:1Pj P’0 
^ mu 
with everything that has been already mentioned, 
will allow all the burdocks and other noxious 
weeds to go to seed unmolested, wo hope it will 
cause them to flounce so furiously, that some of the 
rubbish will get hoisted over the fence, and some 
of the huge burdocks trampled down. 
When we are traveling and a snarling cur bounds 
out at us, or looks mildly and peaceably at us as 
we pass, we always can read the character of his 
master, with most indubitable certainty; because a 
man may be known by the dog he owns. So, when 
we see the highway obstructed, practically, habit¬ 
ually, and forever, we will read to you traits of 
character—without applying the principles of 
physiognomy, or phrenology— which wo might 
have failed to learn in an acquaintance of a half 
score of years under other circumstances. 
It is not only a violation of the civil law—which 
you, gentle reader, and I do not wish to have re¬ 
pealed to obstruct the high way with t rash and rub¬ 
bish, and noxious weeds, but it is a species of 
down-right dishonesty. It shows a disposition to 
invade the harmless and necessary rights of an¬ 
other; and it discloses a feeling very antagonistic 
to the principles which dwell in the breasts of 
estimable citizens, and which strengthen the ties 
of attachment between neighbors and friends. It 
shows a disposition to over-reach, in little things, 
even to the disadvantage and detriment of thoso 
whose good will and esteem we greatly desire. 
In a pecuniary point of view, it is bad policy for 
farmers to allow the highway, which runs through 
their farms, to be blockaded with rubbish and over 
grown with noxious weeds. Highways of a good 
width, with the sides covered with grass instead 
of pestiferous weeds, and free from obstructions, 
always enhance the value of any farm ; and he, 
who is always making little encroachments on the 
borders of the highway, by setting his fences a lit¬ 
tle further into the road every few years, in order 
to get a few rods more of land — when he has al¬ 
ready more than he cultivates in a farmer-like man¬ 
ner— is prompted by a very short-sighted policy. 
It is right to keep the highways clear and clean, 
and no one, however penurious and disposed to en¬ 
croach, has the audacity to deny that people have 
no business to drop all the trash and old rubbish 
of the farm on the borders of the highway. Much 
more might be penned on this subject; but it is 
devoutly to be wished that these few remarks to 
the wise and prudent will induce them, if they 
have any regard at all for the good will and appro¬ 
bation of their neighbors, to deposit their rubbish 
in any corner except on the borders of the high- 
wa y* 8. E. T. ' 
Lake Eidge, Tompkins Co., N. Y., 1859, < 
I port of tho Albany Journal we read, J. II. Crosbt, 
brought in eight head, fed by Wm. Hallock, of 
Rush, Monroe Co., N. Y., which averaged 240 lbs. 
each — one weighed 268 pounds. They were full 
blooded Cotswolds, 2 years and 8 months old; 
purchased by McGuaw at §25 per head.” It was 
further stated in the Journal “ that McGuaw said, 
that any one having any moro such sheep could 
draw on him for §25 a head for them.” 
It will be seen that these sheep sold for the ex¬ 
traordinary price of nearly 10% cents per pound, 
live weight. If we may suppose they sheared 8 
pounds of wool a head, which sold for 80 cents per 
pound, then the income of each sheep was §29,80. 
The two last accounts are defective, in not giving 
the cost of rearing and fattening the sheep; also, 
in not giving the yield of wool per head, and the 
price it sold for. Perhaps Mr. Hallock will fur¬ 
nish the information, togclher with such other 
matters in relation to the Cotswold Sheep as ho 
may deem interesting to farmers, or tho readers of 
the Rural. 
An examination of the New York and Albany 
Market Reports, will show that sales like those 
above noticed, are by no means rare—that the de¬ 
mand lor such sheep is greater than the supply— 
that they often sell for prices equal to from 7 to 10 
cents per pound, live, while ordinary and common 
sheep, (which we may suppose includes the princi¬ 
pal part of fine-wool sheep sold for mutton) do not 
sell for more than half that price. 
