the bee, means the same thing. See how he proves 
that. “ I am perfectly aware that with the bee, 
food does not mean honey alone.” Then, assum¬ 
ing the matter as proved, he strikes out into a 
complaint, that I, either “ intentionally or igno¬ 
rantly, misinterpret an English sentence so per¬ 
fectly clear and plain as the one selected.” I sup¬ 
pose I shall have to plead guilty to a dull appre¬ 
hension. I have tried my best to comprehend how 
his being “perfectly aware” of this, proves it — 
that food of the mature bee in winter, is any thing 
else than honey. I have never discovered any evi¬ 
dence of it, and I have not the least idea that Mr. 
K. can bring any proof of it, further than mere 
opinion, and that, I shall object to. 
As regards transgressing the laws of Gon it is 
unnecessary to say any thing further on that point. 
It is a question aside from the real one at issue, 
and besides it would be ungenerous to do so, as he 
says he is “ by no means a stickler for having 
every thing in its natural state.” This is satis- 
factory. 
Respecting the entrance of the hive being de¬ 
signed to be at the bottom, Mr. K. says:—“The 
evidence will be found in the answers of the great 
majority of bee-keepers, when asked their opinion 
on the subject, as well as in their practice in using 
hives of this construction.” Suppose all these 
men have used such hives, and no others, as did 
their fathers—does it prove anything further than 
that the makers of them designed the entrance at 
the bottom? All the numerous experiments of 
Mr. K. that prove this “very point, that have been 
witnessed by honorables, divines, doctors, lawyers, 
and magistrates, who are ready to bear testimony 
to the result,” prove only the facts. These men 
being doctors, lawyers, &c., does not qualify them, 
on that account, to judge in regard to a bee hive. 
I am perfectly willing to admit the result of his 
experiments, as far as the work of the bees is con¬ 
cerned. But I deny that there is ground for any 
such conclusion. It being “proof positive” to 
Mr. K., only shows that some folks are very easily 
satisfied! This strong proof that the entrance 
was designed at the bottom, is as follows:— 
“When openings have been made in the hive at 
different heights from the bottom, and covered 
with wire screen, the bees have invariably closed 
them up with bee-glue, even going to the chamber, 
Ac. I therefore regard the evidence as complete, 
that God designed the entrance should be at the 
bottom.” Yes, and the same kind of evidence 
proves just as strong that the entrance was de¬ 
signed at the top! Just make a hole through the 
bottom-board, and cover it with wire screen ; then 
let the hive down close, and soon after the hive is 
filled it will be glued to the bottom, and the wire 
screen covered completely air tight! I wonder 
that Mr. K.’s extensive experience did not discover 
this, and save himself from a ridiculous position. 
The merest tyro in bee-culture can testify to the 
fact, that whenever his hivo bottom has rested on 
the bottom board, and was full through the season 
of collecting propolis, that it was invariably glued 
fast. It requires but little observation to show 
that all inequalities of the hive—corners, cracks 
too small fora passage, (whether top or bottom,)— 
will be sealed up ; also, a chip, gravel stone, block 
of wood, or even a “snail” will have the edges of 
his shell fastened to the board! I have not in¬ 
tended to say that the bottom of the hive was not 
a proper place for the entrance. What I objected 
to, was the proof of Mr. K. that God designed it 
there. 
In regard to the direction that a bee would take 
on passing the entrance into the hive when that 
is about the middle, he thinks all “ intelligent bee¬ 
keepers would answer, promptly and decidedly, 
upwards. Even Mr. Q., himself, should he be 
present, would, I am confident, if he answered at 
all, faintly articulate the word upward.” Here, 
as usual, Mr. K. is wrong again. I happen to 
have some facts bearing directly on this very 
point, where the bees themselves have decided it. 
