mow 
The Moore Prize of list year called the attention 
to the shrinkage of vool, and has doubtless led to 
some changes in the otdtnona of both producers and 
consumers of wool, and we cannot doubt that much 
good will grow out of the tests now submitted to 
the public. „ 
Geo. Geddes, C’has. Tallman, 
James M. Ellis. Wk. A. Duncan, 
Syracuse, Aug. 17, 1E6C. H. D. L. Sweet. 
hardy varieties, weeds, etc. When this takes 
place the only resource is plowing and re-seed¬ 
ing ; top-dressing would only give the weeds, 
etc., a greater luxuriance and abundance. The 
grass roots should have had the sustaining in¬ 
fluence of a stimulant from the first seeding, 
where, instead of yielding to inferior vegetation, 
they would have increased in vigor annually, 
although a crop were annually taken therefrom. 
So. Windsor, Conn. Wm. II. White. 
Those were eleven compeuiurs, — 
won by a Ham, whose body weighed 124.75 pounds, 
and whose fleece, a? shorn, weighed only 16 34 
pounds—there being five of his competitors that 
gave more groM weight of fleece, and live that were 
over him In tbe quantity of cleansed wool; but there 
waa but one that would have produced more wool in 
a year, iMartis Slussab’s,) and he was beaten in 
quality 
In determining the value of the wool, the Com¬ 
mittee placed the cleansed fleeces of each class Bide 
by side, on a table, bo that the comparison by eye 
and touch was easy and satisfactory. The relative 
value was the point aimed at, and the committee 
took $1 as tbe standard for the beet fleeces, and 
rated the otbere accordingly, not Intending to say 
what the wool may eell for, 
, t «*<£c23pt- l r3Kt H ^ 
Kihiltr a* " 
i;°£ * 
September to January. — Its friends are remind¬ 
ed that $1 pays for the Rural New-Yorker four 
months—say f.-om this date to the end of the year 
and volume. We have already received quite a num¬ 
ber of subscriptions for this period, and there is 
abundant room in onr books for more. Those who 
wish to renew, and outsiders who desire to give the 
paper a lklr trial, are invited to govern themselves 
accordingly. We shall endeavor to render more than 
full value received for ever dollar invested. 
REPORT ON BCOTJEED FLEECES, 
BT COMMITTEE OP N. T. STATE SHEEP BREEDERS 
AND WOOL GROWERS’ ASSOCIATION. 
Ground Cor.N and Cob?.— Paul M. Green, West 
Milton, Wisconein, asks whether “corn cracked, cobs 
and all, will injnre sheep t" Probably not if properly 
f e d. — but we should much prefer to leave the saw¬ 
dust ont of the pudding. The feed of itself does not 
account for the results described. 
Six special prizes of $33, each were oflered by 
individuals, ou sconred fleeces, at the Fair oi 
the N. Y. State Sheep Breeders' and W ool 
Growers’ Association, last May, at Rochester 
the competition to be limited to fleeces shorn 
and weighed publicly at the Fair, and the scour¬ 
ing to take place under the direction of the 
Association. So general satisfaction was given 
by the accuracy and impartiality <!is ^ aye<1 
the Committee on Scoured Fleeces in l^oo, that 
the same gentlemen were placed on the Com¬ 
mittee this year, with one exception. Mr. A. J. 
Goffe, Superintendent of the Syracuse W oolen 
Company’s Mills, where the scouring took 
place, having been succeeded in that place by 
Mr. William A. Duncan, was also succeeded 
by him in tbe Committee. The report explains 
itself in all necessary particulars, and we sub¬ 
mit it, reserving comments for the future. 
To the Honorable Henry B. Randall, President of the 
JV. F. Stale Sheep Breeders' and }Vool Growers' 
Association. 
