Thus, the stock of old" worked" butter, no longer showable, is first softened by gentle warmth, and then emptied into large vats or tubs provided for the purpose, where it is washed in water till reduced to the requisite degree of softness for "fresh butter," then it is washed in swill milk. This being done, a little sugar, and, if necessary to give it color, annatto is also added, after which it is packed and put in a cool place to harden and rise. The butter milk is sold to the milk dealer to be dealt out to the dainty at a shilling a quart! The easiest way of detecting these frauds is to put a portion of the suspected butter in a clear, glass phial, and melt it. The water and salt will settle to the bottom, on account of their greater specific gravity. OHIO AGRICULTURE. We have before alluded to the official report of E. D. Mansfield, Esq, Commissioner of Statistics in Ohio. We proceed from extracts from that report. Ohio is the only State which has organized this valuable class of statistics, but its usefulness will no doubt prompt other States to follow the example. The following table shows what Ohio exported in 1852 and 1858, the articles being the products of the soil, or immediately manufactured from them :Value of exports, Value of exports, 1852. $15,788,216 Flour and wheat... Other grains.... 1858. $11,111,518 1,750,000 8,272,000 2,394,750 6,165,551 This makes 2,000,000 more, which added to the aggregate brings the exports (independent of manufactures and the arts) to $50,350,000. Notwithstanding the short crop of grain last year our exports of the above commodities, it will be seen, exceeded the value of $50,000,000 in the grand aggregate. In flour and wheat, and other grains, our exports diminished last year, as compared with 1852, above $6,000,000. In beef and cattle, however, they more than doubled, the increase being nearly 4,000,000; and in pork, lard, lard oil, and hogs the increase of exports was nearly 6,000,000. The wheat crop reached its greatest decline in 1854; it is now increasing. The crop of 1857 was 25,397,614 bushels.. The crop of last year is estimated at a fourth less. The great wheat-growing counties have fallen back in their wheat crops, with the exception of Stark. "Old Molly" holds her own. The deficiency in the wheat region is more than made up by the increase in the Scioto and Miami districts, which were formerly more devoted to the corn crop. The following tables show the increase in wheat since 1850, the year of the greatest wheat crop ever reaped, in eleven of the corn counties; and the decrease in eleven counties of the former great wheat regions : Franklin.... 294,162 265,760 443,641 Harrison... 532,778 224,610 100,666 Pickaway.. 338,829 356,764 531,442 Holmes... 640,459 132,161 809,300 Preble.. 471,605 409,681 670,484 Stark..... 1,071,177 923,102 997,790 Ross...... 359,046 438,440 666,000 Tuscarawas 883,071 489,238 390,435 Warren.... 447,042 338,574 603,956 Wayne... 426,746 650,280 ... ..... Aggregate. 3,304,559 8,947,143 6,373,877 | Aggregate. 7,531,757 4,395,683 4,413,207 It is to be hoped and expected that the increased production in the counties that are advancing will go on, and that those once so famous for that crop will again attain their former quantity. The crop of corn reported to the Auditor in 1857 was 82,555,186 bushels. This is an enormous yield. It is the largest ever raised in the State save in 1855. The quality of the corn was not good in 1857. Mr. Mansfield, the Commissioner, thinks that the corn crop of our State is heavy and light year by year in regular succession. The following tables for the eight years prior to 1858 seem to verify the theory, as follows: Last year the crop was short, in accordance with this rotation; and this year, being in the odd numbers, we may look for an abundant yield. The general yearly average per acre in the eight years was 31.02 bushels in the one class, and 38.25 bushels in the other. The average production of the whole State per acre, and of ten of the great corn-growing counties, in 1857, is shown by the following table : The next table exhibits the number of acres planted in corn and wheat, in these counties, and the aggregate yields of both in 1855 and 1857 :— It will be perceived that Clermont, Darke, Highland, Preble, and Franklin gave an increase in 1857 over 1855, the other five counties fell off a little. The greatest increase was in Darke and Franklin, it being over 200,000 bushels in each. THE NORTH CHINA SUGAR CANE, AND THE SOUTH AFRICAN IMPHEE. The Sorghum Sacharatum is no longer a doubtful contribution to our American agriculture; its success is what the French call a fixed fact. Although it perfects its seeds better in the States south of Ohio, its perfect growth in saccharine stalk is gained wherever Indian corn attains its maximum growth. And in proof that the Chinese variety may be very profitably grown for syrup in the colder North, a letter from Waupacca County, North Wisconsin, details the successful experiment in growing sorghum there the past season-several barrels of excellent syrup were made from the same by the aid of a very home-made wooden mill or crusher, at very little expense. The writer says that the seeds were not planted until after the 1st of June, owing