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THE RURAL WIW-YGRKER. 
Sljcqj J^usbmti'nj, 
SUFFOLK SHEEP. 
f 
The Suffolk is the most recently formed 
breed of English sheep, having originated 
somewhat over half a century ago by crossing 
South-Down rains on Norfolk horned, 
black-faced ewes. In east Suffolk, especially 
along the sea coast, there are large tracts of 
hard “wo!Its”and heaths on which ninny of 
these sheep have been pastured for years, and 
tvhere they have had to travel miles in a day 
to get a belly-full,returning to the folds on 
arable lands at night. The old Norfolk sheep 
had long horns and short, close wool, often 
with gray spots and tail. It was generally 
b&re-bellied and so active Lhat it took at least, 
fdur years to get the produce fit for the table; 
but when ripe, the mutton was prized more 
highly than that of any other breed, being 
preferred by many to venison. 
The ewes were wonderful milkers, giving, 
we are told, “as much milk as a Jersey cow,” 
and “breeding litters”—at any rate, “three 
lambs often came and four were not uncom¬ 
mon.” By judgment, care and attention, the 
valuable qualities of these sheep have been 
maintained—namely, the excellence of their 
mutton, the activity, hardiness aud motherly 
propensities of the females, with close wool, 
black,shiny faces aud bright,full eyes: but in¬ 
stead of taking four years to fatten, the pro¬ 
geny are now slaughtered at nine to ten 
months'. Thousands of Suffolk rams are an¬ 
nually disposed of at Newmarket and Ips¬ 
wich fairs, and at auction sales in smaller 
towns in the county. Ham lambs bring an 
average of £5, £0 or £7 a bead, while as much 
as A'”], £31,10, £12 and £52.10 have been paid 
for the best specimens. 
In the present breed the head is hornless; 
face black and long; ears medium, black and 
of flue texture; eyes bright and full; neck 
moderate; shoulder broad and oblique; chest 
deep and wide; back and loins long, level aud 
well covered with meat and muscle: tail broad 
and well set up; ribs long aud well sprung, 
with a full Jlank: legs and feet straight, with 
fine, flat, bones; wool to the knees and hocks, 
clean below; fore-legs well apart: bind-legs 
well filled with mutton; belly well covered 
with wool; fleece moderately short, with a 
close, flue, lustrous fiber, without tendency to 
mat or felt together, not shading off into 
dark wool or hair; skin flue, soft and of a pink 
cole*. Here are the average weights of some 
Suffolks exhibited at the fat stock show of the 
Smithfiekl Club in 18N5: 
lbs. 
3 l.anibK, aged 3U days, average weight, 2D9 
3 ditto, •• 814 *• •• •• 1S9 
3 ditto, “ 314 “ *• " 182 
8 Shearlings, •' 667 “ “ •• 261 
3 ditto, “ 644 " " “ 260 
3 ditto, " 674 “ “ “ 255 
The Suffolk Sheep Society, which has been 
established several years, has just commenced 
to register rams. It has started a novel idea 
by giving challenge cups for (he best flocks. 
The Garrett challenge cup, value £25, was of¬ 
fered the other day for the best, flock consist¬ 
ing of 250 or more Suffolk breeding ewes, to¬ 
gether with all the rams used in the flock. 
The Suffolk Agricultural Society offers annu¬ 
al premiums to the shepherds who have been 
most successful in caring for their flocks dur¬ 
ing the year, and from the records of the soci¬ 
ety. it is evident that the fecundity of the fe¬ 
males is still remurkable, for a ratio of 150 
lambs to 100 ewes, is frequently shown. Here 
are some specimens: 
PItEMJCMs TO SHEPHERDS, 1884-83. 
No. I. 630 lambs reared from luO ewes 
'* 2. 510 " " •• 340 " 
** 8. 314 “ “ •* 205 “ 
Of late this breed is making rapid strides in 
popular favor in England. During the recent 
depression there, the value of Suffolks to the 
butchers, according to the (Loudon) Live 
Stock Journal, from which the cut, Fig. 78, 
has been re-eugraved, has fallen less than 
that of auy other breed, so famous is the mut¬ 
ton, which has a popularity arising chiefly 
from its intrinsic value to the consumer and the 
butcher. We do not know of auy importa¬ 
tions of the breed into this country; but now 
that it is “booming” somewhat across the 
water, some are pretty certain to be found ere 
long on this side of the Atlantic. 
against any reduction in the tariff on wool, 
and most of them urge an Increase of duty. 
