lar fact which throws light on their condition A large quantity of the article has been made 
and management. Th e facts should be faithfully in this State during the past year, as I have had 
given, and not colored to favor aDy adopted ample opportunity to know from travel. I do 
theory of explanation. The malady is becoming not pretend to say how many acres were planted 
a great national scourge, and it behooves sensi- or how many gallons manufactured, not having 
ble sheep farmers to compare notes carefully, in the statistics at hand, but I do believe it is full 
order to discover, if possible, modeB of prevent- as large, or even larger, than it will be the com- 
ing what, in the case of the very weak and im- irffe season. Yet time will tell whether it is a 
perfect lambs mentioned, admits of no possible paying institution. It may be, after they get so 
cure. And those that arc less weak, but are they can free it from the rank vegetable taste, 
Tns Season. — The item in onr last about the 
Season. Crop Prospects, &c., stated that the weather 
for two preceding weeks had been generally favora¬ 
ble for farming and gardening operations, and also 
spoke of seed-time being vouchsafed in season. Such 
was the fact when wc wrote the paragraph (April 
23 d.) but scarcely had the Rural gone to press ere 
the weather look cold, and we were favored with a 
cold rain and snow storm, and fires and overcoats 
have been in requisition up to and Including this laet 
day of April. During the storm the Barometer 
marked lower than wc have ever before observed In 
this locality. Altogether the last week of April has 
been very uncomfortable and unpropitioos in this re¬ 
gion, And yet the spring la not considered backward. 
Fruit and foliage are forward, and aleo grass. The 
prospect for fruit, including peaches, is thus far be¬ 
lieved to be good hereabouts, adverse reports to the 
contrary notwithstanding. 
And those that arc less weak, but are 
small and feeble, and which are only kept alive 
bv extra nursing, in most cases had better be 
dead. They will probably die next winter. If 
they grow np and breed, they will reduce the 
stamina and injure the character of the flock. 
Let us also learn how the tegs, or laet spring’s 
lambs, have wintered. Onr accounts concern¬ 
ing them, too, are quite unfavorable. 
infantado ewe owned bt l. brain ran, jr, 
Condensed Correspondence, Items, &c 
ate fleece, on the theory that it was necessary to 
protect himself from trickery and fraud V 
We have 6poken about Mr. Wight’s “ osten¬ 
sible” theory, because we. trust he does not mean 
exactly what bis words imply. But when he 
thus squarely condemns our often - repeated 
views, he makes his own issue, and we can only 
answer what he says. We undertake to aver 
that, in advocating the rule he docs, he advo¬ 
cates one not justified or acted on by honorable 
business men of any description, whether mer¬ 
chants, mechanics, or farmers. M ould an hon¬ 
orable merchant knowingly sell a damaged, say 
a tom piece of broadcloth, to a purchaser with¬ 
out apprizing him ol the fact, because the damage 
was visible and might have been seen by the 
purchaser had he looked for it ? Wonld an hon¬ 
orable mechanic sell a cracked stove, or a broken 
wagon, in like manner, if the defect, though 
visible on careful inspection, was not observed 
by the buyer ? 
The plea that wrong becomes right when it is 
retaliatory — that wc have a right to cheat the 
wool buyer because he does not pay enough for 
wools, or make a proper discrimination in them 
—is based on a principle of action which has 
filled our State prisons with convicts and the 
world with misery and crime. 
We believe in progress, but have a choice in 
the direction of it. We sincerely trust and be¬ 
lieve that the wool growers of the United States, 
os a body, will never, *>n any such excuses as 
those above rendered, progress downward to the 
plane of tricksters and sharpers, a* they will as¬ 
suredly do if they adopt the modes of marketing 
their wool, justified by Mr. Wight. 
Onr correspondent is egrcgiously mistaken in 
supposing that the condition in which wools are 
put up do not influence their price. Their usual 
or habitual condition In a particular neighbor¬ 
hood or region soon becomes known to those 
who send agents to buy them. Agents are uni¬ 
versally restricted within certain ranges of price, 
and those restrictions are made in reference to 
the anticipated quality and condition of the 
wools they arc to buy. If sent to a region where 
wools are usually badly put up, the maximum 
Therefore it 
The State Sheep Fatr.— Our readers will bear in 
mind that the Annual Fair of the State Sheep Breed¬ 
ers’ and Wool Growers’ Association is to be held on 
the spacious Fair Grounds of the Monroe Co. Ag. 
