334 
MOORE’S RURAL NEW-YORKER: AN AGRICULTURAL AND FAMILY NEWSPAPER. 
OCT. 18. 
son—no good rain, they assure me, since last 
December—and yet these holes have as yet 
quite a supply of water, and many of them are 
well supplied with fish. None of our late rains 
have extended to Kentucky. The weather on 
Thursday became more mild, and the attend¬ 
ance at the Fair was greatly increased. I pre 
sume that the last three days of the exhibition 
would bring out an attendance that would fully 
meet their highest anticipations. 
In my notes of the Ohio State Fair, sent from 
Cleveland, I inadvertently omitted to mention 
one of the most interesting parts of the exhibi¬ 
tion. This was the artificial fish bred by Drs. 
Gaelick and Ackley. They were in a large 
glass case, constantly supplied with pure water. 
They consisted of the parents and some hun¬ 
dred or so of their produce, from troultets up to 
two years. They attracted great attention and 
were very mu'ch admired. The readers of the 
Ohio Farmer are well aware of the interest 
these gentlemen have exhibited in this partic¬ 
ular branch of natural science. 
I now purpose to remain in Philadelphia to 
Witness the great National Exhibition. They 
are making extensive preparations, and are an¬ 
ticipating a great exhibition. Already the 
principal Hotels are filling up, and by the mid¬ 
dle of the week I think it will be difficult to 
secure good accommodations, even in Phila- 
phia. Yours, in haste, S. P. Chapman. 
Philadelphia, Oct. 6, 1856 
CATTARAUGUS COUNTY FAIR. 
The Cattaraugus County Fair Ground (leased 
for ten years) is near Little Valley village and 
depot—a pleasant, level spot amid the wooded 
hills. Yesterday, clouds of dust and a strong 
wind, were unpleasant, but to-day less wind, a 
slight rain last night, and a cloudless sky are 
favorable. Perhaps five thousand people have 
been on the ground. The exhibition is said to 
excel past years. Three years since a hotel 
yard was ample room; now there were 230 en¬ 
tries of live stock, and about the same of all 
other articles. The show of cattle is good, also 
of horses; but few swine ; sheep few, but some 
of excellent quality. Not a large variety of 
dairy products or homemade and fancy articles, 
and the injury of the tent by wind prevented a 
fair display. The address by John P. Hale 
secured the attention of a large audience—good 
evidence of its interest—and was useful too. 
It is to be published. I can but name a few of 
the animals worthy of note. 
An extra large and good Durham Cow from 
L. Stratton, Little Valley. Air. Hall, of Day- 
ton, a very fine calf, part Durham. Mr. Bowen, 
Conawango, a pair of half Durham extra cattle 
—weight 3,660 lbs. Sam’l Harvey, Mansfield, 
3 year old Durham Bull—fine animal. Stan¬ 
ton & Johnson, Ellicottville, two young and 
beautiful Devon Bulls and six Devon Calves, 
full blood and extra quality. Haven cfc Babbitt, 
Perrysburgh, a very superior Devon Bull which 
took a high prize at the Ohio National Cattle 
Show two years ago. But little native stock. 
I saw a fine heifer, and extra size cow and calf. 
E. Puddy, Little Valley, good Leicester sheep 
and lambs. Air. Slocum, Napoli, fine Teeswa- 
ter buck and lamb. Wm. Summerville, Elli¬ 
cottville, five extra South Down lambs, Fran¬ 
ce Valent, three full blood Leicester bucks 
and four lambs. I also saw several superior 
fine wool sheep, owner not known. Stanton & 
Johnson, Ellicottville, extra Suffolk pigs. Air. 
Slocum, Napoli, a fine Suffolk boar. 
Of horses. Air. Whitcomb, Perrysburg, had a 
fine large gelding, three years old, much liked. 
David Benson, Conawango, an excellent bay 
•mare, same age. E. L. McAIillan, Little Val¬ 
ley, a bay geldiDg, same age, with fine points. 
J. It. Greenough, Conawango, a pair of strong, 
handsome mares, with promising colts. M. J. 
