Co., Easton, Pa., Excelsior Cider Mill and a 
fh;e, large display of Hardware, etc.; Con¬ 
tinental Washing Machine Co., Lancaster, 
Pa., show the Continental Washing Ma¬ 
chine. , B. 
of Phillipsburgh, X. J., exhibit# a 2-yr. old 
stallion, out of an Aberdeen mare, by 
Bashaw horse, with his brother, a beautiful 
4- months' colt. The display of road horses, 
which should be a promiuent feature of this 
Fair, is very' light and not extra in quality. 
Among the exhibitors of Swine we find 
the names E. B. Ashbridge, Thomas Mo 
Keen, \V. L. Cole, E. Reeder and Charles 
B. Moore. The display is excellent, and the 
animals evince very thorough care in breed¬ 
ing. Much more pains might be expended 
on swine breeding in this section with profit 
to the farmer. 
Mechanics Hall is but poorly filled, and 
fails to do justice to the district represented 
by it. The accommodations for the machin¬ 
ery are not of the best, which might account 
for the meager representation. 
Industrial Hall makes a fine show and 
attracts more attention than all other parts 
of the Exhibition, except perhaps the plants 
and flowers. This building contains also 
what few dairy implements are on exhibi¬ 
tion. The Champion Washer is being 
lucidly explained by Calkins himself, who 
is aa indefatigable as patient in showing the 
machine, and wc arc informed that he has 
received a Special Medal of Honor. There 
is a large local display of household indus¬ 
tries, which are being critically examined 
by the good housewives of Penusj'lvania, 
among which we notice as particularly at¬ 
tractive two chair seats of worsted embroid¬ 
ery, well worthy the oinulat ion of all house¬ 
keepers, by Miss Sue Slater. Wbile embroi¬ 
dery may seem useless to many, it is, like 
flow el's, an element of civilization, the culti¬ 
vation of which beautifies the home and 
ennobles its inmates. W t- recommend to our 
female readers not to neglect but to cultivate 
everything which makes home beautiful and 
attractive. 
Among the visitors of note are Hon. 
IIeister Clymer and Auditor-General 
ARE EUROPEAN SPARROWS TO BE A 
PEST 1 
THE PENNSYLVANIA STATE FAIR. 
Easton, P»., Oct. 1, 1874. 
The Twenty-second Annual Exhibition of 
the Pennsylvania State Ag’l Society, now 
being held here, develops to thri date a very 
slim attendance. The sparsity of visitors i9 
accounted for by the numerous local fails 
dow in session in this vicinity. The weather, 
too, may have luvd considerable to do with 
it. The officers of the Society seem to have 
made every provision for success and to have 
done all in their power for that end. 
Of cattle the display is excellent. Mr. Hol¬ 
comb entered a fine herd, comprising an Ayr¬ 
shire Bull and Heifer, several Devons and a 
fine 3-year old Durham Bull, besides some 
South Down sheep. C. R. Moore had his 
SOMERSET COUNTY, N. J., FAIR 
These homely little chatterboxes have cer¬ 
tainly done good in freeing our cities from 
some kinds of worms. They are spreading 
into the country in great numbers. We en¬ 
counter them in clouds at the railway sta¬ 
tions and in rural villages, and they seem to 
prefer the villa streets to the open fields. 
However, they are spreading about among 
the farmsteads, damaging the grapes some¬ 
what and fighting off other birds which re¬ 
tire to the woods or wayside hedges. About 
this time of the year they must be fat, and 
are said to be good eating while, at the same 
time, they are so fearless that they may no 
doubt be easily trapped. These thoughts 
have occupied the mind of the writer more 
or less for some weeks, and now are brought 
to a focus by the following letter of Mr. J. 
