6 
;u 
T -ft 
*JC*CX 
9 
urcr and an Executive Committee. Presidents 
of State and New England Associations to be ex- 
officio Vice-Presidents. Executive Committee 
to consist of officers and one additional member 
to be elected annually by each of above Associa¬ 
tions. President, Secretary and Treasurer to be 
hereafter elected by Executive Commit tee. Meet¬ 
ings to be called by President, or in case of his 
inability by the Vice-Presidents in order of 
seniority. 
On motion of Gen. Harris, the report was 
unanimously adopted. The Committee then re¬ 
ported the names of the following officers, who 
were unanimously elected: 
President — Hon. Hekrt 8. Randall, of New 
York. 
Secretary —Wm. F. Greer, of Ohio. 
Treasurer— Henrt Clark, of Vermont. 
Vice-President* —The Presidents of the State 
Associations, etc., who are ex-offlcio Vice Presi¬ 
dents, are Wm. R. Banvord, Vt., ft. M. Mont¬ 
gomery, O., Em Btilbon, Wis., A. M. Oak¬ 
land, Ill., Geokok B. Loring, New England 
Association. 
Executive Committee —The following members 
were chosen by the respective delegations : Hon. 
E. B. Pottle, N. Y., Edwin Hammond, Vt., H. 
Hbm(noway, Wis., Hon. Colombia Delano, 
O., Gen. John McConnell, Ill., -, New 
England Association. 
It was understood that the Vice-Presidents and 
Executive Committee would hold their offices 
only until the next election of officers by the 
State Associations. 
NATIONAL WOOL GROWERS' AND MANU¬ 
FACTURERS’ CONVENTION. 
8ome misapprehension appears to exist in 
regard to the constituent character of the Na¬ 
tional Wool Growers' and Manufacturers’ Con¬ 
vention held at Syracuse, N. Y., Dec. 13th. It 
was neither a Mass Convention, nor a Convention 
of Delegates from all Buch local associations as 
chose to be represented in it. The circum- 
SUiflceB under which it assembled were briefly 
these. The United States Revenue Commission, 
having in view a revision of the revenuo laws, 
called on the “National Association of Manu¬ 
facturers” for information going to show how 
the present tariff affected the general wool 
Interests of the country. The Mannfacturcra’ 
Association, before attempting to communicate 
that information, wished to confer with repre¬ 
sentatives of the wool growing interest through¬ 
out the country, in order that the two interests 
might, if practicable, concur in their representa¬ 
tions to the Revenue Commission, and through 
it to Congress. It therefore invited a conference, 
to be attended on its side by its Executive 
Committee (consisting oi seven persons,) and, 
on the side of the Growers, by a representation 
from each of the State Wool Growers' Associa¬ 
tions. It conrteously declined to limit the 
number of delegates to bo sent from each — but 
the expectation was that it would be but small, 
so that in the aggregate it would not bear an 
excessive disproportion to the number of persons 
representing the Manufacturers. In u word, 
nothing but a business meeting was contemplated, 
where few are thought to make more headway 
than many, — and public sossious were not 
anticipated. 
It soon became apparent, however, that the 
8tate Wool Growers' Associations would prefer 
a public Convention; and several of them ap¬ 
pointed from five to ten delegates each to 
attend it. The National Association of Man¬ 
ufacturers was apprized of these facts, and 
requested to increase the number of its own 
delegates. The time for the meeting of the 
Convention had almost arrived, but the Asso¬ 
ciation acted with so much promptitude that 
members of its Government from six different 
States -appeared in that body. The leading 
manufacturers ot several of the States were 
there. Perhaps a delegation combining more 
professional knowledge, lu theory and practice,- 
never represented an industrial interest in a 
public body. 
When the change of programme above de¬ 
scribed was made, it was too late, even if it was 
desirable, to call out numerous delegations from 
the State Associations which had not already 
appointed them; or, indeed, to make any change 
in that particular, unless it was in the New York 
Association whose officers were in direct commu¬ 
nication with those of the National Association 
of Wool Manufacturers. The New York Asso¬ 
ciation originally appointed six delegates. When 
it was learned that the Manufacturers would not 
■object, to an open Convention, or to u far more 
u&ruerous one than was originally contemplated, 
the number of New York delegates was largely 
increased. But the appointments reached most 
of them too late. The number, however, in 
attendance, was considerably larger than from 
other Status. It, was felt that’this would not, be 
objected to by the delegates of other States, 
.mismuch os the New York delegation was pre¬ 
pared to call for a voiQ by Mutes each Stale 
having an equal vote — provided there were any 
differences of opinion between the delegates of 
the different States. 
