MOORE’S RURjSlL HEW-TORRRR. 
desired combination among farmers be accom¬ 
plished quicker and more effectuallj in this waj 
than in any other? 
The establishment of anything similar to Corn 
Exchanges, Boards of Trade, or Chambers of 
Commerce, might do for the wealthy class of 
farmers of Illinois, but they would be of no 
more help to the interests of the mass of agri¬ 
culturists and rural citizens, than the present 
organizations of these names. The only ends 
sought for by the Corn Exchange Bystem would 
be to benefit our condition politically and finan¬ 
cially, or, in other words, to make us the “ biggest 
toad in the puddle.” 
There are other things to be sought after. A 
system of association among farmers ought to 
embrace other things besides politics and finances. 
Will not Mr. Bragdon (I would call him friend 
Braodon iff was acquainted with him) canvass 
the subject again, and see if Agricultural Asso¬ 
ciations may not be turned to some account? It 
is Mr. B.'ts business to attend to such things, and 
of course he must submit cheerfully to being 
contradicted. I have written my ideas, which I 
know correspond with others, that out wishes | 
may be known, and not with any intention of 
arrogance, or of wounding anybody’s feelings- 
Ida, Mich., Nov., 1863. W. 
___ - -- ' 
LETTER FROM JOHN JOHNSTON. 
Crops in Seneca County - The Practical Shepherd—Men- 
no* for Mutton. 
D. D. T. Moork, Esq. —Dear Sir:— It is a 
long time since 1 have written you anything 
respecting farming in this section. Our wheat 
crop last harvest was rather Inferior in general. 
The white wheat sown early was a total failure 
with many, and a failure to a great extent with all 
I have hoard of. The red wheat did much bet¬ 
ter. Barley was a fair crop, but not equal to the 
last two years; the drouth from the 20th of May 
till the 17th of June injured it very much. The 
early sown oats were a light crop generally. 
Corn, although given up for lost at the middle of 
June, has proved the best crop, 1 believe, that 
has been raised In the county In the forty-two 
years 1 have lived here — at featff in this imme¬ 
diate neighborhood — and I take it that it must 
be so throughout our county (Seneca.) Would 
you believe that I re-planted acres of mine after 
the 20th of June?—yet the crop was an excel¬ 
lent one. We had uo frost until the middle of 
October, or later, to injure the tenderest plant, 
and that made our corn crop. 
I have read The Practical Shepherd, l»y Mr. 
Randall, with a great deal of interest, and re¬ 
read a part of it The work is both interesting 
and instructive. It is a great boon to beginners 
in sheep breeding, and must prove very useful to 
many who are old in the business. It made me 
almost think I would like to extend my acres and 
go to keeping 800 to 1,000 Merinos again. 
There is but one thing in the book that 1 dis¬ 
sent from, though almost every man talks the 
same way as the author. After treating of Me¬ 
rinos, the author w rites about mutton sheep, the 
Long-Wools, South Downs, and other Downs, 
just as if many kinds of Merinos can not be made 
as good and as profitable mutton as any sheep, 
and nearly as heavy too, if kept in as email 
flocks and equally well fed. I have taken 15 of 
the callings of S00 Merino lambs, and very small 
ones at that, and made them average 15 pounds 
per quarter at 20 months old, and average 12 
pounds of (allow exclusive of the kidney tallow. 
One of the butchers is still alive that butchered 
part of them, and will teBtify. They were the 
true Bhort-legged, ehorl-bodied Merinos. Many 
of my flock were pure bred from the importation 
of the late Gen. Horkins, then of Mount Morris, 
Livingston Co. I found it so profitable fattening 
my culls, that I ultimately fed my wether lambs, 
and the ewe ones I could spare from my flock, 
Belling them for the butcher in spring, or about 
the 1st of June, after shearing. 
Yours, Respectfully, John Johnston. 
Near Geneva, N. Y., Nov. 27, 1863. 
LET THE “CURRENCY" ALONE. 
