world. whfM'ft its cullura is practicable, will bo 
greatly stimuUitml—tho cultivation oi flax will 
be largely increased, and other fabrics will to 
some extent be substituted for cotton; but all 
this will take time for experiment and expe¬ 
rience before they can be successfully and eco¬ 
nomically cultivated and manufactured. Great 
economy w ill bo practiced In tho use of cotton 
and substituted fabrics, by which much less 
material than formerly will be consumed, so 
long as the present high prices are maintained. 
But after making fair allow ance for all these 
things, there will remain a largely increased 
dernund for wool, which is, and must be for some 
time to come, the principal, cheapest, and most 
natural substitute for cotton. Has there been, or 
is there likely to be for the next two or three 
years, a corresponding increase in the product of 
w'ool to meet this demand? 1 have no data 
before me to determine this question, but I think 
statistics will show that the increase of sheep 
in this country has not kept pace with the 
increase in population. 1 cannot speak for other 
wool-growing countries, though it is well known 
that in Australia, and some other countries, the 
number of sheep has latterly greatly decreased. 
The conclusion seems inevitable that the in¬ 
creased demand for wool will be largely in 
excess of the increased supply, for some time to 
come, at least. In this connection it must be 
remembered that these considerations apply as 
well to foreign countries as to ours. They, as 
well as we, have depended mainly upon cotton, 
and must, to a great extent, supply its place with 
wool, so that if exchanges were equalized, the 
supply here would not be materially affected by 
importations from abroad. Where, then, Can we 
look foy a supply to meet the increased demand 
that surely must exist? Is it to the old stock in 
the country? All accounts concur in represent¬ 
ing that stock as very light,—not more than 
enough to last till the new clip reaches the mar¬ 
ket, For the last four months, fair Merino w'ool 
has sold in New York and Boston from seventy- 
five to ninety-five cents per pound. Is there any 
good reason why the present clip should be sold 
for less? Cotton is now selling at from fifty-live 
to sixty cents, and gold at one hundred and 
forty-five. When cotton was worth twelve and 
one-half cents, and gold one hundred, wool was 
worth from forty to fifty. Manufacturers have 
never made as large profits as for the last six 
months. Most unquestionably, the producers, 
speculators or manufacturers, are to realize for 
tho approaching clip from eighty cents fo one 
dollar a pound. If the producers nre firm and 
patient, they may receive at least six shillings— 
but if'they yield to the efforts which manufac¬ 
turers and speculators are now making to depress 
prices, the latter will reap a rich harvest, while 
the former will have to content themselves with 
merely the cost of production. s. 
Alexander, Genesee Co., N. Y., 1863. 
ABOUT FLAX.-NO. VIII. 
POLLING AND RIPPLING FLAX. 
Eds. Rural Nkw-Yorker:—A s the season 
will soon arrive lor pulling flux. I send you that 
part of Mr. Beskabd’s report to the Linen and 
Hempen Board of Ireland, after his return from 
the Netherlands, treating ol the Pulling and 
Rippling of Flax: 
“ Pulling. — In the Netherlands, and in 
France, flax is always allowed to arrive at 
maturity, and is never pulled, particularly in 
Holland and. Zealand, until tho seed is pc*rfectJy 
formed, and the capsule brown and hard, so as 
to be easily disengaged from the stalk. When 
in that slate it is pulled, and at once made into 
small sheaves, which are placed in stocks of 
eight to the slook—the root ends on the ground, 
projecting, and the heads meeting at the top in 
such a manner as to present the entire of them to 
the influence of the air. In this way it remains 
eight, ten, and sometimes fourteen days, accord¬ 
ing to hj state of the wca'her. Should occa¬ 
sional rain lull during this time it is considered 
of great service to wash off the impurities and 
withered leaves that attach to thejplant when 
ripening. 
<! RippmnO.—W hen the flax is sufficiently dried, 
it is carried to the barn, and the process of taking 
off the seed immediately commences. This ope¬ 
ration in the Netherlands is chiefly done by 
ripples, or iron pins, about sixteen inches long 
and one inch square at the bottom, gradually 
narrowing to the top, and formed into squares. 
