of the population represented by an equal number 
of Senator# from the great Agricultural States, and 
consequently the proportionable strength of New 
England is much les6 in the Ilouse than in the Sen¬ 
ate. For this and other reasons —some of them 
quite obvious — we esteem it far safer for tbe oppo¬ 
nents of lteciprodty to make tbe issue against it on 
the question of reference, in tbe House, than to 
wait to do so on tbe question of ratification in the 
Senate. Many highly obnoxious tariff laws have 
passed Congress from ignorance, on the part of 
the representatives of the rural constituencies, of 
the actual wishes of the people. Let no member of 
Congress have this excuse to plead, on the present 
occasion, if by his vote he aids in surrendering up 
the Interests of nine tenths of the people to give 
extra aid and benefit to the other tenth. 
The re-assembling of Congress is hut a few weeks 
off. The report in favor of reference is already 
agreed on. And there is every probability that tbe 
project of the Treaty will be ready at a very early 
day thereafter, it the reference is made. If the 
Treaty is to be opposed by the farmers of tbe United 
States, and met, as it should be, at the threshold, no 
time cau be 6afely lost iu bringing public opinion to 
bear on members of Congress, by every proper mode 
through which it can be accomplished—by personal 
interviews, by letters, Ac., at once, and by the 
speedy preparation of petitions, memorials, or re- 
monstraccjs to pour in upon Congress a ; soon as it 
shall assemble. We first recommended that papers 
of this kind should be directed to the Secretary of 
State: but on learning more fully how the facts 
stand, we are clear in the conviction that the pre¬ 
liminary effort should be made on members of Con¬ 
gress—individually now, and collectively, as soon as 
the next session opens. 
THE FOOT OF THE HORSE 
sort of ledge upon the under side of the front or 
large wing, which the hooks match into, forming 
one wing of two. Upon examination I found that 
queens, workers and drones, all have the same num¬ 
ber, and in the Bame relative position. The question 
is, do they avoid using the back wings, except in 
case of heavy loads, to preserve them from wear, 
(the wings of old bees become so worn aud ragged 
that it is difficult for them to fly) or can they fly 
faster while empty with only the two forward wings ? 
Be it as it may I leave the question for conjecture. 
low severe injuries are due to the irritating and poi¬ 
soning influence of decomposing blood or sloughs. 
These evils are entirely avoided by the antiseptic 
treatment, so that limbs, which would otherwise be 
unhesitatingly condemned to amputation, may be 
retained with confidence of cure. Since the anti¬ 
septic treatment has been brougb4 into full opera¬ 
tion and wounds and abscesses no longer poison the 
atmosphere with putrid exhalations, my wards have 
completely changed their character; so that during 
the last nine months not a single instance of 
pyaemia, hospital grangrene or erysipelas has oc¬ 
curred.” 
APPLICATION TO AGRICULTURE. 
The application of carbolic acid to the purposes of 
Agriculture, will readily be seen. Its uses are so va¬ 
ried and numerous that they cannot all be mentioned 
in one short article. In the treatment of wounds 
and sores upon all our animals it will be invaluable. 
Ilow often it occurs that a wound in hot weather can¬ 
not be cured because It becomes putrid and fly-blown, 
when gangrene supervenes and the animal is lost. 
Carbolic acid will correct all this; will keep tbe 
wound in a healthy state and enable nature to 
heal It. And where putridity has commenced, this 
acid will, at once, destroy the odors, and the germs 
of decomposition, and will purify ulcers. It has been 
applied iu England with eminent success to scab 
and foot-rot in sheep. It is a much safer application 
than that generally used. The scab is cured by dip¬ 
ping the sheep, lor a minute or less, in water con¬ 
taining one-fiftieth or sixtieth part of carbolic acid. 
