sli Cratrr genwttat. BKLLKFONTE, PA. NKWS, FACTS AND BUOUKHTIONB. TIL TUT at TBS KATIOMAL WSTFTSI IS THI ISTKlU sssci ASS raotrniTT or THI FASHM. Every fanner in hie annual experience discovers something of value. Write it and eend it to the "Agricultural Ktlitor of the DKUOC&AT, liellefonte, I'enn'a," that other farmers may have the benefit of it. Let communications be timely, ant/ be sure that they ore brief and i cell pointed. THE State fair of Florida is an nounced to open to-day, and continue until Tuesday next. It would l>e rather wintry for a State fair in this country about now. THE cattle plague, to which we made allusion last week, seems to be nssuming formidable proporiions,and commands the attention of nil inter, ested in tho prosi>erity of the coun try. OH another page we copy from j the Philadelphia Timee an article on 1 the subject which will prove interest ing to all cattle owners. PRICKLY COMFREY as a forage crop, and the system of "ensilage" for pre serving it and all other forage crops in a green or "canned" state for win ter feeding, arc novelties which are just now attracting a great deal of attention from leading, progressive fanners. Ensilage consists in cut ting fine and (lacking in air-tight pits, all forage crops in a green state, and seems to be looked upon with great ; favor by those who have experiment ed with it. Mr. R. J. Dodge, of the American Institute Farmers' Club, says that "no part of agriculture pos sesses the interest for farmers that it does. It will add at once largely to the size of every farm, and without more fencing, stonc-picking or weed destroying." THE grangers are manifesting a great interest in legislative matters this winter. They are now circulat ing for signatures, through the ma chinery of their order, a large num ber of petitions for the enactment of new laws, having a direct bearing upon the material prosperity of the farming community. Among the legislation asked for we find the fol lowing : To facilitate 'the formation of co operative association*. Adding State Orange representation to the State Board of Agriculture. Requiring railroad companies to erect fences and cattle-guards. Requiring all commercial manure to be accompanied by printed analyses. To prevent the changing of school books oftener than once in five years. For the reduction of official salaries. W E are indebted to Commissioner of Agriculture Le Due for copies of his annual re-port for 1878, and special report No. 10, upon the condition of crops and live stock for January, 1879. The annual report is brief, and mainly devoted to a review of the work of the various divisions in the way of chemical experiments and analyses looking toward the increased production of sugar, and the distri. bution of seeds and plants. In the matter of the distribution of seds the Commissioner rises up in defence of his policy of sending seeds to farmers directly from the department, without the intervention of Congress men, claiming that only in this way can intelligent reports upon experi ments attending the introduction of new varieties of seeds be obtained. Under the head of "Immediate Ne cessities of the Department, beyond the appropriations usually made for its ordinary workings," the commis sioner asks for the additional sum of from eighty-five to one hundred thousand dollars, besides "an experi mental farm of one thousand acres of ground in the neighborhood of Washington, and five experimental stations in different sections of the country." The statistical portion of the report is entirely devoted to the "imports, exports, cost and consump tion" of tea, coffee and sugar for the past eighty-eight years. From the special report on the condition of crops