straw hive adapted to the movable comb?. I 
immediately transferred the frames, combs, and 
bees into it, and left it in the cold to watch results. 
No frost could be found on the combs even when 
the mercury was 10° below zero. My success was 
reported without any description of hive. As I did 
not suppose that. I had the best form, I invited 
others to assist in devising a better, and give us 
bee-keepers something worthy of our attention. 
During the year 1801. two straw hives have been 
patented. One by Mr. S. Ii>e, of East Shelby. 
Orleans Co., N. Y., a beautifully finished hive. 
The walls are made double, inclosing a dead airspace, 
the inner of straw, the outer of wood. The wood 
serves to protect the straw from the weather, and ol 
course will increase its durability. The other is by 
Mr. M. Stillwell, Manlius, N. Y„ more simple in 
construction, costing less, perhaps less durable, 
walls single, but thick enough to give all the pro¬ 
tection required to the bees, It is very much like 
the one that I made. Any one satisfied with a 
plain, cheap hive, would like this. They are both 
adapted to the movable combs, and just now a 
movable comb hive is what we need, as I suppose 
taat all, on becoming acquainted with the superior¬ 
ity of the Italian bee, will want to introduce it to 
the native stocks, and the box hive is not adapted to 
the purpose. 
A few objections Lave been urged against the straw 
hive, that the moth worm would find a harbor in its 
walls, and that the bees would coal the inner surface 
with propolis, a substance impervious to water, and 
thus destroy all advantage of its spongy, absorbing 
nature. Should this prove to be the case, which 
present experience does not show, it is easily 
avoided by changing the contents into wood hives 
for tho summer, and then returning the same to the 
straw for the fall and winter. 
seen farmer? who have kept, sheep many years, yet, 
like some men who can only determine the charac¬ 
ter of their fellows by the number of their acres and 
dollars, they can only know the charaeterof a sheep 
by the pounds of wool and mutton it will make. 
•'“Yes, yes," says Mr. ‘inquirer," (or some one 
else.) “that is the very pith of the question—which 
is the breed that will make the most pounds of wool 
and mutton per head?’’ Had this question been 
asked ten years ago, hundreds in various parts oi 
the country, standing on the tiptoe of anticipation, 
would have answered, “the French Merino, most 
certainly.'’ Where are those hundreds now? Echo 
answers, where. Time, the subtile alchemist, not 
un frequently solves problems quite contrary to the 
anticipations of thousands, however sanguine. 
In keeping sheep there is a material difference 
between the produce per head and the produce per 
acre, at least in mv judgment For example—if a 
given amount of feed will keep ten French Merinos 
a year, and they produce a certain amount per 
head; and the same amount ol feed keeps fifteen 
Spanish Merinos the same length oi time, producing 
three-fourths as much per head, it would appear 
that the Spanish sheep would pay the greater profit 
per acre; while the French might produce the most 
per head. Again, suppose the Spanish produce the 
greater profit per head —which will he the case where 
sheep are kept in large flocks, and have good ordi¬ 
nary keeping only —the ratio of profits will be 
largely in favor of the Spanish sheep. The above 
remarks concerning the French sheep will very 
nearly apply to any of the big breeds, especially 
where sheep are kept more for the wool than mutton. 
The question is, “what particular breed of sheep 
is the most profitable for fanners to keep?" First- 
class Spanish Merinos. “Why?" More than any 
“ particular breed ” they combine the wool and mut¬ 
ton producing qualities, when kept as good ordinary 
farmers keep their sheep; retaining their teeth, 
their woolly and plump farms, in short, their par¬ 
ticular and general stamina, to more advanced age 
than aDy other “particular breed.” They are in 
better demand in tbe “great West” than any “par¬ 
ticular breed,” and must ever continue to be. I 
speak of first-class Spanish Merinos. Of course 
there is a wide difference between individual sheep 
of the same breed, as of men, or anything else. A 
medium-sized sheep, with properly and largely 
developed points, may be a great sheep—while a 
“big sheep” with small points, may be a small 
specimen of the breed. S. Lamb. 
