■YOftKEK. 
her artificially with what our climate fails to give 
for a portion of the year. 
“Mr. Wilson, of Niagara Co., N. Y.,” aslcs a 
question relative to “ frost in the hive,” that re¬ 
quires a little serious attention. It shows that he 
has been along there, and has some experience. 
Mr. Kirby’s answer to him, indicates his want of 
the first lesson. This is his reasoning :—“ God is 
the teacher of the bee, and his wisdom cannot err. 
He has taught the bee on the approach of winter, 
to close every opening in their hive, except one at 
the bottom for ingress and egress. Why is this? 
In order that the heat generated by the natural 
warmth of their bodies should not escape, but 
should remain in the upper part of the hive, to 
furnish them with warmth sufficient for their com¬ 
fort and convenience. But by boring holes near 
the top of the hive, this design of the Creator is 
frustrated. The warm air, by its lightness, rises to 
the top of the hive, and escaping through the holes, 
leaves the interior of the hives nearly as cold as the 
external air, and thus the ingenuity of man de¬ 
prives the bees in a great measure of that genial 
warmth which the wisdom of their Maker has pro¬ 
vided for them.” Now, I deny that he proves any 
such design ! He first assumes a fact that is not a 
fact, when he says the “bees close every opening 
except the one at the bottom.” Where is the evi¬ 
dence that “ God designs the entrance at the bot¬ 
tom of the hive?” In the trees of the forest, we 
find quite as many going downward as upward to 
the hive from the entrance. In hives of man’s 
construction, it is common to make entrances only 
at the bottom; but this proves nothing of what is 
natural. Now, it happens that I have had entrances 
near the top in two or three scores of hives, since 
I have kept bees, which have been as prosperous 
as any, and never yet had the entrance of one of 
them closed vp / Mr. Kirby is not the first mau 
that has got in a swamp by theorizing in relation 
to bees. Again, Mr. K. says:—“But the current 
of air occasioned by boring holes in or near the top 
of the hive, carries off a large portion of this mois¬ 
ture, and thus deprives the bees of another source 
of health, which their kind Creator had intended 
for them.” If he had had experience on this point, 
he would, like the rest of us, have discovered the 
combs ruined by confining this “ moisture,” by just 
such methods as he recommends, and see the neces¬ 
sity of getting rid of it, by boring holes, inverting 
the hive, or any other way. I deny that this mois¬ 
ture is essential to their health as a drink. 
Again,—“The Author of Nature has taken good 
care to defend all animals intended for cold climates, 
against the severity of the winter.” This, ol course, 
we will not deny in many cases. But I hope he 
will excuse us if we object to admitting that the 
bee was intended for a cold climate, on thataccount. 
One extract more. “The gentleman from St. 
Johnsville has done the subject of Bee-Culture 
serious injustice, by publishing so extensively his 
theories, advising all to treat their bees in so un¬ 
feeling and shameful a manner.” This is a sweep¬ 
ing assertion, and at present lacks the necessary 
proof. Wintering bees in this manner, is “ theory,” 
is it? I think I am safe in saying it is past that. 
I will guarantee that I can show ten, if not one 
hundred stocks, that have been successf ully winter¬ 
ed the last winter on this plan, where Mr. K. can 
produce one wintered successfully by the method 
recommended by him. The desire to make known 
my method of wintering, and management gener¬ 
ally, may be a weakness. It probably arose thro’ 
self-esteem, egotism, perhaps conceit. I had kept 
bees thirty years, and had been quite successful— 
call it lucky, if it suits better—the number of stocks 
gradually increased till I now manage some 800 
colonies, and they are subjected (except what arc 
in the movable frame hive,) to this “shameful and 
unnatural treatment.” My success having been 
pretty uniform, and my stocks increasing beyond 
any that I have heard of in this State, or any other 
of the States, I felt vain enough to offer some ad¬ 
vice. I did it well knowing what I said, especially 
with respect to wintering. This was offered gratis, 
as advice to promote bee-culture. Suppose no one 
chooses to profit by it, I shall not cry over it, or 
make myself very uncomfortable, even if some 
prefer to go to that “ dear school,” so necessary 
for those that can learn in no other. 