we learn that the average price in this state on Decem ber was as follows: corn, 48c; wheat, 97c; rye, 84c; oats, 27c; barley, 80c; buckwheat, 65c; potatoes, 700 J to bscco, 10c; and hay, $8.06. The average prices for farm stock through- out the State, in January, 1879, were for horses, $85.80; mules, $97.60; milch cows, $29.20; sheep, $3.27; and hogs, $8.98. There is no tabula ted statement of the condition of the wheat crops now in the ground, but, judging from tho correspondence, there seems to be a decline iu this State, ns compared with the crop of 1878 at the same date last year. WE arc under obligations to Sena tor Wallace for a copy of the speech lately made in tho United States Senate by Hon. 11. 0. Davis, of West Virginia, on the subject of agricul ture. Our limited space will prevent us from publishing the s|>ccch entire, but we mnke room for Mr. Davis' resolution, and the lirst paragraph or two of the very able remarks with which he advocated its adoption: Whereas agriculture is the foundation of nearly all our wealth and it is mainly through the exportation of its products that we are paying otr our large indebt edness. foreign and domestic, and have the present large balanoe of trade in our favor, and Whereas although about one-half of tho people of this country are engaged in agricultural pursuits and all other interests are dependent uj>on this, our leading and most important interest, commercial and otherwise, yet but little has been done by the General Govern ment to promote agriculture, while oth er less general and important interests have been largely aided ; therefore, Jleeolved by the Senate, (the House <\f lie preventatives concurring,) That the com mittee on agriculture of the respective Houses be, and they are hereby in structed to consider generally the sub ject of agriculture, and report, by bill or otherwise, what can or ought to be done by the General Government to better advance, encourage, and foster agricultural interests, and that said committee shall have the power to send for persons and papers. Mr. President, in inviting the at tention of the Senate to this resolu tion and asking its jiassage, I feel that there is no subject of more im portance and more moment to the country, none around which so many interests cluster and in which so many center, as American agricul ture. It is a subject so broad, so national, so universal, so non-partisan, so non seetional,so far-reaching in itaelfects and important in its results, that it should at once command the patient attention of all, and in its considera tion party feeling and party passion should have no voice. The country has been, and is weigh ed down with a heavy national, State, municipal, and individual debt, held at home and abroad, the interest and principal of which must be paid; business has been, and is, depressed; commerce languishes; confidence is destroyed ; almost numberless reme dies and suggestions have been pro |K>sod to bring relief and restore pros perity, but, in the prolonged stagna tion, most all have failed and are dis trusted. This resolution is not brought for- , ward as a panacea for nil our ills and the only safe road out of our troubles, but it is claimed that for what has been done in the past to bring relief, and for whatever of light and hope there is ahead of us, the country is mainly indebted to agricultore ; and if anything can be done to stimulate and better promote this great na tional interest, the greatest of all, it will not only continue largely to aid in bringing relief and restore pros perity, but remain a lasting and sub stantial benefit to the country in the future. Writing Farmers. ft*m th Rural Trk*r. It is rather a favorite "skit" at