9 
thiB will enable you to Bee the rows distinctly. 
Then follow Immediately with the cultivator, both 
ways, and by this means you get the start of the 
weedB,and help forward the growth of the corn ma¬ 
terially; and this, we all know, is very essential in 
our short seasons. If von cover up some of the 
hills, it will not injure it near as much as when it 
has made a larger growth, and, on an average, it 
will be much benefited by ft slight covering of 
loose earth. There Is very much lost, in my 
opinion, by wuiting too long for the corn to grow 
up out of danger of being coveted up by the cul¬ 
tivator, as the grass and trends make a more rapid 
growth than the corn, especially in wet weather, 
which is very common at that season of the year. 
I consider it of vast importance that we tend 
onr corn well, not only on account of the present 
crop, but to subdue the ground and lit it for future 
use, by destroying all the noxious weeds possible. 
In times past, it was a very common practice to 
summer fallow our laud, and especially if there 
were any foul weeds to be destroyed, but of late 
yeais a summer fallow is rarely seen in this part 
of our country. Since the wheat midge haa made 
its appearance here, the wheat crop has been con¬ 
sidered rather uncertain, and, therefore, the 
practice of summer fallowing has been almost 
entirely abandoned in this locality. Now, brother 
farmers, I would advise that, as near as possible, 
we summer fallow our coru ground, while the lux¬ 
uriant growth of corn is waving over the surface. 
Depend upon it, it will be a paying investment to 
till our corn ground thoroughly, for if we do not, 
our land will soon abound with weeds of all de¬ 
scriptions. Let us remember the old maxim, that 
an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. 
I would say a few words in relation to my 
method of harvesting the corn crop; but, perhaps 
I am tiring your patience, as I have already writ¬ 
ten much more than 1 designed, but I will try and 
be very brief In the rest of my remarks, i am 
aware that there has been much said and written 
on this subject, but we are at liberty to learn all 
the different ways, and then choose the way that 
we think best answers our purpose. My way ib 
this:—In the first place, I take some rye straw to 
bind the shocks with. I commence on four rows, 
undent up enough at. the roots to make a good 
sized bundle, and then carry it forward between 
the two middle rows, to where I want the shock 
to stand; theu stand it up as near perpendicular 
as possible, between two hills of the standing 
corn; then reaching with one hand, while holding 
the bundle with the other, and taking generally 
about two stalks from each bill of the standing 
or uncut bills, form a band by crossing tbein 
on the opposite side of the bundle from where I 
stand, bringing them around, and giving them 
but one twist, as they are apt to break if twisted 
too much. I then lift up some of the stalks next 
to me, and simply tuck the twisted tops under 
them; and the bundle, by being bound to the 
standing hills, is very firm, as the bills stand 
bracing on each side. 1 then go on and cut 
enough and set up on each side of the bundle to 
make it as large as desired, and then take a hand 
of straw, and bind the shock as tightly as possible. 
This is very essential, in order that it may stand 
np until husking time. I prefer cutting the rows 
north and south, as our hardest winds and storms 
generally come from the west, and by the shock 
being braced in that, direction, it seldom gets 
blown down- Some might object to leaving two 
bills to be cut up on removing the shock, but it is 
easier to cut the two bills on the outside of the 
shock, than to cut one on the inside. Then there 
is an advantage by having two hills mostly on the 
outside of the shock, as the corn and stalks will 
dry out sooner and better than to have a hill of 
green corn bound up in the center. 
This way of harvesting may be a little awkward 
at first, to any one not accustomed to it, but a 
little practice will enable one to get along with it 
much faster than any other way that 1 ever tried. 
There is another advantage in shocking in this 
way, especially when the wind blows; the hills 
standing bracing out at the roots on each side, 
makes the bundle in a fiat shape instead of round, 
and then by standing the loose corn up on each 
side, brings it into a round shape, ready to bind. 
Dryden, N. Y., I860. A. B. Benham. 
• 
TILL WELL AND RAISE MORE. 
Eds. ftcRAi, New-Yorker:— In your issue of 
March 24th we find an article by Tyro:— “Till 
less and raise more.” We would beg leave to 
slightly change his caption, and say, till well and 
raise more. 
