©O&S’g K0R&3E, HKW-TOEKKS 
'mmtnlZ&SS?: 
FEB. 12. 
' vcn ' !lbovc thc ordinary dairy cows in tho wheat and corn. Not one-half was so before, and 
State, and showed good judgment, in thoir selection, that part was in disconnected knolls, and ridges, 
ic.i appearance indicated the best of care, so ab- and patches— here and there. And if $20 pei*acro 
solutcly necessary to thc healthfulncss and profit would have accomplished this, would the invest- 
T . . . . merit have been an injudicious one, when a single 
It may bo well to give a few facts concerning the bushel of wheat, a couple of corn or barley, and 
products of Ayrshire cows m our country, as ,c three or four of oate increase, would provide for 
iy, as ic 
corded in an Essay upon “ Dairy Stock,” by San 
K oni) IIowaiii), Esq. One of four cows imported 
by J. 1 . Cushing, of Watertown, Mass., gave in 
one year 3,801 quarts of milk, beer measure. The 
fiist. Ayrshire cow imported by the Massachusetts 
Society for Promoting Agriculture, in 1837, afford¬ 
ed sixteen pounds of butter per week, for several 
weeks in succession, grass being her only food.— 
Sevei al cows imported or bred by IIunokiikokd 
and Bkodik, of Jeff. Co., N. Y., have equaled if 
not exceeded this. Although tho breed has not 
bad a thorough trial in this country, yet, so far as 
an opinion can be formed from the experiments 
which have been made, it is thought that no breed 
lias given more satisfactory returns, us dairy cattle, 
Prnttsburgli, N. Y., I860. 
than the Ayrshircs. From close and long continued | J' 
observation, and from all the evidence that can bo 
gathered, Mr. Howard thinks their adoption by 
our dairymen would secure the following advan¬ 
tages over our common stock : 
”1. A greater quantity of milk, butter, and 
cheese, for the food consumed. 2. Greater uni¬ 
formity in thc general character of thc stock, from 
its inherent or hereditary qualities. 3. Better 
symmetry and constitution, and greafor tendency 
to gain flesh when not giving milk.” 
Our “ representative ” bull was owned and ex¬ 
hibited ut the N. Y . State Fair by E. J*. Pukntick 
the intcrcstof the outlay? But instead of any such 
stinted additions, I have bad twenty, thirty and 
even sixty dollars worth of wheat per acre more 
than the land could possibly have produced with¬ 
out the drains. 
I)o you say this is mainly assertion —wo want. 
\fadsf What have wo to combat but assertion, I 
ask? Experiment after experiment has been pub¬ 
lished, all in support of draining. East, West, 
North and South send up concurrent testimony. 
Who begins to drain a farm and gets sick of it?— 
Who has ever drained judiciously and afterwards 
condemned tho practice? If there is such a man 
in tho wide universe, I beg of him to coino up to 
SHEEP FOR MUTTON. 
‘PROFITABLE FARMING.” 
Ens. Rurai.:—W ill you nllow me to comment 
briefly upon the communication of Mr. Oitaddock, 
of Genesee Co., (Rurai., Jan. 8, 1859.) criticising 
some “Hints on Farm Improvement,” given in 
your paper last August. Perhaps it may appear 
out of place for me to do so, but it seems that my 
last was flic means of calling out bis present valu¬ 
able article, by inciting him to read again thc 
of Albany, in 1830, and received tho first premium “Hints” above mentioned, 
in his class. Tho cow “ Ayr ”—same owner—was The basis of “ Farm Improvement” ns stated by 
called oneof tho most perfect animals of her kind, you, is thc same as that, of Mr. C.’s “Profitable 
and is said to bo well delineated by thc engraving. Farming,” viz., “ the use of every available, means 
We consider our “portrait,” however, the best 
general representation of this valuable breed. 
