i&l. 
;I)Cfp Susbitnbrj), 
H. S. RANDALL, LL. D., EDITOR, 
Of CoBTT.iND Villaob, Cohixavd County, Nk* Yokk. 
MERCHANTABLE WOOL, 
A Cortland Co., N. Y., “Subscriber” 
asks:—“ What is understood by the word 
‘merchantable,’ as applied to wool? If I 
warrant my wool to b« in a merchantable 
condition, in what condition must it be to 
fulfill, on my part, and what circumstances 
would render it unmerchantable?” 
We do not remember to have seen any ju¬ 
dicial decision on this subject, and can only 
express our individual opinion in respect to 
it. Webster defines the word merchanta¬ 
ble to mean “ fit for market—such ns is usu¬ 
ally sold in market, or such as will bring the 
ordinary price;” and this, we apprehend, 
expresses the legal signification of the term. 
Then, that wool is merchantable which, in 
respect to condition, comes up to the usual 
standard of its kind in the market where it 
is sold. 
If it were the prevailing custom in the 
market to buy and sell all wools or certain 
kinds of wools, unwashed and containing 
the amount of dung or other impurities ad¬ 
hering to the fleece when shorn, at the ordi¬ 
nary full prices in that market, then it 
would be presumable that those market 
prices were adjusted with reference to such 
a condition of the wool; and to sell it as 
merchantable would not he deceiving or 
misleading the purchaser, and, therefore, 
not a fraud, nor, we think, a breach of 
warranty 
But it is not the usual or customary way 
in the principal wool markets of the United 
States to sell wool in the condition above 
mentioned. Such cases are rather the ex¬ 
ception than the rule. The prevailing 
prices arc not paid for such wool if its con¬ 
dition is known. To warrant it merchant¬ 
able is, therefore, a false warranty. 
To make a practical application of the 
above rule, and answer more directly the 
last question of “ Subscriber,” wo will men¬ 
tion 9 ome of the conditions which, in our 
judgment, render wool unmerchantable. 
Unwashed United Stales fleece wool is not 
in merchantable condition. (There may, 
perhaps, he such a tiling as merchantable 
unwashed wool, where it is in good condi¬ 
tion in every other particular except wash¬ 
ing, and where notice is given that it is un¬ 
washed.) Wool not washed as clean ns It 
is usually sold in market, and which will 
not bring the ordinary price, when its actual 
condition is known, is not merchantable. 
Dung or other iupurities done tip in the wool 
render it unmerchantable. Burry or cotted 
wool is unmerchantable. Fleeces with dead 
wool placed in them are unmerchantable. 
As a general thing, we regard it as decid¬ 
edly inexpedient to sell wool wiLh such a 
warranty as the one under consideration. It 
is too vague and indefinite. It fixes no exact 
lines in respect to condition, but leaves the 
facts to be determined by the judgment of 
men often unqualified and sometimes in 
terested. We have in mind the case of a 
seller of a large lot of wool, who sold to a 
highly respectable manufacturer, with the 
stipulation that the wool should be sorted by 
the stapler of the latter before sacking, so 
much being paid for XX wool, and so much 
for lower grades. The seller was an experi¬ 
enced dealer in wool and a good judge of its 
quality and condition. He had placed what 
he considered the different qualities in differ¬ 
ent piles, and fixed Ihe prices so that the 
average price of the lot would leave him a 
moderate margin of profit. The stapler 
came on. From the best lot be threw out 
more than a quarter of the fleeces because 
they were “too heavy." It was in vain to 
show him that these heavy fleeces were of as 
good quality and m clean as the lighter ones 
—that they only weighed most, because 
there was most wool in them. He was ap¬ 
parently honest, but bad been brought up 
under other traditions. Besides, lie was a 
professional stapler, and therefore could there 
be anything connected with the handling of 
wool which he did not know? The result 
was that the seller lost severely on his XX 
pile. 