It is an indisputable fact that there are many 
persons bearing the name of farmers, who scarcely 
realize the bare cost on the products which they 
cultivate. On the contrary, there are others who 
seem to labor no harder, till the same amount of 
ground, and yet, at the end of the year, a hand¬ 
some profit is the result. And, as Tvno asks, 
“why this difference?” It is, “in doing the work 
well:' This is manifestly the cause. Cut this 
requires something beside mere physical force. 
A man may possess the strength of Hercules, 
and still be unable to make farming profitable. 
We often see farms, in the same locality, of the 
same size, possessed of like characteristics of 
aoil, but under very different systems of manage¬ 
ment. But a short distance from onr residence 
we find an example of this kind. The highway 
is the boundary line between the two farms. On 
the one side we find regularity of fields,—all as 
nearly of a size as possible, — the land well 
drained, fences in perfect order, comfortable 
sheds and stables for the* stock, the grounds 
around the house tastefully arranged, with both 
fruit and ornamental trees,—in fact, go where 
you will, the same order and regularity is to be 
observed. On the other side, we find no regular¬ 
ity of fields,—“ all as large as possible, as it saves 
fencing,”—the best of the land covered with 
W ater._“it don't pay to drain,”—the barn with 
scarcely a shed or stable for the stock,—the 
I grounds around the house, as barren of trees as 
the house is of paint,—all presenting the same 
cheerless prospect,—nothing to be seen which 
t tells either of taste or progress. The one pur- 
t Bnes such a course of management, in the rotation 
of crops, in the “application of manure,” and 
the culture of liis fields, that in every case be 
finds no difficulty in raising a superior crop. Iiis 
neighbor wonders,—as be looks across the way 
and compares the crops in bis fields, which have 
been under the plow for nearly a dozen years, 
with the luxuriant crops on the other side,.—why 
hit do not present the same appearance. Says 
he, “I used to raise just as targe traps as ray 
neighbor, but for some unaccountable reason, my 
crops now are scarcely half as large as his.” 
And further, we find one,—a reading, thought 
fill, observing man, one that liiinks before he 
acts, carefully considers each step he takes,—has 
a system of management that carries on every¬ 
thing profitably and harmoniously. The other 
scarcely exercises us much thought as the horse 
in his stable,— pursues the same course from 
year to year,—takes no pains to inform himself,— 
scarcely ever looks inside an agricultural book 
or journal, and yet wonders at bis bud luck. 
Here is the secret of “doing the work well.” 
Where a person understands the business in which 
be is engaged, you may expect success, but one 
that does not, is sure to iind it an unprofitable 
business in tilling either ten or twenty acres. 
Learn to think and absent, and you will have no 
cause to “ till less Rusticus. 
Meadow Brook Homestead, Cayuga Co., 1860. 
BEEF-BARRELS EOR PORK-PACKING. 
Eds. P.i'rai, New-Yorker: —As a practical far¬ 
mer, and a reader of agricultural works, I am 
highly pleased to Bee your well-directed efforts to 
sift truths from notions. It is, no doubt, too true 
that fanners, as a class, stand in need of enlight¬ 
enment in their daily practices, as much as any 
other class of working producers, and I believe 
no other class of people are more apt to follow 
their lathers’ and mothers’ views,—just us they 
followed in their ancestors’ tracks,—than lanners 
are, without sufficient inquiry into the why and 
wherefore of things. To sift out truth from error 
and compare theories, notions, and habits, with 
the result of practical experience, I conceive to 
be one of the most laudable objects, and, in fact, 
the principle object of your valuable publication; 
aud in that way it is capable of doing invaluable 
service to its readers. Taking this view of the 
case, permit me to call your attention to an article 
in a late issue. 
In the Rural of tire 10th ult., you quote from 
the Homestead, “Old Farmer's” remarks on 
“ Why Pork Shrinks in tho Pot.” He speaks well 
on the main question, and tells us well how to 
raise hogs from the jump to sticking time,—then 
how to dress them,—when to cut them, and bow 
to salt them,—hut in a parenthesis he says, “hr old 
beef cask will ruin your pork." Now, as to the 
truth or falsity' oT the lunar influence, it is net my 
purpose to argue, but I protest against “Oi.n 
Farmer” promulgating, or endorsing any such 
granny notion, as that an old beef barrel will spoil 
pork, lie probably adopted that idea because 
bis grandmother said so, just as others do the 
lunar influence, without investigating for himself 
or allowing his reason to sift, the thing at all. 