Society, Rochester, on Tuesday, Wednesday and 
Thursday of next week—May 8th, Oth and 10th. The 
grounds are well arranged and comprise all necessary 
conveniences, (the Stato Fair having been twice held 
on them,) with good buildings and an abundance of 
corered pens, stalls. &c. So far as wc are advised 
the prospect is good for a fine exhibition and large 
attendance. Wc think the occasion will he. one of 
interest and profit to thousands engaged [in sheep 
bnsbaudry, and that.many States besides our own will 
be represented. It is also expected that our Canadian 
friends will be present, with flue specimens of their 
flocks. We hope that Western New York will be 
well represented. For list of Prizes, Regulations, 
Ac., see Rubai, of March Slth. The principal hotels 
—such as the Brackett UouBe, Waverly Hotel, Nation¬ 
al Hotel, Clinton Hon sc, and Ayer's Hotel—have con¬ 
tributed liberally to the Fair fund, and agreed to 
charge only their usual rates. We can assure strangers 
that they will find good accommodations at onr hotels, 
and not be charged exhorbitantly t herefor. Wc un¬ 
derstand that the headquarters of the Association 
will be at the Brackett House. 
Sample* of Wool. —The sample forwarded byJ. 
M. of Hanover, B< aver Go. Pa., is an excellent speci¬ 
men of long Merino, or Delaine wool. The samples 
sent by E. Dabrow, Pembroke, Genesee Co., N. Y., 
are of good quality and color, with abundance of yolk. 
They are not long, but they were taken from the sheep 
early In January and allowance must be made. Loan 
J. Buboes*, (North Hoosick, N. Y..) six samples from 
breeding ewes. It Is of excellent quality and from 
8 X to 4 inches long 1 
THE SUGAR SEASON IN VERMONT 
-A few words in 
Eds. Rural New-Yorhkb 
regard to the present sugar season in Vermont 
may be of interest to some of the Rural read¬ 
ers. The time for making maple Bugar in this 
State usually comprises nearly a month —from 
the 20th of March to about the tame date in 
April. This year, however, very little sugar 
was made in the month of March, and closing 
as it does abont the usual time, the four weeks 
or more usuaJly devoted to the sugar business 
are reduced to even less than three. The amount 
of sugar made 1 b very little if any less than an 
average, and the quality Is generally very good. 
The past four weeks have been unusually dry 
for the season, scarcely any snow or rain having 
fallen during the time. For this reason, sugar 
orchards on wet anjl moist lands have yielded 
the greatest flow of sap, and, consequently, have 
produced the most sugar. Sap Is very sweet, 
averaging one hundred pounds or more to eighty 
16-quart pails of sap. A pound to the pailful is 
t he rule, and generally speaking a true one; this 
year proves the exception. Prices of sugars are 
somewhat reduced, with those of most other 
things. The same qualities that sold one year 
ago for 14 cts. and 16 cts., are selling this year 
for 12 cts. and 14 cts.—very little is 60 ld as high 
as 14 cts. 
It Is not often that we have so little snow on 
the ground at the commencement of sugaring 
as wo had this season. In many instances the 
trees were tapped on hare ground, which is a 
rare occurrence here among the Green Moun¬ 
tains. This was partially due to the lateness of 
the sugar season, though not altogether so, as 
the quantity of snow on the ground was con¬ 
siderably less at the same date than usual. The 
fall of snow during the winter was light, and the 
same has been the case with the spring months 
tlms far, as regards both snow and rain. 
Regarding the often repeated adage as a fact, 
that “April showers bring forth Mayflowers,” 
with the supposition that the showers only bring 
the flowers, wc may regard It as certain, unless 
a timely “changein the weather" isnearat hand, 
that “ Flower Queens” will be few this year, and 
the happy festivities of May-day deprived of one 
of their loveliest features. \ I. W. Sanborn. 
Lyndon, Vt., April 20,1866. 
MR. BRAINERD’S INFANTADO SHEEP. 
Lawrence Brainerd, Jr. of Bt. AlbaDS, Vt., 
writes ns: “ In the fall of I860, Silas G. Holt- 
oke of this place sold me ten ewe lambs got 
by Mr. Hammond’s ‘Sweepstakes,’ out of ewes 
descended fromewCB bought by Mr. Holtokb of 
Mr. Hammond. The same fall and following 
winter, Mr. Holtokb selected for me about 
forty breeding ewes out of dams bred by Mr. 