The pins are fastened in a block of timber about 
four inches thick, eighteen inches wide, and 
made in the form of an octagon, the upper part, 
sloped off, so as to let the bolls run down to the 
floor. These pins are set at about a quaiter of an 
inch asunder, thirty of them in each block, which 
is fastened by means of two staples and wedges, 
to a two-inch plank that rests on tressels of a 
sufficient height for grown persons to sit while 
rippling. Two generally work at the same rip¬ 
ple, sitting opposite each other, and drawing the 
llax alternately through the teeth. During this 
process, great care is taken not to let it slip 
through the hands, so as to entangle the root 
ends, which, in evny process, are kept as er en as 
possible. 
“When the seed is discharged, the flax is 
again made into small sheaves, and in every 
instance bound together by plaited cords, three 
and a half feet long, made of strong'rushes, that 
usually last for years, and are carefully put up 
from one season to another. When the entire 
quantity of flax for rippling has undergone that 
operation, the bolls are immediately run tiirough 
a very coarse screen, sufficiently open to admit 
every particle of waste or dirt to pass through, 
so that they remain free from all impurities. 
The waste discharged in this manner is used by 
bakers in healing ovens, and the boll, by being 
thus cleaned, remains safe, and the seed can be 
kept for any time required. The mode most 
approved of for taking the seed from the boil, is 
to thrash it, which is done by a flail, the handle J 
of which is similar to a common one, but tbe 
working part is not more than half the usual 
leng'h. about four inches in diameter. The hulls 
alter the seed is discharged, are sold at the rate 
of two pence the sack, for feeding cattle in the 
winter, and are chiefly bought by the Brabant 
farmers, who mix them with various other vege¬ 
tables, and carrots, which they grow with their 
flax, in ground suitable; and I have seen, in 
Brabant particularly, numerous fields with flax 
standing to dry. and the peasantry weeding car¬ 
rots that had grown with it. and appeared in a 
prosperous stare.” 
I have thus far copied from Mr. Besnabd’s 
report, and every American farmer can see at 
once w herein to vary according to circumstances 
attending his locality. It cannot be supposed 
that every farmer who has raised but one acre of 
flax, will be at the expense of a ripple as de¬ 
scribed, when he can whip off the bolls over a 
stone laid upon the head of a barrel in a short 
lime: but the idea of cleaning the bolls, and 
allowing the seed to remain in them until wanted, 
I think is a good one: also, the making use of 
the bolls after the m-ed is separated, for feed for 
cattle—whereas we have generally seen them 
thrown into the yard for manure. 
My next will be upon Steeping or Water-Hot¬ 
line/, which is the all-important operation for 
making flax a remunerative crop. 
New Haven, Oswego Co., N. Y. N. Goodbkll. 
DRAINING-No. VI. 
In the great drought of 36 years ago, we saw 
in a very retentive suil in the Vale of Bel voir, 
cracks which it was not very pleasant to ride 
among. This very summer, on land which, with 
reference to this very subject, the owner stated 
to be pervious, we put a walking stick three loot 
into a sun crack without finding a bottom, and 
the whole surface was what Mr. Parkks not in¬ 
appropriately calls a net-work of cracks. When 
heavy rain comes upon tbe soil ill this state, of 
course the cracks fill, the clay imbibes the water, 
expands, and the cracks are abolished. But if 
there are four or five feet parallel drains in the 
land, the water passes at once into them, and is 
carried off. In fact, when heavy rain falls upon 
clay lands in this cracked state it passes off too 
quickly and without adequate filtration. Into 
the fissures of the undrained soil the roots only 
penetrate to be perished by the cold and wet of 
the succeeding winter. But in the drained soils 
the roots follow the threads of vegetable mould 
which huve been washed into the cracks, and get 
an abiding tenure. Earth-worms follow either 
the roots or the mould. Permanent schisms are 
established in the clay, and its whole character 
is changed. Mr. B. Webster not being able to 
deny that deep drains in such soils carry off 
water at first, hazards the childish assertion that 
after a few years it ceases to find its way to them. 
