buggy to the village, a distance of ten miles, with 
ali the airiness aud ambition of bis younger days. 
Tbe secret of “Jack’s” longevity and good condi¬ 
tion may have depended some on breed or blood, 
but much more, probably, on tbe kind and consid¬ 
erate treatment received during the years of active 
service. 
-- ♦ » « » -— 
Coring Poll-Evil. — James Scafield, Fairfield, 
Mi, writes: — “ I had a horse that was pronounced 
incurable of the noil-evil. As the horse doctor had 
against fraud, they are, when given by responsible 
persons, a considerable safeguard;— and knavish 
sellers usually avoid them. That is, they avoid 
those which are proper and explicit in their form. 
Unfortunately, a good many sheep growers consid¬ 
erably above the rank of greenhorns do not know 
what a proper pedigree is. We have seen buudreds 
if not thousands, taken by buyers of high priced 
sheep, which admitting their truthfulness, did not 
even establish purity of blood! Nay, vve know 
honest sellers of full blood sheep, who cannot, for 
their lives, make out a regular pedigree. 
“ What guarantee have I of the truthfuluess of a 
pedigree put iu ray hands by a Vermont slump-ped¬ 
dler?” The same you have in the case of any other 
seller. In purchasing any article, a portion of the 
not yet fully understood. C. W 
showing that it is . . 
Johnson thinks the explanation is, that it acts as a 
direct food of some plants, such as lueem, sanfoin, 
red clover, iye grass and turnips, as these content 
gypsum in sensible proportions. Liebig’s first 
opiulon was that its ofilce is to attract nitrogen or 
ammonia from the air and rain water, and fix it os a 
sulphate in the soil, and thus hold it for the use of 
plants, lie said 100 pounds of gypsum would 
yield as ranch ammonia as 6,250 pounds of horse » 
urine, and that four pounds of plaster may increase 
the clover crop 100 pounds. Now both of these 
theories may be correct as far as they go. 1 u 
since the first w ork of Liebig was published, be 
has been experimenting to determine the c, ' ec ® 
plaster upon the soil or the soil upon plaster. He 
found that a solution of gypsum in contact with 
arable soils underwent decomposition; part ol the 
lime separating from the sulphuric acid, raid mag¬ 
nesia and potash taking its place. Ana this would 
seem to show that the action of gypsum on the sod 
is to dissolve and separate magnesia and potash 
from the earth and form eulphate of magnesia and 
potash. 
Gcnsum has a complex action. Its component 
tance, it is the protective policy of the United 
States. We can see it here, but so long as we remain 
a British Province it is quite probable we shall leg¬ 
islate to please the manufacturers of the Mother 
Country, and not ourselves. Canada does not raise 
its own supply of wool or even approach it; yet we 
6ell our wool and buy our woolens. You may say 
you get hold for your wool; true, I reply, but 
greenbacks control the price of our products. We 
are selling on greenback prices, and paying our debts 
in gold. Our entire export of wool in 1807 was 
1,704,648 pounds; our imports of woolens was 
§8,662,705. We are exporting our produce to buy 
money to cancel our dBbt for goods we should man¬ 
ufacture here, and thereby increase the consump¬ 
tion of products at home. This sustaining manu¬ 
factures abroad is like a farmer selling his straw, 
hay and stock in the fall; it might do for awhile, 
but his farm would starve him in the end. The true 
policy is to import people to manufacture, but not 
manufactures. m. w. b. 
Volume XX—Improvement*. Contests, &c — Appre¬ 
ciating tbe interest, and kindness manifested by many 
who have recently written os encouraging letters con¬ 
gratulating ns on the prospective enlargement of the 
Rural, and offering valuable suggestions—we assure all 
interested that the aim is to rendi-r tbe Improvement 
of the paper as apparent as its Enlargement. While so 
retaining its style that the paper shall have a familiar 
appearance to long-time friends, we hope to greatly 
improve the quality of its Contents. To accomplish 
this desirable object, we have not only re-engaged most 
of onr present corps of Editorial and Special Contribu¬ 
tors, but seenred tbe assistance of many other able aud 
experienced writers — persona who are recognized as 
authority on the various important subjects which they 
will discuss in the ample pages of the ensuing volume, as 
will he made, manifest when their valuable contributions 
appear. 
