lUtral Gottis and Mttms 
ilural Spirit of tfic 2res$ 
What Red Clover Does. 
S. Edward Todd, in the course of a dis¬ 
cussion before the N. Y. Institute Club, referred 
to the fertilizing power of red clover as follows: 
“On the heavy, stubborn soils of the slopes of 
our northern lakes, the production of red clover 
has been of incalculable value in renovating and 
changing the character of those stubborn soils, 
so as to render them more productive from year 
to year. Under the ameliorating influences of a 
crop of red clover, farms that produced scarcely 
a remunerating crop wbeu the virgin soil was 
first turned up with the plow, now yield annually 
heavy crops of choice wheat or other grain. The 
distinguishing characteristic of red clover as a 
renovator of the soil, Is to produce vegetable 
Where humus abounds in 
TO ALL OUR READERS 
EDITED BY HENRY S. RANDALL, LL. D, 
The Rural New-Yorker for 1863 — Terms. Im¬ 
provements, <fcc.— As a New Quarter of the Rural 
begins next week—and as we are already in receipt 
of many requests for prospectuses, etc., of Volume 
XIX, to commence in January,—we take this occasion 
to announce, very briefly, nor programme for the Fall 
and Winter Campaign. First—our terms for the en¬ 
suing volume will be the same as for the present. 
Second—the Rural will be improved in some re¬ 
spects, and probably enlarged also. In any event we 
shall fD. V.) make the paper worth its price to any of 
its readers, and many times that to the great majority 
—for onr constant aim will he in the future, as in the 
pash to furnish the best Rural, Literary and Fam¬ 
ily Newspaper obtainable. Our hope for months has 
been that the price of paper, labor, &c., would be bo 
reduced that we might safely lower the price of the 
Bat such is not the fact. Having figured very 
THE MAUCHAMF MERINOS, 
We have been looking through the accounts 
of the Paris Exposition for something in regard 
to that wonderful new family of Merinos, claim¬ 
ed in various agricultural publications to have 
been started nearly forty years ago in France, by 
Mons. J. L. Graux. The story ran that in 1828 
an ewe belonging to Mr. Gbacx produced a ram 
lamb having a different shape from the usual 
Merino, (smaller head, broader flanks and more 
capacious chest,) and long, straight, silky wool, 
remarkable for its combing qualities. Others 
were bred from him resembling him in these 
particulars, though a portion of his progeny 
retained the old characteristics. At last M. 
Graux, by breeding in-and-in between the 
former,' obtained a flock exhibiting the same 
qualities. We took the liberty, in the Practi- 
mould or humus, 
large quantities in the soil, red clover is not the 
fertilizer required. But where the surface is 
not covered by a stratum of fine mould, red 
clover can be raised with eminent satisfaction 
and profit. Our most extensive Pennsylvania 
farmers understand and appreciate the excel¬ 
lence and efficiency of red clover. Almost, our 
entire country has got to renovate with red clo¬ 
ver. Old and impoverished fields will eventually 
be made to feci the ameliorating influences of the 
efficient renovator of poor and badly managed 
soil. And this great and desirable change will 
be wrought out by the production of red clover. 
paper, 
closely wo find that it will be impossible to reduce 
the price of the Rural without cheapening it in some 
respects, and hence have resolved to continue its 
preeent subscription rates, while more than maintain¬ 
ing its character and standing by the introduction of 
such improvements as those rates will enable us to 
afford, 
rf V. V 
BALO**\ 
j- tlOCAt* 
NORTON 
Indeed, instead of cheapening the paper or 
lowering its standard, we propose to improve as we 
advance.—so that, even if the Rural costs 50 cents a 
year more than some of Sts contemporaries, there 
shall be a much greater difference (in its favor) in 
actual value. In truth, we cannot bear the idea of 
receding while "Excelsior" is our motto, and “ Pro¬ 
gress and Improvement" remain at the mast-head of 
the good ship Rural. As we said a year ago, time 
was when low-priced papers were really cheap and 
popular—but now we verily believe that, In almost 
every branch of journalism, the highest priced jour¬ 
nals are not only the best hut the cheapest. And cer¬ 
tainly the first cost of such a journal as the Rural— 
which employ's the beet Talent, gives many fine and 
expensive Engravings, and pays extra prices for 
paper, type, printing, etc.,—is so great that we cannot 
place it on a par with reprints or other papers pub¬ 
lished on the cheap plan. It is neither a re-print of a 
daily or other paper, edited with the scissors, nor a 
monthly of only 12 Issues a year; hence we can 
neither sell it for a song nor make a great ado about 
giving it away three months for nothing—for there’s 
some difference between a monthly of three and a 
weekly of thirteen numbers in a quarter. 
