166 
MOORE’S RURAL NEW-YORKER: AN AGRICULTURAL AND FAMILY NEWSPAPER 
MAY n 
your parched tongues with refreshing sherbet— 
Why will you famish, and thirst and sorrow, oh, 
poor wretches! Why will you noteat and drink, 
and be merry?” And the “ poor wretches” looked 
up to the vulture and asked him vainly, where they 
might get the flour and the spices, the fat gazelle 
and the cool spring water, and the ruddy oranges. 
So, the Tribune croaks to the farmers in the land 
and says, “Poor farmers, if you wish to grow great 
crops of corn, and pay your debts, and live com¬ 
fortably, you have nothing to do but plow under 
an old turf and put forty loads of manure on the 
acre and till it well, and your granaries will run 
over, and your pockets will stand out with money.” 
But if you please, Friend Tribune, do tell the 
farmers, how, consistently with good and syste¬ 
matic rotations, they can always obtain the old turf 
to plow under, and then, perhaps, they will trust 
your wisdom to inform them how and where they 
can profitably obtain the forty loads of manure 
per acre. 
It is quite easy to tell farmers how to raise large 
crops. They hardly require the teachings of the 
Tribune, or of any other journal, to inform them 
that an old turf plowed under, and forty loads of 
manure applied to each acre, and the land after¬ 
wards subjected to thorough tillage, will (if the 
wire-worm and the grub let it alone) produce a 
large crop. But if the forty loads of manure, and 
the old turf cost more than the crop is worth, they 
will be losers. They would honor him as a wise 
man and a national benefactor, who informs them 
how to raise these “great crops” profitably. 
Single premium crops give us but few practical 
hints that are valuable. They are always raised on 
land in an unusually favorable condition, which 
cannot be attained on the majority of farms, for the 
whole of every crop, without incurring unreasona¬ 
ble expense. But if sufficiently inducing premi¬ 
ums were offered for the most successful and profit¬ 
able method of raising Indian corn, in connection 
with other crops, during a period of ten years, the 
results might place us in possession of valuable 
information. Cornplanter. 
Perinton, N. Y., May, 1868. 
A FIFTY ACRE FARM. 
ROTATION OF CROPS.-ESTIMATES. 
Eds. Rural : —I have been much interested by 
the communication of “F.,” of Orleans county in 
your paper of April 17th, and am looking for re¬ 
sponses from other experienced farmers. No 
doubt they have their thoughts upon the subject; 
we hope they will give them pen and ink that you 
may print them for your hundred thousand readers. 
I shall not, at present, attempt any review of the 
question, but take occasion to reach a rotation 
which has already received some notice in your 
columns, I refer to the “four course” system mark¬ 
ed out in the table below. The estimates are 
ouuded on those of “F.,” but vary in some 
are: 
f Corn 
J. \ Corn fodder. 
( Potatoes.3 
11. < Barley.15 
J “ straw..15 
( Wheat.5 
I “ straw.. 5 
ill < Bye.5 
“ straw.. 6 
| Beans ..5 
t “ straw.. 5 
t Uay.15 
l v. < Fall feed_15 
( Clover seed .10 
12 acres. 
12 
Yield 
per acre. 
Total. 
Price 
Total c«?h 
60 bu. 
600 
$0 60 
$300 00 
150 “ 
450 
50 
226 00 
30 “ 
450 
75 
337 60 
20 “ 
100 
1 25 
30 00 
125 00 
20 « 
100 
75 
10 00 
75 00 
25 « 
120 
1 00 
15 00 
120 OO 
l!i tun* 22 Y x 
9 00 
30 00 
202 60 
2 bu. 
