ether is being cut, and works with a precision and 
accuracy that cuts 50,000 to 00,000 shingles in a I 
day’s work of ten hours, second to no shingles in 
market, it was awarded the compliment of a 
silver medal, though only a five dollar premium 
was offered in the list. This brief list is evidence 
that the manufacturers of New York are alive to in¬ 
creasing wants of the great West, and it might he 
hinted to them that all over that broad tie'd their 
goods could be appropriately brought to the notice 
of thousands of intelligent readers through the ad¬ 
vertising columns of the Rural. 
We noticed an unusual interest in drain tile and 
ditching machines. A. LaTocrrettb, Jr., of Water¬ 
loo, had one of each upon the ground in operation. 
Another ingenious, though simple ditch digger was 
exhibited by Sawtbb & Barusu, l’errysburg, O., 
which promisee well. Also, a tile machine from 
Willoughby, O., which worked satisfactorily. The 
superabundance of clay in the soil of Northwestern 
Ohio render tile draining a matter of the first impor¬ 
tance, and we are pleased to observe these signs of 
an awakening upon the subject. 
These notes might he very much extended, and 
possibly with profit to the Kural family in Ohio, 
but we prefer to reserve noteworthy items for other 
pencilings. h. c. w. 
tical machine and adapted to rapid and perfect husk¬ 
ing of corn. Farmers have long felt the need of such 
a machine, and many have been offered for public 
favor. The stalks as they come from ibe shock, 
are fed to this machine in like manner as to a 
feed cutter, the buts first, and the ears are 
broken from the stalks, and the husks and silk 
cleanly stripped ofl. The stalks are mashed in the 
process, hy pushing between rollers and deposited 
in one pile, the husks in another and the com in a 
third. With a power equaling two horses it is esti¬ 
mated that from forty to fifty bushels per hour can 
be husked. Among the multitude of minor things 
wo noticed Bisnor's patent animal poke for icstrain- 
ing both horses and cattle from jumping their en¬ 
closures. It is so constructed as not to be trouble¬ 
some or dangerous to the animal wearing it and at 
the same time effectually checks its inclination to 
jump. 
Ihe implements and machinery on the grounds, 
taught plainly one truth, that, as compared with 
former days, farming is made easy. Invention has 
nobly aided labor in its effort to snbdue the soil, 
and force from it the generous harvest. Labor is 
not only lightened and expedited but multiplied 
many times in power and efficiency, and when the 
Coming Farmer shall drive his plow with the breath 
of steam and the sinews of iron, the one great stride 
which man has yet to make towards a peifect cul¬ 
ture of the earth will be taken. 
very popular, the sales having largely increased, 
especially in the South, the past season. 
Of the show of Stock we can say little as our time 
was limited and precluded an examination. There 
were, however, some tine Short-Horns, Devons, 
Ayrshire, Alderney and Native Cattle. Among the 
exhibitors are Gen. Halstead, President of the 
Society, N. M. Olmstead of Morristown, J. A. 
Miller of Newark, C. H. Blunn of lladdonfield, 
Henry Fenner of Orange, W. 8. Johnson of Wa 
verly. There was a fine display of Poultry — B, 
Haines, Jr. of Elizabeth, showing eleven varieties, 
The Horses, Sheep and Swine we bad not even time 
to photograph — except the specimens of the equine 
race which we could not avoid seeing on the track 
below, (the tents, implements, &c., betDg on a hill 
overlooking the track, ; and we mu6t confess the 
sight did not strike us as either creditable or appro¬ 
priate. Tastes differ, however. 
The Fair was well attended and has probably 
proved successful pecuniarily and in some other re¬ 
spects. We were pleased with much that we saw, 
though disappointed in some particulars. We are as¬ 
sured that the exhibition i6 better thau former ones, 
and we kuow it is far superior, iu most departments, 
to a Fair of the same Society which we attended at 
Newark some years ago. May the Society go on 
prospering and to prosper. 