Why should wool, which is produced at the 
cost, of so much money, skill and care, be con¬ 
sidered a “raw material,” they ask? The Ohio 
Wool Growers’ Convention was especially bit¬ 
ter in its denunciations of the evil effects of 
the tariff of 1 ss:QilieinI statistics show an 
actual decrease of 850,000 head in that State 
since the law went into effect, and a falling 
off of 4.000.00(1 pounds of wool. Itisfrequent¬ 
ly said that sheep husbandry would thrive all 
the better if the tariff on woo) were entirely 
abolished; hut the sheep raisers, who ought to 
know their owu business best, and the results 
of legislation upon it, evidently do not think so. 
Sheep Raisers Alive.— More farmers’ 
meetings take place in January than in any 
other month of the twelve. Live-stock men, 
and especially sheep keepers, then congregate 
most numerously to discuss the past, inter¬ 
change experiences and speculate on the fu¬ 
ture, never omitting a series of “resolutions.” 
During t.lic current month flock-masters' or 
Wool Growers’ Conventions have been numer¬ 
ous, well-attended and lively in most purls of 
the sheep-raising country, especially in Ver¬ 
mont, Ohio, Michigan and ('alifornla. With¬ 
out an exception, all strenuously protest 
ms. 
BUCEPHALUS BROWN’S NOTIONS AND 
IDEAS. 
Uniformity in Non-essentials.— In fixing 
the type of flowers and ornamental plants very 
exact reproduction of color, marking and ar¬ 
rangement is desirable, and marketable value 
often depends upon it. But these are objects 
of which the entire worth lies in such points. 
Among the animal creation the same may he 
said of a l'cw—toy pigeons, for example. They 
have no other value than their beauty or od¬ 
dity, and nothing is lost in breeding to these 
points. But it is very different with farmers’ 
fowls aud cows. There is, maybe, a profit¬ 
able market among rich fanciers for toy fowls 
and even toy cows, as there certainly is for 
toy pomes, dogs aud cats. But the lmsi- 
ucss farmer cannot afford to have essential 
points in breeding sacrificed or made second¬ 
ary to such items. The more you multiply the 
points toward which you breed, the more un¬ 
certain you make the result. Therefore no 
farmer can afford to breed fowls to a leather, 
a wattle or a toe, or cows to color-points, if 
his profits are to be made from eggs or milk. 
And he is very unwise to buy stock from toy 
point breeders. 
Premiums for Toy Points.— Not every 
farmer is aware to how great an extent points 
which are essentially toy points enter into the 
awards of “expert” judges at the exhibitions 
and fairs. These points are very much worse 
than useless to the practical farmer, since they 
are obtained only by neglecting the points of 
practical usefulness. A peculiar size and form 
ol comb ou a fowl, or black points iu u Jersey; *| 
cannot be made the objective point of a 
breeder without sacrificing egg or milk pro¬ 
duction It is just like breeding corn to what 
is called “bear-foot” cars. By selection you 
can make nearly every stalk in a field which 
produces anything produce bear-foot ears. 
But in doing this to get an oddity you must 
slight every point of profit. So it is in all toy 
breeding, yet toy breeders get large premiums 
at shows, and advertise these premiums as in¬ 
ducements for farmers to patronize their 
“strains.” 
Extracted Honey. —There is one very 
serious objection to the purchase of this class 
of honey, which 1 have never seen noted, yet 
which purchasers note and complain of. It 
is not a serious objection for other than 
table use, perhaps, but it is a serious 
one for that. Iloney varies very much 
iu quality, and a good deal of it is any 
thing but a luxury to fancier of nice honey. 
In the frames it Can be selected, but when ex¬ 
tracted all goes together. More than this, it 
often does not all go together, the nicest-mad© 
being sold in the comb, and only the inferior 
grades extracted. It is, therefore, not the 
fear of glucose adulteration alone, but un¬ 
pleasant experiences, which lessen the call for 
extracted honey. 
Sweet Sweet Corn. —I see it remarked 
upon as a now discovery that the more sweet 
com shrinks in drying the sweeter it is. This 
is a fact know u as long as sweet corn itself. 
But excessive sweetness is not a desirable 
quality in green corn for the table, to the ex- 
elusion of other qualities, among which is a 
certain amount of firmness and not too much 
gummiuess, causing it to slick to the teeth 
and palate. Some of the Southern field corns 
are very good us green corn, being sufficiently 
sweet, yet eating clean and clear; but they 
have not enough sugar to shriuk, except to 
the extent of their characteristic “dent.” 