St. Johnsville, N. Y,, 1S59. M. Quinbt. 
THE Y/EBE WORM-POTATO GROWING, &c. 
Eds. IIural tiffi Rural of May 14th I notice 
an inquiry from 0. Sackett, for a remedy for wire 
worm in his potatoes. lean recomthend salt as an 
effectual preventive against their ravages. I al¬ 
ways use it plentifully in the hill or drill at the 
time of planting, and never, to my recollection, 
have my potatoes suffered, though corn planted in 
the same field has been badly injured. If used 
alone I should say from to 3 bushels per acre, 
but it is better applied composted with other 
special manures, and for the benefit of my brother 
farmers, I will give you my recipe for increasing 
the quantity and quality of potatoes, and prevent¬ 
ing the rot. 
For my early potatoes I mix all my hen manure, 
collected under cover through the year, amounting 
to from 4 to 6 barrels, with 1 barrel fine salt, and 5 
bushels plaster. Apply to the drills by strewing 
it along from the hand, walking about as fast as for 
ordinary sowing. This amount of manure, so ap¬ 
plied, will do for 1% to 2 acres. For the main 
crop, I take 10 bushels fresh lime, 10 bushels fine 
salt, (or 2 barrels,) 20 bushels unleached w'ood 
ashes, 5 bushels plaster. Make a bed of the ashes 
as for mortar, mixing the lime and salt in the 
centre, then pour on water enough to slake it, cov¬ 
ering it over with the ashes, and plaster on the top. 
If there is time for this mixture to stand for two 
or three weeks or more it is much better, so that 
the chloride of calcium (formed by the union of the 
lime and salt,) can be perfectly composed. If, 
however, as is often the case, the making of this 
manure is delayed from forgetful ness, I let it stand 
for two or three days until the whole mass is 
thoroughly slaked and heated up, then mix well 
together, and apply in drills as before stated; or, 
if in hills, put a good handful in, draw a little dirt 
over it, then put on the seed, and cover, and I 
guarantee the good results will be seen from the 
time the potatoes are first up, till the time for 
planting comes around again. 
The above are the proportions I use.- I can’t 
exactly say how much land this amount will serve 
for, but certainly two or three acres—and any that : 
is left over will do well to sow broadcast and drag 
in for some of those small experimental patches of | 
carrots, beets, turnips, &c., Ac., which all we 
readers of the Rural who have never grown any 
before, intend this year, I hope, to put in. 
For the fly which Mr. Sackett states is destroy¬ 
ing his turnips, cabbages, &c., I should recom¬ 
mend a liberal dusting of soot, ashes, plaster, 
tobacco dust, or something of that sort, as a pre¬ 
ventive. 
I had a word or two to say respecting Mr. Logie’s 
system of brush draining, mentioned in Rural of 
April 30tb, but must wait another opportunity, 
thinking this communication enough of an endu¬ 
rance for yourself and readers for once. 
Aubrey Farm, Fayette, N. Y. W. W. Stacey. 
WICKS’ ATMOSPHERIC CHTJRN. 
In the Rural of April 2d, we gave an extract 
from an article by H. A. Cook, of Columbia Co., 
which spoke of using a four-minute churn. Its 
publication soon brought us a large number of 
inquiries, and in our issue of the 30th ult., (under 
the head of “That Four-minute Churn,”) we 
stated that we could neither answer the queries 
nor give the address of Mr. Cook, but presumed 
some of our friends would ere long favor Rural 
readers with definite information on the subject. 
