant, particularly appies. The eastern part of our county had a good crop of peaches. The Peninsula and Catawba Islands are setting peach trees by the acre, believing they will be a paying crop.

The farmers feel well satisfied with the year's success, although the price of corn and pork are below paying the labor of raising. I have no means of giving you average yields per bushel.

PAULDING COUNTY.

Our principal crops are wheat, corn, oats, and potatoes The following is an estimate of each raised, and the average per acre:

4,041; bushels raised, 61,043; average, 15 bushels per acre.

Wheat, acres,

The previous season was very wet-some parts of the county had only half a crop. In fact the four last seasons have been wet. Insects have not been doing harm to any great extent.

The condition of our society is not as good as we would desire, owing in a great meas ure to the condition of the roads and partial failures of crops. The future prospect depends a great deal on the seasons until the county is thoroughly drained.

Farmers are backward in entering field crops. The last season one farmer (Mr. H. Underwood) entered one acre of corn, yield, 80 bushels.

In conclusion, would say the farmers in our county are somewhat behind their sister counties in the State; but as the farmers learn that only thorough draining will give them success in farming, then, and only then, will Paulding county bring forth what she is capable of producing.

PERRY COUNTY.

The Perry County Agricultural Society is in a more promising condition than it has been since its organization. Our fair for the year 1878, being the tenth annual fair, was more largely attended and a larger number of entries than at any former fair. The

showing of all kinds of live stock was far in excess of any of our former fairs, both in numbers and quality, and especially is this true of cattle, sheep, and swine, which has been much improved in the last few years by the introduction of fine blooded stock of the best breeds, which we think has amply remunerated us for all the toil, trouble, and expense of keeping up our county fair. The cereal crops of our county consist of wheat, corn, rye, oats, barley, and buckwheat. Our wheat, in quality and quantify, this year exceeds any we have had for many years, in some instances thirty and more bushels per acre, yet the average yield of our wheat would possibly be below half this amount. The most prolific of the different varieties are the Fultz and Clawson wheats, and yet for making of flour we do not like these two as well as some other varieties. Corn, oats, and hay were the best we have had for many years. Apples, peaches, plums, cherries, and grapes were very good in quality and quantity. The potato crop in the aggregate not so good as in some former years. Many of our farmers have been experimenting with some of the commercial fertilizers, and the results have been in most instances quite satisfactory.

It has become a recognized fact that there is still a need of more intelligent and scientific farming by our farmers. This is comparatively a small county, the southern part of which contains immense mineral deposits, viz., coal and iron ore. The coal seams are from three to twelve feet in thickness, the iron ore from one to four feet and more; hence the southern part of our county has become an immense mining and iron manufacturing district, giving employment to a large number of laborers, and a good market for the farmers' products.

PICKAWAY COUNTY.

The twenty-seventh annual fair of the Pickaway County Agricultural Society was held on the fair grounds at Circleville, Ohio, on the 1st, 2d, 3d, and 4th days of October, 1878. The display in all classes was good. This was notably the case in draft and in light harness horses, while in thoroughbred cattle the show was perhaps not equaledcertainly not excelled-by any of the county fairs throughout the State. The display of fruits was large and varied, and notwithstanding the spirit of opposition evinced by a portion of the members of the County Horticultural Society, this department lacked nothing to make it, as it proved, a complete success. The artistic arrangement of the profusion of plants and flowers made Floral Hall a picture of loveliness and a bower of beauty. The competition in the entries of wheat, rye, oats, and other small grains was not spirited, but the number of entries and the large display of corn demonstrated the fact that Pickaway county has lost none of her prestige as the corn county of the State. The agricultural implement department was well filled, and the manufacturers of laborsaving machinery for the use of the farmers showed, by the large display in that class of implements, a thorough appreciation of the benefits of this method of advertising. The preserves, jellies, cakes, bread, and other specimens of domestic cookery were plentiful, sweet, and substantial. The exhibition of vegetables was good, the display of potatoes being remarkably fine. The entries of horses in the speed classes were not numerous, but the races were exciting, well contested, and a creditable display of "time" was developed. The attendance of visitors during the fair was good, the weather all that could be desired, and the amount of money derived from all sources sufficient to pay all premiums and current expenses, besides paying nearly all of a former indebtedness, leaving the society in good condition and with encouraging prospects for future success.

Crops. The crops in this county for the past year were unusually fine, the yield of wheat being far above the average of the past ten years, the yield, as reported, ranging

from twenty to thirty bushels per acre. An exceptional large yield was that of two acres of land on the farm of Dr. F. M. Black, of Darbyville, from which one hundred and four bushels of good wheat were obtained. The average yield of wheat for the county is somewhere in the neighborhood of twenty bushels per acre. The corn crop was also above the average, both in number of acres planted and in the number of bushels produced. Rye, a crop hitherto almost unknown in this county, was cultivated to some extent the past season by a few farmers, with very satisfactory results. The production of sweet corn, by Sears & Co., near Circleville, was last year, as it has been for several years, very remunerative to the proprietors, besides furnishing employment to a large number of persons during the growing of the crop and in the drying and canning of the corn. Broom-corn has been for years largely cultivated in the vicinity of Circleville, and the crop of this highly useful article for the past year was fully up to the average. The crop of grass was good, and hay is abundant, and to take it all in all, the past ssason has been one of unusual productiveness in all classes of grain, fruit, and vegetables, and it only requires an advance in the present ruinously low prices of their productions, to make the farmers of Pickaway couuty supremely happy.

