limited than in any other description ot cattle, there 
being but two competitors for the Society s prem¬ 
iums, James R. McMicking of Queeuston, and Fred. 
W. Stone. Of the stock exhibited we can only say 
good to fair. There are more friends of this strain 
of blood in Canada, or else a striking change has 
occurred within the past five years. 
Ayr shins — Th^se beautiful dairy cattle made 
quite a respectable display both in numbers and 
quality. The entries were 77, and the stock divided 
up among a large number of proprietors. 1 atriok 
U. Wright, Cobourg; R. L. Denison, Toronto, and 
John Torrance. Scarborough, each exhibited fine 
herds. Simon Beattie, and Geo. Miller, Markham; 
John F. Wheeler, and Geo. Scott, Woburn; Uen- 
dric A Co., Hamilton; Joseph Boyle, Flauboro; Geo. 
Stauton, Paris, and John Miller, Brougham, each 
contributed freely, worthily, to complete this feature 
of the exhibition. 
Galloways— An excellent display of Galloways 
and Polled Angus, or Aberdeen cattle, was made. 
The entries were 60, and a very large proportion 
were choice animals. The prize for a herd was 
awarded to John Snell ot Edmonton, and their ex¬ 
hibition in the prize ring was quite a novel feature. 
Jas. Graham and Arthur McNeil, Wood bridge; A. 
N'e'nino, Kingston; John Fleming and James Sum¬ 
merville, Vaughan; J ohn Stewart, Waterdown; John 
McClain, Simcoe; Jas, An Id, Hamilton; Alex. Kerr, 
London: Geo. Miller, Jas. Metcalfe, Eglinfon; A. 
blight on his pears, nor rot on ms g 
the undrained soils adjoining these 
and rot. 
Here the discussion 
the majority of the Society in 
The dwarfs are as yet exempt, except that the rust 
blight has affected the foliage somewhat. 
Dr. Hull, of Alton, has lost many trees with this 
blight. He has not determined the cause of it. He 
has found it to depend upon the circulation oi the 
sap, whether it extends, and in what direction. He 
has arrested it successfully by putting the trees to 
rest on the first day of June, by root pruning. He 
has adopted this theory becuuse he has observed 
that certain varieties that go to rest early do not 
blight. He root prunes in winter and spring with 
the spade. The trouble and labor is small, and the 
thereafter the crop is largely increased, 
ies of pears do not need this root pran¬ 
as others. A Seckel should be pruned 
e years; other varieties ottener, depend- 
a vigor and strength of the soil, and the 
' the growth of the tree. The area ol the 
sed bv the trench should )>e extended 
It should not be so 
of the dwarfs as the 
y on standards in this 
bearing. Its effect is 
the vitality of the tree; for it develops 
5 the strength of the tree 
with a sharp spade, will 
Tub editors hereof have been so busily engaged 
with outside (of office) matters, pertaining to our 
State Fair and attending the Canada West Exhibi¬ 
tion, as to have scarcely time to even paragraph the 
prospects of the Annual Rural Gathering. We can 
only say, therefore, that at the present writing 
(Monday evening) the prospects are very encour¬ 
aging for a good exhibition and attendance. The 
entries are thus far considerably larger than last 
year, and the arrivals indicate that a great multitude 
will assemble. Though the weather during the day 
has been very cloudy, with some rain, the barome¬ 
ter indicates fair weather, and we hope (against our 
fears) that the weather of the morrow and following 
days will be propitious. If so, the Fair will, we be¬ 
lieve, prove a success, in most if not all respects. 
Whatever the result, the next number of the 
Rural will (D. V.) comprise it, with such particu¬ 
lars as shall be deemed most interesting to the great 
mass of our readers. 
ended. An effort to commit 
* ' ‘ t some manner, by a 
resolution indorsing the insect theory, tailed—the 
resolution was tabled. The Society conceded its 
own ignorance. 