That an old beef barrel often spoils pork, is true, 
but the game barrel would spoil beef as quickly. 
It is not because the barrel previously contained 
beef. Not at all. It is because ihe barrel bad 
contained spoiled brine , — and it is of no conse¬ 
quence whether beef or pork brine. The spoiled 
brine was the damager, and utterly destroys the 
value of the cask for future preserving uses. It 
is frequently the ease that winter beef is all used 
out of the barrel, and the bun cl-neglected until 
the smell of something unpleasant calls attention 
to it, and then it is hastily turned out of the cellar 
aud emptied, and. perhaps, washed; but, do what 
you may, that barrel is sure to spoil whatever 
meat is put into it afterward, whether beef or 
pork. 
Take a Chicago beef barrel, which contains 
sweet beef, and you may put pork in it with per¬ 
fect safety. I mention Chicago beef barrels only 
because they are generally packed for long keep¬ 
ing, sea voyages, Ac. Any other beef barrel, 
packed on the same principle, would do just the 
same. If fanners packed their beef with as much 
salt as Chicago packers generally use, there would 
be no such thing as spoiled brine, or spoiled 
casks, beef or pork. 
I think a moment’s reflection would show this 
clearly to any practical farmer. 1 do not claim 
to be a scientific, but a practical farmer, and I do 
not aspire to be a writer for any paper; but when 
I see an "Old Farmer” ably' writing down a 
granny notion, and conspicuously promulgating 
another (I think as bad, or worse,) by a wholesale 
denunciation of beef barrels for pork packing, I 
cannot refrain from giving you iuy notion, (per¬ 
haps another granny’s notion, you may think,) 
and you are ut full liberty to pocket it or insert 
it in the Rural, as you may judge it deserves. 
Buffalo, N. Y, 1860. H. Dodge. 
-- — 
Black Spanish Fowls. —As almost every house¬ 
holder keeps, or should keep, fowls, and as it 
costs no more to keep good ones than poor ones, 
it is an important question what breeds are most 
profitable. I have tried Shanghai, Java, Poland, 
Game, Cochin China, and, finally, Black Spanish; 
and am decidedly in favor of the latter. They 
are large, hardy, and handsome; good layers, and 
are very seldom inclined to set. I have two hens 
which have laid almost incessantly for eight 
months. Since the first of January they have 
missed onl.v one day. I should like to hear a lit¬ 
tle moreabout poultry in tho Rural. Wontscrtne 
of your readers, who are posted, give us a state¬ 
ment of their experiments with different kinds of 
fowls, and the relative profits of hens, geese, 
ducks, turkeys, Ac.— T. W. Taylor, North While 
Creek, N. Y., J8G0. 
-^#4-- 
Value of Straw. —Last summer I was obliged 
to cut my oats very green, on account of the 
grasshoppers. From eight acres, (only three 
hundred bushels,) I kept eighteen head of cattle 
two months on the straw alone, without a kernel 
of grain, and kept them well, too. The oats 
weighed 314 pounds to the bushel.— Henry S. 
Burt, Norway, iY. Y., I860. 
Hural Spirit of tl)e Press. 
Praming (’beetle — Heavy or Light ? 
We make an extract from a communication 
to the Ohio Farmer on this subject, by J. D. 
Holmes, of Newark, in that State, in which be 
says: 
“1 have bad large opportunities to witness the 
results of the various modes of pressing cheese, 
and have seldom seen presses that were suitable 
for their work. It requires a pressure of full ten 
tuns (20,000 lbs.) to a twenty two or twenty-four 
inch cheese, at tbe last part of the process; and 
when the pressure is rightly applied,— that is, 
graduated by r a steady increase from fifty to ten 
thousand pouuds dining the first twelve hours, 
and afterward increased to twenty or thirty 
tbousaad pounds,— the cheese will be found to 
cure in one-fourth of the time and with one-fourth 
the handling that is necessary when but a few 
hundred pounds of pressure are applied, leaving 
the w hey to be dried out, or to teak out, as is fre¬ 
quently the case,—the cheese thus treated being 
of a porous or honeycomb texture, Btrong and 
sometimes sour from tbe fermenting whey before 
it leaves the cbecBe. 