This is done after the sheep is shorn. The pure 
acid is not used for this purpose, but a cheaper 
preparation. The foot rot is treated with a mixture 
of add and a greasy substance capable of forming a 
plaster, which is made to adhere to the animal’s foot 
for two or three days, preventing the contact of air, 
and allowing time for the application to have its 
effect. But for a large flock a more expeditious 
method must be used, by placing the fluid mixture 
in a trough and the sheep be made to pass through it 
slowly. This is much better than the blue vitriol 
application, as it destroys the germs of disease. It 
would, probably, be a good remedy also for catarrh 
or snu Liles in sheep. 
When cattle and horses are washed with a very 
weak solution of carbolic acid, thoy cease to be an¬ 
noyed by flies. An excellent salve may be made by 
adding ten per cent, of this acid to butter or other 
fatty matters for such purpose. The use of it seems 
to have become extensive in Europe, and we think 
it must soon be introduced into general use in 
this country. It is much safer than such antiseptics 
as arsenious acid and corrosive sublimate, as car¬ 
bolic acid can only be used for a good purpose, 
while tbe others are dangerous aud may be used 
criminally. The farmer will see how important it 
may be iu connection with large dairies, where 100 
cows are confined in a single stable, and also to the 
sheep feeder where large flocks breed pestilence 
among them. It will soon be manufactured so cheap 
that it may be freely used by every farmer, e. w. s. 
The Auburn News, of recent date, contained a 
communication from R. C. Fargasox, on tbe me¬ 
chanism of the foot of the horse. He says:—"The 
external covering of the foot is divided into four 
parts, namelythe wall, bars, sole and frog. The 
external or wall serves to defend the sensitive tissues 
within the wall or hoof, and is composed of small 
filaments or hollow tubes, consolidated in ench a 
manner as to preserve their canals distinct. These 
canals constitute the excrementitious outlets of the 
hoof, from which morbid materials find an outlet 
and in these arc found vessels by which horn is 
eeereted or produced. The bars are a continuation 
of the external wall just described; they form an 
angle at the heels, which terminates toward the toe; 
they thus serve to give strength and durability to the 
hoof, and also to prevent contraction at the hecl6. 
When these bars are cut away or demolished by 
means of the buttress, then the foot often goes to 
rack and ruin. The Bole is much more elastic than 
the crust, and is a medium of the sensitive faculty, 
through which, together with its powers of elasticity, 
the percussion of the foot against the ground is reg¬ 
ulated. The frog is much more elastic than either 
of the parts just described, and any unnecessary 
paring thereof is a monstrous evil. On the internal 
posterior of the aboved named parts we find a beau¬ 
tiful set of leaves, resembling those found in the 
under surface of a mushroom. Their number is five 
hundred. These articulate with a like number given 
oil from the sensitive tissues of the foot proper, 
each leaf having two sides and an edge, and form a 
series of articulations numbering three thousand. 
The whole suiface of these articulations measures 
four Equate feet, hence the horse having four feet, 
his body rests on sixteen square feet of surface, all 
contained within his boof6.” 
TO ALL OUR READERS 
The Rural New-Yorker for 1869.—As we are daily 
receiving inquiries abonl the Rural for 1669— its club 
rates, size, etc.,—wc will briefly state, for the informa¬ 
tion of Agent Friends, S abscribers, and others interested, 
that, if we perfect plans now under consideration, this 
Journal will, on and after January next, be by far the 
Largest , Best and Cheapest Newspaper of its Class in the 
World. In case the paper is not materially enlarged and 
improved, its subscription price will be greatly reduced, 
so that (considering size, cost and quality of contents, 
illustrations, paper, etc.,) it will still be the cheapest 
Rural, Literary, Family and Business Journal published. 
The proposed enlargement will be much greater than 
that of January last, while the improvements will corre¬ 
spond,— yet the Subscription Rales will remain un¬ 
changed! Oar plan or Improvement and Enlargement, 
if decided upon-and the only question at this writing is 
whether wc can procure certain machinery in season- 
will be anuonuced next week, or as soon after Election 
as possible. And as soon as we do decide, our Prospec¬ 
tus for Volume XX will be issued and sent, without re¬ 
quest, to all regular Agents,—and others who apply at 
either of our Publication Offices (by letter or personally,) 
will be promptly supplied by mail or otherwise. Mean¬ 
time, those who see statements that other Rural Week¬ 
lies are to be “ as large as the Rural New-Yorker,’’ are 
assured that, though possible, such things are not among 
the probabilities. 
