MOOmi'S BUBAL 
fomsiE, 
ittsbanbrj). 
H. 8. RANDALL, t.h. D., EDITOR, 
Of Cogtla.M) Village, Cortlam' Ooiimv, New Vork. 
WGOLGROWERS’ ASSOCIATION. 
It will be observed that the annual meet¬ 
ing of the Now Vork State Wool Growers’ 
Association is called at Syracuse, January 
2?th. There are weighty reasons why the 
representative wen and real friends of the wool 
growing interest—whether they keep many 
sheep or few, or even none at all —should be 
present on that occasion. It is on important 
juncture in our affairs. We need to take 
counsel together on the situation generally. 
We need to discuss and settle a united plan 
of action concerning several special subjects 
—such as preserving the present wool duties 
intact—reciprocity with Canada—the joint 
National Exposition which we nr® invited 
to take part in by t he Manufacturers and by 
the American Institute—the holding of a 
State Fair next spring, &c., &c. 
The wool growing interest of the whole 
country has been passing through a long, 
dark night of depression. Tim morning of a 
more auspicious period has at length dawned. 
All now looks well in the future. But to se¬ 
cure, the promised prosperity and especially 
to give, it permanency, wonuist do our duty'. 
We mnst, hold firmly on to that just and 
reasonable, protective, legislation for the 
proper effects of which we have waited and 
suffered so long. "We must foster improve¬ 
ment, as we have done in the past, by our 
Fairs, Expositions, and every other attaina¬ 
ble mode of exciting emulation and progress. 
We must keep the importance of our indus¬ 
try before the public mind. 
We can do neither of these things effect¬ 
ively without organization. Our Wool 
Growers’ Associat ions have been a power in 
the land. Congress has deferred to them 
on the important legislative questions per¬ 
taining to wool protection. The wool tariff, 
not, only in its provisions, hut in its language, 
was adopted on the recommendation of 
their representatives. The powerful dealers’ 
combinations which attempted to dictate the 
terms to them that those combinations bad 
previously dictated to the scattered individu¬ 
al growers—one-third shrinkage rules and 
other like nuisances—found them nil readily 
and easily smashed by the combined action 
of the Associations. And who has not real¬ 
ized their influence in the improvement, of 
sheep and the modes of their management,? 
Without our Wool Growers’ Associations 
—sunk back into the ancient, slough of mere 
individual action, or rather inaction—how 
long would it be before protective legislation 
would again be at the sport of every vv ind of 
Congressional management or caprice ? 1 low 
could we effectively resist the aggressions of 
hostile combinations ? When would we 
come together to compare our stock or our 
opinion®—to take counsel concerning the 
common weal—to enjoy the delightful and 
useful reunion of friends embarked in the 
same internet? 
The mere meeting of our representative 
men on the 27t.h of January, will infuse con¬ 
fidence into each other, and do much to ar¬ 
rest the miserable panic of the faint-hearted 
brethren who continue to flee, mad with 
fear, when our trumpets are sounding victo¬ 
ry, and when all danger has passed if we re¬ 
main firm and united. It. will give assur¬ 
ance both to friends and foes of the. cent inu¬ 
ance of our organization, of its solidity, of its 
permanency and effectiveness. The failure 
to have such a meeting, the mere assembling 
of a dozen or two of persons from the vicini¬ 
ty, will at a moment like this, produce a 
most chilling if not disastrous effect. It, will 
go to show that our organization has no real 
vitality—that it, is but a rope of sand; and 
it will afford another had proof of the often- 
repeated assertion that the farmers of our 
country cannot be kept united for any length 
of time in any common effort for mutual im¬ 
provement, or self defence, and that for this 
reason it is safe for politicians, wool dealers, 
and all other men who have adverse wishes 
or interests, to laugh to scorn our occasional 
united effort® or menaces. 
We trust that the true friends of the wool 
growing interest will make a manly rally on 
the 27th. Let no common engagments, bad 
weather, or other ordinary causes keep any 
such persons away. Let. every such man re¬ 
member that his presence will bring aid to 
the eause—that his absence, excepl from ab¬ 
solute necessity, will have all the force of an 
expression of bis willingness to abandon and 
surrender the cause. 
Wid 
\ IIVO 'Otn’KI) COTSWOLD HSPWKS. 
