MOORE’S RURAL HEW-YORKEK, 
after power in Ibe first exciting cause, and if SHlrtim 
fanners do not suffer so much as some other M'VA'jj/ fSp'\ ^ ^ iW Wv>4 Jj' ♦ 
classes from excessive brain labor, they are ____ 
often physically over-taxed,—not so much from edited by henry s. randall, ll, d. 
the actual amount of labor they preform as from : ■ 7 - ■ -— 
the worry of a dragging business where means Personal,—T he Editor of this Department rc- 
are kept adequate to ends only through daily same* bis editorial duties this week,-but the state 
harassing care and labor. ° r biB hcallh wtu not probably enable him to give 
As a chief element of success in the business much examination to the favors of correspondents 
_._„ nxoniip and fox twe or three weeks to come. 
Personal,— The Editor of this Department rc- 
harassing care and labor. 
As a chief element of success iu the business 
of Agriculture we have mentioned a proper and 
efficient plan of operations. Wc can give but 
few hints toward its formation plainly, in detail; 
the end or object of it should reflect the pur¬ 
pose of the life of the planner. We will not 
suppose him to be a man of one idea, simply,— 
that of grasping, miserly accumulation, As we 
have before hinted. Rural or farm economy is 
properly the economy of Nature, — at least, 
should harmonize with it. In that all-wise, all- 
provident economy there is abundance without 
waste; apparent negligence and profusion 
oft-times perhaps, but only to make certain the 
result, — the ultimatum. Abundantly the tree 
puts forth its leaves, 1 —enough, and more than 
enough, for a part shall strew the ground pre¬ 
maturely, and so give greater vigor to the rest- 
limited as to size and form yet 60 curiously 
varied that you 6ball find no two exactly alike. 
And then how many blossoms arc there to each 
one which grows into the nature and perfect 
fruit! 
But bountiful, and wasteful, and prodigal 
beyond everything else in Nature is that great 
magnificent sun, — shedding his warmth and 
gjlory on all alike, on cloud lands, and meadow 
lands, mountain top6 and quiet, fertile plains 
and valleys, and on the thankless bosom of the 
over-restless sea. 
And then, reader, did you ever consider what 
a mere speck is the whole surface of our planet 
compared with the myriad millions of miles of 
space traversed by beams, at least as potent, from 
the same luminary V Bat look at Nature again, 
and she is exact as to form and size and weight, 
even to the minutest atom, — more unalterably 
exact than the laws of the far-famed Medcs and 
Persians. Chemistry and the microscope afford 
U6 some idea of the subtle delicacy oud unerring- 
ness of organic and inorganic phenomena. But 
even these powerful instruments of investigation 
exhibit only a small extent of the infinitesimal 
exactness of the all-wise designs. In the study 
of all thiB what unbounded opportunities are 
there to form a plan in harmony with that of 
the great Contriver. Aud In harmony with the 
Great Plan it must be or it cannot succeed. The 
Jaws of Nature are never amended or repealed, 
or their penalties commuted. l. w\ 
Aim Arbor, Mich. 
NATIONAL WOOL GROWERS’ MEETING 
AT CLEVELAND. 
FEEDING STOCK FROM STACKS. 
Maut farmers, who make stock-raising a spe¬ 
cial feature in their agricultural operations, are 
frequently deficient in barn accommodations, 
hence are compelled to resort to the stacking 
process. Stacks, properly made, keep hay with 
very little damage from the elements, hut when 
-they ace located, as is frequently the case, in the 
meadows w r here the grass is cut, a considerable 
Joss necessarily results both in feed and manure. 