Albion, Mich., 1802. 
may not be drilled in by almost any good hand or 
horse drill. About five times the amount usually 
required is dropped by the Southern planter. In 
this latitude (37* c ) the noils begin to burst in Sep¬ 
tember. That picked before the frost and when 
fully matured, is best and cleanest, because the leal 
does not crumble and affect the cleanliness of the 
staple. If the cotton is immature, it is sunned 
through the day. The last picking often requires 
sun, for it does not open as well late in the season, 
and the bolls are hard and require sun to prepare 
them for the gin. The early matured cotton 
requires no sun, but is ready for the gin the moment 
it is picked. 
Mr. W. thinks cotton culture will be pt-ofitable 
here only so long as the price is 15 or IG cents per 
pound. The qualily and quantity of cotton grown 
here compares well with that grown in Tennessee. 
With present prices he thinks it can be grown profit¬ 
ably as far north in this State as the Ohio and Mis¬ 
sissippi Railroad. 
The next morning a neighbor’s boy came in with 
a lot of eggs he wished to sell, packed in home 
grown cotton. I send you a sample. Tho staple is 
short, hut the quality is excellent 
WESTERN EDITORIAL NOTES, 
The New Advertisements which appear in our present 
number indicate that the Business of the Country is reviving 
—that the manufacturers and dealers are neither dead nor 
sleeping, hut justly realize that there are a great many people 
who ninst have new machines, trees, seeds, and goods, ware* 
and merchandise generally. We invite special attentivu to 
the announcements of advertisers, confident that thousands 
of our readers are directly or indirectly interested in procuring, 
to the best advantage, the various articles offered. Read the 
advertisements, one and all—they are well edited and readable 
— and in ordering vvliat you want, please say you saw the 
dealer’s advertisement in the Rcrax. New-Yorker. 
[Our columns are so crowded that we are obliged to omit 
our Western Aid's description of various matters at Cairo — 
including sketches of tho Reporters of leading papers, the 
Camps and Fort Cairo, the Wounded from Fort DoneUon, 
Sec., giving only Agricultural and Horticultural items.—E d.] 
SHIPPING CORN. 
Sauntering along the levee, I was struck with the 
waste that results from shipping shelled corn in 
coarse gunnies. It is well known that grain is 
rarely or never shipped on these river boats in bulk; 
but is hand|ed in bags, gunnies, barrels, Ac., Ac. 
These coarse gunnies yield up a large per centum 
of their contents to waste—a sufficient per cent, to 
more than pay the difference in cost between them 
and good bagging. 
THE SOUTH ILLIN018 AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 
During the session of the Legislature, the winter 
of 1860-61, an effort was made to get the Seminary 
lands of Cook county appropriated to the Chicago 
University, as an endowment of the Agricultural 
Department of the same. There were other locali¬ 
ties and other institutions interested in defeating 
this effort; and to defeat it a bill was hastily pre¬ 
pared, appropriating these lands to an Agrjcultural 
New York Statr Fair. — We learn that the Executive 
Committee of our State Ag. Society, at a recent meeting, 
decided that the Annual Fair for IS62 should be held Sept. 
30th and Oct. 1st, 2d, and 3d. The location of the Fair has 
not yet been determined hut Rochester will probably be 
designated, if the requirements of the Society, which are not 
unreasonable, are complied with by our citizens The Fairs 
of the Society which hav e been held in Rochester, were more 
largely attended and successful than any previous ones, and 
we are of the opinion tlmt such wouid lie the result again. 
Rochester is generally conceded to tie the best-location in the 
State, and vre are confident that, if the next Fair is held here, 
the interests of the Society, and the great objectsit is designed 
to promote, will be materially advanced, while many of our 
citizens will be benefited. 
lands to an Agricultural 
College to be located at some point south of the cen¬ 
ter of the State. Very much to the astonishment ol 
all parties, this bill passed and became a lawl Com¬ 
missioners were appointed to carry out the pro¬ 
visions of the bill. But little has been known of the 
acts of these commissioners. At the St. diaries 
Hotel, at Cairo, 1 met Mr. II. Penoyer, of Cen¬ 
tra li a, who gave mo some facts concerning it The 
location selected for this College and farm is Irving¬ 
ton Station, 5-1 miles south of Centralia, on the 
Illinois Central Railroad. About 500 acres have 
been secured, embracing the station named. It is 
all prairie land, unimproved. Nothing has been 
done with it It is to lie fenced the present season. 
