have no less that belongs to biin, A feeling of 
hostility between them is only injurious to both. 
If the contemplated tariff on woolens is enacted, 
there is no occasion for the former to entertain 
any jealousies of the latter. He will be placed 
in a situation where even the circumstances 
above named will give the manufacturer no ad¬ 
vantages over him. But let there be reason and 
Yet, after this surprising disclaimer, “A 
Wool Grower,” in effect, returns to the same 
charge in the following question:— “ Why does 
A Breeder' stick to 1864, when Sweepstakes, 
was bred in 1856? That is the stand-point of 
the great improvement.” Who, I ask, made 
the birth of Sweepstakes such stand-point? Is 
there a word in the Practical Shepherd to show, 
moderation on both sides. In the day of his or render probable the fact that, its author, 
success, let the wool grower never forget one writing in 1863, and describing the impiove- 
fsict, viz., that in pursuing any line of action incuts over the old AXWOOP sheep, then visible 
which will necessarily prove destructive to the in Mr. Hammond a (lock, did not describe what 
manufacturer, he only performs the SampsonUu he saw before him, hut went back to give an 
feat of tearing down the edifice whose ruins opinion of the flock from a staud-point seven 
must overwhelm himself. All our present ad- years earlier — when he had never seen that 
vances in wool growing will be thrown away flock? I understand Hr. Randall expressly 
and lost unless American manufactures continue to declare in one ol his notes to my first reply to 
to flourish. No American, in our day and gen- “A Wool Grower" that be never saw' Mr. 
eration, can raise wool for profitable exportation, Hammond’s flock before the description of the 
at least north of Texas and east of the Rocky old Atwood sheep, which was published in his 
Mountains. Fine Wool Husbandry, was read ami approved 
_^_ by a number of the leading breeders of Ver- 
THE GREAT IMPROVEMENT IN SHEEP. mont; and on seeing this declaration I turned 
to the last named work, and in a note on page 
Dr. Randall : — “A Wool Grower ” (in 77, found it stated that the description was thus 
Country Gentleman May 10) in attributing my read and approved on the 8th day of February, 
reply to you, pays me, certainly, a very high 1862. So Dr. Randall never saw Mr. Ham- 
compliment. I fancy I could show myself a mond’s flock before 18621 
much better judge of his identity. Few' per- 
much better judge of his identity. Few' per- ” A Wool Grower” in his codicil to his first 
sons in Vermont fail to recognize his ear-marks! communication (made while he was trying to 
He makes my alleged filling of “the-in find, my reply!) fell just half in his original 
Dr. Randall’s book” with the name of Mr. 
Hammond, a pretence for lugging your name 
into the controversy. The falseness and impu¬ 
dence of the pretence appeal's from the fact that 
you left no “ -” or blank, in your descrip¬ 
tions of Mr. Hammond’s sheep, which he 
refers to. In his article of April 7. he quoted 
from the Practical Shepherd a part of your 
account of Mr. Hammond’s improvements on 
the Atwood sheep, and he marked it as quoted. 
