118 
every tiling that pertains to healthy development, grains thrive there.” I will give my experience. I 
such as air, exercise, succulent food to improve came here in the spring of 1858, and during the 
digestion, skill in feeding, a regular supply of good month of June that year, I broke up about 40 acres, 
water, good hay, straw, and com stalks, — every 
thing good of its kind,—by any, and by all appli¬ 
ances, keep animals in condition, and what you lack 
make up in grain. 
Having said thus much, I am prepared to give my 
emphatic testimony in favor of higher feeding on the 
part of farmers generally. On a recent visit to John 
Johnston, of Geneva, 1 took note of some of his 
animals, which very well illustrate the advantage of 
high feeding. No. 1, a thrce-year-old wether, weigh' 
ed 251 pounds,—No. 2 , less than two years old, 178 
pounds,- No. :i, a threc-year-old ewe, which raised a 
lamb, 2164 pounds,—No. 4, a lamb, eleven months 
old, 152 pounds. Mr. Johnston feeds these sheep,— 
and they do not materially differ from a large flock 
in which they are kept,—one and one-half pounds of 
grain per head a day. it being part oil meal. Tie 
thinks one and one-half pounds a day of corn meal 
might founder or otherwise injure sheep, hut if one- 
third is oil meal, they will hear it. lie is quite 
partial to buckwheat for sheep. I hope Mr. Johnston 
will furnish the Rural with the results of his winter 
feeding, though this winter is hardly a fair test, as to 
profits, for sheep were very high in the fall, and are 
low now,— hut it is always important to know how 
much animals gain on a given amount of food. But 
we will cypher a little on the eleven months lamb. It 
cost in spring and summer say one dollar, it had been 
fed grain 2j months, (113 &>«.) worth one dollar, hay 
40 cents and wa* worth on the start one dollar,— 
amounting to $3.40. 1 would give for it 44 cents per 
pound, or $0.84,— just about twice what it cost, at a 
high estimate. 
I also took note of two ewes which Mr. Johnston 
bought Nov. 24, 1851), weighing 160 ff>s., for $5.60. 
These he kept till Fcb’y 1 st, 1861, feeding them grain 
costing $3.36, hay 80 cents, (be fed straw , which we 
will Bet oil against the manure,) pasture $1.50, hay, 
grain, and pasture for their lambs till 1st Feb'y $1.50, 
amounting to $12.78, as the cost of ewes und lambs. 
He sold the ewes, then weighing 260 lbs, for $13.65, 
their wool for $5.28, and their lambs would bring 
$ 0 . 00 , amounting to $27.03 for the sheep which cost 
$12.78, leaving for profit $15.15 on two sheep kept 14 
months and 7 days. Bigger results are sometimes 
obtained among fancy men, but these sheep went to 
the butcher , and they certainly a fiord no discourage¬ 
ment to high feeding. 
Mr. Johxbton advises to feed wether lambs welj 
from the start, and turn them at about twenty months 
old, when he makes them average $6 per head,— it 
sometimes does better to keep them till they are 
sheared the second time. He has a horror of lean 
sheep and cattle,— says he had rather pay 3j cents 
per pound for plump, well conditioned stock, than 
24 cents for lean ones. 
Mr. Johnston has sometimes overfed his sheep 
with grain, inducing appoplexy, which he remedies 
by administering oil. He deems 1J pounds safe for 
a sheep if it is part oil rneal, or buckwheat, and this 
he thinks the highest feed that is admissible. Mr. 
Johnston has a steer of remarkable growth and 
development, which he expects to keep a year or so 
longer, though first-rate beef, because what lie gains 
henceforth will be tallow and meat, the offal not in¬ 
creasing, and of course the animal will he worth 
more per pound. 1 wish farmers who send light 
animals to market would consider that bone, blood 
»»f! inwards and even hair and hide, are at a dis¬ 
count at the A star House. —n. T. n. 
-- - ♦ l -4-|- 
MINNESOTA—SHEEP, GRAIN, &e. 
planted some to corn, — which gave me grain and 
fodder for my stock, —some to potatoes, Borne Bowed 
to buckwheat, and a small piece to Hungarian grass. 
All did well. The following spring, 1850, I sowed 
oals on purt of this without re-plowing, but well 
harrowed in. I received 60 bushels to the acre. Ou 
20 acres I sowed spring wheat without re-plowing, 
14 bushels to the acre, and received 425 bushels, 
machine measure. It grew very heavy, lodged down, 
and I lost some by its getting too ripe. Corn and 
potatoes were excellent. Says one, "what did you 
get for your wheat, oats, &c?” Well, to tisc a West¬ 
ern phrase, “there you’ve got me.” Our nearest 
point to the Mississippi is 35 miles, hut most of the 
farmers go 50 miles to Winona, and we get from 60 
to 75 cents this year. Oats are 16 cents and corn 25 
cents at the door. 
