dinate station. The supreme power resides in the 
masses. Decision and action emanate from them as 
a body. Their will determines; their wishes rule. 
Though ordinarily they tenderly nourish and cher¬ 
ish, protect and defend the queens, drones, and 
brood; yet when the prosperity or preservation of 
the colony demands it. they imprison, mutilate, 
expel, or destroy either. From their arbitrament 
there is no appeal; their decree is absolute and 
subject to no reversal; and their power can not be 
resisted.— Baldensiein. 
the raking and cocking of the grass should proceed 
with the cutting, so should the hauling. Secure as 
you go, is the undeviating rule of clover hay 
making. Thus made, clover hay should have a yel¬ 
lowish green color, with a bright stem, soft and 
pliant. When, the leaves are turned black, and the 
stems hard and brittle, the hay is spoiled. 
Timothy Hay ,—When timothy grass is cut down 
soon after the blossoms have fallen, it has much sap 
in it—more or less according to the condition of the 
ground and of the atmosphere. At this stage it is 
more difficult to cure than clover, because its stems 
have joints, and they are of more compact organiza¬ 
tion. If cut with a scythe and the grass is heavy, 
the swaths should be turned over alter the upper 
side is between the wilted and dried state. When 
so turned and cured, all ought to be put in win rows 
as rapidly as possible, and put into cocks, where the 
curing is to he completed. If the hay is entirely 
cured before it is raked into win rows, it, is too much 
bleached with dews, and ip too hard. It should have 
a greenish yellow color, bright and soft and pliant 
Stems and leaves. To make it such, it must not be 
exposed too long to the sun's rays. If the grass is 
not cut until the seed is ripe, and the ground and 
air are dry, the swath need not be turned, but may 
be raked into win rows. If cut with the mower, the 
raking should be commenced sooner. In all cases 
and conditions of the grass, the final curing should 
bo done in cocks. The sweating it then undergoes 
softens it, and when thus cured, both cattle and 
horses will eat it up clean, but it the stems are hard, 
too much of the butts will be wasted. 
Timothy hay may be made in very large cocks, 
but the most convenient size is one that a single 
horse can easily draw to the stacking place in the 
field, To make them larger requires too much pitch¬ 
ing in the winrow. Care should be taken not to roll 
the hay in piles, and thus place it o the cocks, for 
they are apt either to fall down from winds, or to 
take water in ease of rain. The hay should be col¬ 
lected in bunches by lifting it up and laying it. on 
the cocks so as to be spread out flat. These flat 
layers may be put into the stack without disturbing 
them, or on the wagon, and the stack more solidly 
built. 
Philosophy of Curing liny. 
As to the proper time for cutting hay, and the 
philosophy of curing, the following from the Ohio 
Farmer is sensible and to the point: 
“Don’t dry your hay too much. Ilay may bo 
dried till it is as worthless as straw. As a good 
coffee-maker would say, ‘Don’t burn your coffee, 
but brown it:' so we say, don’t dry your hay, but 
cure it. Our good old motherp, who relied upon 
herb tea instead of ‘potecary medicine,’ gathered 
t heir herbs when in blossom and cured them in the 
shade. This is the philosophy of making good hay. 
Out in the blossom, and cure in the shade. The 
sugar of the plant when it Is in bloom, is in the 
stalk, ready to form the seeds. If the plant is cut 
earlier the sugar is not there; if later, the sugar has 
become converted to woody matter. 
Hay should be well wilted in the sun, but cured 
in the cock. Better to be a little too green than too 
dry. If. on putting it into the barn, there is danger 
of ‘heating in the mow,’ put on some salt. Cattle 
will like it none the less. 
Heat, light, and dry winds, will soon take the 
starch and sugar, which constitute the goodness of 
hay, out of it; and the addition of showers render 
if almost worthless. Grass cured with the least ex¬ 
posure to the drying winds and searching sunshine, 
is more nutritious than if longer exposed, however, 
good the weather may be. It ever cured, it contains 
more, woody fiber and Ices nutritive matter. 
