crocus blooms in autumn and not in spring, as 
do roost of lliose cultivated for ornament. 
Tbe plantation will last several years; the 
yield of Saffron per acre is quite variable, 
but fifteen to twenty pounds is a fair crop in 
good seasons. We do not think that it can 
be grown In this country with any chance 
for profit, until the price of labor goes down 
considerably; 
It may be that you refer to the “ False 
Saffron,” (Carthamus tinctorius) which is 
sometimes grown in gardens and its flower 
used for coloring yellow, and for medicinal 
purposes. The False Saffron is an annual 
plant, and the seeds should be sown early in 
spring ; a hot bed would be preferable to the 
open ground in northern localities. The 
plants should be transplanted into rich soil 
and given good culture. The flowers are 
gathered when fully developed, spread upon 
shelves or screens and dried iu the shade. 
There may be a demand for this kind of 
Saffron sufficient to warrant its culture on an 
extensive scale, but wc do not know it to be 
a fact, consecpiently cannot give advice on 
that point. We know that it is found for 
sale in most drug stores. 
change and become sncli a beautiful moth. 
But such is life in the insect world. 
April 27.—Another of those welcome rainy 
days in spring, which settle the earth about 
recently transplanted trees, and supply seeds 
with the requisite amount of moisture. 
April 28.—The first tree-toad (Uyla versi¬ 
color) of the season appeared Upon the stem 
of an old oak tree near my office, and piped 
a few notes just to let us know that he had 
waked up from his long sleep. A little later 
in the evening a whippoorwill (Antrostomus 
vociferux) commenced repeating his plaintive 
notes, and fully establishing his right to the 
name bestowed upon our Northern species 
by Bonapi.and. For they often “vociferate” 
altogether too loud and too late at night for 
interests are to thrive cm this Continent, and 
they cannot thrive or prosper without Free 
and Free Fyes." 
What keeps up the price of wool at the 
present time to the prices which rule,Is sim¬ 
ply the tarifFou woolen goods, and tho tariff 
on foreign wools. Abolish them, and our 
whole agricultural and mechanical industry 
becomes tributary to the foreign wool grow¬ 
er and the foreign manufacturer, and the 
foreign importer, and these interests seem to 
be of far more consequence to the Economist 
and Eastern writers on the wool markets, 
than the home industries and the industries 
of Michigan farmers. 
We say to the wool growers that the editor 
who proposes to thus place them on a level 
with the bush-rangers of Australia, or the 
boers of South Africa, or the half-bred Indi¬ 
ans of the South American Pampas, is the 
enemy of American agriculture, and lie 
ought to be watched and not be trusted as 
a guide .—Michigan Farmer. 
beep fjnslntnijnj 
tarn of a pluralist 
DAILY RURAL LIFE, 
WOOL AND THE TARIFF. 
From the Diary of n Gentleman near New 
York City. p 
April 24 — One year ago to-day I sowed a 
quantity of Ltiiwn awxtlvrn seed, covering 
it with rich soil, and then mulching the sur¬ 
face Of the bed with coarse hay. No leaves 
appeared above ground last summer, but I 
noticed, while examining them at. different 
times, that the.seeds had sprouted, and small 
bulbs were forming within the half-open sped 
envelopes. To-day the bed is green with the 
small, delicate leaves springing from those 
It is amazing that newspapers will some¬ 
times publish assertions that are calculated 
to mislead the very men whom they desire 
to assist. The New York Economist occa¬ 
sionally undertakes to teach the Western 
farmers how unwise they are in regarding 
the tariff on wool as identical with their in¬ 
terests, uml in its latest issue we find tho fol¬ 
lowing paragraph, whicli is designed to in¬ 
struct the farmers in regard to a business 
Which they certainly understand much bet¬ 
ter than the New York editor. This jour¬ 
nal says: 
“For the past year or two Northern and 
Western farmers—after our legislators had 
passed a special prohibitory tariff law on 
•wool, if’not woolens, to suit their interests— 
have discovered that legislation, alter all, 
does not regulate the value of any commodi¬ 
ty ; and instead of obtaining higher prices 
for wool, they have been compelled to accept 
comparatively lower rates. This we pre¬ 
dicted at the passage of the high tariff; and 
when our prediction turned out to be a posi¬ 
tive reality, the farmers became disgusted 
with the prohibitory act, and through spite, 
commenced to kill their sheep in thousands, 
because the home manufacturer would not 
bid higher for their wool. 