20 
6 00 
26 00 
120 00 
course 
are 
briefly as fol- 
Messrs. Eds: —Thinking that a few facts and 
figures relative to Garden Farming on Long Island 
would not be uninteresting to the readers of your 
Rural, I took the trouble to question a “ Long 
Island Farmer,” who is working just fifty acres of 
land, as to the amount of “truck” he manages to 
take from his land, and the money he receives 
for it He kindly obliged me with the necessary 
figures, which enable me to make an exhibit of his 
operations, and, as he required from me no bond 
of secrecy, I take the liberty to expose him to the 
farming community, that all may see what can be 
done on a small farm. 
The person referred to is J. Remsbn Bennett, (a 
subscriber to the Rural,) of Bay Ridge, Long 
Island, six miles from New r York city. His land 
fronts on New York Bay about 400 feet, and ex¬ 
tends back to the 3d Avenue running from Brook¬ 
lyn to Fort Hamilton. Upon the water front he 
has lately erected a mansion which, for complete¬ 
ness, beauty, and convenience, will compare favor¬ 
ably with any farm-house in the country, having 
all the modern appliances of water, furnace, and 
gas. The gas is made in a house erected for the 
purpose, a few rods from the dwelling, and is used 
not only for house purposes, but is also conducted 
to his barns, carriage-houses, work-shop, store¬ 
rooms, Ac., Ac., which are all brilliantly lighted as 
occasion requires. His barns and out-houses are 
all on a scale ample and roomy, and constructed 
upon the most approved plans. 
His land is divided into lots of about equal size, 
lying each side of a wagon-road running through 
the centre of the whole, and terminating upon the 
Avenue. The lands are divided by hedge and fence, 
and are all equally accessible to the wagon-road. 
The hedge is used as a protection to the young 
plants from the spring winds, and answers an ex¬ 
cellent purpose. Besides being a practical man, 
Mr. Bennett is an experimental farmer, and no 
expense is spared and no labor considered too 
great in testing different manures, and trying the 
different methods of promoting early growth and 
prime quality of vegetables. His manure bills are 
probably larger than any other man’s working the 
same number of acres. His hot-bed sasb, when in 
use, covers a space of 3,600 square feet. He em¬ 
ploys three men the year through; eight men in 
the spring, and ten men in summer, in addition to 
eight or ten women and girls for pickers, as the 
reason advances and the crops mature. He also 
gives full employment to 1,000 bushel baskets and 
150 barrels in getting his stuff to market, which, in 
summer, is done by boats of his own, which he 
keeps constantly plying backwards and forwards 
from New York, one of these being a boat of 31 
tons and the other 12 tons. Six horses are con¬ 
stantly kept at work, and the array of plows, har¬ 
rows, rakes, hoes, drills, Ac., Ac.,—together with 
’merous wagons and carts is ample, and all of the 
st and most approved make. 
■i Dennett is decidedly a working man, and 
idted efforts of his head and hands, ac- 
compii.-ues, each and every year, results such as 
you find noted below, and which I took from his 
books, (a it hLiar set of which he keeps when others 
‘ DO BEES SELECT A HOME BEFORE SWARMING.” 
they; 
lows: —Commencing with greensward, manure 
freely and plant to corn and potatoes. The second 
year, sow the ground to barley. The third year, 
give five acres to wheat, with a dressing of decom¬ 
posed barn manure, sowing early and doing all the ' 
work in the best manner. Give another five acres 
to rye, which is a better crop, either for human 
food or fattening pork or beef, than many farmers 
suppose. No one who has given it fair trial will 
neglect sowing a few acres. These crops are 
among the best on which to “seed down,” and we 
shall always take advantage of the fact The land 
left for beans may be fitted and planted after other 
spring crops are finished, and the crop will ripen 
in time to admit of successful fall seeding to mix¬ 
ed grass, or clover alone. Bean straw is of high 
value for foddering sheep—nearly or quite equal 
to the common run of hay. In all cases of sowing 
grass seed we would follow it with a dressing of 
plaster, if nonehad been supplied within six months 
previoua 
me. In':: ,o bring the figures into a condensed 
form, I have put them in shape, as below shown. 
