ISO 
RVEAL HEW-YO EEEE. 
AY 11. 
generally unsafe to plant earlier or later than that 
period. As to the different species of corn, I refrain 
from making any remarks, being aware that each 
kind has its advocates, and that every farmer has his 
preferences. 
Again; farmers are generally too sparse with their 
seed, especially corn. Let them put as many as 
eight or ten kernels in every hill, and proceed, after 
the corn is up finely through the field, and thin out, 
leaving four spears in every hill, and they will be 
amply rewarded for their trouble in so doing. 
Manure should never be taken from the ham yard, 
or from the place where it has accumulated, in less 
than two years from the time of such accumulation. 
The reason for this is obvious. It allows the manure 
time to rot thoroughly, and thus destroys all the toul 
seeds which have gathered therein. Again, another 
remunerative method for the disposal of manure, is 
to convey it on the field designated in the spring, 
prior to the time of planting or sowing, and the first 
season plow shallow, thus leaving the entire body of 
manure within four or six inches of the surface, so 
that the first crop sown thereon will receive nourish¬ 
ment therefrom. The next year, the ground should 
be plowed deep, so as to heave the entire body of 
last year’s manure to the surface, which will greatly 
increase the amount of many subsequent crops. 
North Wolcott, N. Y., 1861. F.. McArthur. 
PIGS AND OAT STEAW BEDDING. 
Eds. Rural New-Yorker: —In a late number of 
your journal a correspondent, writing from Albion, 
N. Y., says he has heard of several farmers losing 
their pigs, when young, through using oat straw for 
bedding. I think the parties must have been mis¬ 
taken as to tho cause of the malady. Though 1 have 
no knowledge of the disease he speaks of, as affect¬ 
ing his own pigs, yet I do know that I have used a 
great deal of oat straw to bed pigs, both old and 
young, and as yet have not been troubled with any 
disease from that cause. Furthermore, I have, at the 
present time, two litters of pigs, aged two and three 
months, respectively, both of which litters, for want 
of pen room, wore pigged in an oat struw stack, re¬ 
mained there until March lath, and are now in a pen 
bedded down with oat straw. Notwithstanding they 
have had such a dose of oat straw, they would be hard 
to beat in my neighborhood. They are a mixed 
breed, got by crossing on various kinds, but they are 
good enough to make three hundred pounders when 
a year old. I raise considerable pork: sold last fall 
about two tuns, average weight 313 Bn*., and this 
year, if nothing goes amiss, 1 shall have about four 
tuns to spare. 
My way of feeding, and which I think the best of 
any means I have as yet used to fatten hogs, is to get 
the corn ground into line meal, boil a lot of potatoes, 
put them in a largo tub, and, while hot, mix in the 
corn meal, and mash all up together. The potatoes 
scald the meal, render it more digestible, and, at the 
same time, help to fatten tho hogs better than pota¬ 
toes alone. I use one bushel of meal to*live of pota¬ 
toes, well mixed together, and made into a thick 
swill for summer feed, mixing in all the spare milk 
from the dairy, then, as fall approaches, I begin to 
thicken the feed until it makes a thick pudding, at the 
same time increasing the quantity of meal. To finish 
off, for the last three weeks, I feed corn meal alone, 
when they are ready to kill, and give a good account 
of themselves. 
If I do not have potatoes enough, 1 make use of 
mangel wur/.el, carrots, pumpkins, or any thing of 
that description that I may have convenient. I find 
old corn better than new for fattening, but for suck¬ 
ling sows J prefer ground oats mixed with potatoes, 
as 1 think it gives more milk than the corn. I know 
that it does when fed to the cows in winter. 
Roxbury, Dune Cn., WU., 1861 \V, II. Cook. 
WHAT AILED THE PIGSP 
Messrs. Eds.: — I noticed, in No. 15 of the Rural, 
an inquiry made by Mr. L. H. WilCox, of Napoli, 
N. Y., wishing to know what, is the matter with his 
five months’ old pigs, two of which are crippled in 
their feel so that they cannot walk, and the other 
shows symptoms of the same disease. I think the 
disease is caused by the mode of keeping and food. 