The true art of hay-making, then, consists in cut¬ 
ting the grass when the starch and sugar are most 
fully developed, and before they are converted into 
seed and woody fiber; and curing it to the point 
when it will answer to put it into the barn without 
heating, and no more.” 
i.s not much of a fruit country, but what there is, is 
looking quite well, and may possibly compensate in 
u very small degree tor the loss of the grain crop. I 
think the farmers in this section make a great mis¬ 
take in not raising more roots, as they would, in 
such a season as this, make up for the deficiency in 
other crops. They must not be discouraged, how¬ 
ever. but put forth renewed efforts to secure a good 
crop another year.— Observer, Buonville, N. Y., 
July 5, 1862. 
Rural Notes anil Items 
Thk Season, Crops, &c —The weather of the past week 
like that of the preceding, has been very favorable_warm 
with sufficient rain Most crops are growing and maturing 
rapidly. Wheat is looking unusually fine, and promises a 
bountiful harvest. Com is gaining rapidly, and there is more 
hope of a crop. Grass Ijrs grown and thickened apace, and 
will be much heavier, in many localities, than was anticipated 
two weeks ago. The crop will be increased by allowing it to 
stand as long as safety will permit. Our crop reports f TOrn 
the surrounding country arc all favorable, and we congratulate 
farmers upon their prospects. 
— We have received from several different localities i n 
Western 'New York wheat heads covered with an insect which 
many fear is a new enemy to the wheat plant. The insect is 
a species of plant louse, and we doubt whether it. will cause 
any material injury to the crop. It is the Grain Aphis illus¬ 
trated and described in our last number. 
THAT FIRE-WOOD 
Bee Food. 
Dr. Alefield suggests that in districts where 
couch grass abounds as a troublesome weed, it 
might, with little trouble, be got rid of. and at the 
same time made useful to bee-keepers. Let the 
ground he plowed in dry weather, the roots of the 
grass harrowed out. gathered, washed in running 
water, dried and preserved till the following spriug. 
Then cut them up small, or clxtff them, in a common 
straw cutter, and boil them in water, to extract the 
saccharine matter with which these, roots abound. 
Drain off the liquid and boil it down to the consist¬ 
ence of sirup, and use the inspissated decoction to 
toed bees at the approach of spring. lie conceived 
this would be the cheapest mode of procuring bee 
food when couch grass infests the soil, and that it 
would furnish supplies well adapted to carry bees 
safely through intervals of the season in summer 
when pasturage is scarce. 
Eds. Rural New-Yorker:— The opinion of H. 
T. B. is about right regarding fire-wood, I think, 
and I hope it will be the means of making a lasting 
change in many tamilies. Shall men always expect 
to find their wives as pleasant, and smiling as 
sweetly, when they cannot make the wood burn as 
at other times? Especially not wheu husband and 
help are coming in to dinner, and everything at a 
stand-still, because of the round and crooked green 
or soggy wood. Gentlemen, (tor such you would 
be,) provide good dry wood, and see what a change 
you have made.—a happy home, indeed! Perhaps 
you never thought it makes a material difference 
whether you look to quality or quantity. OnelitHe 
instance I recall to mind, showing a carelessness, 
too often indulged in, that ought, to be avoided. I 
heard a friend say to her husband, “Please put 
some wood in the stove, so that 1 need not leave my 
sewing.” He did it very cheerfully, ami shortly 
after left the house. The room grew cold, the fire 
refused to burn. Looking into the stove, she found 
two round green sticks closing the draft. So much 
for green wood. 
Cheer up, patience-tried sisters; I hope the “good 
time” will soon come when we need no more com¬ 
plain of bad wood. We do not always mean to find 
fault with the men, but we would like to have them 
reform in this respect, and so blend and improve 
the lives given us for the good of others, m. e. s. 
Kalamazoo. Mich., 1802. 
The Butter bean, Lima and Valentine bean are 
cultivated. The latter is the only bean preferred 
above all others. The pod is solid, and it is excel¬ 
lent for pickling and stringing. Jt is very produc¬ 
tive, hence profitable. 
PROFIT OF strawberry culture. 
Mr. Emery asserts that there are few kinds of hus¬ 
bandry in which more money can be made than 
growing strawberries at $1.25 per bushel. He says 
they arc as easily and cheaply cultivated per acre 
as potatoes; and quite as many bushels can be 
grown per acre, with the same culture! '1 hen the 
sale of plants is an important item. Prom an acre 
on which the total expenditure has not been more 
than fifteen dollars since planting, a year ago, hun¬ 
dreds of dollars’ worth of plants have been sold, and 
a heavy crop of fruit loaded the vines when I 
visited them. 
