OCT. 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
at our fairs. These sheep arrived just in sea- 
Bon to begin their starring tour at Philadel- q 
phia. Here they won $2,600 in premiums. 1 
There was never a sum of money more useless- *i 
ly or worse bestowed. These exhibitions are i 
intended, or so declared to be, for the encour- f 
agement of agriculture. In what sense is ag- i 
riculture encouraged by an exhibition of ani- l 
mals which are simply monstrosities of fat, and ( 
which are so debilitated by the injurious feed- f 
ing as to be incapacitated for the only purpose f 
which they are supposed to be iuten icd for, 
namely, breeding ? It is safe to say that these ] 
particular animals are useless for that purpose. ) 
They cannot be kept up in the condition in 1 
which they appear at the fairs without soon i 
reaching the inevitable result of the overfeed- i 
ing to which they have been subjected. These 
animals are jealously guarded, lest some in- i 
quiring farm :r, intent upon getting the worth 
of his money in valuable information, 
might disturb the rest of these pampered 
lumps of fat. “ Do not touch or disturb the 
animals” is conspicuously enjoined upon the 
visitors by means of a large card, in the manner 
of the menagerie, where one is particularly 
requested not to stir up the monkeys or to look 
at ike elephant too closely. 
The truth of this is, that it is not agriculture ; 
it is show business ; and ought to be severely 
repiobated as a waste of money and a gross 
diversion of it from its legitimate uses. It is 
the introduction of Bide-shows, no more rele¬ 
vant to the business in hand than the exhibi¬ 
tion of “the fat woman,” and “Barnum’s 
Great American Giantess,” eight feet high, 12 
feet round, and who weighs 640 pounds.” So 
these sheep are considered in proportion to then- 
weight, and weighing 340 pouuds each by dint 
of cramming with oil-cake and corn, they take 
the ribbons from the more really worthy and 
in every way valuable sheep weighing a hun¬ 
dred pounds less. The last accounts of this 
dock are that they are now starring it at St. 
Louis, and are engaged to appear wherever 
the money premiums offer sufficient induce¬ 
ment. 
The owaer, who has had no hand or work 
in getting up these sheep, will probably receive 
in premiums more than their cost and then 
dispose of them to some deluded fancy f ti mer 
who can “point with pride” to his prize 
animals, which cost->-so much. And the exhib¬ 
itor retires on his laurels and his greenbacks, 
and laughs in his sleeve and thiuks the fool- 
killer missed a good many whom he ought to 
have looked after, and about this time next 
year he will be on hand to repeat his annual 
performance. 
No wonder that the plain, sensible farmer is 
“ down” upon agricultural exhibitions, and 
finds solace in studying agriculture around the 
trotting course, where more excitement cau bo 
had for his 50 cents, thau in front of such dis¬ 
heartening aud disappointing “ studies ” in his 
art as these show animals, useless for auy 
good purpose, and only intended for taking 
premiums which they don’t deserve. h. 
-- 
NEBRASKA STATE FAIR. 
(Rural Special Report.) 
The Nebraska State Fair for 1880 was held 
at Omaha last week. The Omaha people, in 
the excess of that liberality aud enterprise for 
which they have ever been characterized, fitted 
up forty acres of ground in a most magnifi¬ 
cent style, at a cost of about $25,000. Every¬ 
thing was new, put up substantially and per- j 
manently, to be used hereafter as Stale expo¬ 
sition grounds. The halls were large, of 
modern architecture, well lighted aud venti¬ 
lated; stables, stalls and stock pens were of the 
very best, arranged to be totally closed in case 
of inclement weather. At this fair, however, 
it was propitious, and the attendance large. 
On the principal days from 20,000 to 25,00U 
people were on the gronud. 
The annual address was delivered by Judge 
J. W. Savage, and was a masterly, practical 
effort in all respects. The J udge is a practical 
Western man, having had long experience in 
this part of the country, and, consequently, he 
kuows of what to talk and how to say it. The 
State Horticultural Society holds its annual 
fruit exhibition in connection with the fair 
under the auspices of the State Board of Agri- 
cull are. lu fact, the two are one and the 
same. The exhibition, as a whole, was the 
be6t ever held iu the State, and in all respects 
it was a grand success. The fruit show was 
not so extensive us at other times heretofore. 
Omaha is not situated in the best fruit region 
of the State, and, besides, except for apples 
aud grapes, this has not been a fruit year in 
Nebraska. Wasbiugtou Country, the next 
north from Omaha, where much attention has 
Leeu given to fruit culture, was well repre¬ 
sented on this occasion. E. N. Grennell aud 
Hiram Craig, two veterans, had on exhibition 
about 500 plates of fruit of various sorts—prin¬ 
cipally apples and grapes. Mr. Hubbard, of 
Fredonia, in your State, had on exhibition 
specimens of his new white grape, “Prentiss, 1 
which attracted universal atteutlou, aud to 
which was awarded the first premium as the 
best new seedling on exhibition. 
