CURING CORN FODDER. 
Tub Practical Shepherd.— Motvance in Price _ Cn 
It will be seen by relerence to advertisement that the [({ 
price of Dr. Ran dale's last and best work on Sheep J | 
fl .1 nl.n nrl •••. T 1 I »T> 1 cmt/' A T 4lltf PltVlMt I\no I 
Filled the pan nearly full, and when boiling, put fire ami burn the pan. 
in many different articles to deanse it. aud made the chips, and your p 
what we then thought good molasses. In the barrel read}. laving fi 
spring of 1862 I planted twelve acres, and when a large tunnel in it, ai 
1 saw I was getting a good crop. I got a east- in the sirup while hoi 
iron, two-horse, perpendicular will for 865. and and not hurt the b 
several sheets of common sheet-iron, 30 by 00 little. If the sirup 
inches, weighing 20 pounds each, at 61 cents per hoops, 
pound. I got lumber (pine) one inch thick (it Now a few remarl 
ou"ht to be"thicker) for the sides, made the pans done. The transport 
mvself. got a mason one day to help build the taut manufactory, is 
ar’ches of quarry sand-stone, with mortar made ent “ evaporators v ai 
of clay and sand. I got some old stove oven visited several of the 
door- to put in the arches, and good grates to operate as they c 
■ihmit three feet long for the bottoms of two of make as good sirup a: 
Mr. B. to have the next festival: wuereupou uu* 
meeting adjourned to their next festival at the 
residence of L. Babcock in Riga on the second 
Wednesday in June, 1865. It is anticipated 
that the competition will be much larger at this 
meeting than heretofore, being earlier in the 
season, and giving more of the fanners a chance 
to compete. 
By the way, these shearing festivals are looked 
upon with much favor among all the enterpris¬ 
ing fanners who are giving much attention to 
the propagation and improvement of Spanish 
Merino sheep. Farmer. 
Ogden, June, 1861. 
Eds. Rural New-Yorker:— The question 
is asked in the Rural ‘‘What is the best 
method of securing corn fodder ?” I also would 
like to know the best method. I have raised 
some nearly every year the past twelve years. 
I have always cradled it and raked and bound 
it. I use an old cradle, mended up strong for 
the occasion. gather the ends of the fingers close 
together, and a strong man will find It no play 
to cut it. I rake into gavels or bundles, and set 
a bunch on end and bind it nearest the tops with 
rye straw, then set three or four of these to¬ 
gether and bind firmly and let stand and cure. 
When well dried I choose to stack around a pole, 
one length only deep from the pole. Some will 
say let it lie in the swath and cure. I never 
have allowed mine to get rained on in the 
swath since my first crop, which got wet and 
had to be put up wet, as it never would have 
got dry in the swath. or. m. s. 
Alden, N. Y., Jane, 1804. 
Remarks.— The corn should be bound and 
set up at ouce; and as there seems to be a diffi¬ 
culty about storing it in barns and lofts, it may 
be quickly stacked about poles, fifteen feet long, 
set firmly in the ground — a single layer, with 
tops in the center, binding it by laying each al¬ 
ternate tier lapping by the pole. The center 
should be kept the highest. We have stacked 
stalks in this way and they kept well. 
Husbandry, The Practical Shepherd, has been 
advanced from $1.50 to 11.75. Considering the prices 
now charged Tor works of equal cost Of manufacture, 
(reckoning quality of paper, printing, number and 
style of illustrations, binding, etc.,) the new price is 
very low, and It may soon be necessary to make it $ 2 . 
The paper npon which it is printed costs over one (kird 
more than the same quality did when the work was 
first issued, and the cases (covers) in proportion. This 
would warrant an advance to over $3, but fortunately 
we obtained paper for several editions before the last 
rise, and (instead of “marking up," as do the mer¬ 
chants,) we give the pnblic the benefit of our ad- 
vantageons purchase of stock. Those, If any there 
are. who have waited for the price of the book to be 
lower, have “ missed a figure," and it. is more than 
probable that such as want it, and do not purchase 
soon, will ere long be obliged to pay still more, or g 0 
without the best and most complete work on American 
Sheep Husbandry ever published. 