farmers who write for the papers to say that they don't practice what they preach, and that thus they fre quently disappoint those who visit them by the slovenly appearance of their premises, the ill-kept condition of their live-stock, and the weedi ness and light returns of their crops. This charge has a small sub-stratum of truth to rest upon; and yet a pret ty wide acquaintance with writing farmers enables us to declare that the foundation for such ill-natured charges is much less than is asserted by men who may be good farmers, but who are so selfish that they not only won't "do good and communi cate," themselves, but enjoy "sitting in the seat of the scomer" wagging their hard heads, and comforting their little souls by exaggerating the defects of their neighbors. go far as there is truth in the gos sip of such men about "writing farm ers," the explanation is not at all dif ficult, nor is it greatly to the discred it of those who are so criticised. There is a limit to the working abili ty of every man and woman. 80 much can be done in a day, and then the night comcth, and rest must be taken. The bard-beaded and hard hearted humau animal, be he farmer or what not, who devotes all his ef forts to his own selfish advancement and cares nothing for the good of others, no doubt has a shads of ad vantage in mere money-making over his neighbor who is willing to devote a part of his time to the general good —and snch Is the practice of agricul tural writers, as a rule. Certainly there is no branch of literary effort where labor yields so poor a return as in agricultural writing. As yet, so little does tho average farmer and Ids family care for improvement in their own business that, little as they read any way, nine-tenths of what they do read is the mere news, gos sip and scandal of tho day, or the blood-and-thundcr and cheap senti ment of the dime novel and the story paper. Few men ever earn a dollar by writing upon agriculture. Rut in still other ways is the gen erous-hearted citizen at a disadvan tage with tiic hard-heads in a rural community. Not only will he sacri fice his time and strength by his writ ing, if lie writes, but he is tho one upon whom Ins merciless critics are sure to shirk off all the useful, but |>ecuniarily unprofitable work of the neighborhood. Both in public and church affairs the thrifty boor and his griping helpmeet are "too bus}'" to lend a hand ; but neighbor Good- Heart and sister Charity are dele gated by a unanimous vote—and a sneering laugh in the sleeve—to do the "thank-ye" jobs for the common good. They do them cheerfully, and "great will be their reward in heaven," but on earth it in probable that Good- Heart's farm and Charity's house hold will suffer in comparison with those of the pious and patriotic neighbors who profit by their exer tions, only to "say all manner of evil against them falsely." Why We should Dnderdrain. Knmi Prof. ALll*'* y Lef.r* th* I'mtiijllonla &"/ 1 of Agrt'ulturo In all umlrnined, retentive soils there is what mny be called a water table line, ranging in depth from six to eighteen inches. Here at this point is a constant source of cold. From this water-table moisture will ascend by attraction to the surface. Evaporation, ns la-fore stated, is a cooling process. Here, then, we have two causes o|a-rating conjointly to produce cold, the very thing we do not want, but its opposite beat. How shall this be destroyed f Evidently by breaking the union of these two forces. If we can get the water of attraction below the depth to which eva|>orntion operates, then the con nection is broken. Soils pro|crly drained, pass this water by slow degrees to a much lower level, and thence by drains, outward. The