But in liis commentaries thereon he did not, as 
you did, give Mr. Hammond's name — terming ago, or recent ones, 
him throughout, with an affectation of sarcasm, “A Wool Grow 
“ the great improver/’ as if there was some- issue flies to anothe 
thing absurd in your claiming that rank lor rant one. But wilt 
him. Thus he created a quasi “blank,” and I pretending to state 
filled it, as I had aright to do, with the name of he is habitually inc 
the man whom he was just as directly attacking levolent. I could 
as if he had called him by name—whom he was new misrepresentat 
attempting to insult and injure because he had pie, he misstates the 
won reputation and wealth, as a successful obtained by Mr. Ha 
breeder, while himself (“A Wool Grower”) had and shamefully mis 
as signally failed in breeding Merino sheep, the Paular or Rii 
H ad I felt that decorum allowed me to give the soning on iinpudet 
name of the assailant as well as of the assailed, which are destitute 
all further answer to the former would have His criticisms on ye 
been utterly unnecessary in Vermont, where answer. Having fi 
both parties are known. One stands as high as nailed to the count* 
the other does low T in the respect and confidence slanders on her dis 
of the people of this State. Nature has stamped now bid adieu to h 
on their very countenances the infinite difference Him up would he an 
between the men. is not worth the eat 
A writer, admitted into a public journal of Yours, faiti 
standing, ought, at least, to have sense and hon- . jv EJIARKS oN t 
estv enough not to deny in one number, what ' f * tie 
he has asserted in a preceding one. When com- hi hcgt 0 * al uh 
menting on your partly quoted description o( i t t s and the In 
Mr. Hammond'3 improvements, -A Wool 
Grower" sa,d:-“The subject M an important sonsof ^ofbern 
one, and ought to be candidly examined to see and who doeg ll0t 
if all the ajijiarcrU improvement b real or in ’ wHh ^ 
part artificialand he presently announced bis et the ri y, 
own conclusions on the question he thus raised ho * , ever . urtideilt t 
by saying:—“ The principles upon which much Wo g( , ar ,, e)v nee(1 
f ikis 'nr*?f st ,r,i e f rlb “'i? of 
Randall s letter of Jan. 10,1S6«>, published m 
the <W„ OoOImm of Jan. * p. «.» He £ “f 
then gives, correctly enough, I presume, the tuitou& ? To bis cri1 
following extract from that letter: b ave n0 answer to 
“ Another important element in the production of _ 
brag fleeces, is high feed, and how many young buyers 
who pay fancy prices for a celebrated ram and half a CONDENSED COE 
dozen ewes which have yielded monster tleeces, find H 
out speedily they bavo bought spent hot-beds." “If all 
buyers were themselves breeders, and were perfectly Samples of Wool.- 
fa mi liar with the above described modes of lilting N. Y., sends us a spec 
sheep for sain, and their effects, does any one imagine °ld Infantado ram calls 
statement of the weight of fleece of the Jewett 
buck owned by you in 1S44, and also limited the 
warm eulogium he had quoted you as applying 
to that buck and to the Jewett ewes shown by 
you at the New York Fair that year, down to 
two sheep! But he still dodges the question 
•when and where that eulogium was uttered— 
circumstances which would enable his readers 
to judge, first, whether he has in this instance 
avoided his characteristic garbling, and second, 
whether your views were those of twenty years 
“A Wool Grower” when driven from one 
issue flies to another, and usually totally irrele¬ 
vant one. But wherever he appears—whether 
pretending to state facts or draw' deductions— 
he is habitually inaccurate, uucandid and ma¬ 
levolent. I could point out a whole batch of 
new misrepresentations in his last. For exam¬ 
ple, he misstates the number of Atwood sheep 
obtained by Mr. Hammond in 1844. He grossly 
and shamefully misrepresents the pedigrees of 
the Paular or Rich sheep of Vermont—rea¬ 
soning on impudent assumptions of his own, 
which are destitute of a shadow of foundation. 
His criticisms on your statements I leave you to 
answer. Having for the honor of Vermont 
nailed to the counter some of his most glaring 
slanders on her distinguished breeders, I shall 
now bid adieu to him. To continue to follow 
him up would be an endless chase, and the game 
is not worth the candle. 
Yours, faithfully, A Breeder. 
Remarks on the Above. — The above 
comes from a gentleman of eminence and of the 
highest personal character, who feels that the 
interests and the honor of Vermont have been 
most unjustly and wantonly assailed in the per¬ 
sons of sonic of her most eminent sheep breeders, 
ami who does not therefore choose to mince 
terms with the aggressor. Still we can not but 
regret the asperity in the tone of the rebuke, 
however sufficient the provocation. 
We scarcely need to say that the assumption 
of the Country Gentleman's correspondent that 
we were the author of the reply of “ A 
Breeder,” was as unfounded as it was gra¬ 
tuitous. To his criticisms ou our writings w r e 
have no answer to make whatever. 
CONDENSED CORRESPONDENCE, MINOR 
ITEMS, &c. 
