1 
MOORE'S RORAL lEW-YORKE 
and give more milk if thus put up and fed tar, sulphur, etc., •were need. 10, The condition of the 
a little grain or gooyl, bright clover hay each sheep through the winter mid just before lambing. 11, 
nigrrit- ' Whether they had a suitable snpply of milk. 12, 
m, ,_,_.. . „ +1 _„_ Whether au unusual number disowned their lamb3. 
The ‘‘show sheep in > ermont, as they are , , . .. . 
,. . , ,, , , , . ' . 13, Whether in case of goitred lambs the dam or sire 
there termed, are,usually sheared the first week ^ , shibiled goitre( 0 fe r had ever exhibitod it . J4 , 
in May. These usually consist of rams, ram whether the dam, and especially the sire, bad previous- 
aud ewe tegs, two year old ewes which have no ]y produced good, sound progeny. 15, Any other facts 
lambs, dry ewes, and ewes which have lost their deemed of interest, by the owner, 
lambs. They are, of course, sheared unwashed, If reliable answers to the above questions could be 
and they have for a considerable period to be nl ’ ,a ’ l 'cd respecting a uumher of affected flocks, and 
housed at night, from rain storms, and even in Jbe facts carefully compared, there is every reason to 
, ,, , , , believe that some valuable conclusions could be ob 
elnlly weather. They are thought to produce UineJ from tlu , n , in ^gard to the origin, and perhaps 
heavier fleeces annually by this course; but the to the boat modes of combating a mnvtolity more de- 
principal object is to give them a long fleece in structive to our sheep than all other causes combined, 
the fall so they will make a fine “ show on the and which baa no approximate rival in destructiveness 
Fair Ground, and to visitors and purchasers, except rbat winter decline which is usually called 
Take a pair of twin sheep so near alike that an ‘‘ 3liee P distemper, fle who wishes to give reliable 
ordinary observer can not distinguish one from fftCt8 , .f? w f 1,0 ?T- r ° r 
, _ .. , , ample, decide m advance that the whole thing rs goitre, 
another—shear one on the 1st of May and house and accordlngly £ nd g 0itre in iambs entirely free from 
it at night, and front rain stpfms until the next u—mistaking, perhaps, “the frog” of the neck for that 
fall—shear the other on the 20th of J tine and let malady. Let him toll exactly what he sees and knows, 
it thereafter run in the fields in the ordinary and leave theories to be subsequently deduced from the 
way, exposed to the weather—and on the first aggregate facts observed by many eyes and under a 
day of October the two will not look as if they £ reat variety of circu mstances. 
belonged to the same flock or even breed 1 The SnEEr WlNrEBme ]N Eastern Omo.-From our 
early sheared and housed one would ten times friend Thomas Gorbt, of Randolph, Portage Co., O., 
outsell the other in the ‘'fancy” market,—in* we lcnm that the sheep in that and part of Summit Co. 
deed, the most experienced judge can scarcely which lie has visited, generally look well, and will yield 
make sufficient allowance for the difference of g° od flc ' ecos - _ 
appearance though fully apprised of the causes tagging.—Clinton Matteson, of Rosendale, Fon 
Of it. ,in Lae Co.. Wis.. writes us—“A »nmt fnr 
dLommuukatwns, (Etc. 
CULTIVATION OF THE POTATO. 
In a former number of the Rural, I at¬ 
tempted to describe a manner of cultivation that 
generally produced poor returns. I now* pro¬ 
pose to indicate what I deem a better course to 
pursue. 
In the first place, a warm, dry soil is indispen¬ 
sable to profitable cultivation. It is worse than 
labor lost to plant, potatoes on a cold, wet, tena¬ 
cious soil. If a man has no other, he ehould 
underdrain it thoroughly. A rich sandy, or 
gravelly loam, drained so well that water would 
not stand upon it for twenty-four hours, would 
be my choice. With such a soil, if the yield 
and quality are not good, the fault is in the seed 
or cultivation. 
old colts, which I had known from the time 
they were weaned; one was larger, better fash¬ 
ioned, and seemingly stronger every way. 1 
broke them, worked both at a time, fed both 
same kind of feed, and last spring the stronger 
one got the heaves in spite of me. Now, the 
query is, why did the one get the disease and 
the other not? Remember, heaves is a peculiar 
disease, and the attaek differs from all others. 
