fhcep iftuslunskg. 
EDITED BY HENRY 8. RANDALL, LL. D. 
RECIPROCITY TREATIES. 
We publish, to the exclusion of much other mat- ^ 
ter the following letters on Canadian reciprocity, j 
addressed by one of the ablest men and best farmers ^ 
of Mew York to a distinguished member of Con- kg1 
-rose. The pertinency of their facts and the Bound lM 
logic of their conclusions will be appreciated by all M 
intelligent readers i tin 
Fairmount, Onondaga Co., N. Y„ Nov. 20.1868. to 
tjrxk. Sir - — Iu the accidental conversation that wc 
J you the other *, in the city of *•« „« 
York you remarked that you would read and care- aD 
fully consider any letter I might write you on the 
subject of Reciprocity Treaties with the British Tl 
I very much regret that I have not certain public ^ 
documents to refer to, and that 1 must coniine my- W| 
self to a vi rv general statement of my views. -ij 
excuse for not gathering and preserving the neces- g{ . 
sarv public documents to enable me to give exact 
figures and official statements, is that the present d 
Secretary of the Treasury fully committed himself c< 
In his annual report of IMG (1 think) against giving ^ 
the British Provinces the benefit of our markets on j. 
any more favorable terms than were given to all na- k 
tions. He fully took the ground that we must have Q , 
the duties levied by our Tariff laws —and that we T 
could not yield our markets to the untaxed pro- Q 
dnetions of the Provinces. The old treaty was ter- Q 
minated by a common concurrence ®f all parties Jr 
here, and 1 supposed the idea of Reciprocity was at t] 
least buried lor all that future in which we should e 
be paying off our debts. Resting under this im- u 
pression, I have gathered no documents or figures t 
with which to meet this question. But there really v 
Is no necessity for the production of the tables of Q 
imports and exports, &c. The merits of the case t 
are on the surface, at least sufficiently 60 to show 
that we cannot make a treaty giving our markets . 
to the Provinces without doing our producing in- ( 
terests great injury. 
I do not suppose that argument is necessary to y 
sustuin the assertion that the price of labor here is ] 
very much increased by the heavy tuxes, direct and ^ 
indirect, that the laboring man pays. I estimate 
the increased cost of labor to us because of these 
taxes, to be not Ibsb than twenty-five per cent, in t 
cold. Farmers here are paying men who board j 
themselves from $L.50 to S2.50 per day in paper 1 
money. Ten years ago we paid the same men from 
f0.87K to $1.35 per day in money that was good as j 
gold. Agricultural productions cost much labor. ( 
The owner of a farm generally works hard himself, ( 
and all that he consumes and that his family con- ( 
sume, is taxed, or enhanced in cost by taxation, | 
certainly not less than twenty-five percent, in gold. 
In addition to Indirect taxes, the State, County and , 
Town, and School and Highway taxes, aggregate . 
not less thau from to 2 per cent, on the selling 
value of his farm. I say the selliug value—the rate 
on the Assessors’ valuatiou is not less than 8% per 
cent. These heavy direct taxes will generally lust 
an average of ten years before any material diminu¬ 
tion can be looked for. The bounties paid for sol¬ 
diers have left a debt on the State, the Counties, 
and, in many cases, the Towns, Ithat must be paid, 
and most of it within ten years — thus comes the 
high rates that I have given. 1 certainly am not 
conscious of anv desire to magnify the load of tax¬ 
ation that is upon us. I prefer rather to state it in 
the smallest figures that I think truth will justify. 
If 1 have erred either way, your better judgment 
must correct the error. 
How is it possible for the producing classes to 
carry this load of taxation ? Certainly nothing but 
prices for their productions that are in proportion 
to old prices, as the cost of production has been 
enhanced. The producers of wheat, barley, Indian 
corn, wool, beef, pork, mutton, Ac., must be pro¬ 
tected from outside competition as fully as the 
manufacturers of cloth, iron, Ac. This proposition 
. appears to me to he self-evident. The lumberman’s 
case is not uulike that of the farmer, lie wants 
J protection on his lumber to enable him to bear his 
I proportion of the public burden, and tho nation 
I wants and must have the duties on Canadian lumber 
to enable it to pay Us debts. We may admit that 
the present price ol lumber is partly due to the 
duties levied on Provincial lumber, without in any 
way lessening the force Of the claim of the lumber¬ 
man of Michigan, Wisconsin, and other States, to 
his right to be equally protected with all other 
classes of producers. If you take from him his 
protection, you mu6t in justice give him free from 
duties all that he consumes of tea, coffee, sugar, 
cloth, iron, Ac., Ac., in producing and taking to 
market his commodity. Am 1 asking for the lum¬ 
berman any thing more than i6 equal justice? I 
pi,ink not, and I am a consumer and uot a producer 
of lumber. Wc must preserve the circle complete. 
