out ita branches into the still healthy portions of 
the leaf, which it literally devours—appropriating 
the juices to its own nourishment, and leaving 
behind a disorganized and decayed mass, as the 
track of its desolation. It is easy to see with the 
naked eye that the fungus travels over the potato 
leaf before, the blight, it the observer carefully 
regards one of the brown, bright spots, when the 
disease is spreading, he will see its borders are 
extending over the still green leaf, in a forest of 
tiny mold plants, which cover the leaf with a 
greenish down. This is the true potato fungus, 
the Peronospora ivfestans. as it is now botani- 
cally designated.” 
a day, with a man and team—and usually more 
—to plow an ucre of corn ground, which makes 
one and a half days. Now. what is to become of 
the harrowing, rolling, marking, planting, culti¬ 
vating, cutting and shocking T It will lake a 
man one day to cut and shock two acres of corn. 
Again, Mr. S.’r testimony in regard to fence 
posts is about as clear as mud, or the grease on 
the “fellow’s shoes.” The opinion is almoBt 
universal that a post will last longer with the 
top than the but in the ground. I have not 
tested the thing; who has ? a. d. c. 
Grand Rapid*, Mich., Aug , i863. 
FARMING EY STEAM 
successfully, if we will sow good ground, in 
good order, in good lime; and unless we can do 
all that, better let wheat growiDg alone. You 
may get a good crop by sowing late, but you 
ought to be ashamed of yourself If you do. A 
good, strong, healthy plant-such as will grow 
oo dry, mellow, rich, early sown land-stands 
much the best chance for escaping from the 
frost, the rust, and the bugs. Let farmers raise 
but little wheat, and raise that little well. 
The « grain aphis” I have made diligent search 
for, and could not find, this season. Evidently 
he could not stand the thorough exposure which 
the State Entomologist made of him last fall. I 
have some early sown oats that are excellent, 
but. late sown have, in many cases, suffered from 
the drouth, and also late sown spring wheat. 
Corn and beans are now doing splendidly. 
H. T. B. 
Yes, farming by steam, I mean, although you 
may think me mad. And why not? Have not 
things already been done by that power, which 
seemed straDger, in infancy, than the application 
of steam to farming would seem now? Go back 
with me to the cradle of our present railway en¬ 
gines, and that is only a short distance, (in the 
year 1813,) and what do we find? Why, wo find 
that all engines at that time were “practical 
engines,” “slow, cumbrous, unsteady machines, 
more expensive than horses, and mack slower in 
their movements.” And who can say, that, had 
it not been for the untiring perseverance of a 
Stephenson, in the face of almost deadly oppo¬ 
sition, we might to-day be without railroads. 
Cheaper and more speedy to go from New York 
to Minnesota by horse than steam power! I do 
not sav that there have not been other men, be¬ 
side Stephenson, who might have done as much 
or even more towards inventing the railway en¬ 
gine. But. at that time when steam and horse¬ 
powers were so nearly balanced, the steam was 
just sinking for want of recognition and invent¬ 
ive genius, had it not been upheld by an iron 
will, a determination to overcome and override 
all obstacles, we might to-day be without rail¬ 
roads. And may we not ask soberly, what, 
would we. as a nation, be without them? 
“ But,” says one, “ we have tracks to guide our 
locomotives. Are you goiug to lay our fields 
full of iron rails for the sake of plowing by 
steam?": No, sir, not at all. 1 am not going to 
Tek Wkatheb, &c. — A “Heated Term.” — The 
weather of the part ten days has been exceedingly warm 
in this region—the thermometer ranging from SO to over 
30' in the shade almost every day. The mornings and 
evenings, and indeed the nights also, have been oppress¬ 
ively warm In this city yesterday, (the 10th.) the mer¬ 
cury touched 05’ in the shade. Of course city people are 
having a perspiring season, and those whose business 
requires constant attention are aweary — exceedingly, 
judging from our own experience. Some ordinarily con¬ 
sidered sensible people have gone on pleasure trips to the 
various watering places, White Mountains, etc , but 
such excursion* must he very tedious—decidedly sour 
grapes—in the opinion of those wlio have no leisure 
during the entire summer! Meantime, while denizens of 
t.he pent up city are sweltering somedeal, our friends in 
the country must be having a comparatively easy and 
pleasant time—invigorated by pare breezes, and encour¬ 
aged by glorious summer harvests and fast growing fall 
crops. Indian com must be rapidly making up lost 
time, and our reports in regard to other growing crops 
are generally of a very favorable character. 