Will some one tell us about this matter. 
Cambridge, Pa, 1864. * t. e 
MAT 7. 
Rural Notes anil Meins. 
RAISING ROOTS FOR SHEEP. 
I notice that my friend, Mr. Chamberlain, 
of Red Hook, gives you an excellent article on 
SnEEr Wintering in Eastern Ohio —From our 
friend Thomas Gorbt, of Randolph, Portage Co., O., 
we learn that the sheep in that and part of Summit Co. 
which lie has visited, generally took well, and will yield 
good fleeces. 
Tagging.—Clinton Mattesox, of Rosendale, For 
du Lac Co., Wis., writes us —"A good meihod for 
tagging sheep before they are let out to grass, is as fol¬ 
lows: Make a trough ten feet long, of 1 \ inch plank, 
12 iuojtes wide, open at the ends or legs, three feet high; 
fasten a strap on one side. Lay the sheep on its back 
in either end of tho trough, so the tags will drop in a 
basket. Raise the fore feet up to the bead, bring the 
abor lost to plant potatoes on a cold, wet, teua- CONDENSED CORRESPONDENCE. 
:iou8 soil. If a man has no other, he should c ... _ . - 
inuerdram it thoroughly. A nch sandy, or u 
p-avelly loam, drained so well that water would .. ’ ' 1 ' NVntes :vs follows:—“J. B., set 
tot stand upon it for twenty-four hours, would 0se posts top downward, by all means. If 
>e my choice. With such a soil, if the yield ' " U 1 to 11 ■ an ex P®i’Inient, set i us ^ one the 
nd quality are not good, the fault is in the seed °^ 10SI f' ^ v , a - v ’ , ut not ' u tlic ^ ne 01 f, ' ie fence, 
r cultivation. where the boards Mill be dependent upon it for 
A potato grown upon a wet soil, if healthy, out "hen? i< can tot. off and fall down 
enerally has a bad flavor, and is not apt to keep U '. ,r . e an " lnUt dm'qg further damage; 
rell. We think our limestone soils can not be : , n< ,, u ] - vou >u tmc ?’ altor “gone to 
xcelled for this crop. I have had the best sue- ' e ul - v ' e ot l01 s standing nearly as 
psh linen mi invprt-pil flnvpr sort ■ but. Viovn .tnno OUi a. M Utl Set. I kllOW M erCOf I affirm. 
this subject, and I hope it will he the means 0 * strap over the legs and neck and fasten to a button 
extending their cultivation; for by so doing, a the other side. The sheep wilfrest easy, and lie stiller 
farm can be made to carry a larger proportion than in any other position. Then shear out as directed 
of stock to the acre. For store stock, roots will in the'Practical Shepherd.’ Try a." 
go farther than grain, and are to be preferred, we tiavo seer ‘ tliu operation performed in a trough of 
. . .. .. a.. _• -r still more convenient form. It was four or five feet 
except in verv cold weather. When farming. I , ... , . ... „ 
... . . . , . . long, and the end at which the head was confined was 
was in the habit of raising large quantities. derated a few inches highest. The sides were say 16 
especially of the sugar beet, M’hich was a great inches wide, of half inch bass-wood, and rounded into 
favorite with my stock. Mr. Chamberlain is a form approaching a semi-ciilndrical one by being 
right when he says they are M r orth double for nailed to the upper extensions of the cross-legs which 
milk. were cut so as to give that form. The angle at the bot- 
I have tried sowing the seeds on the ridges tom °f the trough was tilled up with sheep skin. The 
well. We think our limestone soils can not lie 
excelled for this crop. I have had the best suc¬ 
cess upon au inverted clover sod; but have done 
well after corn planted upon sod well manured. 
In regard to depth of plowing, I M’otild say 
plow about your usual depth. I am in favor of 
deep tillage where the soil will admit of it; but 
would not commence on potatoes or corn. If 
you wish to deepen your soil, commence Mitli 
the fallow for winter grain. Turn it over one 
inch deeper than it has been plowed. Expose 
the virgin soil to the atmosphere for two or 
three months, and then it will be fit to receive 
the seed. Seed it down for a year or two and 
then plow it for com or potatoes as deep as it 
was plowed for the winter crop. 
