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EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENCE.

overcoming the barriers separating the breeders of different localities, and acquainting each region with the merA Day at the Springfield Horse Show. its possessed by the stock of the others to carry the best Going back to the Beginning-Original Plan Embracing several States stallions of New-England for a season into the neigh and Migratory Exhibitions-Is this Suggestion Now a more Feasible one?-Hampden Park-The Entries and Character of the Show-boring States on the south and west, and to bring back Mr. Brown's Century Team-Premiums on Walking Horses in turn the best blood from those districts, and place Thoroughbreds, Stallions, and the Patchen Colts-Award of State it within the reach of Maine, New-Hampshire, Massa

Prize Banner-The Harvest Club-Fields of Roots-Conclusion.

By holding the

As other engagements permitted me to spend but a sin-chusetts, Vermont and Connecticut. gle day at Hampden Park last week, and that the Second Shows triennially, moreover, when the year came around Day of the Exhibition, (it is the Third and Fourth, which in each locality, a new generation would be found ready are really the "great" days, it is of course beyond my for public examination and trial—the three-year-olders power to give from personal observation a very full account of the last Show coming in as Six, and the colts then sired of the attendance and proceedings. There may therefore having made sufficient growth to show fairly the mettle they possessed. be the more excuse if I imitate the high precedent afforded by that simple-minded and trustworthy Historian of NewYork, DIEDRICH KNICKERBOCKER, who, if I recollect aright, commences his Annals of this noble State with a brief and succinct account of the Creation of Man and the Noachian Deluge!

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"The project of this Exhibition had its rise in Springfield. In May last GEORGE M. ATWATER proposed to the Hampden County Agricultural Siciety the holding of such an exhibition in connection with their annual Fair."

This brief outline will convey but an imperfect impres sion of the excellent plan which Mr. Atwater at first designed. The public mind was not found ready for its adoption. Subscriptions would have been secured, perhaps, to carry it on, for the financial arrangements proposed, into the particulars of which I have not the space to enter, were of such a kind as to avoid the risk of too heavy a burden being thrown upon a few in case of partial failure, but the necessary co-operation in the other States concern

It will not be necessary, at this time, however, to go back even to the date of the Revolution or the Last War; indeed, "not to put too fine a point upon it," if one may venture to quote the voluble MICAWBER,-eight years only will answer our purpose sufficiently well, the present hav-ed, was more difficult to obtain, and from this difficulty ing been the Fourth in a Biennial Series of Exhibitions, the design was subsequently modified until it assumed its of which the First took place in 1853. The Report of it present form. Springfield has thus to thank Mr. A. and then published in the COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, contains the his associates for a fine park, which I hope we shall learn that the present show has entirely freed from all refollowing:maining incumbrances, and for the periodical recurrence of an event which draws many strangers from all parts of the Union into her pleasant streets and well managed hotels. But shall I be going beyond my alloted sphere, if I put it here, plainly and directly, to the breeders, the farmers, the citizens, of the region comprised above-say the whole north-eastern quarter of the Union, whether a scheme embracing the principal points in Mr. Atwater's original design, might not now be more favorably entertained, and still more advantageously adopted? I hazard the suggestion at no prompting of his, but confident that he would not be wanting if his experience or public spirit can be rendered of service in the promotion of such a project—and as sowing seed as we pass, that may chance to fall upon good ground, although it should be long in the germination.

The health of the gentleman whose name is here mentioned was also given by the lamented C. P. HOLCOMB of Delaware, at the Banquet that followed, as the "originator of the idea of a National Horse Convention." I refer to these facts so particularly now, because, after eight years, they will bear a repetition, and in order that the credit of a "Yankee Notion" which has been so widely imitated, may rest where it fairly belongs. Mr. ATWATER'S undertaking was not without its impediments at the outset; but the high position occupied by himself and his co-adjutors, and their steadfast opposition from the first to any thing like "jockeyism" and trickery, have done much to promote the Improvement of our Horses by showing that it is not by any means a cause necessarily allied with gambling and demoralization, but, on the contrary, one in which all classes-both farmers and townsmen-have a pecuniary interest amply worth the sober looking after.

