. < whey apparatus, or adopting the new 
1 /stem of treating the whey, he will un- 
doi )t< Uy have to pay for the right of so 
using, in case it be patented. 
We have never inquired into the validity 
of these patents, nor can we now name the 
precise points upon which the patents are 
runted But if the whey is simply drawn 
into a v t, and allowed to cool therein the 
old way without Lite use of water, and the 
< ream then be taken off and churned, we 
should ty that this would be no infringe¬ 
ment of 'lie patent; at least, it ought not to 
he. W* are very much inclined to think 
t.h at the vhole system of granting patents 
in** ision. It. is becoming, in many te¬ 
epee nuisance, and if U continues in this 
way for a few years longer, we shall expect 
to have men dogging us for a royalty for the 
manner in which we put on a coat or take 
off our boots. 
strawberries; now if the grubs have nearly 
or quite arrived at maturity, they will de¬ 
part as beetles next summer, and if very 
small, they may do but little damage during 
the first season, but destroy the whole plan¬ 
tation-the following year: and those persons 
who are ignorant of the habits of this insect-, 
often arrive at very curious conclusions as to 
cause and effect of manure and other appli¬ 
cations to the soil. We doubt whether any¬ 
thing can be applied to land already planted, 
that will kill the grubs and not injure the 
crop growing thereon. Ashes will do the 
aturalisf 
nsbunbrn 
X. A. WILLARD, A. M., EDITOR, 
Or Lim.c IUbkimkii Couktit, N* To*k. 
H. S. RANDALL, IX. D., EDITOR, 
Or Cokti.*m> V(utu, OofiTi A s n Cnt'XTY, Nkk- York 
MULCHING AND WORMS, 
I appear to you for light and aid on a 
perplexed question, to wit:—I came to this 
place, from New York State, last spring. 
Our country is very new. I put out about 
one-eighth of an acre of strawberries, and as 
my land was not in the best condition, I 
thought to kill two birds with one stone, by 
AMERICAN DAIRYMEN’S A SOCJA- 
TION. 
Annual Alerting. 
The ikcruiaiy of me American Dairy¬ 
men’s A- aiiiitiou, G. U. Weeks, aim umecs 
the following programme for ’the annual 
nice ling of the Association, at Utica, N. Y., 
January 10, 11, ami 12, 1871: 
Address by Donald G. Mitchell, New 
Haven, Conn.; subject, “How liu ami in 
what way the practical farmer, or dairyman, 
can best avail himself of the U vcUiugs of 
science.'’ 
Prof. Geohoe 0. Caldwell of Cornell 
University will give an address on the 
“ .Manufacture of cheese in Germany, France, 
and ^Switzerland." 
Joseph Harris, Rochester, on “Fatten¬ 
ing cows on dairy farms.’’ 
The following topics are to come before 
the Convention, uud short papers introduc¬ 
tory to Urn general discussion, are expected 
Horn the gentlemen named in connection 
with each subject: 
1 . “ la there a gradual decline in the 
amount ot dairy products in all. our oldest 
dairy regions? If so, what is the cause and 
What the remedy?”—X. A. Wii.laiid, Her¬ 
kimer Co. 
2. “ Should not every dairyman practice 
soiling his cowa in connection with pastur¬ 
age; and wlmt crop or crops arc best for 
the purpose?" — Harris Lewis, Herki¬ 
mer Co. 
8 . " What shall bo done with the cream 
which rises upon tins milk timing the night, 
in cases where the agitator is not used ?"— 
8. B. Arnold, Tompkins Co. 
4, " Grinding Curds.”— Alex. McAdam, 
Montgomery Co. 
5. “ Management of a good Butter Dairy.” 
—0.8. Buss, Vermont; S. A, Farrington, 
Tompkins Co. 
(i. “ Proper construction of cheese facto¬ 
ries as bearing upon the quality Of thu 
product, as also with reference to conveni¬ 
ence and durability.”—Du. L. L. Wuiuiit, 
Oneida. 
7. “ Would the consumption of cheese he 
promoted in any considerable degree by the 
more general manufacture of small cheeses?” 
—A. lloLDiuDutc, Otsego Co. 
Several other topics are given, hut no 
speakers are named io open the discussion. 
These topics are as follows “ Is there any 
way by which patrons of butler and cheese 
factories can receive credit for milk delivered 
according to its actual value, and not ac¬ 
cording to its weight or measure?" “Con¬ 
densed milk manufacture.” “ What is the 
best method for maintaining temperature itt 
cheese curing rooms?" “ Causes of tainted 
milk and the remedies.” “ Wltal have been 
the lessons of the past year?" 
From the list of topics and speakers en¬ 
gaged, the meeting promises to be of unusual 
interest to dairymen. 