But while the Reading Matter of the new volume wili 
be enperior, we intend that its Illustrations shall exhibit 
a corresponding improvement. To secure this several 
first class artists are already engaged in preparing sketches 
and engravings for the enlarged Rural. Our aim is not. 
pictures, but mainly to 
_-j *■ i_Buch as will prove of interest 
the great Industrial and Producing Popnla- 
■. But as 
bigbfalu- 
he cheats yon: you aie bouud closely to sift his 
statements or documents to sec- what weight they 
are entitled to intrinsically or as legal warrantys: 
you are bound to collate and weigh all the reason¬ 
able probabilities of the case. If any man twenty- 
one years of age and supposed to be competent to 
do business, buys high priced sheep of au utter 
stranger, without any voucher of that stranger’s 
character or pecuniary responsibility—taking a 
verbal story or a written statement of pedigree — 
he ought not complain if he is cheated! And he 
would be equally a fool, to go aud buy uuder equiv¬ 
alent circumstances of an untraveling seller, or even 
breeder. We have known quite as sharp aud quite 
as irresponsible rascals among sheep growers as 
among peddlars. We used to be very severe on 
“Vermont Bheep peddlers.” But they do not in 
the least differ from New York, Ohio, Michigan, 
etc., peddlers. All are “tarred with the same- 
stick.” And none of them are any worse thau 
sellers of other stock, under equal circumstances. 
Suppose gudgeons In Michigan or elsewhere, would 
buv breeding horses, cattle, <fcc., of unknown per- 
Hobses Chafing.—A n exchange, remarking on 
the chafing of the breasts of horses, Bays: — “The 
common practice of using pads or sheepskin under 
the collar is objectionable, especially in warm 
weather, because it accumulates heat and makes 
the breast tender. A better way is to take a 
piece of thick and smooth leather, cut it out just 
the size of the collar, or a little wider, and let it lie 
flat on the neck and shoulders of the horse. This 
will lie smooth on the neck, while the collar itself 
moves about, aud so it will preveut chafing. Iu ad¬ 
dition to this, let the breast of working horses be 
washed off every night with clean water.” 
to give mere fancy sketches or 
illustrate useful matters — l— 
and valne to t 
tion; and to accomplish this we have resolved to spend 
many thousand dollars during the ensuing year, 
we are neither admirers nor imitators of the “1 
tin ” style of those who devote columns and pages to the 
* ... - c- _a „ A V. A 
Gypsum has a complex action, 
parts may act as a direct food to sonic plauts, aud 
when applied to a sandy soil, which has very little 
power of absorbing and fixing ammonia from the 
air and rain water, it acts as an absorbent aud fixer 
of ammonia, and thereby enriches the soil. It is 
very easy to test the power of plaster to absorb 
ammonU, by filling a tunnel with it aud then pour¬ 
ing on manure water; let it filter through, wheu it 
will come out clear and colorless, freed entirely 
from offensive odor. Aud the plaster will also be 
free from odor. This proves that the ammonia of 
the manure water has formed a chemical union 
with the sulphuric acid of the plaster. To all 
sandy and gravelly soils gypsum is au excelleut 
If sheds are used to feed sheep in, It is always 
best to construct racks around next to the walls, so 
that the hay may he put in from the outside. They 
are easily made by driving stakes of scautling twen¬ 
ty inches from the sill, and six-feet apart; nail on 
hoards about one foot wide at the bottom, and 
others eight or ten inches above these. Cleats may 
be nailed up and down once in ten inches, if de¬ 
sired, so that each sheep may have a stall by him¬ 
self, but we do not approve of this plan if there are 
any horned sheep in the flock. 
