ger of being frightened out of a profitable system 
of management. Every farmer should count the 
cost of bis operations. If we cut coarse fodder two 
inches long, the expense will not be so great as to 
bring the operation into disrepute. Nothing is 
added to coarse fodder by running It through a cut¬ 
ter. The nourishment is ouly rendered more availa¬ 
ble. The chief point is, to reduce the coarse 
material to such a condition, that an animal can 
place a large wad of it between the teeth -without 
difficulty, If it be cut two inches long, they can 
masticate it with great facility. It is better that 
animals should employ their teeth, to a certain ex¬ 
tent, in grinding their food, than that every atom 
should be pulped; because the saliva will be min¬ 
gled more completely with what is eaten. 
Manual labor is so expensive, that it is desirable 
to conduct every operation with as little expense as 
possible. For this reason, we cut fodder as long as 
animals will cat it with avidity. Then, if a farmer 
can make it pay to steam everything, it. is better to 
do so. If 1 make every operation pay a satisfactory 
> profit, and my neighbor says he cannot make it pay 
to do as I have done, he is not ft wise and judicious 
manager, to attempt to practice what he knows will 
cost him more than the profits. 
S. Edwards Todd. 
§tttjskufU‘ir. 
BDITBD BY HENRY 8. RANDALL, LL. 
THE WOOL BUYERS’ COMBINATION. 
The Michigan State Wool Buyers’ Association 
met at Detroit June 2d. The President, in stating 
the objects of the meeting declared (we quote report 
of the u Western Rural") that “there seemed to be 
a determination among farmers to sell wool in a bad 
condition, for the same price as the best quality of 
wools should bring.” Toe resolutions fully re¬ 
affirm the buyers’ rules adopted by the Association 
last year, and contain the following explicit pledge: 
“ Jfetolved, That we will buy wool only on these condi¬ 
tions, tor pul any local or traveling ngeute in the market 
'except upon the same terms, and that in any case of de¬ 
viation from those rules, on the part of any such agents, 
we will withdraw them from the market." * 
The rules referred to are the following: 
3. A deduction of onc-hall' on greasy and gummy un¬ 
washed buck fleeces. 
2- A deduction of onc-thlrd on heavy washed buck 
fleeces. 
-1 A deduction of one-third on all other unwashed, or 
partially washed fleeces, and on cotted wool, and ou un¬ 
conditioned fleeces made unmerchantable by stnfllugwlth 
lags and (lead wool, or by au excessive use of twine, and 
on fleeces that have been divided for the purpose of de¬ 
ceiving the buyer. 
way in all legitimate efforts to correct bad prac¬ 
tices on both sides. But until the dealers own the 
growers, we do not propose, for one, to submit 
to their ex parte legislation, or, not to put too fine a 
point on it, to their purely arbitrary and insolent 
dictation. 
We recently saw the gist of the dealers’ claim that 
they have a right to make such buying rules as they 
have done, expressed in the flippant remark of one 
of their number, that “he supposed every man has 
a right to buy on the terms that suit him, or let it 
alone.” Has any man the right to attempt to buy 
on unjust terms? Especially have a body of men a 
right to combine to enforce unj ust terms of sale on 
another body of men, who are ,in some degree de¬ 
pendent upon them for the customary maiKeting of 
their products—aud who they imagine must submit 
to delay and inconvenience in finding new ways to 
market such products ? What is thought by Bound 
bustness men, the world over, of such combina¬ 
tions? What would be thought if the dealers in 
other products, such as grain, meat, butter, cheese, 
&c., should presume on their supposed necessity to 
the producers to lay down rules of baying precisely 
analogous to those attempted to be established by 
the wool dealers ? The whole country would scout 
at such rediculous impudence. 
The Michigan Buyers’ Association takes an un¬ 
usually agressive tone. Its President opened the 
meeting with a declaration, which does grots injus¬ 
tice to all respectable wool growers. The resolu¬ 
tions are supercilious and assuming in their tenor. 
The pledge broadly and unblushingly pat forth to 
discharge c very agent “ in any case deviating from 
the rules”—whatever the circumstances, or what¬ 
ever equity may require—is, we think, a little the 
squarest and most impudent avowal of a combina¬ 
tion to coerce the growers which has yet appeared. 
Perhaps the wool growers of Michigan will submit 
to a dictation not even varnished over with civility, 
but attempted to be stamped into them with the 
boot-heels of this Buyers’ Association. Perhaps 
they won’t! 