This loss is predicated on the supposition that 
these stacks are fed out iu the meadows or fields 
where they are built. In this case considerable 
hay is blown off and lost by high winds: it is 
less satisfying to the cattle when they are com¬ 
pelled to feed while-exposed to the sweep of the 
wintry blast. Besides the droppings from the 
etock will, in the majority of cases, be deposited 
in some out-of-the-way place where they have 
sought shelter and not readily reclaimed for use 
the following spring. To prevent this expense 
and loss it is only necessary to provide sufficient 
yarding room in the vicinity of the barn to ac¬ 
commodate the stack. Feed from the barn first 
till room is made for more hay. Throw in a 
.stack aud feed on till room is made for auotber 
-one. In this way the stock will have the advan¬ 
tage of the shelter supplied by the barns and 
eheds; will eat less and waste less, while the 
manure made will be deposited in a compass so 
narrow as not to involve the necessity of losing 
xanch if any of it. This winter removal of hay 
might be wholly obviated by properly adjusting 
the stacks about the haru and yard at the time 
af harvesting the crop. Much labor would be 
taved in this way, while supplying a grateful 
screen to the ptock from the storms aud beating 
winds of winter. 
Finally—the practice of stacking hay in mead¬ 
ows and feeding it out there, is a great detri¬ 
ment should there chance to occur a sudden 
thaw, as the cattle will -be sure to poach up the 
turf, destroying the continuity and velvety 
smoothness of the surface of the meadow—di- 
The meeting at Cleveland, Nov. 14th, will, 
doubtless, be one of the most important ones 
In its effects on the interests of American Wool 
• Growers which ever assembled in the United 
| States. It is now well understood that the post¬ 
ponement of the Tariff Bill by the Senate on 
the heel of the last session of Congress was not 
Q considered tantamount to its rejection. It is 
c not necessary or practicable here to enter Into 
e detail on the causes which led to that postpone- 
3 ment. Suffice it now to say that Mr. Fessenden, 
who Lad the bill in charge, deemed it his duty 
' to give a measure of eo much importance a very 
• scrutinizing examination. Hi9 health was very 
• poor, the weather was hot beyond precedent, 
1 and but two or three days of the session re- 
^ malned. lie, therefore, felt it necessary to re¬ 
quire the delay. Some North-western members, 
1 under the free trade leading of the Chicago 
’ Tribune, violently opposed the bill. Eastern 
' members in favor of the proposed Woolen 
' Tariff, but who considered it quite as much io- 
3 tended for the benefit, of the West as for the 
3 East — iu other words, quite as much intended 
for the benefit of the wool grower as of the 
• wool manufacturer,—hesitated to press through 
• the hill under the circumstances. And, finally, 
r it was probable there was a desire to feel the 
1 pulse of the Country on the subject through the 
> medium of the coming elections. 
' The prevailing impression in Eastern business 
circles, both friendly and hostile to the measure, 
is that the Tariff, essentially unchanged in re¬ 
gard to the woolen duties, will promptly pass 
the next session of Congress. So says the N. Y. 
Economist, the free trade organ of tho wool 
merchants, and its views coincide with the ex¬ 
pectation of those who are supposed best to 
understand the tone and temper of Congress. 
It is thought tbe bill will pass during the first 
two weeks of the session. 
Tobetter enable Congress to feel the pulse of the 
Country—to better enable it to know the wishes 
and needs of one of the great industrial inter¬ 
rests of the country, and to know that that 
interest will he subjected to material loss aud 
diminution without timely legislation, is the 
object of the Cleveland meeting. If tho differ¬ 
ent portions of the country are properly repre¬ 
sented in that meeting,—if it is so conducted as 
to reflect the views of the wise aud intelligent 
wool growers of the United States,— if all the 
questions which bear on the woofcn tariff are 
clearly and fairly presented in it,—great will be 
its effect, not only on the action of Cbngress 
but on the opinions of the people. 
