The Prices of Produce and Provisions are rapidly 
advancing, here and elsewhere. See market reports. 
WESTERN EDITORIAL NOTES. 
WESTERN BUTTER AND CHEESE. 
Some months sincu I wrote of the relations of 
Western dairymen to our markets, and of Hie 
reputalion of Western butter and cheese here 
and in Eastern markets. Only yesterday I beard 
a Western farmer say that he doubted if as good 
butter could be made on the prairies as in the 
Eastern States, white another tenner asserted 
that be knew it could be done—that it was done 
every year. This morning I find in the market 
report of one of the Chicago dallies the following 
paragraphs concerning 
IOWA CHEESE. 
“On Saturday, Messrs. Bowen Bros., No. 72,74 
and 76, Lake street, sold four tuns of choice 
cheese, from the dairy of Asa C. Bowen, of 
Bowen’s Prairie, James county, Iowa, at 131 
cents per pound. Judges who examined the 
article pronounced it as equal to the best sam¬ 
ples from the celebrated dairies of Herkimer Co., 
New York. Mr. Bowen keeps a dairy of thirty- 
cows, and we believe this is the first year that he 
has made an effort to produce an article of cheese 
for market, and so far as we can learn, it is the 
first instance of an Iowa farmer attempting to 
produce au article of cheese in any considerable 
quantity that would compare with the celebrated 
cheese turned out by the Herkimer county 
dairymen. We understand that Mr. Bowen has 
already made arrangements for a large increase 
to hie present dairy, and by another year will be 
able to turn out a much larger yield of cheese. 
An d as he has given the most convincing proof 
that the West can compete successfully with the 
Eastern dairies in making cheese, we hope to see 
many others follow his example, as there is no 
reason why our farmers should not be able to 
supply the entire West with cheese, instead of 
compelling our dealers to look to the Eastern 
dairies for a supply, as they are now doing.” 
I doubt if this is the first invoice of good cheese 
that Iowa has sent to this market. I know it is 
not the first coming hither from Western dairies. 
And yet Western dairymen have hitherto got 
public credit only for the poor cheese seut 
hither. The first quality of Western cheese has 
been branded “Hamburg” by the dealer, the 
moment it reached his hands —whether it came 
from Illinois, Wisconsin or Iowa. The Western 
man who made it, and the Western State in which 
it was made, got no credit, therefore, among con¬ 
sumers. They continue to call for “Hamburg” 
cheese, and the dealer supplies them. The mar¬ 
ket reports of the daily papers quote “Ham¬ 
burg” several cents higher than “Western” or 
“ Illinois and Wisconsin.” And buyers pur¬ 
chase at “Western” quotations, and sell the 
same cheese at “Hamburg” rates It is time 
this practice had ceased. It is plain that the 
producer must move in the matter. The dealer 
is content with “the situation” as it is. His 
interest will not induce him to do justice to the 
men who supply him until his supply depends 
upon it. The samo remarks apply to Western 
butter and butter-makers—with less force, I am 
glad to say, so far as relates to this market, than 
formerly. But large amounts of butter are 
shipped east at certain seasons of the year. 
When it reaches Eastern markets the best sam¬ 
ples receive the brand that happens to be most 
popular in the market, and the poorest is sold 
and quoted as “Western." What will correct 
this state of thiugs? It is of importance to all 
producers of a good article that the locality- as 
well as the person—where it is produced, gets 
credit for it. To secure this object there should 
be local dairymen's associations organized; and 
such concerted action should be taken by the 
individuals of these local bodies as will secure to 
that locality credit for both the quantity and 
quality produced. It is an error to suppose that 
it is necessary that all the dairymen in a Slate 
should act in concert. This would ire impossi¬ 
ble, and might properly be called visionary. 
For the dairymen In different localities sustain 
diverse relations to other interests. Jn one 
locality climate affects the interests of the pro¬ 
ducer. Each locality ba9 its own distinct rela¬ 
tion to its own market And dairymen within 
the range of the influence of the same market 
should combine, not only to establish for them¬ 
selves good prices and a good name for their 
staples, but to protect the latter, and jealously 
guard against it being used to bolster up the 
traditional fame of other localities. 