The Committee on Sconred Fleeces respectfully re¬ 
port The fleeces were ecoured at the Syracuse 
Woolen Company’s Mills, under the Immediate di¬ 
rection of one of the Committee, Wm. A. Duncan, 
■who is the Superintendent of the Mills, and precisely 
in the eame manner that it was done In 3865. The 
twine in which the fleeces were tied waB in all cases 
of the same kind and length, and convenience made 
it neceesary to weigh this twine with the fleece, both 
before and after scouring. Mr. Sweet, one of the 
Committee, attended to the weighing of every flcccc 
at the shearing and after it was sconred. The sheep 
were weighed to one-qnarter of a pound, and the 
fleeces to one-quarter of an ounce. The columns of 
per centagce given In the tables last year, are not in¬ 
cluded this year, as the tablee were thereby very 
much swelled, and as every person can make the 
figures that has a desire to do bo. The column of 
ages is omitted for the reason that the prizes offered 
did not call for the ages of the animals. 
Wilcox Prize. 
This prize was offered for the best Merino Ram’s 
fleece of one year’s growth, or thereabouts, which 
on being scoured should be found to give the greatest 
weight of wool In proportion to Us time of growth 
and the live weight of the animal. 
There were three competitors and tbe lightest an¬ 
imal won the prize, lie gave of wool, as maybe 
determined by dividing the weight of liis cleansed 
fleece by the weight of his shorn body, six and forty- 
two hundretbs percent. Thie ram was entered for 
the scoured wool prize last year, but owing to the 
competition of ewes In the eame claes, was ae low’ as 
No. 11 in the ordsr of merit, though a comparison of 
the tables will show that he did better then than now. 
TOBACCO MANAGEMENT 
If tobacco plants were early set, in rich and 
well prepared soil, and have been properly tend¬ 
ed, they will now be ehooting up for seeding. 
This is the time to nip this aspiring tendency by 
breaking off the top of the plant, thereby 
throwing the strength down and back into the 
leaves. These will need careful attention lest 
the tobacco worm, a mere creature of skin, but 
a most gross feeder, shall destroy the more 
promising portions of the crop. This the worms 
will frequently do if not promptly sought out 
and killed. Turkiea are sometimes very efficient 
helpers in worm hunting in a toiacco field, and 
the way they peer under a tobacco leaf for a worm 
is ludicrously amusing. But. whatever the means 
used, see to it that the worms are timely at¬ 
tended to. 
Tobacco sometimes, owing to Inequalities of 
soil or other causes, ripens unevenly, hence one 
portion will require to be cut dajs before an¬ 
other in the same row. This should be properly 
attended to. Plants ripe enough to cut may be ea¬ 
sily detected by taking a leaf between the thumb 
and finger. If ripe it will feel waxy and have a 
tendency to adhere to that which comes in con¬ 
tact with It i tbe leaf, too, will exhibit a spotted 
and dingy appearance. It is then ripe and should 
be cut the first fair day. This should be done 
when the dew is off and the plant be laid care¬ 
fully on the ground to wilt. When one side is 
well wilted turn the other side up til] it is 
brought to the same pliable 6 tate. Having 
reached this point there is little danger, if ordi¬ 
nary care is exercised, of tearing or breaking the 
leaves. This should be avoided as it impairs tbe 
value of the tobacco. When wilted, so «6 to be 
pliable, it should be taken to some shelter, se¬ 
cure from rain, and be placed in piles for a day 
or two, but not long enough to allow fermenta¬ 
tion to take place. It should then be hung up 
on poles or their equivalent two plants together 
—one on each side—till sufficiently cured for 
stripping. It is then stripped from the 6 talks, 
bunched, ready to he turned over to the dealer 
or manufacturer. b. 
Not Marl, but Carbonate of Lime.— Mr. J. 
Knapp of Prattsburg. Steuben C'o., N. Y., sends ua a 
sample of a material found in that neighborhood, 
which he thinks is a marl, and may be valuable as a 
fertilizer. We have had it examined and It proves to 
bean almost pnre Carbonate of Lime, containing a 
mere trace of Alumina and Magnesia, with neither 
Sulphuric nor Phosphoric acid-ar.d therefore nearly 
worthless as a manure. It entirely dissolves in all 
the acids, and 1? Insoluble in water. If it could be 
put into a solid ehape and burned, it would produce 
flrEt-quallty quick lime mortars, and be in proper 
shape to apply to worn and effete land. It possesses 
very good polishing qualities, for silver, brass, brit- 
tania and tin wares, when finely pulverized. 
