OCT. 30 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 724 
each passing flock. They know at sight those 
■which suit their purpose; young and thrifty, 
with small heads, broad loins and deep flanks; 
ewes which will bring a good lamb and fatten 
up rapidly when tbelamb Is weaned A smutty 
face is a further commendation, for that is 
derived from a mixture of South-Down blood. 
Then they procure a good ram, or. having one, 
breed it to these ewes. Fifty ewss may cost 
now a matter of $200. With good care next 
year they will bring $350. The manure will 
pay for their care; the extra value will pay 25 
per cent, interest on the money; the lamb will 
pay ail the cost of the feed ; and the wool will 
give a stock dividend equal to 30 or 50 per 
cent. What other business affords a better 
profit? 
Industrial Societies, 
THE ST. LOUIS FAIR. 
[Rural Special Report.] 
The annual fair of the St. Louis Fair Asso 
ciation, at St. Louis, Oct. 4-9. was one of the 
most successful meetings ever held by that 
association. The display in all of the depart¬ 
ments excepting stock, was larger than usual, 
and the attendance was all that the society 
could wish for. On Wednesday there were 
over 40,000 people in attendance, principally 
farmers from Southern Illinois and Missouri. 
On Thursday there were 80 000 on tbegrouuds, 
mostly from the city, as on that day all busi¬ 
ness was suspended and every one went to the 
fair. 
The weather during the week was all that 
could be desired, and exhibitors and visitors 
were well paid for their atttendance. The as¬ 
sociation should endeavor to obtain better 
facilities for reaching the grounds, as this is 
the only objectionable feati re at this fair. The 
grounds are four miles from the center of the 
city, and the four liorRe-car lines runulng to 
them cannot carry one-thira of the people that 
generally attend on Wednesdays aud Thurs¬ 
days. 
The show of cattle, though not as large as on 
some previous years, included some very fine 
stock. There were of Devons, 24 head, 
two herds; Ayrehires, 34 head, three 
herds; Jerseys, 114 head, eight herds; Hol- 
steins, 10 head, two herds ; Herefords, 81 head, 
five herds. The Missouri breeders did not come 
out as strongly as they ought, most of the cattle 
shown being from other States. The show of 
swine was very large and good, as was also the 
display of sheep. Floral Hall was well filled with 
a fine and choice collection of plants aud flow¬ 
ers. The exhibit of farm and gaiden produce 
was also good. 
The agricultural implement department car¬ 
ried off the honors, however. Here was shown 
farm machinery of all descriptions from every 
part of the country, covering several acres of 
ground. All the large machinery was 6hown 
in full operation, giving to the exhibit life and 
animation. A large number of traction en¬ 
gines were exhibted on the track, aud the at¬ 
tention they received shows the interest the 
introduction of steam for farm use is attracting 
throughout the country. Large, attractive and 
permanent buildings were occupied and owned 
by such firms as Deere, Mansur&Co; theMoline 
Plow Co; the Oliver Chilled Plow Co; Koenig & 
Co; Fei d, Banr & Co; the Walter A. Wood Mow¬ 
er and Reaping Machine Co., and many others. 
These buildings, filled with all the latest im¬ 
provements in agricultural machinery, were 
at all times surrounded by crowds of farmers 
looking for labor-saving implements. There 
was a number of new self-binders in opera¬ 
tion. Plows—gang, snikv aud hand—were 
shown by the hundred. Thrashing machines, 
portable engines, hay and cotton presses, 
clover hullers and all the larger kinds of ma¬ 
chinery covered an immense spaco outside 
of the buildings, and ere all practically shown. 
One of the pleasant incidents of the fair was 
the presentation of a handsome watch to As¬ 
sistant-Superintendent, W. F. Scboenhard, by 
the agricultural implement exhibitors and at¬ 
tendants, in return for the accommodating 
spirit that he always shows in attending to 
the many wants of eihibitorsin that depart¬ 
ment. 
The Whitman Agricultural Co., of St. 
Louis, made the largest and handsomest dis¬ 
play of agricultural implements manufactured 
within the State of Missouri, aud received the 
first premium, $100, for the same. They were 
also awarded three other first premiums, which 
covered all of their entries. Their Monarch 
and Young America com and cob mills at¬ 
tracted a great deal of attention. The sale of 
these mills during the past Summer has beeu 
■unprecedented. Thiseompany make only lever 
or sweep mills, and challenge competition. 
