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THE DAISY AND POLYANTHUS.

Of early flowering plants, few are more beautiful than the Daisy and Polyanthus. The fine double varieties of these plants are very desirable, and should have a place in every garden. They require rich aud moist soil, and a shaded, cool situation. The Daisy is not sufficiently hardy to withstand the cold of our winters without protection. The best method of keeping them is by means of a frame. They are readily multiplied by division of the roots.

This is however attended with objections. If the pear does not root while the tree is yet young and thrifty, and when it is most desirable to retain the character of the dwarf, it will not often root at all. Besides, but few roots

are thus thrown out, and frequently on one side of the stem, so that the tree is unequally supported, and it often lops over or becomes prostrate.

A mode of effecting the desired object, was described some years ago by J. M. EARLE of Worcester, and has since been adopted very successfully by JAMES OLIVER of Lynn, who recently described to us particularly the mode of performing the operation.

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PRIMULA ELATIOR OR POLYANTHUS.

a. trunk of dwarf pear tree-b. b. pear stocks inserted into it, for new bottom-c, cut for receiving the pear stock-d. pear stock, cut sloping before insertion.

He allows the dwarfs to grow and bear, until symptoms of decline make their appearance. Two thrifty pear seedlings or stocks are then planted on each side of the trunk, and as near to it as practicable,-within an inch or two if The Polyanthus is more hardy, and most of the varieties will stand any ordinary winter without protection. The possible. No harm will be done if some of the quince roots should happen to be cut in setting them. They variety is great, those produced from seed being very diverse in their markings. Of the the full double varie- grow one year. Then, the next spring, as soon as the bark will peel, they are inarched into the pear tree. A ties, there are white, yellow, and purple; of the single new bottom is thus formed for the pear tree, and new sorts, there are various colors, but the predominating one is brown, or brownish-crimson, with yellow eye and bor-vigor is soon imparted to it. A substantial two-legged der. There are some sorts, semi-double, with small flow-tree is thus manufactured, and the quince ceases to perform its office. The mode of attaching the stocks to the tree ers, but they are not as pretty as the single or full double is as follows:-Make a slit in the bark of the dwarf pear varieties. The time of flowering is in May or earlier, and the bloom is over as soon as the weather becomes pretty of the slit, make a cross cut, so as to form an inverted L tree a few inches above ground, and across the lower end hot. They may then be removed and their place supplied If the tree is large, make a notch instead of the cut, slowith bedding plants from the green-house or with annuals. ping downwards, so as the better to admit the stock. The engraving gives a very good idea of the appearance Then bend the stock against this notch or cross cut, and of the single flowering sorts, though most of them bear mark it at that point. Then with a knife set with the their flowers on taller stems than that represented in the edge upwards at this mark, cut the stock off with a slope two or three inches long. It is then easily bent and inserted into the slit. It may be covered with grafting wax, but grafting clay is much better for this purpose. This is made of clay or clay-loam one part, and horse manure two parts, well mixed together-the addition of a little hair is an improvement. Cow manure is entirely unfit, being too compact with the clay, and not possessing the fibrous character of the other.

cut.

G. B. H.

Dwarf Pears Changed to Standards.

It often happens that dwarf pears lose their vigor after bearing a few years, and many kinds live but a short time under the best management. So long, however, as they bear much earlier than standards, their cultivation will be continued in spite of this formidable disadvantage. To combine the advantages of both,-by changing the dwarf, as soon as its energies flag, to a standard, and thus secure its growth and productiveness for a century,-has long been a desideratum. To accomplish this purpose, some pomologists have recommended the practice of planting the dwarf so deep that the place of union between the pear and quince may be some inches below the surface of the earth, that the pear may throw out roots for itself.

Dwarf pears that had nearly ceased growing, have been restored to vigor in this way.

DIOSCOREA BATATAS.-Messrs. Overman & Mann of

Bloomington, Ill., report that "three years since they set out three thousand cuttings of this plant, nearly all of which grew. They are nearly hardy, killing back but little. At the end of two years they are dug, when the roots are of fair size, but of little value for food."

Fruit Growers' Society of Western New-York. [Reported for the Country Gentleman.]