It seems to me this is n matter of a good deal 
of importance. Instances have come to my 
notice where the dairymen of a neighborhood 
have combined to fix the minimum price of their 
products, advertised the fact, and the quantity of 
butter and cheese on hand within a given cir¬ 
cuit. They got their own prices—quite a per 
centum more than that obtained by isolated 
individuals. 
Other things being equal, a dealer will pay 
more for a large quantity that can be secured 
together than for small isolated lots which 
involve as much time and expense to secure 
each as it does to contract for the greater quan¬ 
tity. He can afford it. And this combination 
will secure the enhanced price to every indi¬ 
vidual who enters into it. 
The same remarks apply with equal force to 
other husbandries. 
HINTS FOR WINTER CARE OF HORSES. 
Win'ter is coming, and hay and oafs are 
high; and the probability is that we may see 
many poor horses before Spring, unless farmers 
take a littte more pains than usual to avoid it. 
Thinking that a few suggestions might be 
heeded by some JlriuL reader, we will en¬ 
deavor to give an economical plan to keep your 
horse “well and cheap, fat and sleek.” First, 
make his stall comfortable by stopping all cracks 
where cold comes in, and bank the outside if 
there is no wall under the barn. Feed him oat 
straic three times a day. and four quarts of corn 
in the ear twice a day. Water three times a 
day, and give what straw is left in maDger at 
night for bedding, (and if thrown out to cattle 
in the morning, they will consume nearly all of 
it, better than before Used for bedding.) The 
next important thing, which is very essential 
and often neglected, is cui'rying and cleaning. 
There is many a man who owns a team who 
does not even own a curry-comb , and many that 
may own one cannot tell mhere it is, and some 
who may own one and know where it is, seldom 
if ever use it, thinking it is ail lost time. 
Odco a week give a mess of potatoes, or a 
mess of wet bran with a handful of salt and a 
few sifted ashes; also, (if you can get it,) a pint 
of flax-seed occasionally, which will keep his 
hair soft and smooth. 
Keep your horses well shod, so as to prevent 
slipping, and clean out the bottoms of their feet 
with a hook made tor the purpose. Occasion¬ 
ally wash the fee-t aud legs with warm Castile 
soap suds to avoid scratches. 
One who has u quod cutting machine can cut 
their straw, (even wheat or rye straw,) and 
sprinkle on meal and feed wet, which is better 
than fed uncut to a team at work every day. If 
you do not have work for your horse, do not for¬ 
get to exercise him; ride him or drive him to the 
post office, the village, or somewhere, so that he 
may get that needful thing called exercise. If 
you stop a few minutes, then put on a blanket; 
also when you return to stable, if warm; but do 
not blanket usually, unless you use two when 
standing out-of-doors. Observation. 
t — - - 
CONDITION OF THE CROPS. 
The following statistics have been received 
from the Department of Agriculture: 
in the Monthly Report for September, the 
amounts of the crops of 18G3, were given. The 
Fall crops of corn, buckwheat and potatoes, were 
stated in bushels, for each State. The estimates 
wore based on their appearance only. But in 
the circulars for October, inquiries of their 
amounts were made, as compared with the crop 
of 1862, and upon the returns to these circulars, 
tables of these crops and of tobacco were made. 
The amounts of the estimates for September and 
October are as follows: 
Estimates for September ; 449,163,804, corn; 
17,11)3,232, buckwheat; 67.870,035, potatoes; 258,- 
462,413, tobacco. 
Estimates for October: 452,446,128, corn; 75,- 
821,305, buckwheat; 101,457,144, potatoes; 207,- 
302,770, tobacco. 
These estimates exhibit a remarkably close ap¬ 
proximation, and speak well for the system 
adopted by the Department to ascertain the 
amounts annually of the leading commercial 
crops. 
The amounts of these crops for 1862 are as fol- 
lows:—586,704474, corn; 18,722,098, buckwheat; 
114683,118, potatoes; 208.807.078, tobacco. 
Sorgho Molasses.— Iu the five principal 
States of the West, for the production of Borgbo 
molasses, Missouri, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, and 
Ohio, the estimated production last year was 10,- 
203,728 gallons; this year only 6,070,882 gallons 
— a decrease of nearly three and a quarter mil¬ 
lions of gallons. The amount of ground planted 
was much greater than in 1862, but the frost 
destroyed the yield. The annual consumption 
of mol asses and sugar prior to the war was about 
45 000,000 of gallons of molasseB, and about 1,- 
000,000,000 pounds of sugar—the amount per 
each inhabitant, slaves excluded, being thirty 
pounds. 