Benson, Itandolpb, a matched pair of horses— 
handsome, of snug, clean build. Air. Van 
Campen, of same place, a pair of matched bay 
mrres of fine limb and motion. The colts were 
good, betokening improvement. A pair of no¬ 
ble elk, owned by Lorenzo Stratton of this 
place, were much noticed and admired. 
The general feeling seems to be that good 
progress is being made. Toward four o’clock 
the multitude rapidly dispersed ; long lines of 
wagons and single horsemen winding away 
through the beautiful valleys and soon lost 
among the hills which rise up, telling of the 
Alleghanies not far distant. g. b. s. 
Little Valley, Sept. 19,1856. 
committee” of my family, and were unanimous¬ 
ly voted « A, No. 1.” I think them a valuable 
acquisition, and should be disseminated through 
the country. I believe Air. Clark has a few to 
dispose of for seed, and perhaps others w T ho 
have cultivated them, have. 
Yours, F. W. Lay. 
Greece, N. Y., Oct. 1,1866. 
Remarks. —Having seen and more than tasted 
specimens of the “ Fluke,” grown by Air. Clark, 
and others, we can fully endorse all Air. Lay 
says in regard to appearance and quality. As 
the Pomologists say of fruits, we should place 
the “ Fluke” among the varieties which “ prom¬ 
ise well,” and as apparently possessing qualities 
which will soon place it in the class of those 
worthy of “ general cultivation.” We presume 
it has been grown in other localities, and shall 
be glad to learn the results of experiments in 
its culture by distant readers—in other States, 
Canada, (fee.— Eds. 
LETTER FROM OREGON. 
THE ENGLISH FLUKE POTATO. 
AIessrs. Editors :—As anything new in the 
potato line is always interesting in these days 
of the potato rot, permit me to say a few words 
in favor of the “Fluke Potato.” This is de¬ 
scribed in the Patent Office Report for 1854, in 
the list of new introductions through that office 
as a “ superior variety from England, much es¬ 
teemed at Liverpool for its flat shape and fine 
qualities for domestic use, and for long keeping. 
It bears late planting, yields well and has never 
been known to be much affected by the rot.”— 
And it is added, “in order fairly to test its 
adaptation to the Aliddle or Northern States, it 
would require to be cultivated for several years.” 
Some four years ago an Englishman brought 
some into this town from Devonshire, England, 
and they have been cultivated by different 
farmers since, and they appear to improve upon 
their English reputation. They seem to possess 
all the qualities of a good potato, viz. : hardiness 
or freedom from the rot, flavor, productiveness, 
handsome appearance, and long keeping quali¬ 
ties. Air. James S. Clark, of this town, exhib¬ 
ited some of them at the Town and County Ag. 
Exhibitions, and, though hardly ripe, they were 
much admired for their general appearance.— 
Some of them were submitted to the “tasting 
THE RURAL—CROPS — FRUIT GROWING in OREGOn. 
AIr. AIoore : — The ten copies of the Rural 
which I ordered are duly received. I sent for 
them principally to create a taste for Rural 
Literature in this hitherto remote Territory. I 
readily disposed of nine copies, and as they are 
very much admired,I think with little attention, 
as they become better known, we can furnish a 
very respectable list of subscribers from this 
new country—many of our farmers being anx¬ 
ious to procure a thorough knowledge of their 
vocation, and thereby place themselves in the 
front rank of those who advocate and practice 
improved scientific farming. 
I think we have here in Oregon one of the 
most healthy and fertile -valleys on the Ameri 
can Continent. The Willamette Valley com¬ 
prises an area equal in extent to about eighty 
miles broad by two hundred long, with the 
Willamette river running its entire length 
through near the center from east to west, and 
is navigable for steamboats about one hundred 
and fifty miles, and numerous clear and beau¬ 
tiful streams emptying into it on either side, 
which have their source in the lofty Cascade 
mountains on the east and the Coast range on 
the west. The valley is diversified with belts 
of gigantic fir timber and level, fertile prairies; 
also a diversity of hill and rolling lands, with 
innumerable cold, pure springs breaking over 
from the hillsides. The country is admirably 
adapted to almost all -grains, vegetables and 
fruits that grow in a temperate climate. In 
fruit, especially apples, I think we can compare 
with any part of the world for productiveness 
and quality. Apple trees usually come into 
bearing the fourth year from the graft, and con¬ 
tinue to yield every year in succession very 
large crops of high-flavored fruit. Pears also 
produce well and of the first quality—also 
plums, cherries, grapes, currants, (fee.,—but the 
peach cannot be relied on as a regular bearer. 
