273 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[August, 
hoe. About Jackson, they are trying German laborers, 
and are pleased with the change. In Western Tennessee, 
two-thirds of the land is said to be in com and the small 
grains, which last have been gathered with a fair yield. 
We have recently conversed with a large planter, from 
Southwestern Georgia, who reports the negroes as work- 
ing well generally ; oats a good crop, and. being fed un- 
threshed, a great relief to working animals; wbeatvery 
good, corn looking well, and fruits abundant. The cotton 
crop is promising, and planters in his section estimate 
it at not less than three millions of bales. We have 
seen this estimate made in other responsible quarters. 
The apprehension is felt that the crop may be so b.rge as 
to carry prices down below a remunerative point. In 
spite of the tax, which we think a great blunder on the 
part of the Government, cotton is likely to be the main 
crop in the Gulf States for generations to come. On the 
whole, the crop prospects are eminently satisfactory, and 
indicate a profitable trade for the coming fall and winter. 
The Crops op Europe. — The prices of grain in this 
country depend very much upon those of Europe. Almost 
all our surplus crosses the Atlantic, and a heavy Euro- 
pean demand. or the prospect of wars, which will interrupt 
the regular supplies, at once puts our prices up. It is still 
too early to be able to judge of the wheat crop of Europe. 
By the last advices the weather was so good, that, though 
the stock of wheat in first hands was reduced so low that 
its amount could hardly be estimated, yet markets were 
dull, and the general expectation of a full harvest caused 
an unsettled state of prices, which will no doubt continue 
until the question is settled, and the harvest in good part 
over. In Great Britain, a large part of the hay had been 
secured in unusually good order, and though the weather 
was cold and unfavorable for grains, yet, with an abun- 
dance of hay, farmers were feeling very well satisfied. 
A New Era in Poultry Breeding in 
America. 
We have expressed ourselves plainly in regard to the 
sad demoralization of most poultry breeders who raise 
birds for sale. That the grossest frauds are intentionally 
and unintentionally practiced, will not be deuied. One 
reason is that poultry fanciers in this country have no 
sure standard of exceUence to guide them. Judges at 
fairs decide awards upon the same principles that they 
would judge of hogs or sheep, without knowing the very 
accurate and uniform points of color, of form and feather, 
by which the various breeds of poultry are raised and 
judged of in Europe, and among poultry fanciers of intel- 
ligence in this country. Now a society of energetic men has 
been formed to disseminate knowledge, to correct faulty 
standards, and establish good ones. We know many of 
the gentlemen who formed the society, and believe that it 
was done from the real love of beautif.il domestic poultry 
and their breeding. Some have, and will have, birds for 
sale, others have not, and never will have, but in the so- 
ciety they meet as lovers of ponltry, and breeders, and not 
as merchants. We hope much from their exhibitions 
and from their annual reports, but more from the spirit 
of honorable rivalry, of thoronghly honest dealing, and of 
fair investigation, which seems to animate all. The mem- 
bers of the society are* now located at the North, East, 
and West, others will join from the South, and by inter- 
change of birds, and opinions, and free discussions at the 
gatherings of the society, it is not too much to expect a 
new era in poultry breeding in America. We appeud 
a brief report of the meeting for organfzation. 
The American Poultry Society.— Pursuant to the 
call noticed in the July number of the American Agricul- 
turist, a meeting was held at the Cooper Institute, in this 
city, July 10th. Those present represented several States 
of the Union, and much enthusiasm prevailed, all agree- 
ing iu the desirability of establishing a Poultry Society, 
national in character. A committee, consisting of Messrs. 
A. M. Halsted, S. M. Saunders, and J. C. Thompson, sub- 
mitted a draft of a constitution, which, after thorough 
discussion, was unanimously adopted. The first article 
indicates the purpose of the society. It is as follows: 
- l This association shall be called ' The American Poultry 
Society. 1 Its object shall be to increase interest in, and 
promote the improvement of poultry breeding and man- 
agement, in this country, by adopting standards of excel- 
lence, by public discussions and exhibitions, by collect- 
ing and disseminating intelligence, and by such other 
reasons as may be deemed advisable. 11 The terms of mem- 
bership fixed upon, are the the payment of $3 a year. The 
names of thirty-eight gentlemen were enrolled as mem- 
bers, and the following officers were chosen to hold their 
places until the annual election, to be held the second 
Wednesday in October. President, J. G. Finnie, Esq., 11 
Wall-st., New York; Vice President, James E. Mai lory, 
Tarrytown, N. T.; Recording Secretary, W. A. Fitch, 
American Agriculturist Office, New York; Corresponding 
Secretary, C. M. Saunders, corner Cedar and Pearl-streets, 
New York ; Treasurer, J. C. Thompson, Tompkinsville, 
Staten Island, N. Y.; Auditor, A. M. Halsted, OS Pearl- 
st., New York. These form the Executive Committee. 