The farm-product feature, while fine as to 
quality, was not as extensive as we desired. 
Horse trots draw crowds andswell gate receipts, 
'tis true; but they do not increase, in my opin¬ 
ion, the exhibits of soil products. The “trot ” 
feature gave more satisfaction this season with 
us than ever before. Heretofore Ihey have 
been clean steals. This year they may be 
called “ middling to fair ” in this respect. We 
secured the servi«es of honorable non-resident 
gentlemen in the judges’ stand. 
Cattle, horses, hogs, sheep, poultry and im¬ 
plements were shown in greatly increased 
numbers, and of greater excellence than here¬ 
tofore. Cattle, hogs and sheep are now lead¬ 
ing factors in the industries and products of 
the not-long-ago “ Great American Desert.” 
People never before left our fair grounds in 
such good humor aud with Buch universal 
commendations. 
Can’t the Rural come to see us next year ? 
Rob’t W. Furnas. 
[The Rural would be very glad to do so. 
Eds.] 
UUsccUaitfous, 
BRIEFLETS. 
patents controlled by the Pope Company, giv¬ 
ing It the sole control of the manufacture and 
sales of all bicycles or velocipedes now in 
common use.The A. & M. College of 
Texas opens with nearly 100 students and 
every Indication promises a prosperous ses¬ 
sion. Success to this college and to its Pro¬ 
fessor of Agriculture, who furnishes the above 
note. 
--- 
.4 Cheap Well, 
Dig down to a depth of five or six feet a 
hole four feet in diameter ; brick it up—using 
water-lime mortar. Below this dig your well 
in diameter a little lass than the bricked top, 
and as you go down plaster the dirt or sand on 
the sides with water-lime mortar. A well dug 
and plastered in this way costa one-half the 
price of an ordinary well of the Bame depth 
and diameter, and Is proof against all kinds of 
vermin, nor can any dirt wash down from the 
sides. I have a well made in thiB way, that 
has done excellent Bervice for eleven years, 
and in that time it has been cleaned out only 
once. There is no need of cleaning such a 
well, as there is no accumulation of filth in it. 
The bricking at the top is done to avoid injury 
from frost, as the planter peels off where the 
ground behind it Las frozen. G. w. t. 
Otsego, Wls. 
S, B. Peck writes us that those who are 
fond of ornamental climbing plants will iiud 
the Chinese Yam (Dioscorea batatas] to their 
taste; and the curious in vegetation will be 
gratified by digging up the ground tubers at 
the end of the second year.The 
British harvest, after all the fuss about it, 
will prove a fair average.The Japan¬ 
ese government, it appears, has determined 
to establish fifty farms for thfi particular pur¬ 
pose of breeding cattle and sheep, and it in¬ 
tends after awhile to establish others more 
strictly agricultural.We beg to state 
that those of our readers who intend to sub¬ 
scribe for the Inter-Ocean, Free Press, etc., in 
connection with the Rural New-Yorker, 
may rest assured that we shall forward such 
subscriptions without the least delay. It is 
a matter of pride with us to wish to secure 
more subscriptions for them than they secure 
for us.Mr. D. 8, Marvin, who has 
sent us a box of his seedling grapes, savs: 
“Can Mr. Ricketts show anythiug among his 
hybrids superior to them. They are purely 
native. The 1 Centennial’ is in my judgment 
the best native grape we have for the mala 
crop, and I hope to live to show you further 
improvements.” .... The Philadelphia Her¬ 
ald says that as the coming frosts will soon 
ripen the nut crop every newspaper should 
warn Its readers against eating chestnuts in the 
dark. It is not ouly uuwise, bnt it is cruelty to 
insects. . . “ Black- bearded Centennial” wheat. 
Who has it for sale? .... The Norristown 
Herald, referring to the duel which recently 
took place between a Ute Indian and a Navajo, 
in which the former was killed and the latter 
seriously injured, remarks. “This Is very 
sad. Wheu the untutored child of the forest 
becomes civilized and adopts the ennobling 
pursuits of the Christian pale-face, he can 
tight duels all day without anybody getting 
hurt.” .... Xauthoceros sorbifolia which, 
several years ago. we had much to say about, 
may be propagated by root cuttings, Mr. Mee¬ 
han says.Hyacinths and tulips for 
I Winter flowering should be potted at once or 
I placed in glasses of water at once. Set them 
in a darkened, cool place until the roots are 
well developed, then give them light and 
warmth.We are surprised that Mr. 