Cut away the weather-boarding from the sill up 
eighteen or twenty Inches; put a girt on the inside 
just above the opening to stay the siding; then a 
broad board, or two cleated together, should be 
hung by leather or strap hinges on the outside. 
tributing to its pages, materially aided os in acmevmg ror 
this journal a most remarkable success. We thank each 
and all, not only for helping tbe Rural, but for the ben¬ 
efit bestowed upon tbe People and Country through their 
contributions. And we trust all who can consistently do 
so will continue: to lend the Roral and its readers the 
benefit of their experience, observation and ability to 
communicate valuable information. We especially ask 
this of those who have anything new and useful to im¬ 
part, which can be appropriately given in either depart¬ 
ment of this journal. It wifi afford ua pleasure to receive 
and publish such matters as will benefit community— 
illustrating, at our own expense, whenever necessary. 
Will not oar readers bear this reqnost in mind daring 
the leisure of winter, and “teach one another "-remem- 
bering that the Rural will convey their facts aud sug¬ 
gestions to hundreds or thousands of people throughout 
the whole country t 
This door may be raised aud the hay put in without 
disturbing the flock. 
It is a had plan to enter a shed filled with sheep 
carrying a fork full of hay; the animals are fright, 
ened, and in their rush to get out the weaker ones 
arc knocked down and trampled upon, and the less 
fearful get their fleeces filled with seed and chaff as 
the hay is passed over their baeke. 
To make racks for out-door feeding, take six 
pieces of two by three scantling, three feet long 
for uprights in the corners and centers of the 
sides; nail on boards the same as before specified, 
and make the rack about two and a half feet wide; 
hang boards in the spaces at the sides so that the 
sheep may be kept out, until the feed Is ready for 
them; this prevents the liability of their being in¬ 
jured by the pitchfork, or getting hay seed in the 
wool of their necks. Racks of this kind are porta¬ 
ble, and may be drawn upon a sled to the fields 
where stacks are to be fed out. 
There is always loss attending feeding hay upon 
the ground, so that sheep can mu over it; racks 
should always he used, hut never so constructed 
that the feed has to be pulled down .—Ohio Farmer. 
Large Hogs 
The N. H. Mirror awards a credit mark to 
D. C. Churchill of Lyme, iu that State, for a lot of 
seven hogs of an aggregate weight of 3,644 pounds. 
One weighed over GOO pounds, and the average of 
the lot was 52i pounds. 
growing, and comes to tbe conclusion that it has been 
overdone in the West. It is supposed by him that many 
will suffer from tbe present low ruling of wheat in the 
market., and that it is the dictate or wisdom to diversify 
crops more than has been the custom there for some 
years past. This counsel is to allow those who axe 
breaking np and sowing virgin soil to wheat, for the 
purpose or export, a clear field for their operations. The 
older farmers, whose farms have been closely cropped in 
grain, he thinks will find it to their advantage to turn a 
large portion of their wheat lands into grass aud other 
crops but little cultivated in that region of late years. 
Stock aud other products promise better than wheat 
while the present competition in growing it exists, 
hence a change in productiou iB a matter of imperative 
necessity if the farmers would secure a decent remunera¬ 
tion for their labors. In the light of the present declin¬ 
ing tendency in grain, aud especially of wheat, the advice 
seems well'timed aud judicious. The rapid settlement 
of the West, and the vast roach of prairie which is being 
brought under cultivation, where grain is necessarily the 
leading crop, must keep the market flash even with an 
average yield. Stock is comparativel) scarce in the same 
region, consequently the prospect to the raiser is better 
than that of exclusive wheat growing can promise for a 
series of years to come. Therefore let the older farmers 
diversify their operations, growing some of all the varied 
rann products, leaving wheat mainly to those who have 
virgin soils adapted to its habits, and rich enough to 
produce a remunerative return for the money and labor 
bestowed in their cultivation. 
Alabama State Fair. 
The first Alabame State Fair held since 1860 
commenced at Montgomery on Wednesday, Novem¬ 
ber 18th. it was numerously attended, many visitors 
from other States being present. The number ot 
articles, Ac., of stock exhibited, was far beyond ex¬ 
pectation. The fair continued for three days, and 
was looked upon as a grand success. 