— But we will not discus* the question further, 
and have no occasion for special pleading. The in¬ 
telligent reader will easily understand and compre¬ 
hend the matter. Our only fear is that thousands 
who are unacquainted with the Rural may judge of 
it by Its size merely, rather than its merits. Will not 
its supporters—and especially its long-time readers 
and admirers—do us and their neighbors the favor to 
make known the value of the Rural to their respect¬ 
ive friends and acquaintances ? So kindly doing they 
may greatly benefit individuals, families and commu¬ 
nity, and lose nothing personally. 
MARRINER & BRONSON’S RAM TEG, 
bred by his present proprietors, East ram, out of 
eld, New York. He was got by Young accordingly 
owned by Harlow & Brothers, Darien, was one yei 
His dam was bred by D. E. Robinson, fifteenth of 
im , Vermont, got by the Tottiugbam | of wool.. 
A Mystery Explained. 
The editor of the N. E. Farmer, writing 
from Concord, N. H., mentions a mysterious 
circumstance connected with an ox in that 
town. The animal gave indications that some¬ 
thing was wrong with ills head, while au offen¬ 
sive effluvia came lrom one of his nostrils. An 
examination disclosed the fact that twelve rods 
or sticks had been forced into the nostril, vary¬ 
ing in length iVorn 6 to 15 inches. The mystery 
was how these irritants got into the nostril of 
the ox. 
The probability is that had the youngsters on 
the premises been properly manipulated, a dis¬ 
closure of the mystery would have been the re¬ 
sult. They undoubtedly poked the sticks up 
the nostril of the animal when he was confined 
in the stable and not aide to escape their perse¬ 
cution. We were cognizant of a case of this 
kind, bating somewhat the number of sticks 
inserted, the part ies owning up to the perform¬ 
ance. The reason assigned for the act was, 
“they wanted to sec the animal jump.” No 
doubt the Concord case would find a like solu¬ 
tion. _ 
Flies on Animals. 
Though the season of flies—those pests of 
man and beast—la nearly over, in this latitude, 
still as they will bile a few weeks yet, aud all 
the more vigorously as their day of doom ap¬ 
proaches, it may not be amiss to Indicate a par¬ 
tial remedy lor tills annoyance. This, the New 
Haven Courier says, is found in an application 
to the limbs of horses and cattle of a mixture 
composed of two-thirds lard oil and one-third 
kerosene. Applied morning and noon with a 
feather or rubbed on by the hand, great relief 
will be found. Horses and oxen will improve 
at once in flesh and cows in the quantity of 
their milk. It is some trouble to make the 
application, but it will pay well to incur it. 
2,000 more will shortly he produced. As to the wool 
of the pure Ti-yang, it is in France of no value, but 
when crossed ii becomes of considerable value in the 
manufacture of certain articles, such as popeline de 
laitie— 
‘ But while the wool of th<- Chinese sheep is known 
in France and this country to he of such small Impor¬ 
tance, it 16 quite different w .th that which is produced 
from the cross-bred of which we have been treating. 
In January of lari year, M. Ramel presented to tue 
Imperial Society specimens of wool, combed and 
spun, from the fleece of a lamb, the produce of a 
Chinese ram and merino sheep. This lamb, and 
many more of the same breed, were exhibited ul 
Poissy, where it was found that at six months old 
they ’weighed 111) lbs , lire weight. The fleece had 
been -ent to M, Rattiel by M. Fevmes Pe-forgcs • part 
of tin- spun stuff had been dyed as popeline de tains. 
The rest was djed different colors, and was remarka¬ 
ble for Its marked shade and nmiMial brilliancy. It Is 
very soft to the touch, and very uniform In the dye. in 
spite of the dead wool, t/es Junes.) which tt-.clf took 
on the dye very well, tn the great nnrprise of cotmoi- 
ttcur*). Different light tissue* have been made with a 
mixture of silk. The principal manufacturer- at 
Koubalx arc unanimous In considerin'.' this wool per¬ 
fectly suitable for their various fabrics, and in desir¬ 
ing to have It sold to them in targe quantities.' 