The Fruit Growers' Society of Western New-York met at the Court House in Rochester, at 11 A. M., on the 25th of June-the President, H. T. BROOKS, in the chair. Pruning Dwarf and Standard Pear Trees. The following question was discussed-What is the best form of pruning the Dwarf Pear Tree? and what the best for the Standard, and the best season for doing it?

W. P. Townsend of Lockport, said he was decidedly in favor of the pyramidal form, cutting pretty severely, and leaving the lower branches the longest. Pruned after the severe frosts were past. If pruned too early, the frost injured the top buds. Care should be taken to cut to the bud, which would make the top even. The habit of the pear tree is vigorous, and bears close pruning. Would cut off the limbs from the body about one foot high before letting the tops come out. Would have the limbs come out about 18 inches or two feet. If the tree is vigorous, would not cut so short as if the tree was not.

G. Ellwanger did not prune sorts of vigorous growth as severely as those of more moderate growth.

C. Downing of Newburgh said the upright kinds should branch lower than those that grow more horizontally. E. Moody of Lockport, thought dwarf pears should be pruned inside as well as outside-they should be thinned out on the inside. The plan of shearing like a cedar, the outside of the tree, will in a little time spoil the tree.

C. Hooker said he had found the same difficulty in pruning-the inside of the tree was growing too thick, and be found it necessary to thin the inside.

He thought it

of animal manure was perhaps the cause. was an overstock of sap, which could not be elaborated by the leaves-it was in fact plethora. Charcoal he considered to be of very little or no value; but ashes he considered to be extremely valuable-never saw any situation in the world in which it was not valuable-good for everything.

B. Fish had in one instance a tree which showed con

siderable inclination to crack, but upon putting on a large application of soap suds and ashes it recovered from the disease, and has not cracked until this year.

S. W. Holmes of Syracuse-A German gardener in his city raised a very excessive quantity of fruit in his own had noticed in his own grounds a very decided benefit in garden by the free use of ashes in the ground. He also regard to the quality and early maturity of the fruit, and caused probably by the ashes.

Application of Manure.

Question. The application of manure to the surface. At what season is the application most beneficial, and in what condition should the manure be when applied?

E. Moody, Lockport, has always been opposed to surface manuring, as being too wasteful. If it was to be used at all, he would use it in the spring early. It would leach some, and would then serve as a mulch to the plant.

E. W. Sylvester of Lyons, thought it not best to apply fresh manure to the surface as it would lose all its ammonia, but would recommend composting by putting muck and manure in alternate layers until the pile is five or six feet high. This remains until fall, and then is fit for use. It is found to be well rotted, and fit for any use. This compost he used as a surface mulching, forking or dragging it in in the spring.

C. Downing would recommend putting composted manure on the trees in the fall, and fork it up in the spring. H. N. Langworthy thought it was evident that the pear H. N. Langworthy has been using liquid manure made cultivators were on the extreme in pruning so close. He from night soil, and found remarkable effects from itthought it necessary to give the tree a little more room-greater effect in fact than he had ever seen before from not to prune so close-would cut the inside out of stand- any other manure. Old bearing pear trees had made a ard pears-would take out the leader. The trees are dis- growth of five feet in some instances, and in all had grown posed to make a leader, but by cutting it out, it makes the remarkably. tree wider and better shaped.

Mr. Lee of Newark, cut back in August in order to get fruit spurs, and so fruit the next year.

Pinching Pear Trees.

G. Ellwanger-The first advantage of pinching is in checking the growth, and thus assisting the formation of fruit spurs. It also assists the job of pruning in the winter. Generally performs the pinching in June, when the young shoots are about six inches long. He only pinches those shoots which are intended to bear fruit the next year. He never pinches the leading shoots. The object of pinching is to make fruit-buds, and also to thin out the

inside of the tree.

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Dr. Beadle had used pure charcoal as a manure, and could not see that it produced any effect. Thought it its principal benefit was owing to the burnt earth, which was always found in old charcoal-beds, and which was found in England to be very valuable for fruit trees.