Newark, a live, wide-awake manufacturing city of 
1110,000 inhabitants, was very creditably represented 
at the Fair. Her manufacturers and other business 
men exhibited much energy and enterprise in dis¬ 
playing their wares, and will no doubt be rewarded 
for their eff .rts. The city is a fine one, and con¬ 
tains considerable wealth. As a resident friend 
says, “ she stands proudly among the marshes, with 
her sm oke-stacks pointing to the skies, and coining 
loin of money !" m. 
natural circumstances, and accompanying artificial 
treatment, do unquestionably do very much to 
mould the characteristics of breeds or varieties, hut 
would It have consisted with benevolent Omnipo¬ 
tent design to limit the capacities or this world to 
produce any of the most perfect objects of utility to 
any one exclusive “district?” And what is the 
general vvideuee of facts on this question ? Can 
CotswoUl, South Down, or Lincoln sheep, or Devon, 
Hereford or Short-Horn cattle, be growu nowhere 
else in England or in no other country, in perfec¬ 
tion, except on those little patches of English soil 
w Lere these varieties originated ? The same kind of 
question is applicable to all brute auimals, and even 
to man. According to the theory we are combating, 
all varieties of brutes and men, not indigenous to or 
originally lormed (as varieties) in tbe United States, 
must deteriorate or run into new varieties. The 
Abbe Maury, a French writer of standing, did con¬ 
tend that European men degenerate physically in 
our country ! These vagaries are not worth notice, 
except in so Tar as they i fleet practical action — and 
we suppose there is very little danger of this, in re- 
cpeet. to our sheep. But in this hasty and superficial 
review of the article under consideration, wo could 
not resist the temptation of giving one kick at this 
relic of “ old fogyism,” And now for the article 
itself: 
“In the growth of wool, which is a natural pro¬ 
tection of sheep from the inclemency of the weather. 
wp, may reasonably calculate upon the influence of 
climate being somewhat, important, and such ia 
generally the ease. The laws which regulate its 
growth appear to act so that the circumstances 
which render certain modifications iu the wool 
desirable also favor their production, 
The first, and most evident influence of climate 
upon wool is in its control of the fineness of tbe 
staple. This is of course regulated by the size of 
the individual tiherB of the wool, and we shall have 
occasion to stow that climatic Influences have a 
very important part to play in determining their 
size arul general formation. Springing as the wool 
does from a little sac or vesicle placed beneath the 
upper skin, through which it has to penetrate, it is 
clear that, the aperture through which it passes acts 
as a sort of gauge, and determines the size of the 
fiber. If this gauge remainod constantly of the 
same size wo should have a wool produced consist¬ 
ing of fibers of equal diameters, aDd therefore of 
equal degrees of fineness. These gauges, however, 
are not constant. in their size, and various circum¬ 
stances influence the result, to which we shall briefly 
advert. 
Tbe influence of parentage clearly precedes all 
other agencies, and decides the preliminary condi¬ 
tions of the growth of wool. It. is true that these 
preliminary conditions are subject to modification 
by other agencies, but they still constitute the foun¬ 
dation upon which they act. We cannot, therefore, 
safely neglect them, uor deem them unimportant 
simply because other circumstances react upon 
them We should rather secure the preliminary 
conditions a; fully and as favorably a« possible, and 
then protect them from prejudicial influences with 
jealous care. 
The circumstance? which most powerfully affect 
the size of these apertures in the upper skin, 
through which tbe wool has to pass, are variations 
of temperature and the condition of health. The 
influence of climate is generally operative through 
tbe former of these, but in many instances, when the 
change of ‘eroperature has been extreme, it affect* 
the conditions of health, and both come in’to play. 
Tbe warmth of the skin is well known to regulate 
the size of the pore6 of the skin. These become 
more open in warm weather than in cold, and in 
like manner the apertures through which tbe wool 
passes hf-come of larger diameter with increase of 
temperature. As a consequence of this we find the 
fiber of wool ia always produced of a larger size 
when the temperature increases, and of a smaller 
slz ■ when it lower 3 - To a great, extent this is con¬ 
trolled by tbe growth of wool already existing upon 
the sheep, which protects the skin from any suddeu 
variations of temperature to which it would other¬ 
wise be liable. 
