cient time to repent, or give good reasons for his 
conclusion, tout he may get a majority to vote 
it out of use, if worthless.—J. W., Clyde, N. Y., 
March 19, 1859. 
Eds. Rcrai. :—Information on the subject of Wa¬ 
ter Rams being called for in the Rural, permit me 
to “ relate my experience.” For the greater part 
of the last five years, I have had a No. 4 Ram iD 
successful operation. It has required a good deal 
of attention at times, and some repairs; but when 
in good order it has done its work well. It works 
under a fall of thirteen feet, with an inch and a half 
iron drive pipe, forty-eight feet long; elevates the 
water one hundred and' forty feet above the Ram, 
and discharges, through seventy-five rods of one- 
half inch lead pipe, thii ty gallons per hour. 
I first put down inch and a quarter lead drive 
pipe, weighing but two and one half pounds per 
foot, which was altogether too light, and burst af¬ 
ter working two months. I then replaced it with 
wrought iron gas pipe, which has lately rusted 
through in a few defective places, and must be re¬ 
newed. For a head under ten feet I would use 
heavy lead drive pipe. 
The discharge pipe is of the best quality of lead 
pipe, weighs thirteen pounds per rod, and is amply 
sullicient in strength to overcome the great pres¬ 
sure. Working under so great a head as thirteen 
feet, the machine is subject to considerable wear, 
having worn out three escape-valves. Once, the 
valve in the air-chamber has been re-placed. 
I do not consider the filling of the air chamber 
with water a defect, as I have had no trouble from 
it since I learned to moke the vent the proper size. 
It requires to be very small, and can be made in 
lead pipe with a button needle, just back of the 
coupling with the machine. Iron pipe must be 
drilled with a very fine, hardened awl. A vent suf¬ 
ficiently large to feed the chamber with air is 
hardly noticeable as an impediment to the working 
of the machine. If too large, besides lessening 
the force of the strpke, the surplus air is dis¬ 
charged with the water and lessens the quantity 
raised. The vent should be made very small, then 
enlarged if necessary. The sound ot the air cham¬ 
ber, after a day or two, will indicate the absence 
of air. 
This Ram has run for nine months at a time 
without any attention ; then, again, it has required 
almost daily notice, for several weeks, till in good 
repair again. They must be thoroughly put down, 
and have a thorough and ingenious owner to look 
after them, or else they are useless. They wear 
and require attention in propor tion to the labor 
they have to perform. In the absence ot other 
convenient means of obtaining fresh water, or for 
stock, the Ram will pay. For durabil ty and main 
dependence, let it be the “ dernier resort." —C. D. 
A., Geddes, N. Y., March, 1859. 
DEEP AND FALL PLOWING.—OBJECTIONS. 
Mr. Moore: —You ask lor information about 
water rams. I have had one in successful opera¬ 
tion for ten years, and most of the time two or 
three, all throwing water through the same pipe, 
three-eighths inch. One gives us water enough 
for use at the house and barn, but two or three 
brings it up cooler. Our spring is fifty rods from 
the house; fall from spring to ram six feet, and ele¬ 
vation 100 feet. We tried wood for drive pipe and 
found it admitted air through the pores and would 
not answer. We have used lead pipe, but it has 
given us some trouble by cracking ; it has not suffi¬ 
cient strength for such a pressure. Have used 
iron gas pipe with perfect success. It costs from 
81 to 50 cents, according to size. Ours is forty feet 
long, and should not be less. 
There are a few difficulties that must be under¬ 
stood and overcome in order to success. First— 
there must be a small hole through the top of the 
drive pipe, close by the ram, to supply the air- 
chamber with fresh air or it will soon be exhausted, 
but it must be as small as it can be made with a tine 
cambric needle. 2d, All the rest of the air must 
be entirely excluded. The upper end of the drive 
pipe should be at least six inches under water, and 
the whole perfectly air-tight. 3d, The ram must 
be packed so as to be perfectly air-tight, both inter 
nally and externally; and 4th, The water must be 
pure and free from all floating matter. Ou these 
conditions our machines have furnished us with 
abundance of water since we closed them up last 
fall till the spring rains riled the water a few days 
since, and then we had to spend about three 
minutes in cleaning the sand out of the valve, since 
which we have not seen them. Our water comes 
through the house and then to the barn, and the 
whole trouble we have had for ten years has no* 
been equal to drawing what water we wanted to 
use out of a well fifteen feet deep. — M. Huyden- 
berk, Kalamazoo, Mich., 1859. 