Meehan does not know that “ pindars” is one 
of the local names for—for Arachis hypoga^a— 
sometimes called peauuts 1 . . . . Speaking of 
Mr. Meehan reminds us that Dr. Gray haB 
named a beautiful new stone-crop, Sedum Mee- 
haui, thus connecting his name with the bot¬ 
any of the country which he has worked hard 
to illustrate.It will appear from the 
following that our estimate of Fay's Prolific 
Currant illustrated and described in the Rural 
New-Yorker of Sept. 18, is well supported. 
Mr, Downing says : “They are very large and 
showy. As to ‘Fay’s Prolific,’ judging from 
the branch you sent me, it indicates the most 
prolific bearer I have seen. The strings or 
clusters are very long and hold their size 
well in proportion to the end. The clusters 
are much larger and longer than those of the 
Cherry Currant.” And Marshall P. Wilder 
says: “ I infer that the variety was raised from 
the Cherry Currant. If so, the bunches are 
longer and the bearing qualities of the tree 
seem to begreater and the Itavoi of the fruit in 
advance of that of its parent.” .... In the 
suit of The Pope Manufacturing Company, of 
Boston, against McKee aud Harrington, of 
New York City, for infringement of the pat¬ 
ents belonging to said Gompauy, relating to 
bicycles and velocipedes, the Court has order¬ 
ed an injunction to issue against McKee and 
Harrington for their infringement of said pat¬ 
ents, restraining them from manufacturing or 
selling bicycles. This decision seems to set¬ 
tle the question as to the validity of the 
The Black Rat.— A “ Subscriber” writes us 
from Victoria, British Columbia, that a black 
rat, smaller and much more timid than the 
Norway rat, is common in the sparsely popu¬ 
lated country districts of Vancouver's Island, 
although in the towns and more thickly settled 
sections the Norway rat only is found. 
WHAT OTHERS SAY. 
The Boy on the Farm. —From a thought¬ 
ful, interesting leading article in the N. Y. 
Tribune, by Charles A. Green, we take the fol¬ 
lowing : 
“Our homestead farm was one of the best 
in New York State, located on an eminence 
commanding views of great beauty, surround¬ 
ed by friendly and intelligent neighbors, 
adjacent to attractive villages, churches, and 
schools. My father possessed liberal views of 
life, aud we all indulged in luxuries in. com¬ 
mon with those out of debt, and with some¬ 
thing in the bank, My brothers and I were 
given opportunities for recreation, education 
and private enterprise. While yet a lad I 
leased the homestead for two years, during 
which term, prices ruling high, I cleared over 
$2 000 above all farmor personal expenditures. 
Notwithstanding such favorable circumstances, 
often cited as a recipe for making boys “stick,” 
none of my father's children continued farm¬ 
ers. With a fair prospect of ultimately own¬ 
ing the homestead, I left it, served an ap¬ 
prenticeship, and for twelve years was a bank¬ 
er in a city. There I learned how easily for¬ 
tunes are male, and how easily lost. Learned 
the value of good digestion, and of the refresh¬ 
ing sleep of him who labors under the open 
sky. Learned, when clouds threatened, when 
the waves of the panic shook my bark, and the 
sea was strewn with wrecks, that the farm was 
a safe harbor, and I longed to east anchor 
again in that quiet retreat, rememberiug only 
the pleasant chapters of my farm life. Do I 
then regret having left the old homestead ? 
No, for there discontent would have relaxed 
my energies. N,>, for I cannot help feeling 
that I am a stronger man than I could have 
been had I remained. The principal cause of 
the discontent of the boys ou the farm is this : 
Many of them were designed by the Almighty 
for specialties; are endowed with qualifica¬ 
tions for mechanics, navigators, inventors, 
lawyers, doctors, clergymen, etc. 
What a wonderful provision that all are not 
born for one pursuit. What confusion and 
suffering would result were it otherwise. 
Knowing well the characteristics of my broth* 
ers and schoolmates, who did not “stick to 
the farm,” I am confident they would have 
made poor farmers, whereas iu their proper 
spheres they were successful. Therefore I 
dispute the popular theory that we mav ad¬ 
vance agriculture by inducing those boys to 
remain farmers whose natural inclinations 
would lead them intoother pursuits. Neither 
can I concede that the best boys leave the farm. 
There is much in agriculture that may allure 
men of ability to pursue it, and many of our 
best balanced minds are thus engaged. If the 
brother who follows a specialty carves a more 
brilliant record, it is iu part for the reason 
that he beats continuously iu the same chan¬ 
nel, like the tireless Niagara. A man strug¬ 
gling for success in a field wholly unsuited to 
his tastes and natural endowments is pitiable, 
and often ridiculous. Who would thrus* a 
child into such bondage ? The discovery of 
our proper place iu life being half the battle, 
let us make farm homes attractive to the boys, 
but fov a nobler purpose than to induce them 
to remain against their better judgment. There 
is no famine in the land; onr farms are occu¬ 
pied ; the granaries of the world are overflow¬ 
ing. There is room, however, for a few more 
Fultons, Morses, Downing?, Websters, and 
Lincolns. My experience with farm aDd city 
life teaches the wisdom of giving the boy on 
the farm opportunities for travel aud thorough 
education. If then he chooses farm life he 
will make the better farmer, and more useful 
and honored citizen." 
