r&iwaMgg 
‘EM 
||i 
-M 
and gypsum fail is that the soil may not need sul¬ 
phur or lime, but is deficient in potash, soda, phos¬ 
phorus or magnesia, which the ashes supply. Ashes 
ure an epitome of the mineral constituents of all 
our crops. 
p. T. Quinn, who works a red clay soil near New¬ 
ark, N. J , says unleachca ashes are worth forty to 
fifty cents per bushel for general crops on clay land 
and for fruit trees, and he would apply a small 
dressing every year instead of a large quantity occa¬ 
sionally' Dr. Ward says he would apply thirty 
bushels per acre, and that they are worth fifty cents 
per bushel. Solon Robinson says leached ashes 
are worth twenty-five cents per bushel on land 
around New York city. 
We have been in the habit, from considerable ex¬ 
periments in the use of ashes, to estimate them 
worth per bushel, the first year of application, as 
much as oats. From accurate tests we have found 
that ten bushels of ashes drilled in with the seed 
will give an increase of tun bushels of oats. Upon 
wheat, as-hes were found as valuable, producing one- 
half bushel of wheat extra to the bushel of ashes. 
LEACHED ASHES. 
This refuse in many places is very plenty, and 
sometimes remains unused for years. Age does not 
injure but improve it, absorbing ammonia from the 
air. Leached ashes still contain some potash, most 
of the phosphates, much lime, silica, Ac. These 
ashes are good on any dry soil needing these ele¬ 
ments. But operating as an absorbent of ammonia, 
they are an excellent application to a sandy soil, 
which does not possess the power of holding vola¬ 
tile manures. There is no doubt but on a light soil 
these ashes arc worth even five dollars per ton or 
load. Two loads or leached ashes with three loads 
of barn yard manure upon an acre of sandy soil will 
-produce more effect upon crops than ten loads of 
manure without the ashes. Our next will be de¬ 
voted to salt, lime, &c.— e. w. s. 
JNiojf Husliaudtg. 
EDITED BY HENRY S. RANDALL, LL. D. 
BLACK TOPPED SOGGY MERINO WOOL. 
Mr. Joseph Walworth, buyer of Combing and 
Delaine wools for the Pacific Mills, Lawrence, Mass., 
in a letter published in the New York Economist, 
Sept. 15th, says: 
“ Let Urn farmers learn that it is not profitable, neither 
for them nor the manufacturers, for them to grow black- 
topped, heavy, soggy Spanish wool. But rather let them 
grow good stapled, bnjky fleeces, that are wool, and not 
fifty per cent, of worthless grease.” * * * 
Mr. Walworth asserts th&t the production of 
this black - topped, soggy wool has been “largely 
brought about by the introduction of the black 
Spanish bucks of Vermont.” 
A large secretion of yolk or “grease” has been a 
characteristic of the Merino in all times and in all 
countries. To say nothing about it6 promoting the 
growth of wool—a fact generally recognized by an¬ 
cient and modern writers on the subject,—it has 
meebauieal uses which are indispen&able in woo! as 
•densely Eet on the skiu and possessing as high felt¬ 
ing properties as that of the Merino. Without it, 
those delicate, invisible, tooth-like processes which 
give wool its felting property, would bo rubbed off 
■ by the masses of libers which adhere together, 
slidiug on each other at every movement of the 
animal. And wool so firmly pressed together, and 
so prone to felt, would felt on the bodies of the 
sheep, under circumstances tliat arc constantly oc¬ 
curring, if it were not lubricated by the yolk. 
On coarse sheep there is no occasion for an equal 
amount of lubricating substance. The wool iB not 
dense enough to produce the same degree of friction. 
The tooth-like processes are fewer, coarser, and far 
less delicate; so that they are not as easily rubbed 
off —and if rubbed off, it is a matter of no conse¬ 
quence, ns such wools are used for combing, one of 
the objects of which is to remove those processes, for 
the purposes and objects of worsted manufacture. 
Yet even coarse wool sometimes felts on the sheep, 
when the comparatively small amount of yolk it 
requires is removed by too continuous exposure to 
rains, Ac. 