Dr. Sylvester of Lyons, had found considerable benefit from it. Thought muck a material very similar to charcoal, producing very similar effects.

Fire Blight on Pear Trees.

The President had thought that the blight of pear trees might be owing to the use of animal manure.

L. B. Langworthy was perfectly dumb-founded as to the cause of the fire blight in the pear. Thought the use

The Currant Worm. What are the most effectual means for its destruction? Question.-The Currant Worm? What are its habits?

Geo. Ellwanger-During the past month we have used slack lime every day or every other day, and have succeeded perfectly, destroying all of them-covering the leaves and fruit with the fine dust. It does no harm to the foliage or fruit. He considers it a complete remedy.

H. N. Langworthy has used a solution of soft soap and water, very strong-had had perfect success-killed the worms without fail-must be put on often.

Dr. Beadle had found the use of air slacked lime a perfect success in killing the worms.

Dr. Sylvester had used one pound of whale oil soap and four gallons of water, and succeeded entirely in saving the fruit and killing the worms-had pursued the same course this year, so far with perfect success. He applied it every other day.

The White Grub. Question.-The White Grub? What are its habits? What are the most effectual means for its destruction? L. B. Langworthy-The white grub is the larva of the May-bug. It is four years in completing its growth-is most destructive in its third year. He thinks it impossi ble to destroy it, except to dig it up and kill it. It is particularly destructive to strawberries.

Geo. Ellwanger had always found. white grubs to be plenty in grounds manured by night soil-would never use it until composted three or four years.

E. W. Herendeen had tried clear salt to kill the grubs, withont success.

Salt for Quince Stocks. Question.-Has the use of Salt been found to be beneficial to Quince Stocks? or to Plum Trees?

Geo. Ellwanger had applied salt to pear and plum trees, and found it produced a wonderful effect-would apply six or eight barrels to the acre-would use as much as a

peck for a large tree, as large as a large apple tree. Uses it in February. Puts enough on to make the ground white.

C. Downing thought salt good for all vegetation, but it would do no good to kill insects.

W. P. Townsend had used salt for many years with the best results, for quince trees.

that they have good clear water constantly, and has them sheared according to his own notion. He has his lambs come about the last of April or the first of May, so that they can have plenty of grass, with the milk from the dam, to make them grow rapidly. He lost one last winter when about half grown. It was one of his yearling ewes that lost it. He noticed in the morning when he

Dr. Sylvester said there was a limit to the use of salt-fed them, that she was sick, and in the afternoon he took it must not be used in excessive quantities.

New Strawberries.

Question. What new varieties of the Strawberry have been found to promise well in the experience of this Society?

Dr. Sylvester thought Frost's Filmore a valuable new sort. He thought the crop a full average of other sorts. Cutter's Seedling he considered a valuable sort, also. In Boston it was highly prized. The Austin Seedling too soft for carrying well.

The Society then adjourned to meet at Rochester on the first day of the State Fair of the New York State Agricultural Society.

[For the Country Gentleman and Cultivator.] THE HISTORY OF ONE SHEEP. MESSRS. EDITORS-I read in the N. Y. Argus under date of May 31st, that it was not profitable to save twin lambs for breeders, stating that the sheep were smaller and the growth of wool was less.

Now I will give you the history of one sheep which is kept upon my father's farm, and owned by my youngest brother, James T. Beal, a lad of some thirteen summers. The sheep I am speaking about, is from a small fine wool ewe, and a splendid buck, (cross between the Cotswold and South-Down,) from the yard of Col. Joseph Juliand of Bainbridge. She was dropped Feb. 18th, 1856. The old ewe would not own her, so we were obliged to raise her as a cosset.

She was a very small lamb, for when she was a week old she could not have been larger than a large rat. But she grew finely, and now is much larger than her dam, taking after the buck, I presume, for size. She did not have any lambs until she was three years old. The fall before she was three years old, he got a large coarse-wool buck and put in with her, but she would have nothing to do with him; but he was not to be out-witted by her this time. He got a rope, put it round her, and tied her to the nearest fence-post. The result of this trouble was a nice pair of lambs-one a buck, the other a ewe. When the lambs were a year old, he had them sheared. The old ewe never sheared less than six pounds. One of the lambs sheared 84, and the other 7 lbs. When the lambs were a year old, the old ewe had another pair of lambs, both were ewes.