Sowing Blue Grass. 
A writer in the Prairie Farmer, who has paid 
attention to the habits aud character of bine grass, 
says it should be sown in February or March, after 
a light fall of show if practicable, as this serves as 
a guide In tbe distribution of tbe seed. A bushel 
of the seed in the. chaff, or even less, will do if 
other seed is mixed with it Blue grass appears 
delicate at first, but acquires spread and vigor from 
being pastured. It does not do well as meadow, as 
the stronger grasses smother and kill it out. This 
grass is a great treat to neat stock — excellent for 
dairy sfnd beef purposes. 
Hogs in Iowa. 
The laws of Iowa devolve on the assessors ol 
the several towns and cities the duty of returning the 
number of swine in tbeir districts, over six months 
old, to the Auditor’s ofilce. This has been done for 
fifty counties, leaving seven yet to report The re¬ 
sult is 632,641 hogs against 770,412 iu the same coun¬ 
ties last year. This is a large falling ofl, and fails to 
justify the report that there is a large increase of 
hogs in the West over the crop of last year. 
not only in Michigan but elsewhere, to results 
which would be laughable, if they had not done so 
much injury to individuals, and to fine-wool hus¬ 
bandry. Mark Twain saw in Hartford, Conn., 
enough wood of the Charter Oak, made up into 
different articles, to construct some seventeen miles 
(we think it was) of plank road. A good many 
Merino breeding flocks have within the last few 
years spread out iu equally astonishing proportions. 
A Michigan farmer who called on us the other day 
estimated the “ full blood Hammond sheep" bought 
within his knowledge at some ten thousand —bought 
of course, with a very few exceptions, of other per¬ 
sons besides the Messrs. ELammond ! So it is in 
other States and with the stock? of other celebrated 
breeders. We suppose if all the ewes of those 
stocks in first or other hands, had reared fifteen 
lambs apiece, daring the great sale years, they might 
possibly have supplied a quarter of the number sold 
under their names. So much for buying irresponsi¬ 
ble pedigrees. 
EDITED BY HENRY S. RANDALL, LL. D. 
Samples.—A. W. Baker, Van Wert, Van Wert Co., 
Ohio, sends us samples of the wool of his Merino ram, 
“Crimpy,” and an average sample of wool of tegs got by 
him out of three-fourth blood ewes, asking our opinion 
of their quality, audio what kind of a ram, in respect to 
Style, fineness, Ac Jvuese tegs should be bred to bring 
up their progeny to‘the standard of first, class Amer¬ 
ican Merinos. ByBhe pedigree of the ram. as given 
by a previous owner, it appears he was got by Mr. 
Gokbt’s Hannibal out of a “Hammond ewe." 
“ Crimpy’s ” wool is superior in etyle aud qnality. and 
the tegs’ wool is very fair, considering blood. If the 
ram is as good in other respects as in tbe quality of his 
wool, no bettor one would be needed to grade up a mixed 
blood flock. But with qnality of wool there must also 
be quantity, and with the proper fleece there must be a 
proper form. Of a pedigree we never attempt to form 
any opinion at ail without knowing the maker of it. 
NATIONAL EXHIBITION OF WOOLS AND 
WOOLENS. 
Barley Imported into the United States. —The 
London Mark Lane Express of Nov. 9 states that exten¬ 
sive orders for barley for malting have been received In 
England from the United States, and that the exportation 
of that grain hitherward has beeu actually begim. The 
orders on hand from thiB country are said to be for 
80,000 bushels. As their own crop of barley was defi¬ 
cient, this, it is stated, must still further enhance its 
price there, and it is already dearer than wheat, weight 
for weight. The usual proportion in former years has 
been about two-thirds the price of wheat as the value of 
barley, but more, recently in one or two cases, as now, 
the latter has fully caught up with the formor, or even 
exceeded it. This American demand will, it is thought, 
exert its influence on the prices of other kinds of grain, 
as well as of that in immediate request. 