An old farmer in a midland county began with 
twenty inch drains across the hill, and without, 
ever reading a word or we believe conversing 
with any one on the subject, poked his way step 
by step to four or five feet drains in the line of 
Steepest descent. Showing us his drains this 
spring he said;—“They do better year by year; 
the water gets a habit of coming to them.” A 
very correct statement of the fact, though not a 
very philosophical explanation. Year by year 
the average dryness of the soil increases, the 
cracks are farther extended, and seldomer old it¬ 
erated. A man may drain retentive soils deep 
and well, but he will be disappointed if he ex¬ 
pects what is unreasonable. No intelligent and 
honest operator will say more, than that money 
judiciously expended in draining them will 
pay good and generally very good interest If 
you eat off turnips with sheep, if you plow the 
land, or cart on it, or in any way puddle it when 
it is wet, of course the water will lie on its sur¬ 
face, and will not go to your drains. 
Mr. Webster says that a four feet drain may 
go very near a pit or watercourse without attract¬ 
ing water from cither, and this he attributes to 
the depth of the drain. We thought that every 
one knew that watercourses almost invariable 
puddle their beds, and that the same effect is 
produced in pits by the treading of cattle ami 
even by the motion of the water produced by 
wind. A very thin film of puddle always on one 
side is impervious because it cannot crack. No 
system of draining can relieve soils of water-of- 
attradion. That can only be exhausted by evap¬ 
oration. Retentive soils hold it in excess: its 
reduction by evaporation produces cold; and 
therefore retentive soils never can he so warm as 
porous. Expect reasonable things only of your 
drained retentive soils, and you will not be 
disappointed. 
Shallow drainers start with the idea of a drop 
of water falling on the top of the soil, and work¬ 
ing its solitary \i ay through narrow and tortous 
passage to a drain; and they say thill it would 
be lost in the labyrinth; which we think very- 
likely. They have no idea that the water oper¬ 
ated upon by the drain is that which lies at the 
level of its own bottom which runs oft; and is 
replaced by that which w-as immediately above 
it And on account of this operation, winch we 
have before explained, it is necessary in reten¬ 
tive soils, in which friction is greater than in 
porous, to have the drains deeper, in order to 
lower the water to the same extent. 
A column of six inches may suffice to push 
water from the intermediate point between two 
drains in a porous soil, and it. may require a 12 
inch column in a retentive. Ju that case the 
drain in the retentive soil must be six inches 
deeper thun in the porous. Ignorance says, 
Drain shallower because your soil is retentive. 
Experience and reason say. Drain deeper. We 
may here notice that in clay lands the portion 
within one or two feet of the surface is almost 
always more retentive than that which lies below; 
simply, we apprehend, because its particles have 
been communicated and packed close by the 
alternate influence of wet and dry, heat and cold. 
When dried below by drains, and above by evap¬ 
oration, it is certain to crack and become 
permeable. 
Sir Robert Peel has been a great drainer. 
He began shallow, was disappointed at the 
results, and has adopted deep draining. He 
began with miscellaneous conduits —but has 
settled into pipes and collars. Within the last 
six or seven years Sir Robert Peel has drained 
2,900 acres in tbe counties of Warwick, Stafford, 
and Lancaster —a portion (perhaps consider¬ 
able) on the requisition of tenants. Reports haTe 
been industriously circulated by speech and 
writing that Sir Robert was dissatisfied with 
the results of his deep draining, in consequence 
of which a letter was addressed to him, to which 
he gave a prompt reply. lie laid his correspon¬ 
dent under no restrictions as to the use of that 
reply, and it has been kindly communicated to 
us. We extract the following sentences: 
“It is utterly untrue that I am dissatisfied 
with the experiment of deep draining. I have 
had many prejudices to contend against; the 
purely stupid ones against any novelty —any 
innovation on the old Rystem of agriculture; 
tbope too prompted by self-interested jealousy of 
the new machinery which innovation renders 
necessary. * * * I have permitted some 
drains to be laid at lees than four feet, partly to 
humor tenants on strong clays, who wished to 
avoid the expense of very strong close draining 
at the additional depth. * * * If I had 
a field in my own occupation of stiff clay, I 
should place close drains 12 or, perhaps, 18 feet 
apart; but I should prefer four feet, notwith¬ 
standing tbe additional expense, to three.” 
