-Sliffji 30usXiau&rti. 
EDITED BT HENRY S. RANDALL, LL. D. 
Executive Committee Meeting. —The Executive 
Committee of the New York State Sheep Breeders' and 
Wool Growers’ Association will meet at the American 
Hotel, in Auburn, on Wednesday, February 20th, at 10 
o’clock A. M., to make arrangement* for the next State 
Sheep Fair. Henke S. Randall, President. 
H. D. L. Sweet, Secretary. 
SHEEP ON WORN-OUT SOUTHERN LANDS. 
Charles A. McNutt, Leon, Ashtabula Co., 
Ohio, writing to us in behalf of himself and 
“ some of his neighbors,” asks the following 
questions: 
1. ' Will the natural grasses, weeds, &c., which grow 
on the worn-out; plantations of Eastern Virginia 
make feed for sheep ? 
2 . Is it necessary to feed sheep artificial food, in 
winter, in that. State, east of the mountains 1 
3. Will you state the advantages and disadvantages 
of raising sheep there ? 
Various species of natural grass which spring 
up in the regions indicated, are both nutritious 
and palatable to sheep: others are not so. The 
same is true of weeds. 
The term of winter feeding in Eastern Virginia 
is much shorter than in New York, or in the ex¬ 
treme northern portions oi Ohio where Ashta¬ 
bula Co. is situated. In many parts of south¬ 
eastern Virginia, sheep require but very little 
artificial feed, if they have a sufficient range of 
pasturage, whether of domestic or wild grasses. 
They are only fed 6 few'com blades, during the 
most inclement periods of the winter. 
The natural advantages for sheep raising in 
Eastern Virginia ure short winters; a mild and 
salubrious climate that demands far less care, 
and fa r less expensive structures, for the winter 
protection of sheep; and the climate or herbage, 
or both combined, conduce to the production of 
a very superior quality of fine wool. 
The greatest disadvantage for this husbandry, 
on the worn-out soils, is the. want of sufficient 
feed. It is true that the most impoverished 
lands of Virginia, which were once sufficiently 
fertile to yield remunerative crops, now', acre for 
acre, undoubtedly produce a larger amount of 
nutritious herbage than a great share of the 
extensive sheep walks of Australia. But in the 
latter country the dimensions of these walks ure 
measured by square miles instead of acres. 
Great numbcrs'of them, owned, or leased from 
the Crown by individuals, exceed Virginia coun¬ 
ties in size. The sheep on them travel as far 
daily to obtain sufficient subsistence, ns an 
American drover would drive his sheep during 
a'regular journey from one part of the country 
to auothcr, or to market. There arc, here and 
there, large quantities of worn-out lands in 
Eastern Virginia which can be purchased very 
cheaply. But in many, if not most cases, they 
friend of ours recently purchased a cultivated 
farm of twelve or thirccn hundred acres, only 
three or four miles out Of Huntsville, Alabama, 
for s ix dollars an acre. It was bought for grazing 
purposes. Another friend was offered a choice 
and most eligibly situated farm in Georgia, hav¬ 
ing good building's, fences, <fec., and six' hundred 
acres of excellent pasture land in cultivated 
grasses, for twelve dollars an acre. As good 
bargains can be made in Missouri, and probably 
in other Southern States. With such opportu¬ 
nities to purchase highly productive grass lauds, 
who would expend time and money in reclaim¬ 
ing barren ones ? 
_ 
THE WINTER. 
Uaitg Itapacfmetli Sons ^ritultural Sorictifs. Sural gotes and gteam. 
The present winter, up to the time of this 
writing, (Feb. 1st,) has been one of great severity 
throughout very extensive portions of the United 
States. The cold, without, perhaps, being 
more severe than that which has occurred 
during short periods of nearly every winter, has 
been much more continuous. Great bodies of 
snow have fallen, blockiug up with their drift? 
roads and railroads, and obstructing travel and 
transportation. We hear of severe losses of 
sheep In comparatively mild regions, where 
winter shelter is not provided, because it is not 
usually found indispensable. The newspapers 
mention, for example, extensive losses in por¬ 
tions of Ohio; and they state, that 100,000 sheep 
perished on New Year’s Day in the vicinity of 
San Antonio, Texas. Making due allowance for 
the usual popular exaggeration in such cases, 
there is no doubt that a very unusual number 
have died in consequence of the severe weather. 