BUEJJ BY ROBERT GAU.VE, AINSWORTH, NOHTHLEACU. IMPORTED BY AND PROPERTY OF BUKDETT LOOMIS, WINDSOR LOCKS, CONN. 
DUTY ON “CANADA PICKINGS.” 
We learn from an entirely trustworthy 
source that it is the present intention of cer¬ 
tain interested parties to make a quiet at¬ 
tempt to induce Congress, the present winter, 
to allow “Canada pickings,” which now 
pay ten cents and ten per cent, duty per 
pound, to be introduced into our ports at the 
rates of carpet wools; that is, at three cents 
or six cents per pound. Although conco- 
dedly of “English blood,” it is contended 
that they have not sufficient staple for comb¬ 
ing, and that they are better adapted to car¬ 
pet n iai i ufacture than any other. The fricn da 
of the measure apparently expect to convince 
Congress that they are of “like character” 
to “Doi^koi, native South American, Cor¬ 
dova, Valparaiso or native Smyrna” wools— 
an assumption which is untrue in itself, and 
which never has been acted on as true, either 
in the Custom Houses or in the trade. Or 
do they propose to claim that all wools 
which are of inferior value for carding or 
combing, shall go Into the carpet class if the 
appraiser is satisfied they can he most profit¬ 
ably employed in carpet manufacture? 
On either ground, the proposed measure 
would destroy the principle of classification 
established in the tariff. On the latter 
ground, it, would open the door to the 
grossest frauds. The carpet class would 
soon swallow up all but Merino and Eng¬ 
lish wools of nearly pure blood. Our lower 
grades of domestic wool would be robbed of 
about all .the substantial protection they now 
receive. 
This measure, at first view so unimpor¬ 
tant—because it ostensibly pertains to a com¬ 
paratively small and low description of 
wool—U but the entering wedge for further 
attempts. Despairing of attacking the tariff 
as a whole, at, present, this is the first of a 
series of attempts to undermine its sound and 
effective principle of classification, and break 
down its provisions in detail—one at. a tinu 
We sincerely hope that, the ngrirultural press, 
friendly to the Interests of wool growers 
will promptly expose and denounce this in¬ 
sidious effort. And we trust that our friends 
in every Congressional district will see that 
their Congressional representatives are put 
on their guard against It. It promptly met, 
the scheme will be defeated, if indeed it it 
not abandoned without, a struggle. 
-- 
MR. LOOMIS’ COTSWOLD FLOCK. 
We are furnished with the following par¬ 
ticulars of the Cotswokl flock of Burdett 
Loomis of Windsor Locks, Conn. lie owns 
225 pure bloods, viz: 150 breeding ewes, 50 
ewe tegs, and 25 rains and ram tegs. Thu 
foundation of the flock was fourteen ewes, 
bred by Mr. Hitcukock, from five ewes he 
imported from the flock of Georoe Fletch¬ 
er, England, and got by his celebrated ram 
“Cedric,” bred T>y Wm, Gabne of Alda- 
worth, England. In 1805 Mr. Loomis im¬ 
ported the ram “Ills Royal Highness,” and 
five ewes from the celebrated flock of 
Robert Gakne, claimed to be the. oldest 
flock of pure Oetswolds in England. He 
obtained the same year five ewes from Wm. 
Hewer of Northleach, England. In 1866 
he bought more ewes from Mr. Gakne. Tn 
1867 he went to England himself and select¬ 
ed twenty ewes, and purchased at Mr. 
Gahne’s sale the ram “Emperor 2d,” for 
which lie paid 130 guineas. He bought, at 
the same time two other rams of different 
strains of blood. One of them, “ Senator,” 
promises to be a superior stock ram. His 
get as well as that, of Emperor 2d are thought 
by Mr. Loomis to be very superior. Mr. L. 
has received, in 1808, some fine animals, both 
rams and ewes, from the flocks of Robert 
Garnk and Robert Lane, being the first 
selection from their lots of yearlings. Mr. 
Loomis raised about 120 per cent, of lambs 
last year, lie hud 110 ewes and ewe lambs 
that sheared an average of eleven pounds 
unwashed wool per head. 