Only a day or two after the last-named paragraph 
was published, we casually met (in Arcade Hall,) 
an Agent of “Wicks’ Atmospheric Churn,” and 
learning, on inquiry, that he was from Washing¬ 
ton County—that it had been introduced into Col¬ 
umbia—and that it was a “four-minute churn”— 
we surmised that perhaps this was the identical 
churn alluded to by Mr. Cook, about which we 
had received so many inquiries, and resolved to 
ascertain in regard to its operation and merits. 
The gentlemanly and apparently very candid 
agent, Mr. N. Brownell, promised us an early 
opportunity to witness the operation and speed of 
the churn, and we have, within the past ten days, 
been present at four trials of its capacity, at dif¬ 
ferent places. Three of these were made one day 
last week, in the town of Gates, a few miles west 
of Rochester, and subsequently one in this city. 
The first three trials were made at as many dif¬ 
ferent farm houses. On the first trial, cold cream 
was used, in the open air on the north side of the 
house, the morning being quite cool. The churn¬ 
ing was completed in between ten and twelve min¬ 
utes, notwithstanding the unfavorable circum¬ 
stances. The second trial was made with cream 
at a temperature of about CO degrees, in a warm 
room ; time 9 minutes. The third tr ial was made 
in a warm room, with the cream at a temperature 
of 03 to 64 degrees, and the churning was com¬ 
pleted in four and a half minutes. Butter was 
produced in four minutes, in this instance, but the 
churn was not stopped until the work was com¬ 
plete — 4/4 minutes. These experiments were wit¬ 
nessed by several gentlemen conversant with but¬ 
ter-making, all of whom, we believe, wore satisfied 
that the churn would produce butter within five 
minutes, at any time, with the cream at a proper 
temperature—say from 62 to 64 degrees Fab. The 
cream was not meastued in these trials, but from 
eight to twelve pounds of butter were made at each 
churning. We wimessed another experiment with 
the same churn, (at the National Hotel, in this city,) 
on Monday of this week, when butter was pro¬ 
duced in from four to four and a half minutes. 
Such is the result of our investigations — and it 
may be proper to add that we handled the ther¬ 
mometer in the two last experiments, carefully 
noting the temperature, and also timed each cliurn- 
iDg by the watch. We have been bored by a great 
many agents of patent churns, bee-hives, etc., and 
examined scores of such inventions which we con¬ 
sidered unworthy of the least notice; but in this 
instance we set about the matter voluntarily—per¬ 
haps bored the agent— and, though not prepared 
to cry "Eureka," we are satisfied that Wicks' Im¬ 
proved Atmospheric Churn is a decided acquisition, 
if not the long-sought desideratum. We are as¬ 
sured that it has completed a churning in one 
minute and-a-half, and often in three minutes, but 
if it will do the work in five minutes — or even in¬ 
side of ten — it is a great and valuable improve¬ 
ment. In this belief we confidently commend it to 
the attention and examination of the large number 
of our readers interested. To enable them to un¬ 
derstand its construction and operation we subjoin 
the following cuts and description, as furnished by 
the agent: 
the cross pieces i, i, the upper ends of said tubes 
being secured around the shaft G, near its top, 
tinder the wheel F; funnels are secured in the 
sides of the cross pieces as represented, near theii 
extremities, in such manner that they will commu¬ 
nicate with the bottoms or lower ends of the tubes 
j, j, j, j. I), D, represent openings in the top of the 
churn, which arc covered with gauze wire as shown. 
iiliiM 
It 
“In the figures, A represents the body of the 
churn ; C, C, represents uprights on the top D, D, 
which support the shaft B, on which is secured the 
driving wheel E, said wheel E, beiDg provided on 
its side with teeth or cogs which work in a bevel 
wheel F, on shaft G, which serves to drive said 
shaft; G, represents a vertical shaft which is pro¬ 
vided near its top with the bevel wheel I', and 
which has a bearing in the center of the bottom of 
the churn, for its lower end; this shaft passes 
through two pieces i, i, at their junction, said pieces 
crossing each other at right angles, are secured 
near the bottom of the shaft G, to said shaft; J, J, J, J, 
represent four tubes, the lower ends of which are 
secured in openings in, or near the extremities of 
“ This churn is operated, when the parts are all 
in proper position, by turning the crank, which 
gives motion to shaft B, and wheel E; this commu¬ 
nicating a rotary motion to the shaft G, and its 
attachments in a direction which will keep the 
mouths of the funnels constantly receding from the 
cream; as the funnels recede from the cream or 
milk, a vacuum is produced in the tubes j, j, J, J, 
and the external air rushes in immediately at the 
tops of the tubes, and is conveyed through them to 
the bottom of the churn, where it escapes and rises 
through the cream to the top of the churn again. 
