22 
MOORE’S  RURAL  NEW-YORKER. 
r 
IMPEOVEMENT  OF  POTATOES. 
An  articlo  bi  tbo  Jlortirok  lraual&t<j<l, 
and  publbibcd  lii  tlifi  Farmer  (Eng-)  coutaiiw 
some  pobits  worthy  of  attention  by  our  American 
farmorH,  aa  the  tiamo  principlcH  which  govern 
the  growth  of  this  tuber  in  Europe  are  also  potent 
here.  When  we  want  to  rogeuerato  any  partic¬ 
ular  kbid  of  potato,  or  still  more,  to  ijrovent  its 
degeneration,  it  is  of  the  first  unportatwe  to  make 
a  judicious  selection  of  parent  plants.  Bovoral 
means  may  be  adopted  to  tliis  end.  For  example, 
the  choice  of  the  largest  possible  tubejs  which 
represent  well  Uio  marked  features  of  tho  variety, 
since  tho  too  frequent  sotting  of  small  tubers 
tends  to  deterioration.  Another  pi  an  is  to  choose 
the  seed,  when  digging  up  tlio  crop,  from  the 
woll-furnished  routs,  and  select  tliC  tubers  which 
are  most  tyiiical  of  tho  spocial  \arioty  under 
treatraout. 
The  shape  of  tho  , tuber  need  not  bo  too 
much  considered.  Borne  jieople  Imagine  that 
tubers  wliich  differ  from  tho  usual  shajie  of  tho 
kind  to  which  they  belong,  are  of  necessity  de¬ 
generate  siieoimens,  but  this  is  an  error.  Tubers 
may  be  not  exactly  of  the  shape  chai'acteristie  of 
tho  variety,  and  yet  j)roduc0  well-shaj>ed  jrotatoos 
in  the  following  year.  As  a  rule  the  shape  of 
various  kinds  of  jiotatoos  differs  according  to  tho 
nature  of  the  soil  in  which  tlmy  aro  cultivated. 
For  example,  it  Is  gouorally  siipjiosod  that  the 
“MarjouUn"  ought  to  be  long  and  narrow; 
nevertheless,  some  light  sandy  soils  produce  it  in 
a  swollen,  and  somotiincs  even  rounded  fonu, 
though  it  turns  out  long  and  narrow  if  grown  ui 
stiff  soil  It  is  a  general  physiological  fact,  com¬ 
mon  to  ahnost  all  plants,  aud  si>ceially  marked 
in  the  case  of  the  jKitato,  that  if  they  are  planted 
early  every  year,  their  precocity  incroascs.  whilst 
by  reversing  the  course  of  action  the  ooiitrary 
effect  is  produced,  and  they  tend  te  become  later 
in  attaining  full  growth.  Tho  same  result  ap 
l)oars  if  we  plant  suocossivoly  in  a  cold  soil,  la 
this  case  they  become  later  in  arriving  at  matu¬ 
rity,  while  the  contrai’y  hapiwns  if  wo  select  a 
w'arm  ground.  Again  it  is  almost  certain  tbat  if 
we  take  Uic  first  buds  tliat  are  developed  on  a 
potato  for  planthig,  tbo  crop  will  be  earher  than 
if  we  phinted  with  the  second  bud.s.  or  still  more 
with  tliosc  of  a  third  g«rmiuatiotu  It  results 
from  ah  this,  that  amongst  tho  various  precau¬ 
tions  to  be  taken  in  attempting  to  maintain  or 
even  improve  any  variety  of  piltato,  a  judicious 
choice  of  tubers  for  pluntmg  is'  of  especial  im¬ 
portance. 
