Q 4 
Jjnbnstriiu Scrricttrs. 
ANNUAL FAIRS. 
Illinois State Fair. 
We learn from our Western exchanges 
that the exhibition recently held at Decatur 
was in point of entries, and the diameter of 
animals and articles shown, a very decided 
success. The number of entries exceeded 
4,000. A drenching rain prevailed the most 
of Wednesday, but still the attendance 
was large. Short-Horns were the leading 
clock, including contributions from Messrs. 
Sandusky, Pickerel!, .T. N. Brown's Sons, 
S. Dunlap and E. Ties of Illinois, and 
A. C. Shropshire of Kentucky. O. J). Bent 
of Iowa, carried off the major portion of 
premiums on Devons. Dlllcn «fc Co. ex¬ 
hibited ten Norman and one English draught 
horse. The porcine tribe did not maintain 
their usual prominence, but the show of 
Poultry was in all respects excellent. We 
observe very little said of Sheep. Imple¬ 
ments and machinery were abundant and 
superior. The receipts are stated at $22,000, 
which it is said does not cover expenses of 
the Fair. If so, the Illinois State Fair is an 
expensive machine to run. Officers for the 
ensuing year were elected as follows:—Presi¬ 
dent, D. A. Brown ; Vice President, John 
P. Reynolds. For t he State at LargeFirst 
District, A. II. Dalton ; Second, James Her¬ 
rington ; Third, C. II. Rosen licit Fourth, 
Geo. Edmonds, Jr.; Fifth, A. J. Dunlap; 
Sixth, Emery Cobh; Seventh, James R. 
Scott; Eighth, S. B. Fisher; Ninth, A. Vit- 
tunc*; Tenth, M. G. Goltra; Twelfth, I). B. 
Gilman; Thirteenth, D. F. Parker. Secre¬ 
tary, A. M, Garland ; Treasurer, John W. 
Bunn. 
Maryland Sinte Fair. 
Wk learn by the Baltimore American that 
this was only a moderate success. There 
was much unoccupied space, and a want of 
attendance on the part of the country peo¬ 
ple. In agricultural implements, horses, 
cattle and swine the show was fine, embrac¬ 
ing many superior animals and implements. 
The display of sheep was confined to a few 
fine wools. Very few agricultural products 
were shown. Much interest centered in the 
races. The annual address was delivered by 
Horace Greeley. 
Tin; .Hii'll!u><n Hate Homological Society 
held its fair at Grand Rapids in conjunction 
with the Kent County (Mich.) Agricultural 
Society. Both organizations made excellent 
shows, which were attended by a large con¬ 
course of the intelligent farmers and fruit 
growers of this flouishfng section of Michigan. 
We regret that space will not permit, a de¬ 
tailed notice of exhibitors, fruit and doings. 
Spi-iiiK l,ak<* (Midi.) Horticultural Society 
also held a successful Fair, which, judging 
from the list of premiums awarded on fruits, 
must necessarily have been a superior exhi- 
bilion, for a young, live and growing organ¬ 
ization. 
lowii Scute Fair. 
Tins Fair was in most respects a success. 
There were about 3,000 entries, and $12,000 
receipts. Being held in the extreme South¬ 
eastern corner of the State, many of the ex¬ 
hibitors were from Illinois, Michigan and 
other States. Horses were fine, embracing 
stallions, roadsters, brood mares and fillies. 
Cattle were represented by some of the finest 
Sbort-Horu and Devon herds of the West. 
The College Farm exhibited fine Ahlerneys 
and Ayrshire®, also Durlmms and Devons. 
Sheep were not plenty. In Swine, the dif¬ 
ferent breeds were well represented, the pre¬ 
ponderance in numbers being Chesters, The 
Poultry sliow was superior. Fruit was 
an essential feature, embracing exhibitors 
from different Stales, including some from 
New York. Implements, as everywhere at 
the West, were superabundant. 
