RTaGRJ Culture- 
ROCHESTER, N. Y.-FOR THE WEEK ENDING SATURDAY, AUGUST 11, I860 
ESTABLISHED IN 1S50, 
Having decided to attend and contribute to 
the Fair, don’t “ forget to remember ” that your 
•wife, son, or daughter — or each and all of them 
— may do likewise, and that it is your duty to 
encourage and assist them in that direction. 
The ladies will want aid to carry their butter 
and honey and quilts, and the numerous useful 
and ornamental products of female handiwork, 
which add so much to every exhibition. And 
the boys and girls will want you to accompany 
and assist them on their holiday excursion—-one 
to which they have been looking forward anx¬ 
iously for many a week—and it would be a sad 
disappointment were you to deprive them of 
the anticipated pleasure. The truth is that the 
American people have too few holidays, and all 
Rural Fairs should be made such to a considera¬ 
ble extent, by both old and young. Let the ap¬ 
proaching exhibitions all over the country—for 
we address residents of every State and section 
of the Union—be made not only useful as exhibi¬ 
tions, hut occasions of social pleasure and rec¬ 
reation for all who attend, and much good will 
be accomplished. 
is in Stanstead, C. E., who named him Qen. 
Grant. In Nov., 1864, Mr. Pierce presented 
him by telegraph to President Lincoln; he, by 
another dispatch, turned the ox over to the 
managers of the Sailors’ and Soldiers’ Fair, 
Poston. He was again sold for 11,000, In $6 
tickets, and drawn for by the holders. Was 
drawn by Thomas Thatcher of Roxbury, sold 
at aution and purchased by his former owner, 
Mr. Pierce, for 1850, to save him from the 
butcher. He was then loaned to a Sanitary Fair 
In Chicago and another at Philadelphia — being 
carried free by the railroads to both places. He 
is now with his owner, Mr. Pierce, at Stan¬ 
stead. The journeys reduced his weight to 
8,340 lbs., but In three months he gained 280 
pounds, making his gross weight when his por¬ 
trait was taken 8,470 pounds. His earnings 
ormousjy rail to do this. The general plan of 
llieir business has been sound perhaps, Or some 
special enterprise has turned out remarkably 
successful, and so placed them in good position 
by groatly ovcr-balancelng the ill success of 
many others which were badly carried out and 
were failures. Still it is the habit of the world 
to gnage its respect according to the nature of 
final results. 
Example would be worth much 
were more 
MOORE'S RURAL KEW-Y0RKER, 
AX OEIGIMAL WEEKLY 
RURAL, LITERARY AND FA MILY NEWSPAPER. 
CONDUCTED BY D, D. T. IlIOOKE, 
With & Corps of Able Assistants and Contributors. 
The country has been favored this year with 
beautiful harvest weather, and with crops of un¬ 
expected abundance and quality. The harvest 
is nearly ended, and with its closing another 
variety, so to speak, of farm labor approaches. 
But It will be a season of more leisure and less 
anxiety. It is one of the greatest beauties and 
advantages of a farmer’s life that his work is 
varied with the seasons, and in the change he 
findB relaxation and refreshment. 
The work of most immediate importance is 
the preparation for fail seeding. If this is to be 
done on the summer fallow that requires imme¬ 
diate and thorough cultivation, for it has prob¬ 
ably been neglected for boioc weeks past. It 
may not require plowing—most likely it does 
not—but it needs surface cultivation; enough 
to kill the weeds and mellow the soil It would 
be a bad mistake to plow and turn the undecayed 
turf to the surface. The second plowing should 
not be finished until about the first of Septem¬ 
ber; but, meantime, the gang plow and cultiva¬ 
tor should keep the surface of the fallow in such 
condition that it will not need the plowing until 
that period. If the sowing is to be made on 
stubble ground, stock, especially sheep, should 
be turned on it to break down the stubble and 
pick it clean, the coarse manure, if any is to be 
used, hauled on and spread evenly, and the 
plowing done as soon as possible. An early 
plowing of stubble that Is to ho sown is very 
essential; it gives the farmer part of the advan¬ 
tages ol a fallow, in that a crop of W’ceds will 
spring up and be destroyed by later cultivation. 