To render the demonstration imposing the 
attendance should be large. Farmers intent on 
their private concerns aud active in their Indus¬ 
try, are apt. to neglect such assemblages, even 
when their hearts are warm in the work. It will 
not do for them to do so now. If the Cleveland 
meeting results in the gathering of u compara¬ 
tively small body of men principally from the 
surrounding localities, it will be accepted as ev¬ 
idence that the great body of wool growers do 
not really feel a very deep interest in the subject, 
and rather than that this should occur it would 
be vastly better that no meeting be held at alL 
A diminutive assemblage would be a wet blanket ( 
on the cause. The call for the meeting em¬ 
braces delegates from all the States, and thus, of j 
course, embraces persons outside of all wool 
grower#* organizations. It is understood that i 
no formal appointment of delegates is ncsces- 
sary by any organized body. Every wool grower , 
who chooses to attend the meeting will be entitled to 1 
participate in its proceedings. Now let farmers 
from Vermont and Now York, and Wisconsin 
aud Iowa, as well as from the nearer States, who 
are in the habit, of talking loudly in favor of just ^ 
wool duties show that they are prepared to do 
something besides talk. Many farmers have a 
chronic habit of complaining that Congress j 
never legislates for their interests, that every 
person in the body politic wilfully neglects or ( 
sacrifices their interests. He who neglects his 
own interests eaunot expect others to attend to 
them. And in matters of legislative concern, 
it has been a prevailing habit of farmers to neg- 
le*t their own interests. We hold that the wool 
grower of any i>romineuce, who, without espe- 
tial particular would he perilous. It was drawn 
up, not by a committee consisting of a few per¬ 
sons, but by a committee of experienced wool 
growers, acting in concert with the Presidents, 
and, as far as practicable, with the other leading 
officers of tbe State Wool Growers’ Associa¬ 
tions, and also acting in concert with the dis¬ 
tinguished friends of oar cause in Congress. 
Some of these latter, besides being practical 
wool growers, have long been members of that 
body, and have taken an active part in framing 
the various tariff bills which have been brought 
before Congess during the last ten or fifteen 
years. That the terms of last winter’s wool 
tariff every way met the concurrence of the mo 3 t 
experienced of these we can aver on our person¬ 
al knowledge, and when not an amendment was 
offered to the bill on its passage through the 
House, it is fair to presume that that concur¬ 
rence was general among them. Here and there 
may bo a friend who would prefer to change 
some detail, but every true friend knows that an 
army advancing to the attack should never be 
disturbed or demoralized by divided or waver¬ 
ing counsels. 
Looking at it outside of its direct objects, the 
Cleveland meeting will present au opportunity 
never before presented for the Sheep Breeders 
and Wool Growers of ottr Country to meet end 
form each other’s personal acquaintance— to 
“ compare notes ” in respect to the matters of 
their calling—to make arrangements for the in¬ 
terchange of stock and the conferring of other 
mutual benefits, aud to establish friendships and 
alliances with each other, which will prove 
equally sources of satisfaction and advantage. 
These things alone would pay for attending the 
Cleveland meeting from a remote distance, did 
no other interest, or duty, impel to the journey. 
The best arrangements will he made at Cleve¬ 
land for the comfort and convenience of all 
who attend. 
IjlMt 0! 
fEttral W>mt ftattwro. 
Premiums at Fairs. 
Complaixts are common concerning the 
manner in which premiums are awarded at Agri¬ 
cultural Fairs. A severe one we find in the last 
Maine Farmer. Referring to a recent Fair which 
he attended, the editor says:—“An exhibitor 
offered the committee some information con¬ 
tained in a herd-book in reference to his 6tock. 
This they waved back to him with disdain, 
saying they cared nothing about it. Now what 
did this committee do in making their awards ? 
They gave the tibSt premium for the best bull 
TO ALT. OUR READERS. 
The Rural New-Yorker bob 1367. —For the 
Information of all who have written ns on the subject 
and the thousands of others interested, we wonld 
state that the Eighteenth Volume of the Rural New. 
Yoke. im, for 1867, will be famished on the same terms 
as the present. We bad hoped that the price of 
paper, labor, etc., wonld enable ns to make a reduc¬ 
tion. bat from present prlcee and indications It will 
be impossible to furnieh a first cIaes jonrnal for less 
than onr present subscription rates. Time w»s when 
low-priced papers were really cheap and popnlar, but 
to a grade annimal, over a thorough-bred one of now we verily believe that, in almost every branch of 
the same age (we believe) and without doubt journalism, the highest priced papers nre not only the 
ABOUT THE POTATO BUG IN MAINE. 
Ed. Rural New-Yorker.— I noticed in one 
of your issues you copied from the Maine Far¬ 
mer an account of the “New Potato Bug in 
Maine.” I cut out the slip and intended to have 
written you in regard to it before this, but cir¬ 
cumstances have prevented. 
The fact is, tbe true Potato Bug, Doryplma 10- 
llneata , or ten-lined spearman, has not yet been 
found in Maine, and we hope it may be many a 
decade before we are afflicted with its visitation. 
