Ip is used also, all the bettor for the crop. Use 
jj S the harrow and cultivator as often as once 
> / a week, till the last week of May, to got the 
‘ weeds started and destroyed, and the labor 
\ of weeding tho carrots will bo half done.— 
$ Not having a seed drill, I rig my corn mark- 
( or to make tho rows twice as thick as corn. 
V > Ono pound of the long orange carrot seed 
| ! to half an acre; is enough, and they may re- 
; ) quire thinning; I divide my seed into seve- 
H S ral parcels, and count the rows, which on- 
>j < ables me to get it equally distributed over 
(j ) the piece. It may be sown in hills, ten or 
0 < twelve inches apart, or in rows. When 
$ / sown, hitch tho team to tho harrow, and 
r ) harrow tho same way as the rows. It wont 
/j ( move the seed out of the rows, only a trifle 
v ) whero you cross tho ends. 
S ( Remember in wooding, that “a stitch in 
V ) time saves nine.” As soon as the carrots 
cj \ show the third and fourth leaves, put the 
> ( hoo on tho grind-stono and fetch it to an 
€ ; edgo. Now work as closo to the carrots as 
$ v possible; never work over halt a day with- 
5 ) out grinding tho hoo, as weeds so small, 
J < with their roots cut off, are destroyed. As 
5 < soon as the roots of the carrots are as large 
2 ) as a wheat straw, tho weeds can bo pulled 
S? up without lifting the carrots. When weed- 
51 > ing, if any of the carrots have failed, it will 
$ ] bo in season to sow the ruta baga or Swed- 
> ( ish turnip. No spring crop is better calcu- 
/j ) lated to be benefited by a stiff sod, than the 
V ) carrot, as more than three-fourths of its 
C ; growth is after the heat of summer, just in 
M < time to take its nutriment from tho decayed 
0 ) sod. But don’t forget that a plenty of good, 
/j j long manure helps tho carrot crop. 
5 ? Only think, farmers, how much stock 
cj S might bo kept through winter, from an acre 
V ( of carrots and tho straw stack. 
Alvin Wilcox. 
sj P West Bloomfield, N. Y., 1853. 
C— 
V ? KETCHTJM’S MOWING MACHINE. 
cj ) Tins machine is entitled to rank among 
> l the most valuablo agricultural inventions of 
(, P tho day—performing, as it does, tho opera- 
> s tion of mowing most perfectly and rapidly. 
| It will cut from 12 to 15 acres of grass in a 
4 S day, spreading it as ovonly as it grows, ready 
V c for drying. The season of haying will soon 
( ) arrive—at any rate, it is not too early to 
> s think about and prepare for it. The adver- 
< P tisemont will bo found in this paper. We 
C b beliovo Messrs. Rapalje & Co. are tho only 
> C agents for this city. 
> \ CLASSIFICATION OF MANURES. 
v c Tiie following classification is taken from 
c b Stockiiardt’s Field Lectures. Tho best 
> ( manures are given first. 
V c I. Manures Rich in Nitrogen. 
C ) 1. Substances containing ammonia, (very 
t ( quickly forcing.) Ammonical salts of all 
v ( sorts, good guano, urates, soot, putrid ani- 
cj b mal substances, such as blood, flesh, skins, 
cj P &c.; poudrotte, gas-wator, putrid urine, 
> ( draining-compost, fermented stable ma- 
c ) nuro, especially of sheep and horses. 
\ c 2. Azolized substances that are easily de- 
/ b composed, (somewhat quickly forcing.) — 
} P Horn-shavings, glue, boiled-flesh, bones li- 
( c quified by acid, steamed and finely pulver- 
> ) ized, oil-cakes of all sorts, malt-grain and 
C p the refuse of beer-breweries, fresh urine, 
( ) drainings, stable-manure beginning to rot. 
P ) 3. Aoztized substances that arc decompos- 
< P ed with dijjiculty, (slowly forcing.) Bone- 
b ( dust coarsely powdered, woollen-rags, fresh 
/ b stable manure. 