This protection, however, whilst it modifies tbe 
influence of these changes of temperature. does not 
set them aside. They are still very powerful in 
their influence upon the growth of wool; and when 
the sample of one district, possessing a higher aver¬ 
age temperature, is compared with a fine sample 
of another district in a colder climate, it, becomes 
very evident, It is perfectly true that much may 
be done by good management to keep down the 
temperature in the summer months, and to pro¬ 
tect from the cold in the winter, and thereby secure 
a greater uniformity of warmth throughout, the 
year, which must, be accompanied by a growth of 
wool of more uniform size. We shall, however, 
find that, whilst, we cannot act, independently of 
these influences, we can, byjudicious management, 
prevent any injury to the wool. The fineness of the 
sample, must, of necessity, he much under the con¬ 
trol of the climate, but we can still prevent violent 
changes of temperature acting upon the skin, and 
thereby we can avoid those spdden variations in 
the size of tbe fiber which give it such irregular 
strength. Thus, while certain districts will retain 
a general character for the class of wool pro¬ 
duced under good management, that wool will be 
grown with such regularity in the size of fiber that 
its strength shall tie fully preserved It is the weak¬ 
est link in tbe chain which indicates its strength, 
so also is it the weakest point in the liber which 
determines its liability to fracture when in the 
hands of the manufacturer; and it is to avoid these 
weak points that it becomes incumbent npon the 
flockmaster to decrease any variations in the tem¬ 
perature of the ekiu, as much as be possibly can. 
sample of a totally different character — the staple 
gradually becoming thicker, harsher and coarser, aud 
steadily di generating into nair. Tins change may 
not be fully attained in ■ fleece of the same sheep, 
but the succeeding g. .-rations will each become 
more and more disiir.g ushed in this lespect. In 
our own country we have forcible examples of the 
ii fluence of climate in Ihe tendency of wool t:> be¬ 
come kimpy when sheep are takeu from lowland 
farms into more hilly districts, illustrating the same 
predisposition fur wool to as.-ume a hairy character 
under the influence of climate.” 
Ocr Trial Tmr, or Quarter, is being taken by thou¬ 
sands of non-subscribers from all parts of the Union 
aud Canada. Scores of passengers secure passage daily, 
aud yet there are berths for more- for we are printing full 
Ten Thousand extra copies to supply the demand. 
Therefore, do not forget to remember that wc can furnish 
all the numbers of the Quarter to as many as apply in 
season, though now is the best lime lo secure them. 
Will not our Agent-Friends, Subscribers, and others, do 
|Us. and l heir immediate Mends and neighbors, the favor 
to advertise this fact? 
Dr. TUNnALL Declines a Congressional Nomina¬ 
tion.— The Cortiaud Gazette announces that the Hon. 
Henry S. Randall, LL, D., was recently uominated for 
Congress by the Democratic Convention oflheXXllId 
District (Cortland and Onondaga,) iu a very unanimous 
and ila'teriug manner, but declined in consequence of 
private and public engagements. Wc note both facts-the 
nomination and declination —with pleasure; the former 
because it is highly complimentary to Dr. I> , and the 
latter for the cogent reason that he cannot be paroled from 
duties connected with important public matters long 
enough to engage in a political canvaEs, whatever its re- 
enlt,—and moreover the positions he now occupies are 
certain 1 )’ as honorable ai d useful as the one proposed. 
— By the way, several of our Associate Editors and 
Contributors (both Republicans and Democrats,) are 
prominent and influential members of their respective 
parties, and have held, or now hold, honorable and re¬ 
sponsible official positions, but we hope any of them who 
may be tempted in like manner as above related, will act 
as sensibly as bas Dr. Randall. 
The display of implements and farm machinery 
was a leading feature. Farmers derive more real 
benefit from this department than from any other. 
We have no room to enumerate the multitude of 
articles, great and small, which found place on the 
grounds; few, iudeed, had even lime to view them 
thoroughly. 
The Portable Steam Engine, manufactured by 
A. N. Wood A Co., Eaton, Madison Co., N. Y., was 
the center of attr&e tion for numerous spectators. It 
was mounted on strong iron trucks, made entirely 
without wood, and designed for moving about read¬ 
ily to drive any kind of farm or other machinery re¬ 
quiring power. It threshes, shells corn, grinds, 
6 aws, cuts fodder aud furnishes Bteatn for eookiug it. 
