II. S. R/MALL, IiL. D., EDITOR, 
Of Conn, and Villao*, Cortland Countv, New York. 
RAM LETTING. 
This practice of letting rams instead of 
selling them lias been in fashion in Britain 
for many years past, and seems to have 
proved of great value in enabling the tenant 
farmers to improve the quality of their flocks 
at. a much less expense than would have 
been, tbe case had they been obliged to buy 
out and rc-scll each year at a loss. It is also 
of advantage to the great ram breeder, who 
can now, through the facilities of transit by 
rail, send stock great distances at small ex¬ 
pense, and consequently those who have ac¬ 
quired a high reputation for the careful 
breeding of rams of a high standard of ex¬ 
cellence in quality, can readily dispose of all 
they can raise at. highly remunerative prices. 
We are not quite certain as to the custom 
connected with ram letting in Britain, but 
believe that tbe rams are put tip by auction 
in a lot, to be bid for, so much each, one at 
a time, the first choice falling to the pur¬ 
chaser of the first and therefore highest, hid. 
As each is knocked down, the purchaser of 
that bid lakes his choice and removes it out 
of the lot. 
The rams are usually first let as shearlings, 
and can be returned to the owner as soon as 
the season is over, when if one proves a good 
stock-getter it is again put up the next year, 
and so on. By this method the expense and 
trouble of keeping the rams over between 
seasons is saved to the user, who can obtain 
one from another ram breeder next year, and 
so prevent too dose in-and-in breeding iu 
his flock; which, in the case of sheep, is al¬ 
ways to be avoided. No ram can tic suc¬ 
cessfully and profitably used in a flock for 
more than two seasons consecutively, and 
good sheep breeders consider a change of 
rams every season to he host. 
With the extension of railways over Can¬ 
ada, and the facilities we now possess for the 
transportation of stock, it would be well for 
those of our sheep breeders who reside at. 
easily accessible points, to give particular 
attention to the matter of breeding rams of a 
high standard of excellence, and adopt the 
British practice of letting rams instead of 
selling them. Wc arc confident that in this 
way a much larger demand would arise for 
them, and the idea of saving the rost of 
several months’ keep, the annoyance of hav¬ 
ing to hunt, up a purchaser for the ram in use 
before getting another, would induce many 
of our farmers to pay more attention to 
breeding sheep of a high standard of excel¬ 
lence, and give as much, or perhaps more, 
for the lease of a good ram for the season, as 
they would to purchase it. No loss could 
result, to the ram breeder, as each ram re¬ 
turned would he available for sale another 
season till three years old, by which time the 
butcher or the compost heap should get its 
carcass. The purchaser for the season in all 
cases should take and return the ram at his 
own cost .—Canada Farmer. 
- 
LONK SHEEP. 
At the Great International Exhibition at 
Battersea, in 1832, where stock from all parts 
of Europe were congregated, there was one 
breed of sheep which particularly attracted 
the attention of Scotchmen. It will be re¬ 
membered that the Highland and Agricultu¬ 
ral Society that year sacrificed their own 
show, (which should have been held at Kel¬ 
so,) and threw their prize money into the 
common fund in the Metropolis, in order that 
there might be one great center, where every 
one could see “ the best, of everything,” no 
matter what, wore his tastes. 
Whether the stock exhibition was as great 
a success as it. might have been with the 
money premiums offered, may be doubted. 
For one thing, it was too far out of the heart 
of London; the expenses of transit, of stock 
wore too heavy from the far north of Scot¬ 
land and the Continent, and the interest of 
the implement-makers was divided between 
Battersea and The Great Exhibition of all 
artistic and manufactured commodities, and 
raw materials. Still there was very much to 
be learned at it; and much profit., besides 
pleasant recollections, have been derived 
from the visit, to it. by many farmers whom 
we know. 
For Scotchmen, as we have said, the Lonk 
sheep possessed great attraction. In The 
Farmer report at the time, it was remarked 
that, of all the breeds of sheep shown “ those 
Of most interest to northern Scotchmen were 
the mountain breed called Looks, exhibited 
by Mr. Peel, of Knowlemere, a blackfaced 
sheep with a frame approaching In size that 
of the gigantic Ootswold, and carrying a 
heavy and valuable fleece of line wool, not 
like our hairy blackfaced. They are of 
hardy constitution, well adapted for the 
.. Scottish hills.” 