As the lower ends of the tubes move much faster 
than the upper ends, the equilibrium is destroyed, 
and the air rushes into the tubes much faster than 
it would if the tops and bottoms moved at the same 
speed. When the shaft G, is turned rapidly, the 
cream in the churn assumes the shape of a hollow 
frustrum of a cone, and is kept between the sides 
of the box and the circle or cone described, by the 
revolving of tubes j, j, while the butter when it 
begins to come, being heavier than the cream, falls 
between the tubes j, j, and keeps between these 
tubes at the bottom of the churn. The object of 
the gauze wire covering for the apertures D, D, 
is, 1st, To give ventilation, and in the 2d place, 
it affords an opportunity of examining the con¬ 
dition of the cream while the operation is going 
on. 3d, It prevents spattering. It is often nec¬ 
essary during the process of churning, to ex¬ 
amine the condition of the cream, to note its 
changes, so as to know how to treat it properly, 
and this cannot be done in ordinary churns with¬ 
out taking off the top, which always produces a 
bad effect upon the cream in a more or less degree.” 
This Churn has been thoroughly tested, during 
the past month, in Washington county. The 
Washington Co. Post of the 8th ult., in speaking of 
the churn and a public trial of i's capacity, says:— 
“The first operation was tGit of churning about 
four gallons of v,.-according to our 
time, (and we timed it,)yiij^^!,r> time of several 
other watches present, wa7 performed in three 
minutes from the first stroke, and produced from 
18 to 19 pounds of butter. The next operation was 
the churning of about the same quantity of milk, 
—milked the night previous, though still sweet— 
which was executed in five minutes. These facts 
we state on our own knowledge, and hold ourself 
responsible for their truth.” 
The same paper of the 15th ult. says.: — “We 
had the pleasure of again witnessing an operation 
of the Atmospheric Churn on Tuesday last. There 
were about live and a half gallons of cream in the 
churn, and although the quantity was a little 
greater than should be churned at onetime in that 
sized churn, yet the churning occupied just three 
minutes by the watch, and the amount of butter, 
which was weighed by our own hands, was 35 lbs. 
before the mdk had been fully worked out of it. 
The butter, after being fully worked, would weigh 
about 33 lbs. Several gentlemen were also present 
to witness the operation,—among them our friends 
D. Volentine and Mr. Stockwell, of Aurora, Ill. 
All present seemed perfectly satisfied with the suc¬ 
cess of the experiment.” 
The Churn above described was patented by 
L. J. Wicks, of Racine, Wis., in March last, but the 
patent is now owned by E. Judson, of Cambridge, 
Wash. Co., N. Y., and S. Judson, of Racine, Wis. 
SALE OF S. T. TABER’S SHORT-HORN HERD. 
Eds. Rural:— The sale of Mr. Taber’s fine herd 
of Short-horns came off to-day, (at Dover Plains, 
Dutchess Co., N. Y.,) and I give you the results of 
the sale. The day has been a most unfavorable 
one— a cold, north-east rain storm preventing, 
doubtless, many from attending. There was a fair 
attendance, mostly from Dutchess county. The 
best bidders, however, were from New England, 
and they bought the best animals. Ten Bulls and 
twenty-four Cows and Heifers were sold. The 
stock was in fair condition ; the sale was conducted 
as such 6ales should be—every animal put up and 
sold to actual purchasers without a single by-bid¬ 
der. Only one animal had a reserved price upon 
it. Mr. Tabkr requested this privilege as the last 
animal was brought into the ring, his stock bull 
“Highflyer,” a very superior bull — sired by 
“Duke of Gloster,” (now owned by James O. 
