new  self-tightening  joint  that  will  keep  the  rod 
at  all  times  in  line  with  the  main  shaft. 
Pliilips’  Spiral  Com  Iluskcr  was  in  full  opera¬ 
tion.  This  machine  has  l>een  improved  this  year 
I  lengthening  the  rolls,  thus  increasing  its  ca¬ 
pacity  15  per  cent,  with  the  samo  power. 
There  was  a  vciy’good  show  of  jdows,  the  prin¬ 
cipal  exhibitors  being  CarU^r  &  Hons,  Orogg  & 
Co.,  New  York  Plow  Co.,  Ihibirison  Chillwl  i’low 
Co.,  Thmiington  Ag’l  Co.,  and  Pord  Bros.,  Gregg 
<t  Co.  showed  the  Osborn  Snlky  Plow,  which  at¬ 
tracted  a  good  deal  of  attention.  The  llobinsoji 
Chilled  Plow  Co.  showed  their  Now  Chilled  Plow 
for  the  first  time  at  a  State  fair.  'I'hc  chilling 
and  carthmiziug  process  through  which  the  iron 
is  i)a8sed,  renders  it  harder  than  stoel.  They 
will  scour  easy  in  any  kind  of  soil,  and  are  spe¬ 
cially  adapted  to  hard  lands.  The  Remington 
1  Co.  made  a  (me  showing  of  Mohawk  Valley 
Clii)pfj-  Steel  and  Carbon  1‘lows.  Their  New 
tionn  oampbell  exhibited  his  new  oscillating 
Monitor  Chum.  This  churn  Is  made  of  tin  and 
hM  th<!  oscillating  motion  of  the  “Bullard,” 
without  its  steadiness.  Daiiyrnen  who  have  seen 
it  do  not  think  it  will  he  a  success,  on  account  of 
the  material  used,  li,  W.  Howe  showed  the  new 
“  Howe  Churn.”  This  is  a  barrel  churn  set  on  a 
frame  and  worked  by  a  handle ;  it  lias  adjustable 
dashers  inside.  It  is  claimed  that  this  chum  has 
all  (he  good  points  of  the  old  dash  ehum. 
Hie  Monitor  31ilk  Pan  Co.  ha<l  a  fine  set  of 
their  Milk  Pans  on  exhiliition.  A.  If.  Keid  made 
a  good  show  of  Butter  Workers,  wliioh  attracted 
a  great  deal  of  attention.  G.  I-.  .V  D.  G.  Weth- 
orill  mode  an  exhibit  of  I’applein’s  Siiicaled 
Superphosphate  of  Bimo,  wliich  they  are  now 
introducing  tbronghoiit  the  eountry. 
The  Wagon  show  was  very  light— not  a  single 
form  wagon  being  on  exhibition.  The  Cortland 
Wagon  Co.  made  a  (inc  show  of  their  Platform 
Spring  Wagons  and  carried  off  most  of  the  pre¬ 
miums.  Tlioso  wagons  are  now  coming  into 
general  iiso,  and  the  manufacturers  will  soon 
have  to  enlarge  their  works  again,  so  us  to  be 
able  to  moot  the  increasing  demand,, 
J.  M.  Childs,  E.  E.  T<nmmis  and  many  other 
of  our  large  dealers  in  agricultural  machinery 
wore  on  the  gronnds  looking  after  new  improve- 
luonts.  SnouTHOKN. 
[The  further  report  of  this  Fair,  including  the 
Ust  of  principal  awards,  will  have  to  go  over  till 
next  week  for  lack  of  space. — Ed.] 
downs.  They  are  as  hardy  as  any  race,  and, 
though  less  thrifty  in  growth  than  the  larger 
varieties,  with  a  lighter,  and,  therefore,  less 
valuable  llocce,  they  are,  on  the  whole,  a  profit¬ 
able  sheep  for  those  who  properly  estimate  qual¬ 
ity  in  mutton. 
It  should  be  stated  iu  this  connection  that, 
wliile  it  is  most  desirable,  in  all  departments  of 
live  sbwk  to  maintain  the  purity  of  the  several 
i‘a<^s,  it  is  nevertheless  true,  that  cross-bred 
animals,  if  the  sorts  nro  good,  are  likely  to  be 
more  thrifty  and  more  prolific  than  those  of  the 
pnre  breeds  that  have  been  closely  inbred.  For 
producing  mutton  for  the  markets,  therefore,  we 
may  anticipate  very  satisfactory  results  from  the 
use  of  a  good,  well-bred  ram  on  grade  owes  of 
the  right  stamp,  or  oven  common  ewes,  if  tliey 
are  of  good  form  and  con.stitution. 