— Agents and other friends so disposed can (and are 
respectfully requested to) commence clubs for 1869 at 
once, at our present rates , and in case we do not enlarge 
as proposed, they can collect and remit less. Why not 
take a specimen of the Rural along when you go to the 
polls next Tuesday, aud, after you and your townsmen 
have voted, start a club f It'e a good time to open the 
Fall and Winter Campaign of the National Rural and 
Family Weekly, and we hope thousands will kindly act 
upon the sugges tion. And, in doing so, please “ do not 
forget to remember” that the Rural Nbw-Yobkkr pro¬ 
poses to manifest the genuine spirit of its inspiring 
motto, “ Excelsior by furnishing a much larger and 
better paper than ever before , without any increase of 
its Subscription Rates I 
Smart Bees.— One of my neighbors had an old 
hive of bees that last season threw off three swarms, 
two large swarms and one. small one. The last 
swarm, after working two or three months, and ma¬ 
king considerable comb, but not much honey, 
swarmed out one pleasant day in the fall, well know¬ 
ing that they did not have sufficient honey to winter 
on, and returned again to the parent hive. Who 
can heat that?— Cor. in Country Gentleman. 
We do not know about beating this, but most 
people, having a long acquaintance with bees, will 
have noticed occasional instances like it. The 
“ two or three months” is putting it rather strong, 
an l may make an exceptional case of it. Would not 
one or two mouths have approximated more nearly 
to the facts ? 
Killing- Sorrel. 
It is said that a liberal application of lime to 
land infested with sorrel will kill out this cold and 
intrusive peBt. 
Gas House Lime. 
Thomas W. Hammond, a farmer, gives his tes¬ 
timony in favor of gas lime as a manurial agent 
through the columns of the Maryland Farmer. He 
gives his experience with it and adds:—‘‘So fully 
am I convinced as to its value on my lano, 1 have 
continued to use it with entire satisfaction, and will 
this fall use about two thousand buBhels.” It is 
sown broadcast upon the land in the fall and plowed 
under In the spring. 
The following letter from Judge Jones of Ohio 
— long eminent bb a gentleman of ability and sa¬ 
gacity—as a most vigorous and sensible agricul¬ 
tural writer—aud as a successful breeder of long 
wooled 6hcep, was not intended for publication. 
But as there is nothing of a private character in its 
contents, and as it contains an amusing problem to 
be solved by those extremely philanthropic com¬ 
mercial gentlemen who so strenuously decry the 
tariff—not by any means on account of its effect 
on their‘.own interests, but purely on account of 
their disinterested affection for the wool growers 
and manufacturers—we will venture to place the 
letter before our readers: 
Fairholme, near Delaware, Ohio, I 
October 16th, 1868. ( 
My Dear Sir:—I have ju6t received your circu¬ 
lar letter of the 14th in&t., for which 1 am much 
obliged. I think your action wise aud necessary. 
Of course the growers of long wool would not be 
satisfied with such a discrimination against them 
as would result from the reestablishment of the 
Reciprocity Treaty. My personal interest in the 
matter is very small indeed; but I have for a long 
time insisted that the people of the United States 
ought to grow all the wool they use; that the gen¬ 
eral welfare would be promoted thereby; that on 
lands worth $50 to $100 per acre, large flocks of 
sheep for the production of wool merely, cannot 
be profitably kept, while smaller flocks of good 
mutton sheep can be managed to good advantage; 
that in all the Middle States, where mixed hus¬ 
bandry prevails, these sheep can be profitably kept 
to an extent sufficient to supply tbo demand of 
our long wool manufacturers; and that tbe wool 
cau be produced as cheaply as in any other civilized 
country, when we shall have passed our present de¬ 
rangements and have returned to a specie currency. 