The system of Exhibitions as finally adopted, however, was not that originally contemplated by Mr. A. His first scheme, which seems to me to combine some important features as yet unattained, and well worthy of public regard, embraced the idea of an Association of Subscribers liable as the guarantors of the Shows undertaken, whose profits, if any should accrue, were to be expended in the purchase of stallions from time to time for the use of themselves and others: the Shows to be held in a triennial series-for example, one year in New-England, the next year as far west as New-York or Ohio, the third year as far south as Pennsylvania or the District of Columbia, the fourth again in New-England, and so on; the services of the Stallion belonging to the Association to be migratory with its shows, and the objects being to accomplish still more perfectly the ends now only in part attained-the more general diffusion of good horses, wherever bred, by

Hampden Park contains about sixty acres of that almost perfectly level intervale which here extends, to the width of perhaps half a mile, for about five miles along the eastern bank of the Connecticut, and for nearly three miles on the other bank-land admirable for grass, being subject to overflow from the waters of the river. The Association purchased it, I believe, at about $200 per acre, and immediately expended $4,000 more in the construction of an embankment which keeps the whole perfectly dry in all seasons, and the broad top of which constitutes a delightful promenade along the water-side. A rising stand of seats calculated to accommodate 1,800 visitors, securely and permanently built, is upon the same side of the field-the two tracks only intervening between it and the ornamental double-story erection opposite, for the Judges' purposes. One of these tracks, that nearest to the seats, is a mile in length, and is separated from the interior one, which measures a full half mile, by a substantial railing, so that the two are entirely separate and distinct. The advantage of this excellent arrangement consists in the fact that the carriages of visitors can occupy the mile track without any interference with what is going

on within, or the two may be otherwise simultaneously employed for different purposes. In the upper corner of the field near the entrance, a large and permanent structure supplies stables upon each side, an apartment for sulkies, &c., between them, and above them a convenient room, intended if necessary for discussions or other meetings. Long ranges of other stables have also been erected to accommodate the large numbers entered for exhibi-tributed for Exhibition only, three young Stallions, sir

tion.

With so many classes as there are to undergo examination, of course much of the Judges' work is done in the field, where each class is summoned under a flag or sign designating its number. But to maintain a constant interest where the spectators are looking down upon the track, all the classes are exhibited there, and the scene presented is rendered much the more lively by their more rapid succession after one another, as well as by the music of one of the best bands in New-England stationed close by. In all these details the arrangements are so well and systematically prepared, that I have thought them worthy of being brought into notice, as suggestive in many respects to the Managers of other Societies.

The Exhibition this year included Wednesday morning, 532 entries, comprising 617 horses, of which number 184 were for exhibition only-not competing for prizes. I understood that several farther entries were made in the course of the day, and that the total largely exceeds the entries of any former year. The thorough-bred classes, as usual, are not large, embracing but five stallions and four mares. The classes of breeding mares exhibited on Tuesday, were spoken of as having not been quite up to the mark, but the turn-out of Saddle horses on Wednesday was fairish, those of Matched and Family horses, and in one or two other classes, very large; and I was assured by the best judges I met, that while there were fewer celebrities present than has sometimes been the case, to attract notice by their speed upon the track, the average merit throughout shows a most gratifying advance upon the previous Exhibitions.

thorough-bred Mares, by Narcissus, owned by Henry Booth of West Farms in the same county. Among other Stallions entered for competition, attracting great attention, were Dr. Rich's "Jupiter" from New-York, Hill & Baldwin's "Patrick Henry" from Essex Co., N. Y., Linsley Brothers' "Pathfinder," from Connecticut, &c., &c. CHARLES W. BATHGATE, Westchester Co., N. Y., coned by the now famous horse "Geo. M. Patchen," who has done so much to prove that the highest degree of speed as a trotter is not inseparable from greater size than has hitherto been supposed likely to make the best time. Two of these colts of Mr. Bathgate's are five years old, "NewJersey" and "Major Low," and the third, two years younger, Buckley," promises, as well as his seniors, to make a mark in the world. The one first named, NewJersey, is the highest bred of the three, and takes the eye most favorably at first, but this advantage is so nearly counterbalanced in other respects by the other two, that it is a very close matter to rank either above the rest.