After a caution against dogmatizing and pre¬ 
suming “that a rule good in their own case must 
necessarily be good in every other,” he thus 
proceeds: 
“ I can conceive a case in which, if you had a 
limited sum to expend — say 4 1. an acre — the 
nature of the ground might be such that the in¬ 
creased closeness might compensate for dimin¬ 
ished depth—I mean, for instance, that drains Is 
feet apart and three feet deep might be more 
effectual than drains 25 feet apart and four feet 
deep.” 
Sir Robert then touches on the importance of 
‘breaking up that indurated mass which the 
trampling of many successive years has formed,’ 
to which as he says, sufficient attention is seldom 
paid. Probably the words * in iny own occupa¬ 
tion,’ quoted above, have reference to the con¬ 
sciousness of the writer that stiff clays are 
frequently so occupied after drainage as to ren¬ 
der the operation of little or no value. The 
whole letter, which has only just come to our 
knowledge, shows so complete an acquaintance 
with the subject of thorough draining, that we 
should be glad to find that the Right Honorable 
Baronet had permitted its insertion in some 
agricultural journal. 
One word with our readers before we part. 
They may dislike the terms to the use of which 
we have been driven, and we are by-no means 
unconscious of their imperfections; but we hope 
that we have so limited them by definition as to 
remove much of their ambiguity. Our purpose 
has been to bring in a connected view before 
them the objects and the advantages of thorough 
draining, and lo explain in a popular way the 
principles on which those objects are carried out 
and those advantages are attained. Tbat to re¬ 
move water which is either injurious to vegeta¬ 
tion or destructive to agricultural operations, is 
one object of draining, is patent to every one. 
That if it be removed by superficial discharge it 
will carry off with it elements beneficial to vege¬ 
tation, because they form the most soluble part 
of soils, no one will doubt, though he may not 
have fully realized to himself what very hateful 
things furrows, and ditches, and water-grips, and 
other artificial aids to this superficial discharge 
really are. It requires but little observation to 
discover that, with few exceptions, porous soils 
are fertile, and with equally few very retentive 
soils are sterile. But the persons are less numer¬ 
ous who are aware that the greatest object and 
the most important advantage of thorough-drain- 
ingis, that it warms and ventilates retentive soils. 
Of warmth we have spoken largely. Ventila¬ 
tion is more obscure. But close observation of 
agriculture and of horticulture will not allow us 
to doubt that alternation of fresh air and of fresh 
water are conducive of fertility. It is not unrea¬ 
sonable to suppose that as stagnant air ceases to 
sustain the lives of fishes, so stagnant air and 
water may cease to administer to the purposes of 
vegetation. In cultivable land in our climate, 
porousness, either natural or artificial, ig the only 
known avenue to warmth and ventilation. 
- 11 ■ 
SMALL POTATOES FOR SEED. 
Eds. Rural Neiv-Yoreer:— Noticing an in¬ 
quiry in a late number of your journal in regard 
to the value of small potatoes for seed, I will 
give the result of my experience in the matter. 
My object was to ascertain the relative value of 
cut and uncut potatoes, large and small. The 
amount planted was one peck of each, in hills, 
in rows side by side, the ground alike in all. 
We will designate them as follows: 
No. 1. Small, cut—Yield two bushels large, or 
assorted potatoes, and half a bushel of small 
ones. 
No, 2. Large, cut —Yield two bushels and 
twelve quarts large, and one-half bushel small. 
No. 3. Small, uncut—Yield three bushels and 
four quarts large, and one half bushel small. 
No, 4. Large, uncut —Yield two and a half 
bushels large, and ten quarts small. 
Contrary to the opinions of many, you will see 
that the yield of the small potatoes was much 
greater than the large ones, and the result was 
favorable to the whole potatoes. Of the whole 
potatoes, I put one in a hill, same of the large, 
and but one of the small ones, except those very 
small. 
The number of hills planted with the small 
ones, cut and uncut, wi e about the same; a little 
less of the large cut, and, of course, far less of 
the large whole potalnes. The yield per hill of 
the large whole potatoes was greatest of all. 
Should any one doubt the correctness of tbe 
above statement, I wish they would experiment 
themselveF, and let the public know the results. 