“But the manufacturing interests had to 
contend with difficulties which put many in 
a sorry plight, which brought the bailiff's 
and tax-gatherers to their door, and as their 
demands could not he satisfied at once, the 
motion of the wheel uml loom ceased with 
the click of the shuttle, and the auctioneer’s 
flag, in many instances, gave the people to 
understand that a prohibitory tariff is not a 
sufficient guarantee to foster manufacturing 
in any country.” 
Here wc are informed that the farmers arc 
disgusted with the tariff on wool, that they 
killed their sheep out of spite at the tariff, 
and that they were discouraged at the low 
prices offered by the manufacturers. 
Now, the plain truth is, that there is not 
an intelligent wool grower or farmer who 
keeps sheep in the West or in the East, Who 
does not know very well that at the present 
time prices of wool are solely maintained 
because the manufacturers cannot pro¬ 
cure the wools grown cheaply at the Gape, 
or Brazil, and in Australia by a hall-savage 
population, at prices that would preclude the 
growing of wool altogether in this country, 
except on laud that had no marketable value. 
Then, again, it is untrue that the wool 
growers and farmers for the past two years 
killed their sheep by thousands out. of 
spite at the tariff; on the contrary, they 
killed them because under the excitement 
occasioned by the war prices and the stimu¬ 
lus of a short supply of wool, their farms 
had become overstocked with sheep, and 
they could not be fed and kept, and at the 
Bnme time return a profit even at high 
prices. It, was found that in our mixed 
husbandry there were other crops and other 
stock that must be raised, and that it would 
not do to turn the whole surface of medium 
sized farms into sheep pastures. There arc 
more sheep in Michigan this year than there 
were in 1864, but not so many as there wore 
in 1866 and 1867 ; but there are more cattle 
and hogs now than there were in either of 
those years. The farmer found that his laud 
would only support a certain number of 
sheep per acre, iu proportion to 1 , his other 
stock, and being overstocked he was obliged 
to get rid of them, and the tariff had no more 
to do with this necessity than the Economist. 
On the contrary, when the tariff on wools 
and woolen goods was settled upon and con¬ 
tinued permanent, a large number of flock 
masters continued to maintain their flocks 
whicli would otherwise have been disposed 
of, and it is the tariff that to-day encourages 
them to grow wool, when if it were abol¬ 
ished there would not be a sheep upon their 
premises. 
If it is the policy of the Economist to de¬ 
liver the whole of the wool growing interest 
over to foreign importers, and to cause it to 
shrink to tho smallest possible dimensions in 
the country, then let the tariff he abolished, 
and we shall see •wool growing reduced to 
the same level as the foreign article; while 
our Western woolen mills will become as 
picturesque rums as the traveler on the great 
German river would wish to see. 
The Economist also says “ 
RULES FOR THE OARE OF SHEEP, 
We copy the following suggestions about 
sheep from a circular issued by F. C. D. 
McKay, the General Agent of the American 
Emigrant Company, The Company have 
already over 10,060 sheep scuiiered among 
the farmers who purchased land of them, in 
flocks ranging In size from fifty to two hun¬ 
dred head: 
1. Keep sheep dry under foot with litter. 
This is even more necessary than roofing 
them. Never let them stand or lie in mud 
or snow. 
2. Take up Iamb bucks early in the sum¬ 
mer, and keep them up until December 1 
following, wlicn they may be turned out. 
8. Drop or take out, the lowest bars as the 
sheep enter or leave a yard, thus saving 
broken limbs. 
4. Count every day. 
5. Begin graining with the greatest care, 
and use the smallest quantity at first. 
6. If a ewe loses her lamb, milk her daily 
for a few days, and mix a little alum with 
her salt. , 
7. Let no hogs eat with the sheep, by any 
means, in the spring. 
8. Give tbe lambs a little mill feed iu time 
of weaning. 
9. Never frighten sheep if possible to 
avoid it. 
10. Sow rye for weak ones iu cold weather, 
if you can. 
11. Separate all weak, or thin, or sick, 
from those strong, iu the fall, and give them 
special care. 
12. If any sheep is hurt, catch it at once 
and wash the wound, and if it is fly time, 
apply spirits of turpentine daily, and always 
wash with something healing. If a limb is 
broken, bind it with splinters tightly, loosen¬ 
ing ns the limb swells. 
13. Keep a number of good bells on the 
sheep. 
14. Do not let the sheep spoil wool with 
chaff or burrs. 
15. Cut trig-locks in early spring. 
16. For scours, give pulverized alum in 
wheat bran; prevent by taking great care 
in changing dry for green feed. 
17. If one is lame, examine the foot, clean 
out between the hoofs, bare the hoof if un¬ 
sound, and apply tobacco with blue vitriol 
boiled in a little water. 
