USA > Ohio > Wayne County > History of Wayne County, Ohio, Volume I > Part 22
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During the periods over which this test have been in progress the county yields have been as follows :
2II
WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO.
AVERAGE YIELDS OF CROPS IN WAYNE COUNTY :
First 6 yrs. Second 6 yrs.
1897-02.
1903-8.
Corn, bushels
39.5
36.0
Wheat, bushels,
16.9
19.5
Hay, tons
1.34
1.40
On Plot 15 in this test barnyard manure has been applied at the rate of eight tons per acre, the manure being taken from an open barnyard, after several months' exposure to the weather, and plowed under for corn, the wheat and clover following without any further manuring or fertilizing. The outcome has been as follows :
YIELDS FROM OPEN-YARD MANURE :
First 6 yrs. Second 6 yrs.
1897-02.
1903-8.
Corn, bushels
55.0
47.4
Wheat, bushels
15.6
22.5
Clover hay, tons
.98
1.57
At the valuations previously employed, the increase due to the manure has been worth $16.00 per acre, or $2.00 per ton of manure, during the first period, and $22.73 per acre, or $2.84 per ton of manure, during the second.
Alongside of the land thus treated another plot has received the same quantity of fresh manure, made from the same animals, but taken directly from the stable to the field, without exposure to the weather. The yields from this treatment have been as below :
YIELDS FROM FRESH STABLE MANURE.
First 6 yrs. Second 6 yrs.
1897-02.
1903-8.
Corn, bushels
59.2
57.I
Wheat, bushels
17.6
23.7
Clover hay, tons
1.25
2.02
In this case the increase during the first period has been worth $21.24 per acre, or $2.65 per ton of manure, and during the second period $30.35 per acre, or $3.80 per ton of manure.
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WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO.
On another plot in this test the fresh manure has had acid phosphate mixed with it, at the rate of 40 pounds per ton of manure, a few weeks be- fore spreading the manure on the land. The result of this treatment is shown below :
YIELDS FROM PHOSPHATED FRESH MANURE :
First 6 yrs. Second 6 yrs.
1897-02.
1903-8.
Corn, bushels
63.5
65.3
Wheat, bushels
23.4
29.6
Clover hay, tons
1.90
2.44
The total value of the increase from this treatment has amounted to $33.36 for the first period and $43.56 for the second, or $3.87 and $5.12 per ton of manure, after deducting $2.60 per acre for the cost of the 320 pounds of acid phosphate used on the manure.
In other words, the combination of 320 pounds of acid phosphate, cost- ing $2.60, with nitrate of soda and muriate of potash costing $20.90, has produced on five acres of land during the last five years an average total increase worth $50.00 per acre, or $10.00 per acre annually, while the com- bination of the same quantity of acid phosphate with eight tons of fresh stable manure has produced on three acres during the same period an increase to the value of $43.50, or $14.52 per acre annually. The eight tons of manure, therefore, have produced an effect 40 per cent greater than that caused by $20.90 expended in the most effective carriers of fertilizer-nitrogen and potash.
It may be objected that these experiments have been made on such small areas of land that they are not a safe guide to general farm practice. Following is the answer to this objection :
Another part of the farm belonging to the station has been used for the comparison of varieties of corn, oats and wheat, these crops being grown in succession and followed by one year in clover, thus making a four-year rotation. The work was begun in 1893, and ten acres of land is devoted to each crop every season, the entire test including forty acres.
For the first ten years it was the practice to plant the corn on clover sod, without any manure or fertilizer. The oats, following the corn, was like- wise left untreated, while the wheat received a top dressing of open-yard
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WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO.
manure. applied after plowing and before seeding, at the rate of about nine tons per acre. The result of this treatment was a ten-year average yield of 48.7 bushels of corn, followed by 52.2 bushels of oats, 19.9 bushels of wheat, and 2.7 tons of hay.
Beginning with 1904, the system was changed, and the clover sod in- tended for corn was dressed during the fall and early winter with phos- phated manure, produced by steers or dairy cows and kept under. cover until the field was ready for it, when it was hauled out and spread at the rate of about twelve tons per acre. After the manure was plowed under lime was applied to the surface and harrowed in at the rate of one ton per acre. The oats, as previously, followed the corn without treatment, but the wheat re- ceived a complete fertilizer instead of manure, the fertilizer being made up from tankage, steamed bone meal, acid phosphate and muriate of potash for the fall application, followed by nitrate of soda in April, the materials being used at a total rate of 350 to 400 pounds per acre and mixed in such proportions as to give a percentage composition for the fall application of about 4 per cent ammonia, 14 to 16 per cent phosphoric acid and 3 to 4 per cent potash.
