held ufc Parma, “on the first day ; >»f nl< n 
her.” The programme stat -s ♦ ' , “< insider 
lag the preseat condition of t i 
of the kingdom.” it iaordnim :.•> i i 
the show Shall beheld at t jilac" ,■> ■ nl Line 
mentioned with the object > n i . 
saidindnstryanewimpul.se and more espec¬ 
ially of increasing the export of its products.” 
The prizes consist of medals, of which there 
are 10 gold, 55 silver, and 74 bronze. The 
Ministry will lay out the sum of 5,000 lire 
[$005.—Ens.) in the purchuse of “several of 
he best implements that have obtained the 
flrst prizes”—presumably with the object of 
introducing among the people ideas of im¬ 
proved dairy appliances. The show promises 
to be au attractive one, and well worth a run 
down into the south-east, to see it. It will be 
held at the same time as the “regional agri¬ 
cultural competition iu that city,” so that 
there will be n double show, separate though 
not disunited, and strong in mutual help, en¬ 
couragement and attraction. 
In the classes under the heading of “Milk 
Preserves,” there are one gold, two silver, and 
two bronze medals for condensed inillc; then 
there are three butter sections, one for “fresh 
butter,” one for “preserved butter,” “salt flut¬ 
ter” and “melted butter,” and one for “whey 
butter,” with one gold, four silver aud eight 
bronze medals. There are five sections for 
cheese, some at which are rather curious. 
First, two gold, eight silver and ten bronze 
medals are otiered for “cow milk cheeses, hard, 
rich, single, dry.” These terms refer, I pre¬ 
sume, to Parmesan, Cacciocavello, and similar 
hard cheeses. In the next section, one silver 
and two bronze medals, quite enough, as I 
fancy are offered for “Centrifugated Milk 
Cheeses, dry ns well as artificially enriched.” 
This section refers, of course, to skim-milk and 
to oleomargarine cheeses, aud does not add to 
the value or the attractiveness of the show. It 
is more than doubtful, indeed, if the Italian 
Government lias not committed a blunder in 
recognizing oleomargarine cheese at all. Skim- 
milk cheese is all very well in its way, no 
doubt, but artificially enriched cheese is cal¬ 
culated only to bring discredit ou cheese-mak¬ 
ing in general in auy country where it is pro¬ 
duced. 1 have au impression that you in 
America are well aware Of the mischief which 
your oleomargarine cheese-makers have 
done to your general cheese-making in¬ 
dustry. The reputation of your cheese 
has suffered very severely, as T am 
well aware, m this country, since it 
became known to us that some of your men— 
those of them who had not much morality to 
lose—bod boguu to make oleomargarine cheese, 
and the exports of your cheese have very seri¬ 
ously fallen off In the period. This is the pun¬ 
ishment—loss of reputation, and consequent 
loss of trade—which falls on the innocent 
through nefarious practices of the guilty. 
Skim-milk must be utilized some how, of 
course, but let it bo utilized honestly, openly, 
and fairly, and not in a way to cheat the pub¬ 
lic, It was rumored several years ago that in 
a cheese factory in one of the southern coun¬ 
ties of England, oleomargarine cheese was 
about to be or was being made. I immediately 
pointed out iu the press the potentialities of 
such a rumor, eveu if it wore nothing more 
than u rumor—how it would bring discredit 
ou cheese-making iu general, how our cheese 
would suffer iu reputation and price, and so 
on. Whether or not any such cheese was ever 
actually made iu the factory in question, or in 
any other in this country, 1 have not been able 
to clearly ascertain; but in any case the no¬ 
tion was, 1 believe, nipped in the bud, for 
nothing has come of it or been heard of it, 
siuce, in this country. But our public are 
saturated with the fact that “lard cheese” is 
made iu America and sent to England, and as 
a result of this your cheese has suffered to 
the extent of many millions of dollars. 
The third section for cheese in the Italian 
show offers one gold, four silver, and four 
bronze medals, for rich, soft aud uncooked 
cheese—cream cheeses and cheeses enriched 
with cream. The fourth offers two gold, two 
silver and two bronze medals (totally reserved 
to Italian producers), for “imitation cheeses 
of the best foreign types; Kmmenthal, Gru- 
yi-re, Battelmott, Spalen, Chester, Edam, Brie, 
Roquefort, etc.” Thus it would appear that 
the Italians are not satisfied with their own 
national cheeses, as I may term t hem, their 
unsurpassed Gorgonzola, for instance, but 
must needs aim at imitat ing the cheeses of 
other countries. This sort of feeling is not 
confined to Italy. There are also silver anil 
bronze medals for cheeses made from the milk 
ot sheep, gouts and buffaloes; ns well as for 
clotted cream” (which is oddly classed among 
tbe “inferior products of milk”), “sugar of 
milk, aud “beverages of fermented whey.” 