Men of the farm, let the paper trash Issued 
by the banks alone. Insist that Government 
greenbacks are just suited to your needs. Insist 
upon a currency that shall possess equal value 
in Maine and Minnesota. Gold or greenbacks 
should he the equivalent demanded by every 
farmer for his produce. Do not take, or if you 
take, do not keep the irresponsible trash which 
bankei's and brokers are interested in keeping in 
circulation, and which will bum, some day, the 
men who hold iu 
Insist upon a currency that you know some¬ 
thing about without referring to a detector or 
bank-note reporter. Uncle Sam’6 money you 
know to be good. And the way to keep it good 
is to keep it out of the hands of the men who 
get it in equal exchange for their own irrespon¬ 
sible notes, and purchase their own promises to 
pay with it, again, at a discount. To-day they 
are buying up these trashy paper promises in 
this city at half per cent, discount; and there is 
little reason to doubt that this discount will in¬ 
crease. Everybody, almost, iB apprehending a 
great collapse in consequence of the great infla¬ 
tion of “ ourrency.” And in certain circles this 
undue inflation is charged upon the government; 
when really the people are responsible. For if 
tho government's money alone were used in 
business transactions, a bulk of currency would 
be taken out of circulation which would relieve 
the market of any undue surplus. 
The fact is, the producing classes cannot afford 
to bolster up these bank issues—cannot afford to 
hold so much questionable paper in their hands. 
And this fact will soon be demonstrated, or the 
signs of the times are at fault,—c. d. b. 
f The above advice by our Western Aid, is 
probably more needed at the West than here, yet 
may be worthy of attention in various latitudes. 
COUGHING HORSES—CAUSE AKD CURE, 
Eds. Rural New-Yorker: —I understand 
your paper to be a medium of communication 
between farmers for their mutual edification and 
instruction, if not in righteousness, at leant in 
things pertaining to our worldly business.* The 
Bubject upon which I wish to say a few words at 
this time is the cause and cure of coughmg horses. 
It Is well known that feeding horses on clover 
hay often makes them cough, but the w hy and 
wherefore may not be bo generally known. 
From observation I have become fully satisfied 
that the manner of feeding hay to horses is the 
cause. The usual custom Is to let them draw it 
through a rack, thus stripping off the tine dust 
which adheres to the stalk, which being drawn 
into the luDgs in respiration produces the cough. 
The cure consists in removing the cause— that is, 
the racks—and allowing the animals to take their 
food In the natural way. I have removed all o ( 
mine, and now feed my horses on the barn floor, 
having a breastwork sufficiently high for them to 
eat over. In this way they can be fed hay with¬ 
out raising a dust, they get none under their 
feet, and the labor of cleaning out mangers is 
eared. Whatever is left is easily pushed out 
with a rake into the yard for the cattle. The 
dust on the hay will do the horse no barm if 
taken into the Btomach. 
Since making the improvement above men¬ 
tioned in my feeding apparatus, I am not 
troubled with coughing horses. There is no 
patent on my invention; my brethren can use it 
freely if the editor tbluks proper to publish it. 
Gnmd Rapids, Mich., Nov., 1863. J. C. Rogers. 
» Aye, Sir. and you, judging from yonr article, belong 
to tho class who ought frequently to communicate for (lie 
edification and instruction of the farming community. 
We invito a'l auch to “teach one another” through the 
pagee of the Ruiui..—E n. R. N. Y. 
■ i— , ♦ "" ■ — 
GOOD CHANCES IN WISCONSIN. 
There is an abundance of good timbered 
land in Brown, Oconto, Shawano, and other of 
the northern counties of Wisconsin, to be had at 
Government rates—i. e., $1.25 to $2.50 per acre, 
or under tho lLomoBtead Law for nothing. 
Within bounds of the several grants of lauds to 
railroads the homestead settler gets but 80 acres; 
outside of these, 160. 
Northern Wisconsin is generally a good wheat 
and grass country, as healthy as any place on 
earth. These lands are much better than many 
of the conntieH of Northern Pennsylvania or 
South-western New York in a etate of nature. 
They are Umbered with pine, maple, oak, hem¬ 
lock, Ac. The timber is in belts — generally 
clear pine, maple, or hemlock, beech and maple. 
The peninsula between Lake Michigan and 
Green Bay offers many excellent opportunities 
to actual settlers. 
No man should leave a comfortable home in 
the East for any romantic experiment iu the 
West. Bui the young men, without lands or 
capital, should turn their attention this way. 
Hundreds of chances are open along these 
lakes, where yon cau locate a homestead and 
sell thousands of dollars in wood and lumber. 
