mas, and carried the breed to that perfection 
which is now seen in its best specimens. The 
average weight of his sheep, at from 13 to 15 
months old, was about 120 lbs., and the average 
yield of wool per bead, about 0 lbs. 
Choice specimens of Mr. Ellman'S sheep were 
imported into the United States some years since 
by Mr. Jons’ Hake Potvell, of Pennsylvania, 
Francis Rotur, Esq., ot New 1 ork, and ' a- 
rious other breeders. Mr. Wbbb’h have also 
been extensively imported by Mr. Thorne, of 
New York, Mr. Alexander, of Kentucky, Mr. 
Taylor, of New Jersey, and others. It is un¬ 
derstood that the leading American importers 
left no sheep in England superior to those pur¬ 
chased by them. 
Mr. Thorne furnished me the following facts 
in regard to his flock, in answer to inquiries 
which embraced all the subjects touched upon 
by him: 
“ My flock of South Downs consists of some¬ 
thing over 200 head, exclusive of lambs. They 
are descended from fourteen different importa¬ 
tions, principally from the flock of the late Jonas 
Webb. Those not of his breeding were prize 
pens at the Show of the Agricultural Society of 
England, and bred by Henry Lcoar, of Hen- 
grave, near Bury St. Edmunds. *1 he rams used 
have ail been selected with the greatest care 
from the Babraham flock. ‘ Archbishop 1 is the 
one which is now being principally used. Ho 
was the first prize yearling at the Royal Show at 
Canterbury In 1860, and was chosen by myself 
from Mr. Webb's folds as the best ram he then 
had. His price there was $1,250- He was im¬ 
ported in December. 1800. 
« The breeding ewes average from SO to 100 in 
number. They usually lamb in March. The 
rate of increase for the past six years has been 
142 per cent. This year (1803) it has been 158. 
As soon as the lambs straighten up, they are 
docked, and the males that are not to be kept for 
service are castrated. They are weaned at 
about four moDthe old. The ewe and wether 
lambs are given good, short pastures,' and the 
ram lambs are folded on rape and kept there 
until all stock is housed. Frost (unless perhaps 
a very severe one) does not appear to injure the 
plant, and hence they can be kept upon It longer 
than on grass. They are confined to this feed, 
unless a few small ones may require grain, which 
sometimes is given to the lot When put in 
winter quarters the wethers have hay and roots; 
the others have in addition a little grain. The 
breeding ewes are kept on hay until two months 
before lambing, when they are given a small 
feed of corn, which Is soon increased to half a 
pint each per day. When they lamb they are 
given turnips instead of grain. The wethers 
fyearlings j are given gool pasturage the next 
season, and feed is commenced as soon us the 
slightest frost makes its appearance, half a pint 
of corn to each. When put. in the sheds they are 
given turnips, and the corn is increased to a pint 
each. They are marketed generally at Christ¬ 
mas. They usually dress from 75 to 100 lbs. 
This year 75 that were sold to Bryan Law¬ 
rence. of New York, averaged in weight 87.} lbs. 
« With regard to the wool-producing qualities 
of the South Down, the one year that 1 kept an 
accurate account, the ewe flock, including among 
the number sheep eight and nine years old, all 
having suckled lambs, gave C pounds 51 ounces: 
the yearling ewes 8 pounds 12 ounces: the year¬ 
ling ratns from S to 12 pounds. This was un¬ 
washed wool, though as you are aware, their 
wool is not of a greasy character, and should not 
be shrunk at the most over one-fourth, by the 
buyer. 
“ Y'on may remember to have seen some no¬ 
tices of the sales of Jonas Wf.ur’s Sout h Downs. 
The first sale, in 1861, included all the flock ex¬ 
cept lambs, and numbered 200 rams and 770 ewes. 
They brought C10.026, The balance were sold 
in 18G2, and numbered 1-18 rams and 280 ewes. 
Amount of sale. £5.720. Total two years sales, 
more than $80,000. 1,1 1 
Mr. Thorne further writes me:—“Breeding 
ewes require exercise; I have always considered 
it more to the advantage of meadows than of 
sheep that they should be yarded.” His sheep 
have been extremely healthy. The only preva¬ 
lent disease among them has been puerperal or 
parturient fever, at lambing. Prior to 1850 he 
had but one or two cases a year, but that year 
twenty, and lour ewes died. This was his worst 
year, and under a new mode of treatment the 
disease is apparently entirely disappearing from 
his flock. It never, however, was confined to his 
flock or family of sheep, he informs me, but has 
been a prevalent disease among sheep of all kinds 
in the neighborhood, though often called by other 
names. 