At our Slate Fair at Toledo I met Mr.-of 
Boston, with whom you are doubtless well ac¬ 
quainted. lie insisted that the present tariff would 
prove a failure so far as it was expected to advance 
the price of wool; that the effect had been so to 
reduce the prices of the flue wools of South Amer¬ 
ica, that English and other European manufacturers 
conld afford in consequence to lay down woolen 
goods in New York now, at as low rates as they 
could before the increase of the duties. 
I inquired whether this was, and was likely to 
continue to be, the true state of the case ? Lie re¬ 
plied that there could be no mistake about it what¬ 
ever. Then said I—‘‘You may rest assured this 
tariff can never be repealed, for the fact you assume 
demonstrates that all the revenue received by the 
Government from this Tariff ou wool and woolens, 
costs the people noth iny at all — is no tax on the con¬ 
sumer ; and if it docs not benefit the wool grower 
by increasing the price of his product, it does him 
in this respect no injury, aud benefits him in com¬ 
mon with other tax payers, by compelling the for¬ 
eign wool grower to pay us an important part of 
the expense of supporting war Government! Once 
convince ‘all the people’ of the truth of this state¬ 
ment, and the Tariff will become tbe most popular 
law ou the statute book.” Mr.-really looked 
a little taken down by this turn in the discussion. 
Very respectfully, your ob’t servant, 
T. C. Jones. 
A recent communication in the N. E. Farmer, 
asserting that hots do kill horses, has brought the 
question afresh before tbe public. The testimony 
of Youatt, Spooner, Stewart and Dadd —pro¬ 
fessional men, is against the death theory from bots. 
It is asserted by these that bot6 do not feed upon the 
stomach, but upon the chyme or pulp formed of the 
food eaten, and never turn upon the former till it is 
so diseased as to indicate tbe immediate death of the 
horse. It is then the bot seeks to secure an avenue 
of escape, by fastening upon and perforating the 
walls of his natural prison—the stomach, if this be 
the true theory, as it would seem to be from the 
preponderance of professional authority in its favor, 
tbo practice of drugging horses for bots, ought to 
cease, especially as the bot is not killed by tbe op¬ 
eration, and but rarely dislodged by it. As an indi¬ 
cation of the tenacity with which the bot clings to 
life, Mathew cites an instance in which a portion of 
the stomach, covered with hots, was corked up in 
spirits of wine for two years, without killing them. 
"White and Yellow Corn. 
In the October number of the Maryland Farmer 
John F. Walftkger, Pa., writes concerning the 
great value of the corn crop of the United States, 
denominating it the ‘‘king of grains,” “the great 
stand-by of farmers.” This is especially true of the 
Southern States, where it constitutes the great 
bread staple, aud at the West, where it is more gen¬ 
erally devoted to tbe production of pork and beef. 
At the South the whit*, variety is the favorite be¬ 
cause of the whiteness and Bweetness of the flour 
or meal, while at the North the yellow is preferred 
for its superior richness. The white is the richer in 
albumen and 6tarc'n; the yellow in oil and gluten, 
and is consequently possessed of superior keeping 
properties and will bear transportation better with¬ 
out injury. _ 
More Beer than Grain. 
The Journal of Agricultures! St. Louis, furnishes 
a running summary of the principal articles shown 
at the Fair recently held in that city. It is not sat¬ 
isfied with the paucity of the grain show, remarking, 
with an implied, sarcasm, that there were but nine 
specimens of wheat—one les6 than the number of en¬ 
tries of lager beer—two of barley, one of oats and one 
of buckwheat, and seven or eight of corn. This if 
regarded, though the samples shown were very fine, 
as far from complimentary to the great grain grow¬ 
ing valley of the continent. What was true of the 
Fair, in question, we believe is so generally over the 
country. A large pumpkin, an over-grown beet or 
potato, will attract more attention from a crowd, 
than the largest, be&t and most varied display of 
cereals can do. The latter are an aggregate of small 
things ; the former samples of large ones which go 
to demonstrate the truth of the axiom that “size 
is power.” _ 
Turnips and Salt. 
