HOOKE’S RttRAL BEW-YOKKEK. 
iu the field to provide with extra clothing. The 
cotton supply of the world is so far cut off, and 
wool is so far xunde its substitute, that the an¬ 
nual consumption of the latter is 04 pounds per 
inhabitant, instead of 41 pounds, as formerly. 
With all this enormous increase of demand, and 
with the actual scarcity of the product which 
exists throughout the world, are we to be told 
that the wool grower is entitled to receive no 
advantage from this state of things—that he 
ought to be satisfied with about the gold prices 
of the last. S5 years—that the manufacturer 
alone (of our own people! is entitled to put his 
sickle into the rich harvest of the extra profits 
which grow out of the circumstances of the 
times? If this is sound doctrine, the scarcity 
and rise in value of his staple are .only an injury 
to the wool grower. While he is thus restricted 
from obtaining materially more than his old gold 
from being driven wholly out of our markets by 
foreign competition. When specie payments are 
resumed, the wool growers, under that tariff, 
will be wholly aud absolutely at the mercy ol 
the manufacturers. The production of foreign 
wools is enormously increasing under the pres¬ 
ent stimulus, and we shall have it flooding our 
country in increasing quantities as loug as our 
citizens are practically taxed for the benefit ol 
its foreign growers. 
No; let us make no war on our manufacturers 
— but let us make, a keen and exterminating war 
on such Congressmen as allow themselves to he 
lobbyed into voting against a just revision of 
our wool tariff—against a just aud suitable tax 
on the cheap foreign wools. Let us beat such 
men iu the nominating conventions, and failing 
in that, let us beat them at the polls. If they 
are on our own side of politics, and are candi- 
Communications, (Etc. 
prices 
—for the benefit of the wool growers of dates against men whom we can not biing 0111 - 
At'rica and South America, and a handful selves to vote for, then let us put up sound, 
nufacturers at home—he is heavily taxed independent candidates, and beat them in that 
South Africa and South America, and a handful 
of manufacturers at home—he is heavily taxed 
to support the expenses of the war—aud those 
taxes must jet be multiplied and increased to 
an indefinite extent, if the nation is to escape 
bankruptcy. The situation compels him to sub¬ 
mit, and he does cheerfully submit to these 
burthens. But the situation which, under the 
natural laws of trade and under a just system of 
tariff legislation ought to benefit him as well, 
(the scarcity and rise in the price of his pro¬ 
duct,) is not allowed to bring him reparation! 
If he gets ten or fifteen per cent, higher prices 
in gold than he has got for the last fib years, he 
is still doing a much less profitable business, for 
his expenses and taxes have more than propor¬ 
tionally increased. The fine wool grower, by 
Mr. Bond's own showing, has barely got the 
average gold price of the last 35 years, which 
was 50 cents nnd three mills. 
But, says Mi - . Bond, these prices of the last 
35 years, ‘‘have been sufficient to make wool 
growing the most profitable business in the 
country.” A few discerning men who provided 
themselves with the most profitable sheep and 
managed them with great judgment, have un¬ 
questionably always made wool growing a 
“living’’ business. But when we speak of the 
profits of a business for a term of years, we 
speak of them on the average—as they have 
turned out in the hands of the body of men 
engaged in that business. On this basis, we 
wholly deny Mr. Bond’s proposition. And no 
occupation—not even manufacturing—has suf¬ 
fered more vicissitudes. The mass of our people 
had come to regard it as highly precarious, aud 
as less remunerative than various other branches 
of husbandry, until the signal and comparatively 
recent improvement, effected in the productive¬ 
ness of American sheep put it on a better foot¬ 
ing. And these improvements only brought it 
to a par with dairying and some other branches 
of husbandry. 