It may be adopted for a rule among cheese- 
makers, that they cannot press their cheese too 
much while the hoop and cheese-cloth remain 
around it, aud the pressure is gradually increased. 
Cheese, when thoroughly pressed, will not 
shrink much,—are not very liable to crack, or to 
be affected with skippers; while the rind is thin¬ 
ner and more palatable than when tbe whey is 
dried out instead of being pressed out.” 
Splitting Umildrrw. 
A correspondent of the Country Gentle¬ 
man gives the following mode of splitting boul¬ 
ders. The plan is doubtless familiar to many of 
onr readers: 
First, clean away around tbe stone you wish to 
split, that it may rest only on the under side. 
Then build a lire over the center of the stone 
from the earth on one side, and to tbe earth on 
the other, about one foot in width, and keep it so 
confined by green sticks of wood or loose Btones 
or sods, whichever is most convenient. Let the 
first fire burn entirely out. Then take your crow- 
liar and take off the scale, which will easily sepa¬ 
rate from the rock. Then build the second fire 
as before, and keep it well supplied with good dry 
wood, (a free but not a fierce wind the best time;) 
near the evening the heat has, I think, the most 
powerful effect. When the fire is well a-going, 
yon will, to your astonishment., boar a peculiar 
small noise in the rock, and then the fissure in the 
rock is commenced; tbe fire is to be continued 
until tbe rock is easily separated by a wedge or a 
bar, I broke a rock to pieces in this manner, 
with a fc-w refuse rails and a small amount 
of ntnple wood, that made five pieces so large 
that it took two yoke of oxen to roll them from 
the center to tho side of the road, and three 
stone-boat loads of smaller pieces. 
Oil C'nUe for Coins. 
A cotemporary says:—Mr. Elijah Wood, Jr., 
of Concord, Mass., who keeps seventy cows, 
considers oil cake one of the best articles of 
food for them, even at $35 per tun, its present 
price. Of so much importance does lie regard 
it, that be would sell corn at a dollar a bushel, 
and purchase cake, to some extent, for cow 
feed. He finds the cake of great utility in 
seasoning, and imparling a relish to coarse fod¬ 
der—as bay, straw, Ac. The fodder being cut and 
thrown into a large trough, it is moistened, and 
the ground cake mixed through it. After stand¬ 
ing a few hours, the odor of the cake is found to 
have penetrated the entire mass, and tbe cattle 
eat it with avidity. Mr. Wood finds that no 
objectionable quality is imparted to the milk by 
feeding two quarts of the ground cake to each 
cow daily. 
Applying Jlnnnrc to Corn. 
A coHRESPONDENT of the N. E. Farmer, who 
uses manure from a barn cellar, without any ad¬ 
mixture of straw-, thus gives his method of apply¬ 
ing it to sward land for corn. He spreads it in 
spring upon ground plowed the previous fall, at 
the rate of fifteen to eighteen cords per acre, and 
then gives it a thorough harrowing, so as to mix 
it with the surface soil. Then, just before plant¬ 
ing, be plows the ground to a depth of from three 
to five Inches, harrows it, and plants the corn. In 
this way he has raised, on an average, from sixty 
to seventy bushels of coru per acre. 
Lift- on Fowls. 
The Field and Fireside gives the following 
remedy from a correspondent. He had tried 
everything he could hear of, with indifferent suc¬ 
cess, and was about despairing, when he heard 
accidentally, that clay would not harbor them as 
a sandy soil. He says:—" I soon had my poultry 
houses dug down three or four feet, filled up with 
clay, a layer of beaten brick on the surface, and 
the partitions of tbe nest made of brick. This is 
two years ago, since which time I have neither 
seen, felt, or heard, of the insects, aud therefore 
think 1 have got entirely rid ol them.” 
Treatment of Young llorses. 