Hammond and which were in their dams when 
Bold by the latter. The succeeding winter he 
bought for me eight owes of Mr. Hammond, 
in lamb by hiB rams. I have since purchased 
eight ewes whlcji were bred by Mr. Hammond, 
and five yearling ewes, and six ewes lambs drop- 
Hoof Rot, Founder —Edward E. Garfield, La 
Fox, Kane Co., Ills. Assuming the facts to be pre¬ 
cisely as stated, the lameness of the sheep may pro¬ 
ceed from hoof rot, or from the “hard mnd” found 
between the toes. If the latter, mere cleaning the 
Toot and keeping the sheep out of mnd in future, will 
remove the lameness. We have never seen anything 
aualagous to “ founder ” in sheep, and do not believe 
they are subject to it. 
Wool Press,— F. A. Gifford, Iludson, N. Y., in¬ 
quires for the best “ wool tying machine,” and where 
it can be purchased. By far the best press we have 
ever seen tried is described on pp. 174, 175 of the 
Practical Shepherd. We do not know where it is 
now manufactured. Will makers of it advertise? 
ped by these—all of them got by ‘B weeps takes,' 
‘Gold D.rop’ and *Bllvermlne.’ I have now 
(Aug. 1865,) about seventy-five ewes of all ages, 
including many of the above named and their 
progeny, a large majority of which were got by 
Mr. Hammond’s rams." 
Black Spanish Fowls. —We have several Inquiries 
from correspondents about this breed of fowls—where 
they can be procured, «fcc. They refer to a previous 
notice of them in thiB paper. We do not know where 
they may be purchased, or at what price. That is 
not our business. Wc hope those having them to 
sell will advertise. We wouldn't mind doing some 
free advertising in the way of referring our question¬ 
ers to another page of the Uooal for Information. 
It would save us much bother, answer our correspon¬ 
dents, and we think would not be a detriment to 
those paying for the regular advertisement. 
(Note.]—W c will make a note just here; we like 
to have questions on pertinent subjects, and will try 
to answer them. Send along as many as you like— 
but before you write look carefully through the adver¬ 
tising columns of the Rural, and sue if they are not 
already answered there. If you are not now in the 
habit of attentively perusing these same columns, do 
so for awhile and see If you arc not deeply interested 
in their contents. They will tell you a great deal 
about your neighbors' business, uml that Is what 
many people like to know. 
DOING UP WOOL, 
George Wight, South Alabama, Genesee 
Co., N. Y., pretty pointedly dissents from the 
opinions expressed by ourselves on various oc¬ 
casions against the propriety of doing up dirty 
tags in the lleece, and against using an extra 
Bizc and quantity of twine in tying. He writes: 
“ I understand It very differently. The buyer 
can sec the 6ize and quantity of string, such as 
wc find It in the market, and he knows there arc 
unwashed tags in every lleece, so there is no de¬ 
ception and consequently no dishonesty. The 
buyer does not ask us to put, up tho fleeces in a 
better condition, nor would he pay us any more 
if we did. We should only be benefiting the 
manufacturer at our own expense, without being 
called on to do so. If the buyer would make 
Ike price according to the quality and condition 
of the wool, there might be a reform in these 
matters.” 
We cannot undertake to say what arc the 
customs of wool buyers and sellera In Mr. 
Wight’s neighborhood, but in some thirty-live 
years’ experience, wc have never yet seen a buyer 
who was willing to give Just, as much for wool 
put up with unwashed tags in It, and wound 
with any amount of twine, as if properly put 
up. Such a buyer, if purchasing for himself, 
would be a fool; if purchasing for another, a 
scoundrel. Wc have heard of neighborhoods 
where it is said to be customary to put unwashed 
tags In washed fleeces. With a distinct under¬ 
standing on both sides that, such is the local 
custom, if the buyer sees fit to purchase on those 
terms it is his own concern. We have even heard 
it asserted that the manufacturer prefers to have 
the tagB unwashed, because tub washing felts 
and otherwise puts the wool oat of condition. 
Bat we never happened to find any such manu¬ 
facturer, and every one knows that tub washed 
wool outsells unwashed wool in market. 
As regards the quantity of twine used, we can 
suppose a case where the use of an extra and 
unnecessary amount would not be fraudulent, 
viz: where It is put on the fleeces as uniformly 
as the nature of the case admits of, and where 
the amount is distinctly stated to the purchaser. 
But what would be the object of using two, three 
or four ounces of unnecessary tvrinc on a fleece, 
if the buyer is to he honestly told of it? It is 
mere nonsense to say that any buyer will know¬ 
ingly pay as much for any considerable amount 
of unnecessary twine as for wool. No; the men 
who purposely use twice or three times the 
proper amount of twine on apart of their wool, 
have u motive. They don’t do it for nothing, 
aud then tell the buyer of it! That would-be 
child's play. Their object is to cheat. And un¬ 
Sheer Dogs. — G. T. D., Pavilion. Genesee Co., 
N. Y., ask* where he can obtain Alpine Spaniels, 
Spanish Sheep Doge, or Mexicau Sheep Dogs? We 
do not know that, any of these dogs are now bred in 
the United States. 
