MOORE’S RURAL NEW-YORKER: AN AGRICULTURAL AND FAMILY NEWSFAPER 
needless to tell the intelligent farmer why these 
two plants should not be grown near each other, 
if the seed is wanted for planting. " Broom corn’’ 
and ‘'Dourah corn” will also readily mix with this 
and with each other. I. W. Briggs. 
West Macodon, N. Y., Jan., 1807. 
Cherokee, Georgia. It will doubtless be desirable 
to make several successive plantings, that they 
may mature gradually, and so give more time for 
harvesting the crop. The land, in my opinion, 
should be prepared in all respects as for corn. 
Harvksting. —When the stalk shall have attain¬ 
ed its full size, and the seed have passed from the 
dough stage to a harder texture, the cane may be 
considered sufficiently mature. 
Prior to the harvesting, a set of proper rollers 
and kettles should he provided and w*ell set up, 
ready for service. The mill made use of hy Mr. Pe¬ 
ters, and which was gotten up under his direction 
for this purpose, is, in my opinion, of very unex¬ 
ceptionable quality for a small apparatus, and 
works admirably. It is of a suitable size for a 
small crop, and no farmer should undertake to 
supply its place by wooden rollere for a crop of 
even two acres. The loss of juice will more than 
counterbalance the difference in expense. It is 
worked by two mules. Three kettles, of from 60 
to 100 gallons capacity, will he required to keep 
pace fully with the mill. It is desirable that these 
should be broad and shallow, that they may pre¬ 
sent a large evaporating surface, and substantially 
set in brick for security and convenience. They 
should not be distant from the press, and, if upon 
ground lower than the latter, an advantage is 
gained in running the expressed juice directly 
into them, and thus saving the labor of transfer. 
Pressing. —The canes, located conveniently at 
hand, are one by one doubled in the middle aud 
forced between the rollers, winch are kept In as 
close proximity as the strength of the mill and the 
power of the mules will warrant 
Boii.ing Down. —One of the first things done in 
commencing operations should be to start the fire 
under the kettles, that they may he well warmed 
by the time the juice is ready for them. In regard 
to the precise degree of concentration to which 
the syrup should he brought, it is exceedingly 
difficult to lay down any precise and simple rule 
which shall meet every case. 
Mr. Peters states the yield of his best eighth 
acre in syrup at 52J gallons—that of the poorest 
eighth at 43j gallons. Taking the average, we 
have, as the yield of the entire acre, 407 gallons, 
assuming the yield of juice to correspond with the 
average results obtained by experiment, say 50 per 
cent of the entire weight, with proper machinery, 
expressing 70 per cent., we have a yield of 570 
gallons per acre. 
The general introduction of the cane must, for 
years to come, limit the production of cotton and 
greatly enhance its price, adding a considerable 
increase to the value of our exports, and counter¬ 
balance, in a measure at least, the shipment of 
bullion from our shores, to restore the balance of 
trade. This change in our productions, and the 
increased remuneration for labor consequent upon 
it, pre-supposes also an enhanced value of the soil 
which grows it. It is to be hoped, moreover, that 
the practical working out of this problem may so 
engage the attention of our people os to withdraw 
them for a time from the arena of angry strife and 
contention, and tend to cement more closely the 
tie which hinds us to our prosperous and happy 
Union. Robert Battey. 
Rome, Ga., Oct, 1856. 
Knowledge op Entomology. —How much the 
farmer, and the gardener, needs the knowledge — 
we mean the knowledge of the nature, habits, and 
haunts of the insects that infest their crops and 
fruits ? These are some of the reasons why they 
need this knowledge. Such knowledge will enable 
him to prevent their ravages, hy destroying the eggs. 
