1849. 



THE GENESEE FARMER. 



215 



gpirit of tl)c ^Lgrtmltarol $1*00. 



Tkst for good 1 .1 m i - 1 . ink. —Tin beat [irae ftw agricul- 

 tural purposes is that which is lightest, whitest, and softest 

 to the touch; the purest and strongest lime is always found 

 the lightest. It" then by calcination limestone loses much of 

 it.- weight by the process; if the lime-ehella are extremely 

 light, and require, for Blacking them fully, n large portion of 

 water: if they are a considerable lime before they begin to 

 tall; if. during the process of burning, the limestone is not 

 disposed to run. or become vitrified; if it increases very 

 much in bulk l>y Blaking, and the lime is of a pure white, 

 niul fine and light to the touch, it may be set down as very 

 good, and should he used in preference to other lime not 

 possessing the same qualities. — English Paper. 



Drill Husbandry. — At one of the celebrated sheep- 

 Bhearinga that used to be given by Mr. Coke, of Norfolk, 

 afterwards Karl of Leicester, at which hundreds congregated 

 and remained for days together, he mentioned a fact that is 

 not generally alluded to, as being founded on the observa- 

 tion and practice of his manager, Mr. Blaikie, a man of great 

 sagacity. It was that a held with a southern aspect, if rich, 

 should be drilled north and south; but if dry, and in want 

 of shade, shoufil be drilled east and west. It is easy to see 

 that, in the latter case, the crop would shade the land frofn 

 the influence of the sun, and counteract the effect of drought. 



Potatoes in India. — The potatoes from Bombay, Dar- 

 jeeling, and Cherra Poonjee seed, were wonderfully fine 

 and healthy, and to enable the public to form some idea of 

 the state of perfection this grand and staple vegetable has 

 heen brought to in this district, it is here recorded that 40 

 potatoes out of one garden weighed 20 lbs. The ekin of all 

 delicately white and fine, and every potato free from knots. 

 — Journal of the Agricultural and Horticultural Society of 

 India, May, 1G48. 



Wool Growing in Western Pennsylvania. — The 

 amount of wool annually grown in Washington county 

 exceeds one million pounds. In 1847, according to the 

 Washington Reporter, the clip averaged 40 cents per pound, 

 and brought _/bwr hundred thousand dollars ! During the last 

 year the average price was not so great, and, perhaps, will 

 not he so great this year. The most of the wool grown in 

 this State is of very fine quality, and some of it, probably, 

 the finest grown in the United States. The farmers of 

 Washington, especially, have taken great pains, and spared 

 no expense, in improving their stock. The average price 

 of the clip this year may' not go above 30 cents per pound; 

 but many farmers who have choice flocks are holding on to 

 their clips, and asking from 50 to 60 cents per pound. 



Besides the wool grown in that vicinity, Washington is 

 the depot for a great deal of the wool grown in the adjoining 

 counties of this State, and the bordering counties of Ohio, 

 which is brought thither for sale. — Pa. paper. 



Vermont and Wisconsin Sheep. — Timothy Underwood, 

 of Hardwick, has had this year from his entire flock of fifteen 

 ewes, twenty-nine lambs — all having had twins but one; 

 twenty-eight of them are alive and doing well — one having 

 frozen to death. Wisconsin papers please copy. — North 

 (Vt.) Star. 



The Waukesha (Wisconsin) Democrat checkmates the 

 Vermont man thus: 



"That's nothing. Jeremiah Older, of this county, has 

 this year from his flock of five ewes and seven bucks, 

 seventeen lambs, and none of them were frozen to death. 

 Will the North Star please copy ?" 



Cotton Mattresses. — Having been applied to several 

 times during this warm weather for information respecting 

 the mode of making cotton mattresses, w : e think it would be 

 proper to republish an article on the subject, which was in 

 the Farmer last summer, as follows: 



First Cost of Cotton Mattresses. Thirty lbs. of cotton, at 

 eight cents per lb., $2 40; twelve yards of ticking at a shil- 

 ling a yard, $2; labor, thread, &c, &,c, $2 75 more, making 

 a total of $7 15. 



Mode of Making. Take layers of cotton batting, and 

 place them between envelops of calico or muslin. An im- 

 provement has been suggested of gumming or glazing each 

 side of these layers, as wauding for cloaks is prepared. A 

 patent has been taken out for making them with a layer of 

 hair between the battings; whether it is much of an im- 

 provement, we cannot tell. — Maine Farmer. 



