V 
four foot, which must suffice under this head: and 
we think every candid reader will he convinced 
that, by this (single operation of lowering the 
water-table, many (soils, hitherto sterile, and con¬ 
sequently much under-rated, may be made into 
useful agricultural laud. We will take together 
the fourth and fifth heads; they will occupy only 
a few sentences. They relate to the depth and 
direction of the drains by which the water-table 
is to be lowered. 
Water can only get into drains by gravity, 
which only acts by descent technically, by lull; 
the fall must las proportioned to the friction 
which the water encounters on its passage. Sup¬ 
pose drains four feet deep to be placed twelve 
yards apart on level land, it. )*- plain that water 
at that depth, lying at the intermediate point be¬ 
tween the two drains, will not get into either of 
them. A fall of some inches will be required to 
enable it to overcome the friction of six yards of 
retentive soil. In order, therefore, to lower the 
water-table to four feet at all points, the drains 
must be some inches deeper than four feet. If 
the land lies on a slope (say four inches to the 
yard,) drains of four feet, if driven on the linn of 
steepest descent, will effect the object; because, 
though water at four feet lying at the intermedi¬ 
ate point between two drains, in a lino at right 
angles to them, cannot for want of full get into 
either of them by traveling six yards; it will find 
a fall of four inches at less than seven, and of 
eight inches at. less than eight yards. If we must 
speak quite correctly, this intermediate water 
will never get into the drain till there is a fresh 
supply; it will descend perpendicularly, pushing 
out that which lies below if, and w ill beitsell dis¬ 
placed by a fresh arrival from the heavens. Jn 
order that the whole soil, if homogeneous, or 
nearly so, may be drained evenly, it is manifest 
that the drains must be parallel. Kxtra friction 
in the soil must be met either by making the 
drains deeper, or by placing them nearer. On 
this point, which is one ol practice rather than of 
principle, each case must be left to the sagacity 
of the operator. We doubt whether in any 
natural soil Ihe friction is so great as to resist a 
fall of one inch in u yard. If we are right in 
this point, we should always attain the object of 
lowering the water-table to four loot by four feet 
six inch drains, parallel, and twelve yards apart. 
We have already stated one advantage which 
results on a slope from driving the parallel drains 
in the line of steepest descent: to wit, that when 
they arc so driven, all water whieh lies at the 
same depth from the surface as the bottom of the 
drains, cun find a fall into one or the other by 
traveling a little more limn half the distance be 
tween them; whereas, if the drains are driven in 
a Hue of the slope, half the water so situated as 
to depth can only find a fall into Ihe lower drain, 
and in order to reach it must travel distances 
varying from one-half to the full interval between 
the two. Smith, of Doanston, stated one. reason 
for the steep course, namely, that on slopes alter¬ 
nate horizontal beds of porous and leiitentive 
soil frequently cropped out; that the water issuing 
from the lower edge of the porous runs over the 
surface of the retentive; Unit a drain driven 
across tin' slope in the retentive leaves this issue 
untouched; whereas a drain driven in the line ot 
the slope cuts every one of these horizontal beds, 
draws the water to the depth of the drain out ol 
the porous, and stops the overflow. Some one 
Comes forward, and says,—“ 1 have seen a case 
where the alternate beds are parallel, uot over- 
lying, perpendicular, not horizontal, and lie in 
the line of the slope. There your rule will not 
apply.” Quite true! hut Smith's case frequently 
occurs, and is worthy of a general observation. 
Yours is very rare, and is not. You must deal 
with it according to your ingenuity. Hut per¬ 
haps the greatest recommendation of the Bleep 
drain is that the water gets so freely out of it: 
it is no sooner in the drain than you arc rid of it; 
whereas in Ihe horizontal drain it lingers, lying 
against the lower side, oozing through the land 
and inviting attraction. In very steep lands, the 
general direction of the natural eracks is across 
the line of slope, fin- the same reasons of gravity 
as in land-slips, breaks in embankments, and 
other similar cases. Many valleys seem to have 
obtained their present form by a succession of 
little land-slips, which are still in progress whore 
a stream is washing away the foot. In such cases 
the steep drain cuts thronglyill the cracks, and 
relieves them of their water. 