This last spring, in moving the bees to one of my 
apiaries away from home, the loose covers of two 
of the movable frame hives were slipped off far 
enough to allow the bees to pass, and were left so 
carelessly. Here was an opportunity for the bees 
to choose which place they would enter — top or 
bottom. Those going in at the top must of neces¬ 
sity go downward —I think even Mr. K., were he 
“present, would faintly articulate” they do go 
downward. The result has been in this matter, 
that nineteen in twenty, if not ninety-nine in a 
hundred, prefer to enter the top, as it is probably 
easier to carry a load down than up. They have 
worked thus through the summer so far, and are 
as prosperous as othei'3. To test this thing a little 
further since seeing Mr. K.’s article, I have given 
some new swarms their choice of entrance, which 
is the same as the old stocks. Do these facts prove 
anything? I think if Mr. K. had the chance, 
where the bee, acting from instinct, proved as 
much for him, he would be apt to make use of it. 
I can satisfy any one who chooses to stop and see 
me at St. Johnsville, on the N. Y. Central Rail¬ 
road, that these things are as stated. 
Relative to placing stocks in the house for win¬ 
ter bottom up, Mr. K. says his “future success 
will probably decide the correctness of his theo¬ 
ries on this point.” How long would he like to 
have me try it to prove a success ? I have done it 
twenty years, and begin to doubt if bees can be 
wintered in the common hive so successfully any 
other way. With the way he recommends, I was 
soon satisfied, having combs completely spoiled 
by moulding. Having had this experience, I hope 
Mr. K. will excuse me if I doubt his ever having 
wintered ten stocks in the manner described by 
him, without moldy combs, while I can show him 
eight hundred wintered as I recommend, without 
a spot as large as my hand on any one of them. 
In conclusion, I would advise teachers in apia¬ 
rian science to be cautious’how they jump at con¬ 
clusions. Let close andrepeated observation prove 
the correctness of their practice or theories. It 
is as much trouble to disprove a false theory, pro¬ 
mulgated through ignorance, as to establish a 
correct one in the first place. There is no longer 
any necessity for ignorance in these things. With 
the aid of the movable combs, we can go at once 
into the interior of bee hives, and prove or dis¬ 
prove many points which before were only guessed 
WHEAT CULTURE. — MISSOURI WHEAT, j ABOUT PLOWING—ANSWER TO CRITICISMS. 
St. Johnsville, N. Y., 1859. 
M. Quinsy. 
John Johnston, Esq., of Seneca county, favors 
us with the following interesting article, in reply 
to a recent letter of inquiry,—and also one on 
the Winter Feeding of Stock, which we shall give 
in a future number. As the time of sowing wheat 
is deemed an important point in sections where 
the midge prevails—many of our most experienced 
farmers considering early sowing necessary—we 
shall be glad to receive Mr. Johnston’s views on 
the subject, (as alluded to below,) and also those of 
other successful cultivators in this region. 
Neap. Geneva, N. Y., 26th July, 1S59. 
Mr. Editor:— Your favor of the 2olh was duly 
received. In regard to my Missouri wheat, it was 
sown on or about the 18th of September. (I don’t 
approve of very early sowing, and may give you 
my reasons at some future time.) I was made to 
believe that it was in full ear on the 2Gth of May, 
and so published; but when I viewed it myself, 
on the 2Sth, it was not in full ear, though much 
of it was. I sowed a little less than a bushel— 
say from a pint to a quart less. The yield was 
SOX bushels by measure and 31 by weight—60 lbs. 
to the bushel. It has a very stiff straw; will re¬ 
quire and will stand high manuring,—as all wheat 
with stiff straw that ever I was acquainted with 
needs rich land and high culture to make paying 
crops. The Soule’s wheat requires the same, al¬ 
though I think the Missouri wheat is stiffer in the 
straw. It is called an amber-colored wheat, but 
it is what I would have called a red wheat—not 
bearded, but considerable spikes on the chaff. 
