and apoiliug many eggs. For my part I have none 
of these troubles, as my fowls are well 6nited with 
the conveniences prepared for them, and none seek 
a nest in grass or weeds outside of their own house. 
I have, a park attached to their domicile for summer 
use, if I wish to prevent them from doing damage. 
As for the expense of roost and house, I am sure the 
droppings more than pay the farmer for all the 
trouble and interest on the capital iuvested. 
cypher out conclusion*, he is still more unfortunate. 
For example, it will be seen by referring to one of 
bis paragraphs quoted in our columns (Feb. 1) that 
it is therein stated that all the wools imported at 
New York and Boston In CLASSES 1 and 2 “were of 
a sworn average value of a fraction less than Vi cents 
per pound; “ while the “average value” of the 
wools imported in Class 8 “was a fraction over 10 
ets. perpoundthat “ taking the imports at Boston 
by themselves,” the wools in Classes 1 and 2 aver- 
aged cents per pound,” while “ the third Class 
averaged nineteen and a-holf cent*.” Now the official 
figures we have given show (as any man can see bj 
dividing the value in dollars by the number of 
pounds imported) that the total imports at New 
York and Boston in Classes 1 and 2 averaged U 
5S-100 cents per pound, and the total imports in 
Class S averaged 15 51-100 cents perpound; while 
the import- at Boston alone in Classes 1 and 2 
smoke becomes lighter. 1 had supposed that the 
inside of a pit was one mass of lire; on the con¬ 
trary, most of the wood is charred without Ocmg on j 
fire at all. The agent which effects this is steam. 
At first considerable wood is consumed in gener¬ 
ating steam, and the consumption of this wood occa 
sions, in the collier’s language,a “sink,” or depres¬ 
sion on one side. After “getting up steam the 
Iosb of wood is not so great, if the pit is well tended, 
but if ns is frequently tlie case, the covering gives 
way and admits the air to the charred wood, it im¬ 
mediately ignites and. rapidly wastes away. YV hen 
the wood is loosely piled it is difficult to keep the 
covering tight, and sometimes the collier falls iu up 
to his arms, and sometimes, especially when the 
wind is high and the weather cold or &tormy, the 
flames get the mastery, and all goes to asfm instead 
of coal. A pit should be well governed from the 
start, well pounded down, constantly watched day 
and night,, till well burnt, and then, after “ dusting 
it down,” or closing every air hole for three or four 
days to extinguish the fire, if you “ draw your coal 
and sell it, as I did, for 15 and 10 cents per hushe , 
you pretty well earn your money. Two and a-half 
to throe cords of wood make 100 Bushels of coal. 1 
have just burnt two coal pits, and for the last three 
wanks have got out of my bed at two o’clock in the 
The Weather and Climate .—' 1 Wha; a splendid win¬ 
ter;” “What fine getting about—on tlie roads—in the 
woods—and everywhere;” ■'January gave ns a full month 
of sleighing, and February Las'ut gone hack on iL yet;” 
“ Wc have bad few storms, but steady cold weather; stock 
eats well and thrives well, and people an? generally 
healthy;" “Fodder is spending fir>t rate, and farmers 
are having a Jolly time.” Such are the remarks we 
hear every day. We are at a period when we can safely 
say it is a fine, old-fashioned winter — such an one 
as made the pioneers in love with the climate, and such 
as gives health, vigor aud test to animal and vegetable 
life. If we could only pass at once from winter to early 
summer, if wc could miss the bleak winds thal blow in the 
„r \ . May. if we could forego the 
wing and freezing of March, 
■ the edge of the melting snow 
no vw>.i u wisu lor the climate of Florida or Min- 
But our best enjoymeuts spring bom change, 
aud this winter, old-fashioned and steady, gives the lie to 
the assertion that the climate of Western New York has 
betrayed its early promise. 
