10 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[Jautjart, 
however, often benefited by it.— If yonr white clayey soil 
has a good eod, it would not be best to disturb it until 
spring. If the sod is light, plow it this fall, lapping the 
furrows, and liming. The frost and lime will work 
through the winter. Haul out manure when the ground 
ib frozen, leave it in as large heaps as you can, and spread 
with the fork. At corn-planting time, spread the manure, 
and cross-plow, going perhaps an inch deeper, than you 
plowed in the fall. This is to bring up any lime that 
may have worked down to the bottom of the furrow. — 
Make all the manure you can. Look out for all sorts of 
wastes of factories, of slaughter-houses (the blood, hair, 
bristles, entrails— everything), the wastes of tanneries, 
etc., dead auimals, leached ashes,— all sorts of things 
that you know arc good, and that yon can have for the 
hauling or for a low price, — and keep your compost heap 
growing all winter. Tou can. cut swamp-grass, haul 
leaves from the woods, and dig muck. Spend as much 
time making manure this winter as you will in plowing, 
planting, hoeing, and harvesting the corn, and you will 
be able to manure the whole ten acres, and yx>ur interest 
will be easily paid if corn is worth half $1.35 per bushel. 
Coal Tar Preserving: "Wooden 
Drains.— L. M. Ilager, of Nevada, is using lumber for 
making underdrains, as tiles cost him three times as 
much as the lumber, and writes to know the best method 
of saturating the lumber with gas tar. "We have had no 
experience in the matter. Should be glad to hear from 
those who have. Our opinion is, that the use of coal or 
gas tar for Euch purposes has been greatly over-rated. It 
is certainly not a water-proof, or even a water- rep ell ant 
substance, but mixes quite readily with water. Under 
not a few conditions coal tar appears to promote decay in 
wood, etc., rather than to check it. There is a good deal 
of condensed wisdom in a short article in the American 
Agricultural Annual fox 1SG0 on this subject. And we 
think a much better application to wooden drains wonld 
be roofing pitch, dissolved while warm, in the cheap, 
light oils (benzine or naptha). This forms a black var- 
nish, a liquid which would penetrate the pores, and is 
entirely free from pyroligneous acid and other substances 
which are soluble in or have an attraction for water. The 
light oil soon evaporates, leaving the pitch. It is very 
inflammable and must be handled with care. The best 
way to do it would probably be to make a steam-tight 
chest, in which the strips could be placed and covered 
with the black varnish. A partial exhaustion of the air 
would cause the thorough penetration of the liquid into 
the pores of the wood. Soaking a day or two would be 
well, and simple painting with it would doubtless have 
less, hut good, effect. 
Clover fbr Arkansas,— E. G. Collier, 
Ark. We have no doubt white clover would do very 
well with you. Sowed in the fall it would grow through 
the winter and give abundant pasturage in spring, when 
it would seed itself for the next crop and probably dry 
up and die during the heats of your summer. The seed 
is rather expensive, but if it were evenly distributed, a 
pound to the acre wouM probably make a good stand the 
second spring. Red Clover would probably fail ; though 
sown in the early autumn it might make a crop on good 
land, before the hot weather came on the next year. 
What Ball shall I Buy ?— Mr. A. Des- 
endorf, Montgomery Co., N. Y., writes in substance as 
follows : " I have a dairy of common cows and wish to 
improve them by crossing with either the Ayrshire or 
Shorthorns. What I want is an increase in the quantity 
of milk ; as I sell the milk to a cheese factory, quality is 
of minor importance to quantity; from which breed 
can I get the most milk ? I have about 150 acres of clear- 
ed land, rich, and much of it underdrained that has kept a 
dairy for some twenty years or more and which will keep 
well forty milch cows, four horses and one yoke of cattle, 
and will besides allow of the raising of some young stock. 
— Upon the same land can I keep more or less than forty 
Ay rehires, or more or less than forty Shorthorns? The 
Shorthorns being larger will they consume more food ? I 
make my money out of my cows, and have given them 
good feed, extra care, and my exclusive attention. Would 
you then advise me to expend §150 for an Ayrshire, or 
$300 for a Shorthorn, or would you disapprove of such 
improvements, and recommend none but native cows for 
the dairy ?■" — To answer the last question first ; we must 
most earnestly recommend the use of a thorough-bred 
bull on all dairy farms. Whether it should be an Ayr- 
shire or a Shorthorn, depends very mu»h on whether the 
dairyman wishes to turn off some fat cows every year to 
the butcher, or whether he intends to keep- his cows till 
they are used up.and then sell them for about what they are 
worth for their hides. If he adopts the latter course, we 
should recommend the use of an Ayrshire rather than the 
Shorthorn bull. The Ayrshires have been bred exclu- 
sively for milk, and will probably yield a greater quan- 
tity for the food consumed than any other breed. 