' It is eight years since this was written, and 
at that time, so far as we are aware, they had 
not been tried in Scotland ; in fact, so far as 
we know, they had not even been seen. 
From a letter in our correspondence column, 
however, it, will be noticed that, they have 
bad a trial on the farms of Moodlaw and 
Stidrigs, and that indefatigable agricultural 
lady, Miss Hope Johnstone, vouches as to 
their profitable adaptability to Scottish soil. 
From Mr. Peel, who "is truthfully de¬ 
scribed by Miss JOHNSTONE as “ the perfester 
of Hie Lonk breed,” (an old indigenous breed 
inhabiting the Lancashire and Yorkshire 
hills, the purest blood being hi the neighbor¬ 
hood of Keighley, Rochdale and Glltheroe,) 
that lady received some stock ofth is descrip¬ 
tion ; and,according toiler account, judging 
from her experience last, winter and spring, 
it was her impression “ that they restated 
cold and disease better than cither the Scotch 
blackfaces or Cheviots. We did not lose a 
single, one of the Bonks, and only' two out, of 
the twenty-three lambs produced by the 
twenty owes, and these two died from in¬ 
flammation, from 'grass sickness,’ or over 
condition. 1 intend to show twelve Scotch 
blftckfaced girmners, whh cross Lonk lambs, 
which are an excellent, specimen of the value 
of such across.” The fleece of one of the 
most, celebrated sires of these sheep weighed 
no less than eighteen pounds, hut Hut average 
clip overhead is stated by Mr. Peel to be 
five or six pounds. The quality being good, 
it realizes excellent prices in the market. 
Having given up farming on the exten¬ 
sive scale in which she lias hitherto carried 
it on, Miss Hope Johnstone cannot carry 
through Lin: experiments with Looks in the 
satisfactory manner she would like; there¬ 
fore she proposes to exhibit and dispose of, 
at the Dumfries Show of the Highland and 
Agricultural Society, twenty ewes, twenty- 
one lambs, and three rams. These, she 
says, may go back to Moodlaw and Stidrigs 
should they be wanted by her successors in 
these farms; or, failing them, others who 
wish to try them fairly may have them; 
which appears to mean, in fact, that they 
will be sold to the highest, bidder. If they 
go to Moodlaw, and are really better adapted 
tor the place than Cheviots, they must, with 
good treatment., come out grand, as we all 
know that nothing could come lip to the 
Cheviots reared there by Mr. Bryden, Miss 
Johnstone’s predecessor; and we trust, for 
the benefit of her successor, if he buys her 
Lonks, that lie may he as fortunate with 
them as Mr. Bryden with the Cheviots.— 
The Fannet', Edinburgh. 
-- 
SHEEP DIPPING. 
Most dips agree in containing, largely dis¬ 
solved in water, a certain quantity of alka¬ 
line or saponaceous material. Uniting with 
the natural greasy matters abundant, in all 
healthy fleeces, the alkaline ingredients of 
the dips form a soap which cleanses and 
brightens the fleece. These cleansing effects 
are secured by a dip containing soil soap and 
. carbonate of potash; but such materials do 
not suffice effectually t<» kill the ticks which, 
at this season, affect the lambs, Borne more 
potent or poisonous substances must there¬ 
fore be added to the soap and alkali. Im¬ 
pure carbolic acid has lately been in great 
favor; it commends Itself on account, of its 
cheapness, and the certainty with which it 
destroys insect life, hut it has the serious dis¬ 
advantage, when freely used in an impure 
state, of communicating a dark color and dis¬ 
agreeable odor to the fleece. Sulphites of 
soda have been used; they whiten and soften 
the fleece, and in tolerably strong solutions, 
they are destructive to the ticks, but they 
have the disadvantage of being somewhat 
expensive. 
Much has been lately said and written 
against dips containing polsouous matters. 