Snivelers or cowards need not coino—men of 
grit, snap and energy are wanted. 
Fort Howard, Wis., Nov., 1863. W. II. Gardner. 
gtirat e&pUii of tho 
Training Cows and Steers. 
The Maim Farmer has an interesting article 
on this subject, from which we make a few ex¬ 
tracts: 
“All domestic animals require some sort of 
training or education—some more, Borne less, 
according to tbo usages to which they are put. 
Thus the cow is required to stand quietly while 
you are milking, and to ‘hoist’ the right foot 
and place it back of the. other, in order to give 
you more room to use your hands in milking. 
This is generally the extent of her schooling; 
but if she be taught to allow herself to be led by 
the horn, gently and peaceably, it would add to 
her value and the ease of her management. For 
steers, there are higher branches of practical 
studies into which they should be initiated. Their 
duties and labors under the yoke on the farm and 
on the road are of the utmost importance to the 
farmer, and it is incumbent on him to teach them 
in the most effective, thorough, and at the same 
time, kind and pleasant manner. There is a 
great difference in teachers of this kind of eci- 
euce, as well as in the four-footed pupils to be 
trained. Some teachers that we have seen 
‘ breaking steers and cows,’ as the phrase is, did 
not evince half as much good sense and discre¬ 
tion as the cattle they undertook to train. On 
the other hand, there are some cattle so naturally 
crabbed and perverse in disposition, that kind¬ 
ness seems to be entirely thrown away upon 
them, and they require at least something as 
stringent as the hampering and casting down of 
Rarey’s method, before they will be convinced 
that there is a power above them to which they 
had better submit. This most generally dis¬ 
plays itself in those cattle which have been 
suffered to go unmolested and have their own 
way until they have nearly or quite obtained 
their growth. 
“ The best mode and manner of teaching cattle, 
or any other animal—biped or quadruped—is to 
train them when young. Take them in the bud, 
when you can handle and control them easily, 
and before they have grown up wild and strong, 
without any discipline or restraint. Train them 
when young, should be the motto in every stable 
and barnyard. 
“In training animals, whether young or old, 
there is another requisite to be attended to beside 
discretion of management, and common sense, is 
the teacher. This is to have the right kind of 
harness. * * * The saddle of the yoke 
should be adapted to the length and breadth of 
the neck on which it rests, 60 as to render it easy 
to the wearer. Not too narrow, lest it out in— 
not too wide, lest it gall the neck at its insertion 
in the shoulders. It should not be too short, lest 
it should induce them to haul apart, in order not 
to step on each other—nor too long, lest in win¬ 
ter it should induce them to crowd in order to 
keep the track—nor too narrow in depth through 
the ring and staple, lest it pull down on the 
top of the neck too much — nor too wide, lest it 
should have the reverse operation and cause the 
lower part of the bows to press too hard and gall 
the neck or throat in that part” 
Putting up Potatoes, 
Potatoes Bhould be taken from the ground 
only in lair weather, and not left exposed to the 
sun and wind longer than ib necessary. 
In handling, care should be taken not to bruise 
the surface or break the skin. It is a common 
error that a potato will stand all manner of ill 
usage and be none the worse for it. Orohardists 
know that if an apple is bruised in the gathering 
it is not lit for winter keeping; in like manner 
farmers should know that for table use the pota¬ 
to needs the eame careful handling, to insure 
the best results. A potato that is bruised or 
chafed, or is subject to a water bath after leaving 
the ground, is materially injured for winter 
keeping; a potato of the finer varieties, such as 
Neshannock, Peachblow, Kidney, Mercer, Lady’s 
finger, etc., when grown upon suitable soil, 
properly harvested and cooked right , Is a posi¬ 
tive delicacy upon the table; but take the same 
lot, let them be roughly handled, chafed, im¬ 
mersed in water, and laid by in that mined and 
undone condition for a few weeks, and then 
cooked, even tolerably well, and they are not a 
very inviting dish. When tho potato crop of 
Ireland failed, that people were confronted with 
starvation, little did we Americans realize bow 
much suffering of the poor, and positive incon¬ 
venience to the rich, would be caused by a 
failure of the potato crop in this country. The 
potato is both bread and meat in many house¬ 
holds, and deserves all the consideration of a 
prime staple, as well a luxury, in hnman food. 