CONDENSED CORRESPONDENCE MINOR 
ITEMS, &c. 
Coabse-Wooled Sheep —N. W. B- of Tioga Co., N. 
Y., writes as follows“ Perhaps you will set me down 
as a fault-finder, hut I would really like to sec more 
articles in your valuable paper about coarse wooled 
sheep. Large numbers of the farmers in this section 
of the country think them the most profitable, every 
thing considered. Please give us portraits of them, 
and articles about them: also inform us where import¬ 
ed ones can be purchased. I am a novice in sheep¬ 
raising, and do not pretend to know but little, but I 
would like to hear both sides of the question. 
If N W- B. will take pains to cast his eyes back 
over the editorial matter of this department, aside from 
the descriptions accompanying cuts, or of floccks illus¬ 
trated by those cuts, he will find that the topics dis¬ 
cussed, the principles laid down, the modes and pre¬ 
scriptions described in nearly every case are intended 
to apply, and actually do apply, as much to coarse as 
to fine-wooled sheep. And, unless we greatly mistake, 
he will also find that the former have always received 
fair play in all direct or incidental comparisons which 
we have instituted between the races. 
That our correspondents have much oftener referred 
to fine than to coarsewooled sheep, is true. If any¬ 
body is to blame for this, it is the friends of the latter. 
Our columns are equally open 10 the advocates of both 
races. Nay, observing the very fact that N. W. B 
complains of, we have in repeated instances both invi¬ 
ted and urged the growers of mutton sheep to let the 
public hear from them, and about their sheep,-in our 
columns- So far as portaits are concerned, our corres¬ 
pondent may not be apprized that publishers do not 
furnish portraits of particular animals belonging to 
individuals. This is the owner’s business. If suitable 
engraved portraits, or cuts, are sent to us, wiih proper 
descriptions, accounts of pedigrees, etc., by persons we 
consider reliable, we publish them,—and we would do 
this as soon for the owner* of Cotswold, Down, Leices¬ 
ter, or any other variety of mutton sheep, as for the 
owners of Merinos. We here publicly renew our invi¬ 
tation and request to the breeder? of coaree-wooled 
sheep to write articles for our columns, aud to furnish 
us with portraits for publication- To show those un¬ 
acquainted with the subject how cuts are to beprocured, 
we will state that John K. Pare of Sennett, Cayuga 
Co,, N. Y T ., has drawn, on Lhc block, all the cuts which 
have appeared in this Department; and that he has 
hitherto had for each ten dollars and his traveling ex¬ 
penses. The engravings on the block have cost 
about twelve dollars each — making an aggregate 
expense to the owners of between $33 and $25 for 
^ 'ch cut. 
W. B. wishes to know where imported coarse- 
vrotl. id sheep are to be purchased. We have not a list 
Of br& ders at hand, but will name a few that flrsT occur 
to us. Samuel Thorne of Washington Hollow, 
Dutchess L ° f Y.. and James O. Sheldon of Gene¬ 
va; X. Y., !■ -est o{ Y- Y. State Agricultural Society, 1 
Crops in Southkbn Ohio. — J. V. Cochran of 
Hamilton Co.. Ohio, writes July 18th:—“The wheat 
crop just harvested 13 excellent. In some localities it 
was frozen out some; but not so badly as the croakers 
tried to make ont last spring. Spring bar ley very good; 
fall barley badly frozen out. The hay crop in some 
localities is very light; as a general thing, however, it 
will make a medium crop—not so good as was antici¬ 
pated. The oat crop now being harvested is very good. 
The corn looks fine and is growingifnst since the late 
shower*. It has suffered severely until recently on ac¬ 
count of dry weather. Pasture is good and stock in 
fine order.” 