moisture needed for the soil to perfect growth, Is obtained from the warm waters from the clouds. I And as these wntcrs pass downward through the canal-pores or openings, the warm atmospheric air fills the places thus emptied. All waters falling upon a field in the form of rain or snow, belong, of right, to that field, and ought never to be allowed to pass over it, but downward and through it. Water run ning over the surface of the ground is always carrying away the very in gredients most needed, and in the best form for the nourishment of plants. • • • • Fields drained to a depth of three and a half or four feet, at distances varying from thirty to forty feet, will have in two or three yean after draining, a capacity for taking nearly all waters falling in rain or snow. * * • * Let me mention some of the most obvious results arising from draining. 1. It carries off stagnant' water, and furnishes an escape for excessive rainfalls. 2. It prevents the ascent of water from below by capillary attraction. 3. Water pass ing downward through the soil opens the way for fresh air laden with oxy gen, which is so essential to hasten the decomposition of minerals in the soil. 4. Hoils after draining become more open and pliable, and are thus more easily worked. Stubborn clay soils arc almost entirely changed. 5. Soils become warmer by taking off the water, and thus advance or hasten the growing crop, bringing about an earlier harvest, and in effect producing a change of climate. 6. It enables the farmer in a wet season, both for spring and fall seeding, to , put in an earlier crop. 7. It increas es the depth of cultivated soil. 8. In wet soils, wood ashes, bones and many other ingredients that might act as fertiliser*, lie dormant and are lost. Taking off this excessive mois ture, these elements are changed and rendered effective. Change of Seed. Tmm lb Rare) Vrw Yorker. If not already done, it ia none too soon to look out for good seed for the crops of the year. The farmer may be a good one. lie may have saved his own seed for many years iu succession, lie may have contin ued to improve it This ia ail right and proper, but a change will be a j lieneflt, or rather he will gain a large ! percentage in the yield by obtaining I seed of the same variety he now raises, and then mixing it with the seed kept for years on his own place. The advantage of this mixture will not be apparent until the second year. It will be leas and less appar ent for several yean after. These are not the outcome of guesswork or theory. They are the result of many experiments made for ten or twelve yean by Charles Darwin. Professor Beal has also lately made some experi ments In the same direction, showing a great advantage in mixing seeds of the Mime variety grown in different places. He promises to furnish us the result la a few weeks. Food for Fowls. "If liens are rightly cared for they should pay from 200 to 800 per cent, profit as layers. They must not be stinted as to space, nor too many kept together, if confined allow at least a square rod to each fowl. Let the floor of the hen house lie of dry earth with a box of dirt and ashes for their sand bath. Keep their quarters clean by removing their droppings at least three times a week. Buckwheat and wheat are the best grains, although for variety other grains must be given. Give cooked food in various ways every day. Mush is excellent, as also fresh meal and scraps from the kitchen. Two or three times a week give fresh hone* and ground t>oncs, with gravel and broken oyster shells always within reach. Apples, cabbage,turnips and onions, raw or cooked, will be rel ished. Kill the Old Sheep. It is folly to keep old sheep. They should be turned oil to the butcher while they are in their prime. It does not take half as much to fatten them then. When they get old and thin in order to put tiicin in condi tion to slaughter the whole super structure must !