Messrs. Eds.: —Having seen several inquiries in 
the Rural, relative to Hydraulic Rams, I thought 
that I would give you an account of one that we 
have in operation. Our house stands about eighty 
feet from the spring and 30 feet above it. We use 
very heavy two inch lead pipe for supply pipe, and 
% inch for carrying the water to the house. The 
Ram is one ot the largest size, and running now 
under a head of nine feet. It has been working 
nine years, with only a trifling expense for repairs 
The only trouble that we experience, is with 
the valve for carrying off the waste water. This 
will not stand the jarring consequent on such a 
head of water more than four years, at the outside. 
But, as we can get them cast and turned at almost 
any foundry, by furnishing a pattern, this is not a 
very serious defect. The whole expense of setting 
ours in operation was $90. 
I apprehend that the reason why so many are 
disappointed in the working of their Rams is, first 
a lack of water; second, too little fall, and third 
using too light materials.— L. II. Carr, Salisbury 
March, 1859. 
According to certain prominent writers for the 
Agricultural Press, deep plowing and subsoiling 
would seem to be almost the only essentials to a 
good system of farming. “Old, worn-out lands 
are to be rejuvenated, and made to produce abun¬ 
dant crops, bv simply turning over two or three 
more inches of soil. “ Merely skimming the sur¬ 
face,” as shallow tillage is called, is either ridiculed 
or denounced, and the farmer who practices it is 
tauntingly reminded that his “farm extends to the 
center of the earth.” And yet., in practice, we 
often see the farmer, who inverts only the small 
port ism ofhis farm which lies near the surface, leap¬ 
ing larger crops and with more profit than his neigh¬ 
bor who inverts his farm agood way down towards 
“the center.” The hard subsoil, miring in winter 
and baking in summer, is not, after all, just the 
right food for the young plants. lie finds too late 
that he has turned his farm upside down, and lucky 
is he who does not find himself turned off before 
he can get it “right side up,” once more. 
The idea, which some entertain, that deep plow¬ 
ing, bv loosening the soil to a greater depth, gives 
an outlet for the surplus surface water, and carries 
it down out of the way of plants (thus serving as 
a temporary drain) seems most fallacious, l’aia- 
doxical us it may seem, the loosening of any soil 
really renders it more compact and impervious to 
water. In every soil not recently disturbed there 
are little wa'er-courses through which the water 
soaks down, and is gradually drawn off. These 
are the natural drains to the land. Even in clay 
lands these water-courses exist, though, of course, 
they are more numerous on lighter soils. In dig¬ 
ging down, in wet weather, in land full of water, 
you may always strike these springs, at a few 
inches from the surface, where the water will flow, 
often in a stream as large as your thumb, or larger, 
and if you make an outlet or ditch, it will pass off 
to lower ground. The effect of plowing such land 
is to break up these water-courses, and make the 
land more compact and heavy than before. If any 
one doubts this let him dig a ditch, place in the 
tile, or stone enough to form a good drain, and 
even then, the earth thrown out will not fill it to 
the surface. So much more compact is the soil, 
when loosened, that, after a large post has been 
placed in a post-hole, dirt must be diawn from 
other sources to fill to the surface. 
But it is said that the action of air and frost on 
the subsoil, will, in time, make it the best of land, 
and instances of large crops grown on pure subsoil, 
near old wells, or where a complete system of drain¬ 
age has been carried out, are often cited as proof. 
If the land is wet, as much of our land is, and full 
of water, (in spring till the last of July, and in 
autumn from the first of August,) to plow it up is 
only to make the mire deeper. Such land needs to 
ha drained first—then plow as deep as you choose 
in naturally dry soils, deep plowing may be bene¬ 
ficial. 
The prevalent idea that we must plow in the fall 
in order to give the frost a chance to act upon the 
soil, is equally contradicted by the facts of Ameri 
can climatology. When the frost every winter 
throws up our wheat and other winter grains, an 
even ^clover—when the mercury often sinks to 
ze”o, and sometimes far below — we may plow in 
the fall, for any other reason than that of “expos¬ 
ing the land to frost.” The truth is, fall plowing is 
borrowed from the practice of English farmers, 
who naturally take pains to make the most of what 
little frost they have, and with them fall plowing 
is a most reasonable practice. But their land is 
drained, so that when it thaws it does not fall back 
into unfathomable mud, as it does here, but be¬ 
comes light and dry in the spring. Besides, their 
seasons .are wholly unlike ours. Well do we re¬ 
member in childhood counting the months, weeks, 
and even days, to “the pleasant month of March 
when, as our English primers informed us “spring 
would be here in all its loveliness, — when (oh, 
delusive hope,) the trees would put on their beau¬ 
tiful robes of green, and the little lambs would be 
I never feed my bees. Such as wont winter I 
drive. As I generally have some weak ones in the 
fall, I put two together, and sometimes three. 