The losses winch have certainly resulted 
from the abuse of arsenical and mercurial 
dips have been made the most of. But such 
dips, although dangerous when carelessly 
used, may, with reasonable precautions, he 
safely employed. For the certain destruc¬ 
tion of the ticks they are undoubtedly supe¬ 
rior to most of the non-poisonous dips The 
two active ingredients usually c 'Joyed are 
arsenic and corrosive sublimait The latter 
is usually added to the soap Eiw alkali in the 
proportion of from three to five grains to 
every gallon of water. The arsenic or ar- 
senioiis acid is, however, in more general 
use. The proportions generally employed 
for the arsenical dip are, a pound and a 
quarter each of arsenic, carbonate of potash, 
and sulphur, dissolved, with from three to 
five pounds of soft soap, in a few gallons of 
boiling water, and afterwards diluted, so as 
to make about, filly gallons of fluid, This 
quantity will suffice to dip fifty strong lambs, 
or about, the same number of sheen, if they 
have been recently shorn T<> add white¬ 
ness and luster to the wool, and to free the 
flock for a short while from the flies, which 
in damp, hot weather are so apt to pester 
them, a pound or two extra of sulphur is 
often added to the mixturo. 
Dry, warm weather should, if possible, be 
selected for sheep dipping; large tubs or 
square baths made for the purpose are used; 
each sheep should he, kept Immersed for 
about a minute; the head, however, must of 
course bo kept clear of the fluid; on a drip¬ 
ping-tray the fleece is squeezed so as to rid 
it from most, of the fluid; the straps with 
which it is usually convenient to secure the 
legs are removed, and the sheep turned into 
a yard from which fodder and straw have 
been previously removed; here they will re¬ 
main for at least an hour, until the fleece is 
so dry that there is no risk of the poisonous 
materials falling upon the grass, ami being 
thence cropped up by the hungry sheep. 
Until the ewes arc shorn it is scarcely worth 
while to dip the lambs, which in a few days 
would receive a fresh supply of flic: annoy¬ 
ing licks from the fleece of their mothers, 
So soon, however, as the ewe is Out of the 
wool, when she will cease to be troubled 
with the ticks, the lambs should be dipped. 
Many flockmasters take this opportunity of 
weaning tbe lambs; but it is generally desir¬ 
able to permit tbe lambs to remain longer 
with their mothers.— North British Agri¬ 
culturist. 
irltr (Crops. 
PASTURE GRASSES. 
White Clover, June UranaMi «Scc. 
F. G., of Clarksville, (no State given,) asks t 
the Rural New-Yorker about, Hie qualities i 
of White Clover and June (or Kentucky > 
Blue) grass for pasture ; how much seed per 1 
acre; what time it should he sown, price of ( 
seed per bushel and where it. can be obtained. 
June or Kentucky Blue grass makes excel¬ 
lent pasture on soils adapted to its growth. ( 
I t grows best on limestone soils. On sandy , 
soils it, does not. amount, to much. It does 
not endure severe drouths well. It is profi¬ 
table to mix it with other grasses for past ure, 
especially on the soils adapted to its growth. 
It requires some years to perfect a award, and 
should only be sown tor permanent pasture. , 
[n Kentucky it is sown any time in winter 
when the snow is on the ground—three or 
four quarts of seed per acre. The seed ger- , 
initiates in spring and the plants are exceed¬ 
ingly fine and delicate. Stock is not. allow¬ 
ed on it the first year. Where winters are 
open, in mild latitudes, it is invaluable as a 
pasture grass on soils suited to its growth. 
White clover should always cuter into the 
mixture of seed for pasture. It is a sweet, 
nutritious and palatable plant. It grows 
well on most, soils—especially on stiff, moist 
soils. It should never be depended upon 
for a pasture alone; but shot:’.*, enter into 
every mixture for pasture. 