Editorial Jottings in Europe. 
— * 
[Mn, Jttdd, in making a summer's tour on the other 
side of the Atlantic, went for the express purpose of 
securing rest, though expecting to glean much informa- 
tion which will be indirectly useful to our readers here- 
after. He expressed the determination to abandon his 
pen and everything that has the slightest connection with 
work for the mind. Still, he sends home occasional 
social letters, and we shall take the liberty to give some 
brief extracts that will interest others, perhaps, as well 
as ourselves. — Associate Editors.] 
.... Hid- Atlantic, June 3d, 1S07.— For five days wo have 
been driven eastward by both steam and wind power, 
about 300 miles every St hours. Our good ship, the 
"'Tripoli, 1 '' tossed and rolled by the waves, like a floating 
cork, though built wholly of iron, keeps her straight on- 
ward course, regardless of wind or tide. As usual, I 
refuse auy tribute to Old Neptune. Most of our company 
make at least an hourly contribution. I already begin to 
feel the exhilaration of absolute freedom from business 
cares, and every day's journey is adding to the broad sea 
wall that separates me from routine work. I really feel 
free for once — the first time in a dozen years, or more. 
Five years ago to-day I was in precisely the same latitude 
and longitude, and for the same object, but the depressing 
anxiety for the fate of the armies and of our country, 
gave little reason for calm quietude, and the disasters to 
our soldiers on the Peninsula, magnified by the interest- 
ed London editors who were holders of Confederate 
Bonds, so distressed me that I hastened home, worse 
jaded than when I set out. God grant that no troubles, 
political or financial, may this year interfere with the 
quietude and rest I seek. 
.... Cork, Ireland, June l\)th — All well. Yesterday af- 
ternoon we were landed at Qneenstown, in less than 11 
days' running timi from New York, despite several days 
of severe storm. I could wish every friend crossing the 
ocean might have as good a ship as the Tripoli, and as 
good officers as C'apt. Martyn and his associates Not a 
single profane word has been heard from officer, crew, or 
passengers, and not even a discourteous look. Every- 
thing possible to be done, has been done to make every 
one comfortable, and at a meeting of the passengers on 
Saturday, a unanimous and hearty vote of thanks was 
given to Captain and men. ...To-day we rode out 15 
miles through the country, visiting " Blarney Castle," 
and kissing the "Blarney stone" of course. This is a 
beautiful region. I am sure that without something 
wrong in the political, social, and religious condition of 
the country, no Irishman would ever leave such a fertile 
and lovely land as this. 
Londonderry, Ireland, June 14//?.— During the last 
four days I have passed through the entire length of the 
" Emerald Isle " — a distance of full 300 miles as we trav- 
eled—and stopped nearly a day each at Dublin and Bel- 
fast. I confess, I have fallen in love with the country. 
You need never think of Ireland as a poor barren coun- 
try. Nowhere in America can you travel 300 miles and 
see so beautiful, so fertile, and so well cultivated a region 
as that I have just traversed. With few exceptions there 
is a succession of thoroughly tilled fields, clothed with 
luxuriant crops. I suppose there are barren sections on 
the island, but I have not seen them. The farther we 
came north, the more beautiful has the country appeared, 
and right here, away up to the very shores of the North- 
ern Ocean, and as far north as Hudson Bay in America, 
the farms fairly rival in beauty and luxuriance, and good 
culture, the finest regioas of South-eastern Pennsylvania, 
or the Genesee Valley in Western New York. The living 
hedges, instead of fences, of course increase the attrac- 
tiveness of the rural scenery Had I not seen scores, if 
not hundreds, of beggars, everywhere in the streets of 
the towns I have passed through, I should wonder greatly 
whence come the millions of poor that have flocked from 
these shores to our own land. There is another ex- 
planation. Eveiy now and then the attentive and polite 
railwa}' officials have pointed out to me a village and its 
surrounding country, remarking that :t they belonged to 
such and such" a "lord," or "baron," or "earl," etc. 
Divide the soil among fhe.?#on/tf, as in America, and there 
will be a different state of thing?. 
