and trough, jostled about, run over, and jmt to 
death by inches by the latter? Is every stable 
or shed in good repair, and every gate and door 
about the sheep yards securely bung? We 
knew a ehoiee Hock of full-blood Merino Lambs 
which were doing admirably up till the begin¬ 
ning of March last year. In a wild, stormy 
night of rain and sleet, the door of their stable 
blew open, and seeing the light, or frightened 
by tlic noise, they rushed out, Tile tdftUhultig 
of the door or other causes, prevented their 
re-entrance. They were exposed to u pelting 
rain which penetrated to their skins, and before 
morning the wind changed and froze severely. 
They took violent colds, and in the case of a 
number of them a low fever supervened. Five 
or six died, and a greater number were ruined— 
for the want of a proper door-latch! 
Does each ventilator slide readily in its groove, 
or turn on its hinge and securely fasten back? 
It is slow (but not so very sbtcj poison to keep 
sheep in close stables without abundant ventila¬ 
tion—especially if one or two sides of it are 
formed by damp, sweating stone walls, which 
support outward banks of earth. 
Has < ash sheep sufficient rack room without 
crowding or being compelled to wait? Are 
the stables, sheds, and yards sufficiently spa¬ 
cious, and are they kept well littered down ? 
Do the pumps and water-pipes work freely —or 
is the watering place graveled about, and its 
approaches made dry and dean P Sheep abhor 
mud and tilth, and never thrive when habitually 
exposed to them. The sheep can endure depri¬ 
vation of water better than any other domestic 
animal; but it requires it when fed wholly or 
partly with dry feed. Snow would furnish a 
substitute, if we could be sure of an unfailing 
supply of the clean article. But it is never as 
good as water for them; and when they have 
water part of the winter, and are then com¬ 
pelled to go buck to and depend upon snow, 
the consequences are highly injurious — espe¬ 
cially to breeding ewes. 
Is every ram removed from the breeding 
flock as soon as the first day of January ? U nder 
any of the ordinary systems of management, and 
Communications, €t(. 
HAY AND STRAW, CUT AND UNCUT, AS 
FOOD FOR STOCK. 
In times like those when everything edible 
for the support of biped and quadruped is at a 
very high price, it is important to know how to 
feed animals in the most economical manner. It 
has been said with much reason, that hay cut 
line affords one-third more nutriment than hay 
when fed uncharted. The philosophy of this is, 
that hay, like straw, contains a large portion of 
cellulose (Woody fiber) which, notwithstanding 
its insolubility, if only made soluble, is identical 
with starch, and is as nutritious and fat forming. 
Hence, when hay is cut line or charted, it is 
better masticated, absorbs more saliva, and of 
course it becomes more soluble in the animals' 
stomach: but if the hay after being chaffed is 
steamed or wet with scalding water, it becomes 
still more soluble, and when a little meal or 
shorts is added to it. it not only becomes more 
nutritive, but it is still better digested. 
What i- true of hay, will apply with much 
more force to straw, or corn stalks, because they 
contain less starch and nitrogen, and much more 
insoluble woody fiber than hay. Dr. (Jamkron 
says, “it is clearly proved that the straw of 
cereals possess a much greater nutritive power 
t han is generally ascribed to it; that its so-called 
woody fiber may be made to a great extent 
assimilable; and that if well assimilated or 
digested, four-tenths of its weight may be con¬ 
verted into fat: hence, ns woody fiber forrrgj 
from six' to eight-tenths of the w eight of dry 
straw, if this substance was only made all digesti¬ 
ble, straw would become a fattening food.” He 
also says, “ as compared with white tin-flips, the 
nutritive value of oat straw stands very high; 
for w hite turnips contain little more than one 
per cent, of flesh formers, and loss than five per 
cent, of fat formers; the straw contains about 
four per cent, of flesb formers, and thirteen per 
cent, of fat formers." But turnips contain but 
three per cent, of woody liber, and are very 
assessment, and thirty days allowed for payment, quite an interest manifested in the Dairy Business, 
which, for convenience, may be made to any one and quite an excitement on the Sheep question 
of some live or six individuals appointed 08 re- and Wool Growing. These Departments of 
of some five or six individuals appointed as re¬ 
ceivers in different parts of the county. In case 
payment Is withheld beyond thirty days, the 
insurance on such member’s property ceases, but 
he is still liable to the company for the amount 
due. The Washtenaw County Co. now has 
and Wool Growing. These Departments of 
operative life are not the staple of our country, Ko. l, Vol XV, or the Rural New-Yorker-Ap- 
mit are important auxiliaries, and promise great pears in an entire new dress, and ought to ho very pro 
good to our young and grow ing State. That the rentable, ir it is not what It should ho in oil respects 
public may know our present, whereabouts, and die failure can scarcely he attribnted to a lack of pains 
note our future progress, I send you the result of ,,r Kvery typo, rule, cut. etc., is •* bran new,” 
our doings in these respects for the year 18(12, as 11,1,1 morrover ° r ,I,L ‘ l ’ r ‘ a -•yk' and materia) obtainable, 
shown by the assessment of 1863- ’ Though a small portion of the paper upon which opr 
_ . . — * . , , !«i'SC edition is printed is not such as we ordered and 
rote, NO.Ofajyrwggmjjd impneo,.. M «n*w, «**«, ... . 