When his first pair of lambs were two years old, he sheared the five, receiving on an average per head about seven pounds of wool of a good quality. The old ewe had another pair of ewes-also his first ewe lamb had one, and his yearling ewes had each of them one, making five lambs from four sheep, which gave him nine sheep, which he wintered. He would have had ten sheep, but last fall we killed the male sheep of his first pair. His meat weighed 102 lbs., besides the pelt and tallow.

This spring the old ewe had another fine pair of lambs -one a buck, the other a ewe, making eight lambs that she has had in three years. His ewe that is three years old, had this spring a nice pair of ewe lambs-also his ewes that are two years old, had each of them two lambs, making four pair of twin lambs this spring. Also, two of his yearling ewes have had a lamb, making an aggregate of 20 sheep in three years from one ewe. He had his sheep sheared the 24th of May, and his flock averaged about 6 lbs. per head.

My brother takes the whole care of them, both summer and winter. He salts them regularly once a week, sees

the lamb from her, when she got well without further trouble.

I write this to let others know what he is doing, and let them judge whether he is a shepherd or not. I would like to hear from others, who make a business of raising sheep, upon this subject, whether it is profitable to save twin lambs or not.

Let the boys of our country try their hands at raising fine stock, (for many times they will excel their fathers,) and then they will have something to encourage them to follow the most independent calling upon earth. Give the boys boys will take pride in staying at home and tilling their a chance to show what they can do on the farm, and more father's farms. The reason why so many young men at the present day are dissatisfied with farming, is because they do not have a chance to experiment for themselves, and they leave their homes, cursing the farm and every thing connected with it.

Boys in this "enlightened day" think they know something, and sure enough they do. All they want is a chance to show what they can do in the line of raising fine stock. Let those men who are able, give their sons some stock to raise and a piece of ground to till, and try and educate them in this important branch of business, for in a few short years the boys of the present generation will have to occupy their fathers' places if they are occupied at all.

Let all young men strive for themselves, remembering that they have it in their power to be somebody or not, country, an ornament to society, and a help to their friends. just as they choose-i. e., they can be an honor to their

Bainbridge, June 11, 1862.

STEPHEN B. BEAL.

[For the Country Gentleman and Cultivator.] CASHMERE (SHAWL) GOATS. MESSRS. EDITORS-Having lately been frequently inquired of in regard to Cashmere goats, I will by permission write a few lines touching on their adaptation, &c., to our climate. They have now been on my farm two winters, and although a part of the flock was bred in Georgia, some of which landed here in the night, and on rising in the morning I found a heavy snow had fallen, and a cold northwester driving soon after; yet no damage was sustained, though one of these was a small kid just weaned and shipped here. Last winter they had little or no care save an open and elevated lot, with winter pasture. When wet or very cold they slept in a stable, yet seldom had hay or grain, and often slept on the ground with nature's covering only over them, and on several occasions passed the night in this way. No variety of stock that I ever owned appeared so independent of man, or requiring so little care or causing so little trouble, and although most of them have not passed the age of two years, yet they have dropped kids each spring, viz., of '61 and '62, and further, they have raised them. They are always in fine health and conditon. Their fleece, to say nothing of their value for costly shawls, can readily be worked into garments of various kinds to clothe the body and feet. They so soon and so readily improve the offspring of the, common she goat when she is bred either to a grade and pure Cashmere male, and their flesh so much like imdeer, their pelts so valuable for rugs, robes, or for saddle, that they are destined to become a considchigan. object among farm stock, and I may add their forms a striking contrast with many of the unco but those mals to be met on so many farms.

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[For the Country Gentleman and Cultivator.] Preparation and Application of Barn-Yard Ma

nure.