I have troubled yon qnitc long enough grinding 
ray ax, but while I put tbe edge on mine, I repeat, 
come on ye lame, ye halt, ye blind, buy and settle up 
the country, develope its resources, and I will turn 
for you when your ax needs sharpening, and also 
write a few more lines telling you how, if desired. 
Rochester, Minn., 1861. E. Palmer. 
THE LABOR-SAVING QUESTION. 
the alteration. I have since bought another set of 
harness made in the usual way, viz., the trace 
attached to near the lower end of the hame, causing, 
as in the first case, the lower part of the shoulder of 
the horse to become sore. I Bee, too, that they can¬ 
not draw the same weight with as much ease as they 
can with the harness of which the liames was altered 
so as to attach the trace nearer the middle of the 
hame. Both sets of hames are of the same length,— 
22 inches. Those lu which tbe horses do not work 
well, measure nine inches from the lower end of the 
hame to the upper side of the staple to which tbe 
trace is attached; and the hameB that I had altered, 
and in which my horses work well, measure eleven 
JLJ5K. 
One pair was set in quite moist ground, and is now 
standing, though I think nearly used up; the other 
pair was set in dry, loamy ground, and broke off in 
the fall, from a high wind, the fifteenth year after 
they were both set. The same sticks cut in the win¬ 
ter would not have lasted half so long.” 
Cleaning Granaries. 
We find the following item “on its travels” 
without paternal mark. The subject is one of impor¬ 
tance to farmers, and they can easily and cheaply 
decide as to the value of the recommendations: 
A prudent farmer will never fill his bins with the 
new threshed grain, without first having given them 
». 11 . 
Rural Notes anir Stems. 
inches from the lower end of the hame to the upper a thorough cleaning. In order to do this, we would 
side of the staple. recommend using either of the following modes: 
If giving this a place in the Rural will induce Having formed a bed of sand upon the granary 
hame makers to make the alteration above mentioned, floor, place carthern vessels of powdered brimstone 
I shall consider some good, at least, has been done, npon it, to which set fire, after having closed the 
and that noble animal, tbe horse, has been relieved doors and crevices, if there he anv. This fumiga- 
of a great torture. h. h. tion, it j 9 sa id, will prevent the existence of the 
Drummondville, C. W., 1861. weevil or other insects in the grain. Or, first sweep 
* * ^ the ceiling and sides of the granary, and lastly, the 
SORGHUM AND SUGAR-MAKING. floor. Carry out the dust, being sure to burn it 
Then wash all the interior of the granary with a 
Eds. Rural New-\orkkr: In a late issue of your strong lye mixture, and when done, finish by giving 
paper, I saw an account of raising Sorghum, by W. the whole a good whitewash. 
Eds. Rural New-Yorker: —A friend from Liv¬ 
ingston county, N. Y„ wrote me to know whether 
sheep do well here, and whether wolves like mutton. 
I answered yes. After writing him, it occurred to 
me that many other readers of your paper, who own 
sheep, and arc asking themselves and neighbors will 
it do to keep sheep on land worth $75 per acre, 
would, if they had some friend in Minnesota, like to 
propound the same question, and that 1 might best 
reach them through the columns of your journal. 
To all such I answer, emphatically, yes. Sheep do 
well here, and wolves like mutton; but don’t start, 
friend, nor say, well, I won’t take sheep there, that 
decides the question. Minnesota has been settled 
about six years, and in that time the early inhabi¬ 
tants have improved their opportunities to obtain 
wolf-skins so well, that there are but few to be found 
in this, or the adjoining counties. I beard of wolves 
having been seen Borne four miles east of me during 
the past winter, still a friend of mine keeps 500 
sheep in that region, and no harm bcfel them from 
that source. But enough about wolves, there is no 
fear from them. 
I have lived here two years, and during that time 
there have been brought into this county something 
over 3,000 sheep, mostly finc-wooled. I have sought 
opportunities to speak with their owners, and they 
all agree in saying that those brought from Illinois 
and Michigan shear a better clip than they did there, 
that the sheep are remarkably healthy, and the lambs 
are thrifty. Rochester is on the route from La Crosse, 
Wis., to St. Peter, Mnnkota, and other Western settle¬ 
ments, and 1 have had opportunities to observe sheep 
going into those localities, and can testify to the fact 
that many and good sheep are going West and North. 