This discussion is only evidence of the careless¬ 
ness with which men investigate—of the superficial 
manner in which too manv observe—of the wonder- 
bicb too many observe 
fill convenience of kuowing how to jump at con¬ 
clusions! Here ifl a blight which has destroyed 
thousands of the finest bearing apple and pear 
trees in the West; and there was no evidence that 
any member of the Society had instituted an experi¬ 
ment fi r the purpose of arriviug at the truth. 1 
failed tu learn that the matter was deemed of suffi¬ 
cient importance to induce the appointment of a 
commission to investigate and report thereupon. 
Such a Society should stimulate inquiry by some 
official actio a, and this blight is one of grave interest 
to the orchardists of the West. 
THK WINTER MEETING. 
The Society voted to hold its annual and winter 
meeting at Bloomington. The time is to be fixed 
by the President, and as early in the winter as may 
be politic, considering the condition ol the country. 
This winter meet-mg is looked forward to with not 
a little interest. At the meeting last winter, essay¬ 
ists were appointed to prepare papers to read 
thereat, the subject matter of which will form topics 
for discussion. The Executive Committee have ap¬ 
pointed a Committee on Programme, which will 
near the tritnK in me ca 
standards. It is better to 
practice. It brings them in 
good upon l— 
the tap roots, and adds to 
thereby. A smart man, 
root prune fifty trees per day. 
Mr. Woot.woRTii, of Winnebago Co., lias an 
apple orchard, part of which is seeded in grass; 
another part has been plowed and not manured; 
and still another portion has been manured and 
cultivated. Where manured and cultivated, the 
trees have blighted badly; where plowed and not 
manured, there is hut little blight; and where the 
orchard is in grass, there is no blight whatever. He 
is going to seed down the whole of his orchard! 
This gentleman's conclusions are not given heie 
as being novel, but as an index of the manner in 
•whioh too many farmers decide questions of graA e 
importance—as evidence of the uced there is for an 
educational system which shall teach the primary 
principles of Agriculture, of natural law, to the 
embryo farmer. The dwarfed, and perhaps dis¬ 
eased trees, did not blight, and presto! the whole 
orchard goes (in) to grass! Did he believe it an 
insect that caused it? No, sir! II he did, grass 
and can be the only effectual remedy! 
Dr. Hull again urged that bis mode oi root prun¬ 
ing enlarges tap roots, which are essential to the 
Ion" life of the tree in our soils. We need not, he 
said, keep the roots of our fruit trees on the surface 
Our hardiest trees are those whose roots are deepest 
under the surface. 
The Rural reader will remember the practice ol 
Mr. Wakeman, given in my notes more than a year 
ago —the practice of planting the tree away from 
the water, and plowing to it, covering the. roots 
deeper each successive season. The theory is that 
the roots need a greater bulk of our light soils over 
them as a protection from the sun, and from the 
winds and frosts of winter. _ 
Dr. Hull had applied washes of various kinds. 
without effect as a preventive of blight. He had 
also cut his trees in the month of June, but it did 
not save the tree. 
Tbe question was here asked whether gentlemen 
had seen trees that had not been cultivated killed 
by the blight. Several responded that they bad 
repeatedly observed the wild crab in uncultivated 
fields, dead with the blight. The President bad 
seen groves of it killed. The native crabs had died 
when the cultivated varieties of apples near by 
had been free from it. 
Mr. Muir, of Missouri, stated that during the past 
summer he had visited an owner of one of the finest 
dwarf pear orchards in Missouri. This gentleman if 
an iutelligentand careful observer. He has lost more 
pears the present, year by this blight than evci 
before. Careful observation and experiment has 
Cultivation of Wheat —Shallow Plowing, &c. 
A writer in the Country Gentleman contributes 
his experience in tbe cultivation of wheat. On the 
question of deep and shallow plowing, it leads him 
to favor the latter. His reasoning is as follows: 
“The theory of plowing deep for winter wheat 
would be a good one, if we did not have the frosts 
of winter to contend with. The roots of the wheat 
plant are not elastic, like India-rubber. If they 
were, winter wheat would not be very nauch injured 
by the freezing and thawing of the soil. 