UNDERDRAINING HARD-PAN. 
to secure a large amount of manure." Here 
heartily agree. But Mr. C. would have the whole 
farm brought at once into profitable cultivation. It 
should be, if tho "availablemeans" are large cnougl 
— Otherwise it seems to us that it will bo “at 
Ens. Rurai.:— A man who is n quest of a farm, tempting too much," and thus injuring tho success 
and has thc cash in his pocket to pay for it, will of of the enterprise. Better, as you advise, under 
course prefer dryland rather than wet, other things take to grow profitable crops ns far as you grow 
being equal. His aim will be to purchase lands any, than spread too thinly your labor and manun 
which are dryest, best located, most fertile, and can over a large farm. 
Eds. Rurai,: —There seems to bo quite noom- 
mondablo zeal manifested in tho improvement of 
wool-growing sheep, a zeal which results in the 
benefit of the farmer if not tho manufacturer, and 
while to a large class of our farmers the flceco will 
bo the most important item, yet, with tho present 
price of mutton, and the frequent calls for mutton 
sheep, (hero may be another class who may find it 
to their advantage to turn their attention more 
particularly to (ho raising of sheep for slaughter 
It would be of benefit to those who wish to turn 
their attention to the raising of this kind of slice] 
if tlicro could be some well conducted exper 
ments, with two or three of tho best breeds, 
cerf.aining the amount of food consumed_tho 
amount of mutton produced—tho adaptation 
the bleed to our climuto — the difference in prico 
of mutton, if any—tho difference in price of fleece 
Ac., so that the most profitable brood (all things 
considered,) might be selected. I have, for three 
years past, kept a small flock of South-Downs 
which have more than answered my expectations 
Such has been tho call for breeding purposes 
liavo not been able to mature any for mutton, 
weighed, a few days since, three ewes, which 
Hurd Spirit of tl)c press. 3Vc\rintltural iltisccilnnn. 
be had for the least money. But it must be borne 
in mind that comparatively few of us arc now at 
liberty to make our selections—that nearly thc 
whole area of this eastern country is now in the 
hands of individual owners who, for various rea¬ 
sons, choose to remain where they aro — that tl 
a few may sell out because of considerations like 
those urged by II. T. B., yet even they must sell to 
somebody, and, therefore, the question will still re¬ 
main to be considered —how shall the land be. treated? 
To this question there seems to be two answers. 
The advocates of underdraining say, if you arc set¬ 
tled foi life, with no expectation of changing your 
locution, set about improving your borne by over¬ 
coming any natural obstacles to profitable farming 
you may have to encounter. Have it for upurpose 
“to dress it and to keep it.” If it is dotted with 
pine stumps, have thorn into durable fence as soon 
r.s possible j if it is wet, drain it; if it is covered 
with briers and noxious weeds, wage a war of 
termination ; using for such purposes any surplus 
means and time you may have, instead of squan¬ 
dering both in shallow display, or giving the money 
into the hands of cut-throat managers of soulless 
corporations to be dissolved into nothingness in a 
day. 
Thc other class say, nay, it won't pay! Look 
around and find a better place, where you can live 
easier and can get larger returns for less labor!_ 
Forsake early associations and the graves of kin¬ 
dred, and go West! or, if you must keep your land, 
devote it to grazing—it will grow grass if it is 
W?tl In any event, bo very careful and stinted in 
your outlay, for that part of mother earth you oc 
copy is hard-pan, and an ungrateful hag she is, 
sure to cheat you if you trust her for a dollar! 
You can get grass, as it is —get that, and be 
content! 
As if owners of hard-pan could live on grass!- 
You say mako all tho manure you can, then 
divide the farm (tho tillable part, I suppose) into 
fields appropriate to the amount of the same. Mr 
C. objects to this, and thinks it would be better to 
divide the main farm into jive or six fields any way 
Suppose one has one hundred acres tillable land, lie 
should divide it into six fifteen acre lots, allowing 
ten acres for orchard and small fields near the barn 
This will do if lie makes over three hundred loads 
of manure, if half this or less, as many hundred 
acre farmers do, tho course pointed out in your 
“Hints” will much sooner improve thc farm. 