One reason, no doubt, why sheep do so well here, 
is owing to our climate, which is so dry all winter. 
Both strangers and residents agree on that point. 
We have no sleets, and scarcely any rains during 
the months of winter. Winter sets in, the ground 
freezes, and, as a' general thing, the first snow 
remains until the ground opens. The winter of 
'59-’60 was quite mild. We had little snow, not 
more than four inches on a level at any time. Wheat 
was sown on the 17th day of March, I860, that 
yielded 30 hnshels per acre. The past winter the 
snow has not exceeded one foot in depth, while a 
brother in Iowa, who lives about 100 miles south of 
here, writes me that it has been two feet deep there. 
Ordinury sheep bring about $2,50 per head, while 
one-half to three-fourths Spanish Merino command 
from $3.00 to $4.00. The farmers, with their last two 
wheat crops, begin to pick up from the hard times, 
and thousands of bushels of wheat would have been 
converted into sheep last fall, and wintered, were 
they to be had. Most of those hronght here are let 
out on shares, and 1 do not think that a man could 
buy ten good Iheep out of the 3,000 in the county, at 
a reasonable price. Farmers in Livingston, Monroe, 
and Ontario counties, why don’t you send West and 
buy a quarter section of land, which can bo had as 
fine as ever lay out of doors for from $500 to $800 
per quarter, with good water and good hay, and send 
John, or James, or Petek, or some of the other 
hoys, on with your surplus sheep ami your surplus 
money, or bring them here and herd them on any¬ 
body's land until you see fit to buy somebody's fee 
simple to the soil. 
Perhaps some say, “I wonder how wheat and other 
Eds. Rural New-Yorker: —We find in history 
accounts of persons who were minus so much brains 
as to act very silly or foolish at times. Henry Vlil 
was often found on his hands and knees “playing 
horse” for the children. The maids of honor of 
Queen Anne used to blacken their Sovereign’s face 
while she was asleep — and by so doing the Queen's 
household servants would have an object with which 
to amuse themselves. Now, men who have not 
enough to appreciate the value of mechanical inven¬ 
tions, such as sewing and kuitting machines, washing 
and ironing machines, improvements in stoves and 
household Utensils in general, ought not to undertake 
to condemn them. The gentleman who signs himself 
“ II. T. B.” seems to think that these inventions, and 
all other improvements for the pnrpbse of decreasing 
the toil of women, have proved unnecessary,—that 
tbi-ir labors arc as hard and as tedious as they were 
fifty years ago. In your issue of tbe 9th of Feb., be 
undertook to prove that pumps are useless, and using 
bis own words, “ even where pumps have boon vouch¬ 
safed, a big stream does not always respond to a 
gentle touch.” That is very true. Large, even small 
streams, do not always yield to the touch, especially 
in a dry climate. Does “H. T. B.” believe that he 
can pump water out of a dry well? I presume he 
thinks that because pumps cannot perform the func¬ 
tions of pumping water out of an empty well, they 
are useless. Again I quote — “frozen up in the 
winter, dry in summer, rickety-rackety, the old thing 
has been wished at the bottom of the ocean many a 
time.” Now, docs “ II. T. B.” think that pumps will 
freeze up if men had sense ami energy enough to pre¬ 
vent? It is their duty (and not their wives’,) to sec that 
they do not. When a pump gets rickety, as he calls 
it, (and I presume he means worn out,) a new one 
ought to take its place. He, no doubt, has had more 
to do with old pumps than with new; and I suppose, 
when liia pump (if ho ever had one,) was “rickety- 
rackety,” he threw it aside and searched up an old 
bucket he inherited from his great grandfather, and 
presented it to j*is wife as a substitute. 
The next olivet he dwells upon is “the stove.” 
He seems to thrall that cooking stoves are unneces¬ 
sary and can he dispensed with. I would advise him 
to buy another, as his must he nearly worn out, 
according to the description which he gives of it, 
together with all its appurtenances, — “ doors un¬ 
hinged, plates cracked, griddles in three pieces, the 
tea-kettle nose off', boiler burst, and a general explo¬ 
sion amffng the. women, (Mrs. *H. T. B.' and daugh¬ 
ters,) the pipe had to he cleaned, (did ‘ H. T. B.’ or 
the women do it?) it never would burn wet or green 
wood,” &c. Will “H. T. B.” inform us what kind of 
stoves they were fifty years ago? Could they burn 
wet and green wood? Could they hake without leav¬ 
ing “the bottom of the loaf dough, and the top 
cinders?” 
