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Spaying Hogs. J. J. B., writing to the Rural Ca¬ rolinian on this subject, says : “lings to be operated upon should have no food for at least twenty-four hours beforehand. I use a stick about one inch and a half in diameter, eighteen inches long, a little crooked in the middle to prevent it from slipping nidc to side on pole or rail ; on each end of the stick a strong string of soft leather, of sufficient length to make a noose; which is secured to each hind leg above the hock joints, then hang up, and, of course, her head will be down, and so, too, will all the in¬ testines incline down and be out of the way ; make an incision about two inches in length in the abdomen, be¬ tween first and second sets of teats ; from hind part of animal insert thumb and forefinger, when the ovaries arc easily found where the womb unites with the body, which arc clipped off with a sharp knife. I use in sewing a needle about two and a half inches long, and two or three strands of shoemaker’s thread twisted together and waxed with beeswax. I have been at the business for more than twenty years, and do not think I have lost one in a hundred, i pay no at¬ tention to zodiacal signs—have been noticing of late, at the suggestion of a friend, and am inclined to the opinion that they bleed less when op¬ erated on the new of the moon. I never spay in cold weather, but never hesitate on account of heat or * dog days.’ Animals should always have access to plenty of water. Spaying greatly improves the flesh, and they arc much easier fattened ” “Veterinarian,” iu the Western Farmer, gives the following instruc¬ tions in regard to this operation: “Place the sow' upon her left side. Put a cushion of hay or straw under her side. Make an incision about four inches in front of the hip or pin bone, and about three inches below'. Let the knife be sharp and clean. Cut very carefully through the skin and flesh. Insert the fore-finger of the right hand, feel carefully for the ova¬ ries, which are soft and pulpy to the touch, draw them to the opening, and with a knife or scissors, separate f rom the uterus, (the womb.) Keturn the severed ends, put in two or three stitches, then put upon the wound a little oil and common salt; put Ler iu a dry place for three or lour di^'s, after which she may be let out. Hog flesh, as a rule, does not take on much inflammatory by action, and soon heals nature’s own efforts ” • ------ Soiling and Pasturing. Mr. Brown, of Mankle, Scotland, a farmer of extensive operations, made the following experiment in order to ascertain the comparative merits oi soiling and pastuiing cattle. In the spring he took loity-eight Aberdeen¬ shire bullocks which hud been w inter¬ ed in his farm )ard, and separated them fairly into equal lots, one of w hich he put to grass, while the other was s died. The latter were fed on Swe dish turnips until the clover was ready for cutting, and then the clover was given sparingly for a week, iu order * to avoid danger from over-eating,after which a full supply was allowed. f i he animals thrived exceedingly until the grass got hard and withered. About the last of July, the clover having ripened, vetches were substituted, which were continued until the second crop of clover was ready for cutting. Teu of the soiled lot were sold in August, ?nd the remainder of the two lots iu September. The results are thus stated: The forty eight cattle cost in purchase and wintering, £503 2s. The best ten of the soiled lot sold at £17 5s. each ; the remainder of the two lots sold at £14 5s. each ; the soiled lot thuR bringing £377, and the grazed lot £342, a difference of £35 in favor of the soiled cattle. It required one and three quarter acres ofSwedish turnips, eight acres of clover, and three acres of vetches to furnish the food consumed by the twenty-four soiled cattle. The result of soiling exhibit¬ ed decidedly the larger profit.— Agri¬ cultural Report. Berkshire Pigs —A contemporary asks why Berkshire pigs should be favored with a separate class at the Royal Agricultural Meeting? There is. of course, room for two opinions in such a matter, but we submit that the Berkshire is a very characteristic and widely distributed breed ef pigs, that it is purely bred, and much thought of in America, as well as at home While it is somewhat difficult to discriminate between many white ami black races, there is never any doubt as to the Berkshire. Ills short head, turned up nose, and while points, maik him as a pig of unmistakable personal character ; his quick growth and fit¬ ness for both pork and bacon render him desirable as a profitable animal, and his hardihood and activity fit him in his younger days to range stubbles and ransack fold yards. Surely, when a breed has definite ai d recognized points, a large number of promoters (breeders), and commands a ready market at Lome and abroad, it is much better to allow it a class. How*, iu deod, could a judge decide between an Essex and a Berkshire competing together? The heads aloue would make the task a very difficult one — London Agricultural Gazette. Merino Sheep vs. Cotton. -r- As let¬ ters frequently come to me from Southern planters, asking for a com¬ parison between Merino sheep and cotton—representatives respectnely of the Northern and the Southern farms —these letters I try toauswer, and bv request shall endeavor to answer one of them through the pages of the Ru - rat Carolinian. Tne inquirer’s plantation consists of three thousand aens Butler the present admiuistra tion and home management of the in¬ efficient and demoralized labor, the planting business is neither profitable nor pleasant; but we resolve not to quit; for this is repulsive. We re¬ solve to change front, and take up a position fiom which we shall be able to make a stand, and from which we can advance both the improvem u s and profits of the plantation. We