Had it been understood, from the start, 
that each State Association was expected to 
appoint aa juany of the leading Wool Growers 
within its limits "•< vere -willing to attend, re are 
well satisfied from tacts developed by our corre¬ 
spondence on the subject, that more than one 
thousand would have been present And, uuder 
like circumstances, the Manufacturers would 
also have bean represented by a greatly more 
numerous body of delegates, 
Six of the principal wool growing and manu¬ 
facturing 8tatc6 were represented on each side. 
Wc luivespokcn of the able- and dignified charac¬ 
ter ot the manufacturing representation. And 
we cannoj but believe that all persons informed 
on the subject, who examine the list of dele¬ 
gates on the other side —on the side of the 
Growers — will be ready to concede that it was, 
as a whole, composed of both competent, and 
representative mcu. They were ia every case 
selected by and represented State organizations 
composed of the leading Wool Growers of the 
several States. From the perfect unanimity that 
prevailed among them, on every question, we 
are led to infer that had their numbere been 
twenty times doubled, the results arrived at 
would have been the same. For had there been 
any serious differences of opinion among Grow¬ 
ers, on any of the points broached, they would 
have been sure to find expression among dele¬ 
gates from six State* — Eastern, Western and 
Middle ones — States embracing nearly every 
variety of circumstance* and local Interest* 
under which sheep husbandry is carried on, in 
the United States. Under these circumstances 
wo are unable to see why the delegates at Syra¬ 
cuse did not as genuinely, nay, as authoritatively 
represent their several States as would twenty or 
fifty times as numerous a body. 
Of the results accomplished by the Convention 
we shall speak in oar next 
Condensed Correspondence, Items, &c. 
-9- 
Sampi.bs of Wool.—W e have received a number 
of these and Bbnll notice them together bofore long. 
Names Claimed.— I. II. Thomas, Orwell, Vt., claims 
the name of “ Ironsides ” for u I’unlar ram teg drop 
pod March IP*, IfiflJ, got by Rich'* *■ Mountaineer M out 
of a ewe bred by the Messrs. Rial; also the name of 
“Dictator” for a mixed Panlnr and Tnfantado ram 
teg got by Gleason's two-year old ram. by Mr. Ham- 
momp> “Silver Mine," out of a ewe bred by Messrs. 
Rich. The dam of “ Dictator" Is also dam of “ Don 
Pedro" (owned by A. J. Blood of Carlton, N. Y.,) 
whoso pedigree has already appeared in the Rural. 
Weight of Fleeces.— J. G. Potter, Beloit, Wis., 
write* that hi* Infautado ram " Petroleum," two 
year* old, produced a fleece four days less than a 
year old weighing 21-pounds - weight of carcass lOgkT 
pound*. lie bought tho ram of Knox A Smith of 
Whitewater. He was bred, he states, by 8. 8. Rock¬ 
well of Vermont, and got by his ram “Eureka.” out 
of “a ewe from Hammond's stock.” 
E. It. Ricn, Berlin, Wis., gives ns the weight of 
five yearling ewes' fleeces, shorn 8th of laet May— 
the fleece* being thirty or forty days over a years’ 
growth : 48 pounds carcass, 7# ponnds fleece; 43J4 
pounds carcass, 9,k' ponnds fleece; 49 pound* carcass, 
9 pounds fleece; 49X pounds carca**. 8M pounds 
flccco; 59 pound* carcase, 11# pound* fleece. Car¬ 
cass of a S-ycar old ram 100# pound*, fleece 15 pounds 
2 ounces. These sheep were bred by J. L. Buttolph, 
Middlebury, Vt., and are now owned by onr corres¬ 
pondent and Wm. B. Kinobsubt, Rlpon, Wis. 