“ H. T. B.” seems to think that all the young girls, 
old maids, and young widows, are after him and his 
“highly esteemed bachelor friend,” and as the law 
will not allow a man to have more than one wife, it 
fills their hearts with the greatest grief and despair. 
Why Ho they not start for Balt Lake City. I think 
his “bachelor friend” hud better postpone that 
“journey to Cayuga Co.”—for if he cannot get. any 
girl nearer home, lie would moot with poor succoss in 
searching up old maids abroad. In the Rural of 
March 2, another person, who signs himself “Psi,” 
seems to take pleasure in advocating the eause of 
“ H. T. B.,” condemning old maids, but he don’t say 
a word about old bachelors. That looks suspicious. 
He lias said that “they are a meddling, fault-finding, 
uneasy set of beings,” &c. Has “ Psj ” been long out 
of the insane asylum? I should judge not, by his 
article. If these old maids want husbands, 1 know 
they can be accommodated, especially when such 
men as “II. T. B.,” “P.,” and “Psi,” are in the 
world; hnt I think that the gentlemen need not fiBh 
any longer for these “ ancient ladies.” 
A few words more and I have done. I do not wish 
my three friends to think that I am an advocate of 
what is known as “Woman’s Rights;” far from it.,_ 
but 1 uphold that “labor-saving machines,” espe- 1 
dally those destined for the use of women, are as 1 
substantial marks of progress as any which grace the 
XIXth century. w. j. p. 
Union City, Branch Co., Mich., 1861. 
of a great torture. h. h. 
Drummondville, C. W., 1861. 
SORGHUM AND SUGAR-MAKING. 
Eds. Rural New-Yorker: —In a late issue of your 
paper, I saw an account of raising Sorghum, by W. 
H. Gardner, of Amboy, Illinois. He speaks of 
making very good sirup, but Bcems to doubt its sugar 
making properties; yet says he has seen instances of 
Its graining. I raised a little last summer,— about 
one-fonrth of an acre of cane,—and made it into simp. 
Had abont two barrels. Boiled it in a pan made of 
galvanized Iron; boiled to about a good common 
thickness, and put it down cellar. In a few weeks it 
began to grain, and it iB now bo thick that you can 
carry it in your hands. T should think it was two- 
thirds sugar. T intend to try draining the half-barrel 
we have left. Two years ago last summer I grew my 
first crop,—had about the same sized piece of ground, 
and about the same quantity of sirup. I then boiled it 
in a caldron kettle. That year it got ripe, but did not 
grain. The next year I planted a larger piece, but 
we had an early front,— quite a hard one,—and it 
spoiled tbe most of the cane in this section. I manu¬ 
factured it the same as the year before, but tbe frost 
had soured the juice, It was poor, did not grain, and 
was dark. Last summer it grew well. We had a 
light frost early in the fall, and the cane did not 
ripen, still it has made sugar. This may be owing to 
the boiling. Should I raise any the coming summer, 
J think I shall get a copper boiler, and see if it is not 
better. 
The following is my mode of cooking:—Fill my 
boiler and cleanse with milk and eggs, the same as 
maple sugar. Let it boil slowly until it is well skim¬ 
med, then boil down as fast as possible, skimming 
whenever scum rises. Do not add any fresh juice 
after it begins to boil. The longer it is boiled the 
darker it gets. We have some of what is known as tbe 
“White Seed Cane,” which is thought to be better 
than the other, but I have not tried it and cannot 
say. J. Y. Hoagland. 
Ridgeway, Len. Co., Mich., 1861. 
- »«■♦»■» - 
THE PRESIDENT’S WHITEWASH. 
Messrs. Eds.:—I huvethc recipe for the whitewash 
used on the President’s house, spoken of in a late 
Rural, which I copy and send for your paper, with 
some additional improvements learned by experiment; 
Tahe 4 bu*hcl gf ftep unslaked lime; slak it with 
boiling r during the procef* to 
keep In the steam, (strain the liquor through a small 
scive or strainer, and add to it a peck of clean salt,— 
previously well dissolved in warm water,—3 pounds 
of ground rice mixed to a thin paste and stirred in 
boiling hot; 4 a pound of powdered Spanish whiting, 
and 1 pound of clean glue, which has been previous¬ 
ly dissolved by first soaking it well, and then hang¬ 
ing it over aslow fire in a small kettle within a larger 
one filled with water. Add five gallons of hot water 
to the whole mixture, stir it well and let it stand a 
few days, covered from the dust. It should be put 
on quite hot; for this purpose jt can be kept in a 
kettle on a portable furnace. It is said that about 
one pint of this mixture will cover a square yard 
upon the outside of a house if properly applied. 