“ Every intelligent farmer knows that when the 
soil freezes it is expanded; and as tbe expansion 
must nearly all be upwards, plants are sometimes 
lifted from one to two inches; that is, the surlaae of 
the super-soil is from one to two inches furl .her 
above the subsoil, than it is when it is not frozen. 
Of course, this expansion litts the plants with i% and 
if the roots have struck downwards fartlier than 
three or four inches, they must lie severed bet? ween 
the frozen and not frozen soil. 
THE PROVINCIAL FAIR. 
During tbe past week the Seventeenth Annual 
Exhibition of the Provincial Agricultural Society 
was held at Toronto, and our Canadian brethren 
have reason to congratulate themselves upon the 
success which marked its entire course. The 
weather was all that could bo desired, and the 
entire people pleased with themselves and the 
prospects of an agreeable gathering. It was our 
good fortune to spend the closing day in looking 
over the various departments of the Show, aud we 
give Rural readers,.as briefly as possible, a sum¬ 
mary of what was to be witnessed, together with the 
impressions received in viewing the productions oi 
our traus-Ontario friends. 
The Grounds devoted to the display comprised 
nearly forty acres, and are situated about two miles 
from the center of the city. Avenues leading to the 
point of attraction were numerous, and no jostling 
or crowding was observable. Entering the gate au 
inspection at once assured the visitor that the plans 
adopted in laying out and arranging buildings, 
sheds, tents, cattle, and horse rings, etc., were those 
the wants of both exhibitor and 
Geo. Morton, Guelph; John Ross, Toronto; wm, 
Montgomery, Islington; W. D. Jarvis, Etobicoke; 
James Lowrie, Malvern, and John Randall, Pans, 
exhibited specimens which should bring Grade Cat- 
tie into much esteem. 
Fat and Working Cattle —A glance at this section 
will close our survey of the cattle. Tbe entries 
were few in each class. The Fat Cattle wore cer¬ 
tainly oleaginous enough, and as far as stuffing and 
its results are concerned, those exhibited laiily 
earned the prizes. Of the Working Oxen we can 
not speak so favorably. There were a lew good 
yoke, nothing superior was revealed to our examin¬ 
ation. There were no entries for the “ best team oi 
ten,” with a prize.of forty dollars. 
Horses.— Unfortunately we arrived*too late for a 
thorough inspection ol the stables connected with the 
Society, aud such joltings as opportunity afforded are 
of a desultory character. The stables are close, well 
barred and locked, and horse owners,-especially 
unlucky competitors,— had either removed their 
animals, or with the keys in their pockets, kept 
themselves out of sight. Strange is it how soon 
pride in a horse evaporates when your neighbor 
eclipses your productions, and the animal which 
you fondly hoped would receive a prize draws a 
blank. Horsemen are peculiarly thin-skinned; am 
after the awards had been declared, doors were 
slammed to some purpose. When the gratid pro¬ 
cession of prize animals was in motion, we scanned 
as fully as possible the representatives of Canadian 
horsedom. The number of entries was large,-more 
But in cape vrt ost of 
the roots have shot out in nearly a horizontal 'direc¬ 
tion. the plants and roots will all rise and Bettli ? back 
bodily, as the soil freezes and thaws, and bv t very 
few of the rootB will be broken off. 
u Now, when the soil is plowed deep for winter 
wheat, the roots must necessarily strike deep, down¬ 
wards in order to obtain sufficient nourish ml int, un¬ 
less the entire soil is Pilled with vegetable ma tter and 
mammal substances for noui foiling the youn^g plants. 
But when the large proportion ol vegetabl e matter 
and manure are near the surface, the roots a 11 spread 
out nearly in a horizontal direction, forming a kind 
of mat or tender sod, which all rises in a hi jdy when 
the earth freezes, without severing any of the roots, 
except those few that have struck downwards be¬ 
yond the super-soil.” 
