MOORE’S RURAL NEW-YORKER: AN AGRICULTURAL AND FAMILY NEWSPAPER 
The Harvest in Great Britain. — The Mark 
Lane Express has the following remarks:—“As 
fuller accounts come to hand as to the state of the 
last harvest, the less is the satisfaction as to the 
result especially in the north; and we cannothelp 
fearing that the •estimates already made of the 
total yield of the United Kingdom, are l eyond the 
mark. We fear that our necessities for foreign 
supplies will quite equal the former cereal season, 
notwithstanding the generally dull appearances 
now presented. * * * * * The general 
storage of esculents has been proceeding favorably, 
and the plants of Bares, rye, winter beans, clover- 
seed, look well, hut potatoes are rotting fast, and 
the hay stacks yield less weight than was expected. 
The first half of Dt-oemlu r continued wet and un¬ 
favorable for outdoor operations, ami for threshing 
(the grain it should he remembered is usually in 
stacks instead of barns, as with us,) and the farm¬ 
ers on the whole, have had a very hard autumn.— 
The wheat plant had, through the cold weather, 
been protected by snow, and at our last advices 
presented a ‘ healthy deep green aspect.’ The 
breadth of wheat sown is just about the average, 
but not as large as iu the preceding year. The 
deliveries of grain have been quite limited on ac¬ 
count of the wet weather which has delayed thri sh- 
ing, and the samples delivered are ‘ in a wretched 
state.’ Prices however, do not advance, and the 
best judges advise the English and Scotch fanners 
to get their grain to market as soon as convenient 
before large arrivals come to hand from abroad. 
fully ripe. The bulk of my crop ripened very 
evenly and was harvested before frost came, and I 
shall plant several acres of the same kind this 
year. For a field bean, we want one ripening early, 
wo that the land may be manured and sown to 
winter wheat,If desirable—and I know of no rea¬ 
son why this i rop may not answer instead of a 
summer fallow for wheat. 
Hoping my little story may cull out those who 
can tell a larger one, I submit the same to your 
editorial dictum, and close. b. 
Roy alto n, Niagara Co., N. Y., Jan. 13,1857. 
There is no wonder under this state of things that 
we did not average even a bushel of wheat to the 
acre. We are much behind France, and so far be¬ 
hind England as to show how much we have yet to 
do before we can place our agriculture upon the 
profitable basis of hers,—and that all our improve¬ 
ments are but a single step upon the long road 
before us in developing the real wealth ol our 
State. One of the most important branches now 
neglected, is sheep husbandry; aud we see that 
England supports five where we do one, but com¬ 
paring tho weight of the carcass of our sheep with 
hers as shown above, she produces ten times more 
pounds of mutton to the acre than we do, while at 
the same time all her other products are equally 
in advance of ours. 
We must begin our improvements where England 
began hers, in increasing and developing those 
breeds of sheep that matured at an early age, and 
gave the largest amount of meat for the butcher. 
If we sold teu pounds of good mutton where we 
sell one now, from the same land, there would be 
a sensible increase in the profits of the farm, be¬ 
cause we should also soon find all our other farm 
products equally increasing in profits. 
The comparison, when applied to the whole 
Union, is not as satisfactory as in this State. Com¬ 
pared with all the acres in use, the product of 
wheat was one bushel to throe acres. The value 
of the annual animal product was four hun¬ 
dred million of dollars, while the value of the 
vegetable product was eight hundred million of 
dollars—aud the aggregate value of the vegetable 
and animal products was only four dollars to the 
acre. The number of acres to one sheep was thir¬ 
teen. Or comparing the weight of carcass of our 
sheep with that of the English sheep, England 
proper produces to the acre twenty-six times more 
mutton than is produced upon an acre in the Uni¬ 
ted States, In the older and more densely popu¬ 
lated States, sheep must be grown for meat, rather 
than wool, and the removal of the d uty upon coarse 
wool will materially interfere with this branch of 
farming. While in the newer and more distant 
States wool will be the object more than meat, and 
the liner wooled breeds will be grown. We think 
we have shown enough for the present to satisfy 
any farmer that sheep cannot well be entirely dis¬ 
pensed with.—r. 
Friend Moore: —In an odd number of the Ru¬ 
ral, I_(iml a brief communication from “ A Sub¬ 
scriber” inquiring how he. could destroy rats. 