ALSIKE CLOVER, 
Eds. Rural New-Yorker:—D f» McClure, 
one of the leading veterinary surgeons of Phila¬ 
delphia, speaks very highly of clover hay for 
horses. He says the Alsike or Swedish white 
clover, is very highly esteemed in Europe, and 
after trial, is being largely sown in England and 
Scotland — that it contains the properties of 
both the red and white clover—that many agri¬ 
culturists say, that animals will leave any other 
grass or clover to feed on alsike, and that the 
more it becomes known the greater will be its 
cultivation. Mr. S. B. PARSONS, of Long Is¬ 
land, having cultivated it as a farm crop, is re¬ 
ported by the Agriculturist as speaking of it 
very highly; stands the winter well; grows 
nearly as high as the common red: and produces 
an abundance of pinkish white flowers. Mr. 
Wagner, reports a German paper as saying, 
“ this clover is pre-eminent, both in quality and 
quantity of product, and is especially valuable 
for the continued succulencv of the stalk, even 
when the plant is in full bloom. It requires a 
less fertile soil than the red clover, and is less 
liable to be thrown out by frost in winter. It 
also yields a heavier second crop than the com¬ 
mon white clover.” 
F. Searls, of Illinois, in the Prairie Farmer, 
says:—“I sowed one acres three years ago next 
spring, and could ask for no better hay or bee 
pasture. After it was thrashed, horses and 
cows seemed to prefer it to good timothy hay. 
I sowed six acres last spring. That I sowed 
first cut more than double the hay per acre than 
the red clover. It stands the winter better than 
the red clover, and it yields many flowers on a 
stalk. It blossoms about the same time as white 
clover, hut the second crop of flowers come 
about the time the common white is gone, and 
lasts until bard frosts. - ’ He further says—‘‘I 
have seen bees to work on it when it wag wet 
as the rain could make it, and from early in the 
morning until late in the evening, it is alive 
with bees." He thinks if any thing in the 
clover line will please a man, "the Swedish 
white clover will do it.” 
From all that we can learn, respecting alsike, 
it would appear to be, not only a very valuable 
farm crop, but a very important acquisition to 
the bee-keeper. Let it have a thorough trial. 
Rolling Prairie, Wis., 1864. L. L. F. 
Remarks.— Have our readers any experience 
with this clover. It is highly commended, and 
we should be glad to bear from the present sea¬ 
son’s crop. Let those who have it and respond 
to this inquiry give us the character of soil on 
which it is growing, and all the details of their 
experience with it. 
PROPELLING A FORCE PUMP. 
Duty on Imported Farm Implements.— (M. A. P., 
Michigan.) You are correct In jour supposition. Sec¬ 
tion Si of the New Tariff provides—“That dnringthe 
period of one year from the passage of this act there 
may he imported Into the United States, free of duly, 
any machinery designed lor and adapted to the manu¬ 
facture of woven fabric?, from the fiber of flax or hemp, 
including ail the preliminary pr ocesses requisit e there¬ 
for; and that steam agricultural machinery and Imple¬ 
ments may be Imported free from duty for one year 
from the passage (of this act.” Approved ’June 80&, 
186-1. 
Eds. Rural New-Yorker:—N ot having 
the natural advantage of a living spring on 
higher land than the farm buildings to furnish 
water for the stock when yarded, I last fall con¬ 
ceived a plau to procure it from the outlet of 
Conesus Lake, which flows through the farm 
about 30 rods from the barn, on the opposite 
side of the road, and some 25 feet below, by 
means of a small paddle-wheel turned by the 
current, working a small, cheap, durable force 
pump immersed below the frost in the water. 
It forces the water through a pipe to a tank in 
the yard, the surplus returning through tile in 
the same ditch which contains the aqueduct 
The wheel is durable and secure against high 
water and flood-wood: works the pump plunger 
by a simple crank and pitman attached to the 
end of the shaft. It performs its duty faith¬ 
fully night and day, furnishing an abund¬ 
ance of pure water without any expense or 
trouble, except to renew the leather valves in 
the pump if occasion should require. 