Once plowing and good surface cultivation are 
thebest, inasmuch as they pr&psu-o a fresh soil for 
the sown crop to start In. It is, likewise, a val¬ 
uable operation for the crop to he town, to ex¬ 
pose the soil to the air and work it somewhat 
before the seed is put in. Any observant farmer 
who has worked a loam or clay soii, knows the 
difference between a freshly plowed field and 
one that has been exposed for a couple of weeks 
and well worked on the surfaee. 
It is not too late after the harvest to benefit 
backward potatoes by using the shovel plow. 
It would pay well, too, for a farmer to pull out 
large weeds in the early planted ones, and like¬ 
wise go through the corn-field and clean out the 
thistles and grass. Thorough destruction of 
weeds in the hoed crops is one of the best posi¬ 
tions the fanner can take in his war ugainst 
these robbers. At this season the fence comers 
and by-places of the farm should be cleaned of 
weeds and briers, and any now clearings that 
may have been made, sprouted. 
Aside from the regular farm work many jobs 
of improvement demand attention at this sea¬ 
son. Drains leading through 6wamps and other 
very wet places may be cleaned; and also new 
ones dug. Where there Is opportunity to irri¬ 
gate meadow lands it should not be neglected; 
._is use of 
HENRY S. RANDALL, LL, D., 
Editor of the Department of Sheep Husbandry, 
HON. T. C. PETERS, 
Late Pres’t N. T. State Ag.Sec’y. Southern Cor. Editor, 
more if men 
discriminating in their recognition 
ol it. And people would accord a moro pro¬ 
found respect to important controlling princi¬ 
ples if they would always dearly distinguish 
them from purely secondary and adventitious 
ones. Men utterly dishonest in principle and 
practice ofttirnes possess influence and fortune, 
still all this does not prove that honesty is not 
the best policy. 
If nine-tenths of the farmers who show a suc¬ 
cessful business have always carried forward 
their plans and transacted their business with¬ 
out any regular system oi accounts, this does 
not prove that, exactitude and scientific method 
in recording transactions and operations is un¬ 
necessary or useless. Some become wealthy 
who are habitually negligent in important mat¬ 
ters,—who perhaps have never possessed a com¬ 
plete outfit of farming Implements, bat make 
up for the lack by almost daily demands on the 
courtesy or good nature of their neighbors. 
Anil In a thousand Instances we see exemplified 
the saying, “ there is that wasteth and yet in- 
creaseth.” Better without tbe waste, however; 
and philosophy teaches us that the rule and 
not the exception must be onr safest guide. 
Leave then the exceptions; confine yourself, 
as far as possible, to the general controlling 
principles of things. L . w. 
Ann Arbor, Mich. 
KST - Fob Teems and other particulars see last page 
AGRICULTURAL FAIRS FOR 1866, 
Elsewhere we publish a list of Agricultural 
Fairs to be held in the United States and Canada 
during the ensuing three months. Though the 
list is not complete—the times and places of 
holding many Fairs not being yet announced — 
it is creditable in numbers, and includes exhibi¬ 
tions to take place in gome twenty 8tates, the 
Canadas, &c. It will ere long be given again, 
with such additions and corrections as will 
render the list as complete and accurate as 
possible, and we trust show that an unusually 
large number of Societies designed to promote 
Improvement in the Rural and other Industrial 
Arts are organized and making seasonable 
arrangements for their fall exhibitions. 
The progressive Farmers, Horticulturists and 
Manufacturers of the country should make timely 
preparation to secure creditable exhibitions of 
the products of their industry and skill at the 
Fairs announced. As we have said, substan¬ 
tially, on a similar occasion, hundreds of thou¬ 
sands of dollars will be expended in getting up 
these exhibitions, and whether this money, and 
the necessary time, shall be properly expended, 
or wasted, depends mainly upon the action of 
the scores of thousands of fanners and horticul¬ 
turists who read the Rural and other agricul¬ 
tural periodicals. Those who do not either 
attend the Fairs or contribute thereto, can of 
course derive no benefit or satisfaction; but, 
more than this, they do a positive injury, as their 
presence, influence and counsel are needed to 
render them successful. Every friend of Rural 
Improvement should bear this in mind at the 
present juncture —the time to decide and act in 
regard to what each shall contribute or exhibit. 