It is safe to assume that a large percentage of 
the horses in the United States go to the bone yard 
before half the service they are competent to per¬ 
form has been rendered. This is not owing to 
defect iu breed, but simply to carelessness in their 
management. The horse, with alL his spirit, ambi¬ 
tion and muscular power, is, in many particulars, 
among the most tender aud easily injured of farm 
stock. A disregard of this fact, or a forgetfulness 
of it, often deprives men of the nse ol animals of 
the greatest promise before they have fairly entered 
the field of labor. The plodding and ruminative ox 
will bear up under a course of severe treatment aud 
neglect which would destroy the usefulness, if not 
the life, of the horse. The former is slow and pos¬ 
sessed of much power of endurance, while the latter 
is quick of movement and brimming over with 
ambition to occupy a front position in the line of 
competition. Yet, with this power is allied a ten¬ 
derness and delicacy which cannot abide, unharmed, 
neglect or ill usage. These bring down the horse in 
the morning of his strength, rendering him hut a 
shadow of what he was before hard service and poor 
care deprived him of power aud usefulness. 
The horse cannot labor and thrive on scant food; 
must be shielded from winter storms; he regularly 
groomed, especially wheu compelled to perform 
severe and exhausting labor. Many a valuable ani¬ 
mal is ruined by being hardly driven and then left 
exposed for hours to the peltiugs of driving 6torms. 
Such exposure is unfeeling, and, we believe, rarely 
permitted by the real owners of the suffering beasts, 
but there are hundreds who obtain horses on hire 
whose debased feelings are dead to the calls ol jus- 
These crea- 
A Committee of the N. Y. Institute Club 
recently visited a number of farms on the light 
lands of New Jersey, where farmers plow from 
three to four inches deep only. Crops good, hence 
deep plowing not good. This conclusion wob very 
sharply criticised by some members, who averred 
that the question of deep or shallow plowing de¬ 
pended upon the character of the subsoil, and we 
think they are right. There is no rule applicable to 
the case under all circumstances. 
Cows Poisoned. —Some time since a man residing in 
Warwick, Orange Co., N. Y„ named Dusenbuby, turned 
his herd of eighteen cows into a field, from which corn 
had been harvested. Daring the day one of the cows 
was taken violently ill aud died in a few hours. During 
the following three days five more died under the same 
circnmstanccs as the first oue. The animal attacked 
would throw her head about in a wild manner, then start 
on a ruti and soon drop dead. The disease is charged to 
the account of ergot or smut on the corn fodder which 
the cows are supposed to have eaten. 
Tan-bark.—Preparation. 
The American Artisan states that as the tannin 
properties of bark mainly consist of the inner lining 
of the same, a great saving in transportation 
would be made by separating the inner from the 
outer coating before sending to market. “ It also 
recommends that this liber be ground to a very fine 
powder, in order that its virtues may be the bet¬ 
ter extracted; and that it be transported in barrels, 
to protect it lrom moisture, and the'better to pre¬ 
vent the oxygen of the air from acting on the tan¬ 
nin, aud thus converting it into gallic acid.” 
Pennsylvania Agricultural College —The Presi¬ 
dent of this College, Frederic W atts, has issued a cir¬ 
cular stating that the Trustees of the Institution are 
about to reorganize it with a view of making it of prac¬ 
tical value to the people of the State. As a preliminary 
to success they seek to secure the services of a Principal 
whose learning and executive ability are such as to ren¬ 
der him “ capable to preside over and govern the opera¬ 
tions ” of the Canning department. 
CANADIAN VIEW OF THE WOOL TARIFF 
Paris, Ontario, Nov, 17,1868. 
