5 lbs. of wool, and one-half the flock a lamb, or 
one lamb 1o two sheep, which is worth $1.50. We 
have then the produce of 7 sheep $14,00; value 
of lambs $5 25; total for use of sheep $19.25. 
Use of cow $44.00; use of sheep $19.26; balance 
in favor of cow, $24.75. 
But it will cost for extra labor in preparing the 
products of the cow for market. Granted, and 
we will allow that it costs $5 00, a liberal allow¬ 
ance. Then we state the account thus:—Bulunce 
in favor ol cow $24.75; deduct for extra labor 
over sheep $5.00; and still we have a profit of 
$19.75 over the sheep, equal to their whole pro¬ 
duct. Will somebody tell me where I have 
made a mistake?— t. c. r. 
in his Report to the Linen and Hempen Board 
in 1817, gives the average quantity per acre, in 
Ireland, at 500 pounds. If your readers will ex¬ 
amine the Reports of our Agricultural Societies, 
for the last thirty years, and add to these reporl - 
twenty-five per cent for the difference between 
dew-rotted and water-rotted flax, it would give 
at least fifty per cent, in our favor in tbe growth 
of flax. So much for my first proposition. My 
second in your next. N. Goodsell. 
New Haven, Oswego Co., N. Y., 1863. 
no method of determining the difference in labor 
from that of the wooden floats ; but it being an 
experiment, I imagined tbe labor was much less, 
and that the butter was more thoroughly separ¬ 
ated from the butter-milk. After churning 
several times with this wire float, I laid it aside 
and re-placed the wooden wheel. Why was 
this ? Aye ! there’s the kink in the rope. The 
butter stuck to the wire cloth like a rebel to his 
nigger. 
To an amateur I should advise the experiment 
The cost is but a trifle. The wire cloth itself will 
make no splashing, and may lie used in any 
churn that beats the cream. Let tbo frame cleave 
the cream and then he can see how butter is 
made. Any cloth from 12 to 20 will answer, only 
the coarser the more rapid will be the turns. 
Albany, N. Y 
have raised on a field seeded for the first 
with but six pounds to the acre. I do not d 
to sow more than eight pounds to the 
Clover does not heave out on our lands; its j 
est enemies are the June and Blue grasses. 
Make H. R. 
Concord, Jackson Co., Mich., March, 1863. 
N. Y. Static Fair for 1863.—Utica has 
designated as the place in which the N. Y 
Society will hold their next exhibition — time 
Ohio Wooi. Growers’ Convention.— Tbe wool grow, 
ers of Ohio are to hold a Convention in Cleveland on the 
15th lust., for mutual consultation upon the propriety of 
concerted action on the question of Sheading Sheep With 
out H ashing, and to adopt a self protective policy to 
secure uniformity in the contracting and 6elling of wool, 
in the present condition of the wool market. 
BRIEF CORRESPONDENCE, 
Removing Rocks.— An article from 41 G. P.” 
under this head in the Rural of Jan. 13, is prac¬ 
tical and very good, but I have a much cheaper 
way of disposing of rocks by sinking them in the 
earth. Dig by the side of the rock a bole large 
enough and deep enough to receive the stone and 
put it below the plow. When you have dug to 
the lower ride of the rock, place a prop against 
it and the bank so as to hold it firm, and then dig 
under it a short distance to ascertain its size, then 
shape the hole to receive it. When all is ready take 
out the tools and pull out the prop and if the 
rock docs not drop, a pry on the opposite side will 
soon drop it, then cover if,Yiver. It requires much 
less hard work to let a rock down, then to raise 
GRUBS IN THE HEADS OF SHEEP. 
Tobacco Salks in Kentucky - . — The Louisville Jour - 
vai says that tobacco is coining forward in quantities 
unprecedentedly targe—the sales at four warehouses in 
that city since Nov. 3, amounting to 14,610 hogsheads, and 
enthusiastic people anticipate the arrival of enough 
more to make the sales of the season aggregate 20,000 
hogsheads. 
ABOUT FLAX.-NO. II, 
March, 1803. 
A. 08BOKN. 
Ens. Rural New-Yorker:— In my commu¬ 
nication to you I proposed to substantiate certain 
propositions there laid down, with regard to the 
cultivation and manufacture of Flax in the 
United States. 
