breast or back, wash them clean, then apply an 
ointment made by mixing together a spoonful of 
pulverized alum and the white of an egg. 
The Ron«l to Poor Punning. 
As the road to poor farming is not generally 
understood, though it is crowded with travelers, we 
throw up the following landmarks, from the Spring- 
field (Mass.,) Republican, for the common benefit: 
1 . Invest all your capital in land, and run in debt 
for more. 
2 . Hire money to stock your farm. 
3. Have no faith in your own business, and be 
always ready to sell out. 
4. Buy mean cows, spavined horses, poor oxen, 
and cheap tools. 
5. Feed bog hay and moldy corn stalks exclu¬ 
sively, in order to keep your stock tame; fiery cattle 
are terribly hard on old, rickety wagons and plows. 
6 . Use tho oil of hickory freely, whenever your 
oxen need strength; it is cheaper than bay or meal, 
keeps the hair lively and pounds out all the grubs, 
7. Select Hitch calves for stock as the butchers 
shun; beauties of runts, thin in the hams, and pot¬ 
bellied; but be sure and keep their blood thin by 
scanty herbage; animals are safest to breed from 
that haven’t strength to herd. 
8 . Be cautious in the manufacture of manure; it 
makes the fields look black and mournful about 
planting time; besides it is a deal of work to haul it. 
!). Never waste time in setting out fruit and shade 
trees; fruit and leaves rotting around a place make 
it unhealthy. 
LIST OF NEW ADVERTISEMENTS. 
opterems insects, such as the mud-wasp. (Pdo- 
pceus,) the sand-wasps, ( Sphex and Scolia,) the 
common kind that suspend tbeir combs against the 
rafters of our garrets and outrbouses, (Polistes.) 
These have all elongated pedunculated bodies, and 
do not belong to the Vcspida-. Our hornets are 
the Vespa maculala, and V. fraterm- The yellow 
jackets are the Vespa mairulifrons, V. cuneabi, and 
V. inequalis , and perhaps other species. Some 
cover their combs with a paper-like vault, pear- 
shaped, like the hornets, only of a smaller size; 
others build on the ground, between stones and 
rocks, according to circumstances, having an under 
ground passage. 1 am somewhat surprised that Mr. 
Fitch, in his report, volume 1, (Nos. 1 and 2.)page 
62, says, ‘ Our common hornet or yellow jacket 
( Vespa maculala. Lin.,) is also frequently noticed in 
the same situations,’ speaking about the ants and 
blue-wasps (Pdopoius coertdeus , L.,J regaling 
Executors' .Sale—Wm. Antis and Henry T. Oirr. Kxcentorn. 
Roofing Slate— A- K. Rider, Superintendent 
Carpet-inr* — Howe A Rogers 
N eif Cntakerue nf Sre.v. Arc MeElwain Bro.'s 
Cranberry Culture and Flouts. 
JimnvGoro—S. I. IVmcwist 
Onrt'ouvl Academy —S. W Clark, lYincipal. 
Hiorm Grape Vines—K Moody A Son. 
])-.<*olufinn —John I'opelimd and 0. W. & J E. PovrorH. 
Apple Traj-s fnr Sale—K. C. Frost. 
Pear Crsvtrs. kr. — Sohroeder k Oo. 
(’each Tree* P. Bowen fe Oo. 
Situation as Teacher Wanted hy a Lady. 
Clinton ami isubollo Grape Vines — Geo. Bock 
KPV.OIAI. NOT10K8. 
Kastman's Commercial College, 
Brown's Bronchial Troches for Cough. 
Partial List of Gifts Awarded at the Metropolitan Bookstore. 
Edb. Rural Nkw-Xorker:— Having noticed an 
Inquiry in your journal as to whether the Poultry 
yard is profitable, I thought I would give the 
inquirer the benefit of my experience. In 1857 I 
had 16 hens, and thought I would keep an account of 
the number of eggs laid. About hall the hens wore 
Creoles, and the rest the common barnyard fowl. 