The outcome of this treatment has been an increase in the corn yield to an average per acre of 73.8 bushels for the five years, 1904 to 1908, fol- lowed by averages of 55.1 bushels of oats, 36.6 bushels of wheat and 4.33 tons of hay.
Comparing these yields with the unfertilized yields obtained in the five-year rotation first described, we have a gain of 42.8 bushels of corn : 20.6 bushels of oats; 22.9 bushels of wheat and 3.32 tons of hay, the whole having a value of $68.18. Deducting from this $2.00 for the floats used on the manure, $6.40 for the fertilizer used on the wheat and $2.60 for half the cost of liming, since only half the land in the five-year rotation had been limed, we have a balance of $57.18, or $4.76 for each ton of manure used.
The soil upon which these experiments have been made is certainly no better naturally than the average soils of Wayne county. It is true that it has the advantage of being well drained, which is an important point, but the topography of the county as a whole is such as to make drainage easily practicable wherever it is needed. Let us, therefore, consider the possible effect of applying to Wayne county as a whole the system of management which has produced the results above described.
During the five years, 1904 to 1908, the statistics of crop production for the county show the following average areas and yields :
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WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO.
Crop.
Acres.
Yield per acre.
Total yield.
Corn
36,054
36.9 bu.
1,330,782 bu.
Oats
30,590
36.5 bu.
1,117,919 bu.
Wheat
44,391
19.4 bu. 860,753 bu.
Hay
53,27I
1.43 tons
76,061 tons
During the same period livestock equivalent to 37,000 cattle was kept, and the annual expenditures for fertilizers amounted to $88,445. The total area in the four crops amounted to 164,000 acres. Let us compute the possi- ble yield on this area had 41,000 acres been allotted to each of the four crops, and had the yields been 60 bushels of corn, 45 of oats, 30 of wheat and 3 tons of hay, or about 80 per cent of the yields obtained at the station during the same period :
Crop.
Acres.
Yield per acre.
Total yield.
Corn
41,000
60 bu.
2,460,000 bu.
Oats
41,000
45 bu.
1,845,000 bu.
Wheat
41,000
:30 bu.
1,230,500 bu.
Hay
41,000
3 tons
123,000 tons
In round numbers this would have given 1, 100,000 bushels more cern, 700,000 bushels more oats, 380,000 bushels more wheat and 47,000 tons more hay than was actually harvested, the whole worth a million and a third of dol- lars, estimating corn at 40 cents a bushel, oats at 30 cents, wheat at 80 cents and hay at $8.00 per ton.
Of course these larger yields would not have been produced without extra cost, the first item of which would have been better drainage. As a whole, Wayne county is fortunate in its natural drainage; the rolling topog- raphy of most of the county gives excellent surface drainage, and the large areas in which the loosely stratified shales lie within a few feet of the surface give the most perfect underdrainage, so that there is comparatively little artificial drainage required. While no data are available from which anything more than the merest guess can be made as to the amount of artificial drain- age needed, I believe that an expenditure of $25 per acre on half the area under cultivation, or $2,000,000 for the county, would be sufficient, if well directed, to put the whole into position to produce the crops above indicated.
Next to drainage comes the need of lime. There are a few fields in the county, chiefly on newly-cleared land, on which this need is not yet urgent, but the territory over which lime must be applied before full har- vests can be obtained is steadily increasing, and it is only a question of
215
WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO.
time when the systematic application of lime must find a place in the agri- culture of this county.
Next to liming comes the production of more manure and the more careful use of that which is produced. The present livestock of the county produces about 165,000 tons of manure each winter, or about half enough to dress 41,000 acres of corn at the rate of eight tons per acre, provided it were saved and used without waste. But the livestock of the county should be doubled, even though it might sometimes be necessary to charge a part of the cost of handling the livestock to the soil fertility account. In the long run and under judicious management livestock will pay its way and leave the manure as an unincumbered asset.
The money expended for fertilizers on the average of the last five years ($88,000 annually ) would purchase 6.000 tons of acid phosphate, or 10,000 tons of floats, if bought in car loads. This would be sufficient to give each ton of the manure from 75,000 cattle a dressing of 40 pounds of acid phos- phate or 60 pounds of floats, and would thus restore to the soil all the phos- phorus withdrawn by present cropping, and begin the restoration of that which has been drawn from the soil and shipped out of the county under the system of husbandry which has hitherto prevailed.