GLEANINGS IN READING. 
To Prevent Houses Drooling. — Samuel 
B. Turner, of Quincy, Illinois, feeds his teams 
burdock leaves with oats, lo prevent this unpleas¬ 
ant condition of the horse's mouth. 
The Peach Bober.- If tobacco stems can be 
procured, a few' of them put at the base of the 
tree in the spring will prevent the borer harming 
the tree. Ashes and hog manure are said to be 
equally efficient. 
Small Sheep vs. Large Ones. — Robert 
George, of Jefferson Co., Ohio, says:—“If it 
can be ascertained that an acre of grass land will 
produce a greater number of pounds of mutton 
in carcasses of from 1* to 20 pounds per quarter, 
than in carcasses from 30 to 40 pounds, then 
everyone must admit that the advantages arc on 
the side of t he smaller sheep. The reason of this 
is obvious. In times of drouth and scarcity a 
small animal will collect for itself as much food 
as a larger one; and having a small carcass it may 
sustain itself: and, if equally well developed, may 
even improve, while the larger animul is Hally 
losing condition. And when the period arrives 
at which an abundance of food may be obtained, 
the smaller animal is in advance of the larger, 
and will soon be fit for market” 
Coal Ashes for Pigs. - The famous J. J. 
Mkuhi. of Tiptroe Ball, England, relating his 
experience in fatten! tig swine, says he has learned 
the fact that pigs are very fond of coal ashes or 
cinders, and that you can hardly fatten pigs 
properly on boarded floors without giving them 
a moderate supply daily, or occasionally. In the 
absence of coal ashes, clay or brick dust is a good 
substitute. He says:—“If yon do not supply 
ashes, they will gnaw or eat the brick walls of 
their sheds. It is notorious that coal dealers, 
where pigs have access to the coals, are success¬ 
ful pig feeders. Those who find that their pigs, 
when shut up. do not progress favorably, will do 
well to try the plan. A neighbor of mine found 
that a sco it: of fat pigs consumed a basket of 
burned clay ashes daily.” 
-- 
HOW TO MAKE WIRE FENCE. 
Wire Fences are extensively used on the 
prairies of this State, and are, when substantially 
and properly made, better,all things considered, 
than any other fence, the Osage Orange Hedge 
excepted. As they are sometimes made, they 
are the most miserable and unsightly of all 
fences. They would be invaluable by the road¬ 
side in a country subject to drifting snows, and 
I am at a loss to know why they are not more 
generally used in such places. 
The main essentials to a good fence are strong 
and durable posts, well set in the ground, on 
which to strain the w ires, and w ire not Jess than 
No. 8 and annealed by heating (o a red heat, and 
allowed to cool gradually. The wire usually 
sold as annealed wire is generally not sufficiently 
annealed to render it tough and limber. The 
posts should be the size of ordinary fence posts 
for board fence, and eight feet apart—ten lent 
will do where posts are scarce. The straining 
posts should be set an angle of 30 deg., and well 
braced to prevent pulling out. II set perpen¬ 
dicularly, the brace inclines to draw them out of 
the ground. The top wire need be no more than 
four feet from the ground, as no animal will 
attempt to jump over. 
A good way to fix the rollers for straining is to 
set two posts two inches apart, or make mortices 
through one large post—one for each wire; bore 
a two-inch hole through the posts, or through the 
mortices in the large posts. A good way to fix 
the si raining apparatus is to set a large post, in 
which a mortice two by four for each wire has 
been made; bore two-inch holes through the 
post at right angles with the mortice, and pass¬ 
ing through the center of the mortice. With a 
chisel square the auger hole on one side ol the 
post to the depth "I one inch, make pins ol hard 
timber to fit snug into the post, ami leave one 
end square, to lake on an iron wrench with 
a handle two feet long; bore a gimlet hole in the 
pin to insert the end of the wire, put on the 
wrench and turn up till the wire is sufficiently 
tight, and with an axe drive the square part of 
the pin into the square part of the auger hole, 
Which will hold it. securely. The wires need not 
be strained very tight, nor need they he loosened 
in cold weather. It is better to lasted the wires 
with staples than to put them through the fence, 
as they are then in a good condition to rust, amt 
the splicing, unless very neatly done, will not 
pags through the post unless large holes are 
bored. S. W. Arnold. 