Tho  employment  of  seeds  ijropeily  so  called, 
might  also  perhaps  be  resoitcd  to,  sometimes  ad¬ 
vantageously  so.  But  how  often  must  we  not 
HOW  before  wo  get  good  typos,  aud  gofsl  varieties 
as  a  result?  Still,  notwithstanding  its  uncer¬ 
tainty,  this  method  should  not  be  neglected.  It 
is  generally  believed  that  certain  kinds  of  pota¬ 
toes,  such  us  tho  “  Mai'jouUn,”  neitlrev  flower 
nor  run  to  seed.  This  again  is  an  error.  All 
potatoes  will  flower  and  yield  seed  when  they  are 
very  strongly  roanm'cd  and  are  in  a  condition  of 
exuberant  vegetation :  but  it  is  none  the  less 
true  tbat  there  are  some  vai-ietie-s  whoso  natural 
strength  leads  them  to  flower  aud  seed  more 
freely  than  others. 
- ♦♦♦ - — 
HOP  CULTURE  IN  ENGLAND. 
Hop  cultivation  is  singularly  precarious  work. 
According  to  the  Brewers’  Guardian,  the  hop 
prospects  of  187G  arc  not  of  tho  brightest  in  the 
Kentish  district.  Taking  tlm  plantations  through¬ 
out,  the  hop  land  has  uot  been  so  well  done  as 
usual  this  year,  either  as  regards  cultivation  m 
manure.  The  wet  season  hindered  the  former, 
aud  “  shortuessof  cash,"  it  is  said,  has  somewhat 
affected  the  latter.  Everything  counoctod  'vith 
hop  production,  says  our  contemporary,  is  at  a 
“  top  price trade  on  tlic  other  hand  is  dull  and 
dccUning.  Landlords  have  also  in  some  instau- 
cesrai-sed  tho  I'cuts  onornionsly.  The  weather 
has  been  dead  against  hoi>-growing  for  now 
nearly  tivo  years.  Tho  vine  is  now  fully  a  fort¬ 
night  late,  and  is  of  a  yellow  hue,  owing  to  the 
prevailing  cold  nights  and  biting  east  winds. 
Tho  fly.  however,  has  not  boon  so  biusy  as  usual 
after  cold  springs,  but  it  is  unfortunately  ex¬ 
pected  to  commence  its  work  of  destruction  as 
soon  as  tho  wind  abates  aud  warm  weather  sets 
in.  When  the  rigor  of  this  arctic  spring  has 
somewhat  modiaod,”  says  tlio  Guardian,  •*  which, 
some  say,  will  not  bo  until  the  ‘  turn  of  days,’  it 
is  quite  Ukely  that  there  will  bo  a  sprinkUiig  of 
fly,  which  will  cause  infinite  trouble  on  account 
of  the  delicate  state  of  the  vine  and  its  predispo¬ 
sition  to  disease.  All  hoivgrowors,  therefore, 
are  strongly  advised  to  got  thon  waslung  engines 
ready,  and  their  soft  soap  purchased  for  the 
euemy  that  is  lying  perda  iu  every  part  of  the 
hop-growing  area.  The  aphis  has  also  appeared 
in  the  roses.  Tho  pliim-troes  are  infested  with 
their  pecuhar  lly.  Tho  apple  blossom,  beautiful 
with_,  its  white  aud  pink  petals,  has  catcriJillara 
linking  witliin.  Filberts  and  Kent  cobs  have  tho 
maggot.  All  tho  foes  of  the  florist,  fruitgrower, 
and  farmer  are  up  aud  doing,  but  the  hop  fly 
alone  w  aits  for  its  pasture  grounds  to  shew  a  few 
more  green  or  juicy  leaves.  It  is  very  early  to 
predicate,  aud  it  would  be  presumptuous  to 
speak  positively  niiou  the  chances  of  the  coming 
hop  croiJ,  hut  it  is  behoved  that  it  will  not  be  a 
large  one,  aud  this  belief  ia  hold  by  the  majority 
of  growers,  and  Uiose  who  watch  the  signs  of  the 
times,  who  had  records  of  past  seasons  for  com¬ 
parison,  aud  who  watch  the  shadows  cast  before 
coming  events." 