L he rest of the classes are for dairy para¬ 
phernalia of one kind or another, very com¬ 
prehensive in aim aud intention. It is not 
likely that American exhibitors will send dairy 
products; but 1 fancy that some of them 
might score something if they sent dairy ap¬ 
pliances—cheese presses, curd cutters, milk 
agitators, butter firkins, milk weighing ma¬ 
chines, and so on. Application must be mado 
by exhibitors to the Executive Committee at 
Parma. 
Mir.K ABBORBING Bad Odokh.— Good dairy-' 
men say that milk will absorb foul odors and 
retain them. 1 can believe it now. I have 
mado an experiment. I worked at a place 
where butter was made from the milk of four 
cows. The milk was Ret in pans iuono corner, 
piled on the floor, one above the other. The 
stove was at one side of the pans, and at the 
other a place was made for old boobs and 
shoes. One pair of rubber boots were particu¬ 
larly offensive. They were placed with the 
others at times, and whenever this was (lone 
the odor was plainly perceptible in the but¬ 
ter. This was not a pleasant experiment, but 
it was remarkably forcible. There are hun¬ 
dreds of kitchens where butter is made under 
such circumstances. Does anybody wonder 
that there is poor sale for it? j. s. coft. 
Hillsdale Co., Mich. 
In a recent Rural an advertisement was 
given in which various pretty dairymaids 
were washing out a churn with soap. The 
picture was attractive, but I would not use 
any soap about dairy utensils. Scalding 
water and clean sand for scouring are far 
better, tn my opinion. dairymaid. 
Orange Co., N. Y. 
COL. F. D. CURTIS. 
There is a difference in the forms of pigs, 
even in a fixed breed. Some will have a long 
body and some a short one; some will be high¬ 
er ou the legs and some lower; some will have 
ft longer snout than others. The last feature 
is the least important, although many per¬ 
sons make it of the greatest consideration, 
while in fact, it. is really about the last thing 
to worry about. If a man is going to keep 
hogs to please his eye, ho can fuss about uu 
inch or so of snout as much as he pleases, and 
make it a subject of a great deal of talk and 
thought; but if he is keeping hogs to make 
something out of them and to help enrich his 
farm, that is another thing. 
For my part t like a good strong and moder¬ 
ately long snout. It gives the hog the appear¬ 
ance of business, something cunning; while 
the little piggy, stubbed-off nose looks as 
though that pig was finished, and so it is, so 
far as much growth is concerned. 
Growth is what we want in a pig. With¬ 
out it there is no profit. A pig with a loug 
nose generally has a long body. This is a good 
point, but it must not be the only considera¬ 
tion in our selection of a male. The hams 
must be carefully viewed, aud if thoy are not 
well rounded out, and deep down, the pig is 
locking in a most valuable part. The should- 
el’s too, should be broad and the back should 
be the same, aud well rounded, if we want 
lots of spare-rib. A flat-sided hog will make 
more mess pork in proportion, and will lack 
iu thickness along the line. The legs should 
always be short, as this feature denotes au easy 
keeper, because such a hog will always be a 
quiet one. A loug legged or stilted hog will 
always be ou the run, and will never be satis¬ 
fied with the best of food. 
The male should be selected for a special 
purpose. If the herd needs to be improved 
in any special feature that point should be 
prominent- in the male, but at the same time 
he should not be deficient iu some other parts; 
or while one feature is being improved an¬ 
other perhaps equally as good will be spoiled. 
When I was brooding to form the Victoria 
breed of swine, a quarter of a century ago, I 
wanted to got more hair ou my ideal pig and 
searched the whole country to get a pig with 
au extra line and thick coat. At last, through 
the favor of A. B. Miller, Esq. ,a leading busi¬ 
ness man in New York City,one was obtained, 
and the coat of the coming breed was estab¬ 
lished with proper selection afterwards. My 
then ideal nose was, however, a thing of the 
past,and it took years of selection and careful 
mating to restore it. If the pigs are to bo fat¬ 
tened early, then the sire should be more 
chunky than otherwise, which will naturally 
secure pigs with heavy quarters or those more 
meaty. Such pigs will take on flesh at any 
time and may be killed when young. The sire 
with longer body and more range in his form 
will beget larger pigs, aud those which will 
make more growth, weigh heavier and be 
more desirable. I like a propensity to grow 
in anything, nud a good strong appetite to 
go with it, as it usually does. They help each 
other, aud this is a w ise dispensation of Provi¬ 
dence, which we should turn to account, as we 
always can, if we will not let our prejudices 
and notions run away with sound judgment. 
farm (Topics. 