Michigan Stale Pair, 
we learn from the Michigan Farmer, was a 
gratifying success, the number of entries 
being 2,55*1, slightly in excess of those of 
I860. All the departments were well filled, 
as Michigan is prolific in all the elements of 
a first-class fair, and is fortunate in possess¬ 
ing officers and members who keep fully up 
to the requirements of the age. The follow¬ 
ing officers were elected for the ensuing 
year, being mainly re-elections:—Pres,, W. 
G. Beckwith of Cass county; See., R. F. 
Johnstone, Detroit; Treas., E. O. Humphrey, 
Kalamazoo; Ex. Com., G. W. Phillips, 
Macomb county; A. J. Dean, Lenawee 
county; E. W. Rising, Gcnesse county; 
Andrew Stout, Clinton county; C. W. 
Greene, Oakland county; M. Shoemaker, 
Jackson county; J. M. Sterling, Monroe 
county. 
tViacoublu State Fair. 
We learn from the Western Farmer that 
the recent Wisconsin State Fair was highly 
successful. The number of entries was 2,100 
and the receipts over $20,000. The live 
stock department was as good as any ever 
made in the Stale. Horses comprised thor¬ 
ough-bred, Norman, English draft, and 
Clydesdale, with their crosses; Short-Horns, 
Devons, Aldcrneys, and Ayrshires were 
represented by herds of the State and Illinois. 
Long-Wools, including Cotswolds, took pre¬ 
cedence in sheep, though Merinos were 
shown in fair numbers and of good quality. 
Swine and poultry were noticeably good. 
Dairy products embraced cheese from several 
factories, ;is well as farm dairies, and some 
entries of butter. Field and garden pro¬ 
ducts were well represented. The horticul¬ 
tural department, under the auspices of the 
State Horticultural Society, was in every 
respect very tine—a decided success. Agri¬ 
cultural implements and machinery were 
equal to former years, comprising improved 
implements lor every department of farm in¬ 
dustry. The ladies contributed their full 
quota of domestic fabrics, and Fine Art Hall 
was too crowded to.show to good advantage. 
Several addresses were delivered, including 
one by Hon. Horatio Seymour of New York. 
Officers for another year were elected as fol¬ 
lows:— Pres., R. Hinckley, Waukesha; 
Vicc-Pres’ts, First District, Rufus Cheney; 
Second, AY. R. Taylor; Third, C. II. Wil¬ 
liams ; Fourth, Sat. Clark ; Fifth, Eli Stillson ; 
Sixth, John F. Kingston. Sec., Dr. J. W. 
Hoyt, Madison. Trr*u»., Harrison Luding- 
tou, Milwaukee. Ex. Com., C. L. Martin, 
F. S. Green, W. W. Field, J. O. Eaton, John 
L. Mitchell, N. D. Pratt, J. II. Warren. 
Minnesota Suite Fair, 
held at Winona, presented the agricultural 
and horticultural Interests of this thriving 
State in a favorable light. Horses were 
shown in goodly numbers, and though cat¬ 
tle were not over numerous, the stalls con¬ 
tained some excellent Short-Horn and De¬ 
von stock. The attendance and success of 
i he Fair were very much curtailed by asevere 
rain storm the first days. 
Ontario Provincial Fair. 
The Fair of this Association held at 
Toronto, though in many respects satisfac¬ 
tory, fell short of some former ones. Unto¬ 
ward weather prevented the arrival of many 
fine herds that had been entered; still of 
cattle there were present some good Short- 
IIorns, llerefords, Devons, Ayrshires and 
Grades. Sheep were very deficient, and in 
swine the show was small. Horses are re¬ 
ported not to have been excelled at any for¬ 
mer exhibition. The implement department 
was very full. The show of grain was, 
as usual, excellent, as well as that of vegeta¬ 
bles, especially roots grown for forage, in 
which Canadian farmers excel. Of the other 
features we have no room to say more than 
that the Globe represents them as very 
creditable, and iu some respects, as in former 
years, superior to the exhibitions in the 
States. 
Rensselncr Co. (N. Y.) Fair. 
Tnis society has been reorganized upon a 
new basis, obtained new grounds upon 
which have been erected large exhibition 
buildings, stalls and pens, and their Fair for 
18?0, according to the Budget, was a decided 
success. Every department was fillet! to re¬ 
pletion and the attendance unusually large, 
as shown by the receipts—some $4,800 ns 
against $900 in 1809, Hon T. B. Carroll of 
Troy delivered the annual address, which is 
characterized as a very appropriate and able 
production. 
