cover no other gain by this deep plowing than that 
produced by its mechanical effect upon the soil. 
The surface soil is stiff enough, and does not seem 
to be materially different from that thrown from the 
bottom of the trench. Subsoil plowing would be 
equally effective and easier performed. The me¬ 
chanical effect of drainage and the plowing under 
of green crops would remove many of the objections 
now urged against this soil, and insure crops that it 
is now difficult to grow surely. It seems to me that 
cropping with red clover, which thrives well here, 
and plowing it under, would work a wonderful 
change in the availability of the elements of pro¬ 
duction this soil contains. For some reason this is 
not a corn country: at least 1 am so told by resi¬ 
dents here. But 1 can see no good reason why 
good corn crops may not be secured oil these pi airies 
if the soil is properly manipulated. 
but it is a fbuit country. 
And the farmers who have been here a few years 
unite in saying that, fruit farming is the best occu¬ 
pation here. There is ample evidence that fruit 
culture is profitable — that apples, pears, peaches, 
aud grapes, may be profitably cultivated. Baige 
peach orchards have already been planted by St. 
Louis, New York, and Chicago men, who have pur¬ 
chased land here for this purpose. A large number 
of large orchards have been planted the present 
season. I visited one orchard of six hundred trees, 
four years old past, which produced its first crop 
last year, clearing its owner, I was informed by Mr. 
Kennicott, at least fifteen hundred dollars net. 
These are not large figures — and other men more 
than double them—but they will answer for the first 
crop. The trees are now loaded with fruit, and if 
nothing prevents its maturing, it will yield a large 
revenue the coming harvest. 
THE MOUND FARM ORCHARD. 
That the apple and the pear are not short-lived 
here, and that the trees thrive with great vigor aud 
produce well, is proven in one instance by a large 
orchard on an elevated part of the prairie, called 
the Mound Farm. Here, on the summit of the 
mound, is an apple orchard, said to be thirty-five 
years old. which contains trees the trunks of which 
are more than two and one-hall feet in diameter. 
This orchard bears marks of great abuse, and yet 
very many of the trees are healthful and loaded 
with fruit, yielding a supply to the whole country 
for miles around, whose inhabitants journey hither 
to gather it. I have measured bearing pear trees in 
this county nearly us large and quite as old, on 
v’hich large crops have been grown regularly for 
many years. I know of no locality in this State, .1 
think, where there are more indications that the 
pear will prove profitable than in this county of 
Marion. 
PEAR ORCHARDS SHOULD BE PLANTED, 
And, notwithstanding this fact, I find few who are 
plantingthem. Dwarfs are ignored, at least distrusted, 
and standards make so tardy a return that those 
who plant fruit plant the rapid-growing peach, 
which yields its fruit quickly. But it seems to me 
there is not enough importance placed upon the 
fact that the pear always brings a good price, is not 
so perishable, if the late lall and winter varieties 
are grown, and sells at better prices, because there 
is less competition in its production. They arc a 
sure crop, and orchards of dwarfs are productive 
here. 
TRAINING RASPBERRIES. 
Black Cap raspberries grow here. On canes 
which had been shortened in from one-third to one- 
half of last year's growth—main stalk and laterals 
—there was more fruit, of larger size, than on the 
unpruned canes, and the growth of new wood the 
present season Was proportionately greater. The 
difference was marked. The shortened canes stood 
erect, occupied less ground, and were every way 
better. Mr. Kennicott urges the adoption of the 
practice as profitable in all cases. 
A SPLENDID PEACH ORCHARD. 
I learned that E. Sims, of strawberry w ine noto¬ 
riety, wns located at Fonti. J determined to visit 
him. We found he had broken forty acres of prairie 
one year ago. Twenty of it had been planted in 
peaches; and my professional companion united 
with me in declaring it the finest orchard of tliirty- 
two hundred trees of its age we had ever seen. Mr. 
Sims is evidently of the class who find it cheaper 
to do things right in the first place. lie has adopted 
a mode of preparing hia land for planting Which the 
more ancient Egyptians will do well to imitate. 
He had thrown it up in beds sixteen or eighteen 
feet wide, and planted on the center of each bed, 
eight or ten feet apart, forming quincunx squares. 
The dead furrows had been cleared out with the 
spade. Last year, after planting the peaches, he 
planted strawberries over the greater portion of 
the field, four or five feet apart, intending to allow 
them to spread, and make plants for further plant¬ 
ing. He is now gathering fruit from the strawber¬ 
ries, and at the same time forking the entire surface 
deeply. The peach trees were shortened in a third 
or a half this spring, and are making a healthy and 
vigorous growth of wood. I learned little of the 
varieties planted, hut so far as habit, growrth, and 
culture are concerned, call this a model peach 
orchard. 