Having had a bit of experience in this business in 
my boyhood, for the benefit of that subscriber and 
any “ whom it, may concern,” with your permission 
I will relate the process by which 1 caught a few. 
I learned it from a neighbor’s boy, wbo said they 
had been very successful iu destroying rats in that 
way. A large box-trap was procured and placed 
in the cellar where the rats held their midnight 
revels; the spindle was placed in the trap, but the 
lid was fastened so that it could not spring. A 
handful of oats or some other grain that they are 
fond of, was thrown around and under the spindle. 
They soon found tine grain and devoured it, which 
was replenished as often as necessary. When they 
had become thoroughly baited, the trap was set so 
that, it would spring easily, and grain thrown in as 
before, but no bait attached to the spindle, but 
the end of it was placed so low that in attempting 
to run under it after the grain, they would cause it 
to spring. In this way there was a chance for a 
number to get in before the lid closed upon them. 
Well, after waiting as 1 then thought, an unrea¬ 
sonable length of time, one morning, I found my 
trap closed. Having conveyed it to a small, tight 
room, I opened it and found seven nice, large rats 
in it, which, with the help of a small dog and a 
stick, were soon despatched. It was again set, hut 
some time elapsed before they ventured into it. At 
length, however, 1 found it closed again with one 
on the outside which had been caught by the tail 
iu attempting to escape. On being opened there 
were ten live ones and one dead in the inside, 
making twelve at one haul, three or four of them 
quite large, the others were not more than half or 
two-thirds grown. This so thinned them off that 
it was a loug time before they became troublesome 
on the premises. I have of late been trying this 
method on my own premises, but have succeeded 
in taking only two at a time. 
Respectfully yours, 
Weston, Yt., 1S57. I.. B. Pkttbngill. 
United States Agricultural Society.— The 
Anuual Meeting of this Society was held at Wash¬ 
ington, on Thursday, the 15th inst. There was a 
large attendance, among whom we notice the 
names of many members of Congress, aud the 
President of ihe United Slates. The following 
gentlemen were elected officers for ensuing year: 
President — Marsh all 1’. Wilder, Boston, Mass. 
1 'ire Presidents — One from each State. Pet-rettery 
— Bknj. Pkkley Poore, Massachusetts. Treasu¬ 
rer — B. B. French, Massachusetts, Executive 
Committee — Gov. King, New York; Gibson Mal¬ 
lory, Kentucky; I)r. Elwvn, Pennsylvania; D. J. 
Browne, District of Columbia; Frederick Smith, 
New Hampshire; Dr. Stevenson, Indiana. 
J. P. Or Tin; no, Secretary of State, presented an 
invitation for the Society to hold its next exhibi¬ 
tion at Louisville, Ky., which was accepted. A 
resolution was adopted in favor of purchasing 
Mount Verhon for an Agricultural University.— 
Resolutions were also adopted approving of the 
recommendation of the Commissioner of Patents 
in relation to procuring accurate statistics of the 
staple productions of the United States, and re¬ 
commending the Governors of States and Territo¬ 
ries to adopt the plan proposed. A committee 
was appointed to inquire into tho origin of the 
disease known as hog cholera. The merits of the 
Chinese Sugar Cane were discussed, and a motion 
adopted to purchase sufficient seed to plant one 
hundred acres. A resolution was adopted recorn- 
mending Geological Surveys of the States. Messrs. 
C. B. Calvert, G. W. P. Ci stis, B. B. French, and 
D. Jay Browne, were appointed a committee to 
memorialize Congress in favor of establishing an 
Agricultural Department, or Bureau, separate from 
the Patent Office. Agriculture holds now a very 
humiliating position at Washington. The Agri¬ 
cultural Report published by Congress is only an 
appendage to the Patent Office Report, and the 
person who makes this report is simply a clerk iu 
the Patent Office, aud receives pay as such. Sev¬ 
eral addresses were made, and a uumber of reports 
by committees previously appointed. A vote of 
thanks was tendered to Lieut. Maury for his in,vi- 
Ution to visit the National Observatory, and to the 
Smithsonian Institute for the use of their rooms. 
The Society called on President Pierce in a body 
—and, after a vote of thanks to Mr. President 
Wilder, adjourned. 