1 have nine pigs of the same age, of the White Berk¬ 
shire breed, introduced into this part of the country 
by Mr. Jamks Gowks. They came on tho 8th of 
November last. I took them from the sow when six 
weeks old, kept them in a dry and sheltered but airy 
pen during the cold of the winter, and supplied 
their nest abundantly with rye straw. They are fed 
very regularly with a slop made of warm water, sour 
milk, rye bran, a few boiled potatoes, and occasion¬ 
ally a few ears of corn. They are turned now in a 
field every morning after breakfast, but come home 
very regularly for their dinner and supper; and if it 
is not ready, they give due notice of their presence. 
Their live weight is aliont a hundred lbs. each, and 
they are so plump and sleek it makes a person feel 
good to look at them. 
My opinion is, that if Mr. Wilcox should feed his 
pigs more sour slop, and not so much corn, keep 
them well bedded with rye straw, aud none other, lie 
might save his pigs yet. If they can run out, so 
much the better; if not, they ought to have as much 
charcoal as they want to eat, and twice a week give 
each one about a teaspoonful of sulphur mixed with 
their food, for at least three weeks.— Wm. Franck, 
Kingston, Penn., 1801. 
Mr. E. H. Wilcox complains in the Rural that 
his pigs are badly crippled, and wishes to know the 
cause. 1 raise a good many pigs every year, and 
always have first rate luck with them. My plan is to 
let them run about, unless they do considerable mis¬ 
chief. When I do shut them up, I put them in a 
large yard instead of a tight peu. If Mr. Wilcox 
will give his pigs more liberty, they will prosper 
better.—S. S. Read, Kanona, N. I r ., 1861. 
WINTERING SHEEP. 
Eds. Rural Nf.w-Yokker: — lam always interested 
in the experience of my brother farmers, as given in 
the Rural, and as I do not wish 
“To act upon that selfish plan,— 
Say little, and hear all I can," 
I will also contribute my mite of experience. 
In the Rural o? th% 10th March, “ Y oung Farmer ” 
says he has fed 4Q, yearling sheep what hay they 
would eat, and a half bushel per day of oats and beaus 
mixed, and yet they are running down. 
My object is to “compare notes," for the benefit 
of whom it may. cobcern. I have fed 40 lambs 
through the winter as follows: -Wheat straw twice a 
day and bean straw once, with a half bushel of oats 
aud wheat bran (shorts) equal parts. Since the first 
of March I have substituted hay in part for the straw. 
They have been healthy, and are now in fine condi¬ 
tion. 
My old sheep have been fed on wheat straw, with 
a half pound of corn per day to each until March. 
They are also in good condition. My sheep have 
been fed three times a day—watered daily and prop¬ 
erly sheltered. 
From the statement of “ Young Farmer,” my sheep 
have been kept at much less expense than his, and 
are at the same time in much better condition. Did 
he not feed beans too heavily? 
East Kendall, N. Y., 1861. A. Kniffen. 
PLOWING GREEN SWARD. 
Eds. RuralNew-Yokkeb:— Every “ Plow Jogger” 
may not know that green-sward can be turned fiat, 
and good, with a stubble, or short-geared plow, yet it 
can be done, and it rnay be an advantage to some of 
yonr numerous readers to know how to do it. Sim¬ 
ply by setting the coulter to the right, or oft’ from 
land, about two inches more than (be land side 
(which can be done by bending, or with wedges,) so 
that the plow-point will cat under and take out the 
earth, giving the right, side of the next furrow slice a 
chance to settle, which makes it turn over easier 
than when left square down. The earth thus taken 
out adheres to the furrow, und is carried over with it, 
which serves to fill up the crevices between the fur¬ 
rows, and which prevents grass and weeds from 
coming up between them and furnishes good “free 
soil” witli which to cover the hopeful farmer’s seed. 
Green sward, either tough or tender, can be plowed 
we/I, I venture to assert, with any short plow rigged 
in this way. Just try it before you ridicule the idea, 
as did a certain farmer his inventive wife’s, when she 
seriously asked him, as he was about starting oft to 
town for a new plow, if he couldn’t plow with the 
cart , c. c. b. 
Watertown, N. Y., 1861. 
it 
Molily Comb*. 
Eds. Rural New-Yorker.— I have just found moldy 
combs in my bee hives. Can you, or some of your sub¬ 
scribers, tell me what to do?— William J. Edwards, Nila, 
Mich., 1861. 
If the comb is only a little moldy, the bees will 
take care of it, and clean it up when fine weather 
comes. If quite bad, wash the comb in sharp vine¬ 
gar, rinse it well in several waters, and return it to 
the hive. If the comb is partially destroyed by the 
mold, then cut it out. 