Twins. —A subscriber, Pittsford, Vt., asks “how 
mauy lambs It takes, strictly speaking, to make a pair 
of twin lam bs ?’’ Just two. 
SORGHUM IN THE WEST-WILL IT PAY t 
Water-Witching. — M. H. Jones, Ill., writes us 
that he lias noticed an account in the Rural of a 
novel mode of finding water, by burying a flat stone 
in the ground, and ascertaining whether it becomes 
very damp under it during the night. If St gathers 
dampness it is » sign of water. The philosophy of 
this is that water is drawn to the surface from springs 
below, by capillary attraction, ami meeting the flat 
stone is checked In its Meant, hence the earth Is 
damp. Mr. Jones thinks this way of finding water 
very uncertain as compared with water-witching, i. e. 
finding it by a crotchcd limb of peach, hazel, <£c., 
turning downward la the handB of the operator, and 
which method has uo philosophy or common-sense 
to support it. We will say that we have seen water- 
witching tried in numerous instances in the oil re¬ 
gions, where the object was to strike oil , not water, 
and in nineteen times times out of twenty It failed. 
price allowed to be paid Is lower, 
often happens that wools of the best quality and 
condition will not command their lull prices in 
a neighborhood of poor reputation. So, in 
reality, the undiscriminating buyers complained 
of by our correspondent have no strong auxili 
aries in prosecuting a “ reform in these mat¬ 
ters ” as those who carry out the doctrine 
preached by himself. 
We by no means contend that the wool grower 
is bound to put hi6 wool in splendid condition, 
and tie eaeli fleece “ with a single thread,” when 
he can get no pay for so doing. What we con¬ 
tend is, that no deception or trickery shall be 
practiced by him. He lias u right to sell his 
wool, washed or unwashed, as he chooses. But 
he has no right to stuff dirtier wool—wool from 
coarser fleeces, or dead wool —inside a lleece of 
different quality or condition, without distinctly 
making known the fact to the buyer; and the 
only latitude allowable is to roll the fleece in 
such a manner that its best wool, 60 far as prac¬ 
ticable, shall be shown outside. Tills is allow¬ 
able because it is of universal and immemorial 
custom, and is therefore understood by the 
buyer without notice. The twine-cheat is r. etlll 
prettier one than the stuffing cheat. It cannot 
result from slovenliness, it has not even the 
merit of convenience to plead. It is purely 
Eds. Rural : —Allow me to trouble you with 
a few words on Sorghum. Not making any great 
pretentions to farming, (yet I claim to know 
when it is well done,) I may say, in my opinion, 
sugar cave, tobacco, and broom com, may be classed 
under one head, as being outside of the general 
products usually raised by a litter of the soil. 
I hope no one will he surprised at this statement, 
or accuse me of discouraging the cultivation 
of either of these commodities. No; “ but every 
eme to his (rode." 
Here in Wisconsin, a farmer puts in forty, 
eight}’, or a hundred acres of wheat, and one- 
third ns many oats, and the u&ual accompani¬ 
ment of com. This is quite frequent in the re¬ 
gion of the prairies. Now any nnecan see with¬ 
out the “spirit of discernment,” that, this man 
will have all he can do to harvest, thrash, and 
market his grain, crib his corn, and fatten his 
hogs. But says one, “ I made a hundred or 
more dollars from one acre of 6iigar cane.” Well 
suppose you did. I venture to say it was to 
the detriment of other crops. 
The man with a quarter section of good prai¬ 
rie land, who undertakes to make his own brootm, 
will find them to cost him a straight dollar; and 
if he raises his owu tobacco, the same result will 
be found. And his home-made molasses will cost 
him full two dollars per gallon. This is with the 
understanding that he is z farmer. I admit that 
if the cane seed is good and you have good luck 
in sprouting it, you may tend it and keep it free 
from weeds, perhaps as easy as you would the 
same quantity of dent corn, but it must be strip¬ 
ped, cut up and conveyed to the sugar mill, (not 
to market,) two, four or eight miles, and pay 
forty cents per gallon for the manufacturing it 
iuto a shape and condition for use; and when 
all this is done, yon have an inferior grade of 
sweet. No one will, I trust mistake me, for I 
speak with no disparagement to any of our 
Western manufacturers, for they all do as well 
as they tan under the eircum&tances, — some 
using horse-power, with oue kind of an evapo¬ 
rator, while others use small steam engines. 