TRAINING HOPS HORIZONTALLY. 
This principle is adopted by one of onr hop- 
growers, who has experimented with it for three 
years. The growth is very fine, not surpassed 
by any other yard. The poles are seven feet in 
length, and connected by twine. As soon as 
the vine reaches the chord it puts out spurs. 
This is held by Mr. Snyder, the owner of 
the yard, as an advantage. He reports other 
advantages. He thinks where the large pole 
is used the frost has an effect in tbe ground, 
filling the hole (at least in 6 ome seasons when 
the ground is charged with water and then 
freezes) with ice, thus keeping the vine in check. 
This is probably less so where the soil is porous 
or well drained. Another thing. The vine be¬ 
ing cut high, in the horizontal system, there Is 
less injury from bleeding. 
Mr. Sntdeb has also experimented with the 
vine in another way. He has pinched back 
several vines, and finds it an advantage. It 
seems to have a similar effect to that of the 
grape. He will try it more extensively next 
year. 
But a thorough test (of yield) was insti¬ 
tuted by Mr. 8 . when he adopted the hori¬ 
zontal mode two years ago. He trained several 
rows In the usual way, on long poles. There 
was a third more hops on the new system in 
the same number of hills. Thinking this might 
be in consequence of the soil being better In the 
one case than the other, he transferred his poles 
to the best ground in his yard—with tbe same 
effect. 
In putting out his yard, Mr. Sntder made au 
estimate of the expenses. Cedar poles for his 
o Condition of the animal. 
Weight of Carcass. 
About Keeping Pocltbt on a Large ScalE.-A 
Subscriber at Kenosha, Wis., writes ns“ Will you 
please inform me where there is a poultry raiser—one 
who docB it on a large scale f Do yon think it would 
be safe to invest money in from 2,000 to 3,000 hens ?” 
We do not at present know of a poultry raiser so 
extensively engaged In the business as to beep even 
1,000 hens. Oar opinion is that it would not be safe 
to invest money in the business so largely as our cor¬ 
respondent proposes, though it may perhaps be done 
with proper care — Including a sufficient range of 
ground, division Into comparatively small flocks, etc 
VYe would like to hear from some experienced poultry 
raiser on the subject. We believe every attempt to 
keep poultry on an extensive scale, in this country, 
has proved unsuccessful. 
jf Weight of Fleece unwashed. 
g jSggE Weight of Fleece scoured. 
gSSggSAge of Fleece in days. 
§ sits § « if p gQuantity of Wool grown per 
Zj y..— ©r li -a day. 
Quantity grown in one year. 
. . . M . . . • .“‘.-‘Value per pound of scoured 
ACTA*orCipi PRIZE COLUMN. 
Value per year. 
Cos?it Prize. 
This prize was oflered for the best Merino Ewe's 
Fleece, with conditions the same as for the Pottle 
prize. 
There were only three competitors for this prize, 
which was won by a three year old Ewe, that com¬ 
peted last year, and then stood No. 4 in tbe order of 
merit. It will be seen by comparing the tables that 
she has now produced more wool per day than in 
3865. The lowest of the three was au animal nine 
years old, aHd her age placed her at a decided disad¬ 
vantage in the contest. The other animal in thi 6 
class was one year and forty-three days old. and If 
she had weighed only three-fourths of a pound less 
and competed for the Baker prize, she would have 
won it. 
