breed of sheep, we submit wliether it would 
not be modest and proper for the interrogator 
to present some facts going to disprove our 
opinions or statements in regard to them. 
We believe nothing is gained in the long 
run, and that much injury is done to public 
and private interests, by that habitual exag¬ 
geration which is practiced by so many 
sellers of all kinds of stock—particularly 
when that stock is the subject of a very 
excited demand — when there is a “fever” 
concerning it Thousands purchase under 
such excitements to their great loss and 
hitter disappointment. They are misled l> 3 r 
false estimates based on artificial facts and 
by artificial appearances. Highly artificial 
methods of fitting up sheep for sale have 
been in fashion for a few years, and have 
been practiced in many instances by as hon¬ 
orable men ns there are in the world. We 
have never approved of these practices, and 
have frequently expressed our disapproba¬ 
tion; but we have not denounced them as 
frauds when they were open and avowed, 
and so long as we knew they were but anal- 
agous to the fitting up practices of reputable 
breeders of this and other stock in every 
civilized country in the world. 
But in discussing, as a journalist, the actual 
merits or qualifies of any kind of sheep, we 
have thought it far less likely to “convey 
erroneous impressions” “ to persons unfamil¬ 
iar with them,” to survey them from the 
most natural stand-point —to describe them 
as they arc under the common management 
of the country — to allow no one to suppose 
that the artificially prepared animals repre¬ 
sent the breed, or represent what they would, 
themselves be under ordinary treatment. If 
this is underrating “our Merino sheep” we 
shall always underrate them. 
caused mainly by improper construction of £/j 
the wall, with little or no provision for dry- 
ness and proper thorough ventilation—the 
necessary requisites for success in this par- ^ 
ticular. Ten 
The basement plan shows the manner of ' 5 
arranging the stalls. It will be observed 
that not one comes in eoutact. with the wall, 
which gives the air a free circulation, ren¬ 
dering it comparatively pure and healthy. 
Store room for wagons is in close proximity 
to the stalls. Horses may be unhitched 
from the vehicle while under shelter. At 
the left is an open space, which may be used 
for sheep or for the cattle from the yard to 
remain under during inclement, weather. 
Dotted lines, l\, Iv, indicate the location and 
width of shed which, if many cattle or 
sheep are kcpt.it will be desirable to con¬ 
struct; w, w, w windows in basement wall. 
The thrashing floor of t he main floor oc¬ 
cupies a central position. The granary door 
is about opposite the point, from which the 
grain is discharged from the machine; it is 
lighted by a window at. the end of the alley. 
For mode of rendering granary rat proof, 
finding the capacity of bins, &C., Ac., see 
Rural of January 28th, page 55. 
Animals in the stalls below are fed bay by 
placing it in the abates, b, b, b, 6, b, which 
are provided with trap-doors. Store room 
and granary arc each eight feet in height, 
covered with tight floor for storing of hay or 
grain in the sheai. 
It is needless to remark that barns with 
underground cellars should be situated upon 
a sloping piece of ground, which will admit 
of collar stables without much excavation 
of the eart h; and in such a position as to 
be economically built. 
The size of any part, given is not arbitrary, 
but may be cither contracted or enlarged, as 
the requirements of the builder will dictate. 
No estimation as made as to its cost, the 
price of labor and material varying so widely. 
usbanbrn 
H. S. RANDALL, LL. D., EDITOR 
Of Cobti.»nd Vm.uci. Cortland Countv, Nkw York, 
WHAT ARE GOOD MERINO SHEEP ? 
A “ Licking Co. (Ohio) Breeder ” writes 
us:— “ In the Rural of Nov. 20lh, you say, 
‘a stocky, strong, hearty, well-formed (Mer¬ 
ino) ewe that will, on common farmers’ 
keep, shear five pounds of well washed wool, 
reasonably even in quality, is a good sheep.’ 