ABOUT STRAWBERRY WINE. 
The Wilson's Albany berries that he was gather¬ 
ing were being shipped to Chicago and other mar¬ 
kets. This, be said, was not his wine plantation, 
ne had not intended making any wine here. But 
he found the McAvoy’s had been injured by recent 
rains, and were not in condition to ship. He was 
therefore expressing the j nice therefrom, and making 
a few barrels of wine. It was merely a saving 
policy which induced him to ship his Wilson's and 
squeeze his MoAvov's. He regarded the Wilson's 
the better berry for wine —said a bushel of Wil¬ 
son's would yield three and a half gallons of juice, 
(or make three aud a half gallons of wine, 1 am 
not positive which,) while a bushel of McAvoy'swould 
only yield three gallons. It is his impression that 
there is no berry like the Wilson for wine, or any 
other purpose. We saw the crimson juice running 
from the press; and beyond that we learned little 
of the process of wine manufacture from Mr. Sims. 
He did tell us that he could retain for his wine the 
strawberry color or not. just as he chose. His wine 
is of the color of pure amber, ne expresses the 
juice as soon as possible after it is gathered. If he 
desires to retain the color of the fruit, he lets it 
remain sometime after it is picked before express- 
sing it. 
Another thing which may be of service to amateur 
wine manufacturers, Is his mode of excluding air 
from the wine during fermentation, and yet allowing 
the escape of the gases. It may not be new, but it 
was new to me. He has a tin siphon, the loDg arm 
of which fie inserts in the bung of the barrel, and 
seals it about air-tight. The short arm outside is 
immersed in water. The gas escapes through the 
siphon and the water, but the air does not get to 
the v ine. __ 
WHY HE DON’T TELL HOW HE MAKES STRAWBERRY 
WINE. 
Scores of letters had reached me asking for that 
recipe, and urging me to hurry it up, for the season 
is at hand. I had written for it, but had not got it. 
Mr. Sims told me why, and the reason is plausible, 
and I think reasonable. I will give it as he gave it. 
lie disclaims any w'ish to monopolize a good 
thing: but he urges that if he were to give to the 
public his mode of manufacture, though simple, 
there are go few of the many who would experi¬ 
ment, who understand the theory or practice of 
wine making, and would give the necessary atten¬ 
tion to details, that the result would be a failure in 
the majority of cases, and strawberry wine would 
quickly be brought into disrepute. He purposes to 
establish its reputation at his own expense. This 
accomjdisbed, he says he will not object to the pub¬ 
lication of his process pro bono publico. 
RAISING CLOVER SEED. 
Clover seed has been raised in this section 
(Southern Herkimer County) for more thau twenty- 
five years—at first with various success, now seldom 
with failure. Few localities grow more clover seed, 
fts cultivation is understood, and is the result of 
long experience. Almost any soil will do, though 
an upland, or at least a dry soil, is preferable. It 
matters not about the clay subsoil, or depth, or fer¬ 
tility, only we never use a rich soil for clover seed. 
"Worn out soils are usually selected. Timothy is 
always mixed with clover when sown. The clover 
alone will show the first year, and this forms the 
crop. After that the timothy, with what clover the 
frost lias left in the ground, forms the hay crop. 
Thus clover seed can he raised hut once from each 
seeding in this locality. The clover is “wrinter- 
killed,'’ though now and then it escapes, as it does 
the present season. 
We use the “large clover” principally. Cattle 
are turned in early, and kept in till the fifteenth of 
June. This should vary sometimes: but a long test 
has demonstrated that in the majority of cases the 
middle of June is the point. A week sooner or 
later makes, often, a great difference, and afortnight 
a failure in the majority of cases. 
The next great point is, to pasture short. The 
nearer your lot resembles the road the better. You 
cannot pasture too close. This secures uniformity 
in ripening—a simut/meous ripening. The early 
and late heads are lost—the early by the sun, the 
late by the frost. The late are also the best filled, 
but they will not ripen. Hence the nearer they are 
brought to the middle line between the sun and frost 
the better. Close cropping alone -will do this. 
Hence all the neighboring cattle that can he got 
are turned in and kept there till the fifteenth. This 
is the most difficult part, as people prefer not to 
have their cattle starved; and as many are engaged 
ill the cultivation of seed, the difficulty is aug¬ 
mented. If very closely, and consequently evenly 
cropped, there will generally he a cloud of ma¬ 
tured heads at the beginning of frost; and there 
can be no failure. If the season is favorable, from 
three to four aud a half bushels to the acre are 
raised. One farmer one year raised 108 bushels of 
seed from 20 acres, at $10 a bushel. Tills paid for 
his 24 acres which he had purchased the year before. 
