Working the Land – 1853 to 1899: Diversified Farming

Competition for the sale of equipment was tight in Bloomington — two local manufacturers of seed drills competed for the sale of patented machines. Moore’s sold for $70, but Pennock had an endorsement from L.W. Betts (David Davis’ half-brother) who farmed Davis’ Bellmonte farm east of Bloomington. Betts reported . . .

“A substantial and reliable machine, we think it one of the best labor saving machines in the country.”
— L.W. Betts

Bloomington Pantagraph advertisement for Moore’s patented wheat drill, 1856.

Bloomington Pantagraph advertisement for Pennock’s patented wheat drill, 1856.

McLean County farmers were growing more acreage of corn and getting better yields too, averaging close to 50 bushels per acre by the end of the 19th century. New horse drawn riding planters with check-row devices made planting easier.

The farmer started by stretching a wire with evenly spaced knots across the field. As the planter travelled across the field, the wire passed through the check-row device. The knots triggered the planter to drop the seed. After a row was planted, the farmer re-stretched the wire across the field for the next row, continuing this step until the entire field was planted. This precision planting allowed horse drawn weed cultivators to cross the field in multiple directions.

McLean County brothers Monroe and Alden Barnes developed and patented a highly successful check-row device that was sold across the Midwest.

A wooden box with a gable top that contains a spool of cable and a handle to wind it. The cable has knots and little metal pieces. — View this object in Matterport

William H. Benjamin and his son Frank began to use this check-row cord with their horse drawn corn planter in 1858. They continued to use it on their 300 acre farm near Bentown until 1940.

Donated by: Paul K. Benjamin
97.134.1

Hay knives, like this one, were used to cut and separate hay that had been stacked in the field or stored in the barn.

Donated by: William O’Hara
905.508

In the 1880s some McLean County dairy farmers decided to make silage.

They cut and chopped the entire corn plant by hand while it was still green, then packed it tightly into a silo where it fermented (like sauerkraut). This preserved the corn so it could be fed to livestock year around. The process could also be used for hay and clover.

Dairy farmers were not the only ones who appreciated silage.

“Mr. Payne’s silo in Normal was built last year, and has proved a perfect success. At the recent sale of Mr. Payne, the silo and the ensilage it contained were purchased by Dillon Bros., who are daily feeding their fine Norman horses from it. A Pantagrapher who visited their stables last Saturday saw the horses eating it greedily.”
— Bloomington Pantagraph, November 8, 1887