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H. S. BAND ALL, LL. D., EDITOR, 
Of Cortland Village, Cortland County, New York,- 
MR. GARLAND’S ADDRESS ON 
SHEER. 
k M. Garland, President, for several 
years last, past of the Illinoi.-i Buitu Wool 
Growers’ Association, recently delivered one 
of the lectures of the Illinois Industrial Uni¬ 
versity, taking 11 Cheepns his subject. No 
man of bin years lias hod a morn thorough 
Experience in growing them, and no man is 
better fitted by intelligence, investigation, 
(both through books nud travel,) and sterling 
good sense, to treat Huh topic from a. broad 
stand point. A correspondent of the Prairie 
Farmer gives a eynopslB of the address, from 
which we extract the following passages: 
“ A3 in the past, of all domestic animals, 
hone have occupied so prominent a place in 
Ule history and economy of civilized na¬ 
tions, as the sheep, so, at' the present time, 
no animal bears so Intimate a relation to the 
comfort and necessities of tbc human family. 
No animal is so Indispensable, furnishing, it* 
if does, food most wholesome and nutritions, 
and the most comfortable nod healthy of 
our clothing material. 
The lecturer went into a. description of 
the character of the sheep—its plasticity, do¬ 
cility, hardiness and prolificacy —nil com 
mending this animal to our attention. He 
Quoted the Spanish proverb to Ihu effect 
that “Gold springs up where the foot of the 
shoep has trod," This is literally true as 
applied to the wealth that lies hidden und 
undeveloped in the soil. As fertilizers 
sheep are unrivaled among the domestic 
animals. Beuoath their “golden lioofe’’ we 
sec the fields of Great Britain, after centv- 
Hos of cultivation, rivaling in production of 
wheat, and excelling in their yield of grapes, 
the fertile prairie lands ot our own and 
other Western States. 
Blest as we arc with 6 virgin soil of un¬ 
surpassed fertility, we should remember it is 
Pot inexhttuxtihle. 
Sheep should be handled upon every 
farm, in connection with the raising of grain 
crops. They occupy a place in t he economy 
of the farm that no other animal can till so 
well, in consuming the straw and corn stalks 
and other refuse (odder. 
He spoke of the history of the " flock “ in 
the United bintes fi* an eventful one. The 
instability that has characterized our na¬ 
tional legislation, with its bearing ti]x>n 
wools, both in their raw and manufactured 
states, has shrouded the business of both 
the grower and manufacturer of this staple i 
with a cloud of uncertainty alike detri¬ 
mental to the interests of both; so that the 
past history of sheep with us cannot be 
written nor their future conjectured without 
touching upon tkut principle of political 
economy, affecting this und all other 
branches of industry —the protection of the 
American against the competitive labor of 
persons living on land without coat, in a 
climate without whiter, under a government 
that imposes but a nominal tax, and in a. 
state of society that requires but little for 
iis support. The grower here needs to have 
the protective arm of Jiisgovernment thrown 
around him. 
It was the lect urer's opinion that u protec¬ 
tive or defensive policy leads to the only road 
through which the American producer can 
ever reach a firm basis from w hich he can 
defy the competition of the world 
France pursued such a policy until the 
justly celebrate') Rambouillet wools were re¬ 
lieved by their own excellence from all eom- 
petirion; when even the producers them- 
selveaconsentod to the abolition of all duties. 
The culture and increase of flocks of sheep 
arc with us a national necessity. The United 
States, dependent upon Australia or South 
America, for her raw clothing material, in 
the event, of a foreign war is at the mercy 
of any power that can man and float half a 
dozen war vessels. This insignificant force, 
by depriving us of tire means to clothe our 
army and our people, could frem us into 
terms that tinder other circumstances could 
not be extorted by the combined navies of 
the w orld. 
In tHe United States, with an annual clip 
of 100,000,000 pounds, the home demand tor 
wool exceeds the supply by nearly oru-third. 