Straw Bee Hives. 
Eds. Rural New Yorker:— I noticed, in a late 
number of your valuable paper, an article on Straw 
Bcc Ilives, and their superiority over those made of 
wood, and having thought, myself, that bees in straw 
hives usually swarm earlier than others, I constructed 
one last spring, and transferred a stock from one of 
my Movable Comb Ilives to it, and so far am well 
pleased with it, it being as convenient and well 
adapted to the use Of frames as one made of wood. 
Below is a description. Tt seems nocessary, in 
making such a hive, that we have something besides 
the straw to support tho weight of the combs and 
frames,—a kind of frame work which will keep the 
straw in place, Ac. 
This frame work of wood is made ns follows: Two 
side pieces 161 inches long, 2 inches wide, and 1 
inch thick; two ends, 13| inches long, 2 inches 
wide, and 1 inch thick; these to be nailed together, 
making a frame or hoop 14.) by 131 inches—2 inches 
deep, inside measure. This is for the bottom of the 
hive. Another, similar to this, is made for the top, 
except tho ends, which are rabbeted out on the in¬ 
side upper corner, half an inch square, for the frames 
to rest upon. Small strips may be nailed to this 
part for handles, or, which is better, a atrip one inch 
square maybe put entirely around it, half an inch 
down from the upper edge, for the top or cover to 
rest upon, instead of on the honey board, as some 
make them. 
Then get out four pieces hard wood 121 inches 
long, If inches wide, and j inch thick, for uprights 
or posts, and fasten them with screws to the sides of 
the bottom frame, one in each inside corner. Nail a 
strip of leather to the top edge of this frame, to 
fasten the first roll of straw to; then commence put¬ 
ting on straw, being careful, in turning corners, not 
to draw it too tight. Fill up eight, and a half inches 
with straw; then put on the top frame or hoop, press 
it down so that the whole depth will be twelve and a 
quarter inches, and fasten with screws like bottom, 
and it is done. The top and honey board are made 
of wood, like other hives. 
This makes a hive deeper than some recommend, 
but J think it is better adapted to our long cold 
winters than one made long from front to rear, and 
not as deep. This is my experience—perhaps others 
find it different. J. D. Goodrich. 
East Hardwick, Cal. Co., Vt. 
Artificial Swarming. 
Eds. Rural New-Yorker: —Noticing in your 
issue cf the 00th ultimo certain extracts from “a paper 
read before the Dubuque (Iowa) Farmers’ Club, by 
one John King, Esq., on the Culture of Decs,” aud 
fearing some inexperienced new beginner might be 
misled by that portion of it referring to artificial 
swarming, and hazard the ultimate loss of his bees 
by following the directions there pointed out, shall 
be my only apology for the following article. 
The extract referred to says:—“Take an empty 
hive and set. by the side of one about read/ to swarm: 
lift three or four cards, one of which must be stocked 
with brood comb, or eggs: place them, with the bees 
attached, into the empty one, removing the old hive 
to a new location, and putting the new one in its 
place,” Ac., Ac. 
Now, let us look at it a moment, and see whether 
it is a success, as stated, or not; and it will be of the 
first importance that we berr in mind the fact— 
conceded by all well-informed kee-keepers of the 
present day — that a swarm of rees destitute of a 
QUEEN RUI1.D ONLY “STORK,” OR DRONE COMB. If jt 
be true that the new swarm will, in a few hours, be 
the stronger one, (which is not doubted), in point of 
numbers, the proof that bees can be thus "easily and 
rapidly multiplied,” is not so clear. “And why not?" 
Because either the old or the time swarm is now destitute 
of a fertile queen, and will fill up the vacant space in 
their hire with drone comb — comb in which worker bees 
are never reared, and consequently worse than use¬ 
less! If the writer of the article referred to had 
told us to to take the queen also, when we transferred 
the combs, lie would have insured the prosperity of 
the new colony; but why the old stock would be in 
as good or better condition than if left to swarm in 
the natural way, it is difficult to conjecture. 
If preventing loss of swarms by flight to the woods 
were the only object to be secured, that might be morc- 
easily and certainly accomplished by clipping the icings 
of the queens. This can be safely done at the time of 
hiving a first swarm, and as soon as young brood 
is found in all after swarms. The latter expedient 
should not be resorted to, however, except by such 
as propose to practice artificial swarming, since other¬ 
wise the liability of loss of queens the following 
season, while attempting to lead out swarms, would 
have to be guarded against. 
