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AN AGRICULTURAL AND FAMILY NEWSPAPER 
MOORE’S RURAL NEW-YORKER 
THE MONBOB CO, EXHIBITION OE HOUSES. 
The Monroe Co. Ag. 8ocicty had a fine exhibi¬ 
tion of Horses on the 27th and 26th ult, the dis¬ 
play embracing many of the best animals of the 
most popular breeds. The unfavorable weather, 
however—there being considerable rain on each 
day—precluded many who designed to exhibit 
from beiDg present, and also undoubtedly deterred 
thousands of citizens and strangers from attending 
the exhibition. In most cases the show was ex¬ 
cellent, and, considering the unfavorable weather 
and other circumstances, the display was credita¬ 
ble to the Society and the County. The exhibi¬ 
tion comprised many superior animals, in addition 
to those noticed in the award of premiums, and 
we regr p t that want of space precludes ua from 
making special mention of the roost noteworthy. 
The energetic President, Mr. Hodges, and Mr. Su¬ 
perintendent Woodhuff, discharged their arduous 
duties in a satisfactory manner. We subjoin a list 
of the premiums awarded: 
Class 1.— Houses n»c Roai> ok Cahktaok 
Sralliuns —i vcHiai'lil attd over-Best, Leouanj Uack- 
lfuiti, Brighton, "Old St. t.imrrue*." $15; 2d, lticuHrd 1’. 
Hubbsr.i; Chili, 1U: 3d. Frederick Fieeter, Periulou, 6.— 
[The Ooinmitten would innst cheerfully r. iyimiueml the 
ISlnck Hmvk Morgen exhibited by B I’ UubU»nl, of Chili, 
(>iud to whom they hnvo swarded the 2d premium,) nod in 
tbeir opinion pronounce him one of the heat stallions they 
asked, “Now, sir, did yon ever in any other case 
than the one where you did find benefit, give plas¬ 
ter the same time you gave your seed?” After a 
few minutes’ reflection he Bifid “No, and I see 
where the trouble is. I thought I knew all about 
am satisfied I did not,” lie now 
with respect to culture. Plant early; frost will 
not hart it in spring. Plant on good grouu-l in 
drills four feet apart and one foot in the drill.— 
Plant thick and thin out Give it as much after¬ 
culture as you would corn. After the seed is tully 
ripe and the moisture dried out of the heads, clip 
them off with a sharp knife, and thresh immediate¬ 
ly. I believe with proper culture it will yield 80 
or 90 bushels per aore. The stalks and roots are no 
more in the way of a succeeding crop than those 
of corn. I have no experience in feeding it. 
Geneva, Ashtabula Oo,, Ohio, 1867. J- Brett. 
•We not unfrequently 
An Extensive Fakmbr. 
read, and occasionally publish, accounts of farm¬ 
ing ou au extensive scale in the West, wheremany 
individual cultivators grow hundreds of acres of 
wheat and corn annually. Iu this State and New 
England, however, most farms are comparatively 
small, few individuals cultivating moretbau three 
to five hundred acres, albeit many farmers are an¬ 
nexing “all the land that joins them,” as rapidly 
as possible. Yet wo know of several instances ol 
somewhat extensive, and at the same time profita¬ 
ble farming, in Western New York,—one of the 
most prominent of which we will specify in this 
connection, by briefly alluding to tho operations 
Hon. A. B. Pick- 
OORN AND WHEAT. 
PLASTER ON 
Ens. Bubal:— On my farm, which is situated 
about, four miles Bouth of the most southern bend 
of Lake Erie, I have used plaster annually for 
about 20 years, and have observed one peculiarity 
in its operation as a fertilizer, of which I have not 
seen any account in print That pecnliarity is, 
that it, is very efficient when applied to Indian 
Corn, if the laud was previously a sward, invari¬ 
ably so—hut of no perceptible effect if the land 
has been previously under the plow until the veg¬ 
etable fibre in the soil is entirely decomposed. 