If sod is plowed for planting, as soon as the 
furrows are sufficiently dry the plow should be 
followed by a heavy roller. The grouud should 
then be thoroughly pulverized and fitted. My 
practice usually is, to drag first lengthwise of 
the furroM’s, then coruenvise of the field. Jf 
this does not put the laud in good tilth. I drag it 
cornerwise the other way, and theu crosswise of 
the furrows, if necessary to put into proper con- 
where the crop is to grow, also in beds, aod then confined by a pin posing ever it and through dition. The harrow should be sharp and not 
*“ r T tP aiflPQ U/iMir., nviA«U»l, 4 a .bcitivh Ibn T r 1 .1 
transplanting, I much prefer the former, be¬ 
cause it lessens labor, and I was more certain of 
a good stand. 
But if yon sow in ridges, the seeds must be 
first soaked in tepid water, at least one week be¬ 
fore planting them; otherwise they will be so 
late in coming up, the weeds get the start of the 
plants, and are very troublesome to keep down. 
I have often soaked my seed a whole fortnight 
before planting, and sometimes till it sprouted, 
and got a first rate crop. There is this danger, 
however, from sprouting the seed before plant¬ 
ing: if hot, dry weather fallows, it may kill the 
plant, but a week’s soaking never endangers it. 
The beet seed has a thick and very hard peri¬ 
carp or covering, and if not well softened in 
tepid water before sowing, will be in the grournl 
from 17 to 30 days—according to the weather- 
before sprouting. One very dry spring and 
summer most of my unsoaked seed lay over two 
months in the ground before starting. Of 
course I bad a miserable crop from that part of it. 
In preparing the ground for roots, I prefer 
heavily manuring the preceding year, and taking 
a crop of eorn. This is a gross feeder, and there 
is no danger of manuring too heavily for it. 
The object of first taking a crop of corn is to be 
able to kill out most of the weeds; for if you do 
not have a pretty clean soil, it is very trouble¬ 
some keeping down the weeds in a root crop 
through June and July. To make the land 
sufficiently rich for roots, after corn, I would 
give it a top dressing of Peruvian guano, super¬ 
phosphate, bone dust, muck compost, or well 
rotted manure. These bring no tveeds. The 
three farmer should be harrowed in after plow¬ 
ing—the two latter lightly plowed in. 
I know that the above is contrary to English 
farming. There they generally apply fresh 
manure with all its accumulation of hay seed j 
and weeds, and then plow in and plant. But , 
recollect they can not raise com in England, j 
and a crop of potatoes is the only tiling that 1 
can well precede beets and turnips to clear the c 
land, M'bich would give them tM'o years of roots ' 
in succession. This is not considered so scientific 
as to have a root crop follow grain, or what they ( 
more. generally do is, vice versa—follow roots i 
with grain. A. B. Allen. t 
New York, April 20,1S64, ] 
the sides. 
Sheep Wintering in Western Pa.— Mr. John 
Gamble, of Dnuningsville, Washington county, Pa., 
writes ns that sheep have not wintered as well as usual 
in that region, and are coming into the spring rather 
thin. 
BCTTERMtLK FOR LAMB9 —THOMAS S. STEELE, Of 
Shushan, Washington Co., N. Y., says he raised two 
cosset iambs last year on batlermilk—one receiving 
nothing else from the beginning—the other previously 
fed four weeks on new sweet milk. The lost lamb did 
not do as well on the new milk and became costive two 
or three times. It took to buttermilk after a few feed¬ 
ings, and thenceforth grew finely. After learning to eat 
the latter, it would refuse sweet mils. Both lambs 
grew up large and strong. Mr. S. has tried the experi¬ 
ment once before with the same result. lie “ would 
heavy enough to disturb the sod. If plowed 
with a double plow, less dragging is required. 
If the grouud is clean, I M-ould plant iu drills, 
from three to three aud a half feet apart, drop¬ 
ping the seed about 12 inches apart in the drills. 
If foul, stumpy or very stony, I would plant in 
hills two feet eight inches to three feet each 
Choice Fodder—Corn and Oats. 
