4886 
757 
S \)ccp ijiisbani'nj. 
Notes from the Western New TorTc Farm. 
SHEEP VERSUS COWS. 
IS IT ADVISABLE TO CHANGE? 
Of late so many letters have come to me 
asking as to the advisability of changing from 
cows to sheep, or sheep to cows, and also as to 
the comparative numbers of each that can be 
kept per acre, the labor involved, the effect¬ 
iveness of each in keeping down weeds and in 
maintaining the fertility of the farm, and t.he 
profit to bo derived from each, that I propose 
to answer the whole in n body and general 
wav. 
No matter in what line of husbandry a man 
may have been engaged, or how much he may 
be discouraged, he should make no radical 
changes without a careful study of the matter 
in all its hearings, and even then it is bettor 
to go a little slow. Not every farm is r equally 
well adapted to both systems of farming; for 
while cows do splendidly on rich, level land, 
even if a little wet at times, such pastures are 
not suited to sheep. They will not thrive 
nearly as well on the herbage natural to such 
lands, and if confined to such a range more 
than temporarily they would be almost sure 
to become diseased. On the other hand, on 
land so rough and rocky that the cows would 
need shoeing, and where the grass is so short 
and so much hidden by the rocks that cows 
could barely pick a subsistence, sheep would 
be perfectly at home and soon become “fit for 
mutton.” The water supply also has much to 
do in the matter. While the cows would be dis¬ 
contented, wandering about lowiug ami los¬ 
ing flesh without an abundance of water, 
sheep would do very well on good, succulent 
feed without any water, save what they would 
get while eating the dew-laden grass, and in 
any case they would thrive with “ a drink” 
once in 34 horn's. And then the demands of 
the market and the means of transportation 
should bo considered. The products of the 
cows are less bulky than wool, and if sent as 
ordinary freight would cost leas for transport¬ 
ation, but they require more care in handling 
and, ns a rule, must be sent by express or in 
refrigerator cars, and thus do actually cost 
more in freight charges than wool, which, if 
kept dry, can bo sent in any way without dan¬ 
ger of injury. 
As to the comparative number of each that 
can lie kept per acre, so much depends upon 
the breeds of each that may be selected, that 
it is very difficult to lay down a rule; but, 
taking both cows and sheep as generally found 
amoug farmers, it is not fur from correct to 
assume that eight sheep may be substituted 
for one cow while runuiug at pasture; but of 
course in Winter, if both are put into warm 
stables or barns, as they should be, the sheep, 
while consuming no larger proportion of 
food, will occupy a greater proportionate 
space. With sufficient ventilation and proper 
care a cow will be perfectly comfortable and 
her attendant have ample room to perform 
his labor in a space 8 1 by 11 feet, making 4‘.) 
feet of floor space, but if sheep be crowded to 
the utmost limit of safety not more than four 
could be put Into the same space; but, then, 
if the baruR are of sufficient bight, they can 
be “double-sleeked” (oue floor put above 
another) aud the sheep can be safely kept oue 
lot above another, thus gettiug eight iu place 
of each cow. 
The Labor Question is, without doubt, 
greatly in favor of the sheep, for 
while they should be seen daily atul salted 
onco a week, mid will need some fur¬ 
ther attention in the way of washing, 
shearing, and separating the lambs, etc., etc, 
these are only trivial matters compared with 
the labor of driving the cows to and from pas¬ 
ture twice each day, milking and convert ing 
the milk into butter or cheese, aud then if the 
waste milk is to be utilized, a lot of hogs must 
bo kept, and, of course t hese must be fed and 
looked after—«o much for the Sum¬ 
mer care. In Winter there would not 
bo so groat a disproportion, especially if 
both were kept as store stock, aud further if, 
as is usually tho case in the dairy districts, the 
cows were allowed to “ run dry ” from four to 
four and a half months; but even then a man 
will care for UK) sheep more easily than for a 
half dozen cows providing bo gives each the 
best of care; for while the difference in giving 
to each will be but. little, tlie cow stables will 
need cleaning twice daily, and the cows should 
be carded daily ; the sheep pens, on the eon 
trary, will need denning but twice or, utmost, 
three times for the entire Winter, aud if when 
put into the stables the sheep are properly 
treated for ticks, they will need nothing be¬ 
yond feeding aud watering and a little care 
to see that tho proper ventilation is giveu. 