SPANISH MERINOS IN THE SOUTH 
Mr. Ricii.\.rd Peters of Atlanta, Ga., 
writes to the Rural Carolinian that, in the 
year 1847, he purchased a farm in Gordon 
county, in order to try sheep raising in con¬ 
nection with other stock. Hfc obtained a 
flock of one hundred selected native ewes. 
They proved to he unprofitable, subject to 
disease, and not calculated for keeping in 
large flocks. He disposed of them after a 
three years’ trial, and purchased, at high 
prices, specimens of the improved English 
breeds, including the Cote wolds, Leicesters, 
new Oxfotdahites and South Downs. He 
bred them pure, and crossed them with the 
native sheep. The result was neither profit¬ 
able nor satisfactory. They appeared to 
thrive well for a year or two; then they 
gradually became unhealthy, more especially 
during the summer months. 
In the year 1850 he purchased a flock of 
pure bred Spanish Merinos, and from that 
day to this ho has been remarkably success¬ 
ful. His flock has increased to upward of 
three hundred head, and bn desires to in¬ 
crease it to a- thousand head. They have 
continued perfectly healthy, are easily man¬ 
aged, and yield annually an average of seven 
to eight pounds of wool per head. Until he 
adopted the Merinos, he could seldom find 
in his flock a sheep fat enough for mutton. 
In April last he sold to the butchers in At¬ 
lanta a lot of grass-fed two years old wethers, 
pronounced to he the best mutton brought 
to the city during the season. He obtaiued 
for them $0.50 per Item! after being sheared. 
The cross between the Spanish Merino 
and the native sheep lias been tried by a 
number of persons in the Southern Slates, 
and all agree as to the superiority of the half 
bloods, as compared with the native sheep, 
both in the quantity und quality of the 
fleece, and in their size, vigor, and rapidity 
of growth. 
CHESTER WHITES vs. CHESHIRES 
In thellDHAL New-Yorker of Nov. 12th, 
Mr. E. A. Hewitt, Groton, Conn.-, has n 
strong article condemning “ Chester White" 
hogs, ami speaks of “Cheshlrcs” as “ pure 
blooded" and “ thorough-bred.” Mr. Hewitt 
is severe in his denunciations of “ Chesters " 
and enthusiastic in his praises of “ Cheshircs " 
If our friend will bear with us we will try to 
set him right on both sides of this question 
There is u great deal of humbug connected 
with the “ Chester White "enterprise. There 
is no end to the varieties of hogs, which are 
dignified with Uih title. They originated by 
crossing an imported Bedfordshire boar, (a 
family of awinu improved by crossing with 
Lite Yorkshire) with the native hogs of Ches¬ 
ter Co., and breeding hack to the original 
hour. Two liimlliuH were started, lop and 
straight eared. The former aro the most 
common and are the best. A genuine 
“Chester” bus a short, blunt nose, with a 
hollow or dialled forehead, is wrinkled in the 
ucckj husa heavy tail, is very long bodied, 
pure white, lias a heavy coat of hair, is large 
honed, has big ears, lopped down over the 
eyes, or erect, according to the family. 
They arc good breeders, make large, coarse 
porkers, and are very good hogs, If there 
were no better. The “ Cheshircs,” as Mr. 
Hewitt calls them, are liner bone, less Its 
—often very thin—incline to long snouts, 
tails small und apt to drop off when young . 
are white, clean, smooth, handsome hogs; 
easy to fatten, have small, erect cars, and 
make a capital cross upon common hogs 
There is no more "Cheshire” about them 
than there is about a “Chester.” They are 
made up by crossing with l lie “ Yorkshire," 
and originated in Jefferson Co., N. Y. That 
is as near as they have ever been to “ Cln 
shire." The best breeders of these justly cele¬ 
brated swine iu Jefferson county, now call 
them after ihe county where they Blurted, 
and where they have been bred so success¬ 
fully. They begin now to possess peculiar 
characteristics and features, which may en¬ 
title them to be denominated a breed. They 
have not been 60 recognized as yet, by the 
New York State Agricultural Society, but 
doubtless soon will be, aa the Jefferson Coun¬ 
ty “breed.” F. D. Curtis. 
Clmrltotl, N. Y., 1870. 
OTJIi CHRISTMAS TUItKEY. 
plants good, but salt must be used with cau¬ 
tion, and in small quantities. 