In answer to an inquiry by G., Ontario, 
Iv. t., hoM T to cure corn fodder, I would saj r , I 
have sown three bushels of corn and one of oats, 
thoroughly mixed, ou an acre, reaping there¬ 
from a large quantity of choice fodder. Sow 
immediately after planting and cut about the 
first of September. One man, with a sy the. M ill 
cut an acre in a day. The oats will not shell, 
but the straw being dry will absorb the juice of 
the corn, which prevents moulding.* Two days 
fine M-cather, with little turning of the swaths, 
renders it ready far the mow. A little salt 
shoHld be thrown over the mow as each load is 
stored. Horses, sheep and cattle prefer it to 
good hay. Horses will not have the heaves,— 
sheep will not have the stretches; cows Mill 
give milk if fed upon it.—8. S., Honeoye. 
Scratches on Horses. 
Mr. I). R. Barker, of Fredonia, N. Y., 
sends the Rural both a cure and a preventive 
for scratches. He writes:—To cure the scratches 
I practice as follows:—Take soap suds (any soap 
will answer) and, with a sponge, wash chan the 
legs and feet; Mitli the hands and fingernails, 
scratch off every vestige of the disease, keeping 
the leg well soaked during the scratching. 
Wipe dry with a cloth, and apply the following 
In either case it is important that the 10 evor - v S P°^ J ou ^ ave scratched :—One pound 
rows should be straight, in marking out I 
would use a simple corn-marker instead of the 
shovel-plow, for reasons which Mill appear 
before I close. 
The seed may be prepared any leisure time 
within a month or two before it is needed. My 
practice has been to cut the potatoes in such a 
manner as to leave not. to exceed two eyes on a 
of lard; one quarter pound of rosin; one 
ounce very finely powdered verdigris. Melt 
the lard and rosin toget her and stir in the verdi¬ 
gris until cold. Apply this treatment at night 
after the horse has “done his day’s M’ork,” and 
apply every night until a cure is effected. The 
preventive is the same, except the use of the 
soap and ointment. Sometimes my hired men 
profer of choice to raise a valuable motherless lamb on piece. A little lime k sprinkled upon the cut / a ^ to U8e tlu ' preventive, aud, of course, I soon 
1_. * A*._HI, ___ __tt I- • 1 1 . ... 1 1 L*_AL..A_1.. I .. I I ,« . . 
buttermilk than on sweet milk-” ,eed to absorb the juues, and it is then put in a 
„ , dry place until needed for plantin'?. If eailv 
Personal.— Mr B., of Connecticut, is informed that ^ i. . * . * 
, ... . ’ , . . potatoes are wanted, cut off and use onlv the 
we have distinctly charged turn with the inconsistencies 1 , - 
of statement which he refers to; and that he is invited Set ' € . ° lie l 10tato - I ani satisfied by actual 
to take such stops in the premises as may seem good in experiment, that the seed will conic tip sooner, 
his eyes. _ grow more thrifty, and mature earlier, than the 
„ „ „ . , other end of the potato. In planting in drills, a 
Sheet HrsBAxnRY on hie Prairies—“A snbscri- . , . . . 1 .. , “ 
ber. ' of Marcellus, N. Y., wishes to know whether p'cce J> dtopped lit a place. In hills, two 
“large numbers of sheep can be herded profitably on P' ece - ' D e ach hill. The seed is then covered 
the broad prairies of Iowa without owning land there, with the hoe about two inches deep, the person 
by keeping a shepherd to look after them.” and covering slep]>ing upon the. seed in passing. The 
whether “sheep will do well through the winter kept object of tiffs is to press tbe soil firmly upon the 
entirely on prairie hay and grain, without tamo hay.” seed . ] prefer this method to rolling tbe whole 
We answer aeridedly. ytx, to both questions. But it is . , . . . T » .- , . . 