We have heard of no uncommon mortality In 
New York and New England. In those States it 
has come to be considered a settled point that, it 
Is more economical to give sheep effectual winter 
shelter. Even sheds open but on one side arc 
not thought to afford sufficient protection, un¬ 
less entirely screened from winds and drifts by 
surrounding buildings; and then, barns or sta¬ 
bles which can he closed up, so that the temper 
ature in them can lie raised by animal heat In 
intensely cold weather, arc generally and de¬ 
cidedly preferred. Sheep in their prime, and in 
high or good condition, will safely withstand 
great extremes of cold, if well fed and well pro¬ 
tected from wind and snow. But cold twenty- 
live degrees below zero —a? It has been in Cen¬ 
tral New York during one of the “ cold terms” 
of the present winter—or even a considerably 
more moderate temperature, bears with great 
severity on lean or old sheep, and on tegs which 
are not in first rate condition. It rapidly sap? 
tlicir strength, and leads to decline and death. 
And all sheep, whatever their age or condition, 
keep easier and better if shielded from extreme 
cold. 
All domestic animals require more and better 
feed in such a winter as this, to supply the requi¬ 
site amount of animal heat. No well Informed 
man needs to be told that tub u one of ibe uses 
AMERICAN DAIRYMEN’S ASSOCIATION. 
SECOND DAT’s PROCEEDINGS. 
•Jacob Ellison, Herkimer, spoke of the En¬ 
glish style of cheese making compared with the 
American. He said it was well understood in 
England that Eoil, water, grass and climate have 
great influence on the quality of the cheese. 
The English dairymen were far ahead of us in 
point of cleanliness, and the English climate 
was more favorable. We mast have appliances 
to regulate the temperature of our factories. 
American cheese was sometimes injured by ex¬ 
cessive heat in the holds of vessels on the pas¬ 
sage to England. He had bccd the “ fat frying 
out” of the cheese boxes in the vessels. 
Considerable discussion ensued on tlie matter 
of publishing a circular, and it was resolved to 
issue one weekly if sufficient funds for the pur 
pose could he collected. 
The proper form and material for cheese boxes 
was next discussed. 
Mr. Ellison stated they should be made large 
enough to slip off easily, for all cheese intended 
for foreign markets. It was uot desirable to 
split off the boxes when weighing, as was neces¬ 
sary when they were tight. The boxes should 
be well seasoned, and the nailing carefully done. 
Several gentlemen spoke in favor of making I 
Kentucky Stale Ay. Society. —At the annual meeting 
of this Society, Jan. 13th. a resolution was adopted 
calling a State Agricultural Convention to meet in 
Frankfort on the 21 st of February. Ah county agri¬ 
cultural societies are requested to send delegates. 
Hon. Robt. Mallory was elected President, and the 
following list of Directors.- 1 st Dist—Phil. Swigert. 
Zeb. Ward, Wm Warfield. R. W. Scott, J. Hall, L J. 
Bradford. 2 d Diet—J. B. O'Bannon. L. Young. Wm 
Johnson. J R. Hughes, S. T. Drane, B. R. Young. 
3d Dist. — David King, G. D. Priest., Blunt Hodge. J. 
McGowan. Chas. Anderson, W. W. Waring. 
Maine State Board of Agriculture. — At a recent 
meeting of this Board the following gentlemen were 
elected officers for the current year: Pres't — Samuel 
Wasson. flee Pres't— Asa Smfth. Sec'y—&. L. Good- 
ale. Messenger —Asa R, Boardman, 
Washington Co. Ay. Society.— This Society held its 
[ annual meeting at So. Hartford, Jan. 8 . The follow¬ 
ing board of officers was elected: President—Si. W. 