Samples of Wool.— D. W. I’ercey, North Hooaic, 
N. Y., sends us a specimen of wool from a two year 
old Infantado ram called “ Gold Mine,” purchased by 
those modes, troublesome and expensive as they are, t himself and Mr. Brno ess ol Mr. Edwin Hammond 
would continue to be practiced? Turn or disguise The sample is 2 inches In length, is fine enough for a 
the matter as we may, they do mislead the inexpe- ram. and the Styla fair. It ba9 but little external 
rienced, and they would not be of use to anybody “gem,” (hardened yolk,,i but an uncommon amount 
if they did no! do so.” of “oil,” (liquid yolk,) of a yellow tinge, within. Mr. 
„ ... Phiscky writes that his first fleece was sheared May 
Here, ami again m a receding sentence, the mh 18ti3 ftnd wejgUcd 18 ,, )b? „ carca58 Bftcr sheai , 
idea is as distinctly auN$.nceu that liwck ot Mr« ing 02 lbs.; hi* second fleece May 10th. 1804, weighed 
Hammond's apparent improvements is due to 555 Jbs., carcass after shearing 119 lbs. The Paular ewe 
the practices alluded to in the above extract as teg bought by him of the Messrs. Rich, a cut of which 
if the allegat ion had been made against him by we gave May 14th, was sheared May fid, and yielded 
name. Yet ,( A Wool Grower.” in his last, is 11 'hs. 
not ashamed to say“ The assertion that. I by P. Kutbarp, Bridport, Vt., sends samples of wool 
implication brought such a charge against Mr. of tanjs ® we8 > referred to in his recent communi- 
Hammond is utterly and notoriously without <f lou ’ Wying cuts of his sheep. Those of 
, . ‘ „ three rams, crook Foot, Gen. Grant and Cortez, 
foundation.’ And he subsequently confesses wdghed respectively (sheared May lift,,) 81 tf, 22, and 
“by universal consent Mr. IIammand stand? and 17!* lbs- The two first are superior in stylo and 
at the head as an improver." This is eating quality—the last fair. The two first are inches in 
his own words about as abruptly as the Judge length, the las- 2?. Yolk yellow, liquid, and very 
is said to have recently done on another occasion, abundant within. Ewe No. l, wool splendid in style 
rather than encounter the striking arguments and quality, 2 , inches long; weight of fleece 12'„ lbs. 
of a patriotic neighbor! T Tv "T? “ “TT 
. . . _ e , ,, „ ..... nearly an eighth of an inch shorter; weight of fleece 
Again. A V ool Growel said, April rib: Yolk of both barely medium in amount, and 
“‘Buckeye’ lias made some very sensible re- 0 ftlie true “golden tinge.” 
marks in Country Gentleman of Feh. 4, respect- A Sx;B9CBIBEn( *<,, Ovid, N. Y., sends a sample of 
ing the extraordinary improvement made itl the a five-year old ram's fleece; weight 14 lbs. it is about 
ATWOOD Sheep in the short space of ten or or... inches in length, yolky, and of sufficiently fine 
twelve years.'-' The words in italic were not quality, but is deficient In style and luBtre. 
marked, as quoted, hut- whether quoted or not, t. R, Gh-lett, Fon du Lie, Wisconsin, encloses 
they were adopted as an expression of what three specimens, and Inquires “in what class each 
“ A Wool Grower ” believed, or was willing to would be put by a wool stapler.” We can not under- 
assume to be the fact in roq.ee! to the time eon- Ulke t0 aDSWt,r lhi “ ') u< * tlou ' We ™ crol >' give our 
1 • ___ 1 - own oil-hand opinions. Kadi sample is of high <1 unl- 
sumed in effecting “the extraordinary improve- . „ .. .' - , 
. . . 1 ,, itv—the two first of superior and the third of good 
ment. And hi hit his arguments, or rather Btylc tv „. American Merinos. All have abundance of 
blurs against the reality of that improvement*, y^low, Internal and external, yolk. With half an Inch 
the favorite point is Unit the time above given more of length, No. 1 would be a splendid specimen Of 
would not admit of it. After stating That time heavy American wool. 