One died in May, aDd three raisod chickens. 1 con¬ 
sider that it costs me as much to raise chickens as 
they are worth; bo 1 shall make no aooonntof them. 
Number of eggs laid. 180 dozen; what I sold aver¬ 
aged 14J cents per dozen. 
Receipts, ISO dozen eggs,-.. 
Expense, 18 bushels com, at 50 cents,- 9.00 
Profit,. p . 
From tho 1st of May to the 1st of October, I kept 
the hens shut in the barn, (With the exception of 
haying time.) until 5 or 6 o’clock in the afternoon; 
kept water and old mortar by them. 
I also kept an account last year of what it cost me 
to fat two pigs, which I butchered tho 4th of Decem¬ 
ber. They were just 7 months old. I fed them raw 
corn meal mixed with sour milk. Commenced 
feeding them as soon as they would cat. 
Fed 23>£ bnaliejs com, at 50 cts. per bushel, $1.1.76 
Paid for grinding. 4 cents per bushel,.. 94 
Value o( pigs at 5 weeks old,. 4.00 
That Discussion upon Taxing Dogs. — Correction .—It 
appears that, our report of the discussion at Annual Meeting 
of N. T. State Ag Society, on taxing dogs, (sec Rural of Ir.t 
inst.,) contained two or three errors. Mr. 14. Rhrkru.l, of 
Ontario, is reported as speaking of the tour thousand or 
more doge it. this State," and Mr. T C. Prtbm as asserting 
• that there were full five thousand in the State," See, Now, 
as every intelligent reader must be. awaro, these figures are far 
too low — and we fir.d by reference to our notes (and our 
memory fully “endorses" them.) that Mr. SHKiutir.r. said 
‘•four hundred thousand or more,”and Mr. Pkters “ fuIJ five 
hundred thousand." See, llow we could have made such an 
error in transcribing from notes is past our ken, nnd hence 
infer it must be a '‘mistake of the printer." But wo inno¬ 
cently made another error, which lias awakened the virtuous 
indignation of our usually amiable friend PKTWta. Wo 
understood him to say, as reported, that •' wheu Supervisor he 
siiocec led in getting a tax on ilogo," dm.,- and believing him 
to bo ‘ honest, cap bio, nnd faithful to the constitution,'’ we 
hnrl no doubt be liad held that honorable office. Vet, in a 
characteristic note, our modest friend calls our report in this 
respect an “absurd blunder," and, ranch to our suqwise, 
(considering hi» qualifications,) adds:— “ In the first place I 
was never Supervisor, til tho next place I was never a candi¬ 
date, and in the last place 1 never had any town office higher 
than path master, and could not get that the second time I 
Supervisor, indeed f J did a few years ago draw up a bill 
which the Supervisors, then In session, passed into a law, levy¬ 
ing a tax on dogs. It- put fifty cents on the first, one dollar on 
tho second; three dolUra on a bitch, and five on the second 
one. Tho law worked well for two years; dogs became scarce, 
a good fund wus provided for those who tost tbnir sheep by 
dogs, and if it had been continued tho fanners in the county 
would now be many thousands of dollars better off in the 
aggregate than they arc. Some overgrown political pups got 
into otlioe as Supervisors, and the law was repealed." 
— Our troops at Key West are in excellent health. 
— Vermont produces about 4,000,000 pounds of wool per 
annum. 
— The fort at Tampa, Florida, hue been captured, with 
three vessels. 
— All the prisoners taken at Roanoke Island have beon 
released on parole. 
_The people of an Iowa town have, “ in fun,” elected a 
woman for Mayor. 
_Florida is selling public lands belonging to tho United 
Stab* Government. 
— A telegraph cable has been laid m the Ohio river lietwoen 
Cincinnati and Covington. 
— Permits arc given to traders as far as Clarksville, Tenri , 
upon giving proper bonds. 