We cannot break out a pari of it without destruc¬ 
tion to that part, and great resulting injury to all 
the rest. 
There can be no such thing as a Reciprocity 
Treaty with British Provinces that will not work 
.incalculable injury to our agricultural interests, 
while we continue to pay taxes as we do now, and 
that we must continue to pay for long years to come. 
Let us suppose the case of two farmers, one shall 
live in St. Lawrence Co., his farm lying along tbe 
boundary line, the other shall live on the other side 
of the line and in Canada. The two farms have the 
St. Lawrence River flowing between them, Tlu 
productions of the farm on our side must be taxed 
as I have set forth; the farm on the Canada side is- 
free from all the burdens the late war has cast npon 
us, and subject only to the local taxes of a govern¬ 
ment that dares but to put its haud lightly ou a 
people that for a generation has been almost ready 
to gravitate to us. Is it not plain that the Canada 
farmer can raise his crops at less cost thau can the 
St. Lawrence fanner? Reciprocity would give the 
owner of that aDd all other Canadian farms free 
access to our markets, without duties. During the 
existence of the treaty lately abrogated, the Prov¬ 
inces prospered greatly in the enjoyment of our 
markets free of duties, and our producers suffered 
to an equal amonnt, and that was before we had got 
oursel'.es into debt. To make a new treaty would 
at least double the value of the Canadian farm in 
the supposed case, and the St. Lawrence farmer 
? would look over the river only to see the subject of 
f( Great Britain making twenty-five or thirty per cent, 
jv 11 on the productions of his farm, while on the Re- 
g P publican side, expenses were hardly equaled by re- 
la ceipts. The St. Lawrence man might, in such a 
Tl case, be pardoned for asking which government had 
the wisest servant s. 
What is true ol‘ the ease of the St. Lawrence fiir- 
FW ( mer, is measurably true of all our farmers who pro- 
El! duce to sell in the great markets of tbe country. 
No Reciprocity Treaty can be made that does not 
sacrifice tbe producing interests of our s^de. If it wi 
did not do this the Provinces would not want it. be 
They want our markets, for the productions ol their le: 
farms and forests, mines, Ac. For this market la 
they will give us the right to catch fish in their sp 
waters and the free navigation of the lower St. 
Lawrence River, which we have proved to be worth hr 
nothing to us, and which they have proved to be bti 
worth very little to them or anybody else. st 
It has been urged that to make a treaty admitting m 
the productions of the Provinces free to our mar- st 
kets would so conciliate the Provinces that it would tt 
lead to their asking tor admission to our country, st 
It would do just the opposite thing. If we give p; 
them all the benefits of our markets without cost al 
to them, why should they desire annexation which 
would necessarily subject them to the payment of a u 
part of our national debt? Without expressing tl 
any opinion as to the policy of adding the Prov- b 
ineea to our nation, I will say that a Reciprocity ti 
Treaty is a sure way to prevent any such thing. 
In the Report of the Secretary of the Treasury b 
before referred to, it was forcibly said that a Treaty a 
was a bargain that must be kept, and in tbe chang- n 
ing state of our affairs, it was unwise to bind our- r 
selves in such manner that wc should part with our i 
power to change our policy irom time to time as c 
circumstances might require. lie said that we i 
could reach all that it was for our interests to reach f 
by legislation, and that a treaty was unnecessary, i 
Is not this so ? If we wish to cheapen in our mar- I 
kets any of the productions ol the Provinces, for < 
our own objects, not for theirs, why not alter the 
Tariff laws, and lower the duties or abolish them 
on such articles? It would appear to he for our 
own interests to allow the Colonies every facility to 
import whatever they may desire from any country 
' through and over our canals and railroads; and 
equal facilities to export their productions over our 
lines of conveyance. Every object ol this eharac- 
■ ter can be secured by wise legislation on our part, 
with the great advantage of holding this matter in 
1 our own bands, and leaving us free to alter and 
i modify as experience shall dictate. 
7 There is one more view of this matter that I feel 
s desirious of presenting for your consideration be- 
' fore closing this already long letter. 