“ “ tbs. of Sugar, .”!!!’!!!’!' ' ip '.pyi "rms all preconceived notions in regard to total deprav- 
“ hives of Bees,... 8.R731 '*?«) we still trust our present number exhib’ts marked 
U a ,9 i< Itooswax. VdOTtl Improvement in appearance, while its contents will 
« “ “ Uniter, --.I”!””””” 13 (Ufi'soo com P ar0 favorably with those of envoiIts predecessors. 
“ “ ChocsC.’ttoa’ioi The time required to change from old to new type, 
“ 1 at the tUn^of^sa’ortmmit h "™7’ some extra labor, and we’me 
“ <« lbs. of Wool Sheared ’ i,42*j.20f) Omtged to prepare tins and other items in haste, and 
__ ’ ’ “make up” this number Tor tie press in the short 
hours of the morning of Dec. 80. Indeed, the whole* 
ublic Lands, Free Homesteads, &c. office force of the Rural Bmo snn, from the Brigadier 
Buval Notes anil Stems. 
twelve hundred members, and over our doings In these respect* for the year 1862, as 
$2,200,000 insurance on their books. The bust 
annual report of the directors showed that the 
cost of insuring one thousand dollars from the 
first organization of the (btnpany up to that 
tune (three and a half you-)' had been $1.25 
annually. The company has had eleven losses 
by lire since it commenced business, amounting 
in the aggregate to $5,1185, t U of which has been 
promptly paid. Insurance under this system is 
perpetual without renewal of policy. But any 
members can withdraw at any time. l>y giving 
notice thereof, and paying Ids arrearages, if any. 
The fanners of this county now have the 
shown by the assessment of 1863: 
Total No. of acres of Sorghum and Imphee,.. .T>.(>rv7 
“ gallons of Molasses,. 3,012,39<i 
“ lbs. of Sugar,.... 21. w 
“ “ hires of Bees,_ 84 731 
“ « lbs. of Honey.l.or.njU 
“ “ “ Beeswax,. 40,732 
“ “ “ Butter, . 18,075,600 
“ “ Cheese,. 
“ Sheep at shearing time"’ 
“ “ at the time of assortment, 
“ lbs. of Wool sheared. 
Public Lands, Free Homesteads, &c. 
002,701 
406,408 
599,088 
1,429,209 
An Intelligent correspondent in Wisconsin down to the lowest •* high private ” (the P. D.,)is very 
writes us that that state has located the lands do- 
utmost confidence in the plan, and are satisfied na ted it by Congress for College purposes within 
that for them it is the cheapest and safest of any 
that has yet been devised. There is no patent 
for a company of t ids kind, except an Act of the 
Legislature of the State, and 1 have given this 
explanation of our mode of insuring for the ben¬ 
efit of those farmers who may wish to go and do 
likewise. W. II. Walduon. 
Webster, Wash. Co., Mich., Dee. 18th, 1863. 