There is another view of this subject. The 
nation is struggling to maintaiu its solvency 
and credit under enormous and accumulating 
debt. Every taxable domestic article is taxed, 
or must be taxed to the utmost limit. J’reduct¬ 
ive income, everything must aid in some form in 
beariug the burthen. But, according to the 
theory of our respected correspondent, an ex¬ 
ception should be made in favor of foreign capi¬ 
tal employed amongst us aud which is earning 
golden profits out of our disasters. The wool 
raisers of Buenos Ayres and the Cape of Good 
Ilope send their products to us, draw a rich in¬ 
come from them, and then pocket their gold 
untaxed 1 While the nation is so greatly in 
need of revenues, no revenues, or no serious 
amount of revenue must be raised on an im¬ 
ported commodity which is “ taking gold out of 
the country ” to an enormous extent aDd injuri¬ 
ously competing with an American commodity. 
The friends of these foreign produce-era—or 
those who think our own producers and our own 
revenues ought to be sacrificed for the benefit of 
manufacturers—talk as if all American wools 
found a ready sale at the bast prices quoted. 
There was probably more domestic wool unsold 
on the first day of the present April than at the 
same period in any other year within our recol¬ 
lection. It is an undeniable truth that every 
advance in the price of our wools has been 
fought with a dogged determination by our 
manufacturers. They have bought the foreign 
article when a suitable one could be found— 
they have bought from hand to mouth—they 
have got up trade sales of poor foreign wools to 
discourage farmers and knock down prices—they 
have resorted to every expedient to avoid pay¬ 
ing a trifle over the gold market price of wools 
for the last 35 years, notwithstanding the abund¬ 
ance of natural and arti tidal circumstances which 
made such au advance legitimate and proper! 
Thousands and thousands of our wool growers 
are now holding their clips to obtain even such 
prices. 
We have said, and we say again, let ns, as 
wool growers, make no war on the fair and 
legitimate interests of manufacturers. We can 
not live without them. The bond of connection 
between them and us is a Siamese one, at least 
to us. If they perish, we must perish. We can 
not raise wool for exportation. We must not, 
then, ask for any modification of the tariff which 
will prevent manufacturers from doiug a profit¬ 
able business. Nay, let them have round profits 
— so that their business will rapidly extend. 
But they are not entitled to all the profit.*.. An 
interest embracing ten thousand times their 
number of persons—the revenues of the country 
— and everything else, ought not to be sacrificed 
for their exclusive benefit. 
Mr. Bond says:—“It is time enough for the 
wool growers to complain when they have suf¬ 
fered.” We contend they are Buffering now. 
And were it not so, would it be the part of wis¬ 
dom to wait for disaster, instead of providing 
against it? Nothing but the price of gold and 
exchange prevents our producers, under the 
provisions of the present infamous wool tariff, 
A number of Mr. Bond’s points we leave 
unanswered because we have answered them 
before, or because we think the proper answers 
will necessarily suggest themselves to the 
thoughtful reader. 
> 1 4 - 
A STATE CONVENTION OF WOOL GROWERS. 
The subject of holding such a Convention 
for consultation in regard to the wool growing 
interests of the country, and with a view of 
organizing a permanent State Wool Growers’ 
Association, as has been done iu Ohio, Vermont, 
etc., has been for some time under consideration 
and correspondence among various leading wool 
growers of New York. The impression appears 
to be pretty general that such action would he 
highly expedient, and we regard it as settled that 
a Convention is soon to be called. But we have 
seen but few expressions as to the best time for 
holding it. It has been suggested that it he held 
at Syracuse on the 1st of June. Others have 
proposed that it be held at Rochester at the 
time of the State Fair. It is desirable that 
those interested make an early expression ol 
their views on the subject. 
CONDENSED CORRESPONDENCE, MINOR 
ITEMS, &c. 
Bad Management.— E. Reynolds, of Fond du Lac 
Co., Wla., gives an interesting account of the bad 
management be witnesses In keeping sheep of all ages, 
sizes and conditions together, and in feeding them 
grain in troughs not long enough tbr the whole Hock to 
eat at a time, so that the big, strong sheep which need 
it least, got neatly all. He justly thinks that such 
arrangements lead to miserably unprofitable results. 