J. H. Gregory in the Mass. Ploughman : 
"One day while I was in England, an En¬ 
glish lady inquired of me at the table, ‘ Is it 
true that you Americans have imported our 
sparrows into your country f’ Upon my 
stating that we had done so for the purpose 
of clearing our trees from caterpillars and 
like vermin, she replied, * What may be 
their value for that I do not know, but thi3 
I do know, they are terribly destructive to 
our grain ; my husband estimates his losses 
by the depredation at £ 100 (about 8500) an¬ 
nually.’ There is an old saying, the substance 
of which is, 1 That we should encourage the 
ornamental, for the useful will take care of 
itself.’ It being assumed, 1 presume that 
mankind knows it to be for their interest to 
encourage what is useful, requiring no spur 
in that direction. It looks now ns though 
this would hardly prove true in its applica 
tion to the English sparrow question ; for 
unless with change of continent they change 
their character (which is not at all likely) and 
their increase is encouraged aa at present, it 
will be but a few years before they will de¬ 
scend in clouds ou the wheat fields of the 
West. In view, therefore, of their habits in 
their native country and their rapid increase 
in this, it would seem that the whole matter 
was well worth the careful consideration of 
the Legislatures of the grain-growing States 
before an evil beyond control shall come 
upon them. If the worst that is anticipated 
should result from the introduction of these 
birds, it would not present an anomalous 
case, for some of the worst pests of our fields 
(the ox-eye daisy is an instance) were first in¬ 
troduced as ornaments to the garden. A few 
such examples make it clear that while en¬ 
couraging the ornamental we should not 
leave the useful to take care of itself. It 
would be a sad fact for the hislorian of the 
future to put ou record, should it |)rove a 
fact, that to reduce the number of caterpil¬ 
lars on a few thousand shade trees in defer¬ 
ence to the weak nerves of over-nice individ¬ 
uals, wo had opeened a perfect Pandora’s 
box, and let lly throughout the laud destruc¬ 
tion to Che grain crops of the country to the 
value of millions annually.” 
The Fifth Anuiial Exhibition of the Farm¬ 
ers’ and Manufacturers’ Association took 
place at Somerville, N. J., Sept. 29-Oct. 2, 
and was a success. The attendance during 
a portion of the time was very large and the 
display, though local to great extent, was 
good. The cattle and sheep, while far infe¬ 
rior in quality to those of more important 
exhibitions, reflected much credit upon the 
citizens of Somerset County. The exhibition 
of machinery was very light. Speed trials 
of horses (a respectable name for horse racing 
and jockeying) excited the greatest interest 
and seemed to possess the highest attraction 
for the visitors. We muse acknowledge the 
polite attentions of Mr. William S. Potter, 
Secretary of the Society. 
sheep. Joseph Haynes entered a Short- 
Horn bull in fine condition and 4 Short- 
Hom cows. R. Thatcher & Son have 4 
Short-Horns, 1 Alderney, 1 Holstein, and 
9 Leicestershire sheep—all in excellent 
condition. Isaac Brand makes the finest 
show of sheep as to numbers, having entered 
36 head of Cot.swolds and others. Irwin 
Miller entered 1 Durham and 1 Jersey bull. 
Robert Coleman’S Heirs have 2 Guernsey 
and 2 Alderney bulls, and 7 fine Holsteiu 
Dutch Belt cattle in excellent condition; the 
Dutch Belts attracted much attention. T. S. 
Cooper lias on the ground* 10 Ayrshire cat¬ 
tle and 23 Cotswold sheep, all of good qual¬ 
ity and evincing careful breeding. William 
Fernstonk and II. Hewitt make excellent 
display of South Down, Coltswold and cross¬ 
bred sheep. W. L. Hawke entered 4 grade 
Durham?. Among the beBt exhibitions of 
cattle was the herd of Thomas McKeen, 1 
line Short-Horn Bull, “ Prince Nichols,” 5-yr 
old. The steers and working cattle do not 
number over a dozen, all of which were fair 
but none extra. 
In the Poultry Show Mi-. McKeen seems 
to have monopolized the coops, a? nearly 
every entry bears his name. Some excellent 
Brahmas were among them; but the display 
of poultry was very meager for a State 
Fair. 
Floral Hall, though not as great in display 
as many, is fairly tilled, John I. Buodie of 
Easton, shows quite a number of pot plants, 
boquets and floral ornaments, and so does 
Alex. Schultz of Phillipsburg. Dr. J. Wm. 
Johnson of Easton, also contributed to the 
Exhibition some excellent pot plants. We 
are always pleased at sight of a private col¬ 
lection in a large Fair, as an evidence of the 
interest felt by the people of ihe State in 
home ornamentation. Mrs. Dr. Green dis¬ 
plays a fine private collection which, but for 
a previous warning, we should have supposed 
to be that of a professional florist. Come 
forward, ladies, and show the people what 
can be done to adorn a happy home! 