Cause and Cure of Lice on Cattle. 
Some of the washes and applications recom¬ 
mended for the destruction of lice on cattle are 
dangerous or positively injurious to the health of 
the auimal. Whatever may be thought of the 
cab-'* ol lice so confidently asserted in the an- 
annexed extract of a communication in the 
Boston Cultivator, there need be no fear of the 
bad results of the application of the remedy pro¬ 
posed ; 
“ No one ever saw an animal in good condition 
lousy, and no one ever saw a poor one, that was 
»o for any length of time, that was not. This I 
consider proof enough; but if any one doubts, 
let him try the remedy of good feed, and he will 
-oon see how much superior it is to all the washes 
so highly recommended. The decay of the skin, 
consequent on the change from fat to lean, pro¬ 
duces lice, and the way to cure a disease is to 
remove the cause." 
ME. SULLIVANT'S PEALRIE FARM. 
Oi-r Western Editor s uescripnon oi me large 
and successful fanning operations of M. L. Sul- 
uvant, Esq., of Champaign Co., Illinois, has 
attracted no little attention. Mr. S. himself seems 
to have been taken by surprise, however, on find¬ 
ing himself so largely in print, as we infer from 
the perusal of a private letter just received, and 
from which we take the liberty of extracting two 
or three paragraphs. Mr. Suli.ivant thus mod¬ 
estly alludes to his operations; 
“Mr. BragdOn’s allusions to my home aud 
immediate surroundings may produce an erro¬ 
neous impression—inducing readers to imagine 
that, in externals, it may vie with the seat of a 
Patroon which has been in the course of adorn¬ 
ment generations, and on which a small fortune 
has be°en expended. I regret this. It may dis¬ 
appoint visitors. 
«I commenced operations hereon rude prairie, 
about eight years ago. My borne and principal 
encasements were then in Ohio, and continued 
New York State Fair —The arrangements for this 
exhibition—to be held at Utica, next month—are in good 
hands, and will no doubt be ample and completed in due 
sea-on. We subjoin a list of the Superintendents of the 
various Departments, d-c .: 
General superintendent—John Harold, Hempstead. 
Supt of Cattle—James S. McDonald, Salem. 
Supt. of Horses—H. C. Case, Rome. 
Assistant Supt of Hor-os—M. I>. Hollister, Rome. 
Snpt. of Sheep and Swine—Thomas V Maxou, Adams. 
Supt. of Poultry—E P Cheever, New Haven. 
Supt of Flowing—Jonathan Taleott, Rome. 
Supt. of Implements—John Dingwall, Utica. 
Supt. of Machinery Hall and Machinery—Enos S. Wood, 
Utica. 
Supt. of Floral and Fruit Department—Ambrose G. 
Howard, Utica. 
Supt. of Grain, Dairy and Vegetables—Daniel C. MasoD, 
New Hartford. 
Supt. of Domestic Hail—George H. Wiley, Utica. 
Supt. of Press—Samuel Williams, Utica. 
Supt of Forage—Sanford M. Foster, New Hartford. 
Police Magistrate — Charles F. D. Jones, Esq, New 
Hartford. 
Committee on Grounds and Erections—Benjamin N. 
Huntington, ex President, Rome; Samuel Campbell, New 
York Mills; B. P. Johnson, Secretary, Albany. 
Cost ok Raising Corn in Illinois. —A 
Warren county correspondent of the Prairie 
Farmer, “J. U. P.,” says:—“The great staple 
crop of this section is corn, for which the soil is 
particularly well adapter. Corn, properly taken 
care of, does not generally cost over twelve cents 
per bushel when cribbed. Last year.I raised 
over four thousand bushels, at a cost of nine or 
ten cents per bushel when cribbed with the husks 
on. Any person doubting this can have the 
figures of every item as charged in my farm 
account. 