For a time the wheat crop would respond profitably to additional ferti- lizing, but under this system the quantity of fertilizers required to be used separately from the manure would gradually diminish.
To sum up, let us estimate the annual expenditure which would prob- ably be required to produce the yield above indicated :
The drainage of the land is a permanent improvement, and its cost should therefore be distributed over a term of years. Let us charge 10 per cent of the drainage cost annually, 6 per cent to interest and 4 per cent to a sinking fund to liquidate the principal.
The station's experiments indicate that lime should be used at the rate of about a ton per acre at the first application, but that after the acidity of the soil is once neutralized less lime is required. The annual application of half a ton of lime per acre to the corn crop would probably be a liberal esti- mate.
The present expenditure for fertilizers would cover the cost of phos- phating the manure, but for a time it will pay to continue fertilizing the wheat crop at a rate even more liberal than that now practiced.
The feeding of livestock will in some cases involve more labor than would be required to haul the produce to market, but in the majority of cases probably less. There will, of course, be much more produce to handle.
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WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO.
about 100,000 tons of grain and hay, in fact, but will be largely offset by the additional value of the stover and straw. Let us, however, allow one dollar per ton, or $100,000 per annum, for this extra work. Our account will then stand as below :
Drainage, interest and sinking fund $200,000
Liming, one-half ton per acre
100,000
Additional fertilizers 100,000
Extra labor
100,000
Total
$600,000
This will still leave about three-quarters of a million dollars annually in the Wayne county farmers' pockets over and above what they are now getting.
There are those who will say that it is impossible for them to make the expenditure necessary to bring their land into the condition required to make these yields, but a large part of this expenditure is in the form of labor, and it would be better to devote a part of the labor which is now expended in working two or three acres to get the produce of one in draining and fer- tilizing the one acre, even though another acre lay idle for a year or so in consequence.
WAYNE COUNTY AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.
This society was organized in 1849. Its first president was Robert Reed, of Dalton, Sugarcreek township. The first address was delivered by William Turner, then of Wooster, but later of Cleveland. The first fair was held in the grove near the later residence of D. Q. Liggett, where the exhibitions were continued until 1854.
January 24, 1859. the society contracted with E. Quinby, Jr., for eight acres of land on North Market street, where until 1869 its exhibitions were held. For numerous reasons these grounds were sold and others purchased of Henry Myers, consisting of twenty-four acres, a short distance to the west of Wooster. Here the buildings have been made of a permanent char- acter. There is also much interest in speeding of fast horses, annually, on a fine race course. The annual exhibits of farm, garden and orchard from all over Wayne county are indeed a credit to the management and patrons themselves. While the trotting horse craze has somewhat taken a prominent
217
WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO.
place in the annual fair, yet the display of agricultural products and of fine livestock, together with beautiful exhibits made by the ladies of the county, in way of fancy work, art and all that beautifies the home, is annually in evidence in large quantities.
The present ( 1909) officers of the association that owns and manages this county fair are as follows: John C. McClaran, president ; J. S. McCoy, vice-president ; W. A. Wilson, treasurer ; G. J. Eybright, secretary.
THE PROGRESSIVE FARMERS' ASSOCIATION.
Several of the farmers residing in the vicinity of Wooster, who felt that their interests would be greatly enhanced by organization, gathered at a meeting called for February 21, 1888, at the home of R. D. Firestone, south of Wooster, to discuss the subject of organizing. The result was the above-named society, which has had an unbroken existence to the pres- ent date. A yearly program is carefully prepared by a committee appointed by the president. These meetings are held at the homes of the membership. All subjects pertaining to the farm, the household, good citizenship. good morals, etc., are ably discussed. During the first years of the organization the society planned an annual farmers' institute. But when the Ohio Agri- cultural Experiment Station was located here in Wayne county, this organ- ization was eager and zealous in working for its establishment. Among other important measures advocated early was the establishment of the rural free delivery system. Today they are earnestly working for the establishment of the parcels post system and postal savings banks. The social feature of the association is counted by its members as a great factor.
