334 
MOORE’S RURAL NEW-YORKER: AN AGRICULTURAL AND FAMILY NEWSPAPER 
OCT. 16 
ion was confirmed by a more careful examination 
of the different pens. The large Chinese fowls 
were not as largely represented as usual, yet there 
were some fine specimens, marked a3 Brahmas, 
Gray Shanghais, Dominique Shanghais, &c. When 
we kept fowls pretty largely we thought there was 
no prettier bird than the Dominique Shanghai ,— 
and think so still, if they are bred carefully, so as 
not to have too much leg and neck, and a fair show 
of breast We counted nine cages of Black Span¬ 
ish, fine birds, in excellent condition, of which 
their owners may well be proud. That pretty, neat 
fowl, the Bolton Grey, was shown by three exhibi¬ 
tors in fine condition—clean as if in their own 
yards. There were some fine specimens of Black 
Polands. This variety seems to be coming into 
favor again, now that the furor for the large breeds 
haB died away. They are fine layers, when well 
taken care of. When confined, especially if the 
house is not well ventilated and kept clean, they 
become diseased. They are not first rate for the 
table, and the color of the flesh is an objection 
with some. The little Bantams of all colors were 
well represented, and we never saw prettier Se- 
brighls, which is the favorite breed with fanciers. 
Then there were Frizzled fowls, Wild Game, and 
other sorts, more curious than useful, in great 
numbers. 
The show of Geese was very good. There were 
several cages of Bremens, of immense size and 
spotless whiteness. Also, African, Poland, &c., and 
two cages of Wild Geese. There were also shown 
several varieties of Ducks, and among them we 
noticed very fine Aylesbury —a magnificent large 
fowl— Muscovy, White Top Knot, Rouen, and Black 
Cayuga. 
The show of Turkeys was not large but very good. 
W. It. Hills, of Albany, exhibited some very fine, 
and J. D. Alvord, of Syracuse, and 0. Howland, 
of Auburn, showed very fine Wild Turkeys. 
The finest Bho w of Fancy Pigeons we have seen for 
many years was made by D. S. Heffron, of Utica. 
We counted over a dozen varieties, and among 
them some of the fine scarce sorts, highly prized 
by pigeon fanciers, such as the Jacobins, Tumblers, 
English Corners, Ruffs, Turbits, &C. Altogether 
this was a very interesting show of poultry, and 
no one could spend an hour in its examination 
without pleasure and profit—at least we could not. 
DAIRY AND GRAIN. 
The show of Dairy Products was very meagre. 
We counted only eight or nine specimens of butter, 
some of which no doubt were very good, but as it 
had been left uncovered by the judges or exhibi¬ 
tors, it had received a coating of dust which we 
hardly dared penetrate. A few very fine cheese 
were shown, and among the best where those of C. 
Eames, of Rutland, Jeff. Co.; 0. Hill, of Onondaga 
Co.; E. Pitcher, of Martinsburgh; D. CROuen, of 
Sandy Creek, and F. Connible, of Cortlandviile. 
A very fine lot of Pine Apple cheese was exhibted 
by P. Pendleton, of Norwich. While we must 
say that we never saw so small a show of Dairy 
Products at a State Fair, this does not detract 
from the merit of those who did exhibit, as we 
have no doubt, from a slight examination, that the 
quality of cheese shown was never excelled, if 
equaled, at any previous Fair. 
The exhibition of Grain and seed was very fair. 
There was a most magnificent display of Com, ot 
all kinds and colors. Barley was abundant and 
good. Oats, of all kinds, exceedingly fine. We did 
hope, for the sake of the horses, that many of the 
farmers present would purchase their seed oats 
from some of the fine specimens shown. There is 
no use in raising oats like needles, when such good 
plump seed can be obtained. We did not see any 
extra samples of Wheat. Many good specimens of 
Rye, Flax Seed, Millet, Beans, &c., were shown, but 
we have not room for details. 
IMPLEMENTS AND MACHINERY. 