But  wo  urge  upon  our  readers  not  to  breed 
from  inferior  animals,  wh.atevor  the  breed  or 
variety,  when  good  ones  are  everywhere  within 
roach  at  moderate  prices.  Indeed,  it  is  much 
N.  Y.  STATE  AGEIOULTUEAL  SOCIETY. 
36TH  ANNUAL  CATTLE  SHOW  AND  FAIR, 
.Albany,  Sept.  13, 187C. 
Accordino  to  the  regular  rotation  every  third 
year,  the  Centenary  finds  the  meeting  of  this 
Association  here  now,  and  a  more  roomy  and 
commodious  ground  could  hardly  have  been  sc- 
Icctod.  Excellent  cattle  and  horse  sheds,  with 
good,  substantial  buildings  for  Macliinery  Hall. 
Htovc  Hall  and  Domestic  Hall  arc  sujipleinented 
by  good  Headtjnartors  and  numerous  neat  little 
ofhees  Scattered  over  the  grounds  for  the  use  of 
the  Loads  of  departments. 
The  meetings  of  tlds  Association  have  long 
been  recognised  as  the  most  successful  State 
mootings  iu  this  country,  and  the  Fair  tins  year, 
while  it  is  of  course  somewhat  dimmed  by  tlie 
gi'eat  Pliiladelphitt  Exhibition,  is  a  much  gre.aU‘r 
success  than  many  supposed  it  would  bo. 
The  display  of  Eivo  Stock  is  simply  magnifi¬ 
cent  in  proportions  and  quality,  and  forms  one 
of  the  most  attractive  features  of  the  exliibition. 
Fdorl  IIai.t,  Is  not  so  full  as  it  might  be  in 
some  respects,  few  but  amateurs  making  any  ex¬ 
hibits  in  florieulturo, 
Eijavanoer  a  Bauuv  of 
llochoBtor,  disiilaya  fine  collection  of  fruits,  con¬ 
sisting  of  12:)  varieties  of  ajiples,  102  of  jiearH.  35 
of  plums  and  33  of  graires.  Nothing  new  among 
them  was  observed ;  but  tlie  whole  exhibit  docs 
them  great  honor.  In  addition  to  thoir  fruit, 
tliey  cxliibited  113  different  varieties  of  roses. 
Abtul-r  McCormack  of  B.atlj,  N.  Y.,  displayed 
46  varieUes  of  graiies,  among  wliich  ho  had  no 
novolticB.  D.  C.  Wuminr  of  Hudson,  N.  Y.,  ex¬ 
hibited  10  varieties  of  pears  and  8  of  plums, 
including  a  new  seedling  jilum  of  excelJent  qual¬ 
ity.  There  were  several  otlier  small  collections, 
some  of  which  were  quite  praiseworthy. 
Domestic  Jlaim  contained  the  usual  show  of 
sowing  machines,  bed-(|nilts.  pianos,  dish-pans 
and  numerous  kuick-kuaoks  of  all  sorts  aud  kinds 
generally  tound  thei’o.  Among  the  noticeable 
exhibits  were  the  Cortland  Wagons,  wbich  at^ 
traded  much  attention  by  Uioir  strength  and  | 
beauty  of  construction. 
still  tlie  farmer  knows  that  both  wool  and  mutton 
will  always  be  in  demand  beneo,  instead  of  being 
(liscouraged  should  pay  more  attention  to  breod- 
ing  for  a  purpose,  and  if  it  be  mutton  wo  com- 
iiiund  the  advice  given  in  the  following  from  tlie 
National  Live  Htoek  Journal  which  is  quite  timely 
as  well  as  sound  ailvice  : 
Now  is  (  he  time  for  the  farmer  who  expects  to 
hreed  lambs  for  the  markets,  or  who  keeps  a 
mutton  flock,  to  be  looking  about  for  his  breed¬ 
ing  ram.  In  breeding  for  mutton,  we  must  liavo 
early  lambs ;  say  from  February  to  Anril.  Wn 
at  the  Oentounial  l'’icld  Exhiliition  last  August 
“Buckeye,”  “  Biwlley,”  “Crawford.”  “  lOiby,' 
Wheeler  No.  6, 
V^iotor,’  “Wood’s  Eagle.” 
“  Warrior,”  &c. 