It will enable him to remedy their ravages by de¬ 
stroying them where they exist It will enable 
him to economise time and strength, by doing the 
needful work exactly at the right time. It will 
enable him to decide whether he should make any 
effort at all; for in certain cases, the evils are 
incurable. It will give him patience and courage; 
for ho will, in many cases, learn that the pests are 
only temporary, and that a few years will witness 
their departure. It will suggest to him what new 
remedies may he tried, based on the habits in 
which it will instruct him. It will show him how 
great results may flow from a single act—how a 
whole district may be visited with an insect pest, 
by a single negligence, or escape that visitation by 
a single precaution. It will enable him to aid 
others who need the information lie has gathered, 
but whose opportunities have not permitted them 
to gain it for themselves. — Ohio Fanner. 
[see illustration on treceding page.] 
As the Chinese Sugar Cane (Sorgho >Sucre) 
is attracting considerable attention, and bids fair 
to prove worthy of extensive cultivation in various 
sections of the Union, we give an illustration of 
this new gramineous plant, together with impor¬ 
tant information relative to its culture, manage¬ 
ment, and mode of manufacture into syrup. In 
giving further testimony in its favor, however, 
(corroborative of that of Mr. R. Peters, published 
in the Rural of Nov. 15,) we would repeat the re¬ 
mark heretofore made, that "though not yet pre¬ 
pared to strongly commend anything coming 
whence the China Tree Corn emanated, we are 
inclined to thiDk this new plant may prove a val¬ 
uable acquisition.” 
The following article, or report, is from the pen 
of Dr. Robert Battey, a practical chemist and 
graduate of the Philadelphia College of Pharma¬ 
cy, in reply to an inquiry from P. Re mono, Esq., 
(editor of the Southern Cultivator,) of Augusta, 
Georgia: 
Dear SirI cheerfully comply witli your re¬ 
quest for information on the subject of my obser¬ 
vations and experiments upon the Chinese Sugar 
Cane as a syrup-producing plant. 
My attention was first called to the subject by 
the seed which you were kind enough to send me 
in the spring of 1855. T planted them and raised 
—say 15 to 20 canes that year—from which 1 ex¬ 
tracted a small quantity of juice for analysis.— 
This juice, as you are already aware, yielded, 
during the. winter, sugar and syrup, samples of 
which I sent to you for inspection. Impressed, as 
I was, with the probable importance of this plant 
to the agriculturists of the South, I did not deem 
it prudent to speak hastily of its merits—waiting, 
rather, until a repetition of these experiments up¬ 
on a larger scale should fully establish the opin¬ 
ions I had eutertaiued of it. 
The present year 1 have cultivated a few more 
banes for my experiments, and upon the farm of 
Richard Peters, Esq., Gordon County, Ga., I have 
witnessed the growth of the cane by the acre, and 
the production of the Eyrup by barrels. I have, 
in the mean time, read attentively the opinions of 
Gov. Hammond, of South Carolina, and others in 
different sections of the Union, who have grown 
the plant and experimented with it, as also the 
valuable paper of Vilraorin, of Prance, who has 
given this subject much study and investigation. 
So that calmly viewing all the facts which 1 have 
been able to collect, I no longer entertain a doubt 
that this plant is well worthy of the attention and 
study of the farmers and planters of the South. 
If the opinions I shall express should seem to 
some too wild and extravagant, I trust they will 
receive them as the honest and candid sentiments 
of one who ha9 carefully examined the subject, 
and be led to investigate and experimentforthem- 
selves. Should I thus be enabled to arouse the 
attention of Sonthern farmers to the importance 
of this plant, my object will have been accomplish¬ 
ed, and my labor well expended. 