as above, he subsequently said, “it is truly u William If. Sanford, Orwell, A t., forwards sped- 
‘wonderful improvement to convert a thin, mens of the wool of his ram “Comet” (whose pur- 
light-boned, smallish sheep’ into a large, round fruit and pedigree we published May 7th,) mid or eev- 
and strong-boned sheep in so short a time as I>r. ei '“ l of his ewes. They labor under the disadvantage 
Randall states, 7 ' etc. In his last, (May 26,) this ° r lmvin 3 been taken from the fleece Instead of the 
v , , . , animal—which does not admit of po good u Bclection, 
candid and veracious writer asserts :—1 did , Atl *. , . . . 4 _ _** 
, , _ . . _ . , paruculwly in respect to length- Comet a fleece 
not say one word about the time ill which the weighe d» 4 « lb*, ft is of good style and quality, 2 ', 
improvement was made, whether ten, twelve, inches long,jleueely filled with yellow and tipped with 
or nineteeen years!” black yolk. Mr. Sanford’s two year old ewes (by 
Comet) averaged 12>,( lb?., and most of them had 
lambs. The samples of ewe wool sent are of good 
quality, yolky, (yolk yellow,) and from two to three 
inches long. 
L- B-, (we cannot make out the name,) 
Yandalia, Casa Co., Mich, sends us samples of a ra'm 
aud three ewes which lie says ure “ Michigan grade?,” 
and he wishes to know “how it compares with full 
blood wool?” It is of high quality, extra leugth and 
splendid style, with a fair share of golden-tlnged 
yolk. Wo pbould like to hear a little more of these 
“grade’ sheep from our correspondent—to lenrn if 
they have been graded with anything bnt Saxons—and 
if so, all the particulars, including the present weight 
of their fleeces. 
Messrs. I McU G-& Ban., (why won’t gentle¬ 
men write their names a little plainer when addressing 
strangers?) Noblestown, Alleghany Co., Pa., inclose us 
tiiree samples of ewe’s wool, oue beiug from “ Prin' 
cess,” the dam of Mr. Gobby's Hannibal. All the 
samples are of high style and quality, and that of 
Princess admirable. It is over 2 J 3 inches long. If it 
exhibited a little more yolk, (giving promise of greater 
weight,) it would be almost unequalled. 
Thomas Corby, Randolph, Portage Co., Ohio, sends 
us a specimen of the wool of his Hannibal, a pure In- 
fantado ram, whose portrait we now have in the hands 
of the engraver, and whoso pedigree will appear in our 
columns with bis portrait. The present is ills second 
fleece, and it weighed 24> a lbs. The sample is 2 8-16 
inches long, has enough, bnt no extra amount of, yolk 
internally or externally, (the yolk being of a delicate 
golden hue,) and the style and quality are superior for 
a heavy fleeced ram. 
H. B. Uott, West Union, Fayette Co., Iowa, sends 
us a sample from a two year old ewe of bis flock. He 
says “ they are of a good grade of Spanish Merino ”— 
that he “sheared 300 last year, and they averaged 6 
lbs. of washed wool,” If they were well washed, and 
the sample sent is near an average quality, it i? a flock 
of great value for wool growing purposes. The speci¬ 
men is 2*0 inches long, not very yolky, very fine for 
A merican Merino, and of good style. 
I. Healy, South Dansville, Steuben Co , N. Y , sends 
us eleven specimens of wool. He says his sheep are 
mostly bred from the Robinson & Sticknkt flock?, 
[Improved Paulars,] and that they average, washed, 
about 6 lbs. or wool. The ten samples from ewes av¬ 
erage from 2},' to S’** inches in length. That of the ram 
(which yields 16 lb3. from a carcass weighing 100 lbs.) 
is bnt about 2 inches long. All are of high quality, of 
good, and in some cases very choice stylo, and they 
exhibit about the right quantity of golden yolk. Buy 
a ram, Mr. Healy, a size or two larger —haring a 
fleece, if not so fine, weighing four or five pounds more 
—and on your excell entfoundation you will breed up a 
flock of eery high value. 
George Flower, Albion, Edwards Co., Ill. While 
looking over the preceding specimens, an old letter of 
Mr. Flower — then very celebrated throughout the 
Western Stales a? a Saxon flock master—has chanced 
to turn up, containing seven specimens of ram’s wool. 