As Merino wool requires much yolk to protect it, 
and as that substance (nearer to the character of 
soap than grease) is soluble in rain water, it follows 
that there must be a constant and plentiful deposi¬ 
tion of it, to supply the waste, occasioned by a con¬ 
stant exposure of the sheep to the weather. There 
may be, and sometimes is, an unnecessary amount 
of it deposited. It has been specially sought for by 
a class of Merino breeders, in order to produce 
“ brag fleece?,” i. e., fleeces of extraordinary weight 
“ in the grease,” and in order to produce an extra¬ 
ordinary dark color—the hiack-top complained of 
by Mr. Walworth. To cross with dry -fleeced 
grade or coarse sheep, one of these extra yollcy 
rams may be desirable; but ench should not be the 
. standard aimed at in a good flock. The extra yolk 
is useless. Sheep possessing it do not as well with¬ 
stand extremely cold weather. And they are not 
usually as easy keepers, or as robust In constitu¬ 
tion. The brag - fleece and black - top manias are 
among those senseless ones which rise and rage in 
periods of speculation and excitement. 
But Mr. Wai.wop.th is mistaken in 6ome impor¬ 
tant particulars. He speaks as if black-top, soggy 
wool was a peculiar characteristic of the Merinos of 
Vermont. All the Spanish Merinos originally intro¬ 
duced into the United States, with the possible ex¬ 
ception of the Escurials, had an amount of yolk 
which rendered their wool “soggy” before it was 
washed. They also had a crust on the surface which 
became dark in winter. Had they been housed from 
rain and snow throughout the year, as are the breed¬ 
ing flocks of Vcrmout, their wool, in the same lo¬ 
calities, would have been as soggy and black-topped 
as the wool of the standard flocks of the present day. 
The standard Merinos of Vermont are not, under the 
same circumstances, either yolkier or darker colored 
than the full-bloods of New York or Ohio. Locality 
does, however, have some effect on the color. Wheth¬ 
er this is due to the difference in the soil, water, 
herbage, or other circumstances, we are unable to 
say; but the fact is indisputable. But in all regions, 
summer and winter housed full-blood American 
Merinos assume that very dark color, which Mr. 
Walworth, using a Western term, calls black-top. 
And the only reason why the Vermont sheep exhibit 
it most (independently of the local difference men¬ 
tioned, which is not very material,) is because they 
are more generally sum me. and winter housed. 
Black-top is a wool buyer’6 bugbear. In some few 
instances it is intentionally bred on the sheep in the 
form of a mass of black “gum,” which the rain, or 
even ordinary washing, will not remove. It is then 
less soluble in 6ome of the liquors employed in 
cleansing wool,—but is removable by proper scour- 
, ing liquors. Eight-tenths of the Merino wool of the 
Uuited States, washed as the best German and Aus- 
y tralian wools are washed, will present neither a trace 
of black-lop nor of soggii •Theappivrt nt increase 
of these characteristics in full i *• *od American Me¬ 
rino wool is mainly due to the fact that formerly the 
sheep were not summer housed and they were wash¬ 
ed before shearing; while now, in a great many 
breeding flocks, all the yolk is preserved in the wool 
bv housing, and the wool is not so genet ally washed 
before it is marketed. Under this management any 
Merino wool, now or ever grown in the count i , 
would be soggy and the fleece present a a . > 
nal surface. The same is true of Silesian wool; ». u 
we have often seen the same conditions in the 
choicest Saxon wool. 
Mr, Walworth seems to carry the idea by impli¬ 
cation, in his letter, that the grease and black-top 
which he objects to, are inconsistent with “good 
staple.” If this is his meaning, it is sheer nonsense. 
Yolk in or on the outer ends of the wool does not 
injure it, when cleansed, for manufacturing pur¬ 
poses. No candid manufacturer ever made such 8 
pretense. It is notorious that wool is softer and 
more pliable (and as we have already shown, more 
perfect,) when every fiber is kept sheathed with 
yolk; and consequently a mere excess of yolk can¬ 
not unfavorably affect its quality. Even a gummy 
external coating produces uo injury to the fleece. 
On the contrary, all the effect it has is beneficial to 
the wool. It jirotects it from the weather, from 
dust, Ac. The shepherds in the north of England 
and Scotland smear their mountain sheep with an 
artificial coating of “raddle,” to make the wool 
under it grow better and softer. In portions of 
Spain, Merinos were formerly smeared with an unc- 
tious earth for the same purpose. 
If Mr. Walworth means that the production of 
a “good staple" is naturally inconsistent with 
either the production or presence of a large amount 
of yolk, he is already answered by the undeniable 
fact that the sheep which bear the choicest qualities 
of fine wool do produce it; and that if the whole 
secretion of a year is kept together in the wool by 
housittg, it will exhibit an apparently unnecessary 
amount and render their fleeces soggy. And every 
practical breeder of Mermos knows that, as a rale, 
his bert stapled sheep produce quite as much yolk 
as those which produce inferior staples. 