About 20 yeare ago I bought two barrels of plas¬ 
ter for experiment. My brother, who cultivated 
an adjoining farm, did likewise. 1 had a field ol 
com planted on laud that had been several years 
in succession under the plow; my brother had a 
corn field adjoining which was planted on sward— 
the soil in both was a sandy loam. We plastered 
some rows, and omitted others, marking them by 
stakes. In addition I tried rolling the seed in plas¬ 
ter; sowed some broadcast; and plastered some in 
the hill The result was, my brother’s corn was 
greatly benefited by plaster, mine not perceptibly 
affected, except that plastered in the hill came up 
Blowly. The next year the experiments were re¬ 
peated with the same result. Unable to account 
for these results—yet not disoouraged by them, I 
concluded that plaster was inoperative on corn on 
my land. A relative of mine some miles distant, 
who was also experimenting with plaster on 
gravelly soil, told me in conversation on the sub¬ 
ject, that he had discovered the secret of the con¬ 
tradictory results of our trials. He had used 
plaster on a plot of ground one-half of which bad 
been plowed until its vegetable fibre was gone, 
while the other half was green sward, recently 
turned over—with marked effect on the sward, but 
none whatever on the other portion. Acting on 
thiB suggestion, the first time I planted corn ou 
previous sward, I applied plaster, with an aston¬ 
ishing result; and I have continued the practice 
ever since, invariably with success, 
Through a succession of many years I have raised 
wheat on summer fallow, and have derived great 
benefit from plaster sowed thereon—sowing clover 
seed in the spring, and following it immediately 
with plaster. For some years l left strips without 
plaster—on those strips the wheat was always in¬ 
ferior in color, in size of straw, and in berry; the 
clover still more inferior than the wheat My ave¬ 
rage yield of wheat per acre, for a period of seven 
years, as exhibited by an accurate account kept, 
was 26 bushels per acre, the wheat weighed, the 
land measured, not guessed at. 
Since the visitation of the midge, I have adopt¬ 
ed the rotation of corn, oats, wheat and clover— 
putting the plaster on the corn in the hill, while 
small, and again on the clover in the spring after 
the wheat is harvested. This course gives me a 
thinner growth of wheat, and shorter straw, con¬ 
sequently it ripens a few days earlier than if it 
grew on summer fallow and was plastered. But I 
must now he content, even rejoicing, if I obtain 15 
or 20 bushels of good wheat per aore, instead of 26 
as formerly. p. h, 
Milan, Erie Co, Ohio, May, 1867- 
using plaster, but 
needs 25 to 60 bushels for his farm, and says it 
pays better than any other investment. 
Three men one spring told me of their success, 
the year previous, in raising clover seed. They 
sowed plaster early in the spring. One 12 bushels 
on 12 acres, one 6 on 6 acres, and one 6 on 8 aores. 
The first plastered only half of his field. The hay 
crop was as good, where he plastered, as where he 
did not, (he did not say it was better) hut, after the 
hay crop the whole field was allowed to lay for 
seed. Where he had plastered, seed grew, hot 
there was nothing on the other part, of the field.— 
He Bold his Beed for $300. The next man told how 
many tons of hay, which 1 don’t remember, but 
sold his clover seed for S150. The third and last 
sold his seed for $158. 3- Hopkins. 
Lock port, Niagara Go., N. Y., 1867. 
Eds. Bubal:—A mong the thousand and one in¬ 
quiries, &c.,in the Rubal during the last few years 
about the various animals and insects, good and 
had, with which the farmer has to deal, I do not 
of a geunine Rural New■ Yorker. 