To the inquiry w here lire wool is raised 
that clothes the world, the lecturer answered, 
the. production of the w ool of the globe is 
estimated at 1,610,000,000 pounds, or one and 
one-quarter pounds to each inhabitant. The 
amount set down to each country is as fol¬ 
lows : 
England.»H).oen,0(ifl 
Germany. 200,000,(00 
France. .183,000,00Q 
t'pain, Italy and Portugal.110,000,000 
Australia, South America and South 
Africa.l. r >7,000.000 
Russia and Europe... ...tnVXKl/KX) 
United States..01,000,000 
British North America . 12,000,000 
Nnrth Africa .m.ooo.om i 
Asia. 470,000,000 
The largest flock of sheep of which l 
have any knowledge, is in Russia. 
Mr. Michael Bernstein of Odessa, lias a 
flock of Fals Teim, consisting of 400,000 
animate. The lout shearing produced .400,000 
pounds washed wool, and sold for $51)3,000! 
We have, in the United Htutes, not far 
from 83,000,000 sheep of all breed h, the Me¬ 
rino family and its crosses predominating. 
Here Mr. G. gave a detailed statement of 
the relative value of the different breeds of 
sheep. 
It is the generally accepted opinion of 
those best informed that the Merino sheep 
will furnish a greater return in wool and 
mutton for an equal amount of feed and 
attention, than any other. The exceptions 
•o tins rule, if any exist, are to be found in 
‘■lose proximity to large markets, and upon 
very high-priced lands. 
The custom of housing, feeding too highly, 
and in every manner unduly developing and 
retaining within the wool die oily secretions 
of the animal,has been carried to an extreme 
that no honest, practical breeder will justify, 
and lias undoubted!v operated to the disad¬ 
vantage of all parties. This practice has 
tended to bring “full blood” and “show 
sheep” into disrepute; and many who have 
boon thus imposed upon, now stand ready to 
denounce Uto “sheep business"as an vnre- 
m\n>rr»tity h'lmtmrj-, and those engaged in 
breeding choice animate, as cheats and int- 
postoi'H With the cynical statesman of the. 
Roanoke, the' are ready to “ walk a utile to 
kirk a sheep." 
The speaker next gave considerable atten¬ 
tion to the 
Loutt-Woftl Breeds, 
Distinguished by great precocity, and in 
raising them thultcm of mutton is the prime 
consideration, and that of wool secondary. 
The varieties generally introduced in the 
United States, arc the 'Leicester, Cotswokb. 
a’nd the Southdovns, though some others are 
finding their way among us. 
The late civil war gave a wonderful im¬ 
pulse to sheep "rsvit’.-j in ibo. United Stales, 
as shown by uu incixe-w ot 10,000,000 in the 
number of auiinate. Tbc very general desire 
to embark in the “ sheep business" is fresh in 
the minds of all. Men made haste to get. 
rich by becoming the ow ners of sheep. The 
reaction lias been so severe that tunny have, 
become discouraged.aud are turning their at¬ 
tention to other oraches of business. Flocks 
have been sold for less than the value of a 
single year’s clip, and have been slaughtered 
fot‘ their pelts and tallow. Like Runyan's 
Pilgrim. \vc have long walked in the “Valley 
of Humiliation;" but 1 firmly believe the 
darkest hour lias passed, and that, the imme¬ 
diate future for the wool grower has in it 
much of encouragement. 
The past, year has seen a holocaust among 
the flocks of the country, without a parallel. 
Nearly 40,000 per week, for the last, three 
months of 1868, were slaughtered in tlm city 
of New York, alone; while Boston, Phila¬ 
delphia and other cities have absorbed more 
than their usual average. The city of C hi¬ 
cago consumed during the entire year eonte 
4,0<)0 per week. AVe did not raise as much 
wool in 1868 as iu 1867, and the clip of 1869 
will show a still further decline. 8o, reason¬ 
ing from the well recognized laws of supply 
and demand, both wool and mutton must 
bring a fair price for some time to come. 
-+++--— 
SHEEP IMPORTATIONS. 