A writer in the Michigan Farmer, who has 
given considerable attention to tbe subject, 
thinks that fattening up colts for exhibition at 
fairs, ruins many very promising ones for lift 
He would never put a blanket upon them until 
they begin to work, or better shelter than a 
warm shed, with a yard by themselves, and plenty 
to eat and drink. So treated, they will make 
durable ho rses. _ __ 
Lightning Rods.—A s there seems to be a little 
discussion in the Rural with reference to the 
utility of lightning rods, I would say that I think 
it is poor economy to put them up in this section 
of country. I have lived in this place over 
thirty years, and I cannot recollect of one house 
being struck by lightning. Had I one-half the 
money that has been expended for lightning rods, 
I could pay all damage done by houses being 
burned, and have a large amount left. I would 
recommend them on barns, for when they are 
filled with hay and grain, there is a gas arising 
from it which draws lightning. — A. Willson, 
Maxcellus, N. Y., 1860. 
Inquiries anb 3nsmcrs. 
Culture or Broom Corn on the Prairies. — Being 
h subscriber of tho Rubai., I would like to have some 
information with regard to the culture of broom corn on 
the Western Prairie* of Illinois. IIow thick ought it to 
stand on the around. and how ranch seed doc* it take to 
the acre? Will some of the Western RCRAL-iste ple»*e 
in form me through »tA columns?—.1, IV. O ..Moron, III., 
lit AH 
What Ailed the Calveh? —Last summer roy calves 
were taken with a cough, one after another, just as 
though it was contagious. I Inst three. Those that 
begun coughing first, died first. They did not lose their 
appetite in the least after the began to cough,—If any¬ 
thing, they eat more—hot would begin to look hollow 
and grow poor, aud ate hearty when they could not stand 
alone. l>o other* were taken quite late ill the fall, and 
are alive yet,—have coughed all winter, aud one of them 
is not as large now as it. was at four month* old, 1 have 
a cow, also, that ha* had a hacking cough all winter. If 
any one can give me any light on the subject, it will Re 
thankfully received.—H. 8. JB., Ym'uay. Iter. Co., N. Y , 
1800. 1 
Salt for Killing Weeds in Onion Beds—(O. H. L.. 
Hindsburgh , N. )') —You cannot depend on salt for 
killiDg weeds in onion beds. Enough to kill the weeds 
will destroy the crop. The hoe and fingers must do the 
work. 
Timothy with Hungarian grass—j r. G. M., Holly. 
Mich )—We do not think it would answer to sow Timo¬ 
thy with Hungarian grass. The first of June, as you 
propose, would be too late; and if you had a good crop 
of Hungarian, we thing tbe Timothy would be scarce. 
Garnet Cnti.t Potato— (T. H. W., Vienna, Y. Y.)— 
The Carnet. Chill isono of Mr Goonairn's seedlings. We 
grew it for the first time last year, and consider it a good 
aud productive potato. Don't know where, seed can he 
obtained, but we presume of ChaTO'CKy Goodrich, of 
Utica. 
Agricultural Ittistcllnnij. 
Western N. Y. Ao'l Association.— The Act to incor¬ 
porate the Western Yew York Agricultural, Harticvltu- ’ 
ral ana Mechanical Association has passed both branches 
of tbe Legislature, and only awaits the approval of the 
Governor to become a law. We are unable to publish 
the bill in this number. It provides that there shill not 
be less than thirteen Directors, that the Capital stock be 
850,000 to $150,000, and divided into share* of $10 each. 
The Association may purchase not to exceed 150 acres 
of hind, and improve the same for holding Fairs, tic, 
The hill names the first Board of Directors, as follows: 
Benjamin if. Baker, David R. Barton, Patrick Barry, 
Samuel Miller, Wm. A. Reynolds, Daniel D. T. Moore, 
and John Ii. Martindale, of Rochester; Elias I! Holmes, 
of Iirockport; Isaac II. Sutherland, of Pittsford; W. S. 
Clark, of Victor, Ontario Co.; James S. Wadsworth, of 
Oeneseo, Livingston Go ; Volney A. Acer, of Orleans Co.; 
Washington Hunt, of Niagara Co. 