---- 
REMEDY FOR COUGH IN HORSES. 
in docks of any considerable size, ewes had much digestible, while dry straw contains sixty per 
better go dry than drop their lambs after the cent. Hence it is that straw fed to cattle in a 
first of June—at least in the climate of New finely charted state is so much more nutritive 
York, New England, and all parallel ones, than when fed long. In this state it is so insolu- 
However well the ewes may appear to take ram ble that it does little more for the animal than to 
at the proper time, he who leaves his rams in fill the belly and support animal beat and respi- 
tbe flocks through w inter, will, in nineteen cases ration. 
out of twenty have scattering lambs through the Alderman Mechi. the amateur farmer of 
summer. Besides, a ram is dangerous in a flock Tiptree Hall, says that 100 pounds of straw cut, 
of inlambed ewes. If cross, lie is very danger- steamed and fed warm, is more nutritive than 
ous —striking right and left, when crowded, at the same w eight of timothy hay, and he gives 
the rack and trough: and if not cross, his heavy several experiments to prove the truth of Ids 
horns endanger ewes in advanced stages cf assertion. But this must depend entirely on the 
pregnancy, as lie elbows Ids way uuccreimml- quality of both the straw and the hav. If the ...—' i-n■ ... . 
ouely through dense clusters of them to get first straw is cut with gluten in it before the grain is «««1»»^nlsmoist. The palliation almostamount- 
at the feed. He is a gentleman of no gallantry, dead ripe, and the timothy is cut after it has shed tH a cute. 
His ideas of the sex are strictly Oriental — and its seed and put on woody fiber, Mkciii may be The old mare died at the ago of 22 years, 
have none of the chivalry of the Western right, hot hardly otherwise. having coughed )5 winter-. \1 nyw have a young 
Nat.ioits! To those fanners who have no straw it is still m:in in H el perfi j tly 4otin* in w ind, that 
But our Turk, if accustomed to freedom more necessary that tl.ev should make the most 1 mu supplying with wi^r if. th.fan.e way. So 
before his harem-season, must not be utterly of their hay atid com stalks bv charting them. 1 f; ir I like it mud). Perhaps my ijxperienoc may 
deprived of it afterwards. Though an uncivil have seen young cattle leave bright, freshly- be of benefit, to farmers who have coughing 
fellow, lie is now-u-days a very cosily one, and thrashed wheat straw to eat chaflfed^orti stalks; horsos Certainly it will be to the animals them- 
his life must be saved. Shut up in a close bam but these tall stalks were cut up and stocked as * f fo’lOTWxJ. I’KTr.u Hathaway, 
oi stable, he is apt to languish, and if the soon as the corn w:is glazed, to save their starch Milan, Erk Co., O., t 53. 
winter is a bad one for sheep, if it is what an ,i sugar intact. s. w. *""*- 
farmers significantly term a “ dyvfty winter," he Waterloo, N. Y., Dec., 1833. j (ft, fl 11 tl f 11Gf tl ft t’ 1‘ C G11DIt fl Ctt f C 
often falls into an obscure decline, which tenni- _..._ | _ kyUl U bj)UHIU . 
nates his lite. It valuable, it is a pity to put pa'rmt"R8' mutt a i TwttTTP a-not 
him with other old rams- for they are always FARMERS MUTUAL INSURANCE. Growing Dent Corn at the North. 
liab.e to kill each other. Put him rather with a Ens. Rural New-Yorker:— I have been a An article appeared in the Rural of Dee. 
few wethers, or a few ram lambs, where his feed subscriber for and a reader of the Rural long 5, in which the author (Mr. Klmtart) ex- 
wiil be generous, and his access to the open air enough to understand that its columns are always pressed the opinion that It would not do to plant 
and to room for exercise unrestricted. open to whatever is calculated really to benefit Lb-rit Com north of 40° North Latitude. In 
Lastly, is the feed good and regularly given the agriculturists of our country. The subject reference to this, Mr. R. II. Bkn’n ktt, of Cot- 
Eds. Rural New-Yorker: — I have, for 
I many years, owned and taken care of a favorite 
mare, that was. during the winter months, w hen 
fed on dry lmy , subject to a severe chronic cough. 
Unless her cough w as in some wav palliated, it 
was alarmingly severe and frequent. “ Coughing 
herself to death” would be a graphic descrip¬ 
tion. The cough relieved, she was a very \ aluablc 
animal. First, T tried a variety of cough reme¬ 
dies: rosin, ginger, lime-water, licorice tied on 
tho hit, Ac., w ith only partial and unsatisfactory 
success. One winter I withheld hay entirely, 
amfed her on clean bright oat straw, with 
aliiut eight quarts of dampened oats per day. 
Under this treat men t the Cough scarcely appeared 
at all. The next winter. InOt having any oat 
straw, T fed hay sprinkl'd with water. This 
answered well, but was troublesome and nasty. 
