THE WISCONSIN FARMER.



horse-flesh on the grounds, and attracted more  But my readers, agriculture
is a science
attention than any othor, except Dr. Cald- that deserves far more investigation
and a
well's, of Mich., whose "Baby" took the prefer- greater amount
of study, than many of you
ence. A public exhibition of this horse took may really suppose, and it is
to the deficiency
place on Friday, in the ring, driving him in this knowledge that are owing
the grand
without lines, and thus turning him loose on failures which are constantly
being brought
the grass.                                  to our view. To prove what I
have said, re-
  The good sight of to-day has been the pro- quires no great effort, for
we have but to look
cession around the ring of the running ani- I about and observe the mistaken
notions and
mals. It reached quite around the one-third the conglomerated mess into which
the theo-
mile track, and was an imposing sight. As rics of some farmers are carried.
the procession moved on, the noble animals  Here we may observe a straw stack
in the
seemed to receive new life, as an admiring field, placed here no doubt to
get it out of the
throng earnestly watched their movements way, and after the proprietor becomes
weary
and nAw and then cheered theini most lustily, of ploughing around it he sets
fire to it.-
Thus the fair is nearly to a close, not doing as There we will notice a barnyard
on the hill,
well pecuniarily as > as anticipated. Re- where the rain may sparc the
laborious job
ceipis are $2,200, and premiums offered are of drawing out the manure. Yonder
we ob-
$2,000.  Tie weather has been beautiful ' serve one who has sowed the same
crop on the
throughotit. A heavy rain Wednesday night j same piece of land for years
in succession-
layed the dust and cooled the atmosphere so a practice which is as deadly
to the soil as
that overcoats were brought in use. The offi- consumption is to the human
frame. As we
cers are social, and genial men, always ready pass along we will observe
others cut-
to answer questions and give all desired in- ting their grain a week after
it is ripe, when,
formation. To the secretary, Dr. Shaffer, we had they cut it a few days before
it was ripe,
are indebted for complimentary tickets and + their grain would have been
larger in bulk,
access to his books, all of which has been i and also weigh heavier, and
yield more fine
gratefully received.                        flour to the bushel. Because
while the grain
                          0. S- WILLEY.    fo
 DuBUQUE, Sept. 19, 'as                   'is in the milk, there is but little
woody fibre,
 P. S.-The receipts at Ladies' Aid Society's but as the grain ripens, the
skin rapidly
 tables, are about $1,200 net, which can help thickens, woody fibre being
formed at the ex-
 much to comfort the soldiers' families, as i pense of the starch and sugar,
which must
 winter is coming on.                  W.    obviously, in a corresponding
degree, injure
                  Farming|                 the quality of the grain.
                                              Readers, these are no vain'ideas,
founded
  Of all the occupations to which man may | upon individual theory, but they
are facts,
turn his attention, there is, in my estimatton, truths that have been told
us by such men as
none more worthy a thorough investigation Norton, and which have been verified
by our
than farming. However, I would not have own experience, and how much soever
you
you infer that every one who reads this arti- I you may discard them at first,
after a thor-
cle should immediately abandon his pursui t, ough deliberation you must acknowledge
and become a farmer, nor that every man is them to be real.             
          S.
actually capable of being one.             iMITON, WIF., Sept. lst.
  It is a marked feature among the people of i!-               -      -
our day, to suppose any man competent to                The Straw Quetion.
perform the necessary duties of the farm, re-! EDITOR FARMER:-I see in the
last number
gardless of whether he has a knowledge of of the FARMER your correspondent
W. A. B.
the science of agriculture or not.        Bangs is in want of practical information



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