Sheldon, of Geneva,) his dam imported “Diana 
Gwynne.” He was five years old, in fine condi¬ 
tion ; his stock on sale showed him a capital stock 
getter. He was started at $450 and realized $505, 
and went to Massachusetts. I regretted he had 
not been retained in New York. He cost Mr. Ta¬ 
bor, when 6 months old, $600 — and was a bargain, 
I think, at a much higher figure now. 
I give you a list of the animals, and the pur¬ 
chasers and prices, as well as they could be ascer¬ 
tained. Taking notes in the Geld, with the ther¬ 
mometer at 40° or thereabouts, and the north-east 
wind making it good for 10 degrees more of cold, 
was not the most favorable for work. I give you, 
however, as understood at the time, and presume 
the list is correct as to the prices, and as to pur¬ 
chasers substantantially so. There were ten Bulls 
sold at an average of $121.20 each, all but four 
yearliDgs —one 9 months. Twenty-four Cows and 
Heifers at an average of $114. The Bulls brought 
$1,212, and the Cows and Heifers $2,736. Total, 
$3,948. Had the weather been favorable I think 
the attendance would have been such as to have se¬ 
cured a considerable advance in the prices of the 
best animals. 
BULLS. 
Name. Age. Purchaser. Price. 
Mi-ssenger. D years old, M. IIulh*ck, Ulster Co.$ 90 
Genserio, 1 year old, Wm. A. White . 16 
Hyperion, 1 year old, Mr. Rathbnn, Olsego Co. 91 
Buccaneer, 2 years old, Mr. Thirsby. 90 
Alaric, 1 year old, Daniel B. Ila'glit, Dutchess Co.. 145 
Attila, 1 year old, E. Griffon. Dutchess Co. 68 
Comptroller, 1 year old E. Iv. Taher, Dutchess Co.. 47 
Plebian, 1 year old, Valentine Ilalleck, Dutchess 
Co. 65 
Reefer, 9 months, Henry Waif. 45 
Highflyer 5 years old, a'. G. Wood, Massachusetts.. 505 
Average $121 20.$1,212 
COWS AND HEIFERS. 
Name. Age. Purchaser. Price. 
Gem, 5 years old, 8. N. Buffam, N. Hampshire)_$105 
Aurelia, 9 years old, D. B. Holcomb, Mass.100 
Ataianta 8d, 8 years old, D. B. Holcomb, Mass.100 
Arezonia, 2 years old, Paoli Latnrop, Mass. 100 
Cnlona, 1 year old, M. J. Smith. 75 
Autumn, 4 years old, It. 8. Van Wyek. Dutchess... 50 
Laura 3d, 8 years old, Paoli Latbrop, Mass. 140 
Lauretta, 5 years old, Mr. White. Ill 
L'zzy, 4 years old, Judah Swift . 105 
Oalla, 6 years old, Abram Burton . 83 
•leanett 5 years old. Same. 86 
Edith, 3 years old Samuel Thorne, Thornedale. 100 
ZiHab, 2 years old, Abram Burton. 100 
Z'pnrah 1 year old. Haight & Merrett, Dutchess ... 65 
Zade, 2 years old, Z. K. Taher, Dutchess. 80 
Aurora, 14 years old, Gilbert Coffin, Dutchess. 71 
Luna, 5 years old, Paoli Lathrop, Mass. 190 
Dawn, 2 years old, New Hampshire man. 110 
Twilight. 9 months old, Same. 75 
Starlight, 2 years old, M. J. Smith. 155 
Twinkle. 9 mouths old, Paoli Laihrop, Mass. 100 
Althea, 6 years old, Sylvanus Willis. 220 
Cuphea, 3 years. Same. 190 
Erica, 2 years old, Same. 225 
Average $114 00,.$2,730 
Yours, &C., J. 
