'4S3 
\ 
Every pouud of carpet wool could be pro¬ 
duced in our own country. There are vast 
districts iu the Southern States uot now utilized 
which are capable of feeding millions of sheep. 
The yield of wool per head may be iucreused 
by crossing the Mexican sheep with the Cots- 
wold. The former are light shearers, not aver¬ 
aging more than three pounds, probably less. 
Each cross is good for an extra pound of wool, 
and the cross-bred sheep arc said to adapt 
theruselveatothefare undhabilsof the natives 
without much detriment. We would not ad¬ 
vise more lhan two crosses, which would 
and have kept it up ever since, to fill orders 
from my friends there to cross on their poor, 
thin, native ewes. They like the first cross 
much ; also, that of South Down rams which I 
have sent. A Subscribe!!. 
can raise more plants from an ounce of poor 
cabbage, onion, lettuce, carrot, parsnip and 
beet seed than you can from au ounce of the 
best and choicest and really most valuable need. 
If you buy good seed, sow it thicker than yon 
would commou seed. The cost of seeds Is so 
slight compared with the pleasure uud profit 
of having a good garden, and also as compared 
with the cost of prepating and enriching the 
land aud the cost of cultivation, that it is poor 
policy not only to sow poor, cheap 6eeds, but 
to sow them so sparingly as to run the risk of 
not having plants enough to fully occupy the 
ground.” 
“ Woman can bo a great many things and 
do them better than can a man,” says Mr. 
Hyde, in the N. Y. Times; "hut she never was 
made to run a lartn. She has various and in¬ 
creasing rights, but following the plow, driv¬ 
ing oxen, managiug bulk and breaking colts 
are not among them. She is an indispensable 
helpmeet to the farmer, but her sphere is a 
domestic one, literally domestic, that is, be¬ 
longing to the house. When she takes upon 
herself the prerogative of mingling with the 
men in the field, loading hay and moving it 
away, directing about tbe breeding of stock, 
and displaying her equestrian skill ou the road 
or race-course, she unsexes herself and be¬ 
comes a man iu petticoats. . , . When we 
ex-Gov. Furnas, followed by quite a lengthy 
biography. As Gov. Furnas is noted for his 
modesty, we refer to the matter in the editor¬ 
ial department. No man in this country is so 
deserving of public favor aB Gov. Furnas; 
no one has spent half, or a quarter, as much 
time aud moneyas he for the good of us all.” 
Take your choice. Crossing tbe Atlantic, 
says the London Standard, we have the United 
States, with a rapidly iocreasiug population, 
already numbering fifty millions, but exhuust- 
ing their fertile soil with the rapidity that a 
spendthrift squanders his iucome; and it is 
within the range of probability that before 
many years are past she may cease to be an 
exporting country, unless more expensive 
systems of agriculture are adopted. 
Where Farmers and Mechanics inter¬ 
marry, says J. B. Olcott iu the Christian Un¬ 
ion, iu the old way, as the wiser ones continu¬ 
ally do, keeping up an intimacy with the soil 
and an interchange of employments and im¬ 
plements throngh the garden, farm aud work¬ 
shop, mutations of fortune find them versa¬ 
tile, and as ready to fall upon their feet with 
every change in affairs as a cat. 
WHAT OTHERS SAY 
Artificial Fertilizers 
A writer iu the 
N. Y. Times gives his experience as follows: 
"A second year’s experience with artificial 
fertilisers confirms my previous opinion of 
their value. As a help to fill out the supply of 
manure, of which no good farmer ever yet had 
enough, they are invaluable and indispensable. 
The great advautage is their quick action; 300 
pounds per acre of Mapes’s Complete Manures, 
A brand, 6pread over a field of oats, was rained 
upon at night when the work was but half fin¬ 
ished- Before the next evening the part first 
covered was conspicuously greener than the 
u her part, showing that in 34 hours the effect 
of the fertilizer was already iu action. The 
permanence of these fertilizers has been much 
questioned ; but there seems to bo no doubt of 
it. One of my fields of fodder rye, which was in 
potatoes in 1878, and was then dressed with no 
manure but the potato fertilizer at the rate of 
GOO pounds per acre, was put in rye the same 
fall; tbe rye was cut for fodder tbe next 
spring, aud the land was sown to Hungarian 
grass. Both these crops were unusually good. 