INBON, of Hornby, Steuben county, is boeomiug 
Bomewhat, celebrated as a thorough and profitable 
cultivator—and wc more than suspect his premiBefi 
are the same described by one of our contributors 
the Rural of Feb. 28th last, under the beading 
Mr. D. has thirty-five 
recollect that anything has appeared touchingthis 
peculiar species of farm stock, 
springing of grasB they emerge from their bur¬ 
rowing places and begin their depredations upon 
the youug clover, at the same time selecting suit¬ 
able places for digging “quarters” for the little 
chucks that seem to come along during the season 
ad infinitum. They dig in the night, and very of¬ 
ten choose a smooth, elevated knoll as their place 
of operations, throwing out a pile of earth that 
destroys a spot of grain or grass and looks un¬ 
sightly at a distance. As the grain or meadow 
advances they trail and trample a good deal down, 
making bad mowing and reaping, not to speak of 
the graBS actually consumed by them, which is no 
contemptible item where there are one to three 
foraging on every acre. In sneb case they are 
really a nuisance, and the question is raised as to 
how to get rid of them. 
A dog will sometimes catch them; hut that 
seems to be harboring and keeping the greater 
evil to destroy the less. Ab between the dog and 
woodchuck, let the latter live. Yet one well trained 
dog will take a good maity. Tn boyhood days a 
playmate had a tip-top cur for the business, by the 
aid of which be used to drive a lively trade at 
preparing material for whip-lashes. The roguish 
chap on one occasion clandestinely put a batch of 
raw-hides into his mother's massive Boap deposi¬ 
tory, which gave the whole pulpy deposit the odor 
woodchuck—whereat the good dame was exceed¬ 
ing wroth. A witty neighbor proposes to extract 
the holes, thus leaving the animal shelterless and 
defenceless; but I have not seen the machine with 
which he operates. Filling a barrel with water 
and pouring the same suddenly in, is sport for 
boys, hut slow and toilsome, and not always sure. 
A steel trap will sometimes catch, but general ly 
Mr. Chuck prefers to dig around and leave the 
trap to be eaten by rust. They are a good mark 
for the sportsman, and iny trusty rifle, during a 
single season, held by a man of keen eye and 
steady nerve, laid 27 to land at 26 shots. Others 
occasionally fell at the less steady and certain aim 
of the writer. Perhaps forty of them paid the 
debt of nature that summer upon a farm uf quite 
moderate dimensions; and yet the following year, 
they seemed to be as plentiful ns ever. What is to 
he done? We pray you, Rural readers, is there 
any wholesale way of slanghter?—or must powder 
and patience have their imperfect work? 
PraUeburgh, N. Y., Mny, 1857. W. B. F. 
With the first 
in 
of “ A Visit to tho Baron.” 
hundred acres of cultivable land, all of which is, we 
believe, under his personal superintendence. To 
give some idea of the oxientof his farming opera¬ 
tions, we will take the liberty of stating two or 
three faota derived during a conversation with Mr. 
D. at the recent Sheep Show. He has recently 
sold 500 tuns of hay, and has some 200 tous more 
on sale. Of his last year’s crop of potatoes he has 
sold 3,000 bushels, aod has some 3,600 bushels on 
hand. He is selling common potatoes at $1, and 
Bermudas (grown fiom last year’s seed,) at $1 25 
per bushel, 
of potatoes — on 
season. 
described In a late number of the Rural 
FENCING—ANOTHER PLAN 
Eds. Rural:— In your paper of last week I saw 
a plan to set fence posts, and will give you mine ( 
which I am confident is far superior. Onr land 
here is a clay loam, and heaves badly with frost. 
In 1850 I procured my tenciug material as follows: 
posts5 by 6 inches at the bottom, 2 by 5 at the top, 
6 feet long, and a quantity of 4 by 4 scantling. I 
then cut a shoulder 2 inches deep 4.J inches from 
the bottom of the poBt, and sawed in from the end, 
taking out 2 inches. Then sawed a dovetail ou 
one side of the tenon left—out up my 4 by 4 two 
feet long—laid the dovetailed tenon on the post in 
the centre of the 4 by 4 and Boribed it out; then 
sawed in the 4 by 4 two incites deep and split it 
out. Drive in the dovetail and you have a T com¬ 
plete that cannot be pulled out. Set the cross¬ 
piece across the fence, aud wind may blow and 
frost may heave, yet your fence will be firm, as I 
well know from seven years experience. My neigh¬ 
bors laughed at me for my pains, but their fences 
are gone while mine stands firm. 