I try to keep my bees strong. All of the box honey 
I ever had the bees got from the fields and woods, 
for there is a plenty of white clover and basswood 
in this section of the country. I have always win¬ 
tered my bees out in the air. My apiary is inclosed 
on the north and west sides, with a tight board 
fence,— my hives stand about one foot from the 
ground, with the front raised about one inch, and 
in front, about half way up, there is an inch hole 
which I always keep open except when troubled 
with mice, then I put a piece of wire-cloth over the 
hole to keep them out. In cold, frosty weather I 
take a small stick and rap gently on the hive to 
warm them up,—they will get to buzzing, and their 
agitation will thaw out the frost in the coldest 
weather. I have had but one swarm freeze to death. 
Eugene Lewis. 
Reed’s Corner's, Ont. Co., N. Y., 1859. 
A Cure for Scratches. —In a recent issue of the 
Rural I notice an inquiry for a reliable remedy for 
scratches. Common scratches (not grease) can 
easily be cured by from two to five daily applica¬ 
tions of healthy human excrement, applied imme 
diately after a thorough cleansing with Castile soap 
and warm water. I have never known this remedy 
to fail and if it will be new to your readers I am 
happy to have the privilege of communicating it.— 
G. D. Baker, Rochester, Andrew Co., Mo. 
skipping and playing in the green meadows.” It 
may do for children to be cheated by the clima¬ 
tology of English primers—but it is too bad for 
grown up men to adopt indiscriminately the ideas 
and practices of English Agriculture. w. j. f. 
Henrietta, N. Y., 1859. 
Rural Spirit of tljc Press. (Agricultural JUisccllamj. 
ABOUT CIDER-MAKING. 
Messrs. Eds. :—In the Rural of Jan. 15th, I saw 
Mr. L. B. Manly’s article on cider-making, upon 
which I will make a few remarks. His idea of 
making good cider from wormy windfalls, and rot¬ 
ten apples, is correct,—it cannot be done. The 
using of mustard seed and raw beef to keep cider 
sweet is all nonsenseT^ut it is said to be a “ deci¬ 
ded improvement ” to rotten apple cider to drown 
a peek of rats in a barrel by leaving the bung out 
through the season. The last clause of Mr. M’s. 
article I believe to be erroneous,—no ingenious 
Yankee can invent a machine, or make cider quick, 
or at once, and have it good. My experience 
has taught me the contrary. If I desired to make 
vinegar, I would grind and express at once. 
More than forty years ago I made cider for my 
father, in the State of Vermont, that was cider .— 
Our method was as follows:—Gather the apples, 
clean and dry, when ripe; grind them fine, (about 
100 bushels at a time) let the pomace remain in the 
vat from 24 to 48 hour? according to the season, 
until the first signs of fermentation appear, (by- 
producing little bubbles on the surface,) then ex¬ 
press moderately, or, rather, let it drain out. We 
used dry, clean, sweet straw to lay up the pom¬ 
ace ; after the first run, the cider will be clear, 
high colored, rich and mellow in taste. The story 
is not all told yet. Every cider-maker knows, or 
ought to know, that a full barrel of cider, as it 
uns from press, will shake down from 2 to 4 quarts- 
this should be well done, by shaking and rapping 
the heads, then again filled to the full, bunged 
tight and placed in a cold cellar, and allowed to 
work or ferment through a spile, or gimblet hole, 
(the froth working over.j Towards the last I put 
the spile in gently, and raise it daily to let the wind 
puli' out, replacing it qu^ktly to keep the common 
air from it, continuing this as long as it requires 
vent. I then keep the cask tight, and all is done, 
but the drinking of g#fd cider. Cider made in 
this way cannot work hard or sour, there is noth¬ 
ing in it to make it do so^ Adding a gallon of good 
Brandy—not Logw<^^^ ieo the cider is worked 
just to suit the/tast^^BTnifle a decided improve¬ 
ment. 
