He continued to buy yearly from two to four sheep until 1810. In 1811, he bought 50 ewes and 5 ram lambs. In 1818, he bought 54 ewes. At this date the whole flock was sold at Croissy, at an average of from 120 to 300 francs each.

The pasturage at Croissy was much better than that at Rambouillet, and the flock superior. This is why my father made his acquisitions here in preference to those at Rambouillet. In 1821, he bought a buck at Rambouillet. Notwithstanding these two flocks were of the same family, he obtained a great advantage by an alliance of blood, of the flock of Rambouillet with his, being of the same lineal descent, but a complete separation having taken place since 1786, between the two flocks. From 1821 to 1829, he bought five bucks at Rambouillet. At this epoch, my father ceded to me his entire flock of merinos, which numbered 209 ewes from three to six years old; 176 ewes from one to two years; and 90 yearling bucks. In 1832, I bought the 55 ewes submitted at the public sale at Rambouillet. Since then, I have bought several ewes and rams to maintain the renewal of blood of my flock, at times necessary. In choosing reproductors in animals, the best conformed, bearing the greatest quantity of the best quality of wool, was my guide, and by this constant care and study I have realized

from my best rams twenty-four pounds, (27 pounds English) and from my ewes eighteen pounds, (20 pounds English) of fleece wool.

The good direction given by my father to his flock acquired him the greatest reputation throughout France. No person from the States visited our flock previous to the 11th of May, 1816. Then we had the pleasure of a visit from Mr. John A. Taintor of Hartford, to whom I sold two rams and seven ewes.

tain the same quality in his flock, but cannot ameliorate it. We separate the ewes into as many lots as we have bucks, taking particular caution not to use a ram of any defect to ewes of the same defect. By these means thoroughly executed, we arrived at the improvement of the race.

We did not decide upon exhibiting our flocks for the prize until 1844, when the Agricultural Assembly at Paris appointed a commissioner to visit the best flocks in our country. As soon as the commissioners made their report, the minister of Agriculture granted me the great gold medal. In 1845, the Agricultural Assembly met st Gregnon. I sent there 350 ewes and 4 bucks for exhibition.The first prize was accorded me and my father, who was then 86 years old, and received it from the hands of the Duke of Nemours, conducted by my two sons. To the general concourse, which took place at Versailles in 1851, I and my colleague, Monsieur Cugnot, sent each of us three rams, and the first premium was granted us.

VICTOR GILBERT.
Widerille, Commune de Crespieres
Seine et Oise,
le 7 April 1852.

One immedi

SINGULAR TRADITION. Among the Seminole Indians there is a curious tradition regarding the white man's origin and superiority. They say that when the Great Spirit made the earth he also made three men, all of whom were led them to the margin of a small lake, and fair complexioned; and after making these, bade them leap in and wash. ately obeyed and came out purer and fairer than before; the second heisitated until the waters agitated by the first had slightly mudSince then I have continued each year to eff- died, and when he had bathed came up copect shipments of rams and a few ewes to Mr. per colored; and the third did not leap in unTaintor, who succeeded in making this breed til the water became black with mud, and came prosper in America, as it has in France. I out with its own color. The Great Spirit laid have also had the satisfaction of a visit from before them three packages of bark and bade Mr. Isaac de Forrest of New York, Mr. San- them choose, giving to the black man the first ford of Orwell, Vermont, and Mr. S. W. Jew-choice. He took hold of each of the packagett, of Middlebury, Vermont. To the latter, I sold, in 1851, 82 ewes and 18 bucks. In 1852, I sold him 94 ewes, and to deliver in 1853, I have sold him 90 ewes. I also received a visit from Mr. Parker and Mr. Howard of Champaign, Ohio, to whom I could not sell any ewes this year or next, to their great

regret.

es, and having felt their weight chose the heaviest, the copper colored man then chose the next heaviest, leaving the white man the lightest of When the first packege was opened, it was all. found to contain spades and all the implements of labor; the second, hunting, fishing, and warlike instruments; the third, pens, ink

and paper-engines of the mind-the means of mutual improvement-the social link of humanity-the foundation of the white man's superiority.