When June clover is used, the first crop is cut 
about the middle of June. I forgot to say that it is 
indispensable to success that plaster be used. It is 
sown the next day after the cattle have left the 
ground. Without the plaster the crop is pretty 
certain to bo a failure. No plaster is used in the 
spring. This is the successful mode of raising 
clover seed in this locality. K. g. 
Starkvillo. N. V., 1862. 
THE HOMESTEAD LAW. 
Ax Act to secure Homesteads to aetunl settlers on the 
Public Domain. 
Be H enacted but he Senate and Ilcnisc of J’r.prr- 
sentatives of the i fitted States of Ain tried in Con¬ 
gress assembled. That any person who is t he head of 
a family, or who lias arrived at the age of twenty- 
one years, and is a citizen of the United States, or 
who shall have filed his declaration of intention to 
become such, as required hy the naturalization laws 
of the United States, and who has never borne arms 
against the United States Government, or given aid 
and comfort to its enemies, shall, from and after tlie 
first, of January. l$tiS, be entitled to enter one-quar¬ 
ter section or a less quantity of unappropriated 
public lands, upon which said person may have tiled 
a pre-emption claim, or which rnay, at the time the 
application is made, be subject to pre-emption at one 
dollar and twenty-five cents, or loss, per acre; or 
eighty acres or less of such unappropriated lands, 
at two dollars and fifty cents per acre, to be located 
in a body, in conformity to the legal subdivisions of 
the public lands, and after the same shall have been 
surveyed: Provided , That any person owing and 
residing on iaml may, under the provisions of this 
act, enter other land lying contiguous to his or her 
said land, w hich shall not, with the lurid so already 
owned and occupied, exceed in the aggregate one 
hundred and sixty acres. 
Sec. 2. And befit further enacted. That the person 
applying for the benefit of this act shall, upon ap¬ 
plication to the register of the iund office in which 
ne or she is about to make such entry, make affida¬ 
vit before the said register or receiver that he or she 
is the head of a family, or is twenty-one or more 
years of age, or shall nave performed service in the 
army or navy ol‘ the U cited States, and that he has 
never borne anus against the Government of the 
United States or given aid and comfort to its ene¬ 
mies, and that such application is made for his or 
her exclusive use and benefit, and that said entry is 
made for the purpose of actual settlement and cul¬ 
tivation, aud not either directly or indirectly for the 
use or benefit of any other person or person's whom¬ 
soever; and upon filing the said affidavit with the 
register or receiver, and on payment of ten dollars, 
he or she shall thereupon be permitted to enter the 
quantity of land specined: Provided, however. That 
no certificate shall be given or patent issued there¬ 
for until the expiration of five years from the date 
of such entry; and if, at the expiration of such time, 
or at any time within two years thereafter, the per¬ 
son making such entry— or if lie be dead, his 
widow; or in case of her death, his heirs or devisee; 
nr in case of a widow making such entry, her heirs 
or devisee, in case of her death—shall prove by two 
credible witnesses that he, she, or they have resided 
upon qr cultivated the same for the term of five 
years immediately succeeding the time of filing the 
affidavit aforesaid, and shall make affidavit that no 
part of said land has been alienated, and that ho has 
borne true allegiance to the Government of the 
United States: then, in such case, he, she, or they, 
if at that time a citizen of the United States, shall lie 
entitled to a patent, as in other cases provided for 
by law: And provided, further, That in case of the 
death of both father and mother, leaving an infant 
child, or children, under twenty-one years of aue. 
the right aud fee shall enure to the benefit of said 
infant child or children; and the executor, adminis¬ 
trator, or guardian may, at any time within two 
years after the death of the surviving parent, and in 
accordance with the laws of the State in which such 
children lor the time being have their domicil, sell 
said land for the benefit of said infants, but for no 
other purpose; and the purchaser shall acquire the 
absolute title by the purchase, and be entitled to a 
patent from the United States, on payment of the 
office fees and sum of money herein specified. 
Sec. ?>. And be it further enacted. That the register 
of the land office shall note all such applications on 
the tract books and plates of his office, and keep a 
register of all such entries, and make return thereof 
to the General Land Office, togelher with the proof 
upon which tliev have been founded. 