Adriance,  Platt  A'  Co.  showed  Brown’s  new 
Solf-llaUiiig  Reaper.  In  building  this  imple¬ 
ment  special  consideration  has  been  jiaid  to 
lightness  and  strength.  It  weighs  050  Ihs.,  cuts 
5  ft.,  has  a  draft  of  about  180  lbs.,  aud  the  price 
will  bo  In  the  ueigliborhood  of  ®120.  A  few 
wore  put  out  last  year  and,  as  far  as  he.-ird  from 
worked  well.  ’ 
Bradley  Mfg.  Co.  showed  their  New  Sclf-Roke 
Reaper,  whloli  will  he  put 
Boasou.  Wool’s  Eagle  Real 
the  rake  head  of  tlieir  self-rake 
sing  w  ith  the  spring  and 
This  company  bids  fair 
to  make  an  apiiearauce  on  wheels  before  the  world 
some  day  in  such  a  way  as  to  leave  a  tiack  be¬ 
hind  them. 
The  Dairy  display  is  so  near  a  failure  that  I 
am  almost  led  te  tiolieve  (he  “  Centennial  Dairy 
Ring  must  have  boon  around.  If  J  w'ore  not 
fully  satisfied  of  the  entire  trustwortliinoHs  of  all 
the  odicors  and  eniployoos  of  this  Hociety,  I  should 
have  been  induced,  by  contemplating  tJiis  dis¬ 
play,  to  lock  ai'omid  for  the  familiar  Philadel¬ 
phia  faces  which  are  to  be  found  at  Mr.  Pope’s 
Cheese  Palace  at  tlie  Centennial. 
The  Poultry  exhibits  were  very  full  and  of 
excellent  quaUty.  There  have  been  N.  Y.  State 
Fails  when  lliia  feature  received  comparatively 
little  attention :  but  tins  year  the  noultrv  breed. 
iuii)  Useful 
ill  the  moi-ket  next 
per  Co.  have  improved 
- !  reaper  by  dispen- 
using  a  cam  and  trip, 
malung  their  rake  more  easily  adjusted. 
Hay  Rakes  were  in  good  numbers,  among  them 
were  the  “New  Adriance,”  “  Bradley,”  “  Arch¬ 
er,”  "Field’s  (^elf-Discharging,”  "Yankee,” 
“Alb.any,”  “Winner’s  Tiger,"  with  Wisnor  him¬ 
self  to  back  it,  “  Centennial,”  “  Ithaca,’'  etc.  A 
New  Helf-Dumb  Rake  was  shown  by  Alexander 
Rioaet.  It  lias  a  new*  friction  grip — very  simple 
ill  its  oiieratiou.  Four  or  (he  of  tlieso  rakes 
have  been  successfully  tried  tlie  past  season  ;  but 
wo  can  not  say  as  to  what  its  true  w'ortli  will  be 
until  it  is  more  fully  tested.  The  ‘ ‘  Centennial. ” 
exhibited  by  the  Wheeler,  Mchck  Co.,  is  a  neat 
•ongh  the  gates  on  both  sides  of  l^rought  out,  for  the  first  time,  in  “  187(5." 
.A  largo  attendance  is  jiresont  and  ^  Hclf-dimi|j,  with  a  friction  grip.  The  axle 
11  the  time.  The  awards  have  not  revolves  ivith  the  wheel,  and  is  divided  in  the 
yet ;  but  will  probably  bo  com-  u<^uter,  allowing  each  wheel  to  act  iudependenlJv. 
‘rrow.  It  has  no  ratchet  gearing.  The  clutch  is  op- 
f  Aoriuultdral  Implements  and  friction  band,  which  needs  very  little 
not  as  largo  as  usual,  probably  from  the  foot  to  dump  the  load.  A 
he  E.xhibition  at  the  Centennial,  '^’r'riber  of  these  rakes  Avure  sold  during  the  past 
ililements  wore  on  the  gi’ounds  as  fai*  as  heard  from,  have  given 
of  exhibitors  from  the  West  satisfaction.  A.  B.  Cohn  showed— as  new 
foods  for  the  first  time  at  the  Htato— the  Common-Sense  .Stalk  Cutter, 
manufacturers  are  heirmniue  Ui  "PriEe"  churn. 
QUICKSILVER-HOW  IT  IS  MADE. 