gmiufms aua 
American Triumphs at thk Hamburg Exhibi¬ 
tion.—T he International Exhibition, held at Hamburg, 
Germany, ha* been frequently noticed in the Rural. In 
our issue of Juno 20, we mentioned twelve choice Span¬ 
ish Merino »hcep which Mr Geo. Camptibli., pf Ver 
uiont, was to exhibit at Hamburg, and which we had 
seen on board the Hannoiria, in New Yorkjnst before 
the departure of that steamer Wo then expressed the 
opinion that if the animals arrived safely, Mr. 0, would 
make a fine display, even if he did not secure the post of 
honor—and Added that, whatever the result, he was enti¬ 
tled to credit for his enterprise, And we are glad to 
learn that Mr. Cash-bull was successful, though com 
petiug against the world. Hon. J. A. Weight, U, S. 
Commissioner to the Hamburg Exhibition eommuui 
cates the following, under date of .July 15:• 
“Second day of the great exhibition. The largest 
show of stock of modern times. Four thousand entries. 
Campbell, of Vermont, takes three premiums on his 
sheep, two of the first class. McOobmICK thrashed all 
the nations, and walks olT with the golden medal. Our 
glorious flag aud coat of arms is seen all about us, sur¬ 
rounded by a loyal people More than fifty thousand are 
inside of the grounds to-day. Forty thousand thalers 
were take a at the gates yesterday. May our glorious 
army be as successful in thrashing the rebels as Camp 
bell, McCormick, and other Americans are, in competi¬ 
tion w ith the nations here assembled 1 regret that our 
people have taken so little interest In this exhibition. 
Never, never, was there such an opening for American 
skill and industry. We have not a thousand articles on 
exhibition, aud but one specimen of stock.” 
— Since the above was put in type we have received 
other and later reports relative to the success of Ameri¬ 
can exhibitors. It appears that though the display of 
American machinery was very meagre, nearly every arti 
cte exhibited by our manufacturers was successful. 
Among the awards we notice the following:—To Skt- 
mocr, Morgan & Co., of Broekport, N. Y., large silver 
medal, for first class reaping and mowing machine; 
Thornton & Avert, I’enn., silver medal, for the best 
horse power; John Kllbhv, Penn, large bronze medal, 
for improved harrow aud cultivator; Waittemore, Bel¬ 
cher fit Co , Mass., bronze medal, for an assortment of 
agricultural implements and machinery ; L P. Rose, 
Michigan, bronze medal, for elegantly finished imple¬ 
ments ; E. C, Taintkk, Mass , bronze medal, for planing 
and tenouing machine; Geo. Cahpbkm., Vermont, bronze 
medal, for Willard's patent boot cutter; John Vander¬ 
bilt, New York, bronze medal, for agricultural imple¬ 
ments and machinery : John W. Free, Indiana, bronze 
medal, lor fanning mill; Hall & Speak, Penn., bronze 
medal, for splendid plow ; S. P. Uubbei.l, New York, 
bronze medal, for seed sower. 
Ricwicnv pop. Murrain. —L noticed yonr remarks in a 
late Rural concerning “ Murrain.' I think yon are cor¬ 
rect in saying that “it is difticult to give any desirable 
information on the cause or cure of the disease called 
murrain .” Saltpeter (pulverized) given in small doses, 
has proved successful In several cases in tills vicinity. I 
would give form half a teaspoouful to a tablespoonful, 
according to size and age of.the animal 1 would recom¬ 
mend giving half a teaspoonful to a handful of salt per 
head, where animals have the murrain” among them.— 
5. 6. B., Springvitte, M- 
porary structure. Like the buck wood Milan who 
forms a strong attachment to bis first log-cabin, 
and is loth to leave it. or exchange it for some¬ 
thing more modern and in better keeping with 
his improved circumstances, we hold on to the 
original rather rude erection, making its capacity 
equal to the demands for enlarged hospitality, as 
our friends favor us with visits, and ptrangers 
come to view the grounds and witness agricul¬ 
tural operations on an extensive scale, and to 
increased business calls, by placing from time to 
time, another and another of the original cottages 
alongside the first cabin, aud making all look 
cheerful by giving them a coating or two of 
white-wash. 
“ While the ladies have their flower plot, and 
some slmbbery, enough to interest, attract arid 
form an agreeable variety; the ornamental con¬ 
sists largely of what contributes to comfort and 
utility. But all is yet. as may be readily suppos¬ 
ed, in but the formative stage. In view of the 
work to be done, and the time I have been at 
work, I flatter myself that I have made respect¬ 
able progress. 