There is much that I should like to mention, but I find myself already on the "home-stretch" in this correspondence, with its utmost limits closely in view. I am indebted to the attention of the Secretary, J. N. BAGG, for being able to add that at the closing procession on Friday, NewYork was represented by 64 horses ("of the greatest aggregate value, probably," remarks Solon Robinson, "of any lot of equal number ever collected together in the United States"); then followed Connecticut with 84, her numbers carrying off the State Prize banner, Vermont with 13, New-Hampshire 5, Rhode Island 7, Maine 6, Wisconsin 2, Illinois 2, and, lastly, the long line of the Massachusetts ranks the whole thus concluding happily and profitably, without drawback of any kind except in the shower reported on Thursday. We should be glad to publish the list of awards if space permitted.

"Double

- But, owing to the kindness of Mr. ATWATER, my day was not wholly taken up with the display at Hampden Park. Another institution in which he has had a prominent My own observations were too imperfect to admit of hand, the "Harvest Club," is doing a good work by the particularizing without seeming invidious, except in one ownership of the excellent Short-Horn Bull, or two instances in which the unique character of what Duke," of Mr. Sherwood's breeding, purchased three years was shown was such as to leave no room for "odious com-ago-and on Double Duke we made a passing call at the parisons." Of such sort was the four-in-hand team of old horses shown by LEWIS B. BROWN of Westchester Co., N. Y., heretofore noticed in our columns, and now aggregating a total age of 108 years, the oldest having reached the mature period of 35! The only difficulty in driving them is to hold in the leaders, and a four minute gait they appear to take much easier than many of their younger brethren. Mr. Brown had generously placed several prizes for fast walking horses at the disposition of the Judges, for which I was glad to know that there were several entries, one including I believe a family of four near relatives, but the trial of these was to be made after I left.+

stables of Mr. PYNCHON. Thence a mile or two to the northward, where we stopped to see two acres of rootscarrots, ruta bagas and parsnips, which Mr. A. is cultivating successfully and profitably this year testing upon halfacre plots, manured and cultivated alike, the different results of each, together with those from corn and grass land under similar treatment.

Upon one plot he has adopted a method worthy of mention to those who complain that they cannot put their carrots near enough together to get a good crop and still cultivate them by horse power. This is to put in the carrots forty inches apart, and after they have been well cultivated and got a good start-say from the middle to the 20th or 25th of July, to alternate them with rows of ruta bagas (Swedish turnips)-thus occupying the space for another crop without impeding the early cultivation of the carrots. This was intended, I believe, merely as an experiment, and I hope that Mr. A., after the roots are harvested, will favor us with its results, as well as with those upon the *I am not giving them the credit they deserve, as I find them readjoining plots. But it should be added that Mr. A. has ported on Thursday as making the mile in from 3:15 to 3:30, four per. had no difficulty in keeping the carrots clean, altogether sons in the wagon, without showing a sign of fatigue," I ought to add that the owner of this team does not exhibit for money or fame, by horse cultivation, even, as I understood, when grown but to induce others to take care of their old horses, and also to show in rows as near together as twenty inches. that good blood will tell,

The only other four-in-hand turnout was that of SIMEON LELAND, of the Metropolitan Hotel, New-York, who is, moreover, quite a farmer in Westchester. The first and only premium of $200 for thorough-bred stallions, was carried off by " Comet," owned by Alexander Bathgate of Fordham, Westchester, Co., N. Y., and that of $100 on

+ SOLON ROBINSON has the following in the Tribune:-After the cavalcade, the horses entered for Lewis B. Brown's special prize for the best walking horse, were called on and ordered to walk a mile. I regret to be obliged to say that not one-third of the seventeen en tered performed the service. They simply proved that horses have not been bred and trained for this most useful of all gaits for a horse for every day work. Nearly all of these exhibited had a sort of amble. about half way between a walk and a pace. The most of them were ruled off by the judges at the first trial. There was one, a five year old Morril mare, a dark grey, which proved herself a square landSome walker at five miles an hour, and she will get the first prize. The second was harder to decide between a bay under the saddle and a bay in harness. These three walked well, and a couple of others tolerably well; but it is very evident that more attention is needed to this feature in horse breeding, There is no doubt about the fact that Mr. Brown has awakened an interest that will not sleep until it has

accomplished a great good to the country.'