A part of the rye was cut twice, arid a part, 
left for seed produced good plump grain. The 
field is sowu to rye again, without any manure 
or fertilizer, and looks remarkably well, and 
quite equal to another field on which 20 loads 
per acre of rich cow manure were spread. The 
effects of the fertilizer are clearly not exhausted 
by three crops, and show favorably ou the 
fourth. 
LIBERAL FERTILIZING. 
“ The liberal soul shall be fat.” This applies 
iu a remarkable degree to thu fertilizing of 
one’s fields. Up to a certa'ia point, each addi¬ 
tional dollar’s worth of mauure is returned 
with profit varying from LOO to 200 per cent. 
But while there is a point beyond which manur. 
lug will uot pay. there is also oue below 
which it is equally unprofitable. Each one 
must find this limit for himself. On my soil, 
which is a light saudyioam, deep, mellow, and 
warm, aud oue that does not readily dry out, 
200 pounds of artificial fertilizer, or 10 loads 
of manure per acre, make hut very little show ; 
but GOO pounds of fertilizer per acre has paid 
for itself throe limes over. A friend who farms 
a clay soil in Western New York writes me 
that 500 pouuda per acre is the moat profitable 
quantity he can use; more than that is iu ex- 
uei on me earns ana not generally so muscu¬ 
lar or inclined to fit. The natives live a no¬ 
madic life, and their form of body is the out¬ 
growth of it, while thcColswuld shape or cou lour 
is a form molded by quiet. These opposites can¬ 
not be blended to the extinction of either ex¬ 
treme without changing the nature and char¬ 
acteristics of one or the other breed. Where 
the new animal must follow the same habits 
of life as oue of the originals, it must conform 
to the type of the one it supplants, or it will 
be a failure A Merino sheep graded up to 
a Cotswold will be ill adapted to follow the 
nomadic and uncertain life which seems so 
natural to the setui-wild sheep of the Southwest. 
Crossing with the Mexican would thiekeu the 
fleeces of these long and loose-wooled sheep, 
but it would at thesamo time ehauge its char¬ 
acter from coarse to medium, aud it would 
no longer be carpet svool, as it would lack the 
length of staple which adapts it to the purpose. 
We should like to see every carpet-loom in 
America supplied with wool of our owu 
raising. This would cover the plains with 
docks and give employment to thousands 
who are now idle, ami place our manufacturers 
beyond the risks of foreign contingencies. 
Unpeopled regions would be busy with the 
evidences of life aud thrift, and the iucome 
of the country would be largely augmented. 
These coarse and light-woolcd sheep are 
not suited to the chauging anil severe climate 
of the North ; but are the best adupted to re¬ 
gions where the seasons vary but little, and 
extremes of heat and cold do uot occur. They 
will do better ou coarser feed thau the Merillos 
or their grades, aud uu this account are belter 
fitted for the wild grasses of the prairie uud 
all uncultivated lands. For such pasturage 
they should be graded with the Cotswolds, as 
they too will bear coarser feed than the line- 
wooled breeds. The lambs will be stronger, aud 
the loss much less thau with Lhe latter. They 
are larger milkers and will nourish their 
youug better under rough treatment. The 
raising of the young is as important in the 
year’s income us the wool. Where the win¬ 
ters are trying and the herbage is finer aud 
shorter, grading with Merinos is the best, as 
they will be less liable to disease, their close 
lleeces shutting out both wiud aud storm iu a 
much more effectual manner. Merinos never 
do well in low, damp lauds; but have a natu¬ 
ral fitness for upland and mountains, while 
Cotswolds do best in valleys. 
"Evaporators are a God-send to the 
farmers” says Mr. King in RnralHome. ’* Con¬ 
sider the millious of people who never see an 
apple; they can be supplied by evaporated 
apples. Some consider tbe evaporated fruit 
as good for cooking as green fruit. We can 
pick the best of our apples for barreling and 
shake the remainder off for evaporators.” 
Corn. —A writer in the Michigan Farmer 
advocates late planting, especially in heavy 
soils. He favors planting deep, or in a deep 
mark, so that the earth would naturally fall 
toward the hill. The error of many he thinks 
is ceasing to cultivate at the time when the 
crop needs the most attention—viz., when the 
tassels appear. 