Mr. F. assures me it is excellent rolling prairie land, 
well watered; and lie thinks a better location could 
not be found in the State. On this prairie, peaches 
have not tailed during the last five years; they are 
said to be dead now, however. Winter wheat is the 
staple crop. Timothy is the main grass crop. Red 
top and clover are bolh grown. Corn is a pretty 
fair crop. Apples, pears, peaches, and plums thrive 
here. Potatoes grow well, but the potato bug is a 
great pest, and destroys the crop. The chinch bug 
is also a depredator here. 
During the season I hope to see the farm and 
locality, and give my own impressions of it. 
An early waking up and visit to the Provost 
Marshal’s office, for a pass out of Cairo, and we take 
the cars at 3 o’clock A. M., for 
SOUTH RASS, OK COBDEN. 
where is to be a sale of contraband horses and 
mules, and where Egyptians will assemble to buy 
tho same. 
South Pass is the point where the Illinois Central 
Railroad penetrates the mountain range that ex¬ 
tends across this end of the State—a connecting 
link between the high hills of Kentucky and the 
iron mountains of Missouri. Here, on these hills, 
or on this elevated ridge, seven hundred feet above 
the Mississippi, the peach crop never fails, and ap¬ 
ples, pears, peaches, and grapes produce abundantly. 
Here grow the early apples, peaches, and tomatoes, 
for the Chicago market. The soil is a stiff sandstone 
loam. Some of the spurs of this ridge are a lime¬ 
stone formation, but most of the orchards are on 
the sandstone. 
THIS IS NOT A GRASS COUNTRY. 
It seems becoming the settled conviction of 
northern men, who have located here, that this is 
not a grass country— that it is not adapted to stock 
husbandry. IJut they do claim it to be the fruit 
region ot the State. I find that red clover does well 
here, and 1 believe it will only be the pioneer of 
the grasses. I know this is not the belief of men 
who have had considerable experience here, but 
after these lands have been clovered a few years, 
blue grass and timothy will follow. 
{Several horticultural items, which were given in this con¬ 
nection, will be found on next page, under the head of West¬ 
ern Editorial Notes. 1 
A horseback ride of five miles, Thursday after- 
brought me to the home of Geo. E. ’Walker. 
PROGRESS WORTHY OP EMULATION. 
Eds. Rural New-Yorker: —Our “Galen Agri¬ 
cultural Society,” at its Annual Meeting this day 
elected the following officers: President, Hon. L. S. 
Kktchum; Uice President, Maynard Dayton; 
Secretary, Joseph Watson; Treasurer, Thomas 
Pi.vmthee; Librarian, J. T, Van Buhkikej Ex- 
eci(tive Committee, (for 3 years,) O. F. Cook and 
Isaac Wily. 
The Society resolved to hold a Fair in 1S62, in 
the new Town Hall, Clyde. 
I am aware the mere announcement of the elec¬ 
tion, and names of officers, and that briefly, is all 
you ask of Agricultural Societies; but I am also 
aware your Rural New-Yorker is designed to 
publish any thing which in your judgment may be 
of public interest; hence I add a few facts for your 
consideration in this connection, to be inserted or 
rejected as you may deem proper. 
You need not be told, as will soon appear, that 
your liberality is one of the causes of the life and 
progress of this Society, which was organized in 
184!), when you were proprietor of the Genesee 
Farmer. Our Society at its first meeting for organ¬ 
ization was encouraged by a good attendance, and 
a member intimated that we could and should pro¬ 
gress onward until we possessed a good Library 
and a Cabinet of historical and agricultural interest, 
as well as a convenient and appropriate place for their 
safe keeping, and for occasional and annual meet¬ 
ings of the Society, and for bolding its fairs. Our 
first step in that direction was to get enough sub¬ 
scribers for tlie Genesee Farmer to draw your $30 
Library, your highest premium, since which we 
have added to it until we have about 100 volumes, 
and still it increases, but was never settled in its 
permanent, resting place until to-day. 