>e rebuilt. Four sets of lambs am nil a ewe should bear; this will bring her to five years, and this is nn age wh< n witli little extra care she will round up to a fine and full carcass. Exceptions may IK: made when the breed is scarce, and the blood is more desirable than any thing else. MB. JOIIN M. BAII.F.Y writes from Billerica, Mass., to The American CW tivaior, that lie had no idea bow much valuable manure be was losing until he cemented his barn cellar bottom and carted in dry ioaiu and muck (at the rate of one or two loads a day) to absorb all the liquids from his cat tle, horses and pigs. GIVE your COW everyday water slightly warm and slightly salted, in which bran has been stirred at the rate of one quart to two gallons of water. You will find, if you have not tried this dally practice, that your cow will give 2. r > |er cent, more milk. HENS are egg-making machines, and they will turn out just as many eggs in winter as in summer, if they have pro]>er care. EXPKIUENCE IS a good commodity to buy, if it is not too costly. The l>est farmer is likely to be he who buys plenty of it, but at a low cost. IN all farm crops the finest has not only the best market and the highest price, but there are buyer* always seeking the hest. Harry K. Hick*, ihirilware. IC. HCXCICS, [Succttwor io T. A. HICKS & BRO,] DEALER 111 HARDWARE, SADDLERY, OILS, | PAINTS AND STOVES. |' EVERYTHING AT BOTTOM PRICES! TO SUIT THE TIMES. AlUghmy Strrrt, BKLLKFOSTE, PA. Souik oj Diamond. 1879. THE PA TRIOT - 1879 Q.t Up a Club u4 Roir( Totr PtpwFrM. The DAILY PATBIOT will be Mat bp mall to clube at the following rate* : MOO par copy par yrar to • dot. of ... MAO par ropy par jmmt I* • dab of Ma. * **ff "W M !< to a dab of tvaaty. M.M MM par year to a dab of thirty. I We* par copy par yaar M a elab of *fly. ;A ad on* copy ftaa far oaa yaar la aiary o*aa to lb* patana tailing ap tba dab. Pioparttoaal rata* far part* of a yaar. The WEEKLY PATBIOT will be ml by mail at the following rate*: MAO P* annua far ofngt* rpy. MAO par aaaaia par eapy to a dab of faar. MJ par aaaaa par ospy to a dab of algM. II An pn annum par eopy to a dab of Iflaoa. A1 par annum par eopy to a dab of tbltty. MJ par aaaaai pareapy to a dab of My. M.T* par aaaaai par ropy to a dab of oaa baadrml. And aaa aopy fraa far oaa yaar la arary naatogattor apofdab. The eaah moat accompany all order* to fnenre attention. All money abould be ml by port office order or regitterad letter, otherwise it will be at tba tender'* rUk. Addreat PATBIOT PvaLismira Co., liarritbarg, Pa. TOB PRINTING of all kinds neat O ly aaaeatto at tba OBMOCBAT OfriCß. J JARDWARB. WILSON, McFARLANE & CO. DEALERS IN STOVES AND RANGES, PAINTS, OILB, GLASS, BAKES, FORKS, CBADLES &c SCYTHES. SOLE AOKNTS FOR JOHNSON'S KALSOMINE. AU.R/IHRNT STREET. - . . . HUMM' BOOCE. .... MKI.I.EF'INTI? P A. "OKLLKFONTK A KNOW KIIOE I * " S.—Tlm.-T.l'l. In elTnrt un ui<| aft.r Inc. St. 1177: l-ar. Snow Mho* 7JO 1. m., am re. In Bsilsftrat* *. M I,IM leß.nl. 10.10 A. m., >rrl<* nt Know Shu. 11.'.7 A M I'*'" Snow Shun 2.42 r. nfiivo. In fUlUlbat* 4 12 r. M. !•*". B*lt.funU 4M r n . .mre. Nt Know Shot • 27 r. a. HANIKI. ISIIOAIrK, tieneml .ujartntendent. OALI> EAGLE VALLEY HAIL- I ' ROAD.—Tlm.Tabl., IlK.uiUr 31.1*77 : Kip. Mall wuTwinn. Uirwikn. Kp. Mall * • f *■: A. ■ * 4 10 Arrive nt Ttrronn 7 ot n so 7!. 6 i n 7 IS 527 7U IM ...... ~ Vnll " ... 7 111 542 744 544 . •• H.M Enela •• ... 721 47 734 S4O ...... " Hannah " ... 730 nvi 720 431 " Fori Matilda " ... 