As WEED AND BUSH EXTERMINATORS there 
is no comparison between the two. While the 
cows will when first turned out in Spring while 
the leaves are fresh and green, or perhaps in 
ease of very scanty food during severe 
droughts, eat many kinds of shrubs and 
bushes to a limited extent, they will not 
touch the thousand and one varieties of weeds 
that pester the tidy farmer, aud the fields in 
all the dairy districts as well as in those de¬ 
voted to grain raising are yearly becoming 
more foul and a greater disgrace to the care¬ 
less owners, On the contrary, no animal, 
unless perchance the donkey and the goat, has 
a more varied taste than the sheep, and while 
it, unlike the others, will not live on a steady 
diet of tin cans, old boots, etc., it readily eats 
almost ali kinds of noxious weeds ; and if 
given a cliauce will entirely eradicate rag¬ 
weed, golden rod, daisies, wild carrots, ripple 
and nearly all other weeds that make the care¬ 
ful farmer’s life a continual warfare ; and 
even Canada Thistles will eventually succumb 
to their persistent cropping. Nothing will so 
quickly eradicate the bushes in newly cleared 
fields, or those that line the feuces or grow iu 
clumps in too tnanyof the older fields, as a flock 
of sheep. If they arc cut so low early in Hum¬ 
mer that the sheep can reach tho topmost leaf 
that is left and the fields be closely pastured, 
a single season will see the end of every green 
thing. Very much of the prevalence of weeds 
and bushes on all the older farms is due to the 
fact that sheep have ceased to be kept, and 1 
shall hail tho day when their increasing num¬ 
bers shall destroy those eye-sores and make our 
farms onco more decent and presentable. 
Since the middle of Septemlier we have had 
an abundance of rain, with very warm 
weather, and wheat is making a luxurious 
growth, in fact, some pieces which were sown 
the last week in August and first in Septem¬ 
ber are in danger of getting so large that 
with heavy snows they will smother. 
* * * 
There is nothing which so greatly aids in 
putting the soil in the best possible condition 
for receiving the seed wheat, as a good soak¬ 
ing rain. It settles down the under soil to n 
proper hardness for receiving the seed, helps 
to fine the top as no amount of rolling or 
harrowing will, aud then there is something 
in it which seems to make the grain start off 
ns though it “meant to get there.” I have 
one field, sowed about Hep. 10th, and before 
tho big rains, and others sowed 10 days later 
and after the rain, and though both are equal¬ 
ly good land, and received a like amount of 
fitting, the wheat sowed after the rain has the 
best appearance, and 1 have no doubt it will 
give the best account next harvest. 
* * * 
Those old fogies who claim that a heavy 
clover soil cannot tie fitted for wheat and 
again re-seeded the following Spring, would 
do well to come aud see a field we have on the 
Western New York Farm. In the Summer of 
1885 it cut two tons of clover hay, was then 
fitted and sown to wheat, and this year 13 
acres gave over 500 bushels, and Prof. Rob¬ 
erts can speak of the clover catch, as he saw 
it the latter part of June. There is no trouble 
in getting clover to grow when the proper 
material is put into the soil. 
j. s. WOODWARD. 
Here are some receut legal decisions of in¬ 
terest to farmers—and tho rest of the world: 
Mortgage. —In the case of Cheney vs. 
Woodruff, the Supreme Court of Nebraska 
held that the Act passed by the Tlegislature of 
that State in ISO'.* extendiug the period of 
limitation of mortgages of real estate to ten 
years, necessarily extended the limitation of 
debts secured by such mortgages to the same 
period as the mortgages. 
Note Signed on Sunday.— A promissory 
note signed on Sunday, but uot intended to lie 
delivered till Monday, and uot iu fact deliver¬ 
ed till that day, is not subject to the objection 
that it is a Sunday contract, accor ding to the 
decision of tho Supremo Court of Iowa iu tho 
case of Bell vs. Mahin et at.. decided October 
5. The Court based its decision on the prin¬ 
ciple that a promissory note becomes a con¬ 
tract at the time of its delivery. 
Discrimination in Freight Rates.—T he 
words “discrimination in freight rates” used 
in a statute embrace an “overcharge” for the 
transportation of freight, according to the 
decision of the Texas Court of Appeals in tho 
case of Missouri Pacific Railway vs. Porkhurst, 
Constitutionality of the Assisted Im¬ 
migration Act.—A decision was rendered iti 
the United States Court at Detroit recently 
affirming the constitutionality of the “Assisted 
Immigration Act” of February, 1886. The 
dofeudaut, Craig, imported ship carpenters 
from the Province of Quebec during the ship¬ 
yard strike of last Spring. The defendant’s 
counsel had interposed the objection that the 
entire law against importing labor was un¬ 
constitutional. The court held that the law is 
within that provision of the United States 
Constitution permitting Cougress to regulate 
commerce. To the objection that the laws 
can not punish an offense committed in Canada, 
he answers that Craig’s offense was committed 
on this side by the actual landing of the Can¬ 
adians. This is equivalent to the law punish¬ 
ing an accessory to a crime. If tho crime is 
not committed, the accessory is not guilty,but 
as soon as it is committed the accessory be¬ 
comes liable. 
