the premiums of which were of genuine and 
I great value to the winners. This example is 
not going to be lost to the country, and its 
repetition will do much to encourage our best 
farmers to take a prominent part again in 
agricultural competition at such expositions. 
The corruption and bad management of 
our State and general fairs have frequently 
found their parallels,on a smaller scale, in our 
local exhibitions; but generally at these the 
corruption has been less, while the methods 
and their administration have been even 
worse. We have had here in Vermont one 
remarkable example of a different way of 
doing things—a demonstration that a county 
fair can be held and managed with that strict 
method which makes its premiums truly val¬ 
uable to their holders. For a number of 
years the Caledonia County Agricultural 
Society, holding its exhibitions yearly in Sep¬ 
tember at St. Johnsbury, has established and 
maintained a strict system, which I think is 
worth illustrating in the Rural New-Yorker 
by a presentation of its form of application to 
the butter exhibit. A card 10% by seven 
inches is furnished to each exhibitor, of which 
the following is a copy. Blank lines are left 
for answers: 
DAIRY DEPARTMENT, CALEDONIA AGRICUL¬ 
TURAL SOCIETY. 
St. Johnsbury Fair, Sept.-, 18—. 
STATEMENT REGARDING THE BUTTER ENTERED. 
By- Of - 
For Premiums in Class No.-(Every 
question must be answered). 
1. State number and breed of cows from 
which this butter was made. 
2. Were the cows fed any green fodder ? 
3. Were the cows fed grain, and whatquan- 
tity, just before this butter was made ? 
4. How was the cream separated from the 
milk ? Name appliance used. 
5. How long was cream kept after skim¬ 
ming or separating, before churning, and how 
kept ? 
(3. Was the cream sweet, slightly acid, or 
sour when churned ? 
7. What churn was used, and how long 
churned ? 
8. Was the “ granular method ” used, or 
butter washed in any way; if so, how ? 
!). Name the butter-worker used and how 
many times worked, and length of times 
between workings. 
10. When and how was the butter salted ; 
what salt, and how much used ? 
11. If coloring was used, what kind and 
how ? 
12. Please add any facts of interest.regard. 
ing the cows, or their treatment, or the care of 
milk and making of butter. 
Note.—T his blank must be filled out before 
any premium will be awarded. 
JUDGES’ REPORT. 
The samples of butter presented have been 
examined by the committee, and they make 
the following report: 
PERCENTAGE OF PERFECT BUTTER. 
Flavor, .35; texture, .25; solidity, .20; 
color, .15; total, 100. 
PERCENTAGE OF SAMPLE. 
This sample ranks in class- 
[To be classed No. 1, the butter presented 
must rank above .85; No. 2, above .75, No. 3, 
above .60; No. 4, below .60. 
A similar system, varied to suit the case, is 
applied to all entries, and the reports are all 
carefully filed and preserved for future refer¬ 
ence, being at the service of press reporters 
for publication under proper restrictions. 
The chief improvement that occurs to me 
would be the selection of judges from among 
known experts outside of the county or (State; 
but the expense of this hinders its applica¬ 
tion, and if men of high character and skill 
are selected, this objection is reduced to a 
minimum. 
JUDGING BEEF AT FAIRS. 
PROF. J. W. SANBORN. 
Fairs far from producing the best results; 
they should show how the feeder can con¬ 
trol the quality of meat; specimem premia 
urns; high praise for the Kansas City Fat 
Stock Show; food more potent than breed 
in the character of the meat. 
I most emphatically express the view that 
our fairs and stock shows stop short of bring- 
'ing out the great underlying truths in clear 
contrast, to the extent they well might. The 
student of agriculture is anxious for methods 
as well as results and goes to fairs not only to 
see the fruits of modern truths applied, but 
to learn how this is done. Bo far as possible he 
expects, or should expect to see illustrated the 
results of the very best ideas as applied to 
farm products both in the vegetable and ani¬ 
mal world. It is just at this point that our 
fairs have made little or no growth in recent 
years. 