For a farm of one hundred acres, devoted to 
mixed husbandry, ten or twelve fields seven and a 
half to nine acres in size, will be none too many, 
at least until farms are improved considerably be¬ 
yond Hie present standard. As tho product in 
creases (and it will increase if every field cultivated 
receives due attention,) the amount of manure will 
increase, and soon two fields may be devoted to a 
single crop, often to the gpcat convenience of the 
fancier. Thc farm will become truly profitable, as 
Mr. C. says, only when all the land is brought under 
systematic and thorough cultivation. His system 
of rotation is n very good one, but the tenor of bis 
communication, would rather discourage farmers 
of small means from attempting “ Farm Improve¬ 
ment,” while I conceive your “Hints” to have 
been peculiarly well calculated to further that de¬ 
sirable end. A Young Farmer. 
Nlngnrn Co., N. Y., ,Tnn. 1859. 
AGRICULTURAL MATTERS IN IOWA. 
Eds. Huiiai.:— It may not bo uninteresting to 
your readers to learn something of the doings in 
our State in regard to agriculture. Wc have had, 
during the week, two Agricultural Boards in scs- 
iSpeaking for them, I beg t.o say that they want as sion—tho Board of Directors of the State Ag 
good thing)’, as do tho cultivators of alluvial bof- Society, and the Board of Trustees of the Iowa 
toms—. and they have them. II. T. II. was once in State Ag. College and Farm. The former cinbrac- 
tlie r ,e regions and ho was not confined to this one C( 1 representatives from twenty County Societies 
article of diet, as lie must recollect, unless possibly from all sections of thc State. There were, how- 
his head and his heart (it was m his younger days,) ever, delegates from only about one-third of the 
were so full of what usually fills the heads, if not Societies organized in thc Slate. The proceedings 
the hearts of thrifty bachelors, as to make him were tho same that usually occupy thc Annual 
oblivious to his faro. We cannot even feel, in re- Meetings, embracing Hie election of officers, loea- 
gard to so restricted diet, as did a friend, of cod- tion of the Fair, and the formation of the Premium 
fish, when he said ho could get along with it very List, all of which elicited much interest, both in 
well for sixty or seventy meals, but shouldn’t like and out of thc body. Tho officers elected for the 
to be confined to it! present year arc:— President — Z. T. Fisiier, of 
But it won’t pay to drain hard-pan land, says our Mahaska Co. Vice-President -W. W. Hamilton, 
friend. I respond, begging his pardon, it will pay! of Dubuque Co. Secretary J. II. Wallace, of 
I have made between soven and eight miles of stone Muscatine Co. Treasurer —Robert Servers, of 
underdrains, and every rod has paid, or will pay Mahaska Co. Oskaloosa, Mahaska Co., where the 
when it has been down two yenrs. That which Fair was hold last season, was selected as tho point 
was first made, has paid more than once. I would for thc Fair this year. Davenport and Iowa City 
not have them up for twice thoir cost. My land is 
“ hard-pan,” ten miles from market, sixteen from 
thc county scat, and such a dizzying distance above 
the sea level that even Sorghum will not mature— 
yet thc ditches pay! They would pay if I wished 
to sell! They will pay to sell or to keep — pay in 
were competitors. Essays on various agricultural 
subjects were read and discussed during the 
evenings. 