On the 7th day of October the manufacturers of 
5 woolens at their meeting passed a resolution op- 
s posing a Reciprocity Treaty, saying “ that auy ad- 
* vantage that might accrue to the worsted manufae- 
e turerr from the free introduction of combing wools 
e under the proposed treaty, would be more than 
1 counterbalanced by checking the impulse which 
1 his already been given to the growth of combing 
r wools here.” 
1 Formerly our combing wools were principally 
3 imported from Canada, and until the abrogation of 
'• the treaty and the passage of the law protecting 
» our wool growers, there was- no inducement for 
l " our farmers to produce combing wools; but those 
'» two events, viz: the cutting ofi free trade with the 
I- provinces, and giving reasonable protection to our 
4 wool growers, at once was followed by the irnpor- 
e tation from England of some of the best Long- 
6 Wooled Bbeep that money would buy, and now 
G fiocks are being established of this kind of sheep 
’ r ag for south as Texas. Bhall we nip this branch of 
our own industry in the bud? Even tbe mannl’ao- 
I turn's of this wool say no. 
Yours, respectfully, Geo. Geddes. 
To the foregoing, in due time, I received a reply, 
- 0 f which the substance was a question that is an- 
Bwered in the following note: 
Fatbmoitnt, Dec. 1st, 1868. 
Mr Dear Sm:—Yours in reply to my letter was 
r received to-day. You ask, “ If everybody is pro- 
lt , tected in everything at the expense, Ac., of every¬ 
body, what good is there in protection ?” 
It may be answered,— The national treasury re- 
° ce ive6 the duties on everything imported into the 
country. These duties are very convenient just 
D now, and it Is supposed that the nation levies them 
II uuder a necessity that is imperative to meet its ex- 
III penses. The farmers were not the authors or pro- 
nioters of protective tariffs, and they have never 
16 asked more than to he protected against “protec- 
’ u tion,” and such burdens as internal taxes laid on 
h their productions. 
^ Whether it would be wise to adopt universal free 
13 trade 1 do not now assert or deny. I am only try- 
)n ing to show that while high tariffs arc the policy of 
er the government, that the agricultural interests are 
at entitled to equal protection with other branches of 
“ c industry. I think you agree with me in this, or 
you would uot ask the question you do — for cer- 
ir " tainly if universal and equal protection to all classes 
k° has no good thing - about it, unequal protection that 
builds up a part at the expense of tho rest, is 
118 vicious. A Reciprocity Treaty would result in 
m just this. I am, respectfully, yours, 
ll 'j Geo. Geddes. 
within the past year in the city of New York. Is 
Seating worse than starving? Is slow starvation 
less heinous than rapid starvation? And if man’s 
laws condemn such brutalities, what does the whole 
spirit of the Gospel teach us in such matters ? 
Tnink of a man well sheltered in his comfortable 
lion^e—well fed — well clothed — his granaries and 
barns filled with ample supplies of provision for his 
stock—money in the bank, perhaps —coolly deter¬ 
mining to turn out one kind of that stock to slow 
starvation amidst the storms of winter—determining 
this purely as a question ol' dollars and cents — 
starving because he foolishly judges it a little more 
profitable: and then think of this man pra'ing 
about his humanity and religion! 
Tne beasts of the earth are given to man for his 
use, but not for bis abuse. He ha6 a right to kill 
them when his actual interests require it. But he 
has no right to put them to any unnecessary tor¬ 
tures. These are not sentimental views. They are 
the teachings of every conscience which has not 
been hardened by habit, or smothered by brutality 
and avarice. The. adage ihai the merciful man is 
merciful to his beast, is true. We trust to no 
man’s mercy who is not merciful to all created in¬ 
noxious animals. He who will trample out of life 
or inflict any unnecessary pain on a poor, gentle, 
harmless, utterly dependent, and wonderfully use¬ 
ful brute like a sheep, would require nothing hut 
immunity and a very little practice, to become a 
tyrant and tiger towards his own kind. 
60 ♦ 
WINTERING BEES. 