Brushes more or less fine may be used, according to 
the neatness of the job. It retains its brilliance for 
manv years. Coloring matter may he used. Spanish 
brown stirred in, will make a red or pink, more or 
less deep, according to the quantity. Lampblack in 
moderate quantities makes a slate color, very suitable 
for the outside of buildings. Yellow ochre, stirred 
iu, makes a yellow wash; but chrome goeH further, 
and makes a better color. Green must not be mixed 
with the lime, the lime destroys the color, and makes 
the whitewash crack and peal off. Where the walls 
are badly smoked, and you wish to have a clear white, 
It is well to squeeze in indigo, and stir into the 
whole mixture. P. D. Knight. 
Medina, N. Y., 1861. 
gural spirit of tft* itw. 
Worms In Horses. 
Tnx Mew England Farmer contains the following ! 
from one of its correspondents, about the cure of 1 
worms in horses: J 
How to work up poor Fodder. 
The Working Farmer says that in time of scar* 
city, when it becomes necessary to feed hay, and 
straw, and corn stalks, which have become slightly 
moldy, and so unsavory that cattle will not touch 
them, the quality may be materially improved and 
rendered palatable by steaming them thoroughly. 
This will carry off much of the foul flavors with the 
vapor, while the condensed portion may be suffered 
to run out at the bottom of tbe steaming vessel, bold¬ 
ing in solution much matter which should ho got rid 
of. The English plan Is to steam their tainted or 
moldy bay until it is free from smell, and then to 
mix it with pulped or sliced roots; when the steamed 
hay is also thoroughly chaffed, the results are still 
better; sometimes a slight dusting of linseed cake is 
added, salt in small quantity, and occasionally por¬ 
ridge is made of the linseed meal and added to the 
mesB. Cooked Indian meal will be a much better 
divider, whenever food of an inferior quality is given 
to an animal. 
Self-Fn»rcning Door Catch. 
F. M. Baker, of Centre Co,, Penn., writes to the 
American Agriculturist that the following was con¬ 
trived on a rainy day, by one who was often annoyed 
by the flapping of the small barn door against tbe 
side of the barn:—Push the door hack against the 
side of the barn, and with an inch augur bore a bole 
through the weather boarding and door; the augur 
striking the door an inch or two from the edge, and 
about miilway from top to bottom. Fasten a pin 
tightly into the bole in the door, thin it a little so as 
to pass easily through the hole in the weather board 
ing, letting it extend through two inches or more. 
Cut a notch in the upper side ot the pin, large 
enough to receive a wooden spring. Taper the pin 
from the lower edge to the notch, so that the spring 
will slide into it. Fasten the wooden spring, made 
for the purpose, at a suitable distance, and it is done. 
If a door be accidentally left open, the first gust of 
wind will drive it back against the side, and the 
spring in the inside sliding into the notch in the pin, 
fastens the door. 
AN ERROR IN MAKING HAMES. 
Eds. Rural New-Yorker:—W ith the hope that 
this may reach those that are engaged in making 
barnes for horses’ harness, 1 take up my pen,—after 
waiting several years for one more able than mine, 
but waiting in vain,— to expose a great error that 
hame makers have fallen into, in making the hasp, or 
staple, to which the trace is fastened too near the 
lower end of the hame by about two inches. If any 
person should entertain doubts about it, my advice is 
that they try the experiment as 1 have done, to be 
satisfied of the truth of what I say. 
A few years since I bought a set of harness, the 
hames of which were made as they are still made. I 
soon found that my horses could not work long in 
them before the lower part of the shoulder would 
become sore, which led me to see that the draught, 
or weight of the load drawn, came too heavily on the 
lower part of the shoulder. I had the hames altered, 
by raising the staple to which the trace is fastened, 
two inches higher, so as to cause the weight of the 
draught to come more equally on the shoulder. I 
soon found, not only that my horses’ shoulders did 
not become sore, but that they could draw a heavy 
draught with much more ease than they could before 
“I see inquiries in the Farmer as to what will kill 
worms in horses. You remarked that wood ashes are 
good. When ashes do not effect a cure, take bass¬ 
wood bark and boil it in water down to a strong 
liquid, then take whatever grain is given to tbe horse 
and soak it in it over night Give it to him in the 
morning, ou an empty stomach; follow giving it 
two or three mornings, then give something physick¬ 
ing, and in a short time a cure will be effected.” 