We have also a great variety of wild fruits, and 
berries in abundance. Farmers are beginning 
to turn their attention considerably to the grow¬ 
ing of fruit, as it has proved heretofore, and still 
is, a lucrative business. Good varieties of cul¬ 
tivated apples bring $10 per bushel and pears 
$20. The fruit crop is good this season, and 
the same is true in regard to all other crops, 
although wheat is considerably smutty. 
The Indian war has been considerable of a 
drawback on the amount of crops this present 
season, but that difficulty I believe is generally 
considered as nearly over now, as the Indians 
south have nearly all been removed on to the 
reservation, and those north have divided into 
small bands and retreated into the mountains— 
leaving the regular forces under Gen. Wool 
(after a long winter’s expensive preparation for 
war in the field,) without any enemy to oppose. 
Finally, I think Oregon is destined to be¬ 
come one of the wealthiest States in the Union. 
Its resources for water power, and its suscepti¬ 
bility of being thickly populated,—its gigantic 
forests of fir, its extended and fertile prairies, 
its pure streams of water, and the salubrity 
and healthfulness of its climate, with its scene¬ 
ry of snow-capped mountains,—must be seen 
in order to be properly appreciated. 
Yours, die., Daniel Chaplin. 
Champney, Marion Co., 0. T., Aug., 1856. 
FATTENING HOGS. 
We are indebted to Mr. AIoseley Dunham, of 
Clay, N. Y., for the following statement of an 
Experiment made by him in fattening Hogs — 
showing the monthly gain in weight, expense 
of feeding, &c. The statement (which was 
furnished to the Directors of the Onondaga Co. 
Ag. Society at its recent Fair,) is a very inter¬ 
esting and suggestive one to farmers. It proves 
the correctness of the assertion of H. T. B., in 
our last number, that “in this region of country 
we cannot afford to feed corn to hogs unless it 
is ground and boiled with pumpkins, apples, or 
some vegetables, and then only in the winter, 
or to harden the pork just before killing.” Had 
Air. D. fed his hogs the first six weeks on refuse 
apples, pumpkins, (fee., and the remainder of 
the three months on corn, the result would 
probably have been more profitable and satis 
factory. 
Experiment on the Profit of Fattening Hogs on Corn 
in the Ear. 
Sept. 1st, 1848, shut up six hogs to fatten, and weighed 
them once a moth until they were slaughtered. 
No. 1, one year and 6 mos. old weighed 350 lbs. 
Utat ant) ftm 
No. 2, 
No. 3, sow raised pigs, thin in flesh, 
No: 4, pig five months old, 
No. 5, “ 
No. 6, « 
322 
234 
98 
86 
44 
1,134 
Whole weight, 
Daring the month fed the hogs all together 58 bushels 
yellow corn. 
October 1st weighed them again, and found their weight 
and gain as follows : 
No. 1 weighed 438 lbs—gain in one month 88 lbs 
No. 2 
No. 3 
No. 4 
No. 5 
No. 6 
390 lbs— 
Si 8 Ibs- 
154 lbs— 
144 Iba— 
76 lbs— 
68 
84 
56 
58 
32 
Whole weight, 1,520 lbs. Gain, 
Fed them 68 bushels ears white corn, 
again as follows : 
No. 1 weighed 504 lbs—gain in one month 66 lbs. 
386 lbs. 
Nov. 1st weighed 
No. 2 
No. 3 
No. 4 
440 lbs— 
396 lbs— 
206 lbs- 
60 
78 « 
52 “ 
No. 6 “ 
200 lbs— 
a a 
it 
56 “ 
No. 6 « 
110 lbs- 
it it 
It 
34 “ 
Whole weight, 
1,856 lbs. Gain, 
336 lbs. 
Fed them 56 bushels ears yellow corn during the last 29 
days. 
Nov. 30th, weighed and killed. 
Live weight. 
Dressed. 
Gain. Shrinkage. 
No. 1 weighed 562 lbs. 