Clibn Valley Point Ag. ami Meeii. Sue.) 
recently held a very successful Fa<r at Cuba, 
Allegany County. The number of en¬ 
tries was over one thousand, with an atten¬ 
dance correspondingly large. 
CiinutanqiiiL Co. (N. Y.) Fair. 
This Fair, held at Jamestown recently, 
was largely attended and of a character in 
keeping with the well known reputation of 
that sterling agricultural county. Cattle, 
horses and sheep, as well as the products of 
the farm, household, dairy and workshops, 
all of good quality, were presented iu profu¬ 
sion. This organization has long main¬ 
tained a high reputation from which their 
recent Fair in no essential particular detract¬ 
ed, not only the officers and managers, but 
the whole people exhibiting more than their 
usual zeal to render the occasion enjoyable 
and useful. 
Ti'iimausbiirg, (N. Y.,) Fair. 
Three or four towns in the vicinity united 
in an association for the promotion of Agri¬ 
culture and kindred objects. The Fair for 
1870 would have done no discredit to any 
county society—just what might he expected 
of a community where so large a portion 
subscribe Ibr the Rural New-Yorker. 
Every department, not forgetting Trotting 
Horses, was well represented, and every¬ 
thing passed off with erJnt, 
Queens Co. (N. Y.) Fair, 
The Annual Fair of this Society, recently 
held, was very satifactory. The attendance 
was large. Animals and articles exhibited 
were numerous, and of good quality. Mr. 
Crozier was loading exhibitor of stock. Some 
fine horses were on the ground. Fruits, 
grapes and vegetables were creditable to 
Long Island. 
Juneau Co. (Wish Air. Society 
held a very successful Fair, Sept. 21 and 22, 
at. Mansion. The annual address, which is 
spoken of as being very superior, was deliv¬ 
ered by Hon. Geo. W. Cate. Officers for the 
ensiling year elected as followsPres., J. 
Laxgwokthy; Vice-Pres., S. D. Macom- 
her; Treus., M. Temple; Sec., J. G. Parker, 
Mansion. 
arm £am0ttT}j. 
J © 
AMONG THE FARMERS—IV. 
Tms era of dear labor—so dear, that 
where the principal part of the labor is em¬ 
ployed by the farmer, his profits nearly all 
go to the laborer—has had some good re¬ 
sults, among which is the more rapid intro¬ 
duction of machinery for farm labor. 
Even the 
Steam Famine 
is becoming the servant of the farmer, and 
is now advocated as an economy on even 
one to two hundred acres. It. cooks the food 
for his stock, cuts his hay and straw, threshes 
and grinds his grain, pulps his roots, pumps 
his water, saws his wood, elevates his hay 
and grain, and will, if desired, churn and 
wash for the women. 
We visited Mr. Otis S. Lewis of Know- 
lesville, Orleans Co., N. Y., who has intro¬ 
duced the improved methods in feeding 
stock. His farm consists of 237 acres—200 
under tillage and meadow, all excellent 
land, composed of the right mixture of sand, 
gravel, clay and loam. His buildings are 
ample and substantial structures, affording 
convenience for all his purposes. He wastes 
none of Life acres upon pasture, using for 
this purpose only his open woodland, and 
soiling for the rest of his summer feeding ; 
raises 1,500 bushels of potatoes, 1,000 of 
wheat, as much of corn, 500 of oats, and 
thus has large quantities of straw and coin 
fodder. Being a firm believer in the econo¬ 
my of 
The Turnip Crop, 
he goes systematically into its culture, and 
lias been as successful with the turnip as 
with corn, raising from 2,000 to 3,000 bush¬ 
els per year. He selects a sandy or gravelly 
loam, plows very early in spring, and with 
the use of twenty loads of well-rotted barn¬ 
yard manure per acre,sowing in drills thirty 
inches apart about I5tb of June, and by thor¬ 
ough cultivation is able to raise eight hundred 
bushels per acre at a cost of six cents per 
bushel. In this he allows interest on land 
at $200 per acre, and $10 for manure with 
all the labor, even to the housing. 