The Board of Trustees of thc Agricultural Col¬ 
lege lmd a very interesting meeting, the import¬ 
ance of the objects, such as the locution of the farm 
both the pleasure and the profit of culture-pay and the cl(!cti()n of officers, brought togethe 
fiillior lor frnun nr fnr nvnsmt A«w1 n 
cither for grain or for grass! And, somewhat 
familiar with the region of Northern Steuben, with¬ 
out tho fear of II. T. B. before my eyes, I avow, us 
my settled conviction, that there is very little if 
any land hereabouts so wot and spouty and poor, 
that I would not sooner undertake to make interest 
large number of persons to witness its delibera¬ 
tions. Six or seven proposals to donate lands and 
money for the farm, from as many counties, were 
received and acted upon. These, together with 
such others as may bo received previous to the 
1st of May next, wore referred to a committee of 
were awarded tho first premium at our late County 
Fnir. One two year-old, which raised a lamb last 
summer, weighed 137 lbs., one yearling, 131 lbs 
one do. 128 lbs. I think some of my yearlings 
gained, on grass, 50 lbs. I could receive $7 per 
head for my owes for mutton. I sold one Iamb, 
less than 6 months old, whose quarters weighed 
12 lbs. each; 1 buck lamb 4 months old, weighed 
97 lbs.; sold one yearling wether, weight 130 lbs. 
nt 5 cts. per pound, or $(>,50. I have none for sale 
now. I intend to weigh some in April, and again 
in November, and may give you tho figures. 
East Bloomfield, N. Y., 1859. A. Conb. 
POTATO EXPERIMENT -LIGHT WANTED. 
Ens. Rural:— In No. 464 of the New-Yorker 
an article headed the “Carter Potato” attracted my 
attention, particularly as it seems that Mr. Carter’s 
experiment in raising potatoes from the seed has 
produced quite a different result from any expe¬ 
rience of my own. The year 1843, as wc all know, 
was the first when our potatoes rotted, and a few 
years after everybody felt uneasy as to the prospect 
of entirely losing this very valuable vegetable. In 
the spring of 1846 I sowed some seed taken from 
the balls of the “ early-Line potato” which pro¬ 
duced small white potatoes, from the size of a pea 
to that of a largo white bean. In 1847 1 planted 
these in duo season and raised a comparatively 
good crop of while potatoes, scorning perfectly 
sound, and free from disease. In 1848 1 planted 
my whole crop, feeling quite sure of having pro¬ 
duced a new variety of potatoes—as thc seed was 
taken from a blue variety and had produced, so far, 
a white one. The year 1848, in our neighborhood, 
was a year of blight and rot, and my new variety, 
on which I had placed all my hopes, shared the 
same fate of thc others—thiijt is, a proportional part 
rotted, but to my great surd ise I found that every 
potato, remaining in a squMvhat sound state, bad 
changed from a white lo nMdd original blue color. 
By this alteration thA im^fcd my displeasure to 
such a degree that I mixed them with their prede¬ 
cessors without paying any more attention to them. 
Will Rural readers throw some light upon this, to 
me, dark subject? w. 
Luzerne Co., Pa., 1859. 
- - ' ' ' ♦ —-- . 
Inquiries anti Unstuers. 
Castor On, Bran.—1 would like to Inquire through 
the columns of the Rural, something about the Castor 
Oil Bean, whether it can be profitably raised in Western 
New Y'ork, llio kind of soil it requires, and what ma¬ 
chinery is necessary for expressing tho oil V Castor Oil 
is tho best tiling I have ever tried for oiling bools with ; 
with one good application 1 lmvo worked day after day 
n tho water, with perfectly dry foot. 
Black-Eyed 1’kas.—I received a few Black-Eyed 
’eas from one of your subscribers Inst year, and should 
like to bo informed of thoir intrinsic vaiuo, as I boo they 
are quoted at a higher price than any otlior in the mar¬ 
ch—A. T., South Bristol, A r . K, 1859. 
Tin: Castor .Scan grows best in a rich, mellow, 
deep soil, and is cultivated like corn. It attains 
the height of from four to six feet, and the product 
f beans is from 20 to 30 bushels an acre. The oil 
is extracted either by boiling and skimming, or by 
bruising the berries and subjecting them to a great 
pressure, which makes the best oil, known as cold 
pressed. If any of our readers have had experi¬ 
ence, or can give any information to our corres¬ 
pondent, we hope they will do so. The lilach-Eyed 
\a is very much like tho common Marrowfat, but 
is said by sonic to be more productive. 
