Rooks County

Population in 1875, 567; in 1878, *2,100; increase in three years, 1,533. Rural population, 1,890; city or town population, 210; per cent. of rural to city or town population, 90.

Face of the Country. - Bottom land, 20 per cent.; upland, 80 per cent.; forest (Government survey), 1 per cent.; prairie, 99 per cent. Average width of bottoms, one and a half miles. General surface of the country, level. Southeastern part of county, quite bluffy; ravines running back from the streams, abrupt and short.

Timber. - The timber is limited to narrow belts along the streams. Varieties: red and white elm, cottonwood, ash, hackberry, black walnut and cedar.

Coal. - None has been discovered.

Building Stone, etc. - Magnesian limestone is found in abundance throughout the county. Gypsum is found in the southwest.

Railroad Connections. - No railroads have been constructed as yet.

Principal Streams. - The South Fork of the Solomon river runs through the center of the county nearly due east. Tributaries, Big Medicine, Elm, Douglass, Randall, Stockton, Box Elder and Lost creeks. Bow creek flows eastwardly along the north line of the county for twenty miles. Salt creek flows eastwardly through the southeast portion of the county. Sand, Eagle and other small creeks, tributaries of the Saline river, have their sources in the southwest portion of the county. Many of the streams are fed by springs, rendering the waters very pure.

Agricultural Statistics. - Acres in the county, 576,000; taxable acres, 6,116; under cultivation, 5,211; cultivated to taxable acres, 85.20 per cent.; decrease of cultivated acres during the year, 188.88.

EXCELLENT YIELD. - Statement by Thomas McNulty, of Stockton:

Winter Wheat. - I raised a crop of wheat on Section 20, Township 7, Range 17, sowing the Little May variety. I planted 35 acres on the 3d of September, and harvested it on the 25th of June, getting a yield of 35 bushels to the acre. The land is second bottom. Seed drilled in. The cost was $8 per acre.

LARGE YIELD. - Statement by A. J. Dickson, of Stockton:

Winter Wheat. - I planted 40 acres of wheat about September 10, sowing 1 1/2 bushels to the acre on bottom land. It was harvested June 20, and yielded an average of 29 bushels to the acre. The cost of producing it was about $2.50 per acre.

** STATEMENT showing the Acreage of Field Crops named from 1872 to 1878, inclusive.

Decrease in four years, 37+ per cent.
Average decrease per annum, 9.25+ per cent.

RANK of Rooks County in the Crops named below, as to Acreage, and in Cultivated Acreage for the years mentioned in the foregoing table.

Value of Garden Produce, Poultry and Eggs Sold during the Year. - Garden produce, $516; poultry and eggs, $253.91.

Old Corn on Hand. - Old corn on hand March 1, 1878, 1,501 bushels, or an average of 4 bushels to each family.

Dairy Products. - No cheese reported. Butter manufactured in 1875, - lbs., in 1878, 8,974 lbs.; increase, 8,974 lbs.

Farm Animals. - Number of horses, in 1877, 283; in 1878, 440; increase, 157. Mules and asses, in 1877, 30; in 1878, 126; increase, 96. Milch cows, in 1877, 451; in 1878, 474; increase, 23. Other cattle, in 1877, 1,415, in 1878, 1,501; increase, 86. Sheep, in 1877, 132; in 1878, 568; increase, 434. Swine, in 1877, 353; in 1878, 719; increase, 366.

Sheep Killed by Dogs. - Number of sheep killed by dogs, 129; value of sheep killed by dogs, $387.

Wool. - Clip of 1877, none reported

Value of Animals Slaughtered. - Value of animals slaughtered and sold for slaughter during the year, $3,000.***

Horticulture. - Number of acres nurseries, 1.06. Number of trees in bearing: apple, 438; pear, -; peach, 837; plum, 2; cherry, 30. Number of trees not in bearing: none reported.

Herd Law. - The herd law is in force.

Fences. - Stone, none returned. Rail, 4,042 rods; cost, $6,265.10. Board, 80 rods; cost, $120. Wire, 240 rods, cost, $192. Hedge, 249 rods, cost, $174.30. Total rods of fence, 4,611; total cost, $6,751.40.

Apiaculture. - Bees, none reported.

Value of Agricultural Implements. - Amount invested in agricultural implements, $10,052.

Manufactures. - Stockton township: steam saw mill, capital, $1,500; water flouring mill, capital, $6,000.

Valuation and Indebtedness. - Assessed valuation of personal property, $37,021.75; total assessed valuation of all property, $59,623.43; true valuation of all property, $99,372.38. Total indebtedness of county, township, city and school districts, $5,500; per cent. of indebtedness to assessed valuation, .09+.

Newspaper History. - The Stockton News was established in the early part of 1876, by J. W. Newell; is now published by Randall & Bros.; Republican in politics.

Schools. - Number of organized districts, 21; school population, 578; average salary of teachers, per month, males, $19.25; females, $14.31. School houses built during 1878, log, 1. Total number of school houses, 10; log, 7; frame, 2; stone, 1. Value of all school property, $2,152. No report on shade trees.

Churches. - Baptist: organizations, 1; membership, 75. Congregational: organization 2; membership, 25. Methodist Episcopal: organizations, 7; membership, 70. Roman Catholic: organizations, 2; membership, 100; church edifices, 1; value of church property, $300.

* Estimated.
** The county was organized in 1872. No reports for 1872, 1873 and 1875.
*** Estimated.