The persons who have served as the association's officers are in part as follows : Benjamin Wilson, P. S. Ihrig, J. S. McCoy, J. F. Stitt. J. W. Taggart. Willis Bishop, D. S. Tintsman, W. A. Bruce, M. M. Fowler, D. R. Firestone. W. E. Jarvis.
The worthy secretaries have been: Mrs. B. F. Wilson, Miss Alma Smith, Miss Margaret Stitt, Miss Rose Wilson, Mrs. W. A. Bruce, Mrs. F. I. Heim, Mrs. E. W. Lytle, Mrs. J. S. McCoy, Miss Lucy Stitt, Miss Helen Davidson.
PLAIN TOWNSHIP FARMERS' CLUB.
This organization is one of two very successful farmers' societies within Wayne county. It is styled the Plain Township Agricultural Association
218
WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO.
and has for its object the improvement of agriculture, that the life of the husbandman may be made more profitable and less laborious, hence more pleasant and desirable.
The date of its organization was September, 1890. The charter mem- bers were as follows: Harvey S. Baker, William M. Gill, Samuel G. Gill and Curtis W. Rittenhouse. The following have been its presidents: S. G. Gill, John C. Sidle, C. W. Rittenhouse, W. A. Lehr, G. E. Kean and John Sparr. The roll of members constitutes more than fifty of the best people of Plain township.
This society has held three independent institutes. that were distin- guished for their social. musical and literary excellence. The outside speak- ers were the best in Ohio, Thorne. Hickman and Selby.
This club affords a means of training for both old and young, in orig- inal thought, self-command and public address, that is beyond comparison. They point with much pride to one of its members-J. C. Sidle-as a rising young figure in the list of public speakers.
CHAPTER XII.
MILITARY HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY.
The military history of any given county is of great interest to all patriotic readers of local history. To the county this is what the national war record is to our republic. The great armies of a country must needs come from commands made up from the soldiers enlisting in the various counties of each loyal state in our Union.
But before entering into the details of the soldiery of Wayne county in the several wars carried on since its settlement by white men-the war of 1812-14 with Great Britain, the war with Mexico, the great Civil war from 1861 to 1865, and the Spanish-American war of 1898-it may not be with- out profit to the reader to become posted about the forts and block houses erected prior to those wars as a protection against the savage Indian tribes, mention of which has been made elsewhere in this work.
WAYNE COUNTY BLOCK HOUSES.
From the date of the first settlement in this country until the establish- ment of peace after the war of 1812, the inhabitants were compelled to erect block houses and stockades for their immediate protection. This was done as a precaution against invading foes from the unfriendly Indians. This was made all the more a necessity after Hull's defeat and surrender, as that event much emboldened them in their bloody raids upon the handful of white settlers. Hence these block houses were found in various sections of Wayne county.
Where Mrs. B. Pope's residence stood in 1878 there was once one of these places of safety erected, and it is said to have been the largest of any in the county. It was named Fort Stidger, built by Gen. George Stidger, of Canton, in 1812, and it was a double building, covered by one roof, and had a separating hall or passage between the two sections. Here the dif- ferent families of the town and nearby community would assemble when danger seemed imminent, and remain there during the night.
220
WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO.
Another was built over the Killbuck, about three miles west of Wooster, on land later owned by Joshua Warner. This building was still standing, in a good state of preservation, in 1878. Mr. Warner, however, had weather- boarded its timbers and plastered its interior walls. His family had used it for a part of their residence for sixty-five years.
Another one of the "forts" stood six miles east of Wooster, near what was called King's Tavern, and still farther on was another, near the old Andrew Lucky tavern, south of Fredericksburg but a short distance, and also on the farm later owned by Thomas Dowty, in Franklin township, similar defensive structures were provided for the protection of the settlements thereabouts. A company of soldiers was at one time quartered at the old Morgan fort. There were still others, of less magnitude and importance, at different points within Wayne county. These block houses were univer- sally built on an eminence, by which position the surrounding country might the more easily be viewed, thus obviating a surprise by the too sudden ap- proach of the enemy.
In many respects these forts resembled the ordinary cabin. They were built of logs, laid one over the other and' tightly fitted, with little holes notched between them and called port-holes. Through these openings the inmates could readily point their guns and fire, at the same time being pro- tected against the enemy's shots. With the exception of one door, there were no other modes of egress or ingress. The structure was built of solid timbers, firmly and securely fastened inside, and, like the rest of the building, sufficiently firm to resist any volley of bullets. They were usually two stories high; that portion of the building from the ground to the height of about eight feet was formed of shorter logs than the section above it, which, being constructed of longer logs, formed a projection over the lower story, which gave the occupants the chance of shooting down on their assailants, or other- wise punishing them with axes or pikes, should they attempt to climb and enter it, or apply a torch.