As it is always on wheels it can be moved from one 
piece to another as readily as a lumber wagon. It 
is completely furnished with all attachments of use 
on a steam engine. These engines are used quite 
extensively for tbreshiDg instead of horse-power, and 
they are so well adapted for the work — doing it 
cheaper and better—that they will eventually su¬ 
persede the use of horses. It cods less to run one 
a day than to feed the ten horses which it equals; 
half a cord of good wood or four hundred pounds of 
coal and ten or twelve barrels of water, supply 
its iron sinews with unflagging strength for ten 
hours. Some spectators suggested there was dan¬ 
ger from tire when threshing grain, but the smoke 
pipe is safely guarded as was proved on the Fair 
Grounds by placing a bundle of straw within a few 
inches from the point of escape for the smoke, where 
it remained and was blackened but not burnt. 
Reapers and Mowers were out in great force. A 
line of tents marked "headquarters” of various 
machines, were ranged along with them. In all 
there were thirty or forty grain and grass cutting 
machines on tbe grounds. The majority were com¬ 
bined machines, and prominent iu the ranks were 
the well known Dodge & Stevenson, Kirby, Wood, 
Buckeye, Cayuga Chief, and many others well and 
favorably known to the farmers of out country. A 
very large proportion of our farmers entertain the 
idea that it is better to have reapers for reaping and 
mowers for mowing, instead of endeavoring to adapt 
one machine to both kinds of work. It is a sensible 
idea and will probably gain ground rapidly in the 
future. In the line oT machines for reaping exclu¬ 
sively none seemed to meet with more favor than 
Johnston’s Self Raking Reaper, made at Brockport, 
N. Y. The famous Johnston Self Rake is fitted 
perfectly to this machine, skid it is specially adapted 
to cutting and picking up lodged grain. Several 
important improvements have been added to this 
machine during the past season. There was ope 
machine on the grounds built for binding as well as 
cutting the grain. It looked heavy and somewhat 
complicated. We believe It has not been thor- 
EDITED BY HENRY 3. RANDALL, LL. D 
INFLUENCE OF CLIMATE ON THE 
GROWTH OF WOOL. 
The following article, from the London Agricul¬ 
tural Gazette, presents some rather interesting 
views on the subject, on which it treats, though we 
cannot subscribe to several of them. We do not, 
for example, believe that the fineness of wool is to 
auy essential extent, regulated by the size of the 
pores in the “upper skin.” This theory is not sus¬ 
tained hy any practical facts which have yet been 
made to appear —at lead, so far as we know; and 
the objections to it are numerous, and, in onr opin¬ 
ion, unanswerable. We have not time, however, to 
present them here. We attribute the fineness of 
woo] to blood — or “iLflucncc of parentage,” as 
the writer in the Gazette terms it — modified chiefly 
hy the course of breeding to which the sheep is sub¬ 
jected. We will not assert that the influence of 
climate in keeping the pores—if tbe openings in the 
skin filled by wool or hair can properly be termed 
pores — either open or contracted, exerts no influ¬ 
ence whatever; but we think this influence is very 
inconsiderable, and scarcely of any practical conse¬ 
quence compared with the others which we have 
named. 
This pore theory was once so prevalent that the 
impression prevailed that extremely fine wool could 
not be grown in warm climates — that it would in¬ 
evitably grow considerably coarser in them. Mod¬ 
ern experience has proved the fallacy of this view. 
Exquisitely flue wool is grown at latitude 30" in 
Australia, the Cape of Good Hope, aud South Amer¬ 
ica ; and this corresponds with the latitude of Texas 
aud the extreme southern limits of our Gulf States. 
Far liner Merino wool Is grown on the scorched 
plains of Australia, thau in our Northern States, 
more than ten deg reef j more remote from the equa¬ 
tor, and vastly eolff 
rino wools of the 
county wools, 
commerce, are 
uia, 
handle” between them 
wools of Vermont and New York, where the average 
temperature is essentially lower, do not rise above 
medium Merino. 
This appears to be the fact the world over —or 
wherever the Merino sheep flourishes—that the 
wool of the breed is fine in proportion as fineness is 
sought, i, e., bred for. It is not, as a general thing, 
extremely fine in Vermont, New York aud our 
other most Northerly States, because the growers 
in those States prefer to grow it coarser; while in 
the hot foreign countries we have named — which, 
according to the pore theory should produce an 
essentially coarser staple —a materially tiBer article 
is produced. There is not a Merino growing country 
in the world where the fineness docs not depend es¬ 
sentially on the course of breeding pursued, almost 
totally irrespective of climate. Nor is there such a 
country in the world where, if the coarsest and 
flneBt sheep of the same flock were separated into 
two flocks and each kind bred by themselves — tbe 
coarsest rams with the coarsest ewes, aud the finest 
rams with the finest ewes —and this system of 
breeding and selection kept up for a few genera¬ 
tions, in which the two flocks would not exhibit so 
great a difference in fineness that their wool would 
not be applicable to the manufacture of the same 
fabrics. Blood lies at the foundation of all qualities : 
but breeding is the great agent which controls their 
modifications. 
