1868. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



381 



been annihilated then with less expense than 

 it can be now. But even at this late day, the 

 best thing that can be done is to apply the axe 

 and the torch. This would be an elfectual and 

 considering the importance of the case, not 

 expensive remedy. — Mr. Howard's Report of 

 Michigan Board of Ag., 1867. 



Remarks. — We are sorry to learn by the 

 same Report that the Colorado potato bug has 

 appeared in the Western part of Michigan. 

 Experiments show that fowls will not eat 

 them. The insect belongs to the order Cole- 

 optera, and therefore is a true beetle, and not 

 a bug. It is four-fifths of an inch long ; oval 

 in form ; cream-colored, with ten black lines 

 running lengthwise along its back. Prof. 

 Walsh thus describes the larvas: — "Soft, 

 elongated, six-legged grub ; dull Venetian- 

 red color, with several black spots ; no wings. 

 Some specimens of the larvse which I obtjiined 

 from Wisconsin have two rows of black spots 

 on each side of the body, ten black dots in the 

 upper_and seven in the under row." 



For several years past this terribly destruc- 

 tive insect has been advancing Eastward some 

 fifty to sixty miles per year, and keeping 

 possession of all the territory once acquired. 

 According to some calculations this bug may 

 be expected in New England in five or six 

 years. 



LONQ "WOOL SHEEP IJiT FLOCKS. 



In reading 'the report of the Ohio Wool 

 Buyers' Meeting, at Cleveland, I could not 

 help noticing Mr. Muzzy's caution not to 

 rush into the long wool business, since this 

 style of sheep are not adapted to be kept in 

 large flocks. I beg leave to tell Mr. Muzzy 

 that some of the largest and best flocks in 

 England are of the long-wooled sheep, (the 

 New Leicester and Cotswold) . And I have 

 never seen any difficulty in keeping a large 

 flock, if there are not too many pastured to- 

 gether ; and why won't they do here, if they 

 Lave proper care and attention ? 



I am well acquainted with several of the 

 best flocks in Herefordshire, England, and they 

 are of the New Leicester and Cotswold breeds. 

 They are owned in flocks of from fifty to five 

 hundred, and are kept from fifty to one hun- 

 di-ed in a pasture, which number I think is 

 plenty together, of either fine or coarse 

 wooled sheep. The flock or five hundred is 

 owned by Mr. J. Davies of Webster Court, 

 near Hereford. They are not a thoroughbred 

 Cotswold, but have a dip of the New Leicester 

 blood, which makes them more disposed to 

 take on fat rapidly, and mature earlier. They 



averaged a little more than eight pounds of 

 clean washed wool per head, last shearing. 



I think any man who will get a good flock 

 of good long-wool sheep, and give tliem a fair 

 chance, and not cross them with either Downs 

 or Merinos, as two-thirds of the flocks here 

 are, they will say in a short time that they are 

 a profitable sheep to raise, both for mutton 

 and wool. 



The demand for the Cotswold sheep in Eng- 

 land has more than doubled within these last 

 few years. The reason is that more attention 

 is paid to the breeding of them, and they are 

 not crossed with the Ryelands and Downs so 

 muchoflat^as formerly. I am well aware 

 that by crossing them with the Downs, you 

 can get a very compact carcass, but it is at an 

 enormous sacrifice to the fleece. 



I quite agree with Mr. Muzzy, that all 

 should not run into the long-wool business, 

 but if it was double what it is at present, it 

 would not meet a fifth of the demand. — W. 

 Powell, in Ohio Farmer. 



Hay and Grain. — Clover should be cut be- 

 fore the seed balls are ripe, also orchard grass ; 

 while timothy is better after the seeds are 

 formed, and should be cut when the latter are 

 between the milk and dough state. In curing 

 all kinds of hay, turn with the hay tedder 

 about 9 A. M., and if the weather is good it 

 may be cured and drawn into the barn the 

 same day ; otherwise it is best, especially with 

 clover, to put it in high slender cocks and cover 

 with ha^ caps. Clover ought to be cured with- 

 out much exposure to the sun, and it is well 

 to sweat it in the cock. If your mowing grounds 

 are not in condition for the use of mowing, 

 tedding and raking machines, let not another 

 season pass without effecting this great im- 

 provement. 



Wheat, rye, &c., should be cut when the 

 grain can be pressed between the thumb and 

 finger without forcing out moisture ; the yel- 

 lowness of the chaff and upper parts of the 

 straw also indicates the harvest. If delayed 

 beyond this time, much grain will be lost by 

 shelling. Grass and grain use up their juices 

 in ripening the seed. Hence grass should be 

 cut early to save juices, and grain if cut in the 

 dough state will mature its seed from the juices 

 in the .stalk. — Working Farmer. 



Shropshire Down Crosses. — S. M. Moore, 

 Ironton, Mo., writes to the Rural New Yorker: 



I purchased an imported Shropshire Down 

 ram three years ago, for the purpose of mak- 

 ing a cross, for a llock of mutton sheep. The 

 cross more than meets my expectations. 

 Lambs drop in February and March with mot- 

 tled faces and legs. ' The ewes encounter no 

 difficulty in yeaning, although some of the 

 lambs weighed 12^ pounds when dropped. 

 The ewes fed on meal and bran, with clover 