With the above named project always in view, one 
of our members some three years since projected 
the plan of our town and village uniting in the 
erection of a Town Hall, fire-engine house, and' 
“lock-up,” in one building, which is now com¬ 
pleted, and by cousent and approval of tlie proper 
authority our Library is a welcome occupant of a 
portion of one of the rooms designed for the safe 
keeping of the town records, and the Town Clerk is 
our Librarian. Although our society does not own 
tho town house, we are the farmers and mechanics 
of the town, and feel free, and are made welcome to 
occupy it for the use ot our Society for all its meet¬ 
ings and fairs. Now we have room tor them, we 
shall soon see our students and those desirous of 
diffusing useful knowledge, collecting specimens of 
natural and artificial curiosity and geological inter¬ 
est to fill that branch of our first design. 
It may be said it is no place to talk of a town 
house in an Agricultural Society’s report, but honest 
difference of opinion is not a very wicked difference. 
We claim a little indulgence when the farmers and 
mechanics, and tax payers generally, who attended 
the Town Meeting in our new hall last Tuesday, 
were so well satisfied with its convenience and 
utility that many intelligent economists, with a 
warm shake of the band, expressed themselves well 
paid for their tax in the enjoyment of so much 
quiet, business-like attention to the legitimate duties 
of the day, and their entire protection from the 
usual out-door exposure to March winds, when 
voting for Path Masters and other appropriate and 
necessary matters. Besides the great hall, more 
Thanks to Business and Professional Mbn for their 
efforts to augment tbe circulation of the Rural. Many Mer¬ 
chants, Manufacturers, physicians, Clergymen, ami Lawyers, 
in various parts of tho loyal States and Canada, are active and 
successful canvassers in its behalf. We not only have the 
influence, hut. kind encouragement of a goodly number of 
persons who are not practicul agriculturists — such as appre¬ 
ciate the importance of encouraging journals devoted to Rural 
Affairs For example, an Orleans county Merchant and Post 
Master writes:—"Notwithstanding 1 am in the mercantile 
business, I feel a deep interest in agriculture, and feel it my 
duly to recommend the Rural as a good agricultural and 
high-toned family paper. It is the only paper that comes to 
tin’s office that f make any effort for.” And a New Jersey 
business man, in adding some names to liis list, says:—“This 
is rather out of my line of business, canvassing for a paper; 
but I make the exception in your case, as tlie Rural is cer¬ 
tainly deserving of commendation and aid. Think my list 
here will reach 25, I donot compete for any premium.” We 
are in receipt of similar letters from almost every section of 
the country, and are under great obligations to the writers for 
their generous action during these rebellious times. 
Facts l'or Bee-Keepers. 
Young queens make their excursions only while 
the bees are. disporting in front of the hive, and tbe 
joyous humming then heard is supposed to prompt 
or rather allure them to issue. Though the weather 
be calm aud warm, and in all respects favorable, 
they leave at no other lime. 
In districts where forage is abundant only for a 
short period, the largest yield of honey will be 
secured by a very moderate increase of stocks. 
A moderate increase of colonies in any one sea¬ 
son, will, in the long run, prove to be the easiest, 
safest, and cheapest mode of managing bees. 
5-32 of an inch will allow a loaded worker to pass, 
but will be too small tor a Queen. 
Thh Season, Herb and West.— Tlie weather continues 
cool, and the season is unusually backward Truly, “ Winter 
lingers in the lap of Spring," for on this first day of April, we 
have, from our office windows, a view of snow drifts from 
two to three feet deep. The weather of the past two weeks 
has been quite cold for the season, and tlie roads, in many 
parts of tlie State, almost impassable — mud and suow drifts 
proving great impediments to locomotion in any style. But, 
though late, we may yet have a favorable spring for farmers, 
albeit much work will necessarily have to be done in little 
time. Of course not a moment should be lost in preparing 
to take the earliest advantage of weather which will permit 
active operations. 