Those who thought the buyers’ combinations 
were dying out, must by this time be convinced of 
their mistake. The time lias come for wool grow¬ 
ers to assert and maintain their independence, or 
retire from the business. And the time has come 
when they should earnestly look about for a feasible 
way of dispensing altogether with middle men in 
marketing their products — or at least all middle 
men who subscribe to the buyers' rules. The 
cheese producers in certain portions of Oneida Co., 
N. Y., have shook off their middle men, and estab¬ 
lished relations directly with the consumers or 
their agents in England. We have this fact on very 
strength and other desirable qualities. 
Toe words “greasy and gummy” in the first rule, 
and the word “heavy” in the second, practically 
sneftn nothing, because they apply sufficiently to all 
or nearly all improved ram's fleeces of the present 
4ay to bring them within the scope of those rules. 
The Western Rural, commenting on these pro¬ 
ceedings, says: 
“ We need here only express our enrprtsethat a body of 
intelligent gentlemen should insist that it is jas.t to make 
exactly the same deduction on a fleece of wool in which 
there is one pound of dirt as on a fleece in which there 
•are four pounds of dirt; or to make the same deduction 
on two fleeces of wool, both of which had been very dirty, 
bat one. of which had been washed almost clean ouough to 
pass as well washed wool.’’ 
Suppose, too, the buying agent should decide that 
there was “an excessive use of twine," amounting, 
say, to two ounces on a fleece, otherwise perfectly 
well “conditioned," weighing five pounds. Would 
it be just to confiscate upwards of a pound and a half 
of wool to offset two ounces of twine ? Whut the 
Michigan Buyers’ Association mean by the words, 
“an excessive use of twine,” may be gleaned from 
one of the “rules” they recommend to growers, 
vis: that fleeces “be wound with light-colored, 
strong twine, brought twice each way around the 
fleece.” This may be sufficient in most cases of 
ordinary sized washed fleeces, but suppose that one 
or more accidentally become badly torn or separated 
in shearing — as not unfrequently happens with the 
best shearers — does not every farmer know that in 
order to prevent such fleeces from becoming scat¬ 
tered about or even broken in pieces in handling, 
more twine must be used? Yet this, it would 
6eem, whatever the necessity, subjects one-third of w ’“‘A rowing interest, ana tnre&iens to do so disastrously. 
the fleece to confiscation i If the tju* ttwm,r), , “ u >“ If'd.ifying to know that what has already been 
me octet to connscation. it ino tags, though ae done to opposition to the obnoxious custom, nas influ- 
well washed as the rest of the fleece, are put in it (the enced one of our largest wool houses to openly avow a 
words “ at.nfflnir with fam. >’ m pan no mnm for cr r™ determination to conduct its business In a just aiid eqnit- 
woras etumug witn tags mean no more, for grow- able manner. Wo refer to gentlemen Lewises & Brooke, 
«rs do not buy tags to put in their wool) the one- 
third confiscation must, according to the rules, bo 
enforced. So, too, if the fleece is in the least degree 
“cotted” —though its value is not thereby reduced 
ten per cent. 
If these rules were only intended to meet cases of 
intended fraud or very culpable carelessness, aud the 
buying agent were left to exercise a sound discretion 
as to their enforcement, there would be more excuse 
for them. But the Association makes no exception, 
and it allows its agents to make no exception. On 
the contrary, it stands distinctly pledged to dis¬ 
charge any agent who makes any deviation from 
the rules! 
No intelligent dealer will for a moment contend that 
these rules operate equitably in all cases. He makes 
them partly for his own convenience, so he can com¬ 
paratively safely employ cheap and incompetent 
agents who are incapable of exercising sound discre¬ 
tion in purchasing: and partly to compel the growers 
to prepare thoir wool for market in the way he (the 
dealer) prefers to have it done. He establishes fixed 
discriminations and penalties for non compliance, 
though in many eases it inflicts no injury on himself, 
and though compliance would be impracticable or 
highly injurious to the grower. Take the case of 
sheep exposed to the ordinary extent to the weather 
the year round, but not washed .because there are no 
sufficiently accessible or safe places for washing. 
There arc thousands of flocks, especially in our 
Western States, in this situation —flocks composed 
of Merinos or English grades which do not carry 
much “grease,” and the wool of which will not lose 
anything like a third in weight in washing. "What 
is the shrinkage of such wool one-third butauar 
bitrary penalty inflicted by the buyer for not wash¬ 
ing ? The non washing does him no injury. It does 
the manufacturer no injury. It doc3 the wool no 
injury. But the tiddler prefers to handle washed 
wool, and therefore the grower must be punished for 
not, at all hazards, and at wholly unnecessary incon¬ 
venience aud loss, deferring to that preference! 