What the Farmer mistook for the ten-lined 
spearman was the Lema tri-li/icuta, or three-lined 
leaf beetle, which Is a native of this State. I 
Immediately corrected the error in the Farmer, 
for wc have now cnoui^a injurious insects to 
trouble us without foariY: a raid on one of our 
staple farm production!. The larva of the 
3-lincd beetle closely resembles that of the 1 fi¬ 
lmed spearman, thorn# 1 the perfect Insect differs 
widely. The only essential difference in tbe larva 
is that our “ poto bug ” partially covers itself 
with its excrement, which the 6pearman does not. 
The tri-Umata has been very abundant with ns 
this year and has no doubt caused considerable 
damage, aud if it should become sufficiently nu¬ 
merous, as there is reason to believe it may, it 
would be as destructive as the much dreaded 
Western Potato Bug. We cultivate the potato 
extensively and a visitation from such an insect 
pest would he a great calamity, 
Belfast, Maine, Oct., 1866. Geo. E. Brackett. 
*-— »< 4 - 
WOOD vs. LEATHER AND IRON. 
Eds. Rural New-Yorker :—The discussions 
of the Farmers’ Club of Gotham, have without 
doubt, been beneficial in 6ome cases to the 
farming community. The publication of these 
discussions has often brought to the notice of 
farmers, things that they otherwise would never 
have dreamed of—for instance, the use of the 
wooden shoes used by the ancients, and now 
worn by the Chinese and Hollanders, with the 
soles two inches in thickness, aud turning up 
gracefully at the toes like skates. This brilliant 
idea was recently elaborated in the Farmers' 
Club of Gotham. Now, we thiuk that our far¬ 
mers would present a rather supple appearance, 
clumping around their barn-yards and over their 
farms wearing wooden shoes. 
Since reading the able discussions of the 
aforesaid Club on the subject of wooden shoes, 
we have been looking for a discussion on the 
merits of the wooden mould-board, but, owing to 
the high price of timber, they may not recom¬ 
mend its use at present,—jwf who cares for that ; 
farmers might U6e wooden pot-hooks, wooden 
. one of the very best bulls of his particular breed 
e in New England.” 
e It is added that grade stock took all the prizes 
1 awarded by this committee—a poor inducement 
e to those who have been to the expense and 
- trouble of rearing thorough-bred stock. 
B Improving Grass Land. 
7 The St. Johnsbury (Vt.) Caledonian gives 
3 the particulars of the management of a piece 
1 of land in that town owned by Messrs. D. T. 
• Fairbanks & Co., containing two and one-half 
f acres, which had not produced for several years 
• over one ton of hay per acre. It was plowed 
• in the month of August, 1865, top-dressed with 
1 thirty loads of yard manure to the acre, well 
! harrowed; and on this was sowedone-balf bush¬ 
el of timothy and ten pounds of clover seed to 
! the acre, and again harrowed and rolled. There 
1 were cut from this piece of land I860, the last 
week In June, eight tons; and a second crop 
' the first week in September, of five and one-half 
tons — in all thirteen and one-half tons of fine 
timothy, well matured and made hay, being five 
and two-fifths tons to the acre. No clover ap¬ 
peared.— N. E. Farmer. 
Preserving Cider. 
An exchange says:—“To prevent cider on tap 
from becoming acid, it is recommended, as soon 
as one or two gallons are drawn out, to pour into 
the bung-hole about half a pint of clear sperm 
oil, or sweet oil if preferred, it should be warm 
when poured in, and it will spread in a thin coat 
over the surface, and keep spreading as the 
cider is drawn out, and thus exclude the air, 
without giving any taste of the oil to the cider. 
This plan of preserving cider is worthy of further 
attention. We have faith in it from a knowl¬ 
edge that oil-casks are the best we know of for 
storing cider, imparting no flavor and keeping 
it, sound as bottled cider for years. Sperm oil 
casks are more valuable for cider casks than for 
any other purpose.” 
Knew all About It. 