ne had a field of three and a-lialf acres at 
the time of our visit, on which the turnips 
looked very vigorous, and likely to yield, at 
least, 800 bushels per acre. He lias found, 
practically, in feeding cattle iu the winter, 
that turnips are worth, for making beef, 
twelve to fifteen cents per bushel, or double 
their cost. They are like green grass pre¬ 
served for winter keeping the system in 
health and vigor, and assist in the digestion 
of other food. They enable him to turn into 
beef his large quantities of straw and other 
coarse fodder. 
Mr. L.’s barn is large, and stands on a 
well laid wall eight feet high, but on the 
upper side the earth is level with the top of 
the wall. In this basement are his stables 
and a root cellar with capacity for 3,000 
bushels. This basement is well lighted 
and ventilated, making a warm, cheerful 
stable for his cattle. Stables under barns 
are too often badly lighted and ventilated, 
in which case they are damp and unhealthy. 
Cooking Food, 
The stock feeder who has sought, to econo¬ 
mize the food for his animals by cooking, 
has often been met with the insurance 
agents’ objections to fire about the barns, 
and, in many cases, prevented from making 
the improvement. Mr. L,, in deference to 
these objections, has placed his steam boiler 
one hundred and thirty-five feet from the 
engine and steam box, where the work is 
to be done. The steam is conveyed through 
an inch pipe, and runs oue of A. N. Wood 
A Co.’s six-horse engines to liis entire satis¬ 
faction. This is a greater distance than has 
usually been considered economical to con¬ 
vey steam, hut here it seems to work well; 
yet, it is to be noted, that lie has an eight- 
horse boiler to supply force to run a six- 
horse engine at that distance. And here, 
let us say, that a proper engine-room, with 
stone, brick or dirt floor and protection 
about the fire entrance, constructed in the 
basement of the barn, with chimney reach¬ 
ing above the roof, is as safe, and will not 
endanger the buildings more than an ordin¬ 
ary stove in a dwelling house. 
Mr. L. fitted up an apparatus for cooking 
food for stock two years ago. The steam 
box is located in the basement near his stock 
and directly under an upper floor. It is a 
square box, six feet wide, ten feet long, 
seven feet high, holding about three hun¬ 
dred bushels, or rather divided into two 
compartments bolding one hundred and 
fifty bushels each. There are two traps at 
the top through which to fill them, and 
traps on the side at the bottom to take out 
the cooked food. The feed is mixed on the 
upper floor and drops though into the steam 
box. His 
Turnip Fiilper, 
or grater, is placed in his root cellar, run by 
the engine, and will grate or pulp turnips 
ns fast as they can be shoveled into the hop¬ 
per. It is a simple machine'of his own con¬ 
struction, but does the work more thorough¬ 
ly than any we ever saw. It consists of a 
section of a hickory log fifteen inches in 
diameter, twenty inches long, turned, with 
iron shaft through the center; set, on the 
outer surface, with parallel rows of five-six¬ 
teenth steel teeth, diagonally and length¬ 
wise across the face, projecting about three- 
quarters of an inch. There are about ten such 
rows, so set that each tooth is in a different 
line. This cylinder is hung in a frame, 
boxed up, with hard wood plank in front, 
the teeth turning close to this, the turnips 
are pressed against it. and grated up very fine. 
He now proposes to attach an elevator to 
carry the pulp to the upper floor, where it is 
mixed with cut hay or straw—all going into 
the steam box together. The flavor of this 
turnip pulp w ill be diffused by steam through 
the mass of straw, improving its flavor so 
much that cattle will eat it greedily. 
Fattening Cattle. 