Artificial Swarming of Pees, if scientifically prac¬ 
ticed, is a decided advance upon the natural methoii 
of increase, in every respect; one of which is that 
all swarms are provided with fertile queens at all times, 
and hence are constantly increasing in numbers. 
Whereas the old stock, after the issue of a first swarm 
of the current year, is destitute of a fertile queen for 
at least twenty days, consequently an interval equal 
thereto always transpires, during which no additions 
to the stock of'worker-bees is made! 
If any one doubts tins, and has nothing but the old 
box hive, or hollow log, on which to experiment, let. 
such rear a queen, artificially, by anyone of the many 
well known methods, so as to have her on hand. And 
when his first swarm issues, let him take the qncen 
he has provided, and place her in the hive the old 
queen and swarm have left, and he will soon be con¬ 
vinced he has taken one step in the right direction. 
Bat the Honey Bee is the creature of system, and 
the artificial propagator Of queens, or swarms, should 
be provided with a hive suited to his purpose, as well 
as the knowledge of the instincts of that insect 
necessary to insure complete success. 
Grand Rapids, Mich., April, 1861 M. Metcalfe. 
Production of Queens and Drones. 
For the production of queens, the workers take 
the embryo larvro in the royal cells, impregnate them 
with the semen of the drone, which they (that is, the 
worker,) lavishly convey to the royal cells for this 
purpose, and also for impregnating the ovary of 
immature queens, in order to give life to their prog¬ 
eny, the semen being conveyed in the peculiar food 
of the embryo queen, of which it (that, is, the semen,) 
is a large ingredient, the food being received to sup. 
port nature, the semen, as above stated. 
The Per Journal, of February, page 36, gives a 
chemical analysis of the royal jelly, by Dr, Dorehoff, 
which be says contains animat albumen and fibnne. 
Jn bis opinion, at least nine-tenths of the mass con¬ 
sists of these, which goes to confirm my theory, which 
was published in the Rural New-Yorker some year 
or more ago, in which I maintained that the 80 -ealled 
jelly is an animal secretion, which I consider drones’ 
semen. Huber considered the jelly of sufficient 
vitality to impregnate or transform the worker larvse 
to those of queens. The theory was based on tho 
jelly being a vegetable compound, but it is now 
proved to be erronious. T wish to submit to bee 
keepers, for solution, the following questions: 
If it requires the drone's sperm, which is animal 
secretion, to be deposited in the queen's spermatheca 
in order to enable her to impregnate the drone eggs, 
so that they will produce the worker, which is a dis¬ 
tinct bee in its physiology and propensities from that 
of tho drone, docs it not require tho drone’s semen to 
impregnate the worker larvic, so that they may be 
transformed to queens, which nre distinct in their 
physiology and propensities from workers? If it be 
true that workers and quci-ns are both transformed, 
the former from drone lame and the latter from 
worker larva;, by animal secretion, do or do not 
queens that are perfected from Italian eggs deposited 
in a common hive, receive a taint, together with 
their progeny, from the secretion or jelly of the com¬ 
mon bee? From what m| :tod what part of the bee 
is this secretion obtained, possessing such transform¬ 
ing power as to change the drone’s larva? Into work¬ 
ers, and the worker’s larva- into queen’s? and what is 
the difference, if any, from that found in the queen’s 
sperrnatbeoa, or the drone’s semen, when treated 
alike by analysis? To the scientific apiarian, the 
solution of the above questions will be of great impor¬ 
tance in removing tho difference of opinion in refer¬ 
ence to the direct cause of the reproduction of queens 
and drones, and explain the object of the drones in 
taking flight together. It would also make known 
tho cause of the different grades of hybrids between 
the common and the Italian bee. If we got the rudi¬ 
ments correct, what is now considered as mysterious 
will be made plain, and we can see the wisdom of the 
Author of Nature in that wonderful insect, the honey 
bee, in their instinctive habits and peculiarities in the 
reproduction of their race. E. Kirby. 
April, 1861. 
guval Spirit of tUe 
Sowing Sorghum Seed. 