Climate, however, is claimed sensibly to affect 
another valuable quality of wool, namely, its soft¬ 
ness and pliancy. And here the warm climate is 
supposed to possess the advantage over the cold. 
We are inclined to credit this theory—but how far 
this supposed influence is exerted, we are not pre¬ 
pared to say. Exaggerations in regard to matters 
to which it is so difficult to apply practical tests, are 
amazingly common, even amoDg practical men! 
One of the ideas advanced in the article below, 
will, we think, call forth a smile from all experienced 
and well informed sheep breeders. The writer says: 
The Nineteenth Annual Exhibition of the Ohio 
State Board of Agriculture, held at Toledo, Sept. 
21-25, was every way creditable to the Buckeye 
State. Forty acres of grove aud cleared land were 
inclosed, aud supplied with stalls and buildings of 
a very substantial character. The location of the 
Fair at the same point for two successive years, ena¬ 
bled the city of Toledo to expend a large sum in 
preparation,—a practice that would commend itself 
to the New York State Ag’l Society. For the first 
time the Board adopted the rule of no charge for 
entries; reljing solely upon admission tickets for 
funds, it has resulted satisfactorily. Over 8,500 
entries were roude, the receipts from tickets amount¬ 
ing to over *15,000, which with rents reach to *24,- 
000. The exhibition of stock was not as large as 
on some former occasions, though creditable, em¬ 
bracing many very choice blooded animals. The 
Norman draught horses of the M arion Importing Co., 
Ohio, and others from different parts of the State 
and Canada attracted unusual attention. Thorough¬ 
breds, roadsters and matched teams gave evidence 
that much care in breeding and training is a feature 
with Oaio horsemen. Jacks and mules form an 
essential feature of the Ohio Show, much attention 
being devoted to rearing mules for farm and road 
teams. 
Blooded stock was confined to “Short-Horns,” 
the principal exhibitors being D. McMillan. Xenia; 
J. Montgomery, Granville; D. Selsor, London, 
Weather and Caors in Vermont.—I. W. Sanborn 
writes us from LyndoD, Vt., under date of Sept. 6th, as 
followsThe summer was exceedingly hot aud dry, 
and tbe fall bids fair to be as wet as the summer was 
dry. The hay crop in Vermont, as I stated in my last 
note, was very good and well secured; consequently 
young farm stqek is in demand, and large numbers are 
being imported from Canada and driven in from the 
Northern border towns In Vermont to snp;-ly the demand 
farther south. The oat crop was unusually light — at 
least three-tenths below an average. Wheat was good 
and yielded well. India wheat did not fill — grain light, 
Indian corn suffered in some localities from the drouth : 
on an average I think there will be a fair yield. The 
potato crop is generally light. Early varieties scarcely a 
half crop; later kinds better, but below* an average. 
Fruit rather scarce, and not of the best quality. The 
rains of the past month, and the accompanying warm, 
growing weather, made grass shoot forth rapidly, so that 
pastures aud fields, until quite recently, exhibited a fine, 
spring-like appearance. Several quite hard frosts during 
the last two weeks. Farm cropE mostly secured.” 
White Dorkings — Aylesbury Ducks. — We arc in¬ 
debted to J. Y. Bicknell, Westuiureland, N. Y., for a 
pair ef each of the above varieties of fowls. Mr. B. is 
an extensive breeder of poultry, and exhibited eomc at 
our Slate Fair that was very choice. His advertisement 
iD this paper tells the kinds ho has for sale and his prices. 