The Increase of the consumption of sugar in 
the United Slates since 18*10 was 227 per cent, 
white the increase of population was 65 per cent 
The Louisiana caue sugar this year will not, it is 
supposed, exceed 30,000 to 50,000 hogsheads, aDd 
hence the country must rely on heavy importa¬ 
tions to supply its wants. New modes to supply 
its own sugar and molasses must be adopted by 
the country, and hence the monthly report for 
October very properly directs public attention 
to the great importance of the firstexperiinentnow 
making by the firm of Gknnhst Bros., of New 
York city, at Cbatworth, Livingston Co., Illinois, 
to grow the sugar beet and to manufacture sugar 
from it. 
The Fall Crops for 186-L— The’wheat, ryo, 
and barley crops just sown are full average crops 
both iu amount and appearance. The fall 
weather has been highly favorable to them, and 
the correspondents of the Department speak 
of them most encouragingly. 
Number and Condition of the Fattening 
Hogs and Cattle.— The hog cholera scarcely 
exists in the Eastern and Middle States, but in 
Indiana and Illinois it prevails in so many coun¬ 
ties that great danger exists of its spreading 
among the fattening hogs. In these States a 
large number have died of this disease during 
the summer aud fall. 
The number of hogs in the great feeding States 
of Ohio. Michigan, Indiana, afid Illinois, is two- 
lontbs less than last year, causing a reduction in 
the number fattened in these States of 806,13!). 
Their condition in these States is still lower, be¬ 
ing 30 per cent, below a general average. It is 
believed that but few hogs will be sufficiently 
fattened to make mess pork, or to produce a sup¬ 
ply of lard. 
The exports of the animal productions of the 
United States are shown in the report to be as 
follows: 1860—23,666,798 lbs; 1861 —27.715,392; 
1802—42 288,906. The amount of pork which en¬ 
tered into the commerce of the country in 1860 
was about 323.358,800 lb 3. of which there was ex¬ 
ported In the l'orm of bacon, lard, and barreled 
pork, 86,909,005: leaving for domestic consump¬ 
tion. 236,449,795: of which the Southern States 
took 184 386,409; leaving for the consumption of 
the Eastern and Middle States 52,063.3*6. 
The cessation of commercial intercourse be¬ 
tween the loyal and disloyal States cut off this 
Southern consumption of pork, and so reduced 
prices in, 1862 that the foreign demand increased | 
in that year to 291,0S5 655 lb 3. 
The value of frosted corn for fattening pur¬ 
poses Is regarded as very small. Hogs and cattle 
will grow on it, but pot fatten. The amount of 
old com is much reduced by the demand for it 
during the summer by the army. In Pennsyl¬ 
vania, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wiscon¬ 
sin aud Missouri, there is 30 per cent less than 
last year, and 20 per cent, less in Iowa. It is fed 
out to stock in nearly one half of the counties of 
these States. 
_ _—- 
§ural spirit of tite 
Improving our Common Farm Stock. 
In the Rural of the 7th inst our readers 
will remember that an article appeared under 
the caption, “About Stock—Native Breeds,” 
from the pen of a gentleman residing in West¬ 
chester Co., N. Y. The N. Y. World copies said 
article, and comments thereon, aB follows: 
“ There is much In the talk about native cattle, 
which is assumed or taken for granted, but which 
will not bear the test of actnal investigation. 
Animals which cannot be properly classed with 
the improved breeds Boon come to Ire natives, in 
the ordinary estimation of the community, when 
in fact they have important strains of improved 
blood, to which much of their excellence is due. 
Probably very few of the animals now found on 
the farms in this country can, by any logical rule, 
be pronounced native stock. They may not be 
Short-Horus, Devons, Ayrshires, or any other of 
the imported breeds, and yet they may, and prob¬ 
ably do, have so large an infusion of blood from 
Borne of these as materially to change their form 
and enhance their qualities. 