Unfortunately, neither professional train¬ 
ing, nor training as a buyer, can confer 
sound judgment where it is lacking; nor is 
integrity any sure barrier against prejudice 
and one-sided views. We have known re¬ 
peated cases of growers sending their wool 
to New York, because they could get three 
or four cents more a pound for it than at 
home. But we hardly ever knew such a 
case where enough of the lot was not 
thrown out, and placed at a lower price, us 
unmerchantable, to bring the net price 
below the home price. And practically, 
there is no appeal from such decisions. It 
will not pay to go to law about a few dol¬ 
lars’ worth of wool. 
It would be unreasonable to suppose that 
the fault, in these matters, is all on one side. 
The grower may as often err in judgment 
as the buyer. This only renders it the more 
important that where there arc Conflicting 
interests and opinions, there should be, if 
possible, an examination of facts, and a price 
agreed on subject to no reductions, before 
sale. Wool commission merchants arc not 
directly interested on either side, and we 
have nothing to say against their employ¬ 
ment under many circumstances; indeed, it 
is necessary. But we do say that a sale at 
the grower's own residence, made by him¬ 
self after a fair exhibition of bis wool, is a 
more satisfactory one than any other—and 
is generally quite as profitable. 
-- 
WOOL AND WOOLEN INDUSTRY. 
• ■ That the tariff act of 1867 was the salva¬ 
tion of our woolen industry, there can be no 
just doubt. The opposition the bill lias ever 
met, before and since its passage, from the 
friends of British low-priced labor, low- 
priced raw material, free trade anti-Ameri¬ 
can advocates, is of itself a sufficient evidence 
of its worth and justness to every American 
citizen desiring the prosperity of our own in¬ 
dustries in preference to the foreign indus¬ 
tries. The anti-American (free trade) cle¬ 
ment of our country stands appalled at the 
present unanimity of the American industrial 
citizens in favoring the continuance of the 
present moderate tariff on wool and woolens. 
There is no other branch of American in¬ 
dustry in the whole polity of our industrial 
products, interfered with, that would so nat¬ 
urally and thoroughly arouse every industri¬ 
al citizen, as the one under consideration. 
Agriculturists whose specialties are either 
dairying, beef raising, hog raising, or other¬ 
wise than wool growing, know very well 
that it is morally impossible to destroy the 
woolen industry of our country without 
great detriment to their specialty, (interest,) 
and for the very obvious reason that the de¬ 
struction of 37,704,289 sheep, valued at |82, 
139,879, (see Department of Agriculture, Re¬ 
port 1868, at page 10 ,) or the destruction of 
any considerable part thereof, would natur¬ 
ally bring their owners, and capital and land, 
into other branches of agriculture—and a part 
into all the other special branches—and thus 
become competing producers with them¬ 
selves, and thereby most naturally lessen 
the profits. 
All farmers know it is quite as necessary 
to lmve diversity of employment in (all) 
other industries for their prosperity and that 
of our common country. Otherwise, at. no 
distant day, if sheep husbandry is destroyed 
or materially lessened, that they, in common 
with others, will have to pay higher prices 
for their indispensable wooleu clothing. This 
latter fact, has its just influence in bringing 
to the support of the woolen tariff all other 
industrial citizens, many of whom have 
learned that it is neither profitable nor 
agreeable to wear the low or medium priced 
English woolens, largely composed of shoddy 
—a manufacture from old cast-off clothing. 
By whom cast off? Echu answers, by 
whom! English manufacturers have con¬ 
sumed in one year 65,000,000 pounds of 
shoddy—more than our whole clip in 1800 ! 
It, is apparent to every person that if the 
woolen industry of our country be material ly 
lessened, the supply of cheap meat (mutton) 
must necessarily rise in price, as most cer 
tainly meats of all kinds will materially rise 
for some time. Mr. Garland said, in bis 
address delivered at Edwardsville, January 
20,1870 •—“ That New York City consumes 
1,500,000, Boston, 300,000, and Chicago about 
270,000 sheep per annum, about one to each 
inhabitant.” 
