If. ^^ ^^.^^^ -■^- ^:^ 



THE GENESEE FAKMEE, 



jntliciously assorted into lots of forty or fifty, having a buck with each lot possessing 

 strongly the particular points in which the ewes are somewhat deficient, and in accord- 

 ance with the object for which the lambs are raised, AVhere a small flock is kept, and 

 only one buck is needed, a farmer can often select out some ewes of a particular con- 

 formation, that would be better served by a neighbor's buck than his own. The neighbor, 

 too, may be in the same circumstances ; and thus a change of ewes to be served by each 

 other's buck would be mutually advantageous to the owners and beneficial to the flock. 

 The best time at which to place the bucks with the flock, depends a gi'cat deal on the 

 breed of sheep and the object of the breeder. If his flock is rather coarse wooled, and 

 he wishes early lambs for the butcher, the middle of September is perhaps not too soon. 

 This, as ewes go twenty-two to twenty-three -^^eeks, would bring the lambs about the 

 first of March, which in the vicinity of large cities,' where early lamb commands a good 

 price, is the best time — yielding most profit, although a little extra care and feed are 

 necessary. The buck in this case should be a Leicester or South Down, as their cross 

 with common sheep gives a larger lamb, with increased tendency to fatten and early 

 maturity. Such a cross with our common half-blooded Merino flocks produces good 

 mutton sheep, and it is often profitable to adopt it for that purpose; but it would be 

 folly to attempt to breed from such a mongrel race. We are not sure, however, but 

 a good South Down ram would improve the size and constitution of some of our 

 common flocks, without materially injuring the weight and quality of the wool. If, 

 however, the object of the flock-master be merely the production of wool of fine quality, 

 he should procure Spanish or French Merino bucks, selecting from his flock the best 

 ewes of fi'om three to eight years old to place with them. It is not desirable to have the 

 lambs come till there is a prospect of grass for the mother ; so the bucks should be kept 

 from the flock till the latter part of October. And as grass is often scarce and innutri- 

 tious then, it will be advisable to give a little clover hay, or perhaps oats or peas, to 

 stimulate the ewes at that time. The buck, too, should be grained, or have a little 

 oilcake at night, separately from the ewes. Nothing pays better than careful attention 

 to the flock during winter ; and towards spring the quality of their food should be 

 increased, and a few ruta baga or mangel wurzel maybe given with advantage. — 

 Especially are they beneficial when the ewes are heavy in lamb, or after lambing, if 

 grass is not ready. It is not, however, desirable to have the breeding ewes too fat ; 

 but we are sorry to say this is a caution too little needed — more flocks being injured 

 by scant and non-nutritious food, than by pver feeding. 



To Reduce Solid Feet to Bushels. — The pubhcation, in your August number, 

 without comment, of an article giving a rule " to reduce solid feet to bushels," though 

 perhaps correct in Indiana, where it appears to have been written, and though suffi- 

 ciently accurate for ordinary purposes, is very likely to give wrong impressions of the 

 contents of the bushel in this State. By the statute of New York, the bushel beai-s the 

 same proportion to the cubic foot, that 80 does to C2^. Therefore, as 62^- : 1728 

 inches : : 80 : 2211^^0- inches, the content of the bushel — making a ditterence of 

 61/g*o inches between the bushel of your correspondent and that established- by our 

 statute. A rule to reduce solid feet to bushels, applicable to this standard, is to multi- 

 ply the number of solid feet by 25, and divide the product by 32 ; the quotient will be 

 the number of bushels. A solid foot is ||- of a bushel. The crib or box contjiining 64 

 feet, mentioned in the " example" of your correspondent, contains according to the 

 above standard, exactly 50 bushels. A. F. H. — Kingsbury, N. Y. 



Wc are happy to publish this correction of our correspondent, which is the true rule for calculating 

 the size of the imperial bushel, now adopted as the standard. The rule previously given was correct 

 -1 K in regard to the " Winchester bushel," now no longer in use. 