Mr. Loomis’ mode of feeding breeding 
ewes in winter is to give them all the good 
hay they want, with a few roots if he has 
them; also a pail of wheat bran each with a 
few I leans or uats, up to the time of lambing. 
After lambing he increases the feed and 
gives them an abundant supply ; as they are 
lose too much condition. And this feed is 
kept, up until they are got well on grass. 
In the summer Mr. Loomis gives his ewes 
nothing besides their pasturage, until just, 
before he couples them with the ram. They 
then receive some com, as he thinks they 
take the ram better for it, and go to their hay 
feed stronger and better. 
The lambs are weaned in July and receive 
oats for a few weeks, and after that., if the 
grass is good, nothing besides until about the 
first of October. They then receive a little 
grain, and this is kept up with roots and 
good hay through the winter, and until they 
get good grass feed in the spring. 
The sheep are, not, housed at all in the 
summer, but In the fall are driven in during 
cold storms. [Thu fact is not stated, but we 
take it for granted they arc housed in win¬ 
ter. | Mr. Loomis finds a demand for all 
the rams he has to sell, at, good prices. 
jusbaithru. 
X. A. WILLARD, EDITOR, 
Of Little Fall*. lUnittuau Cvvgrv, Nuw Yoiik. 
THE PRODUCTION OF MILK, 
Audits Value in Dairy Manufacture Exper¬ 
iments In HoitiiiK (’own, &c. 
good milkers and he does not wish them to 
The production of milk upon lands in the 
vicinity of large towns or villages Is often 
made vury remunerative. Good, fresh milk, 
when putin market, will generally command 
it belter price per quart or gallon, than could 
he realized from it, if turned into butter or 
cheese. To estimate the value of milk when 
manufactured into dairy products, we must, 
know the quantity that, can he ordinarily 
made from a given measure of milk. Then 
the market price of cheese and butter will 
enable us to determine very nearly the value 
of the given measure of milk. Thus, for 
instance, hi milk of average fair quality, the 
season through, from March to November, it 
takes about fourteen quarts t.o make three 
pounds of cheese cured, or fit for market. 
If delivered at a butter factory, that quantity 
of milk should make a pound of butter and 
two pounds of skim-cheese. In the first in¬ 
stance— if cheese is wort h sixteen cents per 
pound—the fourteen quarts of milk, when 
converted into cheese, bring forty-eight 
cents: and in a similar way, by knowing the 
price of butter and skim-cheese, are we en¬ 
abled to estimate its value under this process 
of manufacture. Then there is to be, added 
the value of the whey, so that we gel a basis 
by which every farmer can tell pretty nearly 
what, his milk is worth to be manufactured 
into dairy products, and thus whether he is 
making or losing by selling it to the milk- 
dealers. 
But the question which we had proposed is 
not so much the comparative values of milk 
when sold by the quart, or when made into 
cheese, as the mannerofits production upon 
different farms, and more especially when the 
system of soiling I he cows is adopted. Where 
land is located near towns, and has on this 
account an enhanced value, we have no doubt 
that cattle can often he, kept more advan¬ 
tageously by soiling them, under the usual 
course of management. 
It is the universal testimony of those who 
have experience in soiling cows that they 
are more healthy, ami subject to fewer acci¬ 
dents, than when allowed to roam at large 
and take their food from pastures. And, in 
addition, it, is claimed that I lie average yield 
of milk is greater from soiling. I f this be so, 
it doubtless results from the regularity of 
feeding under the soiling system, together 
with the less expenditure of animal force, or 
labor in obtaining the food. 
When cows are at pasture they are, of 
necessity, compelled to travel over consider¬ 
able distances in quest of food, and the daily 
journey to and from the stable, where they 
are to be milked, is often quite laborious, and 
must, to some extent, influence the. yield of 
milk. All exercise, beyond what is required 
for health, operates pic judicially upon the 
secretion of milk. The waste of the system 
from labor must be repaired either by extra 
food, or at the expense of the milk. For we 
find from our own experiments with milch 
stock that their extra travel cannot always 
he counterbalanced by extra food. In other 
words, feed will not keep up a Ml supply of 
milk from a cow that is required to exercise 
beyond certain limits. There is good reason 
then to believe that cows hurried and over¬ 
driven, as they Often are, from the past ure to 
the stable, together with variation in feeding 
and tile supply of pasturage, will average a 
less yield of milk than by soiling, since under 
the latter system everything is conducted 
with regularity. 