The plan is a success in every respect, and 
out-docs the hydraulic ram in cheapuess, dura¬ 
bility and capacity. Hoping the above may be 
of use to some of your readers, 
I remain yours, L. P. "West. 
Lakeville, N. Y , 1864. 
The pipe is made of a clear pine scantling, 
2 by 4 inches, one side cut out like a gutter and 
smoothed with a half-round plane, and a board 
nailed over it. At the mill have a tub with a 
spout in the bottom leading into the pipe, and \ 
have some ground cane in the tub to strain the 
sap before it enters the pipe. 
Build the arch for the first pan highest, so the 
sap will run by a faucet (or a molasses gate is 
better) into the second pan, and the arch for the 
second pan above tbe third. The diagram 
shows by a mark from one pan to another 
where to place the faucets. Have the chimney 
made like stove pipe, about fifteen feet long. 
Leave holes for fire to go from under pans 4 
and 5 to pan 3. 
Now build a cheap shed over the pans to keep 
off storms, especially winds. Build the roof of 
boards, and leave wide cracks in the first layer, 
then put a board over the crack with one nail in 
the upper end, and leave so. When boiling, in 
fair weather, move the lower ends of the boards 
ofi the cracks to " let off steam; ” also, have the 
sides so they can be opened when necessary. 
If you have good wood on hand, barrels for 
the sirup, and some tools which I will mention 
hereafter, we will go after a load of cane. If 
half the heads are turning dark, it will do to 
begin. Take a gentle team with a wagon (a cart 
is better) and a rack something like a wood-rack, 
with stakes so that you can stand on the ground 
and lay the canes over. Drive on the left hand 
side of tbe row. (if you cut with the right hand,) 
take the canes in your left hand, cut with a corn 
knife, and lay them in tbe rack with the tops 
projecting out behind, as long as they ought to 
be cut off. When loaded, drive to a place near 
the mill where you want to leave the tops. 
Then take a heavy com knife, about like a half 
cradle scythe, and chop oil' the tops, drive close 
to the mill where t he " feeder ” wants the canes, 
aud dump your cart. Drive away quickly, so 
the feeder can drive on. (Jet another load, and 
he sure the mill don’t have to wait for you. Cut 
the tops ofi' in the same place every time, and at 
night, when you go up, take a load of them to 
the cows, and you will have more milking to do, 
and better stock to begin the winter with. The 
feeder will u have his hands full,” to feed and 
drive, carry away the "chips ’’ (not "bagasse”) 
aud give the sap as fast as those pans can boil, 
(not evaporate.) 
Now look at the diagram, and I will tell you 
how to build the sides of the pans, and why. 
The best way to skim is to scrape off with a 
wooden scaper, made as follows:—For the first 
pan ( 8 ) take a piece of pine siding as long as the 
width of the pan, bore a bole in the middle, put 
in a light handle nearly the length of the pan. 
Make the end of the first pan (3) nearest the 
faucet, beveling so that you can scrape the 
skimmings out easily at the end. Make the 
outside of the other paus beveling, so that you 
can scrape the skimming* from the side. Have 
similar scrapers for them, but with shorter han¬ 
dles. If the faucets are not long enough to 
reach from one pan to another, make a short 
guttler of old tin, or anything clean, and hang 
it on the faucet. 
When the sap has covered the bottoms ot the 
first (3) and second (4) pans, build a fire under 
the second (4) pan. A little experience will 
teach you how to manage the faucets, some¬ 
times the “feeder” will give you sap faster 
than at other times. The great secret of making 
good sirup is, good skimming, quick boiling, 
and in small quantities. Therefore, heat slowly 
at first, then boil rapidly till nearly done, then 
slowly, so as not to burn. 
