— Brother Hopkins of the American Rural 
Home, brought light Into the Sanctum with 
his pleasant countenance and kindly greeting, 
last week. Though be had been ill much of the 
time during the past winter, our friend, and 
whilom associate, was looking bright and 
bronzed from a two weeks' vacation, and we 
trust the tired editor will return to his w r ork 
(after visiting New Knglatid, as he propose-*,) 
with renewed strength and enthusiasm. 
— Daily Rural Lift walked into the Sanc¬ 
tum just ns wo closed the above personal, great¬ 
ly disguised—with his luckBshorn and a fashion¬ 
able spring hat, known as “ plug " or “stove¬ 
pipe,” sdorniug Ids cranium. It seems that lie 
had been striving to force the season—to secure 
early vegetables, bugs, etc.,—by donning a 
straw hat, linen coat, etc., bat, failing in tiiat, 
came to the city and disguised himself, as 
aforesaid, by Investing in a tall hat and allow¬ 
ing a Umaorlal artist to divest him of those 
hirsute appendages which were so becoming 
aforetime! While we hope lor the best, we 
fear this experiment will l*o of no more avail In 
producing beets and beetles than tbe other,— 
hut time will tell. 
— Mr. 11. K. Colton, formerly Agricultural 
Editor of the New York Weekly Timos, who has 
been spending a year or more in Western 
Georgia, dropped into the Banctum the other 
day, looking as bright and blooming as a 
Southern rose. He reports favorably in regard 
to the climate, crop prospects, etc., of the por¬ 
tion of Georgia wherein he sojourned, but pro¬ 
poses summering hereabouts, ami it I* more 
than probable that nur readers may hear from 
him upon the subject of Southern Agricul¬ 
ture, &c. 
Gen. Spinner, late U. S. Treasurer and honest 
man always, is thus expressed In a recent letter 
to Mr. Beth Green, the noted pisciculturist of 
Rochester:—“The time will come, if it is not 
already here, when the credit of havingdemon¬ 
strated that an aero of heretofore water waste 
is worth more for the production of,wholesome 
food for man than an aero of tbe most fertile 
land, will be awarded to you. Next Wlntor I 
intend to fish In Florida waters, where 1 hope 
you will meet me with rod and lino.’’ 
Twenty years at the editorial desk and the 
doctor’s dictum compel me to say Good-by to 
Hu' Sanctum ! Therefore take down my name, 
my good friend, and while you do it remember 
1 am grateful for all the kind deeds you have 
done and the kind words you have said for rne, 
and that I wish you and yours, and the Rural 
New-Yorker and its frleDds and readers, all 
possible happiness and prosperit y. 
CHAS. I). BRAGDON. 
During the past twenty-live years we have 
had, and parted with, many able and esteemed 
Editorial Associates and Contributors—several 
of whom have departed this life, and are, we 
trust, enjoying an existence far transcending 
that of earth,—hut by none were wo so effi¬ 
ciently seconded, and to none did vve become 
so much attuched, as to Hie writer of the fore¬ 
going. While yet a minor Mr. BitAQDON be¬ 
came a voluntary contributor to the Rural, 
and his first article attracted our attention and 
commendation—which latter, he often averred, 
made him an Editor subsequently, and for this 
he holds us responsible In the above. And we 
accept the responsibility, claiming that in so 
doing we did the agricultural world a great 
service, for our late associate was, and may 
again lie, (for this Is not a farewell, by any 
means, as we anticipate Mr. 11.'s return to the 
Sanctum,) a sl.ar among 1 hose who have devoted 
their lives to rural literature. An accurate, 
rapid and industrious writer, and sound thinker 
familiar with practical affairs, and knowing 
how best to impart his knowledge-lie was ap¬ 
preciated by bis associate* and that portion of 
Ills readers and the public by whom b« was In -J 
known. Even while confined to the house, (as 
he was much of the time for months past,) he 
could not, or would not, cease work, and many 
of his most valuable articles were written while 
thus situated. 
But this Is not a final farewell, and wo must 
refrain from uttering thought* which occur. 