One word more, Mr. Editor. Will you try an 
experiment ? Take two apples, (alike) bruise one 
gently to a pulp, not break the skin, let it remain 
24 hours, then squeeze out the juice and note the 
color and taste. Bruise the other and squeeze out 
the juice quickly, and you will find a material dif¬ 
ference. The first will have the richness of the 
apple, the last will only be fit for vinegar. 
Back Woods of Canada, 1859, n. c. 
WHAT AILED THE STEER 1 
PROFITS OF BEE-KEEPING. 
Messrs. Eds. :—In alate Rural, “ A Subscriber, 
of Rome, N. Y., wants me to “ sit down and give a 
true statement for the past ten years—if I have kept 
bees that length of time—and recount the profits 
of each year as near as possible, failures as well as 
triumphs. 
Well, in the spring of 1851,1 commenced with 
two swarms. One was in an old-fashioned box 
hive, without any cap or box for surplus honey— 
the other was a chamber-hive, with a place to slip 
in a box that would hold twenty pounds. With 
these two swarms, the first year, I got four good 
swarms, two from each, aud forty pounds of box 
honey from the chamber hive—none from the 
other. The next two years, 1852-3,1 put my young 
swarms in the old box-hives without any caps ot 
boxes surplus honey, for the reason that some folks 
said if I took away the box honey my bees would 
run out, aud, as I did not know rxuch about the 
management of bees, for five years my profits were 
small, nevertheless, these five years, from the cham¬ 
ber-hive, I got from one to two boxes of honey 
yearly. 
In 1855 I made nineteen chamber-hives. I got 
about thirty young sivarms, and put nineteen of 
them in these hives and the rest in box-hives—that 
year I got no box-honey. In the spring of 1856 1 
had forty-two swarms, twenty in chamber-hives 
and twenty-two in the old box-hives, and from these 
forty-two I got nineteen swarms, and from the 
twenty chamber-hives, as near as I can recollect, 
860 pounds of honey—none from the others. In 
the spring of 1857 I had fifty-three swarms, aud 
about 700 pounds of box honey, which I sold for 16 
cents per pound. The young swarms I put into 
hives made as recommended by Mr. Quinby — the 
best hive that I know of. In the spring of 1858 I 
had sixty-nine swarms, and from these I took, the 
past summer, 2,535 pounds, which I sold for 15 
cents per pound. I am wintering eighty-one stocks 
this winter. 
Eds. Rural :—A case has lately come under my 
observation, which is a new thing to me, although 
such cases may be quite familiar to cattle growers. 
I had a steer, coming two years old, quite thrifty 
and in good wintering condition. He was attacked 
with purging, although not in its worst form. He 
ate but little, and rumination ceased entirely. I 
apprehended nothing very serious, and let nature 
have its way for two or three days. I then gave 
two doses of epsom salts, and then a dose of astrin¬ 
gents, all, apparently, without any effect. I gave 
him, at two or three times, a cud-ball, thinking he 
might have lost his cud. His horns contained the 
usual warmth until the last twelve hours. After 
he died I made an internal examination, found the 
1st, 2d, 3d, and 4th stomachs in somewhat of a 
natural state; an unusual large liver, and an 
enormous gall, about five inches in diameter, or 
large enough to fill a two-quart vessel. I then 
thought it might be a concretion in the gall, 
searched diligently, but found no concretion, or 
stone in it. Any light upon such a disease would 
be very obliging to me. e. r. 
Havana, N. Y., 1859. 
When to Plow Clayey Soils. —Seeing in the 
Rural of January 8th an article over the signature 
of “ P., ” which contains a challenge to any man to 
prove that he, “ P., ” is wrong, he says “ many ad¬ 
vocate fall plowing on clayey soils for the purpose 
of making them more friable, but the best time to 
stir a tenacious soil, to effect a permanent ameliora¬ 
tion, is in the summer.” Now, if “ P. ” will prove 
his assertion, it will gratify me and a great many 
more of the readers of the Rural. I have seen tena¬ 
cious soils always plowed in the fall — and the 
reason given was, that the action of the frost freed 
thesoilandmadeitas loose as an ash-heap. Where 
the plowing was left till summer, the soil was 
always hard and lumpy, so much so, that it had to 
be harrowed and rolled a number of times before 
you could raise a mould on it, and then it was not 
in as good order as with the fall plowing for spring 
crops. As to a permanent amelioration, he might 
as well talk of a permanent plowing, it only lasts 
for one season.— J. F., Huntley, McHenry Co., 111. 