474 lbs. 
58 lbs. 
88 lbs. 
No. 2 “ 
482 lbs. 
404 lbs. 
42 lbs. 
78 lbs. 
No. 3 “ 
464 lbs. 
378 lbs. 
68 lbs. 
86 lbs. 
No. 4- “ 
246 lbs. 
192 lbs. 
40 lbs. 
64 lbs. 
No. 5 “ 
246 lbs. 
190 lbs. 
46 lbs. 
56 lbs. 
No. 6 “ 
128 lbs. 
102 lbs. 
18 lbs. 
26 lbs. 
- — 
— 
— 
_ 
Total, 
2,128 
1,740 
272 
388 
Shrunk in dressing 38 lbs. less than one-fifth. 
Worth of the hogs when shut up, Sept. 1st, was three 
cents per pound. $34,02 
Worth of the 182 bushels com fed them at 2 sliil- 
lings a bushel is... 45,60 
Worth of the pork after being dressed at $5 a hun¬ 
dred is. 87,00 
Which leaves a balance of $7,48 for feeding the corn. 
The above rates are what the store hogs, corn and pork 
were worth when fatted, Nov. 30th, 1848. • 
Should you take the prices as they were last season, 
the store hogs at 6 cents per pound would come to $68.04 
The corn at 3 shillings per bushels would come to 68,25 
Worth of the hogs and coi n would be.$136,29 
Worth of the pork at $8 per hundred. 139,20 
Which would leave $2,91 for feeding the corn ; or in other 
words $2,91 more than the store hogs and corn would 
come to. 
I certify the above to be a correct statement made by 
me. Moseley Dunham.- 
Olay, N. Y., Sept., 1853. 
SEEDING TO GRASS IN AUTUMN. 
PRESERVING EGGS.-PLASTER A FAILURE. 
Eds. Rural :—In your issue of Sept. 20th, I 
observe A. Y. M., of Penn., recommends to pack 
eggs in Cayuga plaster as the best mode of 
keeping them fresh, (fee. Permit me to tell the 
readers of the Rural my experience in keeping 
eggs in plaster. 
Some eight or ten years ago I put ten eggs in 
a gallon oyster keg with ground plaster. They 
kept well through the heat of the summer, were 
exhibited at the Wayne Co. (N. Y.) Fair, and 
a Vol. Trans, awarded as a premium. I also 
informed the public at the Fair how I preserved 
them, for which a vote of thanks was awarded 
me. From this experiment I was induced to 
pack away, in a half hogshead, two hundred 
dozen the same autumn, and as a result lost 
nine-tenths of them. I immediately caused 
my failure to be published in the Wayne coun¬ 
ty papers that others might not suffer a similar 
loss, as I fear they may if they follow the recipe 
of A. Y. M. ' 
Undoubtedly eggs will keep well for a reason¬ 
able length of time in plaster, if there are but 
few eggs to a large amount of plaster. But 
when “ packed ” in plaster, or any other earthy 
matter, the warmth of the eggs produces a 
moisture of the plaster, and the eggs soon must 
and spoil. In preserving eggs it is no more ne¬ 
cessary to place them in a certain position than 
it is potatoes or apples. C. P. Smith. 
Flint, Michigan, Sept., 1856. 
Friend AIoore :— I have often thought I 
would like to write something for the Rural, if 
it was not quite so smart; but have never put 
my thought into practice. And I don’t know 
as you’ll thank me for doing so now. But, he 
that as it may, 1 am going to show my good 
will, and you can do as you like about showing 
it to any one else. What gave me a start, was 
the queries of B. F. in the Rural of the 4th 
inst. relative to seeding to grass in Autumn ; 
and although they were answered by your re¬ 
marks, fidl as well as I could have done it, yet 
perhaps a little of my experience on the sub¬ 
ject may help to form a clincher. So here goes. 