Shop Orders and Cash. —Five years ago 
the Pennsylvania Legislature passed a law 
prohibiting mining and manufacturing com¬ 
panies from paying the wages of their em¬ 
ployes iu “store orders.” The Supreme Court 
of that State has just set aside this enactment 
as unconstitutional. The Court says: 
The law Is an attempt by the r.e«f*lAture to do what, 
In this country, cannot he done—that is. prevent per¬ 
sons from malting their own eontraeta. The act Is an 
Infringement alike of the rights of the employer and 
the employe: more than this. It Is an Insulting attempt 
to put the laborer under a legislative tutelage which 
is not only degrading to his manhood, but subversive 
of his rights as a citizen of the United States. He may 
sell his labor for what he thinks best, whether money 
or goods, Just as his employer may sell his Iron 
and coal, and any and every law that proposes to pre¬ 
vent him from so dolug Is an lufrlngemejit of hi* con¬ 
stitutional privileges, and eonsenaenrly vicious and 
void. 
The general principle that persons should 
be left free to make their own contracts is a 
sound one. There is a growing tendency to¬ 
ward too much restrictive legislation on the 
relations between employer and employ A 
The Pennsylvania statute was, however, 
aimed at an abuse of which working people 
may justly complain. It may be well enough 
to say that whether a hired person shall be 
paid in shop orders or cash is purely a matter 
of agreement between him and his employer. 
But it is an agreement into which he may be 
forced by the want of employment, and one 
which must deprive him of the advantage of 
buying his supplies with cash. 
R. M. 77., Brooklyn , N. Y .—A leases to B 
house and stable. B sublets stable and part of 
house to several under tenants. A wishes to 
dispossess B for non-payment of rent. Has A 
to serre all parties occupying stable and house 
with dispossess papers, and if so, how is he to 
do so, not knowiug how many under tenants 
there are or their names! If B, on receiving 
dispossess papers, wishes to pay rent, has he 
not to pay all costs and disbursements and 
fees for lawyer, if any are required? If A 
should start a suit against B only for amount 
of rent due, has B to pay all casts, disburse¬ 
ments and lawyers’ fees? 
Ans.—T he sub-tenants need not be served 
with dispossess pa pel's; they will be duly 
ejected by the marshal. In order to obtain a 
stay of proceedings, the delinquent tenant 
must tender the amouut of rent duo, and also 
pay or secure to be paid, the costs; but these 
do uot iuclude the lawyers’ fees. The same 
would be the case in the supposition last men¬ 
tioned. 
L. R. 77., Syracuse, N. Y. —In this State, 
when a wife dies leaviug real estate inherited 
by her mother, to whom does it go, in case 
she leaves no will, and her father is still alive? 
Does not her father have the use of it during 
his life? 
Ans. —According to the laws of New York, 
the real estate of persons deceased descends in 
the following order: t. To the descendants. 
3. To the father. 3. To the mother, aud, 4, to 
the collateral relatives, subject to various other 
provisions. Thus, if the deceased be a mar¬ 
ried woman, and she leaves a husband by 
whom she has had issue, he will be “tenant by 
the courtesy”of her real estate during his life; 
or, if the inheritance came to her from her 
mother, thou if her mother be dead, the inheri¬ 
tance goes to the father for his life time, aud 
the reversion to the brothers and sisters aud 
their descendants. If none such are living the 
father will have it in fee. 
L. 77., Newark, X. J. —The rear of my’ lot 
abuts upon ft lot whose level is several feet 
below mine. Upon whoso property should a 
wall he built to prevent the earth of the higher 
lot from falliug upon the lower one, aud upon 
tho owner of which lot should the expense of 
building the wall fall* 
Ans.— Neither owner is compelled to build 
such a wall. The inferior lot owner is under 
no obligations to support the higher level, but 
if the latter has tieen artificially raised, aud 
the soil falls over ou tho lower in such a way 
as to cause appreciable damage, the injured 
owner may have his actiou for damages. Tho 
legal maxim dc minimis, etc., (the law does 
not concern itself v ith trifles), is quite likely 
to apply iu the case. 