( ) 4. Substances containing nitric-acid, (quick- 
p b ly forcing.) Nitrate of potash, (ordinary 
< > saltpetre,) nitrate of soda or Chili saltpetre, 
5 ( nitrate of lime or decayod stable-walls, rub- 
V ) bish of old clay walls, and old compost- 
earth. 
b 1 II. Manures Rich in Carbon : (forming 
p b humus.) 
( ( Stable-litter, straw, foliage, weeds, forcst- 
> b leaves, saw-dust, lawn and garden trim- 
(I P mings, rotten mould, turf, earthy brown- 
( c coal, and vegetable substances of nearly all 
) b sorts. 
( \ III. Manures containing PoTAsn : (strong- 
b b ly forcing.) 
( P Potash, nitrate of potash, malt-grain from 
) < beer-breweries, urine of brooding cattle, 
> b wood ashes, foliage, stalks and loavos ot all 
\ ) sorts, lawn and garden trimmings, building 
< ( rubbish, street-sweepings, compost, burnt 
> ) clay and loam, marl of many sorts. 
S ( IV. Manures containing Soipa : (loss visi- 
P b bly operative.) 
V < Common salt, rofuso salt, Chili saltpetre, 
) b soap-boilers’ lye, urine, certain sorts of ma- 
( P nuring salts, soda felspar, and some other 
V c kinds^f stone, soap-suds, and dish-water. 
t \ V. Manures Rich in Phosphoric Acid : 
b < (soed-forming.) 
< \ Burnt bonoB, bone black, sugar refuse from 
{ \ refineries, phosphorite, and a few othor 
S kinds of stone, poor guano, raw bones, bone 
7 b dust, true guano, animal substances of all 
kinds, oil-cako, malt-grain from breweries, 
solid human and animal excrements, stable- 
manures, urine of carnivorous animals, wood 
ashes, straw, leaves, &c. 
VI. Manures containing Sulphuric Acid : 
(partly direct manures, partly absorbents 
of manuring substances.) 
Gypsum, sulphuric acid, green vitriol, sul¬ 
phur-coal, ashes of pit-coal, turf, and brown 
coal. 
VII. Manures Rich in Lime. 
Burnt lime, chalk, marl, gypsum, ashes of 
brown-coal and turf, building-rubbish, pond 
mud, and soap-boilers’ ashes. 
VIII. Manures Rich in Silica. 
Pit-coal ashes, as also ashes of all sorts, 
sand, straw, stable-manure, £c. 
IX. Manures that Pulverize the Soil. 
Sulphuric acid, muriatic acid, lime, marl, 
humus, &c. 
X. Manures that Improve the Soil. 
Lime, marl, loam, sand, pond-mud, vege¬ 
table mould, turf, &c. 
Hero is a fine classification of the chief 
manures that are employed as fertilizers.— 
They should be chosen and applied accord¬ 
ing to the nature and condition of tho soil, 
as well as with reference to tho crop, that is 
to bo produced. Many of the manures are 
compounds—hcnco tho reason why you find 
them repeated in tho different classes. Tho 
farmer should presorve this classification 
and use it until ho finds a better ono.—w. 
CONDENSED CORRESPONDENCE. 
Artificial Incubation — Again. 
Editors Rural:—A llow me to say thro’ 
the Rural, that the process of “ artificial 
incubation,” as intimated by your corres¬ 
pondent Farmer I)., in tho Rural of 2Gt.h 
of March, if tried, will certainly succeed.— 
A similar mode was tried by myself, ten 
years since, with success. Instead, how¬ 
ever, of “ removing tho top of the heap of 
manure,” W. L., will do hotter to make an 
opening in tho side of the heap. This will 
make it more easy of access, during tho pro¬ 
cess of incubation, as well as at tho poriod 
of hatching. Neither will tho heat bo dis¬ 
turbed by such an opening, as it would be 
by romoving the manure from tho top down 
to tho nest every time we wish to examine 
it. The mode practised by myself was this: 
—I dug a hole in the side of a largo heap 
of manure, somo 12 inches from the surface 
and somo 20 in diameter. I then made an 
opening still further into the heap, high 
enough to contain tho eggs after a little hay 
had been inserted. Hero tho eggs wore 
placed, and a small board placed against 
tho small opening, while tho largor holo 
above mentioned, was again filled with ma¬ 
nure. In this manner tho eggs can be easily 
examined without much diminishing tho 
heat, while thoy are perfectly safe from 
rains and snows, without “a coop or any 
other temporary roofing” over them. 