Potatoes for table use, should not be stored at 
all in a wet cellar. In such a place their starch 
is hydrogenized, thereby spoiling their finest 
quality for food; they become soggy, and will 
never cook dry or mealy. For the same reason, 
where potatoes are stored in heaps out of doors 
and covered with earth, avoid placing them on 
any other than land which is naturally dry and 
where water will not stand. On sandy land 
potatoes will keep very well in heaps, if properly 
covered from the winter rains and secured from 
frost. 
Cellar storage Is most common among farmers, 
and most convenient for household purposes; 
but the cellar (should bo dry. If the potatoes are 
free from dieease, they may be stored Iu close 
bins with the tops covered with dry sand or 
loam, which will insure perfect preservation. 
Potatoes which are tainted with rot must have 
their sore epote dried up by exposure to the dry 
atmosphere and a dust of slaked lime. Such 
potatoes are not fit for human food, and should 
only be used under protest in case of dire neces¬ 
sity. 
In the storage of largo quantities of potatoes 
for stock use, say in the barn cellars, it is well to 
use a dust of lime. We saw a good example of 
this practice in the barn cellars of'thefamous old 
agriculturist, James Gowan, of Germantown, 
near Philadelphia, last fall. Mr. Gowan feeds 
largely of roots to his slock in winter; his ample 
Bione-wallod cellars wore heaped with potatoes 
and other roots, all in the nicest order. Before 
putting in the stock of roots for winter, Mr. G. 
has the walls and paved floors nicely cleaned 
and sprinkled with lime dust, and as the potatoes 
are wheeled in, other dustings are administered, 
by which alt foul vapors are avoided and the 
place is free from noisome atmosphere ueually 
encountered where vegetables are stored in any 
quantity .—Michigan Farmer , 
Dent Corn for the North. 
In tho Country Gentleman for November 5, 
W. J. P., of Salisbury, Conn., inquires why 
“Dent” corn may not be as successfully culti¬ 
vated in New York as in Ohio. To this inquiry 
responses are being published, and we give the 
following. It will be observed that there is a 
difference of opinion oh the subject: 
I will not undertake to say positively why it 
cannot be done, but will give a brief statement 
of facts, from which “ W. J. P.” may infer that it 
would be unprofitable, to say the least. 
In classifying corn into two classes, viz, 
“flint” (or hard) and “soft,” the “Dent” corn 
is to be regarded as a soft corn. It is a generally 
conceded opinion, if not a well established fact, 
that all flint corns have ripened better farther 
north than soft corns have—hence the -“Canada 
flint,” “Yankee,” or Connecticut flint, ripen well 
in Northern Ohio, in counties where the “Dent" 
will not ripen at all. The “Dent” corn has 
been tried in all of the eighty-eight Counties in 
Ohio, but does not come to perfection and ripen 
well in more than thirty-four or thirty-five coun¬ 
ties, and these are all south of the national road. 
In Northern and North-western Ohio, the Dent 
does not succeed any better than the ordinary 
corn does at Marquette—that is, it grows finely 
and forms fine ears, but does not ripen. The 
Dent requires to be planted early, and requires 
the longest season of any corn grown in the 
State. If then it ripens with difficulty in lati¬ 
tude forty degrees N., I do not think it would do 
to try it in forty-two or forty-three degrees, other 
things being equal.— Jno. E. Ki.ippart. 
Dent Corn grown in Massachusetts— The 
Ohio Dent corn can be successfully grown in 
Connecticut, and I should infer that New York 
would be as favorable, when the season is of 
sufficient length for it to mature. It is two 
weeks later than early Northern varieties. The 
writer has raised that kind exclusively the past 
few yearB, finding his account in a greater yield 
than any other variety. Good soil and cultiva¬ 
tion are all that is requisite for a large crop. 
Seed brought from Ohio to Mafsachusetts has 
this season arrived at a good degree of perfec¬ 
tion.—J. H. D. 
Level Stalls for Horses and Cattle, 
A correspondent of the Boston Cultivator 
is opposed to inclined floors for horses and cattle. 
Here is his plan for them: 
The proper width of a horse stall is four feet. 