The amount of seed per acre which su.'idd 
in: sown it is not easy to fix for all localities 
and circa instances. But in Tucker’s Reg¬ 
ister of Rural Affairs, Vol. Ill., is a very ex¬ 
cellent article on “ Management of Grass 
Land,” whiab embraces the following calcu¬ 
lation, which may serve as a guide in making 
a mixture: 
“ It lias bccu found, by careful counting, 
that a foot square of rich old pasture, com¬ 
posed of mixed grasses, contains about a 
thousand plants; and some highly-enriched 
and irrigated meadows have contained nearly 
twice that number. This is seven to twelve 
plants to a square inch. There arc in a 
bushel of clear seed of Timothy 40,000,000 
seeds; of Orchard grass, 7 , 000,000 ; of June 
or Kentucky Blue grass, 45,000,000; of Red- 
top, 70,000,000; of Meadow Fescue, 25, 
000,000 ; of Rod Clover, 16,000,000; of 
White Clover, 25,000,000. There are 
about 0,000,000 squi'f--' inches to an 
acre; allowing for oitTTthird not grow¬ 
ing, there ought to be ten seeds to a square 
inch, or 60,000,000 seeds per acre. Thus, it 
will require nearly a buBhel of Red tops and 
more than a bushel of Timothy and June 
grass. There are some grasses occupying 
more room ; for example, a good sod of 
Meadow Fox-tail, six years old, was found 
to have but eighty plants to the foot, or less 
than one to each square inch ; there are 
6,000,000 seeds of this grass to the bushel; 
consequently, about two-thirds of a bushel 
would sow an acre, if all grew. Clover 
plants occupy as much space, and a peck to 
half a bushel is a good seeding.” 
We commend the foregoing paragraph to 
th 086 who desire a guide in making mix¬ 
tures of grasses in seeding. Our correspond¬ 
ent can get these grass seeds of the seedsmen | 
advertising in the Rural New-Yorker. 
Prices vary with .he season, supply and de¬ 
mand, and direct correspondence as to price 
is recommended. 
--*-*-*■- 
FIELD NOTES. 
When In Cut Tobacco. 
S. C. N., Grand Blanc, Mich., asks the 
Rural New Yorker how he shall know 
when tobacco is matured enough to cut? 
An experienced cultivator says:—“ When 
the leaves, when held against the sun, show 
yellowish, or reddish, brownish spots, feel 
sticky, and, when bent, break off short and 
clean.” 
How to Plant Potatoes. 
R. C. R., writes the Rural New-Yorker : 
“ My experience teaches me to select good, 
healthy looking potatoes of fair size; cutoff, 
and throw away the seed end; divide the re¬ 
mainder so as to leave two or three eyes on 
a piece. I thus get all thrifty growing vinca 
and potatoes of uniform size. I have tried 
planting whole potatoes, of large and small 
size, with poor success. By way of experi¬ 
ment, I planted a row by putting one eye in 
a bill, commencing at one end of the potato. 
The result was, those eyes in the middle of 
the potato were the first up, and kept in ad¬ 
vance about ten days. Some of the small 
eyes on the seed end did not amount to any¬ 
thing.” _ 
Pain Muiiua Grara. 
A correspondent, who dates liis letter 
at Newfield, hut gives no State, writes: 
“ Enclosed find specimens of two kinds of 
grass that, has made its appearance In our 
vicinity of late. The first (that which is 
headed) grows by the roadside and in the 
meadows ; the other is very troublesome in 
the garden. Are they useful, or otherwise?” 
But one specimen (the one headed out) was 
found in the letter. It is Glycerin pallida , or 
Pale Manna Grass. This is a native grass, 
generally growing in moist places or shal¬ 
low water, and is common in the Northern - 
States. It is of no value for cultivation. It 
belongs to the same genus as the Floating 
Meadow, or common Manna Grass, the 
seeds of which are very sweet tasted, and, in ( 
some parts of Europe, are used as an in- ] 
gradient in soups and sometimes ground in- 1 
to flour. s 
One Hundred and Sixty-Five Potntoen from 1 
One Hill. i 
This morning Rev. O. W. Varnum went • 
out to dig some potatoes for breakfast. He ' 
dug one hill of potatoes called Jackson 1 
whites, and in it he found one hundred and * 
twenty-five perfect potatoes, and on the 
tops of the vines ho found forty potatoes just 
like the ones which grow under ground, 1 
making m all one hundred and sixty-live— i 
or, one hundred and twenty-five under '■ 
ground and forty above ground on the vines. 
Beat that if you can I So much for old 1 
cold Cattaraugus. If any one doubts the ■ 
tact of the hill of potatoes having the forty 1 
tubers on the vines, they can sec them by 
calling at my house,—J»o. Burlingame, : 
F) anklimille, N. V., Aug. 15. 
When to Cut iHillet. 