Barren Rams.—A subscriber in Western New York 
writes thal a two year old ram purchased by him gets no 
stock, though healthy and apparently or strong constitu¬ 
tion. He is informed that he was used the preceding 
rear to a few ewes, and is claimed to have got them with 
lamb. Be wishes to know if he can recover of the seller, 
and whether anything can he done to restore the ram’s 
power of procreation. If the seller can show he got 
stock the first, year, wc do not think the buyer entitled to 
recover without warranty. Bht in this, as in the case of 
a previously untried ram, if properly treated by the buyer 
and the subject of no inquiry after purchase, we think 
the seller hound in honor either to refund the price or to 
replace the ram with another as good. A person who 
sells a tried ram, kuowing that, he has failed to get stock, 
M. D. L., Paris, N. Y., alluding to the cut and 
description of the Crevecoeur fowl contained in a 
late number of the Rural, adds the following: 
“Pure Crevecoeurs are a dull black all over, the 
body, top, ruff and tail. The Crevecoeur cocks are 
pure black, with sometime a little golden or cream 
tiuge on the back and rump hackle and wing plume; 
heavy black top-not, also large black raff uuder the 
throat (some call it beard); large two-homed comb 
wattles; lege black or 6latc color, short and free 
from feathers; the tailis full and well sickled. Hens 
are black, short legs, fair size horned corah, like the 
cocks; large black top and ruff. They mature very 
early, arc easily raised, are good layers of large eggs, 
and will come at full size at four or five months old, 
or nearly so.” 
war 
Class 3 averaged 12 10-100 cents per pouuu. 
monstrous mistake of stating this hast average as 
nineteen and a-half cents per pound-? 40-100 cents 
beyond the truth—canuot be attributed to a typo¬ 
graphical error, as the specified sum in this case 
alone is given in words instead of Jigures empha¬ 
sized, too, by italics —and made the ground of a 
special slur on the integrity of “ Yankee trade. 
We have Bliown in a former article (Feb. 1) that 
the facts involved in these comparisons have no hear¬ 
ing in the direction intended by the Country Gen¬ 
tleman. They comprise, however, when correctly 
given, statistics of interest. But our primary object 
in exposing the egregious mistakes of that print, has 
been lo show what degree of credibility should be 
attached to the statements, and what degree of jus¬ 
tification can be found for the conduct of an accuse}' 
who thus grossly misstates even the facts which fie 
principally relics on to sustain liis charges. In minor 
particulars, the same miserable Ldundering (to give 
it the most charitable name) constantly occurs. 1 his 
volunteer public instructor on the tarill does not 
even seem to know, accurately, what its provisions 
are in respect to duties! Thus in the statements of 
imports, quoted verbatim from the Country Gentle¬ 
man in the opening of this article, those wools in 
Classes 1 aDd 2 which pay the lowest duties, are 
given as “less than 32 cents per lb.” in value, when 
the law designates them as “32 cents or less per 
pound” iu value.* A similar mistake is made in re- 
Manure Wasting.—A correspondent asks:—“What 
part, il' any. of manure is wasted by spreading upon the 
snow In winter?" If the snow thaws suddenly, and the 
water washes the manure away, it may be all wasted; if 
it is returned where placed upon the laud, and plowed 
under in the Spring, little if any is lost: if left through 
the summer on the surface the gaseous portions, dis¬ 
engaged hy fermentation, are lost. The mineral baees 
remain, aud these, according to Liebig and his school, 
are the essential portions. Something is lost when ma¬ 
nure ferments on the surface of the land—the value of 
this something to the land is a mooted question. 
ce-Sleepers Department 
Weight of Bales of Wool.—” A Subscriber,” Buffalo, 
N. Y., asks:—“ Are the foreign bales of wool mentioned 
in prices current and newspapers of uniform weight, and 
if so what is the established weight of a hale?” They 
are not of uniform weight, but those of leading varieties 
in each Class weigh as follows. We give the trade names 
of the wools and the countries whence exported: 
CLOTH rNG WOOLS. 
SSMTKtLkrt. ST*::::::SKSSSj* 4 ***' 
Mestiza, unwashed, 850 to 900 .. Buenos Ayres. 
com nr no wools. 
Panada washed ITS to 190... Canada. 
Canada’ unwashed, |00 to 210.. Canada 
English, unwashed, 340. England. 