Length from partition in front, 9 feet; deduct 1 j 
feet for crib, and we have 7{ feet from crib to 
rear of stall. For the first four feet of the rear 
end of the stall, eut two inch hard wood plank 
into three and one-half inch strips, and lay them 
five-eighths of an inch apart; spike them down 
at each end. The remainder of the floor in the 
stall should be laid tight, of whole plank. The 
floor under the animal's lore feet being tight, 
prevents the flow of any liquid manure forward. 
The interstices in the rear floor conduct it back 
to where it flows into an iron gutter, through 
which are drilled inch holes to carry it below. 
Back of the gutter (which is three and one-half 
Inches wide) is an iron plate 4 inches wide and 
half an inch thick, to take the wear of the horses' 
hind feet; both pieces of iron to be beaded into 
the plank so as to be level with the bottom of the 
upper floor of the stall. The whole floor Bhould 
not pitch over one inch. The better way is to 
have the forward floor level, and the rear or strip 
floor pitch half an inch. 
The floor in the rear of cows’ stalls should be 
dropped (or the one upon which they stand 
raised) 6 inches, in order to keep the animal 
clean. The floor upon which they stand should 
be just long enough for them to stand upon ? 
without stepping down upon the floor behind. 
From the cribs, five and one-half feet Is long 
enough for small cows, and six and one-half to 
seven for large ones, is about right. These floors 
to be level. 
About the Flax Crop. 
Flax in Illinois. —This year has witnessed 
everywhere in the North a largely increased crop 
bf flax, raised, not as heretofore, for the seed 
alone, but for the fiber, to supply the wearing 
material deficiency created by the downfall of 
tho braggnrt King Cotton. From Illinois, a cor¬ 
respondent writes to the Ohio Farmer that flax 
was “very generally sowd, and in some sections 
largely, some putting in as much as one hundred 
acres- In Central Illinois the straw is short, 
but the seed is superior. In my travels 1 noticed 
that the little old spinning wheel is out, buzzing 
once more; that the baby again is trying to get 
its fingers in the flyers, and that the ladies are 
knitting linen summer stockingB. I actually saw 
a piece of checked, white and blue, flax pocket 
handkerchiefs. 1 also saw several men wearing 
pantaloons made this spring from flax which has 
lain for years in the loft of the barn." 
Flax Culture.— The Mount Forest Examiner 
says:—Me. Johnston brought us a sample of un¬ 
bleached linen yarn, spun by Mrs Johnston, which 
has been pronounced by competent jndges to be 
a very superior article. Mr. Johnston informs 
ns that from 15 cents worth [2 lbs. | of seed, he 
has about five dollars worth of yarn, besides 20 
lb a of seed. Such a yield as this should induce 
farmers to turn their attention to flax culture, 
aud thereby secure at least enough to save them 
from purchasing cotton yarn. With tho present 
and prospective price of cottons, our farmers have 
good reason to look out a substitute for “ factory,” 
and we do not see a readier way than in the cul¬ 
tivation of flax. 
Rural Notes anb 3tctne. 
Winter—The Season —The weather of this first day 
of December is appropriate for Winter — opening with a 
snow storm aud corresponding temperature. The Fall ha* 
been very favorable for out door operations. November 
was reraarUabljr mild and pleasant—the temperature of 
the month being unusually high for the season, and very 
conducive to the interests of farmers and horticulturists— 
as welt as especially favorable for the poor in large towns 
and cities, considering the exceedingly high prices of fuel 
and provisions. In this immediate region we have had 
only two or three light “tiurries’’of snow (probably not 
an inch in all, aud none which remained on the ground,) 
up to this dale, and every one should now be prepared for 
the advent of Winter. Farmers and their families will of 
course take advantage of the season of leisure and long 
evenings, occupying much of the time for social enjoy¬ 
ment and mental improvement. 
Minor Rural Items.— Merino sheep from Vermont 
have just been shipped for Australia. They were sent for 
by slieep farmers in *' the bush ” ns the best that could be 
found anywhere—a compliment to the farmers of the 
Green Mountains-A method of “concentrating" po¬ 
tatoes has been discovered, and 1,000 bushels are treated 
thus daily for the army, at a manufactory at Portland, Me. 