DRAINAGE. 
This farm is a constant attestation of the value of 
drainage. Land that was worthless has been re¬ 
covered and made the most valuable, by the use of 
the mole drainer. Where reeds and rushes grew, 
now grow acres of the finest vegetables and roots. 
By this drainage,—and it was done at a cost of only 
12i cents per rod.— the land is not only redeemed, 
but its temperature is elevated, the season is pro¬ 
longed, its productiveness greatly increased, the 
quantity of its products improved, and the certainty 
of a crop almost insured. This is what every man 
who drains his land learns to be the result of such 
drainage. And 1 have never yet met a man who 
had drained land, who did not assert its profit. The 
mole drains referred to have been in operation over 
two years. They are apparently as effective to-day 
as when first made. They are three feet below the 
surface, and water runs from them almost constantly, 
winter and summer. 
THE SWINE. 
Fed on the rellisc which is daily transported 
hither from the Tremont, are a hundred hogs, more 
or less, of all ages, which furnish the tables with 
rooters, and bacon, and ham. The majority of 
these hogs are crosses of the Suffolk and the common 
prairie roaster — rosulling in a large rangy breed of 
pigs, combining sizu with the fattening qualities of 
the Suffolk. They are what Join Went WORTH 
would call “Chester Whites—home made!” The 
large hog-liouse is in the shape of a cross, with an 
alley through the center of each wing, terminating 
in an area beneath the dome—where the food is 
cooked in a cauldron, in winter—with a row of pens 
on either side, connecting by slide doors with yards 
outside in each angle of the barn. The arrange¬ 
ment of these pens, and this barn, is the most, con¬ 
venient, 1 have ever seen lor feeding and breeding 
hogs on a large scale. It is neatly whitewashed, 
and looks tidy and comfortable. 
There were acres of vegetables we did not look 
over for wanl of time. The Sugar Beet is being 
cultivated as an experiment. Onions, parsnips, 
salsify, &c., Ac., about which much of interest might 
have been gathered, were overlooked, in order that 
the hospitable Intentions and attentions of tin* gar¬ 
dener and his wife might be properly appreciated. 
The Season in thk West— Chicago. July 12.1S62.— The 
weather during the past week lias l>een splendid : and crop? 
and weeds pushed forward quite as fast ns could be desired 
Reports from all quarters are favorable; and the “ great scare" 
of a few weeks since is fount! to have less foundation than 
Stanton’s fright about the same time Gold is worth 12 and 
13 per cent, premium for currency. It lias declined a little 
within a day or two. The effect of the present money 
pressure is to diminish confidence in U S. currency. Rut 
let the people sustain and back their own money. It is loyal 
and patriotic to do so. And let alone nit other currency.—o. n. n. 
Address at the N. Y. State Fair.— A note from the Act¬ 
ing Secretary announces that Rev. Rout. .1. Breckinridge, 
T>. D., LL. I).. of Kentucky, lias accepted the invitation of 
die N. Y Slate Ag. Society to deliver the Annual Address at 
the Fair in this city. The selection of Dr. B. is eminently 
appropriate, for he lias long been prominent as a farmer and 
breeder, near Lexington—in the heart of the garden region of 
Kentucky. Dr B. is not only a celebrated orator, writer, 
theologian, and educator, but lias endeared himself to the 
people, and secured the love of his loyal countrymen, by 
earnest and patriotic efforts in behalf of the Union Cause 
during the inception and progress of die rebellion which is 
seeking to sunder and destroy the Nation. A tnan with such a 
career and record as Dr. BRECKINRIDGE is entitled to dis¬ 
tinguished honor, and on the occasion referred to tens of 
thousands of intelligent and loyal New-Yorkers will no doubt 
give 1dm a cordial greeting—thanking him for his long, well- 
directed and successful efforts to promote die mental, moral, 
and physical improvement of bis countrymen, and bidding 
him God speed in future patriotic and philanthropic endeavors. 
Second Swarms. 
No second swarm issues from a colony unless 
testing or teeting and quahking are previously heard. 
