14r 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[January, 
can hardly be urged too much. The closer and 
evener the feeding off, the better and more uni- 
form the filling and ripening of the. seed. Sheep 
-will feed closer than cattle, and they should be 
relied upon for finishing off. As soon as the 
stock are taken from the field, plaster should 
be applied, which will give the plants a vigor- 
ous growth. A spell of dry weather may be 
usually expected during the mid-summer sea- 
son and then plaster will be particularly useful. 
The seed will generally be ripe by the time of 
the first frosts, and then is the time to harvest 
it. It is mown, and when wilted well, raked 
into small cocks in which it is left to dry — the 
cocks being occasionally turned over by passing 
a rake handle under them, and with one hand on 
the top, inverting them. When dry enough, let 
it be hauled to the bam, where it may be thresh- 
ed and cleaned in a mill provided for the pur- 
pose. Or after beating the seed off from the 
stalks it may be left in a heap with the closely 
adhering chaff to heat slightly, when the seed is 
rubbed out and separated in a common fan mill. 
Pantiy, connecting by slide with the sink in the 
Back Entry {E); C, C, marks the China Closet. 
Each room has independent facilities for warm- 
Fig. 1. — ELEVATION. 
Houses, Cheap and Convenient. 
BY NARRAGANSETT, 
[We published on page 53 (Feb. '66.), the ele- 
vation and plan of a comfortable dwelling for 
a small family, one adapted either to the vi- 
cinity of a large city, or to the interior of a vil- 
lage. These designs are not intended for farm 
houses, although the principles of comfortable 
living, upon which the plans are based, are 
equally applicable to farm houses, cottages, or 
villas. Our correspondent takes the elevation 
of the February house, and by a re-arrange- 
ment of the inside, gives us a plan adapted to a 
Fig. 3. — GKOUND PLAN. 
family of a little, different tastes and mode of life, 
and perhaps as convenient on the whole. — Ed.] 
In this design, upon the ground floor, as seen 
in fig. 2, are a Parlor, Bed Room and Kitchen ; 
A, Porch; 67, Front Entry; 8, Stairway; F, 
Fig. 3. — BEDROOM PLAN. 
ing; and while the rooms are in close commu- 
nication with each other, they yet can be quite 
separate. The bed-room has a spacious closet. 
Upon the chamber floor (fig. 3), are three nice 
bed-rooms and four closets. Each room has 
direct access to a chimney flue. The 
stairway can be lighted by a glazed 
scuttle in the roof. This Cottage, if 
well built, may be made a comfortable, 
and as they say, a " genteel " house. It 
is very compact — not an inch of room 
is lost. If desirable, the partition be- 
tween the closets over the pantry and 
back entry, may be moved a little to 
one side, making one of the closets 
larger ; a circular window may be in- 
serted in the gable ; and to the room 
used for bathing, water may be carried 
by a force pump, and even heated by 
a boiler connected with the kitchen 
fire. Few plans of this size afford a 
greater amount of convenience than 
may be found in this simple design. 
True, the economy in side walls, ac- 
companying square ground plans, is sacrificed 
to the greater light and airiness of the structure, 
but in a snug cottage like this that is a small fault. 
■ i — u>n . i m> 
Partialities at Fairs. 
One of the minor hindrances to the success 
of our Agricultural aud Horticultural Fairs, is 
the real or fancied iujustice done to exhibitors. 
When a man takes great trouble and goes to 
some expense in preparing to exhibit stock or 
grain, or fruit or flowers, and then finds his ar- 
ticles slighted, and the premiums given to less 
deserving competitors, he feels hurt, and perhaps 
resolves to abandon the Society and its exhibi- 
tions. Every year witnesses cases of this kind. 
And so it happens that good contributors fall off 
every year, and their places are poorly supplied 
by new comers, or not at all. Not only do in- 
fluential supporters drop off, but with their de- 
fection the quality of the exhibitions declines, 
and spectators go home every year declaring the 
Fair a humbug, net worth attending again. 
Now, to avoid such troubles, it is important, 
first of all, to secure good men for judges. They 
should be men above all mean and petty preju- 
dices and partialities, men thoroughly compe- 
tent to decide on the merits of the articles pre- 
sented before them, and who will give time 
and thought to their examination. They 
should be the guests of the Society and be 
entertained, free of expense, during the Fair. 
The time for appointing the Executive Board 
who will select the Judges, is at the winter 
meeting of the local Society. Let all the mem- 
bers attend this meeting, and see to it that good 
and true men are chosen for officers. Then, let 
this Board give time and careful thought to the 
choice of Judges. The success of the Society 
will depend much on this. But when the Judges 
have been appointed, the exhibitor should 
thenceforth dismiss all suspicion of partiality, 
and take the decision of the Judges as given in 
good faith. Let us ever remember that we are 
apt to think more highty of our own articles 
than we ought to think. The Judges have to 
look on all sides of a case in order to render due 
justice to all parties. Putting faith in their 
honor and fairness, we should bear with occa- 
sional disappointments quietty. This course is 
right in itself, and is the only way in which a So- 
ciety and its fairs can be successfully maintained. 
Nevertheless, it is important that the judges 
should fe«l their responsibilities as men, to ren- 
der unbiased judgment, and we think that over 
every department a member of the Executive 
Board should preside, and while he watches 
narrowly the behavior of exhibitors, some of 
whom will leave no stone unturned to influence 
Judges in their favor, he should be ready to en- 
tertain objections to. Judges or to then action ; 
and in case proof is afforded of improper bias, 
it should be in his power to arrest proceedings 
and have a new committee appointed, or the 
unfair man removed. The position of Judge 
at a fair is a thankless one, and should be made 
as light and agreeable to honest men as possible. 
But the Executive Committee should avoid 
men who ask for appointment, or who are nom- 
inated by exhibitors in the classes they inspect. 
Fig. 1. 
Hitching Horses in the Stall. 
There are horses that are as sober and staid 
while in the stall, as any one could desire, and 
which might be tied with a six-foot tie rope with- 
out ever getting a foot over it, and 
there are others which are ever rest- 
less, pawing and thrashing about, and 
making themselves very uneasy about 
something. These are frequently 
getting themselves and their masters 
into trouble in one way and another, 
and very frequently by getting one of 
their fore-legs caught ever the halter 
strap. A correspondent, using the 
friendly signature of "A Quaker," 
sends us the following, showing forth 
Fig. 2. his' experience in this matter, together 
with illustrative drawings, which the artist and 
engraver have somewhat improved upon : 
" Having seen and experienced much trouble 