Another method has been tried with suc¬ 
cess, to my knowledge, although it is not as 
practicable as the former. Remove the 
eggs from tho nest of a crow and replace 
with hens eggs, selecting those as noar tho 
size of tho crow as possible, and spoting 
them with ink, so as to resemble those re¬ 
moved. This mode of hatching can bo tried 
by tho curious, and by those who have no 
better mode.—C. C. Goss, Clifton Springs, 
JY. Y., March 28, 1853. 
Hatching Eggs in a Hot-bed. 
Eds. Rural :—In a late No. of the Rural, 
I saw something about hatching eggs by ar¬ 
tificial heat, and I thought I would give you 
an account of tho Egyptian manner of 
hatching in a hot-bed. In a book wo have, 
it is given as follows:—Take an oarthon 
vossel liko a garden pot, but not quite so 
deep; fill it half way with wool or cotton, 
and lay as many eggs on a bed as will make 
a single layer, so as not to como within an 
inch of tho sides of tho vessel; then fill up 
tho pot with wool, covering the oggs about 
four inches thick, and set it up to the rim, 
in such a bed as is used for cucumbers with 
a frame, upon which you must lay the lights 
as close as possible, and tho eggs will bo 
hatched in a due time. But if tho weather 
proves very cold, tho young ones must bo 
carefully nursed by tho firo; and if thoy are 
water fowls they must have pans of water 
agreeably warm, which thoy will go into of 
their own accord. x If you can make fowls 
lay, you may always hatch their eggs.—W. 
II. Purdie, Columbus, JY. Y. 
Postage on Seeds, Scions, &c. 
Friend Moore :— The subject of Choap 
Postage, applied to seeds, scions, roots, &c., 
has forcibly suggested itself to me within a 
few days, as I have paid over $10 postage, 
on seeds alone, within tho last four weeks, 
and verily believe tho amount would have 
been doubled at a rato of ono, or ono-half 
cent per once. Might not this reduction be 
made, with great benefit to our agricultural 
community, and no detriment to the Postal 
revenue ? It may bo objected that written 
communications might be enclosed, but this 
might be objected by keeping tho rate un¬ 
changed for tho first ounce, and rating all 
after that up to sixteen ounces, at one cent 
oach. I havo often thought of this subject, 
as a matter of great public interest, and 
have wondered why men who are devoting 
their time and talents for tho advancement 
of Agriculture, should overlook it. I hope 
more ablo pens will thoroughly discuss the 
question.— I. W. Briggs, JYcst Macedon, 
JY. Y., April, 1853. 
AGRICULTURAL ADDRESSES. 
Common Sense in Farming. 
The following forcible and sensibly ex¬ 
pressed paragraphs are from an address by 
Col. S. D. Harris, of tho Ohio Cultivator, 
delivered last Autumn before tho Medina 
Co. Agricultural Society : 
Wo have como together to strengthen tho 
ties of peace and good will, and amid all the 
chicanery and timo-sorving around us, thcro 
is much of genuine truth and improvement. 
Theories after theories have been invented, 
expanded, and finally exploded, with all 
their wealth of promise clustering around 
them. Patent guano, and its kindred in¬ 
ventions, will do well onough to amuse fan¬ 
cy farmers with, but after all, wo are coming 
back to tho belief, which wo have nover do- 
parted from, that Naturo is not so fastidi¬ 
ous in those latter days, but that a generous 
application of organic manure, such as ovory 
farmer can command, joined to a thorough 
tillago, under direction of good common 
sense, is tho best preparation for a crop.— 
Particular soils may bo originally destitute 
of somo mineral element, essential to tho 
production of particular crops, or somo 
soils by mismanagement may bo made thus 
destitute; but tho results of tho best chem¬ 
ical analyses for tho last few years, are fast 
tending the opinion intelligent men to the 
conclusion, that much less is to bo gained 
by this process than has boon generally sup¬ 
posed; and especially in our rich virgin 
soils. Tho rosult of Prof. Wells’ analyses 
of tho soils of the Scioto, which you will 
find in the last Annual Report of tho Ohio 
State Board of Agriculture, are in support 
of this assertion. Tho best kind of scien¬ 
tific farming that I know of, is good, com¬ 
mon sonso, systematic farming—a judicious 
system of cropping, and a just roturn to tho 
soil, for tho elements of fertility, which you 
have taken from it. Thus a new farm will 
not be worn down to a wreck of skin and 
bone, but like a sensible and well fed work¬ 
man will grow up to a vigorous manhood, 
which may be protracted as long as a rea¬ 
sonable tillage is kept up. 