Advice Gratis. —To all and sundry people who 
liavo any extraordinary productions lor sale — 
whether fast horses, big cattle, squash seed, Egyp¬ 
tian millet, bee-hives or rat traps — wo beg to sug¬ 
gest that the best way to accomplish their object is 
to advertise and pay therefor. We aro about 
through even reading long articles cracking up 
stock, seeds, Ac., which the writers have for sale, 
and as to publishing such elongated and extrava¬ 
gant puffs of thoir own wares, wo ignore the idea 
altogether. Woadmiro patriotism, and wish to ad¬ 
vance improvement, but prefer to encourage merit 
and modesty, rather than brass and self-interest. 
“Nativh Americanism” amonO the Cattle 
Cabbages Ibr Ontt.lo. 
The W orcestcr Palladium recommends cabbages 
for cattle as easier raised than roots, and quito as 
good. For milch cows they work wonders; and 
tho loose leaves may be advantageously plucked to 
be fed in lull and early winter. In planting, 
booing, and in gathering, cabbages require loss la¬ 
bor than carrots. Of tho comparative vaiuo of t.lio 
crops, wo are not aware. Raising a patch of cab¬ 
bages for thc cows, however, would “pay” almost 
any fanner. 
Preserving Jtuttor. 
A patent has boon secured by W. Clark, of 
London, Eng., says the Scientific Amorioan, for tho 
following method of preserving button—'Tho but- 
t< i is .fiist util beaten in tho usual manner after Breeders. —At a roeent Legislative Agricultural 
cunning, t ion placed between linen cloths, and meeting, held at tho Stato House, Boston, tho 
submitted to severe pressure for removing whey chairman, J. W. Proctor, Esq., after announcing 
and wator. It is now completely enveloped or the subject —“ Breeds of Cattle adapted to Mixed 
co\cic( wit i chan "hito paper, which is coated on Panning ”—nuincd tho several well known breeds 
both, sides with a preparation of flic white of eggs, 0 f imported cattle, or “ blood stock,” and then in- 
m w nc i 1.) grains of salt is used for each egg.— vitod attention especially to the old u Red Stock, 1 
ns piepaied paper is first dried, then boated be- <>r wliat ho termed “Native Stock.” A compari- 
forc a lire, or with a hot iron, just prior to wrapping son was instituted in which tho Natives seemed to 
it round tho butter. It is stated that butter may nu , ct the greatest favor, Mr. P. concluding as fol 
bo kept perfectly sweet without any salt for two lows:—“But it is said tho pure-blooded animals 
months, when thus treated, if placed in a cool, dry 0 „ly can bo confided in lo produce their like, and 
cellar. 1 ho submiting of butter to pressure, as hero hangs the burden of the song. Of this I do 
( cHcnbcd, is a good plan, and one which wo recoin- not profess to bo experienced. I cannot under 
mend to all our farmers. They can easily practice stand why thc connection of a fine Yankee bull with 
it w it i a small clieese-pioss. a Jin* Yankee cow is not as likely to produce a fins 
Vermont Premium Corn. calf, as though the animal came from oneof tho 
At the Annual Meeting of tho Vormont Ag. Islands of the British Channel. I think much of 
Society, held at Middlobury on thc 5th ult., asamplo this talk about purity of blood is mere gab." Mr. 