As I have not been a contributor to your pa¬ 
per, and unknown to most of the readers of your 
journal, and in pursuing the objects proposed 
shall advance positions founded on my own ob¬ 
servations, many muy wish to know what oppor¬ 
tunities I have had for making such observations, 
or whether I have borrowed my ideas from 
books, without the advantage of a practical edu¬ 
cation. I was born in the State of Connecticut, 
and my father was what was called in those days 
a substantial farmer, who kept his youngest son, 
myself, at home, in order to make a farmer of me. 
In the year 1800 he purchased a farm in Western 
New York, and the winter following moved on 
to it. Among crops cultivated by my father on 
his farm, he was careful to sow flax enough for 
the use of the family and some for sale. I have 
at this time distinct recollection of the crop of 
three acres, raised by him in 1797. which pro- 
ABOUT FLAX CULTURE, 
Bainbridgb Town Ag. Societt.—T h< 
of officers has been elected for 1863:—Pr 
Ireland, Vice-President— John Banks. 
T.eamrer— Joseph Juliftnd, 2d. Marwg 
Johnson, Jerome B. Sands. 
1 ite Lave Epizootic of 1862.—In your paper 
of March 23th, there is a sort of review of Mr. 
Randall’s article in the Country Gentleman 
on the “Lamb Epizootic of 1862,” by Daniel 
Kelly, Jr., of Wheaton, Illinois. Unfortu¬ 
nately, Mr. K. sets out misunderstanding what 
particular disease Mr. Randall described, and 
obviously under the impression that he described 
goitre or swelled neck, which, it seems, is termed 
“diphtheria” ill ‘‘the West,” though (here is no 
analogy between the two diseases. Mr. Ran- 
I’ai.l, in describing the epizootic of 1862, alludes 
to swelled neck, and, if 1 remember right, says it 
accompanied the epizootic in an occasional in¬ 
stance, but expressly declares that generally it 
did not,; and he regarded it as a wholly inde¬ 
pendent malady. Huviug given the world a 
“ sura cure ” for goitre, suppose Mr. Keui.y now 
turns his attention to the epizootic of 1862?— 
S. A. G., A'e w York, March 29, 1863. 
New Quarter —Bach Numbers .—Agents and others in- 
forested are reminded that the second quarter of this vol¬ 
ume begins with present issue. See notice on next. page. 
As our edition of hack numbers of this volume is nearly 
exhausted, we do not furnish them unless specially ordered. 
We now have no more than we wish to save for binding. 
Agents or others having extra copies of No’s 1, 2, 3 and 4, 
or either of them, will oblige us by returning the same. 
aurt 
Ilel P "ill Oblige vovuml of the m»*Jers of vour 
pnper by giving the remedy This Is onlv mv second 
year of reading the Rural, hut it will not be mv last I 
ha'e tent the last volum- to he hound, for l'think it 
worthy of many perusals.— Morgan, Fiat Hill , Wame 
County, N. Y. 3 
When sheep are allowed to get poor, and are suddenly* 
raised in condition by better feed, they are s ery apt to shed 
their fleeces. When this commences there is no way to 
arrest it. But this shedding is not, as we understand it, 
usually attended by sufficient irritation of theskin to cause 
much “digging mid bltiug'' of themselves. When the 
latter symptom appears, we should look carefully to the 
condition of the skin to see If it exhibits any soreness, and 
particularly any thing resembling scab. If not, local and 
incidental circumstances should he investigated. It is 
barely possible that a too free use of sulphur lias produced 
it We understand that this substance, though valuable 
itself as a cure for several cutaneous diseases, occasions a 
specific eruption on a healthy skin, if frequently admin¬ 
istered. 
How ro Gxt Hid of Stumps,—I n your paper of the 
14th Inst, is an inquiry for the best method of getting rid 
of pine stumps. I would just say to “ Subscriber,” that 
my farm was nearly covered with those plow breakers, and 
PRESERVING POTATOES 
mechanic who “has tnado observations the last 
twenty years.” says in the Boston Cultivator: 
Most kinds of timber cut and sawed in the 
Months of January, February, March, September 
and October, are more durable than when cut at 
any other season of the year. Walnut, if cut in 
June, will not become worm-eaten. There is a 
difference in the same species of trees; those that, 
grow on high, ston.v land aro more durable and 
Harder than thooo that grow on low lnr.de 
No. 5, current volume of Rural, referred to by 
O. P. Ford, in No. 10, was worth to me four and 
a half dollars—three subscriptions for the Rural, 
under present war pressure; so if 1 do not enable 
you to keep my name booked two years longer, 
you will be justified in putting a black mark 
opposite. 