The Maine Farmer relates pleasantly an in¬ 
cident which recently occurred in the office of 
that paper. A subscriber came in to make pay¬ 
ment for the paper in whose commendation he 
spoke warmly, but pointing to the first page of 
a number lying on the table —the Farmer’s De¬ 
partment— said: “I never read that part, I 
know enough about farming without reading 
that.” Now this man may have been a very 
good practical manager of a farm, or he may 
not, but in cither case he acted unwisely, since 
the best informed are far from being perfect in 
knowledge. Omitting the Agricultural page of 
the Farmer was not a very striking exhibition 
of perfect knowledge. 
Active Manure. 
One of the most active manures, and readily 
within the reach of most farmers, is a mixture 
of leached ashes, plaster, aud night soil mixed 
with fine eoil. Let them be thoroughly worked 
over on a smooth spot, and allowed to stand a 
week before using, working it over every other 
day, and you have a most valuable manure at a 
trifling cost of time. A handful of this mixture 
in a hill is excellent to give corn a start. Pota¬ 
toes and garden vegetables generally feel it very 
quick. Hen manure is an excellent ingredient 
in such manures, but it should be well slacked 
with water before mixing with other substances. 
—Maine Farmei\ 
Poultry Item*. 
Good Hens. — Iu a late number of the 
Country Gentleman a poultry raiser said from 
thirty-five to forty eggs a year was the best ave¬ 
rage he had been able to get from about a dozen 
hens. This brought several champions to their 
feet. One gentleman in Ohio has thirty hens, 
which, iu seven months from January 1st, had 
averaged seventy-one eggs. Another corrcspon- 
best but the cheapest. The first coat of such a J onrnal 
as the Rural — which employs the beet Talent, gives 
many flue and expensive Engravings, and pays extra 
prices for paper, type, printing, etc.,—is eo great that 
we cannot place it, on a par with reprints or other 
papers published oa the cheap plan. 
Instead of making the paper cheaper, in any re¬ 
spect, onr aim Is to Improve It as we advance. And 
we are now perfecting each arrangements *9 will, we 
think, rendi-r the ensuing volume of the Rural 
“Excelsior" in both Contents and Appearance, 
and more Tally and completely manifest that “Pro¬ 
gress and Improvement” which has already given 
this Journal the largest circn'ation ever attained by 
any weekly of its class tn tho w orld. In a word,— 
while the terms ol the Rural remain the same as 
now, onr aim will be to greatly enhance the Interest 
and value of its pages, so that every subscriber may 
receive more than full value for his or her money. 
— The Agents and Friends of the Rural — and no 
journal In the laud has more ardent or generous ones 
—are remtuded that wo mast now, as heretofore, 
depend mainly opou their generous exercise of Influ¬ 
ence to maintain and augment its circulation and 
nsefalnes6. We trust each and all present friends 
will renew ami increase their kiud efforts, and that 
many others will volunteer to recruit for the “Rural 
Brigade." To all disposed to aid the Rural and its 
objects, we shall be glad to send our Show-Bill, 
Prospectus, Inducements, Ac., for 1867. 
-■*.- 
Beep Going Down.— The N. Y. World is jubilant 
over an actual and a prospective decline in the prico 
of beef. A year since the price In that market was 
19 to 2-2 cents per lb. It is now selling at 11 cents, 
with a downward tendency. There is one thing 
attecring the business of the botchers materially, as 
regards prices, but not considered by consumers. 
Till within a few years tallow wus in brisk demand 
for candle making-qulte a consideration In the pur. 
chase of beef cattle; but kerosene has knocked can¬ 
dles ont of eight, cutting off u material support to the 
vender of butchers’ meat, compelling him to charge 
more ior the latter iu order tomake "both ends meet.” 
--- 
Illinois State Ao. Society.—A t tbe recent An¬ 
nual Fair of this Society tho following board of offi¬ 
cers was elected to serve for the two ensuing years: 
President- -A. B, McConnell, Springfield. Vice 
Presidents —II. D. Emerv, Chleaeo-at large; G. W. 
Gnge. Cook coaniy; M. Dean, DcRiUb county; C. ii. 