If such are ‘good’ ones, where do you place 
those flocks that shear twice as much per 
head ? Is not this setting the standard too 
low? Does it not convey erroneous im¬ 
pressions in regard to our Merino sheep to 
persons unfamiliar with them? Have you 
not repeatedly recorded cases in the Rural 
of ewes shearing from twelve to sixteen 
pounds, and sometimes more, per head ? and 
how ranch of this do you imagine was wool 
and how much grease?” * * * 
Our remark above quoted was addressed 
to the great body of the Merino wool grow¬ 
ers of the country—not merely to a handful 
of “ breeders.” We were advising the for¬ 
mer, at the present, juncture, to cull their 
flocks and exclude all but the good sheep: 
and it was in this connection that we gave 
the preceding definition — not as the highest 
standard of qualification to be bred up to — 
but as the minimum standard, none being 
classed as good sheep which fell below it. 
If our correspondent thinks we have placed 
this “ too low,” we advise him to see how 
manj T large flocks kept for wool growing he 
can find which, on precisely the conditions 
stated, average better as a whole, or even in 
the single article of wool. He will find 
them marvelously few and far between. 
“ Where do we place those flocks (of ewes) 
that shear twice as much?”—i. o., flocks 
that on common farmers' keep produce on 
the average ten pounds of well washed wool, 
reasonably even in quality, per head? There 
may have been such individual sheep, (ewes,) 
or possibly very small collections of them, 
selected out of great numbers; but if any¬ 
body claims, as our correspondent. Impliedly 
does, Lhat these represent any established 
class among our Merino sheep, that they 
constitute anything but accidental excep¬ 
tions, (which cannot bo relied on to repro¬ 
duce their own special qualities in their 
progeny,) then wo answer his question by 
saying that we “ place ” such “ flocks ” (of 
ewes) only in the land of imagination—or 
rather, not. to put too flue a point on it, in 
the land of brag and fiction. We impute 
neither intentional brag nor fiction to our 
correspondent — but we must say that we 
think he expressed himself without weigh¬ 
ing his words, and thus fell into that loose 
ancl exaggerated style of assertion which 
has been quite too common among sheep 
men within the last few years. 
Yes, we have “ repeatedly recorded cases, 
in the Rural, of ewes shearing from twelve 
to sixteen pounds, and sometimes more, per 
head;” and we have also repeatedly record¬ 
ed in the Rural how such fleeces are gotten 
up—namely, by keeping the sheep in con¬ 
stant high condition, and by preserving all 
the “grease” in the wool as carefully as if it 
were a precious commodity. But what do 
these facts prove ? Do they prove anything 
in favor of our correspondent’s propositions? 
We will tell him “liow much of this we 
imagine was wool and how much grease.” 
We imagine that considerably more than 
half of all these enormous fleeces was grease. 
We should be glad to be referred to any well 
authenticated facts which go to show the 
contrary. And a portion of the extra pure 
wool in them, was produced by extra condi¬ 
tion. Brought down to common farmers' 
keep and thorough washing, the very best 
large flocks would not probably exceed six 
pounds of wool per head. Choice, carefully 
selected small flocks might range from six 
to eight pounds—few reaching the latter 
amount. All beyond this would be merely 
individual and exceptional cases. 
Do not our views (expressed Nov. 20th.) 
“ convey erroneous impressions in regard to 
our Merino sheep to persons unfamiliar with 
them ?” or, in other words, have we not, inten¬ 
tionally or unintentionally, underrated them ? 
Now we were a breeder of Merinos before our 
correspondent, unless we have mistaken our 
man, was born; and we have remained a 
All the pecuniary iuter- 
■A. UVAKAT UARN WITH HASKMI'-.N'I 
mand a tariff; but the fact that certain anni¬ 
hilation awaited their interest, if they were 
much longer compelled to compete at such 
disadvantage with the semi-baroarous labor 
of South America and Africa. With the ad¬ 
vantages given the foreigner they saw our 
importations of wool, raw and manufactured, 
increasing more rapidly than the domestic 
production—rising from 15,000,000 pounds 
of raw wool In 1840, to 74,000,000 (including 
shoddy) as an average of 1864 and 1865 ; and 
from $12,000,000 to $26,000,000 in value ot 
manufactured wool during the same period 
-—together reaching seventy-flve per cent, of 
the domestic production. 