A ll laborers, mechanics, in short our whole 
industrial population, have a direct sympa¬ 
thy and comprehension of the very close in¬ 
timacy and oneness of their own interest 
wit h the prosperity of the agriculturist! 
Destroy our woolen industry, and the 
woolen (mill) operators must become com¬ 
petitors in other industries! Many other rea¬ 
sons might be shown why not loss than nine- 
tenths of our Industrial inhabitants oppose 
any change in our Woolen tariff, not de¬ 
manded by the American wool grower aud 
American manufacturer in unison.— Mews. 
Glenn & Brother, in Bee Keepers’ -Journal 
and National Ayrieultumt. 
- 
NOTES AND QUERIES. 
Malformation. 
C. E., Ashville, writes:—“ The best ewe I 
own (I paid a high price for her) has drop¬ 
ped what 1 judge to be an excellent buck 
lamb, except that one of bis forelegs is 
crooked and defective. Will this injure him 
jls a stock ram V Had I better save him for 
that purpose?” 
Rams born with such defects often tran¬ 
smit them, in a greater or lesser degree, to 
their progeny—but others do not. We cer¬ 
tainly would not buy a ram exhibiting such 
a defect; nor would we save one of our own 
breeding from castration, unless Ire was from 
excellent parents and possessed very marked 
and peculiar excellence of bis own. In the 
latter case, we might be induced to try him 
to a few ewes, and if his lambs were perfect 
and very promising, to extend the experi¬ 
ment further. 
Heavy Fleeces. 
Wm. F. Barber, Castleton, Vt., writes us, 
(and sends the attestation of Marcus ITaw- 
kins, shearer, to the fact,) that his Merino 
ewes, bred by himself, one day less than 
a year from preceding shearing, yielded 
fleeces of the following weights: (the figure 
preceding each weight giving the age): 6 
years, 10% pounds; 4,14% ; 3, 13 ; 2, 17%; 
1, 15%; 5, 12%; 3, 14%; 1, 13Vj; 1, 13; 
5, 13%; 2, 13%; 1, 12 %; 2, 15%; 2, 13. 
Mr. Barber states that all the ewes raised 
lambs except the yearling, ancl the two-year- 
old ewe that clipped 17 >4 pounds. He sends 
us five samples of wool from the lot, which 
are of very good quality. Nothing is said 
of the keep of the sheep, the cleanliness of 
the wool, or whether the sweat-balls were 
done up in the fleeces. 
be jipi 
^pitman. 
FORAGE FOR BEES. 
Wliat Flower* Afford Honey, Order of 
Blooming, Time ol' Continuance and Coin* 
parative Value. 
At the meeting of the Northeastern Bee 
Keepers’ Association in March, the subject 
was discussed. Mr. Quinby is reported in 
the Bee Journal to have said: — “In this 
socllon the Alder blooms first and affords 
pollen. The skunk cabbage also furnishes 
pollen of a rather offensive odor. The willow 
blossoms next, the yellow willow affording 
honey and only honey. Small fruits, the 
currant, gooseberry, «&c., blossom about the 
same time, and where none of these arc in 
abundance, rye flour should be fed to induce 
breeding and prevent robbing. Fruit trees, 
apples, pears, and in some places (but not 
here) peaches afford honey as well as pollen. 
When I lived in Green county, I weighed 
my bees, and found that some gained as high 
as three and a half pounds per day. They 
must be weighed every evening or every 
morning, as the hives get lighter during the 
uight by evaporation. The dandelion next 
appears, then the sugar maple, the red is 
earlier, but the blossoms are generally killed 
by frost. White clover is the greatest de¬ 
pendence here, yielding abundant supplies 
in good seasons, but is greatly affected by 
the weather, in some seasons large fields 
white with blossoms arc not. visited by the 
bees. It gave vei’J'tittle honey, last year, in 
the Mohawk Valley. The honey is beauti¬ 
ful .and it. also affords some pollen, but of a 
dark color. 