Old Ethan's Pbdiorkb.— In a correction of a state¬ 
ment bf ours In the pedigree of Taft & Potter's 
“ Osceola,” made by Rollin Birchard, and published 
by us Nov. 25t.h, he says that the sire of the “ 8prag«e 
ram” mentioned in said pedigree as the Birchard 
rauj was known at homo os “OCd Ethan,” and was 
bred by EL A. Birchard, out of a Robinson ewe by a 
Hammond ram. Dahwin E. Koeinsom of Bhoreham, 
Vt., writes ns that It. Biiiouahd gives tho blood of 
“Old Ethan” correctly, but )* mistaken in saying 
that K. A. Birchard bred him. Mr. Rorinson say* 
that he himself bred him; that in 1869 he let A. B. 
Trkadwat of Shoreham have 90 breeding ewes upon 
shares—for half the wool and half the increase w hen 
the lambs were old enough to wean; that on the 
division of the lambs the one afterwards known a* 
“ Old Ethan " Tell to him; that in the following win¬ 
ter he sold E. A. Birchard onc-half the ram, and the 
remaining interest in him to the same gentleman, tho 
next spring. 
In tiffs Department wc hope to give much valuable 
information during the year. Contributions are in¬ 
vited from practical Cheese and Butter Dairymen. 
CHEESE AND BUTTER FACTORIES. 
Eds. Rural-New-Yorker:—A t a meeting of some 
of the most prominent farmers in the town of Lan¬ 
caster, Eric Co., N. Y.. called to discuss the feasibility 
of establishing a cheese factory In our vicinity, I was 
chosen one of a committee to investigate into the 
working of such an establishment and report its par¬ 
ticulars. It was proposed that one of the committee 
write to the Rural, as many of the members are sub¬ 
scribers and readers of the same, and request answers 
to the following questions; 
1. Ie the manufacture of cheese at the present prices 
more profitable than th'e manufacture of butter at the 
present price, or the average price during the part two 
years V 
2. What is the lowest number of cows it would be 
safe to start a factory with, or that a contractor would 
be willing to commence operations with ? 
8. Would it he more profitable for the producers to 
have men of experience, or let the working ol the 
factory out on per callage 1 
4. What would the necessary apparatus cost in a 
factory for 300 head ? 
6. llow many men would it require ? 
0. Is it economy to leed the whey to the cows ? 
7. Wliielt are tne momhs best adapted for making 
chec . ind those need by the best.factories? 
r. How many quarts of milk of ordiuary grade are 
required for one pound of cheese ? 
9. I* there any manner of testing the quality of milk 
to detect the presence of water or other modes of adul¬ 
teration ? 
10. Where is the best conducted factory In this 
vicinity or county to visit for information? # 
By obtaining answers to these questions will 
have a basis for operations, and know of no way by 
which we can get as reliable information ns by appeal¬ 
ing to the RuraIa-G, II. Greo.g, Com. on-Ihqvinj. 
Remarks: — 1. The most profitable way of 
managing milk is to work it up into both butter 
and cheese. It is one of the now features of the 
Dairy. The factory,ia arranged so that, as soon 
as the milk is received it is put in long tin pails, 
holding any 15 to 30 quarts each, which are then 
immediately‘plunged in spring water at a tem¬ 
perature of from 48' to 56°. The milk remains 
in tills position for 34hours, when it. is taken out, 
the cream dipped off and sent, to the churns, 
while the skim milk is employed for making 
“ skim cheese." “ Skim cheese ” during the latter 1 
part, of the past season has commanded as high 
a price in market as that from whole milk. From 
experiments made during the past season it has 
been found that by the above process the average 
from 14 quarts of milk, wine measure, is one 
pound of butter and two pounds of cheese. 
When cheese alone la made the average is one 
pound of cheese from nine pounds of milk. 
3. Three hundred cows is the lowest number. 
There is but little difference in the expense of 
conducting a factory whether the number of 
cows be 300 or 500. 
3. It would be more profitable to hire a manu¬ 
facturer of experience, though the per centage 
plan is a very good one and has been found to 
work well. 
4. A butter and cheese factory, fitted np in 
running order for 300 cows, wohld cost about 
$ 3 , 000 . 
5. The labor required could not well be less 
than three hands, in addition to Superintendent 
or head manufacturer. 
6. This is a mooted question. Some think it 
more profitable to feed the whey to hogs—while 
others prefer to use it for cows. 
7. Factory operations usually commence in 
May aud continue up to last of October. 