It will be borne in mind that a second crop from 
laud is not an unusual thing on Long Island. . 
A- res. .Description. Crop. Yield. Amount sold for Remarks 
*j Turnips only 100 bu. $45 24 
5 C .liflowei. 2d, 8,070 heads, 621 21 partial failure 
" . i. cumbers, only 370,300 2,997 38 
! Tomato ry, 1st A 2d 5,695 bu. 4,069 64 
8,507 946 20 
956 bu. 408 98 
Cll bu. 653 00 
542 bu. 587 86 
63,532 ears 614 84 
166 bar. 608 30 sent to Europe 
1,146 bu. 1,509 55 
524 bu. 26125 
2 Egg Plant, only 
2 White Squash only 
3 Beans, 1st 
3 Peas, 1st 
6 Corn, 2d 
— Apples, 
8 Potatoes 1st 
lJi Strip'd Squash only 
Grapes, Pear? and Quinces 
65 09 
The above question is asked by a writer in the 
Rural, page 54. It is an inquiry of nearly every 
bee-keeper—one that is very likely to remain an 
open question—and was it not for another question 
arising out of this, it would not pay to pursue the 
investigation. The evidence, affirmative and nega¬ 
tive, about balances. As for my own experience, 
it might he called all negative. Within the last 
twenty-five years, I have probably hived as many 
swarms as any one, not one of which has left the 
vicinity of the apiary without first clustering. Yet 
I have evidence not to be disputed, that swarms 
will sometimes issue and move directly to their 
new home, in one instance entering the side of a 
house, in another, going half a mile to a tree in the 
woods, where a previous swarm had filled a cavity 
with combs, and afterwards perished. Such, of 
course, know where they are going. But nearly all 
that leave—say ninety-nine in a hundred—will 
cluster, wait to be hived, and then leave. Do these 
select their new home previous to leaving? As we 
can get but little satisfaction out of this questioD ; 
we will proceed to the one arising out of it, viz.: 
Will any degree of caution in management prevent 
their leaving after they have clustered, and been 
hived, admitting that a new home has been se¬ 
lected? 
A little more satisfaction can be gained on this 
query. We will illustrate by contrasting the result 
of two methods of management as evidence, pro 
and con. One method would lose from ten to fifty 
per cent, of their swarms, while the other would 
not lose one in five hundred! This last, I know by 
actual experience. The management of one sys¬ 
tem would include some of the overdoings,mistakes, 
neglects, Ac. Perhaps when hives are prepared 
before hand, the inside is planed perfectly smooth; 
if an old one is used, it is scraped ’till it is in about 
the same condition. The swarm when introduced 
has nothing but a smooth surface to cling to, and 
will often fall to the bottom, (the largest are most 
liable,) and repeat the operation of falling and 
creeping up ’till discouraged, and then leave for 
the woods. There may be no hive ready; an hour 
or two is taken to prepare one; by this time the 
patience of the bees is exhausted and they leave.— 
The hive is washed with something to make the 
bees like it—salt and water and hickory leaves, 
sweetened water, Ac. But worse and more fatal 
than all, after receiving the bees the hive is raised 
an inch or more on all sides from the floor, and 
left standing in the hot sun. The bees may go in 
after falling, or remain on the outside for the sake 
of the cooler air. Such management is quite com¬ 
mon, and it is often “ unlucky.” 
The other system is to have everything in readi¬ 
ness before any swarms are expected. The hives 
are not planed inside except at the corners, to make 
close joints, and old hives are thoroughly scalded to 
remove the propolis. No noise is made when the 
swarm is issuing, to make them cluster, that they 
naturally do. The hive is clean and sweet, and is 
not dressed with anything for a charm. The sicarm 
is hived immediately, all the bees made to enter, and 
the new hive at once carried to its stand, the front 
side raised half an inch, the back resting on the 
floor, and a cover put oi sufficient to shade the hive 
effect, tally from the sun. for^severa’ days. If very hot 
weather, cold water is sprinkled on it occasionally. 