The longest sample is l.vj inches long, the shortest 1 
inch! The weight of fleeces is not given. Possibly 
they averaged 4 or 414 lbs. a-piece! The letter is dated 
March 25th, 1814. Assuredly, the standards of fine- 
wool growing have altered somewhat in the last twenty 
years! 
Destructive Malady —D. B Watkins, of F.liza- 
bethlown, Washington Co., Pa., describes the loss of 
six sheep and lambs out of his flock under the follow¬ 
ing very unusual circumstances. A two year old weth¬ 
er was first attacked. He was let out of shed at noon, 
apparently in perfect health. When he came in at 
night “his hind parts seemed to be powerless across 
his kidneys, and the skin looked very much inflamed. 
The next morning he was dead, and where the skin had 
been inflamed it looked ns 1Y mortified ” Three ewes 
were subsequently attacked. The swelling and inflam¬ 
mation appeared from the hip down to the gambrel, 
“ and around and over about one half the udder and up 
to the back bone.” They were lame only in the leg af¬ 
fected. A young lamb died affected in the left hind hip, 
another in the left fore log. None survived over twelve 
hours. We understand Mr. W to carry tin- idea that 
in the parts not directly affected, the skin appeared nat¬ 
ural, and there was no swelling Wo also info - from 
his statements that in all the cases, the parts inhibiting 
the inflammation put on the gangrenous look after (if 
not before) death. Mr. W. says “their eyes looked 
bright, but they did not seem to feed " These are all 
the symptoms given. The sheep were in good con¬ 
dition, and hud been properly fed, sheltered, Ac. The 
ewes that died had all dropped their lambs from five to 
ten days before. 
Mr, W. administered, in one case, the remedies pre 
peri bed in the Practical Shepherd for rheumatism, and, 
as we should expect, without auy effect. This is obvi¬ 
ously a different and fat more powerful malady. We 
never saw, nor so far as we now remember, heard of 
anything or the kind. The first thought would be that 
it belonged to some very malignant aud inflammatory 
class of diseases, analogous to black leg in cattle. But 
Mr. W. mentions no appearances of fever—no consti¬ 
tutional disturbance of any kind, except that they “aid 
not seem to feed '' We are constrained to believe that 
if what is related is accurate (which we have no reaeon 
to doubt) the cases are not fully described There 
must have been accompanying symptom* which eluded 
the observation of, or were not understood by, our cor¬ 
respondent, But whatever was thercal character of the 
malady, It was undoubtedly oue of those which, in the 
comparatively feeble system of the sheep, admitted of 
no cure, Everything connected with the feed am! man 
agemept of the flock should have been investigated, 
and if necessary, corrected—every sheep stricken with 
the malady promptly separated from its companions— 
and probably that was about alt that could have been 
done with any advantage in the premises. We would 
like, to bear again from Mr. Watkins. 
LET THE RURAL BE PRESERVED, 
Communications, (£tc. 
A CURE FOR ‘‘fiWEENIE.” 
Eds. Rural Nkw-Youkkk:—I noticed your 
remarks on “ Stveeuic in Horses” in the Rural 
of May 2Stb. Allow mo to give L. Swain and 
others a cure for “ S weenie:”—Half pint al coho l; 
one oz. organum oil; one oz. spirits niter; one 
oz. oil wormwood: oue oz. opodeldoc; one oz, 
spirits hartshorn. Apply three mornings and 
omit three, until it has been applied nine times. 
Warm it in well. 1 have owned two horses 
afflicted with “Sweeuie,” and have known sev¬ 
eral in the neighborhood cured witli this recipe; 
aud never knew it to fail of curing after the 
cause was removed, which is, as you say, a 
strain In the shoulder, derangement in the foot, 
or any cause producing severe pain. The above 
is a recipe that I can confidently recommend 
from experieuce. H. O. Gregory. 
Lockport, N. Y , 1864. 