The Chinese Sugar Cane seems to adapt itself to 
all the vicissitudes of our varied climate and soil, 
with a facility unsurpassed hy corn or wheat. In 
Cherokee, Ga., it flourishes in a high degree of 
perfection upon soils high and low, rich and com¬ 
paratively poor, producing heavy crops of stalk, 
leaf) and seed. The experiments of Mr. Peters 
(which are already published in many of our ag¬ 
ricultural papers) present an example of most suc¬ 
cessful culture. I found it to grow with me, in all 
respects, as vigoiously as corn, with precisely sim¬ 
ilar treatment. In Allegany connty, Md.. a corres¬ 
pondent writes for the May number of Hie Ameri¬ 
can Farmer :—“I think it well adapted even to our 
mountainous country, and it promises to be more 
valuable than any other article we can grow for 
provender. I believe it will produce six or eight 
tons of dried provender to the acre.” The present 
writer has met many intelligent aud enterprising 
farmers of Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, New 
Jersey, and New York in attendance at the late 
National Fair at Philadelphia. Many of them had 
witnessed its growth in their respective States 
with entire success. One gentleman of New Jer¬ 
sey had grown a half acre of the cane this season. 
It has been successfully grown in Illinois also, and 
one gallon of the juice is said to have yielded, by 
boiling, a quart of syrup of good quality. There 
is every reason to conclude that the cane may be 
easily and successfully grown in all parts of our 
country. 
Culture. —While the seed remains in the hands 
of the few, and commands a price too high to 
permit a waste, it should be planted for one season 
with good distance, that the seed crop as well as 
the cane may attain their highest state of devel¬ 
opment. I would recommend that the rows should 
be three, or even four feet apart, and a distance of, 
say two feet, given in the row, dropping one or 
two seed in a place. Let the ground be well cul¬ 
tivated, as for corn, and tbe shoots or suckers 
which spring up from the root be all permitted to 
grow. A small portion of the crop should be re¬ 
served for seed, and permitted to stand until fully 
matured aud dry. It would be well to limit the 
seed patch to oue. By all means permit no Broom 
Com, Dourak Com, or other plants of the same 
family, to grow near your Cane. It readily inter¬ 
mixes with these varieties, and effectually ruins 
your seed for the production of syrup. For the 
same reason, great care should be observed in 
procuring reliable seed, as well as in keeping 
them so. 
After the first season, when a full Bupply of seed 
shall have been secured, a better paying Byrup crop 
may be grown by closer planting. The space be¬ 
tween the rows may well be narrowed down to 
three feet, and the seed put in, say' two or three 
every six inches. When well up, the stoutest and 
healthiest plants should alone be allowed to stand. 
The cane, when very young, presents so much the 
appearance of grass, that an advantage may per¬ 
haps be gained by dropping some other seed with 
the cane, that the latter may be more readily dis¬ 
tinguished. This, of course, should be drawn out 
with the superfluent cane plants. When of suffi¬ 
cient size, the plants should be suckercd down to 
one cane lor each root. In other respects, the 
successful grower of corn will not be at a loss in 
the cultivation of this plant. I have found a suit¬ 
able time for planting to be immediately after the 
corn crop, although excellent results have been 
obtained by planting as late as the 15th of May, in 
Meteorology for Farmers. — On preceding 
page we givo the first of a series of papers on 
this subject, from the pen of Lieut. Maury, Su¬ 
perintendent of the National Observatory at Wash¬ 
ington, who has been justly termed the Humboldt 
of America. This paper will command attention, 
uot only from the importance of til e subject dis¬ 
cussed, hut on account of the clear, able aud com¬ 
prehensive mauuer in which it is presented.— 
And we trust- it will receive more than the atten¬ 
tion of u careful perusal and temporary considera¬ 
tion—that the matter will enlist such profound in¬ 
terest as shall incite investigation, and action, on 
the part of many of our readers in various sections 
of the Union. The subject of Agricultural or Veg¬ 
etable Meteorology, and Climatology, is a National 
one, being important to the people of the North 
and the South, the East and the West. The paltry 
sum of twenty thousand dollars a year, appropria¬ 
ted hy Congress for Meteorological Observations 
at Sea, is estimated to be worth millions of dol¬ 
lars annually—a fact which demonstrates that in¬ 
vestments in this branch of scientific research pay 
enormous dividends, far better than the stocks of 
our best banks and railroads. Why not, then, es¬ 
tablish Land Observatories in the manner sug¬ 
gested, and which will hereafter be unfolded by 
Lieut Maitky? Lot the People investigate, and 
act upon the subject through the agency of their 
Representatives in Congress—thus organizing a 
universal joint stock company in the benefits of 
which all can participate. Though the interests 
of Agriculture would be most promoted,—and 
they are the paramount interests of the Nation— 
all classes would he benefited, were Congress to 
provide for a system of Land Meteorological Ob¬ 
servations, The subject is eminently worthy the 
consideration and action of our .Statesmen aud 
Legislators. 