The display of Ag. Implements and Machinery was 
unusually large and meritorious— one of the best, 
if not the best, ever made in the State. We devoted 
several hours in examining and “ noting ” the 
thousand-and one articles in this department— 
from the weighty Steam Engines, Reapers, Mow¬ 
ers, Horse-Powers, Threshers, &c., down to the 
light and tiny Churns, Rakes, Forks, &c., — but it 
would require a fall page of the Rural to even 
name and briefly describe what we consider wor¬ 
thy of notice. Hence, we can scarcely mention 
the most prominent and noteworthy features of the 
very interesting exhibition. 
Our first view was of the Reapers and Mowers, 
at the head of which stood the “ Ketchum Fami¬ 
ly,” composed of three members — a combined 
machine, and a double and single mower. This 
machine, as improved for next year, looks as tho’ 
the old pioneer was bound to keep in the front 
rank, if not a little ahead. Next in line, among 
the reapers and combined machines, were Jack¬ 
son’s, Manny’s, Kirby’s Amer. Reaper, Seymour <fc 
Morgan’s N. Y. Reaper, 'Wheeler’s, Hubbard’s, 
Parkhurst’s, Allen's, Hussey’s, Washington Co., 
Wemple’s, and Gale’s—several of which comprise 
new features and improvements which will in¬ 
crease their value and reputation. The principal 
Mowers shown (except by parties above named) 
were Bullock & Co.’s, the Vermont, the New Eng¬ 
land, the Buckeye, Fisher’s, the Empire, and Hal- 
lenbeck’s. Sherwoods Raker and Binder, which 
can be attached to any reaper, was exhibited in 
operation and attracted much attention. 
There was a good exhibition of R. R. Horse 
Powers, Threshers, &c., in operation — including 
those of Emery Bros, and Pease & Co., of Albany; 
Westinghouse & Co., of Schenectady; Badger & 
Co., of Fly Creek, and Wheeler & Co. Emery, of 
Albany, Allen, of New York, and others, made 
fine displays of various implements. 
The show of Plows, Cultivators, Ac., was not very 
large, but creditable. Among the novelties, and 
the best thing in its line, was Bliven’s Reversible 
Central Share Steel Plow, which will turn a furrow 
either right or left, or both ways at once. War¬ 
ren’s Patent Plow, (recently described in the 
Rural,) also attracted much notice. Sayre & 
Remington, of Utica, made a good display of Horse 
Hoes, (illustrated in a recent Rural,) Steel Plows, 
Cultivators, and Combined Cultivators and Horse 
Hoes, and other articles. 
Three Potato Diggers were shown—II arden- 
ber’s Improved, from Fultonville; Little’s, from 
Clyde, and Allen’s, from New York. They were 
novelties, and much observed by the curious. The 
first named had the most practical look. 
Among the Harrows, we observed several on the 
rotary principle — including the Buckeye, from 
Cleveland, (heretofore described by us,) and that 
of S. J. Orange, of Illinois. Bucklin’s Harrow 
and Cultivator combined, from N. H, attracted 
attention. 
Drills, Seed-Sowers, &c., were not numerous, but 
embraced some novelties and improvements—such 
as Cahoon’b Seed Sower, for both hand and horse 
power. Seymour’s Grain Drill and Broadcast 
Sower combined, and also his broadcast machine, 
were prominent—as was a novelty called Stevens’ 
Seed Drill and Cultivator, combined. 
Of Corn Huskers, a comparatively new institu¬ 
tion, about a dozen different kinds were exhibited 
and operated, attracting great attention. Among 
them were the Empire, Ohio, the Little Giant, Be¬ 
dell’s, Perkins’, Smith’s, Gould’s and others, the 
names of which are not remembered. 
Of the various hay and straw cutters, corn shel- 
lers, feed mills, cheese presses, churns, bee-hives, 
and lesser machines, implements and tools—as 
well as of patent fences, gates, &c.,—we cannot at 
present make even brief mention, but shall en¬ 
deavor to notice many of them hereafter. 