These go well together on the dinner table, and 
are said to be associated, with equal advantage, iu 
the turnip field. The Glasgow Herald publishes 
some experiments in turnip growing, in which this 
assumption 6eems fully j ustified. Parcels of ground, 
sown to turnips without an application of salt, made 
but poor returns in quantity and quality, while oth¬ 
ers, to which a free application by broadcast sowing 
was made, were efficient in yield and of superior 
quality. It is assumed that the salt attracts moist¬ 
ure from the atmosphere and feed6 the plants with 
it, imparting vigor of growth, and added richness at 
the same time. Farmers who deny salt to their 
stock, under an impression that it injures them, 
may not object to experiment with it on their tur¬ 
nip fields, where its influence is said to be remarka¬ 
bly remunerative. 
American Dairymen in Switzerland.— American en¬ 
terprise appears to be looking to other continents for new 
epheree of act ivity. A company of Americans has located 
a milk-condensing establishment at Charn, by the lake of 
Zag, in Switzerland, intended to contribute to English 
consumption particularly. Gku. II. Page of Dixon, lit., 
Is superintendent of the “ Anglo-Swtss Condensed Milk 
Company." Milk from the Alpine region is celebrated 
for itarlchness and flavor. About. 400 gallons daily are re 
ceived from the peasants of the neighborhood, and manu¬ 
factured so carefully that a specimen kept twelve months, 
as reported by Baron Liebig, has been churned into ex¬ 
cellent butter. 
cqjcr's Department 
Flow Does the Frost Improve the Soil? - Chiefly, 
we think, by a purely mechanical action. It pulverizes 
it, forces the particles asunder and admits air and water 
which brie it with them fertilizing materials. YU heavy 
soils may be made highly productive by thorough pul¬ 
verization to admit the free action of air and water on 
the particles and aid the roots in appropriating the food 
locked up in the earth. If potato and corn fields could V 
fall plowed and snbsoilcd twice, after the crops are re¬ 
moved, and previous to the setting in of winter, it would 
go far to ensure good yields of spring grain sown on the 
fields next year. 
WINTERING BEES 
EDITED BT HENRY S. RANDALL, LL. D. 
the bees through the winter. Some colonies, strong 
iu numbers flush of stores, will probably t»! 
care of the*selves without external aid, unless 
their locatic^ is greatly exposed to the sweeping 
winds of win'.dr Generally, however, it Is regarded 
as essential la the Northern States to transfer slocks 
to the cellar, to pits in the ground, or to mask the 
hives iu straw snoods on tbe summer stands. The 
last method seems the favorite with many, as in¬ 
volving less trouble on the whole, and beiug equally 
safe, especially if a board break-wiud screens tbe 
hive stand from the driving winds and BtorniE from 
the north and west. These snoods or caps for the 
hives should come clown flush to the stand plank, 
enveloping them entirely willi the exception of the 
entrance apertures, which should be left open and 
free, to give the bees a chance to air themselves on 
the occurrence of fine weather, or when their ne¬ 
cessities compel them to sally forth for a short time. 
Now is the time to examine the colonies, for the 
purpose of ascertaining whether any of them are 
too weak anc destitute of stores to Eurvlve the 
winter alone or without aid. If any such are found, 
let them be united with a vigorous colony, or ,put 
two wtek ones together with their stores, as they 
will consume relatively lees in their aggregated 
state than iu the single one. Some persons, for the 
purpose of saving stores where the supply is ascer¬ 
tained to be ebort, take out the bee frames and 
shake them, singly, over a tub of water, causing 
the old and Inactive bees to fall into the water, 
while the yoaug oues, by their superior strength, 
retain their hold aud are saved. This depletion of 
numbers is no loss, for the old bees, if successful in 
withstanding the winter, will either die early iu the 
ensuing season, or prove of little use should they 
chance to survive it. Such swarms Bhould be care¬ 
fully housed lest, being few in numbers and unable 
to generate much heat, they should perish from au 
outside exposure. 