Market gardeners find that sweet corn with 
earn of good and even size, well filled with 
large, plump and even kernels on a white cob, 
gives the best satisfaction to consumers. 
relationship, yet the Runnel's are very hardy 
and early, while, the Limas are very tender 
and late. Here it seems to me, if a cross can 
he effected, is tin- l>est chance to unite the 
great delicacy of the Lima with the earliness 
and hardiness of the Runner. I know of no 
bean that will come up more reliably, when 
planted early, than the White Runner; and 
while its quality is by no means bad, as a 
green shell bean, it would be so much improved 
as to be a small “bonanza,” if it could be 
made as good as the Lima without detracting 
from the qualities which adapt it to Northern 
gardens. 
Potato Scar and Rot,— These were unus¬ 
ually prevalent last, season in many places. 
The “cause” of scab has been discussed per¬ 
haps enough, until something conclusive in 
the matter can he demonstrated. The ques¬ 
tion seems to be about, equally balanced be¬ 
tween worm-nibbling and fungus. Perhaps 
one begins it and the other completes it. Some 
one has stated that it, la-gins as a little epiderm¬ 
al blister. There is a uniformity about it. 
that, points to a uniform and definite cause, 
mid it seems sure that decaying vegetable and 
animal mutters in the soil greatly promote its 
development. I should say that the animal 
matter in dung, rather than the vegetable, is 
the exciting cause, since on a heavy sod very 
smooth potatoes are grown, as also on corn 
and small grain stubbles. Rot, I think, Is 
climatal iu its - exacerbations, occurring over 
wide areas, yet with local exemptions. Sea¬ 
sons very favorable to a heavy growth of top 
seem also to favor rot, and in these years 
potatoes on lightly manured and rather poor 
soil are most likely to escape. There was a 
good deal of rot iu my neighborhood, and yet 
potatoes are plenty, and are being shipped 
largely at low prices, showing that, the injury 
from tills cause has been over-estimated. 
Many more potatoes are now raised ou fertiliz¬ 
ers than formerly. 
Clover in the South.— “The South” is s 
broad term, but iu all the upland South Red 
Clover may be grown most abundantly, and 
why it should not he grown more as cow and 
hog feed I do not know. There is no more popu¬ 
lar and no better food than swine’s flesh from 
healthy animals of a vigorous breed, that 
will produce good meaty hams and sides. 
The preparations of fancy bacon, fancy sau¬ 
sages, and souse aud head cheese, for the city 
markets, can he made quite as profitable 
as fancy butter-nmking. The two can be 
advantageously produced together, ou the 
same farm. Tennessee, North Georgia 
aud Alabama and North Carolina farmers, in 
the hill regions, eau make a world of money 
by producing these fancy foods for the families 
with good incomes in the cities. Everything 
that will bring the money out of the city and 
into the farmers’ pockets ought, to be encour¬ 
aged aud develojted as rapidly as possible. The 
South has many farmers of culture aud taste, 
who ought to know just what is wanted in 
these lines, at large prices, and also know just 
how to produce it und put it up. The produc¬ 
tion of luxuries for the city rich, will make 
farmers rich. 
A STATE FARMERS’ INSTITUTE. 
THE FIRST ONE EVER nELD BY THE NEW YORK 
STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
(RURAL SPECIAL REPORT.) 
An Early Lima Bean.—I read Mr. Po¬ 
well’s notes on his “Various Experiments” 
with much interest. I wish he would try 
crossing both ways the Litnus with the White- 
seeded form of the Scarlet, Runner. The 
whole habit of these two beans indicates close 
TnE experimented Farmers’ Institute, hel< 
under the authority of the New York Stat 
Agricultural Society, convened at Lockport 
January 13. Mr. J. S. Woodward, in behal 
of the New York State Agricultural Society 
called the meeting to order. He called atten 
tion to the fact that this was the first meeting 
<>f the kind ever held in New York State 
The farmers of the State need just such meet 
ings, and his hope was that this meeting, s< 
hopefully inaugurated, would be but the flrsi 
of a valuable series, which should extend ever 
to every county in the State. 
In the absence of T. L. Harrison, Sec’y ol 
the state Society, who should have been pre 
sent, Mr. John L Chase, of Niagara, and S. 
W. Smith, of Orleans, were made secretaries. 
After addresses of welcome by the Mayor oi 
the city und the President of the Niagara Co. 
Agricultural Society, a response was made by 
Janies McCann, of Elmira, President of tin 
State Society. He alluded to the necessity 
which had existed for this specific work, 
which he hail desired to sec the State Society 
undertake, aud the gratification which it was 
t° him to have inaugurated, while he was 
president, this grand work. 