Instead of denouncing our present American Me¬ 
rino sheep on the above grounds, Mr. Walworth 
should, to attain his object, have denounced a partic¬ 
ular mode of ti vating them, If he wants their wool 
cleaner—as clean as it used to be marketed—let him 
offer remunerative prices, and he Will get it In that 
condition, lie declares it is not profitable for farm¬ 
ers to grow black-topped, soggy wool — which only 
means that they should not market it in that condi¬ 
tion. This is a point which the farmers will decide 
for themselves — and we suspect they are as capable 
of deciding it correctly as Mr. Walworth. During 
the recent extreme depression in the woolen trade, 
when the manufacturers have been compelled to 
buy very close to sustain themselves, they feme made 
a much greater discrimination in prices in respect to 
condition, than at previous periods. We hail the 
reform. We hope it will continue. But we fear 
that when the strain is over and the woolen market 
becomes buoyant again, the old system of buying — 
gobbling up the wooIb of a neighborhood at about 
the Bame price, with little regard to condition—will 
come back. We shall see. 
But whether it comes back or not, a portion of 
our farmers have made up their minds to sell their 
fine wool unwashed, and consequently in soggy con¬ 
dition. In a great many instances they have good 
reasons for pre( erring to do so — reasons which we 
have repeated]! assigned in these columns and else¬ 
where* and which no manufacturer or buyer has 
ever attempted publicly to answer. This brings no 
injury to the buyer or manufacturer. The former 
has merely to transport, and the latter to scour out, 
a greater quantity of dirt; and it is the grower, not 
themselves, who pays for so doing. If the grower 
finds this a preferable alternative to washing, who 
has a right to complain)? 
We have noticed Mr. Walworth’s remarks at 
considerable length, because he is a very worthy 
maD, understands his business, and Btrikes the key¬ 
note of the wool buyers in the above matters. These 
gentlemen seem determined that United States 
wools 6hall be marketed, washed and in dean condi¬ 
tion, without any regard to the interests of the 
grower. They buy the unwashed wools of South 
America and other foreign countries without objec¬ 
tion. But at home — reason or no reason — they 
insist that their mere arbitrary fiat 6hall be obeyed. 
They have tesorted to denunciation, shrinkage rules, 
Ac., to compel obedience. Their shrinkage rules 
are “played out.” They attempted to draw the 
string too tight, and it snapped. Less unwashed 
wool has been sold this year under the one-third 
rule, than in any previous year since that rule was 
adopted by buyers’ State Conventions, in cases 
where it constituted a just rate of shrinkage, it has 
doubtless been acted on—in other cases, it has been 
generally, if not universally, “smashed." 
But the embers of the fight appear to be unex¬ 
tinguished. Denunciation continues. Mr. JosErH 
Walworth, a wool buyer of skill and reputation, 
writes a letter for publication, denouncing greasy, 
blaek-toppccl wool and the sheep which produce it— 
and the New York orgau ol the buyers publishes it 
in pamphlet form, at three cents a copy, for general 
distribution! The letter contains several good sug¬ 
gestions, but on the subject above discussed, it 
is weak, erroneous, and, we feel bound to say, 
presuming. 
The wool buyers once persuaded the farmers of 
the country to abandon the rugged, hard, heavy 
fleeced Spanish Merino for the light fleeced Saxon. 
“Consul" Jarvis’ experience in this matter was 
the experience of all. “If,” said he, “ I had thrown 
my pocket-book, with the price ol the Saxons, into 
the Connecticut River as I was crossing, for the 
purchase of them, I should be better ofl.”* Our 
wool growers will not again he either coaxed or 
driven to commit a similar or analagoos blunder. 
The country needs*a supply of very flue wool—finer 
than that yielded by the great bulk of Americau 
Merinos —and sheep should be bred to furnish that 
supply. The same is true of several other styles of 
wool. But none of them need to be light wooled, 
as that term was formerly understood Americau 
Merino wool coming from the very sheep denounced 
by Mr. Walworth, and from their gt-ades, has been 
pronounced in an official report of the Executive 
Committee of the National Association of Wool 
Manufacturers, (Feb. 9, 1866,) of very superior qual¬ 
ity for the fabrics to which it is adapted; and iu 
respect to Delaine wools — the want of which Mr. 
Walworth specially complains—the Report says: 
“ Our Delaines, owing again, in a great measure, to 
the excellence of our Merino Combing wool, surpass the 
fabrics of Bradford "at the same price.” 