When you have enough in the third pan (5) 
to make four or%ive gallons of sirup, close the 
faucet, and when the sirup is thick enough to 
suit, have a forkful of chips, fresh from the 
mill, and put on the fire to smother it while 
you take out the sirup. Lay a short board 
across the pan, set on pails enough to hold the 
sirup, take a clean steel scoop-shovel and shovel 
the sirup into the pails, dip some sap from the 
second pan, (4,) put it in the third pan, (5.) 
enough to cover bottom before the chips get on 
Mun’iticext Donation prom a Farmer.— We learn 
from the Prari- Farmer that, sometime since Jacob 
Stbawn, Esq., the C’atUe King of Morgan county, Ill., 
offered to donate $ 10,000 to the United States Christian 
Commission, provided that Morgan county, as a whole, 
would exceed that amouut. Thereupon the county 
raised $11,000, and Mr. Straws has paid over the 
$ 10,000. He is said to be worth two millions of dollars. 
Such men are an honor to their State and country. 
Penn. Agricultural College.— The Ohio Farmer 
says“ The Trustees of the Pennsylvania Agricultural 
College have elected Prof. Wat. H. Allen, formerly 
President of Girard College, ns President of that insti¬ 
tution. to fill the vacancy occasioned by the death of 
the late Dr. Evan Pugh. With Mr. Waring out of tbe 
corps of instructors, and Mr. Puon dead, we fear tbe 
agricultural feature of the College will be but feebly 
sustained.” 
Ellis’ Music Store —We direct attention to the 
advertisement of this fine establishment. Mr. Ellis 
has recently been appointed ageut for the sale of the 
renowned Cuickbring Piano-Fortes, and can also 
furnish all the best styles of musical instruments, 
sheet music, etc. 
Rural Notes ani> (Ducrics 
The Season, Crops, Ac —After a remarkably wet 
spring, we have bad the dryest summer within the 
memory of the “oldest inhabitant” of this region. 
The drouth has been so severe that some crops are 
probably past recovery. Oats and barley are very light, 
and it is believed neither will yield half an average 
crop Potatoes aud corn have suffered much—especially 
the former, which cannot recover without a soaking 
rain, soon. The pastures in all this region have been 
dry and almost useless for weeks, w hile the meadows 
have been so parched, in many localities, that the uncut 
hay is nearly worthless- The prospects of farmers 
have been discouraging, but a rain storm (promising 
continuance) commenced yesterday (Monday, 25th,) 
noon, aud water has fallen moderately most of the time 
for 24 hours. But much more is needed 10 thoroughly 
saturate the earth and revive tbe famishing crops. 
Remedy for Chinch-Bug.— (Mrs. Sarah Day, Polk 
Co., Iowa.) Nothing that you can soak the seed- 
wheat in will prevent the ravages of the bug in it. A 
Western farmer once told u? that he prevented the 
destruction of his wheat crop by this bug, by sowing 
bis wheat early in March, so that the grain passed the 
milky stage before the bugs were numerous enough to 
lninre it. Some practice, about the 1st of June, throw¬ 
ing furrows together through the wheat, icn or fifteen 
feet apart, and drilling in coni. When the wheat begins 
to ripen the bugs go on this corn. Straw is hauled on 
it, and bugs and corn burned. On page 158, current 
Vol., we cave a successful mode of keeping them out 
of the com. The best preventive is clean forming—is 
tbe mowing out of fence corners, burning of brush 
heaps, com stalks, grain stubble, (or plowing it under, 
which is better,) and any refuse in which they can 
winter. 
The Messrs. Rich's “Mountaineer.” —A ram 
(then a teg) owned by John T. and Virtulan Rich of 
Richville, attracted much notice from those who visited 
Addison Co , Vermont, last, winter, to examine fine 
sheep. He was drop]*-. \ a April, 7803 ; got no milk 
•exceptWire! he revived from his dam; was not sum¬ 
mer-boused. ' rece i ve< i no extra keeping: was weaned 
•mtrJdw of August; served sixty ewes in the fall: 
'W'.a sheared on the 2d day of May, 181M; his fleece 
weighed 17 ‘4 lbs ; and be weighed after shearing 102 
lbs. Tins is a record which it wifi be found very dtfli 
cult to excel. “ Mountaineer " was got by the *• Tot¬ 
tenham ram,” (Paular,) dam a Paular ewe bred by the 
Messrs. Rich. The pedigree of the Tottenham ram 
(with a cut) will soon be given in these columns. 