The kernel is not quite as large as the Soule’s 
when plump, yet it has a plump kernel and is said 
to make extra flour. I shall try one bushel in 
flour. The 29X bushels I will sow, and if I can 
recommend it next season will sell for seed. It 
came nearly a week earlier in ear than the Medi¬ 
terranean, but was no earlier ripe; yet that don’t 
matter, if it only gets in ear early, so that the 
chaff becomes a little hard before the midge is 
ready, and then they cannot sting it. I am in 
great hopes it may prove a valuable acquisition to 
this country. 
My Soule’s wheat is very fine this season, and 
must give an excellent return. When threshed, 
I will probably inform you. The whole field (28 
acres) was very highly manured with cattle and 
sheep manure, but the Missouri wheat had rather 
the worst chance. 
The two last seasons previous to this our wheat 
crops were late, and I suffered a good deal from 
midge; they were the only two years I suffered 
much from that insect, as I never had less than an 
average of 25 bushels per acre, (and always Soule’s.) 
But these two years I have not, nor ever had, any 
fear of raising paying crops of wheat, independent 
of the midge, in ordinary seasons, as I never take 
over six crops of grain after manuring until I ma¬ 
nure again, and often not over four crops between 
manurings. Then my manure is rich; I generally 
feed 30 tuns of oil cake meal every winter, and 
have done so for nearly twenty winters past— and 
some seasons as high as 45 tuns—besides consider¬ 
able corn, buckwheat and oats. 
It is just as vain to think that land can continue 
to raise wheat year after year unless it is highly 
fed, as to think you can get full work out'of oxen 
or horses that have nothing but a straw stack to 
feed upon. I know if it had not been for rich ma¬ 
nure, plenty of plaster, lime, and high feeding of 
cattle and sheep, I could never have paid for my 
land, built all the buildings, underdrained the 
whole farm, (the wood lot of 26 acres excepted.) I 
believe that but for this mode of management I 
would have been obliged to enter the poor-house 
when I became unable to labor. 
John Johnston. 
-*-♦-*.- 
AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES AND PREMIUMS. 
Messrs. Editors :—I am pleased to learn (by the 
Rural of July 23d,) that several Agricultural So¬ 
cieties have manifested their appreciation of the 
Rural, by ordering copies of it to distribute 
among their exhibitors as premiums. And I hope 
all other Agricultural Societies will imitate this 
laudable example. This is just as it should be.— 
The Rural is justly acknowledged to be the best 
Agricultural and Family Paper in America.— 
Therefore, it is not only suitable and valuable to 
offer as a premium, but is far better than cash.— 
All efforts to introduce it will add much to the 
public welfare, and when it is once introduced it 
will require no effort to “ keep it before the peo¬ 
ple,” for whoever once reads it will not do without 
it for five times its cost. I have often thought 
that the objects of Agricultural Societies, and the 
interest of their exhibitors and community gene¬ 
rally, would be far better promoted by paying their 
premiums in appropriate Agricultural Books and 
Journals than in money. Some persons may sug¬ 
gest that they can as well subscribe for such pa¬ 
pers and purchase such works themselves, inde¬ 
pendent of Agricultural Societies, which is all 
true; yet there are thousands who have but few if 
any such works or journals, and will neglect to ob¬ 
tain them until they do it by the earnest solicita¬ 
tion of some other parties. But when these per¬ 
sons do perchance obtain and read them, they will 
invariably appreciate and highly prize them and 
would not be deprived of them for thrice their 
cost. And I am confident that there are few 
libraries but what would be improved by the addi¬ 
tion of some Agricultural work. Give us more 
Rurals and other Agricultural reading, and give 
us officers and managers of Agricultural Societies 
who duly appreciate such works and journals and 
will exert themselves to introduce them. 