"The Ti-yaug ha* been shOCc-.’■ fully resorted to in 
Australia, to mitigate the damage occasioned to all 
kind* of etoe.a by a terrible drouth. Mr. Thomas 
Armstrong ol Melbourne, crossed a ewe with a Cotb- 
wotd ram, and the produce was six lambs to a birth, 
and two lambs at tue next birth, making eight lambB 
lu seven mouths." 
even monstrously Ionium, having u tre-au oi un¬ 
usual size and a tail of great length.” M. Graux 
prized him for his remarkably soft, silky, lus¬ 
trous wool, and, by the means above stated, ob¬ 
tained a small flock from him “ whose wool was 
perfectly silky." He then sought to modify the 
form and increase the size (originally quite small) 
and succeeded in both particulars. Like other 
improvers he encountered detraction and oppo¬ 
sition. The other sheep farmers Insisted that 
the “silky type” could not be preserved ex¬ 
cept, on the farm of Mauchamp, Even the 
manufacturers complained that the wool “ wus 
so pliant and slippery that nothing could be 
done with it”—i. e., they were so stupid as to 
quarrel with what constituted its special excel¬ 
lence! M. Graux probably “would have re¬ 
nounced the development of this magnificent 
race,” had not M. Yvakt, the Inspector-general 
of the Imperial sheep folds, Interfered aud ob¬ 
tained for him an annual subvention from the 
Government. At length, In 1853, M. Davin, a 
manufacturer, experimented on the wool and 
succeeded in making “ magnificent stuff's which 
excited the admiration of all connoisseurs. They 
exhibited in the tender colors reflections of light 
which had never before been observed, and a sof t¬ 
ness which never hud been found in any material 
of wool of any degree of UncucsB.” The silky 
luster was so decided that some fabrics contain¬ 
ing seven-eighths of this wool and one-eighth of 
silk were as brilliant- as pure silk. A commission 
of eavane reported to the Imperial Society of Ac¬ 
climation that “ the silky wool is destined to re¬ 
place completely in our industry the Cashmere 
which comes from Thibet.” They declared it 
fully as brilliant and soft as Cashmere. In 1857 
a medal of the first class was awarded to M. 
Davin for “his industrial application of this 
material,” and the Society above named pro¬ 
posed a prize of 2,000 francs for a flock of one 
hundred sheep of the silky type. 
M. GrAUx’s three-year-old ram:- weighed “ as 
much as 80 kilogrammes, and a flock of six hun¬ 
dred head produced on an average two kilogram¬ 
mes of wool, washed on the back.” 
These statements, derived from the “ Bulletin 
de la Socidffi Imperialc ZoolOgiquc d' Acclima- 
tation,” we condense from an address delivered 
by John L. Hayes, Esq., before the National 
Association of Wool Manufacturers, at Philadel¬ 
phia, 1865. 
These facts, if they are facts, present a wholly 
different ease from that commented on in tho 
Practical Shepherd. Nothing here is said about 
straight wool, or the “ smaller head, broader 
flanks aud more capacious cheat" of the orig- 
All these arc characteristics of Long 
SHALL WE ABANDON OUR FLOCKS 1 
Tjir N H Farmer and Miner, tnc sneep utspan* 
ment of which is edited by Dr. Henry Boynton, 
contains an extended and sensible article in answer 
to the above question. We have room but for a few 
paragraphs: 
“There is no other branch of farming in me State 
(Vermont) in which the v.any, proportionality, have 
acquired wealth a® tn this, and notwithstanding the 
present unprecedentedly low price of woo), our far¬ 
mers here would as soon think of abandoning their 
homesteads a* their flocks. Nay, the knowing ones 
are already bestirring themselves In pursuit of bur- 
gains , shrewdly reckoning that the market for wool 
can touch no lower depth, unless the bottom fulls out. 
and that the very best, time to buy a good flock of 
sheep, is when they can be bought lor the least 
all over the 
abundant, that the Southern States, par- 
money. They argue that the crops 
country are 
tienlariy. have raised cnoa di to live on and buy goods 
with, that their needs arc pressing, and their supply 
will let a streak of daylight and activity into and 
tbrcragk tko uMirkots; -also that tin* North and Wert 
want a host of goods, ttrnt the surplus products of the 
country will very soon be hurrying towards the great 
markets, exchanges Commence, and the ‘almighty 
dollar’ be once more forced out iulo the country. 