It will be seen that whether sold by live or dress¬ 
ed weight, or by the carcass, mutton generally sells 
higher than beef or pork. Now, when wo take into 
consideration that mutton can be made much 
cheaper than beef or pork — it is said by some that 
two pounds of mutton can be made as cheap as 
one of pork — that sheep can be raised much 
cheaper than cattle—that they come to maturity 
much sooner—that the same feed that will keep 
cattle and hogs in good store order will fatten 
sheep, and that the latter yields a yearly fleece of 
considerable value, it certainly seems that raising 
good mutton sheep must be profitable. It also ap¬ 
pears to me that if the subject of keeping sheep 
was better understood in all of its bearings, that ' 
farmers would keep more coarse-wool sheep, and 
that the price of pork, beef, and mutton, would be 
more in proportion to the cost of production. 
Orleans County, N. Y., 1859. F. • 
Where materials for fencing cost, as much as they 
do in most parts of our country, I consider the dif¬ 
ferences between fencing a farm into six lots and 
twelve—large fields, or small—of great importance, 
and can’t conceive it proper, for any hind of farm¬ 
ing to make the divisions so numerous—princi¬ 
pally on account of the expense of the fence. But 
there are other reasons against it. Considerable 
more labor can be, and is, performed by teams, and 
by men, in the larger than in the smaller field.— 
The comparatively waste land occupied by the 
fences, and the tendency of noxious weeds to accu¬ 
mulate thereon, each in itself an item worthy of 
consideration, and, when combined, urge the pro¬ 
priety of determining how many are needed-, and 
having no more. 
A course of farming needing so large an outlay 
as the one I proposed, would indeed seem too much 
for a farmer of too small means, and as what would 
appear to one easy of accomplishment would seem 
horrid to another, itseems rightand proper foreach 
to judge for himself how far it is proper for him to 
go,—nevertheless, it appears to me not proper to 
withhold the recommendation of a system we ap¬ 
prove, for fear of discouraging the weak, for there 
are numerous ones who are not limited in their 
mean8 for cultivating their land. And some others 
— enterprising in their disposition — if they ap¬ 
proved the course, could provide the means. All 
that is wanting in them is to feel satisfied of a pro¬ 
fitable return. 
Land already possessing a maximum value, and 
owned by a man positively without the means of 
tilling it, is like a team owned and kept idle — on 
expense because positively nobody can be hired to 
drive it. Either would be best sold and the money 
put to useful purposes. J. W. Chaddock. 
Pavilion, N. Y., 1859. 
Rural Spirit of tl)c press. Agricultural ilUscellaug. 
Experiment with Potatoes. 
Y e clip the following detailed account of an ex¬ 
periment with potatoes from the N. Y. Spectator, 
and credit accordingly, though inclined to the belief 
that it belongs to some member of the Agricultural 
Press: 
“The following experiment with the potato crop, 
while on a limited scale, is on the right principle. 
The different varieties of manure are employed with 
whole potatoes, small and large, as well as cut in 
various forms, while the same forms are tried 
without manure, except what is common to the 
whole planting. The experiment is one of many 
made with different crops, during the last season, by 
0. S. Cummings, Esq., the proprietor of Springdale 
Farm, near Trenton Falls, N. Y. lie has been the 
presiding officer of an enterprising Ag. association 
of that place. This experiment was tried on twelve 
rows only of seven hills each, planted on the 5th of 
June, 1858, with the Rough Purple Chili variety, 
on gravel loam, which had received alight dressing 
of rotten manure before plowing. 
Row No. 1. Planted with 
i, - •• -., i. oi puraioes, cmt'ir 
small potatoes, one hill, no Rmall size, weiuhtl Its. 3 oz. 
Pro duck wires Duo. 
Oct. !)th. 
No. 1. 37 potatoes, chiefly 
manure. 
No. 2. Planted with Inrpre 
and free from rot. 
No. 2. 53 potatoes, chiefly 
- --— ;,,-.* — , iJiMdwL's, enieiiy 
potatoes, one in hill, no ma- I lame weight 12 Its. 12 oz., all 
nnre. 
No. 3. Planted with small 
sound. 
No. 3. 44 potatoes, medum 
• V.. ...... o....... ..... a. pui.ai.oes, meniim 
potatoes, cut once in two, two i size, weight 7 Iks. 8 oz., sound 
pieces in hill, no manure. 
