If Mr. Martin has erred in the above par¬ 
ticular simply through inadvertence—if he 
will furnish the affidavits or certificates of 
disinterested and respectable persons on the 
points where we have pronounced proofs 
necessary—we will gladly give him the full 
benefit of them. If he declines or omits to 
do so, we leave him and his sheep to the 
judgment of the public. 
Before closing this disagreeable topic v r c 
may be permitted to repeal what we said on 
a recent occasion. We heartily rejoice in 
every improvement—In every honestly se¬ 
cured triumph—of American Merinos. But 
the fact that they arc out favorite breed of 
sheep ought not to, and shall not, prevent 
us from sifting out, to the best of our ability, 
the false from the true in the statements 
which wc arc asked to publish of the extra¬ 
ordinary products of wool. 
skill to scour wool properly, or decide when 
it is scoured properly, for a different and 
' higher class of goods. 
We do not attach much importance to a 
consideration which we have often heard 
urged in conversation, that there is greater 
likelihood of dishonest scouring at the custom 
mills than at the others mentioned,—brought 
about, as asserted, by a direct understanding 
between the proprietor and the person hav¬ 
ing the fleeces scoured, or by the natural 
desire of the former to gratify and contribute 
to the victory of, perhaps, an important cus¬ 
tomer. Wc see no good reason for assuming 
that small manufacturers possess less integ¬ 
rity than large ones, or that proprietors of 
custom mills arc any more likely to enter 
into corrupt understandings will), or show 
favoritism to, influential persons, than the 
proprietors of other mills. Bui there is this 
important advantage in employing the latter 
to make scouring tests. A witness well and 
widely known, — known to possess good 
character and skill in the matter in question, 
will carry much more weight with the public 
than a witness of even equal character and 
skill, when the latter qualities are known to 
comparat ively few persons beyond the neigh¬ 
borhood. These tests are made, not to be 
published in neighborhoods alone, but in 
journals which circulate throughout the 
whole land. And when any fact is to be 
established by an interested party—especially 
any extraordinary fact— any fact on which 
a great achievement, in breeding, or a great 
victory over competitors is to be claimed — 
the best proof which the case admits of 
should be brought before the public. Any 
man would do this in a petty law-suit, if 
he refuses or omits to do it, in a scouring 
test involving far more important conse¬ 
quences, it is his own fault if the public re¬ 
fuse or omit to give Credit to his statements. 
usbitnbri) 
H. B. RANDALL, LL. D., EDITOR, 
Op CORTlASfD VjLLAflJr, COItl.lNh Cot/WTY, NtW YOU*, 
GOOD PROFITABLE FOWLS 
such extra eggs; and, although when dis¬ 
eased the “ Spanish is the very picture of 
despondency and distress,” yet I find them 
more hardy and less liable to disease than 
the Polands, and the chicks a9 easily reared 
ns any other variety. 
The idea is often advanced that the Brah¬ 
mas, Cochins, and other large breeds, con 
sumc more food than the smaller ones. But 
I must disagree on that point. I know more 
food js required for the chicks until they 
are fully matured, but I never could see that 
a full grown Brahma or Cochin would re¬ 
quire any more food to he kept in good con¬ 
dition for the table than any small kind ; and 
on account of tlieir quiet habits, I often im¬ 
agine they consume less food than the 
smaller ones that roam more. 
Now as to what cross would be good win¬ 
ter and summer layers, Ac., I find a cross 
between the Brahma and Silver Spangled 
Hamburg the best, as they make a hand¬ 
some, large fowl, possessing very desirable 
points. I should he pleased to learn Ihe ex¬ 
perience of others on these and other points 
through the columns of the Rurae. 
WESTM OREL AND. 
u. W. Smith, in the Rurae of June 
26th, asks 41 What breed or cross of poultry, 
will I find good layers, winter and summer, 
good sitters and mothers, lianty, large size, 
and in fact., with all the qualities a good, 
profitable chicken should have?” 
There is no breed that, will fill this bill. 
So far as our experience goes, when we get 
good winter layers they arc not apt to lay at 
all in summer and early fall, and vice versa. 