We think the argument tenable that, woolen goods 
will ere long be dist ributed far aud wide, and we hope 
that ‘ all creation and the rest of mankind 'will have a 
new suit throughout —of woolens —promoting their 
own health and the market’s. But now is the time to 
buy sheep, before the stock of woolen goods Is entire¬ 
ly swept out of the market, and the price of wool ad¬ 
vanced, as It must und will be. 
"What though the tariff bus not been able to over¬ 
come all extraneous causes at once, and profit the 
wool grower as he expected on this year’s dip 1 Has 
It not done alt it ought to do i It cauuot govern the 
weather, prevent short crops, manage the combina¬ 
tions interested in thwarting its purposes, clear the 
markets at once of the competing wools imported 
before it went into power, but the following state¬ 
ment ought to restore confidence In its efficacy.” 
Alter quoting a table of the importation of the dif¬ 
ferent classes of foreign w ool, at the port of New 
York, for the first six months of 1806 and 1867, the 
writer continues: 
“Can wool growers doubt these figures? They 
come from the best authority iu this country. If true, 
is there a doubt that there will soon be a home de¬ 
mand for all, and more, wool than we can raise ? If 
the importation of competing wools has been lessen¬ 
ed, in this port, nearly one-half during the first six 
months after the tariff is put in operation, should not 
those men who have been selling wool at 85 and 40 
cents be thankful for the tariff and take courage? 
The law or demand and supply must, inevitably, 
force up the price of wool, and, of course, encourage 
the raising of flocks. We believe that the man who 
starts flock on the present market will bedecidcdlyin 
hie luck," 
Report of Wool Scouring of Northern Illi 
««■ Wool GEOWEKs’ ASSOCIATION, JULY, 1867.— 
Sue. Nort’hern IU. Wool Growers’ Association: The 
State Agricultural Suciuiy's Committee on Scoured 
Wool would report to yonr Association the accom¬ 
panying tahle, showing the results of scouring the 
fleeces forwarded by yon to Freeport. Having re¬ 
ceived no Instructions from vour Association as to 
awards, we submit to you the facts. 
Graham Lee, Chairman. 
The officers of the Northern Illinois Wool Grow¬ 
ers’ aud Sheep Breeders’ Association make the fol¬ 
lowing awards: 
The Season Prospects. —Last week we had sev¬ 
eral remarkably warm Tor the season. On the 
ISth and lhth the thermome ter Indicated summer heat, 
ranging from 88 to P2 degrees in the shade. Thunder¬ 
storms were the natural result, but the rain-fall here¬ 
abouts was on rather a homeopathic scale, though of 
much service iu reviving pasture lauds and invigorat¬ 
ing the growtii of aftermath on meadows. 
As yet no injurious frosts have occurred, and the 
consequence is that the corn crop, what there is of it, 
is out of danger from this source. Owing to the uu- 
propitlous character of the plauting season, and the 
long contiued drouth in mid-summer, the yield iu this 
region will hardly he an average one. The same is 
true also of the potato crop, the drouth and the rot 
conspiring to diminish the yield very materially in 
this section of the country. Reports from other 
States correspond wl*i the condition of things here, 
with local exceptions of a more promising character. 
On the whole, tho prospect is that breadstuff's, food 
for stock, and potatoes, will command prices consid¬ 
erably higher thun was anticipated some time since. 
Sorgum Sirup and Sugar Refining. 
The Ohio Farmer states that Wm. Clough 
exhibited, before the Cincinnati Horticultural 
Society, a new method Of deodorizing sorgum 
sirup and sugar, which is pronounced to be an 
important improvement. It “ precipitates the 
gummy matter and insoluble parts as a heavy 
sediment, leaving a clear liquid above, which, 
when evaporated, yields a sirup devoid of sor¬ 
gum taste or odor, and similar iu every respect 
to good sirup.” The materials used in refining 
are the sulphate of byrita, lime, silicate of soda 
aud water. These agents are entirely harmless 
and removed with the impurities of the sirup, 
leaving its flavor nearly like that of maple. 