«Tbe cost” says one, “is too much.” I will tell 
you what it is—200 feet of scantling will bottom 
75 posts, cost $1 20, and a smart man will put them 
on in 1) days ($2 25 more;) hut the farmer can do 
it himself rainy days, in life ham. The holes can 
be dug 2 feet by 8 inches, and 2 feet deer, as quick 
as S inches Bquare, unless the ground will admit a 
post angar. And further let me say that posts 
seasoned one year before setting will last twice as 
long as those set green. Yours, D. Sigler. 
LinesTille, Pa., May 16,1857. 
Mr. D. proposes to plant 1,500 bnshels 
100 acres oi land—the present 
His mode of cultivating this crop was 
Among 
other farm products which he has “over” and for 
sale in these t imes of scarcity, fe 1.000 bushels of 
Buckwheat. There are other items worthy of note, 
bat we will not attempt to particularize as to ex¬ 
tent of crops or modes of culture, in this connec¬ 
tion—onr present object being merely to cite a 
prominent instance of extensive and profitable 
farming iu Western New York. 
-- 
Tub American Hbrd Hoax: Containing Pedigrees of 
Shorthorn Cattle. With Introductory No tvs by Lewis 
P. Allen. Volume III BufUlo : Steam Press of E. R. 
Jewett & Co. 
Tue reception of this work has given ns an 
agreeable surprise, as we did not anticipate its 
publication at so early a date. It comprises 718 
pages, is illustrated with portraits of a large num¬ 
ber of fine animals—mostly drawn by J. R. Page, 
and engraved in the best style—and altogether 
makes a very creditable app aranoe. It embraces 
several hundred pedigrees, but few of which are 
repetitions from tbe previous volume, “ and they 
from the (act of important deficiencies in tbeir pre¬ 
vious pedigrees, or a change of owners who want¬ 
ed a new record under tbeir own names.” The 
author says that “ a wide array of breeders and 
owners are here represented, spreading throughout 
twenty-seven States, and the two Canadas. Few 
Short-horn herds of any consequence are omitted, 
—thus proving, conclusively, the value placed by 
our breeders on a properly authenticated genealo¬ 
gy of their Btock.” 'I'hoan wiabiug to procure this 
invaluable record, are referred to Mr. Allen’s cir¬ 
cular in onr advertising department. 
Stallions -4 yenrs old anil over—Bent, Wm. Full, Greece, 
“Normau,” $16: 2d, Q. Olmsted, do., 10. 
Matched Geldings-Vast, Wm. Failing, ltocheRter. $25; 
2d, Aaron Green, Uilghton, 15; 3d, Wright Kendall, Beth¬ 
any, Geneses Co., Id. 
Best Filly — P* G. Caairell, Mendon, $8. 
Class III.— Houses for General Use. 
Stallions—Beet, A G. Foster, Burro, Orleans Co., 15; 2d, 
A. H. Van Ness, Pertnton, Id; Sd, J. K. Balleutins, Ohiii, 5. 
Stallions — 3 years old — Beet, Win. Fall, Greece, St. 
Lawreuce colt, $S; 2d, DauU-1 Leek, Irondequnit, 5. 
Stallions - 2 years old—Best, R Harris, Ogden, $5. 
Single Geldings— Bert, .I.uues Johnston, Rochester, 
$15; 2ii, P. Bern mu, Victor, 10. 
Single Mares- Beet, Ck*s. A. Jackson, Livonia, $10; 
2d, Frederick btaxon, Brighton, 6.—[ A large grey horse en¬ 
tered by Mr. W. T- Cuylcr, of Cnylervtlte, would have 
received the Aral premium In this number, but bta weight 
exoeodert the limit* (1.200 Itia.) assigned. A largo black 
horse offered bv A. C. Hobble, ol Iroodcquoit, would have 
received the Becond premium, but was excluded for the 
same reason ] 
Matched Geldings-Beat, E. II Shaw, Periuton, $20; 
2d, Thomas Wilcox, Pittslord, 15; 3d, E. It. Boughton, 
Brighton, 10. 
l'rutting in IJ nr ness- (Double)— Best, Col. II. S. Fair-' 
child, Rochester, $40—no competition. 