Who are these lordly gentlemen who thus claim 
authority to control the laws of trade—to establish 
new and unnecessary regulations at their pleasure— 
and to inflict penalties and forfeitures for their infrac¬ 
tion? Are the dealers in a product—who neither 
grow, manufacture nor in any way add to its value, 
and trust their example will be speedily followed by our 
other wool houses, both old aud new." 
We wrote last week to 8am tel Lawrence & Son, 
43 Broadway, New York, a wool house of excellent 
standing, to know whether they would sell domes¬ 
tic unwashed or other wool on commission accord¬ 
ing to actual condition, and without regard to the 
one-third or any other positive rates of shrinkage. 
They reply:—“The proper way to sell wool is on 
its merits, and we do it daily, without any regard 
to 33>£ or other discount from the market value.” 
The prices for the new clip are likely to open too 
low for growers to put their wool into the market 
at present. There will be plenty ol time to look 
out for purchasers who do not wear the collar of 
the Buyers’ Associations. It is more satisfactory to 
sell wool at home if it can be done on the proper 
terms; but it is vastly better to 6end it to wool 
houses, like those above named, "which will treat 
the buyers’ rules with the contempt they deserve, 
than it is to submit to those rules. We hope the 
wool merchants and brokers of the country will be 
generally interrogated whether they will disregard 
the buyers’ rules or not. We will publish lists of 
those who will and those who will not as fast as 
they are furnished to us. Those who refuse to an¬ 
swer within a reasonable space perfectly civil and 
proper interrogatories ou the snbj eet, eh ould be count¬ 
ed among those who adhere to the buyers’ rules. 
--- 
Condensed Correspondence, Items, &c. 
Does Wool Lose Weight?—E. C. Clark, Superin¬ 
tendent of Lawrenceburg (Ind.) Woolen Mills, writes, 
June 12th 11 Just one year ago, immediately after being 
clipped, I selected of three-fourths blood wool, fleece 
washed,—100 lbs. light condition, 100 lbs. heavy condi¬ 
tion,-and laid it on the floor of the fourth story of our 
warehouse. Each lot now weighs just 90 lbs., having 
shrunk only l lb. As that is much less than I expected, 
I should like to have your experience, if not too much 
trouble." [We have never made any particular experi¬ 
ments in the matter, but have been under the impression 
that wool piled in considerable masses scarcely loses any 
thing in weight the first year, and not a great deal after¬ 
wards.]—En. 
Samples and Weights op Fleeces.—Nelson Q, Hull, 
Center Berlin, Rensselaer Co., N. Y., sends 3 samples 
from 2 yr. old ewes, which have suckled their lambs 
i' jif purchasing wool thus prepared for market, to pay ^ ^ S ° iM M we kn0w > 
a price proportionate to its relative worth as to texture, goaded to this act by agressive combinations. They 
.strength and other desirable qualities. did it simply on the score of economy—and because 
tliey believed it wholly unnecessary to divide their 
profits with dealers and speculators. And they 
have successfully accomplished their object. It 
certainly ought to be greatly easier to establish the 
same direct trade between the wool growers and 
wool manufacturers of the United States. This di¬ 
rect intercourse formerly existed to a very great ex¬ 
tent. It can be readily restored—after the existing 
stagnation in trade has passed away. Let this mat¬ 
ter be well considered and investigated by growers 
—and also by those liberal, intelligent and numerous 
manufacturers who disapprove of the buyers’ rales; 
and while the subject is ripening, let no man who is 
not driven by pecuniary necessity to such a 6tep, 
voluntarily abase himself by submitting to those 
rules. We have no doubt that ou proper inquiry, 
even wool merchants enough will be found who 
will stipulate to sell wool on its merits, and with¬ 
out any regard to rales. 
B. 8.—Since writing the above, the Prairie Farmer 
(Chicago) has come to baud, containing the follow¬ 
ing spirited comments on the Michigan resolutions, 
closing with an announcement to which we wish to 
call special attention. 