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Then, after paying our respects to the sole peach tree in all that region which is known to be in fruit this year, nestling away in the shade when there is little to account for its singular persistence in well-doing, we gain our way slowly to a higher and narrow plateau, and next to a third and wider one, that stretches back behind a belt of trees to form, I believe, a not very productive and pretty well-worn series of upland farms, but, in the abrupt and wayward curves with which it winds in a succession of knolls along the valley below, affording some picturesque scenery, in the midst of which Mr. Atwater has selected the site of his present residence. The house, protected

all around by the trees, except upon the side looking to ward the valley, matches the semi-circular form of the "bluff" -as western men would call it-on which it stands, with a bay window commanding-beyond the smooth lawn that breaks away so suddenly, at a little distance, into a panorama of the intervale beyond and below it-the roads along which we came, the farmstead of Mr. BIRNIE with his Ayrshires in the vale almost in front, the curving river soon lost on either hand between its own green banks, with old Tom and Holyoke pressing their twin summits against the sky at our right; and, away off to the left, another glance of the silvery river, and distant views, mostly in blue and brown, of the farms and farming of the State to which it gives its name. Our day-thanks to many kind attentions-has been a pleasant one, and we could. choose no pleasanter spot in which to jot down our closing congratulations to the Managers of these Exhibitions, upon the results of this--their most successful effort in behalf of

that noble friend and servant of the human race, of whose beauties and docility we have just seen so many admirable examples among the Horses yonder at Hampden Park.

L. H. T.

BUCKWHEAT FOR FATTENING STOCK An inquiry as to the value of buckwheat for feeding purposes, having appeared in the Rural New-Yorker, that veteran feeder and close observer, John Johnston, sends in a reply. We copy below the material facts of his letter. As to the extent and results of his experience, he says:

"I have fattened many cattle, and far more sheep, on all or part buckwheat for the last twenty years, and it will fat stock as well for the amount of pounds as any other grain, oats, perhaps, excepted; and I would much rather have half buckwheat meal than all corn meal to feed to three year old steers that have not been fed grain. I have probably as fat a heifer as is in the State. Her feed was buckwheat bran last winter and spring, and pasture only since the 6th of May."

Mr. Johnston tells us that a friend of his fattened 350 head of sheep last winter on three bushels of buckwheat per day to the hundred head, with straw for fodder and plenty of litter, and he made prime fat sheep, though many of them were lean when he commenced feeding. Some say they have fed sheep on buckwheat with poor success -the animals losing their wool and getting poorer, but Mr. J. never had any such luck, and “no one would from feeding buckwheat who managed right otherwise.”

The querist wishes to know if buckwheat makes as solid flesh as other grain. To this the reply is, "I neither know or care, as long as it makes them fat." He has never tried it for hogs, to which it is said to be a poison-which is

doubtful.

(For the Country Gentleman and Cultivator.] Buckwheat, &c., for Fattening Stock.

My article on feeding buckwheat, copied from the Rural New-Yorker, ought to have read, in place "of oats perhaps, excepted," oats and corn mixed, perhaps excepted. I have often thought that cattle did better on that than any other grain, but oats generally cost more per pound than either buckwheat or corn, and often more than barley. Of course it would be folly to feed oats then. But it matters but little what kind of grain a farmer feeds, if he feeds it by weight. Corn, however, requires the most observation and judgment in feeding to cattle unac

customed to it.

I never made better sheep than last season, as Capt. McGraw of your city must know. Their feed was barley with a little oil meal. I can make both cattle and sheep fat enough on any kind of grain we raise, except wheat. I tried that when low several times, but it never gave me satisfaction; yet it is strange to say wheat bran will make

sheep, cattle, and horses fat. At half a cent per pound it is cheap feed, and it is often lower in Western New-York. JOHN JOHNSTON.

P. S.-It is nearly impossible for me to write anything for the papers. My correspondence takes all my spare time. I have been answering from 25 to 40 letters weekly, for several weeką past. I must give up answering so many. It is working me too hard, and there is no use in it. The back numbers of the Cultivator for eight or ten years, will give all I know on farming; and the Ohio Farmer, published at Cleveland, for 1858 and 1859, will give a great deal of my experience in draining, and some other matters.