It sometimes happens that with the best of care, 
and after depopulation even, the stores run short, 
and feeding becomes necessary before the honey 
season opens. In such cases aid may be readily 
supplied by the mixture of white sugar and water, 
made of such consistency as to be readily appropri¬ 
ated, This costs something, hut it is less expensive 
than losing the stocks. If, from any cause, it be¬ 
comes necessary to close the regular entrance to 
the hive for auy considerable time, or for a day or 
two even, openings should be made elsewhere for 
the purpose of ventilation till the obstruction at the 
entrance is removed. During the occasional warm 
days of winter free egress should be allowed, for, 
though some bees may be lost in consequence, the 
general health of the colony will be so much im¬ 
proved as to more than counterbalance tbe loss 
from the freedom accorded. 
Inquiries in regard to the progress and prospects 
of the Reciprocity negotiations have reached us 
from several quarters. We cauuot personally vouch 
for the accuracy of all the following statements, but 
we give them as we have received them from what 
we suppose to be entirely trustworthy sources. 
Mr. Thornton, the British Minister at Washing¬ 
ton, addressed Mr. Seward an official note, in July, 
asking him to enter into negotiations in regard to a 
commercial treaty with Canada, which would cover 
the fishery disputes, the navigation of the St. Law¬ 
rence, the mutual admission of products, &c. The 
British Minister of course favors a free exchange of 
agricultural products, as the British provinces, hav¬ 
ing no extensive domestic markets of their own, and 
a large surplus produce, have everything t© gain aud 
nothing to lose by 6uch an arrangement. 
Mr. Seward referred Mr. Thornton’s proposition 
to the Secretary of the Treasury. Mr. McCulloch 
expressed the opinion that a definite treaty regu¬ 
lating trade with Canada would be advantageous to 
the United States, but inasmuch as the Reciprocity 
Treaty had been abrogated by Congress, that it 
would be inexpedient to renew negotiations for the 
6ame object nntil the Legislative branch of tbe Gov¬ 
ernment should Indicate a wish in that direction. 
Mr. Seward communicated this correspondence 
to the Committee of Ways and Mean& in the House, 
prior to the adjournment in July; and in answer to 
members of the Committee, stated that he was 
ready to enter upon negotiations for a new reciproc¬ 
ity treaty, wheuever the subject should be referred 
to him by Congress. Six members of the Com¬ 
mittee—Messrs. Logan, Hooper, Brooks, Allison, 
Niblack and Maynard —agreed to report in favor 
of such a reference; aud the Chairman of the Com¬ 
mittee, General Schenck, consented that such 
report be made. Congress adjourned, however, 
before there was a chance to bring the report 
before the House. 
The subject was also referred to the Committee 
on Foreign Relations in the Senate. We have heard 
of no expression of the views of the Committee ex¬ 
cept in the case of its Chairman, Mr. Sumner, who 
is decidedly in favor of re-opening negotiations — 
though he reported iu favor of abrogating the 
former Reciprocity Treaty! 
The Committee of Ways and Means will un¬ 
doubtedly report in favor of referring the negotia¬ 
tions to Mr. Seward, at the first opportunity after 
the re-assembling of Congress; aud there is, judg¬ 
ing from present indications, every prospect that 
the reference will be “rushed” through Congress, 
a Reciprocity Treaty made and ratified by the Sen¬ 
ate before the close of the next session—unless the 
producers of the country wilt consent to rouse up and 
make themselves heard and felt in opposition to it. 
That the project of the new Reciprocity Treaty, 
agreed ou by the negotiator, will conform to the 
old one iu admitting Catada agricultural products 
duty free, we now have no manner of doubt. We 
think, indeed, the fishery and navigation privileges 
coveted by our people who are engaged in those 
pursuits, will be conceded, to the extent desired, on 
no other ground. The latter interests are strong in 
New England, and are represented by great wealth. 
We look to see the New England representation in 
Congress, with the exception of that of Vermont, 
pretty generally arrayed in favor both of reference 
and ratification. They will receive the aid of all 
free traders, aud of many of the half-way men — un¬ 
less tbe constituents of the latter convince them 
that such a course would be dangerous to themselves. 