Suffice It, that we hope, and have reason to 
believe, that our friend and associate may yet 
bo restored to health and activity. Ho suited 
for the South on Hie 1st Instant, after receiving 
Hie kindly greetings and good-bya of many 
friends, and to-day (May 10,) we have ;v note 
from him (dated at Savannah, On., May 7,) In 
which he write* encouragingly of his health— 
that the trip Is doing him good, as lie la much 
stronger, etc. Therefore, although we give ids 
note, we do not despair of Mr. B.'s return, and 
hence do not take down his name. We say to 
him “ Hall! " but not •' Farewell! -and trust 
we shall ere long have the pleasure of again 
welcoming him to the Sanctum and congratu¬ 
lating Rural readers thereupon. Meantime 
our readers will probably hear from their old 
friend through bis correspondence. 
PROCRESS AND IMPROVEMENT 
A NATIONAL ILLUSTRATED 
The Maine fcinic Fair is to be held at Port¬ 
land, Bept. 31-34, and will comprise the milted 
exhibitions of the Slate Ag. Society, the State 
Stock Breeders' Association, the State Pntno- 
loglcal Society, and the State Dairymen’s Asso¬ 
ciation, Each society is to superintend Its own 
particular department, and t he combined show 
ought to prove a great success, as the leading 
productive Industries of the State will probably 
be more fully represented than ever before. 
Kowucler and Conducting Kditor, 
CHAS. D. BRAGDON, ANDREW S. FULLER, 
Associate Elditors. 
HENRY S. RANDALL LL, D., Corlland Village, N. Y., 
Editor o» tuk Dekaiitmfnt of Sbkif Uwibahdey. 
X. A. WILLARD, A. M., Little Falls, N. Y„ 
EdITOB 01 nil De*.»»TM*I»T Of DilRT HOBfAKDBT. 
O. A. C. BARNETT, Publisher, 
VUk’a Floral Guide No.3, for 1673, Is received. 
It opens with “A Trip to the Pacific.” compris¬ 
ing Illustrations and descriptions of various 
flowers seen in the regions visited. This num¬ 
ber of the Guide also contains quite a variety 
or seasonable articles and notes, interspersed 
with finely-executed engravings. 
TERMS FOR 1875, IN ADVANCE, 
INCLUDING POSTAGE, WHICH PUBLISHERS PREPAY. 
Single Copy. $2.05 per Year. To Clubs -.—Five Cop¬ 
ies, and one copy free to Agent, or getter up of Club, 
for *13.40; Seven Copies,and one free, for $17.80; Ten 
Copies,und one free,$21.50—only $2,15 per copy. The 
above rales include VOStugr ( winch we shall he obliged 
to prepay lifter Jan. 1. 1875, under the new law,) to 
any part ol tbe United State:-, and the American 
postage on nil copies mailed to Canada, On papers 
mnlled to Europe, by steamer, the postage wilt bo S5 
cent* extra—nr $3.50 in all. Drafts, Post-Office Money 
Orders and Registered Letters may be mailed at our 
risk. Liberal Premium* to all Club Agents who 
do not take freo copies. Specimen Numbers Show- 
Bills. &c., sent free. 
RURAL BREVITIES 
The wheat crop of Texas promises to be 
heavy. 
There are 20,000 fruit trees occupying 500,000 
acres in the United States. 
Connecticut produces eight to ten million 
pounds of tobacco per annum. 
Massachusetts grows less than a quart of 
wheat lor each of Its inhabitants. 
In Minnesota a single peck of earth was 
found to contain 800 grasshopper eggs. 
Hale the counties of the United States are 
cultivated without fertilizers of any kind. 
They arc plowing out their corn In Texas, 
and eating vegetables of this year'B growth. 
It stated that within two years $200,000 
worth of sheep have been killed by dogs in 
K eniucky. 
The Cauada Farmer says farmers in that 
country would do well to raise horses for the 
English market. 
The late severe weather has not materially' 
affected the peach crop in Pennsylvania, New 
Jersey and Maryland. 
Du kin o the month of March not less than 
Hi,000 barrels of flour were shipped from Oregon 
for the Liverpool market. 
The IHtnoi* Board of Agriculture offers a 
prize of $UHJ for thn best hair-mile of road 
made in the State this summer. 
Forty or fifty cows were recently purchased 
In one neighborhood in Michigan to be shipped 
to the dairy regions of New York. 