“ This prairie country is susceptible of a speedy 
transformation, altogether unlike the wooded 
land, which exhausts the energies of a life-time 
to secure a patch of a clearing. Should you 
make a visit to the West, it would afford me much 
pleasure to have you drop in. and take a look at 
my farm and operations.” 
The Wool Clip of 1863. 
In his recent report on the C&dition of the 
Crops during May and Jude, the Commissioner 
of Agriculture makes the following remarks 
under the head of Wool; 
Wool. — The tables show an increase in the 
number of sheep over those ot last year of twenty 
per cent Much has been said of the great clip 
of wool tills season, many placing it as high as 
one hundred million of pounds. It is necessary 
to show what the increase is, and what is the 
crop of wool. 
The number of sheep, by the census report for 
1860, is 2-1,823,566, and the pounds of wool, 
60,611.343* From this number of sheep is to be 
deducted 1,106.200 for mistake in t,be census re¬ 
port of thope for Indiana. The rebel States pro¬ 
duced 5.717 687 of tho whole number which must 
be deducted from it as they are not now repre¬ 
sented in the wool market. Kentucky aud Mis¬ 
souri raised in 1862, 2,039,601 sheep, and the rav¬ 
ages of war have destroyed largely of these. 
Deducting 1,000,0110 on this account, we have the 
following table; 
Whole number for I860.. - - - -24,823,566 
From which take— 
Mistake in Indiana returns. 1,166,200 
Sheep of the disloyal States.5,717,o8< 
Loss in Kentucky aud Missouri .1,000,000 _ 
genius m the numberless vane ties ot engines 
and machines on sea and land- from the engine 
of our sea leviathans down to a simple invention 
to thread the needle ol the seamstress —what 
may wo not look and hope for? While Stkmikn- 
son had to invent the engine itself, and to apply 
it to the work, he proposed to do with it, we have 
only to apply. 
Compare, for a moment, the first steam-boat 
with the gigantic palaces that now join far-dis¬ 
tant lands, or let us look at the difference be¬ 
tween ibe common fanning implements fifty 
jearsagoaud now, and see the monstrous bur¬ 
den that man by this inventive genius has hurled 
from his Own shoulders upon that of beasts. 
May he not by the same means compel steam to 
relieve the beast? “ Progress and improvement ” 
is the order of the age in which we live, with 
farmers, as well as others. I know there are 
great and almost insurmountable obstacles that 
will have to be encountered, but I believe that 
farmers will yet plow, sow, reap, mow and thresh 
by steam-power. Though 1 may not live to see 
tho day, 1 believe it, as surely as I live. 1 can 
only hope that my dayF, through the blessing of 
Providence, may be prolonged to that time. 
Western New Y T ork, 1863. H. 
About Butter Making.—O. F. W, Pembroke. The 
directions sent us by our esteemed correspondent, so ex 
actly coincide with the process used by our best dairies, 
and often made public through our columns, that we 
tliink best to omit its publication at present. On one 
point he varies from the now general practice—in object¬ 
ing to washing the butter, particularly with “hard water, 
as it renders it frowy” from the lime it contains. Butter 
is strictly an oleaginous compound and not miscible or 
soluble in water. We do not readily see how water can 
affect It; it any rate if thoroughly worked out, as it should 
be before laying down. 
What Stock to Keep in thk Wicbt.— I am a young 
farmer, just beginning a rural life after spending most of 
my younger days at the “ease” in a printing office. Of 
course, 1 find the Rural an indispensable companion, and 
a great aid in my newly-chosen avocation. I would like 
to know the opinion of Mr. Braopov, or some other 
Western man, on what kind of stock will be the safest and 
most profitable for a Western farmer of small mean* 
to devote his attention to young cattle, sheep or hogs? 
or can a rntm make it pay best to raise a limited number 
of all together' 1 think the grain market two uncertain 
for money making.—L A- K , Lafayette, Jn<L, 1863. 