Horses or Mares— Over 4 years, that have never trotted 
foT money — (Single) — Best, E, G Smith, Brighton, black 
horse—time 3.00, $15; 2d, A. U. Mallory, Lyons, bay mare 
—time 3 09)4, 10. 
Horses or Marcs— Under 4 years— Best, Thoa. Keman, 
Greece, St. Liwrence colt—time 312, $10. 
Trotting in Harness—( Single) — open to all horses or 
mares—Best, S. D. Walbrldge, Rochester—time 3.09!£, $20. 
2d, George Carpenter, Clarkson— time 3.13,10. 
l'rolting Stallions — Best, L. Sharp, Lockport — time 
3.24If, $15, 2d, M. L. King, Parma, 10. 
Eps. Rural: —Sour milk is thought of consider¬ 
able value for feeding pigs, especially when it is 
thick and is mixed with meal, bat it is not gene¬ 
rally known that the meal is best uncooked, and 
that sour milk is better than new for young as well 
as old swine. A brother farmer says he once tried 
a long time to fatten a pig on soar milk and cook¬ 
ed meal, but without the least success—he changed 
for raw meal, mixed withiCoLl sour milk, and iu u 
rew days the pig Logan lo gt Jw. and in two mouth* 
reached the weight of nearly 300 Us. He also 
brought two pigs by a like course of feeding, at 
the age of seven and one-hall’ months, to the 
weight 660 B)s. The quantity of sour milk used 
was that of two cows after supplying a family of 
six, with five bushels of small potatoes, and twenty- 
eight bushels of corn meal. 
In feeding pigs at any time, and particularly in 
fattening them, it is important to give no more 
than they will consume cleanly, and if auy is left 
in the trough to sweep or wash it out. Though 
pigs are ready enough to place their feet in the 
trough, and are far from particular about the filth 
they put their noses into, they will ent more and 
thrive better, to have good attention paid to their 
comfort and cleanliness. a. h. j. 
New York, May 26,1857. 
An Agricultural Fair in Africa. —At its last 
session the Legislature of Liberia provided for a 
National Fair, to be held at Monrovia in Dec. next. 
The premiums offered vary from $1 to $25—tho 
highest for the best ten pounds of Liberian cotton, 
best IU0 lbs- of sugar, best yoke of oxen, best clotb^ 
leather, chairs, coffee, Ac. The Fair is to continue 
a week, and the competition confined to Liberian 
products. The act appropriates $500 for the exhi¬ 
bition—and another $3,000 for exploring purposes, 
and opening roads into the interior. These judi¬ 
cious measures will have a tendency to stimulate 
and improve the cultivation of the soil, and bring 
out tho skill and secure the industrial progress of 
the African race in Liberia. 
MORE STOCK, 
Drain Tile Wanted. —'• Is there a manufactory 
of Drain Tile at. or near Rochester, or any other 
place weBt of Albany that yon know ? 1 think 
there is one a few miles east of Rochester; if so. 
Please give the address if 
SUNFLOWER CULTURE, 
Mr. Moore:— In a recent leader, headed “Time¬ 
ly Rural Topics,” yon make some valuable sugges¬ 
tions; on one of which I propose to offer a few re¬ 
marks. You say “The rearing of more stock, and 
the more extensive culture of root and grass crops, 
would prove highly advantageous in many locali¬ 
ties where they have hitherto received little at¬ 
tention, compared with the cereals.” Thfe has 
long been my opinion, and I have of late years 
doubled my stock of sheep, cattle and swine; 
though working less land, a Bmalier number of 
horses answer my purpose. Some things suggest¬ 
ed by experience may be told in few words. 