Merino aud grade Merino wools are chiefly used in 
all the manufactures of the United States except 
carpets, coarse blankets and worsted goods. The 
idea advanced by Mr. Walworth that there is an 
over-supply of any variety of them to meet the nor- 
* See letter of his son to us. in Fine Wool Husbandry, 
ISOS, p. 72, of Benthuyben’s edition. 
trial demand—i. e., the demand when the woolen 
market is iu a healthy condition— is wholly un¬ 
founded. When our entire papulation have con¬ 
sumed the per capita amount of wool, usually 
consumed in periods of genejt&l prosperity, the 
domestic snpply has never even approximately met 
the demand. And the same thing will occur again 
on the return of that general prosperity. Relieved 
as far as the present tariff will relieve us, when its_ 
legitimate effects are fully experienced, from de¬ 
li dive foreign competition, there will be a broad 
t! vgin to fill in every description of clothing and 
c . bing wool production —a magin which it will 
take rears to supply. 
§> Itural 
a i r s 
1? 
he - peeper’s department. 
A BATTLE AMONG THE BEES. 
A writer in the Cultivator and Country Gentle¬ 
man lately witnessed a battle between a marauding 
bumble bee and the occupants of a hive which the 
'former attempted to rob of their stores. The rela¬ 
tion Tuns thus: 
“ There are some very pretty stories told about 
the domestic bee waylaying the honest bumble bee, 
and robbing him of his hard earned gains. 8uch 
tales are evidently the product of a warm imagina¬ 
tion. I find that several bumble bees have forced 
themselves into my hives this season, doubtless for 
the purpose of plundering. Several were killed, 
and, after a time, nothing was found but the bumble 
bee, whose hairy covering was in general entirely 
removed, either during his fight with the bees, or by 
Departmental Crop Reports. — Wheat .—The report 
of the Agricultural Department Tor August and Septem¬ 
ber embrace? estimates front a great many points in re¬ 
gard to the yield of the late wheat harvest. They arc 
said to be quite contradictory in many cases, making a 
calculation of the general result a matter of considerable 
difficulty. A majority of the reports concor in giving a 
considerable increase in acreage over last year, more 
than enOlcicnt to make up for the deficiencies in yield. 
The report adds:—“It maybe stated that, the average 
yield per acre of the whole conntry is scarcely equal to 
that of 1807, hut the increased shea sown will secure an 
aggregate somewhat larger than the product of that 
year." The report covers returns from thirty-two States, 
aud from as many points, one in each.’’ 
Corn.—This crop is generally reported in fine condi¬ 
tion, and in moat section? is so matured as to be in little 
danger from frost. In some portions of the West the 
drouth and grasshoppers lave materially injured the 
crop, hut from the Increased area planted—three millions 
of acres-the aggregate yield must be very great. 
Cotton .—The reports of the condition of cotton are 
favoratde in a majority of cases. The acreage planted is 
THE SEASON OF FAIRS, bee, whose hairy coveting was in general nnureij Cotton .—The reports of the condition of cotton are 
_:__ removed, either during his fight with the bees, or by favorable in a majority of cases. The acreage planted is 
, ,, . aubseement attempts ou the part of the bees to re- reported less than in 1867, but the culture has generally 
U : Stltc ’ Coull y “("»“• ” e the ° rd f r movellm On ooeoccasion 1 saw a bumble bee en- betnbcttcrnndl.be yield more ptomiriog. Some local!, 
o! the dny now, and will be for a lew weeks to "° ,e „„ bel onrion8 t0 know how he tie, b». teen inj.red by adverse weatuer and the 
come. A glance at such as fall under our notice ier “» . ’ ’ & ... . „ „ a<-es of the worm, but in a majority of cases the accounts 
may not be out of place. would be received, I ^covered he glass, and had a » pi ' cMajr along the Gulf some 
Belleville Jeff Co dhow was characterized bv a fine pretty g00d VlCW ° f tb ° ? ghb , le att * Lked 7 time since, and is now general throughout the cotton 
Ufeuei ute, JW- on. daow was characterized by a fine perhaps hundreds, of bees who attempted , 
display of thorough-bred Ayrshire stock from the . nr . mrPT ,ti* r w tth verv little 8 
herds of Mr. Converse, Woodville, and Mr. Brodie ^ ill the other hand by U " v - lD a , majority 0f f SUteS tke ,? iay cr »P 9h0w ? a 
« u t o n effect. The bumble bee, on the other nana, y considerable increase over le©t year. Illinois, Wisconsin, 
of Rural Hill. Both of these men pay special atten- of hia powerful mandibles, succeeded in kill- Kansas and the Southern States alone show a decrease. 