Crosbey of White Creek. Vice Pres'ts — Bernard 
Blair, Alexander Buckley. R Niles Rice. L. V. Baker, 
Deliverance Rogers and Lewis Potter. Pec Sec'y— 
Russell W. Pratt. Orr. Secy—Vi. Ingalabe. Treats.— 
William M. Holmes. D/recUm —Oti? Dillingham and 
Milo Ingalsbe. It was decided to hold the next An¬ 
nua] Fair Sept. 10th. 11th and 12th. 
Fulton Co. Ay. Society.— The officers of this Society 
for 1867. are: President— Henbv R. S.vvder. Vice 
Presets— William Logan, Rilus Eastman, Ralph Sex¬ 
ton, Oliver Getman, Jacob Boshart, Francis Wells, 
the boxes more substantial, and some thought Sf"’ T Tv- ° e “* > 
, . . * and W Ilham Bliss. Secy-leaich Yannev. Trees.— 
sawed hoops preferable to the cut ones. Mortimer Wade. 
At the afternoon session the question “What 
is the best stock for dairy purposes ? ” was taken 
up, 8. 8. Whitman, Little Falls, said that two 
questions regarding this subject were promi¬ 
nently presented. First, can dairymen obtain 
cows from abroad to (ill up their dairies? And 
second, is it advisable for them to depend on this 
foreign supply instead of raising their own 
stock? He argued that it was neither safe nor 
proli tabic to depend on purchasing cows at ran¬ 
dom for filling up dairies; that calves could be 
reared with better results as to cost and quality; 
that carp should be strictly observed in breeding 
for the dairy in the selection of the bull as well 
as the cow, so that the good qualities of the one 
may not be counteracted by the bad ones of the 
other. Formerly St was easy to buy good cows, 
hut last spring a good supply could uot be ob¬ 
tained, either in this State or Canada, at safe 
prices. One cause of this was the high price of 
beef; another was that the factory system of 
making butter and cheese had extended, and en¬ 
abled towns and neighborhoods where these had 
not heretofore been produced, to make as good 
as Herkimer or Oneida. This system was ex¬ 
tending, and the value of cows was therefore 
rising. Besides there was real difficulty in find¬ 
ing just the right kind of cows for sale. People 
would not self their beat at any rate. Changing 
cows from one herd to another injures them for 
Orleans Co. Ay. Soch-ty .—At the late annual meeting 
nf this .Society the following board of officers was 
elected: Pres't— Titos. S. Foster. Vice Pres't— Hez- 
ekifth Brown. Sec’y— Samuel W. Smith. Treas.— 
Cyrus Farwell. Director's —Ed son B, Rogers, James 
Bailey, Charles A Donalds, Thomas Packer, B. F. 
Baldwin. Alvah S. Morgan. 
are the “old fields” of plantations, portions of to which Nature puts all the nutritive substan- the ^ soabOQ; they will never come up to their 
which are still under cultivation, and which have 
on them buildings and fences which would have 
to be paid for. Tracts of land lying together, 
large enough for the employment of the Aus¬ 
tralian system, could not, in our opinion, he 
purchased at the extremely low prices which 
would render such a system profitable. And 
no other system could, in our judgment, he 
made profitable on such lands, against the com¬ 
petition nf fertile lands in other regions which 
are equally cheap, by the acre. When wc speak 
ol obtaining sufficiently large and sufficiently 
cheap tracts of lands in Eastern Virginia, we do 
not, of course, have any reference to those bar¬ 
ren sand plains which belt so much ot its eastern 
coasts. These have not been “ worn-out:” they 
never were productive. And an attempt to raise 
sheep on them, on a large scale, would be abso¬ 
lutely farcical, when fertile natural pasturages 
can be bought in the Southwest and Northwest 
for a dollar an acre, or even less. 