J. J.

[For the Country Gentleman and Cultivator.] Buckwheat as Food for Fattening Hogs. MESSRS. EDITORS-Many persons seem to think this grain injurious to swine. I am not of that number. My grandfather was an earnest advocate for the use of this grain in fattening swine. I have frequently heard him tell of a lot of hogs fattened by him some 75 years since, that weighed when slaughtered near 100 lbs. each more than his neighbors judged them to weigh after being dressed. He said they were remarkably fat. The buckwheat was boiled with potatoes, and the hogs, fifteen in number, had a yard to run in, and the straw thrown to them as often as they needed to keep them clean. I think as much of buckwheat for hogs as Mr. JOHNSTON does for cattle and sheep. I feed it frequently and never knew any bad results, even from breeding sows or pigs.

JONATHAN TALCOTT.

[For the Cultivator and Country Gentleman.] Saltpetre for Throat Complaints, etc.

I see an article going the round of the newspapers headed "Cure for Bronchitis," recommending what has long been known as a remedy for internal throat complaints. It is an almost certain supplanter of quinsy, taken in the first stages, as recommended for bronchitis. For scrofula, king's evil, and complaints arising from impure blood, it is a sovereign remedy, and I know no better ready relief for sore eyes than common nitre or saltpetre. I have known of many, by doctors declared incurable, both in king's evil and inflammatory eyes, completely cured by using this remedy twice or thrice a day. A piece about the size of a marrowfat pea is sufficient for a dose. The best mode of taking it is to let it lay as far back on the tongue as possible, and let it dissolve of its own accord. Skaneateles, N. Y.

W. M. BEAUCHAMP. FATTENING POULTRY.

Many persons do not succeed in fattening poultry according to the plan generally approved by breeders; and after shuting two or three of them up together in the dark, find they do not gain flesh. In such case they should be at once examined for lice, and if any are found on them, grease them well under the wings, on the breast-bone, and about the root of the tail; or if they are wild and have never been inclined to eat freely and quietly, they should be fed moderately at first if possible, and efforts made to quiet them and make them tame, without which feeling no animal will fatten readily. But by all means keep them free from vermin-either by meal at first. The coup must be kept clean, and fresh water the use of grease as above, or by mixing a little sulphur in their given the fowls; but when about to kill, both food and water should not be given them for some fifteen hours just previous.

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A GOOD MILKER.

8.

MESSRS. EDITORS-You recently gave an article headed Ayrshire Prize Milkers," in which is given the weight of milk of four Ayrshire cows, which won prizes at the Ayrshire Ag. Society in Scotland.

I wish you could give the weight of the several cows. pounds, six years old, imported when a year old, which gave I have a small Ayrshire cow whose live weight is but 860 300 pounds of milk in seven days-equal to her live weight in twenty days. I do not mention it as extraordinary, but for the sake of comparison. L. SWEETSER, Amherst, Mass.

corn,

[For the Country Gentleman and Cultivator.] CUTTING UP CORN.

EDS. CO. GENT.-As this is the season for cutting up I will give you my method of doing it. We take seven rows at a time; the middle row we set the shocks on, leaving three rows on each side. Then, if the corn is very heavy, we set the first shock on the third hill from the edge, and the next on the fifth hill from that, making thirty-five hills in a shock. Ordinary corn I set the first shock on the fourth hill, and the next on the seventh hill from that, and so on every seventh hill, making forty-nine hills to a shock. The next row of shocks I cut the same, placing them on the corresponding hills with the first row. This leaves them in straight rows each way. My method of putting up the shock is this: I leave the hill uncut; place an arm-full or two of corn around it, and with a sin gle band of rye straw bind it. Then set the remainder of the corn around it, and tie it with a good double band of When we come to husk it, we take two of rye straw. these rows of shocks, throwing down four shocks, (two from each row,) with their tops toward a common centre where we make the heap of corn. Each of these shocks we tie in three sheaves after husking, or four if large, setting the stalks out of the four in one shock. I find this a very convenient mode. My stalks are cured nicely, and I find no difficulty in stacking them so as to keep. Frenchtown, N. J.