From the various essays made by my father to improve the merino breed, and those which I have continued to effect on the same principles, we have arrived at the conclusion, that in order to improve the breed, we must not Coal in abundance has been discovered in allow our ewes to yean lambs till three years the L'Ause Bay, Lake Superior. It has creaold, and to use no bucks until they have ar-ted excitement in that region, as it will, doubtrived at full maturity. It was necessary to less, among the Pennsylvania coal speculators. feed them upon sound land; dry in preference to damp pasturage; and to renew the blood of the flock every five or six years. If therefore let him seasonably water the one and you are longer in renewing it, one can main-destroy the other.

A man's nature runs either to herbs or weeds;

EDITORIAL CHIT-CHAT. height of the post, which is supported by a

FARM WORK FOR AUGUST.

RYE.

brace, tenanted into the post, some five or six feet from its lower end. These rafters are connected by spars or ribs, then covered and

FROM the middle of this month to the mid-shingled, thus forming a single roof, the length

of the barn. Under the eaves of these sheds,
off the water. Such a shed protects the man-
gutters should invariably be placed to carry
ure heaps, thrown from the "hovels," or "ty-
up," from the atmosphere and rains and
cattle of all kinds, which are in the yard, at
snows, and in addition, affords shelter to
all seasons.
of shed, and would be of very great advantage
This is a very economical kind
to every farmer.

dle of September, is the best time for sowing winter rye. If you have land of a gravelly, sandy nature, you can sow it with rye and obtain a profitable crop. But don't "rye it to death." Some men think they can take from soil, and return nothing to it with impunity. But it is not so, as "blowing sand" in many such fields, abundantly proves. Sow early as a general rule. Upon "burnt ground" however, you can continue sowing till cold weathThen substantial stone wall, or board fence er sets in. On old ground however, sow ear- should surround your barn yards. And be ly, particularly if the soil be poor. The later sure to build them so high on the east and you sow, the more seed you must use, and so if the soil be poor. Rich soil requires less northwest sides, as to protect them from the winds and storms. And then be careful to seed, as the richness of the soil forces more have a water trough in the barn yard, so that branches from the seed. If you sow early, thirty-two or forty quarts per acre are about your stock can drink without going to the brook, spring, pond, or river. The farmer the quantity, but if late, or for spring sowing, who has an average stock of cattle, loses in from forty to sixty quarts are necessary; If the article of manure, enough in one season, you sow early, the rye will spring up and af- by letting his cattle go out of the yard to ford good fall feed for sheep, and with this drink, to pay the expense of fitting up a advantage, aside from the food, cropping trough in his yard, and spouting, to lead the the stocks produces strong, well set roots, cap-water from his house well to fill it,-not to say able of withstanding the frosts of the fall and the spring,-in other words, it will prevent their being winter killed, such killing being done by the frosts of fall and spring, and not in winter, when the roots are perfectly protected by the snow.

anything of the risk of injury to cattle, from going in icy paths to the distant brook or spring, or the nuisance consequent upon their drinking at the well in the door yard! We don't like the plan of having wells sunk in barn yards, as the water from the yard too oftens passes into the well and makes it filthy. Where a man can take advantage of a spring, of course he will bring the water to his house and barn by an aqueduct. In other instances, the hydraulic ram may bring the water from the brook; but in some way be sure to have water in your barn yard for the use of your

cattle.

Every farmer, who pays proper attention to the health of his family, will raise rye. Wheat flour bread causes one half of the dispectics of the country. Rye flour bread is more healthy, and rye and indian bread is more healthy still. Our forefathers, who raised more rye and less wheat upon their burnt and new grounds, and who greeted as a luxury, the rye "bannock" of the morning, and flanked the large brown loaf and "pot of backed beans in A CHALLENGE. Two or three Boston ship the commodious oven, with rye and indian owners have sent a challenge to the ship own"drop cakes," never experienced sleepless nights, on poor appetites. Follow their dieters of Great Britain, somewewhat to the following effect. and you will have their health and strength. If no other work presses in this month,make your preparations about your barn and house for your compost, and cart as much as you can of your muck, sward parings, weeds and the like into your yard. Be careful to keep your hogs employed. We take it for granted, they are in a proper stye, and not running in the road plaguing your neighbors and if not "Wasting (their) sweetness on the desert air," wasting that which is of value to you man-pacity of model, the winning party to receive ure heap, and through that to your purse. In £10,000. this month you may as well attach a manure shed to your barn. This can easily and cheaply be done. We like the plan of Hon. Amasa Setson of Stetson, Me., in this particular. Every stable or cattle barn of his, is fitted up with a manure shed, after this wise. To each post of the front side of his barn, is tenanted a rafter, say at three quarters the

less than 800, nor over 1200 tons register, caThe Boston parties will produce a ship, not pable of stowing 50 per cent. over her register, to compete with any vessel of the same built, in Great Britain. In other words, (the capacity now built or which may hereafter be register limits specified above taken into consideration,) the object of the challenge is to decide which of the parties can obtain the highest rate of speed from the same cubic ca

The length, breadth, &c., are left to the option of each party. A vessel of this model will be a fair medium between our clippers and packet ships, and well adapted to the East India trade. The proposed race, we understand, is to be a voyage to China; but this, of course, may be modified or changed according to circumstances.