Our Western Associate's article entitled “Something 
about the Stock for the Prairies ” (see Rural of 1st 
inst.) will perhaps answer the above inquiry in regard to 
cattle. Will Mr. B , or some other experienced Western 
man, respond in regard to sheep aud swine f 
ABOUT WEEDS 
There is something about a real, genuine 
weed that 1 like. I think it allows a character 
decidedly its own. I mean such plants as are 
denominated useless and troublesome weeds, 
nothing more or less—such as thistle, dock, pig¬ 
weed, chick-weed, daisy, and a hundred others 
that the farmer makes war against from spring 
till fall. Just notice the perseverance under dit- 
ficulties which they display. If you undertake 
anything and fail once or twice you get discour¬ 
aged, but if a weed makes up its mind to grow, 
grow it will. You may tear its clothes in pieces 
as often as you please, before you think of it it is 
clothed again nicer than before,—you dig it out 
of the ground aud another is ready to take its 
place. You sow your fruit or flower garden, 
how carefully you watch the tiny plants, dig 
around and water them that they may have every 
advantage, but how soon the weeds are higher 
than your plants. You take your hoe and go at 
them with a vengeance. Gently they lay down 
their heads, and you fancy they are dead, but in 
a little while there they are again, seeming to 
say trouble me you can but kill me you cannot. 
It is true of most characters that they need 
some cultivation in order for their improvement. 
Not so a weed. Wherever a little particle of 
“ mother earth” can stay, there it lifts its head. 
Variety is one of its characteristics, also. See 
what a pretty little flower the chick-weed bears 
for the tiny birds to sing about,—how proudly 
the thistle lifts its head bearing a blossom which 
puts to shame many of our exotics. Not a bit of 
partiality do they show, either. The little dan¬ 
delion blossoms just as willingly by the roadside 
f where the beggar can enjoy it as it does in the 
- garden of wealth, and if you and I had never 
y seen eveu that common flower what a’beauty we 
M should call it, and how carefully would we enlti- 
j\ vate it. Yes, I do like weeds. I admire their 
Y independence. The same hand that formed all 
Igl the .beautiful Uowers formed them, and there is 
L- not one but has some beauty in it. All Nature is 
$ given for our instruction, and many are the les- 
A sons we may learn from Weeds. x. 
^ June, 1863. 
About “Muck Land and Willows.”— rerrait me to 
answer the inquiry in Rural of July 25th in regard to 
“Muck Land and Willows.” The willows will do well on 
rich muck laud, if the water does not stand on it during 
the summer, especially black ash muck. There is a 
steady market in New York and Boston, and a prospect of 
its continuing for years, at 6 to 6 cents per pound. The 
expense of seltiug an acre is mainly for the cuttings, 
which cost $2,00 per thousand; the amount required is 
15.000 to 16,000 per acre After the second y ear the yield 
is about three tuns per acre. I plant the purpurea or bit 
ter purple willow, which sells the best and brings the 
highest price in market. The common willow is worth¬ 
less. Any lurtlier information promptly given.—D. J. 
Buajian, ilacedon Center, At T. 
Number in loyal States in 1800.16,939,770 
Tke increase in 1863, as stated in the June re¬ 
ports to this department, is twenty-five per cent, 
and allowing it to be the same in 1861 and 1863, 
the whole number for 1861 would be 21.174.724 
and in 1862, 26.468,406. This is the number from 
which the clip ofl863 was taken. 
The average yield of sheep, per head, accord¬ 
ing to the census returns in 1850, was 2.42 
pounds, and by those of i860, 2 55 pounds. But 
this is clearly too low for the principal sheep- 
producing States of the north. . 
The number of the sheep of the loyal States 
was 17,198,219 in 1860, and the pounds of wool. 
50 . 183 . 626 , making the yield of wool 2.92 pounds 
per head. The number of sheep of the disloyal 
States was 6.097.587, and the pounds of wool. 
9.718.702, making but 1.59 poinds per sheep. 
The following table shows the yield, per head, 
of the following five large wool-producing States, 
according to the census returns of 1850, I860, and 
the returns of the correspondent of this depart¬ 
ment in June of this year: _ , aa . 
THAT 80 BUSHELS OF WHEAT PER ACRE. 