The Average Yield of Corn, says the 
N. Y. Times, is less than half of the possible 
yield. When one thinks how little the second 
half of 100 bushels of corn per acre cost=, the 
profit of growing snch a crop becomes appar¬ 
ent. And it is easy to produce such a yield. 
One wants the right kind of corn, the right 
fertilizers aud manner of applying these, and 
a little extra work in cultivation. The cost of 
the land and of plantiag and tending the crop 
is the same for 20 bushels as for 100 on an 
Blount and Chester at ms Rural Farm. 
—The above article goes on to state that the 
present season the Editor of the Rural New- 
Yorker, on its Experimental Farm on Long 
Island, has grown, iu field culture, more than 
one hundred and fifty bushels per acre 
of shelled grain of Blount Corn, and over 300 
bushels of ears per acre of Chester County 
Mammoth Corn. The fertilizer used has been 
at the rate of 500 pounds per acre; 300 
pounds used before planting; 100 pounds when 
the corn was six inches high, and 100 pounds 
when it was two feet. It is easy to figure up 
the cost of a bushel of corn thus grown, with 
the fertilizer at $10 per acre, at less thau 20 
cents a bushels for the grain, leaving the fod¬ 
der out. If all this is true, and if it may be 
applied to other crops as well as corn, what 
becomes of the complaint that farming does 
not pay ? 
[The Chester Mammoth field received but 
350 pounds of fertilizer applied ail at one time, 
viz., before planting. Eds.] 
A Great Orchard.— The Farmer’s Review 
publishes a detailed account of the orchard of 
A. R. Whitney, of Illinois, who has 155 acres 
in apple trees. He set the first 400 trees In 
1843, and now has 16.000 in bearing. He began 
with 144 sorts, though only 30 are left, his ob¬ 
ject being to test them. For Summer and 
Autumn, he chooses Red Astrachau, Maiden’B 
Blush, Snow and Bailey’s Sweet, and for Winter 
and Spring, Domine, Jonathan, Willow Twig, 
Ben Davis and Wine?3p. His largest crop, in 
1876, wa3 26,000 bushels, one-half of which 
was shipped to market, and the other half 
made into cider. He does not count ou a full 
or heavy crop nftener than once in four years. 
For the codling moth he turns sheep into the 
orchard, by which these insects are nearly 
cleared out. The long-wool sheep are best, as 
Cotswolds, Leicesters and South-Downs ; Mer¬ 
inos eat the bark, The soil of the orchard is 
rich enough without manure. Mr. W. advises 
for an orchard that it slope to the north, culti¬ 
vation with corn for a few years, then seeding 
to clover, to be plowed under every three or 
four years. 
Marvel of Peru.— “ Is it worth growing?" 
was the question put some time ago iu refer¬ 
ence to this fine aud useful old (lower, and the 
answer given was, “ Oh. ingrate world, to ask 
such a question. Look iuto the tiny front 
court of the cottager in the cool of the day, 
and be struck dumb with astonishment at the 
scintillating beauty of the great, round, dense 
bushes clothed with bright light-green shining 
leaves, and pink, white, scarlet, purple, or 
rosy flowers that truly glitter, as if blessed 
with a better sort of daylight than the grand 
plants that swelter in my lord’s garden.” In 
such forcible terms has Mr. Shirley Hibberd 
placed ou record his impression of this old 
American herbaceous perennial, introduced 
from South America as far back as 1596 or 
thereabouts. 
Origin of Breeds of Cattle.— Prof. Shel¬ 
don of England in a lecture says : “ We are 
notin a position to state how it came to pass in 
one country, that two such diverse races of cattle 
as the Long-horns and the Short horns, should 
have been evolved. But whatever may have 
been the process of crossing the breeds, whether 
designed or not. this one thing is clear—viz., 
that while the Long-horns were prodneed in 
the district of Craven, a fertile corner In the 
West Riding of Yorkshire, bordering on Lan¬ 
cashire, the Short-horns sprang up in theTees- 
water district, on the other side of the same 
county. We may venture to assume that the 
marked distinctions between these two famous 
breeds of cattle are. owing, in the first place, 
to the proportions in which the ancient blood 
became intermixed ; and, in the next, to the 
soil aud climate of the districts severally. In 
the one it is reasonable to supp> se the blood of 
the Boa urus predominated; in the other that 
of the Bos longlfrons. The rest is owing to 
the influence of locality and to the control of 
man. Of the other great breeds—the Here- 
fords, the Devons, the Sussex, the Jerseys, the 