MANURE-ANIMAL.

Prof. Johnston classes the relative value of the various dungs thus. 1. Night Soil; 2, bird's dung; 3, horse dung; 4, pigs dung; 5, cow dung. Having treated of night soil, we shall now speak of

GUANO.

Horse dung is a hot manure, from the fact Bartels found 100 parts of the Purest Gu- that it has little urine with it. Having, when

ano to contain

Potash,

Muriate of Ammonia,.

Clay and sand,...

Water and organic matter,.

9.94

0.10 1.19 4.22

6.50

5.90 28.31

Prof. Johnston found the average of a large number of analyses, to afford 100 parts. Water from 12.9 to 29.6

28.9 to 35.9
26.8 to 38.6

Organic matter and salts of Ammonia, Phosphates, The great value of Guano arises from its Ammonia and Phosphates. It is applied in Peru directly to the corn, as soon as it appears, a spoonful to a hill. In England 3 to 4 cwt. are applied to the acre-to the hill or broad cast, and still better mixed half and half with yard manure. It has been estimated that 3 to 4 hundred weight of Guano are equal to 20

voided, little moisture, it soon ferments, becomes dry and "burnt." In this state it has lost a large portion of its weight, and most of its value. Horse dung should be taken immediately from the stall and mixed with cow dung; or if suffered to remain in a heap, plaster should be sprinkled upon every daily deposite.

Thus treated, horse dung is a valuable manure, but suffered to ferment in the heap it soon becomes of little comparative value.

upon

The manure from an extensive horse stable, can best be preserved in a cellar, water being frequently used or hogs kept upon it to root it over and add the moisture. But if no cellar be connected with an extensive horse stable, then the dung should be removed and made into a pile, each layer of dung being well trodden down, sprinkled with ground plaster, and often wet with water. If the liquid runs from the pile, it should be led into is placed plaster; from whence, when propera hollow made for the purpose and wherein ly saturated, it should be thrown back the pile again. Every application of plaster in this way, is better to the farmer than the investment of as much money in the best money stocks in the country. So no farmer should neglect to make free use of plaster about his premises. It absorbs and fixes the valuable gasses that otherwise escape in the atmosphere The dung of all fowls contain like constitu- and are lost to him-and which fixed, add ents to those of Guano, and should be treas-greatly to the value of his manure. ured by every farmer as a valuable manure.-ted to cold moist soils-but when properly Horse manure is considered peculiarly adapIt has been estimated that the salts only pro- secured and prepared, is a most valuable ferduced by a single hen anually, equals the salts tilizer, of all soils, and no farmer should negcontained in several bushels of wheat. Hen lect to properly secure and prepare it,—who dung, then, instead of being considered a nu- would take advantage of one of the most eisance about the barn yard, or fit only to be fective stimulants in his possession. But too collected for the tanner's use, should be pre

or 25 tons of manure. If this be the fact, at $2,50 to $3,00 per cwt. Guano is much the cheapest manure.

ue!

PIG DUNG.

Pig dung is quite as valuable as that of the horse, when new affording by analysis in 100 parts,

served and used upon the garden or farm.many pay no attention to securing their horse And every farmer who sells a dollar's worth manure, and thus lose three quarters of its valto a tanner, impoverishes himself two dollars by the operation, provided he should make a proper use of it as a manure. Bird dung should be kept dry, and for use as a manure should be composted with peat, muck, or charred material. Diluted in the proportion of 1 of dung to from 5 to 10 parts of water, It has been found an excellent manure for vines, peach and plum trees, and most garden or house plants.