Horse-IIoeino Wheat.— In one of his letters from 
England on dairy and general farm management there, 
Mr. Willabd states that some farmers use a hoeing 
machine in the cultivation of wheat. The wheat is 
sown In drills about eight inches apart and on lands 
seven feet wide. The hoeing machine is made to 
embrace all the drills on one of these lands and is 
furnished with a species of kntfe for cutting tip or 
stirring the soil between the drills. By this process 
a yield of from fifty to sixty bushels of wheat to the 
acre is produced. It seems reasonable to conclude 
that stirring th* soli after the depressing Influence 
of winter ie removed, will promote the growth of 
the wheat plant and augment its product, skillful 
management In shaping the drills and running the 
machine through them. Is evidently of great impor¬ 
tance in this system of cultivation. 
THREE IMPORTANT REMEDIES, 
she:.Don's Composition fob Fruit Trees.—A cor¬ 
respondent at Troy, Pa., a 9 ks ns relative to P. B. 
Sheldon's composition for the destruction of borers 
and other insects on fruit, trees. On inquiry we learn 
from reliable parties in Steuben county, that the 
composition has been tested in that section and is 
approved. Thou^L It first inclined to look upon it as 
before as—mainly elicited 
setting his yard (with poles and twinej was 
twenty-five dollars. Thus, the profit of his 
yard, instead of being swallowed up by the ex¬ 
pense of the poles the first year, as is usually 
the case, was, except the twenty-five dollars, 
clear gain, 
Mr. Sni der has tested these things accurately. 
He counted the hills that were experimented 
upon, and weighed carefully the hops. I have 
reported the case as he gave it to me 5 aud I 
I have been frequently in bis yard. Last spring 
when other yards showed a vine a foot in length, 
I noticed his was double that, and some three 
feet long. There were but few bills missing, 
notwithstanding the severe frost of last winter, 
and the vermin which affected the vine gen¬ 
erally. Mr. S.’s yard is three years old. It has 
a warm situation, facing the south. 
As to the advantages of picking, I have not 
consulted Mr, S. These I believe are also favor¬ 
able. What the objections may be to this mode, 
I have not learned. I also understand there is 
less length of vine in the horizontal mode, the 
joints, or space between the “arms” or spurs, 
being nearer together. These laterals are also 
said to be longer, and bear a finer, clearer hop. 
Especially is this so where tbe vine has been 
stopped, (by pinching back,) says my informant. 
Starlcvllle, N. Y. F. G. 
Owners’ Names 
D. W. Perry. 
H. M. Boardman, 
Wm. It. Pitts.... 
Fair 77. 34.06 5.205 864 
Good 65.75 1Y43 5.835 403 
Good 103.50 10.685 4.605 375 
Owners' Names, 
a nostrum, the —-- —. . 
by our lnqulrles-ls such that (with the addition ol a 
knowledge of the ingredients of the composition,) 
we are inclined to regard tbe preparation of Mr. 
Sheldon as valuable. The Composition, which has 
been patented, is advertised in this paper 
Theron Steele .Mid. 73.25 14 51! 
Baker & Champlin... Mid. 02.25 12.06 
L. J. Bovee.Good. S8.50 18.98 
Owners’ Names 
D. W. Percy,.01454 5.8071 ,9S $5.20 
H. U. Boardman.01412 6.2033 . 96 5.05 
Wm. R. llltte,.01252 4.5098 1.00 4 56 
Randall Prize. 
This prize was offered for the best fleece of English 
Long Wool, the conditions the same ae for the Pottle 
prize. There were bat three entries,* and the prize 
was won by a Cotswold ram two years old. The moat 
remarkable thing brought out In this class, is the fact 
that a sheep which weighed only 300.25 pounds gave of 
cleansed wool 9.03 pounds, und one of his competi¬ 
tors, a Leicester ram, three- years old, weighed 209 
pounds, and only gave S.13 pounds. 
© c o . 
hOh ‘-© — .s = eS o P = «p 
Owners’ Names. » a a £x : c c © «r. 
§ © S P'S-- § g « 
C-£‘H gb'.c'E 
Theron Steele.01331 .000176 5 01 .06424 
Baker & Champlin.01101 .000110 4 ()0 .04345 
L. J. Bovee.01039 .000117 3.79 .04292 
linker Prize. 