^ l ^ y ri lj ’ re6 a ? , ^J e t succ ^ ing or mutilating nearly a teacup of bees before he Oats.—Taking all the States together, this crop shows 
ful. The horse and other dep aitments were credit- 3uccumbed _ It of CO urse, felt very strongly inclined about aD average yield instead of a largely Increased one, 
ably represented, and the attendance respectable to move to the rescue; but my desire to see what as was anticipated early In the seasoh. 
throughout, but very to I on -he closing day. the result would be overcome my Interest in the Potatoes.- The drouth generally at the time the tubers 
Lewis OoWity —This Fair was held at Turin, where p ce &. After a time the bumble bee lay exhausted were forming, and the ravages of the bug in the West, 
tberejwere very convenient grounds for the exhibi. on the bottom of the hive, which was completely have reduced the yield considerably below early esti- 
tion. There was a limited show of neat cattle, but strewed with the legs and wings of occupants of the mates, but the increased acreage planted will probably 
some of the number were very good grade stock. b i ve . i then covered the glass, and left the hive till bring the aggregate yield up to that of last year. 
The show of horses was superior to that of cattle. BCX t morning. By that time the bees had carried Haps .—Reports from the several States where hops are 
Domestic manufactures made a creditable exhibi- ou ^ a p ^ e } r dead, BO that if I had not witnessed the cultivated show an aggregate increased average over last 
tion. Fine samples of dairy products were shown fight I should not have known that any damage had year of two hundred and twenty-five per cent. The pick - 
as also of vegetables. been done. Remedy—never use large holes or wide big season was generally favorable. 
Osvtego Co .— This Fair was held at Mexico under slits as entrances to your hives. A long slit which Wool— A decrease in the wool clip is reported of from 
rather unfavorable auspices — the weather being just gives space enough for a drone to squeeze three to five per cent, as compared with last y ear. 
cold and stormy. The exhibition of farm products through, will keep out the bumble bees, as well Slock Hogs.-A considerable decrease in the number of 
was an average one, and the attendance fine—about as mice and other large depredators.” fattening hogs is reported, Louieiana, tssonrt, e 
been better and the yield more promising. Some locali¬ 
ties have been injured by adverse weather and the rav¬ 
ages of the worm, but in a majority of cases the accounts 
are favorable. Picking commenced along the Gulf some 
time since, and is now general throughout the cotton 
region. 
Huy.—In a majority of the States the hay crop shows a 
considerable increase over la©t year. Illinois, Wisconsin, 
Kansas and the Southern States alone show a decrease. 
Oats .—Taking all the States together, tbi8 crop shows 
about an average, yield instead of a largely increased one, 
as was anticipated early In the seasoh. 
Potatoes .— The drouth generally at the time the tubers 
were forming, and the ravages of the bug in the West, 
have reduced the yield considerably below early esti¬ 
mates, but tbe increased acreage planted will probably 
bring the aggregate yield np to that of last year. 
Hops. —Reports from the several States where hops are 
cultivated show an aggregate increased average over last 
was an average one, and the attendance fine—about 
six thousand persons being ou the ground during 
the last day. 
Cayuga County .—The North Cayugas held a Fair at 
Port Byron. They do not seem inclined to go to 
Auburn at Fair time, aud propose to organize a Fair 
for the northern towu6 to be located either at Con¬ 
quest or Victory. 
Vermont—The, Vermont State Fair has already 
been briefly alluded to, but it may not be amiss to 
add that the entries were one-third more numerous 
than at any preceding Fair, aggregating 943. Of 
these the horses counted 875 and cattle 161. The 
show of sheep was very small. There was received 
for tickets sold and rent of ground to tbe Menagerie, 
$6,500. The Premiums and general expenses ab 
sorbed ?4,500, leaving a Surplus to the Society of 
about ?2,000. 
Michigan .—The Michigan State Fair closed on the 
20th ult, at Detroit, and showed a small advance in 
the number of entries over last year. The whole 
number was 2,116. There weic Cattle, 118; Horses, 
226; Sheep, Swine and Poultry, 173; Farm Imple¬ 
ments, 426; Field and Garden Products, 146; Dairy 
and Household Manufactures; 101; Domestic Man¬ 
ufactures, 227; Fine Arts, &c., 217; Flowers and 
Fruits. 242; Miscellaneous, 357. These aggregates 
presented many fine specimens under each head, 
especially in the stock (department. A trial of 
plows, oft’a vervy>uUsf.iCL^ry character, took place,! 
A Chanet of Detroit securing the first premium. 