Sec, 4. A nd tie it further enacted. That no lands 
acquired under the provisions ot this act shall in 
any event become liable to the satisfaction of any 
debt or debts contracted prior to the issuing of the 
patent therefor. . , _ 
Sec. 5. And be it further enacted. That if. at, any 
time after the filing of the affidavit, as required in the 
second section of t his net, and before the expiration of 
the five years aforesaid, it shall lie proven, after due 
notice to the settler, to the satisfaction ot the register 
of the land office, that the person having tiled such 
affidavit shall have actually changed his or her resi¬ 
dence, or abandoned file said lam) lor more than six 
months at anv time, riieu and in that event the land 
so entered shall revert to the Government. 
Sec. G. And be it further enacted, That no indi¬ 
vidual shall be permitted to acquire title to more 
than one-quarter section under the provisions of this 
act: and that the Commissioner ot the General Land 
Office is hereby required to prepare and issue such 
rules and regulations, consistent with this act. as 
shall he necessary and proper to carry its provisions 
into effect: and that the registers and receivers of 
the several land office* shall be entitled to receive 
the same compensation for any lands entered under 
the provisions of this act that they are now entitled 
to receive when the same quantity of land is entered 
with money, one-hall to be paid by the person 
making the application at the time of so doing, and 
the other halt on the i--ueof the certificate by the 
person to whom it may be issued; but this shall not 
be construed to enlarge the maximum of compensa¬ 
tion now prescribed bylaw for any register or re¬ 
ceiver: Provided, That nothing contained in this 
act shall be so construed as fir impair or interfere in 
any manner whatever with existing pre-emption 
rights. Alifilprovided further. That all persons who 
may have filed their applications for a pre-emption 
right prior to the passage of this act, shall be entitled 
to all privileges of this act: Provided,further, Thai 
no person who has served, or may hereafter serve, 
for a period of not less than fourteen days in the 
army nr navy of the United States, either regular or 
volunteer, under the laws thereof, during the exist¬ 
ence of an actual war. domestic or foreign, shall be 
deprived of the benefits of this act on account of not 
having attained tlm age ot twenty-one years. 
Sec. 7. And be it further enacted, That the fifth 
section of the act entitled “An act in addition to an 
act more effectually to provide for the punishment 
of certain crimes against the United States, and lor 
other purposes." approved the third of March, in the 
year eighteen hundred and fifty-seven, shall extend 
to all oaths, affirmations, aud affidavits, required or 
authorized by this aot. 
Sec. 8. And be it further enacted, That nothing in 
this act shall he so construed as to prevent any per¬ 
son who has availed him or herself of the benefits of 
the first section of this act from paying the minimum 
price, or the price to which the same may have 
graduated, for ihe quantity of land so entered at any 
time before the expiration of the five years, aud 
obtaining a patent therefor from the Government, 
as in other cases provided by lawn on making proof 
of settlement and cultivation as provided by exist¬ 
ing laws granting pre-emption rights. 
Approved, May 20, 18G2. 
guvat Jnmit of flic grc$$. 
Is the Pig a Grazier. 
•Under this heading the Maine Fanner says:— 
If there is any one animal that is omnivorous—that 
is, one that will live upon almost everything and 
anything, fish, flesh, grain, or grass, it is the pig. 
He is carnivorous, gfanivoroue, and graminivorous. 
We know that he will thrive and grow fat in a corn¬ 
field, we know too that he will grow and thrive in a 
butcher's yard, where he can get nothing but flesh 
and blood. And to the question whether he is a 
grazier, we can answer, yes. We have known the 
hog to live the year round and keep in pretty good 
order on grass in summer, and clover hay in winter. 
Our friends in Madawaska, also in other sections of 
this State, and indeed throughout the Western and 
Southern States, turn their hogs out to graze as 
regularly as they do their cattle. Some of them 
keep them during the winter all or in part on 
clover hay. Our neighbor Kezer, of Winthrop. used 
to feed his store hogs on clover hay, crumbled or 
pounded fine'with a flail, and they throve well upon 
it. A writer in tho Country Gentleman last Feb¬ 
ruary gave an account of some clover hav-fed 
swine that were found to be in good condition. “ I 
have seen,” says lie. “ twenty-five shoats, (September 
pigs.) the present winter, which have been fed on 
clover hay alone, and they are in good flesh; in fact 
they are actually in better condition than the aver¬ 
age of pigs wintered without good w’arm shelter, and 
fed upon grain. The clover fed these pigs was cut 
on the 4th of July, and secured without a drop of 
rain upon it. and of course very nutritious. The 
pigs in addition are supplied with warm comfortable 
quarters, and have at all times access to warm, 
spring water.” ne also adds:—“ I once had a neigh¬ 
bor who owned a noted sow. to which he never fed 
a mouthful of grain during winter, hut kept her in a 
yard with his cattle, and she ate with them the hay. 
and throve upon it," 
Hogs, however, will thrive best on a variety diet, 
and tbe oftener a supply of good corn meal is found 
in this variety, the better will they thrive; but corn 
is not absolutely necessary to keep them in good 
store order. _ 
Weaning mid Fattening Lambs. 