CARPET WOOLS. 
SyriaD, wapbed, 380. 
Syrian, unwashed, 272 to 310 
Cordova, washed, ?00 to <50 
Valparaiso, unwashed, 835. 
Creola, washed, 800. 
Turkey, washed, 325. 
Donskoi, 350 to 375 
The first few days in spring after the bees begin 
to fly out from their winter confinement, they feel 
very anxious to commence work There is probably 
about a weok in spring after they begin to fly (if 
warm) that there is nothing they can gather from 
natural sources. By providing them with material 
to work upon, they will readily accept it, rather 
than run the risk of life by trying to enter neighbor¬ 
ing hives. By keeping finely ground, unbolted rye 
meal, or buckwheat flour, before them until they 
cab gather from natural sources, it will prevent 
them from robbing and start them on industrious 
habits. Some contend they cannot get their bees 
to notice such feed. It should he placed in a box, 
about three feet long, two feet wide and six inches 
in depth, the bottom covered two or three iuches 
deep with the flour, with a piece of old brood comb 
in the center of the box, and so set that the sun 
will shine directly upon it. The comb will attract 
the bees to the box, and they will commence work 
more readily. Set the box in a slanting position, 
aud as they work upon it the coarse particles will 
fall to the lower end of it. Change ends with the 
box after they have worked it down, aud let them 
repeat the operation. Replenish after two or three 
workings over. They only work out the fine, dusty 
particles. It was quite a mystery to me how they 
could retain the fine, dry flour upon their legs aud 
convey it to the hive; but, upon close examination 
while at work, they could be seen to dampen their 
feet and legs with their bills, thereby causing the 
dusty particles to adhere like the farina of flowers, 
which Is gathered more readily while damp. 
In addition to the preceding advantage, it starts 
them to breeding earlier than they otherwise would. 
It is a well demonstrated fact that they caunot rear 
their brood without (pollen) a bee bread, and this 
answers for a substitute. M. 8. Snow. 
Forestville, N. Y., 1808. 
EDITED BT HENRT S. RANDALL, LL. D. 
The Gardener's Monthlt.— In our recent notice of 
noteworthy indications of progress in the Rural Press, 
we inadvertently omitted to mention a change in this 
journal which is a decided improvement. The Monthly. 
Which has for years been the most practical and ably con¬ 
ducted Horticultural Journal in this country, commenced 
its tenth year and volume (in January,) iu a new and 
beautiful dress—a vast improvement in style and typo¬ 
graphical appearance over former Issues. Edited by 
Thomas Meehan ; Philadelphia—$2 per annum. 
NATIONAL, WOOL AND WOOLEN EX¬ 
POSITION. 
facturers to join in an exhibition of the products oi 
their respective industries, in the spring of 1868, 
was, wc have official warrant- for saying, received by 
the latter body “with enthusiasm,” aud it immedi¬ 
ately appointed a committee to confer with tlie 
Growers’ committee. The two committees were 
expected to ascertain whether an Exposition on a 
suitable scale was practicable, and if so to take the 
proper steps to carry it out. The Wool Growers’ 
committee fouud it practicable, on their side. The 
citizens of Chicago (the preferred place for holding 
It) carne forward promptly and liberally to guarantee 
the necessary funds and preparations. But the Man¬ 
ufacturers’ committee, after taking time to investi¬ 
gate the matter fully, have reluctantly come to the 
conclusion that there is not time before next spring 
to perfect arrangements, hy the manufacture of all 
their diversified range of fabrics and articles speci¬ 
ally for the occasion, by setting up machinery at 
Chicago to exhibit the processus of manufacture, 
and hy various other preparatory measures, which 
they esteem necessary to give the Exposition that 
imposingness, on their side, without which they 
would consider it- a failure. After coming to this 
decision, they next thought of proposing that- the 
Exposition be held in October next; but on further 
consultation, all agreed that it would not attract a 
proper degree of popular interest on the eve of the 
Presidential election. 
Syria. 
Syria. 
South America. 
South America. 
South America. 
Turkey. 
Russia. 