— One hundred thousand dollars' worth of cotton was taken 
at Nashville by our troops. 
— Revcnly Johnson lias been elected to the U. S. Sonato by 
the Legislature of Maryland. 
— Tbe President of the Florida State Convention oonfeaaea 
that the blockade is effective. 
— Clarksville is the center of tlie tobacco region of South¬ 
ern Kentucky and Tennessee. 
— The heavy gale of too Kith ult. did much damage to the 
shipping in New Fork harbor 
— Seven hundred and fifty rebel officers have beon sent to 
Camp Chase, Columbus, Ohio. 
— The English authoritii* have notified tho Sumtor to quit 
Gibraltar, but she still remains there. 
— The steamer Cambridge sunk on the 23d ult, near Grand 
Glaixe, Ark. Forty-two lives were lost. 
— The total amount of water pipe laid in the city of Phila¬ 
delphia is 1,779,097 feet, or nearly 37 miles. 
— The business of the Patent Office is rapidly reviving, the 
issue for tlus year being some ninety patents. 
— Tho Great Exhibition Building, in London, has been 
completed, and surrendered by the contractors. 
— A heavy fire occurred in Boston on the 25th ult., destroy¬ 
ing property worth over half n million of dollara. 
— Gen. Sigcl denies writing a letter attributed to him, com¬ 
plaining of personal injustice by the Government 
— There lias been a flood of rain at Mecca. Three hundred 
lives were lost, and ono-tliird of the City destroyed. 
— Albany Hall, in Milwaukee, was totAlly destroyed by fire 
Saturday week. The loss amounts to about $70,000. 
Expense, 
closely, lest 1, like Fat, would be made to feel 
again how- hot their ‘/wot ’ is. They are a set of 
restless, impertinent vermin, for which I have no 
sympathy.” 
“Friend Hoehandlb, you remind me of that 
universal genius, Christopher North, who puts 
the following language into the mouth of the ‘ Shep¬ 
herd 
‘ Shepherd. O’ a’ God’s cretins, the wasp is the 
only ane that’B eternally out o’ temper. There’s 
nae sic thing as pleasin’ him. In the gracious sun¬ 
shine, when the bees are at work murmurin’ in 
the gauzy flight—although no gauze, indeed, be com¬ 
parable to the filaments o’ their woven wings,—or, 
clinging silently to the flowers, sook, Bookin’ out 
the hiney-dew, till their verra doups dirl* wi’ 
delight, when a’ the flees that are ephemeral, and 
weel contented wi’ the licht and the heat o’ ae 
Bingle sun, keep dancin’ in their burnished beauty, 
up and down, to and fro, and backwards and for¬ 
wards, and sideways, in millions upon millions, and 
yet are never joistling anither, but a’ harmoniously 
blended together in amity) like imagination’s 
thochts. Why, amid this general dance of min¬ 
strelsy, in comes a shower o’ infuriated wasps, red 
het, as if let out o’ a fiery furnace, pickin' quarrels 
wi’ their ain shadows; then roun' and roun’ tho 
hair o’ your head, bizzin’ against the drum o' your 
ear, till you think they are in at tie hole and out at 
the ither; back again, alter makin’ a circuit, as if 
they had repentit o’ lettiiT you unharmed, dnsbin’ 
against the face o'you who are wishin’ ill to nae 
livin’ thing, and although you are engaged out to 
dinner, sticking a lang poishoued staug in just 
below your e’e, that before you can rin hamefrae the 
garden, swell up to a fearsome liicht, makin’ you on 
one side look like a blackamoor, and on tho opposite 
white as death, sue intolerable is the agony frae the 
tail o’ the yellow imp that, accordin’ to his bulk, is 
stronger far than the dragon o’ tho desert,’’ 
“ Good,” exclaimed John; “Scccsb out and out 
The yellow imp deserves to bo associated with the 
rattlesnake, fair emblems of strife and treason.” 