Tiie following is a part of tlio report of 
the proceedings of the Connecticut Board of 
Agriculture, which we were compelled to 
defer. It, is inserted in this department 
without having been submitted to the Editor 
thereof, and hence without comment: 
Among those who were attending the ses¬ 
sions of the Board were several old men, 
who were breeders of imported stock in the 
olden time. From them I heard many things 
respecting the 
Early IiuporiatintiM of .tlrriuo Sheep into 
t'onuccticut, 
which differed front the generally received 
history, and I wish to place some of these 
statements on record while these men are 
alive, in order that these most interesting 
questions may lie settled on tlio firmest pos¬ 
sible basis, and while tint original witnesses 
can be fully cross-examined. 
In 1810 Puck & Atwater of New Haven 
imported a flock of Infantado Merinos. In 
1811 Abraham Eaton & Co. of New Haven, 
under the cure of John DkFORHEST, super¬ 
cargo, imported another flock of the same 
breed. They were both similar iu appear¬ 
ance, so that as a breed they could not be 
distinguished from each other. Both had 
the same brand, viz., a letter V branded up¬ 
on the nose, so that the hair was completely 
removed. Air. Peck positively asserted that 
his sheep w ere of the pure Infantado breed. 
Messrs. Peck & Atwater let their imported 
flock to Jacob N. Blakesley of Watertown, 
Ot., for one year, he taking one-half of the 
increase as a compensation for his care and 
feed. The next year Messrs. P. & A.’s sheep 
were sold and sent to Ohio. Air. Wood¬ 
ward of New Haven owned a part of the 
importation of Abr aham Eaton «fc Co. He 
let Air. Blakesley have them on the same 
terms. Air. Bi.akesi.kv Juts bred from these 
importations pure ever since, and now lias 
one hundred and fifty sheep of unadulterated 
blood. He took the prize at the Fair of the 
New York State Agricultural Society, held 
in Poughkeepsie iu 1844, with the Merinos 
of this breed, and lias taken many other 
premiums since, utter very spirited compe¬ 
tition. The weight of the wool w as thor¬ 
oughly tested, He sheared all his Iambs on 
the last day of July. The next year they 
were thoroughly washed on the 16th of July, 
and sheared on the 81st of July,—the fleeces 
then weighed on the average four pounds 
thirteen ounces. The wool was then carried 
to Air. Hotchkiss, a manufacturer in Wood¬ 
bury, who scoured it thoroughly, when it, 
lost thirty-one and one-fourth per cent. 
That is to say the growth of scoured wool 
on yearling sheep for exactly twelve mouths 
was three pounds live ounces, which we 
think is not often exceeded. 
Itt the importation of Peck and Atwater 
there was one ram superior to all the rest in 
the division of the lambs. Air. Blakebley 
had a ram from this animal which was 
yeaned by the best ewe. Air. B.'s best stock 
comes from t his ram. One of his descend¬ 
ants was let in the years 1839 and 1840 to 
Air. Atwood. Air. Atwood's flock were 
descended from Air. Humphrey's original 
importation, but had been crossed with 
Basons and other Merinos. In 1841 and 
1842 this buck was let. to Mr. Dayton ATa- 
toon of Watertown, Ct.. who is now living. 
The first purchases of Alt Hammond of Yt. 
were made of M r. Atwood at a low price. 
The second purchase was rande about the 
year 1849, and all of sheep which were de¬ 
scended from Air. Blakebley’s buck, for 
which Air. H ammond paid fifty dollars per 
head. Mr. II. also made purchase:', of sheep 
from Air. AIatoon, all of which were also 
from Air. Blaresley’s ram. Itev. L. G. 
Bingham of Vermont was also a purchaser 
of sheep from Air. Bl^kesi.kv’m flock. Air. 
Eaton, one- of the original importers of these 
the ground with crude petroleum, raw paint 
oil, or coal tar, two coats of the former or 
one of the latter. Post3 should be well 
seasoned previous to applying the above pre¬ 
servatives. 
pxanatL 
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sheep, is still alive 
have thought it 
very desirable to place these statements on 
record; if they are incorrect they can Do 
easily disproved now that the witnesses are 
still living. If they are true, the importance 
of the American Merino as a distinct breed 
demands that they should be established as 
clearly as la possible. 