HORSE DUNG,

Water,
Nitrogen,

83.00
0.63

The hog is so industrious, that its manure becomes uniformly worked over and saturated with urine, hence its value. The hog stye should be well supplied with muck, turf,

Dana gives the analysis of horse dung weeds, &c. A farmer keeping many or few

stye and the geueral management of his hogs :

ulated editorial families. However, in this case it is of the less consequence, as "The Journal of Agriculture" is well worthy a double notice and we now take occasion to say of it, that it is one of the very best agricultural papers upon our table, equalling any, and surpassing many of the older agricultural papers in our land. May its subscription list equal the most sanguine expectations of its friends, and its editor continue to be the

Published at Boston. Subscription price

THE SOUTHERN PLANTER,-is another fine agricultural paper published monthly at Richmond, Va. Frank G. Ruffin, editor. It is filled with interesting matter, more particularly applicable to the "sunny south," but still of great value to all reading farmers north or south. Such a paper should be, and doubtless is amply supported by the "planters" and all who have at heart their interests.

ourself, when toiling hard for the interests of a weekly political paper, probably never dreamed of having the editoral charge of publications so entirely dissimilar. But so it is,

My hog stye is seventy feet long and seventeen feet wide. There is an aisle on one side, and seven partitions for hogs on the other. A place for dressing the hogs and a kettle for cooking the.r food are in the centre. Doors are so placed that the swine may be removed from one apartment to the other, and to the area for dressing them. There is a row of yards on the side of the stye, one for each apart-king of good fellows. ment. The doors leading to these yards are hung at the top, so as to swing either way, fifty cents per annum. and thus the hogs may go in or out at their pleasure, and always have their doors, when desirable, closed after them These doors should be made of plank or double boards, to render them so heavy that the wind will not keep them open in cold and stormy weather. The hog is proverbially called a dirty animal. This depends very much on his education. If he has been brought up with dirty habits, he will continue in them, unless great pains are taken to change them. But on the contrary, if he has acquired good habits, he will endure THE VALLEY FARMER.-This agricultural great suffering to avoid a filthy action. Hogs paper bears evidence of thrift, and is ably susin this land of barren soil are especially valu-taining the interests of agriculture in the "valable for making manure. I could never obtain ley of the Missisippi." Friend Abbott and much advantage from the rooting of well fed swine; but the quantity of urine they discharge is very great and valuable. It is very important that the evacuations of the hog should always be deposited on the manure heap. If they were discharged in the stye or in his nest, they will be principally lost. Now by observing the regular habits of this animal, and taking a little pains, a bad habit in this respect may soon be cured. The confined hog always goes to a wet place to make his evacuations. If then, you wish the hog to change the place of doing this, dig a small hollow place in the manure heap, and keep it wet for a few days by turning in water occasionally; at the same time make the place clean and dry which you desire the hog to abandon. The hog will then probably go the wet place in the manure yard to make his deposites; but if he should not do so, fasten him out from the stye for a few days, so that he shall be compelled to go to the desired place, keeping the place you wish him to abandon, clean and dry in the mean time, and you will without fail accomplish your object. This to some will appear a low and trifling subject to write about, but the farmer, to thrive must attend to small concerns. I usually keep ten old hogs on my farm, and pigs to supply their place. They are fed with the waste of the kitchen, dairy, and with boiled roots, apples, and some meal."

to

THE JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURE,-edited by Wm. S King, Esq. is the Journal we wrote our notice for in the July number of the Visitor under the head of "The Agricultural Journal." The mistake in the name, was one of those slips of the pen, annoying in themselves, and which will happen in the best reg

"There is divinity that shapes our ends," and here we are, 2000 miles apart-yet in the same employment, writing for the agricultural public. May neither ever be in worse employment.

VERMONT STATE FAIR.

Wm. S. King, Esq. Editor of the "Journal of Agriculture" delivers the anuual address before the Vermont State Agricultural Society at Rutland. Our Vermont friends may expect a pattern practical address.

By the way, the Address before this Society last year, by Henry Stevens, Esq., the antiquarian of Vermont, was a capital affair. A friend has furnished us with a copy of the address, and we have been much entertained by its perusal.

TOMATOES.-Those who wish to hurry their tomatoes for market, may do so by proper shortening in. All must have observed that 90 per cent. of the tomatoes grow within 18 inches of the ground, and that 90 per cent. of the vine, containing only 10 per cent. of the fruit, grows above this point; therefore cut it off, and remove it with the small tomatoes.The vines will not bleed, and the large tomatoes left will increase in size more than equal to the value of those removed, besides getting them to market while the price is sufficiently high to compensate for their culture.

Working Farmer.

None have less praise than those who hunt mostly after it.