“ It li< useless to suffer longer in silence, or to crawl at 
the feet of these men, and supplicate for justice and fair¬ 
ness. As conductors of a paper in the interests of the 
producers, there Is no longer any middle ground for us to 
take. The agricultural paper that wavers in a manly, 
out spoken defense of plain and well known rights of its 
patrons, is recreant to its groat, duties, and unworthy of 
support. It is time for the agricultural press, individual 
wool growers, wool growers' associations — national, 
State, county and township-to combine agHinst this 
manliest wrong which has already hanefnlly affected the 
wool-growing interest, and threatens to do so disastrously. 
at State Fair at Auburn, 1867, They were got by Orion, 
bred by Henry S. Randall, he out of Tulip 3d, bred by 
Edwin Hammond, aud got by Silver Mine, &c., &c. 
We have been so unlucky as to get Mr. H. A, Toll’s 
samples mixed with others, and cannot identify them 
with certainty. Will he send others? 
The remarks of a correspondent on Messrs. Cross- 
man’s weights of fleeces, published by us June 6t.h, will 
be deferred until the Messrs. C. have time to produce 
their proofs. 
litujj jOqbutttcni 
FEED FOR DAIRY STOCK. 
During the summer season cows, except in the 
instance of soiling, are expected to get their own 
living from the pasture, and this they will do very 
well if the grass is of the right quality and the 
quantity sufficient for the purpose. It is in the 
winter the failure, if any, comes in, if at any time, 
and this results less from the quantity of food sup¬ 
plied than from its quality. This subject was re¬ 
cently up before the Little Falls Farmers' Club, aud 
was treated in a very intelligent manner. The dis¬ 
cussion was opened, as we fluff by a report of it in 
the Utica Herald, by Harris Lewis of Frankfort, 
who said he commenced the practice seven years 
ago of cutting grass early, sufficient to keep his 
milch cow6 in feed from the time they “ came iu ” 
up to the time of turning to grass. The term, early 
cutting, is understood differently by different per¬ 
sons. Some persons would call grass cut early if it 
was cut at the time of its maturity. What he meant 
by early cut grass was to cut it at a period before 
half of the timothy or clover heads were in blossom. 
Has been hi6 practice, when the weather would per¬ 
mit and the grass forward enough, to cut and have 
cured and in the barn, by the l6t of July, enough 
grass for the spring feed of dairy stock. 
Previous to the time mentioned, seven years ago, 
it was his practice to let grass stand until it had 
matured before commencing to cut. The conse¬ 
quence was that that portion which was cut last was 
nearly worthless. Under this system it was his 
practice and he found it necessary to feed stock 
grain during the spring mouths In connection with 
hay. Since cutting his grass early, had found this 
early cut hay, if properly cured, to he all that his 
milch cows needed in spring to keep them in good 
condition, requiring neither grain nor roots. Milch 
cows fed in spring upon this early cut hay, give milk 
nearly of equal value, both as to quantity and qual¬ 
ity, with that yielded upon grass. The droppings 
had ail the appearance from those of grass fed cows, 
except that the latter contained more water. As to 
the comparative quantity of cream in the milk, no 
difference could be detected between that made from 
the hay and that from the grass. These experi¬ 
ments fully convinced him that for feeding milch 
cows grass should be cut early. Had made a care¬ 
ful estimate of the loss on hay made from grass 
standing until it was over-ripe. The loss would run 
from $1 to $5 per ton.” 
These views were generally concurred in by the 
club, variant ones being expressed by but one or 
two members. Before the introduction of mowing 
machines farmers, with a hundred acres of meadow 
land, were compelled to jet much of their grass re 
main uncut till it was over-ripe aud therefore in¬ 
jured, but now, if meadows have been properly 
cleared of obstructions, the mower will do the cut¬ 
ting so rapidly as to diipatch the work before the 
grass is inj ured by long exposure and over-ripening. 
bat merely trade or speculate in it — entitled to eince cail y P art of March; fleeces from io to 15 days over 
dominate over and lay down laws to the produe- f, yeare growth, and weighed respectively, u lbe., 11% 
iive industries which grow and fit that product for * ' and \ 3 lbs " ^* ap , le of oue ’ iD - lon k: of the other 
human use? We justify no frauds on the part of ° D ?' °° Cle ™J. ,jrigtu ' 01 8 0 °d Bt yle 
growers. We are willing to meet the dealers half e. E. Brown, New Hope, N. Y., and received a prenSLS 
BUTTER MAKING AT CHEESE FACTORIES 
In an address, delivered by Dr. N. 8. Townshend, 
before the Ohio Dairymen’s Association, the pro¬ 
priety of coupling butter making with that of cheese 
was urged. On this point Mr. T. remarks: 
“If factories make only cheese, some of the valu¬ 
able constituents of the milk will not be saved or 
utilized. However much you may desire to retain 
all the butter in the cheese, its complete retention 
is not possible, and in spite of your efforts, much 
will ruu off with the whey, which although not as 
good as first rate butter made from cream, is yet 
better than much of the cream butter that comes 
to market; and if properly made it will gladly be 
j purchased at a 6omewlmt reduced price by families 
with whom economy is an object. Does any one 
dispute the possibility of making a fine butter from 
whey ? Let me reply by saying that such have a 
pleasant und profitable lesson yet to learn. Of 
course the best of butter may be largely made iu 
factories whenever the price of butter is relatively 
higher than that of cheese, or whenever half milk 
or skim-milk cheese is in good demand. 