—It is proper to state here (as we intended to do 
in a note on preceding page,) that though Lt. M.’a 
paper is copyrighted, our contemporaries are at 
liberty to copy, provided credit is given. Our 
only object in copy-righting is to prevent piracy 
on the part of certain journals of uo small preten¬ 
sions, but which not unfrequently appropriate our 
most valuable articles without recognizing the 
Rural New-Yorker in tlic transaction. 
Eds. Rural: —Though pigs may be wiutered 
most cheaply in the pork barrel yet we must 
sometimes give them larger liberty, nud in that 
case provide for their livety demands for board 
and lodging. I have seen little in your columns 
on this subject, hence I think you may give my 
“say" abont it, a place among the things your 
farmer readers write for each other. 
As to wintering spring pigs, I never would try 
the experiment. 77 \ey had better come into the 
pork barrel, at seven or eight months old, “hy a 
long shot.” If the object of raising a hog is to 
make pork, that end should be kept steadily in 
view—the porker himself should see it, and eat for 
it. As to keeping pigs 18 months to fatten them 
the last three, it is not a paying business. Feed a 
decent pig well, from weaning until seven or eight 
months old, and you will get from 200 to 300 lbs. of 
pork—aud you do not usually get more from those 
ten months older. There can be no question but 
an animal must consume much more, to produce 
in 18 months the same quantity of meat which is 
made by another in half that length of feediug. 
But this fittiug pigs to "winter in the pork bar¬ 
rel,” requires constant attention. They must he 
well fed and kept growing. Besides supplying 
good pasture, the slops of the dairy, the windfalls of 
the orchard, Ac., one ought to save over some com, 
so as to give them at least one meal of pudding 
daily. But we have lost sight of our subject, and 
are summering rather than wintering the piggies, 
I am wintering some pigs which came in Au¬ 
gust. They were weaned the 1st of October and 
shut in a peu with a ground floor (for what could 
one do with pigs outside of a pen) where, until 
freezing weather, they made large demands for 
straw aud litter to keep themselves above ground. 
When dust flew everywhere else, they found mud 
and wallowed in it I was glad to see cold weather 
come, for I thought they needed rest from compost 
making. At present they seem very comfortably 
situated. Roofed-in and straw-banked, their rail- 
pen is warm enough, and they thrive on half a 
bushel of corn ears a day better than ou twice that 
quantity without such attention to their comfort 
If variety of food is conducive to health and 
appetite, they have been well catered for. Corn, 
raw and cooked, potatoes ditto, pumpkins, apples, 
carrots, sugar beets, and turnips, have been among 
the edibles—the drinkables have varied from pure 
water to butter-milk, dish-water, sour milk and so 
on, such as a farmer’s kitchen supplies them. For 
bedding they have plenty of straw, even if I have 
to give it to them once a day — which needs to be 
done in thawing or rainy weather. 