— According to our advices, the spring is also unusually 
late in distant sections, East and West. Letters from several 
parts of the West speak of heavy snows in March. One just 
received from Mr. Huun Huls, of Kaue Co., HI., (dated 
March 24.) says:—“ We have had one of the most severe snow 
storms I ever witnessed for the time of year. Tho snow fell 
about 78 inches on the level in the woods, but on the prairie it 
was blown into the roads and put an embargo on nil commu¬ 
nication. Spring work is very backward. Asa general thing, 
say three years out of four, we eow our wheat in March, but 
this year I don't think there will be any sown during Uie 
month. March lias been very unpleasant. SO far. We have 
had an uncommon amount of snow through the winter, yet 
-not more than two days 
Hues Dying. 
Eds. Rural New-Yof.ker: —Can any bee-keeper inform 
me through the columns of the Rural, what is the cause of 
so many of my swarms of bees dying? They have plenty of 
honey left, and they arc set in a warm place, and appeared 
all right in the fall.— A Rural Reader, Jlurdett, Schuyler 
Co., N. T. 
Straw Hives. 
Mr. Langstroth, in the revised edition of his 
work, says, “ a serious disadvantage attending all 
kinds of wooden hives, is the ease with which they 
conduct heat, causing them to become cold and 
damp in winter, and, if exposed to the sun, so hot 
in summer as often to melt the combs.” In another 
place, when speakiug of straw as a material for 
hives, he says, “It has been used for ages, and is 
warm in winter aud cool in summer. The difficulty 
of making them take and retain the proper shape 
for improved bee-keeping is an insuperable objec¬ 
tion to their use.” From this, t is evident that bad 
somd form of straw hive been offered suitable for 
improved boe-cultWO — facilities for surplus boxes, 
and movable combs—that he would have preferred 
such to those of wood. The experience of myself 
and others, as far as 1 have boon able 1o ascertain, 
is in favor of straw, the bees passing the winter in 
better condition, and throwing out swarms eight or 
ten days earlier. Bees formerly seemed to prosper 
with little or no care on the part of tbe owner; 
indeed, many, deterred by superstitious notions, 
never presumed to invert a stock even for examina¬ 
tion, but allowed it to take its chance nearly or 
quite as undisturbed as if buried in the depths of 
the forest. That bees could subsist and even multi¬ 
ply in the absence of all care, can be explained in 
part, at least, by attributing their prosperity to the 
straw hives then used. The advantage of earlier 
swarms is an important point. The honey season 
is sometimes very short; ten days earlier or later 
may be in good season or very late. A strong 
swarm will often collect, in the highest of the sea¬ 
son, three pounds per day, and it follows that a gain 
of ton days at that time is equivalent to twenty-five 
or thirty pounds of honey. 
The bees in a wood hive that stands in the open 
air are Bubject to much annoyance from accumula¬ 
tions of trust and ice inside tho hive, resulting from 
tho moisture arising from the bees in cold weather. 
If ventilation is given them by opening the holes 
to the chamber, much of the needed warmth goes 
with the upward current of air. Many of the bees 
are lost by the sudden changes of weather from 
warm to cold. The bees having spread themselves 
over the combs while the weather continued mild, 
are overtaken by the sudden chill, which is quickly 
and those on the outside of 
gnqtimfsi amt gumvm 
Compounds for Horse Wounds.—I beg tlie Rural to give 
me a recipe for making tbe very best ointment for liorsc 
wounds that it can —11 Davis, McGregor , Iowa. 
Sugar Cane Seed.—As a great deal is being said about 
raining sugar cane the coming season, will some one inform 
me through tbe Rural where tbe best kind of African or 
Chinese Sugar Cane seed ran be found, and at what price?— 
E. E. S., Chautauqua, X 1882. 
Saving and Applying Liquid Manure. — 1 should like to 
inquire through the Rural bow I can save and apply my 
liquid manure, rractieal farmers, give us your experience 
with tanks, how made, expense, and everything necessary to 
saving and applying, and oblige — A Constant Reader, 
Sharon, A'. X, IS82. 
tho weather lias not been very cold 
when tin* thermometer went below 14 degrees. 