- ^♦4- - 
COLOEADO  POTATO  BEETLE. 
I  8EK  that  you  of  the  East  aro  agitating  the 
question  of  how  to  get  rid  of  the  above  named 
beetle,  and  a  little  of  our  experience  may  be  of 
service : 
The  fii'st  beetles  were  seen  at  this  place  in  18G7  ; 
their  numbers  were  few  and  no  one  tried  to  light 
them.  But  in  the  spring  of  18(18  when  they 
come  out  and  watched  for  llio  potatoes  to  come 
up.  people  began  to  tliiuk  of  destroying  them 
and  various  methods  w'ere  fried  such  as  hand¬ 
picking  and  hm'uing  or  scalding,  sprhikJhig  tlie 
potatoes  with  koroseiio,  with  plaster,  salt,  bone- 
dust,  Pai'is  green,  ashe.s  and  I  don't  know  how 
many  more  things  wore  tried.  .Sprinkling  with 
kerosene  killed  tlio  beetles,  also  the  {xitatoos ; 
dusting  with  plaster  had  no  porceptihle  effect; 
llie  same  wiih  ashes  and  bone  dust;  wlicre  salt 
was  used  heavy  enough,  potato  aud  bfjctlo  both 
disappeared ;  whta-o  Paris  given  was  used  clear 
it  usually  killed  the  vinos  aud  beetles  aud  gave 
tlie  perse*  who  apiiliod  it  sore  hands,  and  if  ap¬ 
plied  on  a  windy  day  oftiin  made  him  sick.  In 
spite  of  this  war,  potato  field.s  were  “  sear  and 
brown,"  in  early  fall  aud  tlie  next  yeoi'  but  few, 
the  more  porsoveriug  oucs,  planted  any  potatoes 
and  tho  beetles,  not  finding  wholesome  food 
enough  to  satisfy  tlieir  wants,  toiik  tomatoes, 
melons,  squash  aud  sometimes  young  coi-n  aud 
finally  took  to  the  woods,  aud  oak  ti'eos  by  the 
thousand  were  stripped  of  their  loaves  aud  were 
as  bare  as  in  winter. 
They  crept  into  the  houses  aud  were  all  over, 
in  your  clothes,  among  your  books,  in  the  cur¬ 
tains,  carpets  and  everywhere.  They  tried  to 
ci’oss  tlie  Bay  and  were  washed  ashore  by  tlio 
miUious  till  the  wliolo  beach  was  a  crawUng, 
nasty  mass  of  live  aud  dead  booUos.  The  stakes 
for  tlie  fishermena  nets  were  always  covered 
with  them.  They  would  often  crawl  by  tlie 
hundreds  up  tho  sides  of  tho  vessels  aud  on 
I  every  floating  tiling  a  colony  wo>».ld  ho  found. 
Those  few  who  kept  at  it  found  that  by  mixing 
Paris  green  with  four  or  six  times  its  bulk  of 
flour  or  plaster  it  lost  much  of  its  dangerous 
properties  aud  could  be  safely  used  in  a  duster. 
They  were  reivarded  by  getting  ^2  per  bushel 
for  their  potatoes  that  fall.  Wo  now  fear  them 
much  less  than  a  drouth. 
Piuis  green  may  be  mixed  with  twenty  times 
j  its  bulk  of  flour  or  plaster  and  apphed  iu  a 
duster  or  ouc  teaspoon  ful  may  be  put  in  ten 
quarts  of  water  and  apphed  witli  a  sprinkler. 
Fort  Uowanl,  Wls.  A.  .M.  Vah  Auken, 
- - 
NARROW-LEAFED  PLANTAIN. 
Encloseo  find  leaf  aud  seed-stalk  of  what  wo 
call  in  tliis  vicinity  “Narrow-loafed  Plantain 
by  some  Black  Plantain,  aud  others  have  called 
it  Canada  Plantain,  but  the  correct  name  to  me 
is  of  Bocoudary  importance.  Jly  object  iu  writ¬ 
ing  is  to  have  the  my.stery  of  its  origin  cleared 
up. 