Without attempting to enumerate the many 
advantages of soiling, or to discuss this branch 
of the question further, wo may simply refer 
to results obtained from the. system practiced 
by Wm. Birme of Springfield, Mass., ns gath¬ 
ered from him during our recent visit, to his 
residence. Air. Biiinie is a member of the 
Massachusetts Statu Board of Agriculture, 
and is quite well known as a successful 
breeder of thorough-bred Ayrshirca. He has 
a dairy of t wenty cows which are kept, upon 
fifty acres of land in the immediate vicinity 
of Springfield the milk going to milk- 
dealers for consumption in the city. 
Upon this farm the practice of soiling has 
been adopted for t he past, ten years, and the 
results have been eminently satisfactory. < hit 
of the fitly acres there are ten acres which 
make, up a rough, broken pasture, upon which 
the cows are allowed to feed daily, and take 
their necessary exercise. In addition to the 
ten m res of rough pasture land, seven and 
one-luilf acres are employed in crops for soil¬ 
ing, as follows Rye, one and one half acres; 
clover, two acres; sowed corn, four acres, 
lie commences cutting and feeding the rye 
about the first, of June, and by the time that 
is fed off the clover is ready. The clover is 
cut over three t imes during the season. For 
ten days, while the hay is being harvested, 
the cows are, fed from the meadows. Then 
cornea the sowed corn, which, with the after- 
feed from the meadows, finishes out the 
remainder of t he season. 
As soon as the. rye is cut and fed, the 
ground is immediately plowed and prepared 
for cabbage, and from this crop a consider¬ 
able profit is realized, the sound, hard heads 
being sold, while the loose leaves and soft 
cabbage are fed to the cows on mornings 
during frosty weather in the fall, when grass 
begins to depreciate. Usually the plowed 
land has a four years’ rotation, being then 
seeded in connection with nu oat crop, and 
with the following proportion of seeds to the 
acre, viz.: —Clover and herds grass, a peek 
each; and red top, one bushel. 
Nowhere are seventeen and one-half acres, 
five and a half of which only are under the 
plow, that, give un abundance of food during 
tlw.*. pasturing season for twenty cows. Under 
the system of pasturage alone it would take 
at, least, forty acres to carry the cows through 
the mime period; and on many farms fifty 
acres would not suffice. 
it, maybe remarked that the rough, broken 
land of ten acres is of a poor character of 
soil, and does not afford a large amount, of 
food, so that proper allowances should be 
made on this account. 
The. labor of feeding, it is true, will amount 
to something; but this is partly, and perhaps 
wholly, paid back in the greater quantity of 
milk yielded, the better health of stock and 
the sowing of manures; this last being an 
important item. Where lands are cheap we 
cannot expect the system, of green-soiling 
to pay, but where they are valuablo and 
scarce, the plan adopted by Air. Biunie is 
suggestive, and will 1)9 found remunerative, 
if properly conducted. 
(•rowing Mangolds fov Milch Stock. 
Air. Birnie feeds largely of roots during 
the winter, of turnips and mangolds, each 
animal getting about one-half bushel per 
day. The turnips are fed during the early 
part of the winter and the mangolds later, 
lb- gave us a statement of a crop of man¬ 
golds grown on two and one-half acres. The 
land had been prepared with the design of 
raising tobacco, but it. was thought, best to 
put it to mangolds. Thirteen cords of well 
rotted stable manure were hauled on and 
the land plowed the 26th of A pril and again 
on the 7th of May, The ridges were mado 
two feet apart and 1,500 pounds of hones 
dissolved or broken down in sulphuric acid, 
together with sixteen bushels coarse salt, 
were used as special fertilizers. Then, about 
the 10th of May, seed of the long red variety 
was drilled in at the rate of six pounds per 
acre. On the 3d of June the plants were 
hoed the first time, and seven days after 
they were cultivated with the horse hoc, fol¬ 
lowed by hand hoeing, t hinned by drawing a 
hoe through, and the blank spaces filled by 
transplanting, in tho first week of July the 
horse hoe was again run through the rows, 
and the plants thinned out from eight to 
twelve inches apart -one. plant in a place. 