The next winter I accidentally discovered that 
a pail of w ater kept standing in her manger w as 
as good a palliative as any I had tried, although 
the bay fed was bottom land bay, and conse¬ 
quently more dusty than that grown on upland. 
As the mare picked the hay from the rack, oils 
(refuse) would continually fall upon the surface 
of the w ater in the pail, which site would every 
feyv minutes eat, tints keeping her throat, mouth 
and nostrils moist. The palliation almost amount¬ 
ed to a cure. 
The old mare died at the ago of 22 years, 
having coughed 15 winter-. \I ny w have a young 
mare in her place, perf l'tly -onnil in wind, that 
1 iini supplying with wiiffyr if' thif-ame way. So 
far I like it much. Perhaps nty dxperience may¬ 
be of benefit to farmers who have coughing 
horses. Certainly it will be to the animals them- 
selves if followed. I’etkr Hathaway. 
Milan, Erie Co., O., 1863. 
-*—«- 
it o n tlcn.sc tt it o rve.sp o n tl cure. 
Growing Dent Corn at the North. 
An article appeared in the Rural of Dee. 
5, in which the author (Mr. Ki.ippart) ex¬ 
pressed the opinion that it w ould not do to plant 
inm-.li fatigued, and will breathe freer "when No. 1, 
Vol. XV. is out and approved nv You, Reader, 
its own borders. These lands tire said to he supe- — And if you approve, how shall ii be manifested? 
rior farming lands, and much more of the same vv By uof advertise the Riuiaj, for ns among your friends 
sort is yet to be had in that enterprising Western Z “7 ^‘7 0l ° 
j, . ~i , . . papei for month?—and 1 hereby augment its circulation 
.state. I he poor man desiring a farm, and w 11- at ,d useftflneesf We me bound to do our best m fur- 
dug to make one at the West, can there obtain nlsh th <• paper of its class, but unless our efloiis are 
it free of cost under the Homestead Law. In seconded by ardent, active, working friends all over 
North - Western Wisconsin, or in Minnesota, the land, its benell ial inrtucnco will he comparatively 
prairie near timber and wat er may be had in liniilL ‘ d However,the three hundred welj-liiiea letters 
abundance, not withstanding the representations T*** ^ d " y Y' ince 1 thnt ^ MrD ' U ° f "' e ,mpcr ),rc 
v , . . , ‘ uoinggood »omce, and wo do not iVnr tie result 
of land speculator who in every county town _ 
of the whole West will assure you that no Gov¬ 
ernment land is to be had in that county Ac TllE WooL Conorkps—T o meet in Columbus, Ohio, 
Their object is to sell their own lands. ' indi- ^,7*’ 77' ? ^ 1n 
. . . uyesled in sheep Husbandry. The Congress opens 
vuluals desiring information regarding the Gov- J;m . Sth . and a , iln . c attendance is muicipated. W P. 
ernment lands will do well to address our Urkkk, Esq., Secretary of the Ohio Wool Growers’ 
correspondent tit Fort Howard, Win., (Box 2.) Association writes ns that in addition to an address by 
care of 1*. 31. He has had considerable experi- lion. II. S. Randall, Col Daniki. Nkkuiiam, Secretary 
once, and can tell those not posted, what it w ill 01 tPe y <B ’ ni0n * ®*-'ite Ag. Society, will Iwj prilaent and 
cost time, vexation and considerable money to . the “»" v f an - ^ pre,sa very strong proba- 
learn by travel and inquiry. 222.^,^ Z'? \ 
Germany, will also be present and speak Wc are also 
* ” advised that the railroads of Ol.io will undoubtedly 
ft nIt 1 r 1 r ^ n tl fi ctury passengers to and from the Congress at. half fare— 
"• >I O?1 Itheotlleers of some of the roads having mi informed 
-- Mr. Secretary Kui-j-art, of I he State Board of Agri- 
Mkasurino Hat—(A G. C., Albion, N. Y.) It has culture, Tho prospect is that the meeting will bo far 
been gent-rally estimated that from 275 to 300 cubic, feet l, "‘ largest ever held by Wool Growers, and Its deliber- 
of well pressed hay in the mow, will weigh a tun—say ali<r 'n? u»d proceedings will be noted with groat interest 
16 or 18 feet square one foot in depth. A good deal de- *’y llock.masters ilironghout the country. 