In Mechanic's Hall there was a good display of 
Stoves, &c.; also of Scales and other articles.— 
The Duryee & Forsyth Manuf. Co. of this city, ex¬ 
hibited Borne fine Scales; also bank and house 
Safes, &c. 
domestic and “home” halls. 
In the Domestic Hull there was a fair but not 
large display. The fancy work was superior, in 
both quantity and quality, to the more usefal and 
practical articles of domestic manufacture. There 
were some fine things, but the display embraced 
few novelties, and was altogether inferior to what 
we anticipated. 
A hall labeled “ Home,” contained a fine exhi¬ 
bition of domestic and fancy articles, and speci¬ 
mens of Fine Arts, &c. This was filled by the 
ladies of Syracuse and vicinity, and was very cred¬ 
itable, bo far as we could observe—the crowd pre¬ 
cluding a careful examination. 
Schooley's Patent Preservatory, which has been 
illustrated and described in the Rural, was exhib¬ 
ited on the grounds — it being a distinct building, 
containing fruits, fresh meats, &c., in a good state 
of preservation — by Mr. J. L. Alberger, of Buf¬ 
falo, and of course received much attention.— 
It is a successful “ institution.” 
THE ADDRESS. 
The Address w r as delivered by Hon. JosErn R. 
Williams, President of the Michigan State Agri¬ 
cultural College. It occupied over an hour in its 
delivery, and was listened to by a large and atten¬ 
tive audience, although the weather was quite in¬ 
clement The necessity of furnishing Farmers’ 
Sons the means of acquiring a good Agricultural 
Education, was the theme, and it was ably treated. 
In our next we will give an abstract of the Speech, 
from our notes taken at the time. 
BEES AND BEE-HIVES. 
MY EXPERIENCE.—NO. V. 
Nearly all writers on bees agree that when a 
colony of bees is deprived of its queen, if the comb 
contains eggs or larva;, the bees repair the loss by 
rearing another. This principle led me into a 
series of experiments, and the construction of a 
peculiarly shaped hive, the result of which, to me, 
was somewhat important, as it taught me a profit¬ 
able lesson that may beneficial to many, as similar 
hives are yet recommended. I shall, therefore, be 
a little particular in my description of it. I con¬ 
ceived the idea that this remarkable instinct of the 
bee could be turned to good account, I could see 
no reason why the principle would not revolution¬ 
ize the whole system of bee-keeping. I constructed 
a hive in two parts, with bars as a division of the 
combB, and resolved that whenever it was full, if 
my bees were not disposed to swarm, I would 
divide the full hive, putting an empty half on each 
full half; the part destitute of a queen would be 
be likely to possess eggs, or larva;, and raise one, 
and I should make a sure thing of an addition to 
stocks, whether I got swarms or not. The bees 
were introduced into such hive in 1840, to test by 
actual experience what was so plausible in theory. 
Before becoming fully satisfied of its utility, the 
idea occurred to a Mr. Jones, and a patent was 
said to be obtained for such hive, in ’42, probably 
without waiting to test it. The idea seemed to take 
finely, and a great many rights were sold in many 
places; but in a few years they were laid aside as 
useless, like most others. Yet it was highly praised 
on the start — it was said, one man has gained 63 
stocks from one in three years; this generally 
silenced all doubts, and did the job. My own ex¬ 
pectations were not realized, and the failure with 
others was universal. 
The principal difficulty with this hive seemed to 
be here:—It must be constructed with a partition, 
or division, to keep the combs in each apartment 
separate, with frequent passages for the bees to 
pass from one to the other, so that when the two 
halves were separated no combs would be broken. 