Now I will not say that this last system of manage¬ 
ment will prevent all swarms from leaving; but 
inasmuch as bees have been managed in this way, 
and not one in five hundred lost by flight, it looks 
as if management had something to do with it 
St. Jobnsville, Mont. Co., N. Y., 1858. W. Quinsy. 
THE WHEAT-MIDGE. 
Eds. Rural : — As it is a matter for serious con¬ 
templation with the farmers of the Genesee Yalley, 
(heretofore one of the best wheat growing sections 
of country in the world,) whether the Wheat-Midge 
will remain permanently among us or not, it be¬ 
comes important to know, as far as possible, how 
long they may be expected to bring ruin and deso¬ 
lation to our wheat crop. I doubt not that it would 
be conferring a great favor, and more than that, a 
real benefit upon many of the readers of the New- 
Yorker to learn, through the columns of the same, 
more of the habits and characteristics of this pest 
to all sections of the country where they have made 
their desolating ravages and inroads upon the 
farmers’ toils and hopes. How long have they 
already been infecting districts and localities visit¬ 
ed by them before ns? Is there a reasonable pros¬ 
pect that they will show us the cold shoulder and 
take their final exit soon? or shall we be compelled 
(against our will and interest too,) to change onr 
system of farming altogether, or may we hope for a 
better time ooming? Brother Farmers please give 
us your experimental knowledge of its workings 
through the farmers’ mirror, the Rural, h. b. n. 
North Ilqsb, Monroe Co-, N. Y., 1858. 
New York State Fair. — The Executive Com¬ 
mittee of the State Ag. Society visited Syracuse a 
few days since, to select grounds and make other 
preliminary arrangements for the State Fair. They 
selected the County Fair Grounds and the farm of 
Mr. Furman adjoining, as the location of the exhi¬ 
bition. The Fair is to be held Oct 5th to 8th, 
inclusive. Pamphlets containing Premium List, 
General Regulations, Ac., may be obtained on ap¬ 
plication to the Secretary, (B. P. Johnson, Albany,) 
or at the Agricultural Warehouses in Rochester, 
Buffalo, Syracuse, Utica, Albany and New York. 
CONDENSED CORRESPONDENCE. 
Clover Seed Again.— The.product of Mr. Shbl- 
burne's twenty acres of clover seed (Rural of 
April 24, No. 17,) although paying him a profit.of 
$135, would not have “ paid expenses” in Western 
New York, the present year. In the first place the 
use of the land costs more—for the half year the 
interest on $50 for 6 months at 7 per cent or $1 75 
per acre. The price for which the seed could 
be sold is not over $4 per bushel. Those who make 
a business of hulling clover seed here, charge $1 
per bushel and the grower has to find two hands, 
and board two more, and two teams—and the aver¬ 
age cleaned is not over six or seven bushels per 
day. Clover seed cannot be produced probably at 
less than $6 per bushel, and then the yield should 
be at least two bushels per acre.—H., Niagara 
Co., N. Y. 
WATERING PLACES. 
Best Bit for a Hard-Mouthed Hor.se. —A sub¬ 
scriber, in Copenhagen, N. Y., inquires in the Ru. 
ral of April 17th for “the best bit for a hard- 
mouthed horse.” I am happy to inform him, that 
a hit xcilhout joint, slightly curved —about half to 
three-fourths of inch in diameter—will cause his 
horse to he driven with great pleasure to himself 
and ease to the animaL Some prefer a straight bit 
—but one with a curve fits the mouth better and is 
preferable. This bit will most likely prevent his 
horse “ from leaning his head in while in harness,” 
of which he complains. Some few years since I 
had a noble horse, but with a mouth like a flint—to 
drive him was torture to man and beast, my hands 
were black and blue for weeks from winding the 
reins round them and hard pulling. Such a bit as 
I describe worked a perfect cure and enabled me 
thereafter to drive him with thumb and finger only. 