“ More stock ” requires more pasture as well as 
Heuoe it needs nice calcula- 
Eds. Rural: —A western reader wishes informa¬ 
tion with respect to sunflower culture. I have had 
but little experience in it, yet such as it is I will 
give, hoping it may be of benefit to some one.— 
My experiments, if they may be called so, were 
commenced under the impression that the plant 
was vigorous, and would thrive better on a poor 
soil than almost any other crop. I accordingly 
selected two rather poor fields, one containing an 
acre and a half, tbe other fonr acres. The small 
field was a sandy, rather springy soil. The pre¬ 
vious crop was corn and pigeon, or barn grass.— 
I drained the field as well as surface draining can 
he accomplished, laying it in narrow beds, with 
very deep ditches, harrowed well, marked both 
ways and planted. And here, in planting, I failed 
by covering loo deep. The plants were so long in 
making their appearance that the pigeon grass 
formed a complete turf before I could distinguish 
them. I then, with a hoe, cut the grass away from 
hills in order to see them, to cultivate with a horse. 
A storm delayed further proceedings until “hope 
deferred” made my “heart sick,” and I abandoned 
them; although I did hoe a small corner which 
promised well. 
The large field waB a loamy and heavy clay soil, 
alternately. The previous crop had been corn on 
the west, half, and corn fodder on the east Upon 
thfe field, as on the first, barn grass seed appeared 
to be the principal ingredient of the soil in spite 
of years of perseverance. The field was well 
plowed tbe latter part of May, rolled twice to crush 
the lumps, harrowed three times. Nearly one-half 
of the west portion of the field was lightly fur¬ 
rowed, and the seed scattered in them, foil three 
times to thick for a stand, and harrowed length¬ 
wise, tho furrows leaving the ground in fine ap¬ 
pearance. The remainder of the field waa sown 
thinly broadcast and harrowed in, except a ditch 
bank which I planted in a row. Perhaps it would 
be well to say that I turned under two lands of 
broadcast sown Dent corn, with a heavy farrow the 
fall previous, the grain being glazed when put un¬ 
der’ The corn was six or sexen feet high and very 
thick. 
Now for the result That planted in drills conld 
not be seen when up, on account of the growth of 
grass which termed a turf. That which grew upon 
the mass of green corn turned under the fall pre¬ 
vious, produced more seed than all the rest of the 
field, being in excellent tilth and free from grass 
and weeds. The row planted on the bank of the 
dead-furrow was hoed twice and the sunflowers 
appeared like lords among serfs. Do not urge me 
to give the product; I would not like to do that 
My father planted one aore. He did not have one- 
third of ft stand; yield, fifteen bushels. Wo sold 
our seed at an oil mill at one dollar per bushel.— 
they should advertise, 
you kuow it, or their prices and sizes of tile if you 
know them. You will much oblige a constant 
reader of yoqr paper if you can reply in your next 
Rural, or I would prefer an immediate brief an¬ 
swer by mail.” 
Thus writes a subscriber in Niagara county.— 
Having replied by letter—hardly daring to do so 
in print lest we should incommode the establish¬ 
ment by causiug too great a rush of customers !— 
we publish the inquiry simply to request those 
who can impart the information to advise ns as to 
the Drain Tile Factories of Western and Centrul 
their location, proprietors, <5ro. We 
WHY BOYS LEAVE THE FARM, 
more hay and grain, 
tion to balance the one to the other three, especially 
when a dry summer follows a wet one, and pastures 
which the first year would carry six cows and fifty 
sheep, will barely yield half tbe number a scanty liv¬ 
ing the second; and meadows produce in a like pro 
portion. There is an essential difference, too, in 
in the profit of feeding swine for pork, when corn 
is plenty and low, and when scarce and high, sb at- 
present A difference of ten cents in the pound on 
wool, ie often a difference of profit or no profit in 
sheep, particularly when one finds hfe farm over¬ 
stocked with them. A month’s extension of win¬ 
ter weather and the season of foddering, turns the 
scales heavily against “ more stock,” while the ce- 
reafe may not be injured in productiveness by the 
lateness of the season. 