An Apicultural Society has been formed in Mon- ^ 
treal, with the purpose of attracting attention to the ^ 
subject of bee-keeping and management. A meet¬ 
ing for discussion was held on the evening of the j 
5th of November, when Several gentlemen gave . 
their views as to the best plan of wintering bees. , 
There was a general concurrence of views as to the ^ 
propriety of having a few strong stocks rather than a , 
greater number of weak ones—the former enduring 
the severe wealker with a relatively less eonaump- 
lion of honey. Mr. IIigoins built a bee-house with 
double walls filled with charcoal, but the heat of 
the colonies was so great that they became restive 
about the first of March, necessitating an earlier 
removal to the stands than was desirable, though 
uo damage resulted to the 9tocks. 
i 
Mr. Valjqcet gave his plan as follows: —He dag 
a ditch in dry ground, about two feet deep and three 
feet wide at the top, and ns loug as the number ol 
hives required. Across this ditch he laid pieces of 
scantling, and on these he laid two ten-inch boards 
lengthwise, ou which he placed his hives close to 
each other. Each hive projected a little over tbe 
board on each side, and he also opened the super 
holes for ventilation. He then covered them with 
boards, in the form of a roof, with chimneys eveiy 
ten feet, and covered those boards with straw, bank¬ 
ing the whole up with the earth taken out of the 
ditch. The bees had wintered as well, or he thought 
better, in this way than in a cellar, and he had not 
been troubled by rats or mice; but it was thought 
that in some places the depredations of these ver- 
miu would be a greayobjection to this method. 
Mr. La leer had fclutered bees in a part of his 
cellar that was qnitdivarm, on account of proximity 
to the furnace whi< u heated his house, and they 
came out in spring in fine health. It was generally 
thought that ventilation was necessary to bees in 
winter; but in Germany they were shut up close, 
and here, he believed, they might be treated in the 
same way. The great thing to avoid in wintering 
bees was light. The least streak of light would set 
them in motion, aud they would not only consume 
more honey, but some would escape, if they could, 
and all that escaped in winter would be lost. If 
bees were kept cold, they bad to consume honey to 
o-enerate heat, which was saved when they were I 
kept, comfortably warm. A hive might be safely 
wintered out doors with a box or covering of straw 
over it; bnt it would require thirty pounds of 
honey, whereas, in a cellar that was uot too cold, 
ten pouuds would suffice. The door of the hive 
should be closed with wire gauze, and the bees 
should be disturbed as little as possible. 
Mr. Higgins said when the confinement was pro- 
■ longed there was great danger of the comb being 
destroyed by the excrements of the bees, and there¬ 
fore the hives should be allowed to stand out in this 
climate until severe frost came in December, and be 
placed out again about the end of March. 
_-♦««■» - 
THE N. Y. STATE POULTRY SOCIETY. 
Gould, Aurora, Cayuga Co. Corresponding Se.creto.ry 
Daniel E, Gavit, New York city. Treasurer -Wm. Simp¬ 
son. Jr.. West Farms, Westchester Co. Executive Com¬ 
mittee— E. A. Wendell Albany; J. T. BinckneU, West- ■ 
moreland, Oneida, Co.; John Salebury, Jr„ Nyack, 
Rockland Co.; G. ll. Leavitt, Jamaica, L. I.; E. P. How- : 
lett, Syracuse, Onondaga Co.; Dr. G. W. Little, Fort 
Edward, Washington Co.; D. P. Newell, Rochester, 
Monroe Co.; C. Bathgate, Morrisania, Westchester Oo. 
The President made an appropriate response to 
the compliment paid, in his re-election, and pledged 
his heat efforts in behalf of the interests of the So¬ 
ciety and predicting happy results from its labors. 
The Corresponding Secretary complimented Wil¬ 
liam B. Tegetmeieu as an acknowledged authority 
iu relation to poultry of all kinds; also, the Ameri¬ 
can Naturalist, Spencer F. Baird of Washington, 
D. C., and moved that both be made honorary 
members of the Society, which was concurred in 
unanimously. A resolution was also adopted con¬ 
ferring the like honor on Caleb N. Bement of 
Poughkeepsie, CoL B. P. Johnson and Luther 
Tucker of Albany, and D. D. T. Moore of Roches¬ 
ter, Orange Jcdd and Gen. S. B. Bruce of New 
York city. 
The Executive Committee resolved to hold the 
first annual exhibition in the Empire Skating Rink 
in New York city—the time to include the whole of 
the fourth week in March next. The show is open 
to all kinds of farm poultry as well as pigeons, ca¬ 
naries and other song and plumage birds, rabbits, 
etc. The premium list, now in preparation, con¬ 
tains offerings of over one hundred distinct varie¬ 
ties of poultry and about the same number of fancy 
birds. Premiums are offered for the best thesis 
on the production and management of fowls; also, 
for incubators, plans of poultry houses and farms, 
coops both for general and exhibition purposes, Ae. 