Remedy you Stiff Neck in Lambs —The neck is 
drawn down or to one side by the muscles. If the 
head and neck are gently and gradually brought into 
their natural position and kept there a considerable 
portion of the time by placing the lamb in a little box 
so arranged with cushions, bunches of rags, India 
rubber straps, &c., that whether standing or lying 
dowu the head will be kept up and in place, the rigidity 
of the abnormally acting muscles will give way and 
the distortion disappear. 
Sheep Wintering in Wisconsin, <fcc.—“ Yorker " 
writes ua from Fon dn Lae, Wisconsin, that the winter 
has been very severe in that region—that extremely cold 
weather has alternated with wet snow storms—and that 
tiie snow has been on the average three feet deep, and 
and badly drifted. A few llocks Of sheep that have had 
good care and feed have got through the winter with 
but slight loss—but. others have lost 10, 20, aud even 50 
percent of their rut tuber Seven tenths of the lambs 
already dropped (Ap'l 11,) are dead—bnt fortunately 
the largest and best llocks generally will not drop their 
lambs before the 1st of May. “ Yorker " attributes the 
mortality to poor shelters and slion keep—the latter 
occasioned by the high price of hay and grain. He 
justly says “ these products have gone the least profita¬ 
ble road to murbel—they ought to have gonethrongh 
the masticators and bodies of the sheep.” 
The winter is understood to have been especially se¬ 
vere throughout the whole West —and we shall proba¬ 
bly hear of » very extensive loss of sheep; and fleeces 
must be light at the coming clip. 
The samples of wool sent by Yorker will not compare 
favorably with that of prime American Merinos In New 
York. Both arc fine enough. No. 1 shows much the 
best style, but its crimp becomes nearly obliterated L. 
of an inch from the outer end. It obviously came from 
a thin fleece. No. 2 lacks materially in style. The 
crimp is coarso and uneven. The wool is too short. 
And it has those pointed outer ends, like a teg’s fleece, 
which ought never to mark a prime full blood fleece 
from an animal which has been previously sheared. 
Numbering Sheep on the Ear.— C. L, Haydos, of 
Wyoming, N. Y., has iriedthe following modification 
of Von Thank's mode of numbering sheep, It muti¬ 
lates the ear much le.-s, and he thinks it as easy to 
understand if. He use.- a punch three sixteenth- of au 
inch in diameter, but says it would be better if one- 
fourth of an inch. 1 hole under right ear stands for 1; 
1 hole in lip same, 3; 1 hole iu right ear, above, 5; 1 
hole in left, ear, above, 7; 1 hole in tip left car, 0 ,1 hole 
underleftear, 12; 1 notch uuder right ear, 10; 1 notch 
in lip of same, 80; 1 notch iu right car, above, 50; 1 
uoteh in left, above, 70; ] iiulcli in tip left, 90; 1 notch 
uuder lelt, 120. A notch stands for ten times ns many 
as a hole in the same position. A hole one-half inch in 
diameter in the center of right ear, 2<H); saim- in left 
ear, 400. lie says:—“Yon could in place of the one- 
half inch holes, cut off the tips of the right and left ear, 
which I did for 200 and 400. By this process you can 
number up to 110 by using three holes or notches, or 
some of each, and with five ur six up to 700 or 800. 
N. M. Carpenter, of Ellington, N. Y, has also 
adopted a plan “which requires about one third loss 
cutting of the ears” than Von Tu abb’s. “ One notch 
on the tipper side of the left ear, near the end, repre¬ 
sents t; a notch on the Bame, near the head, 2, one 
notch on the under side of the same ear, near the end, 
3; and a notch near the head on the same, fi. On the 
right ear, one notch near the end on upper side, 10; on 
the same near the head, SO; on tinder side of same, 
one notch near the end, 80; near the head, BO. Thus 
yOU see that the notches count according to the place 
they occupy on the ear The above numbers may be 
so combined a» to indicate any number from l to 100 
When the numbering goes above 100, a notch maybe 
taken out of the end of the left car, and for 201) a notch 
out of the end of the right ear, as In the plan of Von 
Timer. The places of the uotrhes on the curate so fli 
ctently far apart so as not to cause the least confusion 
in determining the number at a glance when one gets 
used to them.” 1 
A MANURE CHAPTER. 