An Indiana farmer has been noticing clover 
for the last five year* and thinks it will not 
freeze out If not pastured after July. 
A. Ha NCR A Son, Nurserymen and Florists, 
of Red Bank, N. J., MMid us their list of seleo- 
tloDs and abridged price list of Bedding, Basket 
and Vegetable Flams. 
ACCORDING Loan English writer the average 
yield of wheal iu Great Britain, for the past 
nine years has been 2IHJ busuels per acre; the 
average acreage, S77,44W. 
The next Fair of the Maine Agricultural So¬ 
ciety will be held at Portland Instead of Lewis¬ 
ton, a, was expected. The premiums are ex¬ 
pected to amount to $10,000. 
The Rhode Island Society for the Encourage¬ 
ment of Domestic Industry, will hold ils annual 
Fair at Narrasaneett Park, Cranston (near 
Providence, R. I.,) Oct. 0 and 7. 
A man named Gootlw’ln, at Marshall, Minn., 
ha* Invented a machine thatlsa combinedroll¬ 
er, drag, seeder, drill and corn-planter, with 
prospects of enlarged facilities In tbe future. 
Humor hath It that our bachelor brotlur 
AVktiierki.l, of the Boston Cultivator, is to 
become a benedict ere long. Never too late to 
repent, old friend: even eleventh hour sinners 
are forgiven ! 
Mr. Frank Bkamhh of the Warrior Mower 
and Randall’s Harrow of Little Falls, N. Y„ 
was in the city last week, and of course graced 
the Rural Office with his portly presence- 
wlilnh was not so Warrior-like as to be Harrow¬ 
ing to our feelings. 
Mr. S. N. Gallup, the genial General Agent 
for the Bickford A Huff man Grain Drill, (long a 
chartered and popular institution) of Macedon, 
N. Y-, interviewed the Publisher hereof, last 
week— to, we trust, the mutual benefit of our 
readers and the parties convened. 
The Connecticut Hoard of Agriculture is 
making and publishing for the benefit of the 
farmers of that State, analyses of the different 
commercial fertilizers in use here, and Prof. 
Oceanian of the Massachusetts Agricultural 
college, is engaged in a like work for the Bay 
State farmers. 
Don't Go to the Hlack Hills! —A young New 
Englander asks our advice as to whether ho 
shall go to the Black Hills In search of the pre¬ 
cious inetuU or stay at home and dig iu a stony, 
discouraging soil. In the flrBt place, according 
to late reports, our young friend, If lie goes to 
the region named, will meet with two serious 
obstacles—the Indians, who are liable to take 
Ilia scalp, and the Government troops, who. If 
they obey orders, will not permit him lo enter 
or meander thereabouts. Our advice, therefore, 
is to stag at home-tor we verily believe more 
gold can be obtained by thoroughly digging the 
rough and stony surface of his native soil than 
by going, for the present at least, to the Black 
Hiil« and taking the chances. But if our cor¬ 
respondent is bound to excavate for the metal¬ 
lic, let him look nearer home—to Home of the 
mines so much talked of as recently discovered 
In his own region. We have Just read of a 
party of California miners who are about com¬ 
ing to Vermont to work a gold and silver mine 
—men who, having tested a quantity of ore 
from the AVhitingham, Vt., mine, are going for 
it in earnest. 
ADVERTISING RATES: 
Inside, 14th and lath page*(Agate space).60c. per line, 
“ t3th pave.70 " 
Outside or lust page.....1.00 
Fifty percent, extra for unusual display. 
Special Notices, loaded, by count.1.25 “ 
Business " 1.50 “ 
Reading " ......2.00 
Discount on 4 insertions. 10 per et.; rt Ins.. 15 per et. 