, .. ; ,, , * , grouud, which I have sometimes done. This is 
better to own sotno land to erect sheds and other neces- f ‘ *• 
sary fixtures on, aud to give the proprietor the use and iaiu planting. It a Hum was planting from 10 
control of water when it is necessary. The grain to 20 or 30 acres every year, it would pay him to 
raised on the prairic3 for sheep, is com: and com fod¬ 
der, fed with good prairie hay, constitutes prime feed 
for sheep. _ 
Mr. Charles L. Pease, of Elba, N. Y., gives a par¬ 
ticular and accurate sounding description of the death 
use a machine. Some may object to tbe depth 
of the covering. If the soil was very sandy or 
apt to suffer front drouth, I would cover a little 
deeper. But shallow planting will come up 
quicker than deep, grow faster, come to maturity 
of a valuable teg; and yet the symptoms described so sooner, and wiien you come to dig them, it is 
closely resemble the ordinary phenomena of approach- r .ot half the labor, if they are well hilled up in 
tug death from different causes, that we cannot, with- cu ] t iyating. The after cultivation may form 
outan exhtbition of quacket^ assume to specify the tfae 81lbjcct of another artic]e . B> 
closely resemble the ordinary phenomena of approach¬ 
ing death from different causes, that we cannot, with¬ 
out an exhibition of quackery, assume to specify the 
particular caus* or disease. We like the first part of 
his treatment—but think he did rather too much. A 
careftil post mortem examination of the brain may 
have revealed much. 
Sheep Distemper.— S., of Pike Run, Pa., states that 
his neighbor, A. P. Fat, Esq., had (up to March 27th,) 
lost upward of seventy sheep. As he describes the 
symptoms of the disease, we consider it the “Sheep 
HEAVES IN HORSES. 
Eds. Rural Nkm'-YorkerI have read 
and heal'd a great deal about heaves in horses, 
their cause, location, treatment, and probable 
cure. Very few men, however, know the real 
hear that such or such a horse has tbe scratches. 
This never/ails to cure. 
itmudfs a»a 
Air Under an Ice Hors e.— (Henry A. Kendall.) It 
is onr opinion that you should exclude the air from 
beneath your ice-house—we should bank it up. 
Swiss Cheese.—B. Lillibridge informs ns that a 
company Las been organized in Biossvaie, M. Y., for 
the purpose of manufacturing Swiss Cheese in a scien¬ 
tific manner, 
Fames’ Water Engine —A subscriber is informed 
that the prices of these engines range from $-10 to 
1160, according to size, as we learn from the manu¬ 
facturer’s circular. 
Water Pipe.— A subscriber asks if there is some 
kind of pipe made, tliat would be durable if laid in 
the ground, tliat will not poison or injure the water. 
We know of none unless it be iron, which is costly 
To Cure Ring Bonk.—Charles Cook, of Steuben 
Co., N. Y., writes us that he knows a cure for ting- 
bone, which is“ Take a large toad, cut it open and 
bind it on the ring-bone. Let it remain twenty-four 
hours; it will certainly cure. 
Cheap Sewing Machines.—Elijah S. Webster, 
of Barclay, Ill., writes of the ten dollar sewing ma¬ 
chines:—“It is a vety easy way for a man to get rid of 
his money for something which will be of no avail 
whatever except for show.” And he professes to have 
The Season.— Thus far the Spring of 1864 has been 
1 most unfavorable for farmers—the moat backward and 
e unpleasant one experienced in ibis region for several 
3 yeais. Bat little out door work has been performed 
r property, or at the usual season, and tho prospect is still 
discouraging—for on the morning of thiB 3d day of 
May the earth was mantled with snow and the atmos¬ 
phere unfavorable to vegetation, comfort or a hopeful 
frame Of mind. Some countrymen hereabouts are 
feeling decidedly bine, and think onr respected friend, 
the “ Clerk of the Weather,” is at fault Tor allowing the 
continued prevalence of frigidity, moisture, etc. It has 
rained most of the time for the past two weeks, and if 
[, the health of people depended upon hydropathic treat 
- uieut. the records of mortality would be favorable in 
this locality. But the Almanac says it is May, and we 
trust there will ere long be a favorable change iu earth, 
air and sky—one which will rejoice and make glad the 
denizens of both town and country, and give Nature a 
holiday. 
-- 
Death op Edward G. Faile— The decease of 
Edward G. Faile, Esq., Ex-President of the New 
York State Agricultural Society, is announced. Mr. F. 
died at bis residence. West Farms, Westchester county, 
on the 20th ultimo, after a brier illness of pneumonia, 
in the 68th year of his age. The announcement of ids 
demise will startle and pain many of our readers, and 
especially those who were sufliciemly acquainted with 
■Mr Faile to know the kindness of his heart and 
nobleness or his nature. He was a model man iu the 
various relations of life, but we have neither time nor 
space to pay a suitable tribute to his memory. 
