the first season, and do not like to have 
their nests exposed. The food should consist 
of corn, wheat, berries and buds, with 
plenty of grass. They are also, while young 
and in their wild state, fond of iusects, and 
in order to satisfy this natural craving, I 
propose to give them the run of the yard, 
that they may be supplied with this kind of 
food, as well as gravel, My object in breed¬ 
ing the Prairie Chicken, is to obtain a cross 
bet ween them and the Bantam. This cross 
will give the Bantam more stamina and 
hardiness, consequently will make them less 
liable to disease as well as the retention of 
that diminutive size so much sought after. I 
will also cross them with the Dominique 
Bantam, to retain as much as possible, the 
original markings of the Prairie Chicken 
which are so much admired. I would like if 
some of our brother fanciera would make a 
cross with the Prairie Chicken, that this 
matter may be thoroughly tested. 
“ rear-cut ” machine as a gift. Anthony 
Corrigan of Tamar Co., in 1S73 was thrown 
from a rear-cut reaper in front of the knives 
and horribly mangled, dying in a few hours 
after the accident. Wm. Campbell of Post- 
ville in 1873, was thrown from his rear-cut 
reaper, his skull fractured and scalp badly 
lacerated. Mrs. Wm. Starr of Prairie Hill 
lost an arm in August, 1873, by beingthrown 
from a rear cut machine. 
Bo much as a few specimens out of many 
THE WARRIOR MOWER 
WHICH BREED PAYS BEST 1 
At each succeeding season the sagacious 
and successful farmer carefully considers 
the work to be done, the method of doing it, 
and the implements which are best calcu¬ 
lated to aid him in his field operations. In¬ 
terested as we are in all that pertains to 
agricultural matters, we venture at this 
time, as the season for hay-making ap¬ 
proaches, a few suggestions. 
The variable nature of this climate—rain 
succeeding sunshine, often unexpectedly 
even to the closest observer — makes it very 
important to the farmer that he should have 
a reliable mowing machine — one which is 
not liable to break down or get out of repair, 
and on the uninterrupted use of which lie 
may rely through the entire harvest. We 
say nothing of the expense attending f/e- 
quent repairs, which in many instances is a 
serious matter, but simply refer to the loss 
of time, often during the most favorable 
days of the season, and the annoyance of 
having lengthy periods of wet weather fol¬ 
low days of fair weather lost In making 
repairs. Economy is not always observed in 
the purchase of an article which costs the 
laust money,— quality has very muck to do 
with value. The questions to be considered 
in the purchase of any implement are: 
Which is the best ? Which ih<* most reliable ? 
With which can the most work be done 
with the least expenditure of time ana laLor ? 
And this other, which is the main one and 
includes all the rest, With which machine 
can the most money bo made ? 
We have had occasion to speak heretofore 
of that excellent agricultural implement, an 
engraving < 1 which ie presented herewith, 
manufactured by the Warrior Mower Co., 
of Little Falls, N. Y,, under the persons! 
supervision of the inventor, who, by liis 
work, practically illustrates the truth of the 
maxim that “ whatever is worth doing at all 
is worth doing well." Any one accustomed 
to scan artistic mechanical contrivances, 
will see at once that m the manufacture of 
the Warrior Mower no attempt is made 
to spare expense, and, on the other hand, all 
needful labor and material have been used 
to make u thoroughly reliable machine in 
every particular. To this wc attribute the 
fact that the Mower, although in relation to 
some of its competitors comparatively new, 
to-day takes rauk among the best machines 
in tho market. 
It is claimed that this machine has the 
following points of superiority, which claim 
seems to be well supported : — 1. Clossly 
guarded section, only 2% inches wide. 2. 
Rolling or oscillating motion of the finger- 
bar. 3. Tilting lever, with which the opera¬ 
tor may at will roll up or down the points of 
guard. 4. Inclosed gearing. 5. Very easy 
riding, and easily operated by both man and 
team. 6. Iron frame. 7. Convenient and 
secure folding arrangement for the finger- 
bar. 8. Strongly built, seldom requiring 
repair. 
At another time we hope to be able to pre¬ 
sent an engraving of the Randall Pulverizing 
Harrow, manufactured by the same Com¬ 
pany, a machine widely known, which, it 
is claimed, has the merit of thoroughly pul- 
veriring tnoil by cutting, lifting and turn¬ 
ing it. w. H. K. 
Morj than one of the correspondents of 
the Rusal New-Yorker have given testi¬ 
mony in favor of G.irae fowls in answer to 
the abor* question. For their gratification 
and for tke odification of those yet undecided 
SUGAR BEETS FOR FATTENING SWINE 
Jonathan Talcott gives a statement in 
the Boston Cultivator of an experiment per¬ 
formed on a Suffolk pig where sugar beets 
were largely employed for fattening. The 
animal was about a year old and the feeding 
on boiled sugar beets, tops and roots, began 
on the lOMi of August and was continued 
three times a day until the 1st of October, 
after which ground feed was given, consist¬ 
ing of two parts of c'-*-n and one of oats, three 
times a d»y, till the aulmai ws.. slaughtered, 
the meal being mixed with cold water. The 
result was, on the 10th of August, when the 
sugar beet feeding was begun,that the weight 
was 300 lbs.; September 1st, 390 lbs.; Octo¬ 
ber 1st, 450 lbs.; November 1st, 520 lbs. This 
is the substance of the statement given, by 
which we perceive that the Increase the last 
of August,, when fed on boiled sugar beets, 
was at the rate of two pounds per day ; the 
rate of increase on tho same food continued 
through September. When ted on ground 
corn and oats, made into cold slop, the gain 
for the next fifty days was less than a pound 
and a half per day. 