- > 4 « 
Connecticut Ao. Society. —At their Annual 
Meeting this Society made choice of the following 
gentlemen as officers for the ensuing year: — Pres¬ 
ident — Natii. B. Smith' Woodbury; Vice Presidents 
—Ohas. II. Pond, Milford, Norman Porter, Berlin; 
Corresponding Secretary —Henry A. Dyer, Wind¬ 
ham County; Recording Secretary —Theodore S. 
Gold, Cornwall; 'Treasurer —Nathaniel A. Bacon, 
New Haven; Directors —FL A. Grant, Enfield; B. 
II. Andrews, Bridgeport; Eliakim Hough, Bridge¬ 
port; D. F. Gulliver, Norwich; Win. If. Putnam, 
Brooklyn; T. L. Hart, West Cornwall; Frederick 
Hall, Middletown; I!, B. Chamberlin, Coventry. 
Eds. Rural: —Among a very large portion of 
agriculturists, if one of their uumber was guilty 
of what is called neatness in the management of 
his farm, he would become subject to much ani¬ 
madversion, II the fences about his house were 
firm, and well painted—suitable steps and hitching 
posts at the front gate—gates well hung aud se¬ 
cured by proper fastenings—it would be with them 
a matter of marvel how he could afford it. If his 
chains and plows, harrows, axes, wagons, hoes,&e.. 
were put away in their proper place, when not in 
use, they would ask with a sneer how he ever found 
time to do anything else. If his barns and his 
stables did not. constantly exhibit scenes of con¬ 
fusion and disorder, and if the grounds about his 
house did not resemble his cattle yard, iliey would 
imagine that pride was leading him to ruin. And 
if he should appear at church, or elsewhero iu 
public, with hfs boots blacked and his clothes free 
from dust, tho collar of bis coat neatly folded out¬ 
ward instead of inward, their apprehensions would 
find utterance—“ he has turned gentleman instead 
of being a plain farmer.” 
It would seem that the portion of agriculturists 
alluded to would need no other inducement to 
effect a reformation in this matter, than the exam¬ 
ple of those who have already labored for improve¬ 
ment, and that, too, in a most thorough manner. 
It is, however, a gratifying fact that there may be 
found not a few conspicuous exceptions to our 
strictures. It would seem that even a casualglance 
iu passing by two farms, one the very model of 
neatness, the. other the pattern of slovenliness and 
had taste, would induce every farmer to follow iu 
the footsteps of the one who adopts "Progress and 
Improvement” as a guide. 
In Michigan this reformation is extending it¬ 
self. Every year furnishes new evidence of this 
fact. The number of tidy fanners is constantly 
inert asing. This seems to be the spirit of the age. 
It gives evidence that farmers are beginning to re¬ 
spect their vocation, and that their families are 
not ashamed of it, and a few years will doubtless 
give a uew aspect to the farming region of our 
State. 
The idea that attention to this subject will con¬ 
sume all the profits of the farm is an error. The 
actual cost in cash will be trilling, and the most of 
the labor may be performed at times when there 
is little or nothing else to do. In early spring a 
lew days should be spent iu arranging ornamental 
trees, selling up fences and removing the broken 
fragments to the woodyard for fuel. In this way 
in a few years we may entirely change the charac¬ 
ter of our homes, and not be a dollar poorer for 
so doing. Nor is this all. We acquire the habit 
of seeing how the leisure moments can be used, 
and hoiv mouey can be earned. Hence, instead of 
being impoverished by this attention to appear¬ 
ances, in five years time he who thus labors will 
actually begin to show signs of thrift and prosper¬ 
ity. The best farmers with whom I am acquainted 
are patterns of neatness, aud this characteristic is 
visible all over their farms. 
I have no desire to recommend farmers to be¬ 
come dandies in their own personal appearance. 
It would be bad taste for them to dress as may lie 
fit for other classes to do. There is a medium in 
all these things, and good sense will dictate what 
that medium is. No person is more averse than 
myself to extravagant expenditures iu the support 
of nonsense and show, whether in the city or in 
the country. To be happy is the object of life, 
and all the world can give towards it is health and 
competence. Health of body is above all riches, 
and where is health to bo found in so great a de¬ 
gree as in the country. James Cuzbe. 
Quincy, Mich., Jan., 1857. 