We do not see why factories cannot, without in¬ 
jury to that reputation of which they are properly 
so careful, make large quantities of half-milk and 
skim-miik cheese of a different form or style from 
wholo milk cheese, and supply the market with an 
article at somewhat lower price, much to the com¬ 
fort and convenience of families that regard the 
highest priced cheese as too expensive a luxury. This 
■would enable factories to make a fine article of but¬ 
ter, and perhaps contribute to improve the butter 
making of the whole region. The manufacture of 
butter, whether in factories or private dairies, is not 
so purely a mechanical operation as some imagine, 
and therefore the purchase of the last patented chum 
is not all that is required. The time allowed for the 
preparation of the cream, the temperature for churn¬ 
ing, the making, working, and salting, all require 
great skill aud the perfection of that neatness that is 
so indispensable to the manufacture of good cheese." 
-■ »•■♦»« ■»•- 
THE CHEESE MARKET. 
At Little Falls on the 15th, was rather inactive 
and the tendency in price slightly downward owing 
to advices from Europe. The stock was accumula¬ 
ting in Liverpool, and sales were pressed which 
tended to alarm buyers somewhat. Good factories 
were offered June 1st, at 46s. to 53s., and medium at 
3Ss. to 35s. The range of the market at Little Falls, 
as above, was from 14e. to 14l.je. The Utica Herald 
sums up its notice of the cheese market by saying: 
“The whole trouble with the cheese trade and the 
low rates is the hap-hazard way in which it is con¬ 
ducted. Had we agents in the field to obtain relia¬ 
ble statistics, and circulars iussed to dairymen every 
two weeks, as was proposed at the last Convention, 
prices would advance at least two cents. If farmers 
and dairymen do not see the advantage of such a 
movement, they have the privilege of selling in the 
dark for what they can get. At present prices there 
can not be much money iu producing cheese.” 
-♦ »» »■- 
Don’t Mix It. — Butter frequently comes into 
market made up of about equal portions of white 
aud yellow. It looks bad, and is not as marketable 
as it would be were each kind presented by itself. 
Keep the parcels separate, and consumers will thank 
you for the trouble. 
[ural Spirit ot f\i 
Destroying- the Tobacco Miller. 
A Kentucky tobacco grower has discovered a 
method by waich the tobacco fly or miller miy be 
easily ext erminated. By watching the insect it was 
found that it was fond of sucking the bloom of the 
Jimson or JomsLowu plant, which infested the to¬ 
bacco ground. As an experiment, he adds: — “I 
procured from a druggist about an ounce of pulver¬ 
ized fly powder, or fly stone, mixed it with water, 
making it very sweet with honey, (sugar or molasses 
will do as well,) put it in a half-pint bottle with a 
cork stopper, into which I inserted a goose quill. 
Thus armed and equipped, I went every evening 
between snuaet and twilight and dropped about 
three drops of the mixture into the ‘Jimson,’ aud 
the next day would pick up handsful of the insects 
lying dead under the nearest trees, or in the corn 
field close to the tobacco patch. So eminent was 
my success in destroying them that many of my 
neighbors were induced to try the experiment, and 
the consequence is that the crops in our neighbor¬ 
hood are much less injured by them than usual 
The poison destroys that particular bloom as well 
as the fly. Seeing this, I go every evening and 
drop it into the new ones which form in the next 
twenty-four hours. If every planter would follow 
this practice that particular race of destructive in¬ 
sects would soon become extinct.” 
Salting Hay. 