Many of the worn-out lands of Virginia can 
undoubtedly be restored to fertility at a cost 
which would be considered low in any country 
where agriculture is remunerative. Some of 
them have been exhausted only on the surface, 
and a deeper plowing turns up enough fertile 
soil to support, with or w ithout the aid of gyp¬ 
sum or marl, a good growth of clover. If this 
Clover should be plowed under as green manure, 
a sufficient basis of fertility would be estab¬ 
lished, probably, to produce good and perma¬ 
nent pasturage. Many persons have successfully 
and profitably undertaken the renovation of 
ccs which are received into the stomach, and 
that if the supply of them is defiieient—not pro¬ 
portioned to the emergency—the animal more 
readily succumbs to external cold. A few extra 
bushels of grain, fed during periods of severe 
and protracted cold, are paid for ten times over 
in the increased health and strength of the sheep 
and the increased production of wool. A sheep 
kept lean and shivering through the winter is 
much less likely to live through it; is much less 
likely, If a ewe, to raise a good Iamb; and will 
yield a pound less of wool. The starving system 
is as objectionable as the pampering system, 
against which we have so often warned our 
readers. 
There is such a thing as keeping sheep too 
warm, in close stables, in the coldest weather. 
A person of any experience can readily deter- j 
mine the proper temperature by his own feelings. 
A degree of ventilation is necessary in all cases. 
Sheep turned out of a hot stable for driuk, exer¬ 
cise, or other purposes, or compelled to endure 
a draft of cold air rushing into their Stables after 
they have been closely shut up for hoars, are lia¬ 
ble to take cold and contract inflammatory dis¬ 
eases. Obstinate and daugerous catarrh is one 
of these; and during some winters it assumes un 
endemical and malignant type w-hich is very fatal. 
-- 
Condensed Correspondence, Items, &c. 
Goitre,— *'\\ T . S., 1 ' Oakland Co.. Mich„ writes us 
that he lost most of his lambs in the spring of 1862, 
and three-quarters of them in 1863. He attributed it 
worn-out lands in Fairfax (Jo., near the city of to feeding too much corn and changed the feed to 
Washington. It is possible they canid have oats, hut the disease continued just as fatal. The 
done so without the benefit of a near local mar- uexi winter he gave no grain to his ewes, hut fed 
ket for their products. Sheep are the. very best thom ri,la bll S as > #nd lost about half of his lambs, 
animal auxiliaries in fertilizing land. it. would I)nriu " a11 this tinlfc the ewes were closcI y 5’ ard - 
be profitable to keep a sufficient number ot them cd ' hflvin S nu opon Rhed ' Bnd were ,et out of ,he - rard 
for this purpose, and for their saleable product,, ba ! f aa , h T "JJ , dfly / TWdbta £ that £«*** ,h “- v 
, 1 , 1 ’ _ ,, ... did uot get sufficient exercise, he, iu the winter of 
wool and mutton. Ill other words, they are ltm when it was not too cold, daily turned them sev- 
highlj useful, both in producing and maintain- oral hours on an old meadow forty rods from the barn. 
Jng the fertility necessary to u good system of where they could get considerable green grass. He 
general or convertible husbandry, and in directly tbns sums up the result:—“A few old crones died and 
supplying a due portio* of its saleable products. 1 cannot keep my snoop in quite as good condition as 
We hold that every farmer in Virginia should before, but Host hutfourlambs out of eighty from goi- 
keep more or less sheep. But. where sheep bus- ko-thougb most ot them had it very lightly, 
bandry, instead of general husbandry, is the 
primary object, it onght to be evident to all w ho Australian Wool.—W 7 e have received through T. 
understand the facts, that it is not expedient, at LAPP ' Central St., Boston, Mass., samples of 
the present prices of virgin and fertile grass lands W00 *’ for " ardcd by J H Clough of the London and 
in the West, and even in some portions ot Vir- Au . 8traU * T ^7T T T th " 
gima, to buy or renovate exhausted lands for 18G6 Thig ram wfts brcd bj . , r L . Currie. jL. of 
sheep. H anything w ere gained lor that special Larru Victoria. Age of the ram 4 years; live weight 
husbandry in Eastern Virginia by greater near- no lbs.; shorn Oct. 10, 1865: growth of fleece It 
ness to market, it would be lost, a dozen times months; estimated weight of fleece 14 lbs. to 15 lbs. 