When bee3 are put into such hive, unless the swarm 
is very large and honey abundant, one apartment is 
likely to be filled to the bottom, before a commence¬ 
ment is made in the other. Perhaps no one, unless 
well acquainted with the nature of the labors of 
the bee, would suppose that would make any differ¬ 
ence, especially if the other half was filled after¬ 
wards. The difference is this: The first combs built 
by a swarm after being hived, are brood combs, 
that is, cells in which worker brood maybe reared, 
and store combs are made afterwards, as needed. 
One apartment is filled nearly, perhaps quite, with 
brood combs, the other with store combs and 
honey. Now, in the two kinds of cells that these 
combs contain, there is a great difference. Those 
for breeding, in which the workers are reared, 
are the smallest size, and near half an inch deep; 
while those for expressly storing, are large size, 
and frequently two inches deep or more — totally 
unfit for breeding. A few that sometimes happen 
to be the right size in diameter, may be cut off to 
the proper length by the bees, when crowded 
for room for brood. Consequently the side con¬ 
taining store combs is but little used for breeding. 
When such hive is full of bees, and you wish to 
make another swarm, there are but few chances 
for the one apartment to have any eggs or larvae, 
from which to rear a queen. The old one will be 
in the apartment containing the cells first made— 
those of the right size for brood—at least she would 
be likely to be there ninety-nine times in a hundred, 
just when you wanted to divide the hive— that is her 
place. The consequence woul d be, the half without 
the old queen must fail for the want of one; or, if it 
could provide a queen, the failure is next to cer¬ 
tain, from the fact that such store combs would 
contain so few cells of the right size for workers, 
that more of the colony would die off daily than 
could possibly be matured in them. But if there 
was no difficulty here, there is one in wintering 
the bees that would condemn it, especially in the 
open air, and that is, it is very liable to starve the 
bees! It can be made plain, as follows: 
I said one apartment would usually be filled with 
brood combs, this will be mostly occupied with 
brood as long as the yield of honey lasts. Of 
course but little honey can be stored here, but the 
other apartment, not used for breeding, may be 
full throughout. The bees will take up their winter 
quarters among the brood combs, where they can 
pack themselves closely in the empty cells just left 
by the brood. Now, suppose the small quantity 
of honey in this breeding apartment is exhausted 
(which it will be, long before spring,) during a 
turn of severe cold weather, what can the bees do? 
If one should leave the mass, and go among the 
frosty combs in the other aparrment for a supply, 
its fate would be as certain as starvation! With¬ 
out frequent intervals of warm weather to melt all 
frost on the combs, and allow the bees to go for a 
supply of honey without freezing, they must starve, 
So many things about this hive came up unex¬ 
pectedly, making it an utter failure in practice, 
that it taught this caution, viz:—Not to recommend 
a thing, however plausible it might appear in 
theory, until I had thoroughly tested its utility. 
St. Johnsville, N. Y.. 1858. ' M. Quinby. 
CROP PROSPECTS IN THE WIST. 
Since I left Rochester, about two weeks ago, I 
have endeavored to collect a few rough but relia¬ 
ble notes on the Crops. Health, and Prospects of 
that goodly portion of our Union known as the 
“West” My journey has been through Northern 
Ohio, Indiana, Southern Michigan, and Northern 
Illinois. In Northern Ohio and Indiana the corn is 
very poor, owing, no doubt, to the cold weather 
about and after planting time. Corn is also light 
in Southern Michigan, and in Northern Illinois, ex¬ 
cepting in a few counties lying along Rock River 
and farther South. Wheat is quite poor all along 
the entire route I have traveled. Unharvested fields 
are very common throughout the entire West, 
while that portion harvested will not yield more 
than from five to eight bushels per acre, and of an 
inferior quality. I have heard it asserted by relia¬ 
ble persons, that the wheat crop of Illinois will be 
more than an average one, but from what I have 
observed, I think that three-fifths will be a large es¬ 
timate. I have attended the County Fairs cf Winne¬ 
bago and Ogle counties, and the specimens on 
exhibition were inferior to what I have before seen 
exhibited. A drover who said he had been nearly 
over the area of the State of Illinois, during or be¬ 
fore harvesting, is of the opinion that there have 
been as many bushels of wheat grown in the State 
this year as in any for five years past, but the 
quality is very poor. Corn on the low, fiat lands 
of Fox River is qujte poor, but upon the high 
prairies it is an average crop, and I think that is a 
fair estimate. Take the whole State of Illinois, I 
think from what I can learn, that corn will not be a 
two-fifths crop. The best fields I have seen are not 
eared as well as usual—more short and false ears. 