A writer in the Prairie Parmer says, from ex¬ 
periments made last spring, he learned that the seed 
should be scalded before planting. One of the greatest 
difficulties in the cultivation of the cane, has been 
the fact that it required three to four weeks after 
planting before it was large enough to be readily 
distinguished from grass, during which time the 
weeds generally become so large as to render its cul¬ 
tivation ditficult. This difficulty can be obviated in a 
great measure by scalding the seed with hot water, 
letting it stand in the water ten or twelve hours, 
then pour the water off and let it stand in a tight 
vessel in a warm place three or four days, till it has 
sprouted; then plant on newly prepared land, and it 
will come up as soon as corn, or some ten days sooner 
than it would if not sealded. It should he planted at 
the commencement of the corn-planting season, on 
very rich, warm land, a sandy soil, and should be 
well cultivated with the shovel-plow and the hoe. 
Culling nnd Feeding Corn Slulks. 
A writer in the Country Gentleman gives his 
views upon the economy of cutting corn stalks with 
a machine for feeding cattle, in the following manner: 
“ Having no interest in the sale of any corn-stalk 
cutters, and baviug had some experience in the use 
of them and feeding of the stalks, I will tell a little 
of my experience. I procured a stalk cutter several 
years ago, with the intention of cutting up all of my 
stalks for my stock, thinking in this way to econo¬ 
mize; but after having given it a fair trial, I have 
come to the conclusion that it is a perfect absurdity 
to think of sustaining life in an animal by feeding 
him upon such a dried mass of pulp as cornstalks are 
composed of. 
“1 have heard quite a number of farmers in this 
vicinity say they have succeeded admirably in mak¬ 
ing their cattle eat cornstalks, butts and all; but 
upon close investigation, I find the attempt is com¬ 
plete loss of time, labor and meal, where any is used. 
I have tried them cut, smashed, wet, dry, raw and 
boiled, but all to no purpose. 1 would as soon feed 
my cattle a bushel basketful of chips and bark: they 
would answer the purpose of filling up very well, 
while the same amount of meal would keep them in 
full as good condition. 
“ I do not think it profitable to waste time with 
corn stalks in any other way than to spread them 
about the barn-yard, and let the cattle eat what 
leaves they will, then rake them up and put them in 
some wet hole to rot for another year. Those who 
profess to feed nothing else but corn stalks, have in 
the first place to starve them to it, and even then 
they look, in the spring, as though they had not suf¬ 
ficient strength to walk from the barn-yard to the 
pasture lot. I have some faith in sowed corn stalks, 
if gathered in season, when full of sap, well cured 
and well cared for. with plenty of meal. I think it 
poor economy to starve cattle to a thing they dislike, 
or to stint them on a thing they do like.” 
Pasture Grasses. 
“A Dairyman” writes his experience to the 
Somerset Farmer, in SkOWhegan, Maine, as follows: 
I am more than ever convinced that in order to 
derive the greatest possible profit from our dairy 
stock, we mnst be more particular in furnishing 
suitable feed in our pasture grounds. To produce 
good batter, the feed should consist ol’suooulont and 
saccharine grasses, such, for instance, as timothy, 
clover, red and brown-top, and other similar grasses, 
mixed. If we lay down our lands with red clover and 
timothy, the white clover, the sweet vernal aud other 
varieties of fine grass, come in either the second or 
third year, and make a fine pasture, which endures 
for many seasons, the grasses annually becoming 
finer aud sweeter, but less vigorous, till they disap¬ 
pear. I deem the labor of plowing and re-seeding 
pasture lauds a useless and profitless labor, as by 
annually top-dressing them with good and invigorat¬ 
ing manure, we secure equally good results and at 
much less expense. No cow, no matter how superior 
maybe her milking qualities, can produce a good 
dairy article if her daily food be uncongenial and 
nnnutratlve. However much may depend upon the 
processes and manipulations of the dairy women, the 
relation existing between good feed and good butter 
and good cheese, is much more intimate than many 
are Inclined to suppose. The sweeter the feed, the 
sweeter and richer in character will be the milk 
which is elaborated from it, and the butter made 
from it excel precisely in the same ratio that the 
feed excels, provided it is manufactured in the same 
way. _ 
Hungarian Grass. 