over, by the inferiority of the worn-out soils for The samples are from 3hj to 4 inches long, and finer, 
pasturage^ softer and freer from yolk than the wool of American 
There arc, however, unexhausted soils in Vir- Merino rams. We have heretofore described the 
ginia and in all the other Southern States, which Australian Merinos introduced into the U. S. Two 
are admirably adapted to sheep husbandry, even of tUem were from tbe flock of Mr ' CrRIUE 
when made a primary or exclusive object. Their . 
. , , . , Alfacas. —“A feubsenber, ’ Shushan, N. Y.. in- 
pccullar climatic advantages have been adverted • , , , ’ 
, , , , , 1 * V. , • . <l ulre3 where he can purchase ten alpacas, and the 
to already. They can be bought cheaply. A price . We are unable to inform him. 
real standard until the second season after pur¬ 
chasing. Again, by purchasing cows dairymen 
were liable to introduce into their herds that 
disease that had prevailed so extensively iu Her¬ 
kimer, Oneida and Lewis counties, namely, 
abortion. Mr. W. advised the raising of calves 
from the most perfect animals of both sexes, and 
that constant attention he given to the improve¬ 
ment in dairy qualities. 
Mr. Riggs, Lewis Co., stated that butter of 
good quality could be made from whey. He had 
sold it for forty cents per pound in New York. 
His process is to separate the whev from the 
curd, place it iu a tin vat aud add a liquid acid. 
One gallon to the whey of fifty gallons of milk, 
if the whey is sweet, but less quantity If changed. 
After this apply heat, until it indicates a temper¬ 
ature from 200 to 212degrees, Fahrenheit. When 
the cream rises and is skimmed off and placed 
in a cool place, let it stand till the next duy. 
Then it i? churned at a temperature ranging 
from 50 to 68 degrees, depending on the weather, 
and it is worked over aud salted In the usual 
manner of butter making. It will produce on 
an average one pound of butter from the whey 
of 150 pounds of milk. The aeid is made by 
taking any quantity oi' whey at boiling heat after 
the cream is extracted, adding one gallon of 
strictly sour whey to ten gallons of this boiling 
whey, when all tha easin remaining in the whey 
is Collected together in one moss and is skimmed 
ofl. After the wlifcy is let stand from 24 to 48 
hours it is ready for use as aeid. This process is 
repeated as often as necessity requires. 
Mr. Egger, Cortland Co., stated that he had a 
patent process for making butter from whey. 
A circular bearing testimonials of his success 
was read by the Secretary. Mr. E. had made 
81,600 worth of butter from whey daring one 
season. 
On the question of grains and grasses Mr. 
Lewis, Herkimer Co., recommended, with other 
varieties, quack gr&ss for pastures and meadows 
on exhausted or vet soils. He said quack grass 
was more tenacious of. life aud did better for 
pasture than clover Or timothy. It would grow 
either eud up ou the poorest soil, and produces 
better hay than timothy. In feeding grain he 
strongly advised the use of out meal. For soil¬ 
ing he did not consider sown corn as valuable as 
many did. Clover was cheaper and better. 
Cornstalks contain too much juice. Ho would 
feed dry hay with them in summer time. 
On motion, the Association adjourned sine die. 
A Milkman in a Fix. — A report was made awhile 
since iu an Irish paj$ j r relating to a milk vender who 
sought to increase his profits by dilating his milk 
with water. Unfoniuutoly for him instead of relying 
upon a pump for a supply of water, he had recourse 
to a running stream. Not being particular, and per¬ 
haps in a hurry, he chanced to dip up some of the small 
fish which aboundafi in the fluid or this extra cow. 