pends upon the quality of hay and tho superincumbent -♦+*- 
pressure it has received. ,, 
_ Bk Brief and Accurate.—Personal.—I n writing 
Is there a Weekly for the Yotmo?— Can I be us 00 bU!,ine * 8 » Please be as brief as consistent. At 
informed through the worthy columns of your Rural t,,js season wo receive so many letters (from 200 to 300 
0.7. l .!o' r v' prinI, ; d fo , r ' lhe y° un 8- daily) that it is no easy task to read all carefully and 
terms, ctert-OT.s Mhxer, Woonn,,^ Mrnn. ^ each proper attention;-even the opening and 
\\ ♦> are not aware that there is such a paper in this clanclniz at the contents of each, la somewhat labori- 
country. _ ous. The short letters are always read, while the long 
Ai.ru.ti.tcrAL Colleges, &c.-\Vn vou please in- C " 1U ' 0t at ' mcv rwceivc thc timc rovjnired; so 
form me whore to write that 1 may ohia’n Catalogues " c are constrained to attend to the business part and 
at Agricultural Schools or Colleges in the United States, defer the rest. Brevity and occunit y arc the great cssrai• 
Rle^ires^r^nSl^bliSo,™ IIosmfr' Ualsftf a ««ttrr; and no Other matter should 
Klease write soon and greatly obligc-JonN nosMEn - “ uu uu s"o'u<t 
Mradn-illv, C atv/ord Co., l‘a. ’ lie given on thc same sheet or half sheet. If you send 
As wo have no surplus catalogues thc officers of insti- “ ln(,uiry or ' ,n ar,icle for P“»>HeBUon with a business 
t utions interested are requested to respond to above. U,tter ’ P “ y d,> not mix un the sanie P il « c ’ or 0Ven 
opposite pages, unless so that we can separate without 
Gypsum —(H. O. n„ TltiisvlBe, Pn.) Wc are not ffihtrt toutther. 
‘ware that Gypsum, when ground or exposed to the air, ~ Another (versonnl In'in. Our time is so fully occu- 
deteriorates to any extent It is a Sulphate of Lime, pled at this season, that those who address ns, request 
and holds its constituents with great tenacity, oven at ing written answers, must excuse apparent, hut not 
red heat, and has no attraction for nay of tho substance* Intentional, sins of* otnfaalou—our reticence being ne- 
composing thc atmosphere, except, perhaps, a portion Cessitated and not voluntary. At the beat we can only 
of its Nitrogen. It has a strong affinity for water, in find or Lake lime to answer a small proportion of thc 
which it iB thought one of its values consists. large mtifllrer of inquiries received on all sorts of sub- 
out in respect to time and in respect to quantity ? 
We decidedly prefer feeding sln-ep three times a 
day. Twice, however, will answer. But which¬ 
ever mode is adopted, there should be the least 
possible variation in the daily time of feeding. 
which 1 now wish to introduce to the notice of tage Grove, Minn., writes ns that Dent Corn is 
this class of your readers, is that of Mutual 
Insurance against loss by fire among farmers. 
Tt is well known that in rouse lUenco of the high 
rates of insurance in stock companies, a large 
annually raised in that. State north of 40° N. L., 
and where it is planted by the 10th of May gets 
ripe, although the product may not be as much 
per acre as in .Southern Ohio. In 1802 Mr. B. 
Girdling Timber.—I n answer to the inquiry made 
some time since, I will state that the old of the moon 
in August was the time that we used to girdle timber. 
As I do not believe thc moon has anything to do with 
killing timber. 1 think that trees girdled thoroughly 
from the 15th of August to the 1st of September will 
surety die— beech, maple, and all other kinds — An Old 
Farmer, IFetutvr, N. 17, Dec., 1863. 
Causes of Cheese Cracking. —To “Inquirer.” Bur¬ 
lington, Wis. The causes of your cheese cracking arc 
several. First, skimming the milk too much. Second, 
putting too much rennet in the milk. And last, though 
not least of all, allow ing the curd to sour before putting 
it to press. Either of these has a tendency to make 
Cheese crack. To keep Hies from troubling your cheese, 
make a paste of wheat Hour, stirred in boiling water 
large uutntn-r of inquiries received on nil sorts of sub¬ 
jects, yet do tlic best we can under tho circumstun 
ces. Those who write us relative to Subscription and 
Advertising Terms—and their name is legion—asking 
what is the best we can do, or if wc will do thus or so, 
are referred to published rates and publisher s notices 
for particulars. Would treat ail courteously, but 
can not afford to write what is already printed,—and 
much more easily read than our poor chirography can 
be deciphered. 