On the Kith of July the horse Imo was again 
used, which was the last cultivation em¬ 
ployed, as the plants now generally covered 
the ground; but wherever vacancies oc¬ 
curred they were filled with cabbage. 
On the 15til of September the leaves w-ro 
stripped to feed the cows and eighteen 
horse wagon loads were taken from the 
piece before harvesting. At the lime of 
harvesting twelve loads more of leaves were 
gathered and fed to the cows. He com¬ 
menced to gather tho crop on the 9th of Oc¬ 
tober, finishing on the 23d, and hnrveste 
seventy-six loads of roots, each load weigh¬ 
ing 2,500 pounds—the whole crop amount¬ 
ing to 3,165 bushels, besides four hundred 
heads of sound cabbage. 
The expense of this crop was estimated as 
follows: 
13 cords stable manure at $U per cord.. .$78 011 
pounds vltriollsed bonos . is 75 
jit bushels salt.. 3 20 
Total for manures.$99 95 
The labor employed was as follows:—Men 
and teams five days in plowing; men’s labor 
t welve days planting; twenty-five days’ work 
cultivating in June; eleven days’ work cul¬ 
tivating in August; twenty seven and a half 
days’ work cultivating in October, harvest¬ 
ing; ten days, man uml team, hauling and 
storing roots in the collar, &c. 
As the price of labor varies at different 
seasons and in different places, wo have 
thought it not worth while to set any special 
value upon it, but lot each one figure the 
cost of luhor to suit himself. 
The manures, it its evident, should not he 
wholly charged against the crop as their in- 
tluenee extends over and benefits the land 
for other crops. The yield was a remark¬ 
ably good one, and shows what can he done 
by thorough cultivation. 
-- 
The Cheese Market.—There is very little 
Cheese now at Little Fulls on market days. 
Among farm dairies there a re a lew cheeses, Into 
ends, not sufficiently cured for market, and somo 
of tho factories also have small quantities of 
their lust. make. The prices in the country at 
this writing (last week in December) uro nomi¬ 
nal. Huy err. are picking lip small lots, on tho 
best terms they cun purchase say of farm 
dail ies, from ltlc. to lhc. Home of tho factories 
refuse to take less thun SOo. for their Into /aids, 
and some have gold at 41 . less price. 
Our advices from Europe are (hut the price of 
| cheese Is advancing', and that, there is more in¬ 
quiry, uml Ins lor sales for medium and inferior 
qualities. The prospect Is that flue grades during 
the next .fifty days will emu round a high figure 
on this side, since it is evident, our stock is small 
compared with lust year. We give estimates of 
American stocks first week in December for the 
two years, so they maybe readily compared: 
Tn New York. 
Cite.-*! 
1867. 
Churn Boxes. 
1868. 
180,000 
in Country. 
.313,090 
50, (KM) 
In Boston. 
. 50,000 
35,01)0 
In Philadelphia. .. 
......... 65,((H) 
85,000 
In Haiti more. 
. 45,(8 M * 
15,000 
In jobbers’ hands. 
.100,000 
25,000 
Total. 
.802,000 
310,000 
These estimates uro handed to us by parties 
who have kept a very close watch of stocks of 
cheese on hand. Tho estimates for 1808 corre¬ 
spond witli our own and with Others pretty nearly 
and are probably very nearly correct, while the 
stocks of 1887 in New York and the country are 
put considerably larger than our figures. Tho 
exports from December to April, inclusive, In 
1887-08, were more than 230,900 boxes - equal to 
on 1 w hole stock t ills year in the city and cou utry. 
With the very short crop of cheese this season 
in England, and the comparative small stocks in 
our own cities, it Is easy to see there must be a 
good demand for aJI we have. 
-- 
The American Dairymen's Convention, at 
TJtica, January 13 and 14, promises to bo of in¬ 
terest. The opening address of Ex-Governor 
Seymour, President of tho Association,will prob¬ 
ably bo given Wednesday forenoon, the 13th, 
and in the evening of the same day, Prof. Gam- 
gee of Loudon, will in; dee the annual address, 
on “ Diseases of Milch Cows.” The programme 
of topics for discussion is excellent. A largo 
gathering is expected. 