The following is the substance of an article on 
this topic, by a Pennsylvania sheep breeder, in the 
Dollar Newspaper :—Experience is teaching us that 
sheep are the most profitable stock that can be 
raised. And until the cotton fields of the South arc- 
placed in other aud safer hands, the demand for 
wool will increase, and the sheep business will be¬ 
come more important and more lucrative. Loyal 
men ought to feel themselves under obligation to assist 
each other in getting a start in independent living. 
We must use more wool thau heretofore, and. there¬ 
fore, must prepare to raise on our fertile hills that 
which, in getting to us, has almost ruined our happy 
country—our wear. 
In this letter I propose to call the attention of 
sheep raisers to the care which must be exercised in 
weaning lambs. It is not generally known that, to 
a great extent, the condition of sheep during life 
depends on the care that is taken of them at winn¬ 
ing. Farmers, I trust you have more lambs this 
spring than usual. If so, take care of them. They 
are valuable. If you separate them from tbe ewes 
before tbe proper time, they will become sickly, 
puny, and never grow into healthy, thriving sheep. 
Too little attention is given to this matter by most 
farmers. Their own convenience, rather than the 
health and stamina of the flock, is too apt to be con¬ 
sulted. Usually, lambs are far enough advanced at 
four months of age to he weaned. To do this, 
inclose them with the ewrs in the yard, and having 
caught them, place them in a well fenced inclosure, 
out ol sight and hearing of the ewes. Let them 
have fresh grass ol'suflicientquantityto compensate 
for the loss of milk, and yet not so rich a? to cause 
disease by over-feeding. If they are disposed to be 
wild, one or two tame sheep should be admitted 
into the fold, which will exercise a taming influence 
over them. After separating, the ewes should he 
kept lor about a week on poor pasture, to prevent 
inflamed udders or garget, which frequently ensues. 
At the end of one week they can be removed again 
to good pasture land. Meal, or other fattening 
food, should be fed to those lambs intended tor 
butchering, till the day of taking them to the sham¬ 
bles. It they are to be reared, plenty of grass will 
answer. Give them salt and water occasionally. 
After the expiration of three weeks they can be 
turned into the floc-k. If not attended to at shearing 
time; the lambs will become infested with ticks. To 
kill these, immerse the lamb up to the eyes in a 
strong decoction of tobacco water. 
How to liaise Turkey*. 
The following, hy a correspondent of the Dollar 
Newspaper, is copied in partial response to some 
inquiries recently sent to the Rural:— 'Why is it 
that ut least three out of four farmers do not succeed 
in raising turkeys? 'With all other poultry they are 
successful, but turkeys are abandoned by most far¬ 
mers as too uncertain and troublesome to bother 
with. Now this is all wrong—for once a person 
gets the knack of raising these fine fowls, they can 
raise just as many as they please. So far as I am 
concerned. I generally raise more turkeys than I 
know what to do with, and I have turkeys now left 
over from last season, that will be eaten as we want 
them. Last winter we fairly revelled in roast 
turkey—gave quite a number away—sold others, 
have some, beside the breeders, still left. My plan 
of raising is simple, aud I will give it in as few 
words as possible. 
First, i never allow a turkey to set until about the 
middle of 31ay, They will commence to lay early 
in April, but I take their eggs away as fast as laid, 
and keep them until they lay their second batch, 
which will be finished about the second or third 
week in May. I then give her some 18 or 20 of the 
eggs and let her set. Along about the middle of 
June she will he off. 1 then take her. put her with 
her young on an old barn floor, or other out-build¬ 
ing that is dry, and feed on curd and cracked corn. 
Curd is the best for a continual feed when the far¬ 
mer has plenty, but cracked corn or coarse meal, 
mixed Mill) lobbered milk, Mill ansM r er about 
equally as well. After they have been in doors for 
two or three days, or long enough to get fairly on 
their legs (for the turkey is the weakest of all fowls 
Mhen young,) I let them out. providing the weather 
in fine, and there is no dew on ihe grass. The great 
reason u T hy people cannot or do not raise turkeys is, 
because they turn them out as soon as hatched, and 
about the first welting they get they keel over and 
die. To succeed in raising turkeys, therefore, you 
must keep them dry until at least ten weeks old. 