May 10, 1859. 
lluval Spirit of tljc |3rco5. 
A Hint to tal:o How. 
White walls, and long Hues of white fences, 
gleaming amid luxuriant and embowering foliage, 
give to a farm establishment an appearance of neat¬ 
ness and rural elegance and comfort, indescribably 
attractive to the man of taste, and can in no way 
be so effectually and economically secured as by 
giving them a few coats of whitewash. The white¬ 
washing of cattle and horse stalls, as well as inside 
of hog cotes and heneries, not only renders them 
more healthy, but prevents the animals and fowls 
from beiDg infested with troublesome, filthy vermin. 
How to Wash Slieep. 
One of the correspondents of the Wool Grower*, 
H. II. Robinson, of Millersburg, O., gives the fol¬ 
lowing as his mode of Washing Sheep :—“ Take a 
large sized store box and place it below a mill-dam 
or on a rivulet where you can have a stream of 
water running in it through a spout. The way to 
manage the sheep is this: turn the sheep on its 
back, let one person take hold of its fore legs with 
his left hand, and hold of the back of its head with 
the right, and another person hold the hind legs, 
and in that mauner dip the Slieep in the box of 
water a few times, then let the sheep turn on its 
feet in the box a.«.a i—— -- ---•*-=* •- *-- 
clean. I like this way of washing much better 
than the old way of dragging slieep into a stream 
and worrying them about until the wool is clean.’’ 
Sowing Peas. 
S. R. Elliott, of Cleveland, writing to the 
American Farmers' Magazine, says:—“ Some years 
since, I commenced sowing peas, and covering 
them at different depths, varying from one inch 
to ®ne foot. I found those buried eight inches 
deep appeared above the ground only one day 
later than those buried only two inches; while 
those that were covered twelve inches deep were a 
little over two days behind. As they grew no per¬ 
ceptible difference was noticed, until they com¬ 
menced blossoming and setting, then the advan¬ 
tage of the deep planting exhibited itself; for those 
that were eight and ten inches deep continued to 
grow, blossom, and set pods long after those only 
two to four inches commenced ripening and decay¬ 
ing. If the soil is light and loamy, I will hereafter 
plant my peas eight to ten inches deep ; if the soil 
is clayey, I would plant six inches. I never earth 
up, but leave the ground as level as possible.” 
Save tlxe Soot. 
\Ye clip the following from the Maine Tem¬ 
perance Journal “ This, though generally thrown 
into the street and wasted, is one of the best ma¬ 
nures. H is extensively used in England, and 
when only fifteen or twenty bushels are applied to 
the acre, it induces the most luxuriant crops of 
wheat and other grains. It contains, in small com¬ 
pass, almost all the ingredients of coal or wood used 
for fuol. It also contains the several salts of am¬ 
monia, magnesia, lime and muriatic acid. Its com¬ 
ponents are the natural food or stimulants of plants, 
and it can be used to great advantage as a concen¬ 
trated fertilizer to stimulate germinating seeds in 
the drill. It is not only sown broadcast with the 
grain, but it is applied to the root crops with the 
best results. Potatoes and carrots especially are 
benefited by it. Six quarts of soot to a large hogs¬ 
head of water make an excellent liquid manure lor 
the garden. It can be applied with safety to all 
garden crops, and will pay well for saving.” 
On Sowing IMuster. 