The ram, a cut of which is given, is “ Arch¬ 
bishop.” already mentioned, bred by Jonas 
Webb, and owned by Mr. Thorne, The ewes, 
cuts of which are also given, are a pair of two 
year olds, bred by Mr. Thorne from his im¬ 
ported stock. 
* Iu Another letter, Mr. Thorne says: —“My own ex¬ 
perience has convinced me that it is not advisable to pnt 
lambs upon new seeds, or after growth from new mead¬ 
ows, where the growth has been very rank.” 
t This letter is dated Thorndale, Washington Hollow, 
N. Y., April 3, 1863. 
WNAT KIND OF WOOL SHALL WE GROW! 
Eds. Rural New-Yorker:—As there seems 
to be a lull in the purchase and sale of wool, and 
as the time is now near at hand when at least a 
portion of the wool-growers will be on the alert 
for the best breeds of sheep to propagate tor the 
production of the best kinds of wool, it may not 
be amiss to say a few words on the subject, I 
have been engaged in propagating sheep, and in 
the production of wool and dealing in the same, 
more or less, for upwards of forty years, and 
from my experience, (though I confess I have 
not the experience of many others.) I must give 
my preference to dry wool sheep over the gummy 
and oily kinds, as I cannot see any good result¬ 
ing from the production of gummy and oily 
wools. It certainly cannot be a source of gain 
to the manufacturers; but, on the contrary, must 
prove a great loss to them in several ways. 
First, the great deduction of gum and oil; then, 
the expense of cleansing, and again, in paying 
freight on a large quantity ot gum und oil—un¬ 
less such kind of wool is purchased at a very 
reduced price from that of dry wool, paying only 
for the amount of wool minus the grease and 
gum, in which case the producers must be the 
loners. Then, most assuredly, it would be for 
the interest of the wool-grower to propagate 
those kinds of sheep that produce wool instead 
of gum and oil. 
But it is argued by a portion of the wool- 
growers, that they can get just as much for their 
gummy and oily wool as they could for good 
dry wool; and so long as they can do that they 
are not going to propagate the dry wool sheep, 
when they can grow sheep that will produce 
double the amount of the dry wool sheep. Then, 
again, others say they do not care u farthing for 
the interest of the manulacturer; that is not their 
business. They go upon the principle of the 
old adage “every man for himself,” Ac. Now, 
if it is true that the manufacturers will give as 
much for gummy and oily wool as for good dry 
wool, the fault, if any, must certainly be with 
them—they having given a broad spread license 
to both wool-grower and wool-buyer to deal in 
all kinds of wool, by pay tog as much for gummy 
as for good dry wool. 
Now, 1 am equally friendly to both wool- 
grower and manufacturer, for the good and sub¬ 
stantial reason that 1 am satisfied their interests 
are identified. There is a class of men, and 
some of them may be found among the wool- 
growers, that seem to have but one idea, losing 
all sight or interest in the welfare of their fellow- 
man and their country—who forget that there 
must he buyers as well as sellers—asking and 
claimiug the highest price for his city lot, with¬ 
out the least regard, thought, care or reflection 
as to the interest of the city, or the welfare of its 
citizens; and that class of wool-growers are 
seeking after the sheep that will produce the 
heaviest fleece. It matters not whether it is 
wool, gum, oil or grease—it is the heft of fleece 
they are alter, because they say it, will bring the 
most money. Formerly, 4 lbs. of wool per head 
was considered a good average for a flock; but 
now I hear of whole flocks averaging from 7 to 
8 lbs., and bucks - fleeces going from 14 to 18 and 
even 20 lbs, and sometimes more. In order to 
prove my assertion, I will refer to a notice in 
the Rural New-Yokkkr of August, 1863, which 
gives 8? lbs. as the average of one flock; also 
iu the same paper of two young bucks’ fleeces, 
one weighing 12 lbs., and another lCj lbs. 