“In the book of Joshua,” I observed, “chapter 
xxiv, verse 12, it is written, * And I sent the hornet 
before you, which drave them out from out, from 
Weight of pig*, dressed, 262 and 220 lbs. .at 6 eta., 23.60 
For sour milk and care of pigs, or profit,-- $6.91 
Rome, N. Y., 1862. F- D. Pkbkins. 
gnquirifjs ami 
SootruiNo w Catti h.—Ah the Rural seems to be » medium 
of communication for the distressed and afflicted. I want to 
ask advice of you. or your numerous readers. I have a steer, 
three years old this spring, that scours continually. Ho eats 
heartily, but as a matter of course does not thrive He was 
troubled some hut winter, but I thought by letting him run to 
grass through the rammer he would got over it; and at times 
did seem cured, hut would soon show it, ©specially If be could 
get *alt, for winch he baa a voracious ap)K-tite I have given 
him a doac of linseed oil. and then fed him wheat bran, but 
of no avail. I have been told that, it ia caused by the over 
flowing ortho gall. I thought Home of jour many reader) 
may have had auch a case, and may poewWy know of a euro. 
— A Const AST RhaDBR, Ol)/ugn, N. J', 1862 
We would recommend the following astringent drink: — 
Prepared chalk, two ounces; cadi bark, powdered, one ounce; 
catechu, powdered, one half ounce; opium, powdered, two 
scruples; ginger, powdered, two drachma Mix, and give in 
a quart of warm gruel. 
Ouit l’uxis turns. — A Sample Letter ,—Since awarding tho 
premiums offered for subscribers obtained for Rukai. during 
November, December and January, (a list of awards being 
sent, post-paid, to every club agent,) we have received many 
gratifying letters, from both successful and unsuccessful com¬ 
petitors While two or three of the latter class have torn 
plained at the result, (which toe could not change, without 
being unfair oyarti&l,) the great mass express themselves as 
satisfied, and »fl caring more about increasing the benefits of 
tbe pajier than obtaining pay for tbeir efforts. Wo have 
many letters conveying tics sentiment, from one of which 
(just received form Mr. C. I> Halh, of Huron Oo., Ohio, 
who bus obtained about thirty subscribers this year,) we quote 
as a sample After remarking that ho is not anxious about 
any premium. Mr. 1L adds: — “You have been very liberal 
with me heretofore, quite enough to, and I must plead guilty, 
this year, to a lack of effort But next year, if 1 am still u 
resident of B I Intend to do something. Not that I expect 
to get so largo a number as to realize any pay in premiums, 
but I believu it to bo a duly wo all Own each Ollier to do what¬ 
ever good wn cun, and I know of oo way that i can do so 
much geucral good to tbe muss, as by a liberal circulation of 
the Rural. Its Religious, Moral and Patriotic tone is so ele¬ 
vated and pure, with an entire absence of all silly isms, that, it 
most heartily meets tli« approval of aU right-thinking people.” 
Eds. Rural New-Yorker:— On page 62, Mr. E. 
V. W. Dox “thinks there muBt be some mistake 
somewhere about those weighty pigs, as stated on 
page 30 of the present volume.” You made me say 
that tbe feed for the last two months was one bushel 
each per day. I stated (or intended to) that 1 did 
not weigh the feed, but thought it was not far from 
one bushel per week for each. My account stands 
thus: 
To value at mx weeks old, $2 each.. $12.00 
To oat and buckwheat meal for 5K months, say 10.00 
By 1,927 lbs. pork at 4&c., the price I sold at-$86.71 
Cost of pigs___ 52.00 
Profits.-....$34.71 
I think that the manure and “pickings” will well 
pay for the trouble of killing and getting the grain 
trround. John R. Potter. 
Maplk Sugar Marino —Sap Vinboar.— Will some one 
please tell us something about making maple sugar, the proper 
time to cleanse it, and what to cleanse it with. Also, how to 
make good sap vinegar.— A Sursoriiirr, Elk luipids, MirX, 
1802. 