A correspondent of the Agriculturist describ¬ 
ing this process, says :—When your land is tolera¬ 
bly free from obstructions, not too hilly, and dry 
enough in spring for a wheel carriage to pass over 
it without damaging the clover, rise with the sun, 
or a little before it, on a still morning; take a cart, 
(as it is better to turn than a wagon,) put a barrel 
of plaster in the fore end of it, and a shovel to fill 
with; fix a box or tub close by the tail-board of 
the cart, about the height of your knees, and an old 
chair or seat in front of it. Fill your tub, takeyour 
seat, tell your boy to drive on, and commence sow¬ 
ing over the tail of the cart with both hands, just 
as you would do if walking and carrying the arti¬ 
cle, the difference being that, instead of walking 
into the dust, you are riding away from it, and by 
being elevated, can sow a wider cast; instead of 
having to go across an acre several times, while 
sowing it, to get your mouth, nose and eyes filled 
with dust, you may be as clean as when you begaD, 
except a little scattered upon your trousers; when 
the wind rises, quit, and you will do more in one 
momma- than in half a day by the old method. 
(Agricultural JRisccllauji. 
Grain and Produce — Great Advance in Prices. — 
It will be observed by reference to our Market Reports 
that prices of Breadstufls, Produce, &c., bave taken an 
astonishing leap during the past week. Flour and 
Grain are especially elevated, with an “Excelsior” 
(still higher) tendency, while Potatoes and Pork partici¬ 
pate in the upward movement. Our dealers are mors 
excited and feverish than wo have known for many 
years, and some of the shrewdest anticipate a still 
further and continued advance — predicating their 
opinions upon the last foreign advices, including the 
declaration of war by three great Powers, and the suppo¬ 
sition that they are short of Provisions. What the result 
will bo time alone can determine. Though we are in¬ 
clined to look upon the sudden advance, and speculative 
feeling and action, as the temporary result of excitement 
caused by the foreign news, and the anticipited 
European demand for our Breadstuffs, we are yet of the 
opinion that a permanent advance of prices may bo 
maintained. This, however, must depend upon circum¬ 
stances and contingencies, and we are inclined to the 
belief that producers who now have anything to sell 
would do well to take advantage of the high prices 
which now rule. As to the future, each farmer should 
carefully note the market reports and foreign news, and 
act upon his own judgment. 
The WnEAT Crop. - Our accounts, by letter and other¬ 
wise, from the wheat growing sections of the Union, 
generally speak in the most encouraging terms of the 
appearance and prospects of the crop. Correspondents 
in Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, and other parts of the West, 
report very favorably, and concur in the opinion that, 
extraordinaries and contingencies excepted, the wheat 
crop of 1859 will prove the best harvested for years. 
We rejoice with them in the prospect, and trust that the 
crop will escape injury or destruction by the enemies 
and contingencies to which it is liable. A good wheat 
crop, now, will tell upon the individual prosperity of 
the growers, and immensely benefit the country. 
Preparing Ground fop. Corn. —A Michigan corres¬ 
pondent of the Tribune produces great crops of grass 
by using plaster. For corn, lie plows in clover sod in 
the Fall, and applies all his manure to it in the Spring, 
working it in thoroughly with the cultivator and har¬ 
row. “ Hoeing the corn fits the ground well for wheat, 
and I sow it as soon as the ripening of the corn will 
admit. After the wheat comes off, I plow in the stub¬ 
ble in the Fall, for oats, with timothy and clover in the 
Spring. In this way I get three crops of grain (oue 
of them wheat) in three years, and get the land back to 
clover in the time. Last year my corn yielded 100 
bushels of ears per acre, and the wheat this year, on 
the same ground, averaged 14 bushels per acre, though 
it was badly shrunk. These crops were raised on land 
which was thought nearly barren when it came into 
my possession.” 
A IIapI’Y and “Lucky” SriEPiiEr.D.— In a recent 
letter, Geo. W. Kendall, formerly editor (and still co¬ 
proprietor) of the Nett Orleans Picayune, who has for 
several years lived upon his great sheep ranche, near 
New Braunfels, Texas, writes thus glowingly to a friend 
in Boston:—“ I have now five thousand sheep, and all 
fine stock. Have realized over seventy-five per cent, 
profit per annum on the investment since I have been 
here, which will do for hard times. Flocks now in 
healthier and finer condition than ever. My good luck 
has now lasted three years without intermission. I went 
in Now Orleans last -iOiirlnumis ti- , ~" J -rife,and 
.. It, wccks, which was quite long 
enough. I wouldn’t live in a city if you would give 
mo one. I am in the enjoyment of the very best health, 
and am now ten years younger than I was ten years 
ago.” 