I care not how much of science is applied 
to agriculture, so long as it is kept under 
the dominion of common sense. Wo don’t 
want to raise up a raco of automaton far¬ 
mers, even to carry out tho speculations of 
tho wisest men, but do want a l'aco of intel¬ 
ligent farmers—intelligent not only in tho 
science of Agriculture, but in tho science of 
Life, for after all, Labor and all its appur¬ 
tenances aro subservient to tho full devel¬ 
opment and enfranchisement of tho soul; 
and that life is perverted and lost which 
fails to accomplish this groat work. Our 
material bodios aro the ministers of tho 
soul, and upon thoir full and harmonious 
development depends much of our happi- 
nes in this life. Whatever wo havo gained 
in mental cultivation, over tho ancients, we 
are far behind them in physical develop¬ 
ment. The plainest laws of life aro little 
understood or wickedly violated. It has 
often been said that tho body, by its frailty 
and sensuality, tompts tho soul to sin, but 
wo deny tho truth of such a chargo; if tho 
soul is noble, the body will bo noble too, in¬ 
asmuch as the soul can control its volitions. 
A body pampered by indulgence and sloth, 
has been degaaded by a groveling soul. If 
we would not oxhibit to tho world, the gross¬ 
ness of a sensual soul, let not that soul write 
out that evidence of its deformity, upon its 
outer temple to bo known and read of all 
men. Tho body does not need indulgence 
—a strict discipline best promotes its hap¬ 
piness and fits it for ministering to those 
lofty aspirations of tho soul which so dis- 
dinctly mark tho supremacy of man, as tho 
noblest among tho works of God. 
There aro some callings in life which seem 
unsuited to a healthful development of the 
body, and in tho hands of ignorant and 
heodless operatives, do thoir work of distor¬ 
tion without hindrance, but most labors can 
be performed with such alterations ot posi¬ 
tion and appliance, that symmetry of body 
can bo maintained and its healthful func¬ 
tions remain unimpaired. I can have no 
patience with those men and women, who 
are so intent upon working only, that they 
como to think that work is tho chief end ot 
lifo. and for its own sake so much a roli- 
gious duty, that thoy must adapt themselves 
to its formula, as though hay making or 
cheese making would be their department 
when they como to a sort of paradise which 
they have figured to themselves in somo dim 
mysterious futuro life. Equally absurd is 
the notion of another class of self made 
earth-worms, who during their weary life 
give themselves no holiday, but push on 
with a vague hope of an elysium somewhere 
in which they can lounge out thoir hereaf¬ 
ter in shirt and trousers, just as now thoy 
lounge away a Sunday in harvost time. 
THE AGRICULTURAL PRESS. 
Breeds of Swine. 
We copy bolow Mr. Howard’s coucludine 
article on the “Breeds of Swine,” originallj 
published in tho Boston Cultivator, of which 
Mr. II. is tho principal Agricultural editor 
The Improved Essex Breed. —This is one o 
the most valuable breeds now known. The es 
tablishment of the breed is generally credited lx 
die late Lord Western. It lias in latter yean 
been extensively known in the hands of th< 
noted breeder, W. Fisher Hobbs, of Marks-Hall 
Essex. It has perhaps carried more prizes a 
Sniithfield within the last ten years, than an; 
other breed. As before mentioned, it was derived 
:rom a cross with the Neapolitan, and inherits the 
color of that race, with more size, finer symmetry, 
and much better constitution. Stephens, author 
of the Book of the Farm and the Farmer’s Guide, 
says:—“ As to the breed which shows the greatest 
disposition to fatten, together with a due propor¬ 
tion of lean, I never saw one equal to that which 
was originated by Lord Western, in Essex. 