Clbakoing and Graining M.m.n Sugar.—W ill some ouc 
who known give in the Rural Nbw-Yokkhu the best manner 
of cleansing and graining maple sugar. Atiy one ran make 
It, but how can it be prepared In the highest state Of perfec¬ 
tion. Wn have seen it in a few instances almost white, and 
then again quite the opposite— Miss J D C., JAcicr., March 
3d, 1862. 
Tho process of sugar making is very simple, and consists 
merely in evaporating tho water which India the sugar in 
solution, aud obtaining Uic latter in a state of comparative 
dryness. The chief requisites, therefore, consist In using fuel 
economically, iu warding off all extraneous matter, and m 
presenting ns large an evaporating surface to the air as posni- 
blo. These requisites are obtained by using a shallow sheet 
iron pan set in an arch, in keeping the sap free from leaves 
and dirt, and in using dry and well prepared wood. 
After the sap has been evaporated to tlio consistence of 
sirup, or thin molasses, it. should bo strained off through a 
thick woolen cloth, and suffered to stand several days, until it 
has deposited all Its sediment; after which the clear sirup 
should be carefully poured off. leaving the sediment behind. 
A little skill and experience will determine tho precise point 
at which tho final evaporation should be arrested, and the 
“sugaring off" completed. The process of cleansing consists 
in mingling with the sirup, before it lias become much heated, 
any albuminous substance, such ai blood, eggs, millc, &c. 
The American Agrteulturisl offers tho following suggestions 
upon this topic: 
Bugarisg OPn. —This is an easy process 
CUTTLE Urkkiihrs’ Contention. — The fourth annual con¬ 
vention of the (New England) (kittle Breeders' Association 
was held at. Hartford, Ct, on tho 5th insL, I’aol: Latiiho r, of 
Mass., in tho chair. Tho convention was well attended, and 
the proceedings animated and interesting, showing the cntlm 
siasm of members We give a brief synopsis of the proceed 
ings. The Treasurer's report showed a balance of $232 on 
hand. Probable indebtedness, $125. The election resulted 
in tlie choice of the following Officers: President — S W 
Bunvoia, of Winchester, N. II Vice President# —U. Linsley, 
of Meriden; IT, Buck, of Windsor, CL; Milo T. Smith, of 
Northampton, Mass.; C. M. Pond, of Hartford, Conn ; H. H. 
Peters, of South boro, Mass, Sm.-rttary and Tmaturet — Henry 
A Dyer, of' Brooklyn, Ct. Henry A. Dyer, Mason C. Weld, 
and Samuel 1. Bartlett wore re elected committee on publica 
tion of a herd bool). Rusolutious were passed to permit non 
members to enter I’odigrees by paying 50 cents for each 
animal on the record, and $2 for a eopj of the book—to 
amend the constitution so as to fix the annual membership at 
one dollar — and to extend the privileges of the Association 
to all breeders of thorough-bred neat stock in the United 
States and Canadas 
Milk .SickncNH. 
George Fisher, in a communication to the 
Chicago Medical Examiner , stales that he has from 
time to time taken great pains to find out what it is 
that causes milk sickness in cattle. In all cases 
examined by him, he has traced it to springs 
poisoned hy the decomposed roots of tho Chcuta, or 
wild parsnip, trampled into them by the cattle in 
dry weather. _ 
Ilovr to Tell Good Flnx Seed. 
The Ohio Valley Farmer says that the quality 
of good flax seed is shown by a golden, rather yel¬ 
lowish, or very light brown tint —shining, toll, 
heavy, smooth and oilish appearance. It is good 
when, if thrown into a tub of water, it goes to the 
bottom at once, and when taken into the hand and 
pressed, it easily escapes through the fingers. Take 
care not to use very dark or black seed, or a thick 
and round seed. 
Feeding Douicsllc Animals. 