Wild raspberries afford much honey, and 
bees will not leave the flowers for a moder¬ 
ate ruin. It will pay well to cultivate red 
raspberries, as they continue in blossom four 
or five weeks, and tlio honey is of the best 
quality. The black raspberry affords some 
pollen, but very little honey, and continues 
in blossom only for a short, time. Linden or 
basswood blossoms from the 10 th to 25th of 
June, in this latitude, and some seasous, 
yields large supplies of the beat, honey we 
get—very aromatic—but fails about the 15th 
of July. Clover honey is like it if quickly 
deposited, but inferior if gathered slowly. 
Clover generally fails by the middle of July, 
though some blooms till October. Sumac is 
a little later than linden, and is valuable, es¬ 
pecially the low sumac. Buckwheat blos¬ 
soms about the first of August, and is very 
productive, but in many places did not yield 
well last season. I know a man who owned 
a hundred stocks, and had hut few swarms 
until buckwheat blossomed, when iie bad 
one hundred swarms that gathered abundant 
stores for winter. He returned all the sec¬ 
ond swarms to tlio parent hives. Buck¬ 
wheat is the last, trustworthy dependence in 
New York; West, much liouey is obtained in 
September and October from prairie flowers. 
Mr. Hetiterington asked if golden rod 
afforded much honey, to which Mr. Qijinby 
replied that the small kind, in his vicinity, 
grew about two feet high, and the bees 
work on it well, but store only enough honey 
to give that already stored a yellowish color. 
Mr. 1 1 eth ebinoton said the large variety, 
in bis vicinity, grew three or four feet high, 
and Mr. Van Slykk said the large variety 
grew in his section, and yielded a large sup¬ 
ply of honey, or at least the bees worked 
upon it and stored much surplus honey, 
while there was no other source affording 
honey to his knowledge. 
II. A. King said Mr. Quinby had omitted 
to mention one important honey source of 
many localities, the poplar or tulip tree, 
which is very valuable, as it blossoms during 
the t ime of scarcity, between the honey har¬ 
vests, from fruit trees and white clover, and 
yields an abundant flow of honey, some say 
the large bell shaped blossoms each hold a 
teaspoonful of honey. They once had an 
apiary of one hundred and fourteen stocks 
within half a mile of a dense forest of this 
timber, and in fine weather, the air over the 
intervening open field seemed to be swarm¬ 
ing with bees, during the forenoon of each 
day, while it was in blossom. The quality 
is perhaps some better than buckwheat 
honey, being lighter or more of a reddish 
color, but it. yields so bountifully just in the 
right time, the bees fill the body of the hive 
with stores, breeding is promoted and thou¬ 
sands of workers reared preparatory to fill¬ 
ing the surplus boxes with white clover 
honey, and casting early swarms. 
Mr. IIazen said the honey locust is a great 
favorite of the bees. A bee keeper (from N. 
IT., I believe,) said the bees worked on hick¬ 
ory blossoms; Mr. Van Slvke said lie guessed 
it was honey dew on the leaves. 
Mr. Hetubrxngton asked if any one had 
known bees to work on red clover. Mr. 
Root replied that, he had never known black 
bees work on red clover, but be had known 
Italians fill whole cards of delicious honey 
of a reddish color from it. 
Mr. Nellis said in 18G8 the Italians 
gathered honey from the first crop of red 
clover. 
Mrs. Miner said one of her neighbors told 
her that he had known black bees to gather 
honey from the second crop of red clover. 
Mr. Hktherington —If there is a plant 
that will pay, It is catnip; it is liked by the 
bees, and has the advantage Unit, roadsides 
can be planted with it without harm, ns it. 
does not become a spreading weed. 
Mr. Quinby confirmed the statement; 
said he knew regious where it, was once 
plenty, but had all died out. It is a valua¬ 
ble honey plant; continues in blossom from 
four to six weeks. If cut back in June or 
earlier, just before blossoming, it is said to 
start again, coming just after buckwheat 
and remaining tili frost. The beee will 
work on it all hours of the day, not stopping 
for a light shower. I suggest that members 
of the Convention try it. 