will purchase 50 Merino sheep at a cost of $25 each, $1,520, and 250 Southern sheep of as fair quality as we can at a cost of about $3 each, $750; 12 of the Merinos shall be rams, the balance?of our sheep shall be ewes. One man can do all the work connected with these, and much other work besides. This flock will soou increase, aud we will gradually curtail the cotton growing and increase wool growing until the cotton stops, aud with only a few hands we grow wool, and grain, and grass sufficient for home use. We have now remarked the small amount of land required to maintain oue sheep, and the small amount of manual labor required — We have also observed that yonder splendid Merino has an annual fleece of ten pounds, which commands **0 cents per pouud, $4; that yonder na¬ tive produces Her but a pound and a half, 60 cents. lamb yonder, a fine two year-old, gotten by a Merino ram, has just given us a four-pound fleece, $160. Our fl »ck has now increased to the coveted number, and we will advance. We will cull out the worst and fatten aod sell, and thus improve our flock; we make another purchase of Meriuos, and annually cull out. Wc have found by experience that it is better to purchase Mei iues from a breeder who has a strictly fancy flock rather than from him who has a me¬ dium flock, for we know what we are get!ing aud what to expect. On a track of 300 acres this can be done io the same ratio— John S. Coe, in Ru¬ ral Carolinian. To Precent Self-Milking. —A sub¬ scriber writes; “If A. H., McLean couuty, 111., will put a comm >n joint bridle bit in his cow’s mouth, fasten¬ ing with a cord orstiap over her head, she will not suck herself. 1 have a young cow that had commenced forming that habit last Spring. I put in the b.t, which she wore some six or eight weeks; this bit being au old one, wore in two, and dropped out; since then she has not sucked herself without a bit.” We succeeded with piece of hickory about eight inches long, say full a half an inch thick, with a notch cut round say a quarter of an inch wide and a quarter of an inch de< p, with a nail diivcu into each end, made sharp, and the wood tapered down to the nail. Then, with a sharp pointed knife, run through the division of nostril, and insert this stick until the notch is embraced by the cut. This prevents the cow from milking heiself; the sharp nails deter her. We have used this for months on a pure Devon cow.and after put in she never milked. — Ex. A n.odical friend of ours iu Phila¬ delphia, advises us of his great suc¬ cess in rein- dying this, by marching itou Rogers’ Delaware, 15, a very vigorous grow¬ er. The on tnis stock, made a growth of nine feet the tmt season. The Clmtou, or sqy other free-growing variety, ou which the Delaware may he woiked, may re¬ move the only objection ever made to this very popular grape. Sulphur to Kill Vermin in Nests. —Now that the season has arrived tor raising chickens, it is well to know that the powdered sulphur of the druggists is the cheapest, handiest, and best thing yet discovered for kill¬ ing parasites that infest sitting hens, and find their way tq fresh pastures upon the chickens a3 soon as the latter are hatched. Many times people complain that when their chickens aie a week or two old, they droop and die from the attacks of large lice, which literally cover the heads of the birds. If examination is made earlier it will be found that the insects have taken up their abode upon the chick¬ ens’ heads while still in the nest, for they forsake the hen, preferring the ehiekeas. It is a bad business to have to catch the chickens and lien for treatment after they have left tin* nest, when tne remedy can be applied with so little trouble before hatching begins. A week or so after the hen has been given her clutch of eggs, sprinkle them and the whole of the nest and the straw for a little distance around it, with the sulphur when the hen is off. The night following at¬ tend to the heu herself, by lantern light. Disturb her just enough to make her bristle her feathers, and then dust sulphur well down to their roots. Go over her whole body thorough¬ ly, excepting the parts in contact with tne nest, and lift each wing and scat¬ ter a piuch, and attend to head, nei k and tail. It will not injure the hen in the least, nor the chickens wh^i they arc hatched. \\*e repeat the operatic i at an interval of a week (though per¬ haps one application is sufficient), and have nevt r found the slightest trace of vermin upon hen or chicks after¬ wards. Use two small nuudfuls. It costs little either in money or trouble. Tobacco, snuff, grease, carbolic pow¬ der, etc., are not to be compared with sulphur for this particular purpose, and the best dust-bath privileges for the hen are not to be relied upon alone.— Aincrican Agriculturisl . - - —-• * ♦ ------- Sound Wind in Horses —A horse whose wind is actually broken can hardly be mistaken, the short, vibrat¬ ing cough that accompanies it being quite peculiar. The breathing is gen orally huiried by exertion, and is made up of three separate motions.— In the first the bieath is drawn uatu rally, the flanks distending as ususl. In the next the flanks rise with a sod¬ den, momentary, spasmodic effort. In the third the abdominal muscles arc slowly and forcibly drawn up as if to expel the air remaining in the lungs, broken w inded horses are very eager for water. The malady may he tem¬ porarily concealed, hut it is believed to be incurable. Thick or otherwise, defective wind cannot always be de¬ tected without spending some time with the horse, lie mu.vt bo watched in reference to breathing high after moderate exercise, or a change of p< - sition or temp ratum, aud alter drinking. Note whether he coughs when drinking. Roaring may be de¬ tected by forciDg the hoiao to a Wish gallop, the ear beiug placed on the windpipe as soop as he is pulled up, to make assurance doubly sure.