The glut of our markets induced by such 
a condition of affairs, together with causes 
with wlifch business men are familiar, has 
had a disastrous effect Wool is low now— 
quite t.oo low—but does F. A. N., or any 
man of sense, believe H is the. tariff that 
makes it so? If he does. I ask him in behalf 
of the woof growers of the country to Help 
keep ft upon the statute book. 1 believe that 
the tariff, and that alone, has saved the wool 
growing Interest from a panic that would 
have resulted much more disastrously than 
the present depression in prices has done. 
And in saying this I echo the opinion of 
nine-tenths of the wool growers of. the coun¬ 
try. They arc not only willing but anxious 
to take the consequences of its continuance; 
and stand ready to defend it against all 
honest criticism. Let F. A. N., and other 
enemies of the measure, strike as hard as 
they may. All the wool growers ask is that, 
they deal no foul blows.—A. M. Garland, 
in Journal of Agriculture. 
otherwise the water will ooze through the 
wall, rendering the air of stables damp and 
unhealthy. Be particular to order your 
mason to lay up the back of the wall as 
smooth as the front, so that frost will not 
get hold of the uneven or projecting edges 
oi stones, to use as a lever to pry up or dis¬ 
locate the wall. This caution should be 
heeded, whether the wall bo laid up dry or 
with mortar, for barn or cottage,—and far 
less vexation from the tumbling down of 
walls, but few years constructed, will be ex¬ 
perienced. 
DISTURBING SHEEP. 
Prof. Miles of the State Agricultural 
College, in his observations on sheep, has 
called attention to the effect that sudden 
disturbance, or any kind of agitation, has 
on sheep, lie found that any disturbance, 
such as the passing and re-passing of other 
stock, retarded ihe fattening, and frequently 
threw his sheep off their feed, so that there 
was no increase of weight for a week at a- 
time. Mr. Julian Winnk of Albany, we 
note, confirms the correctness of this obser¬ 
vation, and says on the subject, of winter 
care of sheep: — “Littering is something 
which must not be neglected. I have stood 
in the yard and noticed, when the littering or 
bedding was getting dirty, how carefully the 
sheep avoided it, and how reluctantly they 
lay down upon it; and as soon as the clean 
bedding was given them, I have seen them 
drop down upon it, and rest as contented 
and happily, to all appearances, as an ex¬ 
hausted person upon a bed of straw. J. 
believe that it is during this period of rest 
that they acquire flesh, and hence I would 
recommend that sheep be kept as free from 
distubance as possible, and allowed to rest 
as much as they please. Never allow stran¬ 
gers in the yard, unless with the feeders. I 
have forty sheep in one pen, (the scaffold 
pen,) that are kept absolutely undisturbed 
save by the daily visits of the feeder, and 
their condition is-better than that of those 
in any other pen, which fact 1 attribute 
wholly to the silence in which they are 
kept.” — Michigan Farmer. 
In j§totnc 
STORE ROOM 
FOR WAGONS &T. 
OPEN 
BASEMENT 
PROFIT FROM SOW 
Tue value of a good sow, of choice breed, 
either Berkshire, Essex, Chester White or 
other good thorough-bred stock, is much 
more than one would, at, first thought, im¬ 
agine. If properly caved for, she is worth, 
intrinsically, as much as one good mare, if 
not two. Take, for instance, a large Berk¬ 
shire sow that, will farrow, in January, ten 
pigs. By the time they are weaned, clover 
will come in, and then sow and pigs are put 
on it. By the time they should be taken off 
—say 20tli of May -other grass is on hand, 
and they have this range until the wheat, 
rye, or oat, fields are cut. They are then put 
there to forage until corn is hard enough to 
feed to them. Tn the meantime slops from 
the house should be given them. Three 
barrels of corn will be enough, after summer 
is over, to put them in prime market fix. 