Books for Rubalists — Having frequent calls for 
Agricultural Books, we have concluded to keep an assort¬ 
ment at the Ren a 7. Office, In order to accommodate sub¬ 
scriber* and others, With this view we have recently 
procured quite a stock of books on Agriculture, Horticul¬ 
ture, Ac., and can now furnish almost every work treating 
upon any branch of Rural Affairs named in tbe catalogues 
of American publishers. A list of about one hundred 
different works Is given In onr advertising department, 
any one of which we w ill send, post, paid, on receipt of 
the. price named, (the same charged by tbe publishers.) 
We have no expectation of making this branch of our 
business profitable, hut If we eau be the medium of pla¬ 
cing standard and popular books io tbe hands of our 
readers, nearand distant,our object will be accomplished. 
Salt as a Manure—(J. M., Eglinlon , C. W )—Salt has 
been uEed for manurial purposes with success, bat we 
need more and careful experiments before we feel pre¬ 
pared to recommend farmers io purchase salt by the 
barrel in largo quantities to apply to hind. Those who 
live near Balt works can obtain the refuse at very little 
cost. 8ome of our best nurserymen and fruit eulturixls 
apply salt to their orchards every spring, and claim that it 
destroys insects, and also acts as an efficient manure. 
Those who have had experience will please furnish us 
with the facts. » 
Bust Distance for Potatoes—(S. R., Orleans Co , N. 
F.) — Potatoes are planted too far apart to suit our 
notion, where the object is to raise a large crop on a 
small piece of ground. Three feet or three feet and a 
half each way, as some plant, we think, will never give a 
maximum crop, and is'much further than necessary, 
unh-s* the tops are very large. Those with rather small 
haulms, and these are the best to plant, other things 
being equal, will do well, and give a largo crop, if the 
ground is right, when planted in rows, with one good 
strong set, not less than one-third or half of a potato, 
eighteen inches apart in the rows, aud the rows thirty 
inches apart. At this distance, they can, with care, be 
cultivated one way. 
Growing ONIONS—(W. H, S., Eddytown, Y. T., and 
nlhcrs )—The common red and yellow are both grown in 
this section The White, or Silver-skinned, is an excel¬ 
lent variety for the garden, and sells higher than other 
varieties, but is not much grown by farmers in this 
section. Top onions are not grown for a main crop. 
They cost about $2 per bushel, and at four inches apart 
iu the rows, aud the rows one foot apart, it Would take 
about fifteen bushel* to the acre. Sheep and ln-g 
manure are excellent for onions, but no fresh stable 
manure should be used, as it produces such abundance 
of weeds. We would not plant onions on a fresh sod. 
The weeding, under such circumstances, would he intol¬ 
erable. A good, mellow, clean soil, should be selected 
for growing onions. 
A Hard Soil.— 1 gain much information by the In¬ 
quiries and Answers iu your valuable paper, hut dou't 
(iud any that quite meets my present wants. I am a 
mechanic, aud have just purchased what some Would call 
a worn-out pasture. Will you, or some of your correspond¬ 
ent.*, inform me the cheapest and bust way to bringit into 
cultivation, a« barn-yard manure is not got easily here? 
Somo two acres are so thickly covered with flint -tone a- 
to render cultivation very difficult. Will it pay better 
to set it out to an orchard, or to leave it io a pasture? It 
was covered with timber four years ago. The trees will 
have to be cstl'ivaled with a pick and shovel.—C. F. N., 
Lee. Mass , 1860. 
We leave the above for the consideration of s.ome of 
onr readers in Massachusetts. We have never been 
blessed with so hard a soil. 