The best men in every locality should be the 
leaders and managers on such occasions. For 
there are, in every neighborhood, those “ of the 
baser sort,” who always attend popular gather- 
ings, and if the better portion of community 
—the intelligent, reading and thinking fanners— 
remain at home inactive, these will give the 
Fair a character which will result in injury to 
the Society and its laudable objects. To prevent 
such a result, and secure a creditable exhibition 
and proper management, every right-thinking 
person interested, should use his personal influ¬ 
ence. Every one is in duty hound to exert him¬ 
self to render the exhibitions of his Local or 
State Society as creditable and successful as 
possible. No one can justly evade this respon¬ 
sibility, and then complain at what others have 
done or left undone. Go to the Fair, therefore, 
and do what yon may to make it a success — 
thereby benefiting yourself and community. 
But it is not alone your presence that is need¬ 
ed. Yonr aid is wanted as a contributor of some 
product of your skill or industry to this or that 
department of the exhibition. See what you 
can do in that line, and don’t he so modest as 
to suppose that you have nothing good enough. 
The best you have may prove the best at the 
ehow; and if you fail to exhibit, you may find, 
on witnessing the dfsplay, that you could have 
beaten in this or that article — perhaps several, 
Take something to the Fair , therefore, for com¬ 
parison at least, and to add to the general dis¬ 
play. Leave the matter of merit with the com¬ 
mittees, for if they are properly constituted you 
will be dealt by fairly. And, 6peaking of com- 
WHAT MAKES FARMING SUCCESSFUL 1 
NUMBER ONE, 
SEEDING TO BLUE GRASS. 
This is a brief but pertinent question. It is 
first in importance with the young beginner in 
the noble artof husbandry, and to acertain extent 
each one can best answer it for himself. Men 
differ widely from each other, both in personal 
qualifications, and the conditions which nature 
and necessity impose 
so each one 6hould prop¬ 
erly think for himself, and determine for him¬ 
self what is best for one in his case to do. Still 
there are important general principles—some of 
which may be said to apply to every sort of 
business, and which, It earnestly and steadfastly 
carried out, ensure prosperity and success, as 
their violation does the reverse. 
It is somewhat remarkable how slow people 
are to realize the real causes which lead to the 
accumulation of wealth, or to Its dissipation in 
particular cases. Some have strongly argued 
the greater profitableness of small farms, while 
Others arc just as strongly persuaded that a 
competence can be easiest secured on those of 
a hundred to a thousand acres. An able and 
popular book has been written to prove ten 
acres of land enough. The author certainly 
does prove that ten acres was sufficient for him, 
and very profitable, but circumstances (as is 
well known) alter eases; and it seems to me 
that the knowledge mo6t needed to bring forth 
good results among farmers includes general 
principles—principles which certainly exist, and 
many of which are not confined to the business 
of Agriculture alone, but really lay at the found¬ 
ation of all prosperity. 
That many men who have been most success¬ 
ful in accumulating wealth have pursued the 
development of these principles through a sort 
of instinct, rather than by any cloarer recogni¬ 
tion of them, is rather the strongest proof of 
their validity, and origin in the eternal fitness 
of things. 
Let us suppose a person in possession of some 
portion of the earth’s surface which he intends 
to make his abiding place, and out of which he 
proposes to create subsistence and profit. Two 
things are indispensable for the successful car¬ 
rying out of any business. These are, 1st. A 
sufficient supjdy of whatever material is neces¬ 
sary for the best development of it. By this I 
mean to include all necessary resources of cap¬ 
ital, all needful help of men, implements, Ac., 
Ac. 2d. Executive or organizing ability, that is 
the faculty of adapting means to ends, of em¬ 
ploying to the best possible advantages the 
resources at hand. 
These two general principles lie at the founda¬ 
tion of aD bnsinegB, but they are of special im¬ 
portance to the Agriculturist. The chief com¬ 
plaint with the majority of farmers is lack of 
means. This signifies that the scale of their 
operations is too extensive for their resources, 
or their management Is at fault. In cither case 
the proper remedy iB obvious, —the working 
plan should be so reduced in its scope and 
details that it may he executed with certainty 
and promptitude. The very life of any business 
hinges on the certainty of executing the con- 
trived plan, even in its minor details. The 1 
farmer has enough of the vicissitudes of Nature t 
to meet which are for the most part beyond his i 
control. If he is aiao unsteady and hesitating ( 
in his plan of operations, disappointment is \ 
likely to meet him at every turn. It Is not pos- t 
sible, perhaps, for any one at all times to im¬ 
prove all the resources and opportunities which 
are open to him, to the best advantage. Some e 
of our most successful men, larmers and others, b 
opened to grazing. It is a perplexing seed to 
sow, owing to the difficulty of detaching It from 
the haulm, hence extra attention is necessary. 