James D. Ladd, in Field Notes, thus gives his 
experience with Hungarian Grass: 
“In 1859 I sowed two bushels of Hungarian grass 
seed on about three acres of ground, the soil a moist, 
black loam, was a sward which had not been broken 
for five years. Rowed in May, harvested In August, 
cut it with a cradle, let it lay in swath two days, and 
then bound and shocked like oats: in a few days 
hauled it into the barn without rain. The following 
winter I fed the most of it to colts and brood marcs, 
and some little to work horses and a pair of working 
mules. We fed all two years old and upward, four 
sheaves per day per head; yearlings three sheaves to 
two; they did well on it, uo diuretic effect observable. 
Last yc-ar we raised about the same amount, and fed 
in like manner, with satisfactory results. 
“ in the early part of the past winter we were feed¬ 
ing our colts as much good hay, clover and timothy 
mixed, as they would eat, with four ears of corn per 
head per day, when we changed it to four sheaves of 
Hungarian per head per day, and in ten days they 
looked perceptibly better, although they were doing 
quite well. After thus feeding a few weeks, we 
changed to bright sheaf oats, that had been harvested 
without rain, and gave it to them in the same quanti¬ 
ty per day. We thought they did not do quite so 
well as upon the Hungarian.” 
Think Twice before You Move. 
There is much worthy of calm consideration in 
the following brief extract from the American Agri¬ 
culturist : 
Multitudes are contemplating a move, somewhere, 
just at present, or as soon as they can sCll out, reck¬ 
less of the old maxim, “ A rolling stone gathers no 
moss.” They have got their farms cleared up, and 
taken a few crops from the virgin soil, or they are 
situated upon the old homestead, with a hundred 
acres of poor, hard-cropped land. They have good 
neighbors, good schools, and good" markets; hut 
they are not making money so fast as they wish to, 
and mean to try their fortunes in a new place, if a 
man is already settled, and has pleasant associations 
around him, the probability is thut he will lose 
money by moving. If there is nothing else wrong 
but the land, pluck and industry will bring that right. 
There may be more wealth in the old farm than its 
owner dreams, and a better management may enable 
him to unlock its treasures. 
Perhaps deeper plowing is needed to break up tbe 
hard-pan, formed by running the plow-nose four 
inches below the surface for a century. Perhaps two- 
thirds of the manure is wasted, and there may be a 
loud call to stop the leaks. Perhaps the cattle are 
foddered at the stack all winter, and there is a dead 
loss, in tho extra consumption of hay, of ten dollars 
for every head of stock. Perhaps the best part of the 
farm is still under water for half tbe year, and it 
only needs a little draining to turn a waste into a 
fruitful meadow, 
A few changes of this kind in the management of 
a farm make all the difference between success and 
failure, riches and poverty. As a rule, -it is much 
better for a farmer to change his management than 
to change his location. We have observed many of 
the latter kind of changes, and seldojn_ found them 
profitable; but the other kind pay well. Our advice, 
then, is to drive down the stakes a little deeper where 
you are, and persevere until you conquer. Such a 
conquest is glorious. We had rather take such a 
man by tbe hand than the Governor of State, or a 
Member of Congress. He has the stuff in him to 
rule an empire; for, as a successful farmer, he has 
already conquered a small one. 
-■> ■ ■» - 
gnquims anti glnswm. 
Cancer on Horses. —Will you, or souk* of the numerous 
readers of the Rural, please inform me as to a cure for cancer 
ou a horse?—A Subscriber, Morgan Co., Ohio, 1861. 
What Ails my Lambs? — 1 wish to know, through the 
columns of the Rural, what it is ails my Iambs? And, first 
1 will state how my sheep have been kept duriug the winter. 
I have twenty-six. and they have been fed good hay twice 
daily, and cor n twelve quart* once a day. The lambs’, when 
dropped, are so weak that they cannot stand, and most of 
them have a hunch on the under side of the neck. 1 cannot 
better describe it than by saying it looks and feels as though 
they had tried to swallow au egg, and it had lodged in the 
throat. Some have one and some two bundles, it appear- 
to be hard work for them to swallow. I have lost must nil 
of them. Some say my sheep are too fat. We had some the 
same way a few years ago, and thought it was feeding oats, 
since then have fed corn, and had no euctf Lambs; hut it can 
not be feeding oats, for I hare not fed any. Will »ome of 
your correspondents inform me the trouble, and greatly 
oblige—A Constant Reader, Cast Co., Mich... 1861. 