Some of the newer varieties, Houdans and 
Crcvc-Ctcurs, perhaps, will lay three-fourths 
of the year, and aie of large size and hardy; 
but there the requisites of Mr. S. cease; they 
arc neither sitters nor mothers. 
Some will doubtless claim that the Brah¬ 
mas excel iu all the above qualities. I will 
only concede them three points. They are 
of good size, hardy, and good winter layers. 
I know I shall be taken up on the sitting 
question. But to have them good sitters and 
mothers you must sacrifice size. In six 
years’ experience with the Brahmas, I have 
never had a large hen that was really a 
good sitter or mother. They manage to 
break from one-third to one half of their 
eggs in Lhc nest, and then trample to death 
half the chickens they do hatch. 
When a lien of the size of my breeding 
stock ot Brahmas (eight to eleven pounds,) 
steps on a chick that, is about the end of 
him. I know there js a difference in the 
strains of Brahmas, but T have had them 
from twenty different breeders and with the 
same result. 
The Dorking, in a milder climate, would 
more nearly fill the bill than any other pure 
bred fowl. They would come short only as 
layers. But in our climate, they are not 
liardy and vigorous enough to he 
mended. 
We do not know that it lias been tried, but 
wc think a cross of the Dorkings and G'rcvc- 
(Years, or Houdans, would perhaps give the 
required qualities. That the Houdans have 
Dorking blood in them is shown by the fifth 
toe. But we think the origin dates so far 
back that a new infusion would not be in¬ 
jurious, so far as regards hardiness and vigor. 
Doubtless dozens will claim that they have 
just the fowls needed by Mr. S.—common 
barn-yard fowls. And no doubt hundreds 
MR. MARTIN’S SCOURED 
FLEECES. 
In our issue of June 5th was published an 
account of some very heavy Merino fleeces 
produced by sheep owned by Peter Mar¬ 
tin of Rush, N. Y. The ewes' fleeces were 
stated to be of one year and five days’ 
growth, the legs’ fleeces of thirteen months' 
growth. Mr. M. has forwarded us the fid- 
lowing certificate of scoured wool from some 
of the same, and from other sheep in his 
flock: 
North Br-oowFiEcn Custom Wooi.e.v Mills, ) 
Nolt in Bloomfield, .V. Y., V 
THE CROSMAN FLEECE 
RAISING TURKEYS, 
If W. II. S. would feed the turkeys less 
curd and more meal, cooked in the form of 
hasty pudding, there would be no trouble 
about tlieir becoming lame and dying. The 
cord seems to weaken them. You cart raise 
turkeys with hens just, as well as with tur¬ 
keys. My way is, set the hens in a nice, 
warm place, where they will not he dis¬ 
turbed, always putting three or four shovels- 
ftil of earth in each nest, with straw enough 
to cover it, placing nine eggs under a hen. 
As soon as “Biddy” comes off with her 
family, put her in a large box on the barn 
floor, or out doors, if it is pleasant weather ; 
keep them there two or three days, feeding 
pieces of bread soaked in milk, and a little 
curd. When you take them out of the box, 
put them in a coop where there isn’t any 
grass for them to run in ; for if a young tur¬ 
key runs in the wet grass and gets chilled,it 
is most likely to die, 
erbsimut 
recoin 
MEMORANDA FOR HERDSMEN, 
storms; that through the drouth in August 
and September he gave them soured corn at. 
night; that three were sent to Vermont to 
be bucked, and whether fed grain there or 
not he does not know; that he gave them no 
grain during winter, but all the good hay 
they would eat, and three peeks of turnips 
per day to twenty; that he fed “ grain ” from 
the first of April to the first of J uno; that 
ewe No. 1 was dry and the other ewes 
suckled lambs; that the ewes, when lambs, 
took the first premium in Addison Co., Vt.; 
when yearlings, the first premium in Ontario 
Co., N. Y., and last fall were ruled out at the 
New York State Fair, on the ground of not 
having suckled lambs. 