18. Shear at once any sheep commencing 
to shed its wool, unless the weather is too 
severe, and save carefully the pell of any 
sheep that dies. 
19. Have, at least, some good work by to 
refer to. This will be money in your pocket. 
Arboriculture 
FOREST PROTECTION. 
Rejoinder lo J. II. B. of Pa. 
As this correspondent has taken me to 
task for the expression of certain negative 
opinions relative to the mooted question as 
to whether forests are a protection to fruits 
and other crops, &c., or not, I deem it due to 
myself, and many others who hold to my 
views, to tile upou tho records of the Rural 
New-Yorker’s pages the following rejoin¬ 
der— parLfy by way of explanation, and part¬ 
ly as a defense or our theory. 
In what my former article Is calculated to 
“ mislead ” 1 cannot precisely conceive, un¬ 
less it might be considered “ misleading” (by 
your correspondent) to set up a theory iu 
conflict with his own. Iu fact, 1 did not 
aim to theorize at all; for that article only 
pointed out the results of observation and 
experience, as a guide to those who wished 
to arrive at proper and definite conclusions 
in the premises. By the way; those two 
schools of observation and experience are 
far more satisfactory to the practical mind, 
than all the mere theoretical deductions that 
could be arrived at iu a generation. I wrote 
only from a practical standpoint — based 
upon a careful observation for many years. 
Precisely how far these observations might 
be found to vary from the theory of your 
correspondent and others, in varied cli¬ 
mates and soils, and under varied circum¬ 
stances, of course I have no means of de¬ 
termining. That his theory does not hold 
good when brought in contact with my in¬ 
dividual observations, however, is beyond 
the shadow of a doubt. 
1 do not believe that “ the tendency of my 
article was calculated to mislead and deter 
some from planting trees who otherwise 
might have done so.” Far be ii from me to 
say a word or do an act which would deter 
any one from planting trees—many and va¬ 
rious kinds of trees. If there is one thing 
on this beautiful earth of ours, in Nature, 
for which 1 have a mania, it is the love I 
have for trees of all kinds, from the little 
scrubby oak to the giants of the forest that 
lift, their green heads up into the very face 
of the great “i Am!" That the planting 
of trees will more than an hundred fold re¬ 
pay him who plants them, no sensible man 
can for a moment doubt. That trees add 
more than anything else lo the beauty, and 
comfort, and glory of a home, a landscape, 
and a country, is equally true. That costly 
architecture and artificial surroundings sink 
into insignificance when Compared to the 
ever increasing loveliness of trees, is as clear 
to my mind as anything could be ; that ho 
who fails to surround, adorn and beautify 
his lands with numberless trees of many 
kinds; with evergreens to give a charm in 
winter; with fruit trees for fruit; with 
maple, chestnut, ash, walnut, poplar, oak, 
Frau re 2. 
bulbs. At the time of sowing this seed, I 
put into the ground about a peek of lily 
scales, pulled off from some imported bulbs 
direct from Japan, and given me by a seeds¬ 
man in New York. The stales were sown 
in broad trenches, and covered two inches 
deep with light, sandy loam. No attention 
was given to these scales during the entire 
summer, except to keep down weeds, and as 
no leaves or stems appeared, it was very 
little trouble to keep the surface clean. Al¬ 
though these scales produced no leaves or 
stems, still they did not remain entirely dor- 
maul, hut upon each buds were formed, and 
these became, during the summer, bulbs; in 
some instances as large as a small acorn. 
This spring these little bulbs have produced 
leaves, and give promise of making a vigor¬ 
ous growth daring the present, summer. 
From that Lilium auralum scales 
I have several thousand small bulbs, which 
will grow to a blooming size in two years. 
I have tried this same method of propaga¬ 
tion upon all the true species of lilies, with¬ 
out one failure; and if others try and have 
as good success, lilies should become as cheap 
here as in Japan, viz., one or two cents each 
for choice, large bulbs. 
April 25.—Early varieties of apples in 
full bloom: also pear trees of various sorts. 
Among forest trees the following are show¬ 
ing blooms:—Red Maple (Acer ruhrnm;) 
White or Silver Maple ( A-dmy-carpum.) 
These two species have been in bloom seve¬ 
ral days, and the seeds are beginning to 
make their appearance. The Sugar Maple 
(A. saccharinum) and Ash - leaved Maple 
(Mgundo aeeroules) are also showing their 
flowers, but not so far advanced as tho first 
two species named. Among the oaks I no¬ 
tice that there is as much difference in the 
time of blooming as in the maples. White 
Oak ( Quercns alba) has scarcely started, 
while the Red Oak, (Q. rubra,) Pin Oak, (Q. 
palvstris) and several other species are in 
full bloom. The Sassafras X&wafras officin¬ 
ale) and Dogwood (Cor huh Jloridu) are cov¬ 
ered with flowers. 