Allow me to suggest to Agricultural and other 
Societies to procure copies of the best works on 
Agricultural, Horticultural, Pomology, Horses, 
Cattle, Sheep, Poultry, Ac., and make out a list o 
the same, and their prices, in ordei that members 
who are entitled to premiums may select such as 
they prefer and give their orders to the amount of 
their premiums, so that it would only be necessary 
for the Society to purchase such works as were 
ordered. Every Agricultural Society should keep 
a complete Library of such works; also, Stud 
Books and Herd Books, the two latter being neces¬ 
sary for the use of the Examining Committees on 
Thorough-bred Horses and Cattle, in enabling them 
to decide correctly as to the correctness and au¬ 
thenticity of pedigrees. Subscriber. 
Monroe County, N. Y., 1859. 
Eds. Rural : — It is curious to note the excep¬ 
tions of your Michigan and Glens Falls corres¬ 
pondents, to my article on Plowing. I should not 
have been surprised if the former, being used 
(probably) to the prairies, considered figure 1st 
rather steep; but how any one hailing from War¬ 
ren county should think so, is more than I can 
imagine. I have never been in J. H.’s neighbor¬ 
hood, but those who have inform me that they get 
all their grain upon sleds, and gather their apples 
by letting them roll down to the bottom of the 
orchards, where they are ail scooped up at once. 
A vehicle there on wheels, is said to be a great 
curiosity to the natives. Your Michigan corres¬ 
pondent thinks that a plowman should be able to 
guide any horse team with accuracy. Now, I 
have seen teams so ill-matched and unmanageable, 
that I defy any one to plow well and guide them 
at the same time. I should like to see him drive 
a fractious, high-spirited span of four year old 
colts among those stumps he speaks of. I main¬ 
tain that, in order to plow well, a good plow, a 
sharp point, a well-trained team, a skillful plow¬ 
man, combined with patience and good judgment, 
are ail necessary^ and neither of them the ulti¬ 
matum. 
As for figure 1st, which troubles J. H. so much, 
I plead in abatement, that I drew it with the 
Green Mountains in my eye, on the one hand, and 
had the rugged and steep hillsides of Warren 
county in my thoughts, on the other. Under such 
circumstances, is it strange that figure 1st looms 
up considerable ? * I never plowed a hill quite so 
steep, but if J. H. wishes to try, I will depart 
from my usual course, and theorize as suggested, 
for him. I think he might do it by using a high, 
rangy horse on the lower side, and a short-legged 
Canada pony on the other, having the harness so 
adjusted that the horses could shift sides with 
expedition and ease. Rigged out in this manner, 
I have no doubt but he might plow that hill to a 
charm. But he need not make that acknowledge¬ 
ment he speaks of. I shall be satisfied if he 
thinks I am about middling. I am afraid J. II. 
read my article, as children sometimes do books, 
by looking at thg^ictures, since figure 1st filled 
his eye so completely, that be thought of nothing 
else. But enough, gentlemen. As the biils say, 
this is “positively my last appearance” on the 
subject of plowing. h. k. p. 
Cambridge Valley, N. Y., 1809. 
Rural Spirit of tl;c Jkess. 2lgriru!tnr 
DRAININGjflND SUBSOIL PLOW. 
T h rJ p v. 1 e p t ■ e s c- u t e d has been used 
to some extent in *ajoga and other counties, and 
given very general satisfaction so far as we are 
aware. The manufacturers furnish the following 
in regard to its operation and advantages, both as 
a Ditching and Subsoil Plow : 
“ The depth may be regulated by raising the 
movable beam up the stiff, upright cast iron stem, 
a slot being made in the beam to meet the change 
of place by the circular movement. A similar 
provision is made for raising or depressing the 
handles, except the stem is of wood. If this plow 
were intended for subsoiling only, there need be 
but one continuous and fixed beam, and the handles 
need not vary in height. When used for ditching, 
it loosens up the subsoil, and obviates the use 
of the pick. In many places the subsoil is so hard 
that two-thirds or three-fourths of the whole labor 
is required to loosen it if done by hand. Hence 
the great saving by the use of horse labor. This 
plow is drawn by two horses, attached to the ends 
of a main whipple-tree about seven feet loDg, so 
that one may walk on each side. From one to 
three times passing will loosen up five or six 
inches of earth, which is then thrown out by hand 
with narrow shovels, constructed for this purpose. 
