itiiL, IjK&JN .&».&.& UAKMJ&K. 



0Z3 



New York State Fair. — Notwithstanding the excited 

 mdition of the public mind, the indications now are that 

 e shall have a good exhibition. We trust the farmers 

 f Western New York, their wives and daughters, and 

 le sous that have not gone to the war, will turn out in 

 ill force. Next to the maintenance of the Government, 

 le improvement of our agriculture is of most importance 

 » the prosperity of the American people ; and next to 

 te agricultural press, the annual exhibition of the dif- 

 irent Agricultural Societies are the most important 

 leans of introducing and enhancing improved methods 

 I cultivating the soil and increasing the productiveness 

 I the farm. Let there be a grand assemblage at Roches- 

 sr the first week in October. We shall be happy to make 

 le personal acquaintance of our readers on that occa- 

 ion. 



One word more : Do not neglect your County and Town 

 'airs. They are of as much, if not greater, importance to 

 le improvement of agriculture as the more extensive 

 thibitions. Come to the State Fair if you possible can > 

 ut at all events spare no efforts to make your own local 

 inhibitions increasingly useful and popular. 



Health op the Army. — There is no doubt that a great 

 eal of physical suffering and sickness in the army might 

 e avoided by proper food and drink. The late David 

 somas, who explored the line of the Erie Canal from 

 ochester to Buffalo, and afterward superintended its 

 instruction as Chief Engineer, had an unusual aud 

 most intuitive knowledge of physiology as connected 

 ith disease. His first or exploring company occupied 

 1 entire summer in passing from Rochester to Buffalo 

 irough a new country, and encamped in tents. The 

 lembers of this company were ordered to drink no 

 ater thai had not been previously boiled, (either for tea, 

 )ffee, or otherwise,) and intoxicating drinks were pro 

 ibited. All who observed these orders remained wel 

 uring the summer; those who broke them were taken 

 ith fevers. It was the first strictly temperance com- 

 any, probably, that bad been employed in such service; 

 ad, for the amount of exposure, passed through re- 

 tarkably unharmed, with the exceptions stated. A 

 milar course with the United States Volunteers would 

 oubtless save thousands. 



Another very important requisite for the preservation 

 f health, is a regular supply of fruit with the food. We 

 ave met with those who have emigrated early to the 

 Vest, and were exposed to the epidemics which formerly 

 revailed in newly occupied regions, who have stated that 

 rhen such a supply could be obtained, they have nearly 

 Iways escaped disease. Only a few days since, a resident 

 3r some twenty years in one of the Western States in- 

 jrmed us that when removing there, they took a large 

 mount of dried fruit ; and although enduring many 

 irivations the first season, the whole family remained 

 lealthy, as long as the supply of dried fruit remained. 

 ?he next season and afterward, notwithstanding the ad- 

 lition of many comforts not before possessed, several of 

 he .family suffered from sickness. This is an abundant 

 ruit season ; and it may be well to secure a large amount 

 he coming autumn by drying, for those who are absent 

 rom the comforts of home. — Country Gentleman. 



The Crops in England. — The English papers are filled 

 with gloomy accounts of the late harvest. The Agricul- 

 lural Gazette has reports from about 200 gentlemen in dif- 

 ferent sections of the country, and the editor, in remark- 

 ing on these reports, says : " There can be no doubt that 

 the wheat harvest of 1862 is one of the worst we have 

 had for many years." The last Mark Lane Express says : 

 "Seldom has a season so altogether unpropitious in its 

 opening been followed by so little change for the better. 

 One looks on 'the summer' of sixty-two as chiefly re- 

 markable for three or four hot days— a very oasis in a 

 desert of damp, ungenial weather." It thinks that "so 

 far as the yield can yet be proved, it is fearfully below 



an average." 



>«« 



Selecting Seed Wheat. — The Maine Farmer, in an ar- 

 ticle on this subject, mentions the following interesting 

 fact: 



It will be remembered that at the meeting of the Board 

 of Agriculture last winter, Mr. Haines, of Aroostook, 

 stated that he one year separated his seed wheat, so as to 

 have the largest, heaviest kernels only to sow. In this 

 way he obtainedjabout ote peck from a bushel. A bushel 

 and a half of this selected wheat was sown side by side 

 in another field with wheat uncleansed, and the former 

 was four times as good as the latter, and the yield cor- 

 respondingly heavier. The fields upon which it was 

 sown were very uniform in character throughout, and the 

 difference in the looks of the wheat could be distinguish- 

 ed as far as the field could be viewed so as to see the 

 grain. 



»•« 



Size of Sheep.— The girth of the First Prize Rams at 

 the last Fair of the Royal Agricultural Society, was as 

 follows : 



Oxfordshire Down 5 ff. 3 in. » 



Shropshire Down 5 ft.' 



Cotswold 5 ft_ 



Hampshire Down 4 ft. 7 in. 



Leicester 4 ft. 7 in! 



South Down 4 f£ 6 in. 



They were about sixteen months old. 

 ■ •►••* 



Four Hundred and Eighty Pages for Fifty Cents ! — 

 By subscribing for the Genesee Farmer at this time, a large 

 book of four hundred and eighty pages, filled with agri- 

 cultural and horticultural information, and other matter 

 interesting to every cultivator of the soil, well illustrated 

 with wood engravings, can be obtained for the nominal 

 sum of fifty cents ! Who need be without an agricul- 

 tural paper? 



. »♦» 



The Genesee Farmer.— The September number of this 

 welcome agricultural periodical has come to hand. Re- 

 peatedly we have had occasion to recommend this maga- 

 zine to farmers and country readers. We may now ob- 

 serve that it cannot fail to prove of interest to city people 

 of a horticultural turn. A good portion of its space is 

 devoted to horticultural and Horicultural matters. A series 

 of articles entitled "Walks and Talks in the Garden" con- 

 vey important facts in gardening in a most delightful 

 way. — Kingston (C. W.) Daily News. 

 ►«.. 



•>' A New Agricultural Journal. — Dr. C. W. Grant, of 

 Iona, near Peekskill, N. Y., has started a new monthly 

 horticultural and agricultural journal, which is styled 

 "Landmarks." Dr. G. has had large experience as a hor- 

 ticulturist and is an able writer, and cannot fail to maka 



a useful paper. The price is $1.00 per annum. 



. t . 



Thb Rural Annual and Horticultural Directort 

 for 18G3 is now in course of preparation. We hope to 

 make it fully equal to any of the seven previous volumes. 