Now lor the figures and profit on the two 
kinds of sheep. The old kinds of Merino dry 
wool sheep, 4 lbs. at GO cts., $2,40. The new 
kinds, greasy and gummy, 8 lbs. at 00 eta, $4.80, 
—making a difference ol' one-halt in favor of the 
gummy and oily kinds, which is certainly worth 
looking into. Now, if the gummy and oily 
wools are worth just asmuchto the manufacturer 
as dry wool, it ought to be so understood—tin 
sooner the wool-growers know it the better, that 
they may without delay be seeking to propagate 
the heaviest fleeced sheep. But, on the other 
band, if the manufacturer fully decides iu favor 
of the dry wool sheep, and makes the true and 
just discrimination between the two kinds, then 
the wool-grower ought to know it as soon as 
possible. Now, I call upon the manufacturers 
to answer, as they alone are the judges 
Iu regard to keeping the two kinds of sheep, it 
has been ascertained that, the gummy and oily 
wool sheep are heavy feeders, dud necessarily so 
from the fact that they require an extra amount 
of food, in order to supply the body with suffi¬ 
cient nutriment to furnish the great amount of 
grease and gum that is absorbed in the wool. 
And, again, they arc a less hardy breed, and 
require more at tention, both winter and summer, 
than the dry wool sheep, and, iu my opinion, are 
more liable to disease, Wool-Grower. 
Steuben Co., N. Y., August, 1803. 
SHALL WE GROW FLAX? 
[I.v a recent issue [of the N. Y. Tribune we find the 
following timely and interesting article under the above 
heading;] 
One of the most important questions now 
before the farmers of all the States that cannot 
grow cotton is. Shall we grow flax? 
This question has long since been answered 
by a majority of Northern farmers with a most 
decided No. •’ It costs too much hard work to 
grow and dress flax. I nearly broke my back 
when I was a boy, pulling and spreading flax; 
and oh! how my bones ache now at the thought 
of that old flax-brake in my father’s barn, with 
its hard, dirty work. No, Sir, I won't raise flax; 
I had rather buy cotton.” 
True, that saving clause was made when cot¬ 
ton was sixpence a yard: but the man lives on 
in hopes that that good time will come again, 
and does not grow flax. It is true that of late 
he has listened more patiently to his wife's sug¬ 
gestion than he would five years ago, when she 
says, "Don't you think, husband, that we had 
better grow a little flax? Cotton cloth is dear, 
and the boys are getting very short of shirts, and 
really, I must have some new sheets next year, 
if we only had some flax to work up next win¬ 
ter 1” 
“Well, really, yes, I ’spose so: but darn that 
old brake. That’s what I am thinking of, with 
my rheumatic shoulder." 
“Why, husband. Sam says that he would brake 
and dress the flax if father would grow it,” 
•• Look here, wife, I never shall set one of my 
boys in his teens at that work while I can re¬ 
member the same period of my own life. We 
have machines to mow and reap, and thrash and 
winnow, and the grindstone even runs on rollers 
by a tread of the foot. Whenever we can have 
a machine to break tiax. I’ll grow it, you may be 
sure of that, for it is a good crop, and not bad 
work to grow it Besides, I believe in Northern 
farmers being a little more independent of slave 
labor. Yes. indeed, I will for one grow flax as 
soon as I can be assured that there is a machine 
contrived that don’t cost a fortune and need a 
whole mill-power to work it. and that a man can 
use without endangering his life, that will break 
flax without wasting half, and costing more than 
the crop is worth to clean it. Then, I tell you, 
we shall grow flax.” 
Then we tell you to buy the Beed, prepare the 
ground by thorough, deep plowing, this Autumn, 
so that the frosts of Winter will mellow it as no 
other process can, and in the opening of 1864 
you will sow your seed, and we. the farmers of 
all the flax-growing States, will grow flax. 
The machine that you call for has been in¬ 
vented. It was patented in September, 18G2. It 
was further improved and re-patented in April. 
1.863. Yet it, is not something still to be tried- 
still to be proved. It is proved. A hundred 
have been built and put to operation upon the 
crop grown in 1861 and 1862, and eighty men, 
with all the appliances of modern machinery, 
are now at work building machines to fill orders 
for cleaning the crop of 1863. Everywhere the 
machine is a success. We saw the first model 
built, and spoke of it then in ihe same terms that 
we speak of it to day, after seeing it in operation, 
doing its perfect work, driven by steam power 
and by hand, for there are three sizes, one of 
which can be operated by hand, but would be 
much more effectual if attached, as it can be, to 
a small horse-power. 