They will then average three hundred pounds 
each, gross, worth, in the market, say nine 
cents per pound—making $270 for the “ lit¬ 
ter.” In August of the same year, the sow 
will farrow again, say nine pigs. By De¬ 
cember 31st, same year, they should weigh 
seventy-five pounds each, and the litter be 
worth $75. Thus wo have the proceeds of 
one sow, in a single year, $345. Against 
this must be added the feeding of the sow— 
say grain, live barrels of corn, worth $15; 
pasture, $10; pasture for pigs, $20; grain 
for pigs and to fatten first litter, $120. Total, 
$105—and then we have left $180, as the pro¬ 
duct of a single sow, which is equivalent to 
$1,800 loaned out at ten per cent, per annum. 
But. lor fear some croaker will say 1 have 
left nothing for loss by accident, J will take 
off $80, and then we have left $100 clear 
profit. This profit is equivalent to two aver¬ 
age mule colts, and we have had but. one 
mother to feed. 
Who will not admit that a good brood 
sow is a good and profitable tiling to “ have 
in a family ?” 
Here in Kentucky, where almost every 
family, in both town and city, as well as 
country, raises from one to two, and even 
as high as two hundred hogs, for home con¬ 
sumption and for market, these figures will 
strike them somewhat with astonishment. 
Even in the New England States, where 
pork does not enter so largely into the daily 
consumption of their food, wo doubt if all 
of them have figured up the value of a good 
sow. 
These figures might be very much en¬ 
larged, in many instances, where a single 
sow is kepi., and where all the slops and 
garden refuse is given to her and Tier pigs; 
for then but little corn and pasture uro re 
quired, and what they eat is generally tl •. t 
winch would be thrown away ill the sew-' r. 
Let those who own a fine sow try the 
experiment, and we shall be very much 
astonished if the profits cannot be run up 
to over $250 clear, in a single year. Try 
it and report. W oodman. 
Stanford, Ky. 
STAIRS 
basement plan. 
Many farmers seem to prefer a number of 
small, detached barns, (even when cultiva¬ 
ting but one hundred acres,) to a large, com¬ 
modious and well arranged one. Those, 
however, who have ever had a cluster of 
small barns, and by building or other¬ 
wise Came in possession of a large one, em¬ 
phatically decide in favor of the latter; be¬ 
sides, in a financial point of view, one large 
barn that will contain as much as three or 
four small ones, will cost, nearly one-lialf less 
to erect It, and a number of small ones scat¬ 
tered about the farm are never as convenient 
as a large one situated a proper distance 
from the farm-house. 
In building, it is economy to haul stor.c, 
sand and lumber during the winter months, 
when farm labor is not pressing. Neatly 
pile up plank and boards under shelter, with 
a half inch or more space between each 
layer, that air may circulate freely round 
about them. Plank, for floor especially, 
should bo thoroughly seasoned one year, at 
least, previous to laying. Timber for floors 
should bo bass-wood or pine. Oak, owing 
to its density of texture, is unsuitable, as 
teams often injure themselves by slipping 
when drawing in heavy loads, in consequence 
of being unable to obtain a secure foothold. 
Floor plank should be two inches thick, 
with both edges of each plank plowed with 
a half-inch plow half an inch deep, and a 
tongue neatly fitted; this will make a neat 
barn floor, of sufficient strength. It is often 
found impracticable to obtain thoroughly 
seasoned lumber for flooring; in that case, 
prepare the flooring as before stated, and 
lay the floor without, nailing ; after the lapse 
of six or eight months, take up and relay 
the floor. 
A double floor of inch boards will serve 
an excellent purpose. A coating of gas tar 
or lime should be laid between them for 
excluding wire worms, &c.., and fbr render¬ 
ing the floor tight and firm, and less liable 
to decay. 