The Fruit and Vegetable display is quite 
meager. Wm. Beers of Pliillipsburg, and 
B, R. Stauffer of Carlisle, Pa., are the 
principal contributors. Among the eutries 
of the latter are a number of varieties of 
artificially dried fruit—dried in one day— 
which excites considerable comment and 
elicits no little exhibition of curiosity as to 
the manner of accomplishing it so well. 
Annie Eichelbergek also exhibits 25 vari¬ 
eties of dried fruits. The only display of 
cut flowers is that of Crosman Brothers of 
Rochester, N. Y., who seem to be ubiquitous 
and to compete successfully with all their 
neighbors. This firm deserves credit as the 
only New York florists and seedsmen repre¬ 
sented, especially since they have traveled 
so far for that purpose. 
October U, 1874. 
Old Probabilities has been gracious to the 
Society for the past twenty-four hours and 
vouchsafed Hue weather, hence an increase 
in attendance. People have been flocking in 
from the surrounding country almost con¬ 
stantly since the storm cleared off, so that 
yesterday the visitors to the Fair Grounds 
were augmented by several thousands. The 
officers are putting their best feet foremost 
orfmmm 
MULES AND HORSES AT THE SOUTH 
Whatever may be said in favor of the 
horse as an agricultural laborer above the 
mule at the North, certain it is that the 
position of the Arkansas correspondent of 
the American Farm Journal is well taken, 
favoring the mule in Southern agriculture : 
“ Mules, on an average, are more valuable 
than horses, are easier raised, arc not as sub¬ 
ject to disease, are not likely to run away 
in wagoning and plowing, are longer lived, 
will do more work, and require less feed and 
attention ; they are stronger, will draw 
heavier loads and stand a great deal more 
hardship, and are in every way preferable to 
the horse for general farm use. Mules come 
in earlier, being ready for light work when 
three years old. They will then do enough 
work ou the farm to pay for their feed, and 
after having attained the age of four years 
they are ready' for any kina of service. But 
the horse (eolt) must be kept uutii he is four 
years old before he is worked at all, and 
when he is four he must be a first-rate colt 
to bring as much as the mule will at two 
yearn old. But assume the unimals are both 
required for farm work, see what a differ¬ 
ence there is in favor of the mule. 
" The working life of the mule can be as 
safely estimated at thirty years as that of a 
horse at ten years. So while a mule is work¬ 
ing its Ufa out, three horses will be required 
to do equal service, 
“ But these are not the only items. The 
saving of feed is at least one-fourth, or not 
less than 647 bushels of corn and 427 tons of 
hay. These amounts added to the original 
saving in purchase of animals show an ad¬ 
vantage in favor of the use of the mule over 
the horse of over $1,001) during the ordinary 
life of the animal. 
"The mule is loss dainty about food, uir- 
ground grain and dry feed being just the 
things for him. Thex'e are still other advan¬ 
tages in favor of the mule too numerous to 
mention in a short article like this.” 
between the gate and track. The exhibitor? 
were from all parts of the country. The 
Screw Mowing Machine Co. of Phillipsburgh, 
Pa., made the largest display, having 33 en¬ 
tries of their "screw” Combined Machines 
and Mowers, Corn Shellers, Straw Cutters, 
Seed Drills, etc,, etc. There were a large 
number of Mowers and Reapers on the 
grounds. We noticed the Cnampion, repre¬ 
sented byL. H. Lees & Co., Baltimore, Md.; 
the Burdick and Kirby, by r D. M. Osborne 
& Co., Philadelphia, Pa.; the Hubbard Mead¬ 
ow Lark, by Rochester Agr’l Wurks: the 
Walter A. Wood Mower and Combined Ma¬ 
chines, by Samuel Cole, from the New York 
office ; the Empire and Keystone, by Mas¬ 
singer & Son, Nazareth, Pa.; the Eureka 
Center Draft, by Eureka Mower Co., To- 
wanda, Pa.; the Peerless, by C. Russell & 
Co., Canton, Ohio ; a full hue of Johnston’s 
Harvesters, by S. E. Sherwood and his son, 
Brockport, N. Y.; the New Model Buckeye, 
by W. B. Powell & Son, Allentown, Pa.; a 
fine display of Climax Mowers, Droppers, 
etc., by the Gibbs & Steritt Manufacturing 
Co., Corry, Pa,; the W. Anson Woods Eagle 
Machines, by Nash Bros., 110 Liberty street, 
N. Y., who also exhibited True’s Potato 
Planter, Coates' Lock Lever Hay Rake, and 
the Bullard Hay Tedder. 