About Raising Potatoes.—To a business letter ad¬ 
dressed to this office, a friend residing at- Omaha, Ne¬ 
braska, appends the following queries” Can any of the 
readers of the Rural give me some information in regard 
to raising potatoes on sod ground? Tn other words, how 
will potatoes do planted immediately after breaking up 
the prairie? Will they grow, and, if so. what will be the 
probable yield per aero? Is is best to plant potatoes 
whole or to cut them ?” 
A Pro Story.— The editor of the Practical Farmer, 
Philadelphia, gives publicity and credence to the follow¬ 
ing:— A sow. the property of Dr. Elwvn. whose farm is 
iu Chester county, farrowed with eight pigs. The day 
afterwards his Superintendent went tn the pen and found 
the pigs all destroyed. About a week afterwards, going 
to the same pen, he found the same sow quietly nursing - 
another litter of fourteen—making twenty-two pigs in 
seven days 1 
Eds. Rural : — Inclosed 1 send you a plan of a 
Poultry House that I completed last fall which, for 
convenience, warmth, good light- aud ventilation 
cannot fail to please those interested. 
Timber on the Prairies. —It is said that the Tyrolese 
Larch is just the thing to plant upon the prairies of the 
West. It is a rapid grower, wood of an clastic aud dura¬ 
ble quality, and the tree has a fine appearance. It is an 
excellent material for hop polos, ns one set will last for 
several generations if properly cared for after the picking 
season is over, 
It is not more durable than red cedar but 
has the advantage of it in rapidity of growth. 
HEN HOUSE —ELEVATION. 
It is twenty feet long, eight feet wide on the bot¬ 
tom, six feet high in the rear, six aud one-half feet 
in roof. It is built of matched and dressed lumber 
for the outside, battened with strips and well painted. 
The frame is 3 hy 4 joist — lathed and filled in witli 
saw-dust on all sides and roof, then plastered. G ravel 
bottom. There arc three windows, twelve lights 
9 by 13, both sash moveable, and a light frame one- 
hulf the size of the window prevents the fowls from 
escaping when the sash are raised or dropped. The 
building is divided into three comfortable coops. 
There is ample room for two lengths of roosts, under 
which there is a platform to catch the droppings, 
thereby insuring cleanliness so essential to the health 
of the occupants. The nests are “secret,” built on 
the ground. A window in the door regulates the 
temperature. Tnis house has proved a success 
during the severe cold weather, the thermometer 
indicating only time degrees below freezing when it 
Bounty on Wheat.— The Maine Farmer advocates the 
policy of giving Legislative aid for the promotion of 
wheat culture in that State, in the shape of specific boun¬ 
ties. It is inferred that such, an appropriation would 
stimulate the farmers to extra efforts to make wheat 
growing a leading feature in the agriculture of the State. 
IMPORTS OP WOOL UNDER THE NEW 
TARIFF. 
which rose “ solit ary and alone” in the midst ol a 
meadow, “ level as the fiuor,” and carpeted with the 
greenest aud richest of verdure. While admiring 
the proportions of this “ spared monument” of the 
original forest wc became aware that it was the hab¬ 
itation of bees, whose squadrons were Been passing 
in and out of an aperture about midway between 
the ground aud the top. Thinking that piossibly 
the existence of this bee colony might not be known 
to the owner of the premises, he was questioned in 
regard to it. The reply was that the origiml of the 
colony arrived there more than thirty years previ¬ 
ous, and that it was his purpose to let them remain 
during his life time, should the tree he spared so 
long. These bees were spoken Of with a feeling 
which might be termed affectionate. In fact they 
had come to he regarded as members of the family, 
and privileged ones at that. Whether tlie tree still 
I stands, a home for the bees, or lias succumbed to 
Heavy Calf.—George Hallock, Clinton Co., N. Y., 
writes:—“I raised a calf that weighed 710 pounds when 
six months old. Who will speak next ?” 
RURAL BRIEF-MENTIONINGS. 
A colony of farmers in Nebraska propose to club to¬ 
gether and buy their goods at wholesale. 