In Germany, says the Scientific American, cat¬ 
tle arc led five times each day, and of course a 
smaller quantity at each meal. Here we feed three 
times per day. Which plan is right? Do cattle in 
the wild state teed hut Lhroe times per day, or do 
even our domestic cattle, educated to three meals 
per day, adhere to the custom when permitted to 
range in rich pastures? Or do they eat smaller 
quantities and more frequently? Are the habits of 
When the sap is 
boiled down to a sirup, strain it through a tlinmel strainer into 
a medium sized cauldron, and boil it until it granulates, If 
loaves, pieces of bark, sshfts, flies or dirt of any kind has 
fallen into tlie sap, it muni be clarified. This can be done by 
using milk or soleralua and the whites of eggs. A good recipe 
is a half teacup of new milk to every pailful of simp Then 
boil slowly and stir well together, skimming off tlie scum 
which will soon rise to tho surface. This done, and tho sirup 
being found “dry ” enough (by testing o little in a saucer) to 
make into forms, pour it into tin moulds of any convenient 
size or form, and Whi n solid, lay the cakes upside down to 
tirevent premature draining. At the brat leisure moment, lay 
Cotton Clttvuii in Illinois. —Mr. 8. E. Hills, of Marion 
Co | III , writes:—' 1 was very much interested in an article 
in a late Rural (Feb. 16) on Cotton Culture for Southern 
llliueis. It all agrees well with what information I bad pre¬ 
viously obtained from those who have been acquainted with 
raising cotton all their lives, both hero and in the South. 
There is, lioweior, an item or two iu addition to what was 
written m tlio article referred to. One is Hint the cotton must 
not be worked when tho dew is on, or just after a rain, or any 
time when it is wet. for it is said to give If the 1 tcahOy shins, 1 
or to so affect it that it will injure its growth very materially. 
Another item is that, in cultivating the plant for the first 
time, the ground should be dressed envoy from the plant, if it 
is planted in ridges or hills. Those may be mere whims.” 
was 
Good Sheds, Good Imii.kmknts and Good Culture are 
great requisites to successful agriculture. As tlio season for 
active operations is coining on apace, no time should be lost 
in procuring the two firmer, as important, If not Indispensa¬ 
ble, adjunots to the latter—for wheu soil and weather permit, 
the three should lie used to the best advantage. T)v present 
is tin) best time to procure tlie requisites of a successful 
campaign in the great laboratory of Nature Farmers, Horti¬ 
culturists, Gardeners I—are you ready to open tlio campaign at 
the earliest practicable moment, and to prosecute it with a 
skill aud vigor worthy of victory 7 
only one in France,) has just been opened, in x am, ny tne 
Government. - 
— Two North Carolinians have been arrested and put iu 
jail at Raleigh, on the charge of having piloted the Yankees to 
Roanoke Island. 
— The French Minister of State has received amlmssador 
ignoring his assumed diplo- 
II cm lock Bnrk for Drains. 
George Campbell, of West Westminster, Vt., 
writes thus to tlie Ohio Farmer :—'“Among the various 
materials that we see recommended lor the con¬ 
struction of drains, I do not recollect of ever notic¬ 
ing that of hemlock bark. In sections of country 
where the hemlock tree abounds, this is one of the 
cheapest and most durable materials far underdrain¬ 
ing to be tound. Hemlock timber, cut in February 
or March, will peel in May, or as soon as we have a 
few warm days. Juue, however, is the best time to 
peel bark, and any one that is intending to do much 
at the business, would do best to cut his timber in 
June. 
“Tho bark for drains should be cut about four 
feet in length, and from twelve to fifteen inches in 
width, and spread out in the sun with the flesh side 
up, and will roll up in a few days and be ready for 
use. If the bark is too thick for the action of the 
sun to do the work of rolling, a round pole of the 
size you want the drain can be used, aud tho bark 
pressed around and left to dry. It is as durable 
as tile, and not half as expensive. Try it.” 