Dear Sot:—1 saw recently an article in your paper 
from Ohio, (by Mr. Jones, I think,) relating a con¬ 
versation the writer had with a Boston wool mer¬ 
chant. The discussion upon the duties of wool 
and woolen goods elicited a point, the truth of 
which is so applicable to the wool growers of Can¬ 
ada that I add a word in confirmation of the prin¬ 
ciple or tact that the duty on wool does not enhance 
the price of woolen goods in the United States. It 
was stated soon after the imposition of the high 
tariff iu the States on wool, that it produced a cor¬ 
responding depression on the price of wool iu 
South America. The statement of the Boston mer¬ 
chant that Euglish manufacturers could import over 
a high tariff now, because they bought their wool 
lower, demonstrates fairly, I think, that the pro¬ 
ducers of imported wool into the States pay the 
duty, and «o( the consumers. In corroboration of 
this point, I state that is the fact with the Canadian 
producer. Bncb has been our position Binee the 
termination of the Reciprocity Treaty. When the 
treaty was iu force we sold our wool less commis¬ 
sion and transportation; now we sell it less com¬ 
mission, transportation and duty. If your Govern¬ 
ment will remove the duty on pur wool, it would 
enhance the price of that product the amount of 
duty to the termers of Canada; hut the price would 
remain the same in the 8tates, and the. manufacturers 
there would buy it no less on account of the aboli¬ 
tion of the present tariff. We should be well 
pleased to get our product in free of duty, at the 
same time the protective policy of the United States 
RORAL BRIEF - MENTIONINGS. 
tice, whether made by man or beast, 
tures should never be allowed to control, even for a 
brief period, anything capable of feeling pain, or 
enduring suffering. 
It is not the amount of labor performed that 
renders so many horses invalids while yet youDg, 
but the want of proper attention while performing 
their allotted tasks. The labor may be hard and 
the hours of it protracted, but the horse will go 
through it with unbroken spirit ifkiudness is exer¬ 
cised towards him in connection with his toiL As 
an example; Some few years since we paid a visit 
to au old friend, noted for the number and charac¬ 
ter of his horses, when casual mention was made of 
one quite remarkable for his speed on the road and 
endurance while working on the farm. The horse 
was supposed dead long before that time,—hence 
the surprise with which we heard the response of,— 
“Old Jack is in the pasture. Would you like to 
see him?” Of course the implied invitation was 
accepted, and there, under the shade of an apple 
tree, mused “Jack,” plump as a partridge, aud with 
a hide as sleek as that of an otter. Now, this horee 
was then fully twenty-five years old, and, though 
excused from ordinary farm labor, would spin a 
good plow is far ahead of the “ scooter lor the produc¬ 
tion of crops. 
The farmers along the seaboard, where salt meadows 
abound, have an excellent fertilizing mulch in the grass 
taken from them. 
Tub annual commencement exercises of the Michigan 
Agricultural College took place Nov. 11th. The graduat¬ 
ing class numbered ten. 
They have rust proof wheat and oats down South—tbe 
former ul $4 per bushel, and the latter at $1.25. Of course 
no rust will strike wheat at this figure. 
Fertilizing cabbage ground with bone manure ia said 
to be a sure preventive' of clnb-foot, so common an ac¬ 
companiment of this desirable vegetable. 
Southern farmers sows portion of cotton seed with 
wheat When the Latter is up they top dress with the 
same, which is said to be a quick manure. 
The Rural Southerner thinks that Egyptian wheat 
grown in that region, produces more forage for stock to 
Fbe acre than any other crop. It is similar In appearance 
to sorghum. 
Carbolic acid is extracted from coal tar, a waste pro¬ 
duced in the manufacture or gas rrom coal lt iB also 
denominated carbolic alcohol, phonic acid, phonic alco¬ 
hol. It is a prominent deodorizer. 
At a recent meeting of the N. Y. Frnlt Growers’ So¬ 
ciety tbe members strayed off to the moon and ttB rnflu- 
encJ’on animal^and vegetable life; airO whether babies 
wee best weaned in the old or the new moon! 
1’iie Halifax Poultry Chronicle proposes fine shavings 
as beds for chickens troubled with Lice. The turpentine 
in the shavings does the business for the venniu. Jood 
hard wood ashes will beat the shavings out of sight. 
-*-V< . 
Vi 5 
|jjj 