Teeting alone is heard when a queen has emerged 
from her cell, while the royal embryos are not yet 
mature; whereas both teeting and quahking will be 
heard when one queen has emerged, while the 
others, though fully fledged, remain in their cells in 
apprehension of impending danger. 
Bee Culture can only be regarded as truly “the 
poetry of rural economy” when it is prosecuted not 
merely as a source of pecuniary profit, but also as a 
perennial fountain of intellectual enjoyment 
Swarming Time. 
In England, according to Wild man, bees swarm 
in May and June, and occasionally not until July. 
The time in France, M. La Gienees says, is from the 
loth of May to the 15th of June, in favorable sea¬ 
sons; and in late springs, from the middle of June 
to the middle ol July; in Italy, according to Con- 
tardi, at the end of April and beginning of May; 
and in Sicily, as early as the middle ol March. 
In the Greek Archipelago two swarming periods 
occur; one in the spring and the other in the sum¬ 
mer. The former corresponds with the blossoming 
of the sage plant, and the latter with that of the 
thyme; and the size of the swarms depends on the 
amount of honey yielded by these plants in their 
season. 
In Switzerland, boos can seldom begin to gather 
pollen before the first of March, and swarming takes 
place In May and J une, as the spring is more or less 
forward. Swarms coming there after the first of 
July arc rarely worth hiving as independent colo¬ 
nies, as they have neither time nor opportunity to 
gather sufficient stores for the winter. 
The approach of swarming time is always indi¬ 
cated by the appearance of drones, though that is 
no sure evidence that swarming will follow, as the 
weather may subsequently prove unpropitious. 
Drones usually issue about six weeks after the bees 
of the colony begin to gather pollen; and they pre¬ 
cede swarming (where it does take place) from one 
to three weeks. 
In southern countries, swarms are generally much 
larger than in northern. Della llocca states that on 
the Greek Island of Syra, they not unfrequenlly 
weigh ten or twelve pounds. In the central por¬ 
tions of France, their average weight is about four 
pounds. IVlien swarming, bees carry with them an 
outfit of honey in the proportion of one 1o four of 
the weight of the swarm; or, rather, of a swarm of 
fifteen pounds, the bees weigh twelve pounds and 
the honey appropriated by them weighs three. 
Bees gorged with honey weigh about five thousand 
to the pound. 
It is customary in the island of Syra, after a 
swarm has issued, to feed the parent stock, on the 
following evening, half a pound of honey diluted 
with some wine or brandy. This is supposed to 
stimulate the industry of the bees and promote the 
fertility of the young queen after fecundation. 
Della llocca says that one of his stocks thus fed on 
each occasion, yielded three swarms, and was fully 
as populous on the first of August as it had been 
when the swarm first issued. In the following year, 
also, it produced a strong swarm earlier than any of 
his stocks which had not been so fed.—Dee Journal, 
The Wool (jr.Owp.n Aftfi Stock Uumsirkk.— A note just 
received from Indianoia, Iowa, says:—Please send me a 
specimen number of the Hoot Grower and S'toch Register, 
with bills, prospectus, &e , so I may get a few bore to send 
for it with me.” Another recent letter orders certain volumes 
of the same journal. In reply- to these and similar requests of 
late, wo would again state that the W. G. and S R. is no 
longer published ns such —that it was merged in the Rural 
New-Yorker some years ago, and that we cannot supply 
complete seta of the work. As we remarked in a former 
volume, “though tolerably well sustained, (lie W. G. and 8. 
R. was discontinued because ninny of its subscribers preferred 
the Rural, on sight and examination. Perhaps we made a 
mistake in sending specimens of die Rural to its readers, 
but if so, it is too late to repent, and we are satisfied with the 
result. The W. G. and S. R. is not the only monthly that has 
had to succumb to the more varied, interesting, and progres¬ 
sive weeklies.” 
Remedy for Lice on Fowls. 
N. Sargent, of Washington, D. C., thus writes 
to the Country Gentleman; 
“A Reader," page 352, inquires what will kill hen 
lice. I can tell him. Scatter sassafras bark, in 
small pieces, about the nests, and get sassafras poles 
for the hens to roost upon. The bark of this wood 
is fatal to this troublesome vermin. Drop one of 
them upon a piece of it, and it will die almost as soon 
as if it had been dropped upon hot iron. My 
chicken house was overrun with lice. I tried the 
above remedy and have seen none since. My 
neighbor was similarly afflicted, and similarly 
relieved. 