Eds. Rural New-Yorker:—A cheap and 
convenient file for the Rural may be made by 
auy one of common ingenuity as follows:—In a 
piece of five-eighths inch board, thirty-one 
inches long, and two inches wide, of any good 
material, make a slit or mortice as long as the 
paper, aud three-fourths of an inch wide, (to 
hold a volume,) extending to within two inches 
of one cud; the other end may be worked into 
shape for a handle as desired. 
Through one side put two thumb-screws, 
each about four and a half inches from the 
end of the mortice, sharp at the ends and long 
enough to reach the opposite side; these are to 
bold the papers in place. They may be made of 
large wire, or bought at a hardware store. On 
the opposite side fasten a small ring by which it 
may be hung up. 
This is my own invention; we have used it 
two years and like it well; have never seen 
anything better. 
Let the Rural be kept on file where this or 
some other file is used. An old volume is worth 
its subscription price, and will continue to be, I 
believe, however long it may be kept. 
Muscatine, Iowa, 1864. T. J. Goddard. 
- ' - — ■ - - 
BEES IN WISCONSIN. 
Eds. Rural New-Yorker:—I see that you 
invite answers to certain inquiries, made by a 
correspondent as to the condition of bees gener¬ 
ally in the country. I am in the bee culture to 
a considerable extent, and have been, more 01 - 
Jess, for thirty years; and I never knew my 
bees to produce more surplus honey, nor of 
any better quality, than last season. But I do 
not find any buckwheat honey stored; think in 
this part, of the country there was not much 
gathered from buckwheat. Our bee pasturage, 
in this vicinity, is principally basswood aud 
white clover: and, as a general thing, bees did 
well. But, in all parts of tbis country where I 
have been able to hear from, where there was 
not plenty of basswood the honey crop was 
light: and the consequence was that many 
swarms starved in the winter. 
But this was not the great cause of so mauy 
dying. In brief, I will give my experience, and 
my opinion. In the fall of sixty-three, 1 had 
about seventy swarms. I buried tweuty-uine of 
them, and a very poor late one ; the latter 1 only 
buried to experiment with. The remainder of 
my swarms I put into a good house built for the 
purpose, intending to sell a number in the 
winter. 
On the last day of December I took a number 
of swarms into an open sleigh and drove about 
eighteen miles, and let them stand in the cold 
until the second day of January, 1864—the cold¬ 
est days we had last winter. To all appearance 
they were all right. On my return, on the 3d 
of January, I examined my bees in the house; 
found them all alive, but with considerable frost 
in the hives. In about a week we had a change 
of weather. It became quite warm. The frost 
thawed in them and the bees and combs were 
moist. The weather changed again, suddenly 
to cold. This second cold snap, the bees being 
damp, chilled and froze them, and quite a num¬ 
ber of my swarms that bad stood the first cold 
spell, perished in the next; although not as cold 
by a number of degrees. 
On the first days of April I took my hives 
from the pit, and all but the weak swarm 
spoken of were in the very best condition. I do not 
think there were t wo quarts of dead bees about 
the whole, while the swarms in the house that 
lived through were reduced to less than one 
half; and I think they ate more than twice the 
amount of honey that those did that were buried. 
I am very confident that the great cause was the 
bees and comb being damp, and freezing as 
above described. Should like to hear the opin¬ 
ion of others. A. II. Hart, i 
Cain met Co., Wis., 1861. 
| ^ 
gnquiHfiS anrt gyttfwwjsi. 
Eamks’ Water Engines — (J. Bell, Utica, Ohio.) 
Your inquiry is answered on pages 121 anil 150, current 
volume Rural. _ 
New York Commission Merchants.— 1 would like 
to Inquire if any Of the readers of the Rural arc in the 
practice of sending their produce to New York to Com¬ 
mission merchants there, to be sold, and if so, with 
what success ? Do they eel enough to pay for the extra 
expense and trouble? T would like to hour the exneri 
once or some one.—E. J. Bakku, Orleans Co., A. V. 
Comstock's Spader and Evans’ Rotary Digger. 