IF. L., Troy, Pa. —I shipped .by express a 
a package of goods, the value of which was 
over $500, but did not specify same. Am I 
bound by law to be satisfied with $50, as the 
express company claim that according to their 
printed receipts they are only liable to amount 
of $50, in case of loss, except I state at time of 
shipment exact value ? 
Ans. —The limitation being known to the 
shipper, he cannot recover more unless he can 
show that the property was lost through the 
gross carelessness or neglect of the carrier. 
We have received a considerable number of 
complaints with regard to ‘ ‘The National Co.” 
of this city, which advertises that it will “give 
away” 1,000 self-operating washing machines 
to those who send their addresses. When the 
addresses are sent, certain services are re¬ 
quired as a preliminary to getting the dona¬ 
tion. The “washing machine” is declared to 
be worthless by a few who received it; but 
nearly all who complain do so because, after 
having done what was required,‘no machine 
was sent to them. 
Be slow to have any dealings' with any 
party who advertises to give you anything of 
value “free.” Sometimes the word appears in 
large letters in the advertisements of concerns 
that deal “on the square,” hut they are usually 
engaged in some pica rune business and are 
willing to resort to a dubious trick to attract 
attention and secure correspondence. In four 
cases out of five, however, the word is used 
for the same purpose in the advertisements of 
those who are trying to get an unfair advan¬ 
tage over the public in some way. Advertis¬ 
ing costs money, and tbpse people usually ad¬ 
vertise quite extensively, so that they must be 
scooping in a good deal of money to be able to 
stand the drain. It stands to reason that if 
anvhody really wants to give something valu¬ 
able for nothing, there is no need whatever 
to advertise for people willing to accept the 
gift Either some service or work is always 
required in payment of the article offered, or 
other goods must be bought for a price high 
enough above their legitimate cost to pay for 
the “present,” on the same principle on which 
chromos are given free by many grocery 
stores to the purchasers of a certain quantity 
of goods; or they are mere traps laid by 
sharpers to catch the greedy and gullible. 
In all eases where anything of value is given 
payment is required in one way or another, 
and those who offer it always take care that 
their duties, however smart they tnay think 
themselves, never get the liest of them. What 
is given for nothing is worth just that. 
To Several Inquirers.— B. H. Rowley, 
J. Stewart, and James Dixon all of this city, 
are “sawdust” swindlers, who are papering 
the country with circulars soliciting dishonest 
dupes to purchase counterfeit money...The 
“Common Souse Evaporator” made at New¬ 
ark, Ohio, is as great a fraud as the Arnold 
Evaporator denounced here and in our editor¬ 
ial page over six months ago. Both have 
been heartily praised bv “The Fruit and Vege¬ 
table Growers’ Association” which is itself a 
humbug and a fraud. “ Dr.” Orlando Smith 
forms the whole active force of this “Associa¬ 
tion ” and “ Orlando ” is either one of the 
numerous aliases or a mere mouth-piece of 
J'. M. Bain, the pestiferous Ohio swindler. 
This clever rogue has again taken in several 
newspapers by getting them to publish 
Orlando’s commendation of his worthless 
evaporator. 
CATALOGUES. ETC., RECEIVED. 
Sherwood Harness Co., Syracuse. N. Y., 
Catalogue of tho goods made by this trust¬ 
worthy firm. We have repeatedly called 
our readers’ attention to this harness, 
having seen it at several fairs and 
having always heard it well spoken of. 
Among the many letters published in this 
catalogue, we find the following from Major 
Alvord, late Manager of Houghton Farm, ami 
now Professor of Agriculture at the Mass. 
Agricultural College. “Wo ordered a set of 
your Novelty Harness for the express purpose 
of using it in plowing in orchards, and not ex¬ 
pecting to find it useful otherwise. We have 
tried it, however, with almost every kind of 
farm work whore a two-horse team is required, 
ami are so much pleased with it os a general 
farm harness, that I write to express the great 
satisfaction which we derive from its daily 
use.” 
Frrrikr’s Improved Corn Sheller.— 
Circular from Fhilo Forrier & Sou, Ypsilanti, 
Michigan. It is claimed that this sheller is 
entirely different from all others. It is a 
right-hand machine and stands at a conven¬ 
ient bight. The cob is separated by means of a 
sieve. It is.the lightest.workiug|sheller’made. 