This prize was offered for tbe best Merino Ewe’s 
Fleece, with the same conditions as the Wilcox 
prize. 
There were eight competitors and it was won by a 
Ewe that weighed a little more than ike average of 
the class. She gave of wool seven and eighty-eight 
huudreths per cent, to her ehom body. This ie the 
same Ewe that won the Moobe Prize in 1865; and 
she came to the show in a few days after dropping 
her lamb. By comparing the table for the Rams and 
Ewes it will be seen that five different Ewes would 
have beaten the best Ram had they competed, as 
they did last year, in the eame class. 
« * r S’ r f . c 
To Prenent Hogs Hooting.— H. Bowen tells the 
Prairie Farmer of a way to prevent hogs from root¬ 
ing—amusing in Itself, whatever it may be to the hog 
operated upon for a cure, lie says; “ Take a sharp 
knife, put it in a stick a few feet long for a handle, 
and hit the hog two or three light taps on the end of 
the nose, sufficient to make two or three small cuts. 
It works like a charm.” This will stop the rooting 
till the cuts heal np, when the nose cutting may be 
repeated ? | 
ADDBif-ES at Fairs.— We learn that Maj. Hugh 
T. Brook- of Wyoming, (our “ Special,” II. T. B.,) is 
to deliver the Annual Address at the Niagara Co. 
Fair, Lockport, Sept. 21. Col. Elt S. Parker, of 
Gen. Grant’s stall', i but formerly a resident of Roch¬ 
ester and a member of the Canal Engineer Corps,) is 
to deliver the address at the Orleans Co. Fair, Albion, 
Sept. 15. D. D. T. Moore is announced for an nd- 
drees at the Steuben Co. Fair, Bath, Sept. 21. 
Owners’ Names 
E. Gazley,....,.. 
Samuel 11. Barons, 
E. Gazley,. 
HOW TO MAKE GOOD BUTTER, 
“ Large Sbeef Thirtt Years Ago.”— In the article 
under this heading on our first page it should have 
beenstated that tbe illustration there given was the 
first sketch made from a live animal and published in 
the State of New York. It was so stated to Judge 
Wagner by persons In Albany, at the time he made 
the sketch from which the cut was engraved, and is 
believed by him to be tree. If wrong in this assump¬ 
tion he would be pleased to be corrected. 
T0F-DRES8ING GRASS LANDS - MANURE 
Leo, of Raymond, N. II., writes to the Rural : 
“It ia a well-known fact that a good location 
and cleanliness are among the most essential 
points in making good butter. Every daily 
should be so located that it may be cool and 
shady, with a good draft of air circulating 
through it. A large dairy and well filled ought 
to be the motto of every farm house. As soon 
as the milk is brought iu it- should be scalded, 
as we get more cream and better by so doing. 
Butter comes better and is not so liable to be 
soft and sticky. As soon as taken from the 
churn it should be thoroughly worked, left un¬ 
til next morning, then worked again. Next salt 
in the following way:—take two quarts of good 
salt, one ounce of sugar, one ounce saltpetre. 
Use one ounce of this composition for one pound 
of butter. It should be stamped and left to cool 
before being put in jars. Butter prepared in 
this way should not be used for two or three 
weeks. You will find that your butter will be 
very fine, as it will have no brittle or 6 alty look 
or taste. By following this course your butter 
will keep the year through, in warm as well as 
cold weather.” 
E. Gazley,.02543 9.2S19 .770 67.39 
Samuel H. Barons,.. .02428 8,8612 .80 7.08 
E. Gazley,.02262 8.2563 .75 6.19 
Moore Prize. 
This prize was offered for the best fleece of Eng¬ 
lish Middle Wool, the conditions the same as lor the 
Pottle prize. There was but one sheep shorn in this 
class. This ram weighed 161.75 pounds, and produced 
only 4.75 of cleansed wool. Comparing this. South 
Down with the Cotswold prize ram, we have sixty per 
cent. more, of animal, aud forty-seven per cent- less 
in value of wool. 