The same process is then repeated. The earth be¬ 
ing thrown out on both sides alike, is easily re¬ 
turned to the ditch after the tile is laid, by means 
of a common plow, the horses being attached to the 
long whipple-tree as before. One pair of horses 
will thus fill in about one mile in a day. Drains 
which have cost thirty to thirty-five cents per rod 
when dug wholly by hand, have been completed 
with the assistance of this implement, ready fortbe 
tile, at a cost of ten to twelve cents.” [For price 
and other particulars, see advertisement.] 
RAISING TURKEYS-ONCE MORE, 
Messrs. Eds.: —Having noticed the articles in 
the Rural of July 16th, in regard to raising turkeys, 
in which the writers did not mention some thrngs 
which I think might be of use to those w r ho wish to 
succeed, I will now give my method. As soon as 
the turkeys are hatched, I feed each of them one 
grain of pepper, and put them into coops that are 
arranged so that I can clean them out every day. 
I then feed them on corn meal, and for drink I give 
them sour milk. I have the coops constructed so 
that the young turkeys are mostly in the shade 
until they are about four weeks old—then I let them 
out in the day-time, and shut them nights. This 
year I have forty turkeys, and have lost but one. I 
prefer setting the eggs under the old turkeys rather 
than hens, because they will ramble in the fields 
more and give the young turkeys an opportunity 
to catch bugs, flies and grasshoppers, which are of 
great benefit to them. I think one of the most im¬ 
portant things in raising turkeys is to keep them 
from the sun until they are about four weeks old, 
as I have seen them stand in the hot sun until they 
would begin to gap and drop their wings, and 
finally die. My experience teaches me three things 
— young turkeys must be kept clean, dry and from 
the sun. A. D. Thompson. 
Niagara County, N. Y,, 1859. 
Tile IPa.rrn.er’s Creed. 
The following is from the New Jersey “ ireie 
Tieilungf German: 
I believe in small and well cultivated farm3. 
I believe that the soil wants nourishment, asweil 
as man does; consequently, it needs manure. 
I believe in good crops, not exhausting the soil, 
but enriching it as well as the proprietor. 
I believe that everything ought to be tested to the 
bottom; therefore, I believe in deep plowing. 
I believe that all the lime, gypsum, bone dust 
and guano in the world cannot render a farm prof¬ 
itable, unless combined with intelligence, care and 
industry. 
I believe in good fences, good barns, good farm 
houses, good cattle, good orchards, and plenty of 
children to gather the fruit. 
I believe in a clean kitchen, and a neat woman 
in it; in a clean dairy, and a clean conscience. 
I believe that farmers, who do not improve their 
soil; farms, which grow poorer every year; cattle, 
that look like so many skeletons; farmers’ sons, 
who are bent, by all means, upon growing into 
clerks and merchants; farmers, finally, who are 
ashamed of their station, and attempt to drown 
this feeling in liquor — all these I believe to be 
worth nothing. 
On Butter NIairing. 
The following remarks on butter making are 
from “Our Farm of Four Acres and the Money We 
Made by it.”—“ In some parts of the country the 
butter made by the farmers’ wives for sale is not 
washed at all; they say it washes all the taste 
away. They remove it from the churn, and taking 
it in the hands, dash it repeatedly on the board; 
that is what they call ‘smiting’ it. The butter so 
made is always strong, and of two colors, as a por¬ 
tion of the buttermilk remains in it; and if any of 
it were put in a cup, and that placed in hot water 
for the purpose of clarifying, there would, when it 
was melted, be found large deposits of buttermilk 
at the bottom of the cup. Good butter tried thus, 
yields scarcely any residuum. Besides, this ‘smit¬ 
ing’ is a most disgusting process to witness. In 
warm weather it adheres to the hands of the ‘smit- 
ter,’ who puffs and blows over it as if it were hard 
work. Indeed I once heard a strong looking girl, 
daughter of a small farmer in Kent, say, that she 
was never well, for ‘smiting’ the butter was such 
dreadful hard work that it gave her a pain in her 
side. After this ‘ smiting’ is over, it is then put 
on a butter-print and pressed with the hand till it 
is considered to have received the impression. It 
is then, through a small hole in the handle, blown 
off the print with the mouth. I don’t think I shall 
ever eat butter again which appears on the table 
with the figures of cows, flowers, Ac., stamped on 
it. I should always think of the process it had 
gone through for the sake of looking pretty." 