MAKING THIN CHEE8E IN DEEP HOOPS. 
The Utica Herald states that the owners of 
cheese factories have hit upon a plan for making 
thin cheese for the local retail markets without 
the necessity of multiplying cheese hoops for 
the purpose. The plan iB to use the deep hoop 
in which the large cheeses are made — putting 
in sufficient curd for the weight desired aud then 
put on a follower, fitting the hoop, and on this 
put the curd for another one, and so for the 
third if necessary. If this can he done it will 
prove a great convenience where cheese of light 
It occure to ns that a 
Address of Hon. T. C. Peters,—As has already 
been stated In the Rural, the lion. T. C. Peters, 
late President of the N. Y. State Ag. Society, has 
lately removed to Maryland. For the information of 
those wishing to communicate with Mr. P., we will 
state (what we should have done weeks ago,) that 
his present post-office address is, W. Friendship, 
Howard Co., Md. This will answer several inquiries, 
the writers of whom will please excuse us from an¬ 
swering by letter. 
A Rare Bird.— Mr. Alfred J. Brown of Ogden, 
thiB county, exhibited in our “ sanctum” a rare speci¬ 
men of water Towl which he captured near hie home. 
It is.known as the grebe, and betengs to the family of 
loons. There are twd varieties of this species, one 
large and one small; the one shown belongs to the 
largest class. It is a queer bird, possessing great 
powers of diving. It cannot walk on land, but on the 
water, as an old sportsman said to us “ you may give 
chain-lightning fifteen minutes the start, and the bird 
will beat it.” _ _ 
A Flood in Wisconsin. —Mr. I. S, Bliss, writes us 
from Door Creek, Wis„ giving an account of an ex¬ 
tensive flood which occurred in the beginning of 
April. A good share of the capital city, Madison, 
waB submerged, the railroad tracke torn np, and 
bridges on the Wisconsin and Rock Rivers carried 
away. Mill property was largely damaged, several 
saw-mills being carried oil' with the flood-wood. Rain 
fell in torrents, with terrific thunder and lightning. 
Remedt for Garget.— Among the many remedies 
for the garget allow me to give mine. It is this:- 
Soft grease, or oil of auy kind, plentifully nibbed on, 
upon the first appearance. One application 13 usually 
sufficient; if not repeat it. I have an excellent cow 
subject to it, if she is not milked carefully, or rather 
regularly, but I never use any other remedy—c. n. b. 
- * + • ■ ■ - - 
Information about Hops Wanted. —L. J. Brown, 
Mich., asks experienced hop-growers to write for the 
Ruralou hop-culture. By comparing notes, suggest¬ 
ing remedies for diseases, discussing improved meth¬ 
ods of culture, through the columns of this journal, 
the hop-interest might be greatly advanced. 
1 -- — 
IIav Tedder Wanted.—A subscriber wriites us 
that he has looked in vain through our columns for a 
notice of a Hay Tedder-where they are manufac¬ 
tured, &c. Last year they were advertised in due 
season, and we presume they will be the present. 
weights are desirable, 
difficulty may be experienced in getting the whey 
from the cheese when thus pressed in pairs or 
Perhaps not. 
triplets, 
FOOD FOR YOUNG CALVES 
A correspondent asks how young calves 
should be treated when you wish to use as much 
of the cow’s milk as possible. Knock the calves 
on the bead, literally. But if yon wish to raise 
the calves, give them “hay tea” with oat meal. 
Eggs broken in their drink are good and nour¬ 
ishing. Sliced beets or carrots are eaten with 
avidity after the calves are four or five weeks 
old. "We inform our querist that either beets or 
carrots are excellent for milch cows in the spring, 
before grass comes, but if we could choose we 
we should take the carrots. 
THE LAMB DROP OF 1866, 
REMEDY FOR CAKED UDDERS. 
It is stated in an exchange that a cow having 
a caked bag may be cured by tying her in a 
stable in which horses are kept. A lew nights 
will complete the cure. It is probable that the 
strong ammoniacal vapors which arise in warm 
weather from the horse stable is the remedial 
ageut. If so would not spirit of hartshorn, ap¬ 
plied in small quantities, directly to the caked 
bag, he effectual? Care should be used in making 
the application, as too much might raise a 
blister. 
Raise the Calves. —The Utica Heraid refer¬ 
ring to the replenishment of the dairy Btock in 
that region says:—If we are correctly inform¬ 
ed, there will be more calves raised among our 
dairymen this year than in any one of the past 
ten years. This is as it should be, and we are 
confident that the best results must flow from it. 