Owners Name, J. Lynch; condition of animal, 
good; weight of carcass, 1G1.75; weight of fleece un¬ 
washed, 8.105: weight of wool sconred, 4,75; age of 
fleece in days, S40; quantity of wool grown per day, 
.03867 ; quantity grown in one year, 5.9845; value per 
pound of scoured wool, TO; pnze column—value per 
year, §3.49. 
The weights of the sheep after they were shorn, are 
given in the first column of figures In the tables, al¬ 
though they were not required in most of the offers 
Ibr prizes, but because they are important as, indica¬ 
ting the cost of supporting the animal. An inspec¬ 
tion of the weights of the animals and their produc¬ 
tion of cleansed wool, will be instructive; aud the 
Committee invite a careful consideration of this fea¬ 
ture of the tables. Without knowing the weights of 
the animals, some of the prizes offered would have 
been of little or no value towards instructing the 
wool growers; with the Weights given much may be 
learned. 
In the class for the Pottle prize are eight fleeces 
of live pounds and less than six pounds with only 
sixty-three hundredths variation, while these eame 
fleeces, uncleansed, vary si r pounds. This shows 
how valueless are the published weights of nncleans- 
ed fleeces, that abound in the newspapers. The busi¬ 
ness of the wool grower is to raise wool, and he may 
well inquire whether the cost to him of these exces¬ 
sively heavy, uncleansed fleeces, is not more than a 
weight and value at wool in proportion to its time prudent manufacturer can afford to pay. 
£. Condition of the Animal. 
Seeding to Blue Grass. —In answer to the in¬ 
quiry of a Kansas Reader in Rural of 38th ult., Mr. 
J. Grover of Lawrence, Kansas, says:—“Sowany 
time from the first of December to March, half a 
bushel per acre. It will do as well on the prairie 
without breaking as otherwise. Burn off the wild 
gTass, harrow’ tbe ground and sow on the seed, and 
it will run the wild grass out.” 
Weight of Carcass, 
Weight of Fleece unwashed, 
Higher Prices in Prospect.— The National Intel¬ 
ligencer is of opinion that In consequence of certain 
credit machinery now being put into operation the 
price of all kinds of producer will be considerably 
enhanced during the coming winter. If this proves 
eo the producing classes will be benefited while the 
poor will sutler in consequence. 
2 2 Weight of Fleece sconred, 
§? Jg Agd of Fleece in days, 
Quantity of Wool grown per 
day. 
Ktan’s Potato Digger.—T his machine, adver¬ 
tised in our preeent number, is highly recommended 
by practical farmers, and the model has a good look— 
but not having seen a full-sized machine wo are un¬ 
able to speak personally in regard to its operation. 
Quantity produced by each 
pound of animal in one day. 
Kicking Cows.—J. J. Watson Writes the N. 
E. Farmer in this wiseI had a kieking heifer 
—a perfect kangaroo. I tried moral suasion- 
no use: then retaliation—when she kicked, I 
kicked;—she grew worse and I no better. 1 
then “ tied her up,” but that didn’t affect her 
bind legs—she spilled her milk—she jammed the 
pail—she rapped my shin 6 . I was then advised 
to take up one lore foot and slip a short strap 
over her knee, so as to compel her to stand ou 
three legs, being “tied up,” of course. This 
done, cut your nails, and milk at your leisure. 
She can’t hurt you, and will “come to her 
milk,” and give up kicking. 
County Fairs,—T he following County Fairs have 
been announced since the publication of the list in 
laEtRtmAL: 
Orleans Co., N. Y., Albion, Sept. 14-15. 
Rutland C'o., Vt., Rutland, “ 26-27. 
*° » !“■ SJ £ £. if i 5 * Quantity produced by each 
2 § 3 3 g- 5 ft § animal in one year. 
Crate Wheat Wanted.— a subscriber, Middlesex, 
N. Y., wants to know where he can obtain “Crate 
Wheat” for seed. 
Post Office Address.— E. C. Holden, Solon, 
wants to know the P. O. address of O. Howland, of 
Cayuga county. 