The cash on hand aud property owned by the Michigan 
State Agricultural Society aggregates $20,076.04. 
Five yearling Cotswold ewes were recently purchased 
by Mr. Aiken, Duchess county, averaging in weight 308 
pounds each. 
According to the census statistics, the product of 
maple sugar iu the United States is over forty millions of 
pontiffs annually. 
Alluding to the sale of some butter, a Vermont farmer 
said:—“I didn’t get as much for it as I expected, aud 
didn’t expect 1 should ” 
Sweet potatoes, by being submitted to a drying process, 
loose their tendency to easily rotting, while their flavor is 
retained in ali it* richness. 
Tur. great, secret of sucres? in stock breeding, is to ally 
the best males with the choicest females. By this union 
perfection is approximated. 
Eyehy bushel or potatoes raised takes from the soil a 
quarter of a pound ol' potash. This suggests the applica¬ 
tion of ashes to potato ground. 
When a farmer is offered a good price for his grain and 
holds it for a better, he should consider the chances ol' 
loss by veriniu, fire and fall in price. 
Aguktutcue, being a science as well as an art, re¬ 
quires an educated head aud an educated Laud. Singly, 
they can do little; conjoined, cv#ry thing. 
Guafe growlug is attracting much attention along the 
western shore of Lake Michigan. Ottmva county con¬ 
tains thirty-three vineyards, with 29,907 vines. 
Arn.Yi.Nu a mixture of salt and lime to hay, for the 
purpose of curing it, is a loss of the lime without benefit 
to the hay. Thelime simply changes to chalk. 
At a recent meeting of the GTaridon (O.) Farmers' Club 
the question of feeding stock twice or three times a day 
was discussed. The " three meal ” system carried. 
the rigors of the elements, wc are not advised, hut 
should chance ever take us to that locality again the 
lone black walnut and its colony will not fail to he 
remembered. 
Protect the hives from cold winds, if in a North¬ 
ern climate, aud if in a Southern from hot sitnshine 
when the bees are in their dormant- winter state. 
They should not be tempted out by the temperature 
in the sun, but by that in the shade. Clear away 
dead bees, old comb and rubbish. A dry cellar or 
pit is a good place to winter bees in the North. 
HEN HOUSE —GROUND PLAN. 
A—Roosts. B—Door. C—Entrance for Fowls. D— Se¬ 
cret Nests. 
Sly Brahmas commenced laying six weeks earlier 
this year than last, and the Spanish have not frozen 
their combs. Below 1 give you a statement of the 
result of my poultry keeping: 
To cash paid for feed from February 1,1867, to January 1, 
lttOti _ eleven months... $29.75 
By eggs sold.$4-1.37 
Stock' “ .. 19.77 
Net profit. 31.39 
$6-1.14 $64.14 
Glen’s Falls, Jan., 1868. Geo. K. Hawlkt. 
Condensed Correspondence, Items, &c 
Wool!—A good many ol onr readers —who read tne 
ne wspapers more than Shakespeare—may not- bo aware 
that the great poet has given us the usual weights of 
fleeces and prices of wool, in hi? time, in England, or at 
least in the central portion of it, in which is situated 
Warwickshire, where, at Stratford-upon-Avon, John 
Shakespeare, the father of the illustrious dramatist, re¬ 
sided. lie was “a considerable dealer in wool,” and, as 
Rowe remarks, could give bis sou “no better education 
than his own employment.” It is, therefore, (hat Ritson, 
Warehouse 
An English bee-keeper obtained a hive of Ligurian 
bees which he put in one end of a bee-house, while 
a single swarm of common bees stood at the oppo¬ 
site end. Some time after, on watching his old 
bees, he found many of the new comers peacably at 
work with them. 
The '• throe meal ” system carried. 
Owing to the disorganized condition of farming in the 
cotton Stales, the mule market is remarkably dull. Lots 
of these drudges are being sent North for a marke t. 
The monster cheese manufactured iu Canada, and ex¬ 
hibited at Saratoga two years ago, has crossed the Atlan¬ 
tic safely. It is on its way to Loudon for dissection, 
A curuous machine is mentioned on exhibition at a 
Fair, it performed everything customary for servants, in 
the culinary department, except taking and hiding things. 