Until  about  six  years  ago  I  never  saw  a  plant 
of  it  in  my  cultivated  fields  and  only  very  rarely 
one  iu  pasture.  At  or  about  tlie  above  time,  it 
began  to  appear  iu  my  cnliivated  fields,  and 
since  then  it  has  been  gradually  increasing,  so 
that  at  this  time  we  have  serious  feai-s  that  it 
will  inci’easo  beyoud  our  ability  to  stop  it  by 
weeding. 
I  have  been  on  the  place  where  I  now  am  for 
28  years  and  for  25  years  have  not  bought  aud 
put  on  my  farm  a  pound  of  clover  seed  and  in 
timotliy  seed  w’o  should  have  seen  it  if  it  hod 
been  there.  The  reason  of  my  uot  buying 
clover  seed  is  hecaiwo  I  have  raised  aud  u.sod  it 
bountifully.  1  have  a  theory  of  my  own  aud  I 
wish  fm’thcr  light  on  the  subject. 
My  theory  is  that  as  new  plants  arc  at  times 
coming  into  existence  and  the  proper  time  having 
come  for  this,  it  had  its  origin  that  way.  If  not 
asking  too  great  a  favor,  I  would  like  for  you  to 
give  this  a  place  iu  your  valuable  paper  in  order 
to  get  tlio  views  of  others  on  the  point  in  which 
I  am  somewhat  in  tho  fog.  J.  B.  Koon. 
Auburn,  N.  y. 
Tub  species  of  plantain  sent  is  the  old  aud 
very  common  Plantago  laaceolatn  a  uaiTow'- 
leafed  plantain.  It  is  not  produced  spoutano- 
oualy  but  came  from  Europe  many  years  ago 
aud  has  been  gradually  spreading  erver  the 
country.  The  ludiaiis  used  to  oiUl  Planteiu, 
“the  white  man’s  foot”  because  it  oame  into 
the  coimtry  with  him  aud  appears  along  roads 
and  foot-paths.  It  is  easy  to  account  for  its 
appearance  in  your  fields  without  seeking  ftu' 
any  siiontaueous  or  evolution  theory. 
^anii  (Ijfonomg. 
AN  ABOMINATION  IN  THE  SOUTH. 
A  WOMAN'S  OPINION  OF  GUANO. 
A  GREAT  plague  is  upon  us,  and  famine  and 
rapine  hid  fair  to  follow  in  its  wake. 
iVlready  our  poor  houses  and  prisons  open  to 
receive  wretches  who  havo  fallen  ipfictims  to  the 
scourge. 
Many  stout-hearted,  strong-handed  “  tillers  of 
the  sfiil,"  and  wealthy  laiid-liolders.  are  begin¬ 
ning  to  quail  before  it,  for  its  fatahty  is  great 
among  them  ;  and  desolation  is  imminent  iu 
many  of  their  households.  And  yet  no  means 
are  taken  to  rid  us  of  the  pest.  On  tho  contraiy, 
we  encourage  ito  growtli,  aud  spend  aiuiually 
tliousands  and  thousands  of  dollars  to  keep  it  in 
our  midst.  We  had  rather  suffer  bankruptcy 
tlian  cast  it  from  ns,  and,  though  like  the  dread 
judgment,  it  crushes  us  to  cartli,  still  we  cling 
to  it,  and  madly  throw  ourselves  before  it,  and 
the  dete-stablo  stench  of  it  is  as  “  sweet-smelling 
incense  "  to  us.  My  reader,  tiiis  groat  afillction 
is  known  in  Uie  agricultural  world  as  Guano.  It 
infests  our  wai'ohousos,  is  strcivn  upon  the  earth, 
and  Oie  very  air  is  filled  with  it. 