The coursing ground was well patronized. On the 
third day of the Fair over 20,000 persons visited the 
grounds. The exhibition was successful pecuniarily 
and otherwise. 
Kentucky .—The State Fair of Kentucky was held 
about six miles from Louisville. The grounds were 
well arranged for the show, but the weather was 
unpropitious; still, the display of stock and other 
farm commodities was very full and satisfactory. 
The fair is said to have been very successful in a 
pecuniary way. 
Canada Fkist. —The Fair of this Province was held 
at Montreal and gave noticeable signs that the So¬ 
ciety is a live and improving one. The show of 
farm stock was good and varied in character, con¬ 
sisting of Percheron and other horses; Ayrshire, 
Devon, Galloway and Short-Horn cattle; nearly all 
the leading breeds of sheep had representatives on 
the ground. The Horticultural Society had an ex¬ 
hibition at the same time and made quite a respect¬ 
able display. 
Muskingum Co., Ohio. — This fair was held at 
Zanesville, continuing three days, and was very 
successful. The show of horses, cattle, sheep and 
swine was better than for several years past — espe¬ 
cially in the cattle line. The sheep, Merinos, 
Leicesters and South Downs, were very fine. Along 
side of these was a pen of one hundred and sixty 
Cashmere goats, which elicited marked attention. 
Cuyahoga Co., Ohio .— The weather, during the 
Cnyahoga Co. Fair, was uupropition?, still it war, 
quite successful. The Ohio Farmer says that the 
material was ample and excellent. The list of do 
mestic products was unusually fine. The horse held 
considerable prominence, but only fairly divided the 
honors with other competitors. 
Sturgeon District Fair .— The counties of Boone, 
Callaway, Randolph, Audrain, Monroe and Howard, 
Missouri, united in a Fair this year at Sturgeon. In 
the numbers and character of the stock, farm pro¬ 
ducts aud implements shown, this fair is said to 
have much excelled any preceding ones of the So¬ 
ciety. There was a lack of building accommodation 
which detracted considerably from the pleasure of 
the exhibition. This lack it is proposed to supply 
before the next idi. 
Scott C<>., Iowa —Thu fair was held at Davenport, 
and, the Society being the most prosperous one in 
the St-ate, the exhibition was vet j full and the daily 
atendanee large—ranging from fifteen to twenty 
thousand per day for the last two days. The receipts 
for tickets at two shillings each were over 14,000 per 
day, showing the fair to have been a success finan¬ 
cially, as it was in the character and scope of the 
products displayed. 
McLean Co,, 111 .—This fair came off'at Blooming¬ 
ton, and Is characterized as the most successful yet 
held. On the last day the attendance was fully 
sixteen thousand. The show of farm stock was 
particularly full and good, embracing all the im¬ 
proved varieties iu the various modern classifica¬ 
tions. The display of machinery was superior to 
any ever before 6cen there. 
Winnebago Co.— The Rockford Register, (Illinois,) 
states that the Fourteenth Annual Fair of that 
county was financially more successful than any 
preceding one. The receipts were something over 
$5,100. The stock show was good generally, but 
hardly up to some of the previous ones. In manu¬ 
factures the exhibition wa6 ahead of anything before 
attempted. 
Wool—A decrease in the wool clip is reported of from 
three to five per cent, as compared with last year. 
Slock Hogs.—A considerable decrease in the number of 
fattening hogs is reported, — Louisiana, Missouri, Ne¬ 
braska, Kausas and Minnesota alone showing an increase. 
BEES ROBBING EACH OTHER. 
As the honey season approaches a close it is well 
for the apiarian to have an eye to his stocks, as 
they occasionally resort to plunder to augment their 
stores —the strong despoiling the weak with re¬ 
morseless perseverance, The bee has many amiable 
traits, but has some defects, and among them a pro. 
pen&ity to steal. When the thieves have selected a 
point of attack and opened the assault a great com¬ 
motion will be observed about the entrance to the 
hive,— the assailants pressing to get in, and the de¬ 
fendants to keep them out. If the attack iB success¬ 
fully repelled quiet will be gradually restored — the 
sentinels appearing occasionally on a tour of obser¬ 
vation, but if the reverse is the case —if the posi¬ 
tion has been carried, bees heavily ladened will 
emerge from the hive and depart for their own 
domicils to deposit their plunder. 
This is the time to interfere and restore tbe bal¬ 
ance of power, or rather to prevent an unlawful 
exercise of it. The shortest way to restore order is 
said to he to close all the hives, giving adequate 
ventilation to prevent emothering, if the robbers 
belong to the same apiary with their victims, but if 
the robbers are a foreign colony, shut up the as¬ 
sailed one, for a day or two, when the thieves will 
gcucrally ^esist from their depredations. They may 
renew the raid and, if they do, repeat the imprison¬ 
ing operation as long as necessary. 