An address on the subjects embraced in the scope of 
' the operations of the Society, is being prepared for 
the annual exhibition. A charter will be applied for, 
at tbe coming session of the Legislature, but this is 
: not intended to restrict its operation to this State as 
5 it is designed to be national in its scope. All letters 
asking for information should be addressed to the 
5 Secretary, Daniel E. Gavit, post-office box No. 
1 150, New York city. 
fural $0tcs anti ^terns. 
HEAVES IN HORSES. 
MISTAKES OF SHEEP FARMERS. 
A large class ot sheep farmers have made two or 
three mistakes, and now threaten to make another. 
They had not firmness enough to go through a pinch¬ 
ing time in the wool business without becoming dis- 
c cm raged, and to a greater or lesser degr nc sacrificing 
their flocks. Sheep that would have before long 
been in good demand, and brought a remunerating 
price to those disposed to sell, have been recklessly 
crowded off at less than the value of a single fleece, 
to he killed for their pelts with less than half a year’s 
growth of wool on them. Secondly. Manythathave 
retained flocks have abandoned improvements on 
them; bred them, the past fall, to rams of inferior 
quality, or made the most irrational crosses. Third. 
Not a few farmers, we are told, in certain portions 
of the country, ure preparing to make another egre- 
giuus mistake — namely, to give their sheep au ex¬ 
cessively poor wintering, feeding them very scantily 
and compelling them in a great measure to shift for 
themselves. 
The folly of this last procedure is fully equal to 
that of either of the others; aud it is barbarous as 
i well as foolish. If sheep are worth wintering, it is 
certainly more profitable to give them a full supply 
of food, and thus preserve their lives and obtain 
their lull amount of wool and lambs next spring, 
than it is to go to half the same cost for keep and 
have half or more of the sheep perish in March — 
lose half the value of the wool aud nearly the entire 
drop of lambs. We question the moral right of any 
man thus purposely aud without actual necessity, to 
subject to slpw starvation and long protracted suf¬ 
fering any animal, and especially any domestic ani¬ 
mal. Aud what shall we say of its humanity? 
Whoever has seen a flock perishing in March, 
from starved wintering, can bear witness to tho 
utter misery of the spectacle. Human beings 
seem to suffer no more. Does the prayer, “that 
mercy I to others show that mercy show to me, ” 
include nothing in its scope hut men aud women ? 
Even civil law condemns gratuitous cruelty to do¬ 
mestic animals. Thepersonwho unmercifully beats 
his horse, for example, is liable to puuishment. 
Many persons have been punished lor that offense 
This Society held its first Annual Meeting iu 
Albany on the 10th of December, President G. H. 
Warner of New York Mills, in the chair. In the 
absence of the Secretary, J. Y. Bicknell performed 
the duties pro tempore. Owing to the inclemency of 
the weather the attendance was not as full as was 
anticipated, though quite a number ef the principal 
poultry breeders were on hand. 
The Committee appointed to revise the Constitu¬ 
tion and By-Laws, Daniel E. Gavit and William 
Simpson, Jr., made a report on the same, embracing 
six articles, which was adopted. The first relates 
to the title, which is “ The New York State Poultry 
Society.” The second defines its objects, which 
are, the increase of poultry breeding and other 
small animals, gathering information in regard to 
them, aud holding fairs,-awarding premiums and the 
publication of the transactions of the Society. The 
third relates to the conditions of membership, which 
are, approval of the Executive Committee, au initia¬ 
tion fee of two dollars per annum, and one dollar 
annual dues. Twenty dollars pays for a life mem¬ 
bership aud exempts from annual dues. The fourth 
prescribes the number of officers, their character 
and duties. These are a President, five Vice-Presi¬ 
dents, Recording and Corresponding Secret', ries, 
Treasurer and Executive Committee,—the latter 
consisting of the officers and eight lay members,— 
each holding office for one year or till successors are 
appointed. Vacancies tilled by the Executive Board. 
The 5th defines the time of the regular meetings 
of the Society,—four in each year, viz,, second Tues¬ 
day in December, March, June and September,—the 
first to be designated tbe Annual Meeting for the 
election of officers, receiving reports of Committees 
and the like. The sixth makes a two-thirds vote of 
all the members present at a regular meeting neces¬ 
sary to approve of tbe Constitution and By-Laws, 
or to repeal or amend the same, which can only be 
done by a like vote —due notice of the intended 
action being given at a previous meeting. After 
adopting the foregoing an election of officers tor 
the ensufog year, took place, resulting as follows: 
President— G. H. Warner, N. Y. Mills, Oneida Co. 
yicc Prtsidents-'&obert Ellis, Schenectady; L. F. Allen, 
Black Rock, Erie Co,; Wm. L Ely, Binghamton, Broome 
Co.; Samuel T. Taber, Glen Cove, Queens Co.; T. B. 