A. K., Spring Lake, Mich., inquires at 
what stage of its growth millet should bo 
cut for winter feed. Also, if its value for 
fodder is not decreased by letting the seed, 
or any portion of it, mature? The same 
rule should govern the cutting of millet for 
hay that is applicable to the other grasses ■ 
cut. It just as it gets into bloom, and before 
my large amount of seed has begun to per 
fee. ‘!se)f. Millet often heads and ripens ir 
regula. ■ : and it may be good economy to 
allow a tew of the earlier heads to become 
too much matured for good hay, that the 
main crop may be rendered the more valu¬ 
able. As soon as the seed of such crops 
commences the hardening process, the main 
growth stops, and the vitality is expended 
in perfecting the seed crop; the stalk be¬ 
comes woody; the leaves begin to dry, and 
its value for fodder is very much decreased. 
Millet seed is good feed for poultry, and 
about, as valuable as oats for stock, if 
ground ; if fed whole, it is voided before di¬ 
gestion. If A. K. has wisely preserved the 
first volume of the Rural New-Yorker, of 
this year, lie will find in the issue of May 
7th, page 298, more definite answers to his 
inquiries. 
Having Sweet Potatoes. 
A correspondent of the Southern Plan¬ 
ter at Benlomand, Arkansas, gives this 
method:—“ Construct a house after the fol¬ 
lowing plan: Build a double wall, with a 
space of ten inches between the walls, and 
daub closely inside and out; then fill 
up the space between the walls with 
dry dirt. At the proper bight place a loft 
of logs closely laid and daubed, leaving a 
square hole two by three feet to admit air 
immediately over the door. The potatoes 
should be dug as soon as ripe, which may 
be known by breaking aud laying up for a 
few hours; if ripe, they will turu white 
where broken ; if not, they will become dark. 
When ripe, dig aud leave them in the patch 
two or three days exposed to the sun; if 
| cold, throw vines over them to protect them 
from frost. They should remain In the sun a 
sufficient time to wilt, after which they may 
be housed. Potatoes should he sorted be¬ 
fore being put up. Place in piles of thirty 
bushels, and sift on dry sand until all crev¬ 
ices are filled. When the weather is warm 
leave the door open to admit free circulation 
of air. The hole in the loft should never be 
closed. This system will save sweet pota¬ 
toes " 
Growing aud Saving Clover Seed. 
Upon this subject Biiidsall in bis “ Clo¬ 
ver Leaf,” says:—“ It. requires some skill in 
growing clover for seed, to understand bow 
long to pasture and when to mow the first 
crop. Of course the season has much to do 
with its filling, yet the crop can be mate¬ 
rially helped if managed as it should be. 
The large kind, if saved for seed, can be 
pastured till the 15th of June ancl very close, 
then give it a coat of plaster so as to give it 
a good start. The medium or common 
clover should he pastured till the 25th of 
June, or if mown, cut the same time, and he 
sure and get it off July 1st. You can then 
look for "a good yield of seed, and if left 
later your crop will not pay for handling. 
Give it, a coat of plaster, and you will find 
it very beneficial, and particularly on light, 
soil and If the season is dry. Be sure and 
keep your stock out of the clover saved for 
seed, as they will spoil the young plants. In 
cutting the seed do not. let it stand till dead 
ripe, as one third will rattle off and lie 
wasted. Cut when the head is handsomely 
brown and the stalk not quite dead, there 
will then be scarcely any waste, and the 
seed just as plump. Many people, in gather¬ 
ing clover seed, waste at least one-fourth in 
, allowing it. to stand too long beiorc cutting. 
Cut with a mower or reaper—a mower ii 
preferable, attaching a drag apron, and throw 
off in bunches of medium size and in win- 
rows. Turu it over when the dew is on, so 
ns not to rattle off' the bolls. When thor¬ 
oughly dry you can thresh immediately or 
put it away where it will keep dry, as damp 
clover is very difficult to hull, and at the 
same time impossible to get all the bolls from 
the straw.” 
FARMERS’ TEAMS. 