No. 4. Large potatoes cut No. 4. Ill potatoes, average 
m two. Two pieces m hill, no lot of large ones, and many 
Large potatoes, cut 
small; weight 15 its. 8 oz., one 
rotten. 
No. 5. 38 potatoes, average 
... . .— o, uuv oo putaiues, averagi 
to single eyes, three eyes in fair size, weignt 8 lbs. 12 oz. 
hill, no manure. 
No. 6 . Large potatoes, cut 
as above, one eye in hill. 
ABOUT SETTING HENS. 
No. 7. One large potato in 
is,," '• u. . p,u. / <u potatoes, mostly 
h a 0n Mii espoonful 8 'uano j large size, weight 10 lbs.. 
sound. 
No. 6 . 20 potatoes, medium 
size, weight 7 tbs. 8 oz., one 
rotton. 
No. 7. . 70 potatoes, mostly 
ABOUT MAPLE SYRUP. 
“WHAT KIND OF SHEEP TO CHOOSE.” 
Ens. Ruual: —In your issue of February 19th, 
is an extract from an article in the New York 
Chronicle, under the above title, in which the wri¬ 
ter draws a comparison between Leicester and 
Merino sheep, and in which the Merino is made to 
yield a profit of nearly a dollar more than the Lei¬ 
cester, at the age of three years. To do this he 
takes it for granted (though he is careful not to 
say so,) that the Merino is worth as much to sell 
for mutton as the Leicester. And, by the way, this 
is a very common way of reasoning among dealers 
in fine wool sheep, and by which some of them, at 
least, have made nice little fortunes. The fallacy 
of this kind of reasoning lies in the assumption 
that the Leicester sheep will be no heavier at the 
age of three years than the Merino —that it will 
not be worth any more per pound for mutton — at 
the same time asserting, as does the writer in the 
Chronicle, that it costs one-third more to keep a 
coarse-wool than it does a fine-wool sheep. Would 
it not be nearer the truth to suppose that an addi¬ 
tion of 33 per cent, to the amount of feed would 
give an addition of 50 per cent, to the coarse-wool 
sheep — that is, if the Merino weighed 100 pounds 
live weight, the Leicester would weigh 150 pounds, 
and that when the Merino would sell for 5 cents 
per pound live weight, the Leicester would sell for 
6 cents or more, so that, to carry out the compari¬ 
son of the writer in the Chronicle, the Merino, in¬ 
cluding wool and lambs, would be worth §16,00 
and the Leicester §19,40 ? 
On looking over the reports’of the sheep markets 
for the last two years I am led to believe that there 
is more than 50 per cent, difference between fino 
and coarse-wool sheep — that, in fact, the differ¬ 
ence is nearly or quite 100 per cent. Coarse-wool 
sheep often sell from two to four cents per pound, 
live weight, higher than Merinos, so that to call 
the latter §15, and the former §25 would be at least 
as near the truth as the conclusion arrived at by 
the writer in the Chronicle. 
As this kind of reasoning may be thought ex¬ 
travagant, I will introduce an account of the sale 
of two or three lots of coarse-wool sheep. In the 
Albany Cultivator, for March, 1858, we will find 
the following: 
“Cotswold Sheep — R. G. Coffin, of Dutchess 
Co., gives his preference to the Cotswold over any 
other breed when looked upon as a wool producirg 
and mutton sheep. He sold in December last five 
wethers, 21 months old, at §14 each. The expense 
of rearing them to that age including pasture, hay, 
turnips, and grain, was §42,13. They produced 40 
pounds of wool at 31% cents, amounting to §12,60, 
making the whole income from them §82,60, and 
leaving a clear profit of a fraction over §8 each.” 
The above account, though very satisfactory, is 
wanting in one important point — the live weight 
of the sheep. If we suppose they weighed 200 lbs., 
then they sold for 7 cents per pound. Or if we 
suppose their live weight was 175 pounds, which 
may be nearer the truth for sheep of that age, then 
they sold for 8 cents per pound. There is also a 
profit of §40 in feeding §42,13 worth of feed. Can 
fine wool sheep do any better than that? 