Wool at the Paris Kxpohtion. — A few days 
since Mr. B. L. Gouldino of Georgia, who has just 
returned from Europe, showed us some flue speci¬ 
mens Of wool., taken from sheep and flccccs on exhi¬ 
bition at the Paris Exposition including Negretti 
from Silesia, Rambonillot from Napoleon’s Imperial 
Farm, and others. Mr. G., who is evidently' an en¬ 
thusiastic sheep and wool connoisseur, (and purposes 
locating in Arizona ere Jong in the wool growing busi¬ 
ness,) careftilly examined all the specimens of wool 
at the Exposition, hut failed to see the “30 fleeces 
aud 100 samples or perfectly splendid wool” from 
Arizona, mentioned by onr Paris correspondent in 
the Rural of Aug. 3, and thinks that Arizona must 
he u misprint and Intended for Australia or some 
other country—for the United States was very poorly 
represented in the wool department. If the state¬ 
ment as printed is a typographical error we presume 
our correspondent will correct it on his return. 
;r. r, r/i rr- T- s s •/. y 7 y v v. t- x r. r. x •/ x o ce on 
joe 
jOBtrpsspECBKggpptssrBCSgsfpe 
^ z ^ 
li* 
Breed, 
Inal ram. 
Wool sheep—while straight wool is ao peouliarly 
uncharacteristic of the Mcriuo that we cannot 
conceive of it in connexion with purity of blood. 
It is noticeable that the nearer Merino wool Is 
to being straight, the coarser, less pliant and less 
glossy it is, precisely the qualities, in the last 
two particulars at least, in which the Mauchamp 
wool is claimed to excel other Merino wool. 
Under the present showing, this new sub-variety 
may be of pure Merino blood. We have wuited 
some time for further developments, and, 06 al¬ 
ready said, have looked to the Exposition for 
them, but in vain. We confess we would like 
to know how liir the glowing account of the 
French journal named, is sustained by further 
observation aud experiment, before we allow 
ourselves to form any definite opinion in the 
premises. 
The practical questions involved are probably 
of no great importance to American sheep farm¬ 
ers. Flocks, the three-year-old rams of which 
average over 160 lbs. in weight,* and which 
(flocks) average hut a fraction over 4 lbs. of 
wool “washed on the back,” (a French kilo¬ 
gramme is 2 lbs. 5% drams,) are not likely to 
attract much attention here—for however choice 
the wool, it would not in our markete fetch 
enough to make up, in comparison with our 
Merinos, the miserable disproportion of fleece 
to carcass—especially as we have no manufac¬ 
tures for such wool. And such light and thin 
fleeces, we should say, would prove a very in¬ 
adequate protection from the rigors and changes 
of our climate. 
The question is only interesting to our read¬ 
ers as one of breeding: but with us it also in¬ 
volves one of accuracy as a writer on sheep. 
We gave our opinion in the Practical Shepherd 
* The ewes to be in proportion should weigh from 
130 to 1*10 lbs. 
Keeping up Cows. 
Colman’s Rural World gives sundry reasons 
why stock, especially that of the dairy character, 
should be well led and cared for duriug the au¬ 
tumnal months. It is sufficient to say that good 
care and liberal feeding at this season fits cows 
to encounter the rigors of winter successfully, 
hut more especially do they conduce to a liberal 
and rich flow of milk, thus improving the char¬ 
acter and increasing the quantity of the butter 
product, A free use of pumpkins and roots 
with their tops, aud an occasional mash treat, 
will amply repay the cost of the articles and 
richly remunerate the farmer for his trouble in 
supplying them. Autumn being emphatically 
the butter season, milch cows then, if ever, de¬ 
serve extra care and consideration. 
Scabs. ° f 
X ^ _ 
§IMIllSlisll2l|j A se° ffleeoe 
Condensed Correspondence. Items, &c, 
\vt. of fleece 
. before scour- 
Brain Disease.— We expressed the opinion, a few 
months since, t hat some cases of oviue disease pre¬ 
sented, were probably cerebro-eplual meningitis. 