Mrs. Miner asked how we should keep 
our neighbors’ bees from it ? Raise enough 
for all, was the reply of several voices. 
Mr. Van Slvke said he had never known 
but one instance when mignonette was tried 
unsuccessfully, would recommend the culti¬ 
vation of red raspberries, as they will pay 
both iu berries and honey; catnip gives 
nothing but honey. 
Mr. Uetheiunoton said Mr. Sutpiign, 
of Otsego Co., N. Y., sowed three acres of 
alsike clover, and when in blossom, invited 
bis neighbors to come and see his bees work 
upon it, and come again to see what a large 
yield of choice honey lu: obtained. Tie sold 
what seed lie had to spare at $1 per pound, 
reserving enough to sow nine acres more, 
from which he obtained seventy-seven 
bushels of Seed. It is not as liable to freeze 
out, as red clover, for the roots run out later¬ 
ally, without the tap root to be broken by 
frost heaving like red clover. The mat it 
forms rises and falls with the frost without 
injury. The roots send out sprouts at the 
joints, and also seed, through the whole sea¬ 
son, like white clover. It is highly valued 
for bees in England. The honey product of 
the country could be doubled by substitut¬ 
ing it for red clover. 
Mr. Quin nv bad tried Alsike on high 
sandy ground, and a neighbor on low ground, 
and from some cause he knew not wlmt, it 
died out the second year. 
II. A. King bad raised Alsike, and found 
It very valuable for bees ; it also makes good 
pasture for stock, and much finer liny than 
red clover. He thought Mr. Quinsy’s ex¬ 
perience an exception,'aud not the fault of 
the clover, for red clover and other grosses 
will sometimes winterkill on some soils. 
Would prefer to raise Alsike clover, buck¬ 
wheat and red raspberries, rather than any 
plant for honey alone. 
A member said the soil must be, loose and 
free from grass or catnip; it does not need 
nipping; blossoms generally the second 
year; is supposed to be perennial on proper 
soils. 
lorsrman. 
DEXTER: 
How lie in Driven in Harlem Lane. 
No true horseman dislikes to read of the 
performances of fleet horses. Every Amer¬ 
ican horseman is proud of and interested in 
Dexter. Here is a spirited sketch of the 
way Bonner drives him, written by a New 
York correspondent of the Boston Journal: 
“ I saw Bonner on the road, the other day. 
It is one of the sights of New York. It is 
interesting to watch the sensation he pro¬ 
duces, though he appears every day. Tie 
comes late on the road, but bis coming is 
watched for with the greatest eagarness by 
all classes. He is very systematic, and can 
usually be seen turning into the gate from 
Eighth avenue about five o’clock. His pleas¬ 
ure never interferes with business; his day’s 
work is squarely done before be leaves for 
his stables. He has a rig which he puts on 
when he prepares for the business of the 
road. Dexter is the favorite with the pub¬ 
lic, and they are usually gratified, especially 
on a pleasant afternoon. Other horses have 
had their brush, and have been led off foam¬ 
ing to the shed. The piazzas of all the 
hotels that line the road are crowded with 
horsemen, and the windows with lady 
friends. Spectators, with their teams, draw 
up on the aide of the road, to await the great 
event of tlio day. 
“ During the meeting of the two confer¬ 
ences oft.be Methodist Episcopal Church in 
Now York, last week, it was estimated that 
two-thirds of the clergymen went out on 
Harlem lane to get a sight of Dexter and bis 
famous owner. Bonner makes bis appear¬ 
ance at a slow pace, apparently indifferent 
to the impression produced. lie watches to 
see that the coast is clear. By common con¬ 
sent, when Bonner appears the road is 
cleared. A Dakota Indian might take les¬ 
sons of Bonner in his yells. As Dexter 
starts on bis course, his driver can be heard 
half a mile off. The excited throng shout, 
“ That’s Bonner," and nil come to their 
feet. The team rushes by with the fleetness 
of the wind, and is out of sight in an instant. 