Roscnstcli. Stephenson county; G. Lee, Mercer coun¬ 
ty; E. 11. Clapp, Peoria county; O. 15. Galosha, Ken¬ 
dall county; Dr. W. Kyle. Edgar county; G. W. Min- 
ler. Tazewell county; J. H. Spears, Meuard county; 
D. D. Shtimway. Christian county; U. Mills, Marlon 
county - 1). 15. Gillman, Mudison county; H. 3. Oz- 
buru, Perry county, Secretary —John P. Reynolds, 
Springfield. 7V«wum'-John W. Bunn, Springfield. 
mimshing the succeeding crop, and impeding dal reason therefor or from fear of expense epooU9 ’ wooden ladles aBd wooden pitch-rorks, dent, had picked up 1,519 eggs, from ten pullets 
the labor of harvesting. faffs to attend the Cleveland meeting does less jaSt “ wcU now ’ 88 to wait for a recommend a- of the white Leghorn variety, from the 1st of 
---- than his duty to himself and his cause at this ^ effeC ‘ , fr °™ ** members of 6ald ** September to the 1st of July this year or 
A GOOD COW. 
Eds. Rural :— I have been in the dairy busi¬ 
ness over thirty years and milk from twenty to 
thirty-five cows a year. I think I know what a 
important juncture. 
We know that many able and distinguished 
wool growers from several of the States will be 
present. We trust the body of the meeting will 
consist of the bone and sinew of the solid, prac- 
good cow is. I will give you a short history of ticftl growers of the United States — men who 
tion to that effect from the members of said 
Club, for they would undoubtly acquiesce many 
measure of this kind, having a tendency to 
bring about the good old-lashioned way in 
which people used to live in the days of “ Auld- 
lang-syne.” n. b. a. 
Alt. Morris, N. Y., Oct., 1866. 
iny.cow, “ Lady Butler.” 8he is now eight, 
years old; never had but two calycA. Hudhor 
lirst calf when she was t wo years old. I called 
her then au extra heifer. I milked her three 
years and one month regularly. The last seven 
months she averaged with my herd of cows. 
Went dry three months; then, when she was six 
years old, had her second calf. That was in 
February, 1865. Through the months of June, 
July and August she averaged 45 lbs. of milk 
per day. It is one year and eight months since 
she had her second calf and she giveB S2 lbs. a 
day without any extra feed. 
“Lady Butler” has been milked five years and 
five months, and been dry only three months in 
that time. I call her a good cow. She is a 
cross of the Sbort-Hom and Hereford breeds. 
Berlin, Rens. Oo., N. Y., Oct., 1866. F. n. 
will listen to, deliberate on, and discuss all 
questions iu a spirit of harmony and candor, 
and who will avoid acrid debates, or unnecessary 
divisions, as well as useless sparrings on minor 
and incidental topics. 
The truth is, if we are wise we do not meet to 
chalk out any new line of action. We have 
nearly won a great victory. Its results, if won, 
HOW 
UNEARTH POTATOES. 
Turn out your potatoes with the plow and 
horseB. It is a much easier and faster way than 
to dig them with hoe or spade. The ground 
should be dry. Drive the horse3 astride the 
row aud run the plow four to six inches to the 
left of the hills and just deep enough to go be- 
shonld satisfy us all. The Wool Tariff of last low the tubers. After plowing use a duug 
winter asked none too much for us, hut asked hauler or garden rake or hoe, to uncover the 
all wc could prudently and reasonably seek for, patatoes. One man and team will plow ont aud 
having due reference to other interests and the uncover as fast as six men can pick up. After 
stability of the law when it should become en- the potatoes arc picked up pass a harrow over 
acted. While we cannot wisely demand more, the ground lengthwise of the furrows and It 
we cannot, without ruinous self-sacrifice accept will uncover a few more. I think I can gather 
last September to the 1st of July this year, or 
151 each lu ten months. Still another, from ten 
Brahmas, has had 738 eggs, or nearly 74 each, 
from March 1st to July 31st, besides raising 
sixty chickens. 