All the water is absorbed, leaving about 5 lbs. of nutri¬ 
ment to the 60 lbs. which a buihel of potatoes averages, 
aud this is ground like Indian meal. - The Ed id burgh 
Veterinary Review pronounces the R arkt system of break¬ 
ing horses not only a failure, but a great trick, which has 
the effect to damage many horses, “ about which, howev¬ 
er, more evidence will be given hereafter."-The State 
of Maine Is reaping a rich return from two quite dissimi¬ 
lar crops-ice and potatoes. The former is said by the 
Portland Advertiser to produce from the crop exported 
$1,000,000 per annum, while the exports of the latter 
amount to about $600,000.-Minnesota promises to be¬ 
come a large wool growing State. Mr. O. K Kidder, of 
Clainnount, Dodge county, reports his wool crop tills 
year as follows:—From one hundred aud tilCy sheep be 
sheared seven hundred and three pounds of washed wool, 
being an average of six pounds and two ounces per head. 
The sheep are mostly Merinos. Immense flocks of sheep 
hare been introduced into the State during the year. 
The Turnip Taste in Milk cau be effectually removed 
by the use of common saltpetre, says an exchange. An 
ouuce of it should be put into a pint bettle, and the same 
filled with boiling water. A teaspoonful of the solution 
is enough for au ordinary sized milk pail. The better 
way to cure the evil, however, is not to feed so many 
turnips to cows. 
Thr Rural New-Yorker for 1804.— Aa announced in 
our last number, we propose to render the ensuing 
volume of thUJoumal more valuable than either of its 
predecessors. This will mainly be done by expending 
additional labor and means upon the Contents of the 
paper—one item being the introduction of a Department 
devoted to Sheer Hcsbandrt, conducted by Hon. 
Henry 8. Randall, the eminent author on that subject. 
The heavy expenses attending the publication of the 
Rural in accordance with ouc arrangement*,—and at a 
time when prices of paper, wages, etc , are high and ad¬ 
vancing,—will leave a very small margin for profit at 
present subscription rate*, and yet, as stated last week, 
we propose to adhere to the terms already published. 
As our main expenditures must be upon the paper itself, 
(it* Content*, Style, Ac,) we can really afford little In 
premiums, bills or advertising, and therefore appeal to 
every friend of the Rural and its objects to lend euch 
assistance in it* behalf ae may be consistent. We shall 
make a volume worth $2 to any subscriber or family, 
whether in Town or Country—and would much prefer, 
so far as profits are.concerned, 20,000 to80,000 subscribers 
at $2 each than 76,000 to 100,000 at the lowest club rate— 
yet we shall abide by our dub terms until otherwise 
announced. See Publisher's Notices, Ac., on last column 
of next page. 
Heavy Tradx rs Canned Provisions.— Few persons 
have any idea of the extent to which the business of press¬ 
ing fruit*, vegetables, meats, &c , is now carried on In 
tHis country. There are many large firms engaged in the 
business, who employ a great many hands, and have 
heavy amounts of capital embarked. The consumption 
of fruit, vegetable*, and In many cases meat* and game 
(where this branch of the business is carried on) l» enor¬ 
mous. One firm in New Jersey is thus spoken of In an 
exchange:—“ The building* in which the main operations 
are carried on cover more than an acre of ground, and 
apart from the branch of canning and preserving, which ~ 
often exeeds 6,000 cans per day, they often turn out six 
tuns of assorted jellies, in glass, per week. The product 
of 60,000 tomato plant*, 30 acres Of strawberries, and 86 
acres of sweet com, have been used during the p re Mint 
seaxon for canning During the peaoh season about two 
hundred hands, chiefly women, are employed paring and 
halving this delicious fruit. Choice fruits being in abun 
dance around the establishment, they are enabled to can 
them fresh from the field and orchard, while they retain 
their primitive sweetness and natural flavor.” 
■ 
Good Surgery. —Last spring a two year old steex be¬ 
longing to Nathaniel Burnham, Eaq , of Amboy, Ill., 
was thrown from the railroad by the locomotive, and ono 
of its legs broken below the knee. It hobhied about on 
the prairie iu this situation for several days—the bono of 
the broken leg protruding through tho skin—the creature 
standing npon the bone Instead of its hoolY After a day 
or two the boys determined to try an experiment. They 
caught the steer, sawed off the protruding bono a couple 
of Inches, straightened the leg, splintered It, and let the 
animal go. He run with the cattle on the prairie. His 
leg got well, though too short, and be is doing as well aa 
any of the herd. So writes a Western friend In whose 
word we have confidence. Those. “ boys " would excel 
some of the army surgeons in successful practice. 