To use up his straw and coarse fodder, 
Air. L. buys heavy Western cattle in Decem¬ 
ber, and feeds Ibr about, three months. He 
finds, practically, that a 1,300 or 1,400 pound 
bullock, will gain, on an average, three 
pounds per day, on five pounds of bay, ten 
or more pounds of straw, nine pounds of 
corn meal, with one-half bushel of turnips— 
all steamed together. This costs (with Imy 
at ten dollars per ton, corn at eighty cents, 
and turnips twelve cents per bushel,) twenty- 
four cents per day But this would seem to 
leave a balance against the feeder, as each 
pound of beef would cost him eight cents 
besides the labor. Good cat tle, however, are 
usually worth in March at least one cent per 
pound more than in December. Thus a 
1,300 pound steer would cost, at six and 
a-balf cents, $84,50, and would bring, in 
ninety days, (weighing 1,570 pounds, at 
seven and a-lialf cents,) $117.75, while the 
feed would cost but $21.60, and the labor $2, 
making $23.60, leaving a balance of profit of 
$9.60 per head besides manure. This is 
certainly a fair margin, considering the great 
benefit of such a system of feeding to the 
land. He estimates the benefits of cooking 
the food as a gain of one-third—that is, that 
the same amount of food uncooked would 
produce only two pounds of beef. 
IIor Feeding. 
AVe noticed, approvingly, Mr. L.’s care for 
his hogs. A former dwelling house has 
been removed for use as a grainery, and 
placed upon a substantial wall, and in this 
lower story is located the steam boiler, with 
abundant space one side for hog-pens, and 
on the other to store wood for the boiler. 
He has hung a large, open till), with trmiioiis 
on the sides, so as to revolve, to facilitate 
filling and unfilling, and also easily adjusted 
as a scalding tub in dressing hogs. The 
trunion on one side is formed of gas pipe, 
which is carried on the inside to the bottom, 
where the steam is discharged. The steam 
pipe is connected with this hollow trunion, 
and turns inside, with steam-tight pack¬ 
ing. His 
Hog-Trough 
arrangement is very convenient. The trough 
projects nearly its whole width beyond the 
side of the pen, with a swing door its whole 
length, over it, which, when hanging straight 
down, leaves the trough on the outside. The 
food can then be put in without molestation, 
and if hot from recent cooking, can cool in 
the trough. Tins door, being swung forward 
at the bottom, is held by a staple dropped 
into the front edge of the trough, and the 
hogs are admitted to the food This pen is 
so warm and even in temperature, that hogs 
will fatten as well in winter as summer. 
e. w. 8. 
labor and of corn. This year corn, in view 
of the weather, (now wet, and warm,) is in¬ 
juring, which would not, be the case with 
smaller shocks. The advantage of my plan 
is, there is no danger of molding, no re-bind- 
ing to do, and if you wish to draw in, you 
can do it as easy as a field of wheat. 
And I will throw in the thought here, that 
to be a successful farmer, a man must take 
advantage of the weather, as well as the mar¬ 
kets. Iu my observations of men, I find 
your energetic calculator don’t find fault 
with Providence or the hired men. In short 
days I have set a great value upon my time, 
and have managed to do my running about 
and still do a day’s work with my men. I 
have several times done a day’s work and 
been examined as a teacher. I remember 
now of doing the largest day’s work husking 
in the field I ever did—husking and putting 
in the crib fifty bushels of ears of corn, be¬ 
tween sun and sun—and finding time to go 
to the village and vote, in the short days in 
November. As a general thing, I do not be¬ 
lieve in big days’ works, but would rather 
depend upon system and a steady pull to ac¬ 
complish the farmer’s purposes. This year 
the God of Nature has done his part, and if 
the husbandmen do theirs, the bountiful crops 
of corn and apples can be seasonably se¬ 
cured. H. K. F. 
Monroe Co., N. Y. 
Ik 
SECURE THE CROPS. 
Economy of Time and Lubov — “ Push 
Tliiuifs.” 
Never since I have been in this country, 
have I seen such crops of corn and apples. 
The trees fairly bend under their burdens, 
like weeping willows. Now what 1 have to 
say is, if farmers mid their men will do their 
part, there need not be any waste. During 
seventeen years of farm life, 1 can say, with¬ 
out boasting, t hat no loss has occurred to me, 
for I planned out my work, had force to do 
it, and fixed a time when all must be under 
cover. Of all men, 1 never could abide your 
slow and easy farmer, when the short days, 
the frosts and approaching winter say to the 
husbandman, "What you do, do quickly.” 