J. W. LEQUEAR. [For the Country Gentleman and Cultivator.] CURING CORN FODDER.

was put in in this way-a light one horse plow running
three inches deep was followed by a seed sower, and the
seed scattered in the furrow, and covered with the next,
and so on through the piece-nothing more was done to
the crop. This way of putting in the seed when the crop
is to be fed off green, docs very well, but for niaking into
dry fodder it is not as convenient to cut and bind as when
J. L. R. Jefferson Co., N. N., Sept. 14.
in drills.

[For the Country Gentleman and Cultivator.] My Experience in Cider-Making. MESSRS. EDITORS-Seeing an inquiry in a late number of your paper for cheap Cider Mills, I am induced to give you my experience over thirty years ago in cider-making. At that time I lived eight miles west of the Hudson. I had a fine orchard of choice grafted fruit, and calculated somewhat on making the same profitable to me; but, alas, there was no mill nearer than four miles, and there the fruit was thrown amidst as scurvy a lot as eyes ever fell on; consequently I found I could not obtain the pure juice of my own apples; then too an extra journey had to be taken for the cider, making sixteen miles certain, sometimes twenty-four.

This I knew would not do; I therefore proposed to a relative living with me, that as there was part of a dilapidated cider-press on the farm, that we would make a mill and grind the apples at home. I got two suitable pieces for rollers, which were given to the village turner with a drawing; then I sent to the blacksmith to make teeth and cogs for the rollers, spindles and crank, all acWhilst this was doing, we were MESSRS. EDITORS-I occasionally see inquiries as to the cording to patterns sent. best method of curing and keeping corn sown for fodder. busy making the frame with three-inch scantling and With your permission I will give the mode I pursue, al-boards. We commenced the making at 4 o'clock P. M.; though I do not consider it the best, for I think all kinds at six had the rollers in, then the cog-teeth and grindingof fodder housed, better than when exposed to the weather. teeth-the latter I had to draw out, having driven them But many, after securing their hay and grain crops, have in too much, and reset them. By 8 o'clock the next mornnot room, or ought not to have room, for storing this kind ing it was in running order, and worked admirably and of fodder, unless they pull down their barns and build remarkably light, having a balance wheel six feet in diamelarger, for it requires a good deal of room, as it will not ter, made from two tires of wagon wheels. By 4 o'clock P. M., we had seven barrels of cider made and in the cellar. do to pack it close.

Now for the expense-I paid out less than two dollars and a half for blacksmith's work, iron, turning, and timber; I had a mill that with careful usage would last twenty-five years; I had eider that I sold for three dollars per barrel, and the apple-pomace for my hogs, after making a cider of inferior grade. Another advantage was, it saved sixteen miles travel-I could make my cider evenings and mornings, or on wet days.

The cider made at the public press, sold the same season for six shillings, that is seventy-five cents per barrel. The rule then was to take eight bushels of apples and receive therefor a barrel of cider, or a barrel of whisky for ten barrels of cider. No charge for making was made.

I sow the seed in drills two feet apart, and when the corn is tasseled out, it is cut up with a common corn cutter, and laid in small bunches for binding-the bundles should be small, as it cures better. After binding it is put into small shocks and allowed to remain in the field several weeks to dry. It is then drawn to some convenient spot near the barn, and re-shocked, the shocks being made much larger than at first, and the tops well secured by bands of twisted hay-this should be upon elevated ground, so that the water shall not settle around the bottom of the shocks. Here it remains until wanted for feeding out. Treated in this way, I find that it keeps better than when put into stacks, besides it is in a very convenient shape for feeding out. Last fall, however, I made a small stack in this way-rails were placed well up from the ground, and the stalks were laid upon them, butts out-the tops lapping about sixteen inches-the stack was long and narrow, and about six feet high. The top was raised a little, My plan of cider-making was to grind the apples in the so as to carry off the water, and when finished was cover-evening-press out in the morning, and let it run all ed with a cap of cotton cloth. The fodder kept no better, day, and barrel at night; sometimes reverse it, grind in and was not as convenient for foddering as that in the the morning, press out and barrel in the evening-letting shocks. If the shocks are well made, the bundles set the cheese run all night. The pomace I sometimes ran close and well secured by a strong band at the top, the through the mill a second time, then water it sufficiently fodder will keep well until used up. and let it lay a short time and press it. This forms a drinkable article much sooner than the pure juice, and fines more rapidly. A little water is of advantage to the best of apple juice; I think six quarts to a barrel of pure juice.