To Head Cabbage and Tobacco Worms.— Col. W. 
T. Cuylbr, of this city, (formerly of Livingston Co.,) 
sends us the following timely suggestion on this sub¬ 
ject:—“ I have just read a treatise on Tobaceo Culture, 
(which is for sale at your office,) from whiehllearn 
that one ort he many troubles iu growing the crop is 
from the common brown cut worm, so destructive to 
cabbage plants when first set oul, and corn when 
young. Now, a sure preventive front the worm eating 
the cabbage plant is to procure hickory leaves from our 
common hickory trees, and w rap a leaf around each 
plant when set out, so that Borne of the lear will be 
above ground and some below, having the middle of 
the leaf about even with the sorfacc of the ground. 
This io easily and quickly done, as no tying is necessa¬ 
ry. 1 have tried this plan for over twenty-five years in 
raising cabbages in ground that was as full of brown 
worms as it cuuid well be. I never lost a cabbage 
when thus protected, but always did when this pre¬ 
ventive was not applied. This being so with tlie cab 
bage, why not the same with the tobacco plant? The 
same worm beiug destructive to both, I should think 
| the same preventive would answer both plants I hope 
some of the tobacco growers will try it this season, 
and let tbe public know the result through your paper.” 
Doos, Sheet and Peas.—G. B. J., near Brewerton, 
Onondaga Cu., N, Y , informs us that “he keeps the 
curs from his sheep by putting them at night in a yard 
inclosed on two sides by buildings, on the other two 
by a light board fenee seven or eight feet high, with 
pickets nailed ou ttie top, made out of culled slaves.” 
Hi- thinks “ the satisfaction of knowing that one’s sheep 
are safe will amply repay for all Umneecesaiy expense.” 
He feeds peas umhreshod to hi6 sheep oil ilm ground 
lin winter, wc suppose, he means,) when the state or 
the ground will permit it, ar.d shelled corn in troughs 
when the grouud L muddy. lie prefers pens, and con¬ 
siders them cheaper. 
Peas arc, beyond all question, one of the beet possi¬ 
ble feeds for sheep, and at the same price are regarded 
as considerably more valuable thau corn. They 
specially promote the growth of wool, and secretions 
of milk in breeding ewes. 
Distemper,” as it is frequently called—that, latal decline ca U 8e of heaves, notwithstanding many usser- learned this fact by experience. 
CONDENSED CORRESPONDENCE, MINOR 
ITEMS, &c. 
The Wool Tariff.— G- S., of Rhinebeck, N. Y., 
strongly urges that a Convention of Wool Growers be 
called for the purpose of sending delegates to Washing¬ 
ton to attempt to induce Congress to impose a proper 
duty on wools. A Convention is about being called 
for such objects as the wool growers present ehall de¬ 
cide are expedient. 
Lamb Epizootic.—John S. Minakd, of Fillmore, 
Allegany Co., N. Y., sends us some interesting state¬ 
ments tinder this head. Wc propose to discuss the 
subject at some length within a few weeks, and shall 
then refer fully to Mr. M.’e communication. 
Mortality among Lambs.— Where any special mor¬ 
tality occurs among Iambs during the present spring, 
we should be glad to bo informed of Lho fact, aud at the 
same time have the following questions definitely and 
accurately answered:—1, Number of breeding ewes In 
the flock. 2, Number or good lambs raised, number of 
defective ones, and number aead 3, Appearance and 
symptoms of dead ones, ana wherein the defective ones 
are imperfect- 4, The remedies employed, aud their 
apparent effects 5. Kind of yards and shelters the 
sheep had, how much of the time daily and through 
what portion of the season they were confined to them, 
and what exercise the sheep had. 6, Kind and quality 
of feed the sheep received through the winter, and 
what changes were made therein from time to time. 7, 
How and where they received water. 8, How and 
where they received salt. 9, How and where oth¬ 
er supposed remedial or preventive substances, like 
arising from entering the winter thin, or from being 
improperly fed or ntauaged whm the winter it an unfa 
vorablf one for shwp. During sonic winters—usually 
when the weather is moderately cold aud steady—the 
thinnest sheep will continue to improve. During some 
others — generally open aiul very changeable ones — 
strong sheep will fall otr without the choicest of food 
aud care, and when March arrives the work of death 
commence? The malady evidently often assumes an 
epizootic form, and when it does, flocks even in good 
store order, are In danger. Wc recently stated thut 
sheep had not wintered very well in Central New York 
the present year. We hear of more and more cases of 
unusual mortality in flocks, As stated under the head 
of “ Sheep Work in March,” we have never yet found 
an efficient remedy against this fatal decline, when it 
had once fairly set in. 