of King Philip corn was presented by Hon. II. S. P. was supported in his views by Mr. J. C. Moore, 
Morse, of Shelburne, tho yield of which averaged a native of Ayrshire, England. Mr. M. favored tho 
upwards of 117 bushels per aero. Tho following idea that tho best nativo stock raised here would 
statement—to which affidavit was mado—will ox- be as well adapted to this region ns any imported 
libit tho inode of culture:—“ I enter three acres of stock, in the sumo manner as the Ayrshircs wero 
:orn for premium, which was raised in tho follow- adapted to tho country where they wore produced 
ng manner:—The land was a hard, stony soil; had Tlie cause of deterioration in American stock, was 
been in meadow five years. I covered about two- the too early use of male animals for procreating 
thirds of thc ground with rotten manuro in tho fall purposes. It was not customary in Scotland to 
of 1857 ; and the balanco of tho piceo with new thus employ them before they bad attained an ago 
fresh manure, drawn in thc winter, and plowed in of three years. Here is a subject worthy of con- 
about thc first of May, from eight to ten inches sidoration- what say Rural readers to tho above 
deep. I harrowed it well, and planted it with King positions ? 
Philip Corn, on the 18th of May, three feet by three 
Auricultural Books, Ac. —In copying an arti- 
clo on this topic from the Rural —wherein we 
spoke of the lack of good books on Agriculture, 
and the want of proper criticisms—tho editor of 
thc Boston Cultivator, who had previously alluded 
to thc subject, makes tho following pertinent re¬ 
marks :—“ YVe are pleased to see that thc subject 
has attracted tho attention of some of our con¬ 
temporaries, and should the agitation of the mnt- 
ler result in bringing about a reform, it will be 
highly gratifying to the true friends of improve¬ 
ment. Tho making of books lias been profitable, 
An English paper in commenting upon this but with authors and publishers, tho question— 
subject remarks that tho Cheshiro dairy farmer,by What will sell? has been the governing idea, 
the free use of bone manure laid on his grass lands, ratber than-YVl.at is true ? The praiseworthy 
m«i v 08 his hum, "hicli at one time, before thc ap- desire of tho people to obtain knowledge is abused, 
plication of bone manure, fed only 20 head of cows, and their ignoran0 o and credulity made use of to 
UuN’d 1 ' 10 two-thirds or inure, tajeo from them their money), It is a matter of ro- 
geniprally three-fourth^ of a dairy farm are kopvin grct lhat 80 j a ' rg0 a portdm of tho agricultural 
perfect pasture, (he remainder in tillage. Its dairy hll3 lont its aid to this imposture by its in¬ 
farmers are commonly bound to lay tho whole of d j 8cr j miliato praia0 0 f books, or by its silence in 
their manure, not on the arable, but on the grass regard to error* which it should have corrected, 
land, purchasing wliat may be necessary for the In 80m0 instances this may be accounted for on 
1 he chief improvement, besides drainage, (j, 0 ground of want of proper knowledge by tho 
application of bone manure. In conductors of the jircss; in others, even a loss 
md a half feet apart, and about six kernels in n 
fill. It was cultivated and hoed twice, well; cut 
ip the second and third week in September; stookod 
ji in thc lot, and stood until the latter part of | 
October, before husking. I husked from three 
acres, five hundred and seventy baskets, which 
measured, when shelled, nineteen quarts to (ho 
basket, and weighed thirty-five and one-half pounds 
to the basket -making 20,235 pounds by weight, and 
238 bushels and fourteen quarts, by moasurc.’ 
>airien and Bonn Manure. 