Asa  general  tiling,  those  of  our  agiiculturist-s 
most  lacking  iu  energy  are  the  greatest  sufferers 
from  this  plague.  For  Instance,  a  man  possesscsl 
of  acres  and  acres  of  land,  that  havo  descended 
from  one  ancestor  to  another  for  ages  past,  qui¬ 
etly  smokes  his  pipe  and  gazes  around  him  in 
lazy  coiiteiitediie.-i8,  from  the  ingathering  of  his 
crop  in  tin-  fall  until  plantmg  time  in  the  fqiring. 
He  has.  perhaps,  half  a  dozen  negro  farm  hands 
luider  his  control,  besides  white  tenantry,  and 
about  fifty  head  of  stock.  All  tho  winter,  white 
and  block  men  aro  lounguig  around  in  idleness, 
and  horses,  mules  and  cowts  are  standing  kuco- 
deop  ill  that,  wdiich,  if  projicrly  composted,  wmuld 
greatly  iiiexoase  the  value  of  his  land. 
If  the  stables  and  stock-pens  arc  ever  cleaned 
out,  their  contents  lie  umisod,  or  are  carelessly 
strewn  over  tho  nearest  field. 
At  length  tho  buds  upou  the  trees  begui  to 
appear,  tho  birds  begin  to  sing,  and  planting 
time  is  at  hand.  It  is  too  late  to  properly  break 
up  the  land  now,  ivnd  there  is  no  home-made 
oompoBt,  so  tho  master  of  all  tlioso  broad  acres 
liies  him  to  town,  confers  with  tho  agents  of  sev¬ 
eral  Guano  Companies,  aud  the  oonsequonce  is, 
his  farm  forces  arc  haiiliiig  ton  after  ton  of  tWs 
abomination  when  they  ought  to  be  plowhig — 
plo\Ting  deep,  and  richly  preparing  tho  land  for 
the  future  crop.  The  laud  is  plowed,  or  rather 
scarified,  Guano  strewn,  and  sown,  aud  then  our 
“  intelligent  Bonthorn  Wantor  "  retires — no  more 
to  appear  ui>ou  tho  field,  trusting  his  crop  to 
Guano,  white  hirelings  aud  negroes. 
'Dll'  m-an  aud  brother,  with  his  family,  consist¬ 
ing  of  wife  aud  many  childrou,  must  be,  in  his 
liarlauce,  “ruu.”  'The  employer  must  stand  for 
his  white  laborer,  else  ho  can  not  mahe  a  crop, 
and  in  too  many  cases  ho,  as  well  as  Coffee, 
come  out  iu  debt  after  the  crop  is  made.  So 
after  Guano  and  provision  bills  are  paid,  there  is 
very  httle  left  for  employer  aud  employed. 
One  wealthy  (Ij  planter  smokes  his  pipe  hi 
gloomy  ill-nature,  fi'owus  at  his  wife,  if  he  has 
oue,  complains  of  her  extravagance,  aud  after  a 
time,  iierhaps  sends  her  to  the  wash  tab  or  cook- 
irig-st<)ve, 
Ciiffee  and  his  white  fellow-laborer  are  uot  so 
badly  affected.  They  can  go  over  on  tho  adjoin¬ 
ing  farm  the  next  year  and  be  “ruu  ”  again,  aud 
Boss  must  either  hunt  new  hands  or  go  into  a 
law-suit  to  keep  those  already  iu  debt  to  him. 
He  buys  more  Guano,  smokes  a  groat  deal,  and 
waits  for  tho  next  crop  to  be  made,  instead  of 
taking  hold  of  the  plow  handles  himself  and 
sboiving  a  little  of  tho  uidependence  so  errone¬ 
ously  attiibuted  to  him. 
If  Houtlieru  men,  as  a  class,  were  half  as  mdo- 
peudeut  as  Southern  women,  how  much  greater 
would  be  our  prosperity  aud  how  much  happier 
our  homes.  M.  Javebe. 