Au intelligent cor- 
Fa., under date of 
March 22:—“A few words about the weather, prospect of 
crops. &c. We have had the mildest winter, all things taken 
into consideration, that I can remember The ground froze 
up late in December, and has eoulinued frozen until within a 
few days. The average depth of tlie frost has not been over 4 
inches. On Jail, loth we had a heavy sleet, which made ice 
on the ground to the thickness of l.fj to 2 inches, that was 
soon covered with snow after snow, which kept the sleet on 
the ground over 7 weeks; but it has almost entirely disap¬ 
peared at tho present time. Tlie mercury has not been down 
to zero with us the present winter, and but seldom below 20 
degrees, with no drifting snows. We had a great deal of 
cloudy, dull weather in February, and Match has so far been 
in Bucks Co.. Fa, 
Raising Winter Lambs.— Can any of the New Jersey 
Rural renders inform me how to raise early winter lambs, so 
that they will not become stunted, and will he in lit condition 
for the spring market, How much and of what kind of grain 
should a ewe that is suckling a lamb have and what kind of 
fodder will produce the greatest How of milk? Also, what 
breed of sheep is the best for raising early lambs from? Any 
one answering the above questions will much oblige at least 
one subscriber. Thanks to the Rural for opening such a 
rhauuel for the exchange of the fanner’s ideas.— D. C. E., 
rates Co., zV. T, 18(52, 
Seedling Potatoes. — 1 have some potatoes raised from 
seed planted last year What cultivation will be necessary for 
them this year, and how long will it take them to arrive at 
maturity*— Samuel A. FubdiB, Columbus. zY. J*. 
Potatoes ran be grown of fair size from seed in three years. 
Plant the small yearling tubers in a well prepared bed, about 
a foot apart each way, and keep them well cultivated during 
the season. 
Fowls. — On the 20th of November last, I opened an adven¬ 
ture with one hundred hens, mostly of the common sort; no 
roosters object, eggs. My yard embraces some twelve hun¬ 
dred square feet In the 'center is my hen house, twenty feet 
square, well white-washed, ventilated and lighted; earth fioor. 
Corn, lime, broken oyster shells, sand, ashes, gravel, and 
water are constantly on hand. Animal food, mostly beef, is 
furnished about once a week, and also cabbage. About the 
1st of January. I noticed some hens plucking feathers from 
others. Tiiev commenced on the under side of the neck, ami 
it was not many days after that some of them were hare three 
noon. 
Esq., with whom I discussed 
COTTON AND CATAWBA 
until a late hour. The discussion of the former 
staple I propose to transcribe, because it is the 
result of experience in this State, and much per¬ 
sonal observation in Tennessee and other cotton 
growing States. 
My notes were taken with samples of Illinois 
cotton belore me, that had been grown but a few 
yards from where 1 was writing; also samples of 
seed. The seed is what is-called by Mr. \V. the 
“ blue cotton seed.” 11 is more green than blue, and 
corresponds with the green seed of the South. The 
seed from which the sample of cotton before me 
was produced, was planted the last of April. It can 
usually be planted here the second week in April. 
It should be planted as early as possible in the 
spring. The land is thrown up in ridges as for 
corn. Oue man with a team plows a furrow, and a 
second man with a team throws another furrow to 
the first; to the plow of tlie second team is attached 
a sort of hook which opens a drill on tho top of the 
ridge thus formed, in which the seed is dropped, in 
the South by a negro who rides along, with a bag 
of seed, on a mule or horse. The amount of seed 
required is about one bushel per acre. It is covered 
from one-half to one inch deep — should not be cov¬ 
ered deeper than one inch. The culture commences 
as soon as the weeds start after tho seed is planted. 