1 moved into a house last fall, after the ground 
froze, the collar of which was not properly- 
secured. When No. 6 oimo to hand, 
roll and harrow until it is in fine condition; then 
sow as before. Any farmer will know when the 
work Is well done. Some tell of plowing very 
deep and sub-soiling, so that roots can grow hail' 
as deep in the ground as the length of the straw, 
(or stalk, as I call it.) Well, you may mellow 
the ground as deep as you please, the flax roots 
won’t grow any deeper than they please, which 
will fie about three inches, and the flax grows 
three feet, which was about the length of mine 
last year. I think I will say no more upon the 
matter now, but be fore time to harvest I will give 
you my experience in that, which has been some¬ 
thing, and the way I think the best 
Darien, Gen. Co., N. Y., 1863. S. Edson. 
the libers all to pieces, and, as I then supposed, 
rendering it perfectly worthless. 
After pursuing experiments for a couple of 
years, and not satisfied with what information I 
could got in this country, I concluded to visit 
Ireland, which I then supposed was fifty years 
in advance of us in the manufacture of flax- 
Having learned that the BrUitli Government had 
established a Linen and Hempen Board in Ire¬ 
land, for the encouragement, of the Cultivation and 
Manufacture of Flux, through which Board they 
distributed annually about $100,000 as premiums 
for any improvements made in the cultivation or 
manufacture of Flax or Hemp, I thought that 
was the place to get information. In 1823, having 
procured letters of introduction to the Officers of 
this Board, 1 proceeded to Dublin, and to the 
Linen Hall, where they held their meetings. I 
was politely received by the Officers of the Board, 
who offered to give me any information they pos¬ 
sessed on this subject, and kindly tendered me 
the free use of their Library and papers, to make 
such extracts from us 1 might wish. 
On my arrival in Ireland 1 found the cultiva¬ 
tion of flax in what may be called a transition 
state. It appeared that tho officers of this Board 
had become convinced of the superiority of the 
Dutch method of preparing flax over their own, 
and in 1822 they sent Peter Bernard, Esq., 
Inspector General for Leicester, Munster, and ■ 
Connaught, into the Netherlands, in order to as- | 
certain tho reasons for the superiority of Dutch 
flax. Previous to this time the same prejudice ' 
had prevailed in Ireland that lmd in this country, 
viz., that flax, which had produced seed, could 
not be manufactured into fine linen, 
In Mr. Bek.va 
we were 
having some very cold weather, and my potatoes 
froze, my best, endeavors t» the contrary not¬ 
withstanding. I had given up in despair, and 
sat down to enjoy (?) a momentary spasm of the 
blues when my gaze was arrested by the Rural, 
and with a vague feeling that it would afford 
relief, I put forth my hand and raised it from the 
table. The first article which met my eye was 
the one referred to, ami subsequently condemned 
'. >. Armed with its wisdom I imme- 
uue Illawarra (Australian) Express tells 
us of the ‘'base uses” to which horses are putin 
that lar-oft land, us follows:—Talk of the nobility 
of the horse! W*hy, we learn from reliable au¬ 
thority, that Mr. Atkinson, of Sophienburg, has 
taken a contract to boil down two thousand 
horses. There is no sale for these animals; and 
the owner wants to sell their oil, hides, and 
hoofs, aud thus get as much for them as possible. 
The late ol Dibdin s lngh-mettled racer was 
illustrious compared with the ignoble doom 
which awaits the horse stock of the interior. 
The wild charger of Australia’s burning plains 
muy well envy the European donkey his thistle. 
Dairying in Michigan. 
Mr. Rufus Baker communicates to the Mich¬ 
igan farmer the results of bis labors in cheese 
dairying. Mr. B. began the business in I860, and 
though he has beeu engaged in it but three sea¬ 
sons. yet by application aud persevenuice.the has 
brought his dairy to tbe front rank, as the follow¬ 
ing table will show: 
1860-18 cows made 9,000 lbs., av. 8c. per 16. $720 00 
1801-25 “ “ 13,000 u “ 7c. “ 910 00 
1602-26 “ ‘I 16,640 “ “ 8c. 11 1.331 20 
STANCHIONS, AGAIN. 