Eds. Rural New-Yorker: —I have no¬ 
ticed, of late, some controversy, through the 
Rural, in reference to the best time to apply 
manure to corn ground. What may he wise 
practice in one locality, may be equally unwise 
iu another; at least, so it appears to me. On 
day and stiff soils, especially where snow covers 
the ground most of the winter, it may be econ¬ 
omy to spread the manure in the fall, and plow 
it under in the spring; hut here, on fight, sandy 
soils, with little or no mow, with constant ex¬ 
posure to freezing and thawing,—it would be, I 
think, exceedingly imprudent. When manure 
is worth five and six dollars per cord, the 
thoughtful farmer will study to save and apply 
it iu the best possible manner. This leads me 
to the subject of 
Saving Manure.— I once heard a careful 
farmer say, “ It’s no use to dig clams unless you 
pick them up.” One may easily apply the re¬ 
mark in accumulating and saving fertilizers. 1 
have some neighbors who talk earnestly about 
the great need of stimulating manures, and who 
take pains to increase their heap of the valua¬ 
ble article, yet will draw it out early in the 
spring,—because it is convenient,—let it lay for 
weeks in small heaps, exposed to drying winds, 
drenching rains, and scattering fowls. When it 
i> spread and plowed under, it is perfectly harm¬ 
less. giving little ofl'ense to the most fastidious 
nerves. With your permission, I will here 
give 
Two Ways of Applying and Spreading Ma¬ 
nure .—One man draws his manure whenever 
convenient, as above described. It is, possibly, 
coarse, composed mostly of corn-stalks, hay, Ac. 
The season of planting arrives. The “boys” 
are sent to spread the manure and plow the 
ground in haste. They throw the heaps here 
and there, taking little pains to scatter even, 
and plow in a hurry. One may see the straw 
cropping out, partially covered, over the field. 
The corn is planted “on the run,”—hoed in 
like manner. 
If you pass by in August, you will see a 
bountiful crop of weeds. The result is, light, 
sickly corn, aud an “empty crib.” Such a 
farmer probably cares little about the newspa¬ 
per, discards all improvement, and wonders how 
certain men secure a competence. It must be 
by some dishonest means, as he works equally 
hard. 
Another farmer has a barn-cellar and roofs to 
protect the manures. Hogs are kept under the 
barn to “work the manure over,” pack it 
down and enrich the heap. The refuse corn¬ 
stalks and straw are cut fine for bedding. Muck 
and loam are thrown over, at suitable times,— 
also soap-suds and night-soil. If his cellar is 
small, or he wishes to draw the manure some 
distance, he puts it into large heaps, fifteen or 
twenty loads together, treads It down, and then 
throws ft load ef muck or loam over the pile. 
When the time arrives for hauling and plow¬ 
ing, he says, “now. boys, let us tube bold with 
a icill. As he draws the manure in suitable 
heaps, if already plowed, he scatters a few 
shovels of dirt over them. If convenient, he 
plows as fast as the manure is drawn; at all 
events, exposing It as little as possible. The 
manure is spread evenly. A man or boy breaks 
and scatters the large lumps before plowing. 
All is carefully turned under. The manure is 
black and moist, and rich with ammonia. It 
would hardly do, even for the husband himself, 
to go into the house, without leaving his boots 
and overalls on the door-steps. 
When the coni is planted properly, and culti¬ 
vated thoroughly, all weeds kept down, Ac., 
the husbandman may reasonably hope to obtain 
a bountiful harvest, and he will not generally 
be disappointed. Which process is wisest we 
leave to the candid farmers to decide. 
Dighton, Mass., 1S&4. C. W. Turner. 