Proems of 1'ak.ming. — The July number of the American 

 Farmer contains a highly interesting communication on 



the above named subject, from Kdmimd Kuflin. Esq., of 

 \ irginia, author of a well known and highly esteemed work 



on_ Calcareous Manures," and one- of the most distin- 

 guished practical farmers in the Ancient Dominion. Suc- 

 cessful in all his own efforts m tin- renovation of old 



exhausted lands, Mr. R.'s experience is the more authorita- 

 tive, as well as interesting; and his account is a very 

 encouraging one of the prolit that may be actually realized 

 in tho intefligi at pursuit of those rural occupations, which, 

 in other ressectS, are known tO yield sueli goodly returns of 

 health, independence, and happiness. Mr. Ruifin gives the 

 results of his farming operations for five years, the profit and 

 loss account of which is as follows: For the first year, there 



was a small loss of 27-100ths per cent.; bi ad year, a 



net profit of 8.1G per cent.; third year, a profit of LS.81 per 

 cent.; fourth year a profit of 22.86 per cent; fifth year, a 

 profit of 20.10 per cent. The average profit for the w hole 

 five years years was nearly 13 per cent.; and all this exclu- 

 sive of the enhanced value of the property from improve- 

 ment of soil, &c, &c. We suppose it is not every farmer 

 who can do so well as this; but industry, intelligence, and 

 business habits and principles, always command success in 

 town and country. — Philadelphia North American. 



English Shows. — The agricultural show at Southampton 

 was a remarkable occasion. I met a number of Americans 

 on the ground, and was told that there were several others 

 looking for me; but it was exceedingly difficult to find one. 

 unless by mere accident. There were a great many farmers' 

 wives and daughters, as well as a great many of the noblesse, 

 in the yards, inspecting the implements and cattle, with 

 catalogues in their hands, and showing the remarkable 

 points of the animals, with as much skill and sagacity as if 

 they had been experienced breeders of live stock; some of 

 them are, and also competitors for the premiums. One of 

 the largest exhibitors of farming implements, was a woman 

 who had succeeded to her deceased husband's concerns, and 

 manages a large establishment with much success. 



The English women and ladies, to their praise be it spo- 

 ken, while they are as far from anything indelicate as any 

 persons I have seen, have no sickly appreciation of modesty, 

 and do not die at once at the sight of a cow or a bull. The 

 show occupied four days. On Tuesday, was the trial of 

 implements; on Wednesday, was the exhibition of imple- 

 ments and machinery; on Thursday, the exhibition of cattle 

 and implements; and on Friday, the public sale. Half a 

 crown was required for admission to the yards, from Wed- 

 nesday to Thursday noon, and after that a shilling; and the 

 sum received for admission, during those days, was £3,000, 

 or $15,000. — Colmaiis European Life and Manners. 



A Cow worth having. — Mr. George B. Brinkerhofi", of 

 Owasco, made from one cow, five years old the past spring, 

 18 lbs. 2 oz. of butter for the week ending Saturday, June 

 30th. This quantity she averages during the summer sea- 

 son. The summer she was three years old, she made 18 

 pounds per week, and she would have made more for the 

 above week, but for the fact that three of the very hottest 

 days of the season were included in it. In flavor and color, 

 it was equal to any we ever ate, and we doubt if it be 

 excelled by the celebrated Orange county butter. The cow 

 can be bought for $100. — Auburn Journal. 



Bloated Cattle. — A friend of ours, who, by the way, 

 is a person of much observation, and, withal, has had con- 

 siderable experience in the management of neat cattle, 

 informs us that he once, noticed one of his young cattle 

 much bloated, evidently in great agony, and groaning 

 loudly at every breath. His first movement was to cnt off a 

 small portion of her tail. He then administered a strong 

 dose of thoroughwort, with a small quantity of tansy, which 

 immediately started the wind; a second bottle was then, 

 poured down, and the animal turned into the yard, and 

 driven briskly about for a few minutes, when the bloat 

 wholly disappeared, and the animal was in a short time as 

 well and hearty as ever. This is a very simple remedy, 

 and we have frequently heard others assert, generally, if 

 not always, an efficient one. — Maine Farmer. 



Cider. — Here is a recipe worth to farmers the price of our 

 paper for a year: " Take a pint of pulverized charcoal and 

 put it in a small cotton bag, and then put it into a barrel of 

 new cider, and the cider will never ferment, never contain 

 any intoxicating quality, and the longer it is kept the more 

 palatable it becomes." 