If the whole of Ohio and Indiana are as poorly off 
for corn as the portion I have seen, I shall not give 
them as great a yield as I have Illinois. 
Fields of buckwheat this year in the West, are 
more numerous than I have ever seen before west 
of Buffalo. This was no doubt sown on the ground 
planted first with corn and failed, either from bad 
seed or a wet, cold planting time. 
I have made many inquiries, and from what I 
can learn, there are thousands of bushels of old 
grain, especially wheat, lying in the granaries of 
the West 
Potatoes are light, as far as my observations 
have extended, and have commenced to rot in 
some locations. Oats have proved almost a total 
failure throughout the whole Western country.— 
Fruit in some portions has done quite well, but 
usually it is scarce and inferior in size and flavor. 
I saw some very good specimens exhibited by 
Whitney, of Franklin Grove, Lee Co., Ill., at the 
Ogle Co. Fair. At the Fairs I have attended, the 
products of the soil have been quite poor, much 
poorer than at preceding exhibitions. The only ar¬ 
ticles worthy of note were some very fine stalks of 
sugar cane—a stalk of Dent corn, measuring some 
seventeen feet high — one beet weighing about 20 
pounds—one squash weighing a little over a hun¬ 
dred pounds—some fine California potatoes, toma¬ 
toes and onions — a coffee plant, laden with green 
berries—a tamarind plant from the Island of Ja¬ 
maica, and quite a good show of grapes. A speci¬ 
men of Sorghum sugar and Sorghum candy, very 
fine, were shown at Rockford. At the Ogle Co. 
Fair I saw a Mexican cucumber three feet eight 
inches in length,— some fine sweet potatoes rais¬ 
ed near Mount Morris, and some good looking 
(to some) onions and tomatoes. These were 
all the productions of the soil worthy of note 
exhibited. A very good show of Dahlias, Verbe¬ 
nas and house plants were on the ground, and an 
endless variety of quilts, fancy needle-work, &c., in 
the Ladies’ Department, and last, though not the 
least, to a Westerner, comes fast horses, which 
usually closes up the scene. D. B. Waite. 
Rockvale, Ill., 1858. 
Sorghum. —The failure of Sorghum to ripen its 
seed in this region last year, was owing to the unu¬ 
sually cold and very wet season. This failure of 
seed prevented hundreds from making another 
attempt to grow Sorghum. But I am informed by 
G. W. Babbitt, of this place, who exhibited syrup 
from the cane at our County Fair last fall; that 
he has grown another patch this year with com¬ 
plete success— the stalks are no larger, but much 
sweeter, and the seed were full of farina and ripe 
on the 25th Sept. We had no ripe seed last year, 
although frost kept off until the 20th of Oct. I 
take it that Sorghum, like Corn, requires hot, dry 
weather to ripen its seed; time alone, without heat, 
will not do it; warm nights as well as hot days, are 
indispensable.—S. W., Waterloo, N. Y., 1858. 
MANURES: 
LEACHINO VS. DECOMPOSITION AND EVAPORATION. 
Messrs. Eds. —In looking over the Rurals since 
returning from the Far West, I find that W. H. H., 
of Wheatland, demurs to my assertion, that “ if or¬ 
ganic manure can be prevented from going up as 
it decomposes, it may go down without any fear of 
loss to the crop.” I need not reply to that part of 
his argument which goes to show that manure 
plowed in deeply does not decompose as well as 
though it was near the surface; but if my opinion 
is incorrect, why is it that sandy land, proper, when 
top-dressed with clay holds manure so much longer. 