---- 
Amputating Horn*. T. II. Collins, Puoli, Ind., 
complains that, hi* Merino rams have “enor¬ 
mous” horns growing so dose to t he head t hat 
it Is a t rouble to prevent worms from being pro¬ 
duced under thorn; asks if It is sale fo taw them 
off: und wishes us, i f we “ can see any good seuse 
in such huge offensive nppondajros, to nay In what 
H consists.” we think it would be both cruel and 
dangerous to wt w oil tin old Merino ram s horns 
close to the head. Where the horn presses OH 
the head, a section of it can be removed without 
sawing deeply into Uie Interior and sensitive 
portion. As to the sense Of sheep having such 
horns, that, in a matter of opinion. Mr. Collins 
can, If ho obooscs, buy hornless Merino rams, 
and by constantly breeding In that direction may 
ultimately render horns very rare In his flock. 
A great majority of Merino breeders, however, 
prefer these appendages. We suppose they do 
so, uot because there Is any real utility In horns, • 
but becauuo thoynru a Characteristic mark of 
the breed. 
—--- 
Photographs of Sheep—L. Converse, Bucyrus, 
O., writes us:-“ I tnciOfco you a photograph of a 
pair of sheep from Jepau, which I imported Inst 
fail— good for nothing, only a Curiosity.” The 
rum has four horns. Is high on logs, and hoe long, 
coarse wool. Mr, C. hits also a small number of 
Asiatic fat-tailed sheep, gazelles from Palestine, 
Sacrod Cattle from India, And other '‘curiosi¬ 
ties," h» well as a. flock of upwards of u hundred 
English long-wools. 
arm fejanoim 
HOY/ TO DO THINGS. 
Fig. '£. FiG. 1. 
Auother method of preserving posts is sel¬ 
ling them above drains or ditches. The. 
drains absorb and convey off all water that 
would otherwise settle around and into the 
post Six different modes of constructing 
stone drains are shown; others could be 
given,but the above are considered sufficient. 
Iu Fig. 1 the bottom of the ditch is covered 
with small cobble stone, cupped with flat 
ones, upon which rest the post. Fig. 2 is a 
common, and, if properly laid, a good sub¬ 
stantial drain ; when laid upon a linn! sub¬ 
soil it is the beat one shown. When small 
flat stone only can be found, the plan of lay¬ 
ing a drain shown in Fig 3, should be 
adopted; when large Hat stone cun be ob¬ 
tained, and round ones arc scarce, a hollow 
is made in the center of the ditch its whole 
length, over which are placed flat stone simi¬ 
lar to those in Fig. 4. Figs. 6 and 6 are suf¬ 
ficiently explained in the cut, rendering a 
description unnecessary. 
Splittius Wood. 
fesgteg 
Fig. 2. 
Fra. 1. 
Fro. 2 represents a cut. sawed the desired 
length for the stove and standing upon end; 
the lines crossing the top at right angles rep 
resent the common method of splitting the 
block in stove wood. Tbit* plan can be. im¬ 
proved in respect t<» the number ot blows 
required to rend it, the uniformity of the 
parts when split and the time required for 
doing the. same. 
The parallel lines crossing the top of the 
block in Fig. I, exhibit the true,economical 
way of splitting wood. Blows struck with 
an axe within one inelt of the edge of the 
bark, and one in the centre, will generally 
slap off a piece across a two feet block. A 
V- **•<- 
ESPM# 
Fig. 4. Fig. 3. 
slab B is shown in Fig. 3, split in the right 
shape and size. Fig. 4, represents a section 
of the block in Fig. 2; the lines shown, ex¬ 
hibit the way it would probably be split by 
the time it was actually split, the different 
parts would occupy a space nearly a yard 
square ; while in Fig. 3, you place one foot 
upon the slab and, with a few slight, blows 
with an axe, it is left, as shown, in good con¬ 
dition and shape to be grasped and thrown 
upon the pile. Note, too, the difference 
in the uniformity of the size of the stick ; in 
Figs. 3 and 4. 
An nxc with a blunt bit is best for splitting 
purposes. Use a cross-cut saw in working up 
large trees, thus save time, patience, wood, 
and money. 
Hettiutr Fence Posis over Drains. 