In serving his customers the fish turned up, iu the 
cans filled, leading to Ms exposure and punishment. 
Yankee milkmen are too smart to be thus caught. 
Yates Co. Ay. Society — Held its Annual meeting 
Jan. 12,1867, and the following officers were elected: 
Pres't— Thob. J. Lewis. Vice Pres't— Cha's H. Ketch- 
- um. Sec'y— J. D Jacobus. 7V«u.—Jas. Burns. Di- 
; rector#—Wm. T. Reiner, Peter H. Crosby, Wm. S. 
r Green, Joseph Abbott,, Goo. Shearman, John L. Dln- 
I trail, Alaueou Foster, Ira Disbrow. Darine Baker. 
s Madison Co. Union Ay. Society. — Officers for 1807: 
President - Daniel Worden. Vice Pres'te— Geo. W. 
1 Bentley, J. G. Sisson, E, Franklin Blending. Samuel 
M. Hodges. Sec'y —John D. Clarke. 'Preas.— M. Lewis 
' Murphy. Director*—William Crumb, Silas Ramsdale, 
Hosea B. Clarke, Orlando Woodward, Gordon B. Bur¬ 
dick aud Reuben P. Wilcox. 
Northumberland Co. (C. W.) Ag. Society. The mem¬ 
bers of this Society met in Cobourg, Jau. 16th. Tbe 
officers for the present year arc: ITes'l— William 
Roddick, Vice Pres'ts— John Henderson, Glover Ben 
nett. Sec'y— Charlee Bourn. Treas.— Walter Riddell, 
Saginaw (Mich.) Ay. Socle iy.—This Society has made 
choice of the following officers for the present year: 
Prts't.—U. U. York. Vice Pres'ts — Wm. J. Bartow, 
Geo. F. Van Vllet., William "M. Bratnic. I. N. Smith. 
Sec’y—Goo. F. Lewis. 
Connecticut River Ay. Society.— At the annual meet¬ 
ing of this association, recently held at. Windsor, Vt„ 
the following officers were elected: President —ID: n - 
rv Hubbard of N. U. Ftoc Pres't— George Olcott, 
N, H. Sec .—Alexander McLane of Faylee, Vt. 
Vienna Agricultural Society. — This Society has 
made choice of the following gentlemen as officers 
for the present year: President— C. Waglum. Vice 
Pres'ts—J. Mosier and U, A. Wilson. Sec'y— H. D 
Eaton. Treat— J. Herman, 
"Whitchurch ( C- W.) Ay. Society. —This Society met 
at Lemonville, Jan. 12th., when the following officers 
were chosen: Pres't—J. R. Brown. Vice Pres't— 
M. Jones, decretory—Robert Smith. Treat. —P. W. 
Playter. 
York. East Riding , (C. TF.) Ay. Society.— Tbe offi¬ 
cers of this Society for the current year are: Pres't— 
John Crawford. Vice Pres'ts—' T. Gibson and John 
Carter. Sec. and Treas.— J. Robinson. 
m*/ Middlesex (C, W.) Ay. Society. —This Society 
met at. Strutbroy, Jan. 19th. Officers elected for 1867 : 
Pres'l— Geo. Buttebv. Vice Pres'ts — Thos. Moyle 
and Alexander McKeelar. 
Portage Co. (O.) Ay. Society .—Pres't— Constance 
H. Chapman, Brimfleld. Vies Pres't — Geo. W. Dean. 
Sec.— Frank Ford, Ravenna. Treas.— N. D. Clark. 
Cuyahoga Co. ( 0 .) Ay. Society.—Pres't— C. S. Gates, 
Brooklyn. Vice Pres't—W. W. Richards. The list of 
officers yet incomplete. 
Logan Co. (O.) Ay. Society—Pres't — Dr. D. W. Har¬ 
ris. Vice Pres't — Charles Folsome. Sec.— James 
Walker. Treas. —W. V. Marquis. 