Hollow Horn —1 saw. in a former number of the Rural, 
an article requesting a remedy for hollow horn, and as I have 
an ox that had it a little more than a year aco. after doing a 
severe winter’s work, I will tell what I did for him. I took 
half a pint of vinegar; two tablespoonfuls of salt; one tea¬ 
spoonful of pepper; mixed, and poured into each ear, holding 
the head over on one aide a moment or two. I took this from 
a hook. It may be barbarous, but nevertheless a cure.—G. R 
Love, Spring Groce. Iowa, 1861. 
Rural Notes anir Stems, 
The Season. — In our iast number, after speaking of the. 
unfavorable weather of April, we remarked:—“ May will 
be gladly welcomed, in the hope that it will bring dearer 
skies and mure genial atmosphere — weather which will yet 
enable formers, by extra effort, to sow and plant In season to 
obtain good returns in autumn." When we thus wrote, on 
the last day of April, we little thought tbe. to he gladty-wel- 
enmed May would open, as it did, with a severe snowstorm 
and freeling weather, again checking out-door operations 
and postponing tbe long-hoped-for Spring temperature. 
Several in thus of enow fell on tho first of May, aBd the next 
morning icc half an inch thick, and icicles a foot tong, were 
discovered without the aid of magnifiers. It. is May, accord¬ 
ing to the almanac, hut up to this 7th day the temperature 
has been more like March. A cold rain storm, with unusu¬ 
ally high winds, yesterday, reminded us of the “ides of 
November. 1 ’ We. shall not., therefore, indulge in any san¬ 
guine hopes or reckless prophecies as to the future—for the 
season seems to bn as disjointed as the Union. Trust farmers 
will not ere'dr in despair, but soon bn able to tee seed on 
ground fit for its reception. And when that time dot-s arrive, 
every cultivator should do his ut most to produce larger crops 
than ever before—thus aiding the nation in its struggle for 
existence, and subserving his own interest. 
Thf. Rural in War Times.— Though the political and 
other papers which devote roost of their space to the dxciting 
news of the day, are sought and read with eagerness by all 
classes, those journals which combine practical and usefnl 
topics are not neglected by the discriminating portion of 
community. So we infer from tbe progress of the Rural 
during tho past few weeks. Were it not for the scarcity of 
money, caused mainly by the deiaiigeraent of tho currency 
of the Western States, we think our receipts would prove 
larger during tbe present Spring than for the corresponding 
period of any previous year — for the paper is apparently 
more desired, and giving better satisfaction. But many- who 
wish the Rural, especially at the West, are unable to obtain 
the wherewithal to remit — most of the local currency being 
greatly depreciated at present. Almost every mail brings us 
letters stating that the scarcity of money, or the impossibility 
of obtaining that which is good, alone prevents accessions to 
our subscription. Of course we must sutler from this state 
of things, yet shall endeavor to make the paper as valuable 
and Interesting as ever. Indeed, wc hope to make it more 
acceptable now than formerly, bv giving, in addition to the 
usual variety of Practical and Miscellaneous matter, a com¬ 
plete synopsis of the News of the Day—so that every one 
who preserves a file of our present volume will posses* a 
record of the Lvents of the War for the Union, aside from 
much ottrer matter of permanent Interest aud value. Thou¬ 
sands of our subscribers carefully tile the Rural, and we 
know that many will not sell former volumes at cost. On 
this poiDt (and as to the Rural in these times,) we will quote 
a few words from an agent-friend in Taber Co., Iowa—Mr. S. 
H West. He writes:—“ I am doing, as I ever stand ready to 
do, the best I can- for the Rural. Even now, though I have 
perused thoroughly the pages of the eleventh volume, as it 
lays before mo complete, $2 would not tempt me to part with 
it. Although our political papers are flooded with Interest¬ 
ing and exciting Intelligence, yet the Rural retains its posi¬ 
tion in our affections.” 
— In this connection, attention is directed to the oiler, on 
another page, of the back numbers "of this year to all who 
subscribe for the remainder of the volume. We are daily 
receiving 12 for the volume, but having an extra supply of 
back numbers, have concluded to give them to those who 
subscribe for the remainder of the year. Will not ALL oiJr 
readers — Subscribers as well as Agents — kindly make this 
offer known to their friends, and aid in procuring Volunteers 
for the Rural’s Brigade ? 