from it with the added cost of undordraining, if three, who are entrusted with thc examination of 
judiciously done, than to undertake to do it in its the sites, and who are required to report thereon 
existing state at its present apprisal value. at an adjourned meeting of tho Board on the 6th 
Now, what is judicious underdraining? II. T. of June next, when the location will be made 
B. m his last lucubration gets tho cost up towards The election of the President of the Institution 
$100 per acre. At fifty cents per rod-which will wa8 postponed to that meeting. A committee was 
fully cover the cost of mine, but which are only 30 appointed to correspond with parties throughout 
inch drains-that sum would fill a farm with the Union in regard to thc selection of competent 
parallel ditches about 13 feet apart! Is it not he 
who is “running tho thing further into the ground” 
every time lie figures? Let mo give him a fact.— 
Uj>on 100 acres, thc writer has expended perhaps 
$1,200. Had lie, as ho now wishes he had done, 
been so thorough as to have used $2,000 in going 
over—equal to $20 per acre every square inch 
of that land would now bo reliable for both winter 
persons to fill that responsible office, and the profes¬ 
sorships of the College. The Committee arc the 
Hon. G. W. F. Surrwin, of Sioux City, Suel Fos¬ 
ter, Esq., of Muscatine, and Wu, Duane Wilson, 
of Desmoines. Applicants may address cither of 
the above parties. W. I). Wilson was re-elected 
Secrotary, and Richard Gaines Treasurer. 
Desmoines, Iowa, 1859. A Looker Ob. 
Carrots Ooino to Seed.—W ill you, or some of your 
orrespondents answer through tho columns of the 
Rural tho following questions] YVlint is tho ennso of 
nrrota going to seed tho first yenr of sowing, is it In the 
seed, or what? I sowed nearly a quarter of an aero of 
the Long Orange Carrot, and about three-fourths of 
them have gone to seed. I thought it was owing to the 
od I procured, which was perhaps taken from the 
first year’H growth, tho same ns tho seed on mine.—R. 
T., (ialt, a. IK., 1869. 
In this matter wc will simply make a few sugges¬ 
tions. The object of all vegetation is self-propaga¬ 
tion the perfection of thc seeds for future plants. 
If thc carrot is sown early, in a warm, quick soil, 
and the root arrives at maturity during the warm, 
growing weather of September, there is a disposi¬ 
tion to go on to the perfection of thc seed. The 
remedy indicated is to sow so late that the root will 
not arrive at maturity until the growing season is 
over. Here the seed will not mature in one season, 
from seed, nor do wo think it will at any place from 
which we obtain carrot seed. Seed should be 
raised from well-grown, smooth roots, but that the 
seed is not always at fault, we have evidence in thc 
fact that the same seed under different treatment, 
produce quito different results. 
Churning in Winter. Some ono asked in the 
Rural how to churn in cold winter weather. We 
always heat sweet milk hot and put it in the churn 
before putting in tho cream, or after. About two 
quarts of milk to tliroo gallons of cream.- -W. A. 
Braoo, Aurora, N. Y., 1859. 
ruble 
consists in the 
the milk of each cow, in its urine, in its manure, 
the hones of each calf reared and sold off, a farm 
parts with as much earthy phosphates of lime as 
contained in half a hundred weight of bono dust. 
Hence the advantage found in returning this min 
al manure by boning grass lands. Tho quantity 
of bones now commonly given in Cheshire fo an 
imperial acre of grass land is about 12 or 15 cwts. 
This dressing on pasture land will last seven or 
glit years; and on mowed land about hulf that 
period. But thc grass land once boned and kept 
ndcr pasture is never so exhausted as to be as 
poor as it was before the application 
Oltl Hlxoep ibr 
In an article on tho “Care of Sheep—Mutton," 
Ac., thc New England Fanner discusses tho pro 
pricty of slaughtering ut tho early ago common The Potato Disease. —The Massachusetts Board 
among Americans, and remarks that “in Great of Agriculture appointed a committee some timo 
Britain, where so much use is mado of mutton by since to test a number of the reputed remedies for 
all classes, from (lie peer to the laborer, great at- tho potato rot, and wc see by tho Boston Cultivator 
tention has been accorded, not only to thc produc- that a partial report has been made. Twenty pvo- 
t ion of the greatest quantity, but also to the best scriptions were tried and all have failed. Tho $L,- 
quality of mutton. After so long n series of of- 000 premium, which called forth these so-catted 
forts and experiments, it is hut reasonable to sup- specifics, still remains with tho Board, and the 
creditable cause seems to have jirevailed-—a con¬ 
temptible toadyism, prompted by tho liopo 
‘That thrift mny follow fawning.”’ 