It was proposed by a farmer, to a club, to shut up 
sheep-killing dogs till they forge) about killing. It- was 
suggested as ail uaieudment to hang them, up us a safer 
plan. 
It is contended by some that lands designed for wood 
should not be seeded or pastured, as the tramping of 
stock checks the growth or limber. Is not this refining 
overmuch ? 
A farmer in McPbuill Co., Minnesota, boasts of the 
natural eras? growing there. It is frequently found six 
feet high ; is nutritious, and yields from three to five 
tons to’the acre. - 
The Missourians seem to be troubled about their Agri¬ 
cultural College. It is a mooted point whether the college 
shall go to the university or the reverse; whether one shall 
be cheated or both. 
A farmer in Michigan boasts of the many clear, cloud¬ 
less days afforded by Jauuary in certain soc-tious of that 
State, ’in Western New Y’ork January was less liberal, 
furnishing not one. 
A Missourian closes n spicy letter to the Institute 
Farmers' Club by praying to be delivered from Massachu¬ 
setts peddlers, patent pill peddlers, apple tree peddlers 
and lightning rod peddlers 1 
Tins improved lauds in Michigan aggregate five and a 
hall' millions of acres It is said that the increased pro¬ 
duction of thu State is referable more to augmented 
acreage than to improved cultivation. 
A fiiactlck of sheep feeding of a novel character ifi 
gaining favor in France. The sheep are confined in a 
■wools given hi above lame as paying o cem-a o 
cents duty pet' pound belong to Class 3; and that 
those paying higher duties embrace both Classes 1 
and 2. 
abstract of wool imported into the port of boston 
from marcu 2d, 1867, to January 1st, 1868. 
Class One. 
Lbs. Value. 
23 cts. or less per lb. . 2,524,410 $352,609 
Exceeding 32 cts. per lb. . 
To tal . 2,524,410 $352,609 
Class Two. 
23 cts. or less per lb . 2,856,958 330.98.; 
Exceeding 32 cts. per lb. . . 
. . 2,356,958 $330,958 
Class Three. 
12 cts. or less per lb. 4,026,131 $460,271 
Exceeding 12 cts. per ib. 2,l.jti,mi 
. 0,782,283 820,095 
Thomas Russell, 
Collector. 
hy adding together the amouuts 
entered at both ports, that the total imports at New 
York and Boston of Class 1 and 2 wools were 7,906,- 
974lbs.; value,$1,14-8,923; of Class 3wools,17,892,315 
lbs,; value, $2,776,380. As the statements cover a 
period of only fourteen days more than that embraced 
in the Country Gentleman’s statementst, we leave 
others to explain their discrepancies. When the 
editor enters the field of deduction, and attempts to 
. T . ia r.inclal statement ftlRO include? amounts and value of 
■weed withdrawn uom warehouse,—hut we omit them a? ol 
do htfporLance Jo uMb couuoctiou* 
. nr, i.ori th* carried down to the close of the 
,.l?.^,r?ndl tlumrmora convenient tor future comparison 
gricttlturul ^Hcktus 
In answer to this question, J. J. Stage, Kent Co., 
Mich., sends us the following account of the cost 
and product of fourteen hens for the last year, thus: 
DR. 
To 14 hens, at 25 cts. each.$ 3 75 
“ Corn and oats during the year. 12 3o 
“ Meal for chickens.... . 4 25 
“ Dressing and marketing. 4 50 
“ Damage to garden. 3 75 
Total cost..$28 60 
CR. 
By 15 doz. eggs. 15 cts per doz.$17 25 
“ Fowls sold, 10K cts. per lb. 30 17>£ 
“ do on hand, 25 at 30 cts. 7 50 
In the" Winter's Tale f Act IV., Scene II., the Clown, 
making preparation for the “ shce-p-shearing feast,” thus 
counts'llp the money to bo drawn from“ Let me see :— 
Every leveu wether— tods; every tod yields—pound and 
odd shillings; fifteen hundred shorn,—what comes the 
wool to ?” Ritson states that “ this has been rightly ex¬ 
pounded to mean that tlie wool of eleven sheep would 
weigh a tod or 28 lbs. Each fleece would, therefore, be 
2 lbs. 8 oz. 11 dr., aud tlie whole produce of fifteen hun¬ 
dred shorn, 180 tod, 1 clove, 2 lbs. 6 oz. 2 dr., which at a 
pound and odd shilling per tod would yield 143 1. 3.” 