M’hen they will stand as much water as other fowls 
—geese and ducks excepted. Of course, they must 
be driven in every night, and on all occasions when 
a storm is threatening. The reader will at once 
perceive there is care in all this, but M’hen “ Thanks¬ 
giving" and “Christmas" come, to say nothing of 
all the Sunday roasts during the u-iuter, our care is 
lost in enjoyment, and we come to the conclusion 
that “ turkeys are u’orth raising " 
Improving Old Pastures. 
At an Agricultural meeting in Cheshire, Eng¬ 
land, Mr. Richard Dutton read a paper on the 
“Agriculture of Cheshire,” in which he remarks:— 
“An old pasture-field, rich in good herbage, should 
never be brought under the plow, on a dairy or graz¬ 
ing farm, Without an urgent necessity. On our best 
dry soils, old pastures are apt to become rough, and 
in some cases covered with moss. This may he 
prevented, to a great extent, by a top-dressing of 
salt, during the winter, at the rate of 10 cwt. per 
acre: or. in some cases, a good dressing of lime, at 
the same time freely harrowing the surface; or. 
what is less expensive, stocking them with sheep, 
during the winter months, at the same time feeding 
them with turnips or com. In a very productive 
summer, or when a farmer has been unfortunate 
M'ith his stock, he may with advantage m,ow such 
parts of his pastures as can be spared for the pur¬ 
pose. it is superfluous for me to say that, on a very 
large portion of our grass lands, draining and hone 
dusting are the great means of improvement. A 
question of some importance may be asked:—‘Are 
all our clay soils improved by draining for mou-ing 
and pasture purposes?' I think not. When there 
is nothing in the herbage produced, n T hich indicates 
the presence of too much M'ater. I think draining 
will add nothing to the fertility of such soils, so long 
as they are in grass." 
Rural Notes auit Items. 
Cure for Cribbing. 
This disease, (says a correspondent of the N. E. 
Farmer,) originates from a sour stomach. First 
caused by a habit of biting the crib while eating, 
and in so doing, the horse swallows wind, which 
causes the stomach to become sour. Over eating 
and drinking would aid in this disease. A horse 
with this disease is the same as a person who, after 
eating, belches up wind from the stomach, and will 
in time become a dyspeptic. 
Cure. — Take one tablespoonful of pulverized 
charcoal, one teaspoonful of sal soda, mix in a gill 
of corn meal, and give three times a week until a 
cure is effected, n’hich will depend on the length of 
time the horse has been addicted to the habit. The 
horse should be fastened in the middle of the barn 
floor by a rope from the beam overhead, so that he 
cannot get hold of anything to bite, and feed him 
from a basket fastened on the head. It is said by 
those M r ho have tried it to he a sure cure. 
gfttpiH** Mi\ 
Coated Wool. —I have raised, this spring, three fleeces of 
coated wool, and assure you Thai I want no more of it. Will 
you, or your readers, please to give the cause why wdol be¬ 
comes coated?—L. H. Wilcox, Napoli, 1862. 
If our correspondent will explain as to the character of the 
coating—Whether yolk, manure, or dirt—we can more readily 
and understandingly answer his query. He probably alludes 
to yolk, and if so. is referred to the American Shepherd, or any 
other Standard Work on Sheep Husbandry for information. 
Remedy for Blindness in Suekj-.— I noticed an inquiry in 
the Kc-RAT, of April 26th as to Who ever Saw or heard of sheep 
becoming blind when in good order and not over five years of 
age. I have seen a good many blind sheep of all ages, from 
three mouths to ten years old, but never knew of their dying 
with this disease. My remedy is tins: When you are satisfied 
the sheep is bliud, take a Sharp knife aud cut a gash, so chut it 
will bleed freely, about an inch below the eye; then hold the 
eye open and the head so that the blood will run in the eye 
for two minutes; then draw tho finger gently Over the bull of 
the eye two or three times, and in a few days the sheep will 
see as well as ever This is the first case I ever heard of in 
America, hut where 1 came from f Scotland it is quite com¬ 
mon.—A. M . Genesee Co,, A. I'., 180‘-’ 
come at 
Tun Sr a.-' in and Crocs. —The “blessed rain' has 
last, and the parched earth is refreshed with an abundance of 
the heaven-sent element. On the 18th and 19th we ), a .| 
copious rains, and over an inch of water fell during the week 
Another heavy rain commenced on Monday forenoon, and as 
we write (Tuesday A. M.) there is little prospect of its tar j 
cessation The earth must he thoroughly soaked in all this 
region, whpre hut little water fell between the 4th of May ami 
lilti of this month. But. beneficial as the rain must prove, it 
came too late to save grass, or gire us good spring crops-, 
especially as the temperature continues low for the season 
The hay crop must be very light in sections where the drouth 
prevailed — many say not over half the usual yield. Prices 
have advanced materially in consequence, and hay will be in 
demand hereabouts for the ensuing twelve-month. ‘-.Make 
hay while the sun shines.” and make and save all you can, fo r 
it will pay this year. Oats, barley, and other spring crops 
have suffered beyond entire recovery-, and must he compara¬ 
tively light in portions of this State and Canada West where 
the drouth lias prevailed. The wheat crop is very promising 
throughout Western and Central New York, so far as ascer¬ 
tained, and, with a warm summer and favorable autumn, 
farmers hope to grow a fair crop of corn. Now is the time to 
make amends for a short hay crop by sowing corn and turnips 
as recommended on first page. 