FARMERS’ INSTITUTES. 
PROFESSOR A. J. COOK. 
In several of the States there is a movement 
looking toward the establishment of farmers’ 
institutes. In several of the Legislatures bills 
have been introduced asking for appropria¬ 
tions for this purpose. This is certainly very 
wise. A year ago the Wisconsin Legislature 
appropriated $5,000 for this purpose, and I am 
thoroughly convinced that no appropriation 
made by that State will bear mure or richer 
fruit than this. As this subject is of such im¬ 
portance, it is well thut it be thoroughly dis¬ 
cussed, aud the time is fully ripe for this dis¬ 
cussion. 
There is, unfortunately, a wide hiatus be¬ 
tween the best and the poorest methods and 
management of the farmers in every neigh- 
borhooil and in every State. Could the best 
replace the poorest even on a few farms of 
each township, the not gain to the country 
would bo immense. Nothing will tend so 
much to accomplish this as well-conducted 
farmers’ institutes. I have attended aud tak¬ 
en part in those meetings in Michigan, Ohio, 
New Yor kand Wisconsin, aud am thus well 
acquainted with the management and results, 
and from my observation I feel assured that 
no State can afford to miss such a fruitful 
source for rapid advancement, as is furnished 
by these popular schools for the farmer. 
Michigan first inaugurated a system of in¬ 
stitutes. These are controlled by the State 
Board of Agriculture, which has also charge of 
the agricultural college. The faculty of the 
college, during the long winter vacation, at¬ 
tend these institutes and furnish one-half the 
addresses. The remainder of the pupers are 
prepared by the people of the region where 
the institute is held. There are four sessions 
at each institute, and three papers arc read at 
each session. This gives ample time aud op¬ 
portunity for questions and disenssiou after 
each paper. The State votes aunually to 
pay the expenses of the institutes—that is, to 
pay the actual expenses of the lecturers. Each 
place must furnish a hall, issue programmes, 
arrange for music, for exhibitions, aud see 
that the meeting is thoroughly advertised. 
Six institutes are held each winter. There 
are many more applications each season than 
cun be satisfied. These institutes iu Michigan 
have, aided to make the agricultural college 
very popular among the farmers, have been 
of great direct practical value to them and 
have also lieueflted the Professors greatly by 
the uew ideas they have gained, and also by 
showing them more fully what the farmers 
need. 
Iu Wisconsin,as before stated, $5,000 were de¬ 
voted to this purpose, and 52 institutes were 
held the past winter. For next season $13,000 
will be available aud 75,iustitutes will be held. 
Even then they cannot begin to accept all the 
invitations to hold institutes. This fuud is iu 
the hands of t he Board of Regents of the State 
University, who ore responsible for its wise use. 
A sub-committee from this board have wisely 
appointed Mr. W. H. Morrison to superintend 
the institutes. It would be diflleult to secure a 
man better fitted (or this work. He avoids 
all topics that might awaken partisan feeling, 
or in any way disturb the meetings, holding 
the attention strictly to the subject matter in 
hand. Either Mr. Morrison or one of his as¬ 
sistants presides, and thus there are no 
awkward pauses aud very few tedious addres¬ 
ses. The speakers, iu debate, are held to the 
subject and no time is lost. Mr. Morrison 
secures able speakers to open the discussion 
ou all subjects iu which the farmers are inter¬ 
ested. Nor does ho confiuo himself te Wis¬ 
consin. Such men as Gould and Terry from 
Ohio, Roberts, from New York, Sanborn, 
from Misouri, aud Chamberlain, from Iowa, 
are secured, and it uueds not to be said that 
the farmers obtain the very best and latest 
information upon all agricultural topics. I 
think Ohio works much as does Wisconsin. 
The expenditure, is. I believe, more restrictive, 
and so the work cannot lie made so valuable. 
New York is just startingand if we may judge 
from the Lockport Institute, and from the 
character of the new Secretary of the Agricul¬ 
tural Society, she w ill not lag behind. 
Wherever I have been in Michigan, iu the 
Western Reserve of Ohio, Now York and Wis 
consm, the meetings are crowded with intelli 
gent, eager listeners, and the hearty enthus¬ 
iasm shows full well that the work is thor¬ 
oughly appreciated. From what 1 have said 
it is evident thut Wisconsin is ahead ui this 
work. Her extra means euablcs her to secure 
the best talent and to hold a large number of 
institutes It stands to reason that if six in¬ 
stitutes are a good thing, fifty are about six 
times as valuable. 