Tlie Willow and. "Willow YYare. 
The Boston Commercial Bulletin furnishes the 
following statistics relative to the growth of the 
Willow in this country, and the importations, both 
crude and manufactured, etc., which may prove of 
value as showing the demand existing for its pro¬ 
duction: —“ Tb o willow used in snaking willow 
ware in this country, was formerly imported al¬ 
most entirely. At present a largo portion, esti¬ 
mated by some at one-half the quantity' consumed, 
is grown in the United States, and chiefly, as we 
understand, in Pennsylvania, Ohio and Kentucky. 
A manufacturer of willow ware in Ripon, Wis., 
grows the Welsh willow on four acres of land, 
near that town, and this is perhaps the only place 
in that State where it is cultivated. The present 
is the second year he has cut his willow, and from 
his four acres he obtained six tuns, four of which 
he sold in St. Louis at $100 a tun. The importa¬ 
tion last year of willow, unmanufactured, was 
valued at $35,141, of which $21,192 was from 
France, and $11,708 from Belgium. The manu¬ 
factures of willow imported the same year were 
valued at $112,725, of which $68,902 was from 
Bremen, $34,126 from France, $6,280 from Ham¬ 
burg, and $2,029 from England. Most of both 
these imports are received at New York. The 
impoits of the previous year were larger, viz :— 
$175,484 of manufactures of willow, and $41,773 
unmanufactured ; and were, respectively, in about 
the same proportion from the several countries as 
in the last year.” 
Steam Plowing —Successful Trial. —Fawkf.s’S team 
Plow was tried a few days since at Oxford Park, near 
Philadelphia, in the presence of a number of practical 
farmers and mechanics. From the reports w r e have 
seen, it is evident the trial was very satisfactory, indica 
ting the complete success of the invention. A Commit¬ 
tee appointed in behalf of the Pa. State Ag. Society 
make a gratifying report, in which they say the engine, 
of 30 horse power, is adapted to either wood or coal, 
and when the latter is used consumes about half a tun 
a day. All doubts of the success of the machine were 
speedily removed when it was put in operation. “The 
plows, eight in number, which were suspended by 
chains in a frame attached to the rear of the machine, 
about eighteen inches above the ground, by means of a 
slight adjustment of a crank, were dropped to their 
proper position for action; and at the sound of the 
whistle the plow moved forward in the most graceful 
manner, performing its work with ease, and to the ad¬ 
miration and perfect satisfaction of the most skeptical. 
The soil, which was made to yield to the united action 
of the eight mold boards, each turning a furrow slice 
of fourteen inches in width and six inches in depth, 
moving at the rate of four miles an hour, (or four acres 
an hour,) presented the appearance, in viewing it from 
the rear, of the undulations of a wave, hiding the 
plows entirely from view. The effect was most pleas¬ 
ing, and elicited the admiration of all. The experiment 
was made upon a tough timothy sod, which had not 
been plowed for some seven years previously. The 
grade was of about seven degrees, which tested the 
powers of the machine to perform on inclined surfaces. 
