393 



tliau formerly upon machinery. To secure the benefit of the latest ini- 

 proYemeuts, a large capital is necessary, and to accumulate this farmers 

 are forming associations. An association of this character in Scotland, 

 according to a late oflicial report, during 1873, worked some 16,000 

 acres with steam and other elaborate machinery, performing all heavy 

 operations at a gTeatly dimii^ished cost to the farmer, and paying a 

 dividend of 5 per cent, upon the capital invested. The large amount of 

 capital necessary to such improvements is, then, no bar to their use, as 

 farmers can either combine for the common ownership and working of 

 elaborate and high-priced machinery, or they can employ capitalists 

 who make such operations their specialty, and who will plow the ground 

 or gather the crops for a specific remuneration. 



Feench army-hoeses. — Le Journal W Agriculture Pratique states 

 that the French army, of all arms, now requires, annually, 81,000 horses, 

 of which the cavalry alone absorbs 70,000. The projected reorganiza- 

 tion of the latter branch of the service will raise its annual demand to 

 90,000, and that of the whole peace establishment to over 100,000. On a 

 war-footing this annual consumption of horses would be raised to 250,000. 

 The census of 1866 returned 3,313,000 horses of all ages and grades. 

 During the late Prussian war 419,000 were lost or rendered unser- 

 viceable. With the subsequent increase, the jn^esent total can scarcely 

 be equal to 3,000,000, of which not over ten per cent., or 300,000, be- 

 tween the ages of four and fourteen, may be regarded as available for 

 military service. This leaves but a small margin of elfective horses for 

 the wants of the community. To guard against the difficulties which 

 threaten the nation in case of war, the government has, by a late law, 

 reorganized the ^^administration of studs, ''^ and re-established the "school 

 of studs" at Pin. Commencing with 1875, the number of stallions 

 maintained at public expense is to be augmented 200 each year until 

 the total number shall have reached 2,500. These stallions are to be 

 chosen from the best blood of the different races. An increasing sched- 

 ule of prizes is to be annually awarded for the production of stallions, 

 mares, colts, and fillies. The '■'■jumenterie'''' of Pompadour is to be re- 

 established, and to be constituted of 60 mares, exclusively devoted to 

 the production of horses of Arab and Anglo- Arab blood. The most 

 scientific and skillful practitioners are to be employed in this effort to 

 enlarge the studs of France, and to guard against the exigencies of a 

 state of war with its extraordinary demand for horses. 



Chaebon. — Our regular correspondent in East Feliciana, La., states 

 that 500 plow-animals have died of charbon in that parish, not includ- 

 ing oxen. This loss has severely crippled the working of the cotton- 

 crop. A correspondent residing in New Orleans states that the charbon 

 destroyed live-stock by wholesale in Point Coupee and Concordia Par- 

 ishes, Louisiana. In some localities it seriously crippled the working 

 of the crops. In Avoyelles Parish it destroyed 50 per cent, of the mules 

 and 25 per cent, of horses, besides 15 per cent, of cattle. It was quite 

 virulent also in Hardin County, Texas. 



English almonds. — Our chief correspondent in Williamson County, 

 Texas, raised this year 230 i^ounds of Eugiish almonds upon six grafted 

 trees, five years old. 