April 26.—While plowing and spading in 
the garden we occasionally uncover the pup® 
of various species of insects. If they are 
abundant, and of noxious species, 1 have 
them destroyed or brought into my library, 
where their metamorphosis may be ob¬ 
served. A few days since several pup® of 
i the common grape-vine sphinx ( Phitam - 
pelu.% aehmon , Drury,) were brought in and 
put in a box of damp soil. They are about 
an iueb and a half long, and a half-inch in 
>c (barimter 
0 \ S*J 
A WEED RAKE. 
neighbors, who have adopted its use for 
weeding purposes. It answers the purpose 
of a rake, only doing its work more thor¬ 
oughly and in small places, such as between 
rows, Ac., where the large rake could not be 
used. It not only eradicates the weeds, hut 
loosens the soil, which makes it preferable to 
pmrmn 
BEE NOTES AND QUERIES, 
Suits for 1 nfriucreiiieni. 
The Prairie Farmer, April 29, says“ Wc 
learn that the principal owners of the Lang- 
stroth patent Hive have commenced suits 
for infringement in the use of the movable 
comb frame, in the United States Courts at 
St. Paul, Cincinnati and Indianapolis against 
H. A. King and N. C. Mitchelx, two 
prominent patentees. We trust now this 
vexed question of infringement, which so 
directly concerns so many of our readers, 
will be speedily adjusted, that the rights of 
all parties may lie duly respected.” 
SAFFRON CULTURE. 
I wish for some information in retard to the 
cultivation of Saffron. What time, and in what 
way should it be planted or sowed? What soil 
is liest adapted to its growth, and does it pay? 
W, You lb. 
We do not know to what species of plant 
you refer, as Saffron. The true Saffron of 
commerce is prepared from the stigmas of 
the Crocus salmis, a small, low-growing 
bulbous plant, very common in the fields of 
old England, but seldom seen in this coun¬ 
try. It may, however, be cultivated here, 
as it is perfectly hardy, and when once 
well established it will be very likely to re¬ 
main. 
The bulbs may be imported, will cost very 
little, and thrive in any good garden soil. 
In preparing Saffron the flowers are gathered 
very early in the morning and spread upon a 
table ami the pistils carefully picked out, 
they being the part containing the Saffron. 
The pistils are then dried in a kiln construct¬ 
ed for the purpose. Tlie bulbs should be 
planted in June and July, as this species of 
By all means 
then, let us have free trade in wool, as the 
farmers in this country cannot if they would, 
raise it in sufficient quantities at any reason¬ 
able. price to supply the necessities of our 
manufacturing interests, and the result is, pro¬ 
duction cannot be diversified until our wool¬ 
en producers are enabled to obtain the raw 
material on an equal footing with those of 
other countries. The Western farmers have 
clearly put themselves out of count when 
they commenced to kill their sheep, as giv¬ 
ing up the whole question of wool growing, 
for they found it too unprofitable—our win¬ 
ters are too long, and they cannot afford to 
fodder their sheep. Away, then, to the 
plains of California, Texas, South America, 
Australia and the Capes must we henceforth 
look for supplies of the staple, if our woolen 
Figure l. 
diameter, (fig. 1) of a dark brown color; 
the wings and body of the moth can be 
plainly seen through the thin covering. 
The heat of my room hastened the develop¬ 
ment of the pup®, and to-day one burst open 
and the perfect insect appeared. (I send 
you sketches of the pupa and perfect insect.) 
(Fig. 2.) The anterior wings are dusky 
fawn color, with a ferruginous brown dot at 
the base. The hind wings are pink, deepen¬ 
ing in color towards the middle of inner 
margin, and above tbe anterior angle there is 
a reddish-brown streak; also a row of fer¬ 
ruginous brown spots and .a broad, dusky 
terminal band. It is strange, although true: 
that the great reddish-brown worms feeding 
upon my grape vines last summer, should 
Mr. G. W, Woolcy’8 Questions. 
A. T. M., Lockport, N. Y., says hives 
should be ten feet apart on a bench in sum¬ 
mer : that when bees leave ihe hive with a 
full supply of honey in it, they go to some 
other hive, because of the loss of their queen, 
or of being robbed; that there is but one 
queen leaves the old hive with a young 
swarm. 
To Keep llees from Robbing. 
At this time of year the entrance to the 
hive should be made very small—say one- 
half inch square. This will answer the 
inquiry of John A. Robinson. 