To winter pigs just to my mind, I would have a 
good warm oak-floored pen, with a yard attached 
for out-door exercise, and would feed them some 
green food, such as apples, pumpkins, sugar beets, 
or potatoes, once a daj.— once on swill thickened 
with Indian meal,—and once on corn in the ear. I 
would try and keep them growing fairly, and when 
grass got a good start in spring would turn them 
to pasture, keeping up the feeding with kitchen 
swill, thickened with Indian meal, through the 
summer. They should have the run of the orchard, 
and early in the fall an increase in the richness of 
their feed preparatory to their spending the second 
winter in the pork barrel. To give them, from the 
first of August until late in November, all they 
would eat, should he one prime object — a secon¬ 
dary one should be to make them "work for their 
living” while they would, in the compost heap. I 
have lost a considerable proportion of the profit 
of my hogs, by not keeping them employed as I 
should have done, had I been able to have such a 
pen and yard as was needed. But one cannot do 
everything the first year—it is a "work of time” 
to stock and fit up a farm. 
My rambling remarks extend further than I ex¬ 
pected,— with the wish to hear from more expe¬ 
rienced farmers on wintering pigs, I will close. 
Hartland, N. Y., Jan., 1867. B. K. 
Milk — Mode of Preservation. —From tho in¬ 
vestigations of Struckmann, under the directions of 
Bodeker, upon the normal changes in cow’s milk, 
it is found that the quantity of fat contained in 
milk increases (according to the hour it is drawn) 
from morning till eveniug, whilst the whole amount 
of protein substances remains constantly about tbe 
same; the quantity of sugar appears to reach a 
maximum at mid-day. The specific gravity was 
together.— Liebig and Kopp’s Report on 
Amount of Oil in Grain ac. — The oily sub¬ 
stances of vegetation are principally accumulated 
iu the fruit, and particularly in the seed. In her¬ 
baceous plants they are less abundant, although 
existing in considerable proportion in the straw 
and stalks of the grain. The proportion of oil in 
different substances, by the most recent determina¬ 
tions is as follows: — In Indian corn, It per cent; 
oats, 3 3; fine wheat flour, 1 4; bran from the same, 
4 65; rice, 1; dry hay, 3 to 4; straw of wheat, 3 2; 
oat straw, 5 1; olive seed, 54; linseed, 22; white 
mustard, 36; black mustard, 18; almonds, 46; cocoa 
nut, 47; walnuts, 60; yolk of eggs, 28 75; cow’s milk, 
3 13 per cent. They are obtained by mechanical 
pressure, as linseed oil, by the agency of heat as 
in the animal fats, hy distillation ami by solution 
in other. — Yauvum's Chemistry, 
Entomology for Farmers. —It affords us great 
pleasure to announce that Dr, Asa Fitch, (Ento¬ 
mologist of the N. Y. State Ag, Society, Member 
of the Entomological Society of France, of Penn¬ 
sylvania, etc.,) will contribute a series of articles 
to the present volume of this journal on his fa¬ 
vorite science. The first article will probably 
appear in two or three weeks, and be followed by 
others at intervals of from two to four weeks 
through the year and volume. A portion at least 
ol the papers will be illustrated with engravings 
from drawings hy the author, thus enhauciug their 
interest and value. Dr. Fitch suggests that if 
any ol the readers of the Rural meet with an 
insect whose name and habits they wish to know, 
aud will send him specimens of it, he will en¬ 
deavor to gratify their curiosity. Such specimens 
will frequently furnish the best tests for articles— 
especially when the inquirer writes out everything 
he has himself seen of the insect and its habits. 
When warm weather approaches wc trust our 
readers will hear this subject iu mind, aud act 
upon the suggestion whenever they find any inju¬ 
rious insect respecting which they desire informa¬ 
tion. Though Dr. F. may not, in the multiplicity 
of his arduous aud untiring labors and researches, 
answer their inquiries immediately, the specimens 
will be carefully preserved, and the desired infor¬ 
mation ere long imparted. Dr. F.’s address is 
East Greenwich, Wash Co., N. Y. 
The announcement of so able a contributor on 
a subject of such great interest and importance, 
must be gratifying to thousands of our readers,— 
and will also indicate a determination to more 
than redeem our intimations relative to enhancing 
the value and usefulness of the current volume of 
the Rural. 