8. Generally about a gallon of milk, on an 
average, will make one pound of cheese. This 
depends upon the skill of the manufacturer. 
9. The Lactometer is employed for testing 
milk to determine whether it has been watered. 
By its nso one can make a pretty shrewd guess, 
but it is not considered hy scientific men a» per¬ 
fectly reliable, since milk varies in quality from 
a variety of causes. But for all practical pur¬ 
poses the lactometer and a set of cream gnages 
will be found to be pretty reliable in detecting 
adulterations. 
16. One can hardly go amiss in finding a good 
cheese factory in Oneida or Herkimer Counties. 
We might refer to the West Canada Creek fac¬ 
tory, Poland, Herkimer Co.; Dr. Wight’s fac¬ 
tory, Whltesboro, Oneida Co., and McLean 
factory, Tompkins Co. Tho batter and cheese 
factories arc only in operation in Orange Co. 
By going to Goshen or Middletown, Orange Co., 
one can see several factories in the vicinity. 
We have answered the questions of our cor¬ 
respondent direct and in order, for the purpose 
of giving information to all readers of the Rural 
who may desire to enter upon the business of 
Dairying the coming season. 
Ctomraimifafims, (Bit. 
“HOW MUCH SHOULD CATTLE GAIN.” 
Under tho above heading In your issue of Dec. 
23d, you ask for correspondence relative thereto, 
—and also state “ no feeder ought to be satisfied 
with his 6toek or management of them if, when 
lie does liis best, his stall fed cattle will not gain 
on an averago 2 lbs. a day.” Do you think a 
man ought to be satisfied with such an increase, 
—or, in other words “will It pay” at the present 
high price of hay and grain ? I think not 
Last summer I had charge of a 2 year old Short- 
Horn bull that hod been stunted In his growth 
and was in poor condition when I received him. 
I weighed him on the 1st of July, and he weigh- 
1250 lbs. August 21 s 1 lie weighed 1430 lbs., be¬ 
ing a gain of 170 pounds in fifty-two days, or 3 
lbs. 4 oz. per day. Sept 4th he weighed 1505 lbs., 
being a gain of 85 lbs. in 14 days, or a fraction 
over 6 lbs. a day. Feed—clover and green corn¬ 
stalks, witli from 8 t<) 10 quarts per day of the 
following mixture—3-5 shippings, 1-5 middlings 
and corn meal mixed, and 1-5 oil meal, mixed 
together and fed as much <w he would eat up clean 
aud look for more. 
The great secrets of feeding successfully are— 
1. Keep your cattle growing in the fall. It is 
good economy to begin feeding grain before put¬ 
ting in stalls; let them get a stunt then, and 
it will take a month’s good feeding to get them 
well started again. 2, Regularity in feeding. 3. 
Warmth. 4. Rest. Get through feeding by 10 
o’clock, and let them rest until 4; don’t allow 
men, dogs, &c., to be running tl trough the barn 
every hour disturbing them. Proper quantity of 
food is important; just as much aa they Will eat 
up clean. Give too much and you throw them 
off their feed for a week. R. Gibson. 
Oneida Co., N. Y. 
THE AGRICULTURAL PRESS. 
Those who have conducted thejAgricultural 
Press, in the United States,"during[the lust de¬ 
cade, have reason to be satisfiedjwith’the result 
of their labors. Farming is now considered one 
of the most honorable and lucrative .branches of 
industry, in which a man can engage, and the 
farmer now occupies a commanding social, moral 
aud intellectual position among his fellow men. 
It" is evident to tho most, casual observer, that 
the farmer stands higher ul the present tirye, in 
the estimation of mankind, than ever before; and 
for all the manifold advantages which he now en¬ 
joys, he is in a grca,t measure indebted lo the 
beneficent, inllucncc of the Agricultural Press. 
And, notwithstanding the high positional which 
he has attained, he should not be content to re¬ 
main inactive, hut. should endeavor to rise higher 
and higher in the scale of excellence, until he can 
stand upon the brood platform of republican 
equality, with the wisest, best and most iniluen 
tinl of his fellow citizens. • 
Wc wish to excite in the farmer a laudable am¬ 
bition to attain a Btauding in the community to 
which his wealth, intelligence, enterprise aud 
patriotism entitle him, and he will not have ob¬ 
tained the desired end until he is acknowledged 
to be intellectually, morally and politically equal 
to the beet and wisest cf the land. And wc say, 
without the fear of contradiction, that ho has the 
right and the ability to do it. And wc say 
farther, that the best interests of the Republic 
imperatively demand that the farmers should he 
duly represented from their own number, in pro¬ 
portion to their wealth and population, in onr 
State and National councils. N. B. Ament. 