The Valueof Milk.— 1 ‘All things considered” 
6 ays Professor Sheldou in " Dairy Farming,” 
"good milk is the cheapest kind of food that 
we have; for 3 pints of it, weighing 3£ pounds, 
and costing -Hd., contain as much nutriment 
as 1 pound of beef, which costs 9d. There is 
no loss iu cooking the milk, as there is in 
cooking beef, and there is no bone in it that 
cannot be eaten; it is simple, palatable, nutri¬ 
tious, healthful, cheap and always ready for 
use wither without preparation. . This is to 
say that, chemically, 3.7 pounds of milk is the 
cquU alent of 1 pound of beef iu flesh-forming 
or nitrogenous constituents; ami 3.17 pouuds 
of milk is the equivalent of 1 pouud of beef in 
heat-produciug elements or carbo-hydrates. . 
. . We must, therefore, assume, from the 
data offered, that the relative values of beef 
and miik us human food are as 3£ to 11$, or 
as (in round numbers) 1 to 3(." 
Cow Peas. —"The yield this way (Tennessee) 
is from 15 to 30 bushels per acre, according to 
laud,” says a writer in the Country Gcutlemau. 
“ The yield iu hay is from 2 to 4 tons, also ac¬ 
cording to land. A neighbor has raised five 
wheat crops oue year after another on seven 
acres of what was poor laud when he betran 
CATALOGUES, ETC.. RECEIVED 
Note.— Readers are referred to our advertising col¬ 
umns for any particulars omitted in the following ne 
cessarily brief notices 
F. R. Pierson, Tarrytowu, N. Y. Illustrated 
Catalogue of Seeds, Fruits, Trees for the 
greenhouse, garden aud farm, with descrip¬ 
tions and plain directions for their cultiva¬ 
tion. We are indebted to Mr. Pierson for the 
original from which our engraving of the 
"Cumberland Triumph” Strawberry was 
made. An engraving from fruit raised at the 
Rural Grounds was published in our Straw¬ 
berry number, Sept. 7, 1878. Our report of 
this excellent berry at that time was as fol¬ 
lows: "Rather soft for market. Ripeus in 
every part at the same time. Uniformly of 
large size. Vines very healthy and strong. 
Perfect shape—flavor good. The acute lobes 
of the calyx, from three to five, are so coustant 
as to aid in determining the variety. Pale red 
or pink in color.'’ Later experience not only 
confirms our first report, but makes us think 
more highly of it for home use. Mr. Pierson’s 
catalogue is sent to applicants without charge. 
Joseph Karris. "Moreton Farm,” Roches¬ 
ter, N. Y. This well-known furmer sends us a 
four-line advertisement aud his catalogue; the 
latter presumably for notice. As it is worth a 
good deal more to us than his advertisement, 
we presume it will likewise prove helpful to 
our readers. We have tried to speak of cata¬ 
logues according to our estimate of their value 
to our readers aud uot according to the value 
of the advertisements to us. Many cata¬ 
logues publish lists of garden, flower and field 
seeds comprising almost every vuriety known, 
whether possessed of any especial merits or 
uot. Mr. Harris selects those kinds only 
which from his owu experience he believes to 
be the best of their kinds. The catalogue is 
full of useful hints, the cream of his life’s ex¬ 
perience. He will send it free to those of our 
readers who apply. 
IIovey & Oo., 16 South Market street, Bos¬ 
ton, Mass. Illustrated Guide aud Seed Cata¬ 
logue for 1880. Sixteeu of its uinety pages are 
given to novelties among flower, vegetable 
and field seeds. Among potatoes "Mammoth 
Pearl,'' which originated in Ohio, is spoken of 
as having produced 1,042 pounds from a half¬ 
peek of seed uuder ordinary cultivation—the 
largest potato of the yield weighing two pounds 
aud ten ounces. 
Price & Knickerbocker. SO State St., Al- 
bauy, N. Y. This work of SO pages and 450 
illustrations—mailed free to applicants—is a 
catalogue of garden, field aud flower seeds, 
with cultural directions, and of agricultural 
implements, farm and horticultural goods iu 
general. This establishment, now in' Its 40th 
year, is better kuown, perhaps, as the "Albany 
is uot enough. This is au important point, 
aud is akiu to the feeding of an animal; over¬ 
feeding is waste, aud uuder-foeding does uot 
supply the actual natural wants of the ani¬ 
mal growth. 