I hope your Copenhagen friend will publish his 
result of a trial and oblige many of your readers. 
—A Subscriber, New York City, 1858. 
Devon Herd Book. —The American Editor, Mr. 
Sanford Howard, of Bostoo, announces that he 
he has received and registered for the third volume 
of this work the pedigrees of 459 animals —182 
bulls and 277 cows and heifers—owned by 100 per¬ 
sons. These have been ready for publication for 
several months, but have been delayed for the re¬ 
ception of the English entries, which have not yet 
come to hand. The volume will not he issued, ther^-. 
fore, until the English edition is received, so as to 
give both the English and American entries.— 
Meantime, additional pedigrees will be received for 
registry by the American editor, who appeals to the 
Devon breeders of the United States and Canada 
to sustain the work—the present small number of 
subscribers being insufficient to pay expenses. 
Ontario Co. Ao. Society.— We are indebted to 
G. Granger, Esq., Cor. Sec'y, for a pamphlet con¬ 
taining “ List of Premiums and Regulations for the 
Annual Exhibition, to he held on the Society’s 
Grounds, at Canandaigua, on the 29th and 30th 
Sept, and 1st of Oct, 1858, and for the Winter Ex¬ 
hibition, 1st Wednesday in February, 1859.” The 
premiums are generally liberal, and open to com¬ 
petition “to all persons within or without the 
county.” Among those offered for Winter Meeting 
we notice one for Stone or Tile Draining, as fol¬ 
lows:—“For the greatest number of rods of Tile 
or Stone Drains, put down in the year 1858, (drains 
to be not less than 2£ feet deep,) Silver Cup, value 
$25; 2d best, $15.” The pamphlet also contains 
lists of Officers, Life Members, Ac. 
Deduct Expenses, 
$13,388 54 
4,022 30 
Wages, 
Manures, 
Horse feed (bought) 
BxruxsKS. 
$9,366 24 
$2,318 73 
1,389 44 
314 13 
*$4,022 30 
The last year’s sowing may be varied, giving { 
more or less room to either crop, as circumsta 
inpictc work-shop and a pair of hands accnstomcd to the use 
hmipr. the amount of money paid out for repairs and fixings 
nail a lf.nr, that Mr. B. did not take it into consideration in 
me amounts from his hooks. 
suggest. We would not sow much wheat, unless 
we could also apply manure, and sow early upon a 
warm, well-drained soil, so as to give it the earliest 
possible maturity. We would give more room to 
beans, were it not that more labor is required for 
seeding down, and the first crop of grass is usually 
of less value. If we kept sheep we would certainly 
give a few acres to this crop. As for rye we think 
it good policy to keep a supply of this grain al¬ 
ways on hand. 
It is objectionable to grow more than one varie¬ 
ty of product in a single field; but many farms 
are so divided that this would not be necessary._ 
It would not he a had rotation to seed down on the 
barley, and where one has a large stock of cattle, 
it would be advisable to do so in some cases. As 
to the price of barley, it is a’ profitable crop to 
grow for feeding out upon the farm—and perhaps 
it cannot be put to better use than thus to com- 
sume the crop. Oats might follow corn or barley 
—they often pay a good profit—and would do still 
better, were they not so often crowded on to the 
poorest land, and to the latest period of sowing, 
and half cultivated at that A Young Farmer. 