An acre of ground will require about two 
bushels of the chaff and seed together. It 
should be sown in a calm day if possible, but if 
windy the ground be gone over twice, or in 
other words, be cross-sown when a change of 
wind occurs. Should the seed take well a very 
nice pasture will come-in during the latter part 
of the summer succeeding the sowing. It will 
improve with years, if properly treated, and 
supply a very desirable pasture on grounds of a 
moisture and tenacity of soil suited to it. 
Open wooded lands, not designed to be cleared 
and broken up, can be seeded to bine grass by 
scattering corn over a patch and letting the hogs 
root about after it, They will thus prepare it 
for the reception of the blue grass seed when it 
can be sown and bushed in, if necessary or de¬ 
sirable. When one section is Eeeded set the 
hogs at another till the whole is completed. 
The swine will, in this way, rather improve 
themselves while aiding iu preparing feed for an 
increased dairy stock. We have seen nice pas¬ 
tures made In this way on land but partially reft 
of its forest covering. The grass and tbe shade 
combined, will prove highly acceptable to cattle 
during the prevalence of flies and warm weather. 
WAGON AXLES 
Editors Rural:— In “Rural Brief Mention” 
of June 2d, Mr. D. G. Wvth says he has “ never 
been able to believe that a thimble axle runs 
easier than an iron axle,” and gives the follow¬ 
ing philosophical reason: “The less surface the 
less friction, the less friction the easier all ma¬ 
chinery runs.” Now were friction the only 
force to overcome that philosophy would be 
good, but in th^e case of a wagon it will not 
answer. Philosophers tell us that were it not 
for the attraction of gravitation, friction, and 
the opposition of the air and physical agencies, 
a ball put in motion would never stop, which 
would apply in the case of a wagon. It Is not 
so much friction at the axle as opposition at 
the outer surface of the wheel that causes 
wagons to draw heavily — that is, supposing 
them to be properly made. It is leverage that 
is needed to overcome this opposition, which 
is furnished, to a greater degree, In a thimble 
axle than in an iron one. 
To illustrate this, let Mr. W. take off one of 
his carriage wheels, place a brick upon the barn 
floor and then roll the wheel over it by seizing 
the spoke next to the hub, then let him roll it 
back by taking hold nearer the outer end of the 
spoke. He will readily see that tbe farther he 
gets his hand —or the motive power —from the 
opposing force the easier the wheel rises over 
there is a large source of wealth in tiff 
water, from which the farmers of this country 
have, as yet, derived but little profit. 
LET THE HORSES ROLL, 
Every person much accustomed to horses, 
will have noticed the alacrity with which they 
will seek a rolling place on being relieved from 
the harness at the close of a warm day’s labor. 
What particular benefit they derive from roll¬ 
ing iu the sand we do not exactly know, but ihe 
horses understand it, else they would not indulge 
in that species of pastime. It may serve to alluy 
an itching of the skin, caused by perspiration or 
the perforations of their great enemy, the flies. 
But whatever be the reason, an indulgence in 
this species of pleasurable exercise should be 
accorded them whenever inclination prompts to 
the performance. 
True it is, they sometimes select rather soft 
places for the operation, and when through with 
it present the appearance of having been but 
recently lathed and plastered! This involves hand 
labor on the part of the hostler, and may elicit 
expressions anything but complimentary to the 
horse or creditable to the ntterer of them, still 
the animal feels better and this is the main point 
to consider. Besides, with a plentiful affusion 
of water and a suitable use of the broom and 
currycomb, the horse will soon appear as good 
as new m&feeel “ so petter as goot.” 
Therefore we say again, let the horses roll, 
and mind not to get into a passion because of 
the scrubbing and Tabbing down which this ex- 
The horse 
hilerating performance, will involve, 
labors for man faithfally, and it ia but just to 
recompense him with an occasional indulgence 
in that which gives him pleasure and promotes 
his health. 
OS 