N. Y. State Ag. Society. — At a recent meeting of the 
Executive Committee of this Society, held at Watertown, 
the grouuds offered by the citizens of that place for the next 
State Fair were examined, found well adapted for the pur¬ 
pose, and accepted, They compnso the grouuds of the 
Couuty Society, and the adjacent horse track—both already 
enclosed and provided with sufficient buildings to answer in 
part the requirements of the State Society. The grounds 
are said to be less than a mile from the railroad station, and 
but little further from the central portion of tho village. 
— At the same meeting it was decided that the Trial of 
Farm Implements and Machines, which It had been proposed 
to hold in July or August, under the auspices ol' the Society, 
should he deferred on account of the present state Of the 
country. It. is announced, however, that all the implements 
named in the premium list, or Selected by the Board for trial, 
will be examined und passed upon, If entered at the Annual 
Fair to be held at Watertown In September next, aud suita¬ 
ble pn-mlumH and testimonials will bo awarded to those 
which may be approved. 
Tho Premium List for the Annual Fair (to be held at 
Watertown, Sept. 17—19,) is ready for distribution, and may 
be obtained by addressing the Secretary. B, P. Jon.vso.v, at 
Albany. _ _ 
Anotn- Fabjikrs’ Clubs. — A correspondent in Oneida 
county inquires whether we know “of any Farmers' Club 
or Association formed not only to encourage the cultivation 
of fruits, flowers, vegetables, Ac., but to have an agency in 
the society for the purchase of farming implements, or any¬ 
thing else the fanners wish, at wholesale pnees.” He has 
been trying to form such a club, and if one has been organ¬ 
ized elsewhere, would like to know the result of tbe experi¬ 
ment. We are not aware of the existence of any club of the 
kind, but if uny such is in operation among our parish of 
readers we shall he glad to receive and impart information 
on the subject. 
- - - 
80 RGHUM Brooms.— The editor of the Delaware (Ohio) 
Gazette acknowledges the receipt of a sample of brooms 
made from Sorghum broom corn, and commends the same. 
In a note accompanying tbe sample, the manufacturer says: 
“ I send you a specimen of ray premium parlor broom, man¬ 
ufactured from sorghum broom coru, This corn excels the 
common one hundred per cent, in yield of brush, aud fifty 
per cent, in value in the Eastern markets. The fodder being 
of a saccharine flavor, it makes a nutritious and palatable 
food for all kinds of stock, especially milch cows. Its growth 
in height is not more than one-half that of the common 
broom corn, and it does not impoverish the land as much by- 
fifty per cent., and the brush can be harvested with one-half 
the labor.” _■* 
Boiled Corn for Hoos. — Writing to the Prairie Farmer, 
Wm. Van Loom says that be has practiced feeding boiled 
corn to his stock and hogs,-and*i8 ‘ satisfied that he saves 
one-half hi* grain, and gains a* much more in timw;” that 
one bushel of corn on the cob, boiled, will produce as much 
as two fed raw. aud in one-half the time. Iu one experiment 
he fed three bushels of boiled corn per day to twenty-seven 
hogs, for ten days. The average gain was two pounds per 
day. He then fed the same lot of hogs on two bushels of 
raw coru per day, for tweoty days—they gained a mere trifle 
over one pound per day. These were small, young hogs^- 
larger on es tw illd have fattened better. 
To Head the Crows. —As the season for “ scare crows” is 
at hand, the following (said to be a remedy against the 
depredations of crows and blackbirds, in the cornfield,) is in 
order: —“Take fine, plump seed corn—a quantity of it—string 
each kernel on a horse hair—white ia best—tying a knot in 
it to prevent its slipping off. Scatter it over the field In spots 
where tbe birds will see it and alight. They will eat hut one 
kernel of it, and w ill not trouble that field (or any other) 
agaio. The two ends of a horse hair sticking out of their 
mouths, well anchored in their craw by a tine kernel uf corn, 
is by no means a pleasure to them." 
Seasonable Advice. — A friend at Westfield, Mass., sends 
us the following timely suggestion to the farmers of the 
North: u TFar and Famine- —War is upon us, and no one 
can tell when it will end. To forestall a scarcity of provi¬ 
sions, which will be sure to follow, let farmers and all per¬ 
sons having arable land, plant as much as possible this spriDg. 
Plant double your usual amount of land over. Spring Rye 
and Wheat, Corn, Oats, Barley, Beans, Buckwheat, aud 