Fruit Hill, III., 181)3. 
-- 
SHALL WE WASH OUR SHEEPi 
Mu. Moore:— I was pleased to see an article 
on this all important subject, as I think it, is now. 
I contend that, it is not profitable to the farmer 
nor to the wool agent to wash sheep, as the agent 
pays nearly as much for some wool that has the 
name of being washed, as be would for unwashed. 
I know lots of unwashed wool that were sold the 
past season tor nearly tut much as wool that was 
washed clean -some unwashed that sold five 
cents less than mine that was washed, i sent 
some fleeces to market unwashed and they de¬ 
ducted one-third. This is not fair, for 1 have 
tested my sheep and it loses only one-fifth. They 
are the French Merino, (are housed for six 
months in the year,) and as most sheep are wash¬ 
ed they do not lose that. The trouble ami ex 
ponse is very much. I lost two ewes last year, 
that were worth more than the difference receiv¬ 
ed between wool washed and unwashed. 
1 want you to call a Convention of the Wool 
Growers of this State as soon as the loth ol' March, 
to take this matter into consideration. I say let 
no more sheep bo washed. Then we can shear 
early, turn them in briars and bushes and the 
wool will not b« lorn off, and get. a good fleece for 
winter. Many of us have from two to four miles 
to drive to wash. The sheep get very warm, and 
the men, too, and then they have to be put in 
cold water. This cannot be very healthy for the 
sheep. Then the sheep are driven home over a 
dusty road, and are heavy with dust. They are 
very often turned upon plowed ground and not 
sheared until two weeks after washing, and by this 
time the oil conies back into the wool, so that there 
is. in many eases, but little difference in the weight, 
of the fleeces- This is, 1 believe, a true statement 
of the system of washing. Now I think if ail, or 
the majority of the wool growers, did n wash 
their sheep, we could get what our wool i worth. 
As it is now we cannot, as thcmamifactiirernniB* 
have one-third off'. This I cannot afford, mid if 
there is nothing dune in this matter before spring 
I shall have to drive my sheep two miles in order 
to get water, and llieu drive them back through 
the dust home. 1 hope this matter will be brought 
out. in full; 1 want to hear something from you as 
J know you are a friend to sheep raising in this 
State. Geo. Snyder. 
Rhincbeok, N. Y. 1S63. 
RURAL EXPERIENCE-No. VII. 
NEIGHBORS. 
It is a good thing to have good neir/hbors; 
another equally as good is to know how to be a 
good neighbor. From both experience and ob¬ 
servation we will suggest a few ideas l'or tho 
benefit of all interested. 
Neighbor's quarrels usually commence, like all 
quarrels, viz., from some trivial affair: therefore, 
it is prudent to keep an eye open for “ small mat¬ 
ters.” First—Look well to the “line fences,” and 
if not “ bunlcum ,” make them so, and ask neigh¬ 
bor A ('in a very friendly manner) if be will 
not go and do likewise, as you do not want your 
stock eating up his crops (and you may think, but 
(lonH say, “vice versa.") Secondly—Never turn 
anything in the high way to pasture; and if you 
keep chickens, ducks, geese, and liUle pigs or big 
pigs, no. for the sake of peace, keep them on your 
own premises. Thirdly- If you are obliged to 
borrow anything, return, it as soon as you are 
through using it, and as clean and sound as when 
you got it. If you borrow grain. Hour, or gro¬ 
ceries, return as good, and good measure well 
pressed down and heaped up; but I repeat, avoid 
borrowing if you can possibly get along without 
Fourthly—If you borrow you must expect to 
lend. Most, people have some things that they do 
not like to lend; for instance, the Rural, books 
and horses, Ac., but remember this, never refuse, 
anything you wish boborro to; and when obliged 
to refuse, do it kindly. Fifthly—"When you buy 
or sell , do so on the Cash System. If you cannot, 
let each party keep a hook and put down both 
debtor and credit and let no account run longer 
than the 31,-t day of December. This will avoid 
many lawsuits. And here let us say, avoid feed¬ 
ing, clothing, and filling the purses, every way 
possible, of that numerous class called lawyers. 