Kingsland, New York city. Recording Secretary— Thos. 
In the “Modem Horse Doctor,” by Dadd, the , 
direct causes of heaves, or broken-wind, Bre im- i 
puted to over-exertion and indigestion. If the gen- ; 
eral health of tbe animal can be improved, a mitiga- < 
tion of the particular ailment will result, and, ' 
possibly, lu some cases, a cure. Tbe first point to 1 
be obtained is a restoration of tbe digestive func- ' 
tions, and for this purpose aromatic tonics are given, 
professionally denominated “ tincture of aromatic , 
sulphuric acid,” one drachm, in a pint ot water, 
night and morning. At the same time the horse is 
subjected to a course of alterative medicine-, com¬ 
pounded of powdered ginger, gentian, sulphur, salt, 
cream of tartar, charcoal, licorice, eleeampaine, cara- . 
way seeds and balm of Gilead buds, chopped fine- 
equal parts of each. Mix with the food one ounce 
of this compound every night. While under the 
influence of this preparation severe exercise or hard 
aud protracted labor should be avoided; but this 
does not necessarily imply total inaction. As im¬ 
provement in condition manifests itself, the aro¬ 
matic tincture may he given more sparingly and 
soon be omitted entirely, and the alterative medicine 
be diminished half, restricting it to half an ounce, 
night and morning. Water from a bucket regularly 
three times each day, and if a gormandizer of food, 
muzzle the animal, except at regular feeding times. 
A slight infusion of garlic into the food, chopped 
fine, daily, is reputed to produce paying results. 
An entire cure of a fully pronounced case of heaves 
is not readily accomplished by any mode of treat- 
ment,—if, indeed, such a case be curable at all. 
--- 
CORN AND HOGS. 
The Asheville, N. C., News administers a sharp 
rebuke to the farmers ol North Carolina for their 
mismanagement in their farming operations. It 
charges them with going to Tennessee and Ken¬ 
tucky for their pork, aud'paying ten cents a pound 
gross for it, and footing the bill by selling corn at 
fifty cents a bushel — at least fifteen cents less than 
it costs to raise it. This is pronounced a suicidal 
policy, one which has prevailed 60 long that the 
country is becoming rapidly impoverished by it 
These farmers are urged to turn over a new leaf— 
to discard the spike-nosed native breed of hogs, 
and to import Chester Whites, and thus inaugurate 
a new era in corn raising and making pork. By 
producing their own hogs and fattening them they 
will save the cost of importing their pork and ex¬ 
porting their corn iu payment; produce a consider¬ 
able quantity of valuable fertilizing material for the 
renovation of their exhausted lands, aud gain nearly 
one hundred per cent, in selling their surplus pork, 
instead of corn, as they have been in the habit of 
doing for a series of years. The recommendations 
of the News are sound, timely, aud must be adopted 
before the farmers, upon whom they are urged, can 
make their labors remunerative. 
The Weather. &c.— In Western New York winter be¬ 
gun with unusual severity. The second week was 
marked by a heavy full of show, and high wmds, which 
piled it in heaps, obstructing railroads and common high¬ 
ways. The weather was less severe both east and west. 
Freight accumulated at Buffalo and Rochester, and live 
stock suffered considerably by detention. Farmers are 
not fully prepared for winter, and considerable com stands 
unhusked in the fields, and many odd jobs are not com¬ 
pleted. Of all the months of the year December seems 
the shortest to the farmer; unless his work is systema¬ 
tized and well In hand, he can do little besides giving the 
necessary care to Btock. But tnat should not be allowed 
to suffer tbroueh want of shelter or food. Often tbe ques¬ 
tion or profit with a farmer in wintering stock is decided 
by tbe amonnt of shelter he gives the animals. “ Let us 
have shelter,’' ought to be the watchword of every North¬ 
ern farmer. 