PORTAGE COUNTY.

The thirty-second annual fair of the Portage County Agricultural Society was held on the fair grounds at Ravenna, September 23, 24, and 25, 1878.

Entries not quite as large as usual, but display in hall much better, our merchants, manufacturers, and tradesmen making large displays of their goods and wares, but not entering for premiums.

The show of horses, Durham and Jersey cattle, and Berkshire swine were good; of poultry probably the largest and finest ever shown in the county, there being sixty-seven entries, and of the best; two hundred and twenty-six entries of fruit, quantity and quality equaling the display of many of our State fairs.

During the past year the society erected a new Floral Hall, and notwithstanding the unfavorable weather of the first two days of fair, the last day was pleasant and the attendance good, and we are substantially out of debt, and the people taking a renewed interest in the welfare of the society.

This has been a prosperous year to the farmers in this county. The dairy interest has suffered by reason of low prices for butter and cheese, but feed has been plenty and cheap, so that the quantity produced is larger than usual. The crop of hay was large; all kinds of grain good; potatoes, not more than half our usual crop. Stock of all kinds healthy and in good condition.

PREBLE COUNTY.

The twenty-seventh annual fair of the Preble County Agricultural Society was held at Eaton, September 24th, 25th, 26th, and 27th, 1878, open to general competition, except on field crops, which is confined to the county.

We offered the following premiums on field crops, samples of the product to be exhibited at the county fair, with a full statement of the mode and cost of cultivation: Best one acre of corn, first premium. $20 00; second premium, $10 00

Minimum number of bushels as follows:

Corn, 100 bushels to the acre; wheat, 30 bushels to the acre; barley, 50 bushels to the acre; flaxseed, 12 bushels to the acre; oats, 50 bushels to the acre; potatoes, 200 bushels to the acre.

None of the above crops were reported for competition.

The principal crops raised in the county are as above named, including tobacco. Wheat-the acreage was light the past year; canse, light crops the past three or four years; one-third short of former years in acreage; however, the yield and also the qual ity was good; the yield the largest ever raised in the county, or at least for many years. Some fields average as high as thirty-three and thirty-five bushels per acre. The probable amount of acres that was harvested the past season was about 25,920; average yield per acre, about fifteen bushels; total, 388,800 bushels. Price per bushel, eightyfive cents.

Corp-averages over an average; yield and quality not as good as the previous year. Probable average, 51,840 acres, at an average of thirty bushels per acre, making a total of 1,555,200 bushels; price per bushel, twenty-two cents.

Barley-about the usual amount harvested; not a large amount sown; yield, good; quality, fine, with a few exceptions on the low grounds.

Flaxseed-acreage large; I think the largest ever sown in the county. The yield was very good, running from seven to fifteen bushels per acre.

Oats-about the usual quantity sown. Yield per bushel, about the same as in former

years.

Potatoes-not as many planted the last year as in former years, on account of low prices. Crop not large; few in the hill, but of fair quality.

Tobacco-considerable raised in the east part of the county; was a fair yield and of a fair quality. I think it impoverishes the land more than any other crop raised in our county.

Pears was an average crop.
Smaller fruits, such as goose-

Fruit Crop-The apple crop was fair. Early varieties did not keep well as usual, though the later varieties are keeping moderately well. Peaches none. Plums a large crop, and of a fine quality. berries and currants, were all destroyed by a small, green worm. a very fine crop in quantity and quality.

The grape crop was

The Hessian fly made its appearance in some fields of wheat over the county, damaging the crop to a certain extent. The chinch bug did more damage to the small grains than did the fly.

PUTNAM COUNTY.

The principal agricultural productions of Putuam county are wheat, corn, oats, grass (or hay), potatoes, and onions. The last two mentioned products being most extensively cultivated in the north-west portion of our county years ago known as the "Black Swamp," ," which having been thoroughly drained has become the most fertile part of the county, producing enormous crops of potatoes and onions; and, in fact, seems to be adapted to the various crops grown on other lands in this portion of the State. This, with the yearly increasing tile drainage so general throughout the county, will largely increase the agricultural productions of Putnam county. I have no statistics enabling me to give an estimate of the products of this county, but feel warranted in saying that this year's wheat crop will show an average of thirty-three and one third per cent. over last year. Corn, perhaps, twenty per cent. increase. Oats about an average. Potatoes one-half crop.

Our society is in a promising condition for the future.