In accordance with information received 
through the Rural, 1 ventured for the first time 
to sow grass seed in the fall, two years ago. Aly 
seed was a mixture of equal parts of clover and 
timothy; and I sowed 5% qts. per acre. Four 
acres of light, sandy soil, I seeded with winter 
wheat, Sept. 13th, and oue acre of the same in 
Dec. Seven acres, a part of which was a gravel 
ridge, ana a part moist loam, I seeded alone, on 
oat stubble, the 29th of Sept. Both pieces 
“ took” well. The clover predominated among 
the wheat, was nearly knee high at harvest 
time ; and yielded a fair crop the past season— 
with no perceptible difference between the late 
and early seeding. The timothy got the start 
on the oat stubble. I cut a small crop from it 
in ’55, and a pretty fair crop the past season. 
I liked fall seeding so well, that I tried it again 
in 1855, on a light, gravelly soil, after corn; 
sowing with wheat 1% bushels of clear timothy 
to five acres. It “took” well; but the weather 
has been so very dry during the summer that it 
has not grown much. It was sown Oct. 2nd, 
and rolled after harrowing. I intend to seed a 
small lot, about the 20th of the present month. 
Madison, Ohio, Oct., 1856. j. r. p. 
WOLF DOGS WANTED. 
The National Ag. Fair. —The Annual Ex¬ 
hibition of the U. S. Ag. Society, held at Phil¬ 
adelphia last week, was largely attended, the 
weather being very favorable. So far as at¬ 
tendance and receipts are concerned, the Fair 
is generally conceded to be a great success, but 
the opinions expressed by those present rela¬ 
tive to its utility, and the benefits derivable by 
the agricultural community, are various and 
conflicting. Judging from letters received, and 
reports in Eastern papers, w r e are inclined to 
the belief that the Show itself was far from 
realizing the expectations of the public, except 
in Horses, which department is universally 
pronounced the feature of the exhibition. Com¬ 
plaint is, however, made that horse jockeys 
were more honored than worthy cultivators and 
inventors, and that the grounds were rendered 
a National race course—that the display on the 
grounds and at the banquet was more note¬ 
worthy than the meritorious and useful features 
which should be prominent on such an occasion 
The Grand Banquet, on Friday afternoon, was 
attended by eighteen hundred persons, inclu 
ding two hundred ladies. An immense tent 
beautifully decorated, was entirely filled by 
bountifully supplied and well surrounded ta 
bles. The “after dinner speeches” were of 
course eloquent, though but little was said 
about Agriculture. After President Wilder’ 
welcome to the guests, in a handsome address 
speeches were made by Gov. Pollock of Pa 
Alayor Vaux, Gov. Price of N. J., G. W, 
Custis of Va., Wm. AI. AIeredith, Josiah Quin 
cy, Jr., of Alass., A. B. Conger of New York, 
and Judge Robeson of New Jersey. 
The Premiums were announced at the close 
of the Banquet, but we are unable to give 
correct list of the awards. The principal Pre 
miums (Sweepstakes, Herds, (fee.,) are as fol 
lows: 
The Sweepstakes Premium of $200 for the best Herd 
of Cattle, of any breed, belonging to one person, was 
awarded to Samuel Thorne, of Thornedale, Washington 
Hollow, Dutchess Co., N. Y., tor his Short-horn herd. 
Herd Premiums.— The best Short-horn Bull and four 
Cows, $100, to Samuel Thorne, of Dutchess Co., N. Y. 
The best Devon Bull and four Cows, $100, to William B 
WHEN WE HUSKED CORN. 
Dobbins, of Maryland. 
The best Hereford Bull and four Cows, $100, to William 
H. Sotham, New York. 
[Mr. Samuel Thorne, of New York, also took several 
premiums for Durham Bulls and Cows. Mr. William H. 
Sotham, of New York, won three of the premiums for 
Hereford Cows and Heifers.] 
For the best Stallion, four years old and upward, the 
first premium, of $200, was awarded to John D. Grovers, 
“ citizen.” 
The aggregate receipts are variously esti 
mated at from $32,000 to $40,000. The public 
sale of Stock, at the close of the Fair on Satur¬ 
day, was a comparative failure. The attend¬ 
ance was quite meagre ; but few animals were 
sold, and those at low figures, 
[Failing to receive in time for this paper, a 
promised report from an intelligent correspond¬ 
ent who witnessed the whole exhibition, we 
give the above brief summary—made up hast! 
ly, at the moment of closing this number of the 
Rural for the press.] 