Coiisvimption of Food Toy Cattle. 
A correspondent of the Mark Lane Express 
gives his views upon this subject as follows:— 
“For the last half century there have been many 
disputes whether large or small animals are the 
most profitable. In my opinion the middle-sized 
animals, whether cattle or sheep, are the best, and 
the extremes are bad. The celebrated and far- 
famed Mr. Bakewell, of Dishley, Leicestershire, the 
man who lived a century before his day, was heard 
to say that flat-sided animals, with large, deep 
bellies, consumed much more food than barrel- 
formed animals with straight bellies (I mean bellies 
within a straight line drawn from the breast to the 
bottom part of the thigh); and that large-boned 
animals were great consumers of food. And the 
same great luminary in agriculture, proved what 
he asserted, by weighing food daily to differently- 
formed animals, great and small, the lesser con¬ 
suming much less food than the larger; all of which 
was much in favor of Mr. Bakewell’s new Leicester 
sheep, that have the least garbage of any kind of 
sheep in proportion to the weight of mutton— 
which has led the breeders of Lincolns, Cotswolds, 
and Down sheep, to imitate the Bakewell barrel- 
form, with small entrails. Common sense says 
large insides have entrails in proportion, and of 
course take a large quantity of food to fill them, 
which is worth consideration, as an animal may be 
great and good, and good and not great; size has 
nothing to do with profit. It is not what an ani¬ 
mal makes, so much as what it costs making.” 
How to Make I3utter. 
In reviewing an article upon this subject pub¬ 
lished in the Northern Farmer, II. A. Cook, of 
Columbia Co., N. Y., remarks:—“ We agree with 
the writer in regard to the kind of cows and quality 
of food, but when he speaks of the milk standing 
twenty-four hours before it is skimmed, we think 
he is not posted, for we use one of the four minute 
churns, and churn our milk right from the cow, 
having no trouble to churn from one to three pails 
full, with all ease, within that time, besides dis¬ 
pensing with our milk-cans and milk-room. By 
this system, we have our butter-milk new and 
sweet to feed the pigs, and certainly ten per cent, 
more and better butter, than by the old process.— 
He then says that ‘ the butter should be removed 
to a tray, and the butter-milk rinsed off with water,’ 
&c. Now, in this section, we’d rather keep away 
the cold water, and the old ‘tray,’ and use Wil¬ 
liam’s butter-worker, which will enable the dairy¬ 
maid to work all the butter-milk out in less than 
one-quarter of the time than by the old way, and 
without blistering the hand, or making the wrist 
lame, which is often the case with the old ladle.” 
To Keep Tires Tiglit on "Wlxeels. 
A writer in the Ohio Farmer says:—“ I desire 
to publish to the world my method of keeping tires 
tight on wheels. I ironed a wagon some years ago 
for my own use; before putting on the tires, I 
filled the timbers with linseed oil; the tires have 
worn out, and were never loose. I ironed a buggy 
for my own use, seven years ago, and the tifes are 
as tight now as when put on. My method is to 
soak in linseed oil for one hour; it would be much 
better if the oil was heated. The timber should 
be thoroughly dry, as green timber will not take 
the oil. Care should be taken that the timber will 
be much more durable. I was amused some time 
ago, when I told a blacksmith of this method, as 
he replied that it was profitable work to tighten 
tires; and I suppose the wagon maker will say that 
it is profitable to make and repair wheels. But 
what will the farmer say ? ” 
Flow to Fatten Lambs. 
A correspondent of the Maine Farmer says 
that Mr. Elisha Soper, of Orland, has for years fed 
grain to his sheep, for the purpose of forwarding 
lambs, but received but little benefit therefrom. 
He at last thought there might be a better way, so 
he tried the experiment of feeding his lambs with 
oats, in a trough made by nailing two boards 
together, covering the ends, and raising it six 
inches from the floor. He puts in the oats, and 
leaves them until the lambs learn to eat, which he 
says, they will do when about three weeks old 
He leaves a passage for the lambs so small that his 
sheep cannot trouble them, both in his barn and in 
a yard made for the purpose, after going to pas 
ture, and continues to feed until he sells, which is 
in June. He has lambs ten weeks old that will 
dress fifteen pounds per quarter. 
Strong and Healthy- Lambs. 