Diseases of Swine. —But few diseases attack 
swine it properly cared for. They need shelter 
from wind and Htornis, and a warm bed; these 
with proper food will do more than all medical 
remedies. Ashes, charcoal and sulphur promote 
the general health if supplied occasionally. 
Since the preceding article was placed in type 
we have received several communications on the 
same subject, the substance of two of which we 
subjoin: 
Friend Moore: —I send you by express a few 
stalks of the Sorgho Sucre, or Chinese Sugar Cane, 
that you may judge of its merits and notice the 
same in your valuable paper if you think it will 
be of any interest to your readers. The seed I 
received from the Patent Office last spring, and 
planted a small patch, say 12 by 16 feet, at the 
usual time of planting coru, in hills 2.J feet dis¬ 
tant each way, and thinned out to four stalks. I 
cut the Bame about the 1st of October, and care¬ 
fully weighed the product of one-fourth of a rod, 
in order to estimate the amount of green fodder. 
The same weighed 60 lbs., or 38,400 lbs. per acre, 
and now weigliB in a cured state over 30 lbs., or say 
about 10 tuns, I have this day crushed a few 
stalks aud obtained a small quantity of juice and 
boiled it away, making about one-quarter the 
quantity of syrup—the whole process occupying 
less time than one hour. 
From all the information I can get I have no 
doubt but what this Sugar Cane can be raised 
where corn will flourish. 1 think freezing will 
destroy the flavor for syrup or sugar. I shall 
plant a few acres the coming spring, in order to 
test it for sugar, and I have no doubt of success 
—for if I fail for sugar I will get a good crop of 
fodder and seed, which will more than pay all ex¬ 
penses. It is said that this plant hears repeated 
cuttings, like the Egyptian Millet, surpassing all 
other plants for soiling purposes. 
Yours, Ac. D. R. Prindlk. 
Bethany, Gen. C-o., N. Y., Jan., 1857. 
Bleeping Swine. — The best place to do this is 
from an artery just above the knee, on the inside 
of the fore leg. It may he drawn more copiously 
from the roof of the mouth. The flow of blood 
may usually be stopped, by applying cold water 
with a sponge or cloth.— Allen . 
WORDS TO YOUNG FARMERS 
Horse Exhibitions at Ag. Fairs. —The Mass. 
Board of Agriculture, at a recent session iu Boston, 
discussed at some length, and in all its hearings, 
the subject of the trial of speed of horses at the 
exhibitions of Ag. Societies iu that State. The 
matter was finally disposed of by the adoption of 
the following resolutions, as embodying the opinion 
of the Board : 
Resolved, That the Board of Agriculture recommend to 
the various Agricultural Societies, to take measures in 
reference to the exhibition of horses at their cattle shows, 
as shall divest them of all characteristics of the horse race, 
aud, as far as possible, of all immoral tendencies. 
Resolved, That in the opinion of the Board the offering 
of premiums upon equestrian exhibitions, is a perversion 
of the funds of the State—such exhibitions being in no 
Bense to be regarded us agricultural products. 
Resolved, That we recommend to the several Agricul¬ 
tural Societies not to use the:; trotting courses for fast 
horses during the Cattle Shows, except when ordered ny 
the Committee on Horses. 
Resolved, That it is not for the interest of the farmer, or 
breeder of horses, at the various county cattle shows, to 
countenance or allow In any trial of horses, n faster rate 
than a mile in four minutes, the trial to be made singly, or 
in pairs harnessed together ; and any horse driven at a 
faster rate should, in the opinion of this Board, be ruled 
out in all premiums. 