Mr. Martin’s ewe No. 1, according to his 
report of iho facts, and according to Hunt 
Brothers’ certificate, yielded, if our memory 
serves us correctly, considerably more— 
more than a pound more—of scoured wool 
of about a year's growth, than any other 
Merino ewe ever before yielded whose fleece 
was scoured and made mutter of public 
record. By turning to Mr. Martin’s origi¬ 
nal statement of tho weight of this ewe’s 
fleece and of his other fleeces, published by 
us June 5th, it will ho seen that he simply 
tells when tho sheep were shorn and the 
ages of the fleeces, lie does not state where 
they wero shorn, who witnessed tho shear¬ 
ing, who saw the wool done up and weighed, 
who verified the accuracy of the weighing 
implements, or who delivered the same 
fleeces in the same condition to Hunt 
Brothers for scouring. We supposed that 
we gave a plain enough hint to Mr. Martin 
in our remarks on his communication, that 
we were not satisfied with this “ mode of re¬ 
porting huge fleeces.’’ Yet in his present 
letter, giving tho scoured weights, he lias 
not supplied a link in the missing and prop¬ 
er chain of testimony. 
We have no acquaintance with Mr. Mar¬ 
tin. Wo never heard a word for or agaiust 
him. He may he a respectable gentleman, 
and have stated the exact facts in regard to 
his sheep. We heartily detest that editorial 
insolence which constitutes itself the judge 
of things and insults every man who pre¬ 
sumes to report what is considered improb¬ 
able. But are we required not only to pub¬ 
lish, on the sole authority of an owner, a fact 
in regard to his own property which is en¬ 
tirely beyond precedent and seemingly in 
credible, and which, if established, would 
vastlj r enhance the value of that property, 
but to give bis assertions that degree of edi¬ 
torial endorsement which is implied by pub¬ 
lishing them without question or dissent? 
What right has any man to expect this ot 
us ? And, to speak plainly, what right has 
any man to expect that the public will credit 
Such statements, without a particle of tha't 
corroborating testimony which all sensible 
men hold necessary in such cases, and which 
it would have been so easy to provide if the 
statements are true. 
Horen or Ulnnt,—In tho IlriUi, of May 22, 
over the signature of Joel Supton, Sr., of Win¬ 
chester, Vu„ I saw a remedy for hovon or bloat. 
It is simply a round billet of wood, three inches 
in diameter, and from eight to ten inches in 
lungth. Soft wood is preferable, tie a cord 
around each end, and fasten them over the head, 
to retain the gag in tho mouth. I had occasion 
to try the a bo vo remedy the past week, and to 
my {treat Joy i saved tho life of a valuable cow. 
The ease was a very severe one, and was (riven 
up by all who saw Jt ; but in ten minutes from 
Hie lime tho gaiVans put into til3 mouth, tho 
patient was relieved and easy, and i feel u my 
duly to say to tho public that, in my humble 
opinion, there is no remedy so readily at hand, 
or so effectual and easy lor the patient. Mr. 
finwroN lias my hearty t hanks for the informa, 
tion.— Pi ian k i.r.N HovvK n. 
I think the garden is 
the best place for them, until they get large 
enough to he mischievous; and then you 
can turn them out and lot them go where 
t hey will. 
I feed my turkeys pudding made of Indian 
meal, two parts, and one of wheat bran, 
rooked thoroughly; set it away until cold; 
when you feed it, stir in a littie sour milk. 
You can feed curd once a day to advantage, 
but not ofteuer. Move the coop every night, 
and give them all the onion tops, cut up fine, 
that they will eat. if you have old turkeys, 
let them set on hen’s eggs and raise chickens; 
you will be surprised to sec how well they 
will do. 1 Itsve two turkeys that have each 
raised a fine brood of chickens, and they are 
now laying their second litter of eggs. 
If you follow the directions that 1 have 
given, you will have no moro trouble raising 
a turkey than a chicken. 
Middleport, N. Y. V. j. Sherwood. 
Swelled Ecus In Fowls.—I have several Brahma 
fowls which are afflicted with swelled lea*, cov¬ 
ered with wart-like excrescences. Can you tell 
me tho cause of this complaint, end the remedy ? 