Turnip Day —Blessed lie Turnip day' Blessed be 
rain! Blessed be the Great Giver of it I The good old 
practice or raining the 25th day or July—the “turnip 
day” of the year —was faithfully observed in these 
parts. We have never known it to fall—not since we 
can remember. And while we write, the day after, the 
rain drops eastly, gracefully and freely from the clouds, 
with a good, old-fashioned steadiness which is refresh¬ 
ing. And 1 here was a demand fur the supply, for the 
pastures were sadly sun burned, the meadow-crops pre¬ 
maturely ripe, and the grain dwarfed by the drouth. 
The object of this article, however, is to say that 
this will not reach our renders too late for them to put 
in turnip seed—and every unoccupied nook should be 
quickly and faithfully seeded with turnips. There Is 
a necessity for doing this. If you do it, the product 
will save, for market, grain you would otherwise be 
compelled to feed. And there will be a demand for the 
grain at remunerative prices Wo should not hesitate 
to sow the round or flat varieties any time during Au¬ 
gust. it will add to the forage resources. It will help 
to save us from famine. And it is the duty of every 
farmer to u.-e all means within his power to recover 
from the soil what ha.? been lost to btm by the severity 
of the unparalleled drouth Interest as well as duty 
ought to stimulate to this work. 
The varieties which may be safely sown now, are the 
White Flat Norfolk, Ike White Stone, the Strap leaved 
Red-top, strap leaved White top, Yellow Stoue and 
Orange Jelly. Perhaps there are other varieties that 
will produce a good crop. Of the above named, the 
To Prevent Boos Rooting —I send you a sample 
of what I use to prevent my hogs rooting. Stick a 
pocket-knife blade through the snout, then crowd the 
HOW FARMING MAY EE MADE MORE AT¬ 
TRACTIVE. 
1. By less hard work. Farmers often under¬ 
take more than they can do well, and conse¬ 
quently work too early and too late. 
2. By more system. The farmers should have 
a time to begin and stop labor. They should 
put more mind and machinery into their work. 
They should theorise as well as practice, and let 
both go together. Farming is healthy, moral 
and respectable; and, in the long run, may bo 
made profitable. The farmer should keep good 
stock and out of debt. The farm is the best 
place to begin and end and hence so many 
in the cities and professional life covet a rural 
home. 
3. By taking care of health. Farmers have a 
healthy variety of exercise, but too often neg¬ 
lect cleanliness, omit bathing, eat irregularly 
and hurriedly, sleep in ill-ventilated apartments, 
and expose themselves to cold. Nine-tenths of 
the human diseases arise from cold or intemper¬ 
ance. Frequent bathing is profitable, so is fresh 
air, deliberation at the dinner table, and rest 
after a meal. 
4. By adorning the home. Nothing is lost 
by a pleasant home. Books, papers, pictures, 
music and reading should all be brought to bear 
upon the in-door family entertainments; and 
neatness and comfort, order, shrubbery, flowers 
and fruits should harmonize all without. Home 
should be a sane tun 17 so happy and holy that 
children will love it, women delight in it, man¬ 
hood crave It, aud old age enjoy it. There 
would be less desertions of old homesteads if 
pains were taken to make them agreeable. 
Fuse, order, health and beauty are compatible 
with farm life, and were ordained to go with it. 
N. B. The above was copied from the “ Au¬ 
burn Journal,» and I think is worthy of a place 
in the “ Rural New-Yorker.” Farmer. 