Mt. Morris, N. Y., Dec., 1866. » 
jPpmi of th 
About Blacking. 
For boots and shoes the ingredients are the 
same, in most eases, and consist of bone black, 
sugar or molasses, sperm oil, sulphuric acid, and 
strong vinegar. Each maker has, of course, pro¬ 
portions and methods of mixing these, peculiar 
to himself. Paste blacking is made in precisely 
the same way aa liquid blacking, except that the 
vinegar is not added. 
According to LtEiuo, blacking is made in Ger¬ 
many in the following manner:—Powdered bone 
black is mixed with half its weight of molasses, 
and one-eighth of its weight of olive oil,—to 
which are afterward added one-eighth of its 
weight of hydrochloric or nitric acid, and one- 
eleventh of its weight of strong sulphuric acid. 
The whole ie then mixed with water into a paste. 
For harness blacking, melt two ounces of mut¬ 
ton fat with six ounces of beeswax ; add elx 
ounces of sugar candy, two ounces of soft eoap 
dissolved in water, and ono ounce of indigo 
finely powdered; when melted and well mixed 
add a gill of turpentine. Lay It on the harness 
with a sponge, and polish off with a brush. 
To preserve boot* and shoes a correspondent 
of the London Mechanics’ Magazine gives the 
following recipe:—Put a pound of tallow and 
half a pound of resin In a pot on the firo; when 
melted and mixed, warm the boots, and apply 
the hot Btuff with a painter’s brush, until neither 
the sole* or upper leather will suck In any more. 
If It is dcstrod that the boot* should immediately 
take a good polish, dissolve an ounce of beeswax 
in an ounce of spirit* of turpentine, to which add 
a tenspoonful of lampblack. A few days after tjie 
boot* have been treated with the tallow and resin, 
mb over them the wax and turpentine, but not 
before the fire. Thus the exterior will have a 
coat of wax alone, and shine like a mirror. 
Feeding-Boxes vs. Racks. 
Horses do not naturally gather food from 
trees; why then should they be compelled in 
whiter to take it from a rack over boat! ? Every 
mouthful requires the animal to assume an un¬ 
natural position, which, with young horse* parti¬ 
cularly, mnflt interfere with the proper develop¬ 
ment of the muscles of the neck, and with the 
graceful carriage of the head. May not the 
awkward manner in which many horses thrust 
their head forward and upward, be attributed to 
the force of habit acquired in feeding from a 
rack ? Another serious objection to racks is the 
danger from the seed, dust, etc., falling into the 
eyes of the animal; further, all the effluvia of 
the stable, the vapors from liquid and Bolid ex¬ 
crements, the exhalations from the skin and 
lungs pn*e upward, and are to some extent, 
absorbed by the hay—an addition neither savory 
nor healthful. The feed box may be made equally 
convenient with the rack, and is open to none of 
the ubove objections. It need not be large, and 
if the bottom be made of slate all rejected fodder 
can be easily removed. —Sew Brunswick Farmer. 
The Duchess Tribe. 
Previous to Coiling ’b sale in 1810, Mr. Bates 
of Kirklcvington had been brccding.Short-Horns. 
Colling told him that, a cow bought, by him out 
of Stanwiek Park, in 1784, waa the best be ever 
owned or ever saw, and “Duchess,” which he 
sold him previous to this sale, was her great 
grand-daughter, by " Daisy Bull ” (186.) “Duch¬ 
ess 1st,” by “ Comet” (155) was the only Ducfiefts 
at the sale at Ketton, and Bates waa on hand with 
Ids 186 guineas, which he regarded as very cheap, 
for she gave him 18 lbs. and 6 oz. of butter a 
week, for six weeks after calving. 
To work the Duchesses up to the highest point 
of perfection, Bates resorted to “ Belvidero” of 
the “Princess” tribe. He waa a splendid han¬ 
dler, soft aa u mole, but small, not over hand¬ 
some, particularly in the ahonlder. This was 
the foundation of the unrivalled Duchess tribe. 