They were exceedingly gentle, indisposed to travel 
far, not very prolific, however, but could attain it 
kept on to a great weight, and so compact in form, 
and small of bone and offal, that they invariably 
yielded a greater weight of pork than was judged 
of before being slaughtered. The offal was small, 
and more delicious ham was never cured than 
they afforded.” Martin says — “These animals 
fatten quickly, grow rapidly, and yield very supe¬ 
rior meat. The hogs, when fattened, will some¬ 
times weigh 26 or 28 stones (14 lbs.,) often 18 or 
20 ”—equal to 252 to 392 lbs. 
The only animals of this breed in this country, 
within our knowledge, are in the possession of L. 
G. Morris, Esq., of Fordham, Westchester county, 
N. Y., or of pesons who have obtained the stock 
of him. His first importation was made about a 
year since, and his last the past autumn. Some 
of these animals were procured directly from W. 
Fisher Hobbs, and were of that gentleman’s best 
stock. 
A variety of the Sussex breed is closely allied 
to, and may be identical with the Essex. Some 
of this variety were introduced into this country 
several years since by Mr. Henry Parsons, now of 
Guelph, Canada West. The writer of this article 
obtained the stock of Mr. Parsons, and from the 
experience of several years can say he never had 
any swine that gave more weight of carcass in 
proportion to the food consumed, and never any 
which equalled them in quality of meat. 
There is a white, or nearly white variety of 
Essex. Specimens were imported by the late Mr. 
Stickney, a part of which are now in the possess¬ 
ion of Mr. H. H. Williams, of Roxbury. 
The Berkshire Breed. —The old Berkshire was 
a hog of nearly tho largest class. He is described 
as having been mostly black, with a large frame, 
and a large pendant ear. Martin says " they were 
often found to weigh from 100 to 110 or 120 stones 
of 8 lbs to the stone. Culley mentions one which 
in 1774, “ weighed alive 12 cwt. 2 qrs. 10 lbs., and 
when killed and dressed weighed 10 cwt. 3 qrs. 
and 14 lbs. avoirdupois.” 
The modern breed is the result of various mix¬ 
tures of the old with smaller breeds. Youatt says 
the old Berkshire has been crossed with the 
Siamese, Chinese, and Neapolitan — a statement 
which is corroborated by others. It was for a 
while a very popular breed in this country. Many 
of our people have reason to remember the “ Berk¬ 
shire fever ’’—some from the money they gained, 
others from the money they lost by it. During 
the excitement in regard to the breed, it was rep¬ 
resented by speculators as far more valuable than 
any other, and specimens were sometimes sold as 
high as $200 to $300 a head. But their popular¬ 
ity soon declined, and from the height to which 
they had been raised, they quickly went down to 
the opposite extreme, in general estimation. The 
causes of this reversion of public opinion were 
various. One, and not the least important, was 
the exaggerated representations which their advo¬ 
cates made of their merits. This produced a re¬ 
action. People did not find them to come up to 
the false standard which enthusiasts or sharpers 
had made, and being disappointed in this, refused 
to see or acknowledge the true value which actually 
belonged to the breed. Another cause of their 
decline was the character of their meat The 
Berkshire is, in all its phases, a A««-meated hog. 
Hence the pork was not adapted to barreling—the 
carcass lacked the clear, uumixed fat, which the 
packers wanted. 
But it may be supposed the pork was well 
adapted to the fresh-meat market, and to the mode 
of curing practised at the south, before spoken of- 
This was the case, to a certain extent. Some of 
the Berkshires were well suited to these purposes. 
The breed, however, varied greatly in character. 