— Reports from Canada West continue unfavorable. The 
Brantford Courier Of the 21st says:—“ We have bad severs] 
light showers during the week; but the rain comes down with 
such apparent reluctance that we fear the crops will receive 
very little good from it. In addition to the drouth, we have 
had quite chilly evenings lately, and even frosts, which have 
injured the fall wheat very much. Tbe prospects certainlv 
are very gloomy, for it Is generally believed that even an 
average half crop will not be realized. However, let us hope 
for the best; the farmers may be a little mistaken." 
Tin. Season in the West — Chicago. June 14,1862.—Con¬ 
siderable rain has fallen in different parts of the West since 
my last; and a portion of the week we have shivered with 
good fires and winter clothing The week closes brilliantly, 
go far as the weather is concerned; and croaking at a decline 
The terrible breeze that was created through the local jour¬ 
nals about the devastation of crops by the chinch bugs. See., 
has subsided. As intimated last week, it requires hut a half 
acre of wheat plowed under for a base for a great bug a boo 
story about ruined crops and a terrible panic among producers 
Then- is no doubt that the chinch bug will continue to feed 
on the wheat Of slovenly fanners; and perhaps on that of 
some prim farmers who are their unfortunate neighbors; but 
it does not follow that the world will starve in consequence. 
A recent trip in the country enabled me to see fine fields of 
wheat, oats. flax. com. potatoes, and sorghum. I noticed 
many fields on which the crops told as plainly as any spoken 
language that the grain had been sown when the ground was 
in bad condition — the weeds were as abundant and more 
luxuriant than the grain — the latter yellow and sickly. But 
as a rule, the crops are very promising.—c. p. it 
Sheep-Shearing Festival.— We are indebted to Mr. O. M. 
Adams, of East Bloomfield, for an account of a Wool Growers' 
Festival which he attended at the residence of Josiah C. 
Short, in Livonia, Livingston Co., on the 3d inst. Mr. A. 
says the day was unfavorable for such a gathering, and “ many 
who brought sheep declined having them sheared on account 
of the inclemency of the weather — among whom were Mr. 
Rogers, of Memlon, and Mr. Hamilton, of Richmond but 
both agreed to publish tbe weight of their fleeces as soon as 
sheared.” The subjoined table embraces name and residence 
of owner of each sheep shorn, the weight of carcass after 
shearing, weight of fleece, age of sheep. &e.: 
Owner. 
J. C. Short. 
J. C. Short. 
J C. Short, 
J. C. Short, 
J. C. Short, 
,1 C. Short, 
J. C. Short. 
J. C. Short, 
J. C. Short. 
J. Short .V Co , 
A. S. Gibbs, 
M F. Gibbs, 
J. Wynn, 
J. Wynn. 
Mr. McCTintOck. 
Residence. 
Livonia. 
Geneseo, 
Wheeler Reed, 2d, “ 
John A. Reed, “ 
John S. Beecher. Livonia, 
-lolin S. Beecher, “ 
Joint S. Beecher, “ 
Bennett & Gibbs, “ 
Daniel Bennett, 
A. C Bennett 
<). W. Hum “ 
B. & C. Barnard “ 
Weight of Wright of 
Age, 
Carcass. 
tbs. 
Fleece, 
lbs. ot. 
1 vear, ewe, 
70 
10 3 
U 
tt 
70 
9 4 
tt 
tt 
67 
12 4 
tt 
tt 
57 
14 
u 
tt 
13 
12 
u 
u 
69 
11 4 
tt 
buck, 
98 
14 12 
tl 
tt 
105 
14 12 
5 “ 
u 
123 
17 
2 u 
a 
110 
17 
i u 
ewe. 