Few  of  our  readers  probably  have  any  idea 
Avhere  quicksilver  came  from  or  how  it  is  made, 
hut  the  following  very  excellent  letter  from  a 
correspondent  of  the  American  Grocer  throws 
much  light  ujion  the  subject : 
California,  iu  addition  to  being  tho  largest 
qualities— that,  in  fact,  the  form  of  tho  carcass.  Producer  of  silver  and  gold  in  the  world,  also  has 
in  the  best  varieties  of  tills  wonderful  and  most  richest  quicksilver  mines,  and  tho  name 
ancient  race  of  sheep,  has  liccn  brought  much  “Now  Ahmulon”  has  become  Bynouj*muu8  with 
nearer  tho  type  we  reqnii'e  for  the  iiroduction  of  fioiokailver  all  over  the  world.  Having  tho  good 
(lesh,  than  ivas  thought  possible  forty  or  liftv  i^ortune  to  meet  Mi*.  J.  B.  Randal,  the  Huperin- 
years  ago ;  but,  as  growers  and  feeders,  tliey  are  ^ondont  of  tho  company,  wo  were  favored  with 
stm  far  behind  the  host  long  wuole,  and  in  invitation  to  visit  “New  Almaden  ”  and  see 
quality  of  flesh,  tlieir  advocates  do  not  claim  volatile  and  interesting  metal  is  pro- 
that  tJiey  apjiroaeh  tho  excellence  of  the  Downs,  ducod ;  and  taking  the  cars  one  afternoon,  a 
The  Belection  of  tho  breeding  ram,  therefore,  niiles,  by  the  Southern  Pacifle 
whore  mutton  is  produced,  must  bo  from  the  brought  us  to  San  Jose,  which  is  the 
long  w*ouls,  or  the  Downs.  If  avo  make  choice  *U'areBt  p<iiiit  on  tho  raih*oad  to  the  niiues. 
from  tho  former,  avo  must  be  earofnl  that  wo  Jose  itself  is  a  thriving  little  dty  of  ten  to 
have  an  animal  of  stout  and  robust  constitution.  thousand  inhabitants,  situated  iu  the 
These  sheep  have  been  so  generally  forced  Avitii  51*^1*10111^'  Santa  Clara  valley,  Avliiohistho  garden 
artilioial  food,  that  many  of  them  lack  the  hurdi-  l**-***^-  Possessed  of  a  delightful  climate 
ness  reqiiii*ed  for  tho  farmer’s  purposes.  What  ““**1  foitilo  eoll,  in  which  can  he  raised 
we  must  have,  is  a  straight,  round  barrel,  on  <;verythiug  that  is  produced  either  in  the 
lihort  legs,  with  short,  stout  neck,  aud  vigorous,  temperate  or  torrid  Eonos,  and  so  near  to  San 
niasouliuc  appearance  about  the  head.  Tho  body  Pi'aoei.sco  that  it  has  a  good  market  for  its  pro- 
should  bo  well  covered  with  a  long  and  lii8ti*ou8  <^‘*'^tiou8  at  all  times,  it  is  a  veritable  farmers’ 
staple,  of  unilorm  quality.  If  the  seleotion  be  Paradise;  and  it  is  no  wonder  that  its  fertile 
of  tho  SoutlidoAA'u  breed,  we  should  haA-o  the  |  tiottom  lands  oommand  high  prices.  Passing  the 
same  general  form  as  here  described,  but 
ought  to  have  a  more  compact  and  snug 
I  aud  also  their 
Abbott,  BrcAA*  &  Co.  exhibited  tho  Centennial 
heed  Cutter.  This  inaelduo  is  simple,  comjiact 
and  easily  operated.  There  is  no  gearing  iu  the 
knife-box  to  clog  tho  feed.  Tlie  knife-sluift 
makes  43^  revolutions  to  each  turn  of  the  crank. 
The  upper  feed-roller  is  sclf-regnlating,  either 
end  rising  independent  of  the  other,  making 
the  pre8Bm*e  on  the  fodder  equal  at  aU  times. 
’This  firm  also  show  the  American  Cider  Mill  and 
Press,  vbich  crushes  the  aiiples  thoroughly, 
brealdng  all  the  cells,  and  can  bo  adjusted  to 
AA-ork  either  coarse  or  fine.  It  Avill  grind  grapes 
without  crushing  the  seed,  and  makes  a  good 
wine  miU.  The  wear  on  tho  roll-shaft  is  taken 
up  by  an  eccentric,  so  as  to  keep  the  mil]  ti*ne. 
The  press  has  a  center  drain,  by  which  the  cider 
is  run  off  iu  the  middle  of  the  tub.  The  staves 
of  the  tub  are  riveted  on,  making  it  strongei*. 
The  Mohawk  &  Hudson  Mf’g.  Co.  bLoav  Dodge’s 
monung  and  di*ove  out  to  "  Noav  Almaden,” 
Avhieh  is  about  fifteen  miles  from  Lhe  city. 
The  mine  is  situated  nearly  at  the  summit  of 
one  of  the  foot-hills  of  the  "  Coast  Range  ”  of 
momitaiiis,  aud  was  originally  discovered  by  tlie 
Indians,  resorting  to  this  place  to  procure  the 
rod  paint  with  Avhioh  they  smeared  thoir  faces, 
and  Avhioh  was  here  found  cropping  out  of  the 
ground.  It  Avas  discovered  that  this  material 
was  a  rich  vein  of  cinnabar  or  crude  quicksilver. 
In  course  of  time  a  company  Avas  formed  to 