Again, what evidence have we that even potash, 
and the other mineral elements of plants ever 
reach below the roots, or beyond the reach of those 
plant roots, some of which we know have descend¬ 
ed into a loose soil more than twenty feet; and to 
say that the organic food of plants, carbonic acid 
and ammonia, goes down, is about as unphilosophi- 
cal as to say that smoke goes down. 
It is, however, the opinion of some practi¬ 
cal and scientific men, after many experiments 
in manuring, that the reason why nitrogenous 
manure is so much sooner exhausted on a loose 
sandy soil than on clay, is, that it decomposes and 
acts quicker on the crops, and not because it either 
leaches down or is lost in the atmosphere. But 
proofs are stubborn things, and it has been 
proved, time and again, that guano, the most nitro¬ 
genous of all concentrated fertilizers, when sown 
broadcast on a moist soil or immediately before a 
warm rain, will have its urea converted into the 
volatile carbonate of ammonia and lost in the air 
in a very few hours, unless it is plowed or harrowed 
in immediately. That it is a very economical use 
of well rotted, not exhausted manure, to plow it 
near the surface of the soil to be planted, there can 
be no doubt; but that is no argument to prove that 
coarse, unfermented manure plowed in deeply for 
a corn crop, is not to make the most of such ma¬ 
nure for the benefit of the crop. If the soil is 
worn, a little fine manure or compost in the hill to 
start vegetation early is desirable; but to fill the 
ear3 and ripen a maximum crop, despite of a drouth, 
the other process I have found to be indispensable. 
In the very dry summer of 1855, when the corn 
leaves on every farm curled like a round rod, and 
every corn crop suffered, I had a patch of corn 
thus treated, as large and the ears as well filled as 
I had ever before growD. s. w. 
Waterloo, N. Y., 1853. 
BURYING POTATOES. 
Eds. Rural: —I saw in a late No. cf your paper 
an article on Burying Potatoes, in which the writer 
recommends “digging a large hole in the ground 
so as to put the potatoes below the surface.” Now, 
this may be a safe way, but it is a great deal of 
labor; more than most people like to encounter if 
they can avoid it, and I think they car. I have 
buried a great many potatoes and never lost a bushel 
when the work was properly done, and I always put 
them above ground. Select a place where water 
will not stand,— heavy soil is best,— and dig away 
the top soil about six inches deep, in a circle about 
six feet diameter, — or large enough to contain a 
pile of not more than thirty-five bushels, — then 
round them up as high and smooth as possible to 
a point on the top; put on a heavy coat of dry 
straw five inches thick when well packed; then 
cover them with six or eight inches of earth; just 
before it begins to be freezing weather, give them 
a heavy coating of good stable manure. Manure 
from the horse stable is much the best, as it3 warm 
nature will prevent all frost from entering the pota¬ 
toes, though there may be but very little dirt put 
on, but other barn-yard manure will answer when 
this is not at hand, provided it is in a condition to 
pack firmly on the pile to keep the cold air from 
circulating through it w. o. k. 
Grand Rapids, Mich., 1858. 
Product of a Head of Millet. —In the Rural 
of the 11th ult, I saw an account of the number of 
millet seed obtained from one head, by a person of 
Geneva, N. Y., and, like most people, I was a little 
curious to know whether or not that “ millet head ” 
could be beat. I selected one which measured 
thirteen inches in length, shelled the seed there¬ 
from, and counted four thousand, and had not 
counted half. I then measured the seed already 
counted, and then those remaining, and found the 
quantity uncounted to exceed those counted by 
several hundred seed—should say one thousand— 
which would make nine thousand seed from one 
head. This will undoubtedly sound rather large, 
but nevertheless I honestly think the seed would 
have counted as many, if not more than the number 
estimated. I can find plenty of heads one foot 
long, and some longer than that from which the 
seed was counted. I think that with care, millet 
heads can be grown that will have twelve thousand 
plump seeds. With these lines I close my “millet 
talk ” for the present, hoping to hear from others 
alike curious to know how much can be raised 
from a single germ.—H. Percey, Newark, N. Y. 