THE FLUKE POTATO-AGAIN 
Messrs. Eds.: —Observing in a recent number of 
the Rural, that a potato known as the “Fluke” 
has proved an entire failure iu New England; “the 
crop the first year very light, potatoes small—the 
second year all rotted in the ground,” I thought I 
would give ray experience in its culture. The re¬ 
verse of the foregoing has been the case here; the 
potato known as the “Fluke" in this neighbor¬ 
hood, (the seed of which was obtained from Dev¬ 
onshire, England,) is a9 hardy, and productive, as 
any potato grown in this section, having never 
been affected by the rot during the four years it 
has been raised in this vicinity, ft grows with a 
very strong, upright, healthy top. I know of no 
potato that has a more healthy appearance. It also 
yields well. I raised, the first season sixty-five 
bushels from two bushels seed, without extra care. 
As to its quality for eating, baked, or boiled, I 
know of none superior. J. 8. Clark. 
Greece, Monroe Co., N. Y., 1857. 
The Chinese Sugar Cane should he planted at 
the earliest period of planting Indian corn, in towb 
3.1 feet apart and 6 to 8 inches between the plants. 
This is preferable to planting in hills 6 to 8 plants 
in a bill. Cultivate same as you would Indian 
corn with a view of obtaining 100 bushels to the 
acre, and the product of “Sorgho Sucre” will well 
repay the cost if for nothing but green fodder.— 
Every farmer should prove this new vegetable to 
own satisfaction, preparatory to a correct knowl¬ 
edge of its habits and real value. Another season 
the seed will probably be more easily obtained, 
but those who experiment with a small quantity 
will be one year in advance of tbe experimenter 
of ’58, and can go into its culture understanding- 
ly with seed of their own raising, and a supply for 
their neighbors. 
We deem it important to state, from our own 
knowledge, that the genuine Beed cannot he dis¬ 
tinguished from the “ Egyptian corn,” or “ Millet," 
—by some also called “ Coffee corn,” by others 
"Chocolate com”'—which has been quite common 
in this country for forty years. The seed ol these 
two plants are precisely similar in form, size and 
color. Nor can the plants be distinguished from 
each other until matured or neatly so. The gen¬ 
uine attains a height of some 2 to 4 feet more.— 
The seed heads are branched and spread much 
wider, and the juice of the stalk very much sweet¬ 
er, but the seed of both looks precisely alike. ’Tis 
A DITCHING PLOW 
Eds. Rural:—I wish to tell the many ditching 
farmers through your paper (or those who do not 
already know it,) that one-half of the labor may be 
saved from tbe old way of pick and spade by using 
a ditching plow to loosen the subsoil. I used one 
for a short ditch last fall, manufactured hy a Mr. 
Stone of Gorham. I used it with two horses, oue 
on each side of the ditch. It loosened the dirt so 
that it could be thrown out with a shovel without 
any further trouble. There seems to be one draw¬ 
back on it here, (we are a penurious people,) aud 
that is its price, $13, I think. Brother fanners, it 
pays even at that, if you have much ditching to do. 
There may be others and better ditching plows ; 
if so, let ns all have an equal chance of knowing it* 
Seneca, N. Y., Dec. 25, 1856. S. P. W. 
[ The above smacks of advertising free, but we 
give it pro bono publico.] 
Analysis of Soils. —Prof. Nesbit, of the Ken- 
nington Ag. and Chemical College, (Eng.,) in reply 
to a question, said—“The analyzation of soils often 
reminded him of the man who, having a house 
to sell, came with a brick in his pocket as a 
sample of the house. There might be almost fifty 
kinds of soil in the same field. The question, 
What was the nature of the soil of any particular 
farm? was, in fact, a complicated question.” 
The Wool Growers’ Association of Western 
N. Y.—A meeting of the Executive Committee 
of this Association will be held in Penn Yan, Jan. 
23d, 1857, at 12 o’clock, M., for the purpose of se¬ 
lecting a placo to hold the next Annual Fair, aud 
to prepare a Premium List therefor. 
Make Labor Pay Well. —This should be the 
leading object with the farmer aud can only be 
accomplished by carefully husbatidi rg the sources 
of fertility upon the farm. 
Though this number does not contain a great 
variety, it comprises several articles and reports 
of unusual value and interest. 
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