On the other hand, if he proposes to sell beef as well as 
cheese and butter, wc would advocate the use of a Short- 
horn or Devon bull. Provided in all cases that the bull 
be tJiorough-bred. To carry out the latter system to the 
best advantage, we must adopt a higher order of feeding 
than when the only object is milk. We want cows that 
will eat a large amount of food. This is of the very first 
importance. An animal that will not eat freely should 
be rejected. The Shorthorns are great eaters. If they 
run to milk they give a large quantity of it. If they have 
a tendency to fatten, they fatten with great rapidity. The 
objection to them as dairy cows is, that you are not sure 
whether they will prove to be great milkers or great 
feeders, or half and half. The remedy is to feed liber- 
ally at all times, and if the cows are good milkers they 
will be very good ones, and if not, they will fatten rapidly, 
and can be disposed of to good advantage as beef. With 
a dairy of forty cows, a 'dozen or so of the best heifer 
calves should be raised each year, and ten or a dozen 
cows fattened each winter to be sold in the spring, when 
the beef commands a very high price. We know no reason 
why Mr. D. cannot keep as many good Ayrshires on his 
farm as native Cows. But he could not keep to advantage 
as many Shorthorns. A large Shorthorn cow, if a good 
one, will eat more food than an Ayrshire. The better 
either of them are, the more will they cat. If he keeps 
Shorthorns, on tho- system proposed, he will not re- 
ceive as much money from the cheese factory as if he 
kept Ayrshire* or natives. But it is for him to decide 
whether half a dozen or more fat cows sold every spring 
to the butcher, will not make up for the deficiency. On 
the whole, we would say, if he has high-priced land 
and proposes to adopt high farming, take the Shorthorn 
bull ; but if he proposes to devote his farm and the 
cows solely to the production of milk, take the Ayrshire: 
New York: State Poultry Society. 
— The finest exhibition which had ever been our pleas- 
ure to witness was made by this Society last March. 
Another show was held at the same place, the Empire 
Skating Rink, New York City. This eclipsed the former 
in almost every department, and waB a triumph for the 
Society. The great feature of the show was Asiatic 
fowls, and though we were sorry to miss Borne of the 
stock to which the highest honors were awarded last 
spring, and their progeny, yet the display of Buff and 
Partridge Cochins, Light and Dark Brahmas, was mag- 
nificent, both in numbers and quality. The exhibition 
was strong in the French class, the Houdans predomi- 
nating in numbers, and receiving high praises from their 
breeders for hardiness. Creve Cceurswerc in pretty good 
force also, and showed finely for weight ; and there were 
fine specimens of La Fleche. Dorkings arc a very attractive 
breed to us, especially the Grays, and we wish they were 
more fashionable. Tbfe delicacy which they have some- 
times exhibited here is, in great part, due to close breed- 
ing, and certainly their good qualities are enough to make 
it worth while to breed them with an especial view to an 
improvement in constitution. There were many good 
coops of both Gray and White. Spanish made a good 
show also, but the Hamburgh class eclipsed them; and 
for perfection of feather and beauty of form, the prize 
birds are certainly models. The class of Poland and 
other crested breeds was represented by many and good 
coops, but several of the best lacked beauty in not being 
fully feathered, especially in the crests. The season was 
more favorable for a full display of Games than in March, 
and there was a good show. It strikes us, however, that 
there should have been a better show made, and more 
competition. The abuse of this fowl should not condemn 
it — and to any one who can keep but one breed of fowls, 
none offer more attractions than some of the varieties of 
this thorough-bred race. Perfection of form, beauty of 
feather, style, hardiness, intelligence and gallantry, are 
combined with the.useful qualities of being the best of all 
fowls for the table, and second to none as layers, steady 
setters, and good mothers. They can not well be kept 
with other fowls, and the cocks must be kept apart. The 
class of Bantams contained not only some of the most 
beautiful birds in form and feather in the show, but the 
variety was great. The Turkeys were of commendable 
quality, the Bronze ones having, in general, very good 
size. The winner of the first prize last spring has in- 
creased his avoirdupois to 42 pounds. The fine Crested 
turkej- cock, belonging to the Secretary, Mr. Gavit, was 
greatly admired; and if it be found that he will impress 
this beautiful peculiarity upon his progeny, wc have a 
right to expect, with confidence, that a new and valuable 
breed will soon be established. The show of Ducks was . 
confined, so far as wc observed, to the "Rouen," (proper- 
ly. Roan,) Aylesbury, Cayuga, Wild Mallard, Crested, and 
Wood breeds. The first two breeds being shown in large 
numbers, and of extraordinary size and weight for this 
country. We are glad to mark rapid improvement in 
breeding these useful birds, and hope it may continue. 