The grinding of corn and cob together has 
become a question which farmers must look 
into. We have had reports highly commend¬ 
ing it as the most economical way of feeding, 
and the manufacturers of this class of mills 
are now competing hard for this trade. The 
Whitman Agricultural Co. claim that they make 
he only mill with the cast cast-steel grinder, 
and they warrant their mills to give good sat* 
l isfactlon. They will grind corn and cob, shelled 
corn, oats and other small grains, aud can be 
regulated to make family meal. The Whit¬ 
man Co., also showed a large variety of corn 
shiners, with a capacity of 10 to SOO bushels 
per hour; also a full line of feed cutters, horse 
powers, road scrapers and a large assortment 
of other machinery. The demand for their 
goods has been so large during the past season 
that they will have to increase their facilities, 
and they have, already made arrangements to 
enlarge their works at the corner of Eighth 
Street and Clark Avenue, so as to be able to 
meet the increasitg demand. 
J. A. Field & Co., of St. Louis, made one 
of the most interesting displays. In addition 
to their large exhibit of agricultural machin¬ 
ery they had three of their Big Giant feed mills 
in operation. Two of them were run by horse¬ 
power, using their sweep ; and the other, a 
geared mill, was run by a portable steam eu- 
gine. They showed practically just what 
their mill would do, and also the improve¬ 
ments that have beeu made since they first 
started it. They now use cast steel grinders. 
Their automatic sifting attachment attracted 
a great deal of attention and is a valuable im¬ 
provement, as it allows the farmer to sift or 
bolt his meal at the same time he grinds it, 
and make a fine grade of family meal, Messrs. 
Field & Co. now make five sizes of their cele¬ 
brated Big Giant mills, from one-horse sweep 
to six-horse steam power. They had framed 
and on exhibition tetters of inquiry and orders 
from nearly every part of the globe showing 
the world wide reputation their mills have al¬ 
ready obtained. Their foreign trade is rapidly 
increasing, white at the same time they have 
hard work to keep up with their home orders. 
The Old House of P. P. Mast & Co., 
Springfield, O., exhibited a large number of 
their celebrated machines. Their display in¬ 
cluded the Buckeye spriug-tooth grain drill, 
Buckeye combined grain and fertilizer drills, 
one horse grain drill, Buckeye cider mills, 
Buckeye walking and riding Cultivators, Plow 
Sulkies, etc. This house is one of the largest 
and oldest in the country, and theircroods have 
a well earned reputation ail over the tend. All 
through llie fair they attracted great attention 
and mauy large sales were made on the 
grounds for early delivery, as buyers find that 
wbcu they wunt the Buckeye drills and cider 
mills they must order early. Messrs. Mast & 
Co., although ruuning their large factory 
night aud day during the past season, were 
utterly unable to fill their orders. They are 
now runnlug a branch house in St. Louis to 
accommodate their large Western trade, and 
with increased facilities hope to be able to fill 
all orders promptly for next season. 
The VandivereG’okn Planter Co., Quincy, 
Ill., manufacturers of the‘*Vandivere,” •• Quin¬ 
cy " aud ■* Barlow Rotary”corn planters, made 
a fine exhibit of tbeir justly celebrated Barlow 
Rotary which attracted special attention. This 
plauter has gone through three seasons, and 
its superior merits are fully established in the 
minds of all farmers who have used it. It is 
celebrated for correct drop, easy throw of bar 
and general ease of handling. There are fif¬ 
teen chambers in the drop plate, and the corn 
can be 6eeu for five hills in advance. This is 
afeaiurelong desired and used only on this 
machine. It is adapted to any kind of check 
rower. As a drill planter the manufacturers 
claim that In accuracy of drop and ease of 
change from check row to drill, It cannot 
be excelled. Its success has beeu so great that 
the company has been compelled to largely in¬ 
crease its facilities to supply its trade for the 
coming seasou. At the Illinois and Ohio State 
fairs this planter was a center of attraction. 
The South Bend Chilled Plow Co., of 
South Bend, Ind., made a handsome display of 
sulky and hand plows in tbeir tent. They had 
on exhibition 22 hand and three sulky plows 
all finished in elegaut stile that attracted a 
great deal of attention. These plows have met 
with a great success. The company com¬ 
menced business in 1876. making that year 600 
plows; since then they have enlarged their 
works four times, and claim that next year 
they will turn out 50,000 finished plows. Their 
“ South Bend * sulky plow was put upon the 
market this year for the first time, and has 
made a fine reputation. It is very simple in 
its construction, and is celebrated for its light¬ 
ness of dralt and ease of operation. Its self- 
lifting attachment for raising the plow out of 
the ground ia a positive motion, relieving the 
operator from all strain, and at the same lime 
causing no side draft. A boy nine yearB old 
can operate it. 