Evener for Working a Team before Oxen.— 
Take a piece of tough wood, 2 feet 3 inches long, 
2£ inches by 5—put a large round clevis through 
the staple of the yoke, and on one end of the 
evener put another clevis below, at the centre, for 
the chain, or at any point that will give the desired 
draft to each team. With another clevis attach the 
forward team to the lower end of the evener. By 
this simple arrangement the work can be appor¬ 
tioned to the strength of the teams and the draft 
of the forward one is lowered to a more favorable 
point than the yoke, and the necks of the oxen are 
thereby greatly relieved.—J. M. D., Cambria mist 
N. Y., 1858. 
.id now, Messrs. Eds., if you think these figures 
look big for a 50 acre farm, just step down to Bay 
Ridge, the next time you go to the “Metropolis,” 
and call on Mr. Bennet, whom you will find prob¬ 
ably at work, but nevertheless glad to see yon, and 
I bespeak for you a good old-fashioned welcome, 
and kind smiles from his lady—and as the Bennet’s 
are a numerous family, you can pass a week among 
them agreeably, “along shore,” extending your 
calls to the Fort Hamilton branch, where you will 
find, in addition to the above, an excellent cigar. 
Buffalo, N. Y., 1858. N. B. L. 
HIGHWAY TRESPASSERS. 
Eds. Rural:— In this enlightened town—as well 
as in many other portions of the Union—there is 
a certain class of people that seem to think the 
road can he used for any purpose they please, viz., 
for pasturing sheep, hogs, cattle and horses, piling 
brush, lumber, wood, and all kinds of rubbish from 
their farms that they wish to dispose of. It is not 
the poor class—as one might suppose—that perpe¬ 
trates these evils; on the contrary, it is the class 
that are amply able to keep their stock without the 
assistance of the “ government's pasture.” 
As soon as the snow leaves the ground, the great 
and general “turn-out” commences—some their 
cows and sheep, some their hogs, and others their 
horses, until the road is lined for miles with both 
orderly and unruly creatures. Some may inquire 
what are the objections to complying with the 
above rules? There are several:—First, the road 
was never constructed for this purpose. Second, 
they are obstacles to the traveling community.— 
Third, they are very liable to do damage to crops. 
Fourth, they cause more enemies than they gain 
friends. Fifth, and last, they are a nuisance to a 
thorough farmer. Y. F. 
Palermo, Osw. Co., N. Y., 1858. 
I am glad the Rural has taken up the subject of 
“ Watering Places,” in advance of even the fash¬ 
ionable journals. Let the latter discuss the merits 
of Newport, Saratoga, Avon, and the et ceteras 
connected therewith, while the former agitates a 
topic of much greater importance to farmers— 
Watering Places for Stock. On this subject I have 
an idea or two, which, by your leave, I shall now 
make known. I refer to the foddering part of the 
year, which, in these latter days, includes about six 
months. 
In this vicinity, a majority of farmers rejoice in 
the possession of natural watering places, where 
their stock can water themselves without the aid 
of human invention. Mr. A.’s cattle drink from a 
brook running along beside his barn-yard, at the 
foot of a steep declivity; Mr. B. has a similar wa¬ 
tering place in a field adjoining his farm buildings; 
Mr. C.’s is much the same, but in the highway; Mr. 
D.’s is on land nearly level, hut in a lot across the 
road. The theory of these farmers is, that they 
save much of the time and expense to which some 
of their less fortunate neighbors are subjected.— 
But theory and practice are often at variance._ 
Farm stock do not always like sliding down hill on 
the ice and climbing up again so well as some 
school-boys, nor to wade through deep snow drifts 
much better. The consequence is that their wants 
are not as well supplied as they should be—to say 
nothing of the times when the streams and ponds 
are frozen over. In all these cases too—and such 
cases are not rare — there is a great waste of ma¬ 
nure, which every farmer ought to know is money 
—or what makes money. 
Now look at the case of some of their unfortun¬ 
ate neighbors. Mr. E. has an open cellar under his 
barns on the same level with his yard, which he 
uses mainly for sheds. While making this, he con¬ 
structed a large cistern, to hold the water from the 
roof. Here, by means of a good chain pump, a very 
short time suffices to supply his stock with water 
each day. Mr. F. has a well which he employs in 
the same manner. In these instances, the water is 
under cover—quite an advantage, certainly,—and 
the manure is not wasted either. On the whole, I 
think that, in this section at least, artificial watering 
places are preferable to natural ones. Publico. 