To Htop Bleeding on Man or Beast. 
Asa Kemper, Ross county, Ohio, writes to the 
American Agriculturist that, bleeding from a wound 
on man or beast may be stopped by a mixture of 
wheat flour and common salt, in equal parts, bound 
on with a cloth. If the bleeding be profuse, use a 
large quantity, say from one to three pints. It may 
be left for hours, or even days, if necessary. In this 
manner he saved the life of a horse which was 
bleeding from a wounded artery; the bleeding 
ceased in five minutes after the application. It was 
left on three days, when it worked loose, was easily 
removed from Ihe wound, which very soon healed. 
Superior Draining Tii.k.—W e are indebted to Mr. Geo. 
E. Pomeroy for very superior specimen? of draining tile, 
made by Tiffany's Improved Tile Machine, (illustrated and 
described in the Rural of May 17.) at the yard of the 
Rochester Brick and Tile Company. The pipes arc straight 
and smooth —altogether the most perfect wc have seen made 
of rlay. Wo had hoped t<> see this machine in operation ere 
this, but other engagements have prevented. It. will be seen 
by reference to an article in our Special Notice column that 
the Tiki any Tile Machines are to be manufactured extensively 
by Messrs Kidd & Co., of this city, and that the Brick and 
Tile Co. highly lommend the machine recently tested here. 
Wc trust inventors of machinery and manufacturers of die 
will keep improving and competing until the price of tile 
crockery shall he so reasonable that no decent farmer can have 
any excuse for longer delaying its use wherever needed. 
Quinsy in Ilogs. 
A correspondent of the American Stock 
Journal writes thus concerning a disease somewhat 
prevalent among hwiuo at the West: 
In your last issue, you publish an account of a 
disease prevailing among hogs in Iowa and Illinois, 
called Quinsy. From the description given of the 
disease, it is what we call the sore throat. The best 
remedy is to open the pores or holes on the inside 
of the tore legs, by rubbing them with something 
rough, or take the point of a pocket-knife blade and 
open the hole, then rub them so as to rougheu the 
skin; grease well with lard. The above will gene¬ 
rally cure them, but, if the case is a bad one, after 
you have rubbed as above directed, put a large sea- 
ton above the knee, on each leg. I hare tried ex¬ 
periments on several cases and it has never failed. 
The cause of the Quinsy is corn-feeding. A hog 
fed on oats will not be troubled with the disease 
mentioned in your Journal. Small quantities of 
gunpowder given to hogs frequently, will, 1 believe, 
prevent it. But my advice to all persons breeding 
hogs, is, never to feed old sows which are breeding 
stock, or pigs, any corn, as corn will kill a large 
hog when led too much. Hogs in this section of 
country always thrive better and grow larger, when 
fed on oats than when fed on corn. 
Death ok Mr. Horace Sculler. — On the 11th inst., at 
noon, in the town of Brighton, Horace Shudder departed 
this life, aged sixty-six years. Mr. Sculler was the first 
white child horn within the limits of Monroe county, and 
consequently the oldest white native, lie was an active and 
prominent member of the Senior Pioneer Association, and 
attended every one of the meetings until the lost. Either 
upon the farm where ho was horn, or within three milts of it, 
Mr. S. passed his entire earthly pilgrimage. He was ill about 
two months, and some time before his death became aware that 
his end was nigli. He remarked to a friend the day before Ills 
decease that he was “ like an old wagon, all out of repair, 
and he did not know where to commence to mend.” He 
calmly gave directions about the disposition of liis earthly 
affairs, and prepared for tire approaching change. The night 
before the final change occurred was one of sleeplessness, but 
with the morning he fell into slumber, from which lie never 
awoke. 
BRIEF AGRICULTURAL CORRESPONDENCE. 
Unquims awl gVnwm’S 
From Kansas.—W e are in the midst of wheat 
harvest, and it is the heaviest crop that I ever saw 
grow. I think it willhfl some time ere the people 
of Kansas will bo so near the starvation point as 
they were two years since; for there is an abund¬ 
ance of everything except men and money, both of 
which arc scarce.— D. M., Indianola, Kansas. 1862. 