9 ♦ « - - 
Shipments or Butter to California.— October 3d 
the California steamer was freighted w ith 1,765 firkins of 
butter, and the steamer that left on the 13th had 1,212 
firkins, and the Panama Railroad brig of thu same date 
had 873 firkins. The steamer of the 23d took 1,182 firkin*. 
The steamer of 1st Nov. had aboard 1,3' 3 firkins, and the 
brig 2,068, and on tho 13tti by steamer 1,201 firkins, and 
by brig 1,263. The freight demand for butter has in 
creased bo heavily as to induce the Panama Railroad Co. 
to purchase the large steamer Atlantic, as a much larger 
quantity would bare been shipped if freight could have 
been secured. It is estimated that some 5,000 firkins will 
be shipped by next two vessels. 
-»♦ i 
American Bottkk at Home and Abroad. —We read in 
the last number of the Scientific American that at the 
present moment butter is veiling for at least one third 
higher prices in New York, than those which prevailed in 
the early part of last summer. For fair qualities the retail 
price is thirty six cent* per pound. The cause of this i* 
said to be owing to tho vast qantities which were shipped 
to Liverpool a few months since, to avoid purchasing bills 
of exchange; aud we have been informed that the store* 
in Liverpool arc perfectly glutted with it, and that it 1* 
selling at far lower prices there than it now fetches In the 
city from which it was seut. 
— « -» » 
A Twenty Thousand Dollar Horse.— It seem* that 
Bonner, the “Lest” man of the New York Ledger , hav¬ 
ing distanced all competitors on the avenues with his 
team, now proposes to beat the world in both time and 
price. The other day he purchased of Mr. Lang, of No. 
Vassal boro, Me., his hone “Cloudman," for f 20,000 I It . 
is stated that this horse made his half mile on the Water- 
villc course, a few days since, In 1.10—the best time on 
record. It thus appears that Bonnbr’b fast horses, like 
the Ledgti 's stories, aye “ to be continued ” 
----- ■ *♦» • - - 
“Patent Office Humbug.” —Under this heading an 
article appeared In the HorticulUiral Department of last 
week’s Rural. Though the editor of that department 
was undoubtedly honest in his convictions and remarks— 
considering the antecedents of the Patent Office proper In 
the seed business—it is but just to say that (he conductor 
of the Rural would have felt constrained to omit the ar¬ 
ticle had it come under his notice in time. Iilnecs pre¬ 
cluded us from giving usual alteution to the contents and 
“ making up" of the paper, aud hence the article was 
not observed until too late for either modification or ex¬ 
clusion. We regret such a publication, as, in our opinion, 
unnecessarily reflecting upon the management of an im¬ 
portant branch of the Department of Agriculture. It is 
proper to add that the Horticultural Department has 
usually been conducted with such discretion that we 
have rarely had occasion to make even a suggestion os 
to the taste or propriety of any thing appearing therein. 
— In connection with the above amende we publish the 
following note as an act of justice to both Mr. Ellwanqer 
aud Mr. Saunders: 
D. D T Moose, Esq.— Dear Sir: Iu your paper of the 
29th inst. I observed an article headed “Patent Office 
Humbug,” in which Mr. William Saunders is referred 
to in the following manner: 
“Mr. Saunders, we understand, is writing to the Nur¬ 
serymen and Seedsmen to obtain old European Catalogues 
in order that he may send to Europe for a stock for free 
distribution.” 
A few days ago 1 accidentally mentioned to the Editor 
of your Horticultural Department that 1 had recommend¬ 
ed a certain seed establishment at Eifurt, in Prussia, to 
Mr. William 8acndkrs, as l had done to him and to oth¬ 
ers. I did not say that he asked for Catalogues, old or 
new. I did not expect that this remark, made tn private 
conversation, would be made the basis of an attack on the 
Patent Office or Mr Saunders. I mentioned the fact to 
the credit of Mr. Saunders, who seemed to be desirous of 
procuring the best articles to be had for the purpose of 
carrying out his experiments in the Public Garden under 
his charge. I regard the course of your Horticultural 
Editor in this matter as highly Improper. 
YourB, Very Respectfully, 
Rochester, Nov. 30th, 1863. G. Ellwangkb. 