To Make a Ewe Own her Lamb —Our friend J. S. 
Delano, a large sheep proprietor of Mount Vernon, 
Ohio, writes us:—“When you write another book on 
sheep, please record the following fact. If a ewe dis¬ 
owns her lamb, rub the hand on the latter, or scrape a 
little slime from it, put it in the ewes month, and then 
leave her. She will go instantly to licking the lainb." 
Sheep 8now and Shearing. — The Thom Hill 
Farmers’ Club announces that Its second annual Sheep 
Exhibition will be held at Thorn Hill, Onondaga Co , 
ou the 2d of June proximo. The sheep exhibited are 
to be shorn under the direction of judges selected by 
the Club, and their merits tested iu all respects which 
may be deemed important. Tbe Club will make ample 
provision for sbeep from a distance and for all persons 
who may attend. We trust the exhibition will be 
largely attended by wool growers, and prove both 
pleasant and profitable— m. 
tions to the contrary. All, I believe, agree that 
foul, musty hay is one cause. One farrier says, 
“it is caused by over-feeding, or drinking.” 
Mr. A. says, “Some horses’ lungs are so consti¬ 
tutionally weak, hence fast driving and hard 
work increases the breath and impairs the 
lungs.” Mr. B. says, “The winter, in certain 
localities, operates more directly than any other 
cause on the wind-pipe,” &c. t &c. The expe¬ 
rience of perhaps nearly every horseman, un¬ 
doubtedly corroborates these statements. 
Now, the. question arises, Why do some 
horses, all things being equal, get heavey and 
others not? For an illustration,—a farmer has 
a pair of matched horses, colored alike, fash¬ 
ioned alike, equal in strength and nerve, 
equal in speed, and, to all appearance, in 
durability; both eared far alike, worked to¬ 
gether; fed alike, .and supposed to he consti¬ 
tutionally alike, &c.; one coughs, he has the 
heaves, remedies resorted to, hut. to no effect; a 
sad misfortune. Many instances of this kind 
have come under our personal observation. It 
is well known that heave- never attaek this 
noble animal in tho summer season, but inva¬ 
riably in winter, or spring. About eight win¬ 
ters ago, 1 knew, in this vicinity, of several 
horses getting tbe disease; they were owned by 
as many different individuals, and probably 
treated in as many different ways. I remember 
of two owners telling mo their hay was not foul 
or musty, but said it must he the winter. 
Three years ago I bought a spau of three-year 
Are there two kinds of Red Clover)—(J. F. M., 
Carmel, Ind ) There are two or three varieties of red 
clover. Thera is a difference of opinion as to which is 
the best variety. Some prefer what Is known as “ the 
large kind; 1 ' otbere the “medium,” while few regard 
“small kind" or “June clover,” as any better than 
, any other weed, except for forage. W'u shall be glad to 
receive the experience and opinions of oar readers as 
to the comparative merits of these varieties, 
Sherwood’s Grain Binders.—Do you know any 
thing about the grain binders that arc advertised in the 
Rural of last week, or do you just Insert the advertise¬ 
ment us it is sent, without any knowledge of the worth 
of it? Is the inventor a responsible mini, or Is he like 
a good many others, a quack and humbug, a kind of 
catch-penny concern calculated to take In farmers ? By 
answering (lie above you will greatly oblige one, If nut 
more thau— One Subscriber, Middletown', Pel. 