Sixthly—Remember the truthful saying, “ If a 
man wants/yfends he must show himselffriendly. 1 ' 
Be ready and willing to assist vonr neighbor to 
(lo such small jobs as takes two or three to do, 
and he will help you in return. (We find it very 
convenient, these “war times,” to exchange work 
when money will not hire laborers,) Jlelp those 
in trouble; be ready to assist tho sick and 
afflicted, feed aud clothe the poor; help educate 
those that are willing to learn; in short, show 
yoursclt neighborly and you will be happier, 
make those around you happier, and the world 
be better for your living in it Observation. 
Near Brewerton, Onondaga Co., N. Y., Feb., 1863. 
® Itc gjeC'^CjCpfr. 
Driving Bees, 
In the Rural of Dec. 13th, I see that some 
one in the California Farmer reports an experi¬ 
ment in driving bees from their combs with 
water. The hive was inverted, and set in a tub, 
which was gradually filled with water, flic bees 
retreating upward tp avoid It. Now, lest some 
reader may think this the best method of any to 
get rid of the bees, I will mention a few objec¬ 
tions. Notwithstanding tho statement that “ the 
whole operation occupied but a lew minutes,” it 
is not so quickly done as by driving in the usual 
way- by rapping on Dio hive. I have tried both 
methods. It may be that “scarcely any bees 
were lost,” yet there is usually much danger of 
losing them. Suppose the colony a strong one; 
the I ices being without experience in such ope¬ 
rations, all those above the water would uot be 
apt to move till they discovered some necessity for 
iU The drowning ones might not know which 
way to flee from the accumulating moisture; if 
unable to get among the dry ones, they must 
perish. However slow the water is poured in, 
there must be loss, unless the bees were so few 
that every one could leave without any other one 
to interfere with it. That “the combs soon be¬ 
come dry, and the honey in no way injured,” 
may he possible, but not very probable. If it 
will do in California, it will not do here. Wot 
combs in this country will notdry unless exposed 
to the open air, when they are liable to melt in 
t he sun, and liable to be robbed by ihe bees. To 
put them away wet. they are sure to mould, sour, 
and spoil both honey and wax. To strain the 
honey wet, it will he thin, and in warm weather 
will ferment and sour. A great many cells that 
are empty will fill up with water entirely: these 
can hardly be dried any way; to save such, they 
should be rendered In to wax almost immediately, 
which is not. always convenient. 
1 am in the habit of driving bees throughout 
the warm season, averaging two or three swarms 
a week. L would not, have them go through the 
process of wetting if done for nothing, and a 
good price paid, in addition, for the privilege. 
The old way is best. A little practice will facili¬ 
tate even this operation very much. All my 
condemned colonies that are suffocated In the 
lull are first, driven out. It is much less trouble 
than to get the bees out from the honey when 
killed among the combs. M. Qdinby. 
Bt. Johnsville, N. Y., Feb., 1863. 
Bees and Brimstone. 
Kidder’s Guide to Apiarian Science says:— 
“ Thousands of bees every year are consigned to 
the sulphur pit; if bee-keepers did but know 
what ft barbarous practice this is, ] think they 
would abandon it. Let us reason for a moment. 
What would we think of a man who should give 
his cow a dose of brimstone to get a little mil... 
or to his liens to get a few eggs? Tet millions >f 
industrious honey bees are thus destroyed every 
season for the sake of a few pounds of sulplmr- 
scented honey. If the bees have boon profitable 
to us one season, why not let them bo so the 
next? It takes only a few' pounds of honey to 
winter a swarm, usually a pound of honey to a 
thousand bees, when having proper accommo¬ 
dations.” 