One of the Committee, familiar with prairie plowing, 
affirms that he has never seen level prairie turned as 
beautifully by horse power as the uneven timothy sod 
was by the steam plow.” The Committee further state 
that the machine is adapted to uneven surfaces—that it 
was propelled rapidly over several gullies, one of which 
was 18 inches deep, while others were very abrupt, 
without any apparent detriment, and also moved in a 
circle several times, of a diameter of about twenty-lire 
feet, and passed across the ground just plowed, without 
any difficulty, showing its adaptedness for all agricultu¬ 
ral purposes, not only as a Held plow but as a means of 
propulsion for mowing and reaping machines. 
Seed "Wiibat — New Varieties, &c.~ Those of our 
readers in this State, and other midge-infested regions 
who purpose sowing wheat the present autumn, will 
naturally look for plump, clean seed of the best and 
most productive early and hardy varieties. This is a 
matter of great Importance, and should receive early 
and careful attention. Such as cannot obtain suitable 
soed in their own localities, should at once look else¬ 
where, so as to secure a supply of a desirable variety ffi 
season—for, even if the midge should not prevail an¬ 
other year, (as some believe it will not,) it is the part of 
wisdom to prepare for the enemy by using proper pro- 
caution in selecting seed and eowiDg it early, xt is 
always wise to use the boat and purest seed obtainable 
and certainly those farmers of "Westem and Centra! 
New York who purpose entering npon wheat culture 
again should take special pains to start right— remem¬ 
bering that the procuring of proper seed, and sowing it 
at the right time on good, well-prepared soil ig ail- 
important. The varieties recently introduced from tko 
South and Southwest are worthy of particular attention. 
We have noticed several, and shall bo glad to receive 
and publish the results of any satisfactory experiments 
with these and other new varieties, so that our readers 
may be correctly advised. If the midge continues to 
prevail, we must have early varieties, and these will 
naturally come from the South. The question as to 
which are the best varieties is very essential, and re¬ 
mains to be determined. In deciding it every one 
should have regard to the public welfare. 
Wheat Growing in Central New York.— Wo are 
glad to learn that the farmers of Central New York 
have cause to be encouraged relative to wheat culture, 
and to know that some of the best of them concur in the 
view3 wo have expressed as to what is requisite to suc¬ 
cess. In a recent letter the Hon. Geo. Geddes, of Fair- 
mount, Onondaga County, writes ns as follows:—“I 
have read the slips enclosed in your letter, [including 
article entitled “Wheat Culture—Evading the Midge,”] 
and find our views alike in regard to raising wheat. 
Last year we raised on ten acres of land (having over a 
dozen large apple trees and two other largo shade trees 
on it,) 410 bushels of Mediterranean wheat,—which va¬ 
riety has become equal in quality to the old red chaff 
bald, but has less grains in a head. If Mediterranean 
wheat is sown on rich, dry land by Sept 10th, in an 
ordinary season, we may expect 25 bushels to the acre. 
The other varieties you name, I have not seen. Spring 
wheat (China Tea.) is promising very fine crops here, 
and I think is to take the place of the Barley crop, 
which can no longer be raised here at less than $1 per 
bushel.” 
A Premium Appreciated — Ketchum's Combined 
Machine. —In sonneclion with an article published 
elsewhere, Mr. I. W. Briggs, of Wayne county, thus 
acknowledges a premium awarded him last year: —“ If 
it will not be stretching this article too long, I would 
like to tender my grateful acknowledgments for that 
fine present of a Combined Reaper and Mower of the 
manufacture of E. L. Howard, of Buffalo, for my hum¬ 
ble efforts in behalf of the Rural New-Yoekf.r. And 
perhaps it may not be doing injustice to manufacturers, 
venders and purchasers, to say that Ketciium’s Com¬ 
bined Machine is the thing, after all. My Machine is 
£>ff on duty almost every day, excepting Sundays. In 
neighborhoods whero other machines are plenty wc 
have had pressing invitations to mow and reap, but 
can’t attend to half the calls, Long live the Rueal 
Nf.w-Yorkf.r, its Editor and his co-workers.” 