Genesee Co., N. Y., 1863. r. 
A Few Remarks on Honey Boxes, 
In a late Rural, a bee-keeper speaks of 
bees working in honey boxes. It seems that he 
has found some difficulty in making his bees 
work in them. This need not be the case. The 
passage in the honey box should lie a slot. The 
slot should be about three-fourths of an inch 
wide, the length depending on the length of tho 
box. The box I use is cubical, four sid.-s glass, 
top and bottom wood. The posts, four in num¬ 
ber, also wood. The gl ass for the sides is 5 by 6, 
and for the ends 6 by 5. The slot in this size of « 
box is four and one-half inches long: it runs 
lengthwise of the box, and is at right angles 
with the lrameH in the hive below. There is 
also a slot in tho honey-board, on which the box 
rests, to correspond with the slot in the box. M v 
honey-board has three slots. I use six boxes on 
each hive. 
The boxes when thus made are not quite ready 
for use. There should be guide-combs in them, 
and as many as the bee-keeper wishes full 
combs. I use three guide-combs in my size of 
box. Take bright empty comb, and cut it into 
pieces about an inch square. Store comb, such 
as drones are bred in, is the better for this pur¬ 
pose. ‘Worker-comb, however, will answer, 
when the other kind cannot be had. Melt some 
bees-wax, and flip one edge of each piece of 
guide-comb in it, then quickly apply this edge to 
the top of the box. When cool, it will remain 
where put. The boxes when thus prepared are 
ready to be placed on the hives. The bees will 
soon enter them, inspect their master's work, fix 
it to their liking, and then, if the colony be 
strong and honey plenty, begin their work in 
them. This plan that I have pointed out, seldom 
or never fails. 
A few words more about the box. The glass 
should not be put in grooves made in the posts. 
but on the outside of them. If put in grooves, 
the glass cannot be taken out readily, and, be- 
sides, it is liable to break. The glass can be 
cheaply fastened to the outside of the posts in 
this way. Tuke tin of ordinary thickness, cut it 
into strips of about three-fourths’ an inch wide, 
then cut across tbu ends so tbe pieces will be, 
say a trifle less than one-fourth of an inch wide 
at one end, and to a sharp point at the other, thus: 
I_ Drive two of' these brads into 
I - each post, pnt the glass in 
their proper places, and then 
bend the tins in opposite directions, so as to hold 
the glass. When the bee-keeper wishes to put 
in guide-combs, or to remove the honey, all that, 
is necessary is simply to bend.one tin from each 
glass, and take the glass away. By this means, 
the glass is seldom broken, nor is the box injured 
in the least. For market purposes, this style of 
box is not excelled. M. M. Baldridge. 
St. Charles, Kane Co., Ill., 1863. 
Swarming and Hiving. 
When the Apiarian perceives that a swarm, 
instead of clustering, rises higher and higher in 
the air aud means to depart, not a moment must 
be lost: instead of empty noises, he should resort 
to means more effective to stay their vagrant pro¬ 
pensities. Water or dirt thrown among them, 
will often so disorganize them as to compel them 
to alight. The most original of all devices for 
stopping them, is to flash the suns rays among 
them, by a looking-glass! 1 never had occasion 
to try it, but an anonymous writer suys lie never 
knew it fail. If forci bly prevented from eloping, 
they will be almost sure to leave, soon after hiv¬ 
ing. for their selected home, unless the queen is 
confined. It' there is reason to expect desertion, 
and the queen cannot be confined, the bees may 
be carried into the cellar, and kept in total dark¬ 
ness, until towards sunset of the third day, being 
supplied, in the mean time, with water and 
honey to build their Comla. Tho same precau¬ 
tions must be used when fugitive swarms are re¬ 
hived. 
It may generally be ascertained, soon after hiv¬ 
ing a swarm, whether or not it intends to remain. 
If, on applying the ear to the eide of the hive, a 
sound be heard, as of gnawing or nibbing, the 
bees are getting ready for comb-bnilding, and 
will rarely decamp. 