Eds. Rural New-Yorker:—I n a late issue of 
the Rural E. M. says that “after tying his cattle 
with ropes a number of years he put in stanchions 
which please him much.” I have used stanch¬ 
ions, and they are handy ; keep tho cattle in 
their places and they cannot waste their fodder; 
but I think they confine the cattle too much, as 
they have no liberty with their heads while lying 
down. 
The best way, in my opinion, to fasten cattle 
is with bows or chains. In the first place make 
u tight manger, by setting a 3 or 4 inch plank, 13 
inches wide, edgewise; make the bottom 2 inches 
higher than the iloor wln-re the cows’ fore-feet 
stand. Then make a partition for each creature 
4 feet high, extending back one foot from the 
manger between the cows, allowing about 3 feet 
for each common-sized cow. Bore a hole in the 
acriber tliat mode tlwt inquiry. “Go thou and do like- 
wiBi - .' Why, sir, I would as gooB throw away half a dob 
laras to bum up or destroy in any manner a good pine 
stump. They make u fence that w ill never rot, and I can 
assure you the “top rails will never fall of!"'—W. A. 
Sli tter, North Towaruia, Bradford Co., Pa. 
Shall Potatoes for Srkd.—I wish to inquire about 
small potatoes for seed We have usuallv sorted them out 
when digging, and fed them to stock through the winter. 
But now, when potatoes are worth a dollar amt ten cents 
per bushel, we think it prettv costly feed. If the small 
potatoes cun tie proJUably used for sent, and the large ones 
sold at present prices, it is an item worth knowing Any 
infomnation from those who have liad experience will be 
gladly received —A. D. F., Bloomington, JU , 1863. 
We have repeatedly used small potatoes for seed, and 
the eyes of small potatoes and of largo ones If we could 
seU the large one* at $1 10 per bushel, we should cer¬ 
tainly plant small ones aud save the eyes of the large 
ones |as we cooked them) for planting. This subject of 
the relative profit of planting large and small potatoes has 
been largely discussed, and it will puzzle us to tell 
whether the Large or the small ones have the balance of 
testimony. 
To Head Sheep Ticks.—H aving a small flock of sheep 
this winter, I have noticed they are very much troubled 
with the Sheep Tick. Not knowing what was good to kill 
them. I thought I would inquire. Information will be 
thankfully received through the Rural.— A Subscriber, 
Ehna, N. T. 
It is difficult to kill ticks when the wool is long, but it 
can be done by opening the fleece and sprinkling in snuff 
—particularly about the neck and brisket. The lambs 
should all be dipped in strong tobacco water about ten 
days uftcr the flock is sheared. The ticks will then be all 
on the lambs, and will be killed- An ounce of prevention 
is here worth a pound and a half of cure. 
by Mr. Ford, 
dlately sallied forth, and though the weather had 
already begun to moderate, procured fine, dry 
sawdust, and covered them to the depth of three 
inches. Those covered by the dust are still very 
mealy when cooked, while the few scattering 
ones which were neglected, and also a few which 
lay under some carrots in the same bin, wore 
entirely spoiled. If 0. P. Ford will be careful 
to observe that thin place in the straw which 
admitted the water, the next time he sees an un¬ 
fortunate hole of potatoes opened, he will then 
have Ms finger upon the rent in his pocket 
through which he lost (he dime. And if those 
who bury potatoes will put plenty of slrnight, 
dry straw upon them, with dirt enough to keep 
Commenced, 
April,_ 
May,. 
June,. 
July,.. 
August,_ 
September, ... 
October,. 
November, ... 
December, .... 
Closed Jan. 8th, 
THE BRINKERHOFF CHURN, 
ttu's report he says:—“Whyso 
| general an opinion as has prevailed in Ireland 
j for a series of years, that flax which gives seed is 
not adapted for her line linens, should have taken 
place, I cannot conjecture.” 
Again, speaking of an establishment at Ant¬ 
werp, lie says:—“I called at the manufactory 
and purchased a small quantity of yarn for the 
inspection of the Honorable Board, and which is 
sold at the rate of £47,780,13s. id per tun. I 
was presented with two skeins of yarn which I 
brought home with me, the finest of which I was 
told was worth $108 per pound in the market at 
Antwerp.” All these yarns, Mr. Bernard as¬ 
sured me were from flax which had produced 
seed. 