Mixing OF varieties. — Being a subscriber to the 
Rurau, 1 venture to inquire of you. or some of your cor¬ 
respondents, what biu<is of seeds will “ mix," ana how far 
should they be planted apart? When 1 planted citrons 
and watermelons, side by side, 1 could hardly tell what 1 
did raise. I know they were not very good “raw.’’ So 
with squashes and pumpkins, I have known several men 
mix them together through the corn-field. Have done 
so myself. Have generally planted different kinds of 
tnuskmelons, side by side, being careful not to mix them 
in the hill. Have planted three kinds kinds of pop corn, 
aud several other varieties of coru, being catelul to put 
them from five to twenty rods apart But they would 
mix, and none o? it “ pop." The result of »11 l*,.I have 
“ ruu out," and have no particular kind ot auythiug, 
except potatoes; they have not mixed vet. My neigh¬ 
bors. are all in the same "fix” Do tell what we can do.— 
W. W P. ( Princeton , Mm ,, I860. 
Every kind of plant that bears seed, of which there 
are different varieties, will mix. Potatoes do not mix, 
because we do not use the seed, but part of the old plant 
—the tuber. But if we raise potatoes from the seed, 
they will be found “mixed." We raise grapes, or cur¬ 
rants, from cuttings, and apple trees by grafting and 
buddiug, and the fruit is like that from which we obtain¬ 
ed the cuttings, or scions. But if we grow plants from 
the seed of the grapes, or currants, or apples, the result 
will be something entirely different, showing a bad 
“ mixture." Just how far seed must be planted from 
other varieties to prevent mixture, no one can say, but 
all the care we can possibly give, is necessary to grow 
pure seed. 
“ BUTCHER Bird.” —The bird spoken of by your Illi¬ 
nois correspondent, is rare, I thiBk, in this latitude, 
having never seen but ODe in this State He remained 
on the farm, and immediate neighborhood, during the 
past winter. His time seemed wholly occupied in catch¬ 
ing mice. When the men began busking the shocked 
corn, he would perch upon a neighboring tree and 
watch for his prey. As soon as a mouse started from 
the shock, this mouser pounced upon it,£nd was off to 
some old stump or shock, where he deposited his prize, 
aud returned to his station. Within ten minutes, I saw 
him secure four mice. His observatory was about twenty 
rods distant. Not a mouse escaped his searching eye, 
and hut few evaded his deadly pounce. He seemed 
regardless of our presence, coming within two feet of us. 
I have seen great numbers of this species on the head 
waters of the Mississippi, and as fat north as Pembina. 
It is known there as the "Canada Jay.” On the shores 
of Lake Superior, he was a daily visitor to our camp, and 
seemed particularly fond of Porcupine. He is known 
among the Indians and Voyageurs as the “ Meat Hawk." 
I u the forests of Maine.be is called the “Moose Bird” 
us he follows this animal in all its roamiBgs. This bird 
is shaped somewhat like the Cut Bird. A light lead color 
on the back; gray upon the breats; and a few white 
feathers iu the tail. Has a black stripe on eaeh side of 
the head. Is as quick in motion as the Brown Thrasher. 
Perhaps seme of our young ornithologists can give us 
tbe name of this interesting fellow.—I. F., Locust Hill 
Farm, Ind., I860. 
Tub Agricultural Cauldron and Steamer, recently 
patented and now being introdneed to the public by D. K. 
PBtNDt.K, of Bethany, Oeneseo county, N. Y,, is conceded 
by those who bare witnessed its operation to be a very 
valuable invention. A public trial of the Steamer was 
made in this city, a few days ago, which resulted quite 
satisfactorily,— fully demonstrating that it would per¬ 
form in a speedy and perfect manner, tho important 
processes claimed by the inventor,— as will be seen by 
reference to tbe certificate accompanying an advertise¬ 
ment given in this paper. It is indeed a most complete 
apparatus for cooking food for stock, and such an one 
as has long been needed. The Steamor is also adapted to 
a variety of other purposes, such as heating milk for the 
dairy, steaming timber, kiln-drying lumber, warming 
buildings, green houses or baths,melting tallow and lard, 
making soap or sugar, heating liquid for tanners, &c. 
We commend it to the attention of farmers and others 
interested. 