If a colony decide to go, they look upon the 
hive in which they are put as only a temporary 
stopping-place, and seldom trouble themselves 
to build any comb. If the hive permits inspec¬ 
tion. we may tell at a glance when bees are dis¬ 
gusted with their new residence, and mean to 
forsake it. They not only refuse to work with 
the characteristic energy of a new swarm, but 
their very attitude, banging, as they do, with a 
sort of dogged or supercilious air, as though 
they bated even so much as to touch their de¬ 
tested abode, proclaims to the experienced eye, 
that they are unwilling tenants, and mean to be 
off as soon as they can. Numerous experiments 
to compel bees to work in observing-hives ex¬ 
posed to the full light of day, from the moment 
they were hived, instead of keeping them, as I 
now do, in darkness for several days, have made 
me quite familiar with all such do-nothing pro¬ 
ceedings before their departure .—Langsiroth on 
the Honey Bee. 
Rural Brevities. —The prospects of heavy grain crops 
in Europe are, on the whole, less satisfactory than they 
were some weeks back, and there is likely to be a brisk 
demand for American breadstuff's.-The Maine. Farmer 
states that as much grain was put in last spring as in for¬ 
mer years, and this, too, with help much diminished, and 
consequent reliance upon farm machinery assistance. 
Rural 3iotcs ani jftems. 
The Growing Crops — The Crop Prospects are very 
favorable. Our reports from almost every section, near 
and distant, are generally of the most encouraging char¬ 
acter. We bad thought of giving extracts from letters 
and exchanges, but the accounts arc so universally favora¬ 
ble that it would be superfluous. The country looks 
charming, and field, orcbnrd and garden promise abund¬ 
ance to careful and skillful cultivators. The weather of 
tbe past wed: has been flue, with copious rains all over 
this State — proving of great benefit in Eastern New York, 
where a drouth was prevailing. 
The Practical Shepherd —Many of our agricultural 
and other exchanges notice the announcement of this 
new work by Hon Henry 8 . Randall, LL. D., in the 
most favorable terms, liarely has any work been so cor¬ 
dially welcomed, by both Press and People, in ad ranee of 
it* publication. The demand for a standard authority on 
the subject of Sheep Husbandry, as well a* the high rep- 
utatation of the author, naturally attract the attention and 
confidence of the public, and from what we already know 
in regard to the contents of the forthcoming volume we 
think the expectations of those interested will not be 
•disappointed. 
America* Sheep for tbb Hamburg Exhibition.— 
While in New York last week we met Mr. Gxo. Camp¬ 
bell, of Vermont, who via* en route for the Hamburg 
International Exhibition. He sailed in the Hnrmonia, on 
Saturday, taking twelve choice Spanish Merinos —eix 
rams and six ewes—with a view of competing for the 
first prize on fine-wooled sheep against the world. We 
saw the sheep on board the steamer, and must acknowl¬ 
edge that If the animals arrive safely, Mr. C. will make a 
fine display, whether he secures the post of honor in the 
awards or utiierwire. But whatever the result, he is 
entitled to credit fuT his enterprise. Though many 
American machines, implements and products have been 
sent to Hamburg, Mr. Campbell is the only one of our 
breeders, as far as wc know, who Is to be represented at 
the International Exhibition 
The Hambcro Exhibition— We have several times 
noticed the International Exhibition, or World’s Fair, to 
be held in Hamburg, Germany, next month. Hon. W. 
Maksu, U S. Consul, and Commissioner for the State of 
Illinois, communicates the following description of the 
grounds, fixtures, etc . to the Prairie Farmer " Heili- 
gengeistfcld, or field of the Holy Ghost, is the site chosen 
for this international exhibition. It is a large open field 
outside of Hamburg, adjolntnlng 8t. Pauls—a kind of 
suburban park—used as a drill ground for the soldiery, 
and but a few minutes walk from the ancient city of 
Alton*. This ground i* well adapted for such an exhibi¬ 
tion, as it. lays away from the busy part of the city of 
Hamburg, having open toads all round it, and within ten 
minutes' vide by the omnibuses of all the princijpl hotels. 
I have been over the ground to day with the view of gath¬ 
ering information for this letter. A large number of men 
are employ ed in the erection of sheds, many of which are 
already finished, and others in course of construction. 