People's Collhge.—M r. President Beown announces 
ttat the Annual meeting of the Trustees of this Institu¬ 
tion will bo held at Havana, on Wednesday next, Aug. 
10th. Rev. Asa I). Smith, D. D., is to deliver an ad¬ 
dress before the corporation of the College and other 
friends of the institution; and it is expected that Got. 
Morgan, Ex-Gov. Hunt, Hon. Eeastus Brooks, Hon. 
Gef.rit Smith and Hon. Jas. S. Wadsworth will be 
present and deliver addresses. The Building Commit¬ 
tee have caused three stories of the main edifice of the 
College building, above the basement story, to be erect¬ 
ed, and a commencement to be made on the fourth.— 
The building is to go up and bo roofed this season. 
Spring Barley Sown in the Fall.— Under date of 
July 4th, Mr. John Johnston, of Hess Road, Niagara 
county, N. Y., writes“ It may be of some use to your 
readers to learn that, at least in one instance, Spring 
Barley, sown in the fall, has grown and ripened as 
well as winter barley. My brother-in-law, David Bailey, 
of the town of Porter, in this county, bad not enough 
seed of the winter kind to finish sowing all the ground 
he had prepared last fall, so he took hi3 spring barley 
to finish with, and now it is all ready to cut and no dif¬ 
ference perceivable.” 
Plants upon One Acre.— Counting plants one foot 
apart each way, we shall have 43,560 upon an acre, 
because an acre contains that number of superficial 
feet. Take the figures in the first column of the follow¬ 
ing table as the distance apart, and an acre will contain 
the number of plants in the second column: 
IK feet.19.360 1 6 feet.1.2101 22 feet.90 
IK feet... 
...19,3601 
1 6 feet.... 
...1,210 
2 
feet... 
...10,890 
1 8 feet.... 
... 680 
2K feet... 
... 6,969 
1 10 feet.... 
... 435 
3 
feet... 
... 4.840 
12 feet.... 
... 302 
3K feet,.. 
... 3,535 
15 feet.... 
... 193 
4 
feet... 
... 2,722 
18 feet.... 
... 134 
5 
feet... 
... 1,742 
20 feet.... 
.... 108 
New Hareow and Seed Sowep..— Mr. W. S. Hunteb 
of Cortland county, N. Y., informs the Tribune that he 
has invented and patented a Revolving Harrow and 
Broadcast Sower—the two may be used in combination 
or separate. He says, when detached, the sower does 
its work with surpassing ease and eKcellence, and the 
revolving harrow being so constructed as to adjust 
itself to any irregularities of ground, commends itself 
to the farmer as no other can. Thoroughly pulverizing 
the soil, it completes its work at once, better than others 
In three times goiDg over the ground. It has been in 
use all the Spring in bis vicinity, and given entire 
satisfaction. 
A Bee-Keeping Locality.— Mr. Wm. H. Emmons 
who resides in the southeast part of Riga, in this county, 
says that in his neighborhood—within a circumference 
of two miles—thirty-six persons keep bees. Quite a 
number of these have from twenty to thirty swarms 
each, and Mr. E. himself has seventy-six. He thinks 
full half the farmers in the district named are bee-keep¬ 
ers, and that it is rare that so large a proportion of in¬ 
habitants of any town aro bee-culturists. 
Another Good Cow. —In reply to the statement of 
Mr. Samson, of Le Roy, (in Rural of June 25 th,)—who 
reported that his cow gave an average of 61 lbs. of milk 
per day for one week, - Mr. J. IL Williams, of Gates, 
near this city, informs us that ho has a native cow whie 
gave, for one week in June post, an average of 66 lbs. 
of milk per day. 
TnE Maine State Fair is to be held Sept. 20th to 
23d inclusive—a week later than the period first desig¬ 
nated by the Trustees. [Wo shall publish a revised lis 
of State and County Fairs in a week or two ] 