Eds. Rural :—We who live in Texas are 
sorely troubled with wolves, aud it is very hard 
to get rid of them. The flock-masters are never 
at ease on account of expected or feared depre¬ 
dations. The common prairie wolf we can poi¬ 
son or catch with dogs, but the large black wolf 
it is very hard to get either way. There is one 
old and an enormously large fellow, preying 
upon our flocks from year to year, whose depre¬ 
dations would surpass those of “ Putnam’s wolf,” 
and it seems impossible to take him. I have 
been informed that there is a dog bred in the 
extreme North called the “Wolf Alaster,” or 
“ Wolf Hound,” that will capture the largest 
wolves. Will you or some one, give through 
the Rural, a correct account of this breed of 
dogs, if there is any of that description — their 
size, nature, (fee.; and where they could be ob¬ 
tained, price, (fee. ? A. H. Black. 
Tarrant, Hopkius Co., Texas, Sept., 1856. 
Value of Sheep to the Farmer. —It is of 
more importance to the farmer than is generally 
supposed, that a certain proportion of his farm- 
stock should consist of sheep. Speaking on this 
point, R. S. Fay, of Lynn, recently remarked at 
an Agricultural meeting in Boston, (as reported 
in the N. E. Farmer,') “ Sheep are gleaners after 
other stock, and will help keep the cattle pas¬ 
tures in good condition by being turned into 
them occasionally, to eat the coarser plants 
which have been left. They will enrich the 
land ; there is no manure so fertilizing as that 
of sheep, and it does not so readily waste 
by exposure as that of other animals. Sheep 
may be made exceedingly useful in helping to 
prepare land for a crop. A German agricultur¬ 
ist has calculated that the droppings from one 
thousand sheep during a single night would 
manure an acre sufficiently. By that rule a 
farmer may determine how long to keep any 
given number of sheep on a particular piece of 
land. Air. Fay said he was accustomed to fold 
his sheep upon land which he designed for corn 
and other crops; and in so doing he shut them 
upon half an acre at a time, keeping them there 
by a wire fence which was easily moved from 
place to place. In this way bis land was well 
manured without the labor of shoveling and 
carting.” These ideas are worth reading by 
the farmer. We believe any farm will bear a 
certain number of sheep, in proportion to the 
other stock, not only without loss to the amount 
of grazing which it will yield to the cattle and ; 
horses, but to the increase of the same. Mr. 
Fat, by his management, makes the lambs and 
manure pay for keeping the sheep and the -wool 
is clear profit. 
Oregon Wheat. —The Oregonian, published 
at Portland, thus mentions a bunch of wheat left 
at its sanctum :—“It consists of fifty-one stalks 
—all grown from seed—each having a large 
head, containing, on an average, over seventy 
large kernels of fine, plump wheat. The bunch 
stands nearly six feet high, aud in its way, is a 
perfect curiosity. The wheat is of the common 
wiiite variety, and the field from which this 
was taken was sowed during the middle of last 
winter.” If it were not too late in the season 
we should invite some of our Western New 
York farmers to try and beat this Oregon pro¬ 
duction. 
Ag’l School in Canada. —The City Council 
of Hamilton, C. W., have purchased a quantity 
of land within a short distance of that city, for 
the purpose of establishing a “ Farm Industrial 
School.” Suitable buildings are to be erected 
forthwith, that all may be in readiness the com¬ 
ing spring. 
October scorching fires the trees, 
And naked lies the shivering vine ; 
While dimly o’er the distant seas 
The fading lights of summer shine. 
Along the lawn the negro blows 
Deep summons on his noonday horn, 
And homeward troop the girls and beaux 
From husking of the corn. 
I mind me well that autumn day, 
When five and twenty years ago, 
We turned our labor into play, 
And husked the corn for neighbor Lowe. 
Ah! wife, we were the blithest pair 
That e’er to wedded love were born ; 
For I was gay and you were fair 
A husking of the corn. 
Oh 1 how we sung and how we laughed ! 
Our hearts sat lightly on our lips, 
As we the golden cider quaffed, 
And passed the bowl with rustic quips. 
And when sly hints of love went round. 
You glanced at me with pouting scorn. 
Yet smiled, tho’ you fain would frown, 
A husking of the corn. 