In the Market report of the New York Tribune, ] 
Feb. 6th, 1858, is an account of the sale at Albany ] 
of 45 Cotswold sheep at §16 a head, the live weight 
of which was 188 pounds each. Forty of them 
■were from the farm of Wm. Hallock, Monroe Co., < 
N. Y. These sheep sold for nearly 8% cents a I 
pound, live weight. The age is not given, but the f 
live weight would seem to indicate that they were i 
young sheep. ^ 
In the Rural of Jan. 22, 1859, is the following: f 
“Good Sheep and Good Prices—In the Market re- s 
Jonx Loomis, of Bennington, takes the premium 
in theTonawanda Valley on Maple Molasses. He 
does not make Sugar, because he says Molasses pays 
better. His buckets are made of tin—square, and 
just enough larger at the top than at the bottom to 
allow them to n-est when he packs them away. Two 
sheets make the upright part, a half sheet the 
bottom. A wire is rolled in at top,and a, hole made 
just under the wire on one side, large enough to 
slip over the head of a horse-nail. His spouts are 
sheet-iron, three inches long, one inch wide at one 
end, and halt an inch at the other—sharpened at 
the wide end by grinding or filing, and then slight¬ 
ly hollowed by placing them between a pair of hard¬ 
wood dies and givinga blow. Refuse oven linings 
I at stove shops suit him. He taps with an ax, giving 
a blow first at an angle of about 30 degrees, across 
the grain, and then taking out a small chip by. a 
downward blow. He then brushes the rough bark 
from beneath, and, with a hammer, drives the spout 
into, but not through, the remaining bark, and 
drives a nail just below the spout, to hang the 
bucket on. This gash, he thinks, heals better and 
sooner than a wound made by boring. For nails, 
he goes to a blacksmith shop, gets old horse-shoe 
nails, straightens and sharpens the point by ham¬ 
mering flat, and draws the head to one side. These 
nails drive without causing leakage of sap, and 
may be drawn and put away, and not left broken 
off in the tree to dull axes. His boiler is a large, 
shallow, sheet-iron pan, set on an arch, extended 
over at one end, with faucet to draw off the syrup. 
In boiling he feeds from a vat, with faucet, by 
which the delivery stream may be regulated.— 
When gathered, his sap is strained into the vat. 
By observing strict cleanliness in all the opera¬ 
tions, and using the ordinary process for clarifying, 
he makes a molasses, or syrup, clear as honey, 
which commands a high price in market. 
Attica, N. Y., 1859. L. 8. 
Eds. Rrual:—N tuv tnat you are giving cuts of 
poultry houses, to be followed by valuable informa¬ 
tion pertaining to the subject, (and ask for any in¬ 
formation relative to poultry raising,) I will give 
your readers a valuable hint on Setting Hens. 
To insure a full return for the eggs you place 
under a hen, adopt the following course, and you 
will be satisfied:—Select as many flour barrels as 
you wish to set heqSjJ[and it is well to have several 
clutches come off at the same time,) place the 
bands in a carriage loft, around the sides, prepare 
the nests with straw or hay, place a board in front 
of each barrel, and having made the loft entirely 
dark, leave the hen to her duties for two or three 
days. On visiting the premises to feed and give wa¬ 
ter,you open the shutters for light, and commence 
by uncovering one barrel only at a time, and so 
soon as that hen has returned to the barrel, pursue 
the same course with the others. In this way you 
have only one hen off at a time. The darkness 
facilitates very much the process of incubation, 
and the hen can take her nest without disturbance. 
Adopting this course, I have known a person to be 
able to bring off hundreds ofchickens, where others, 
(with the same number of eggs,) following the hap¬ 
hazard course, codd count only by tens. 
Dedham, Mass., ( E. W. 
undcrliill. sound. ’ ” 
No. 8 . One large whole po- No. 8 . f »8 potatoes, medium 
tato in hill, two tablespoon- size, weight 13 its., sound 
luls of bone dust on potatoes. 
No. 9. One large whole po- No. 9. 56 potatoes. v< 
-sv No. 9. 56 potatoes, very 
tato in hill, one tablespoon- large mostly, weight 15 Its , 
ful sulphate of ammonia on two rotten ones 
potato. 
No. 10. One large whole po- 
No. 10. 39 potatoes, under 
..... .... „..w ju. -rj potatoes, unaer 
tato in hill, salt and lime medium size., weight 8 lbs 4 
mixture, with ashes, large oz„ sound. 
handful on potato. 