The demonstration is now unequivocal that 
quality in meat is an easily controllable fac¬ 
tor and that the feeder can control the rela¬ 
tions of fat to lean, the color of the at and the 
consistency and largely the flavor of the meat. 
So fundamental is this controllable question 
in swine that the time is near when intelligent 
men will purchase pigs, not hogs, fed by cer¬ 
tain principles. This opportunity may re¬ 
store, in a measure, the fast-waning impor¬ 
tance of pork in our diet. Recognizing 
this truth, as Secretary of the Kansas City 
Fat Stock Show, I had inserted the following 
premium, the management offering no objec¬ 
tion. 
DRESSED CARCASS. 
Only those animals can eompete for this 
premium whose ages are definitely known. 
An exact statement of the kind of food or 
foods fed after June 1st, and their ratios when 
more than one kind are given, must be filed 
with the entry. Where growth per day and 
quality of fat are substantially the same, the 
premium shall be given to the carcass having 
the largest ratio of lean meat to fat, the qual¬ 
ity of the lean meat being taken into account. 
These conditions not existing, quality alone 
is to determine the premium. The purpose of 
the above conditions is to learn the art of 
rapid growth without excessive fat The 
judges shall report in full the basis of their 
decisions and the relative proportion of lean 
to fat. 
Best barrow, or spayed sow, under 10 
months. $25 00 
Second best. 15 00 
Three entries were made and the packing¬ 
house of Morris & Butts cut them up after 
their style, gave me the weights of each sec¬ 
tion, and then passed judgment in a most 
thorough manner. The premium did not go 
to the carbonaceous or corn-fed pigs,under the 
terms of the offer. Possibly for their purpose 
they would have placed it thus. But the ex¬ 
hibitors got an idea from the test if no one 
else has. 
At this same show the Standard Imple¬ 
ment Co. offered one of their sulky plows as a 
special premium to be placed as I thought 
desirable. The following premium will show 
the point involved: 
“For the dressed carcass of steer whose ratio 
of fat within the muscular tissues to external 
fat is greatest. The State Board of Agricul¬ 
ture offers to meet the expense of ascertaining 
the fat of the muscular tissues, if the judges 
find it necessary to refer doubtful cases to 
them. A full statement of foods given from 
April 1, 1886, is to accompany entries for this 
premium.” 
Below is another case in our premium list. 
A pure-bred Berkshire of either sex was of¬ 
fered as a premium for the best dressed car¬ 
cass of a pig under 12 months; everything else 
being equal, the largest ratio of lean to fat to 
be taken prominently into consideration by 
the Awarding Committee. 
Other attempts were also made by our As¬ 
sociation to expand its educational features, 
but these are fair specimens. In intelligence 
and courage to follow their convictions, the 
officers of this fat stock show are a rare 
body, and I beg so far to digress as to remark 
to the host of timid ones who say that the cut¬ 
ting out of the three-year-old ring by it was 
right, but not expedient, and that it should 
be restored—that I do not believe that the 
Directors who hold in hand this show are 
made of such stuff. They are not going to 
hold aloft early maturity in one hand as 
breeders to induce farmers to use their bulls, 
and with the other stab it to death by showing 
47-month-old steers that belong to a by¬ 
gone generation of breeders. The Kansas 
City Fat Stock Show will make further pro¬ 
gress as an educational show. 
But to return : the ground may be safely 
taken that in the study of cattle for the block 
and of the relation of breeds to character of 
carcass, no true progress will be made until a 
careful study of the foods given is made. 
Soon we shall be studying the table of foods 
fed in connection with the result of fat stock 
shows. My observation is that food is more 
potent in forming the character of meat than 
breed. Tell me, any one, what has been 
learned from the 15 fat stock shows held in 
this country, regarding the relation of breed 
to the marbling of meat ? It is a jumble of 
notions that have been reaped due to the fact 
that the results have been inextricably mixed 
by the various and unknown methods of 
feeding. • 
I need pursue the matter no farther. A 
man does not learn the art of watch-making 
by observing watches in a shop window, nor 
can we understand the art of producing typi¬ 
cal steers by reviewing good animals in a 
stall. The processes must be laid before the 
public that causes may be studied. The only 
right fairs have for existence is that of utility 
the educational facts to be got from them— 
and just now we want to know how to make 
good meat cheap. If we know the methods 
we can intelligently study the results. We 
want to see the two side by side and be taught 
by that powerful method of observation called 
in schools, object-teaching. 