Illinois Stock Imtorting Association.— A 
meeting of the prominent stock growers of Illi¬ 
nois was held at Springfield, 7th inst,, which re¬ 
sulted in a permanent organization under above 
title. The capital stock of the Association was 
placed at $20,000, in shares of $100 each. Nearly 
three-fourths of the stock was taken at the meet¬ 
ing. Col. .Tas, N. Brown was elected President of 
the Association, C'ol. Jno. Williams, Treasurer, 
aud Geo. W. On atterton, of Springfield, Secreta¬ 
ry. An important and laudable movement, and 
one which must prove eminently conducive to the 
stock-growing interests of the “Prairie State.” 
A Good Dairy. — At the winter meeting of the 
Cortland County Agricultural Society, says W. H. 
Gar ner, of Hornby, N. Y., premiums were award¬ 
ed to two brothers named Conable for the best 
cheese dairy, averaging five hundred and ten 
pounds of blitter per cow. The host dairy of but¬ 
ter was from seventeen cows, and averaged two 
hundred and one aud fifteen sixteenths pounds per 
cow. Mi’. Goo. Miller, with a large dairy averaged 
one hundred and ninety eight pounds per cow.— 
What county beats Cortland? 
Eds. Rural: —In your issue of Dec. 20th, you 
say “ a correspondent desires to know what is best 
to feed a swarm of bees that are short of honey in 
order to keep them through the winter.” 
Having had some experience in managing and 
feeding bees for about thirty years, I would say 
that 1 have never found anything hotter, or more 
convenient for feeding late swarms during winter 
in the common box hives, than honey iu the oornb. 
Take the hive into a dry cellar, (in a damp oue the 
comb will mould,) or into a room in your dwell¬ 
ing—set it bottom end up, and cover it over with 
a coarse cloth to confine the bees and afford ven¬ 
tilation. To feed the bees remove the cloth gently 
and place the pieces of comb containing honey in 
the hive on tbe combs, aud the bees will help 
themselves as they need it. If you have no honey- 
in combs, the next best article is strained honey, 
or Southern honey, provided it. is uot too old; 
puur it on pieces of empty comb, and put it in the 
hive in the same manuer as before stated. If you 
have no honey of any kind, a very good substitute 
can he made of Havana or Orleans sugar, mixed 
with water in proportions of about one pint of 
water to 2 or 2 .} D>f>. of sugar; mix together and 
heat to a boiling point and remove the scum; itis 
then ready for use the same as the strained honey. 
As often as once in six-or eight days the pieces of 
combs should be taken out of the hive, and the 
hive set (gently) right end up for ten or twelve 
■hours, to afford the bees an opportunity to work 
down the dead ones, particles of comb, Ac., that 
have accumulated. 
I disapprove of the plan of setting the hives of 
populous stocks bottom up during winter, as the 
dead bees and all the filth from the hive, must of 
necessity fall down among the combs and remain 
there until spring, and be very liable to cause them 
to mould, which will prove the ruin of the family. 
Elizabeth, N. J., 1857. E. W. Pincers. 
Eds. Rural:—T hough beans are grown quite ex¬ 
tensively in Western New York, aud Orleans Co, 
buyers generally pay better prices than can be had 
this side Eastern city markets, I have noticed hut 
one or two articles on the crop, in several years’ 
acquaintance with your paper. I have, therefore, 
a mind to give you an item of my experience in 
their culture—though a single acre may seem but 
a small “bean patch” to those who plant from five 
to twenty. J f so, yon will no doubt be glad to hear 
from them. I shall, certainly. 
Beans may be planted successfully later in the 
season than almost any other spring crop. They 
fill up, therefore, very conveniently, tbe lew days 
between the spring seeding and planting and hoe¬ 
ing, aud having following immediately after. I 
think, however, that the middle of June is fulllate 
—unless an early variety be planted there is danger 
of injury by the frost. And frosted beans, even if 
in great part untouched, give much more trouble 
in harvesting and curing, and do not command as 
good a price in market. 
I planted an acre of medium-sized white beans 
on the 10th of June. The soil was a gravelly loam 
—with some indication of clay in parts—and had 
not been recently manured. The previous crop 
was potatoes—and weeds —it would seem- from the 
uncommon quantity of lbnl stuff which sprung up 
after every hoeiug. The soil must have been full 
of the seeds of pigeon-grass aud pig-weed, and I 
cannot say that with all my labor none matured to 
give another crop. The account of labor, &c., 
stands as follows: 
Dr .—1 days’ plowing.......$ 2 00 
% bush, seed at $2- 1 00 
2 days' planting_...... 1 50 
5 “ cultivating and hoeing .... 4 25 
4 “ pulling and threshing_ 3 00 
1 « cleaning and marketing_ 75 
Interest on land at $50 per acre... 3 50-$16 00 
Or. —20 hush, beans at $3,37% per bu 27 50 
X tun Of bean straw.. 2 50-$30 00 
Profit per acre ............$14 00 
This shows the cost of growing beans, in a sin¬ 
gle instance, to be SO cts. per bushel, and leaves a 
reasonable margin of profit on the operation. I 
have known crops to be grown with far less labor, 
but cannot say as to the yiclu per acre. 