Remedy for Bone and Blood Spavin. — I no¬ 
ticed in the Rural of the past week an inquiry 
from P. H., for a cure for Blood Spavin. Here¬ 
with I send you a receipefor a blistering ointment 
which I have tried with success on both blood and 
bone spavins, and many other ills that horse flesh is 
heir to. I have found it a very valuable remedy, 
and one that I would not be deprived of for a great 
deal,—it is perfectly safe,—does not prevent the 
growth of hair, nor require that the animal should 
rest under its application:—Pulverized canthari- 
des 1 oz.; oil origanum 2 oz; Yenice turpentine 
4 cz; oil sassafras 2 oz. Shake well and apply 
freely upon the spavin. One or two applications 
will cause a sore, and it will be necessary to desist 
until it heals, when the application must be renew¬ 
ed, and repeated until a cure is effected. The reme¬ 
dy is perfectly safe, and will be effectual if perse¬ 
vered in.— Henry Willard, Cayuga, N. Y., 1858. 
Sugar Cane. —Last year I commenced harvest¬ 
ing my Sugar Cane by first cutting the canes and 
then stripping the leaves by hand, but I soon found 
a more expeditious mode. I took a rod about 6 
or 7 feet long, and passing along by the side of a 
row I would strike off the leaves each side of the 
cane—the leaves falling to the ground, then pass 
along the second time and cut the canes, and when 
the canes are gathered the leaves can be taken up 
with a rake.—A. W., Marcellus, N. Y., 1858. 
The N. Y. State Fair, held at Syracuse, was a 
grand demonstration in most departments, as will 
be seen by our report elsewhere. The weather 
however, prevented its proving a success pecuni¬ 
arily ; and we observe that some of the city papers 
are scorning the Syracuse people for sins of omis- 
sion and commission, — exorbitant charges, and 
“ bleeding ” generally. We beard nothing of the 
kind while at the Fair, but did see and hear enough 
to’convince us that a great many ordinarily good 
and honest people consider it no crime to shave 
and cheat a Society. The Fair was generally well 
managed—Col. Johnson, the long-time Secretary, 
being a host in himself, and rendering the duties 
of other officers comparatively easy and pleasant. 
Maj. Patrick, the Grand Marshal, and his aids, 
performed their duties in a very satisfactory man¬ 
ner. We shall have more to say of the Fair in our 
next 
— The Michigan State Fair is said to have been 
quite successful. We hope to give some account 
of this and other Fairs in our next. 
An Ohio Township.— In a late number of the 
Toledo Blade, a “Young Farmer” gives an inter¬ 
esting account of the Township of Washington, 
Lucas Co., Ohio. Among other things, figures are 
furnished relative to the hay and potato crops, the 
dairy, &c. An aggregate of 2,153 tons of hay are 
produced from 2,153 acres. This, at $8 per ton, 
amounts to $17,224. Deducting the expense of 
making—say $2,50 per acre—and the farmers of 
the town have a clear profit of $11,441 50, which 
sum pays the interest on $92 per acre. The potato 
crop is estimated at from 8,000 to 10,000 bushels 
annually—of corn rather more, and enough wheat 
for home consumption. The township contains 
570 milch cows, valued at $20 per head. It is esti¬ 
mated that these 570 cows produce an average of 
four quarts of milk through the entire year — say 
832,200 quarts — which, at 2 cent3 per quart, yields 
the snug little sum of $16,644. In mowing and 
other machines, implements, &c, the farmers are 
fully up to time. To show that the people of the 
township constitute an intelligent, reading, model 
community, the writer (after stating that the Blade 
has 51 subscribers,) says—“ Of the Rural New- 
Yorker, published at Rochester, N. Y., there are 
one hundred and Jive copies taken, and a general as¬ 
sortment of Agricultural, Horticultural, Political, 
Religious and Literary Papers, too numerous to 
mention. Altogether, there is nearly $1,000 paid 
annually for newspapers and periodicals by this 
one township and it is seldom that you find a farm¬ 
ing community better supplied with standard 
library books.” A model “ Rural” township. 