A w'Riter in the Germantown Telegraph says 
when hay is mowed away or stacked in an imper¬ 
fectly cured state, an application of salt will not 
only preserve but give a fine flavor to it. This is 
undoubtedly true, and we may add that many of 
best stock raisers salt their hay, no matter how 
well it may be cured. When the hay is well cured 
about four quarts to the ton are used, but when put 
away in a green or damp state the quantity should 
be about doubled. Some salt more liberally than 
this, in both cases, but this is not absolutely neces¬ 
sary to the preservation of the day or to make it 
more palatable to the stock fed upon it. 
Plowing by Steam. 
By a notice in the last Irish Farmers’ Gazette, 
Dublin, it would appear that plowing and harrow¬ 
ing by steam is steadily working into favor with 
the Irish farmers. That paper mentions the opera¬ 
tions in cultivation of a stationary engine and steam 
tackle for two days, and adds that “ the character 
and extent of the work performed will not easily 
be forgotten, either by the numerous spectators or 
by the land operated upon, such was the depth to 
which it was cultivated.” The plowing and har¬ 
rowing occupied two days, during which thirty 
statute aere6 were deeply plowed and properly 
pulverized by the aid of steam. 
Lime the Hay Mow. 
A farmer writes to the Utica Herald that he 
has tried putting lime on the hay mow and finds it 
work like a charm. The hay kept green and bright, 
and though the lime shook out while handling the 
hay, both horses and cattle eat it with the greatest 
avidity. It iB thought to be a preventive of heaves 
and Btops the cough in horses. A neighboring 
farmer also limed his hay in the mow with equally 
beneficial results. It will be but little trouble, at 
the coming hay harvest, to treat a portion of the hay 
mow to a dusting of lime as a test of its efficiency. 
The Canada Thistle. 
It seems to be conceded that steady cultivation 
of laud for two or three years will effectually destroy 
that great farm pest, the Canada thistle. Such being 
the case, there is no excuse for the man who Will 
let patches of these thistles go to seed on his farm, 
and in autumn filling the air with the seed for fur¬ 
ther propagation. Not a thistle should be allowed 
to perfect its seed ou the farm. This prevented and 
the ground properly tilled, the thistle nuisance can 
be exterminated in a couple of years. 
Bloody Murrain. 
A farmer sends the Southern Cultivator a cure 
for this disease. The animals are first fed a half 
dozen eggs, one at a time, with the shells partially 
crashed. A drench should follow of half a bottle 
of whisky, and the balance of strong pepper tea, 
flavored with two tablespoonsful spirits of turpen¬ 
tine and the same amount of garlic juice, well 
shaken together. This should be followed, in a 
few hours, by a pint of melted lard. This may 
be repeated, if necessary. 
tttral Softs arrtr Mims. 
A New Half Volume.— Agents, Friends, and all others 
interested in the circulation and prosperity of the Rural 
New-Yorker, are reminded that a new Half Volume 
commences next week—July 4th—and hence renewals 
and new subscriptions are now in order. The glorious 
anniversary of the Nation's birth will, therefore, bo a 
good time to renew their subscriptions,—and for all the 
rest of mankind who wish to do a wise thing, to sub¬ 
scribe for the Rural. And, with all due respect to pre¬ 
vailing notions and customs, we respectfully submit that 
investing money in such a manner will exhibit quite as 
much patriotism, and more sense and wisdom, than 
spending it so imprudently aud lavishly (for stimulants, 
powder, fire-works, etc.,) as myriads do on every recur¬ 
rence of the “Glorious Fourth.” The benefit derivable 
from the paper would he lasting to every subscriber and 
his family, while the result of taking extra stimulants,— 
of “drinking between drinks," and indulging in other 
excesses, as so many do on such anniversaries,—must 
prove decidedly injurious in depraving the mind, impair¬ 
ing the morals, and depleting the pocket. It's alt right 
to be patriotic on such an occasion, but a wise provision 
for the future is always in order. Of course our constant 
readers require no admonition on the subject, but the 
hints in this digression may apply to some of their Mends! 
As we remarked two or three weeks ago, in speaking 
of and far the Agricultural Press, the Industrial and Pro- 
dneing classes should see to it that such jonmals as the 
Rural New-Tohkkk are well sustained. We then spoke 
for all, and may now be permitted to present the claims 
of our own journal. Those who have taken it for the 
past six months, or longer, (and whose subscriptions now 
expire,) know its character and valne, and can best judge 
as to the propriety of continuing it and inviting others 
to become subscribers. We certainly trust none of our 
friends will stop simply because, of the political campaign 
and fever, for they and their families can hardly exist on 
such mental pabulum as the party papers will furnish 
during the ensuing three months. 
— See notice at head of News Department—page 210. 