741 S|| 71 ft 21 ...... •' Martha " ... 7 tit 9 7• AlO ...... Julian " ... 01 9i 4 M - I nl-n*lll. " ... 11 042 4 4 Jo p. ft tdi 3 ftl - Rttlrilllt - ... o|klo hi 548 J47 ..... " lie.-1. 'reek " ... 921 10 f.7 ft 33 333 . - Mill llall " ... 034 1110 ft 330 " H-ratniMoß - ... 03711 H ft 2ft 324 - Lurk Haven " ... 4211 lk I >EN NBYLV A NIA HA ILKOAI). M —l*l..l4l j bbd Kfi I>jUl" ti >—o*4 bbd Ur I*, 1*77 . WicnWAHD. ERIK MAIL I*B0 )) Mpm " IWtt#Lbrg 4 %i> • its M WOIUaH|iun... MMM „ MM Iu nn ** lUuq . V 4* * ui m *. 10 i • m M arm** *t En# 7 |Sp NIAGARA liXPREft# I*>M PliiU4#]|4iU. ?>in - lUrrt)irg ... 1< • ti tiitm it Uroutu 4 4k |j to iWtfi r lijr tbi* trmin nri.** lb fobf* it.. 4 Uptn FACT LINE II 42 • to M 11wtM m DAT F.Xl'liEf F U**t< r 10 Jo • t •* IUT** .......... I) yitn " M liilart.wj-ort .—.... I'i AO ru ** liarTtet'or* 4 lo p m u i"l> 11*4* li-Ltb * libn L'RIK MAIL !•#• * X.pm M Lxwk lib*#* V4%|. in ** Wiin#mw{FrL —ll pto M ai llawb*.M| T[i rT 24> b m I'llilbfls if*'** ? 00 b IB FACT I.l>'E )•••#• illujiiFf 11 LXSbte ** bt I!*trtltirg 3 i* b ns - rfail*4*4 |4*U. 7Ub Erl# MbU Wml. Vltfirs M w(, Iliuti AmnnwUli'<* Mt, tfH ly Ki|fM* D( nuD cltfbr 1 -nt bt >.•thu. rU/n* lUi L A It. E R lain* U*f Wllkblbit# s'f l^rbklob ltt Mbll Writ, yi*r*r* Kipren Wni, nnd Eft Ilj'f** bbd 1 jack IU v< A(aotnu(UU<!|>liU bbd Willtßtn#|wsrt on MbgbTß F>tr# EmC, F.B|>rM Waßt, Kast bbd Ibt Es|#hm La*t, bv*d Fbbd*y El|*v# F*#l ' bf um bil tifilUbim Hb A RtiPbia. ABiMibt#td#i JTARPER BMOTHERS, sraixo STBitrr. BELLEWIXTX FA. ll.te their counter* and shelve* filled with NEW GOODS, I BANKRUPT RATES Purchwl t . HANK KEPT RATES (BANKRUPT RATES Will'Tl TIIET orru AT BOTTOM PRICES, BOTTOM PRICES, BOTTOM PRICES, coxstsnxo or Dry Goods, Millinery Good*, Clothing, Fancy Good*, Notion., Ac. BOOTS and BOOKS BOOTS and SHOES nt very low price.. BOOTS and SHOES HATS and CAPS Latvt ityla. of H ATS and CA PS HATS and CAPS Carpet Bags, Umbrella*, ParaaoU, Ladle' Cloak., Carpeting, Grocerie*, QuMaivan, Ac. OrunprtMn. IWJ thine that ran he Mwn4 la a irH tM iftar*. HARPER BROTHERS, SFUNO STRUT, • • BRLLKFOXT*. FA ooemtr raom CR takes In mkui. Bt UM klahiwt market pries. 1-1/ a a ttrsw. prrwt. I. F. aiaaw. rMb'r. |?IRST NATIONAL BANK OP L RKi.i.rrovrK. AUepfcewy Street. RillnaaOn, Fa. 4-tf pENTRE COUNTY BANKING V COMPART. Imltr DupMU AM Allow Intereet. Dkarowal H*m: Be J sa. Sell Owe. .eraritho, ti nuvoni, FA HOUSE A L A TELLER, ProprWton. Chod 9mm%pU Room on Firtt Floor. | *** Frw. to ml IFMB tdl Twlaa *Ftl ml. 1 towuawewdlwrwa t-ly 1 •pin: CENTRE DEMOCRAT BOOK and JOB OFFICE IJUBH HOUSE BLOCK, UELLEPONTE, PA., 1* now oppeeiso GREAT IXI)U CE M E NTS TO Til OAS WUUIMO pan Plain or Fancy Printing. Wo Ijrvc ununual fa/.-ilitiea for printing LAW HOOKS, PAMPHLETS, CATALOGUES, PROGRAMMES, CIRCULARS, utatemrnth, HILL HEADS, NOTE HEADS, BUSINESS CABD6> INVITATION CAKIrS, CARTES DE VISITE, CARDS ON ENVELOPES, ANI) ALL KINDS OK B LAN KB. taif" Printing done in tbo beit style, on •borl notice and at the- lowiml rale*. Moy'Tdcri by nail will receive pronpt attention. BKWlktlltll Tilt PLACE I CENTRE DEMOCRAT OFFICE, HUMA Item** Mock, ItKiU NTBEET. BELUEPOXTE, PA. AND T H -Zi. DS - 2*l -Am XIIEC S. PWe prorars l.lTtrae PITITT on llTßntn So Arreanri no i* .arancc In tjTlifaliiA Tor Pirr.T. I* tbe InlUvl ruin. r,A4 alleaUon Rile. to loterfermre 1 .. hrlore tb*> Patent (Ifir., eud oil IHIt.tA I. epfeitalatnf to IDe an t one or Patent. We eter. | | W. Palest* la Claaede >aay, Hoaaty and l-enatona Aa ne 'barge be fee nnlrae e womfal, eun warranted allb Watrrna Qua. area far Ba eaara Beta la arder raia or rata..*, money refunded at .nee Kma aalMbrtory. The nod solid, rat telle, and mllnhrtory marfclan ere* laeeatod far all kind. -Ui