—(Edwurd I. Evans & Co., York, Pa) Comstock’s 
Spader is manufactured in Milwaukee by Mr. C. Com 
stock. Either Henry O’Reilly or II. C. Hepburn, 
of New York city, can give you information concerning 
Evans’ Rotary Digger. We arc not informed whether 
it is being manufactured or not. 
Patent Paint Oil —Can yon inform a subscriber 
what "Patent Paint <»i ” is composed of—whether 
partly of linseed nil aud some other substance? Has 
Petroleum ever been used for outside painting—aud 
with what result''—O II. ,J., Sturgis, Mich. 
We eonuot answer tho first question, and we are not 
aware that Petroleum has ever been used for outside 
painting. 
Corn for Soiling —Can I with good soil, good cul 
tiviitum and early planting, raise corn, by sowing or In 
drills, so as to be ready to cut economically (for sidling 
cattle) by the time clover hay is usually cm ? Wonlo 
not some of the Western varieties of rank-growing dorn 
be better for • soiling " than tho common “ eight rowed 
yellow'' of Western New York ' Or would sorghum be 
better than either v —B. R., East Vanck, A. V 
Evidently this inquiry lias been on band some time, 
as have many others which ought to have received at¬ 
tention before. To the first query, we reply no; and if 
you (effect a moment, you will know why Wo should 
not plant the Western varieties, for soiling, in the Eust 
Sorghum will yield more nutritious matter thuu any 
variety of maize with which we are acquainted. And 
it will grow the same or a greater bulk of forage on tbe 
same ground, we think. 
Rural Notes attit Stems. 
Another New Silk-Worm — We do not kn ow 
where the following item originated, but give it as an 
important item if true:—“Moat of oar readers know 
that, a few years since the French introduced a silk 
worm that feeds on the allanthus, and that It has been 
so successful that a very large area In South France and 
North Italy is now covered with nllnnthos orchards (s 0 
called,) and that the silk produced from it is becoming 
quite an important article of commerce. Recently th e 
Director of the Society of Acclimations communicated 
to the Academy of Science at Paris, the fact that Mr. 
Simon had sent from Japan the eggs of a silk-worm 
that, feeds on the oak. That from eighty three worms 
hatched, seventy-seven cocoons were obtained; that 
the only feed was the common wak; that they com¬ 
menced spinning on tho first of June and ended on the 
25th; that the cocoons are the size of those of the nml- 
berry worm, and as easily reeled; that the silk has 
fine, is stronger, bnt not quite as brilliant. The Japan- 
e?e name for the worm is Yama-mai, and the Director 
thinks this worm the most important one yet found.’’ 
High Priced Tobacco —We notice that at the recent 
Tobacco Exhibition held under the auspices of the 
Kentucky Agricultural Society, at, Louisville, a hoes- 
head of the first premium “ Manufacturing Leaf ” cold 
for the enormous sum of $41K). The Louisville Journal 
says it "is the finest compensation ever awarded to a 
grower for core in cultivation, preparation; and hand¬ 
ling. Mr. J. H. Surlktt, of Ballard couhty, Ivy., ia 
entitled to tho honur of having raised tbis superb to¬ 
bacco, and it is a remarkable fact that it comes from 
tbe extreme northwestern pari of our State at the con¬ 
fluence of the Ohio aud Mississippi rivers, where we 
were under the impression the lawlessness of guerrillas 
and the depredations of rebel raids had not permitted 
the planters to grow any crops ’’ 
-,+*- 
The Press and Music. —There was a pleasan 
reunion of members of the Press representing Bulla 
and Rochester, and the musical notabilities of both 
places, at Congress Hal!, in this city, last Friday night. 
A good dinner, good music, song, sentiment and 
speeches consumed the night. For this re onion and 
the pleasure resulting, we are indebted to the enterpris¬ 
ing and liberal music dealer of our city, Geo. H. Ellis 
He adopted this mode of signifying his appreciation of 
the services of the Press to him, as a business man—of 
the value of printer's ink. We regret that we have not 
space for a more extened report of this very successful 
aud pleasant affair. 
-- 
A Valuable Farm.— We clip from an Ohio paper 
the following —"The Venango Spectator notices the 
sale of the Blond Farm entire, on Oil Creek, toS. M. 