But “ more stock M are in demand and sell well. 
If one finds too many on hand there is a market 
for them—a better market than for grain when 
we all gave the most of our farms to its produc¬ 
tion. Daily products are high—mutton and wool 
hear a good price, and Bwine sell readily either 
fattened or in store liogs. If we conld keep vp the 
proper proportion, “mixed husbandry” wonld be 
the thing for ns. A good stock with pasture 
enough, meadow enough, roots enough, a corn 
crop to feed out, and a home product of all the 
necessaries of home consumption, as far as possi¬ 
ble, is my ideal of a productive farm, even in 
Western New York—carried on, however, upon the 
thorough farming system—everything of the best, 
as far as posflible. *** 
Salt, Ashes, and Plaster for Corn. —There 
has been considerable said iu regard to the utility 
of the above mentioned manures, and I do not wish 
to enter into controversy with any one, but as the 
time h3s arrived for farmers to commence action, 
I wonld urge the necessity of experimenting with 
the different fertilizers. Every farmer is aware 
that in different localities and in different seasons 
the same fertilizers give different results, therefore 
what fe beneficial to one kind of soil seems not to 
he adapted to another. From this cause arises, in 
part, the differences of opinion concerning these 
manures. 
Mu. Editor: —In your issno of the 18th of April, 
is an article from E. Smith, of East Bloomfield.— 
I approve of the sentiment, hut Mr. Smith does not 
go hack to the cause of young men leaving the 
farm, for the crowded professions. Perhaps, if we 
learn the cause, we shall be able to apply the rem¬ 
edy. Does not the cause lay at our doors. Our 
young men are ambitious, aud I am glad of it.— 
Young men are striving for distinction. Farmers’ 
sons read in the Newspapers, that such and Buch a 
man is in Congress or in the Legislature, or is 
Governor or something else, and he inquires who 
they are. One is a lawyer, another a military man, 
the other is a doctor or ft minister or a merchant. 
He inquires, and finds there is no farmer in the 
list. No President that went from the Plow to the 
White House. Washington and Harrison only 
gained their places from their military renown.— 
And so it is with nearly all the minor offices.— 
It is said the farmer is not qualified for 
those stations, tell it not in Gath. If this be the 
cose, let us prepare our bous for all stations of 
honor, profit or trust, and then let us Bee to it, that 
the farmers go the Legislature and to Congress, 
and make our laws. Why not, wo pay the taxes. 
But, perhaps it will be.said the furmer has some¬ 
thing to do besides attending to politics. Grant 
it, yet wo believe he fe in duty bound to look to 
the welfare of the ooantry, and is better prepared 
to govern, thau many that do govern us. Do you 
suppose thfe groat nation would have been desti¬ 
tute of an Agricultural College up to this day, it 
wo had had ft reasonable show of farmers in Con¬ 
gress? No, Sir, not a bit oi it. Now, let us at¬ 
tend to this matter, aud, by so doing, wo shall keep 
out. of the crowded professions. — Old 
New York 
don’t propose to publish the list—for the modesty 
of people who so carefully hide their lights or 
pipes from the pnblio ought to he respected—but 
only to use tbe knowledge thus obtained in an oral 
or written manner in answer to inquiries. 
The Agricultural College. —A late number 
of the Ovid Bee announces that the President of 
the N. Y r . Ag. College, Judge Cheever, recently 
arrived there, and commenced the work of bring¬ 
ing the institution into actual existence. “He 
has placed the Saw Millaud Grist Mill on tbe place 
in working order; has examined the -neighbor¬ 
hood and found clay suitable lor tho college edi¬ 
fice upon the college farm — is collecting Imple¬ 
ments, teams and seed for putting in spring crops; 
has a farmer and his family upon tho iarin pre¬ 
pared to work and board the necessary laborers 
for carrying it on. Tho tides to tbe farm are, 
with a slight exception, completed, and the sub¬ 
scriptions and subscription notes transferred to 
the grantors of the land, in payment.” 