Ulont In Cattle. 
H. D. Court, of Bedford, writes to the Michigan 
Farmer, that when cattle are bloated from eating wet 
clover, or horses from eating green clover, he has 
found a sure remedy in giving to the animal an ordi¬ 
nary charge of gunpowder, mixed with about the 
same quantity of fine salt, in the hand, and thrown 
on the tongue every 15 minutes, until 2 or 3 doses are 
given. He says:—“ In the summer of 1858, I had five 
head taken at one time, two of which were severe 
cases, but this treatment saved them, The same week 
the hides of forty head were sent into Battle Creek, 
and all from animals that had been lost by early wet 
clover.” 
A Fencing Experience. 
Substantial fences on a farm are valuable. 
There may be something in this experience, which 
we find in the New England Farmer, to think of.” 
“ About the first of June, 1840, I made two pairs 
of hemlock bar posts. The sticks of which they 
were made were about ten or twelve inches in diame¬ 
ter at the largest end, sided down to four or five 
inches, to the top of the ground, being round below, 
cut at the time, and, of course, the bark stript off’. 
Halt mul izitnc for Wliom 
A correspondent of the Farmer and Gardener, 
who had been troubled with the falling down of his 
wheat, relates the following experiments: — “I made 
a mixture iu the proportion of two parts (in weight) 
Of lime to one of salt; I permitted the mixture to lie 
in the heap for some four weeks before applying it; 
then spread it over a part of the field at the rate of a 
ton and a half to the acre. The result was, that in 
that part of the field the wheat all stood well, while 
on the remainder it went down before the heads were 
entirely tilled. I need not tell you how much easier 
the former was to cut than the latter. The yield was 
decidedly better, and, in addition to these advan¬ 
tages, I found the clover, on the part to which the 
mixture had been applied, larger and finer than 
where it had not been.” 
Another correspondent of the same paper says he 
applied a top-dressing of salt, about a bushel on an 
eighth of an acre, when the turnips wi re putting out 
the third leaf. A very severe drouth succeeded, 
and the result was a much better yield on the salted 
part than the other. They stood the drouth well, 
and were not attacked by the fly. 
ifupitto awl gMmvMisi. 
Cork My Pics. — I have three pigs, two of which are so 
badly crippled that they cannot walk, ami the other begins 
to show symptoms. They are five months old —have been 
kept in a warm, dry pen. cleaned and newly bedded nearly 
every week. Their fond has been mostly corn, occasionally a 
fow apples and potatoes. Will some of vour readers tell ine 
through the Rural what the matter is and the cure? — L. H. 
Wilcox, Napoli, Cat. Co., N I*, 1861. 
Tiiat Improved Barn Frame. — I have examined the plan 
for a barn frame in your issue of the 23d nit., which Mr. Coe 
desires to submit to the investigation of the readers of the 
Rural. It appears strange to me that Mr. Coe has not 
noticed a serious deficiency (as I should call it,) in this 
frame, viz. there is no bracing to prevent the barn from 
spreading Will some Of the readers of the Rural supply 
this deficiency and oblige —A Subscriber, Italian, Yates 
Co., N. T. 1861. 
Iron Pipe as a Water Conductor. Farmer.” in the 
Rubai, of March 30th, inquires about the use of iron pipe for 
water purposes. I have been using a galvanized iron gas or 
water pipe in my cistern for nearly a year. It works well 
and does not rust. 1 procured it of a gas fitter and plumber. 
— T B. Hkkrmanb, Syracuse, N. Y., 1861. 
Fleas os Dogs — A Sure Remedy — W. H. G., of Amboy, 
ill., writes thus emphatically:—“ Pete, of Dryden, wishes to 
oust the lleas #n his dog ; — here is a good and sure remedy: 
Give the dog a dose of strychnine. This will rid him of fleas, 
and also hinder him or any other dog to which it is given 
from killing sheep. We will give ten dollars toward supply- 
ing this remedy to all who are too poor to buy it, or too 
mean to use it. and hope philanthropists will come forward 
and contribute liberally toward ridding the poor man’s poor 
dog of the pestiferous flea. Is". B. Meat is good, if fresh, to 
give the strychnine with. Dog owners, universally, please 
try it” _ 
Feed eor Lambs. — 1 noticed an inquiry in the Rural as 
to lambs kept on beans, oats, and hay. I should ask the 
gentleman how long he would like to diet himself on buck¬ 
wheat flour, pork and bread. I have wintered nearly 70 
sheep, and find this season, as well as every previous one 
through life, that lambs generally require a great deal of 
care as to food. It cannot be changed too often. Some of 
them might be tired of the grain, and fail from not eating 
enough, and then the others may eat too much and injure 
themselves. I think a change of food preferable to physic. 