Golden Rule for Bee-Keeperb. 
Langstroth, in his work on the llive and 
Honey Fee, concludes a chapter thus pertinent¬ 
ly:—The essence of all profitable bee-keeping is 
contained in Oettl’B Golden Rule:— KEEP your 
stocks strong. If you cannot succeed in doing 
this, tli' 1 more money you invest in bees, the 
heavier will be your losses; while, if your stocks 
are strong, you will show that you are a bee- 
master, as well as a bee-keeper, and may safely 
calculate on generous returns from your indus¬ 
trious subjects. 
Rural Spirit of ti)c f)rcss. 
Will Blood Sheep PayT 
A write r in the Wisconsin Farmer thus gives 
his experience: 
Five years ago next October, we purchased of 
Ebon Porter, of West Rutland. Vt.. 63 full blood 
Spanish Merino ewes, bred by himself; since we 
came in possession of them, we have used Mr. 
Hemonway’s stock buck “Matchless,” and his 
stock to the “ Robinson Rich.” We have sold 
from that Block over $1,000 worth of sheep, and 
have on hand a flock of 100, twenty of whieh are 
the original ewes. They average 6 pounds ; the 
increase, 80 ewes, (having lambs,) averaged 7J 
pounds ; 30 yearling ewes averaged 7 pounds 8 
ounces, all clean washed wool; 10 bucks, 7 of 
which are yearlings, averaged 12 pounds: 20 weth¬ 
ers averaged <i pounds, making an aggregate of I,- 
047i pounds of wool from 130 sheep, or an aver¬ 
age of a fraction ever 8 pounds per bead, in 
conclusion, 1 will say that the cost of keeping 
the above flock is no more than on® that shears 
two-thirds the amount per head. Hence I am 
compelled to think that Blood pays. 
How Long should Cows go Dry 1 
In answer to this query the Boston Chdliva- 
remarks: 
When cows are kept for the manufacture of but¬ 
ter and cheese it is not desired to have much rnilk 
in cold weather, as neither butter nor cheese can 
generally be made to advantage on a large 
scale except under a mild temperature. Hence 
the object is to have all the cows “come in” 
near Ihe commencement of the butter or cbeese- 
making season, and they are usually dried up at 
its close, or at the recurrence of cold weather. 
By this course the cows do not require so high 
feeding as they would do if milked longer. 
Good hay, in connection with proper shelter and 
care, w ill be sufficient to sustain them in fair 
condition. Their constitutions Mill not be im¬ 
paired. their calves wiil be born strong and 
healthy, ami all the essential requisites of a 
thrifty and profitable stock secured. 
We might say. then, that where it is intended 
to rear stock, and the keeping of the cows is 
not superior to any good hay in winter, and grass 
in summer, both the cows and their progeny will 
do bettor to go dry not less than two months. 
anti Answer$. 
New ast) Goon Churn.—I' lcnse permit tne, in answer 
to an inquiry in u recent number of your paper, to make 
the following italemcnt for the benefit of “ A Subscriber,” 
nnrl others wbu may be in teres led. Some lime the latter 
part of last season, Mr. J. Hm.vKltltUoi'i' came to rny bouse 
and requested me to teat a elmra that be had invented, in 
comparison with my dash churn. I did so in tho follow 
lug manner and with the following result*:—I first stirred 
the cream thoroughly, then put equal part* Into each 
churn, and tempered it alike in both churns with a Thor 
niomet.er, bringing' it to 62*. Mr. Brink riiiiorrn churn 
was seven minutes finishing its work, and mine wm thirty- 
eight minutes. On taking; the butter from the chums and 
comparing it, that made in bin churn wait tho hardest and 
bout, and what surprised mo most wa* it. weighed half n 
pound the most on ton pounds. I requested Mr. Hm 
KUttoKK to come again as I wished to make a more careful 
test of his churn. He did so. 1 then put the cream Into 
my dash churn and heat it with the dasher about two min¬ 
utes. 1 then divided it a* equal a* I could and weighed it 
and made it alike in each churn to an ounce, tempering it 
with u thermometer, bringing it this time lo 60" in each 
churn, ltis churn was nine minutes finishing its work 
tins time, and mine was forty five minutes, with the same 
result as to quantity and quality as before. His churn Is 
easier cleaned than the dash churn, and I should judge 
very durable; audit requires h-ss labor to use it than to 
use the dash churn the same length of time 
From the above statement of trials—which were care 
fully made—Subscriber and others can judge of the mer¬ 
it* of Mr. HaiNKBUHOFF’a churn for themselves.—W m. J. 