The best manner of preparing and applying barn-yard manure was one of the subjects discussed at one of the Evening Meetings of the New York State Agricultural Society last fall at Watertown. One of the most important points in that discussion, was to settle what each of the speakers meant by barn-yard manure. Some man who devoted all his farm to the support of cows, would protest against moving manure from the sheds and piling it out in the sun and rain to be evaporated or leached out, and thus a large part of its value wasted. Another, who was a grain raiser, was quite as confident that if it was left in the sheds, it would fire-fang and decay slowly, and suffer greatly. These men did not understand each other, simply because each judged of the matter by the circumstances that surrounded himself. The man of cows had little straw or anything else to litter down his stables, and thus his manure was nearly all cow dung. The man of grain had vastly more straw than he could get his stock to trample underfoot and get in any condition to ferment properly, so as to reduce its bulk. Finally we worked out of this smoke, and came to understand each other, at least partially.

My case is that of the grain raiser. Usually we have a large surplus of straw, after we have used all our stock during the winter to trample it underfoot as an absorbent. Our sheep sheds will have from two to three feet of what we call manure, in depth, which we must take out and mix with the manure of the yards, and pile it up so as to have it receive and retain the greatest possible amount of The rains that fall on it. These piles have never firefanged with us; but sometimes the manure begins to firefang a little before we can find time to get it out of the

sheds.

But why not draw this manure directly to the field and put it at work in enriching the soil? This question is constantly asked, and should be answered. The first reason is the straw has not yet absorbed all it will and should, from the excrementitious matter mixed with it, and if it is drawn out and spread it will never absorb it. The next reason is: the whole mass is too bulky to be advantageously applied, either on the surface or to be plowed in. In fact it cannot be plowed under, (without some extra hand being required to bury it in the furrows,) by any process known to us. The third reason is: two or three loads of this bulky manure will shrink into one, by the time we are ready to apply it to grass or wheat in the fall, and thus it is far less work to pile in the spring and draw and spread in the fall, than it is to take the whole crude mass out in that season of the year when the ground is full of water, and so soft that the wagon wheels cut and puddle roadways, to the great damage of the field. I must here say that this plan of working our manure on our grain farms, is not peculiar to us, but is nearly universally adopted by all our neighbors and men every where, so far as I know, who are like situated.

The harrow will mingle it with the soil, and perhaps slight-
ly cover most of it, if it is drawn across the furrows.
Then roll the land and drill in the wheat, and leave the
surface untouched behind the drill. If any thing will in-
sure a crop of wheat here, this is the way to do it.
the yards in the spring, and put it on sod-land intended
I have many times drawn unfermented manure from
for corn, and plowed it under deep and well at great cost,
but with very little benefit to the crop. The next time
this land was plowed, I have seen this strawy manure,
covered with white mold, in the bottom of the furrow.
We do not follow this practice now. If we were to at-
tempt to raise extra large corn, we should begin farther
back, and manure the land when we put it into wheat;
again while we were pasturing it; and save some well-
rotted manure over a year, and top-dress the soil after we
had plowed it; then harrow well, and plant with "great
expectations."

The discussion now going on in your paper, in which my name has appeared, has led me to write the foregoing.

Fairmount, N. Y., July 4, 1862.

GEO. GEDDES.

[For the Country Gentleman and Cultivator.] PROFITS OF POULTRY.

MESSRS. EDITORS-When I wrote to you in May, I said I would tell you how I made poultry profitable if you desired it, and you said "let us have it." Now I will premise that I have no great profits to tell of, but I can show that keeping poultry may be made profitable to some degree, even when all their grain has to be bought. We have no other animals but hens about the house, and so save all the waste scraps from the table for them. My hens are of the common mongrel kind. I sell all their eggs, and this is my chief source of pro

fit.

During the year 1861, from nine hens, I sold eggs to the value of $7.20, and in the fall killed nine fowls worth $1.80 -total receipts $9. The value of my poultry feed, (of course the waste scraps are not estimated) for 1861, was $1.46. Profit, $4.54.

During the first six months of the present year, from nine hens, I sold eggs to the value of $4.82. The cost of my poultry feed for the same time was $1.72. Profit for six months, $3 10. I keep only a few fowls-of course the profits would increase in proportion to the number of hens.