Two hands with hoes,—one each side the row,— 
scrape the dust from the plants, cutting off the 
weeds aud thinning the plants. The plants are left 
from twelve to twenty inches apart. This process 
of scraping is only performed once. Afterwards 
the culture is performed with a cultivator. It is 
rarely hoed more, except to cut out the superfluous 
plants. Sometimes, later in the season, a little dirt 
is thrown to the plant with the hoe. But no dirt 
should be thrown to it in the first hoeing or scrap¬ 
ing; for if it is, and water settles about the plant, a 
scab forms on one side of the stalk, and it is there¬ 
after diseased. This scraping lets the sun to the 
plant, and it grows right along and is healthy. Tbe 
ground should be kept clean until the plant begins 
to blossom, after which no culture should be given 
it. The plant is usually “ laid by ” the last of July 
or first of August. 
Unless the land is rich, no pinching off is neces¬ 
sary. If the plant is pinched off, suckers start, 
which require care and much added labor to keep 
down. Mr. W. says, in Tennessee the negro pre¬ 
pares the seed by rolling it in ashes, after moisten¬ 
ing it. Thus prepared, I can see no reason why it 
Timely Hints — and valuable, are the following, by S. 
Edwards Todd, in a late issue of the Country Gent .:—“ Ex¬ 
change seed oats, seed barley, and Indian corn, with distant 
neighbors, who are good farmers, and who always have clean 
aud plump seed. If the barley is not clean—free from oats— 
search the county through for clean seed. Do tlie same with 
spring wheat.-My experience with spring wheat is, that tho 
China Teu spring wheat is superior to any other kind, and tills 
appears to bo the experience of most good farmers, and 
millers also in our region.-Oil and black harness, and have 
old ones repaired ready for use when it is time to speed the 
p( ow . -Let a good supply of c urse grain be hauled to the 
mill Tor feed for all kinds of stock and teams during April and 
May _Take good earo of teams, and have them ready for 
labor when the soil is ready to plow. Teams need exercise 
every day, and it is better for them to work several hours 
every day than to be confined in the stable.-Begin to 
increase the quantity of meal fed to fattening bullocks or fat¬ 
tening sheep.-Take good care of cows and owes with 
young, and do not allow them tu grow poor.-I.ay out the 
opera: ions of tlie farm for Hie coming season; and if you have 
not. •commence this year a renovating system of farming.” 
felt in a wooden hive, 
the cluster, failing to follow the rapidly contracting 
mass, are soon frozen. This process may be repeated 
through the winter till the colony is ruined or very 
much injured. In the spring also, after breeding 
has commenced, sudden changes of temperature 
cannot be otherwise than detrimental. A few warm 
days may encourage the queen to deposite eggH lor 
extensive breeding, when a cold storm, which is 
quickly felt inside the hive, interferes and stops it all. 
In a few days they commence brood again, perhaps to 
succeed no better. It is important to understand 
how a hive made of a non-conductor of heat would 
tend to obviate these evils. With ourselves, we find 
that the rubber coat conducts the heat away from 
the body and retains the moisture, while the coat of 
wool retains the heat and disposes ot the moisture. 
The wood hive is like a rubber garment — tho parti¬ 
cles composing it lie close, and form a conductor of 
heat. The walls of the straw hive are filled with little 
cells, like wool, through which heat slowly passes. A 
colony of bees inhabiting a straw hive needs no 
special upward ventilation in Cold weather; the mois¬ 
ture arising from them is readily absorbed and passes 
out; there are no accumulations of ice inside to 
annoy the bees, or badly mold the combs. Tbe 
warmth generated by the bees is mostly retained in 
the hive, making them more comfortable and saving 
their stores. In spring it promotes early and regu¬ 
lar breeding, which is, without doubt, the principal 
cause of such hives throwing out tbe earliest 
swarms. The advantages of straw as a material for 
hives have been so long apparent that attempts 
have been made to secure the same with double 
walls of wood, having a dead air space between the 
boards composing it. This secures tho warmth and 
the desired shape, but does not dispose ot moisture 
without ventilation, which takes away all the 
advantages. 
More than a year since I succeeded in making a 
animal food once a day. As soon as tlie fowls can get worms, 
insects, See., you will hare no more trouble of the kind. 