The profit of beau culture is influenced in a 
great degree by perfect or imperfect ripening, and 
the harvesting of the crop. If wet weather oc¬ 
curs when the beaus are lit to pull, or while they 
are drying in the field, more or less are wasted— 
aud another portion discolored so as to injure their 
sale. If all do not ripen at once there is loss from 
the same cause, or from injury by early frosts.— 
The best mode of curing is to provide stakes six 
or eight feet high, and stack the beans around 
them as pulled, forming a stack some two feet 
across, which will allow green beans to cure, or 
those wet by rain to dry in a few hours ol‘ fair 
weather. 
This I have learned from conversation with ex¬ 
perienced bean-growers, In my own case, the 
beans ripeped about the middle of September, and 
very evenly, and we had the best of weather for 
their curing and threshing. I never saw a nicer 
lot of beans in any market. As to the bean straw, 
I fear I hardly rated it high enough; my sheep eat 
it with avidity, consuming all but the very coarsest 
stalks, and thriving well upon the same. I have 
given them, at the same time, oat straw and chaff; 
as yet they have had no hay, and those who have 
wintered them heretofore say they look as well as 
when fed hay only. With proper sheep racks— 
mine are rack and feeding trough combined—there 
is no waste, and it seems only a pleasure to care 
for my fifty she*p through the winter. 
4 s to the variety of white beans planted, I find 
some difference ic time aud manner of ripening. 
I tried a few rows of a large white bean—a favor¬ 
ite with some; they ripened later and unevenly, a 
part of the hill being green when the rest was 
Mu. John Taggart, of Roxbury, has invented a 
potato digger, with which, a span of horses and a 
boy to tend, some five or six acres of potatoes, he 
thinks, can be dug in a single day. The machine 
will uot be larger than a common plow. 
A correspondent writing to the Patent Com¬ 
missioner, speaks of the extraordinary richness 
and delicious liavor of the milk of cows which had 
been fed on the Chinese sugar plant. 
Illinois State Ao. Society. —The Anuual Meet¬ 
ing of this Society was held at Springfield, on the 
7th inst,, when the following officers were elected: 
—President —C'.W. Webster, Marion county; Cor¬ 
responding Secretary —S. Francis, Sangamon; Re¬ 
cording Secretary —Phil. Warren, Morgan; Treas¬ 
urer —John Williams, Sangamon. Nine Vice Pres¬ 
idents were also chosen. 
Mu. Editor. —Will you allow a boy to ask you 
a few questions, which 1 should like to have an¬ 
swered iu the Rural. 
Why do so many of the buds of Pears break off 
from the main stalk, after the bud gets to be about 
two feet high? I have budded a few young trees, 
which 1 raised from the seed, and I should think 
more thnu half have been broken off by the wind. ( 1 .) 
Why do large dwarf Pear trees which my father 
got from the cast, of the Bartlett variety, break off 
in the same way as my small ones, when other va¬ 
rieties stand well? ( 2 .) 
Is the cherry made dwarf by budding on the 
common red cherry, or pie cherry as we called it 
when wo lived in the State of New York, or some 
other variety? (3.) i. m. 
Grand Prairie, Bl., January, 1S57. 
Remarks. — 1. The buds if they have a fine 
growth, are very apt to break off when about the 
size you mention, especially if 
J rf exposed to the winds. Yon 
u should loavo a part of tho old 
stock, and then tie (with matting 
A?* or some soft material that wil; 
not injure the hark,) the growing 
hud to this stock, as seen in the 
^\\ ^3^ engraving. The stock should 
be cut away close to the hud in 
' August. If you find It necessary 
you can put a stake in the ground, 
to which the bnd can be tied. 
1 2. The wood of the Bartlett 
Pear never forms a perfect union 
JiLv. with the quince. We have seon 
f ji'vl scores broken olY, as you dc- 
/#PttLs, scribe, and on examining them, 
J tfi* our only surprise was that they 
H' J did not break oil' before. 