Tlie "Giant's Causeway.'''' — The sun rises here 
now a little after 3 o'clock, A. M., and sets about 9 P. M., 
and the twilight continues nearly all night. I am writing 
this by daylight, at 9H P.M.! Last night I stopped at 
Portmsh, some 40 miles northeast of Londonderry, and 
taking advantage of the early sunrise, rode 7 miles east 
to the noted "Giant's Causeway," a mass of regular 
columns four or five thousand in number, just out from 
the sea, presenting a most wonderful exhibition. Let no 
one fail to see this natural phenomenon. It far exceeds 
my previous conceptions. I will not attempt a descrip- 
tion, when so many abler pens have failed 
Containing a great raiiety of Ifejns, including many 
good Hints and Suggestions which we throw into smaller 
type- and condensed form, for want of space elsewliere. 
BIott to Steiuit without danger of loss. — 
Checks on New-York Banks or Bankers 
are best for large sums ; make them payable in all cases 
to the order of Orange Judd & Co. 
Post Office Ittoney Orders may now be obtain- 
ed at nearly every ci. nnty scat, in all the cities, and in 
many of the large towns. We consider them perfectly 
safe, and the best means of remitting fifty dollars or less, 
as many hundreds have been sent to us without any loss. 
Registered Letters, under the new system, 
which went into effect June 1st, are a very safe 
means of sending small sums of money where P. O. Mon- 
ey Orders cannot be easily obtained. Observe, the Reg- 
istry fee, as well as postage, must be paid in stamps at 
the office where the letter is mailed, or it will be liable 
to be sent to the Dead Letter Office. Buy and affix the 
stamps both for postage and registry, put in the money and 
seal the letter in tlie presence of the 2X>stmaster, and talce his 
receipt for it. Letters sent in this way to us are at our risk. 
Fairs.— Who are the Officers ?— We 
desire to have, and to keep regularly, the names of the 
officers of all the Agricultural Societies in the United 
States. Will those interested in such institutions, please 
forward them, and also notify us when changes are made ? 
Also please state time and place for holding next exhibi- 
tion ; we shall publish as complete a list as can be made. 
Be particular to trive in each instance not only the 
name of town, Out that of county, and STATE. 
Tlie I>eath of tlie Commissioner 
of Agriculture.— The Hon. Isaac Newton died at 
Washington, in June last. Though we have at times felt 
it our duty to be rather severe on his official acts, we be- 
lieve that he did as well as he knew how, and that he was 
social 11 * ~k-v rl m* 1 " but placed in a position for which 
he tt£j$@jj&~'' '"^-"unfitted. Rumor has mentioned the 
names of Vome dozen or more, as likely to be nominated 
as his successor, but at the time of our writing, no nomi- 
nation for the position has yet been sent to the Senate. 
Chemistry of the Farm and the 
Sea.— This title covers a series of familiar, short, and 
interesting essays by Dr. Jos. R. Nichols, of Boston, edi- 
tor of the Boston Journal of Chemistry. The subjects 
treated, besides those named in the title, are the chemistry 
of a bowl of milk, of the dwelling, of a kernel of corn, and 
of the sun, obscure sources of disease, the action of water 
on lead pipes, and bread and bread-making. Published 
by A. Williams & Co., Boston, of 123 pages, Svo. 
Sundry Mumhng-s.— The number of let- 
ters received during the last month from parties who have 
been insulted with piles of circulars from the various 
swindling shops, is not as large as in some previous 
months, and they come from fewer sources than is usual; 
but several of the old offenders are still operating, not- 
withstanding they have been arrested, and held for trial un- 
der bonds, and their places cleared of the thousands of cir- 
culars, envelopes, etc., which was the bulk and substance 
of all they contained. The wonder is that people can be 
so easily taken in and swindled ; in fact, it appears as if 
they were not only willing but desirous of being hum- 
bugged, and of paying for the operation. One of our cor- 
respondents writes that he sent forty-five dollars to Stod- 
dard, Magnire & Co., Baltimore, whose circular is word 
for word like C. H. Garland & Co.'s, and received goods 
which he invoices thus : 
-2 Brass Watches, worth $0.00 
1 White Watch " 0.05 
1 Pistol l ■ 0.25 
12 White Spoons lt . 0.10 
1 Brass Chain ' • 0.00 
1 Plated Pin " 0.10 
Grand total $0.50 
Such trades are of daily occurrence, and yet the people 
are infatuated with the idea that somebody is going to 
give tltem, as a particular favor, five, ten, or a hundred 
times the value of their money, for the sake of inducing 
others to try the same operation, and get gulled — J. E. 
Brcnnan & Co. send out their circulars, representing that 
they are determined to send a good prize to your neigh- 
borhood, and have accidentally met with your name, etc., 
etc., and if you will send them twenty dollars iu gold.they 