-.+ .«■♦»»♦»- 
A BEE ENEMY IN MISSOURI. 
A correspondent of Colman’s Rural World no¬ 
tices a large two-winged fly iu Northern Missouri, 
which prevents bees from swarming, by destroying 
them in large numbers. Dr. Fitch denominates 
this fly Trupanea Apivora. Its operations are thus 
described: 
“It captures the bee ou the wing — making light¬ 
ning-like dashes at its prey, winding its lege about 
its victim; then alighting upon some weed or plant, 
sucks out the inside of the bee, in less time thau I 
can describe it. On one of these perches, I have 
watched, and in one day, found he had destroyed 
141 honey bees. They left about ten days ago, and 
so suddenly that I have had no opportunity to 
observe where they go to, or what change may be 
taking place.” 
Iwral (lotts anb Jtrns. 
TO CONSTANT AND OCCASIONAL READERS. 
This Quarter, Next Volume, &c.—The closing Quar¬ 
ter of Volume XIX commences under most favorable 
auspices,—with such encouraging prospects that we are 
induced to considerably increase oar efforts and expendi¬ 
tures to improve the Rural. But while we do this we 
trust aii friendly readers will second our efforts in another 
direction-to enlarge and widen its sphere. As already 
announced, we offer tbe thirteen numbers of this Quarter 
at the low rate of 50 cents. Oar object is to extend the 
circulation of the paper—to place it in tbe hands and 
homes of thousands who, we believe, will find it so ac¬ 
ceptable and valuable as to continue its acquaintance, 
thus materially and permanently augmenting it? field of 
usefulness. And we frankly ask all who consistently can 
—not only Agents and Subscribers, but readers who are 
neither, and even borrowers-to kindly aid in adding Ten 
’Thousand to our list during the Fall Campaign of the 
Rural, Anticipating tbe generous action of its earnest 
and influential friends — and of the thousands who we 
hope will become such—we shall publish a large extra 
edition of the quarter’s issues, so that the “ Trial Trip" 
can betaken up at any time, even after Flection, (when 
hosts of people will need sensible, entertaining and use¬ 
ful periodica! reading,) though now is the best time to 
secure passage. If c-ach friend of the Rural will do us 
the favor to state the above fact to his or her Mends and 
neighbors, not forgetting to especially remember borrow¬ 
ers— receiving and forwarding subscriptions whenever 
convenient—our expectations will be inorejban realized, 
while the future prosperity and usefulness of the paper 
Will be greatly enhanced.—As the most appropriate re¬ 
turn that can be made for the favor thus asked, wo prom¬ 
ise all a better paper—to improve as we advance, so that 
every present subscriber will he benefited by the increase 
of circulation. For some intimation of our plaus aud pur¬ 
poses, please read announcement headed “ Our Fall Cam¬ 
paign” on page 324 of Ibis paper. 
• -- 
Cherry Leaves Poisonous.— Last season one or two 
instances were mentioned where cattle had been poi¬ 
soned and died in consequence of eating the foliage of 
the cherry tree. Another is added by the Horee Cove, 
(Ky.) Intelligencer. A man was plowing, when finding 
the lower limbs of a cberry tree in the way, he cut an 
artnful from it and threw them into an adjoining lot. 
They lay there and wilted, when a couple of cows came 
along and cat the leaves. Both died before they had got 
twenty rods from the point where the leaves were eaten. 
It is said that cherry tree leaves, eaten green, produce no 
ill effect, while in a wilted state they generally prove fatal. 
Our New York Office.—W e have the pleasure of an¬ 
nouncing that the New York Office of the Rural, at No. 
41 Park Row, Times’ Building, is now open for the trans¬ 
action of business. Tbe Conducting Editor proposes 
making this his headquarters during the fall aud winter, 
and will he pleased to meet friends visiting New York. 
Contributors and Agent Friends, as well as Subscribers 
and Advertisers, will govern themselves accordingly— 
with the assurance that all who call will receive a cordial 
greeting. 
— We flight, in this connection, to acknowledge the 
cordiality and courtesy with which several leading New 
York papers have noticed the advent of the Rural in 
Gotham. As a specimen of these kindly greetings, we 
quote tbe Tribune's notice, as follows: 
“Toe Rural New-Yorker -one of the very best of 
our Agricultural weeklim*—has opened an office in this 
city (No. 11 Park Row,) and will henceforth b3 published 
eimultaneonsly here and at Rochester. Its editor, Mr. 