Sgotoii Harrows.— I wish some of the readers of the 
Rural would give the dimensions of a Scotch harrow?—A 
ScnBonniicJi, Wahinnih. A. 1802. 
Grain fok Sukkh.— Will it pay to feed sheep grain during 
the winter, when hay is $0 per tun, corn 00 cents’per bushel, 
and wool brings this season's prices?—A SubsOribkk, Ghaut. 
Co.. A. r„ 1802. 
Of course it will. 
Crops, &o., in Washington Co.—We have been 
having glorious and protracted rains for two weeks. 
Grass and grain, and all kind of crops, have won¬ 
derfully revived. By mowing later than usual, we 
shall have an average crop of hay. You would do 
well to urge it upon the farmers to delay com¬ 
mencing haying till the full benefit of the rain has 
been received. When hoeing is done, “ On to hay¬ 
ing” will be the cry of those who do everything by 
habit, rather than from reason and judgment,— 
H. K. F., Cambridge, JV. I", 1862. 
Plaster on Clover. — Will a crop of young clover he 
benefited most by sowing plaster upon it as soon as the crop 
of wheat is removed, or not until next spring? Or would it 
pay to sow it both in the fall and spring? I would like the 
views of farmers on the subject.—D. 8,, Satan, Ohio. 
The Illinois State Rearer Trial. —President Van Eprs 
informs me that the trial will commence as early as the 28th 
of July, at Dixon, and perhaps as early as the 22d inst. It is 
desired to commence at the earliest moment in which the 
grain is ready, in order that grass may be in condition for the 
trial of mowers. As soon as the precise date can he 
determined, telegrams will be sent to all competitors, and the 
public notified through the daily and weekly press, in ample 
time to attend the trial. It promises to be very interesting.— 
O. b. ti. 
— A telegram from President Van Epps (dated n day later 
than the above was mailed,) informs us that the proposed 
Trial will commence on the 22d inst., and we have so amended 
the advertisement, to wliicli we refer parties interested. 
“Young America” Corn Siikllrr.—W ill the Rural, or 
some of its readers, inform me where a corn shelter entitled 
the “Young America” is manufactured, or can ho obtained, 
and much oblige—A Scrmukiiikr, Eric , Pa., 1862. 
We suppose the article desired can he obtained at any of 
the Ag. Implement stores, either here or in Buffalo. Where 
it is manufactured we do not know. 
Ago of Bees. 
Many people say bees only live six months; 
now I have two hives, to each of which I introduced 
a Ligurian queen, by fumigating them in July, I860. 
In October, I bought a swarm that had been already 
fumigated, to fake the honey; 1 fumigated it to take 
the queen away, and then added to it one of my 
Ligurian queens to strengthen her. Now. this is the 
16th of September, and there is not only a large 
number of English bees in the Ligurian swarms, 
but also a great number in the old stocks, the Ligu¬ 
rians having swarmed — one twice, and the other 
(that from which I took the Ligurian queen to add 
to an English stock) three times. Now there is a 
large quantity of bees alive that must be more than 
a year old; and not only are they that age, but 
many of them have been fumigated twice. As I 
am not clever enough with bees to take the queen 
away without fumigation, I generally use it, and 
have found, when carefully done, very little loss, 
and after a day or so the bees seem to have quite 
recovered .—London Field. 
Suokkking Cane.—W ill you, or some kind correspondent 
of the Rural, let me know through your columns whether I 
had better let the suckers of my cane grow, or had I better 
take them off? Any one who knows experimentally, and 
will inform tote, will confer a favor on — Jacob M. Baker, 
Albion, Nobit Co., lnd., 1802. 
It is claimed by some who have grown Sorghum that the 
removal of the suckers hastens the maturity of the cane. 
Those who have cultivated tilt* crop successfully will please 
respond through our columns. 
To Destroy Canada Thistles.— The Editor of 
the Rural may, if lie please, give information that 
mowing Canada thistles when in full blossom, tor 
two or three seasons iu succession, will principally, 
it not entirely, subdue them. The Legislature of 
Vermont passed a law that every man, on whose 
land grew Canada thistles, should mow them on 
certain days, and for neglect was subject to a fine of 
five dollars. As every plant is not iu blossom at 
the same time, it would appear reasonable that 
several mowings might be necessary.— Wm. Morse, 
Granville Summit, Bradford Go., Pa., 1862. 