That malady, it would now 6eem, has made its ap¬ 
pearance iu horses—a fact which. if it is true, so far 
favors our former conclusions as to show that this 
terrible visitation is not confined to human beings. 
A recent number of the Albany Evening Journal 
says:—“A new disease is prevailing among tho horses 
on Long Island. It is termed eerehro-splnal moning- 
itie, a disease of the brain and nervous system, de¬ 
veloped from atmospheric causes in these cases, It 
is not contagious nor infectious, and has a fatal 
termination in from eight to forty-eight hours from 
the first premonitory symptom. Consultations have 
resulted in the verdict that there is no curative treat¬ 
ment. The only chance of checking the disease is by 
the removal of the disinfected stock and placing them 
under an active preventive treatment. A few hours 
after the disease first shows itself the orgaus of de- 
glultiion are completely paralyzed, so that the ani¬ 
mals can swallow neither food nor drink, and the 
whole body becomes more or less palsied. There is 
a general want of nervous power." 
® Wt. ol scour- 
0 , ed wool. 
febg 0 . Wt. su'd wool 
iiSSx prod'ts V lb. 
53Sc jcarc'es day 
Per cent, of 
shrinkage. 
The Prairie Farmer pvize for heaviest scoured fleece 
from ram of any age, according to weight of animal 
and age of fleece, to IIexbt Aiken of Loclrport. 
The Daniel Kelly prize for heaviest scoured fleece 
from ewe of any age. conditions same as Farmer 
prize, to Horace Barnes of Danby. 
The Western Rural prize for scoured fleece of at 
least five pounds weight, from ram of any' age, which 
suffers the least percentage of shrinkage, according 
to weight of animal and age of fleece, to J. R. Jarvis 
of Geneva. 
The fleeces will be returned to Geneva, when they 
will be subject to the orders of the owners. 
H. B. Pierce, Sec'y. 
Rye for Family Use. 
The Farmers’ Advertiser, coinciding with 
the view of various other agricultural journals, 
recommends a liberal sowing of rye as on excel¬ 
lent maunrial agent in preparing ground for 
other crops. This is restricting rye to a limit 
which does injustice to this valuable farm pro¬ 
duct. Rye makC6 a palatable and healthful 
bread, hence when we consider the vicissitudes 
to which wheat is exposed from the rigors of 
winter and the depredations of its insect ene¬ 
mies, good policy would seein to justify a more 
liberal production of it for domestic use than 
has been customary with fanners in wheat grow¬ 
ing regions. 
Potato Rot. —The Germantown Telegraph 
savs that in some sections ot the State,_ espe¬ 
cially on low and moist ground, the rot is seri¬ 
ously affecting the potato crop. On elevated 
ground the chances are more favorable. The 
early planted potatoes are affected the most 
seriously. Drouth there, as here, has also in¬ 
jured the crop. 
The Prolific Chinese Sheep.— We cut the follow¬ 
ing from the Inverness (Scotland) Courier of Aug. 8th: 
“ The Journal of Agriculture for this month has an 
article on the crosses of '.he Ti-yang sheep from 
China, which are remarkable for their fecundity—pro- 
ducing twice a year, and at each birth from two to 
four Iambs. In France it has been crossed with Me¬ 
rinos. and the cross is now in the third generation. 
A rntn of three-quarter blood was lately exhibited 
aud though it was not fattened, was matured at fifteen 
months, well made, and weighed 205 lbs., live weight. 
The Journal savs that there seems no reason for fear¬ 
ing that this singular cross will not prove hardy, preco¬ 
cious and prolific. About 3,000 iambs have been 
produced in the department of Seine and Marne, and 
Off with ms Head.—Abner Crane, HicksviUe, 
-, writes:—“1 have got a tirst-rate ram teg, except 
that he is badly deformed in one hind leg, which ren¬ 
ders him very unsightly. Will his stock be likely to 
inherit the deformity? What would yon do?" We 
would kill him without testing his stock. 
To Coe respondents .—Mr. Kandall’b address is Cort 
and Village, Cortlaud Co., X. Y. All communlcations- 
iuu-nded for tuts Department, aud all Inquiries relating 
to sheep, should be addressed to Ufru as above. 
Ag’l Fairs.— For lists of State, County and Local 
Fairs see onr issues of August 17th and 31st. 