The New England Senators do not represent a tithe 
Underdraining Water Meadows. —An English fann¬ 
er broke up thirty uercs of water meadow which produced 
nothing except coarse sedge grass aud rushes. After it 
was thoroughly drained and laid down to grass, he was 
able to cut four crops or green fodder annually of the very 
best quality. The same thing could be done iu tuoueands 
of instances in this country. Laud reclaimed by drainage 
is almost, without exception, the most productive of any 
of grass and corn; and its fertility is inexhaustible. 
Snow in Canada.— According to the Omemee Stand¬ 
ard, that portion of Canada went ahead of us, on this 
eide of the Lake, In the way of snow during the late 
storm. It fell there over eix inches deep, not counting 
in that which thawed as it came. Some of the wide¬ 
awake denizen? or tnat section Indulged in the luxury of 
a sleigh ride. 
Iowa Fair-Stock Sales.— One ol' the features of the 
Iowa State Fair was the sale of choice farm stock. Ten 
bull calves, Short-Horne, were sold for $200 each, one for 
$800, and another for $8T5. Cots wold ewes sold at $14, 
and two bucks at $65 per head. Berkshire sow pigs 
went for $25, aud a boar pig nine months old for $50. 
Corn DartNo.-Some or the grain houses In Western 
towns have a drying attachment in operation ntght and 
hay preparing com for shipment. Thus prepared, there 
is no danger from heating in bulk when on its way to the 
Atlantic markets. 
Agriculture in Germany. 
From the special German correspondent of the 
Iowa Homestead, we clip the following picture of 
farming in some parte of GermanyTbe fields of 
grain will compare well as regards size, with an or¬ 
dinary city lot. Indeed, many of them, are much 
smaller. Perhaps two by eight rods would be their 
average size. This, of course, refers to the fertile 
plains, where the entire surface is under cultivation, 
and not to the highlands that are appropriated to 
raising timber, or to pasturage. Little corner stones 
mark the boundaries of these small farms and lots. 
I think that the object of thuB dividing into such 
small lots is to secure a better opportunity for a 
regular and systematic rotation of crops. Side by 
side, with only a deep furrow between, one sees 
there little patches of wheat, oats, barley, peas, po¬ 
tatoes, otc. Wheu one can look over a large tract 
of country, the different tints given by the various 
little fields, give the landscape the appearance of a 
huge chess board.” 
Auction Sale of Thoroughbred Stock.— The adver¬ 
tisement of W. H. Chknery, Esq., iu another column, 
announces the postponement of the auction sale at the 
“ Highland Stock Farm,” Belmont, Mass, until the 12th 
of November. 
Crops South.— The N. O. Picayune of last week says 
the prospects of both cane and cotton in that section are 
good -far better than at any time since the beginning of 
the late war. 
John J. Tallman writes: —“In the Rural of 
July 4th, I saw a notice of the ‘ oldest horse ’ being 
thirty-three years old! Truly, that is a great age 
for a horse, especially these days when ‘Young 
America,’ holds the ribbons; bat I have a Btock 
borse, which could boast, if he had the gift of 
speech, of an ancestry ol greater longevity. My 
horse’s grand dam, by the old Imported Messen¬ 
ger, was thirty-five or thirty-six years old, (I am uot 
positive which,) when 1 last saw her, and she was 
sound, without a blemish, and spry and active. My 
horse’s dam was thirty-six years old last spring, and 
when last heard from (last fall) was sound, fat and 
nimble, and worked every day. Bhe wr>6 by 1 Mount 
Ilolly,’ a son of a son of ‘Imported Messenger.’ 
‘ Mount Holly ’ was very old, but at what age he 
died I am not advised. 