Cayuga, N. Y., 1804. 
stick in, and It will prevent the hog rooting as well as 
to use a wire, and it Is quicker done.— Isaac McNeil. 
The “ invention” consists simply of a piece of hard 
wood whittled out in the form of the figure, and but 
little, if any, larger. 
ifommunicotions, tfitc 
Bovista Gioantea —Will Mr. Rural please inform 
n subscriber what is the “ Bovista gigantea, or frog- 
cheese?”—!. C. 
Ly coper don bovista is the common puffball over the 
fields. Bovista gigantea is that huge ball or coarse, 
cheesy-like matter, growing nearly a foot in diameter, 
sometimes In moist places. We have not heard it 
ABOUT SORGHUM MANUFACTURE, 
Eds. Rural New - Yorker : — I wish, 
through the columus of the Rural, to give 
my brother farmers some of my experience and 
advice about sorghum. There are so many who 
go to a great expense, Especially in manufactur¬ 
ing, and produce a very poor article, and get 
.discouraged, that I want to help them some. 
My experience commenced about the time 
that sorghum was introduced generally through¬ 
out the country. I generally planted half to 
three-fourths of an acre, in the same manner I 
did corn, but it was very slow in coming out of 
the ground, and difficult to find it at hoeing 
time, because the weeds grew fastest, I now 
sprout my seed before planting, then plant in 
ridges made by throwing two fight furrows 
together. I plaut about one inch deep, with a 
drill, with a roller attached, which leaves the 
ground smooth. 
Now, the seed being sprouted, the ridges 
warmer than level ground, the ground being 
smoothed with the roller, the cane gets the start 
of the weeds, and you can cultivate much sooner 
than in rny former way. 
When ripe, I used to strip the leaves from the 
cane, and cut off the top while standing, (fash¬ 
ionable yet,) generally leave them to rot, then 
haul the. cane miles to a poor wooden mill to 
grind, haul the sap back and boil it in a pan 
made of sheet-iron bottom and board sides, two 
feet wide, five feet long anil eight inches deep. 
The Sex of Eons.—By holding the large ena Be¬ 
tween your eye and a strong light, there will be seen m 
every egg a small vacant space, sometimes on the end 
exactly, and In others a little on one side. Pees the 
position of thi* vacant spot determine the sex of cg§*? 
Will tin- reader* of the Rural try this and report the 
result! 1 —I.. F. S., Foil du Lac Co., Wis. 
J»Sugar-Bket Manufacture. —(M. 8- 8 , Foresnun, 
N. Y) There are German aud French works on the 
manufacture of sugar from beets, but they are not ac¬ 
cessible to those not in “ the trade.” We know of no 
American work. 
—»» » - - 
Strings for IIasis.-Iii order to keep string* f rom 
vear to year cm which to lmtig hams in the smoke !ll,u ' e ’ 
lie both ends together, cut a hole in the ham, P u 
■trine through and loop it. It need not be cut t- 
Monroe County Peat —Of late several peat beds 
have been discovered and opened in this county. The 
quality of the peat is such that some owners of beds 
believe they posses* mines of wealth, and with reason, 
considering the present and prospective price of fuel 
We have good specimen* of peat from Mr. J D. Brig¬ 
ham of Ogden, some nine miles wept of Rochester, 
and some called peat from Mr. Chap. J. Frost of Gates, 
near the city. The substitution of peat for coal, in 
many instances, is talked ol, aud the public naturally 
For a Strained Joint.—Edmund L 
way, writes" Take good vinegar, put i 
as will dissolve, heat it a* hut as you 
baud in it, rub and heat it In thoroughly 
The Iowa Homestead — This journal has been sold 
by Mark Miller, its founder, to H. W- Pettit. Mr. 
Miller continue* ft* Agricultural and Horticultural 
Editor. The paper ha* been enlarged, has a new head 
tng, and i* otherwise Improved In appearance. Success 
toonr contemporary under iis new arrangement. Pub¬ 
lished weekly at Des Moines, at : 2 per annum. 