“Egtftjax Corn" has been advertised in the Rural 
for some weeks past, and algo in other agricultural jour¬ 
nals, by Mr. CAandaL of Illinoi*. It maybe proper to 
state that we have no personal knowledge of this corn, 
Laving never seen a sample or any testimony In its favor 
(except such as is given in Mr. C.'s advertisement ) Nor 
had we seen anything questioning its value, until wo 
received the last number ot the Prairie Farmer, iu 
which the corn is also advertised. The Former says it 
ho* received a communication from John Botxton, of 
McConnell’s Grove, 111., embracing his experience witli 
this corn, and quotes therefrom. Mr. 1J says he saw a 
similar advertisement from Mr C. last spring, was in¬ 
duced to send a dollar lor a package of the wonderful 
article, and received 121 grahis of 11 little, poor, insignifi¬ 
cant corn, having the appearance of the most worthless 
variety." The coru was planted in the garden, well cul¬ 
tivated, had a great many set* for ears, and the stalks 
grew from three to four feet high. Only fourteen ears 
matured—” oue of which is so shriveled that it is not 
possible for a single kernel of It to grow. The others 
vary in length from three and a half to six inches, and 
are at the largest end a little larger than a man's thumb, 
and tapering to a point. The corn is very late and is 
much shrunken. The whole fourteen ears weigh just 
twelve ounces! Half of the earn are a dark red, and the 
others are a yellowish white ” 
Useful Taulb. —Counting plants one foot apart each 
way, we shall have forty-three thousand five hundred 
and sixty upon an acre, because an acre contains that 
number of superficial feet. Take the figure in the first 
column of the following table as the distance apart, and 
an acre will contain the number of plants in the second 
column: 
l 'A 
feet. .. 
_19.300 
12 feet... 
....302 
2 
feet. 
10.890 
15 feet. 
.198 
feet_ 
6.969 
IS feet_ 
...134 
3 
feet_ 
. 4.880 
20 feet.. 
_108 
8!4 
feet_ . 
_3,530 
23 feet_ 
. 90 
4 
2 722 
20 feet 
. 69 
5 
feet... 
. 1,742 
30 feet. 
_4S 
6 
feet. 
1,200 
35 feet. 
_35 
8 
feet.. 
.... 680 
40 feet. 
.27 
10 
feet_ 
.. 435 
| 45 feet. 
. 21 
Good Advice, North or South.—A writer in one of 
our Southern exchanges— Dr. Cloud's Rural Magazine— 
closes an article with those truthful admonitory sugges¬ 
tions:—“So the secret of successful farming may be 
summed up in a nut-shell. Plant good seed in good 
order, and at the proper time. Plant no more than mu 
be cultivated well. Suffer none of the crop to waste 
after being made. Detract nothing from your farm, but 
add to it. Make your meat and bread at least at home, 
and it will work well nine times in ten to make or have 
money before it is bargained or promised for property. 
Cash will command better trades, and free you from 
throwing your crop on the market at au unfavorable 
time, to meet a due debt.” 
“■Tin; Comprehensive Farm Record. Arranged for 
twenty-five Years, witli Directions for its Use,” is the 
title of a new work by Franklin B. Hough, Sup't of tbe 
N. Y. State Census of 1855, and just issued by C. M. 
Saxton, Barker & Co. A glauce at its contents and 
arrangement, assures us that this work will prove a long- 
sought desideratum. It is admirably arranged for pre¬ 
serving, in systematic form, a recotd of all important 
operations od a farm. 4Ve shall recur to it again, after a 
more thorough examination,— yet are confident, from 
what we have observed iu a few minutes, that the work 
will prove valua 1 le. It is sold in Rochester by Adams & 
Dabney. 
Hon. Benj. Y. French, widely kuown as an ardent 
Iriend and promoter of improvement in agriculture and 
horticulture, died at his residence in Dorchester, Mass., 
on the 10th inst,,aged 68. For the past twenty years 
Mr F. has devoted himself to tbe various branches of 
agricultural science, and his experimental farm attained 
much celebrity. He is said to have been a gentleman in 
the best meaning of the term, a good citizen, and a most 
valuable member of society. 
The Aktjsan. —Thi- is a handsome quarto weekly, 
devoted to Science. Art, Discovery, Invention, isc., and 
published by the “ American Pateut Compau.v.' Cincin¬ 
nati, Ohio, at $1.50 per annum. Each number contains 
Reports of Pu'euts issued, illustrations and descriptions 
of new inventions, a "Field and Garden" department, 
ike. It has reached Yol. 1H, No. 15, and,judging from 
its appearance and contents, merits a successful career 
Ark your teams and implements ready for the various 
labors of the season ? If not. “delays are dangerous." 
( 
V 
( 
« 