Says the American Stock Journal “ Lambs 
that come early are invariably the largest, stroug 
est and most healthy; consequently, they are the 
best breeders. The ewe that has her lamb early 
has sufficient time to get in good order before win 
ter, and after the lamb is weaned she is not subject 
to weakness and disease as arc those of late wean 
ing, and is consequently a better breeder the next 
season. Poor, late, feeble lambs and ewes should 
never be permitted to breed, for if such are, it inva 
riably follows that the flock will degenerate. Gen 
crating or breeding ewes should always be selected 
Ewes sometimes continue strong and productive 
until twelve or fifteen years of age; this depends 
on their general health and constitution.” 
IIon. JosF.rn R. \V illiams has resigned the Presiden¬ 
cy of the Michigan State Agricultural College,—much 
to the regret of many ardent friends of the institution. 
Tiif, Tenth Annual Fair of the Brookfield Town Ag. 
Socieiy (Madison Co.,) is to be held on the 28 and 2Vth 
days of September next. 
Read the Advertisements, new and recent—none of 
them are very old. Many are just in season, and per¬ 
haps worthy of special notice, but this brief general 
reference must suffice. 
Foot-Rot in Sheep.— For the benefit of your 
readers, I wish to inform you how I cured several 
sheep that had the foot-root very bad. Pare away 
all the rotten hoof, then apply spirits of tar (keep 
the tar in a vial, with a quill in the cork,) once in 
three or four days. I think common tar mixed 
with their salt helps to keep them in health.— 
W. L., Pendleton, Niagara Co., N. Y., 1859. 
Wintering Stock. —I see “R. M.,” of Michigan 
wants somebody’s experience in wintering stock 
and thus give him an idea why cattle will some 
times grow “ lean, ” even though supplied with all 
(apparent) “ creature comforts. ” I have been 
through the same mill,—went through annually,— 
until I learned, 1st, We mustfeed enough, and that 
which is good enough to get an animal thriving, 
2d, They do better to keep ent irely out of the yard 
except when feeding, or, in other words, not to 
fuss with them. 3d, A warm yard is better for 
stock than a warm stable. True, they will eat more 
out than in—and that is just what I like to see, for 
when animals eat heartily I soon expect to see them 
thrive.—H. D., Cayuga, N. Y., 1859. 
Dp.y Weather is predicted by a would-be weather- 
wise man in N. C. In his opinion there will be no rain 
during the whole month of May. Cause why—he says 
the same thing occured in 1359, and again in 1559- 
Save the rain-water, and prepare to irrigate! 
Lifetime of Bees.— Prof. Kirti.and. an cxpiricneed 
apiarian of Ohio, in a lecture on bees, slates that the 
queen lives about four years, the workers six mouths, 
and the drones four to five months. 
The Death of Benedict Brooks, Esq., of Covington, 
Wyoming Co., is announced. Mr. B. was among the 
dcstand niosi highly esteemed and influential citizens of 
Wyoming, having long been prominently connected with 
its history. Though advanced in life, his decease is 
one of those sad events which affect the surrounding 
community, and is regarded as a public loss. Mr. B. 
was a brother of lion. Mioaii Brooks, recently deceased, 
and father of Maj. Hugh T. Brooks. 
A Map of Your Farm would greatly facilitate in 
making arrangements for crops tins season. Perhaps 
you madeone during the winter, anti have also already 
decided positively as to which fields are to be devoted 
to hoed crops, and winch are best for grain or seeding 
to grass. If not, you have no time to lose, as the busy, 
growing, warm season is coming on apace. It is not 
only time to “ calc’late,” but to work and bring about 
results. Decide carefully and wisely, aud then you can 
go-ahead safely. 
TnE Wheat Crop of the West is generally spokeu of 
as very promising, by the papers—as usual at this sea¬ 
son of the year. Little reliance can be placed upon the 
hup-hazard statements put forth so early in the season. 
Wait a little longer,” gentlemen, and don’t glut the 
market with an enormous surplus of grain before it has 
blossomed. We are glad to hear favorable reports, 
when well founded, but it is yet too early, we opine, to 
base calculations upon the best information obtainable 
—for considerable time must elapse before harvest and 
the crop is liable to injury from bad weather, insects, Ac. 