No. 11. One large whole po- 
No. 11. 82 potatoes, medi¬ 
co in hill, superphosphate urn size or under, weight 12 
of lime, two tablespoonfuls j lbs., three rotten. 
on potatoes. 
No. 12. One large whole po- 
No. 12. 70 potatoes, medi- 
. . . i"" no. ij. in puiaiues, meni 
tato in hill, hen manure and um size, weight 13 lbs. 8 oz , 
muck: onepartof mauureto I sound. 
two of muck; one handful on 
potatoes. 
A DAIRY CATTARAUGUS. 
PROFITABLE, OR SYSTEMATIC FARMING. 
Mu. Moouv. is said in the Rural 
about barns, pern^t me to give your readers a de¬ 
scription of the dairy barn of James Wells, Esq., of 
Leon, Cattaraugus Co., N. Y. Its size is 100 feet 
by 40, main floor the entire length, 18 feet 6 inches 
wide. The floor on which the cows stand is 4 feet 
4 inches, then a trench 17 inches wide by 4 inches 
deep; then a path 5 feet wide. Height between 
upper and lower floor 6 feet 4 inches, height 
of posts 14 feet, (Mr. Wells, says they should be 
17 feet,) vertical siding, boards all one foot wide, 
then battened. Six sky-light windows on each 
side. Joists over main floor, moveable, so that 
they can be slid back over the cows. They com¬ 
mence at one end to fill the barn. There are three 
doors in each, and one by which to drive upon the 
main floor; two others, wide enough to admit of 
team and sleigh, or large stone-boat passing along 
the walk behind the cows, to remove the manure, 
which is done every day. The trench receives all 
the excrement, solid and liquid. There are no 
mangers, — cows are fastened to stanchions, and 
fed on the floor. One man can feed sixty cows in 
a few minutes. J. Sibley. 
Forestville, Chan. Co., N. Y., 1859. 
Experiments and improved cultivation have not 
been confined to Springdale Farm iii that neigh¬ 
borhood. They are the fruits of an Agricultural 
Club formed about one year since at that place. A 
fair was held at Trenton Fulls in Oct. last, and on 
so short notice as to be almost extemporaneous in 
its arrangements, which called out its thousands of 
spectators and exhibitors from a region which had 
previously been dormant on such subjects. The 
display of stock, implements, vegetables, fruits, 
flowers, &c., astonished every body. Let such 
clubs be organized and active wherever they do 
not exist, and good will follow.” 
-A.'boxrt Spreading Manure. 
In an article on this subject, the editor of the 
American Farmers' Magazine remarks:—“As the 
time for top-dressing mow lands is at hand, we 
have a wora U. „„ the subject. As to the ques- 
Messrs. Eds. :—“A Young Farmer,” Niagara 
Co., makes some comments upon my communica¬ 
tion in the Rural of Jan. 8th. Possibly I failed to 
make myself understood, for the qualifications he 
makes reduces the case to the same conditions that 
I assumed existed. After stating the qualifications 
he seems not to differ with me in extent of tillage. 
I was treating of high-priced tillable land—land 
that would warrant an outlay for thorough cultiva¬ 
tion, and from which could be expected a remune- 
ative crop, even without manure, for from such 
land a crop would be due (so to speak) upon condi¬ 
tion of such outlay. I expect land worth §50 the 
acre to already contain the elements of fertility— 
(and also of a character that will allow the escape 
of surplus water without an expense of §30 or 
more the acre for drainage) sufficient to warrant 
the application of such a system as I recommended 
— a system which he seems to approve, providing 
it will furnish enough manure. 
A crop fed to animals will furnish more manure 
than will restore the exhaustion of the soil conse¬ 
quent upon its production. The increase of ma¬ 
nure beyond supplying the exhaustion, will increase 
a succeeding crop, and consequently there will be 
a continual increase of crop, co-existing with the 
increase of manure — each dependent upon the 
other, and from which a basis for production can 
be formed as large as is desired. For this reason, 
I would at the outset adopt a system that will 
require all the laud to yield up. 
Y eak land—poor iu the elements of production— 
I think we would agree, mainly, in the treatment 
of. The manure that could be made from the crops 
that would voluntarily grow, added to that made 
from the more abundant yield from the few acres 
in tillage, would form a basis, slowly increasing, 
but constantly, from which, in time, the whole 
farm could derive increasing strength, and final 
support. 