Knox Co. (0.) Ay. Society.—Pres't— Geo. B. Potmin. 
Vke Pres't —Robert Miller. Sec.— Alexander Cassil. 
'lYsas.— John D. Thompson. 
Stark Co. (O.) Ay. Society .— Pres't— H. R. Wise. 
Vice Pres't— Jacob n. Buir. No Secretary aud Treas- , 
urer yet named. 
Ashland Co. (O .) Ag. Society—Pres't— D. G. Tem- 1 
pleton. Vice Pres't—J. J. Winhigler. 
Champaign Co. ( O.) Ag. Society.—Pres't— E. M. 
Bennett. Vice Pies't— Daniel Blose. 
Wayne Co. (O.) Ag. Society.—Pres't— I. N. Jones. 
Vice Pres't— W. W. Taggart, 
Sterling (Mass.) Farmers' Club— The Mass. Plough¬ 
man denominates this a live club, having 121 active i 
members on its roll. At a late meeting officers were , 
elected ns follows: Pres't — Joseph P. Hatwood. < 
Vice Pres't— Luke Sawyer. Sec.— E. Sawyer. Treas. j 
—William D. Peck. 
Vottnia (Mich.) Farmers' Club.— At a recent meeting f 
of this dub B. G. Buell was re-elected President; . 
M. J. Gard, B. Hathaway and John Huh, Vice-Presi 
dents: II. L. Rogers, Secretary; L. H. Warner, Treas¬ 
urer, aud John Strable, Librarian. ^ 
N. T. State Ag. Society.—' The Annual Meeting of 
this Society will be held in Albany on the second c 
Wednesday (13th) of February instant. g 
To Correspondents.—F or the information of new 
correspondents, and occasional old ones of short 
memories, we again reiterate that all articles intended 
for publication in tbe Rural New-Yorker should be 
accompanied with the proper name and post-office 
address of the writer—except in cases of regular cor¬ 
respondents or those with whose manuscript we are 
• & miliar. A failure to comply with this jnst and im¬ 
perative rale by writers has been the sole cause of the 
• rejection of many articles we have lately received. 
Let it be understood that, although;correspondents 
may use their initials or a nom deplume, before the 
public, we must hare the real name and address of 
l fac h- as a guarantee of the good faith of the writer, 
5 and for onr protection generally, 
— Another thing. We cannot become responsible 
for the safety or return of manuscripts, ’especially 
poetry and literary essays, unless instructed on the 
. subject—with stamps for return postage, 
— One tiling more. We do not at present wish to 
, augment the number of paid contributors to the 
1 Rural, particularly to the Literary Departments.— 
yet if articles, essays or tales are sent ns at specified 
. rates, we shall, as heretofore, pay as asked, if we 
. accept and publish. 
i -- 
Season ns North-Eastern Illinois . —The Tariff. 
—Under date of Jan. 28, Hugh Hues or Kane Co., Ill., 
writes:—“We have had a very pleasant winter so 
. far. Our frosty season set in about the 6 th of Dec., 
, and up to date the weather ha? been very mild, with 
the exception that two or three times the barometer 
has stood at zero. For three weeks past we have had 
very good sleighing, On the night of the 24th we 
. had quite a snow storm which made the snow one 
foot on the level, and the weather mild and sleighing 
fine.-At. present we as farmers feel somewhat ex- 
citcfl on the tariff question. We look to Congress 
for protection of home industry. If they don’t pnt 
us on an equal footing with the manufacturers we feel 
a? though our rights bad been set at naught, and as if 
producers had been crushed to the ground. For one 
I feel that if we can't be placed on an equality with 
the manufacturer, I should want free trade for all 
classes and let every one go on his own hook. As it 
now stands, universally, the producer has to put his 
products in market and sell them for what they will 
fetch, while every branch of mechanics Is protected.” 