I|| \ 3. The Cerasua Muhaleb is used 
pA us stocks for dwarfing tho cherry. 
- , 1 ^ j a a tree with very pretty 
dark green, glossy foliage. Tho fruit is about the 
size of a pea, black and bitter. It is a pretty orna¬ 
mental tree, aud might well bo planted on lawns, 
and among ornamental trees any where The com¬ 
mon red pie cherry may be used lor making dwarf 
trees of tho Duke and Morello varieties, but the 
Hearts aud Bigamous do not take on them. 
■ - 
The Working Boys.— Right glad are we always 
to hear from the working hoys of our State. 
Master Moses S. Bates, of Greene, writes us that 
he raised lust season on one ninth of an acre, 3-8 
bushels of carrots, which is at the rate of 342 
bushels per acre,—pretty well. 
Master Guy T. Hubbard, of West Waterville, 
sends us an account ol' his operations, lie raised, 
the last year, on one aud a quarter acres ol laud, 
1 08 baskets heaping full of good ears, besides a lot 
of small coru that, lie made no account of. He 
likewise raised over one hundred bushels of car¬ 
rots on a very small piece of land not measured. 
Such boys do men's work and are entitled to high 
praise.— Rural ( Maine) Intelligencer . 
Monroe Co. Agricultural Society. —The An¬ 
nual Meeting of this progressive Society, held in 
Rochester, .Jan. 14, was well attended and its pro¬ 
ceedings characterized with enthusiasm, harmony 
and unanimity. Officers for the ensuing year were 
elected as follows: 
President — Wtllard Hodges, Brighton; Vice 
Presidents —C. Sperry of Gates, J. II. Robinson of 
Rochester, and H. G. Warner of Brighton; Secre- 
tary —I. 8 . Hobbie, Rochester; Treasurer —E. 8 . 
Hayward, Brighton. Vacancies in the Board of 
Managers were filled as follows:—Jesse Dewey, of 
Ogden, In place of F. W. Lay, of Greece, whose 
term had expired; D. D. T. Moore, in place of 1. 
S. llobbie; N. N. Treat, of Mendon, in place of A. 
B. Buckland, of Brighton. Messrs. W, Hodges, R. 
Harmon, and D, D. T. Moore, were appointed del¬ 
egates to the Anuual Meeting of N. Y. State Ag. 
Society, to be held in Albany, Feb. II. [For full 
report of proceedings, see local papers.] 
WINTER CARE OE HENS 
Eds. Rural:— Several weeks siuce, in reading 
the Rural, I saw an article with this caption, “The 
Care of Hens.—To make them lay in the Winter.” 
I read it carefully and gave it a trial, for at that 
time I had 32 hens, but could not get one egg.— 
The result is that, at present, with tho coldest 
weather we have, I obtain from ten to eighteen 
eggs each day. As some of my neighbors are 
anxious to obtain the secret of success, and as 
there may be others who would he incited to duty 
If rewarded by good fresh eggs, I give my mode 
of treatment, 1 st, The hens have a comfortable 
roost. 2 d. Plenty of gravel, sand and ashes. The 
sand and ashes arc dry, so that they can wallow 
therein. In addition they have a box Of lime.— 
3d. Meat boiled, chopped fine, and given every 
three or four days, 4th, Corn or oats boiled ten¬ 
der. I think that they receive more value from 
grain thus treated. 5th. All of the crumbs and 
potato parings of the table. Give these in quan¬ 
tity according the number of liens. My liens, 
numbering 32, receive 4 quarts every morning, and 
warm water to drink. Rural reader, try this 
method—I think It will be found to pay.— C, W. 
A., A T orth Camden, Ohio. 
Eds. Rural: —An “Inquirer,” writing through 
your paper of Dec. 20th, propounds certain quer¬ 
ies relative to Orchard Grass, some ol which are 
not answered in the editorial note. I therefore 
offer the iollowing appendix. 
The seed may lie sown early in the fall, after 
wheat or rye, or in the spring after oats. If the 
grain be sown broadcast, tbe grass seed should be 
sown Immediately before the lust harrowing; if 
drilled, immediately after the drill, and followed 
by a “brush harrow.” It is frequently, however, 
sown early in the spring, on winter wheat, but in 
this case much of the seed never germinates._ 
When sown after oats, the latter should uot be very 
thick; indeed, if the main object he to have the 
ground well set with grass, the oats should be 
sown very thinly, aud cut early, in orderto give the 
young grass the benefit of as much air as possible. 