The white worm found in such abun¬ 
dance in the manure, was probably the larva 
of some one of the many common “ Dung 
Beetles,” and will be killed by the frosts of 
winter. 
nude ding the plants with fresh horse ma- 
r r<- as it would enrich the land as well as 
ect the vines in winter. I have put it 
ud the plants but not over the crowns, 
e applying the manure, I have met with 
an who says that he lost three acres of 
.'berries from mulching with manure, as 
next season after, the White Grub al- 
:d and killed all the plants. When 
hing my plants, I saw plenty of small 
■" i f ; worms in the manure, but supposed 
"inter would kill them. I have always 
horse manure iu my garden, but never 
any bad effects either from grubs or 
iwise. NoiW.^ ill the grubs injure the 
s ? If so, what had I better do—remove 
nilchiug, or wait, until spring, and then 
y ashes, or salt, sufficient to kill the 
i as and not injure the plants? My plants 
• tsider a fortune to me, and I do not wish 
se them; therefore, appeal to the Rural 
r- Yorker for help. — Stephen S. 
kle, MiddleviUe, Mick. 
e do not like to use fresh manure from 
barn-yard as a mulching for strawberry 
its, for two reasons. First—It is usually 
of weed seeds, and these wilt grow and 
are the plants unless destroyed. Second- 
lie manure is applied early in fall, or be- 
; the ground freezes, all sorts of cut- 
Tins and grubs will gather under it lor 
j tec lion from cold, and be on hand to ac- 
nckthe plants in spring. Still, if wo had 
r*■; other enriching materials at hand, and 
•ir plants required it, we should apply even 
.di horse manure, without fear of conse¬ 
quences. 
It is not at all probable that the destruc¬ 
tion of the three acres of plants referred to 
1 1 he gentleman you met was in couse- 
i ajce of the application of manure. The 
1 rubs were probably In the soil previous to 
planting, and had only arrived at the proper 
stage in their existence for destroying the 
plants just at that particular time. Old pas¬ 
tures and meadows are usually badly in¬ 
fested with these white grubs, and should 
never he used for strawberry plantations 
until cultivated for at least two years pre¬ 
viously; and three is still better, A slight 
acquaintance with the history of the com¬ 
mon white grub will convince any one that 
land previously well cultivated is the best 
for strawberries, provided this worm is 
known to be abundant. 
The most common of the white grubs that 
eat the roots of strawberry plants, is the lar¬ 
va of our well known May Beetle. ( Phyllo • 
phaga quercina of Harris, or Lachnosterna 
of Hope.) This beetle lays its eggs in grass 
lands, among weeds and in other neglected 
places; after the eggs hatch, the worm de¬ 
scends into the earth, where it requires front 
three to four years to reach its full size, and 
again change into a beetle. The first season, 
these grubs are so small as to bescarcely no¬ 
ticed, and they do but little apparent dam¬ 
age; but the second and third year, they 
consume an immense quantity of vegetable 
food. It is only in the last two years of their 
existence that their devastating work is no¬ 
ticed. Suppose a meadow or old pasture 
badly infested with white grubs, is plowed 
up this fall or next spring, and planted with 
Depredation* of Dogs. 
The most serious obstacle to sheep hus¬ 
bandry in this country is the abundance and 
depredations of dogs. Farmers by tens of 
thousands have sold off, or killed off, their 
flocks, mainly because they could not other¬ 
wise protect themselves against their fre¬ 
quent decimation by prowling curs, which 
were not worth the powder required to 
shoot them. It seems to me, that a farmer 
thus despoiled is perfectly justifiable in 
placing poisoned food where these cut¬ 
throats will be apt to find it while making 
their next raid on his sheep. I should have 
no scruple in so doing, provided I could 
guard effectually against the poisoning of 
any other than tlie culprits.— II. Greeley. 
OUR CHRISTMAS TURKEY. 
Roast tnrtrey is one among the many 
good things for which thewoild has to thank 
Columbus ; for it is said by historians, that 
prior to the discovery of America, it was a 
dainty dish that had uever been set before a 
king, even. To discard the turkey, would 
be to knock away one of the main buttresses 
of American Christmas festivities; for while 
few of the poor in the old country can luxu¬ 
riate on a turkey on that day, here in Ameri¬ 
ca, no man’s Would be complete unless his 
table were adorned with at least an eight 
or ten pouuder. If Rural readers have not 
already made their provision for a Christmas 
dinner, the accompanying engraving of Our 
Christmas Gobbler will remind them to pre¬ 
pare for the feast. He is a noble-looking 
fellow, and is truly emblematic of what will 
be found, we trust, upon many tables of our 
readers, accompanied with the inevitable 
pan of doughnuts and pitcher of sweet cider. 
jamolagintl 
P0M0L0GICAL GOSSIP, 
AKING WHEY BUTTER. 
Grapes for Wine. 
A correspondent at Wilmington, Del., 
desires us to name the best grape for wine, 
lie also adds that there are so many contra¬ 
dictory statements relating to Ibis subject, it 
sorely puzzles him to decide. The great 
difference of opinion among our vineyard- 
ists in regard to the best wine grape, proves 
that we have many that arc really excellent, 
and some varieties are better in one locality 
than in another. In addition to the above, 
it depends somewhat upon the kind of wine 
desired, whether red, while, dry, or spark- 
ling. 