“ It would be a libel upon the intelligence of 
American feeders to suppose that some of them 
cannot, by careful selection and proper attention 
to the principles of breeding, effect immense 
changes and improvements in the character and 
value of our common stock. It is in this way 
that the best breeds have been built up in Eng¬ 
land, and are now actually being improved by 
some of the intelligent breeders in America. 
The same degree of Intelligence and public spirit 
can do again what has already been done in pro¬ 
ducing the splendid lierdp of improved stock now 
to be found in England and this country. 
“ Without any attempt to create new breeds or 
new varieties of farm stock, it appears to us that 
the facilities exist for making important improve¬ 
ments upon our common farm stock. The ex¬ 
perience of the past, and especially of the last 
twenty years, has, we think. Fettled at least this 
important fact, that the true policy for the com¬ 
mon farmer to pur6uo is to breed from his best 
cows, carefully selected for milking and other 
qualities, crossed with pure bulls of the improved 
breeds. We cannot, of course, undertake to de¬ 
cide a question upon tj hich breeders so essenti¬ 
ally differ, as to the relative merits of the several 
improved breeds; but we think the position a 
safe one when we assume that with any of the 
improved breeds —pure bulls crossed with the 
beet common cows, and the progeny again bred 
to pure blood bulls, and so on for a term of 
years—a most important improvement will be 
effected. 
“This is a kind of improvement within the 
reach of almost every farmer. There are few 
neighborhoods where pure blood bulls are not 
kept, and tanners who keep any considerable 
number of cows can well afford to purchase a 
bull for their ow n use. We have koown Borne 
very choice and valuable dairies raised under 
such a system — a full-blood Short-Horn bull be¬ 
ing constantly used, and the best calves selected 
for continuing the improvement, and we are con¬ 
vinced that for farmers generally it is the only 
practicable tine of policy to pursue. But a small 
number, comparatively, can breed exclusively 
blood stock; but nearly all can adopt a judicious 
system of crossing, and, in the way we have de¬ 
scribed, raise up good stock for the dairy, for 
work, or for the shumhles. 
“ We see no reason for decrying or depreciating 
imported or domestic bred blood slock. On the 
contrary, wc hold that a very large share of the 
improvement already visible in the cattle of this 
country is due to such improved animals im¬ 
ported or bred by enterprising men enlisted in 
the work; and we believe that if our farmers, 
whether large or small, dairymen or owners of a 
few animals only, will adopt the system we have 
suggested, important results will follow. 
“ We would by no means discourage the efforts 
to build up a better class of cattle by simple 
breeding from our common stock; but when the 
material is at hand for doing it more rapidly, and 
at least quite as effectively, by using males from 
the best improved breeds, we see no reason for 
preferring the slower process to accomplish the 
desired result.” 
Manuring for Corn in the Fall. 
A correspondent of the Germantown 
Telegraph Eays: 
“ The best time for manuring for corn is in the 
fall, from the middle to the end of November, 
or at any time during the winter, when the 
ground is bare, but the nearer the spring the less 
good will come from it. It is a custom with most, 
farmers when they clean out the stables in the 
winter, to throw the manure in the barn-yard to 
rot; but this is a waste in three ways:—First, 
the cattle will eat much of it aud it is wasted; 
second, it is not as good when rotted as it was 
when taken from the stables; and thirdly, the 
ground has been w ithout it all winter, aud it is 
not as rich as if it. had been protected by the 
manure. 
“Ground will become richer by being cov¬ 
ered, even if it. is with brush; and this is one of 
the advantages of putting the manure on in the 
fall or early in the winter. The manure from 
the stables should, therefore, be taken imme¬ 
diately to the field intended for corn, and spread 
on, giving about two-thirds as heavy a coat as 
for wheat, and left to lay there until plowed 
under in the spring. Those who are within rea¬ 
sonable distance of the city, will find that a few 
loads of town manure will pay not less than 
fifty per cent, on the investment and trouble. 
Corn fields served thus last winter, turn out this 
fall about fifteen bushels of corn more to the 
acre than fields near by them that were not ma¬ 
nured in this way; besides, it will produce much 
better oats next year.” 
Milk from One Cow. 