13 ins., 20 per ct.; 26 1ns., 20 per ct,: 52 ins., 3HX per ct. 
t&~ Ne advertisement Inserted for less than $3, 
PUBLICATION OFFICES: 
78 Duane Street, Now York Clly, and No. 67 
East Main St., (Darrow's Bookstore, Osburn 
House Block,) Rochester, N. Y. 
fcJiS 1 } 
THE STATE SHEEP SHOW 
The Annual Exhibition of the N. Y. Sheep 
Bt eiders’and AVool Growers’ Association Was 
held on the grounds of the Driving Park, 
Rochester, on the 5th Inst. The Hon. Henry 
S. Randall, Presidunt being absent on account 
of illness, the A’ice President. Edward Bron¬ 
son, officiated as chairman. Most of the other 
officers, and a goodly number of members, 
were in attendance. The show included about 
two hundred sheep and lambs, and the display 
of American Merinos was pronounced the finest 
ever made In the State. AVe subjoin the names 
of the principal exhibitors, with t he number of 
sheep entered by each : 
Ray Bros. A Ashley.20 P. & G. F. Martin.8 
Short Bros.15 Brunson & Murrinor....I2 
A. C.& D. Bennett.... 4 Steele. i 
y. It. Pitts. S S. B. Lusk. 15 
Murk H. Lvitch.l'Frunk AVard.6 
Abraham Good.... _ 1 W. G. Markham.21 
J, J Bri.p'iirO.-.'-’I) tv Griswold..,,. t> 
It. R. Iiuaee.. .0 Stephen Briggs.rt 
Elbert Townsend.15 »valter Cole.... 1 
Silas llidtuan.10 
The Merino* largely outnumbered other 
breeds, and of course attracted the most atten¬ 
tion,yet theOotswolds,Southdown#, Leidesters, 
l.incolns, etc., were well represented. We are 
unable to particularize this xveek, but may do 
so In eui next. The Association devoted an 
evening lo a Lengbty and exhaustive disscussion 
concerning the registration of Hocks, and con¬ 
cluded by adopting the following resolution. 
Resolved. That it Is the sense of this meet¬ 
ing that to the successful and profitable breed¬ 
ing of sheep a register of flocks should be made 
giving, as thoroughly as poesible, their history 
and tne manner in which t hey have been bred. 
The “ Editor of our Advertising Department'’ 
AVho has recently been AVest on a business 
tour—going as far toward sundown as the Mis¬ 
sissippi—seems to have sustained the general 
reputation of other representatives of the Ru¬ 
ral when abroad by rendering himself agree¬ 
able to those whom ho Interviewed. A mongtbo 
” first-rate, notice*” we have seen, we clip this 
from the Central New-A'orker of Little Falls: 
“Sunshine entered our Editorial Sanctum 
with the genial Kane of the Rural New- 
Yorker. 11a Is one among the few to whom 
we take off our editorial ‘ Hat.’ After business 
was concluded (ho mean* business every time) 
an enjoyable Interchange ol sentiment occurred 
ror tut hour in which the entire editorial corps 
took part, including the local editor and re¬ 
porters, the ‘devil ’ hitneelf, as is apt to be the 
case, taking an occasional hand. The Rural 
New-Yorker, which lie represents, stands de¬ 
servedly at the head of the agricultural imper* 
of the country—Its statements and opinions 
being looked for and received by the communi¬ 
ty with entire confidence.” 
SATURDAY, MAY 15, 1375. 
HAIL, BUT NOT FAREWELL! 
Mr. Ciias. D. BRAGDON, who has been our 
leading Associate Editor for the past six years 
—and who had previously acted in that capa¬ 
city, and as Western Corresponding Editor, for 
some years—has been constrained to resign bis 
position in consequence of ill health and the 
injunction of his phyaelans. Ills letter of resig¬ 
nation, though addressed to us as personal, and 
not perhaps intended for publication, expresses 
such kind wishes for the KitralNew-Yokkep, 
its readers and contemporaries, that wc give it 
in full: 
At Home, New ACork. April 2ti. 
My Dear Moore I find myself compelled 
by “stress of weather,” to regretfully, almost 
sadly, tender through you, as Editor-In-Chief 
of the Rural Nuw-Vokkeh, to the Rural 
Publishing Co., my resignation ft* your Asso¬ 
ciate Editor, 
Since you started the Rural, up to date, 1 
have been more or less a contributor to its 
columns, either as volunteer correspondent, 
editorial correspondent, or working office ed¬ 
itor hence it Is a good deal like leaving an old 
Homestead where one lias spent the happiest 
years of liislife anti going out into the untested 
world, for me to Lake this step; indeed, the sen¬ 
sation is so similar to that I experienced in 1865, 
when 1 did leave the Old Homestead to enter 
upon editorial work, that I almost feel as if 1 
were beginning life again ! 