They were large or small, according as the old 
Berkshire, or the breeds with which they have 
been mixed, predominated. The large, lop-eared 
ones, which sometimes weighed 600 or 700 lbs., 
dressed, were often coarse fleshed, and not liked 
on that account. The very smallest, partaking 
most of the Siamese characters, had a lack of 
constitution, and were not prolific, but their flesh 
was fine and good ; and the medium sized ones, 
weighing about 300 lbs., dressed, at sixteen to 
eighteen months old, were in every respect useful 
animals for these purposes. We may add further, 
in explanation of the Berkshires not having suc¬ 
ceeded at the south, that they appeared not adapt¬ 
ed to the climate, and in many instances became 
unhealthy there. 
Judging the Berkshires as they have appeared 
in this country they are less uniform in their char¬ 
acters than many other breeds. Persons who are 
inclined to adhere to them will however, have the 
opportunity of obtaining the stock from Mr. Mor¬ 
ris, Fordham, N. Y., who has lately imported 
some. 
There is an offset of the Berkshire called the 
“Tamworth pig,” which is held inconsiderable 
estimation in England. The color is reddish 
brown with darker spots. A pair, lately imported 
are iti the possession of Col. Jaques. 
The Hampshire Breed. —Hampshire bacon h&= 
long been regarded in England as of superioi 
quality, and this Is thought to be due in a great 
degree to the breed of the animals from which it 
is produced. Richardson says “ this breed is no 
' unfrequently confounded with the Berkshire, bu 
its body is longer and its sides flatter ; the heat 
is long, and the snout sharp. The color of this 
breed is usually dark spotted, but is sometimes 
black altogether, and sometimes white.” Martin 
says “ lie who travels through Hampshire, am 
looks into the farm-yards, will see some cxcellen 
hogs, generally black, and middle sized, with rath 
er a long snout, but compactly made; they are a (j ? 
Modification of the old large-sized Hampshire ; S 
stock, individuals of which in former days were ( ) 
of huge magnitude — and some carried about for ) ( 
show. This colossal breed is now seldom to be ? / 
seen, but it had its good points ; when fattened Sj ( 
(and time and much food were required to effect ) ; 
jhis,) it returned by way of repayment, a weighty \ c 
carcass. As in all cases, however, the question >| S 
comes in, was it profitable — was the repayment ( r 
for food and time in a just ratio ? The answer S j S 
must be, quick fattening, even with a smaller ?j ) 
carcass, a gain of time and of provision being in- y ( 
eluded, is one of the points in which the farmer ) y 
finds himself best remunerated. Slow feeders, yj( 
however weighty their carcass at least, will not be ) 1 jS 
found profitable when all expenses are calculated. ( j? 
The present Hampshire hog is compounded of the Sj S 
old race, and the Essex, the Chinese, and the Ne- ) j / 
apolitan, with an admixture also of the improved v K 
Berkshire.” ) 1; 
Some of this breed were kept in Canada several s. i( 
years since, .but we know of none in America at ) j; 
the present time. ( c 
We have been somewhat particular in the his- Si S 
tory and description of breeds, as much raisap- ( / 
prehension prevails on that subject. Many per- S s 
sons appear not to know that several of those ) / 
noticed are extinct, and have therefore ordered, ( C 
and may have received, animals under names of ; ; 
breeds which are not in existence. It is proper ( ( 
they should be disabused of this error. )| S 
REARING TURKEYS, j ( 
It is my object to offer some hints, de- V 5 
rived principally from experience, on tho / / 
rearing of Turkeys. Tho first great requis- ( < 
ito is, to havo good stock to raise from, both S 
male and fomalo. Tho cock turkey should ( ) 
bo of a large size, and as he does not attain ( t 
to his full growth till ho is two or three ( !C 
years old, ono of this age is to bo preferred, ; ;/ 
though yearlings are generally made to ( ) 
answer. Tho color I should cliooso, would si C 
bo jot black or bronzo, with legs to match. V ( 
The books givo directions as to tho gait and Y\ ) 
mien deemed essontial to his perfection; C ( 
but there is very little difficulty in finding >| £ 
a gobbler whoso strut is sufficiently martial / / 
to satisfy tho most prociso sticklor for a ( ( 
military carriago. With tail erect, breast r £ 
inflatod, and head and throat inflamed, ho / > 
marches a perfect Haynau of tho poultry- ( ( 
yard. The question is discussed too, in the V ( 
books, as to tho number of females that V ) 
should constitute his harem. But it is for i i 
us more of a theoretical than practical ono, S ( 
as thero are hero hardly ovor more hens al- ) S 
lowod to this foatherod sultan, than can be ( 
suitably provided for by him. A greater s ( 
point is to prevent a deterioration of stock ; S 
by brooding in and in. Tho excellent rulo )j) 
given by Mrs. Sarah Dakin, of Duchess < < 
County, New York, in a statement on the )| ( 
management of Poultry, “bo sure and ) ; 
change tho tom turkey every year,” is con- (, ( 
firmed by tho practice of tho successful S ) 
turkey roarors. A strong and healthy brood ) z 
of chicks is thus secured. cl c 
With tho same viow, tho largest hen tur- Y ( 
keys, and if moro than a year old the bet- )! S 
ter, should bo resorvccl for mothers. Thoso c ? 