Wayne Co., N. Y., 1858. 
Barometers for Farmers. — Perhaps the sub¬ 
ject of Barometers has already been brought to the 
notice of your readers; if not, it seemed to me 
highly worthy of attention. I purchased a barom¬ 
eter in June last, rather as a matter of interest and 
curiosity than with the expectation of deriving any 
practical benefit from it, but I have been greatly 
surprised at the accuracy with which it has indi¬ 
cated, beforehand, the changes of weather. No 
change from fair to foul, or the reverse, has occur¬ 
red which was not clearly indicated from three to 
twenty-four hours beforehand. In several instances 
when the morning opened bright and beautiful, 
and there was every sign of a clear and pleasant 
day, the barometer has foreshadowed clouds and 
rain, and in no instance has its prediction failed. 
My business is not dependent upon the weather, 
and therefore this is a subject of but little direct 
practical importance to me, but it has occurred to 
me that a knowledge of this fact may be of great 
practical moment to farmers. A good barometer 
can be bought for ten dollars—a sum which would 
many times be saved fourfold, if a change of 
weather could be foreknown for a few hours only.— 
B. C. L., Monroe Co., N. Y., 1858. 
Crops, Ac., in Canada West. — We have very 
favorable reports of the weather, crops and pros¬ 
pects in Canada. An intelligent friend writing 
from Durham Co., under date of May 10, says:— 
“ Fall wheat looks well here. The season has been 
favorable for spring work. Peas and spring wheat 
are looking well, and other seeds are being planted 
in good time, every available means being pressed 
into the service. With continued satisfaction with 
the Rural, and hearty good wishes for your suc¬ 
cess, I am,” Ac. 
The Rural.—Crops in Tenn.— In a letter dated 
early in May, an agent-friend writes us from Clarks¬ 
ville, Tenn., in this wise:—“The other day I devotr 
ed one hour to the interests of the Rural New- 
Yorker and obtained thirteen subscribers, whose 
subscription you will find inclosed. [A good 
hoar's work; how many of our readers will do 
likewise ?J I also send a head of rye in bloom, 
from which you can judge of the forwardness of 
the season here. The wheat crop of Tennessee 
never promised better than at present Our corn 
planting is nearly done.” 
Cbops in Northern Ohio.— Bro. Harris, of the 
Ohio Cultivator, has been journeying in the North¬ 
ern part of Buckeyedom, and reports as to crop 
prospects, Ac., in this encouraging wise:—“Our 
observations upon the prospects of the growing 
crops and the staple fruits, satisfy us that we have 
entered upon a fruitful year. The wheat and grass 
we have never seen looking so strong and heavy at 
this time of year. The oats are well up, having 
been sowed before the setting in of the late rains. 
In the region of the Lake, the peach orchards were 
in full bloom, and the apple orchards promise bet¬ 
ter still. Corn planting will be late, and had best 
be confined to ground that will push the crop 
right ahead.” 
Good Crop of Carrots. —Sixteen hundred and 
ten bushels of carrots were grown on one acre by 
John Brodie, of Jefferson Co., as stated in the last 
volume of our State Ag'l Transactions. A part 
were white, and the remainder Orange carrots — 
the yield of the white being much the greatest— 
Such has always been our experience. The cost of 
culture was a fraction under $50, and the value of 
the crop, at 20 cents a bushel, $322. 
Spare the Calves. — The Homestead contains 
the following little story which, with its applica¬ 
tion, those in “ pursuit of knowledge under diffi¬ 
culties,” will find worthy of perusal:—“ ‘ S. W. K.’ 
writes us that he is ‘an inexperienced farmer,’ and 
wants advice and information. He has a very 
beautiful and excellent cow, and she had a simi¬ 
larly marked heifer calf, which he wished to raise, 
and attempted to make drink from a pail. ‘S. W. 