To Cure Scratches. — Having noticed in the 
Rural inquiries as to a cure for Scratches and be¬ 
ing possessed of a simple preventive and cure, I 
pen it, a3 this is one of the worst seasons of the 
year for horses to be troubled with them. When 
the horse comes in at night, his legs should be 
washed clean and rubbed as dry as may be, then 
apply good vinegar rubbing it well to the skin.— 
Two applications a day are sufficient. I have al¬ 
ways found it a sure preventive and a certain cure. 
If the legs have become cracked and sore apply the 
vinegar freely and add a piece of copperas the size 
of a common hickory nut to a quart of vinegar.— 
This is worth to any farmer more than the Rural 
costs a year.—II. Payne, iMckport, N. Y., 1859. 
Mad Itch—Chronic Cough in Horses. —In one 
of your papers I saw an inquiry from one of the 
subscribers in reference to a disease called the Mad 
Itch. The cattle near this place had it some time 
since, and numbers died. At last the owners tried 
physicing them thoroughly, and all that were 
treated thus recovered. 
Here is a recipe for chronic cough in horses, that 
I have tried in many cases, and never knew it to 
fail:—Powdered squills, 1 oz.; ginger, 2 ozs.; cream 
tartar, 1 oz. Mix well and give a tablespoonful in 
wet bran night and morning. Keep the horse well 
clothed. — J. Emory Brown, Cedar Falls, Iowa. 
Unburned Brick Houses. — (A. J. M., Lafayette, 
Ind.) —A correspondent wishes to know how 
houses made of unburned brick, stand the climate. 
We have no experience. Who has? We suppose 
with a good foundation above ground, and a pro¬ 
jecting roof to protect the walls from drippings, 
Ac., they would endure a long time, but still would 
be fur inferior to good burned brick, stone, or even 
wood. 
, tion of fall or spring, we do not believe any body 
can answer it for all cases. If (he manure is old 
■ and well composted with muck or other decayed 
, vegetable matter; if the ground is such, that there 
is no danger of hard washing from it; and further, 
if you will work the manure down finely and evenly 
to the surface, we have no objection to fall top- 
dressing. It has its advantages. The effect on 
the first year’s crop will probably be greater, and 
the permanent effect may not be less. 
“For spring top-dressing we prefer the following 
mode, having often practiced it, and found the little 
extra labor implied, well paid, as we believe. It is, 
to carryout the manure (stable or barn-yard) early, 
to lay it in somewhat larger heaps than would be 
most easily spread, say six or seven to the large 
load; then to carry and throw over each heap a 
few shovels full of well cured muck, or, in want of 
this, of any rich soil; and to let it lie in this con¬ 
dition till a good time for spreading it. That time 
is, when a long, cold, north-easter is brewing.— 
When the indications of such a storm are strong, 
we would spread the manure, but not before. Let 
it be spread evenly, and worked in among the 
grass roots. A bush harrow may in some cases be 
used to advantage, and we would commend its 
use, providing you will go after it with a many- 
tined fork, or a rake, and regulate the inequalities 
which the harrow may have left, drawing the 
manure from places that have received too much 
to others that have received none. 
“ The muck or soil with which the heaps are 
covered, will render the manure more crumbly, will 
enable you to spread it more evenly, and will help 
to retain the ammonia, if your pre-calculations of 
the weather should fail, and you should have sunny 
instead of rainy weather after spreading.” 
That “ irioeh of G-eese.” 
Our readers will remember that in a recent 
Rural we made note of the purchase of several 
thousand geese in Ohio for the New York market. 
The editor of the Tribune records their safe arrival 
thus:—“We encountered, as we suppose, this 
grand army of Ohio geese, marching with slow 
and solemn pace through Fourth street, eastward, 
in charge of numerous captains of thousands, cap¬ 
tains of hundreds, captains of fifties, and several 
‘ little corporals ’ in command of tens and twenties; 
each armed with a long whip, which was intimi- 
datingly used to keep the stragglers in the ranks. 