I have long thought of getting up a simple hand-mill, at from three to five dollars-one that will do more efficient work than any patent mill I ever saw-and I may perhaps do so for our coming town fair.

Such a mill set coarse, may be used for crushing roots of various kinds for hogs and stock, with as little labor as that bestowed in cutting straw, and I think at less expenditure of strength. W. M. BEAUCHAMP,

I have about two acres of this kind of fodder, raised from western seed, which I am now cutting up, and which has attained a very heavy growth. It was sown in drills two feet apart, and worked out onoe with a light one horse drag. It is quite thick in the rows, and is from six to nine feet high, and not fully tasseled out-the stalks are from one-fourth to three-fourths of an inch in diameter-generally about half an inch. It was sowed the 18th of June. I have another piece of half an acre sowed the 2d of July this is about three feet high, and is just the thing for feeding milch cows at this season of the year. This piece Col. J. M. SHERWOOD of Auburn, has recently sold of ground was fitted and sown to turnips, but the fly des- a fine young Shorthorn bull, “Christmas Duke," 2628, to troyed them as soon as out of the ground, and the corn G. W. Rosenberger, Esq., of Rockingham Co., Va.

Skaneateles, August, 1860,

[For the Country Gentleman and Cultivator.] LETTER FROM LEVI BARTLETT.

How the Shakers Unload Hay. In the Co. GENT. of August 9th, JonN MOORE of Oxford, N. Y., inquires about the Shaker mode of unloading hay. Unloading hay by means of hook and horse power, has been practiced for many years past by the Shakers at Canterbury, N. H., an account of which was published in the (old) New-England Farmer, some twenty years ago; with Mr. Moore, it "strikes me as being superior to the horse fork, both as to the easement and dispatch." If I recollect right, it required but "four grabs" of the hooks to carry a ton of hay from the cart, over the 'high beams," and deposit it, by the aid of the person on the mow, in the right place.

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The South Family of Shakers at Canterbury, have recently erected a new and capacious barn, so arranged that the loads of hay are driven into the upper story, and the hay is pitched "down instead of up." Consequently they now have no use for hooks in unloading the hay. I was at their place a few weeks since, and saw the hooks which they formerly used, but did not notice their particular form, size, &c. I presume Mr. Moore could obtain the desired information by writing to David Parker, or Robert Shepard, Trustees of the 1st Family of Shakers-post office address, Shaker Village, Canterbury, N. H.

Stable Floors-Tying up Cattle.

In the same number of the Co. GENT., H. P. Norton inquires “what will make the best floor for stables in a basement story."

I do not know but "stone and gravel" makes a good stable floor; but I am quite well satisfied with stable and hovel floors made with good sound pine or hemlock, two inch plank, with an under floor of inch boards. My cattle stand on a raised platform, with a water-tight gutter in the rear, which receives their droppings, consequently they are as clean and free from filth as if they remained in the pasture. In fastening my cattle in the hovel, I have made use of wooden bows, chains and leather straps; but all these gave them too much leeway. They would, when lying down, get back into their filth. Some five years ago I fitted up my hovels with stanchions, and am satisfied with them, and my oxen and cows appear to be so, for they are as eager to get into the hovels, when taken from the pasture at night, in this dog-day weather, as they are in the coldest days of winter. The floors are well littered with sawdust, loam or muck, which gives a much softer bed than Mr. Mechi's latticed hovel floors, which have no bedding of any description. Some of my cows have not passed a night outside of my hovel for five years.

Cows

I regret that I had not more particularly noticed the Shaker arrangement for fastening and loosing their "all at a time" but I doubt not that Mr. Norton can obtain the required information by writing to Messrs. Parker or Shepard (as above directed), for it is a principle of the Shakers "to do good and communicate."