ABOUT THE CHINTZ BUG. 
Eds. Rural New-Yorker: —As but little 
seeding is yet done in this latitude and longi¬ 
tude, and as a late spring is supposed to favor 
the development and depredations of the chintz 
bug, before the grain bas time to ripen I would 
like to inform those of my brother farmers, 
who have not thought of it, of a plan that wo 
have adopted to remedy, in a measure, this seri¬ 
ous evil. We sow about a peck of winter grain 
per acre, well mixed with the usual amount of 
spring wheat. We prefer rye for this purpose, 
as It is cheaper, has more kernel., per bushel, 
and is less liable to rust than winter wheat. 
The philosophy of the plan Is, that the winter 
grain is a more succulent mid tempting edible 
for the bug, than the more mature spring wheat, 
consequently the ripening crop escapes. Solv¬ 
ing any of the tame grasses produces the same 
results, but is much more expensive. 
Yours, truly, 1>. G. Cheever. 
Rock Co., Wts., April 16, 1864. 
Remarks. — We thank our correspondent for 
his timely suggestion. By the way, talking 
about the late season in the West, reminds us 
of the following paragraph from the pen of 
our friend Chas. W. Murtkkldt, of the Rock¬ 
ford (UJ.) Register. He says:—“We think that 
the season has too far advanced to sow wheat to 
any extent. A man may risk a few acres, and 
if it turns out well, all right; if not, it is no 
great loss. Wo would not sow much as late as 
this, all things being equal; yet we raised a very 
good crop once which was sown on the 8th of 
May. 
Spring rye is a good grain to sow, and only 
requires ninety days to mature. Why do not 
farmers sow more of it? The chintz bug does 
not trouble spring rye, if we are correctly in¬ 
formed, and we have information from an un¬ 
doubted source. 
Corn is the Crop for this YeAr .—We plead 
guilty of having played a tune or two on this- 
string; still, we reiterate, corn is the crop, ami 
why ? Corn requres but little seed—one bushel 
w ill plant eight acres, three or four kernels to 
the hill. One man, with the improved ma¬ 
chinery. can cultivate a good many acres. Corn 
need not be harvested the first day it is ripe, nor 
the first week, nor even the first month. II 
does not spoil by waiting a few days. Last, 
and best of all. it commands a good price, and 
will, very probably, for a year or two to come, 
at least.” 
- » — - . 
inquiring anti 
E. R. Billings, CoDn. We do not know the address 
of the person you nnmo. 
Tacking Egos.— (J, A. S, Seneca Co., N. Y.) Yon 
are referred to page 127, current volume of Rural, for 
the information you seek. 
JlPML 30. L 
Rural Notes attii Stems. 
Oast-Tron Pans for boiling Sap.— Will W. W 
Horton, ol' Allegany, or some other person, tell when 
cast-iron pans cau he obtained, and oblige many sugar 
makers.— 8 . H. 8 ., Naples, N. r. 
Seeding apter Flax —I seeded a piece afier flax, 
last spring, with the desired result. I have heard ole 
flax-growers say it was the best spring crop to seed 
after.—W m. Brown. 
A Lame Horse.— I have a horse that has been lame 
in the shoulder more than a year Will some one 01 
your many subscribers inlorrn me what will be best to 
do for it?—E. S., Ogdensburgh. 
Hand Corn Planters.— (N. B. C., Cambria, N. Y.) 
We do not know which Is the best of the band corn 
planters. On page 85, current volume, yon will find 
what we think of all hand planters that we have ever 
seen. 
Mules.— (J. Sharp, Onondaga Co.) Springfield, Ill., 
is quite a mule market. We do not know the price ol 
mules there. Address John P. Reynolds, Scc’y Ill. 
State Ag. Society, at the above place, who will doubt¬ 
less answer your inquiries. 