Missouri Agricultural College, Columbia, 
Missouri. 
RISKS IN EXHIBITION. 
HENRY HALES. 
Great changes the breeds have to endure ; 
exposure and worriment at shows ; why ex¬ 
hibitors don't talk of their losses. 
No class of animals can be more suscepti¬ 
ble to colds caused by draughts, change of 
coops, transportation, moisture, etc., than 
poultry. Few people realize this fact suffic¬ 
iently. No one pays more dearly fdr this ex¬ 
perience than exhibitors at poultry shows. 
After great care in getting the birds into 
good condition, and giving them all the at¬ 
tention possible, there is great risk in sending 
them away to exhibit, especially as these 
shows are generally late in fall or early in 
winter. If one takes the trouble to follow the 
birds en route, it is soon seen what changes 
they are exposed to, first on railroad plat¬ 
forms, then perhaps into hot, close express 
cars; from that into a wagon. If this is not 
open on top it is generally open at both ends. 
Then they are carried through windy cold 
streets; then in the exhibition building, oft¬ 
en waiting in their close packages hours be¬ 
fore they can receive attention, and be put 
in their respective places on the benches. 
Next they are subjected to a change of food; 
they are kept awake late at night with no 
exercise for several days. Then they are 
subjected to the same exposures they went 
through in coming. All this tells on the stock. 
There are very few breeders that send any 
quantity of poultry to exhibition who don’t 
lose some valuable birds. It is a little singu¬ 
lar that they say so little of it. Perhaps 
they don’t want to advertise that they ever 
have sick birds. That is simply ridiculous. 
All poultry breeders must have sick birds 
sometimes, and the time is past for intelli¬ 
gent fanciers to pretend that they don’t have 
such a thing as a sick hen. At the close of the 
New York Exhibition last December, there 
were at least 200 sick birds. I am not saying 
this to throw cold water upon this, or any 
other exhibition. I would rather encourage 
such shows. I have exhibited very many 
times, including the last named, and I hope 
to do so again; but why should this hide the 
truth? People should be thoroughly ac¬ 
quainted with the constitution or any other 
vital points connected with their stock, or 
anything else they are engaged in. 
CARE OF A GARDENER’S TEAM. 
Feed, Care and Doctoring. 
I keep one team on the road almost all the 
time until November 1, to do my marketing. 
The horses of the team weigh 1,200 pounds 
each—rather heavy for roadsters, but our 
roads are bad and my loads are heavy. I 
feed corn and oats. When I use corn I give 
as much as ten good ears three times per day, 
or if I give oats I feed one peck each if they 
eat them clean, if not, less. I feed ail the hay 
—long—they will eat clean up. In feeding 
I am governed by the appetite. Sometimes a 
horse wants extra heavy feeding during the 
marketing season. I feed my road teams at 
night, all the hay they will eat, as we can 
give them only a grain feed in the morning— 
at four o’clock—and as soon as they are 
through I drive them out—drive them until 
about eight o’clock, then I water them, and 
generally make the round by noon, then I 
water them again and feed them. I water 
them again at four or five in the, evening, and 
feed at six. During the summer and fall I 
feed green grass or corn to keep the bowels 
open and regular. After the ears of sweet 
corn are pulled for market, I cut the fodder 
and regard this as one of the best of feeds 
for work horses or milch cows. When I have 
plenty of sweet corn fodder I use veiy little 
dry hay—one feed at night. Occasionally 
through winter I give a few feeds of some 
good condition powders and salt and wood 
ashes. I give this more frequently in spring. 
By this course of treatment I keep my team 
in good condition. I do not spend much 
time in grooming, but I try to keep the horses 
clean and give them plenty clean bedding. 