The 8t. Louis Branch of the Gibbs & 
Stebuktt M'f'g Co., whose headquarters are 
at Corry, Pa., made their usual fine display of 
Climax mowers, reapers and droppers in their 
permanent building. They showed a full line 
of uiachinca in motion, thus displaying them 
to full advantage and allowing the spectators 
to see for themselves the mauy points on which 
they have built up their good reputation. The 
motive power was supplied by one of their rever- J 
sible ten horse-power engines with boiler. The 
bolter Is a locomotive portable; the engine has 
a pi culiar link motion that makes it very con¬ 
venient to handle. During the past season they 
have added open guards to all their mowers and 
reapers. The Climax machines are gaining 
ground rapidly, and daring the past season 
these enterprising manufacturers have had all 
they could do to fill orders. 
The Farmers’ Friend M’f’g Co., Dayton, 
Ohio, made a flue and handsome exhibit of 
their well-known Farmers' Friend force-feed 
grain drills and corn planters. Tbeir grain 
drill is too well known to onr readers to need 
a description. Their corn planter, which was 
awarded the first premium at the late Kansas 
City fair, attracted a great deal of attention. 
This improved rotary drop planter has a tilt¬ 
ing lever by which it regulates the depth of 
planting and also holds the shoes in the 
ground ; by its use tbe planter is governed 
perfectly in either hard, trashy or mellow 
ground. 
The Jerseyville Agricultural Works, 
Robert Newton, proprietor, exhibited Daven¬ 
port’s new patent self-lifting sulky plow 
transmitting the powers at will from the end 
of the beam to the rotating axle for the pur¬ 
pose of utilizing the team to throw the plow 
out of the ground, thus making it effective, 
simple aud durable, and so easily handled that 
a boy can operate it. This is a great improi e- 
ment aud the plow will prove a very valuable 
addition to the labor-saving machines of the 
West. 
The Turnbull Wagon was exhibited by the 
manufacturers. Turnbull <fe 8helly, Defiance, 
Ohio. They made a fine display, having a full 
line of their farm wagons on Exuibition. They 
created quite a sensation by attaching Dillon’s 
celebrated team of imported Percheron Bul¬ 
lions to their exhibition wagon and driving it 
around tbe track. This wagon was made of 
oak and poplar and finished up in the hand¬ 
somest style. Attached to the fine team of 
Iron gray stallions weighing 1900 pounds each, 
this made a very attractive showing. 
N. P. Cone, general agent of the Mechanics- 
burg Machine Co., Mechamcsbnrg, Ohio, ex¬ 
hibited the celebrated Baker grain drill. Al¬ 
though this drill has been introduced in the 
West bnt two years, the sates the present sea¬ 
son have been three times greater than last 
year’s, and the company are now making 
large additions to their shops at Mechanic^ 
burg, so as to enable them to fill their increas¬ 
ing orders. The popularity of this drill is well 
deserved. 
Messrs. Nash Bros, of New York and Har- 
risbmg. Pa., exhibited their Acme Harrow. 
The pulverising and clod-crushing harrow we 
have often spoken highly of during the past 
seaeon. Although a new thing here, it attrac¬ 
ted a great deal of attention, many dealers re¬ 
turning several times to give it a more thor¬ 
ough examination. The tact that 3,200 of 
them were sold the first year and that every 
one put out gave good satisfaction, shows that 
this harrow Is all that the manufacturers claim 
for It. 
The BirdsellM’f’g Co., South Bend, Ind., 
made a handsome show of their Monitor Jr., 
clover huller aud separator Jn motion. The 
Messrs. Birdeells have been making clover 
halters for the past 25 years, being the pioneers 
in the business. From a small commencement 
their factory has grown to its present large 
dimensions. The/ now have a capacity for 
taming out oue complete machine every hour. 
The Blrdsell machines are well-known all over 
the United States, and every year adds to their 
popularity. The New Monitor Jr. has already 
placed itself in the frout rank. 
J. E. Porter, of Ottawa, 111., exhibited his 
patent wire-cable hay derrick and the Porter 
wood-track carrier in full operation. Mr. 
Porter’s display attracted a great deal of at¬ 
tention and for the third time in succession he 
received the first premium at this fair. k. 
HUstclIaitfons. 
ENCOURAGE THE BOYS. 
I have frequently seen questions which 
concern “keepimr the boys on the f,»rm” ask¬ 
ed aud discussed thiough the agricultural 
press. White I consider it a subject worthy 
ot discussion, I also think its importance has 
been misapprehended by many. We do not 
hear the question so seriously considered in 
other vocations. If the merchant’s son does 
not follow his father’s calling nothing is said 
or if the blacksmith’s eon and the carpenter’s 
son do not respectively follow their father’s 
callings It brings about no public discussions; 
but because a farmer’s boys sometimes leave 
the farm In pursuit of some other vocation more 
suited to their tasteB, it is taken for granted 
that they have taken an objectionable step. 