Interspersed throughout the multitude of grey 
geese and white, were some hundreds of tall black 
turkeys, which gave the army a sort of military 
appearance. Altogether it was a novel sight in 
New York to see such a drove marched through 
the streets, and it attracted a large degree of at¬ 
tention from a class of bipeds generally supposed 
to have more brains than the bipeds that were 
driven.” 
Tirp. Michigan Farmer — A Funny Martyr. —In the 
r _ Rural of 20th ulL, we took occasion to notice, in just 
terms, an altack upon our reports of the Wool Markets 
J by the Mich. Farmer. After quoting what we charac¬ 
terized as an absurd and unjust charge—pronouncing 
1 it entirely unfounded, and averring that “no article 
could be quoted from tho Rural to sustain it”—we 
>, added that, “ in our long experience as a journalist wo 
2. remembered nothing moro flagrant and insidious— 
h nothing so far from truth, or so unbecoming the eharac- 
n ter of honorable and manly rivalry,” Ac, Wo also 
cl quoted some elegant remarks in which the Farmer 
affirmed that eastern editors “ knew no more about 
0 western farming, and cared no more for western inter- 
>’ csts, than so many bull frogs”—and proceeded to ven- 
y tilate tho subject, referring to some cogent facts (among 
e others, that we established the Mich. Farmer,) for the 
e special edification of our accuser. In conclusion wo 
n challenged our contemporary to prove his assertions, 
c saying—“ If what he charges is true, it can be sustain- 
f cd by quoting from our pages, and if false, as wo pro¬ 
nounce it, where is the justification for tho injurious 
’ attack?” In answer to this reply—in which we fairly 
3 quoted or stated the charge, and responded in emphatic 
but courteous terms—the Farmer favors iis readers 
with a leading article of nearly four columns. Com- 
T mencing with a sentimental stanzas, the burden of 
, which is “ Never Mind,” it follows its text of not mind- 
r ing us by piling on the long-winded agony as afore- 
1 said! Queer context, truly. But, richer still, our con- 
i temporary talks about our “ malicious and uncalled for 
. attack ”—just ns though ice were the aggressor, and lie, 
i innocent mortal, had not “ cast the first stone!”—and 
[ | then proceeds to make such a veritable martyr of him- 
! self that we are sure iiis readers must shed tears on 
1 j reading the account of his wrongs, and how ho lias 
, h ccn immolated by that terrible savage of tho Rural 
! New-Yorker ! Ugh !—it’s worse than the old nursery 
| tales and Indian stories! Wo didn’t know wo wore 
such an excrutiating executioner before, but begin to 
think the Prairie Farmer was right in pronouncing 
our reply “ some.” But, persecuted as our contempo¬ 
rary is, ho is game still—for, without fairly stating our 
reply, and in the absence of a word of argument to 
sustain his original attack, he begs the question by 
resorting toquibbles and new issues, llecontradicts tho 
i fact of our establishing tho Mich. Farmer (though it 
was stated, in conplimentary terms, in No. 1 of his pres¬ 
ent volume,) talks about our “squatting” in Mich, a 
few months, (instead of some five years, as was the fact,) 
and then tells a lachrymose tale about our trying to de¬ 
stroy his journal—talking meantime of a “ whining ap¬ 
peal to the sympathies of Mich, readers” (pray quoto 
it,)—and calling us all sorts of naughty names, as whipt 
school-children aro apt to do, not forgetting such argu¬ 
mentative and pretty phrases as “ egotist,” “ boaster,” 
“ cockerel,” etc. Then, after a long flutter concerning 
our challenge, tho Farmer, instead of sustaining its 
assertion about our Wool Reports, dodges the question, 
and (taking advantage of the fact that our largo edition 
compels us to put tho Rural to press several days 
ahead of its date.) talks about our Cattle Markets not 
being up to time! Tiiat’s wool-gathering, and 
“coming to the centre,” with a vengeance! And final¬ 
ly, after another broadside at eastern papers — it’s 
strange Michigan people will send abroad for such 
trash, and allow so much genius and talent to “ waste 
its sweetness,” &c.,—he kindly remarks to the Editor of 
the Rural that “ he must thank himself for this ex¬ 
pose /” and in tho next sentence avers that our jealousy, 
greediness, inordinate egotism and impudent assump¬ 
tion (hear, hear!) hurried us into an unprovoked attack 
upon him ! Mercy !—whm a compiaisftnl martyr after 
all! Why, until we read that, we verily believed the 
“ -- "aa made upon, and not by, tho 
Rural. But we give it up — can’t hold a controversy with 
such a logician — and have only given the points of his 
ar.iclo (as accurately as their absurdity and our risiblos 
would permit,) to show that even an intellectual Her¬ 
cules could not cope successfully with such a Sampson- 
like Ajax. Of course we must keep our little boat near 
shore in future, and don’t know as it will even bo safo 
to infringe tho Farmer's patent by receiving any moro 
subscriptions from Michigan! Will take tho mattor 
into serious consideration—after craving the indulgence 
of our readers for wasting so much ammunition upon 
game so entirely beyond our reacii and comprehension! 