If we were about plantiug a vineyard in 
Delaware, we should certainly try Nor¬ 
ton’s Virginia, Clinton, Ives, Cornucopia, 
Canada, and Delaware. The first five are 
all strong, healthy growers, and the fruit is 
uoL liable to He attacked by mildew. Where 
the Delaware will succeed it makes a very 
rich wine. There are probably many other 
sorts, equally as good as those named, hut 
we think these are safe and reliable for the 
Middle States. 
Davison’s Thornless Raspberry. 
Almost every week we notice some allu¬ 
sion in our exchanges to Davison’s Thorn¬ 
less Black Cap, the first name spelled with 
two d’s instead of one, as above. This va¬ 
riety derived iLs name from Mrs. Mary Da¬ 
vison, not Davidson, and it is just as easy 
to use the right name as the wrong one. 
Grapes Received. 
A box of seedling grapes received from 
G. R. Don, were nearly or quite rotten when 
they came to hand, and we cannot give ait 
opinion as to quality, except tis above. 
A Large Northern Ispy. 
A Rural New-Yorker subscriber In 
lronduquoit, N. Y., raised a Northern Spy 
apple that weighed nineteen ounces. Can 
any one report a larger one ?—tv. 
POLAND AND CHINA SWINI 
POULTRY NOTES AND QUERIES 
In the Rural New-Yorker of Oct —, 
a correspondent inquires the origin of the 
Poland and China breed of hogs. This at 
present :• "tooted point. On investigating 
the subject, however, while wo find that, 
quip a number >f pr<>* ..,cni hog breeders 
have given their attention, und have been 
quite successful in improving and perfecting 
this particular breed, yet Mr. D. M. Magie 
of Butler Co., Ohio, and Mr. A. C. Moore, 
formerly of that county, but now a resident 
of Illinois, are the most prominent competit¬ 
ors for the credit of having done more titan 
nil others combined. Mr. Moore has re¬ 
cently gone so far as to claim for himself the 
credit of having been t lie origin ator, and has 
given them the name of the “Moore Slock 
while in a large portion of the Northwest, 
t hey are known as the “ Magie hogs," and 
tbelllinois Swine Breeders’ Association have 
decided that he is entitled to the credit of be¬ 
ing the originator, and that tlie breed should 
bear his name. 
The Poland and China hog was first in¬ 
troduced into Butler county by him, and was 
a cross between the Poland, big spotted China 
uud Byefidd breeds. John T. Irion. 
Parts, Tenn., 1870. 
Helling Ebbs by Weight. 
This is a suggestion that is now being 
agitated iu England, and we see no good 
reason why il should not be adopted in this 
country. If eggs were sold by the pound, it 
would not only benefit the consumer but the 
producer. As t he saying is, “ Eggs are eggs,’ 
and a dozen little things weighing twenty 
ounces or thereabouts, tlie produce of little 
half-starved hens, now sell, under the pres¬ 
ent system, for as much as a dozen Cochin 
or Brahma eggs weighing on an average 
from twenty-nine to thirty ounces. This is 
all wrong, and should produce a universal 
demand that eggs l)e bought and sold by 
weight. Let us have eggs by the pound in¬ 
stead of by the dozen. 
Black Spnnish, Eight Urn limns, &c. 
The Black Spanish and Light Brahma 
chickens are my choice. They are good 
layers, good for the table, and have proved 
very hardy with me. I select the common 
hen for mothers. Spirits of turpentine 
soaked into the perches, will prevent lice, 
and will remove any there may be on the 
chickens. It is also a good preventive of 
disease.—G. G., Union City , lad. 
Trouble wit It Pics. 
I wish to know what ails my pigs. In 
August last a sow of mine had a litter of 
nine pigs. Until they were four weeks old 
they grew and were as fine as 1 could wish. 
1 then shut them up, intending to fat the 
sow and part of the pigs. But they were 
soon taken with a puffing and cough* Their 
flanks would heave out and in like a horse 
afflicted with the heaves. They would eat 
very well, but have kept dying off, and now 
I have but three left. I fed them on old 
coru, with but little milk.— a. 
Leghorn Chicken* Wnuted. 
M. B. Cloptgn, Albemarle, Va., writes: 
“ I am exceedingly anxious to learn where I 
can obtain Leghorn chickens, and the price. 
If you will inform me, you will confer a 
favor.” We do not know where Leghorns 
can be obtained. Those having them for 
3ulo will do well to make the fact known 
through the advertising columns of the Ru¬ 
ral New-Yorker. 