It seems to me that it is the duty of every 
father to Btudy carefully the natural traits of 
his boy s, so as to find out, if possible, what 
pursuit in life they are naturally’ the most 
fitted for. This once found, he ehonld give 
them opportunity to follow the calling for 
which he thinks them best adapted. 
We don’t want our boys to be farmers if 
tbeir natural tastes turn to some other legiti¬ 
mate industry. If a farmer has a son whom 
he wishes to become a farmer, he should aim 
to make his child life on the farm full of pleas¬ 
ure rather than hardships. It is not surpris¬ 
ing that boys who are compelled hy a rigid 
father to toil early and late, indefinitely, in the 
drudgery that usually falls to the lot of farmer 
boys, when their developing nature needs 
sympathy and encouragement, find nothing 
in farming to attach them to the business. It 
is not their fault. They pee only the dark side 
of fatm life and inifH all the pleasurable events 
which should stand as monuments in their 
memory for the remaining years of life. 
Boys need encouragement, and if we wish 
our boys to become farmers, we. must attach 
them to the business, or. in other wotds, cause 
them to like farming rather than abhor it. 
The boy who has a liking for farming willusu- 
ally make a good farmer. Give the youngsters 
an interest in the farm proceeds, if possible. 
Let them do sometblnir for themselves; coun¬ 
cil with them and discuss tbe plans and affairs 
of the farm. A boy thus treated, if he has any 
business tact for farming, will show it and 
make a good farmer. If, on tbe contrary, he 
shows no inclination towaid the business, and 
has a liking for some other legitimate indus¬ 
try, be should be encouraged in that. 
Among the most interesting features that I 
remember in my life as a farmer’s boy. are the 
opportunities my father gave me to do some¬ 
thing for myself. When but & small child he 
gave a brother and myselt a eh ire In all tie 
eggs we could find ahout the place. In later 
years he gave us each a garden plot and en¬ 
couraged an emulation between up, as t.o which 
should keep bis garden in the best shape, the 
management being left entirely to ns Every 
year we were each given a young calf or colt 
to raise, and when it had grown np it was sold 
and the proceeds added to nur little store of 
funds Such conduct would seem like child’s 
plav to many farmers who make a practice 
of getting as much work as possible out of 
their boys at tbe least cost or trouble, if 
farmers would begin early to vary the monot¬ 
ony of farm life for tbeir boys and to encour¬ 
age them in the ways above mentioned, there 
would be less complaint made of boys leaving 
the farm and fewer dicontent p d young men on 
the. farms of onr jeonntry. s. A. g., jr. 
Elmira, N. Y. 
- 
THE SUGAR PRODUCf. 
There is a promising increase in the pro¬ 
duction of sugar as reported from different 
sections of the United States at this time. The 
importations ot raw sugar into the United 
States are worth, in round numbers. $75 900.- 
000 annually, and it is worth the white for our 
farmers to endeavor to produce all we need, 
instead of allowing It to be purchased abroad. 
To pay for this imported raw sugar $75 000.- 
000 worth of wheat aud corn must, of course, 
be exported, which might just as well bring 
money, instead of money's worth, into the 
country. Added to this. ther3 is an outlay of 
the cost of the transportation of the wheat 
outward and of the sugar inward, and the 
consumers of the imported sugar also pay up¬ 
on it a daty of nearly $45 000,000. 
If this sugar were rai ed at home, instead 
of raising so much wheat and corn, the freight 
charges would be Baved, the employment of 
lauds and the labor of the people would be 
more diversified, the soil would be less exhaus¬ 
ted, because the refuse from sugar growing is 
greater thau that from wheat. Sugar, too. 
would be lower in price, the people would 
have another Industry to occupy the laud, aud 
one requiring the employment of more capi¬ 
tal, machinery and labor. 
If the same araountof fertility were brought 
back in the sugar, as is carried away in the 
wheat and corn aunt to make the exchange, 
the only net loss would be In the eost of trans¬ 
portation ; but such is not the case ; the crop 
of corn aud wheat is far more bulky and 
represents a much greater degree of fertiliz¬ 
ing element than is bronght in by the raw 
sugar, while that brought In by sugar importa¬ 
tions doe6 not find its way to the land, but is 
lost. Added to this there is much land suited 
to sugar beets, sugar cane and sorghum, which 
is not suited to wheat, white there is pros¬ 
pectively greater profit in the cultivation of 
these than m wheat. The question of home 
sugar product bids fair to have a favorable 
solution at an early day. 
The Water Supply. 
East of the Alleghany Mountains there is a 
serious complaint of low water in the rivers 
and streams, wells drying up, etc , which calls 
for some earnest consideration ou the part ot 
scientists. The disappearance of the for¬ 
ests may not be the cause of a lighter rain¬ 
fall, but that and the draining and reclaiming 