“Plant One Acre Moke” is not always sound ad- 
ice. The object of the farmer should not be to seo 
how many acres he can plant, but how welt and projit- 
ably he can cultivate a few. The wisest and best 
educated men are not those who have read or run over 
the greatest number of books, but such as have care¬ 
fully studied and thoroughly understand a few of i ho 
best. It is far better to own and till from twenty to fitly 
acres in a thorough and profliable manner—“plowing 
deep while sluggards sleep”—than to undertake, with 
nadequate means and executive faculty, the culture 
and management of from two to five hundred acres, 
doing the work poorly, harvesting unprofitable crops, 
and paying an unnecessary amount of taxes. 
Heavy Sheep and Fi.eeck. —In a letter alluding to 
the statement of weight of carcass and fleece of a pair 
of Merino bucks owned by A. Y. Baker, of Steuben 
Co., N. Y. ( (the live weight of the two being 208 IDs., 
and washed wool 12 lbs.,) Mr. Wm. Jeffrey, of Whitoy, 
C, W., says that he has a three year old ram, of the pure 
Leicester breed, which weighed when shorn lust year 
341 lbs., and the fleece, after washing, weighed 16% lbs.! 
Mr. J. wishes that Mr. B. could have seen his ram— 
and thinks the latter would have thought little more of 
his Merines. Both gentlemen evidently have good 
sheep—but as to which is preferable, or the most profit¬ 
able, depends upon circumstances, sucli as the prices of 
wool and mutton, of the different breeds, proximity to 
market, &o. 
Don’t be Anonymous! —Whatever may be your other 
sins of omission, kind reader, never omit your name in 
sending anything to the Rural for publication. It is 
“ labor lost,” and don’t pay either you or us —for, as wo 
have repeatedly stated, we ignore anonymous articles. 
The only proper way to gain access to our pages is to 
give real name and post-office address—not necessarily 
for publication, but for our security aud reference. 
Every week we receive many articles on praeiical sub¬ 
jects which have a good fool; —but, being anonymous, 
are consigned to the flames, and generally without read¬ 
ing, for it is useless to spend time with what cannot bo 
made available. Reform it altogether, Messrs. Anony¬ 
mous, and let us at least, if not the public, know who is 
who—thus saving, in the aggregate, a vast amount of 
time, brain-labor, ink and stationary. But if you will 
persist in the practice, don’t complain, nor imitate the 
army in Flanders, because your productions, whether 
practical or sentimental, are omitted. 
Good Advice.— Though perhaps rather late, we can- 
refrain from giving part of an article entitled “ Thoughts 
for the Season,” received some weeks ago from a valued 
Western correspondent: —“ Ye who are now about 
deciding what shall be the product of your fields the 
coming season, weigh well the subject, remembering 
that intelligent labor is better rewarded titan physical, 
and that the craft you are managing can now be 
changed in its course and its returns increased or less¬ 
ened as easily as the straw in the current. Carefully 
consider all the circumstances by which you are sur¬ 
rounded—the products which may be grown by your 
labor that are adapted to your farm—the probable wants 
and range of the market—with the experience of your 
neighbors on the subject. Your choice of crops lias 
more to do with the reward of your labor than tlio 
amount of that labor; hence, before choosing use every 
endeavor to inform your mind and improve your judg¬ 
ment, as your labor, to be successfui, needs to be under¬ 
standing^ applied. Next to choice of crops comes the 
cultivation thereof, which should be full, thorough and 
complete in every part, from the placing of the seed in 
the ground to the harvesting of the product.” 
The CnoiCE Seeds we propose to distribute during 
the ensuing montli or two (see offer on 7th page,) are 
just what you want at this season, for everybody who 
can should grow beautiful Flowers or rare Vegetables, 
or both. They will grow while you are sleeping, and, if 
well cultivated, return a large dividend to please the eye 
and palate. But if you don’t want to plant them, 
they will sell readily, or—what will perhaps afford still 
greater pleasure — you can give them to some appre¬ 
ciative lady friend! How many cousins will be ren¬ 
dered happier by our distributing a thousand or moro 
packages of Flower Seeds! —to say nothing of the 
Wives, Sisters and Daughters. Come, Gentlemen, ex¬ 
hibit your gallantry —and especially you who believe 
ladies should cultivate Flowers, and make borne and its 
surroundings attractive—by furnishing your fair friends 
the requisite capital to commence the pleasant business. 
If the B’s —Boys, Bachelors and Benedicts—will only 
do their duty, we will guarantee that the M’s — Misses 
and Matrons —will perform their part creditably. 