■ - - 
WORKING  ROADS  IN  PENNSYLVANIA. 
I  NOTICE  that  the  subject  of  roads  is  being  dis¬ 
cussed  more  or  loss  in  the  columns  of  tho  Kurai, 
New-Yorker.  It  is  certainly  one  in  which  all 
residents  in  the  oounti’y  should  feel  deeply  inter¬ 
ested,  and  there  is  nothing  a  stranger  admires 
more  while  traveling  through  our  rural  districts 
than  good  roads.  We  have  hero  in  Pennsylvania 
a  townslup  law,  which  I  think  is  tho  only  plan 
that  Is  likely  to  end  iu  bettering  the  condition  of 
our  roads. 
'rhe  law  authorizes  tho  election  of  three  com¬ 
missioners,  one  holds  his  office  one  year,  the 
next,  two  years,  and  tho  third,  three,  thereafter 
one  being  elected  annually.  'The  roads  are  laid 
out  in  half  mile  sections  and  numbered.  These 
sections  are  sold  to  the  lowest  bidder  at  auction, 
the  pm  chaser  bomg  bound  to  keep  each  in  repah, 
build  bridges,  culverts,  or  whatever  may  be  re¬ 
quired  to  make  a  good  road. 
'Die  commissioners  decide  hoAv  wide  the  roads 
shall  be,  as  well  as  establishing  tho  grades,  etc. 
Anyone  having  cause  to  complain  of  the  condi¬ 
tion  of  the  highways,  makes  his  complaint  to  the 
commissioners  having  that  particular  division  in 
charge.  The  commissioners,  in  tnni,  notify  tlie 
contractor,  who  must  make  the  necessary  repairs 
within  six  days,  failing  to  do  this,  men  are  hired 
aud  the  said  repairs  made  at  the  contractor’s  ex- 
Iiense. 
We  are  now  working  roads  under  this  system 
for  the  seventh  year,  and  of  course  it  costs  less 
each  year  to  keep  the  reads  in  repair,  and  the 
sale  each  spring  U  corresjiondiiigly  lower  than  in 
the  previous  one.  There  may  be  objections  to 
this  system,  for  dishonest  commiasionei’s  will 
work  in  oolluHlon  with  dishonest  contractors. 
Bit,  upon  tho  whole,  we  think  it  is  about  as  good 
a  one  as  can  readily  bo  devised,  and  I  would  re¬ 
commend  it  to  other  localities  for  trial. 
Washington  Co.  S.  Baker. 
- «  ♦  »  — 
WIRE  FENCING,  AGAIN. 
In  your  is.sue  of  Juno  17, 1  noticed  an  article 
on  “  Wire  Fencing."  It  is  very  true,  as  you  say, 
that  “many  a  wire  fence  has  proveil  of  little  use 
in  turning  stock.”  The  common  wire  fence  has 
become  almost  wortldoss  at  the  West  for  that 
piirjioso,  and  is  fast  being  superceded  by  tho  pop¬ 
ular  fence  kuown  as  the  Barbed  Wire  Fcucc, 
wliich  I  consider  altogether  preferable  to  any 
fence  now  in  use,  and  one  that  will  effectually 
turn  stock. 
It  is  generally  made  of  two  small  steel  wire.s 
twisted  together,  with  a  wire  barb  twisted  se¬ 
curely  in  at  intervals  of  about  five  indies.  Die 
baib  projects  about  one  inch  on  each  side  of  the 
wire  or  cable,  and  ma<le  pointed  at  each  end. 
Tlioy  ai’e  so  twisted  in  that  thej'  arc  vorj'  strong 
and  stiff,  'fhe  cable  is  well  covered  with  asphal- 
tnm  varnish  to  keep  from  rusting,  and  is  said  to 
be  much  stronger  than  tho  common  plain  wire. 