-- 
Michigan Oytsum, — Some years ago we received 
several beautiful paper weights—of variegated colors, 
and highly polished—made or Gypsum from Grand 
Rapids, Mich., and hence think this item from the 
Scientific American no exaggeration: — “ At Grand 
Rapids are found extensive strata of gypsum embedded 
in the earth. Aside from the value or this mineral for 
agricultural purposes, il is capable of bring wrought 
* L v r ■ VI t/Ut ItUII/Ufl « ivuwnv w**v ijiiptna.av piVCT " ij-a- ' 118IIIMV 111* UUfflcldlt fiPIVIT Cll/df Ohio 
functions of the animal economy. Sheep should pect of ever again being able to replace them. formed that Dent Corn has been grown as far ' ’ 
be fed just enough at each foddering so that they This subject is now and has been for some time n01 *^ :is Pembina, (49 w N. L.,) on the Red River Self-Acting Cattle Pump, — (A. C., Newtown, Pa.) 
will consume, their hay, straw, etc.., to that point claiming much attention among the fanners of ^ ie B°rth. This pdtaip has not gone into general nee in this region, 
• which is considered most desirable. Grain, Michigan, some eight or ten counties having owing partly to its expense and the ease with which 
roots, and greenly-cured fine hay or clover, ! organized companies for the purpose of doing | Farmers Should Keep Books. | water is procured. When properly constructed we 
should be eaten up cleanly. But if the hay or their own insuring. Washtenaw County, how- Mr* Isaac Tukmhly, South Bristol. Onto- ,1,7 ''D'd77mu 17^uL-'t y p"^’ 'k 1 ‘ rc “°* ,0 ° 
clover be coarse or over-ripe, it is not expedient ever, claims to be the pioneer in this plan for ri “ Co., write- that he has taken the Rural ten Springfield, Erie Co, 7, and colts’from $25 to $80 
to compel sheep to eat the huts of the stalks. Insuring farm property. This county organized y caps * ant ' “dds:—I can say in truth that the according to depth of well. 
These should be pitched out of the racks into the their company some four years ago, under an money it cost- me is well invested. Indeed. I am Poutahlf Steam ENoixEs—Thcre are several mann- 
salting-rack or into the colt yard. Sheep may Act of thc Legislature passed February 15,1859. often more than paid by the perusal of a single focturers of Portable Steam Engines in this State, in 
safely be required to consume a moderate teed ol The charter or constitution of these companies article it contains. I wish to mention one thing tended for thrashing and other agricultural purposes; but 
nice, fresh greenly-cured oat or barley straw must be approved by the Attorney General of in particular, which was recommended by one they are not yet In general use, not being as convenient 
(especially f it has not been over-thrashed!) the State, and then filed in the office of the Sec- of its correspondents near the commencement of for traveling thrashers as tlju horsepower. When the 
down pretty close* to the huts once a day. In lieu feffiry of State, One hundred members must be ,,le year 1855, and which I adopted and have and smoke pipe is properly hooded, like th« 
of hay, and without any equivalent in grain or obtained, and 850,000 untored for insurance, he- practiced ever since, and intend to continue n ' ' 1,ni)l ‘o engine, there i.- very little danger of fire, 
roots; but this is not true of other straws, or lore the company can actually do the business of doing so. 1 refer to keeping a diary. Below Ls ^“adcaot Sowjng Machines.—M^ ers. Seymour 
even of eoHrsrripe huHey and oat straw. Exclu. Insurance. No person can become a member my form: ftatare ttolf^IcbrnTof 1 'Urn m^t° p^‘operetioll,' 
sue straw feed, and even w heat straw, is made unless he is a resident of the county, and no pro- 1804. distributing the grain In any nnantltv d.sir.-d ns well 
to do, up till the middle of February or first of porty can be insured except farm property in j™ 1 *. Here state ^'the^nishiesg of THe^tra'of' ttifa «« grass aeodH, plaster and other fine fertSlizere.’ 