What ails my Colt. — 1 have a four-year-old colt that is 
troubled to discharge his urine. Will you, or some of your 
numerous subscribers, inform me of a remedy. An answer 
will oblige —J. II. L., Shut Carlton. Orleans Co., JV. F, 1802. 
From what little data J ILL. has furnished us, we think 
liis colt is troubled with what is termed Strangury. Dr. I >ADD 
says the causes which give rise to strangury are numerous; 
disease of tlie kidneys or any part, of their associate organs 
may, either directly or indirectly, produce it; paralysis, tonic 
spasm, pressure of the neck of the bladder from hardened 
ftnees or from an accumulation of ga9 wltlfin the rectum, 
urinary calculi, and powerful diuretics.—all tend to produce 
suppression and retention of Urine. 
Simple retention of urine witliin the bladder may arise from 
some physical obstacle within the urethra; tlds must not, 
however, be confounded with suppression, which implies that 
the secretion within the kidneys is suspended. We have seen 
horses in this state, and, on examining the parts, have found 
the orifice of the urethra occupied by a hard substance termed 
by horsemen a “ bean,” on tlie removal of which the urine 
has soon after passed in a free and full stream. This “ bean 
is formed from the secretion and filth that usually accumu¬ 
lates about a horse’s penis 
Any one, by making a simple examination per rectum, cun 
easily ascertain if the case be one of suppression or of simple 
retention. Let the hand be introduced witliin the rectum, 
and if the bladder be found empty, there is evidently suppres¬ 
sion, whereas, if the bladder bo large aud full, occupying 
considerable space within the pelvis, it in a ease of retention. 
Suppression of urine must he treated according to its indi¬ 
cations; the cause must be sought for, and, it possible, 
reapers and mowers) win db snown m qonipeuuuu nnu 
the world aud tlie rest of mankind.’’ A Chicago paper says 
tlmt Mr. MoCORM iuk— whose reaper took the first prize at the 
great London Exhibition in 1851—" has completed one of liis 
celebrated mowers and reapers for exhibition at the 1 World's 
Fair,’ which is one of the most beautiful specimens of work¬ 
manship ever made for such a machine. Every piece of iron 
W ork is polished in the highest style. The wood work is of 
neb, and only varnished, being striped with gold, showing the 
grains of tlie wood to perfection. A self-ndtec is attached to 
the machine. The whole maeldne could not have cost less 
than from 1 1,000 to $1,500. It will be packed »nd shipped in 
tlie course of a week, It lias been ou exhibition for a few 
days and visited by a large number of our citizens.” Highly 
finished machines, with extra paint and varnish, or “striped 
with gold,” are very pleasant to look upon, but we opine that 
working qualities are far more important, and reckon McCor¬ 
mick will have to show superiority in the latter respect if he 
wins this time. “ May the best machine win !" 
SPANISH MERINO SHEEP, 
Eds. Rural New-Yorker:—I shall not write so 
much for the information of “Inquirer” in the 
Rural of March let, as for the vindication of the 
pure and well bred Spanish Merino. Still, such vin¬ 
dication may, in a degree, contain the information 
he seeks. The first-class sheep, of any breed, under 
favorable circumstances, and in good conditwn, is 
both true and honest ; while many persons are so 
incredulous as to disbelieve that men under similar 
circumstances are always strictly so. Hence, I 
write firstly for the sheep, secondly for the man. 
A man of the most ordinary organization might 
as well think of becoming a poet by studying Byron 
or Milton, as to become a first-rate judge of sheep 
without a natural lore or fancy for sheep. I have 
Howarp'3 Rearers and Mowers for 1802.—Our agricul¬ 
tural friends will not fail to note the announcements of Maj. 
R. L. Howard, of Buffalo, in the advertising columns of this 
paper z\s usual, the Major is the first to proclaim what ho 
has in the way of improvement to facilitate tlie labors of the 
coming harvest, and unless we mistake, his uew combined 
machine, and new mower, are destined to augment tlie envia¬ 
ble reputation of tlie Teteran manufacturer. His advertise¬ 
ment should receive the careful perusal of all interested. 