The same may be eaid of Geese. We have never yet 
bred so fine Toulouse or Bremen geese as we can im- 
port. That department of the show devoted to pet 
animals was well filled with an interesting collection of 
Ponies and Dogs. There were also Rabbits of Eevcral 
breeds, a variety of Cats, and several Deer ; a performing 
Dog» and other curious and interesting things. Dr. 
Slack's Troutdale fish ponds were represented by sev- 
eral huge tanks of trout, a number of hatching boxes, 
with eggs, in which the young trout could be seen, and a 
model of Ainsworth's breeding race. There were, be- 
sides, on exhibition, choice paintings of domestic and 
wild fowls, and their young, of incubators, of dressed 
capons, of eggs, of various kinds of folding coups, etc. 
The exhibitors were principally from the States of 
New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New England, 
though several fine coops came from Ohio. The season 
was a favorable one for showing fowls in good condition, 
and for keeping them in good health, as very few were 
sick. A severe snow etorm, bad traveling, and intensely 
cold weather caused a very meagre attendance, and 
the Society must come out with a depleted treasury. 
Obituary— Mr. Eichard L. Allen, 
A brief note announced that Mr. Allen's death occurred 
at Stockho'm, Sweden, on Sept. 22. He had been ti-avel 
ingwith his family in Europe for nearly a year and a 
half, and was on his way to Russia, intending to pass the 
winter in Southern Europe, Egypt and Palestine. Mr. 
Allen was born October, 1S03, in Hampden County, 
Mass., educated at Westfield, in that State, and in early 
manhood engaged in mercantile pursuits in New York. 
Relinquishing this, he entered into literary pursuits and 
the study of law in Baltimore, but was compelled by de- 
clining health to return to active life in 1832. Coming 
into possession of a large tract of woodland on the 
Niagara River, he zealously engaged in clearing the forest 
and bringing the soil into cultivation, and also in breed- 
ing various kinds of improved stock, of which he t^as a 
great admirer, and an excellent judge. In 1S12, he be- 
came associated with his next eldest brother, Mr. A. B. 
Allen, i» establishing tho American Agriculturist, and con- 
tinued a close connection with it as contributor, co-editor, 
or publisher, for thirteen years, until its final sale to Mr. 
Judd,who had been its conducting editor for about three 
years. Mr. Allen was, in this and other ways, one of the 
earliest and most efficient promoters of agricultural im- 
provement in this country. His li American Fami Book" 
of 335 pages, was, without doubt, the most practical, the 
best arranged, the most useful, and the most able work 
of its kind in that day, if indeed it has been excelled up 
to this time, and its sale has been commensurate with its 
merits. (A new edition, edited by his brother, Hon. L. 
F. Allen, and brought up to the present time, has been 
recently issued.) This was followed by another useful 
and successful volume on the "Diseases of Domestic 
Animals." The circulation of the American Agriculturist 
created a demand for improved implements, which could 
not be enpplied by the manufacturing facilities of the 
time, and to meet this want, the two brothers, on Jan. 1st, 
1S47, opened an Agricultural Implement Warehouse in 
Water Street, New York, under the name of A. B. Allen 
& Co. To this was soon added extensive Agricultural 
Implement Works in Brooklyn ; both establishments are 
still carried on by R. H.Allen. Esq., a son of the deceased. 
Aside from the subject of agriculture, on which he has 
so ably written, Mr. Allen was a man of various acquire- 
ments. His tastes were those of a student and literary 
man, all his life; though until his gradual withdrawal from 
more active commercial pursuits, his large and continual- 
ly increasing business allowed him little time for their 
indulgence. To a love of history and the belles-lettres, 
he added also that of science and art ; and nothwith stand- 
ing a faithful attention to his business duties, he found 
time to keep well up with the best publications of the day. 
He traveled extensively in his own country before em- 
barking for Europe ; and few travelers visit foreign coun- 
tries better prepared to observe with discrimination, and 
enjoy with zest and appreciation, whatever is of social, 
political, economic or historical interest. As a matter of 
course, he viewed with an intelligent and appreciative 
eye, everything relating to agriculture and its kindred sub- 
jects which fell in his way. Mr. Allen was of an uncom- 
monly amiable dispositiou, with pleasing, winning man- 
ners — erect and noble in person, active and youthful 
for his years. He was pleasing, intelligent, and instructive 
in conversation ; and in all family and friendly relations, 
loving and beloved. He was a large owner of real estate 
at Manitowoc, Wis., and the local press there speak of 
his acts of unostentatious beneficence, of his liberality 
to the cause of education, to Churches and Sunday 
Schools, and for leniency towards worthy debtors. 
He was, and had been for years, a humble, consistent, 
and enlightened Christian : and was an elder in the Pres- 
byterian church for some time previous to his death, as 
his father and more remote ancestors had been before him. 
In the church, in society, and in business, he has left a 
void not easily filled. 