March, with enough grain and roots. But the county where the organization exists. This the day, and any event of column will up- Scuew Power Mowing Machine —Of the Screw 
whatever system of feeding is adopted, perfect is emphatically a home company, all its members • ,m l Jortance pear 0bvi0llii Power Mowing Machine we nre nnable to speak, ns 
regularity in time and amount (making proper being enabled to participate in its management ^ first procured twelve sheets ol good foolscap there are none in our neighborhood, and we are not 
allowance, for the weather) is about “ half the and the annual election of its officers. Indeed, P a P or » an<1 ni:ule me a book by stitching it to- advised in regard to its operation In other localities, 
battle.’ it combines the two great requisites of an insur- gather in a good stout sheet ot paste-board for a „ _ . ri ' 
Salt sheep in winter as regularly as in sum- anee company-cheapness and safety. rover. 'Phis answered me for two years. Suit- , or ,7' '.7 7 .l, 11 ',’ ?‘h 
n,er. Either put t he salt in boxes under cover, Tlic .Secretary of the company enters all pro- ncquently I found u hook at tho booksellers made CO nacqnenUy ln the dark,"and we do not sLanv pruc 
wdiere they cun have constant access to it, or positions for insurance in a book kept for that for,th,s JWfpoHe. 1 have now nine years’ re- ,j ca | way of feeding them. Fred should have been 
brine tlie orts arid jiut them in a rack by them- purpose, from which a policy is made out for Por d fi > w hich 1 would not part with for all that supplied to the weak hives In the fall, before hotte'eg 
selves which the sheep are not compelled to eat each member. There are no salaried officers in )’ our P»P'T ever cost me, principal and interest, them. Honey, or honey and brown sugar, is the best 
from, hut which they can visit when they desire this company, the compensation of the directors Success to the Dear Old Rubai. ! It has come n ?« t « riul for feeding. If sugar alone, is used, it must be 
salt, .Salting all the hay is not expedient, for being a moderate per diem for services actually to bt: almost as one of our family. v J rlth WftU ' r und h '' i '” d 111,(1 rion.med down io 
then the sheet) lire eoninolled In it ......t; . , „ , , . ,, . . _tho consistency of lioncy. It has been strongly recon) 
! ! i 7 >n quanto- rendered. Each person on entering his insure mended to Invert the hives In bousing, as s, secures a 
tu, n >t pi > nbui by then own appetite: and anee pays a small membership fee, and one dol- Saccharine, Dairy and Wool Products of Iowa. porfoct veu illation Perhaps in that case a small quan 
their own appetite is the only safe guide. lar on each $1,000 Insured, to defray incidental The Deputy Secretary of Iowa, E. M. tlty might be strewed among the combs. The tem 
*"* - expenses. The fanners take each others’ risks; Wright, Esq., writes the Rural as follows:— ponrtum should be kept but a little above the freezing 
Coal- Tar FOR Marking Sheep.—T he and ill ease of a loss by tire among them, the The people of this State arc paying some atten- P oln h us the bees ivtll then consume little or nothing 
Hn/iw Farmer recommends the use of coal-tar directors ascertain the amount, and all arc tion to thc cultivation of Sorghum and Imphee, 1 Buck « ,a ’" ««‘d white dover, for which there arc no 
as being one ol the best articles extant for mark- assessed pro rate to make good the same, or the und the manufaeture of sirup und sugar there- I' I( " I, ” ,< 111 ah H btlitre, .in Un. gri-it smm is ol hon.w, 
ing sheep. It pronounces the material cheap, insurance thereon. Notice is then given to each from. Home attention Is also given to Bees, and wood, wd^arSs mdigenotre plauu.ffirn'isiTmore w 
durable und bright. member, through the mail, of the amount of his the production of Honey and Wax. There is 1 less honey during thrir suason ofbiossomln'>. 
pect of ever again being able to replace them. 
This subject is now and has been for sometime 
claiming much attention among the farmers of 
Michigan, some eight or ten counties having 
organized companies for the purpose of doing 
their own insuring. Washtenaw County, how¬ 
ever. claims to he the pioneer in this plan for 
Insuring farm property, This county organized 
their company some four years ago, under an 
Act of t he Legislature passed February 15, 1859. 
The. charter or constitution of these companies 
must be approved by thc Attorney General of 
the State, and then filed in thc office of the Sec¬ 
retary of State. One hundred members must be 
obtained, and 850,000 entered for insurance, be¬ 
fore the company can actually do the business of 
Insurance. No person can become a member 
unless he is a resident of the county, and no pro¬ 
perty can be insured except farm property in 
the county where the organization exists. This 
is emphatically a home company, all its members 
being enabled to participate in its management 
and the annual election of its officers. Indeed, 
it combines the two great requisite!) of an insur¬ 
ance company—cheapness and safety. 