N. Sin cAim, Nile*, Cayuga Vo., N. Y 
- Since the above was received wo have had an oppor¬ 
tunity of examining the Hrinkkkiiokk Churn, ami think 
it a valuable invention, comprising some novel feature*. 
If we mistake not it will prove the long-sought desidera 
turn among butter makers. We shall embrace the first 
opportunity to test its operation, and propose to illustrate 
and describe the ehum in a future number. Meantime, 
we refer those interested to Mr. H.’s advertisement in this 
paper.—E d. It. N. Y. 
XVufTKRJttfi Carrots is tiik Ground.—I n the Rural 
of Feb, 14th, a correspondent inquires if “carrots will 
keep as well as parsnips in tho ground during the winter 
As I have had u little dear bought experience In this mat¬ 
ter, I will slate it for the benefit of others. In the sum 
jner of 1860 I cultivated about twelvo square rods of car 
rots with much care. They wore a tine crop, of good size 
and length, hut were unfortunately frozen in before I could 
gather them in the fall, l however fiattered myself that, 
like parsnips, they would keep in tiie ground safely 
through the winter, hut spring dissipated tills delusion 
An examination proved the loss of nearly the entire crop. 
All were rotted, except a few, perhaps a bushel, which 
were covered by snow hauks near the fence. I shall leave 
no more carrots in the ground during the winter.—IX Big¬ 
elow, iMkeviUt, ,Y. F., Feb.. 1863. 
Fisa Ponds—J’ latncni.TCKK.—For the benefit of those 
who contemplate tin- luxury of a fish pond, as well a# to 
direct the attention of farmers generally to this important 
subject, will you, or some of your able corps of scientific 
and practical contributors, or reader- who are willing, pro 
bOno publico, to become correspondents, Write an article 
on lie best method of constructing a fish pond, the vari¬ 
eties of fish that may be introduced'therein, and on pisci 
culture' in our Immediate neighborhood there an* at 
least a half dozen farms where fine fish ponds might be 
made and fed with pure spring water. It is strange to me 
that attention lias not been turned to this subject, at once 
a luxury and a source of profit, — Mrs. L. A. It , hn Fay 
die, Ind,., Feb. 16, 1803. 
Several of our readers have fish pouds and understand 
pisciculture, They art* the proper persons to answer the 
above inquiry. What sav Messrs. Ainsworth, of Hloom- 
tleld, Faux, of Bennett, and others who have had experi¬ 
ence in making and stocking ponds, and breeding and 
laming trout, etc. ? 
Bxakdlkbs and Winter Barley.— 1 wish to inquire 
through yunr Krnvr. where I may find the beardless bar 
Joy. Io there any in your city V 1 have examined all the 
Advertisements of seed* that I can lind in New lock aud 
Rochester papers, hut get no knowledge, of it. Such a-, 
have it would do well to advertise Also the Winter Bar¬ 
ley. the kind of soil bext adapted to it, and whether it will 
do Well in this latitude, (8onr.li western New York.) Please 
give the price* of both kinds delivered at U R in sacks or 
barrels. Fearing 1 may ask too much 1 am—II. A. Whit- 
tkmork, Chautauqua Co. 
None of our seedmen have the Beardless Barley on sale. 
Who has ? And who will answer about "Winter Barley? 