Well! Fou are responsible for that begin¬ 
ning, and 1 am not, sure, as a logical conse¬ 
quence, you arc not for this ending. However 
that maybe, you need linve no regrets on my 
account; for I have none, except such as are 
involved In the breaking up of the pleasant as¬ 
sociations and kindly, nay. friendly and cordial 
relations which have made our mutual work so 
pleasant, and even delightful, to me. 
Yes—I home other regrets: the parting with 
so many kind readers and correspondents of 
tbe Rural, and with the large circle of editor¬ 
ial contemporaries with whom I have held 
weekly intercourse, which this step involves ; 
but this is a matter of which T need not speak 
here. 
Suffice, tbut during the past six years we have 
done an abundance of conscientious, hard 
work together here in New York. However 
much or little it has benefited either of us 
personally, let us hope it, has given both pleas¬ 
ure and profit to Rural readers, as was our 
chief aim and must be our chief reward. 
Kaunas Agricultural Report.- Wc arc indebt¬ 
ed to Ait red Gray, Secretary (Topeka) for the 
Third Annual Report (for 1374) of the Kansas 
State Board of Agriculture. It is a flue octavo 
volume of 372 pages, and embraces statistical 
exhibits of the Agricultural, Industrial, Mer¬ 
cantile and other Interests of the State—to¬ 
gether with an outline map of the State, and 
sectional maps, In colors, of each organized 
County, showing their relative size and loca¬ 
tion, relative amount of timber and prairie, 
upland and bottom, railroads, towns, water 
powers, etc. This work Is a most valuable one 
and highly creditable tu the State Board. Its 
wide circulation In the East could not fail of 
proving vastly beneficial to Kansas, as the In¬ 
formation it contains, if imparted to those seek¬ 
ing homes in the West, would induce etnigra- 
gration to that rapidly-growiug State. 
RURAL NOTES AND UUERIES, 
Snuilum Personals. —This world is full of 
compensations for the many trials, disappoint¬ 
ments and losses to w’hich its habitans are sub¬ 
jected, though they are not always discovered 
or appreciated. For example, since the much- 
regretted departure of our long-time and most 
genial Associate, Mr. BraGDON, we have had a 
two weeks’ visitation from the able and ex¬ 
perienced Editor of our Dairy Husbandry De¬ 
partment, whose pleasant eyes and kindly voice 
and converse have compensated somewhat for 
the absence of one who will long be missed 
from tbe Sanctum. Mr. AVillard has been 
here revising the proofs, and arranging the 
“ make up " of the text and illustrations, of lii6 
“ Practical Butter Book,” w hich Is now in press 
for early pu blicatlon. I nder t he circumstances 
his presence has been especially agreeable, for 
lie is of those who always render others the 
happier for their companionship. May his 
future be happy, and his new book meet with 
merited success—a large apd wide circulation. 
The AVifuier ltake Abroad.—We llearn that 
Mr. RASNER, the master mechanic of John 
Dodds & Co.’s extensive rake manufacturing 
works at Dayton, Ohio, started on the 1st of 
May for Germany, to look alter the interests of 
the Wlsner Rake in that country, where it has 
already been introduced. Mr. Dodds expects 
to follow soon, going first to London. Large 
shipments of the rake have already been made, 
and we understand that the future prospects 
In that direction arc very flattering for the 
AVisuer. 
IF THEBE ARE ARY 
of our readers who have uot tried Dobbins’ Electric 
Soap, (made by Cragin i. Co., Philadelphia,) we ad¬ 
vise them to give li one trial lor their ow n sake. 
Have your grocer get it. 
OIL YOUR HARNESS 
with tbe celebrated A* a cuff m Oil Blacking. It soft¬ 
ens and preserves the leather and turns the water. 
Givelt ono trial and you will use no other. Sold by 
all Dealers. _^_ 
Hundreds of testimonials, from all sections 
whore the “ Pha-nix" brand Pure White Lead 
h*B been sold, certify to i‘s great superiority over 
Fish [Culture is very properly receiving In¬ 
creased attention from intelligent, thinking 
people throughout the oountry. As an Instance 
the able-bodied and level-headed opinion of 