The first paper was by the Rurai.’h corres¬ 
pondent,, E. S. Goff, ou the Farmer’s Garden. 
The decline in farmers' gardens, he thinks, is 
largely due to the great introduction of farm 
machinery and the consequent employment of 
loss manual labor than formerly. It is neees- 
ary to so arrange the garden that most of the 
work can bo done by horse power. This can 
be done by planting everything possible in 
long rows, far enough apart so that a cultiva¬ 
tor can In- used between them. The best rule 
by which to decide Vvhat to plant is the taste 
of the family. Grow what is best liked and 
most relished. The best soil is a rich soil; 
the best seeds fresh seeds, and the best culture 
clean culture. Cobs soaked in gas tar will do 
much to repel t he squash bug. They should 
be freshly dipped once a month. While the 
garden is so very important, if it must be 
maintained at the sacrifice of the hoys’ noon¬ 
ings and breathing spells, better let it go. 
CoJ. F. D. Curtis said the curse of the 
garden is usually too much shade, too much 
hand labor, and as a consequence too much 
neglect. The garden should be in the open 
field and the full Sunshine, and its culture 
should be made a part of the regular work of 
the farm. 
Mr. Humphry said his garden was the great¬ 
est source of health, pleasure aud profit ou 
the farm a "source of health, because it took 
all out-ol-doors and guve them exercise in the 
open air; of pleasure, because all those joined 
in a pleasant helping of each other, and in 
it each member of the family had Rome spec¬ 
ialty; of profit, because every rood of the 
garden furnished more fond than an acre iu 
any other part of the farm, and of such food 
as added most to their pleasure and happiness. 
Mr. Woodward said t he great mistake made 
by dwellers lu the count ry is in supposing God 
designed them for farmers. His first design 
was that lliey should be gardeners, as be 
placed our first parents in a garden,und taught 
them just, how to train it; and were it not for 
man’s foolishness and restless disposition we 
should still be all gardeners. No plant is 
more healthful or more easily grown than 
celery. By means of a horse and plow to 
make the trenches and cult ivate it, no plant 
could be more cheaply jp.wn.-In answer to a 
question, he said the great cause why celery 
rotted when packed away for win ter, was m its 
being sprinkled so ns to wet the tops. It 
needs plenty of water, but this must never be 
applied to the foliage. 
In the afternoon Mr. W. A. Armstrong de¬ 
livered an address on “The Farmer’s Position 
—How can ho Better It?” Many of the ills 
from which farmers now suffer are due to the 
evil effects of speculation in grain and the 
einnhinatidiis of railroads in exacting more 
than a reasonable rule of freight. They 
charge, not vvhat is reasonable for tvausporta- 
tion, but what thoy think the commodity will 
bear. He also thinks farmers an- much to 
blame for their present condition, because 
they do not sufficiently study their business. 
As u means of bettering their condition he 
urged the importance of more study aud the 
holding of more meetings like the present, and 
also organization and concert of action to pro¬ 
tect their interests. 
In a talk on “Corn,” Dr. Sturtevant, of the 
Exji, Station, said the principal reasons for 
failure in the com crop were t he use of poor 
seed and the poor use of good seed. In the 
aggregale W. N. Y. suffered millions of bush¬ 
els in the diminution of the corn crop by 
tenson ol a defective stand, the principal 
cause ol which was the use of seed injured by 
being frozen the previous whiter before 
thoroughly cured. He urged the artificial 
drying of all seed corn as soon as husked. He 
had also found that all corn germinated more 
quickly and permanently when first thorough¬ 
ly dried by fire. Corn no more than glazed 
when the frost strikes it, may be made into 
passably good seed by thoroughly and quickly 
drying. It was the sentiment of the discus¬ 
sion which followed that the most sensible 
way of planting corn is to plant iu drills and 
give the entire eult.ivatiou, till from six to 
eight inches high, with a harrow aud two. 
horses. w 
(To be continued.) 
£arw ©amanu}. 
ARTIFICIAL FERTILIZERS—THE BEST 
AND CHEAPEST. 
T. H. HOSKINS, M. D. 
[THIRD ARTICLE.] 
The fertilizer for which 1 have spent the 
most ruuuey has been unleached hardwood 
ashes, which have cost me, on an average, 50 
cents a barrel. [ am not sure that these give 
me potash any cheaper thau others buy it iu 
the potash salts, but besides the potash I get 
fully two per cent, of very available phosphor¬ 
ic ac id, besides other substances which liuvo 
come from wood and which, without exact 
knowledge, I infer will help make woody fiber 
again, especially for tin- orchard into which I 