The Rural New-Yorker of August 13, 
contains some excellent remarks by “Clod 
Hopper,” about farmers’ teams. No one can 
better appreciate tho advantage of having a 
strong, substantial (horse) power in our busi¬ 
ness than wo of I lie West. A team weigh¬ 
ing 1,800 pounds may do to stir the surface 
of our loose prairie soils, but a heavier one 
will do it better, deeper aud faster. A team 
that can plow three acres a day for me, beam 
deep, and not unt and cover, is fur more 
profitable than one that plows two acres, 
four inches deep, and poorly turned, even 
though the horses consume twice the quan¬ 
tity of hay and oats, ll is cheaper to take 
sixty bushels of wheat to market at a load 
than thirty. More hay and grain can be se¬ 
cured in a day by hauling large loads than 
small ones, and a man with a heavy team 
can plow three acres, by taking a furrow a 
foot wide, as easily as he can plow two with 
a light team, taking a furrow eight, inches 
wide. A heavy team, properly driven, is not 
so easily “ banged up ” by hard work as a 
light one. 
Farmers who keep a number of teams, 
may, with propriety, keep lighter and faster 
horses for driving about aud light work; this 
is pleasant, comfortable, and the better way. 
Still, I say, heavy teams for heavy work. 
Small horses are now a great drawback to 
Western agriculture. And, looking at. it, from 
the aesthetic point of view', does not a large, 
fat, sleek horse, quietly drawing his heavy 
load, look better than a pony, wiggling, fret¬ 
ting and foaming, trying to do the same 
work V How heavy a horse do 1 want ? For 
business, nothing lighter than 1,200 pounds, 
if you please; from that to 1,400. 
Now i would like to ask, purely for infor¬ 
mation, why may not a substantial horse, of 
1,500 pounds, be as truly a thoroughbred as 
a smaller and faster one ? I have volumes of 
the Rural New-Yorker filed away, that I 
have taken, ancl that have been teaching mo 
ever since I was a boy; but still 1 want more 
light. Dunn. 
Oregon, Wis., Augr-i 1870. 
-- 
STABLE NOTES. 
Wliear or Out Straw for Ilorsen. 
A correspondent asks hofsemeu of ex¬ 
perience which is best, to feed o horses, 
(with grain) wheat or oat straw. As usually 
harvested, we should prefer the oat straw, 
but have not at hand any data upon which 
to base an opinion. What say our readers ? 
To Prevent Colts Retiring. 
Frank Marshall writes the Rural 
New-Yorker:— “I should like to know 
how to prevent, colts from rearing while 
riding. 1 have tried different measures, but 
have not succeeded. I have found it very 
unpleasant to break colts with that trick. 
Some recommend pulling them over on 
tlieJr backs when they rise upon their hind 
feet, but that, results In making them worse.” 
NOTES FOR SWINE-HERDS. 
VV i MOO II Mi II IIOKM DylllK. 
Geo. Runnel, Tomnh, Wis., writes:— 
" l am keeping a lot of hogs that are fed 
bran and shorts mixed up with water; they 
have a large yard witji good pens, run to 
grass, water abundant and clear to run too, 
and still they are dying off. They are pretty 
fat, and the weather is hot aud dry. Their 
symptoms are, apparent weakness in the legs, 
loss of appetite, and, after a day or two, die. 
Any information iu regard to the disease or 
its cause, would be thankfully received. 
They rce< uve good attention, aud have salt, 
sulphur, and ashes given them every little 
while. It, is beyond my knowledge to give 
any reason for their dying.” 
JHinol'i Summer I>lnmim*nu?nr. or Swims 
In July, W. II. Wilmot, Lawn Ridge, 
III., wrote the Farmer’s Club: — “ Living 
within siglit of the smoke of my chimney are 
more than fifty farmers, each of whom will 
sell from $1,000 to $5,000 worth of pork next 
fall. As near as I can learn by talking with 
many of them, they all think that now is the 
accepted time for erecting steamers and get¬ 
ting mills. They keep their hogs oil clover 
pastures, and all who have mi Us (and many 
are just getting them, even if it is not so 
proper a month as November,) cook small 
portions of corn meal for the hogs. In lids 
section no milk is fed to the hogs, for the 
reason that there is hardly enough for the 
people. Farmers have found that hogs can¬ 
not live and thrive on grass alone, hut. by 
making swill with cooked meal they keep 
the hogs growing, thereby ‘getting large 
frame bogs before the corn hardens.’ Those 
farmers generally plant quite large quantities 
of early sweet coi n, wldcli they cut up when 
in gooil roasting car, and feed stalks and all. 
The success of these swine herds, for a few 
years past lias been due to the course 1 have 
given. Nearly all began poor, and now arc 
rich.” 