“‘Imported Messenger’ is said to have lived to 
the age of forty-two; but for that I cannot vouch, 
not having personally kuown his age; but I have 
no reason to discredit the statement. I am un¬ 
der no mistake with regard to the ages of my 
horse’s grand dam and dam, for I obtained the 
former when two years old past, and the latter I 
raised. Whether the sire of my horse (Mambrino 
Messenger) is yet alive, 1 cannot say. He was taken 
to Tennessee at the age of seventeen, was heard 
from two years after; but I have had no news of 
him since. I hope that, if any of your readers has, 
or knows of an older horse than those above men¬ 
tioned, he will have the goodness to forward to the 
Rural a description of the same with a history and 
pedigree.” 
RURAL BRIEF-MENTIONINGS 
The receipts of the recent Agricultural Fair at St. 
Louis footed up the handsome sum of $55,000. 
A Virginia farmer says that, with sheep aud clover, he 
can make any land productive, unic?B it bus the barren¬ 
ness of the sands of Sahara. 
Some farmers commence business in the morning in 
such a hurry that night overtukes them before they have 
determined what to do first. 
Tns impression somewhat prcvulent that soft com is 
better for fattening stock than the matured portion has 
nothing in nature to support it. 
If you want an errand done speedily go yourself; but 
if indifferent about it, commission a neighbor, or send a 
boy with a ball and bat In hand. 
Working horses when in the stable are better without 
a blanket than with it. When driven hurd and left 
standing out the blanket should be used. 
Swinging a hat or screaming at a runaway horse is 
about as sensible as would be the application of dry 
straw to the flames of a burning building. 
The Btory of apples growing on grape vines in the 
Sonth has come to grief. The apples were simply 
woody excrescences growing upon the vines. 
Somebody has denominated Indian corn the great farm 
lever. 1' is centainly a useful product, but not quite so 
good for bread as wheat, to a Northern palate. 
H, W Herbert, Wisconsin, has come, to the conclu¬ 
sion that feeding salt to cows decreases the flow of milk 
ten per cent, He has stopped the salt supply. 
Among the exhibitors at the recent Agricultural Fair 
in Hampden, Mass., was Daniel Prince of Agawam, aged 
84 years. A twin brother resides fn Chesterfield. 
It is contended by some that following corn with oats 
or barley, and then with wheat, is not in auy proper 
sense a rotation, as all these belong to one family. 
In making the acquaintance of a horBe it is safer to 
commence with the manipulation of the head than the 
heels. One can dodge a lnte rnoro readily than a kick. 
When you see cattle shivering iu the comers of the 
fence during autumnal storms it should be a hint, that 
shelter is needed, being both humane and profitable. 
The Cattle Plague.—Convention. 
It is proposed to hold a delegate convent ion of as 
many Btates and the Provinces of Canada, as choose 
to take part in the movement, at Springfield, Illi¬ 
nois, on Tuesday, the first day of December ensuing. 
The design of the gathering is to consider the char¬ 
acter and history of the cattle plague and other 
diseases, infectious and contagious, to which cattle 
are subject, and to consult as to the be&t means of 
preventing disease from spreading; of treating it 
where it exists; the sanitary regulations necessary 
when cattle are iu transitu, and such other matters 
connected with the general subject as are of special 
and immediate interest to the grazing community. 
A draft of a law applicable to the subject for each of 
the States participating in the convention, is among 
the objects designed to be accomplished by it It is 
doubtless intended to have the law identical in each 
State; but it may be found a difficult matter to 
secure the uniformity desired where so many difl'er- 
eut bodies have to be consulted in the matter. 
WINGS OF BEES 
Here is something relative to the formation of 
the wings of the honey bee, which seems to have 
passed unnoticed by the bee experts of the country, 
probably I might say the world in general,—at least 
I never saw it spoken of in auy work on beeB. The 
propelling power of the honey bee consists of four 
wings, two on a side, and the peculiar construction 
of the wings are such that they can form two (one 
on a side) out of the four. Examine a cluster of 
bees, some could be seen with two broad wings, 
like those of a fly while others would have the four. 
To 60 lve the mystery, I placed a wing under a pow¬ 
erful microscope, which unfolded the mechanical 
means whereby .be four wings were made two. 
The peculiar feature consists of twenty minute 
hooks upon each oack wing, booking upward, and a 
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