OR MOWER. 
in the matter we copy the following from a 
correspondent of the Agricultural Gazette: 
Last week you told us which breed of poultry 
eats the most, but I dare say it would he 
quite as interesting to the majority of y^ur 
readers to know which breed pays the fanner 
best. I commenced keeping poultry in De¬ 
cember last, and hearing, or rather reading, 
so much in praise of the famous Brahmas, 1 
procured eight pullets and a male bird of the 
best prize strains ; but having always had a 
fancy for Game fowls, 1 also bought 10 Game 
hens and pullets. I may mention that 1 
obtained the fowls from several different 
sources, so that they may be considered fair 
representatives of their respective breeds. 
Now, what is the result? The 16 Game 
hens have laid 203 eggs, and are now laying 
at the rate of eight daily, while the Brahmas 
have only laid 20 eggs, and for some time 
past have laid none : besides which they are 
in comparatively bad condition and Rcraggy, 
whereas the Game are plump and fit to kill, 
although they all receive the same treat¬ 
ment, and have the run of the farm. 
I am sony to say that I am not the only 
one who has been disappointed in the Brah¬ 
ma as a farm-yard fowl. Several of my 
friends have found both Game and Dorkings, 
and especially a cross between the two, 
better and earlier layex-s than either Brahmas 
or Cochins, and as table fowls no one doubts 
the superiority of the former. It remains to 
be proved whether theUame chickens thrive, 
and the hens lay as late as the Brahmas, but 
I shall report progress to you at the end of 
the year. In the meantime 1 am decidedly 
in favor of Game and Dorkings as farmers’ 
fowls, and I have written this letter that 
others may not be deceived like myself by 
the prominence given to Brahmas at the 
Crystal Palace and other Shows, and in the 
hope that our agricultural societies may 
rather encourage useful breeds than mere 
fancy birds in every way their inferiors. 
NOTES AND QUERIES. 
Com Planters.—An Iowa correspondent 
asks, "Which is preferable, horse or hand- 
plantef* for a crop of corn on the prairies of 
Iowa ?" There are so many good two-horse 
planters made in the West that f wo were 
going to plant corn extensively in Iowa, we 
should not think of doing so without one of 
these planters : for it must lessen the cost 
per bushel ; and every cent of induction in 
this cost is important as a source of profit. 
Potato Plaiiter Wanted.—" Do you know 
anything about a good potato planter ? Is 
True’s reliable So asks u correspondent 
of the Rural New-Yorker. J udging by the 
testimony of reliable and practical men 
whom we know well, and who have used it, 
True’s planter is ao excellent and reliable 
implement. 
PIG-PEN PAPERS 
BEE NOTES AND QUERIES, 
The King-Bird and Bees .—Ah Ohio Apia¬ 
rian, having noticed that the King-birds 
were making regular visits to his hives began 
to watch them, and fouud that a single bii-d 
would snap up five or six bees per minute. 
After doing this for a while he took a rest 
upon a neighboring tree and soon commenced 
a series or muscular contortions of the head 
and neck that fi.Ua.Uy resulted in his opening 
his mouth wide and “ heaving « p >‘ a 0 f 
some black-looking substance. J number 
of these wads were gathered by the observer 
as they fell and were found to be nothing 
more nor les9 than crushed bees. After the 
bird had squeezed all the honey out of them, 
apparently, the "pomace” was thus ejected 
and Mr. King-bird was ready for another 
meal. This was repeated two or three times 
a day. 
American Varieties of the Honey-Bee.— 
It is the opinion of some American Apiarians 
that the great differences of climate, natural 
tendency to variation and sport, has pro¬ 
duced in the United States distinct varieties 
of the honey-bee as dissimilar as the Italian 
and our common bee. If so, why have they 
not been distinguished ere this ? feui-ely, 
there are observant Apioulturists in nearly 
every Slate in the Union, 
Mdliott, or Sweet Clover, is highly esteem¬ 
ed by those who have grown it as* a hoaey- 
producing plant. About a peck of seed per 
acre is sown. If sown in spring it does not 
blossom the first year, as a rule. 
MORE 1 OUT MOWING MACHINES, 
Eds. Rural New-Yorker I was some¬ 
what amused by the honest simplicity of 
Paul, your Chenango correspondent, who 
Inquire- for the best sort of mowing ma¬ 
chine. Mr. Hiller of Ohio replies very 
well as far as he goes, but out here in Iowa 
we can beat him to deatli in bloody stories 
of accidents caused by the use of machines 
which have the cutter bar " away behind,” 
as Paul describes. It may be all very well 
to be able to see the stumps and stones be¬ 
fore you run the machine into them, but 1 
would much rather the machine should run 
into a stump than run into me, as these 
rear cut machines are apt to do. I will give 
a few iterms from such accidents iu this State: 
Mrs. Geo. BaRSTOW of Fayette Co., while 
driving a machine iu July, 1S74, was thrown 
in front of the sickle, and was so badly 
mangled that she lived only a few bourn. 
Thomas Woods of Vail, Ci'awford Co., while 
di ivi ug a reaper, in 1372, was thrown in front 
of the bar, aud was so badly cut and braised 
that he died after four or five months of 
suffering. C. Danilson of Ossian was thrown 
from the seat of his reaper upon the cutter- 
bar, and was badly crippled, his legs being 
cut nearly off. Mr. Danilson now owns a 
Buckeye Table-Rake, and would not U3e a 
TAMING PRAIRIE CHICKENS, 