In regard to the location of horse stables, 
circumstances should govern; if the house 
is situated across the highway from the 
barn and on a high eminence, and the barn 
floor is on or nearly level with the highway, 
the stables should be therein situated, using 
the cellar as a manure pit. If—as in the 
engraving—the barn is situated on nearly a 
level surface, and but a short distance from 
the house, the stables should be situated in 
the cellar or basement story. Many farmers 
object to stables in basements, in conse¬ 
quence of the moist atmosphere that pre¬ 
vails therein. It is needless to say that it is 
lUtntl 
A FARM BARN. 
BY L. D. SNOOK. 
The structure of the barn and its inte¬ 
rior arrangement should depend upon the 
branches of agriculture to which die farm 
is devoted. A farm devoted in the main to 
the production of cereal crops, requires but 
little room for stabling purposes; storage for 
grain in the sheaf and granaries will require 
its room. A stock farm requires extensive 
hay storage, and a stable for its cattle, 
horses and sheep in all climates. There are 
wide districts of country where a mixed 
husbandry of grain and stock prevails, which, 
requires barn and out buildings accommo¬ 
dating both. The barn delineated in con¬ 
nection with this article is of this class. It 
is provided with an underground or base¬ 
ment story. j 
THE WOOL TARIFF 
In your paper of October 30th, I notice an 
article headed “ Farm Talk,” and signed by 
one F. A. N. Now, farm talk should be true 
talk—a fact that F. A. N. seems to have over¬ 
looked when lie digressed from his subject— 
wheat—to deal a blow at the wool tariff. 
The wool growers never asked for a pro¬ 
hibitory tariff—nor did they get. one. They 
never advocated the “ Chinese exclusive sys¬ 
tem,” nor is there any record to show that 
they ever desired its application to foreign 
wools, raw or manufactured. F. A. N. knows 
what is here stated is true, or he knows noth¬ 
ing of the history of the struggle for the wool 
tariff'. In either case I leave it with him to 
furnish an apology for parading liis state¬ 
ments before the public, as I am unable to 
find one for him. 
What the wool growers asked was tlmt 
the duty imposed upon imported wools be 
placed high enough to give them an equal 
chance with foreigners in our own markets. 
They demonstrated to Congress—asF. A. N. 
can to himself—that they paid in taxes, direct 
or indirect, an amount equaling, or nearly so, 
the present tariff; and demanded that if any 
class were to be protected, it should be our 
own citizens rather than foreigners. If F. 
A. N. wishes to take issue with such a prop¬ 
osition, lie can probably find valuable assis¬ 
tants in the persons of the paid agents of the 
British Free Trade League now perambu¬ 
lating the country. Even their combined 
arguments may fall something short of con¬ 
vincing the American people that their posi¬ 
tion is the correct one. 
Then, again, it was not the low price of 
wool alone (for the price was more then than 
now) that iuduced the wool growers to de¬ 
THRESH/NG 
FLOOR 
36 X Id 
BAY 
36X18 
STORE ROOM 
FOR REAPER 
FANNING MILL Sc 
18X18 
breeder ever since, 
est wo luivo had in sheep for many years, has 
been in this breed. So much for our motives. 
In respect to our information on the subject, 
we can only say that we have for considera¬ 
bly more than thirty years carefully observed 
\ them and noted the improvements made in 
;j\ them, not only in our own, but in a multi- 
Hide of other flocks—including a large share 
6 of the most celebrated ones in the United 
if States, We have no objection to every nnui 
7 having and expressing his own opinions—or 
r to liis criticising our opinions expressed in 
A' this department. But when we are virtually 
•g asked if we are not decrying our favorite 
PLAN OF MAIN FLOOR. 
In regard to the construction of wall of 
said part, I have this to say:—A wall against 
a bank, from six to ten feet in height, re¬ 
quires a drain underneath two feet and a 
half in depth, with proper inclination, and 
filled with small stones, with a throat of tile 
at, the bottom, if the soil be of a wet or 
springy nature. The base of wall throe to 
four feet, and battened oiy the outside to 
width of barn sill at top; laid in lime and 
mortar, anil (if the Hill above is pretty steep) 
with about one-fourth part water cement,— 
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