Mr. W. A Comstock, of Cooperstown. who 
says he has a -passion for good cows," sends to 
the Country Gentleman a table, in which is regis¬ 
tered the weight of milk produced by one of bis 
cows at each milking for the six last days of 
May and the months of June, July, August, and 
29j days in September. The cow was milked 
and the milk weighed by Mr. C. during the 
whole period, and was as follows: 
Last six days of May.. .. 261 pounds. 
June.1,649 “ 
Ju'y.1,475 “ 
August.1,188 “ 
September.1,315 “ 
Total for 127H days.6,788 “ 
Being an average of a fraction over 45 pounds 
per day. 
Mr. Comstock says:—“My cow is one of the 
native breed, so far as I can learn, and five 
years old last spring. She was not dried off 
before calving, but continued to give milk up to 
the 22d, when she dropped her calf. We began 
to save her milk the 26th of May, as shown in 
the record. No one 1ms milked her but myself, 
or weighed her milk. 112 pounds of her milk 
makes six pounds of as good butter as I ever 
saw. Now for her feed. She is one of five cows, 
or of four Cows aud a heifer, kept on three acres 
of pasture, days, (until the after feed,) and sta¬ 
bled nights, and fed cut grass, and the slops of 
the bouse without grain or provender. The 
past week she has had two pumpkins a day 
besides the above." 
Wool Growing in Minnesota. 
It is calculated that the wool clip of Minne¬ 
sota the present year will not be less than 500,000 
lbs. From 2,000 to 5,000 are shipped below from 
our levee daily. The progress In wool growing 
in Minnesota has been so unprecedented and 
gratifying, that it shows we are approaching a 
time when the wool trade of our State will be 
one of its chief sources of wealth. Commencing 
in 1850, our progress towards this is as follows: 
No. of Sheep. 
i860,.. .. 80 
1869. 4,000 
1860 .12,595 
1861 . 25,000 
1862 .176,000 
Ain’t of Wool Clip'd. 
300 lbs. 
7,000 “ 
19,306 “ 
75,000 “ 
600,000 “ 
There is no wool growing State in the Union 
which can show such a sudden increase in its 
wool clip or flocks as Minnesota, and yet our 
farmers have scarcely beguu to get under way in 
their wool growing operations. By the time our 
State census is taken in 1865, our flocks will have 
increased to 500,000, and our wool clip to 2,000,- 
000 lbs. Three or four years ago, a few grain 
sacks held the entire wool clip oft.de State. Now 
it has become a department of trade, and a large 
item (at present prices) in our exports.— St. 
Paul Free Press. 
gnquitte anti 
Flax-Dkebsinq Mills.— A Subscriber in (jie town of 
Lima wishes to know if there is a mill or mills for dress¬ 
ing flax In Livingston, Monroe or Ontario counties. We 
are not aware that there is such a mill in either of the 
eontios named; if there is shall be glad to learn and pub¬ 
lish the fact 
Grease Heel in Hobsks. — I saw in a late Rural an 
inquiry for a remedy for grease in the heels of horses, for 
which I send the following, having tried it myself with 
complete success:—Take fix cents worth of pulverized 
verdigris; a piece of butter Uie size of a hen's egg, and a 
half tea cup full of tar; mix together aud apply.—J. E. 
B , Havana, N. T. 
Red-Top os Wkt LaNd.—R ed-Top grass will do well 
on wet land inundated iu the spring, provided there is not 
sufficient flow to the water to wash the soil from the roots. 
Inundation Is clear gaiu iu such cases. It is irrigation, 
lied-Top wiU grow on ground on which water stands late 
in the season. If it is once established, unless there is a 
strong current to wash it out, it will be diflieult for the 
water grasses and seeds to displace it. It is excellent for 
stock, — 0 . D. B. 
Rural Notes arte Items. 
TliB People’s College.—Professorships.— We learn [ 
that strong efforts are being made by the Trustees of this 
Institution to get into operation at an early day. At a 
recent meeting of the Board of Trustees the following Pro¬ 
fessors were appointed:—Rev. Amos Brown, LL D., of 
Havana, N. V., President; Rev. F. G. Hjbbard, D. D , 
Ontario County, Natural and Revealed Religion; Prof. 
Timothy H Porter, New York, English Literature, 
Rhetoric and Oratory: Prof. John H. GkisoOM, M. I)., 
New York, Anatomy, Physiology and Hygeine; Prof. 