W. H. Field of Port Chester, N. Y., ex¬ 
hibited Winner’s Hand Lever Hay Rake, and 
Wisnek himself, for John Dodds & Co., 
Dayton, O., showed up his new Self-operal- 
ing Lock Lever Sulky Hay Rake ; the Cham¬ 
pion Rake was represented by its patentees, 
Wilson Bros. & Co., Harrisburgh, Pa. 
Messrs. Heebner & Sons, Lansdale, Pa., 
exhibited their new Superior Horse Power, 
also a new Thresher and Separator. They 
make a strong point, on the level tread in 
their horse power. S. N. Gallup, Esq., 
from Macedon, N. Y., showed the " Farmer’s 
Favorite” Grain and Fertilizer Drills. P. 
P. Mast & Co., Springfield, O., Buckeye 
Force Feed Drill, Buckeye Cider Mill, An¬ 
derson Steamer and Kipp Engine; John 
Beans, Pittstown, N. J., Stone Force Purnp ; 
Yeakle Steam Agricultural Works, Allen¬ 
town, Pa., have a fine display of Hay Rakes, 
Seed Drills, etc., etc.; Barlow & Walker. 
Sing Sing, N. Y., Empire and Monitor Lawn 
Mowers ; J. 1. Brodie, Easton, Pa., Excelsior 
Lawn Mower; Wm. Drown & Co., Philadel¬ 
phia, Pa., Patent Umbrella Attachment for 
wagons, mowing machines, etc.: Noble & 
CAMELS ON THE PLAINS 
PERCHERON AND NORMAN HORSES 
The experiment of using camels on the 
Plains was tried by the Government some 
years ago and given up as unsuccessful. The 
survivors of the herd were sold, and it seems 
from an occasional report of them which 
finds its way into print that they are doing 
very well. The latest notice we have seen 
we clip from an exchange paper the name of 
which is lost: 
“On a ranch on the Carson river, Nevada 
Ter., eight miles below the mouth of Six- 
ruite canon, is to be seen a herd of 26 camels, 
all but two of which were born or raised in 
Nevada. But two of the old herd of nine or 
ten brought here some years ago are now 
living. It would seem that the original lot 
fell into the hands of Mexicans, who treated 
them very badly, overloading and abusing 
them. The men who now nave them are 
Frenchmen who had formerly some expe¬ 
rience with camels in Europe. They find no 
difficulty in rearing them, and can now 
show 24 fine, healthy animals, all of Washoe 
growth. , 
" The camel may now be said to be thor¬ 
oughly acclimated in Nevada. Tile owners 
of the herd find it no more difficult to breed 
and rear them than would be experience i 
with the same number of goals or donkeys. 
The ranch upon which they are kept is sandy 
and sterile in the extreme ; yet the animals 
feast and grow fat on such prickly shrubs 
and bitter weeds as no other animal would 
touch. When left to themselves their great 
delight, after filling themselves w.th the 
coarse herbage of the desert, is to lie arid 
roll in the hot sand. They are used in pack¬ 
ing salt to the mills in the deserts some sixty 
m5es to the eastward. They have animals 
that easily pack 1,1UU pounds. 
Within the past few years quite a large 
number of stallions of these breeds have 
been brought to this country. The prefer¬ 
ence of most of our breeders is given to 
them decidedly over the Clydesdales, and 
they are used with grand success upon mares 
of all breeds and sizes. Even the little In¬ 
dian Pony mares will bear to great Perche- 
ron stallions foals which as yearlings are as 
big, or bigger, than themselves, and it is 
abundantly proved that size is not an essen¬ 
tial qualification in mares to produce large 
colts by these horses, contrary as this is to 
the vieAvs which prevailed a few years ago, 
namely, that the best system of breeding 
was to put big, roomy mares to well-knit 
and compact stallions smaller than them¬ 
selves. 
Tire demand in all our large cities now for 
heavy, quick-stepping, draft horses, a pair 
of which will step off with five tons over a 
good pavement, is so great that our farmers 
must be wide awake to meet it. Such teams 
will bring $800 to $1,200. They ought not to 
be put to hai'd labor before they are five or 
six years old; but from the time they are 
three until they are old will do all the farm 
work and not feel it. 
As this style of horses increases in the 
country, the desirability of keeping the 
mares for breeding will lead to our using 
heavier teams for farm work, which will be 
greatly to our advantage. 