Lice on Houses— My husband purchased a horse, 
last autumn, and before he was aware of it, the whole 
stock of horses was infested with lice. On the appli¬ 
cation of kerosene, from the nose to the tail, and on 
the Hank and breast, they all “skedaddled.” A sure 
remedy — Mrs. F. P. S., Onondaga, A" 1' 
Dissolving Bones with Urine.— (W. M. M , Spring- 
Held, Mass.) We do nol know that the dissolving 
bones with urine i~ practiced in this country to any ex¬ 
tent. But in England it is; it being asserted that a 
quantity of any kind of urine, sufllcient to wet the 
bones, will dissolve them. 
Bees in Dwellings.—A lady does not like bees be¬ 
cause she is annoyed by their entering her dwelling: 
aud she ta afraid of them. She may be assured that it 
is very rarely the case that a bee attacks any one away 
from its hire. It is only in self defence, or to drive ofl 
j a supposed intruder that a bee shows fight. 
Beans on Clover Sod.— (L. W. E., Ovid ) We have 
grown good crops of beans oil clover sod and on new 
laud. Plant any time from the 15th or May to the 151 li 
Of June. Plant in rows 2If to 3 feet npart, and )2 to fl¬ 
inches apart In the row, depending upon the variety 
planted. Keep clean. Cultivate only when the dew is 
off and ground dry. 
Tobacco in Cayuga Co., N. Y.—Mr. James IIickok 
writes us “ Mr. Elijah Peake, of Meridian, Cayuga 
Co, N. Y , raised, last season, on five acres of land, 
12,350 pounds of tobacco, being 2,470 per acre, whicli 
at the estimated value of twenty cents per pound will 
yield a net profit of more than $ 400 per acre. Can any 
one report a larger crop?” 
Sawdust A3 a Manure.— (B. C. H., West Exeter, 
N Y.) Sawdust, that lias been used as a betiding under 
cows is too Vain able to waste. It absorbs more or loss 
urine. It should be mixed with liino, and after decom¬ 
position takes place it Is valuable to apply to clay or 
sandy soils, It may also be profitably composted with 
strong manures, such as night, soil and hog manure. 
Warts on Cattle.— What is the best way to remove 
warts on man and beast?—B C. H-, Ere ter, N. 1*. 
It Is said the application of tar to the wart a few 
times will remove It. Others recommend cutting thorn 
off by tying strings of robber, silk or horse hairs about 
them. It is also asserted tnat frequent application 01 
castor oil will euro them. Lunar caustic applied in 
strong solution will do it. Cut them off and sear the 
wound with a hot iron. 
Sowing Timothy Seed —Will some of yonr readers 
please inform us how timothy seed will beet catch? It 
nas repeatedly failed on being sowed with ottatndii 
is not profitable to sow wheat here Will it do best in 
the fait or spring?— J G M-, Erie Co., Pa. 
If timothy seed is sown with outs the crop should be 
pul in the ground—the land having been full plowed— 
as soon a- the frost leaves It, and less than the usual 
amount of seed ,oats) should be sown. Wo have seen 
as fine meadows and pastures as we ever saw any 
where, obtained by sowing timothy with oats in this 
manner, lint we would not recommend seeding with 
oat? and sowing that, grain as late as it i» usually sown. 
Spring rye, or barley, are either of them good crops to 
seed with. Timothy should be sown in the spring. 
What ailed tub Cow?— Symptoms —A slight swei 
ling under the right jowl, January 15th, 6 o'clock, I* M. 
Cow inclined to rub the right side of the ticad at 9, P. 
M. Cow rub* right side Of the head frantically, has a 
Him over the tight eve. ha* rubbed the hair off the tinder 
side of her chops- Stands but a few seconds at 11,!’ 
M. This com lulled until she niwlie* to the manger, 
rubs, bellows and paws, simultaneously, at 12, M. She 
is evidently mail; froth issue* froin the mouth. She 
pays ro attention to uny one January Kith, 8 o'clock 
A >L, she dies, much bloated. Post mortem shows 
lungs inflamed considerably, bnt not enough to cause 
death, 1 think Everything else, internally, all right 
so fur as I know. The c.ow was one of the best of ten, 
aud has had, during the winter, oat and wheat straw 
in the yard during the day, and hay In the stable at 
tiivhi. 1 wish to know the cause and cure.— 11. H , 
J'ffrreon, I fit . 