Barker, Albany, Chemistry and Mathematics; Prof 
John Phin, C K., Rochester, Practical Agriculture; Prof. 
Wm. W Folwell, Washington, Latin and Greek; Prof, 
p A. Barton, Massachusetts, M'lltary Science. We un¬ 
derstand that Mr. Fntx has declined the chair Of Practical 
Agriculture. He has made Chemistry his speciality, and 
feels that some wan more thoroughly acquainted with the 
practical details of Agriculture than he is should he ap¬ 
pointed to this position We thiuk Mr Phin admirably- 
qualified for the chair of Chemistry, end regret that he 
was not selected for that position. 
The Illustrated Annual Rboistkr of Rural Af¬ 
fairs _A copy of this admirable Annual for 1864 has 
been received from the publishers, Luthkr Tucker & 
Son, Albany. The work has beeu so long issued - nearly 
a decade of years—that we need hardly commend it to the 
rural public. The number before us fully maintains the 
reputation acquired from previous issues—the matter be¬ 
ing eminently practical, and the illustrations (over one 
hundred in number) excellent and appropriate. It is ut- 
iruptivn useful and almost indifDensable. 
8hkep Husbandry on this Prairies.— A letter from 
Decatur Co., Iowa, containing a remittance for The 
Practical Shepherd, says:—“ Farmers in this part of the 
world *r« turning their attention to wool growing, and so 
far with most excellent success. I believe the same dispo¬ 
sition is manifested over the greater portion of the North¬ 
west. and in my estimation the prairies ore eminently 
adapted to the successful raising of the finest and best 
breeds of sheep. Yon promised to re-ume the publica¬ 
tion of the lFool Grower and. Stock Register as soon as it 
promised to he a practical success. Has’nt that time ar¬ 
rived T Yes, in my opinion, and I sincerely hope yon 
will take the matter into consideration and come to the 
same correlation. ” -> 
— Our correspondent will find by reference to an¬ 
nouncement on first page of this number that wc are not 
unmlntJful of the interest* of wool growers. The new 
department of the Rckal, under the able editorial man¬ 
agement of Dr. Randall, will prove far more useful than 
the resuscitation of the W. G. & 8. R., fur the reason that 
it will be read by hundreds instead of tens, as would be 
the case with a monthly. It would take years to obtain 
for a new or resuscitated journal half tlie present circula¬ 
tion of the Rural. Friend, do youJ“see the point ?” 
DkSSioatkd Vkoetables—An Extrnsivh Business. 
—Vegetables and meat* deprived of moisture and subject¬ 
ed to severe pressure, will remain unchanged and preserve 
their natural t**te for a long period in any climate. The 
Scientific Jmeriean say? a very large business is now 
carried on in that city in the way of dessicating vegetables 
for the army and navy by the New York I>cs*lcating Com¬ 
pany. About 150 persons are employed in the establish¬ 
ment, and the quantity of vegetables deeoicated this year 
will amount to 56,000 basket* tomatoes; 412 tun* string 
beans; 8,000 bushel* green peas; 15,000 barrel* turnips; 
30,000 barrels carrot*; 23,000 head* cabbage; 12,000 bar¬ 
rels potatoes; 20,000 barrel* onion*; 100 tuns parsley, and 
a moderate quantity of some other vegetables. The veg¬ 
etables are picked, cleaned, ent up and gr»ted; they are 
then dried and deprived entirely of moisture, after which 
they are formed into flat cake*, under severe hydrostatic 
pressure. A cake weighing 7 lb*, contains sufficient veg¬ 
etables to make 42 gallons of good soup. They are excel¬ 
lent for *ta voyage* and large quantities have been furnish¬ 
ed on army contract* for soldiers in the field and Invalids 
in the national hospitals. 