K.’ is probably near-sighted, for when, while giving 
the first lesson with his finger in the calf’s moutb, 
he thought the calf had begun to drink well, he 
says:—‘I quietly relaxed my firm hold — in an 
instant up came the head, and dealt me a terrific 
blow between the eyes,’ which blinded him at first, 
tore seriously his best coat, and dropped his best 
hat in the milk-pail. We do not wonder that he 
calls himself an inexperienced farmer, when he 
undertakes the tutorage of a slx-weeks-old calf in 
his ‘Sunday go-to-meetings.’ But when he goes on 
to say, ‘The next day that calf went to the butcher,’ 
we waxed indignant Pray, oh ‘Inexperienced,’ 
did you ever see a calf engaged in obtaining its 
natural food in the natural way? Doubtless. Did 
you ever see one that did not every now and then 
draw back and butt the old cow a blow that would 
have keeled you over in the way you describe, or 
perhaps even more effectually laid you on your 
beam ends? If yon take the place of a wet nurse 
to a calf you must take the treatment the old cow 
would get in the same position without getting an¬ 
gry. You sent a heifer worth $25 to the butcher, 
and got possibly $12 for it. So in addition to los¬ 
ing your temper you lost $13, and carry the black 
and blue spot yet to remind you of the fact. ” 
Alderneys for Kentucky. — The Homestead 
states that John A. Taintor, of Hartford, recently 
shipped five head of Alderneys—four heifers and 
a bull—to Hon. Jas. B. Clay, of “Ashland,” and 
adds:—“ Finer animals of their race we have never 
had the pleasure of seeing.” The Alderneys are 
superior for the dairy, and are gradually being in¬ 
troduced throughout the country. 
Convention of Agricultural Editors. —Several 
of our contemporaries have named Rochester as 
the place for holding this Convention. Speaking 
of the proposed Congress, Col. Harris, of the Ohio 
Cult., says:—“ We like the suggestion, for sociabili¬ 
ty’s sake, though we know of no matter of business 
to be proposed for discussion. We will meet the 
fraternity anywhere between Chicago and Boston, 
but will give our vote for Rochester, as the most 
central point, if the Rochester Editors will ask for it 
If not, we will pitch our marquee on Goat Island, 
and challenge the fraternity to share our blanket’) 
In reply to which, and other intimations, we beg 
to say that, though we have not asked for it — 
preferring to leave the location to others —it 
would afford us sincere pleasure to meet the repre¬ 
sentatives of the Agricultural Press in this city, 
and that we should endeavor to render their visit 
to the Emporium of Western New York as agreea¬ 
ble and entertaining as possible. 
— But here comes another circular from Bro. 
Judd, of New York, which strikes the Colonel’s 
marquee and our anticipations by proposing—“ To 
defer calling a formal Convention for the present, 
but to invite as many Agricultural and Horticultu¬ 
ral Editors as possible, to be present at the next 
meeting of the American Pomological Society, 
Sept 14th, at which time they can get together 
and organize, transact any necessary preliminary 
business—in short, hold a Convention and adjourn 
to any future time and place that may then be 
agreed upon.” 
Frost at the South. —The N. Y. Commercial Adv. 
says that gloomy reports come from all parts of 
the South of damages occasioned to the crops by 
the cold weather of week before last. Frost was 
very general throughout the country, and in many 
localities lay upon the ground like snow. In some 
places ice of considerable thickness was formed. 
We have intelligence through some hundred news¬ 
papers, published in various Southern States, all of 
which speak of damage being done to the crops— 
differing only in degree. Rice, cotton and corn has 
been cut down to the ground in some sections, 
and will have to be re-planted; young fruit is 
killed, and garden produce generally destroyed. 