Fence or other posts, standing iu the 
ground, decay first a few inches below t he 
surface, and In many cases the posts are en¬ 
tirely rotted off at the point named. The 
durability and value of posts are greatly rn- 
uaneed by coating all that portion below the 
surface, or only (when time xvill not permit, 
or the expense is considered too great.) six 
I or eight inches above and below the surface of 
i \W yV v W 
Still 'm< 
mrnk' wfe. 
FtO. 4. 
FlO. 3 
If it is desired to build a board fence 
through a wot piece of ground, we would 
advise to first,, dig a ditch along the route 
intended to be occupied by the fence; lay a 
drain in the bottom of the same in any form 
you may deem necessary, or the material at 
hand will allow; second, season well the 
posts before you apply the above-mentioned 
articles; third, pack the soil firmly around 
the posts, heaping up around each one as 
shown in the figures, thus forming a natural 
protection to the posts from water. 
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FtO. 5. 
Fxo. 0. FrG. 5. 
It the foregoing methods are strictly ad¬ 
hered to, you will have made a fence, the 
posts of which are protected front decay, 
prevented from heaving, in consequence of 
the soil about the post being devoid of water 
(ill which condition no heaving of the soil 
need be apprehended,) the land will he ren¬ 
dered fit. for cultivation, and the durability 
of the fence prolonged from five to fifteen 
or more years, owing considerably to the ex¬ 
posure to high winds and the strength of 
material employed in its construction. 
Barrington, Yates Co., X. Y. L. D. Snook. 
--*-*♦- 
fliijjjflna f»crew mill Ilrad Hole*. A corre¬ 
spondent ot the Coachitinkers' Magazine writes: 
In plmurinsrscrtnv holes we glue the edge of t he 
ping, put no glue in tbc bole. By this moans, 
the surplus gluo is loft on the surface, and if the 
plug docs not hit the ‘crew it. will seldom show. 
We set tho heads of In-,tils well in, then passu 
sponge of hot water over them, tilling the holes 
with hot water. This til ings the- wood more io 
its natural position, and closes, by dugrees, over 
tho head of the brad. When dry, sandpaper ofl 
and paint, and the putfy will nol, Ini the head of 
the brad; if it does, it, will surely show bad. Tho 
brad must have a chance to expand when ex¬ 
posed to tho heat of tho sun, and not hit tho 
putty; if it dues it will force the putty out. Wo 
have had no trouble with brad heads or plugs 
since we adopted this practice. 
--- 
Helullve DiiriiliiUty Of Fence Posts. Cun so mo 
one, through the Ritual, inform me and others 
how long tho different kinds of woods that grow 
in our forest a last for fence posts in moist and 
dry soils V I lorn look posts do not stand more 
than twelve or fifteen, years, and spruce not more 
than tiro or six. tt I* dry day soil mostly. I 
have, boon told *bat Oak Is more durable than 
Chestnut for posts.- u. N. s. 
-♦-*_*.- 
Killing Gr«n no.— Old work is always more or 
less greasy and smoky. Wash over tho Stuoky or 
1 greasy parts with niter, or with very thin Hum 
whitewash. Soda will do, but limo is the best 
ana cheapest. Any work that falls to dry, tuny 
be made to do so, by rubbing it. all over with 
japan and I m-pentine -rubbing it well iu with a 
brush.— I'racUcul. Painter. 
—.—-- 
Cement for Mending Rubber Boots.—A cement, 
made by dissolving rubber cut floe in benzine, 
may be u«ed to mend rubber boots and miocs. 
This cement will fasten on the rubber patch. 
BEE EXPERIENCES 
Bee** Will Work for n Deod Queen, 
In the spring of 1864 I spent six week-4 
in hunting bees in the swamps of Ocniulgo 
River, in Southwestern Georgia. I suc¬ 
ceeded in finding a number of bee trees, and 
secured a considerable quantity of nico 
honey. 
In felling one tree the. iptoen bee was 
drowned In the honey. The bee-moth had 
been at work on the swarm, and the quan¬ 
tity of bees was small, and they hud but 
little honey. 