Slidell in hui “private capacity," 
malic character. 
_The State stocks of Tennessee have risen seventeen per 
cent in the seven or eight days past, and Missouri stocks have 
had a similar rise. 
— The Princess Alice of England has been betrothed by- 
treaty to Prince Louis of Hesse-Darmatadt, and the marriage 
is soon to take place. 
— The extensive paper mill at Cohoes, N. Y., owned by 
Charles Van Benthuysen, of Albany, waB burned on Saturday 
week. Loss $50,1)00. 
_The Toronto Leader is firm in the belief of war between 
the United States and .England, and devotes a column to u 
plan of the campaign! 
_The Syracuse Journal announces the death of Capt. 
David Hill, a leading chief of the Onondaga tribe of Indians, 
aged seventy three years. 
— Mrs. Mary Clark, who died a day or two since at Ply 
mouth, Mass., only lacked two and a half mouths of being 
one hundred years of age. 
_The Theological Seminary at Princeton, New Jersey, will 
celebrate its fiftieth anniversary on the 30th of April next, 
which will be the lost day. 
_Tlie Post Office Department will let two thousand and 
twenty -three mail routes this spring. The proposals will be 
received until the 31st inst. 
_The Post Office agent who opened a post, office at Nash¬ 
ville, had forty applications for clerkships from the citizens 
before the office was opened. 
_Mr. Enoch Boone, tho first white male child bora in 
Kentucky, died at his residence in Meade county in Uiat State, 
on the Bth inst,, iu his 85tli year. 
— Tlie Richmond Enquirer says the Southern people can 
raise any article of Yankee industry. Some wag coolly asks, 
why don't they raise tlie blockade! 
_The Norfolk (Va.) Day Book predicts that no cotton or 
tobacco will be cultivated this year, but Uiat the ground will 
be devoted to raising food exclusively. 
_Tlie city of Odessa has been invaded by mice to an alarm¬ 
ing extent. The cats have eaten so many that they have 
grown too corpulent to Catch any more. 
_The Ohio canals are expected to open for business on 
their whole hues on the 15th of March. The Pennsylvania 
canals will probably open about the same time. 
— The Nashville Banner, which surrendered with Fort 
Douelson. has resumed publication as a Union paper. Its 
proprietors profess to have experienced a change of heart. 
Thk Si*KINa-LiKK Whathp.h is rapidly melting the snow, 
and starting wheeled vehicles. The “freshet” promises large 
dividends in the fluid state, and many fears of damage are 
entertained. The sleighing is wm est in tlie city, but we learn 
that there is yet plenty, in spots, in tlio surrounding country— 
the drifts being large and numerous, and greatly impeding 
locomotion iu most thoroughfare.*. To-day (March II,) is the 
most spring like of the season, the bright, warm sun indi 
eating tlie return of a warm and genial atmosphere — aeou- 
sunimatiou devoutly to be wislicd- 
BUCKWHEAT AND THE WLEtE WORMS. 
Eds. Rural New-Yorker: —Seeing it stated in 
the agricultural papers, that the sowing of buck¬ 
wheat on land infested with wire worms would 
destroy them, I deem it of importance to say such 
is not my experience. In the fall of '46, the sub¬ 
scriber plowed, early iu October, a piece of old 
meadow land, beside tbe Mud Creek that (lows 
through Wayne county, and observed that in a sag, 
where the water sets back before it flows ihe whole 
meadow", there were some wire worms, and took the 
precaution to drop on said land nearly a barrel of 
lime and ashes per acre, after tbe com was planted, 
to prevent tbe worms from destroying tbe crop. 
