272 



THE GENESEE FARMER. 



two inches deep would expose the grubs to the 

 frost, and, though they can stand a good degree of 

 cold when lying dormant, they would be much 

 more likely to be killed than when protected by 

 the stubble, weeds, clover, etc. Those which es- 

 cape the fire and the frost would be buried so deep 

 tliat they will hardly be able to get to the surface. 

 Of course, the subsequent plowings should not be 

 so deep as to bring them to the surface. 



The principal objection to this method is that we 

 could not sow clover with the wheat. But this 

 can easily be obviated by sowing clover with bar- 

 ley, and even with oats and Indian corn. The 

 present practice of seeding the wheat with clover 

 is the most favorable one that could be devised for 

 the propagation of the midge. The clover plants 

 afford the pupa protection during the winter, and 

 the ground is undisturbed in the spring. Where 

 wheat that has been much affected with midge this 

 season is seeded with clover, it might be well to 

 allow the clover to get a good start next spring, 

 and then plow it under, if possible in the way we 

 have suggested, with a Michigan double plow, 

 burying the surface soil and the midge six inches 

 below the surface. This would probably check 

 them, if it did not kill them. The land might be 

 planted to corn, and manured in the hill if the sub- 

 soil is poor. 



We make these hasty suggestions for the consid- 

 eration of our readers. We are confident that they 

 have intelligence, pei-severance, and skill, sufficient 

 to cope with this fearful pest, and that if the meth- 

 ods recommended above prove useless, others will 

 be discovered that will be moi-e effectual. 



FAER OF THE EOYAL AG. SOCIETY OF ENGLAND. 



The Twentieth Annual Exhibition of the Royal 

 Agricultural Society of England, recently held at 

 Chester, is said to have been the most successful 

 Fair y<3t held by the Society. The receipts were 

 nearly |-30,000, " an amount probably exceeding," 

 says the Agricultural Gazette, " the annual income 

 of the Society fi-om all other sources, and which 

 will probably place the Chester Meeting among 

 the few occasions on which the annual gatherings 

 have been a profit instead of an expense." This 

 great Society, it is said, has expended $750,000 in 

 the promotion of agricultural improvement during 

 the last twenty years ! 



There were 308 head of cattle exhibited. Of 

 these, 126 were Short-Horn, 69 Herefords, and 37 

 Devons; the remaind-sr were Dairy, Welc^l, and 

 " other beasts." In this, department the show was 

 one-third larger than the average of the last six 

 years, and one-fifth larger than last year. As usual, 

 . the . Short-Horns were the moat numerous; "and 



though there were extraordinary animals among 

 them," says Mr. Howard of the Boston Cultivator, 

 who attended the exhibition, " the class presented a 

 wider contrast between the best and worst than 

 any other breed. In average merit, the Herefords 

 and Devons were certainly superior. Scarcely an 

 animal could be found among the Herefords that 

 would not be admitted to be superior. Their size, 

 too, was larger than I supposed Herefords would 

 average. We have heard much of the superior 

 early maturity of the Short-Horns, but the year- 

 lings and two-year-olds in this class were as fat aa 

 any cattle of their age I ever saw — not even the 

 Short-Horns excelling them." The MarJe Laiie 

 Express s&js: "We have seen better Short-Horns 

 before, but never so many first-class specimens to- 

 gether. We are glad to note so many fine young 

 animals growing up to supply the place of the ma- 

 tured prize beasts, for which there is such a large 

 foreign demand." 



Cheshire is the great dairy county of England, 

 and the Chester Local Committee oftered prizes 

 amounting to $850, for " Cattle best adapted to 

 Dairy Purposes." In reference to this class, the 

 Marie Lane Express says : " It is a matter of great 

 importance to see whether breeds or crosses profit- 

 able as feeders can also be good milkers ; or wheth- 

 er we must, for dairy purposes, develop the udder 

 or milk-vein at the sacrifice of fattening properties. 

 The answer to the question is, t%at the Short-Horns, 

 and some good ones too, have come in for most of these 

 prizes^ Some of the Short-Horns in this class are 

 said to have "wonderfully great capacity of frame, 

 and every appearance of being good milkers." 



The show of sheep was exceedingly good, " but 

 not equal to some former years in quality or excel- 

 lence in hand or proportions." Last year there 

 were 443 entries, this year only 256. Mr. How- 

 ard says: "The Leicester sheep were generally 

 wanting in substance. Some say the breed is run- 

 ning out. * * The Cotswolds were numerous, 

 and of wonderful size and fatness. They are 

 strong, hardy sheep, for such large ones. The Ox- 

 fordshire Downs are large and of good form. They 

 are evidently a well established variety. The 

 Shropshire Downs were numerous, and of very 

 useful character. * * The South Downs were 

 numerous, but, as a class, not of that marked merit 

 which might have been expected." [Jonas Webb, 

 Mr. Overman, and some other celebrated breeders, 

 did not exhibit.] Still, some lots were very fine." 



"The swine," says Mr. H., "made a wonderful 

 show. The so-called 'small breeds' were large 

 enough for any useful purpose, and the 'large 

 breeds' of mammoth size — the live weight of some 

 being put at 1000 lbs. to upwards of 1100 lbs. 

 There were no better animals in the ' small ' class 