Perhaps a skilled Veterinarian might tell you the 
cause and the cure. We cannot. The natural question 
is, had the animal been bitten by a dog? The symp¬ 
toms are not unlike those of rabies, or hydrophobia. 
Do you keep a dog or dogs? Do tkey have access 
to your stock? Do you know that your neighbors’ 
dogs havo not been among your stock ? We ask 
these questions for your own consideration. You 
need not answer them to ns,—they are only suggestive. 
On the other hand, it may havo been Inflammation of 
the brain. Did 3 on dissect the head* Whut appeared 
to be the condition of the swollen ,|aw ? If our readers 
can give onr correspondent any information, let them 
do so. 
Terms op the Rural New-Yorker.— Agents and 
Subscribers of Ihe Rural, and all persons wishing lo 
become such, will please note that 32 per year, in 
advance, will lie. its lowest subscription price after this 
late—as announced last week. This change abolishes 
nil club rates, establishing one uniform price, and the 
lowest at -which the paper can be afforded. We shall 
probably be compelled to put the price for a single 
copy at 82 50 or $3 per year, if paper and other mate¬ 
rial Items in newspaper making advance or long con- 
ilnue at present rates, but defer further change for the 
present, 
— The terms of the Rural ought to have been 
advanced months ago, but having announced our rates 
for the Winter Campaign, and advertised them exten¬ 
sively, we felt constrained to stand by the figures and 
sustain whatever loss might result therefrom. Bnt 
now* that the season for clubbing is over, no one can 
jitstly complain of the comae adopted, and we trust 
each and all having occasion to remit for the paper will 
he governed by the 32 rate. Those who send less will 
only receive the paper for the time paid for at the uni¬ 
form price, and can ascertain when their subscriptions 
expire by reference to the figures given after their 
names on address label. [Alt subscriptions expiring 
with any No. except that closing a year and volume will 
be noted by the number of the last paper, but those 
closing with the year aud volume have no figures at¬ 
tached to address.] 
*♦ -- 
A Plowing Match among the Freedmen.— The 
Sew Regime, published at Norfolk, Va., describes a 
freedmen’s plowing match, in which fourteen freed- 
men’s farms were represented by fifty-three competing 
plowmen. Thelfiacks are described as entering upon 
tlie friendly contest with great enthusiasm. “The 
awards were as follows —For ‘land No. 52.1st prize, 
watch to William Holland, No. 36, a clock to Aaron 
Goodwin, Me Alpine Farm; No. 37, Lewis Drew, 
Baker Farm, and No, 3, Edward Clements, Baxter 
Farm, 38 each; No, fi, Spencer Gopfagan, Baker 
Farm, aud No. 60, not claimed, 32 each. Ton of the 
remaining contestants received 31 each- The funds 
for the prizes were contributed by the Superintendent, 
Captain O. Brown, and the Assistant Superintendent, 
Mr. F P. Jackson; the clock, which was quite an 
elaborate structure, by kind friends of the freedmen at 
61 John street, New Y'orK.” 
-- 
Lamb’s Family Knitting Machine —We have 
been shown, aud seen in operation, a knitting machine 
invented and recently perfected by I. W. Lamb, or this 
city, which is apparently in advance of anything in the 
line of knitting machinery yet introduced to the pub¬ 
lic The principal advantages claimed for this over 
Akin's and other machines is that it is so constructed 
that any sized work, from the finger of a glove to the 
largest stocking, (or from one to a hundred stitches,) 
can be made without changing Ihe machine, and that it 
will knit cither tla: or tubular work of any size, and 
any variety of flat ribbed work. The machine we saw 
is the first one perfected, but we understand the in¬ 
ventor and patentee is to commence manufacturing at 
once, and will, no doubt, soon announce, in detail, the 
merits of his improvement, its price aud oilier particu¬ 
lars. 