Seely, of New York, for five hundred and Jifly thousand 
dollars. The farm contains 450 acres, and there are 
now upon it some 80 wells, mostly productive, and 
yielding from 400 to 700 bbls of oil dally. There are 
also a number of wells partly sunk. With a yield of 
400 btils. per day, at $6 per bid , wo have a daily cash 
yield of #2,400; counting 800 working days to the year 
we have a yearly yield of f 720,000. So that at the 
present rale this faim is now paying an interest of 130 
per cent upon the purchase money." 
- •-*- - 
An old Agricultural Editor in Editorial Har¬ 
ness again.— We see it announced that the Rev J. 
Ambrose Wigut, who after 13 years editorial labor on 
the Prairie Former, left the tripod in 1855 and entered 
the ministry, bits resumed the quill as a member of the 
editorial corps of tho Chicago Tribune. We are not 
informed what hia special department is; but no matter 
what it is, be brings to the paper a ripe experience, ft 
Char, logical brain, aud vigorous, pungent pen. We 
cordially welcome bitn again as n member of the fra¬ 
ternity. 
--A*- 
Manuscripts by Mail.— Correspondents ate remind¬ 
ed that all manuscripts sent to publishers are entitled 
to be forwarded at the rate of two cents for four ounces 
provided that one end of the envelope is cut and left 
open, aud the word " manuscript ” is written on the 
lace of the envelope. Authors availing themselves of 
the provisions ot this law Will remember, however, 
th it a letter or note enclosed with the manuscript will 
subject tho whole package to letter postage. 
-- 
American Annual Cyclop.edia and Register of 
Important Events of the Year 1863 —We have re¬ 
ceived front Messrs. D. Appleton & Co. the prospectus 
and specimen pages of this annual, with an index of 
subjects. It promises not only to be interesting, but ft 
most valuable historical volume. Aud its scientific 
record is not Us least valuable feature. Sold by sub¬ 
scription at $4 to $7.50, according to style of binding. 
--- 
An Agricultural Mission to China. —We see it 
aunouuced that Commissioner Newton has appointed 
Varnum D COLI.in*-— whoever he may he—agent of 
the Department of Agriculture, ami seut him to China, 
charged with the selection of seed of new varieties of 
sorghum, and other products capable of acclimation, 
and the collection of other agricultural information. 
-.-»♦ — - — 
Where is the Banner County'?— It is a capital 
idea the Badgers have lilt upon — that of offering a 
Prize Banner worth $100 “for the largest and most 
creditable contribution” to the State Fair (Wisconsin) 
“ made by the citizens of any one county, exclusive of 
Rock”—in which the Fair is to lie held. We want to 
visit the county whleh wins that banner. 
■ ♦< - 
The Season in Wis—L. L. F., Rolling Prairie, Wis, 
writes undi r date of June 7tli" We have had no rain 
for about four weeks. All late sowings and planting 
failing to grow. Clay lands badly dried. Every thing 
suffering for want of rain. Clover curling tip. Slight 
frost lost night, cutting some of the vines.” 
-- 
Bee-Keepers’ Covention in Wisconsin —A call 
has bmi issnod for a Bee Keepers’ Convention at Mad- 
i«on, Wis., the 16th day of June. That Is right—let 
m n devoted to special interests get together and talk; 
It is where Aj ricultural Societies are going to. 
-•-♦-»- 
State Fair in Wisconsin-— We learned sometime 
eince that Wisconsin was determined to hold a State 
Fair this year. Now we see that it is to be located at 
Janesville, and will take place rite 26th—30th of Sep¬ 
tember next. 
— t 4 « - 
Rea per .sfyn Mower Trial.—A trial of reapers and 
mowers is announced to take place at Catlin, 111-, J l| b - 
5th, under the direction of the Vermillion Co. Agrlcul 
turn! Association. 
-rf,- 
A Horse Fair at Seneca Fai.ls, N. Y —We see i 1 
announced that a Horse Fair is to be held on the 
grounds of the Ag. Society at Seneca Falls, the 2d aud 
4th days of July— $700 in premiums are offered. 