Early Amber Cane. —Seeing so much ou 
the cane-growing industry iu your paper, I 
send you the following notes from this section: 
The farmers here are lust finding out that it 
pays to raise their own - sweetening,” and that 
the "Early Amber ” is the best variety ot cane 
for that purpose, as it makes a sirup equal iu 
taste aud looks to thu best " sugar drips,” and 
has the advautage of kuowu purity. U finds a 
ready market at 75 cents per gallon, while 
commou sorghum is a drug at 40 cents. It 
also matures early, aud thus uecd not be 
plauted as soon, aud also gets out of the way 
of the early frosts; aud eveu uow, where they 
have the machinery, they are makiug a No. 1 
article of sugar from its sirup. If any of the 
readers of the luter-Ocoau should wish to in¬ 
vestigate Its merits, and will send stamps to 
pay return postage and expense of mailing, 
remembering that postage is one cent au ounce, 
1 will send them seed, warranted pure. Ad¬ 
dress F. Wilkinson, Avon, Fulton County, III. 
—Chicago Inter-Ocean. 
[If Mr. Wilkinson proposes to send these seeds, 
as his offer implies, "at coni of postage uud ex¬ 
pense of mailing," wo fear he will have oeca- 
SHEEP NOTES 
1 have just looked over Mr. Blackwell’s ar¬ 
ticle, page 8i, of the Rural. It is a good one 
on the whole, but it is uot exactly the thing to 
recommend South Downs to be crossed ou Ox¬ 
fords. I fancy ho does not know how the Ox- 
foids wexe made. It was chiefly by crossing 
Cotswold rams uu various Down sheep, then 
selecting the best of these, aud breeding them 
together till they assumed a fixed type. It 
took 30 years or more of great care aud pains 
to do this. Our people seem to know little of 
the formation aud history of this splendid 
breed. When iu England iu 1841, I traveled 
all over the South Down country, sometimes 
in a carriage, bin, more often on a horseback 
aud on loot, mingling among tbe farmers and 
most celebrated of the sheep masters. I there 
saw thousands of such crosses, from which 
subsequent selections were made to form the 
Oxfords. These at that time were merely bred 
for early lambs aud wethers for mutton, etc. 
Sheep farmiug on the English Downs is the 
most beautiful, aud at the same time oue of 
the most profitable systems of farming in Eng¬ 
land. It is the beet system for growing wheat 
on the four-course shift practiced there; also 
other graiu, etc., etc. 
Mr. Blackwell speaks of Leicesters, etc. 
Now, all Bucb, except the hind legs of their car¬ 
casses, are too fat for eating—groat masses of 
mutton tallow —and in Eughmd they are salted 
down us hogs are here, and the mutton Is 
called the " the poor man'n pork, ' i u derision, 
and the poor only eat it, because they cannot 
attoid anything better. These Leicester rams, 
etc., produce a fail-quality of mutton by cross¬ 
ing ou our thin grade Merino and other native 
ewes. But the first cross is the best; a sec¬ 
ond, or, at least, a third, gives too fat and 
coarse an animal. , ery few of our farmers 
understand this. I began to ship these long 
wooled rams to the South nearly 40 years ago, 
Upland Water Cresses.—E. B. H., gives 
his experience in Vick’s Monthly as follows :— 
"Seed sown early iu spriDg, 1876; ground four 
feet by eight; uorth side of brick wall; came 
up thick, grew well; watered well in dry, hot 
weather; used early in the fall followiug ; eou- 
tmued until August, 1870, thrifty and good; 
then it was neglected for watering, aud partly 
died out. It was prououuced, wheu growing, 
by au Englishman used to it, as quite equal 
to that grown iu water. I used it myselt all the 
time, mormug, uoou aud night, and say that it 
ought to be cultivated by all who like such 
stuff. I recommend to all persons wanting a 
good stomach, to try Its cultivation." 
"Black Mexican ” Sweet Corn.— Mr. J. A. 
Woodward, the experienced agricultural editor 
of the Center Democrat (Bellefonte, Pa.), thus 
supports our opiuion of this corn: "In the 
Rural New-Yorker for January 24, we find 
a high opiuion of this most ddlieious of all 
the varieties of sweet corn with which we 
are acquainted. Like the Rural, wo have 
tested all the leading varieties, but for leu 
years past we have uot failed to have a small 
lot of " Black Mexicau ” for our owu table use. 
Iu point of productiveness we do not think it 
equals some others, but in quality wo do not 
hesitate to second our valued eoutemporary in 
placing it at the head of the list.” 
Ex-Gov. Furnas.— The Nebraska Farmer 
which, by the way, is a credit to that State, 
says: "TheRural New-Yorker, iu its issue 
oi January 10th, has a very fine portrait of 