[Though we have in former years recommended 
mowing Canada thistles when in blossom, the above 
information is seasonable, and will, perhaps, be new 
to many readers.] _ 
The Crops in Northern New York.—I have 
just returned lrom a tour through Lewis, Jefferson, 
and St Lawrence Counties; have kept an observing 
eye on the condition of the crops in that usually 
flourishing section, and must say that they are alto¬ 
gether below par. There has been no rain between 
tin- 2d of May and 20th of June, and since then 
hardly enough to thoroughly wet the ground. The 
weather has been very cold until the past ten days, 
with an alternate north and west wind, and hardly 
any dew. This, together with a severe frost on the 
15th of June, which cut the corn, potatoes, and 
beans close to the ground, and even withered the 
grain in exposed situations, has nearly put a quietus 
on the fanners’ prospects for this season. It is also 
a very poor season for dairying, which is the main 
stay of this part of the State. The feed in pastures 
is so poor that animals Can hardly support them¬ 
selves. The meadows are extremely light and can¬ 
not possibly yield more than one-fourth the crop of 
former years, and unless what ihe farmers do have 
to spare commands an unusually high price, it will 
prove an extremely disastrous season for them. It 
Hay anil Ilny-Mnking. 
In the N. Y. Evening Post we find the following 
from a Bloomington, lnd., correspondent: 
The Proper Mode of Curing the Grasses .— Hay¬ 
making, with too many farmers, is like manure¬ 
making—it is turned out too much to the weather. 
This is especially the case with clover hay. How 
often is it that five acres or ten acres of clover are 
cut down before the forks on the horse-rakes are set 
to work to gather it into winrows and cocks. I have 
seen it lie two days in the swath, exposed to dews, 
the leaves blackened, and the stems hard and brit¬ 
tle, instead of soft and pliant. 
The making must proceed with the cutting. 
Clover should be allowed to wilt in the swath — 
nothiog more. If the weather is hot. and the ground 
dry, it will do so in two hours; if the weather is cool 
and the ground wet, it may bo unraked for half a 
day. When wilted and raked or forked into win- 
rows. it should be put up in small cocks as speedily 
as possible; in the evening,when cut in the morning, 
and early the following day, if not cut until the 
afternoon. As clover bay is very easily injured by 
rain, it should not be left out longer than is abso¬ 
lutely necessary to let it heat in the cock, that it may 
there undergo its sweating, rather than when in 
bulk in the mow. This it will do in the course of 
from thirty-six to forty-eight, hours after being put 
into the cocks. When it is heated, it may be hauled 
in, being scattered as much as convenient while be¬ 
ing loaded, so that it may cool and dry. But if the 
weather threatens rain, it should bo secured by a 
topping of timothy grass, or hauled in before it is 
well heated. The weather must be watched. But 
no matter what the indications of the weather are, 
as soon as the clover is well heated, in with it—into 
the ham or in the stack, tor the weather is not to be 
so far trusted as to accumulate hay in the field. If 
A Goon Cliv.—O ne of our Perinton farmers, Mr. Christo¬ 
pher Winnk, has been showing us some of his handiwork in 
the wool growing line. From 132 fine wooled wethers, lie 
lias sheared 944 pounds of wool, an average of 7 6-33 pounds 
per head. That his wool was well cleansed, we submit in 
evideuee the fact that tlio highest market rates were offered 
for the same. Mr. Winnb would he pleased to hoar of a flock 
which has done better. His sheep have been well sheltered 
and grained during winter, and he is firm in the belief that 
good treatment pays. 
Sweeney.— About the first of the present month my horse 
foil from a hank and injured his shoulder, it was three or 
four days before I discovered any ill effects from the fall, when 
lie appeared to favor his shoulder. It has since fallen in, and 
has the appearance of a very had Sweeney. Will the Rural, 
or some of its numerous correspondents, advise in relation t<5 
the above case, and oblige— An Old Subhckiiiur, iVayne , 
Michigan. Jutu: 24,1862. 