Keeping Fowls.— The Woonsocket Patri¬ 
ot says:—Mr. Albert C. Yase, near Manville, 
pursues what seems to us a reasonable and 
profitable course in keeping fowls. He has en¬ 
closed an acre and a quarter of land with a high 
fence; and in this enclosure be keeps about a 
hundred and fifty hens. He informs ns that 
during nine months of the year these fowls give 
a net profit of two dollars per day, or say 
five hundred dollars per year. Is not this keep¬ 
ing fowls to 6ome purpose? In Mr. Yose’s 
enclosure is a running stream and fruit trees. 
The trees afford shade, •while their fruit-bearing 
is improved by the fowls. 
The Best Layers.— The Canadian Farmer 
says the Black Spanish fowls lay, on an average, 
the largest eggs of any fowls known. The Co- 
Cotto.n Stalk Thread.— An Inventor residing in 
New Orleans has succeeded tn malting the cotton 
stalk available In the production of cotton thread 
and also of cloth. Of the former he has succeeded 
In producing an article of superior quality which can 
be turned into cloth ae serviceable as the ordinary 
products made f/om the cotton itself. The fiber of 
the cotton stalk has a strong resemblance to that of 
flax, which, turned to account in this way, will give 
increased value to the cotton crop. A factory for the 
manufacture of this article is about to be established. 
Witch Grass.—E. W.. in the Maine Farmer, thinks 
it best to stop fighting “witch grasB,” and treat it as 
a friend by letting it grow where it will tn pastures 
aud meadows. The reaeons given why it should be 
spared arc that “it makes the very best of hay; will 
produce a larger crop on poor eoil than moat other 
grasses, and takes up a smaller space in the barn 
than any other hay, as it takes only about two-thirds 
or the bulk for a ton that is required iu any other 
grass." 
-- 
Grain in California.— In 1857 the importations of 
flour into ban Francisco for domestic consumption, 
amounted to fifty thousand barrels. Now the ex¬ 
ports of this art icle, each week, from that port exceed 
the whole importations for the year mentioned. 
What a change ten years have produced in tbe pro¬ 
ductive pow-er of this leading State of the Pacific 
slope! 
-«-»»- ■- 
A Hard Winter Ahead. —The weather-wise an¬ 
nounce a hard winter coming. Reasons; Bee-hives 
are uncommonly well stored with honey; corn is 
supplied with an extra coating of husks; rats migrat 
ing to more genial climes; squirrels laying np extra 
winter stores; deciduous trees anticipating the usual 
season of disrobing; and finally, because — &c. 
---- 
Castor Beans.— The culture of the Castor Beau is 
attracting much attention in California. The Cali- 
ifornia Fanner mentions some parties there who had 
cultivated, the present season, one hundred acres 
devoted to this crop. The Castor Oil business prom¬ 
ises to become prominent among the farmers of the 
Occidental States. 
Drivino Away Rats.— A Connecticut farmer says 
he clears his premises of rats by catching one, dip¬ 
ping it in red paint up to the head, and then letting 
it ran 1 Would it not be an improvement to make the 
immersion complete, when it might be mistaken for 
a weasel, and thus cause a certain hegira of the bal¬ 
ance of the tribe ? 
-.-H-- 
Thh Toulouse Goose.— The N. E. Farmer haB au 
illustration of this variety of the goose family, which 
is pronounced to be superior iu weight to any other. 
They mature elowly, and, unlike others, improve by 
age. The story seems rather tough, whatever the 
goose m»y be. | ^ _ _ 
TnATCHURXTNo Machine.—I saw in the Rural’s 
report of the State Fair that there was on exhibition 
there an arrangement for a churning machine that 
inn wPb a weight of a hundred lbs. or more. I 
we cannot, without ruinous self-sacrifice accept will uncover a few more. I think I can gather the largest eggs of any fowls known, me go- | “‘ oukl Ufee to Kuayr where the inventor lives, and 
less. We take it, indeed, that no one proposes the potatoes with as little loss tbl 3 way us by chins or Brahmas will outnumber them, bnt^the who Ueis.^as ^ira^waiu 
to change the programme of last winter. An the old way of digging with hoes. b. w. a. Spanish will produce the greatest weight of egg | ^ advertise. Please make a statement nr this In 
attempt now to alter the House hill in any essen. Cortland, Ill., Oet., 1666 . meat. your paper, and much oblige—II. P,, T/ierua, 2f. >• 