[For the Country Gentleman and Cultivator.] How to Keep Pumpkins,

I see that R. B. P. wishes to know how to keep pumpkins through the winter. To preserve them for domestic uses, they must be cut into thin slices and dried; but I wish to give you my practice in keeping pumpkins for feeding to cows or other stock. As soon as my corn is cut up and stooked, and the pumpkins are ripe enough to be taken from the vine, I take the largest and the best and place them under the stooks of corn, being careful not to break the stem from the pumpkin, This should be done before too many hard frosts. In this place they are left until the corn is husked out, unless wanted for feed ing; then they are drawn to the barn and placed carefully on the floor; from thence to the celler, when the weather becomes sufficiently cool, and be careful to keep them dry and cool, Commence feeding the poorer ones first, and then the better ones, as long as they last.

I am astonished to see many good farmers leave their

pumpkins in the field until they become frost bitten and sun burnt, and almost worthless, before feeding them to their stock. A SUBSCRIBER.

[For the Country Gentleman and Cultivator]. POTATOES---FALL PLANTING.

With a view to obtaining new potatoes earlier than by the usual process of spring planting, I prepared a small patch in the garden, as follows:

Dug trenches nine inches deep, two feet four inches apart-strewed on the bottom long stable manure-set early Junes, whole, eight inches apart; then another layer of long litter fresh from the stable, and filled up with four inches of soil. All this on the 18th November.

As soon as the surface got to be well frozen, spread, as is my usual practice, a light layer of straw all over the garden. They appeared above ground 14th May. Dug between rows, and planted seventy-five Early York cabbages. Dug 26th July one and three-quarters bushels and two quarts, leaving the cabbage almost headed. Dimensions of patch, 252 square feet, which, throwing away the two odd quarts, gives 803 bushels to the acre. Such a yield, however, is not to be expected from field culture on a large scale, nor is the process and its results sufficiently tested to warrant its adoption extensively; but under certain circumstances it may be convenient and good economy, and the result of this little experiment affords good encouragement to repeat it.

Potatoes of same kind planted 3d April came up and As respects an early crop, the attempt was a failure. turned out larger, and very few small-and it is believed matured ten days earlier-the fall planted, however, much more in quantity, though there were no means of making an accurate comparison.

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It is intended this fall to repeat the experiment with with furrows wide enough apart to admit of plowing 'peach blows" (earliness being out of the question,) between, and filling up at the proper time with cabbage or ruta baga plants. c. Salisbury Mills, August, 1860.

[For the Country Gentleman and Cultivator.] BREAD FROM UNBOLTED FLOUR. Ens. Co. GENT.-A correspondent asks for some directions for making bread from unbolted wheat flour. I have used it in my family for several years, and am glad to give any one the benefit of my experience. We like it particularly, baked fresh for breakfast, and although I am no advocate for warm bread, I recommend this because I never knew it to hurt any one; it is not clammy and indigestible, like bread made from yne flour.

Take a pint of sour milk with a spoonful or two of cream or buttermilk if you have it. Add salt and a table spoonful of out sifting, of course, until it forms a very stiff batter. Add sugar (if you like it sweetened ;) then stir in the flour, witha small teaspoonful of soda. Bake it in shallow pans with a quick fire, and you will have as light and wholesome a breakfast cake as you can desire.

And here let me add that I think this flour makes better griddle cakes than buckwheat.

For bread I think it is best made on a fine flour foundation, that is, when your white bread is ready to mould, but before any flour is added, take out enough for one lonf and add to it one or two spoonfuls of molasses and as much cold water; work these thoroughly, or the bread will be striped; then stir in as much unbolted flour as you can, but do not mould it. Let it stand to rise with the white loaves; it will not appear to rise as they do, but will be ready for the oven at the same time. H. Keene, N. H.

Raising Turkeys.

We procured the Bronze Turkeys, and find them more hardy, I not only feed the young turkeys mostly upon eggs, but I give them all the shells, pulverized with the hands, They need something of the kind, and will eat them many times in preference to the inside. I did not lose one out of twenty-eight. They have been running at large for three weeks, and we don't feed them at all. New-Hartford. MARIA BROWN,

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