This machine is known as “Sanford A Mal¬ 
lory's Portable Flax and Hemp Dresser. - The 
largest size occupies about as much space ae a 
th umbin g machine, without the cleaner—say five 
feet square, and may weigh 1,600 lbs., and re¬ 
quires the light labor of two men to bveak a tun 
of flax a day, more perfectly than it is possible 
to do it by hand, and as well as any other ma¬ 
chine that we have ever seen or heard of, and 
absolutely without any waste of Glter. That our 
opinion is not unsupported, let us prove by llie 
very best witnesses. In less than a year ninety- 
eight of these machines have been sold, and 
nearly all put in operation, in the following loca¬ 
tions: 
In the State of New York, principally in the 
great flax growing region of Washington, Rens¬ 
selaer, and adjoining counties, where there are 
great flax-dressing mills, lung established with 
other machines, there have been sold thirty-nine 
machines. In Illinois, 17; in Ohio, 10; in Penn¬ 
sylvania, 7; in New Jersey, 5; in Iowa, 4: to 
Massachusetts, 2:in Indiana. 1; in Canada, 2; in 
Ireland, 11—from all of which, particularly the 
latter, testimonials have come to the manufac¬ 
turers of a character calculated to inspire confi¬ 
dence in all who desire to establish machines for 
dressing flax. 11 
A letter from Ireland t-ays:—112 lbs. of flax 
straw produced 22{ lbs. 10 oz. of clean flax, 
against 20 lbs. 10 oz. upon the old style machines 
—a saving that would pay for a machine in thirty 
d ays. Another flax manufacturer says: 
“On very poor and hard straw I found a gain 
of 1 lb. per hundred weight over Ihe same bro¬ 
ken by ordinary rollers; on medium quality of 
straw a gain of 2 lbs. 4 oz. per hundred weight— 
the yield by your brake being 18 lbs. 4 oz. 
against 16 lbs, on same straw broken by ordinary 
method: on very tender straw’, over-watered, the 
gain was 34 lbs. per hundred weight—the yield 
by your brake being 14 i lbs. against 11 lbs. by 
ordinary method. I find the flax from your 
rollers easier scutched, and the yield softer to 
feel and quality improved, than that rolled in 
the ordinary way.” 
Enos Durham, of Lake, Washington county, 
N. Y.. who has been nine years engaged on the 
flax-dressing business, made an experiment with 
700 ft. of flax straw, one half dressed on the old 
machine, and one half on Sanford A Mallory’s 
new machine, with the following result: 
THE OLD MACHINE. 
Time Of breaking .„.. .1 h. 25 min. 
Time of scutching.1 h. 28 min. 
Yield of dressed Flax—....6416s. 
Y’ield of coarse tow.-.20 lbs. 
Yield of fine tow..—.6,‘s lbs. 
WITH SANFORD St MALLORY'S. 
Time of breaking....1 It. 36 min. 
Time of scutching..1 it. 30 min. 
Yield of dressed Flax.-..TO'-i lbs. 
Yield of coarse tow.10 lbs. 
Yield of fine tow..... lbs. 
Mr. Durham says:—“From what I have seen 
of your machine I am confident that with skill¬ 
ful use it will yield, when tender straw is dressed, 
at least 10 lbs. of lint to the 100 lbs. of straw 
more than any other machine in use—and when 
straw of average quality is dressed, the saving 
will average at least C lbs. to the 100, and I think 
the coarse tow from your machine is worth full 
one cent per pound more than that from the 
old mode of dressing, while the fiax dressed is 
invariably softer, longer, and freer from shive 
than any 1 have ever seen from the old process. 
Another feature of your machine is, that it can 
be worked without the slightest risk to the ope¬ 
rator.” 
These are not selected testimonials, but sam¬ 
ples of all. and are given merely to prove that 
we are not recommending a machine that won't 
bear the test of practical operation. 
We know whereof we speak, and know lhat 
many thousands of farmers, who hold to the old 
opinions about fiax-growing, will now commence 
the work as soon as they are. encouraged by the 
introduction of one of these machines into the 
neighborhood. We know of one case where the 
result has been an increase from four to sixty- 
four acres in one place around the new machine. 
Indeed, fanners will not wait for the establish¬ 
ment of power machines, but will boy the small 
size, (price $155) and put them at work in their 
own barns. The machinery is so simple that 
any one can manage it. Its work is so effective 
that every one must admire it who heartily de¬ 
sires to see the cultivation of this old staple fiber 
increased. 