that are small in sizo will lay only small s ( 
oggs, from which tho chicks hatched will be )! ) 
of corresponding proportions. If you ex- c ) 
pect a largo litter of eggs, the hons must bo y ( 
well kept through tho winter, but not so as ) / 
to become very fat, otherwise they wi.ll not ) / 
lay so early as is desirable. If they clo not < ( 
begin to lay till May, thoy will not complete Y ( 
thoir litter and bo ready to sit till Juno, )lj^ 
which will bring tho hatch into July : and y ( 
thus will bo allowed for tho growth of the S\ ( 
young brood only fivo months to tho last of ) £ 
Novcmbor, at which period tho annual tur- c. c 
key killing comes round in Now England as s| \ 
regularly as Thansgiving. It is considered, ) > 
therefore, by all experienced persons, of 
great moment to have an early litter of eggs, ( ( t 
tho first turkey’s ogg being often a matter ) ( 
of as much congratulation in tho family, as / 
tho first baby’s tooth. s ) 
Tho turkoy is an out-of-door bird. In Sj \ 
this respect ho retains oven in his domos- ) / 
ticatecl state, that love of freedom which < ( 
characterizes tho aborigines of our country, v ( 
Turkeys havo no fondness for a shod or /j S 
barn as a roosting placo, but in tho coldest y c 
weather in winter, in the sevorost storms of s l < 
snow, sleet or rain, they prefer tho open air > ) 
and a lofty tree on which to tako up lodg- ? !? 
ings for tho night. Here, perched head to v ( 
the wind, thoy ride out tho hardest gales in ; ? 
safety with apparent pleasure. The in- c ( 
stances aro rare in which they aro known to 
porish, either from cold or storm. Dickson, V S 
an English writer, says that “it is impor- ) ) 
tant, during winter, that their perch should ( ( 
not be oxposed to the sweep of frosty winds, S| s 
which aro apt to cause tho feet of turkeys ) 5 
to freeze,” and tho samo caution is given by ( ( 
Dr. Bonnett, in his work on poultry. But S s 
such a misfortune I havo never known to / / 
befall turkeys, that all winter havo risked ( ( 
themselves out on trees over night. When Sj S 
tho old hens shod their foathors lato in tho ) > 
fall, as will bo tho causo when thoy havo ? ? 
continued to lay a number of litters, it is well Y s 
to house them in cold nights till they renew ) S 
thoir coat, and it may bo prudent to do so ( i 
in extremely sovero weather in winter. s s 
Wo will suppose now that winter is gono, / ( 
and spring is beginning to open. The notes < ( 
of tho robin are hoard welcoming tho advent S \ 
of warmor skies. As the snow melts away, <j > 
patches of groen earth aro hero and thero ( [? 
disclosed to view. Your turkeys no longer S [< 
hang about tho barn, liko so many loafers, ) > 
but spend most of their timo in the orchard, ( ? 
and on the sunny side of walls and build- v( 
ings. Tho gontloman of the party is as full Y i 
of airs as any city exquisite, perambulating ? ( 
hither and thithor, in front and at tho sides t! ( 
of his companions, more intent on exciting ; S 
admiration of his own person, than bestow- ? 
ing it upon theirs. This species of court- y C 
ship continues throughout the spring, even r | 
after ^ 
\ 
