Lincoln County, Missouri - Chapter 7: Agriculture, Horticulture and Live Stock, 1888

Chapter 7: Agriculture, Horticulture and Live Stock

The principal agricultural products of Lincoln County are Indian corn, wheat, oat$, hay, potatoes and tobacco. In an early day cotton was extensively raised, but its cultivation has since been entirely abandoned. The productions are varied, though not so much as a better development of resources and a higher cultivation would demand. All the grains and grasses are distributed over the county, but in some cases with unequal results. In the eastern and southeastern parts of the county, comprising about half its area, wheat is the prominent crop. Its quality is unsurpassed, being fully equal to the best raised in the State, which is recognized as producing the finest wheat in the world. The yield has been known to reach forty to forty-five bushels per acre, but only in the most favorable seasons and with the best of cultivation, the average usually being less than half that amount. The soil throughout the county is rich in wheat producing principles, and with proper fertilization, subsoiling and underdrain- ing, it can be made to yield from thirty to forty bushels per acre in most all seasons. The preparation of soils by underdrainage has as yet been scarcely thought of in Lincoln County. Corn and oats are produced in great abundance. It would be difficult to find a soil better adapted to either of these cereals. The soil is also well adapted to the growing of the grasses, especially timothy, which is the best known grass for hay. Clover also succeeds well, but it is not extensively grown. Hungarian grass and millet grow well all over the county. Barley and buckwheat also yield well, but are not extensively sown.

Broom corn yields abundantly in every part of the county, but, except in a few localities, no attention has been paid to it. Tobacco is advantageously grown on the timbered lands. The golden leaf of the white oak and post oak ridges is of the very finest quality, and is in great demand for wrappers. In the great tobacco fair of St. Louis, in 1869, Lincoln County tobacco took the first premium, nearly every State in the Union being represented. Sorghum is grown in every part of the county; the uplands producing less but of a finer quality. The small mills in the different localities manufacture the cane into molasses with success varying according to skill employed. The syrups from some of these mills will rival in color and flavor the finest silver drips. The consumption of sorghum, in this county, is fast superseding that of foreign syrups. As yet scarcely any has been exported, but its manufacture is destined to become a profitable industry.

The soil is also well adapted to the raising of all kinds of garden vegetables. Potatoes of the best quality are easily grown, but as yet they have not been extensively grown for the market, the farmers being content to grow them only for home consumption.

Fruit Culture

To the experienced fruit raiser Lincoln County offers a most inviting field. Nearly every kind of marketable fruit can be raised here with great profit to the careful cultivator. Nowhere do strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, gooseberries or currants grow more plentifully or attain greater excellence of flavor.

as in Eastern States, nor do they roach the same size Peaches, pears, plums and apricots do very well, hut the great OTOp is the apple. The yield is good and flavor excellent. The average yield of well-kept trees is about ten barrels, though much Larger yields are frequently seen. But little has been done as yet in the line of fruit culture, but it is not very uncommon for the farmer to receive a larger profit from his small orchard than from the remainder of his farm, showing what might be accomplished in this direction. The following kinds of winter apples, when grown here with any care, are of special fine flavor: Rawle's Janet, Northern Spy, Winesap, Rhode Island Greening, Baldwin, Stark, Bellflower, Ben Davis, Willowtwig, Pennsylvania Redstreak, Newton Pippin, Golden Pippin, Roman Beauty, Prior Red, Vandever, etc.

Grapes And Wines

It is well known that for excellence in grapes and wines Missouri cannot be surpassed by any other State or country in the world. This fact is principally due to the success of the grapes producing clarets, Burgundies, sherries and other choice red wines, such as Norton's Virginia, Cynthiana, Neosho, Hermann, etc. The wine made from the Cynthiana grape grown in this State took the first premium in Vienna as the best red wine of all nations. There is another class of grapes and wine, namely, the Elvira, Taylor, Amber, etc., producing hocks and white wines, in which Missouri, while not excelling those grown elsewhere, can equal them, even rivaling the famous Johannisbergs and Riesslings. The stocks of both these classes, when grown in this State, are phylloxera proof, and vast quantities have, on this account, been shipped to France and California. But little attention has been paid to grape-growing in Lincoln County, but the success of the many small vineyards demonstrates the fact that it is equal to the very best for grape-culture, and wine has been made here that competent judges have pronounced superior to the best Rhine wines. There are thousands of acres in this county admirably adapted to the culture of red and white wineproducing grapes.

According to the United States census for 1880, there were 2,441 farms in Lincoln County, with 194,311 acres of improved land. The value of the farms, including the lands, fences and buildings, was $4,243,837. The farm implements and machinerywere valued at $211,759. The value of the live stock was $1,- 024,403. The estimated value of all farm productions for 1879 was $1,038,095. These are the latest reliable statistics, and he who lives to compare these figures with those of the forthcoming census of 1890, will find ht food for reflection." He will find that a wonderful improvement will have been made during the decade of the eighties. The following is a list of the amounts of vegetable productions of Lincoln County for the year 1879, as given by the census of 1880: Indian corn, 1,563,356 bushels; wheat, 428,119 bushels; oats, 319,008 bushels; rye, 2,749 bushels; potatoes, 15,782 bushels; sweet potatoes, 837 bushels; hay, 2,458 tons; tobacco, 308,090 pounds; value of orchard products, $17,- 158.