The farmer need not go through with all the 
processes of dressing the flax, any more than be 
needs to grind his wheat. That he only frees of 
its bulky straw and chaff. The flax he can 
readily free of 75 per cent, of its weight, and 
then he has a saleable product, which wili bear 
transportation in bales, just like the lint in hemp, 
ana much of it may be used in that rough state, 
or be fully dressed where it is to be manufac¬ 
tured into “fine linen,” and other valuable 
fabrics, not forgetting that a good, strong, dura¬ 
ble, handsome, woolen cloth, is now made one- 
half flax. 
Every one knows that flax lint is superior to 
cotton, for almost every purpose, and every one 
knows that cotton obtained the ascendancy over 
its rival, because it was grown by slave labor, 
fostered by the Government, at the expense of 
all the soil wherever grown, for it has perfectly 
verified the fable of the golden egg. The goose 
has been killed. Millions of acres of cotton 
land are now barren. Coufine slave-labor cotton 
growing within any given area, and it cannot 
compete with flax: for while the flax-growing 
farmer improved every year of fifty, in that time 
the cotton plantation would be, what many of 
them have been made by ten years’ use, a mis¬ 
erable ruin, and worthless. 
Had every farmer a machine which could be 
driven by borse-power. and be attended by boys 
or girls, without risk to the operative, it would 
not be long before a linen fabric could be pur¬ 
chased for a price less even than that of cotton. 
Flax is extensively grown for the seed alone, 
the straw being thrown away. Farmers living 
at a distance from a mill cannot afford to cart 
the straw to it: hence the amount of flax dressed 
is limited, and the price is high. 
A machine that will counteract this is a boon 
to the world. It should rank with thejeotton- 
gin. The public press should not look upon it 
in the light of giving it a free advertisement 
when making it known. 
If this machine that we recommend, is what 
we believe it to be—what all who have used it 
say it is. then every land-owner in America 
should know it; for then he will know thatjsot- 
ton is no loDger king—that it is not necessary to 
perpetuate slavery to grow cotton, because free 
laborers can grow a better filter, at a lower price, 
and at the same time be fully remunerated for 
their time thus employed. Let every Northern 
farmer in all the intervening months between 
this and seeding-time next spring, earnestly dis¬ 
cuss this question. Shall we grow flax? 
PROFITARLE BEE-KEEPING. 
Cashmere Goats in the Genesee Valley_ We team 
that Mr. Wm. H. Spencer, of Geneseo, has recently pur. 
chased several (fash rue re goats of Mr. S. S. Wilu ams 
of Granville, Ohio, — some account of who* w& ’ 
recently given In the Rural. The purchase includes six 
animals, I one male and five females,) of which we are 
given the names, ages and prices paid as follows:— “Duke 
of Wellington,” one year old, $250; “ Adda, 1 ' three year., 
*300: “Cora. ” one year, $300; “Eugenic,” one year, $2‘.v 
“ Louise,” tliree years, S100; “ Gipsey," one year, $100. 
The “Duke” was got by Mr W.'s “Sampson” outofa 
Tennessee bred ewe As we are advised these animals 
are very choice, and as they are from the most reputable 
flock in the North, Mr. Spencer start* under very favora¬ 
ble auspices. We believe this is the first introduction of 
pare Cashmeres into our State, and trust the enterprise 
will prove successful. Mr. S proposes to exhibit his 
Cashmeres at the coming State Fair in Utica, where the 
novel display will no doubt be the cynosure of all curious 
eyes. 
— As Mr. Williams, of whom the above purchase was 
made, has done mnch to introduce the Cashmere goat into 
the Northern States, a further allusion to hi* flock mat 
not ne out of place in this connection. He lias in his 
flock animals imported from Asia, and those bred in Ten¬ 
nessee and Ohio, and he testifies that they arc alike hardy 
and prolific In 1860, when Cashmeres were exhibited at 
the National Fair by several Southern gentlemen—i n . 
eluding Col. R . PK7F.S9, of Georgia—Mr W » goats were 
awarded a number Of prizes, He showed in two rings 
against Col. F., and was victorious in both eases. Those 
interested in the subject of propagating the Cashmere 
goat in this climate are referred to an article from the 
pen of Mr. W , in the RrRAL of the ISth ultimo. 