• 
If you are satisfied that the difficulty is swueaey, the follow¬ 
ing prescription lias twenty years’ successful experience in-its 
use as a recommendation:—Oil of spike, one ounce; oil origan¬ 
um. two ounces; tar, one ounce; crude oil. amber, two ounces; 
spirits turpentine, two ounces; pulverized eantharides, one- 
half ounce. Mix, and shake well before using. Two table- 
spoOHfuls to the shoulder, well rubbed in, is enough per day. 
We append three recipes furnished by our correspondents: 
I noticed an inquiry in the Rural for a cure for Sweeney. 
Hero is one I have tried several times and found it to cure. 
Two ounces of spirits of turpentine; one ounce of oil of 
vitriol; one ounce'of sugar of lead; one ounce of saltpeter; 
one pint of linseed oil. Mix together, and bathe the parts 
affected.— J. Gat.entink, Rush, jV T. 
A person can cure sweeney without any trouble by bathing 
the shoulder affected with liniment made of the following 
ingredients, viz.:—One-half pint of alcohol, into which put 
oue ounce oil origanum, two ounces oil of spike; one of 
British oil; one Of camphor gum. Shake well, aud it is ready 
for use. Bathe two or three times a day. Apply lightly after 
three or lour days, or it may remove the hair.—J. L. Kennel, 
Chili, A'. I'. 
Noticing a request iu your paper that some of your numer¬ 
ous readers would send a recipe for sweeney, here is a recipe 
that will cure without fail:—Take one ounce of origanum; 
half ounce of sweet oil; half ounce of hartshorn; one ounce 
of ojiedeldoc; one tablespoon of laudanum; one pint of 
alcolioL Mix well together, and rub it on three times a day. 
—H. S. Ruturauff, Seneca Falls, A r . Y. 
A Union Ag. Society in Wisconsin. — We have s small 
Agricultural and Horticultural Society combined. It has been 
organized about three years. Have fifteen members, and a 
library of ueariy fifty volumes. Fruit culture is beginning to 
receive considerable attention hero, — more during the last 
year than iu several preceding ones. Whether we are entitled 
to tie classed with regular societies or not, we leave for you to 
judge. The name of ours is Freedom Union Agricultural 
Association. 1 send you a list of the names of the officers, 
which you Can dispose of as you think proper. We hope for 
some accession to our numbers at our annual meeting in 
August next. Officers: — President — Sylvester Wolcott] 
So.re.tary —12divin Nye. Treasurer —George Knowles. Libra¬ 
rian— L. S. Auger.—W., Appleton, Wit., 1862. 
Bee Government. 
Undoubtedly the Great Creator and Wise 
Law-giver has instituted a government for the bees; 
yet the swarm requires no leader, nor the colony a 
sovereign. The administration is not committed to 
any one individual. To each member of the com¬ 
munity, whether worker, drone, or queen, is assigned 
a specific duty, task, or function; and the disposi¬ 
tion and desire to labor in its vocation is implanted 
into each, so that in their several spheres all co¬ 
operate for the general good —the welfare of the 
commonwealth, The queen —the mother bee —is, 
indeed, of the first and highest importance to the 
colony; but she is n* i ns sovereign, nor in any 
aspect its guide, leader, or governor. Impelled by 
the instincts of her nature, she performs her duties 
in the family, like every other bee, in accordance 
with her faculties and to the extent of her ability. 
Nevertheless, she occupies, on the whole, a subor¬ 
CATTARAuaos Co. Ag. Society.— The next Annual Fair of 
this Society will he held in the village of Olean, on the 23d, 
24th, and 20th of September, 1862. Clean is an enterprising 
business place, on the line of the N. Y. and Erie Railroad, and 
coutaius about 2,000 inhabitants. The arrangements are being 
made by the Society und the citizens of Oleiui tor the largest 
Fair ever held in the county.—li. 8 . Huntley, Sec'y. 
Agricultural Fair at Aurora, Erik Co.— At a meeting 
of the Board of Managers of die Aurora Union Fair Associa¬ 
tion, held on the 5th day of July inst., it was resolved to hold 
the third Annual Fair and Cattle Show on their grounds, iu 
Aurora, on the 24 th and 25th days of September next.—- 
Joseph B. Dick, Secretary. 