Oct-I)ook Whitewash.— The P. M. at Edgefield, 
Team, wants a recipe for a good whitewash for 
fence* — one that will not wash off by the rain. We 
therefore rc-publish the following: — Two quarts 
skimmed milk; 2 ozs. fresh slake3 lime; 51bB. whi¬ 
ting: put the lime into a atone ware vessel, pour upon 
it a sufficient quantity of milk to make a mixture re¬ 
sembling cream, and then add the balance of tbe milk. 
Crumble the whiting and spread it on the surface of 
the fluid. Stir or grind as you would lead paint, and 
apply as yon do other paints. It dries quick, and a 
second or third coat can bo added if desired. It is 
inodorous, does not rub off. This quantity will cover 
67 square yards with one coat. It may be colored, if 
desired, by addiug coloring mutter, 
-■«« 
Poultry Profits. — Many persons arc making in¬ 
quiries h? tu the profitableness of raising poultry on 
a large scale. Here arc some figure? of profits from a 
small number of bene. In a recent number of the N. 
E. Farmer was a communication from Moses Eaton, 
Jr. of South Hampton, N H., showing the coat of 44 
hens and their product for one season. The hen? nud 
their keeping amounted to $70. They produced eggs 
to the value or $74.73’; chickens, $49.15; total sales, 
$188.88. Hens on hand. (44,) $22- Balance in favor of 
tbe owner, $75._ 
Missouri Agricultural College.— In the Farm¬ 
ers’ Register, of recent date, is an appeal to the people 
of St- Louts County to supply the means necessary to 
render available the laud grant of Congress, in aid of 
bd Agricullural College iu Missouri, In that State, 
as in several oilier?, operations are retarded by con¬ 
flicting claims as to n location of the contemplated 
institution, and by a lack of means to purchase 
grounds to erect the necessary buildings and put them 
in condition for use. 
American Artisan and Patent Record.— This 
excellent journal commences (he year with dimen¬ 
sions considerably enlarged and greatly improved. It 
is an interesting record of arts, mechanics, manufac¬ 
tures, mining, engineering and chemistry, and reper¬ 
tory of patents. Its illustrations are numerous and 
of a high order of execution. It is furnished to sub¬ 
scribers at $2.50 per annum. Address Brown, Coombs 
& Co., New York 
The Illinois Premium Farm advertised iu this 
paper is worthy the attention of any one wishing to 
purchase a first-class rural homestead. We are as¬ 
sured that it is in the most perfect order for immedi¬ 
ate operations. The buildings, fences, platform scales, 
pumps, etc,, are complete, and there are 1,100 apple 
trees, with other fruit and ornamental trees and 
shrubs in profusion, on the premises. 
The Ceebe Factory System is Ecrofe. — Mr. 
Willard states that while iu Europe he was informed 
that efforts were making to establish the American 
cheese factory system in Northern Europe. Parties 
from Norway visited England to examine tbe process 
of dairy husbandry there, and were advised to adopt 
the American factory system of cheese making. 
Milk Establishment in Switzerland.— The Utica 
Herald states that an American company is establish¬ 
ing a milk condensing factory near Lake Zng, ki 
Switzerland. The machinery has already arrived 
there, and the necessary buildings will be completed 
during tbe present season. 
Illinois Industrial University. —The question 
as to the location of this institution is now before 
the legislature of Illinois, inducing a sharp compe¬ 
tition from various sections of the State. The South¬ 
ern section is striving hard to carry off the honors 
supposed to attach to the location of the State in¬ 
stitution. 
Agricultural (Allege.— C. W. Wright of Scio, 
is informed that there is an Agricultural College in 
operation at Lansing, Michigan. Information con¬ 
cerning it can probably be obtained by addressing 
President Abbott at that place. 
Wheel Hat R akes.— (L. B. R . Sodus, N. Y.) The 
spring steel tooth wheel rakes would do good work 
on stony land, providing there were not too large 
boulders. There are several patented, each one of 
which claims to be the best. They arc generally ad¬ 
vertised at the proper season. 
Advertisers whose favors are deferred are assured 
I of onr regret at the necessity—our first duty being to 
give subscribers full value received for their money. 