I had rather poor success with the ducks I spoke of in my last: eleven were hatched, and in less than four weeks the rats had killed all but one. They took five ducks from under the old hen in one night, when the hen was shut up in a little pen in the yard. The others were carried off in the daytime. At the same time a neighbor lost eight young ducks. I have not been able to poison all the rats yet. I expect another brood of ducks to hatch soon, and I may lose them all in the

same way.

recommends "an old tin pan or a trough" for my ducks. On page 368 of the last volume of the Co. GENT., AVIS That would answer while they were small, but when grown larger, they could not swim at all in either. My hens do not lay well in the winter, as I suppose the Black Spanish fowls would; for from Nov. 15, 1861, to Feb. 15, 1862, only one dozen eggs were laid. G. M. Conn.

eggs, or nearly so?

KEEPING EGGS.

8. L.

With the grazier things are all different, and they are sagacious enough to do about the thing best for them. And Mr. Editor, allow me to say farther that so far as my travels have extended, I have found that farmers Is there any method by which eggs, if collected when pergenerally know about what is best for them to do in viewfectly fresh, can be kept until winter and be as good as new of the kind of farming they are engaged in, and in view of their proximity or remoteness from market. And it They may be easily kept if placed in a cool place on end. is very dangerous to advise any very wide departure from Some think they should be placed on the small end; we have the practices of the progressive farmers of any locality. from As to the point now under discussion in the Agricul- should be placed large end down-this has also succeeded. long known this to be entirely successful. Others insist they coal, al papers, relating to surface manuring, or manure A small cupboard, with numerous shelves, bored with holes 'y buried, I wish to say that on our lands I have no The Prehat manure should be put on or near the surface, just large enough to hold an egg each, on end, is an excellent might be ov intended for wheat, after the last plowing, when contrivance. It should be placed in a cool cellar. Packing in L. B. Laws are as rough as the plow has left them, is just salt, ashes, bran, &c., owes its efficacy to the egg being placed the cause of dition to receive the manure that has been re- on end-while excluding heat by the ashes or salt, is no doubt

bulk and mixed by the processes practiced here, I useful.

Reappearance of the Grain Louse.

as it will dissolve when hot, and apply quite warm two or three times a day until a cure is effected.

Five dollars was paid a V. S. for this recipe. I have known several cases perfectly cured by it, and never knew

it to fail.

J. M. KNAPP.

[For the Country Gentleman and Cultivator Fine Thorough-Bred Sheep in Vermont. RUTLAND, VERMONT, JULY 14th, 1862. MESSRS. EDITORS-I notice in your issue of July 10th, 1862, a letter signed GEORGE BUTTS, Manlius, N. Y., treating on fine wool sheep, and weight of fleece—also asking to hear from others in a similar way.

It will be remembered that about this time last year a comparatively New Insect made its appearance in countless numbers on the Grain fields over a wide extent of territory, embracing portions of New-England and this State, but, so far as we are aware, not reaching very far into the interior, or at least not swarming in such quantities, after one had passed well into Central New-York and farther westward. We refer to the Grain Aphis, described at length by our valued correspondent Dr. ASA FITCH, on page 114 of vol. XVIII of this paper. It did not appear to do much damage to the rye, wheat and barley; but on oats, particularly where the crop was a late one, it was I am on a visit to Vermont in search of thorough-bred thought to have lessened the product and weight very sheep, looking for myself instead of buying of eastern greatly. This was especially the case in Northern New-traders and speculators that visit our section annually, and York, where the season was backward, but some damage being deceived, as I have been by them, and for the last was also laid to the account of this louse in the river time I think, paying them large prices (as I now find) for counties, in which it was probably about as early as usual. Dr. FITCH expressed the opinion that the Grain Aphis would not again overrun the same districts the present year. This opinion seems to be vindicated, as far as our information now extends, by the experience of the present year.