The Aylesbury duck is one of the most desirable; 
some writers gay it is the best. Some of the points de¬ 
noting that it is well bred are a pale, flesh-colored bill, 
dark, prominent eyes, orange colored legs and a stately 
carriage. The weight of a full grown pair should reach 
twelve pounds. They arc prolific layers; They mature 
early and are quiet. The White Dorking fowls when well 
bred are of a pure, brilliant white color, with a rose 
comb, square in front and straight on the head without a 
hollow in the middle, and having a point or peak behind; 
fifth toe distinct aud turned up; lege white, and body 
deep, compact and plump. We were pleased to note the 
proofs of careful and thorough breeding in tho poultry 
Mr, B, exhibited on the Fair Grounds. 
in climate. The finest Me- 
ultcd States, “ Washington 
" &s they have been designated in 
grown in Southwestern Pennsylva- 
Southeastern Ohio, and the Virginia “pan- 
while most of the Merino 
More Rural Journals Procosbb.— Since the opening 
of our New York Ofllce, or the announcement thereof, we 
have heard not a little of the starting of new Rural Jour¬ 
nals in New York, and the removal of others to the city. 
Though our opinion ia not asked, we frankly say, Come 
on Gentlemen — “ the more the merrier,” provided all 
work earnestly for the good cause. There is “ample 
room, aud verge enough” in New York and elsewhere, if 
each will strive to excel in efforts to promote Rural In¬ 
dustrial, Moral and .Mental, “Progress and Improve¬ 
ment,”—but let the selfish money-seekers and Ishmaels 
beware ! It requires Tact, Talent, Time, Industry. Perse¬ 
verance and much money to succeed in journalism. With 
all these requisites there is a chance to win, but those 
who do not possess them should wisely look before they 
ieap—investigate before investing. 
Tbe quantity of rain tailing in any district is 
another powerful agency in its influence upon the 
quality of the wool. This is, of course, much less 
injurious where the soil happens to be dry and 
porous, and on the other hand its influence is most 
prejudicial when the soil is of a retentive character. 
The value of a dry lair forsheep is invariably acknowl¬ 
edged, for when once they get wet, and are kept 
under its chilling influences for uny lengthened pe¬ 
riod, the foundation is laid for a derangement of the 
health of the animal, and this is utterly inconsistent 
with the successful growth of wool. We notice, 
however, that the wpol grown in wet districts is bet¬ 
ter adapted for carrying off the large quantity of rain 
thus falling upon them. It is a natural provision 
for assisting in the protection of tbe sheep of our 
rainy districts; and so far It is very valuable and im¬ 
portant, but it seriously affects the quality of the 
Wno Takes tub Money ?—By reference to the adver¬ 
tisement of Geo. W. Best, in this number, it will be 
seen that he offers some very liberal inducements for 
growing the Early Rose potato. Five hundred dollars 
are offered by him in four separate premiums to parties 
who will raiee ihe largest quantity of the above variety 
next season from one peck of seed. Among the condi¬ 
tions, which our readers can see In full in the advertise¬ 
ment, is one obligating parties competing for the premi¬ 
ums to procure the seed of Mr, Best this fall. In a note 
to us, Mr. B. adverts to the large reports of the yield of 
the Early Rose, and expresses his belief that with the 
“best" cultivation it can be made to produce 800 to 1,000 
bushels per acre, and he designs to have tho experiment 
well tried. 
uumesue, > egeiame ana stove nails, each pre¬ 
sented the usual appearance of their class, and were 
all creditable to the State. 
Agricultural implements and machinery made the 
distinguishing feature of the Fair at Toledo. Reap¬ 
ers and mowers, seed drills, horse rakes, plows, 
hay cutters, horse-powers, threshers, wood sawing 
machines, etc., etc., covered some acres of ground, 
and attracted continuous crowds of interested farm¬ 
ers and mechanics. Nowhere have we 6een the 
extent of this display equaled, and any attempt to 
particularize would be beyond our limits. Reapers 
aud mowers were a very attractive feature, embra¬ 
cing all the leading machines. Of the New York 
reapers we noticed those of HPntley, Johnston & 
Co., Seymour, Morgan & Allen, Kirey’ 3 , Wood’s 
Reaper and Seif-Raker, to which two premiums 
were awarded. Also, some mowers. B. B. Snow 
Auburn, exhibited Brmkerhofi's Corn Sheller and 
received premium. Shaw & Wells, Buffalo, pre¬ 
sented Blake’s patent changeable endless plank 
Horse Power, which elicited much attention and 
won a silver medal over all competitors as best 
adapted to farm and manufacturing purposes. The 
peculiar merits claimed for this machine are that 
the team walks upon a smooth hard floor in place of 
corrugated lags, that it has only four friction roll¬ 
ers, with no links and chains to break or get out of 
order, and can be run at a less elevation than is 
usual with tread powers. 