Does it pay to keep bees ? Let the reader 
examine the statements below and decide for 
himself. 
John Loomis, a bee-keeper living at Pecn- 
tonica, this State, informs me that he started with 
two colonies of bees a year ago last spring. He 
paid ten dollars for the bees, including the hives. 
They were in the common box-hives. The same 
season they gave him four swarms, and sixty 
pounds of box honey, worth fifteen cents per 
pound. They were wintered in a good house- 
cellar, and came out last spring in fine condition. 
This season the six colonies have given him 
eight swarms, beside some surplus honey. lie 
gold the fourteen colonies, including the box 
honey made this season, a few days ago for fifty 
dollars, cash. The hives he used for the increase 
were also the ordinary box. They cost him fifty 
cents each. Now, for a summary statement: 
Dr. 
To 2 colonies of bees, at $5 each,.$10 00 
To 12 hives for swarms, at 50 cents each,... 6 00 
To interest ou bees ana hives lit 10 per cent . 1 60 
Amount,....$17 60 
(JR. 
By 14 colouies of bees,. $o0 00 
Dy 60 pounds box honey, at 15 cents,. 000 
Amount,.... $59 00 
Deduct Dr. from Cr., .. 17 00 
Profits on two hives of bees,. .$41 4*1 
The reader will please observe that this gives 
a profit of two hundred and sixty per cent . on the 
capital invested !—the capital being the cost Of 
the bees and new hives. Mr. Loomis says that 
he gave his bees simply ordinary attention, aside 
from wintering them in the cellar, and that the 
pleasure of taking care of them was an equivalent 
to the trouble. He now designs to locate else¬ 
where and commence bee-keeping on a larger 
scale. Instead, however, of using the ordinary 
box he proposes to adopt the new style of the 
Langstrcth hive. M. M. Baldridge. 
St. Charles, Kane Co., Ill., July, 1863. 
pquiws ami 
The Plant to CrRE Heaves ex Horses.—To satisfy 
the anxiety of several readers of the Rural, 1 will say, 
in relation to the cure of heaves in horses, that at the 
suggestion of some Eastern friends, I shall this fall try 
and gather the seed from the plant in question, if it pro¬ 
duces seed. I have never seen any of the seed, but I pre¬ 
sume it is because 1 never have examined closely. I have 
left vacant a part of my meadow on which it grows the 
thickest, for the purpose of getting the seed, and I will 
give you due and timely notice of the result.—E. E. 
Thomas, Woodstock, III 
Coloring Horse Hair.—I noticed in the Rural of 
June 13, an article from J. A., Newiane, N Y , asking for 
information in regard to removing white hairs from the 
necks of his horses, caused by the wearing or rubbing of 
a collar. I will give him my remedy. Take of litharge 
3 oz. and of quick lime 6 oz. Beat fine and mix; put in 
a pan and pour a sharp lye over it; then boil and slum, 
and grease with the scum.— M. A. Conklin, Smtthton, 
Worth Co.. M<>. _ 
Milking Stool.—T he best milking stool for boys is a 
one-legged one, and the stool loose on the leg Then 
when the boy attempts to strike the cow, the stool will 
fly off the leg, and the cow escape unhurt. By the time 
the boy ekes out his vengeance on the stool he won’t feel 
like folio wins it up on the cow 1— Milk Boy. 
The New Shf.ef Book. —Brother Fairman, of the 
Elmira Daily Advertiser, in an account of a recent visit 
to Rochester, thus alludes to one of the little vexations to 
which some friend of hit has been subjected of late:— 
•' Mookk, of the Rural Nkw-Yorkkr, we found perplex¬ 
ing himself how to complete on time lus new enterprise 
of publishing a book on Sheep Husbandry which he is 
preparing for the press. The ‘draff and Other military 
operations have 1 arbitrarily arrested' his work, but being 
always equal to every emergency, the book will certainly 
be given to the public when promised.” 