Honolulu Squash. — YVe are indebted to Mr. 
I. YV. Brhios, of Macedon, N. Y., for a specimen of 
squash, stewed and dried, without sugar or other 
additions, which is certainly a vast improvement in 
flavor and sweetness upon anything in the way of 
unadulterated squash that we over before tasted.- 
Mr. B. says this is anew variety, and thinks it casts 
all other squashes in the shade. The seed was from 
Honolulu, and hence he calls it Honolulu squash. 
It has a russet skin, is nearly globular, and tho nvo- 
rago weight is about 25 pounds. 
pose that very many important discoveries liavo 
been made in this particular branch of rural econ¬ 
omy, and that tho business of fattening, in all its 
details, is there more thoroughly understood and 
practiced than in any other country. It appears, 
indeed, to be universally conceded by agricultural 
writers of England, that sheep of great size and 
rapid growth will not give so fine mutton us 
smaller animals, and those which aro longer in 
coming to maturity. This axiom may, in fact, be 
regarded as constituting tho genuine secret of the 
“itching palms” will liavo to try again. 
Racks and Mangers. — Some inquiry has been 
made through thc columns of the Rural for rucks 
and mangers that will keep cuttle from wasting 
their feed. If the stall is narrow enough to keep 
them from turning around, and short enough to 
keep them from Htepjiing back, there will be no 
necessity for anything better than old-fashioned 
mangers. A stall ten foot long, including manger 
three feet wide, if not used for milking, about 
success which so markedly attends the efforts of the area for middling-sized stock. A door at tho 
thc British herdsmen and llock-mastcrs in fatten- end of euch stall, opening under a shed, is a very 
ing their animals for the market. The Leicestors, convenient way for keeping tho manure under 
consequently, arc less valuable—being large and of cover. They need no fastening and have no clianco 
quick growth—than tho ‘ South-Downs,’which arc to disturb each other. If “Farmer II.” will put 
of a more diminutive sive, and much longer in his calves in a stall six feet long and two feet wide, 
coining to maturity. A late writer on this subject, 
says: ‘A sheep to be in high order for the palate 
of an epicure, should not bo killed earlier than 
when live years old, at which age the mutton will 
he rich and succulent, of a dark color, and full of 
thc richest gravy; whereas if only two years old, 
it is llabby, pale and flavorless.’ In this country, 
mutton rarely attains the age of four years, and 
he can feed corn fodder in his stable without los¬ 
ing a mouthful — there will be no need of having a 
V shaped pluco to put the head into the manger. 
G. Wight, So. Alabama, N. ) 1859. 
Seneca Co. Ao. Society. Officers for 1859 : 
President — Orrin South wick. Vice-President - 
Truman Iloardman. Treasurer - John 1). Coo. 
hence, probably, the reason why tho article known Secretary — Charles Scntoll. Directors — Michael 
by that name is generally so poor compared with Hosier, Jos. YVright, Lyman T. Crowell, John Y. 
the English article. Wethers of good size, and of Grove, Ira Johnson, 
a breed disposed to take on fat readily, are often 
marketed at two or three years old; but it would Progress! —The last number of tho I ’a. Farm 
be for tho breeder’s interest to keep them at least. Journal contains at least seven articles that origi- 
till they were five years old, as lie would then bo nally appeared in tho Rural, but only one of them 
able to offer a very superior article, and to secure is credited I Tho Journal is evidently determined 
a price accordingly. There is no meat superior to to reciprocate the good opinion we lately expressed 
good mutton ; it is wholesome, and possesses u of it, but, while wo admire its tasto, wo cannot 
lluvor equal, if not superior, to tho best beef.” commend tho manner of its “abstractions.” 
j if TTdr 