Remedy for Scratches ik TIorsks. —Please tell Mr 
Howard that if he will wash the legs of his horse with 
strong vinegar a few days it will enre the auimal of the 
scratches Use it twice a day — Edocomb, Lima, Ind. 
Another Itemedy. -I read in my Rural that. Howard 
has a horse whose legs are swelled as large as a stove pipe. 
J don’t know how large his store pipe is—probably about 
the size of a tree; if it is no larger, I will send him a recipe 
that will cure him Take one ox. bine vitriol, one oz. of 
white vitriol, one oz. copperas; put in one. pint, of cider 
vinegar, aud shake well together. Two applications will 
generally effect a cure. It i* also good for sprains. It is 
death on fever in horse flesh.—S, Flu hour, Clarence, 
Eric. Co., A’. F, 1863. 
Flax Breaking Maciiink Wanted.— Permit me thro’ 
your columns to inquire of yourselves or some of your nu¬ 
merous readers where I can obtain a Flax dressing ma¬ 
chine, what would he the probable expense, about how 
many horse power, and how much it will dress in twelve 
honr«, &c. Will you please give a little general informa¬ 
tion, not for in.* especial benefit, but to farmer* nnd me¬ 
chanics generally V The indications of the times are that 
we have got to do more of onr own manufacturing, and 
the matter demands onr immediate attention.—W. Ik, 
!idf<ist, A’- Y 
Wo propose to give considerable information on flax- 
culture and machinery during the ensuing few months, 
and hereby invite contributions on the subject. Let ns 
know about new machinery, factories, etc., and also as to 
processes of manufacturing. We also invite experienced . 
flax growers to give us the best modes of culture. 
Flax Factories — Can yon inform me where there isa 
flax factory now running, on the new plan of breaking the 
flax witlioni rotting? Geo. L. Gran dal, Pitcher, Che 
nan go Co., N. Y. 
There is no such factory yet in operation, hereabouts, to 
our knowledge, though they are proposed. We shall lie 
glad to give fuels relative to any elsewhere, when com mu¬ 
ni rated. 
Rural Notes anb Stems. 
OCR Free List. —We arc in constant receipt of request* 
to send the Rural free to the reading rooms of Colleges, 
Academies, &c., and to various religions and benevolent 
institutions, it would give us pleasure to comply, in most 
ease*, if able to indulge in the luxury, but we cannot af¬ 
ford to increase our free list during the prevalence of the 
“paper famine’’—especially with a prospect of losing 
money the present year, although our circulation is larger 
than it was last. We are sending free copies to many 
Army Hospitals, Soldiers’ reading rooms, etc.,—but re 
spectrally submit that young men who can aflbrd to attend 
College are better able to pay for their reading than pub¬ 
lishers are to furnish It gratis And yet wo dislike to say 
na.v to such urgent- and complimentary requests as we are 
receiving. For example, a professor In « prominent Col¬ 
lege asks us to send the Kola I. gratis, and adds;—“As a 
family paper, for t|ic accuracy and variety of it* inlUrma 
tion. and for Its decided moral tone, I should he glad to 
have bur student* read it. From the catalogue 1 send you, 
you will see that a large proportion of our students are 
from the West, and not a few from your owu State. In 
my judgment it woflld he a good advertisement of ‘The 
Rural.’ Should you esteem it for your interest, *> well as 
a favor to us, to send it, we shall be under great obliga¬ 
tions.” In reply to such aud all similar appeals, would 
say that the best we can do is to furnish the reading rooms 
of educational, religious and benevolent institution* (ex- 
eept Army Hospitals, etc., to which we send free,) at our 
lowest club rate—$1,60 per yearly copy—at whieh price 
we can make no profit until the co t. of paper, etc , is re 
tlueed For the information of others interested would 
add that our Free ana Exchange I.id actually rods ut over 
Fifteen Hundred Jhdtars per annum —a cogent reason why 
we must decline many request* for its enlargement. 