-♦♦♦- 
Trial of Plows—Report.— We have received from 
the Secretary of the New York State Agricultural Socie¬ 
ty. B. P. -Johnson, Esq., a copy of the report of the com¬ 
mittee appointed by tbe State Society to superintend a 
trial of plows which took place at Utica, commencing on 
the 8tb of September, 1867. This report is comprised in 
a volume of nearly three hundred pages, neatly printed 
and elaborately illustrated in the beet style of modem 
art, These illustrations commence with the plow in its 
earliest inception, when the fork of a tree was made to 
perform tho work of turning up the soil, following it 
down through all its mutations to its present perfected 
Etatc. In giving the history of the plow in tho United 
States, tbe committee say that one of the curliest labor¬ 
ers in tbe field of improvement was Thomas Jefferson, 
who, in a communication to tbe French Institute, at¬ 
tempted to solve the mathematical problem of the true 
surface of the mould-board, and to lay down intelligible 
rules for its formation for the first time. 
The report Is very appropriately prefaced with a chap¬ 
ter on the value of the plow as a means of stirring and 
preparing the soli for the reception of seed, and its sub¬ 
sequent germination and growth. 
Taking New York as a basts of calculation, the com- 
’ mittec make the tillable land in the United States 
80,000,000 of acres. Assuming that every plow turns 
5 over fifty acres annually. It will require 1,000,000 plow's to 
• accomplish the work; and if a plow lasts, ou an average, 
eight years, it will take 187,500 new plows every year to 
supply the demands of onr country, without counting the 
large number exported. The number of plow manufac¬ 
tories in the United States is 423, and the value or plows 
made annually about $3,000,000. It is estimated that the 
' plowing of land requires the labor of one million of 
- teams, of either oxen or horses, for eighty days in the 
- year, and that, counting in the labor of the men required 
- to manage the teams, the cost of both annually is fully 
$20,000,000. It is also assumed that if the plow having 
’ the least draft were brought Into use. to the exclusion of 
all ot hers, it would reduce the cost of plowing forty-two 
percent, or $8,400,000 unmially in the United States alone. 
1 There arc various matters embodied in this report of 
c gTeat interest, aside from thoHC binled at, which will be 
• alluded to hereafter. 
CARE OF CALVES IN WINTER. 
A few days since we called on a friend who had 
just brought his stock to the barn-yard in conse¬ 
quence of a storm. There were cows, oxen, calves, 
slice? aud colts, but the last two were soon 
given separate quarters, and, as was supposed, 
the quietude of the family assured. But this was 
not the case. The ox had a grudge against the 
calf, and would toss one up whenever au opportu¬ 
nity offered. Fleeing to the protection of the 
mother was no improvement, as she, too, showed 
horns iustead of affection aud protection—ignoring 
by her acts all relationship with her abused proge¬ 
ny. It was evident from this that calves in autumn 
and winter need a separate range, where they can 
he cared for and be safe from the assaults ot grown 
up stock. This extra care will be amply repaid by 
the more rapid development resulting from it. 
The separation is a humane one, and should not be 
neglected by any stock grower who aims to make 
his business a paying one. 
___ ««•»-■ - 
Galls on Horses.— Owing to defects in collars 
aud saddles, or a lack of seasonable attention in wtt 
weather, the hacks, breasts and shoulders of horses 
become badly galled. It is cruel ta work them, in 
this condition, but in many cases it can hardly he 
avoided, especially on the canal. In such cases the 
wounds should be thoroughly spunged daily with 
strong soap suds followed by a solution ot saltpetre 
aud spirits of turpentine. Put one quarter of a 
pound of the former and a pint of the latter into 
a bottle and shake them well together and apply to 
the wounds with fi feather two or three times each 
day, or oftener if circumstances will permit, till the 
healing process commences, when the application 
may be discontinued. 
Potato Items.— The editor of the Northwestern Far¬ 
mer has been prospecting about in New England, and 
jotting down his experiences during the trip. While 
on the route from Troy to Rutland, the potato question 
came up and the merits of the compering varieties can¬ 
vassed. Among others, No. 4, the successor of the Early 
Rose, was mentioned, and praised as being the earliest 
potato known. It was asked how much earlierNo. 4 was 
thau the Rose, and the reply was, 1 * Fully fifteen minutes!” 
Potatoes Coming Up— There is to be an exhibition of 
potatoes at the State nouse, Augusta, Me., In January 
next, under the auspices of the Board ol' Agriculture, 
when an effort will be made to amend the nomenclature 
of this important form crop. As the matter now stands, 
it is ofp'o impossible to tell the character of a potato 
from tbe name assigned it, as it may have one in Maine 
and a different, one in the neighboring State. Success to 
the potato convention. 