—Mass. Ploughman. 
The Largest Farm in the World. 
M. L. Sullivant, Esq., of Champaign County, 
Illinois, owns seventy thousand acres of as good 
land as is to be found on the face of the globe, 
twenty-three thousand acres of which ia under 
feneo and active cultivation, while the remainder 
is used for herding purposes. 
This is undoubtedly the most extensive farm 
in the world, and it is Baid to be conducted on 
the most approved plans. Nearly all the labor is 
performed by machinery, so that one man can 
perform, or rather superintend the labor of five. 
He drives his posts hy horse power, cultivates 
his corn, by machinery, ditches, sows, and plants 
by machinery, bo that, all his laborers can ride 
and perform their duties. Mr. S. gives employ¬ 
ment to two hundred farm hards, two hundred 
horses, and a large number of oxen. — Ex. 
Best Variety of Fowls. 
The Scottish Farmer gives the following 
estimates as to the value of several varieties of 
fowlsFor chickens for the table- Nothing like 
the Dorking's. For size of egg—Nothing equal 
to the Spanish bnt they do not lay very regularty- 
For number of eggs—Nothing like the Ham- 
burghs, but the size of egg is small compared to 
the Spanish. The Hamburghs lay about eleven 
months in the year, and never sit. For eggs dur¬ 
ing very hard frost and snow— 1 There are nothing 
like Brahmas. Hard weather does not seem to 
affect them, and they always look well and 
“ sancy-like,” let the cold oc ever so severe. 
Watering Plants with Iron,— It is stated 
as a new discovery that wonderful effects may 
be obtained by watering frnits aud vegetables 
With a solution of eulphate of iron. Under this 
system beans will grow into nearly double the 
size, and will acquire a mnch more savory taste. 
The pear seems to be particularly well adapted 
for this treatment. Old nails thrown into water 
ami left to rust will impart to it all the necessary 
qualities for forcing vegetation as described. 
No. T, Vol. XVII.— Thanks. —Tendering grateful 
acknowledgements to Its hosts of friends, we present 
No. J. Vol. XVII of the Rural New-Yorker for the 
examination, and we trust approval, of am. its read¬ 
ers. We enter upon the new year and volume under 
such favorable auspices, that wc feci grateful to all 
who have in any wise contributed to the remarkable 
success of the Rural— Contributors, Correspondents, 
Agents and Subscribers—and on this bright New 
Year's morning, we again resolve that so far aa in onr 
power, tho faturo of this Journal shall not discredit 
its past history. Our aim. therefore, will be to im¬ 
prove an we advance, and we confidently ask the co¬ 
operation of its friends to make the Rural still better 
and more worthy of general support—In brief, the 
best, most useful, widely circulated and acceptable 
Journal of It* Claes in the World. But, judging from 
our receipts during the past two weeks—rar exceeding 
those of any corresponding period-wc infer that its 
friends bare already unanimously resolved to second 
our efforts, and hence bespeaking their aid is super¬ 
fluous. All we need do, therefore, ia to return sin¬ 
cere thank* for the unexpectedly large measure of 
support this journal is receiving, and to give the 
assurance that-it will be oar earnest endeavor to 
merit tho same. 
— Our present number, we should add, has been 
gotten np in such great hast* -amid the cares and per¬ 
plexities of the busiest season we ever experienced— 
thnt it is not in some respects what wa desired. 
Another thing. Some weeks ago we ordered for 
this volume better and heavier paper than that hith¬ 
erto need, bnt tho manufacturers “failed to eonnoct ” 
in time,—and instead of giving us a superior, have, if 
an) thing, furnished an Inferior article. We are vexed 
and mortified, but must use what we have this week. 
Our Advertising Department. — Major Lawi?, 
who hn* been a high private or officer in the Rural 
office from the day of its start, and who now “edits" 
and types the Advertisements, congratulates himself 
on the improved appearance of that important depart¬ 
ment—averring that it is equal to that of any con 
temporary. We think the Major, with new type, has 
added much grace and beauty—which, witli the large 
Increase of our circulation, ought to more than com¬ 
pensate advertising friends for onr advance in rates. 