-- 
The Wheat Crop.— The wheat crop of Western and 
Central New York is promising— at. least w e so inter 
from the fact Uiat the croakeis are silent on the subject 
of damage. The recent wet weather bus been favorable 
to wheat and grass, aud farmer! hereabouts speak en¬ 
couragingly of the prospect in regard to both crops. 
From the West, however, wc eonliuuc to receive unfa¬ 
vorable reports as to the appearance of wheat, especial¬ 
ly in Ohio and Michigan. The complaint Is that the 
plant was killed by the frost over a large extent ol' 
country, so much so I hat in some sections the farmers 
are plowing up their wheat fields. We trust the exteut 
of the injury Is exaggerated—as is frequently the case 
at this season of the year—aud believe the recent favor¬ 
able weather must have had a salutary influence upon 
the growing crop. 
-- --- 
Cotton Fields in Italy.— A correspondent of the 
New York Evening Post says:—Pompeii is to-day sur¬ 
rounded on every side by a large cotton field, and sim¬ 
ilar plantations occupy the neighborhood 119 far as 
Castellamarc and Salerno. It is only since the break¬ 
ing out of the American war that the Neapolitan 
peasantry have learned the capabilities of their land in 
this respect li is stulcd that the amount formerly 
gained from the cultivation of an acre of ground was 
fifty dollars; but the same space devoted to cotton now 
brings live hundred aud fifty. Preparations have been 
made to plant, during the coming season, a great deal 
more cotton than ever before, aud there is every pros¬ 
pect that before long the Neapolitan districts will sup¬ 
ply Italy with all the cotton she may need. 
-- * ■ 
The National Debt —“ Ferlky," the Washington 
correspondent of the Boston Journal, says on this in¬ 
teresting subject:—A friend who is versed iu finance 
and in figures, aud who has facilities for looking into 
Uncle Saul's account books, assures me that on the 1st 
of February, 1864, the National debt was over $1,550,- 
000,900. Of this, $503,006,178 81 was iu five twenty 
bonds; $450,785,001.60 was in United States notes 
(greenbacks;) $ 18,246,200.15 was in postal fractional 
currency: and the balauee in loans, bonds, liabilities, 
Oregon war bonds, and certificates of indebtedness, 
&c.., Stc. It was estimated by Gov. Chase that the en¬ 
tire indebtedness on the first of July next would be 
$ 1 , 086 , 950 , 041 , but utilooked for expenditures have in 
creased, aud will increase toe amount, so that it will 
exceed that sum. 
— --.■»«- 
Salt Springs in Cayuga Co —It is stated that 
while the people of Pori Byron, Cayuga Co,, N. Y., 
were boring an artesian well, and had reached a depth 
of 79 feet, a voLn of salt water was struck, which boils 
up and Hows about a barrel a minute, of clear, beauti¬ 
ful saline. It 1» aiflrmcd by those posted in such 
things, that salt water having been found at such a 
depth, indicates strongly Hint the article sought for 
will be fottud at a point much nearer the surface than 
any saline well yet bored in the State. If so, the Cay- 
ugas will be ahead of the Onondagas in accessibility 
to a prime necessity. 
«»» 
Sunday Scuool Books and Papers.— Officers and 
teachers of Sabbath Schools, parents aud all others 
interested, are referred to the announcement of Messrs. 
Adams Jt Ellis, who supply the host S. 8 books and 
papers at the lowest prices. Their depot and general 
bookstore is worthy the special attention of all visiting 
or having business connections in Rochester. 
Lady Woodbufp.— 1 This animal, contributed to the 
Metropolitan Fair by Robert Bonner, proprietor of 
the New York Ledger, was sold at auction to the high¬ 
est bidder, the funds going into the treasury of the 
Sanitary Commission. The purchaser was Jambs 
Irvino. Price paid, $2,900. 