I do not favor doctoring horses much. When 
one gets a little out of repair I change feed or 
water, clean the stable or change his lodging 
and give him a few days rpst. I do not pour 
poisonous di’ugs down his thi’oat or take any 
recipes from the neighborhood quack horse 
doctor. I do not drive unreasonably fast or 
feed or water a hoi'se when he is hot. 
Polk Co., Iowa. f. s. WHITE. 
ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
[Every query must be accompanied by the name 
and address of the writer to insure attention. Before 
asking a question, please see if it Is not answered in 
our advertising columns. Ask only a few questions at 
one time. Put questions on a separate piece of paper. 
SKIN DISEASE IN CATTLE. 
A. S., Garland, Md.—I have been de¬ 
prived of the services of a valuable yoke of 
large oxen on account of a very annoying 
skin disease. An eruption first appeared on 
the neck in the form of small blood crusts 
beneath the hair; the crusts adhere quite 
firmly to the skin and when their removal is 
attempted the animal tosses his head or kicks, 
showing evidences of discomfort. Beneath 
some of the crusts are pits filled with white 
pus; in other cases there is no pus, but there 
is a serious discharge upon their removal. 
One of the animals was attacked two weeks 
before the other showed any symptoms of the 
trouble. At first they rubbed their necks 
violently; later they licked and bit their sjtdes 
and scratched their bodies until bleeding 
wounds were made. In the first case the dis¬ 
ease showed itself during the first week on 
pasture. When it had continued a week I 
concluded it was itch, although on a 
careful examination of both skin and scales, 
under a mici-oscope of 50 or 60 diameters, no 
parasite of any kind was detected. I an- 
nointed the affected parts with an ointment of 
lard, sulphur and carbolic acid and gave a 
tablespoonful of sulphur internally daily for 
nearly three weeks, and it seemed to bold the 
disease in check. 
At this point in the treatment, a local vet¬ 
erinarian happened to call and advised me to 
exercise great care in using the sulphur treat¬ 
ment, saying that if the cattle should get wet 
while thus treated, they would be liable to 
“take cold;” that their skins would become 
congested aDd serious consequences might 
follow. He advised me to wash the animal 
twice daily with a solution of sugar of lead 
(one pound of lead to a gallon of water) and 
said a week of such treatment would effect a 
cure. I made several applications of the lead- 
water which seemed to aggravate the trouble 
and I abandoned it. Afterwards I gave them 
10 pounds of Glauber salts—each about one- 
half pound daily, but there was no per¬ 
ceptible improvement. For a week past 
I have done nothing for them. The 
crusts now cover the ribs and thighs, 
and are found, to a greater or less extent, on 
all parts of their bodies. The skin is unnat¬ 
urally thick, and wounds abound on all parts 
of the body: 
Three cows have been with the oxen con¬ 
stantly. Three weeks since, I discovered 
crusts on the neck of one. I washed her en¬ 
tire body with strong carbolic soap-suds. The 
crusts disappeared, and she has since showed 
no further symptoms of the trouble. I tried 
the soap on one of the oxen, but it did no 
good. What is the matter? 
ANSWERED BY DR. F. L. KILBORNE. 
The history and symptoms would lead us 
to suspect some parasitic skin disease, although 
I am not familiar with any parasite that is 
known to produce exactly the lesions you de¬ 
scribe. It may therefore be simply a skin 
eruption due to the unhealthy condition of the 
system. Try the following course of treat¬ 
ment and report the result in four weeks. 
Whenever there is extreme itching of the skin 
wash with a solution of one ounce of bicarbor- 
ate of soda and one-fourth ounce hydrocyanic 
acid in a quart of water. To all of the points 
of eruption apply daily iodide ointment: io. 
dine one ounce, "potassium iodine one-half 
ounce, best pine tar and vaseline each eight 
ounces, to be prepared by any druggist. If 
the wounds are kept entirely covered with the 
ointment there will be no more trouble from 
the flies. Internally give twice daily to each 
animal cwo to three tablespoonfuls of the 
following powders: bicarbonate of potash and 
nitrate of potash each one-half pound, Glauber 
salts one pound ; to be continued for a 
month if necessary. Unless the bowels are 
already loose, it would be well at the outset to 