The note of many a false alarm was sounded, and many a panic-stricken family rushed for protection to those old wooden walls.
REVOLUTIONARY PENSIONERS IN 1840.
The following is a list of the Revolutionary war pensioners in Wayne county, Ohio, in 1840: Perry township-Barnett Hagerman, aged eighty years. Plain township-Augustus Case, aged eighty-seven. Jackson town- ship-Ezra Tryon, aged eighty. Canaan township-Rufus Freeman, aged
221
WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO.
seventy-eight. Wayne township-John Davidson, aged eighty-four. Chip- pewa township-Christina Franks, aged seventy-three; Isaac Underwood, aged seventy-four. Milton township-Benjamin Foster, aged eighty-six; Benjamin Cotton, aged eighty-three. Greene township-Conrad Metsker, aged eighty-two. East Union township-Jesse Richardson, aged eighty- four ; Simon Goodspeed, aged seventy-six. Wooster township-Robert Cain, aged seventy-seven.
PENSIONERS OF THE WAR OF 1812.
The subjoined is a list of the soldiers of the war of 1812 (war with Great Britain), as shown to be residents of Wayne county, Ohio, and in force in 1878, according to the state records at Columbus :
John Achenbach, Moreland; John B. Espy, Wooster; William Johnson, Wooster; Simon Kenney, Canaan; George Messmore, Apple Creek; Benja- min Potter, Millbrook; Daniel Rieder, Koch's; Rachel Bugler (widow), Fredericksburg; John Crummel. Apple Creek; Henry Fike, Smithville; Syl- vanus Jones, Wooster; John Ludwig, Reedsburg; James McFadden, Cedar Valley ; Thomas Pittenger, Lattsburg ; Henry Starner, Wooster; Catherine First (widow). Apple Creek.
WAYNE COUNTY IN THE MEXICAN WAR.
Trouble had been had between the two republics-the United States and Mexico-growing out of certain encroachments upon the part of Mexi- cans, for some time, and finally, on May 12, 1846, war was declared against our southern neighbors. The bill levying war called for fifty thousand sol- diers and an appropriation of ten million dollars. War was really officially declared on the day following, by President James K. Polk. On September 21-23 the battle of Monterey was fought, the first in importance of any in the conflict. The country manfully responded to the call for volunteers.
It is with a just pride, today, that the sons and daughters of the men who lived in Warren county can point to the fact that Wayne county did her share nobly and well. Tuesday, May 26, 1846, the Fourth Brigade, Ninth Division, Ohio Militia, was hastily mustered at Wooster, for the purpose of encouraging enlistments. Over thirty on that day signed the muster rolls. Capt. Peter Burkett, of the Bristol Light Artillery, and David Moore, of the "Wooster Guards," were present with orders to enlist a company. The
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WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO.
officers at the head of the list below given were chosen to command the company, which consisted of eighty-five men, and on Tuesday morning, June 9, 1846, they started for Massillon.
On the morning of their departure General Coulter, on behalf of the Wooster Cadets, presented to them a handsome flag, making an appropriate speech, which was responded to by Captain Moore. Before leaving they were mustered on the northeast corner of the public square, where the mem- bers of the company were presented with Testaments by the ladies of Wooster. The company left Massillon the night of June 11th, on board two canal boats, en route for Camp Washington, near Cincinnati. They broke camp, at the place just mentioned, early July 3d, and the same day left Cin- cinnati on the "New Era" and "Tuscaloosa" for New Orleans. For some time they were encamped near the old General Jackson battle ground.
James D. Robison, M. D., of Wooster, was the first surgeon of the regi- ment, leaving Cincinnati July 3d for Mexico. They served in the Third Ohio Regiment (there only being three regiments), commanded by Col. Samuel Curtis, a graduate of West Point and for several years a lawyer of Wooster, and with George W. McCrook as lieutenant-colonel.
The treaty of peace was ratified at Queretaro May 30, 1848.
The following is a list of the Mexican soldiers who went from Wayne county, Ohio :
Moore, D. (Captain)
Culbertson, Eli B.
Burkett, P. (first lieutenant)
Chaffe, Amos
McMillen, J. (second lieutenant )
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