Then when I found the scarlet ear, 
And claimed the old traditioned kiss, 
You bade me not approach too near, 
And pleaded that, and pleaded this - 
Away you fled, and I pursued, 
Till all too faint you were to warn, 
And—know you not how well I wooed 
A husking of the corn ? 
Our Fairs should be Jubtleks—Holidays.— 
We have frequently spoken of our Ag. Fairs 
as Jubilees and “Rural Holidays” — urging 
s 1 their value and necessity as a source of social¬ 
ity, recreation and amusement, in addition to 
their positive usefulness and benefit to our in¬ 
dustrial population. Believing that our people 
—the great mass of Americans, of all occupa¬ 
tions—need more recreation and amusement 
than one National Holiday affords, we have for 
years, as the present and former volumes of the 
a I Rural will show, advocated the importance of 
rendering our exhibitions more attractive, plea¬ 
sant and agreeable. And we are glad to know 
that such sentiments are of late entertained 
and expressed by other journalists, in various 
sections of the country. For instance, the last 
number of the Wayne Sentinel, after calling 
attention to the Fair of the Union Ag. Society 
—to be held at Palmyra next week—has these 
sensible remarks : 
“ Complaints are made every day, that in this 
country there are comparatively too few amuse¬ 
ments, and men are said to be overtasking 
themselves for want of some relief. We are 
told that Americans will scarcely for an hour 
give up business for pleasure, or the useful for 
the agreeable. Whether this is true or not, it 
is a fact that foreign ways of diversion cannot 
be imported and introduced amongst us with 
any great success for various reasons—taste, 
climate, temper, government and differing so¬ 
cial systems, being in the number. Conse¬ 
quently, if we are to have them at all, they 
must be indigenous, springing up from among 
us—part of our ways and habits. Now, these 
Agricultural, Horticultural, aud Mechanical 
exhibitions are natural to us, they are suitable 
to our condition, and adapted to our taste ; for 
this there are several reasons; the principle 
one is, they combine and mingle utile cum didci, 
and for this we commend them earnestly and 
cordially to our readers, and the public gener¬ 
ally, for surely if utility makes itself such 
great company, and refuses to ‘ turn the gay to 
the severe’ by blending itself on harmoniously 
with the beautiful,it is none the worse or should 
be the less thought of. They have a back 
ground of information, of useful instruction and 
valuable (social intercourse, which strengthen 
their claims to the good offices of the public. 
They are a genuine, popular, spontaneous, 
American recreation. Let us value, cherish 
aud improve them then, aud deem the time 
well speDt, which we shall pass in the examin¬ 
ation of their various parts, and the enjoyment 
of the innocent social pleasures offered for our 
amusement.” 
How MUCH SHOULD A COW Eat. — COWS, to 
give milk, require more food than most farmers 
imagine. J. W. Johnson, writing from Munich 
to the Country Gentleman, gives an interesting 
report of some experiments which have been 
made in Bavaria, from which the following is 
au extract: — “Our trials have confirmed the 
view that cows, to give the greatest possible 
quantity of milk, must daily receive aud con¬ 
sume one thirtieth of their live weight in hay, 
or an equivalent therefor. If more food be given 
it goes to the formation of flesh and fat without 
occasioning a corresponding increase in the yield 
of milk ; but if, on the contrary, less food be 
furnished, the amount and value of the milk 
will be greatly diminished.” 
The Connecticut State Fair, held at N ew 
Haven last week, is said to have proved the 
most successful of auy yet held in the State.— 
’he exhibition was generally superior, the or¬ 
der and arrangements good, and the attendance 
numerous. The weather was delightful, adding 
to the pleasure aud enjoyment of participants 
the Jubilee. The receipts were about 
$10,000—good evidence of the popularity and 
prosperity of the Conn. State Ag. Society. 
The Pennsylvania, Michigan and Illinois 
Slate Ag. Exhibitions—held at Pittsburgh, De¬ 
troit aud Alton—are said to have been compara¬ 
tively successful, but failing to receive, as we 
anticipated, reports from correspondents who 
attended each, we are without definite and re¬ 
liable information. 
Draining of wet lands and marshes adds to 
their value, by making them to produce more, 
and by improving the health of neighborhoods 
—both important considerations. 