The following are bis views on the question of 
early and late seeding: 
« For more than 20 years past I have -taken obser¬ 
vations particularly on this subject, and 1 have come 
to the conclusion that tho earliar in an turn n winter 
wheat, can be put iu, the better the cro p will be, be¬ 
cause if put iu early it will become more firmly 
rooted, and will, consequently, resist the freezing 
and thawing during winter and sprin g much better 
than it will if it is sowed late, and has but a few 
weeks to become rooted. 
“ 1 have never been able to perceive that the wheat 
midge would injure the early sowed wheat, on the 
next season, auy more than they would that which 
was put in a month later. 
“ 1 have often observed that wheat that was put i.i 
on the first of October, would ripen as early in the 
season as that, sowed on the first of September. The 
chief object in sowing winter wheat early in Sep¬ 
tember, Is to allow it time to become welt-rooted, su 
which best met 
spectator. 
In tho line of Buildings the committee are fairly 
entitled to a vote of thanks from all concerned, foi 
the excellence of these structures was never before 
equaled at a Provincial Fair. Those devoted to 
cattle had a raised platform running through be¬ 
tween the stalls, and a walk over this afforded 
excellent opportunity for observation. The horse 
stables were close, the comfort of the animal alone 
being sought, and the ring being the only fit place 
for exhibiting. The sheep and pig pens, and the 
shed for heavy machinery seemed to be the only 
temporary structures connected with the Society. 
All the others wore an air of strength and durability. 
STOCK DEPARTMENT. 
Cattle. — Durhams — There were 125 entries of 
Short-horns, and, everything taken into considera¬ 
tion, they proved the feature in this Department ol 
the Exhibition. Among the more prominent exhib¬ 
itors were Geo. Miller, Markham; Fred. W. Stone, 
that it will not be lifted out by freezing aud thawing 
in winter, as much as it would if it v/as sowed laic 
in the season.” 
WEST-WISCONSIN, 
CROPS, &c, 
Ed8. Rural New-Yorker: —As the present 
wheat crop is nearly all threshed we can tell almost I 
to a certainty the yield of 1862; Our average is Bostc 
generally laid down at twenty bushels per acre for of sa 
ten years. Two years ago the yield was thirty, ent. 
But this season it aveiages fifteen, of as fme a qual- dust 
ity as over was raised. The kernel or berry is Thor 
white, plump, and sound. No poor, shrunk, un- sevei 
sound wheat can be found. But very little has year 
Empire, 
for making farming profitable. 
RULES 
One whose conclusions have been founded upon 
experience, thus writes to the Prairie Farmer: 
1. Buy no more land than there is capital enough 
to pay for, with one-third more surplus. A small 
farm, free from debt, with plenty of means to stock 
it, enrich it,, and carry on its work, will yield more 
than a large one, encumbered with debt, conducted 
feebly in every part, with bad fences, poor imple¬ 
ments, bony animals, weedy fields, and thin crops. 
2. Lay out the fields in the best order, so as to 
admit of a systematic rotation, and to give ready 
access to every field at all times, without passing 
through other fields, if possible. 
3. Provide good fences, and necessary gates, and 
valuable time will not he lost iu driving out intrud¬ 
ing animals, nor crops lost by these depredations. 
4 Furnish good larm buildings, to secure prop¬ 
erly the crops, and also to afford a good shelter for 
animals. . 
5, Select the best animals in purchasing, and 
secure the very best the country affords to breed 
from. Also select the best implements that can be 
procured at reasonable prices. 
C. Bring the soil into good condition, and keep it 
so by a judicious rotation. 
Allen, Whitby; John Goodall, Galt; J. A J I. Spencer, 
Whitby; Jas. R. Todd, Brampton; Win. Scott, New 
Hamburgh; Geo. Z. Rykert, St. Catharines; John 
Moore, Etobicoke, and J. W. "Willson, Ontario, oc¬ 
cupied prominent positions as exhibitors, and their 
display reflected great credit upon their skill as 
breeders, and the kind of stock to which they are 
devoting attention. 
llerefords — Here the show was light, but 2D 
entries being made. The breeding of Herefords, 
judging from the number of exhibitors, is moie 
