328 PREMATURE BIRTHS.—KEEPING PUMPKINS.—FATTING ANIMALS.—PRICES OF FANCY POULTRY. 
will continue their good offices in their behalf. I 
The floral department was well filled, considering 
the season. We were particularly struck with a 
magnificent cornucopia, exhibited by Mr. Samuel 
Youngs, of Oyster Bay. The exterior of it was 
an envelope of splendid dahlias, beautiful roses, 
and quite a variety of other choice flowers. The 
horn was filled with grapes, pears, peaches, and 
strawberries, and as it rested on the show-stand 
it seemed indeed a horn of plenty. Mr. Furman, 
of Brooklyn, made the speech on the occasion, 
which was well received by a large auditory. 
We were highly gratified by being present at 
this county show, but we think it would be better 
if the whole of Long Island would unite in one. 
If the people would do this, and turn out with 
what they have “ got at home,” they would make 
a superb show, and one which would draw a con¬ 
siderable concourse of visiters from the neighbor¬ 
ing counties, and especially from this city. We 
have not room to give even the most important 
premiums, nor do we think this particularly ne¬ 
cessary, since they appeared in several of the county 
papers. 
PREMATURE BIRTHS. 
All animals after casting their young prema¬ 
turely, are liable not to breed soon again. The 
reason is, that the womb and the parts connected 
with it are injured by the unnatural parturition, and 
require time to strengthen. If, therefore, as soon as 
the females come in heat they are again put to 
the male, conception is not likely to follow. To 
remedy this, we have kept them away from the 
male, however often they might desire him, till 
the womb had time to strengthen, when they 
would again become breeders. If the females 
were mares or cows, we kept them from the 
male six months, or sometimes a year or more; if 
a ewe, four to eight months; if a sow, three to 
six months or more. During' this time they were 
well fed and cared for, and a short time before be¬ 
ing put to breed, reduced to a moderate condition. 
The male now made use of, we selected for being 
rather young than old, and as vigorous an animal 
as possible. After conception, the animals were 
kept quiet, and great care taken not to have them 
placed under the same circumstances as they were 
when first overtaken with premature births; as it 
must be recollected, that like causes would be 
liable to produce like effects. 
KEEPING PUMPKINS. 
Pumpkins for stock are best kept in a dry loft 
with the flooring quite open, so as to allow the 
air to circulate as freely as possible between them. 
Were it not that they take up so much room, we 
should prefer storing them in a single tier; but 
usually, for want of this, when a large crop is to 
be secured, they must be piled upon each other. 
In this case, we would recommend their not being 
placed more than three or four deep. If piled 
together in too large heaps, they gather moisture 
and rot rapidly. When frozen, they may be pre¬ 
served a long time; but they should be cooked 
before giving them to the stock, otherwise they 
may do them great injury. On the whole, we 
prefer feeding our pumpkins as fast as possible af¬ 
ter ripening, and before the cold weather sets in. 
They are of a cool, watery nature, and unless 
cooked, we doubt whether they are near as bene¬ 
ficial to animals in frosty weather as they are 
when it is milder, or indeed any kind of fruit or 
root, though stock of a good breed will usually dr 
well upon them. 
FATTING ANIMALS. 
As cold weather is rapidly coming on, now is 
the time for the farmer to push forward the fat¬ 
ting of his animals as rapidly as possible. His 
beef and mutton ought to be in the market by the 
end of the month ; and the pork as soon as the 
weather is cold enough to cool the hogs off well, 
and the cutting and salting can be prosecuted with¬ 
out endangering the tainting of the meat. Our 
farmers little know how much they lose by not fat¬ 
ting their animals early in the fall. First, ihey fat 
25 to 50, and some assert even 100 per cent, faster 
in mild weather than they do in severe cold, on 
the same amount of food. What a great saving 
this would be. Second, by feeding out roots 
and grain as fast as ripe and gathered, it saves the 
trouble and risk of storing. Third, the animals 
are more comfortable, and it is less labor to pre¬ 
pare their food for them, and feed and keep them 
clean, during November than later. Lastly, the 
meat which first comes to market usually brings 
the highest price ; and at any rate, if sold three 
months in advance of his neighbors, one at least 
saves that amount of interest on the money he gets 
for his produce, beside considerable risk in keep¬ 
ing the animals themselves. 
PRICES OF FANCY POULTRY. 
Having been so frequently asked the prices of 
fancy birds, we give them below as nearly as pos¬ 
sible. It must be premised, however, that they 
vary greatly according to their being scarce or 
plenty in market, and also according to the 
kind, and the fancy of breeders. To these prices 
should be added postage of letters, if not prepaid ; 
caging, cartage, and shipping ; all of which mat¬ 
ters are pretty sufficiently troublesome. 
Pigeons, fan-tails, per pair, 
$ 1 25 to 
2 50 
tumblers, “ 
- 
1 00 
a 
2 00 
English pouters, 
- 
4 00 
a 
7 00 
carriers, per pair, 
- 
5 00 
a 
20 00 
Ducks of different kinds, per pair, 
2 00 
a 
4 00 
Bantam fowls, 
a 
1 00 
a 
2 00 
Poland do 
a 
2 50 
a 
3 50 
Dorking do 
ii 
4 00 
a 
5 00 
Small China geese, 
a 
3 00 
cc 
4 00 
Large do do 
a 
5 00 
ii 
8 00 
Bremen do 
a 
2 00 
ii 
4 00 
Wild, do 
ii 
5 00 
ii 
6 00 
Guinea or African goose, 
{( 
10 00 
{{ 
15 00 
Turkeys, pure white, 
a 
2 50 
ii 
4 00 
Rabbits, according to variety. 
. a 
i 
1 00 
ii 
10 00 
Dorkings, with the exception of a few cocks, we 
are sorry to say, can not be had this year. Several 
persons in this vicinity have made arrangements 