The center building or refreshment room will be finished 
inn few days. I like the interior arrangements of the 
stabling and sheds very much. Those for sheep and 
hogs are divided into pens, with sufficient space between 
to walk all round. The stables are put up like loose box 
e«, having racks for fodder, Stc. 1 see no arrangements 
for water yet, but I was told that u plentiful supply will 
he furnished for all purposes. Hay, oats, meal, roots and 
straw, wilt he on the ground for sale at reasonable prices. 
It in thought that the open space designed for working 
machinery will prove too small, and have to b* enlarged; 
however, there is uhuudanre of room on both siden to en¬ 
large the two winga in case of necessity. The Committee 
are very anxious the experiment shall prove a Success, and 
I have no doubt it will, although it is the first of lliu kind 
ever held ill Germany. I hope we shall be well represent¬ 
ed, particularly in agricultural implements. 1 think it an 
excellent opportunity also for tho exhibition of American 
muiufacturcd carpenters’ and smiths tools, and in fact all 
other kinds of machinery and manufactures from the 
United States will take a first place at this exhibition.” 
Death or a Former Acriccltpral Editor. — The 
Juno number of the Michigan Farmer announces that 
W abrek Isham, an old and well known citizen of that 
S ate, departed this life at Marquette, Lake Superior, after 
a short illness, on the 18th ultimo. Mr. I. was a native of 
Watertown. N. Y , and educated as n minister of the Pres¬ 
byterian Church, but was for many years connected with 
the Press of Michigan. Years ago lie edited and published 
the Michigan Observer, Detroit Daily Times and Michigan 
Farmer, and later a paper at Marquette, Lake Superior. 
His age is not given, but it must have been over seventy. 
— In noticing Mr. Tsuam A death, the Mich. Farmer 
says:—“ Iri 1844 lie purchased from the then publisher 
the monthly periodica) known as the Western Farmer, 
aud made it the Michigan Farmer The paper, for a time, 
was published at Jackson, but, we believe, he removed it 
to Detroit aud continued as its editor up to the spring of 
1853." Bro. Joh.vstosb is mistaken. In 1842 the Western 
Farmer, at Detroit, was purchased of its then publisher 
(Wit. Harsha,) by D. I). T. Moore, who soon afterwards 
stalled the Michigan Farmer at Jackson Mr. Moore re¬ 
tired from the Former in November, 1844, disposing of it 
to Storey tk Cheney, It was subsequently purchased by 
Mr. Hi klbct, who, we believe, removed tire paper to 
Detroit, and changed it from a semi-mouthly to a monthly. 
We think Mr, Isham did not become connected with the 
paper until the fall of 1846 or fore part of 1847. 
■ ■ ■ • ♦ • p 
Flax akd Wool.— The Grand Haven (Mich.) News 
says that the old, staid, puritanical custom of sowing flax 
is being revived in tiiat vicinity to a goodly extent, and 
the mothers and grandmothers are beginning already to 
talk of bringing from the garret the flax-wheelB bo long 
forgotten amid the dust and cobwebs of antiquity and 
fit them up for future operations, and the wool wheels 
Will be in greater demand the coming season, than for 
many a year past—tire high price of wool and clothing 
having iudoeed our agriculturists to invest more largely 
in sheep last fail than ever before. Thus a determination 
seems to prevail to clothe the family wirh webs wrought 
by the fair hands of our daughters, sisters and mothers, so 
long at least as the present high tariff of prices on our 
wearing apparel shall continue. Tbe cruel, wicked war 
U teaclung us the necessity of economy in every depart 
ment. 
Potatoes akb Vegetables bob. thm Army.—I t iaan- 
nounced that the Sanitary Commission are in urgent need 
of contributions oi' potatoes and other vegetables. They 
cannot undertake however, to pay the freight upon them 
to New York, but will transport them from that city to 
the needy portions of the army. Invoices and notices of 
shipment should be sent to B. Collins, office Sanitary 
Commission, 523 Broadway, New York. 
Manckactcre- of Flax Cotton. —According to the 
journals of Oswego, N Y , a Flax Cotton Manufacturing 
Company has been organized in Oswego, in this State. It 
. . » .» t- . 1 ■» . a J. _ 