True this part of the scene is laid In “fair Bohemia;” 
but Shakespeare always carries English facts as well as 
manners everywhere. He was bom in 1504 and died in 
1616. Malone thinks this play was written in 1601. If 
so, we have a price current of wool two hundred and 
sixty-four years old 1_ 
Sheep Shears and Toe-Nippers.—A mercantile- firm 
at Galveston, Texas, inquireWhat are the best sheep 
shears and toe-nippers in use?” We cannot answer this 
question, because we have not tried all kinds; and be¬ 
cause if wc had, we should not feel precisely authorized, 
in these columns, to attempt to decide between rival man¬ 
ufacturers. We can, however, properly say what ones we 
approve of. We much like the sheep shears manufactured 
by Henry Seymour & Co., 52 Beekman St., New York. 
They possess the superior advantages of being made 
from a single piece of steel, which gives them a solid 
spring; the stops are tempered so they cannot wear away 
and let the blades lap: aud the handle? are wider at the 
grasp than several of the English varieties, making them 
easier to the hand. Among their varieties., wc entirely 
Niagara Co. Ag. Society.—Vres't— Alexander Campbell, 
Cambria. Yice-Pres’t—John H. Buck, Lockport. Sec y 
—John E. Pound, do. Treas’r—E. Simmons, do. Direc- 
tcji-g—George B. Townsend, Geo. L, Moote, J. IL Buck, 
Albert Flanders, D. D. Davidson. G. J. Botigham. The 
Society is flourishing, having $1,200 in the Treasury. 
Franklin Co. Ag. Society.- Prtfc’t—CMaton Stevens, 
Vice-Prcs’t—George N. Keeler. Sec’y—W. G. Richey. 
Treas’r—M. S. Million all of Malone. Directors—Hiram 
N. Boms, Caleb G. Gleason, Joseph Willson, Edmund B. 
Byingtou, John Richey, W. W. Langdon. Amount in 
Treasury, $1,300. 
Berks Co (Pa.) Ag. Society.-Pres’t-Isaac Echart, 
Vice-Pref’ts—J. L. Stitcher, George K. Levan. Sec’y— 
C. H. Schaeffer. Cor. Sec’y—J. L. Rightmyer, Treas’r— 
William Keely. 
Schenectady Co. Ag. Society. —Pres’t—Charles Stanford. 
Sec’y—S. L. R. Buchanan. Treas'r—James W. Mairs. 
Bay Co. (Mich.) Ag. Society.-V res't-B. F. Partridge. 
Sec’y—W. H. Fennell. Treas'r—J. R. Thomas. 
Union Ag. Society, Palmyra.— Pres’t—William P. Not¬ 
tingham. Yice-Pres’ts—D. Gates, John Strong, J. Norris, 
William S. Johnson, IL Sawyer. Cor. Sec’y—E. S. Aver- 
ill. Rec. Sec’y—C. D. Johnson, Treas'r—L. M. Chase, 
Directors to fill vacancies— Hiram Westfall, Petes: Stup- 
(Signed) 
dollars more if my promises had not been infested 
by rats, which made havoc among them, killing 
Bixty-three chickens. 
As for breed, 1 have part common and part half 
Brahmas—the best for market. I give them ample 
room, warm and dry, for roosting, with a warm 
house attached for nests and feeding, and well sup¬ 
plied with ashes, lime, sand and gravel. I give 
them warm dish water in winter, which they are 
very fond of, and it is far better for them than snow, 
which they would be compelled to use for drink if 
no liquid was given them. 
My neighbors complain of their hens hiding their 
nests, setting aud hatching chicks out of season, 