This is not only common sense, but Scrip¬ 
ture. The farmer needs force,—Lliat Is, abili¬ 
ty to press forward his work in spite of the 
weather. I remember one fa)! the season 
was very wet, and besides apples and a large 
corn crop to secure, 1 hail a thousand bush¬ 
els of the famous Carter potatoes to dig. I 
overcame the difficulty without extra help, 
by keeping barn floors and sheds filled with 
corn for the men to husk wet days, and dug 
potatoes when it was dry. 
My method of managing corn is different 
from most farmers here. I cut five rows at a 
time, and place round the hill and insist that 
the shocks are made sizeable, not larger than 
a stout man can easily throw upon a pair of 
trucks. T bind (irmly with a band of straw, 
and by this method there is both a saving of 
larscntim 
SCOURS IN HORSES. 
I noticed in the Rural New-Yorker, 
September 17th, an article signed C. D. 
Smead, in which he partially describes and 
talks about my article in the Rural New- 
Yorker of August 20th, in which I describe 
the cure for a disease known as scours in 
horses. We have used this cure in Mexico 
and New Mexico, and I never knew it to 
kill one horse out of many where it has been 
used. I will say it has been used in more 
than fifty cases, and only one horse died of 
this disease, and the reason then was that 
we got the medicine from a druggist too late. 
Mr. Smead thinks 1 have mixed several 
diseases. The symptoms of this disease are: 
In most cases it commences by the horse 
frequently lying down and rolling, it may be 
an hour or more; and the horse commences 
violent purging, and if not relieved in time, 
the horse will he lost to the owner. I will 
give you the cure for this disease a second 
time, for fear I left some out the first time: 
Boil red or white oak bark to a strong 
ooze ; put two tablespoonfuIs of cream of 
tartar to one quart of this decoction; give 
to drink, or as a drench ; then use the bark 
water for injection. Keep this up until 
the purging is stopped; then give a mash of 
scalded wheat bran, twice a day. Give no 
hay or grain, or you will cause a relapse. 
The horse will have a good appetite, hut he 
very careful for several days, and when you 
commense feeding , feed very light. 
John Peters. 
-- 
HORSE NOTES AND QUERIES. 
Hunches on Horses’ Knees. 
Take one pint of turpentine; two ounces 
powdered cautharides; iodine and cedar oil 
of each two ounces. Rub on well and heat 
in. Apply twice a day.—W. W. Gray. 
Remedy for (Saddle Sores. 
James Brown asks the Rural New- 
Yorker for a remedy for saddle sores. AVe 
have given recipes from correspondents, but 
we have seen it recommendsd to lake a little 
finely-powdered burnt alum and dredge it 
over the surface of the disea ed part three 
or four times a day until a dry scab is se¬ 
cured. _ 
Cure lor Scratches on Horses. 
I had a horse suffering with scratches, 
and was advised to try the following, which 
effected a speedy cure:—Wash clean with 
soap-suds, and give a complete coating of 
white lead to the diseased parts. The horse 
should be kept, out of a miry, filthy stall, as 
a cure is not probable when the cause is 
continually applied. Some one suggests 
linseed oil as the first application, to be fol¬ 
lowed immediately by the lead. —N. b. 
A Coll with Cramp. 
A subscriber asks the Rural New- 
Yorker “ if anything more can he done for 
a colt that has the cramp in his hind legs 
when kept in the stable than to turn him out 
on the ground ? Bonn times he cramps and 
then he walks as well as any horse. Some¬ 
times circumstances prevent his being out 
of the stable.” He out not to be confined 
if kept in a stable, but should have a large 
stall in which he is free to move about. If 
the floor of the stall is of earth all the bet 
ter; if not it should be well littered. 
-- 
Inquiries Ibr llortwnen,—An "Old RuraHst 
writes:—"! have a mure, eight years old, that 
has had a bad cough for two yeai* 9 —at times 
worse than others, especially In the morning. 
As I am afraid that she will get the heaves, I 
wish to ask what I shall do for her.” 