But we are beginning to hear of it, to the westward of its former range, in no less wonderful quantities than we had it at the East last year. We understand indirectly, that it is appearing in the western part of this State; the newspapers of Canada West speak of it as now covering the heads of grain in some fields, so thickly as to give them quite a brownish appearance, and a correspondent at Merrillsville, Michigan, under date of July 16th, writes us as follows:

"EDS. Co. GENT.-All the spring and fall wheat in this vicinity was recovering under the influence of several rain-storms, from the effects of the drouth, and farmers were beginning to congratulate themselves upon the prospect of a good crop, when all these fair prospects were thrown to the winds by the appearance, jointly, of the midge and a strange insect resembling a louse, but of various brilliant colors, which covering all latish pieces of wheat, threaten to wholly destroy them. The latter mentioned insect is entirely unknown here, and I write to you for information regarding its name, manner of breeding, and probable effect upon grain. If you, or some of your many correspondents, will answer these queries through the Co. GENT., you will confer a great favor upon

grade sheep. I have just returned from a visit to the farm of N. T. SPRAGUE, Jr., of Brandon, Vermont. I was kindly shown over the farm by Col. H. H. Merritt, the shepherd and care-taker of the premises. And such sheep! It would do any lover of fine stock good to see them. One buck deserves special notice. He was two years old April 27th, 1862. He sheared this season 22 the fleece myself)-a perfect sheep in shape, with a strong lbs. 9 oz. of white, handsome unwashed wool-(I weighed constitution. Also 18 two-year old and 18 yearling ewes that sheared 424 4-5 lbs. of wool, (the average is 11 4-5 lbs. per head,) without selecting out the best, as is many blood sheep-a piece of deception oftimes practiced upon times done, and giving to the public the weight of fleece of the reading community. The above number of yearlings and two-year olds, are all that were raised on said farm in 1860 and 1861. The flock of thorough-bred sheep on said farm is 103. They sheared, as I am informed by Col. Merritt, 1,036 3-16 lbs. of wool. The wool is white as I ever saw-in fact I think that any wool-buyer would pronounce it a handsome lot of washed wool. It is a long staple with a white eke or oil, a strong fibre denoting a strong constitution and good breeding.

This flock was bred from the Atwood flock of Connecticut. Mr. Sprague informs me that when he commenced breeding them they only sheared six lbs. per head. He has almost doubled the weight of fleece. I say to sheep breeders of the west, what has been done, can be done again. I think that the west has the brains, capital and climate, to compete with Vermont and her sheep-breed

H. W. H." ers.

For the information requested we refer our correspondent to Dr. FITCH's article above alluded to, and to other notices of the Grain Aphis, contained in vol. xvIII of the Co. GENT. We do not think apprehension need be felt of serious injury to any other crop than oats.

It will be matter of interest, and worth placing on record, to obtain farther information as to the extent of territory through which this insect is now showing itself. If our subscribers who find it in any very large numbers on their farms, will apprise us of the fact, we shall be able to state hereafter with some degree of accuracy the ground it has gone over, and to judge with possible correctness as to where its arrival may be expected another year.

[For the Country Gentleman and Cultivator.j
POLL EVIL.

On page 92, vol. 19 COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, a cure is given for Poll Evil after it has commenced running. Now it is a good thing to know how to cure it at this stage of the disease; but I prefer to effect a cure shortly after its first appearance. Dissolve as much common salt in urine

Let us wake up to this subject, and raise our own fine stock instead of going to Vermont for it. We can do it by buying their best instead of their grade sheep, and in no other way. To be sure it costs more in the start, but it is cheaper in the long run.

I have visited many fine flocks in Vermont, and at some future time with your consent, Messrs. Editors, I will short history of sheep-breeding, as practiced in Vermont. give your readers a brief sketch of my visit here-also a

The crops in the valley of Otter creek are looking well. The western towns of this state, bordering on lake Champlain, have suffered severely with the drouth-grass not more than one-half the usual crop. Corn all through the state, is quite backward.

The war spirit in Vermont is above zero. I learn that she starts her first regiment under the new call for 300,000 men, to-morrow. If this is true, she will be the first in the field under the last call, if I am rightly posted.

In conclusion, I would say to sheep-breeders, can you beat the above described flock, confining yourself to the white eke or oil, with a long staple, desirable shape and strong constitution? If so, speak out. We go for improvement. HENRY J. BROWN of Kalamazoo, Michigan. What is that which makes every body sick but those who swallow it? Flattery.

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