'Tlic Secretary of the company enters all pro¬ 
positions for insurance in a book kept for that 
purpose, from which a policy is made out for 
each member. There are no salaried ofiieers in 
this company, the compensation of the directors 
luting a moderate per diem for services actually 
rendered. Each person on entering bis insur¬ 
ance pays a small membership fee, and one dol¬ 
lar on each 81,(Hit) insured, to defray incidental 
expenses. The farmers take each others’ risks; 
I formed that Dent Corn has been grown as far 
north as Pembina, (49* N. L.,) on the Red River 
of the North. v 
Farmers Should Keep Books, 
Mr, Isaac TmEMBLy, South Bristol, Onta¬ 
rio Co., write- that he has taken the Rural ten 
years, and adds:—I can say in truth that the 
money it cost- me is well invested. Indeed. I am 
often more than paid by the perusal of a single 
article it contains. I wish to mention one thing 
in particular, which was recommended by one 
of its correspondents near the commencement of 
the year J855, and which I adopted and have 
practiced ever since, and intend to continue 
doing so. t refer to keeping a diary. Below Ls 
my form: 
1864. 
DATES. OBSERVATION- WEATHER. 
Jim. 1. Here state the business of The notes of this 
the d»y, mid any event ol’ column will up- 
importance. pear obvious. 
I first procured twelve sheets of good foolscap 
paper, and made me a book by stitching ii to¬ 
gether in a good stout sheet of pasto-boanl for a 
cover. This answered me for two years. Sub¬ 
sequently I found a book at the bookseller.- male 
tor. this purpose. I have now nine years’ re¬ 
cords, w hich I would not part with for all that 
your paper ever cost me, principal and interest. 
Success to the Dear Old Rub a i. ! It ha- come 
to be almost as one of our family. 
Saccharine, Dairy and Wool Products of Iowa. 
The Deputy Secretary of Iowa, E. M. 
Wright, Esq., writes the Rural as follows:— 
blmicc to the Derbyshire spur. It i- of various colors, 
orange, pule reddish brown, and white mottled with 
1)1 tie. Whether there be any portion of it pure white 
we are not informed; If there be it is alabaster, and 
alabaster, il is said, is found in the tower part of quar¬ 
ries or gypsum, I bougli it is found cropping out in the 
roads over the Appenines. An intelligent correspon¬ 
dent residing at Grand Rapids says ‘Tim gypsuin 
beds are immense, und arc worked for two miles, one 
quarry being a large cave, artificial, in the side of a hill. 
The spar Is of a great variety of colors and various 
degrees ofkardxms K i< were taken out cnrefutly, so 
as to prevent what are called shakes, caused by blast 
ing, and put into the hands of a skillful lapidary, orna¬ 
ments might be made that would rival much of the 
iilubaster work now sold in eastern at. tion rooms.’ ” 
What About Flax Culture and Flax Cotton?— 
The attention given to tlax culture tie past season, and 
the experiments made to cottontail flax oughi to have 
elicited considerable Information if Rut produced val¬ 
uable results We call Upon those u ho haw fairly tried 
flax culture to give us t he fads w bother they succeeded 
or failed, and wherefore, Those engaged in eottoni/.ing 
or manufacturing the fiber uro also requested to report 
progress " for the benefit of the public Let us hear 
from you, gentlemen, ns the mater is Important, and 
many lire desirous of obtaining such Information ns you 
only impart. 
— Since Un? above was written we have received a 
note from an aged and esteemed friend in Seneea Co., 
N. V., which among other things says •* Wool is now 
in the ascendant, and I think the day is dawning for 
Flax. I don’t expect U) see any more cheap cotton fab¬ 
rics, compared with past prices, In my day. After 
wearing cotton flannel under-shirts for the last twenty 
years, tlio price tills winter has driven me back to wool¬ 
en again, and I trust thousands will sooner or later do 
the same.” 
■--re- 
Depeuhrd —Wc are obliged to drier Western Kdito 
rial Notes and several articles intended for tho Agricul¬ 
tural and Horticultural Departments. Also, two or 
three columns of Advertisements, Publisher's Notices, 
Arc. For our Inducements to Agents and others form 
ing clubs, see late numbers of the. Rural. 