After the Linen and Hempen Board had re¬ 
ceived Mr. Bernard's Report, they issued cir¬ 
culars offering liberal premiums for every acre of 
flax that should be allowed to ripen ins seed. 
This put an end to our market for flax seed for 
/ j Ireland, which, under the erroneous prejudice 
-H thftt ttex producing seed was not capable of being 
0 manufactured into line fabrics, had grown into 
|q an extensive trade. 
Now. as regards my first proposition, viz., “that 
yf the soil and climate in mnny parts of the United 
$6, States are favorable for producing a good grow th 
of flax. 1 rom my own observations I can say 
y <hftt I have seen as fine llax grown in the States 
as 1 8£W io Ireland. As regards the quantity of ed pellets of butter, 
x? flax produced, per acre, in Ireland. Marshall, was like a conglomi 
al: —The above churn appeal's in 
I figure iu your columns. J think it differs but 
little from the Seeley churn. The chief merits 
of either appears iu the extreme velocity of the 
flutter-wheel; certainly, there can be no other 
magic about them, and that, even, may be a great 
improvement on the old dash churn. ” 
It is well known that cream in producing but¬ 
ter requires to be agitated to that degree that the 
particles are finely comminuted, or to use another 
form of words, it must be thoroughly pulverized, 
by which the atoms of butter become a mass. 
Now, the question is, what form of apparatus 
shall be adopted to produce the change with the 
least labor ? 
1 have made some experiments in the pro¬ 
cess of churning. I took one of Kendall’s 
Feed for Milch Cows. 
Jonathan Talcott, of Rome, N. Y., writes 
to the Country Gentleman, iu regard to feeding 
cows, as follows: 
Apples I consider as good as any of the root 
crops, if properly saved, and fed to milch cows, 
say a peck or a half bushel per day, or more if 
they are plenty. Also I am much in favor of 
giving a little corn meal with them, say from 
two to four quarts per day; it uot only increases 
the milk but makes it of good quality and the 
butter of line quality and flavor, in fact, I tMnk 
HOW TO SOW PLASTER AND CLOVER. 
Eds. Rural New-Yorker: —As I notice that 
Tyro Lingo, of Columbiana Co., Ohio, asks 
how to sow plaster and make it go where he 
wants it, I will give our Michigun method. 
When ready to sow, dampen the plaster with 
water sufficient to make it so heavy that little or 
no dust will raise from it when shoveled over, 
and you can sow it where you want it and keep 
your eyes open beside. 
I will also give our method of sowing clover 
seed. We generally sow it on grouud sowed to 
wheat the previous fall. If the ground is not so 
rich as to throw too much straw, when treated 
Sheep Pulling their Wool.—W ill you or some of 
your subscribers Inform me, iu the columns of the Rural, 
" lmt causes sheep to pull out their wool, aud if there is any¬ 
way of preventing it r Now don't all speak at once — 
Reaijek, AdamsvilU, Mich 
The causes of sheep's pulling out their wool have yet 
eseuped detection, though the thing is common, especial¬ 
ly among housed aud high kept flocks. Various means 
have bec-u resorted to to stop it, but none, so far as we 
know, have yet proved eti'eetive. When a sheep pulls the 
wool from others, it should be separated from Uie flock. 
Rk.mkdy for Scratches.—A good recipe is to take 116. 
hog’s lard, 4 oz. white lead, 2 oz. powdered alum, I oz. 
white vitriol, >4 oz. sugar of lead, 3 oz, olive oil Pulver¬ 
ize all but the lard in a mortar; then add the lard and work 
the whole together until united. A small qnantity, night 
aud morning, will soon effect a cure. Wash the parts af¬ 
fected with weak soap-suds before applying the ointment. 
—E S. B. 
Lice on Colts.— Will not some of your readers tell me 
the best way to rid colts of lice? 1 have great trouble 
with them, but it is uot because my colts are not well fed. 
— R. W. Slopek. 
We gave a remedy—tobacco water—iu a late number. 
Preserving Eggs.—W ill some of your readers inform 
me through the columns of the Rural howl may best 
preserve eggs in spring and summer for fall and winter 
use ? and oblige—J. W. Rowe. I Vest Winsted, Conn. 
W fLM 1) 1 
Fill*! 