Mr. Moore:— In the Rural of July 4lh, you 
notice the premium awarded iu 1820 to Edge- 
comb Chappell, of Avon, for raising upwards 
of eighty bushels of wheat to the acre, and ask 
tho present wheat-growers what they think of 
that. Well, for me, I answer that eighty bushels 
never grew on an acre, though Mr. C. came as 
nigh to it as any one ever did. 
At that time (1820) my father and Mr. Chap¬ 
pell were on almost adjoining farms —their 
lands aud tillage about*alika They grow the 
old red-chaff wheat, which, in good years, would 
average from twenty-live to thirty-five bushels to 
tho acre, of better quality than can be raised now 
on old land. We had wheat one year on a field 
of new land, all nicely burnt over in cleaning, 
the season all in its favor, and it grew as good a 
crop as Mr. Chappell ever raised—in fact all 
that could stand on the ground—but it did not 
come quite up to fifty bushels to the acre, and I 
suppose wheat very rarely and perhaps never 
did. The rumor of the day explained how Mr. 
Chappelt/r premium crop grew up to the size 
necessary with some twenty bushels to spare, but 
how they •• come at” at the odd ounces with the 
big. rusty steelyards remains still a mystery. 
Lakeville, N. Y., August, 1S63. S. Bishop. 
Warts on Cattle or Horses.— I notice in the Rural 
an inquiry how to cure warts on cows' udder. For the 
benefit of your correspondent, and others of your sub 
tcribers who have cattle or horses troubled with w arts, I 
will state how I have removed them in several instances. 
Take an India rubber string out of an old suspender or 
elastic ribbon, or take an old shoe and cot a narrow strip 
three or four inches in length, aud wind it around the 
root of the wart, taking care to stretch it well as you 
wind Fasten by twisting or tj ing the ends. In a day or 
two the wart will turn black, and it will dry down to 
nothing but a'scab, and in a few days will come off itself, 
or you can pick it off. I have a young cow, which last 
v ear liad a large wart between her teats, which I removed 
in this way without any trouble or inconvenience.—C. F. 
Grkr, Oeddes, A7 F. _ 
In the Rural 
New York... 
Pennsylvania 
Ohio. 
Michigan.... 
Vermont.... 
Average.2 88 a.at a,77 
From all these data, it is safe to assume the 
yield in the loyal States at three pounds per 
head. The estimated number of sheep for last 
year being 26,468,405, the clip of 1863 would be 
79,405,215 pounds. 
More Inquiries on Willow Culture, 
of July 18th, I see an article on the culture of the Osier 
Willow, from Wm. A Waldo, Pratteburgh. What 
State and county is Frattsburgh inf [Steuben Co., N. 
Y._Ed ] Now, in addition to Mr. Waldo’s instructions 
on the growing the willow, I ask, Would the French 
Willow come to good maturity as far north as 8t. Law¬ 
rence Co.,—some 4414° North? Where can the cuttings 
be had? Wbat will be the cost of enough to set one 
acre? How near together should they be set, In the rows 4 
How far apart should the rows be? If water stands on 
willow- land through tho winter, will it injure the sets* 
Will it answer our purpose, should the water drain off 
about the first of May? What does the peeling cost? 
Now, Mr. Waldo, should this meet your eye, you wUl 
no doubt answer all of the inquiries, or yon, Mr. Editor, 
and much oblige— Abijah W. Church, Morristown. St 
ABOUT CORN CULTURE IN THE WEST, 
Eds. Rural New-Yorker I most respect¬ 
fully beg leave Jo differ from a portion of an 
article in the Rural of July 25th, by your West¬ 
ern Editor, on “Large Farms.' - I think Mr. €. 
D. B., or Mr. S., must have got the thing a little 
mystified in regard to the number of days it 
would take to raise an acre of corn and harvest 
it I would sooner take Mr. G.'s guessing than 
their figures. They required but three quarters 
of day to do all the work to an acre of corn. 
Now "look on this side. It will take one half of 
The Potato Rot. 
As Prof. J ohnson, of Yale College, has pub¬ 
licly endorsed the fungus theory announced by 
some of the German botanists, perhaps some of 
onr readers will like to compare their own theo¬ 
ries and observations with the following state¬ 
ment : 
“ These investigators have not merely looked 
at the blighted leaves and seen the fungus there, 
but have watched the fungus, as it rapidly sends 1 lawrence Co., N. T. 
t 