The writer hereof— the Associate Editor—la convinced 
that the above binder is entirely unworthy the eoufi 
dencc of farmers. De lias traveled a good deal among 
farmers, has met and talked with men who have pur 
chased them, aud lie iias nevery«t seen one In practical 
operation tn the field, nor totiud a man who had suc¬ 
ceeded in using them. The proprietor has not won an 
enviable reputation among those to whom he has sold 
his machines, by his mode of doing business, and wc 
fear the coguuiuwj, " catch penny,” can be too justly 
prefixed to the “ concern.” On page 261, last, volume, 
wc said something of the reputation of this binder tn 
the West. We would not advise our readers to con 
tract for It until they have seen it in operation tn the 
harvest field. Do not buy it on the strength of any 
man’s certificate. If the inventor chooses to disabuse 
ns of the above expressed opinions, by demonstratiun, 
we will go any reasonable distance to afford him tbe 
opportnuily, and will do liis machine Justice afterward 
The Potato Hot— Another Remedy.—11 is stated that 
M Por.-Aun, President of the Agricultural Society of 
Chalons iu France, lias issued an address in which he 
claims to have discovered a remedy for tbe potato rot. 
The secret, he says, consists in planting them after the 
first of June instead of in April, By this plan they 
escape the frost of April, and the leaf is not exposed to 
the hot sun of July. M. Pousard is Of the opinion 
that the allenu.te host and heat corrupt the root by 
their opposing influences It appears I hat ho has con¬ 
tinued his experiments for severaL years, and that his 
potatoes are of a fine size and perfectly sound. 
— » »• - 
A Merited Compliment to Rev. Dr. Dewey.— 
Those of our readers acquainted with the Rev. Dr. 
Dewey of this city, (the C. D. in our list of contrib¬ 
utors,) ate aware that he has long been oue of the 
most devoted and successful educators In Western 
New York,—prominent and popular as a Teacher, Pro¬ 
fessor and Divine for over a quarter of a centuiy. 
Thousands whom he has instructed or advised remem¬ 
ber him with pleasure, and many or his pupils are 
occupying Important positions in various professions 
and pursuits of life. No citizen of Rochester is more 
truly venerated or worthier of profound esteem than 
Dr. Phwby,— and hence we were not surprised on 
reading the following paragraphs, the first from the 
Rochester Daily Pemocrat, and the second from the 
Boston Cultivator: 
The People's College at Havana — It gives us much 
pleasure to h-aro that this institution, ttie object of so 
many ardent hopes,is at last open for the reception of 
students. Among the Professors wc notice no less 
than three Rochester nanjes— Professors Pliin, Pickett 
and Booth—all more or 1»- proteges of our worthy 
iVli-nd, Prof. Dewey—a circumstance which must tie 
highly gratifying to oue who has taken so deep an 
interest In the cause of education. But cvcrv one 
knows that there are tew men who have done more to 
stimulate and encourage young men than Dr. Dewey. 
We concur most - ordially in what our con temporary 
says of the influence of Dr. Dewey upon the mtmls and 
character of young men, now for about half a century. 
To him we feel under deeper personal obligations than 
any ot her man living As student and a>-oclate Pro¬ 
fessor, we were v* itb hi in dailv nearly one third of the 
active years iff the ordinary life of mau. Few days 
pass if any since we left him when we arc not reminded 
of his good words and works. 
--rts- 
New Hardware Firm.—Wc are pleased to leant 
thut tbe new firm of IIki-.ing & Miller, 71 Main St., 
(successors to Moore & IIrbing,) opens tbe spring 
and summer campaign under very favorable auspices. 
Aid. Uehing is thoroughly experienced iu the hardware 
business, and his hosts of friends In city and country 
will be glad to find him at the head of an extensive es 
tnblishment, both wholesale and retail. The store has 
boen greatly improved in appearauce, and well arranged 
lor the transaction of an Increased amount of business. 
We cordially wish the new firm a long and successful 
career. 
Live Stock is France.—A Paris letter give* the fol¬ 
lowing figures—It appears from official returns that in 
the 89 depart meats of France are 8,000,000 horses, 400,000 
asses, 330,000 mules, 10,200,000 horned cattle, of which 
300,000ate bull-, 2,000,000 oxen, 5,800,000cows, 2,100,000 
yearlings, 4,000,000 calves, 85,000,000 sheep and lambs, 
of which 26,000 are merinos or half-breed; goats aud 
kids. 1,400,000; hogs above one year old, 1,400,000; 
sucking pig*, 3,000,000. 