“Sfikit of the Agricultural Press.”— Such 
is the title of a handsomely printed quarto weekly, 
hailing from the Prairie State. The initial num- 
rber, bearing date May 21, makes a tine appearance, 
typographically, while Its contents indicate good 
judgment, though there Is some room for improve¬ 
ment in arrangement. The editors aver that their 
highest ambition will he to equal the Rural New- 
Yorker when their facilities are perfected — a 
compliment to us, and evidence-of laudable ambi¬ 
tion. If there is need of and room for two Agri¬ 
cultural weeklies in the Prairie State — a field 
heretofore occupied exclusively by the Prairie 
Farmer —the Press will be likely to prove a valu¬ 
able auxiliary. Edited and published by L. G. 
Chase and Albert Gore, West Urbaua, 111., at 
$2 per annum. 
. • ♦ ■ 
Livingston County Ao. Society.— At a recent 
meeting of this Society, it was resolved to hold 
the Annual Fair on tho 24th and 25th of Septem¬ 
ber. The Annual Plowing Match will be held on 
the 18th inst. Provided suitable ground can be 
obtained, the Society deem it expedient to have a 
Mowing Match early in July. 
I do not. think that because some per¬ 
son asserts that he has received marked benefit 
from the use of salt, ashe% and plaster on corn that 
this is ft sufficient guarantee for every one to nse 
them in every locality without noting the result— 
But. each bIiouUI test it and convince himself by 
actual experiment, whether it is adapted to life 
soil or not. Ashes and plaster mixed in equal 
proportions I consider to be a good top-dressing 
for corn—as regards salt (If It is mixed with them 
at all) 1 would say that, ub far as my experience 
has proved, I wonld proportion it, after the Old 
Dutchman’s recipe for the best “Hog Feed,” 
which was corn rnenl and saw dust, the less saw 
dost the better, —D. E. Jl., Avoca, N. Y., 1857. 
Feeding Sheet Oats.—A writer in a late num- ( 
her of your paper states that his sheep lost their 
lambs in consequence, as he supposes, of tbeir 
haying been fed oats through the winter, and he 
wishes to know the experience of others. A fact, 
has just come to my knowledge tending to confirm 
this idea of the injurious effects of outs. A neigh¬ 
bor of mine fed his sheep corn till about six weeks 
previous to their having lambs, when he com¬ 
menced feeding oats. He has (whether as a result 
of this course I cannot Bay) lost, nearly half his 
lamb$ and they are uniformly weak and puny.— 
Another neighbor who hag sheep, purchased last 
fall from the same flock, and fed corn the entire 
winter, being treated in all other respects like 
those first referred to, has saved every lamb. If 
oats do produce injurious effects upou sheep de¬ 
signed ter raising lambs it is highly important that 
it should be as widely known as possible, and it is 
to be hoped that any of your readers who can, will 
communicate to you auy facts with regard to it,— 
L., Farm of the Willows, May 20, 1857. 
Messrs. Eds:— An article appeared in a late 
Rural, under the above caption, in answer to 
which I must say, that plaster must have time; must 
be dissolved. A failure on this point is the great 
error of farmers in its use. It is generally safe, 
and sure to do good if as much time is given plaster 
as is given seed. To illustrate whatl mean, a person 
our sons 
Fogy. 
A Young Farmer.—I am hound to be a farmer. 
I have read several articles in your paper, written 
by boys, and 1 thought I would tell you what I 
have done. 1 am ia my tenth year. I have attend¬ 
ed school, and taken o. re of a horse and cow 
all winter. For three months I have milked, and 
have kept an account of tho butter made. My 
father has given me a piece of ground, and I in¬ 
tend to plant corn and squashes, and I may at some 
future time, tell you of my success.— g. a. c. 
lUiUfUliIWIAWWl/MWllV 
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1 iR.ivr.v 