Grubs in Sheep.— A writer in the Mich. Farmer says 
this is a perfect cure for grubs in the head of sheep :— 
“ Take one quart of whiskey and two ounces of yellow 
snuff; mix and warm to blood heat. Let one man hold 
the sheep and another take a small syringe and dis¬ 
charge about a teaspoonful of the mixture into each 
nostril. It is a certain cure. My father met with quite 
a loss in his flock ; he tried this remedy, found it satis¬ 
factory, and never lost another sheep.” 
The IIog Cholera, which has made such fearful 
ravages in Kentucky for a year or more, has broken out 
in Central Illinois, and is making sad havoc among the 
swine. One day, recently, two men in Sangamon Co., 
lost one hundred and thirty-five head, and another over 
seventy head. Within two weeks another person lost 
two hundred head, while many others have lost more 
or less. 
The Annual Horse Show of the Monroe Co. Ag. 
Society is to be held on the Fair grounds, near this city, 
on the 4th of July ensuing. The list of premiums 
(amounting to over $300,) regulations, Ac., will soon bo 
published. 
The Orleans Co. Horse Show is to take place on 
the Society’s Grounds, in Albion, on the 2d and 3d days 
of June. The arrangements are on a liberal scale, and 
a successful exhibition is anticipated. 
The Lodi Town Fair (Seneca Co.) is to be held Juno 
8 th. Opportunity is offered for tho sale and oxchange 
as well as exhibition of Stock, &c. 
Tiie Annual Fair of tho Berrien Co. (Mich.) Ag. 
Society will be held at Niles on the 27th, 28th and 29th 
days of September, 1859.— B. W. Landon, Sec'y. 
The Palmyra Union Ag. Society’s next Annual 
Fair is to be held Oct. 11th, 12th and 18th. 
TnE Agricultural Press— The following paragraph 
from the Journal of the California State Agricultural 
Society contains some facts worthy of notice,-and of 
reflection as to what the same Power (the Agricultural 
Press and Literature,) rightly directed, may accomplish 
within the next thirty years: 
“ Few persons appreciate tho benefits of a well-con¬ 
ducted Agricultural Journal to the country whose re¬ 
sources it is designed to develop. The cant phrase, 
tinciured with a sueer, 1 book farming,' is still sufli- 
ciently prevalent to show that Agricultural Lueraturo 
has not yet accomplished its work. Still it has done 
much, and itssuccessesannually multiply. Forty years 
ago, and the ‘ American Farmer ,’ published at Balti¬ 
more, under the auspices of John S Skinner, was in 
embryo, us maturity and real birth being on the 2 d of 
April following. In August, 1822, Thos. G. Fessenden, 
of Boston, issued the first number of The Neic England 
Farmer, also a weekly; and not long afterward Mr. 
Samuel Fleet commenced The New York Farmer and 
Horticultural Review. These were all the agricultural 
journals in existence thirty years ago. Even as la'e as 
within the last twenty-five years, all the Agricultural 
Journals on this Continent had not an aggregate circula¬ 
tion of 10,009. while at the present hour the aggregate is 
more than a quarter of a million. And beside this, the 
time has come when our best family periodicals, from 
the half-penny daily to the ponderous quarterly, find n 
■ to their advantage to have an 1 Agricultural Department 
in their columns. For the intluence of the Press, we 
refer to the improvements in every department «l Agri¬ 
culture— the implements with which the work is done* 
the quality of the productions, and the profits ol tue 
enterprise. They are all as visible as the morning rta • 
The time has come, and may it never depart, wnu , 
other things being equal, he who does not read a goo 
Agricultural Journal, cannot successfully compete w 
him who docs.” 