-- 
Wheat Yield Last Year. —According to the figures 
of the Commissioner of Agriculture, tne average of 
wheat per acre in .the United States last year was less 
than twelve bushels. What was formerly the great 
wheat producing West, by carelessness and tbe skinning 
process, produces Jess wheat to the acre than the New 
England States. The difference is solely owing to the 
better tillage of the farmers in the latter States. 
Harvest and Harvest Prospects —The wheat har- i 
vest in the Southern States is generally over. The papeis 
published there vary in opinion as to the yield atL com¬ 
pared with former years -fair crops having been gathered 
in some sections and light ones in others. The Courier, 
Rome, Georgia, notices the arrival in ihe market there of 
small lots of wheat, which sold at fratn $1 75 to $2.00 per 
bushel. It advises farmers to buny iorvard their sur¬ 
plus before the crop from 'lie Western biates has a chance 
to come in competition with the southern product. 
A writer in Colrnan’s Rural World, St. Louis, Mo., 
says:—“ The wheat crop every where is looking splendid. 
Wherever a thorough and systematic course has been 
pursued iu the preparation of the ground, a bountiful 
crop may be expected. Grass is looking splendid.” 
Corn, having been planted late, makes hut little show 
yet, hut a good yield is anticipated, notwithstanding the 
spring drawback. Potatoes arc promising. 
Notices published in the Kansas Farmer from various 
points in that State, represent crop prospects geueraPy 
very flattering, especially with respect to wheat and corn. 
The Farmers’ Union, Minneapolis, Minnesota, says: 
“ in all parts of the country appears the promise of boun¬ 
tiful crops. The yield of breadstuff's, it is believed, will 
exceed that of any former year. The winter cereals have 
been specially favored by the weather. The wheat crop 
in the South and West will be very large," 
From Illinois reports respecting the prospective wheat 
and corn products the present year are comewhat con- 
11 iciing, but there is a general concurrence in opinion 
mat spring sown grain will produce a fair yield. Pretty 
high prices are considered certain for the present. 
Accounts respecting wheat and corn iu Northern Ohio 
are, in the main, satisfactory. Winter wheat was not 
badly killed generally, and has made a fine growth, 
standing evenly and strong. Much more spring wheat 
has been sown than usual in that region, and promises 
well. Corn, thongh planted late, gives line promise. 
Grass never better. 
The Canada Farmer, Toronto, June 15th, says:—“In 
some quarters we hear complaints of the wire worm as 
very destructive in wheat fields, but with this exception 
the wheat report is most encouraging, nay is now sure 
to be a good crop. Pasturage is abundant. Nature 
smiles with verdure, and is purified with flowers. The 
land flows with milk aud honey. Grain, grass, fruit, 
beef, muttou, and all farm products, bid fair to be abun¬ 
dant." 
In Western and Central New York the wheat prospect 
is highly flattering, as a whole. Should the weather 
prove favorable, bo as to escape the rust, the yield of 
winter wheat will equal that of the most favored seasons 
for the last decade, The backwardness of the spring de¬ 
layed corn planting for two or three weeks beyond the 
usual time, bnt it is now over, and the corn up and grow¬ 
ing mo9t rapidly, as It Is hound to do with the mercury 
brushing closely upon 00" for several days in succession. 
Spring sown grain is looking equally well, and the 
meadows never afforded better promise. Fruits are not 
what they should be, especially the smaller ones, but 
there will be enough for domestic consumption, with 
some to spare to outsiders. Peaches, In some few fa¬ 
vored localities, promise to be a fair crop, but generally, 
in this vicinity, they may be regarded as pretty much a 
failure. Orleans, Genesee, Wyoming and Niagara coun¬ 
ties will do better if reports from them are made good. 
-- 
TRrAL OF THE CfltCAGO DITCHING MACHINE.—Mr. JUDD 
Stevens has invented, and the Chicago Ditching and 
Spading Machine Company manufacture, au implement 
designed to open ditches, by the aid of horse power, for 
the reception of tile. We attended a trial of this ma¬ 
chine, made at Geneva, this State, on tbe 16th of June. 
It could not have been held before a more appreciative 
body of spectators, for in that region tile draining is 
probably better understood aud practiced to a greater ex¬ 
tent than anywhere else iu the Unton. The machine 
was first put to work in a low and wet field, having a top 
soil of muck and a subsoil of very soft and sticky clay, 
free from stone. Two conditions were present which 
operated against its complete success in this field,—one 
being the extreme softness of the ground, which pre¬ 
vented the teams from working well, the other the ad¬ 
hesive nature of the clay, which caiued it to stick to all 
parts of the machine and impede its action. A ditch was 
cut, however, averaging eighteen inches in depth, when 
it was thought beet to remove to a higher and dryer field. 