Potatoes Inside and Out .—Tbe Maine Farmer notices 
as a curiosity in its way a potato of last year’s growth, 
on the surface of whieh several small new potatoes ap¬ 
peared, the body of the old one remaining fresh and 
green. On cuttiug the potato in two. a number of per¬ 
fectly formed tubers were found m the interior, appa¬ 
rently awaiting their turn to get out. 
Another Potato. — The editor of the Hartford Times 
has been made the recipient of a sample of “The Wor¬ 
cester Seedling Potato,” resembling somewhat the Dover 
in its prime—being qnite as white and mealy when 
boiled. The originator thinks it superior to any other 
variety 1 __ 
The Next State Fair.— The members of the New 
York State Agricultural Society, through their journal, 
call attention to the State fralr for 1869. Towns and 
cities possessing the means, or able and willing to fur¬ 
nish them, to accommodate visitors to the Fair, are in¬ 
vited to make application to the Society sufficiently early 
to be submitted to the Board at Its annual meeting on 
the 10th of February. An inclosed space of at least 
thirty acres, with buildings, Eheds and stalls suitable for 
feeding and sheltering stock; hotel accommodations for 
visitors aud accessible by railroads; the ability to raise 
at-least $1,200 for the payment of the services of clerks. 
Superintendent and police, will be regarded as essential 
to a favorable consideration of any proposition for lo¬ 
cating tbe Fair. It is not designed to put the matter up 
at auction, bat to get propositions from several points 
that such a selection may be made as will afford accom¬ 
modation to the public and defray the expenses of the 
exhibition. The question is opened thus early for the 
purpose of avoiding the hurry and confusion attendant 
on a later determination of the question of location. 
--- 
Missouri Board of Agriculture —This body held its 
annual meeting at Bt. Louis on the 2d iust. The mem¬ 
bers present were Messrs. Mudd, Essex, Lear, Smith, 
Culman, Harris and Dyer The report of the Treasurer 
was submitted, showing tbe receipts of tbe year to ex- 
1 cC®d the expenditures by about $1,209. More energetic 
• action for the future, in reference to matters foiling with¬ 
in the scope of official action, was urged by several 
members, it was also resolved to ask a continuance of 
the Legislative appropriation for the Entomological de- 
1 partment,-under the charge or 0. V. Riley, E B q., whose 
5 labors for the past year were highly commended. Vacan- 
5 ciea in the Board were filled, and the question of locating 
‘ an d initiating the Agricultural College informally tlis- 
• cussed. _ 
Stock in Canada.— The Cauada Farmer notes the sale 
ol' some fine stock by John Snell of Edmanton. 
Short-Horn bulls sold for $90 to $147; cows, best, $150, 
semi - yearlings, extreme, $159; Leicester ewes, $18; 
lambs, $8; Cotsw'Jd ewes, highest. $26; do lambs, 
$23 50; do rams, $20 to $60; South-Down ewes, only $5; 
rams, $8 to $24-gold prices. Amount of sales, $3,264. 
---■» ♦ « « »--- 
RURAL BRIEF - MENTIONINGS. 
Tns. Rural Southerner charges tbe decrease in the 
wheat yield in the old States to a lack of efforts to keep 
them up as wheat growing ones. The remedy for the de¬ 
crease is found in a scientific rotation of crops. 
Thos. J. Crawder, Springfield. Ill., proposes, through 
the Prairie Farmer, a swine breeders convention ou tnc 
first Tuesday oi January ensuing, for the promotion oi 
the interests of that department of agriculture. 
W W. Cheneky, Belmont, Mass., has inaugurated au¬ 
tumnal sales of choice stock, of whieh he , a , ni ' te,i 
breeder. A sale took place Nov. 12 tb, attended by four 
hundred persons. Tbe prices obtained were not as lib¬ 
eral ae w as expected. t . 
M A Holt writes tho WibcoubIu Farmer that he 
sowed two quarts of white oats, sent^ him by ffie‘ 
of tho American Stock Journal, aud got a Jiciu equal to 
100 bushels to thu acre, aud weighing at the rate of 4r» 
pounds to the bushel. 
TqeN E. Farmer notes tbe reception of a communi¬ 
cation on hots in horses. They are. part aud parcel of 
♦hi horse— “one of his natural organs, and designed to 
grind aud prepaid his food. Each horse and colt has 500 
bots—no more and no less 1 