Tbe various legislatures are now in session 
and just now is the time to inaugurate this 
valuuble undertaking. The prospective ad¬ 
vantage of such an organization Is so patent 
that few legislators will say nay. Never a 
word has been said iu the Michigan Legisla¬ 
tures against these institutes. It goes without 
saying that no project is more worthy of con¬ 
sideration, or will pay back larger returns for 
a liberal appropriation. 
CORRESPONDENTS’ VIEWS. 
Trespassing Poultry.—I live in a coun¬ 
try village. 1 have spucious grounds which I 
take pleasure in adorning with flowers and 
shrubs. My neighbors keep fowls. No sooner 
is tin? ground stirred in the spring than these 
fowls flock to my premises. Thoy scratch up 
seeds, as soon as planted. Bedding plants are 
uprooted or broken by scratching or wallow¬ 
ing among them. Not a fine specimen of 
fruit can fall to the ground without the 
hens having a peck at it before I cun gather 
it. They do not always wait for fruit to fall. 
T have seen them in trees stretching out their 
necks eating whatever was within reach. The 
owners of the fowls pay little heed to my ap¬ 
peal for protection. Iu my opinion such men 
openly break the commandment “thou shalt 
not steal,” by permitting their fowls to come 
to my premises for food which they ought to 
supply. I have protection against cattle and 
other animals. Fowls have wings and fly 
over proper fences. They do not come under 
satisfactory regulations regarding public 
pounds. If 1 kill and eat them I am liable to 
au action for theft. If I send the dead car¬ 
casses to the owner I may be summoned to 
answer before the law for malicious destruc¬ 
tion of property. I know of such a case that 
cost both plaintiff and defendant $5 each. 
The lawyer pocketed the money, giving satis¬ 
factory explanation to both parties for stop¬ 
ping the suit. I don’t want to fee lawyers or 
to offend the law. L. a. r. 
R. N.-Y.—There is nothing more annoying 
to the gardener or experimenter chan the dam¬ 
age caused by hens. The man who takes de¬ 
light in flowers and small fruits is sure to keep 
his own hens confined. Too frequently he has 
neighbors who have nothing for hens to de¬ 
stroy. These cannot undertand how valuable 
a new flower or fruit may seem to the gardener. 
While it is undoubtedly unlawful to kill tres¬ 
passing poultry, even after serving notice upon 
the owner that they will be killed if they tres¬ 
pass again, the owner is liable for damages if 
he permits them to trespass again after one 
notification. Special laws, however, on this 
subject are needed in most of the States. 
Waste of Labor.— There will bo lots of 
labor wasted this summer, work that might 
be turned into money will be thrown awayou 
many farms. 1 know men who will cultivate 
corn day after day with a dull cultivator. 
They think thoy do good business to save a 
little blacksmith's bill, but they speud twice 
as much iu making harder work for horse and 
man. Lots of work will be done with a hoe 
the front edge of which is as thick as the back. 
The workman goes on hacking away with his 
dull hoe, wasting half-au-hour's work every 
day he uses it. Let him spend an hour some 
rainy day iu working that edge down sharp 
on a grindstone or with a tile. Let him carry 
a file iu his pocket and spend two minutes 
every few hours iu filing the edge, aud he w T ill 
save more than he can make on two acres. 
Calhoun Co., Mich. john mclane. 
Wet or Dry Soil for Plowing?— Old 
fanners have frequently told me that the 
drier the ground was at plowing, the better 
their crop of com would bo. One man said 
the best crop he ever raised was grown from 
soil that was so dry at the time of plowing 
that he had to use two teams My experience 
is just the other way. Iu 1885 1 plowed three 
acres of an upland Timothy sod. The soil is 
a rich clay loam, somew hat rolling, so that 
water cannot stand on auy part of it. Two 
acres were plowed as soon as the frost came 
out. The rest was plowed at seeding, when 
the ground was so dry that one good team 
could hardly pull the plow. It was all fitted 
alike aud all planted with the same kind of 
corn. No fertilizer was used but laud plaster 
which was sown at the rate of 100 pounds per 
acre. All received the same level cultivation. 
No difference was apparent for the first few 
weeks, but at harvest time a surprise was in 
store for me. Ou the early plowing, plants 
stood from seven to eight feet high, reasonably 
well eared and of a dark green. On the late 
—dry plowing—stalks were four to five feet 
high, not eared aud yellow. The season was 
very wet, with the exoeptio i of a light 
drought in the spring. d. j. j, 
Waldo, Wis. 
My experience with A. of M. Corn is worth 
telling, My wife put the seed to soak before 