R- S.—In return for the long free advertisement of the 
Rural above acknowledged, and for the benefit of any 
of our readers interested, wo would state that tho Mich¬ 
igan F armer is a handsome quarto weekly “ Journal 
of AfTairs relating to the Farm, tho Garden, and tho 
Household,” published by E. F. Johnstone, Detroit, 
at $2 per annum in advance,—less to clubs. 
A F armkrs’ and Mechanics’ Association lias been 
organized in ClmutauqueCo. From proceedings Liven 
in a Fredonia paper we infer that the Association is 
designed to comprise several towns; and it is stated 
that “ ninety-nine $10 shares (representing $990) for the 
purchase of the old Fair Grounds, were reported as 
subscribed—SO from Pomfret and 19 from Sheridan.” 
The organization was completed at a meeting held in 
Fredonia on the tho 23d ult., by the election of tho fol¬ 
lowing Officers:— President — J. E. Parker, of Fre¬ 
donia. J ice-President —J. E. Griswold, of Sheridan. 
Secretary —John C. Mullett, of Fredonia. Treasurer 
—Ensign Baker, of Fredonia. Directors— A. 8. Moss, 
of Fredonia; J. C. Bates, of Sheridan; E. Greene, of 
Fredonia; Levi Baldwin, of Arkwright; Seymour P. 
Ensign, of Sheridan ; S. II. Dickinson, of Pomfret. 
Mioiiigan Land Agency. — Wo take pleasure in 
referring those of our readers wishing the services 
of a Land Agent in Michigan, to the card of J. M. 
Treadwell, Esq., of Jackson—a gentleman of integ¬ 
rity, who possesses rare qualifications for the business 
announced. In addition to considerable experience as 
an agent, Mr. T. has had charge of the Stato Land 
Office for four years, which has afforded him superior 
knowledge and facilities for the transaction of any 
business connected with real estate. 
Those Mittens.— A lady of industry and taste—Mrs. 
D. G. Bailey of Parma—has not only given us “ the 
mitten,” but a very fine pair of them, and wo reckon 
they received the premium at our lust County Fair. Be 
that as it may—and whether presented us as Editor or 
Ex-President —they aro very comfortable. Though 
highly colored, they do not make us feel as “ streaked ” 
as the kind of mittens which some of our f mends wore 
wont to get years ago! 
Eead the Advertisements in this and every num¬ 
ber of tho Eural. Most of them are of interest to 
farmers and horticulturists, and a careful perusal will 
save trouble and expense on the part of those desirous 
of procuring the implements, trees, seeds, &c., adver¬ 
tised. Always consult our advertising department be¬ 
fore writing ns to ascertain where certain articles can 
be obtained. 
Cohn and Pobk.— A. G. Perry, of Newark, N. 
Y., weighed a thrifty pig, five months old, 150 lbs, 
then fed it 56 lbs. corn meal, mixed with hot water 
thin enough to answer for victuals aud drink. This 
was eaten in 0% days, and the gain was 18 lbs. 
Steuben Co. Ag. Society.— Officers for 1859 ‘.—Presi¬ 
dent Daniel Gray, of Wheeler. Vice-Presidents — 
T. M. Younglove, Dr. Terry, Z. Flint, Chas, II. Erwin, 
Geo. Farnum, John W. Whiting, William Bush. Treas¬ 
urer—Reuben Eobie, of Bath. Secretary— Eobert M. 
Lyon, of Bath. 