I first wet all the food for mine with a weak brine, and feed 
as many kinds of food as convenient, but, like Mr. Johnston, 
without hay. Land® require to have their food moistened 
more particularly than other stock, they are so delicate in 
their appetite, and it is so difficult to get them all to eat each 
kind of food. I have noticed some of mine eat very little 
peas all through. — W. P., Woodstock, C. IF.. 1801, 
f The Weather —The firet ten days of April was quite 
- favorable. The heavy snow of the 1 st inst,, which gave us 
one and three-tenth inches of water, disappeared very gradu¬ 
ally, (in four days) so that.the streams were scarcely affected. 
Of course, it must have been highly beneficial as a fertilizer 
, — carrying into the earth a greatamonnt of Ammonia — spring 
snow being, proverbially, “the poor man’s manure." The 
past few days of warm and pleasant weather have rapidly 
i dried the earth, rendering it fit for cultivation, and greatly 
hastening out door operations. We may yet have a favorable 
3 spring for soil cultivators. 
1 ' • ■ 
j The New Advertisements in this paper comprise several 
, announcements of special interest to Farmers and Horticul¬ 
turists. We take pleasure in directing particular attention to 
' the valuable implements and machines advertised—especially 
5 Ball's Reaper and Mower, the Buckeye Mower and Reaper, 
5 the Improved Straight-Draft Plow, and Allkn’h Improved 
. Harrow. These implements are all worthy the notice of 
, farmers. Those who det-iro good trees, seeds and stock ani- 
j male—vitally important items just now—should also carefully 
, peruse our advertising department. Apiarians will, of course, 
note advertisement of Langstroth's work on tho Hive and 
Honey Bee, while parents will not overlook the term notices 
1 of our Stale Ag. College, Clover Street Seminary, Ac. The 
; conspicuous card of Messrs. Robbins fi Appleton, relative to 
the American Watch, on our last page, merits the attention of 
all who wish such good time as will enable them to be “up to 
time” on all important occasions. 
Western New York Horses pop- President Lincoln.— 
Our neighbor of the Daily Union states that. President Lincoln 
recently commissioned a friend, Col. Woon, to purchase for 
1 him a pair of horses. Col. W. first wont to New England and 
| spent several days in search, but finding nothing that suited 
him, came to tbiB State. Hearing at Albany that Wm. R. Van 
, Cott, of Victor, Ontario county, had a pair of horses that 
might answer hie expectation#, he repaired to Victor and soon 
concluded a purchase at ? 2 , 000 . The horses are described as 
being sixteen and a half hands high, six years old, a beautiful 
dark brown in color, with tan noses, flowing tails, well 
matched, and altogether a very sty lish and attractive team. 
We may add that, among the National and State dignitaries 
who have resorted to Western Sen York for horses within a 
year or two past, Gov. Morgan purchased a fine carriage 
team, and also asuperior saddle horse, of Mr. II. II. Norman, 
of Fairport, this county Of course, all interested in fine 
horses, and especially officials and others wishing to purchase, 
will “ make a note” of this paragraph. 
Market Fairs.—T he season has again arrived for Market 
Fairs and we arc glad to observe announcements of times 
and places where several are to be held—in New England. 
New York, and the West. This indicates that the experiments 
made last season were not unsatisfactory; and we think those 
haring stock or produce to dispose of, purchase, exchange or 
exhibit, will, ere long, appreciate the facilities afforded by 
these Fairs and Exhibitions, Tbe advantages of Market Fairs 
are thus concisely stated by the Massachusetts Board of Agri 
culture, after a thorough examination of the system: 
1. Greater convenience in buying, soiling and exchanging. 
2. Greater saving of time. 
8 . Cash for all things sold. 
4. The removal of middle men or speculators, giving better 
prices to producer# and lees expense to consumers. 
6. The abolition of the peddling system. 
6. More uniform knowledge of market prices. 
7. Increase of social intercourse among farmers. 
8. Increase of knowledge by comparison and experience. 
9. Greater division of skillful and profitable agricultural 
labor, 
10. Stimulus to higher culture and better products. 
11. Bringing the remote farmers into competition with 
those nearer. 
12 . Greater facilities for employing laborers and transacting 
business generally. 