48 
9 14 
i “ 
tt 
54 
9 4 
i “ 
buck. 
85 
12 
i “ 
79 
11 9 
3 “ 
U 
149 
18 4 
2 u 
•it 
96 
14 
3 “ 
u 
139 
18 
2 u 
u 
119 
15 
6 “ 
tt 
130 
24 12 
2 “ 
tt 
106 
21 4 
2 u 
tt 
98 
14 8 
2 “ 
tt 
91 
18 4 
1 “ 
ewe. 
62 
9 1 
1 “ 
tt 
67 
11 4 
4 « 
buck, 
. 126 
15 
3 “ 
(( 
96 
15 12 
Wool Clips, Sheep, ic.-Wii. Root, of Bennington Co , 
Vt., on tbe 10th ult., clipped 1ST 9-16 pounds of wool from 
fifteen yearling ewes.- Hawley Pkindle, of the same 
county, on the 14th ult., sheared 125'.j pouuds of wool from 
ten yearlings. They were of Spanish Merino blood, and the 
extremes of fierce were 14?.: to 10J£ pounds.-J. II. Mor¬ 
rison, of Moultouboro - N, H , has a sheep 8 years old which 
has had twenty five iambs. When about one year old, she 
had two lambs; the three succeeding years she had three each 
year; the fourth year she had four at one time; the next year 
after she bad three lambs; the next three; the present year she 
has had four more.-The aggregate weight ol' nine Spanish 
Merino fieeoes taken off the 2d of May by A. II. Wilson, of 
St. Johnsbury. Yt. was DO. 1 , pounds. The fleece of a two-year 
old weighed lOA , and that, of a yearling 18 1 :,' pounds.-A 
great Wool Exhibition, open to all the United States aud 
Canada, is to be held at Cleveland, Ohio, next September.- 
Only 113.111 sheep are reported in the last census of Massa¬ 
chusetts. showing a decrease of more than 15,000 since 1850. 
Tile decline is attributable to the dogs, 17,000 of which were 
licensed last year. 
Good Horses in Demand.— Since the opening of the war 
thousands of horses have been sold from city, village, and 
country, for army purposes, thus diminishing the supply and 
increasing the prices of homes for ordinary service. More 
will be wanted for the army, and so many will be killed and 
crippled that the number of horses in the country will be 
materially lessened. We therefore think the breeding of 
good horses will pay better than usual for two or three years. 
Ou this subject the Wisconsin Farmer sensibly remarks that 
• it is inevitable that horses should be in greater demand than 
for years before the war. Immense numbers will be killed, 
crippled, aud used up. while the uses to which they have been 
accustomed to be put. will lie in no respect diminished. It 
would be well to breed extensively, aud from horses of the 
best blood. The policy which prompts so many of our 
tanners to employ cheap ‘ stock horses ! is of the same «lass 
with that which would recommend an interior quality of seed 
because of a less price It costs no more to raise a fine animal 
than a mean and worthless scrub.” 
Export ok Breadstcfks.— It is printed that during the 
first week of this month the enormous amount of one million 
four hundred and thirteen thousand four hundred and eighty - 
four bushels of grain, and thirty-five thousaud four hundred 
and tliirty-two barrels of flour, were shipped from New York 
for Europe, the most of it going to Great Britain. 
Seymocr's Grain Drill, advertised in ttiis paper, is a good 
“institution”—os is, also. Beardsleys Hay Elevatoi- Tht 
“Universal Clothes Wringer" is highly commended by wise 
women, who ought to know whereof they aflirm. The adver¬ 
tisements of Farms aud Farming Lands in Michigan and 
Illinois are worthy the attention of those seeking fertile acres 
in good localities. See, also, the advertisements of Standard 
Works published by the Aitlktons and Mlkriams. 
Agiuccltcral Exinr.irioNS, &o.—The Annual Exhibition 
of the Tompkins Co. Agricultural and Horticultural Society 
wifi he held on the Fair Grounds, in Ithaca, Sept. 24—20,1862. 
Tbe officers of the Society arc President —Col. Henry Bre¬ 
mer Vice President — A. B Cornell. Secretary — A. N. 
Uuugerford. Treasurer —O. B Cumin.-The Annual Fair 
of the Dundee Union Ag. Society Yates Co., N. Y .) is tube 
held at Dundee on the loth, Wtfc. and ITtli days of Oct. no-' 