According to the same census, Lincoln was an average county, in the 115 counties of the State, in the production of Indian corn, far above the average in the production of oats, the seventeenth county in the production of wheat, and the eleventh in the production of tobacco. This is certainly a very good showing - that Lincoln County is far above the average in the leading agricultural products.

Also, by the census of 1880, Lincoln County was shown to have 7,128 horses, 1,667 mules and asses, twenty-two working oxen, 6,686 milch cows, 13,997 other cattle, 14,957 sheep and 53,366 hogs. The production of wool was 90,133 pounds, and of butter 278,347 pounds. As compared with all the counties of the State, Lincoln was on an average in the production of horses, mules and asses, and above the average in regard to cattle, sheep and butter - the thirtieth in the production of hogs, and the same in the production of wool.

Climate

south on the Atlantic coast ; hut being nearly in the «-« - n t - r of the continent, there are not experienced tli<' Budden ohanges common to tlui Atlantic States. There arc none of the tornadoes that raffe Over the States north und west. Drouthfl are very uncommon; the rainfall is generally suHicient and well distributed. These statements are proved by the State weather statistics for the past years. The average rainfall was: winter, seven inches; spring, twelve; summer, thirteen; autumn, nine; total, fortyone. The average number of rainy days was ninety -two, the extremes being sixty-eight and one hundred and fifteen. The winter rainfall includes melted snow, of which the average was two and one-third inches. The atmospheric pressure is more uniform than in any State of the same, or more northern latitude, between the Rocky Mountains and the Atlantic Ocean ; this is particularly the case in the summer, thus insuring the greatest possible benefits of the usual rainfall to the growing crops. As regards health, this county is fully up to the average in the State, which statistics prove one of the healthiest in the union. There is very little malaria; typhoid fever is extremely rare, and consumption is almost unknown as originating here.

Agricultural Society

1855. Its officers were Maj. George W. Huston, president; Dr. F. G. Gilmer, vice-president; S. R. Woolfolk, treasurer; C. W. Parker, corresponding secretary; and A. V. McKee, recording secretary. The directors were Talbot Bragg, Sr., Gen. David Stewart, Joel Blanks, Raleigh Mayes, Tully R. Cornick, Jesse Orear, Joseph M. Heady, George W. Porter, Col. David Bailey, and Andrew Cochran. The society temporarily fitted a fair ground north of where the public schoolhouse now stands, and there held its first annual exhibition, commencing October 1,

1856. The following year it held another exhibition and some time thereafter dissolved. From that time forward up to 1879 the county had no agricultural and mechanical society.

with a subscribed capital of $3,500 divided into shares of $10 each. The first exhibition was held in the fall of 1879, on the lot near the public school building known as the boarding house property. On the 3d day of August, 1880, the association purchased of John B. Gordon and wife a tract of land adjoining Troy on the east, consisting of sixty-four acres, and known as the Cottle place. Forty-four acres were afterward sold off, leaving the twenty which are now enclosed as the fair ground. Articles of the association were filed with the Secretary of State, whereupon a charter dated October 2, 1882, was granted. The first fair was held at the present fair ground in 1880, and exhibitions have since been annually given. The association has only been moderately successful, owing to the rains that have taken place at the time of holding the fairs. The grounds are enclosed with a tight board fence, and contain an amphitheatre capable of seating about 1,000 persons, an art hall, office, band stand, sheds and stalls for live stock, and a race track. The present officers are William Moore, president; Alex. Miller, vicepresident; Robert Shelton, secretary; and W. H. Perkins, treasurer. The board of directors consists of one member from each municipal township of the county.

Stock Law

At the August term, 1887, of the county court of Lincoln County, a petition for restraining certain domestic animals from running at large, was presented, and the following is a copy of the record of the proceedings of the court in relation thereto, made on the 9th day of that month:

"Now at this day comes William H. Long, Joseph Jones and 285 others, who are householders of said county, and file their petition praying this court to submit to the qualified voters of said county the question of enforcing in said county the provisions of an act, passed by the General Assembly of the State of Missouri, to restrain domestic animals from running at large, approved May 27, 1883, in so far as said act is applicable to swine, sheep and goats, and asking this court to call a special election for the purpose of submitting said question. And it appearing to the satisfaction of the oonri that said petition is in conformity with 3 .-ti.'ii S of Baid act, and contains more than one bnndred of tin* resident householders of said county, it is ordered thai a special election be ht'Kl iii Baid oounty, at the usual noting precincts swin»'. Bheep and goats from running at large may be submitted to the qualified voters of the county of Lincoln. There shall be written or printed on each ballot voted at this election either of the following sentences: 'For enforcing the law restraining swine, sheep and goats from running at large.' ' Against enforcing the law restraining swine, sheep or goats from running at large.'

"And at such election the voting, making returns thereof, and casting up the result, shall be governed in all respects by the law applicable to general elections for State and county purposes. And it is further ordered by the court that a copy of this order be inserted in some newspaper published in the county for three consecutive weeks, the last insertion of which shall be at least ten days before the day of said election. And that the sheriff of this county post up copies of this order in three of the most public places in each township in the county, at least twenty days before the day of said election."

The required notices of the election were given, and it was accordingly held at the appointed time, and the following table shows the number of votes cast for and against enforcing the law in regard to allowing the stock to run at large :

This gave a majority of fifty-three votes in favor of enforcing the law. Notice of the result of the election was published by the clerk of the court, as required by law, and in due time the law for restraining swine, sheep and goats from running at large was enforced.