The Peekskill Plow* Works exhibited Hutchinson’s 
Family Cider Mill and Gale’s Copper-strip Straw 
and Stalk Cuttere, which received first premium. 
H. II. Wilbt, Fredonia, N. Y., horse power 
sweep, also first premium. Of heavy machinery 
from New York the most noticeable was an auto¬ 
matic two-block shingle machine, exhibited by 
Pierce & Co., of Buffalo. It is self-acting, the re 
ceding block being lifted from the saw while tiro 
woo), especially iu respect to its felting character. 
The influence of climate Is very forcibly shown in 
the necessity, which is so well recognized, of going 
back to the original district of any special breed for 
fresh stock to maintain their distinctive character. 
However great the care shown in their management, 
the. original type is modified hy the. influence of local 
circumstances, and in no particular is this more evi¬ 
dent than iu the character of tbe wool. It is one of 
the earliest indications of a loss of the essential 
characteristics of any breed of sheep, and the neces¬ 
sity for correcting it arises as much from the impor¬ 
tance of maintaining other features of character 
which would soon disappear, as for the sake of keep¬ 
ing the growth of wool up to the accepted standard 
ofquality. We cannot, us yet, give any satisfactory 
explanation of the causes which render this neces¬ 
sary, but of the fact there is no doubt; and very 
much of the influence thus acknowledged may clearly 
be attributed to the special action of the climatic 
agencies which are exerting u constant influence upon 
the sheep of the district. We must not look upon 
the living animal simply in relation to any one pro¬ 
duct, however desirable that may be; hut we must 
consider it in relation to all the functions of life. Thus 
a certain type of animal being produced under cer¬ 
tain given conditions of climate and soil, and subse¬ 
quently removed therefrom to a different climate, 
does offer many difficulties for maintaining the origi¬ 
nal typical form in all its perfection, because of these 
powerful variations iu climate. Practically, hsw- 
ever, we cannot materially modify these variations 
in climate, but wc may meet them by introducing 
stock from the original district which possess in full 
force the distinctive features of tbe breed. 
To judge fully of the influence of climate upon the 
growth of wool, we must take a wider range thau 
that afforded by our own country, for although wc 
snail find the same laws holding good in different 
districts of England, we shall not find the variations 
produced so marked iu their character. Thus wc 
find sheep, which before exportation carried heavy 
coverings of good wool, yielding after a few years a 
The Harison Potato. — This variety is one of the 
best of the Goodrich Seedlings; they are not early, but 
promise well Cor geueral market purposes. They may be 
described as medium between the long and round varie¬ 
ties, white skin, flesh solid, and eyes rather deep. We 
are indebted to E. R. Taber, Medina, N. Y., for a box of 
fine ones of this variety. He informs us that they yield 
with him about 200 bushels per acre this season, although 
it has not been very favorable on account of the dry, hot 
summer. 
Caledonia Co. (Vt.) Fair,— The twenty-third Annual 
Exhibition of this Agricultural Society was held at St. 
•lohusbury Sept. 29, 30, aud Oct. 1. The weather was 
favorable during the time, and the Fair was judged oue 
of the best ever held since the organization of the So¬ 
ciety. Over one thousand entries were registered on the 
Secretary’s books, and the articles of exhibition merito¬ 
rious. In all respects It was a decided snccese.—i. w. s. 
Chester White Pigs,— Dr. Edwards of Alleghany 
Co., N. Y., reports the gain of 226 pounds in 88 days by a 
pair of Chester couuty white pigs, npon 315 pounds of 
meal aud a pallful daily of whey or sour milk. The meal 
was boiled with a little salt. Their weight. July 10,1867, 
the time of purchase, was respectively 65 and 55 pounds. 
For a portion of the time they also had the run ol' a 
clover field. 
How Weeds S dread. —A writer in the Journal of Ag¬ 
riculture says that for the purpose of determining the 
propagating power of a plant of purslane, he counted 
the number of seed pods npon it. There were 4,613, 
Fourteen of those—seven small, four medium and three 
of the largest — were selected, and the seeds counted. 
They gave am average of ninety seeds to the pod, or 
415,170 seeds to a single plant. 