The Prairie Farmer, which has for a year been 
arraying different classes and interests against each 
other, and all of them against itself and otherwise 
penetrating terra firma, hath ceased to revolve on 
its own axis—or, rather, the world has ceased to 
revolve around Chicago, and Chicago and the 
North-west no longer revolveth on the axes of the 
Prairie Farmer; all, probably, in consequence of 
the pranks of its great rival in vapory matter, 
gaseous brilliancy and tale-bearing — Donati's 
Comet! The last number of Emery’s Journal of 
Agriculture comes to us with the affix “ and Prairie 
Farmer ”—briefly announcing the purchase of “the 
entire interest and good will” of the latter paper, 
but distinctly adding that “the proposition to sell 
came from the proprietors of the P. F., unsolicited 
by us.” This is a very natural and not unlooked 
for result, and the best for all interested. The com¬ 
bined J. & F. will no doubt prove worthy of cordial 
support, as it will ignore in the future, as it has in 
the past, all illegitimate discussion, warfare and 
blackguardism. This is evident from a very sig¬ 
nificant item in the first issue of the combined 
paper, stating that its columns “ are open to legiti¬ 
mate talk on legitimate subjects’’—which means, 
we infer, that they are not open to such matters as 
were harped upon in the P. F. The fate of the P. 
F. is certainly a warning to all its contemporaries 
that “still live” to beware of the rock upon which 
it split Peace to its ashes, and success to the 
Journal and Fabmer! 
New Journals. —We are in receipt of the first 
number of the Farmer, Miner and Mechanic, pub¬ 
lished semi-monthly, in folio form, at St Louis, 
Mo., by Thomas & Schutz. It is devoted to Agri¬ 
culture, Mining, Mechanic Arts, Literature and 
Temperance. E. B. Thomas is the conducting 
editor, Mr. F. R. Elliott taking charge of the 
agricultural department. The number before us is 
well filled, though we do not admire the style and 
form of the paper. 
The Oregon Farmer is the title of a neat 16 page 
quarto monthly, hailing from Portland. It had a 
good look and interesting, but having been ab¬ 
stracted from the sanctum, we are unable to give 
particulars as to publisher, terms, &c. 
Michigan State Ag. Society.— The annual elec¬ 
tion of officers for the Michigan Ag. Society, took 
place at the close of the recent Fair, held at Detroit. 
Col. Charles Dickey, of Marshall, was chosen 
President. The Presidents of the County Societies 
in the State were made Vice-Presidents. Executive 
Committee— H. G. Slygb, Wayne; A. S. Berry, Len¬ 
awee; James Bailey, Oakland; H. E. Degarmo, 
Ionia; H. G. Wells, Kalamazoo; Archibald Jewell, 
Cass; J. E. Kitton, St Clair; D. C. HendersoD, 
Allegan. 
— The President announced that the receipts at 
this Fair had been $4,200, being $1,200 more than 
last year. 
Good Sale of Short-horns. —We learn that Mr. 
S. P. Chapman’s sale of Short-horns, on Tuesday 
week, resulted much better that had been antici¬ 
pated—the animals selling at a high average, com 
pared with previous sales. We shall endeavor to 
give the result in our next “Duke of Oxford,” 
(reserved by Mr. C. at time of sale,) was awarded 
the first prize in class of three year old bulls at the 
State Fair last week, and subsequently sold to E. 
Cornell, Esq., of Ithaca, for $1,500. 
Weighty Colts.—M r. Bbnj. Bradley, of Lyons, 
N. Y., informs us that he has a span of matched 
colts, one year old last June, that weigh 1,850 lbs. 
Mr. B. says he would like to hear from any one 
who can beat them. 