The next trial was made on the nursery grounds of 
Messrs. W. & T. Smith, where the top soil was loam, 
subsoil clay, with some stone intermixed. The soil was 
dry enough to fail readily from a spade, aud the machine 
cleared itself well and worked free and without deten¬ 
tion. A ditch one foot wide and two deep was opened. 
Loose dirt, worked up by the action of the spades to the 
depth of six inches, was left in the bottom. Four horses 
and two men are required to operate the machine, and 
the line of ditch must be traversed several times to attain 
the required depth. Ordinary cobble stone do not seem 
to obstruct it smovements. Perhaps the collective opin¬ 
ion of the spectators regarding its merits was well ex¬ 
pressed in tbe remark of one, that “ this is a long step, 
anyhow, towards a perfect ditching machine." Our own 
impression of the merits of the machine was very favor¬ 
able. 
The digging apparatus is simply a revolving wheel, up¬ 
on the periphery of which a series of forked spades is 
arranged. As it revolves, the weight of the wheel forces 
the spades into the ground, and by means of cams they 
are arranged in position to retain and lift the earth, until 
tilted, ae they rise on tbe rear of the wheel, when the 
contents are discharged into au apron, and they roll to 
one side. See advertisement iu this paper for particulars. 
■-" 4 - 4-4 - 
Reapers and Mowers—Trial.—T here will be a trial 
of reapers aud mowers at. Xenia, Ohio, July Oth, under 
the control of the Green Co. Board of Agriculture. To 
the best reaping machine will be awarded a gold medal 
valued at $125; the same to the best mower, and a like 
oue to the best mower and reaper combined. The en¬ 
trance fee for each prize is fixed at $35. The trial will 
continue from day to day till the competing machines are 
fully tested. Suitable fields of grain and grass will be 
secured. Competition not limited. Communications in 
reference to the trial should be addressed to the Corres¬ 
ponding Secretary of the Green Co. Agricultural Society, 
A. L. Trader, Xenia, Ohio. 
-■» »# ♦ «. »- 
RURAL BRIEF-MENTIONINGS. 
If farmers desiro good mill, and its products, butter 
and cheese, they must give their cows good food, and 
plenty of it. 
The Fruit Caiturist, Philadelphia and Hammonton, is 
discontinued. The Journal of the Farm is substituted 
to finish up contracts. 
Tun Commissioners of Marion Co., O., have levied a 
tax of half a mil! on the dollar for the benefit of the 
County Agricultural Society. 
William Richards, Richmond, Mass., writes the Bos¬ 
ton Cultivator that millet and Hungarian grass have no 
more relationship than rye and millet. 
The Hagarstown (Md.) Free Press states that quite a 
destruction of hogs is taking place in that region, owing 
to the animals feeding on the locust grubs. 
Daniel Edwards, Allegany Co., N. Y., made an ex¬ 
periment in fattening liogs, aud ascertained by weighing 
that one pound of meal made 11 if pounds of flesh. 
Last season a poultry dealer in Norfolk, England, fat¬ 
tened 12,000 geese for market. The fattening commenced 
the middle of November —barley, meal and brewers’ 
grains being used. 
An Englishman had a curiosity to watch a pair of birds, 
when feeding their young, Tor one hour. They went and 
returned continually, bringing a caterpillar each time, 
They brought at the rate of 5011 per day. 
A farmer named Parkhurst in Fayette Co., Iowa, 
broke ht6 arm in the spring when about commencing 
wheat sowing. His neighbors made a “bee" for bis 
benefit and put in 50 acres in a single day. 
The Franklin Co., O., Agricultural Society have made 
an addition to their show grounds. They have now sixty 
acres, on which a dwelling is to be erected and the land 
to be properly cultivated msteud of lying idle. 
A cokresfondent of the New England Homestead has 
for the last 25 years planted potatoes, not larger, on an 
average, than an ordinary ben's egg. aud they yet pro¬ 
duce as sound and as large a product as at first. 
Lb vt Bartlett writes the Cultivator about turnips, 
and says the best jmaunre for the land on which they are 
grown is super-phosphate. It carries no seeds of grasses ■> 
and weeds to the soil as does barn yard manure. 