It  is  fastened  to  posts  in  the  usual  way— with  sta¬ 
ples.  Ill  the  words  of  a  farmer  that  has  it  iu  use : 
“  Htock  just  lot  it  alone.”  With  tlnce  wires  for  a 
fence,  neither  man  nor  boast  can  get  over  or 
through  it.  No  animal  will  ever  touch  it  but 
once.  'Two  wires  arc  sufficient  to  turn  cattle  or 
horses. 
It  is  sent  to  market  on  wooden  reels,  aud  the 
best  way  for  distributing  it,  preparatory  to  mak¬ 
ing  fence,  is  to  insert  the  tail-board  rod  of  a 
farm  wagon  and  luireel  it  by  driving  the  wagon 
along  by  tlie  fence.  It  costs  20  cent.s  a  rod,  sin¬ 
gle  cable,  or  CO  cents  per  rod  for  a  fence  of  three 
cables  for  tlic  wire.  Borne  of  thf  Western  Rail 
Road  Companies  are  fcncuig  their  roads  with  it, 
using  cast-iron  posts,  made  esjiecLally  for  that 
purpose,  thereby  doing  away  witli  all  ilanger 
from  fire.  C.  W.  Hammond. 
Monroe,  Mich. 
SHEEP  AND  QUICK  RETURNS, 
Quick  returns  are  what  most  business  men 
endeavor  to  obtain  OK[jecially  in  trade  or  iu  any 
kiud  of  mercantile  pursuit  and  it  would  seem  to 
follow  tliat  quick  returns  were  advantageous  to 
agricultm'o  also ;  thus  as  sheep  bring  wool  aruuinl- 
ly  aud  can  be  managed  so  as  to  make  a  quick  re¬ 
turn  in  meat  too,  douhtloss  shceji-husbandi'y  will 
continue  to  ho  increased  till  every  farmer  will 
own  a  good  stock  and  insure  a  good  reiiiuueratiiig 
income. 
I  may  be  wi'ong,  but  think  the  killing  of  so 
many  lambs  in  proportion  to  sheep  has  an  injuri¬ 
ous  effect  on  sheep  raising  generally.  It  is  true 
that  the  demand  for  lamb  instead  of  mutton 
causes  farmers  to  sell  wdiat  is  a  ready  sale  and 
what  brings  likewise  a  quick  return,  but  this 
system  of  seiliug  so  many  lambs  noccssitates  the 
keeping  of  old  ewes  and  wearing  thorn  out  till 
they  are  good  for  uothiug  as  mutton. 
'The  only  ripe  moat  from  the  old  fashioned 
general  sheep  keeper  being  lamb  brings  a  dislike 
for  mutton  as  it  soeuis  httle  more  than  skin  aud 
bone. 
Now  if  a  quick  retui'u  of  mutton  and  wool 
could  bo  had  tho  same  as  the  English  farmer 
has,  there  would  be  no  stock  raised  or  any  crops 
grown  which  would  pay  like  the  raisiag  of  sheep 
and  the  growth  of  mutton  aud  w’ool.  'There,  iu 
England,  by  refusing  to  sell  lambs  and  by  usuig 
rams  of  such  breeds  as  produce  good  mutton  and 
fleeces,  an  annual  good  income  is  mahitaiued  aud 
there  is  no  loss  by  old  toothless  ewes  aud  poor 
du'ty  wool. 
When  crops  are  groivn  for  the  purpose  of  be¬ 
ing  convertod  hito  mutton  and  wool  aud  when 
sheep  are  made  to  sell  for  ten  dollars  each  on  an 
average  for  muttom,  the  farms  they  are  received 
and  fattened  on  will  increase  infertihty,  growing 
Bucli  an  abudauee  of  food  that  the  income  will 
iucreaso  in  every  way,  of  course  the  time  for 
giving  hay  and  food  of  any  kind  in  the  winter  in 
the  South  will  eventually  cause  that  to  be  the 
chief  mutton  and  wool  district. 
Working  Farmer. 