—J. f. Cook, 
Wc do not think tho disease is proper! y “swelled 
lops,” but "scurvy." It la most often caused bv 
To R hi Cattle of Lice.— 1 Take a stlolc and boro 
a hole iu the end with an inch auger, say six 
inches; bore from tho other end with a small 
bit io meet the first hole, and taper off the end 
around the smalt hole; take another stick with 
a small holo through it, 111 one eml as a stopper 
to the largo hole in the other stick, fill the largo 
hole with tobacco. put in fire and the stopper, 
and blow the smoke into the hair. This can be 
done and repeated in a week without regard to 
weather. G reuse, or soap-suds, must be applied 
in warm days; grease will bo likely to last till 
i ho weather gets cold. If lungs are weak, rig a 
baud bellows.—A. n. 
SCOURING TESTS, 
It is entirely evident that the scouring 
test, is a vastly better one than any other 
—the only approximately accurate one—to 
determine the quality of pure wool in a 
fleece. But it is not necessarily an infallible 
test of that fact. As in washing, or auy 
other process to which wool is subjected, 
much, depends upon the mode and thorough¬ 
ness with which it is performed. 
As we understand it, wool to lie employed 
in the higher manutaelures, — in, say, cloths 
ranging from good medium to tine,—requires 
to be scoured better, or at least is generally 
scoured better, Ilian when it is to be used in 
the coarser and commoner fabrics made in 
“ custom mills.” The difference in scouring 
is sufficient, we suppose, to make quite a 
material difference in the weight of a single 
large fleece. And when wool is sent to a 
mill of any Class to be scoured, it is to be 
presumed, unh’ss the contrary is expressly 
shown, that it is scoured as it. would be for 
me in that miil. A certificate that the wool 
was “properly’ or “well” cleansed would 
not be sufficient, when coming from a mill 
where cleansing was habitually performed 
imperfectly. Those terms arc relative,— 
CHICKEN TALK 
.Milk Fever.—Seeing an inquiry in the Rural 
of July 17tli for a cure of Milk Fever in cows, I 
semi tho following sure cure:—As soon as you 
see the cow shows any signs of the disease, blood 
her in tho neck vein ; take about four quarts of 
blood from her; then give her two quarts of 
strong soot tea; keep giv ing her soot tea uni« 
ii physics her. You will have no more trouble 
with her. I have known it to be tried a good 
many times, and never know it to fail.—W. H. 
II. K., liar fertile, Steuben Co., N. Y. 
To Prevent Lice on Cattle from continuing in 
the herd, a correspondent says:—" Ifiiise calves 
only every other year; or else take particular 
care to rid the calves of them in summer. They 
are perpetuated on calves ns ticks are on lambs. 
A sure way is to comb them all out. with a tine- 
toothed comb, and mash them between your 
thumbnails. It will not burr the calves to do 
so. All other remedies require discretion in 
ihcir use. I have used spirits of turpentine and 
soft soap, well mixed and (Hinted with water, as a 
wash.” 
Fnt Poultry.—A somewhat noted writer on 
poultry says:—“I hold all artificial fattening 
and cramming of fowls to be an utter abomina¬ 
tion, unless at tho hands of the regular poultry 
salesman, who buys up country birds and treats 
them on a system; it is only supposed uecessary 
by persons grossly ignorant. In an amateur 
establishment poultry should always be lat and 
fit for ihe table, the difficulty being to prevent 
them becoming too much so.” 
Bunch on Con’s Teal—Will some one having 
experience please to inform me how to cure a 
bunch in a cow’s teat? The milk has to be 
forced down by pressing the udder with the 
hands. The bunch is about tho size of a large 
pea.—C. lb. Ilolmesoille, June 16. 
A Profitable Turkey.—I have a young turkey 
(about a year old) that commenced laying in 
April; laid HI eggs; bcaran to sit, still continuing 
to lay nearly every day, until she batched, and 
three eggs after she was taken off with her 
young, laying in all thirty-six eggs. She hatched 
fourteen chicks, which are now about six weeks 
old. Now, she has laid six eggs, and lays every 
day. still caring for her chicks— H. C. NICHOLS, 
Norway, N. Y., July, 1669. 
Chaff in the Eye.—S. B. L., Cattaraugus Co. 
N. Y., takes chaff out, of animals'eyes by put 
ting salt in—prefers fine salt. Put in’a teaspoon¬ 
ful at once. 
♦It weighs exactly tho fortieth part of ono 
ounce. 