— Yes, we trust “the book will certainly be given to 
the public when promised," but find that, in these times, 
not. only white men generally, but especially printers, en¬ 
gravers, etc., are very uncertain. Though circumstances 
entirely beyond our control have delayed the appearance 
of ye bokt, we take pleasure In assuring the large number 
w ho have ordered copies, and all others wiio have mani¬ 
fested an interest itl the matter, that good progress is now 
being made in the publication of Tut Practical Shbp- 
herd. Oar aim is to complete the work before rite mid¬ 
dle of September. Meantime, those who have applied 
lor circular* embracing terms, etc., to agents, will receive 
the &amc. The issuing of thU circular has been necessa¬ 
rily deferred until our arrangements could be matured, 
and the work nearly ready for delivery 
Beating that Twenty-One Pound Flkf.ce.—A cor¬ 
respondent at Attica, N. Y'., writes to the Rural in this 
wise;—«j, vv. Dunbar, of Alexander, Genesee Co., N. 
Y , sheared on the 26th day of June, 1863, the second fleece 
from Ills two-yar old (Vermont) Spansh truck twenty three 
pounds four ounct of washed wool I The grow th of wool 
was a week or two less than 13 months. The buck wsi 
washed, same as the test of the flock, and as thoroughly 
as sheep ore generally washed—and not driven over any 
dust, but kept in a clean pasture from washing till shear¬ 
ing. His first fleece weighed 15 }i pounds, not washed, 
lie was poor iu flesh, and had no extra feed last year or 
before shearing. Carcass not weighed. Immediately af¬ 
ter shearing, he was bought by Gills Plttiiione, Esq., 
and has since been fed high, having corn twice a day; and 
August 8th, (just six week- after shearing,) he weighed 
one hundred and six pounds. At shearing his weight of 
carcass was estimated at flu to 80 lbs. Taking age, weight 
Of carcass and weight of fleece all into the account, wc- 
want vou to tell us when, and where, and by whom this 
fleece lias hc.ru equaled.” 
-»»> 
The Flax Crop.—T he flax crop of the United States 
this year will be larger than ever before raised in this 
country (says the Scientific American, ) and inquiries are 
made as to the best mode of disposing of it. One of our 
exchanges advises the farmer, after t hr a sh ing the seed, to 
stuck the straw carefully, protect the stacks with boards, 
or a good thatch, and await the coming of customers, who 
will appear between this and the dose of the year. It is 
important that the straw be kept dry, otherwise it will rot, 
and the fiber be destroyed. From present appearances, 
there is no doubt that there will be demand for every 
tun of flax raised; and farmers will do well to preserve 
all their straw in good rendition The preparation of 
fiber had better be left to those who make that their 
spedal business. In view of the increasing importance 
of flax, consequent upon the suspension of cotton gro" 
uig, we advise our inventive readers to examine and see 
if they cannot produce improvements in flax-dressiu,: 
machinery. The field for this class of inventions seem; 
to be a good one. 
Corn Culture in the West .—(For A. D. C-'s en . 
enmcnt.) —The printer made me, in my report of Mr. s - 
L1VANT’S estimate of the cost of an acre of corn, sa; ' a 
would require just 37-- days work to ‘ lay by,’ (including 
preparation, planting and cutting) fifty acres of com 
Whereas I wrote cultivating instead of '‘cutting ir. tne 
parenthesis A Western reader ought to know wha: in¬ 
cluded iu “laying by" corn: and had I not deemed the 
context sufficiently definite to correct this error of the 
printer, I should have corrected it long ago ‘ Laying 
by” is a term used in the West to include all culture- Corn 
is “laid by” when its culture is concluded. Hen ce the 
estimate made by Mi. Sullivant does not include cutting 
and shocking. Can A. D. C. tell the Rural what it costs 
him to prepare, plant and cultivate an acre of corn ? - 
would interest many to know — c. I). B. 
Memoranda for Western Fair Goers.- The Dv.a 
State Fair is to be held at Dubuque, commencing the K 
of September. It promises to be interesting and stu * 
ful—so it is officially asserted. 
Illinois Farm Implement Trial—A. field trial of plows, 
cultivators, harrows, rollers, drills, corn-planters, dituar-c 
machines, etc,, under the direction and auspices o 
Illinois State Ag. Society, will take place at Hecate•, 
week commencing September 21st. 
ne Illinois State Fair will be held the week Mowing 
at the same place, where the awards made at the m 
implements will be declared. These promise to be 
weeks of pleasurable and profitable excitement. 
State and Local Fairs,-W e are preparing ahstof 
State, District, County, Union and Town Fail* tc» e 
the ensuing fall throughout the Loyal States and ■ ’ 
and wish to render it as complete a; possi ble in 
publication incur next or the following issue. 
of Agricultural and kindred Societies of whose exhiD 