Ji inols Stack Fair — Trial of Imclkmknts.—T he 
Illinois State Agricultural Society has located its Fair for 
1803 ;»t. Decatur, to commence the 28th day ot September, 
uid continue during the week. The Board at it* meeting 
the past, week, have, in accordance with a regulation pre 
viously adopted, provided for a trial of implement* for 
farm culture, to he held the week previous to the Fair at 
Decatur—commencing the 13*1 of September The im 
pletnont* to be tested include sod, stubble, gang, trench, 
subsoil, single, double and treble shovel plows, one and 
two home cultivators, combined drillt* and cultivators, liar 
rows, drills, rollers, broadcast sowers, and corn cutting 
and shocking machine*. This trial is to he superintended 
by Ex-President Wkiintick, and the arrangements made 
under tin* supervision of the Board. The premiums to 
he awarded are the Society’s best Gold ami Silver Medals. 
The* object "f malting tin* trial at this time aud place, is 
that the awards may be made, aud the insignia Of merit 
attached to the successful implements during the fair the 
following week.—C. D. B., Chicago, Feb. 21, ’63. 
American Institute. —At the annual election, hold in 
New York on the 12th just., the following Board of Officers 
was chosen Premlent —William Hall. Vice 1‘resi 
dents —Dudley B Gregory, Edward Walker, Sylvester It 
Comstock. lice. Secretary—Thus Mc-KlntUi. Cor (Secre¬ 
tary—Ja\m TOrry. Treasure)'— Benedict Lewis, Jr Ft 
nance Committa —Tho* M Adnanee, Jno, M Read, Wm 
8. Slocum, Thos. Williams, Jr., Geo. Peyton. Twenty- 
four Managers were also elected, and Committees on 
Library, Agriculture, Manufactures, Science and Art, 
Commerce, Admission of Members, Correspondence and 
Repository. 
—— -- - ■ 
Main* Board of Agriculture.— The Maine Board 
of Agriculture, consisting of one delegate from each 
county, at its late meeting tu Augusta, made choice of the 
following officers for 1803: (‘resident —lion. Samuel F. 
PerLKY, of Cumberland. Vice President — Samuel Was 
eon, of Hancock. Secretary —Htojihon I,. Goodale, of 
York. Messenger —James i. Martin, of Danville. 
Union Ag. Souibty of Wilson, Porter and Nkwfane. 
—On the 3d inst. a number of citizens interested in the 
matter met at this place, (Wilson, Niagara Co., N. Y.,) 
pursuant to previous arrangement, and organized the 
“ Union Agricultural Society of Wilson, Porter and New 
fane.” Till* Society was organized under, and according 
to tiie general law of this State “to jiroraoto the forming 
of Agricultural and Horticultural Societies,” aud we in¬ 
tend to make it one of the permanent and progressive in¬ 
stitutions of the country. In it* action it is not proposed 
to make it a rival of any other Society, hut au auxiliary— 
doing everything In it* power to promote and reword ex¬ 
cellency in every department of Agriculture, Horticulture 
and the Mechanic and Fine Arts. Tiie officers for the 
present year ore - President —Gko, L. Moatk, East Por¬ 
ter. Pity presidents —James Van Horn, Ntwfane; Alex 
anger Pettit , ‘Wilson. Secirtary —Ezra S. Holmes, Wilson. 
Treasurer —Benjamin 1 iearhorn, W ilsou Directors—Kan . 
8. Holden, Youngstown; Bamahus Warren, CoomCr; Isaac U 
N. Sawyer, Ransomvilie; Jabex S. Woodard, lies* Road; ^ 
A. G. Skinner, Youngstown; Reuben V Wilson, Wilson, 
Benjamin Farley, East Wilson; Helon II. Timothy, Ran L. 
sum vilie; Charles MeCluc, Newfaue.—Yours truly, E. S. A 
Uolmicx, Wilson, N- Y; Fd>. 19, 1863. L , 
— ■ ■»■ \ 
“Sweet Potato Culture. ” — Under this head I gave, fl,. 
recently, tiie statement of S. W. Arnold, of the product W 
of an acre and a half of ground. I find that my notes read yM 
a half acre, which Mr. A. informs me is the amount of 
land from which the crop was taken.—0. D. B. 