* - — 
Crop Prospects in England.—Wo have already alluded to 
the unfavorable prospect of the winter grain of Europe, as 
indicating an increased foreign demand for Amt-Hca .11 
stuflfs. A law number of the London Economist expresses 
apprehensions of a failure in the coming grain crop of Eng¬ 
land—a result which, following the had crops of last year, 
would prove a serious misfortune. The Economist speaks thus 
gloomily of tho prospect:—“ Wo have arrived at a critical 
period of tbo year as regards the produce of the next harvest, 
The season for sowing spring wheat Is rapidly passing away, 
while the land has latterly not been in a favorable statu for 
sowing. There was a great quantity of rain in the first week 
of March, which not only stopped all work npon tho land Tor 
some time, but left the soil so beaten down that wheat sowing 
became difficult The editor thinks that calculation must be 
made on a comparatively small breadth' of wheat this year. 
Mr Caird, iu the House of Commons recently, estimated the 
deficiency of last year's harvest at 36 par cent. In the same 
speech he gave an aocount of the successive agricultural dis- 
asters which, beginning in the autumn of 1859, prepared the 
way forthc inadequate harvest, oflaet year The wheat which 
was got m this spring before the rains, looks well. There 
must be a deficiency, however, under the most favorable cir¬ 
cumstances.” 
A Goon Lightning Conductor.—T he utility of lightning 
conductors, properly constructed and applied, is generally 
conceded. Great imposition has been practised in years past 
by the sale and erection of defective conductors. This is a 
subject or especial interest to farmers, as their buildings are 
usually isolated and tilled with combustible materials, conse¬ 
quently much exposed. And as large amounts of money are 
paid out every year to purchase protection and safety from tho 
direful effects of lightning, it is important that tffose making 
this expenditure should be satisfied that their money is not 
worse than thrown away by radical defects in the apparatus 
employed. Of the various kinds which have come uuder our 
notice, we give the preference to Brittan's Copper-Strip 
Conductors, advertised iu another column, tor which letters 
patent were issued last season. We have had them applied to 
oar own dwelling, and think they embrace all the requsitea 
of a perfect lightning conductor. They are said to be an im¬ 
provement on the celebrated invention of Sir Harris, for 
which he was Knighted and pensioned by the British Govern¬ 
ment. Sir Harris’ conductors were made iu sections four 
feet long, and riveted together One of Brittan's improve¬ 
ments consists in the strips beiDg whole, whatever width aud 
thickness may be desired—forming one unbroken line of 
trausit for the electric fluid for any required length. We see 
no reason why these conductors should not supersede other 
kinds now in use. 
The Ohio Statb Fair for 1861, is to bo held at Dayton, 
Sept. 10th to 13th, inclusive. The Secretary announces that 
the usual railroad facilities have been secured for the benefit 
of exhibitors and visitors; also, that during the Fair the fol¬ 
lowing members of the Board will have the general charge of 
the different Departments' Horses —John M. Millikin, Hamil¬ 
ton, O. CattU —James M. Trimble, Hillsboro'. Sheep, Hig/s 
and Poultry— Thomas C Jones, Delaware. Machinery hh 
plements , <£c.—Win. DeWitt, Cleveland. Manufactuns, tfic.— 
John Reber, Lancaster. Farm l*rodu/:ts—[)urid Taylor, 
Columbus Fruits and Flowers— N. S. Townshend, Avon, 
Lorain county. Fine Arts —Henry B. Perkins, Warren. 
Treasurer —C. W. Powtin. Zanesville. 
Sales op Short horns,— We learn that Mr. C. K. Ward, of 
Le Roy, N. Y., has t receDtly sold his young bull, “ Oxford of 
Genesee," to Messrs, Ira & Charles Bl-lkley, of Tiogo Co., 
Pa. Tbeae gentlemen are extensive breeders of cattle, and 
tbe above named is the fourth bull they have purchased of 
Mr. Ward, which shows their appreciation of his stock. More 
recently Mr. Ward has sold to Mr. Francis Bowbrs, of 
Genesee county, his yoong bull “Lord Raglan," and a one 
year old heifer, bred by himself; also “Fanny,” a cow pur¬ 
chased of Mr. S. P. Chapman. 
Harpersyillk Union Society.— The following persons 
have been elected officers of the Society for 1861: President — 
James A. Cilapee. Vice-President—J ohu F. Bishop. Cor. 
Secretary —Edward P. Nortlirnp. Secretary —Daniel Stow, Jr. 
Treasurer —Ri 1 ey Bush. The Society has a fine lot, well 
fenced, with a good hall, and is out of debt. The premium 
list amounted to about $500 last year, and it is hoped to 
enlarge the list the present season. 