I tried repeatedly lo hive the bee:* into a 
nief gum, a<* I Imd others, but llioy would 
not go into it. Finally T discovered in the 
midst of a cluster of bees, in the hollow of 
the tree, a dead queen I took her from the 
cluster and tied a string around her, and 
tied her to the sticks in the middle of the 
gum. In twenty minutes the. bees all went 
into the gum, and worked finely for two 
weeks in the woods. At tho end of that 
time I got a young queen, that could not fly, 
from another tree, put her in tho gum where, 
the dead queen was, and took tho latter 
out. As the young queen crawled np the, 
inside of the gum, to the little cluster of 
bees in the top of it, (before sunrise), the 
bees made an unusual loud buzzing noise, 
which noise increased as site got nearer to 
them. It seemed to be a kind of grand 
salute. When she got, in the midst of the 
little cluster of bees all were, still ns death. 
Subsequently I carried this gum to the 
house of William Talten, and placed it 
on a branch, and left it and nineteen other 
gums of my own make, where, I have no 
doubt, they still stand, filled with bees and 
nice honey. 8. D. Stcjnt. 
About Bn arming Dees 
In connection with my former communi¬ 
cation iu the Rural I would say some thing 
more about bees swarming. It appears evi¬ 
dent to my mind that, previous to swarming, 
a certain number are chosen to emigrate and 
Olliers to remain For proof of this let ns 
visit the hive ; here we. see a certain number 
rushing out until a half or more, are gone, 
while others are gathering in their Stores aa 
if all was quiet, paying no attention to those 
that have gone. But. why not, when the 
mother bee ia gone, all go, like a flock of 
1 sheep ? The answer is plain enough, that the 
I Creator made them to do Just an they do. 
Let us look at the swarm that lias gone 
out. Here we aoo some old bees, their wings 
somo worn with labor, others middle-aged, 
others quite young. This shows Divine wis¬ 
dom; for aa the old bees arc continually 
dying off, these younger ones wfU till their 
places till a new sot is hatched. Bo also with 
the old hive—the young bees, after they arc 
hatched, remain about, a fortnight, before 
they begin to labor, while the older ones arc 
laying up stores and protecting their homes. 
Their work gees on so regularly that it te 
difficult sometimes to tell which hive the 
swarm came from a few minutes after, 
In my former communication I said that 
the first f-warrn of bees was created as per 
feet as any at the present day, and that they 
had not improved in their operations since; 
btit Air. Rors nays if T do not think there 
has been any improvement t should get, 
a swarm of Italian bees and try them. I 
thank Air. Ross for the information, for I 
supposed that the Italian bees were executed 
the same time, the black bees were. One. of 
my neighbors has a swarm of Italian bees in 
Lf.e’s patent, moveabln comb hive, which 
last summer made twenty-seven pounds of 
cap honey, pure and white, worth twenty- 
five cents per pound, hut did not swarm I 
had a swarm of black bees in the same kind 
of hive that made twenty-seven pounds; and 
one swarm that I sold for five dollars ; and 
a, second swarm worth two dollars; and a 
man a few miles south of hero told me he 
knew of three hives of Italian bees in lira 
neighborhood that did not do as well a:- the 
black bees. A man can improve in obtain¬ 
ing profits fVom bees; but a« yet I have ob¬ 
tained as much profit from my hives as I 
have from tin* moveable comb, although 
the moveable comb is preferable in some 
respects. 
But to conclude—I read all the communi¬ 
cations oil been in the Rural, and ff 1 find 
anything new to me I treasure it up unci if I 
don’t, 1 let It pass, and am cureful not to 
throw stones. AVe are members of the great 
community, and fallow-citizens, and if wc 
live up to the golden rule we shall be willing 
to inform each other whon it is no injury to 
ns. As to swarming of bees and watching 
them, if Air. Rush has uot a wife and child¬ 
ren to watch his bees haying time, as most 
farmers have, he can divide them. 
Mavcellus, N. Y, A. WiLLoUN. 
-♦♦♦- 
Feeding Bees. — Mrs. Ann A. ShAttuck asks 
what she shall feed bees which are lacking bee- 
bread. und how i hey should be fed. Let some of 
our eorrespoiiucnts answer. 