A small quantity of red clover seed should he 
sown with the orchard grass. If the seed is good 
and the land reasonably fertile, in ordinary seasons, 
a fine growth may be expected during the latter 
summer and fall months. 
When this grass Is intended for hay, it should be 
cut very early —immediately after shooting into 
head; if left until a portion of the seed ripens,the 
hay is almost worthless. It may lie cut with ad¬ 
vantage three times in one season. When cut 
young, and well cured, it makes a large amount, of 
excellent hay for neat stock. If grazed, it should 
be pastured closely. This grass starts early in the 
spring, and will furnish good pasture beforemany 
other kinds commence growing; and for light soils, 
as well as shaded grounds, is certainly of great 
value. 
Some farmers knock the chaff from their orchard 
grass liay, and sell it to the Beedamen at a lower 
price than ripe seed commands, and as the best 
seed is very light, the dealer, after mixing it with 
a better article, finds no difficulty in selling it to 
inexperienced buyers as first class seed. This is 
the reason the seed so often fails to grow. z. 
Montgomery Co., Pa., Jan., 1867. 
The Steuben Co. Ao. Union held its Annual 
Meeting and Whiter Fair at Bath, Jam 11 . A few 
fat cattle were exhibited, and there were a number 
of entries for premiums on grain and root crops, 
but as a whole the show was meagre, and it was 
decided to omit tho winter exhibition in future.— 
The Treasurer's report showed total receipts for 
year to be $1,088 34; balance on hand, $393 73, 
aside from anticipated appropriation from Legis¬ 
lature. Officers for ensuing year were elected as 
follows: 
President —Lyman Balcom, of Campbell; Vice 
Presidents —William B. Pratt, Prattsburgh; Timo¬ 
thy M. Younglove, Urbana; Daniel Curtis, Camp¬ 
bell; Harvey Bissel, Painted Post; Salmon II. Par¬ 
mer, Howard; Sephm&n Flint,Colioctou; Treasurer 
—Reuben Robie, Bath; Cor. Secretary —George S, 
Ellas, Bath; Rec. Secretary —Robert M. Lyon, Bath. 
Lice on Farm Stock. —Horses in this vicinity 
are much troubled with lice. Please give us a rem¬ 
edy.—S., Manchester, Jan., 1857. 
In answer to which inquiry we republish the fol¬ 
lowing from a correspondent:—“When any stock 
is infested with lice, whether horses, cattle, sheep, 
or hogs, T give copperas in their foo'd every other 
day, for six or eight days—say a teaspoonful to a 
sheep. If the above directions are followed, 1 will 
pledge my word the prescription will kill the ver¬ 
min inside aud out, leaving your cattle with a clean 
stomach aud a healthy skin. The remedy is so 
simple you may not think it worth trying, but itis 
no humbug.” 
The Brookfield Ag. Society (Town Associa¬ 
tion) held its Annual Meeting Jan. 13, 1857, when 
the following officers were elected for the ensuing 
year:— President — 11kman A. Brown; Vice Presi¬ 
dents —Thomas U, Gorton, Luke lloxie, David L. 
Fiske, James A. Crandall; Secretary —John T. G. 
Bailey; Treasurer — Calvin Whitford; Directors (3 
years)—Warren D. York, Samuel H. Burdick. The 
Treasurer’s Report showed the finances of the So¬ 
ciety to lie as follows: 
Cash and interoaf on hand from last year, $278 50 
Receipts at the Annual Fair. 570 50 
Expenses, including premiums.. 482 09 
Balance in the Treasury..$366 31 
Over $8() worth of the above mentioned pre¬ 
miums were various agricultural papers, that leave 
an impress wherever they go, especially on the 
farm and the stock. As a Town Society, ours is in 
a highly flourishing condition, having already done 
much good, and bids fair to do more.— A. l. s. 
Wood for the Y'kau.—D aring the winter, and 
while the sleighing is good, a year’s supply of wood 
should be hauled, sawed and split, and piled away 
snugly for future use. None but a slack and un¬ 
economical farmer will be under the necessity ol 
suspending his ordinary work in summer for the 
pur-pose of supplying the house with fuel. 