Now for the result. The corn came up, and attained 
an altitude of four to six inches high, when the 
wire worm began to work, aud within loss than two 
weeks destroyed two acres, not leaving a hill. On 
the 2Stb day of June, sowed said piece to buck¬ 
wheat, and a strip of corn, to see whether they 
would destroy it a second time. I could see no dif¬ 
ference in the quantity eaten by the worms. They 
seemed to relish the buckwheat quite as well as the 
coni, eating from ono-fourth to one-half of all that 
was sown. The next crop that was sown was win¬ 
ter wheat, which was almost wholly destroyed by 
the worms, tbe winter finishing what the worms bad 
left I then plowed tho land and sowed it to oats, 
and a heavier crop is seldom seen on any land. 
Could not discover any eaten off by the wire worms. 
The reason why there is obtained a fair crop ot 
buckwheat on such land, many times, is because 
said wheat is a very quick growing plant, and the 
worms get their living on the green roots of the 
grass, which has been inverted but a short time. 
6 ’ A. G. Perckt. 
Farm Baa’ Club op East Mains, (Brooms Co.) —Officers 
for 1862: President — Aiim. H. Grkknk. Secretary and Treas¬ 
urer — Robert Hogg. Librarian — Martin J. Swift This is 
the fourth year since tho Club was orgituized. It meets 
through tlio winter every Monday evening, to discuss some 
given subject, aud on the first Monday evening iu the month 
a speaker is procured from abroad, which makes it very inter 
esting. Tlie farmers of East Maine could not get along with¬ 
out their Club Meetings, their Fourth Of Juiy celebration, and 
their Fair and Flowing Match in tlie fall.— R. u, 
An Egos traorpinary Goosb is thus told about in a letter 
just received from Mr. C. N. Bkkchkk, of Woodbury, Conn.:— 
“ I think that I have an extraordinary goose. She commenced 
laying the 23d of Sept., 1861, and has laid every month since. 
Sixty eggs I have found; how many more she has laid I cannot 
tell, for she dropped some of them. 1 exhibited her and her 
mate, and five of lior eggs, at our Town Fair, Oct 3d, and took 
one of the prizes. On Christmas day she laid an egg that 
weighed over ten ounces, and sold for twenty-five cents. If 
any one will tell a bigger true story than this, I will surrender •’ 
Gulls on Horses. 
As the heat and labors of the season increase, 
horses will suffer lrtjtn various flesh wounds, which, 
if not immediately cured, will cause great suffering 
to the horse, and waste of time and temper to the 
owner. Let, therefore, a hint or two from the Amer¬ 
ican Agriculturist be now heeded: 
“Prevention is better than cure. In the first 
place, be sure that your harness is in perfect work¬ 
ing order. See to it especially that the collar fits 
well, and is smooth and hard. If the inner surface 
is rough, it must chafe, and soon wear off the skin. 
A loose layer of leather under the collar is a good 
contrivance to lessen friction Hpon tne animal’s 
neck and shoulders. 
“While spring work is pressing, let the horses’ 
shouldora be washed, every other morning, with a 
solution of alum and whisky. This being a power¬ 
ful astringent, will serve to toughen the skin and 
prevent its breaking. At night, when coming home 
from work sweaty and sore, let the shoulders be 
washed with tepid water, then rubbed dry. Ifl not¬ 
withstanding these precautions, galls occur on the 
A Wuigi;tt Young Durham.—M r. J. H. Vinoknt, of like, 
Wyoming county, N. Y.. writes us that he has a Durlism bul 1 
that weighed 600 lbs. when six mouths old, 1,290 lbs. when 
eighteen months old, and 1,600 lbs. when twenty-three months 
old, (on the 2d inst.) A good weight, and progressive, even 
if the young blood was pampered,—but as Mr. V. says noth¬ 
ing on Unit point, we suppose tlie calf did not have the milk 
of more than one cow, or extea feed after weaning. 
Blood Horskm at Auction.—I t will be seen, by reference 
to advertisement in this paper, that tlie flue stock of horses 
(including several thorough breds) collected and bred by the 
late Dr. Cars, of Canandaigua, will be sold at public auction 
oil the 20th inst Tlie announcement is worthy the attention 
of admirers and brooders of superior horses. 