It will be our endeavor daring the year to not only 
give advertiser* full "value received" for their 
investments, but to give their announcements a neat 
and attractive appearance. Though our space is so 
limited that we are unable to accommodate all appli¬ 
cants, we shall do the best in our power for all whose 
advertisements are timely and appropriate. 
Tire Season. —Tho Winter has Uin» far been most 
favorable for farmer* and others engaged In out door 
operations-the most open and pleasant we have had 
in this region for a decade of years. As we write—on 
New Year’s Day—the weather is most charming; the 
bright sunshine, balmy atmosphere, - in fact, earth, 
sky and air, - all indicate Juno rathor than January. 
Our numerous callers (from city and country) are all 
praising the fine weather and remarkably favorable 
season for everybody—especially the poor-and we 
endorse, though we cannot report or print, all they say 
on the very popular subject. 
-.-»« 
Agricultural Report.— We are indebted to the 
Commissioner and to lion. C. A. Wn.DKU and Jambs 
8. Grinnell, Esq., for the Report of the Department 
of Agriculture for 1804. It is of the usual size and 
form, containing 676 pages, aud thirty-two general 
article# on subjects pertaining to Stock Raising, Hor¬ 
ticulture and Agriculture. In addition it has agricul¬ 
tural st«ti*tic.s and meteorological tables. Considera¬ 
ble spare is devoted to sheep; and two articles-Wool 
Growing in Australia and Sheep Farming on the Pam¬ 
pas—tiro delightful to read as essays of travel, but of 
little practical value to the American farmer. A short 
essay on tho Culture and Management of Forest Trees, 
contains useful information and advice, on an import¬ 
ant subject. The Importance of Raising and Feeding 
more Cattle and Sheep. Is well and forcibly discussed, 
anil a considerable amount of statistical Information 
on the subject, is given. But we have not space to 
particularize. The amount of real, practical Informa¬ 
tion conveyed to American farmers, in the bulk of this 
Report, is nftt creditable to the Department. It is 
mainly a collection of essays which are not in amount 
of ability and prae.t.icarknowledge one whit above 
those which might be obtained, at any peridd, from 
the Agricultural PrcsB of the country. 
Cattle Disease in England.— The Iyish Farmers’ 
Gazette learns that tlitf Cattle Plague, instead of being 
on the decline, is spreading with fearful rapidity. The 
returns from the Veterinary Department of the Privy 
Council office for the week ending 25th November, 
report 3,610 new cases, being 911 In excess of the 
previous week. The total nnmDer attacked np to 
that date were 33,983, of which 10,063 were killed, 
16,381 died, 2,420 recovered, and 011 remained. It is 
probable that the total estimate falls short of the real 
numbers. *___ 
Dent Corn—Great Yield. —It is stated that Jo¬ 
seph Wright, Waterloo, N. Y.. harvested this year 
2,000 bushels ol ears of cum from twelve acres of land, 
lie raises the “Dent" variety, getting his seed each 
year from Illinois During the past eight years he 
has been very Btioceeefnl with this variety. Ho thinks 
he can pick sivty ears that will “ shell out" a bushel 
of corn. IPs laud is tile drained, highly manured, and 
thoroughly cultivated. 
grain Binders.—A Minnesota correspondent, who 
[ desires us to withhold his name, wants information 
i as to the whereabouts of a certain reaper and binder. 
From his description of the machine we suppose hd 
moans Burson’s. We have had several similar inqui¬ 
ries, but cannot gain the desired knowledge from the 
advertising columns of the Agricultural press. 
Biuck Moldino Maobinb Wanted.-A subscriber 
at Waterloo, Iowa, says he bn* watched the adver¬ 
tising columns of the Rural, for u description of the 
best machine for molding brick, bnt finding none ho 
desires any one having such a machine to sell to 
inform him of the fact through the afegosaid column*. 
A Valuable Premium.— Attention I* directed ta 
our offer of Webster's Great Dictionary to every 
person obtaining twenty new subscriber* for thl# vol¬ 
ume of the Rural. Nee Publiahcr'a Special Notice*, 
page It, this number. 
Deferred.- Feveral articles from contributors and 
correspondent* are necessarily deferred. Also aeai 1/ 
two columns of advertisement*. Exensc us, frieuda, 
for this number is gotten up in great hast*. 