“There are some things that cannot be 
described—a panic in Wall street.—the inside 
of St. Pater’s—the harmony of an Italian or¬ 
ganist—the coloring of the great masters in 
the Pilti Palace — the trotting of Dexter, 
lie moves as no other horse moves; he is 
the poetry of motion. lie does not sprawl, 
throw his feet out, or fling them around, but: 
seems to slide out of himself, giving the idea 
that any amount of speed can be obtained, 
lie is never exhausted, there is no exertion, 
there is a reserve of speed that is peculiar. 
Go its fast as he will, his hoofs can be ns dis¬ 
tinctly seen as when lie is on a slow trot. 
Horsemen say that bis speed lias never been 
known, and without controversy the palm is 
awarded to him on all hands. 
“ A. very exciting scene took place the 
other day. A gray horse appeared on the 
road—a stranger to every one. The speed 
of the animal was marvelous. Where the 
horse came fr om or to whom lie belonged 
nobody seemed to know. The driver 
watched for Bonner. After a sharp con¬ 
test he actually distanced Dexter. The 
thrill of excitement, was indescribable. Bon¬ 
ner turned bis horse into the shed and bad 
him blanketed. Wall street was scarcely 
ever more excited than was the road that 
afternoon. In a short time Dexter re-ap¬ 
peared, and here bis pale antagonist was 
ready for the contest. Bonner put up 
the top of His wagon, which, as horsemen 
know, makes a great difference in speed. 
The white horse cainc tearing along at a 
marvelous gate. Bonner sprang to his 
feet and gave a screech that might have 
been heard in Westchester county. Dexter 
heard ancl understood the signal, buckled 
down to ills work, and left the white horse 
so far behind that be was not to be men¬ 
tioned the same afternoon. Thunders of ap¬ 
plause attended Bonner on bis course, and 
as the king of the road came back there 
were hundreds that would have crowned 
him with laurels. The feat of that afternoon 
induced horsemen to say that Dexter is 
capable of anything.” 
-»■»■»- - ■ - 
NOTES FOR HORSEMEN. 
How a iVIare was Doctored. 
J. B. M., Kingston, Enfet Tenn., tells bow 
his wife and himself treated and cured a sick 
mare without knowing what ailed her, or 
what to do for her:—“ I liad a very sick 
mare yesterday, and being no horse doctor, 
I did not know what to do. She seemed to 
suffer terribly; rolled a great deal, and per¬ 
spired, the smoke rising from her like a bard- 
worked horse in winter. It was raining. 
My wife suggested the water cure, she seemed 
to be so hot. We poured a great many buck¬ 
ets of water on her, then gave her three or 
four tablespoonsful of strong camphor, and 
about three tablespoonsful soda, in about 
one-half pint of whisky; in about twenty 
minutes she got better, got, up and wanted to 
eat. I do not know wliat uilccl her, but if 
the treatment cured her, which 1 believe, my 
wife is entitled to the credit, for it was all her 
doctoring.” 
When Should a Alave Breed. 
Josepit Wood says a mare should not 
breed till five years old, and that old age 
makes no difference. Having nineteen years 
experience, I say lie is mistaken. To breed 
good horses the mare aud the stallion should 
be in the prime of life—say from four to ten 
years old. Neither a young mare nor an 
old one has the vitality or power to furnish 
a colt with bone and muscle that a mare in 
the prime of life has. 
Using a Two-Year-Old Stallion. 
A two-year-old stallion ouglit to serve 
no mares. To do a horse j ustice and make 
him a sure foal getter, lie ought not serve a 
mare until five years old. At four years old 
a stallion should serve but few mares; it is 
the hardest period of his life for such use. 
Black Hawk mid Morgan. 
The same correspondent asks “ if the 
Black Hawk blood is identical with the 
Morgan.” Black Hawk was a Morgan horse, 
sired by Sherman, ami be by Justin Morgan, 
the progenitor of the Morgan strain of 
horses.— Frank O. Moore. 
To Horsemen.— Practioal suggestions, experi¬ 
ences and facts are always welcomed In this De¬ 
partment. 
n 
w 
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