D. D. T. Mount:, late Mayor of Rochester, has been 
nearly twenty years at Its bead, and has surrounded him¬ 
self by a very aide corps of assistants and contributors, 
fie has done a noble work for Agriculture in the West, 
and is now rapidly enlarging tho Held of his ueefblnese.'’ 
-♦-*--*- 
The State Fair.— The prospects for the success of our 
State Fair, on the day preceding its opening, are brilliant. 
The officers of the Society are on the grounds, and things 
are rapidly assuming orderly shape, The streets of our 
city and pablic places show that the influx of visitors has 
begun. The various departments of the Fair will be 
crowded with articles for exhibition, and many that in 
funner years have been scantily filled, promise now to 
overflow with fullness. The entries already number over 
two thousand. The stock departments will excel in the 
display of choice and valuable breeds arid single animals, 
and the machinery will probably want for room, rather 
than otherwise, even on these ample grounds. Floral 
Hall, under the management of James Vick, will make a 
display unrivaled in the history of our Fairs. The sky, at 
present, ie overcast with clouds, aud the weather pros¬ 
pects, so vital to the success of a Fair, are somewhat 
gloomy. But it is hardly probable that another stormy 
we ek will follow the one already past, and the pleasant 
days may come just In the “nick of time.” 
-*-♦-*- 
Hops and Hop ALarket.— The hop harvest Is now 
over, and the natural inquiries are, what has been the 
yield and what is the prospect about prices. Iu some 
sections in the West the yield has been light. Some 
yard? have been abandoned without the formality of a 
picking, but these failures are the exceptions and not 
the rule. In most of the Western country, as well as in 
the Ktate of New York, the hop yield has been at least 
an average one, hence the prospect of high prices is not 
very brilliant. Some of tbe New York papers quote 
hops at 35 cents, but these figures are said by Emmet 
Wells in hie Hop Circular to be much too high. The 
latest current rates in New York for good to prime were 
15(gjl8c.; fancy brands, 22£i,2oc. These were about the 
rates for Eastern hops also, except yearlings o l all grades, 
which ranged from 5 to 20c. Foreign, 15@20c. 
Early Rose Potato.— We are in receipt of many let¬ 
ters, too numerous to mention, giving acconuts of yield, 
&c., of the Early Rose potato. From all quarters we 
hear favoraule statements of this new variety; it is free 
from disease, productive, of good form, aud excellent 
quality. It proves itself to be the earliest when culti¬ 
vated with other sorts. Farmers and others wishing to 
procure seed should watch our advertising columns, and 
order early. Tbe autumu is preferable to the spring, as 
one is then sure of the seed, and ready to plant as soon 
as the weather permits. 
--—- 
Kentucky Wool Growers.— There was a meeting re¬ 
cently in Louisville, Ky., of the stock raisers, including 
the officers of the State Agricultural Society, the object 
of which was to examine wool and discuss the propriety 
of establishing in that city a manufactory of combing 
wool, and also that of goats’ wool or hair. It was re¬ 
solved that a manufactory of this character ought to bo 
established in Louisville, and capitalists were urged to 
supply the means to erect one and set it iu operation. 
- ***-- - 
Tub Cattle Disease in Ireland.— The Irish Farmer's 
Gazette calls upon the Government of Great Britain to 
take ench orders in Council as shall prohibit the intro¬ 
duction into that country from the United States of hay 
or undressed cattle hides, lest they carry with them the 
Texas cattle, disease. From present appearances here 
the. alarm over the water is uncalled for and the proposed 
exclusion unnecessary. 
-4-*-*- 
Cotton in the South.— The total receipts for cotton 
in all the Southern ports torn the 1st of September last 
up to August 7th was 2,182,855 bales —an excess over 
those of the preceding year of 327,179 bales. Allowing 
the present crop to equal that of last year and to bring 
the price, 12>£ cents, indicated by the initial bale recently 
shipped from Montgomery, Alabama, the aggregate would 
be $463,856, 687,5U. 
-*•»-*- 
Cheese Factories in Jefferson Co.—The Watertown 
Reformer has been doing up the cheese factories in Jef- 
ferBon Co. These number sixty-five, and manufacture 
about two hundred cheese daily, whose average weight 
is sixty-two pounds. 
-- 
The Dixie Farmer.—R. W. Williams, one of the pro 
prietors of tho Dixie Farmer, has severed his connection 
with that paper, by which it passes under the sole con¬ 
trol of its editor, Hunter Nicholson. 
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