Thb Soldiers arx Grateful to thh Ladies.—I n 
June last we published an appeal to the Lady Readers of 
the Rural, from Mr. I. P. Bates, of Hospital No. 7, 
Louisville, Ky., and now Mr B write* a* follows:— 
“Permit me, thruugb your columns, to return the thanks 
of the soldiers here, to the lady reader* of the Rural 
who have been so generously furnishing ns with reading, 
In response to my call of la*t June. We have now quite 
a library here, and the book* and papers received give us 
quite a variety ol' reading. Still, ab our numbers are so 
large, and constantly changing, it requires a large amount 
to keep up tbo wear. Remember us, and we will do our 
duty.” ^ 
My Farm of Edukwood: A Country Hook — By the 
nutbor of “Reveries of a Bachelor." 8cribnbr, New 
York, ba* issued thix last and beat production of Ik 
Marvel (Donald G. Mitchell) in excellent style—save 
the uncut and untrimmed leaves, a “feature" against 
which we protest in these days of labor Raving machinery 
in tire book making line. The book is readable and 
instructive It is semi practical, containing many excel¬ 
lent suggestions, all In the graceful itylc of the author. 
We have marked several pasrages and ; urogrnpliRfor seg 
regation and publication in future number*. 
Milk and Buttrr from Ayf.Shirk Cows.—The Boston 
Cultivator states that H. H. Peters, of Southborongh, 
Mass., wrighed the milk from his dairy of nineteen cows 
from June 16th to 25th—ten dais. They gave an average 
of 32 lbs per day The milk from eighteen being set for 
one day, gave 30 lbs of butter. Ouo cow gave 58 lbs. of 
milk iu a day. Her milk for three days gave « lbs. of 
butter, or 2 lbs. per day. This cow had two quart* of 
coru-and cob-mcal per day. The rest had nothing but 
pasture feed. 
■ • ♦ • - 
The Hop Crop.—T he crop of hops in New England 
this j car will exceed that of last year by 1,500 to 2,000 
bales. The Maine hops, in quality, w ill undoubtedly be 
the best in the market this season. The climate and soil 
of that State are peculiarly adapted to the production of 
hops. The yield is large and the quality fine. The crop 
in New York is from ten to fifteen per cent, less than last 
year, and the quality generally interior. 
--- 4 
The Rochester Evening Express appears in a new 
and becoming dress, and really “shines” in its freshly 
donned attire. It is one of the most enterprising and 
piquant dallies among our exchanges, and we are glad to 
note thi* evidence of appreciation aud prosperity. 
The Exoblsior Ve«kt*hlb Cutter, advertised in this 
paper, is worthy the attention and investment of farmers. 
We commended it 6trongly on its first introduction to the 
public, and are glad to learn that it has since been award¬ 
ed the first premium at many State and County Fairs. 
• - 
The Rckal is Appreciated.— We are lu frequent re¬ 
ceipt of letters from persons who have taken the Rural 
from its commencement, and these invariably speak of it 
in the most appreciative terms. For instance, a letter 
from Washington county, just opened, says:—“I have 
been a constant reader of The Rural, aud also a subscrib¬ 
er, since the commencement of the first volume, and 
have derived much valuable information, as well as pleas- 
i nre, from its perusal. Thank y ou, not only for myself, 
but also for the little ernes, and wife, mother and all.” 
And a letter received on the same day from Rolling 
Prairie, Wls , concludes in this encouraging wise: 1 - 11 1 
can not close without pay ing you a compliment in behalf 
of the Rural as ft Family Paper. If the majority of the 
papers were only half as ably and purely conducted, the 
world w ould be the better for it. I know by experience 
how difficult is the U‘k of making a good paper. It is 
not everyone that can do It;—it must be ‘bred in the bone.’ 
1 offer no apology for lids letter, as I know by experience 
that it is gratifying to an Editor to learn that his efforts 
are appreciated—though you have abundant evidence of 
this in the subscription books of the Rural New- 
Yorker.” 1 Thai must be from the pen of an ex-editor, 
and for that very reason the compliment is highly valued. 
The he*t judge of a V ulean's capacity is he who has served 
faithfully at the forge aud anvil.] 
The writer of another Wisconsin letter, by the same 
mail as above, eays:—“1 am not only a subscriber but 
constant reader of the Rural, and have obtained from it* 
pages much valuable information to me a* a farmer. And 
l will here say that of the many papers we are taking, 
there is no other one so much prized, or so eagerly sought 
for, as the Rural, embracing as it does such a wide scope 
of information. We are taking two other agricultural 
papers, and intend them no disparagement, a* their peru¬ 
sal more than pays the cost of subscription, and they arc 
deing much to advance the agricultural interest* of the 
country.” 