to the cold and wet undrained soil, and that its early growth was slow and unpromising; but, although the seed failed to ripen, the yield of syrup was large-one gallon to seven of juice. The mill was a joint-stock affair. Some made two barrels of syrup, others less; but the sensation which even this little sweetening made in that new and poor neighborhood can only be understood by those who have been there. In Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, &c., the business of making syrup from sorghum has successfully increased; hence this plant, to a certain extent, at least, is to take its place among our Western farm crops. As a foraging crop for soiling milk cows, cattle, or horses, it cannot be beat; but when kept for winter use, the ascetous fermentation takes place and the stalk becomes worthless. Joseph Wright, of this place, has placed stocks of sorghum and those of the large dent corn side by side in the field; the corn-stalks are now sweet, but the sorghum is sour. He has kept fifty horses in fine condition this winter on large corn stalks cut up with an improved machine, and then sprinkled with meal and shorts, without hay. The editor of the Ohio Cultivator, at Columbus, says that the sorghum imported from Kentucky gave a much better growth of cane than the Ohio-grown shrunken seed; but as it takes less than two quarts of seed to plant an acre, and Southern seed can be had at the shops for two dollars a bushel, it is within the reach of every farmer. The African Imphee, or, as the Bulletin d' Acclimatation has it, Sorgho des Caffres, does not grow as tall as the Chinese sorgho sucre, but it is a much more bountiful cereal grass. It appears, from the same journal, that it is grown in Martinique for its seed and forage, its seed being not only profuse, but very rich in starch. It is made a substitute for rice by the Chinese Coolies of that island. I have never planted the Imphee, but from experiment I can say that the China cane is of much slower growth on the start than the Indian corn plant, but it is much more hardy, is not injured by light, late frosts, and bears transplanting well. AFRICAN COTTON. It is stated that the nature of the soil, and the regularity of the seasons, enable this valuable staple to be prosecuted with the greatest success along the whole seaboard of Guinea; in the neighborhood of Sierra Leone; the Republic of Liberia; throughout the Bight of Benin, and inland of the Bight of Biafra— the latter including the mouths of the Bonny, Niger, Old Calabar, and Cameroon rivers. The following statement shows the amount of raw cotton from Africa received in England since 1851. Each bag or bale weighs about one hundred and twenty pounds : Bags or bales..... 1851. 1853. 1854. 1855. 14 1,651 1856. 1857. 1858. 103 283 1,819 11,492 35,419 220,099 The cost of production is stated not to exceed "one half-penny a pound in the end, while it can be laid down in England at about 41d. a pound, and sells at 7d. to 9d." ZANTE CURRANTS. The Patent-office is in receipt of a lengthy and interesting communication from Samuel B. Parsons, an experienced nurseryman, of Flushing, New York, who is now traveling in Europe, concerning the Zante currants. During his tour, he visited the Ionian Islands, and acquainted himself with the mode of cultivation, climatic necessities, and the method of drying and packing this fruit, as well as the diseases incidental to the plants, and the profits arising from its cultivation, of all which he informs the Patent-office in detail. He also urges the importance of attempting the introduction of the fruit into this country. The agricultural department of the Patent-office did, however, introduce a great quantity of the vines last year, which were widely distributed in the Southern States and in California, and from which the happiest results are anticipated. BELGIAN FLAX CULTURE AND MANUFACTURE. We extract from a Belgian journal, the Precurseur, the following observations on this leading branch of Belgian industry :- "The culture of flax is, for the cultivators of a great part of our country, one of the best of their resources, and after some misapprehensions, it has been at length admitted, on all hands, that the general interests of the kingdom could in no wise be injured by permitting Belgian agriculture to profit by resources which the demand existing in foreign markets for this article offered. Our export of raw flax has reached, of late years, a very great amount. In 1852, the value of flax exported was 19,826,000 francs (£793,040 ;) in 1853, it was 21,925,000 francs (£877,000,) being an increase on the year of more than 10 per cent. "Our flax-spinning factories, established on a respectable scale, manufacture certain numbers of yarn, on a condition favorable enough to permit a competition with those of other countries, in some foreign markets. Without reaching any very considerable amount, our exports, in so far as concerns these manufactures, are gaining importance, and the year 1852 again presents, in this re spect, an improvement upon the preceding year. This affords a proof that, with a little more enterprise and boldness, we shall attain, in spinning all kinds of yarn, to a very sensible development of the manufacture, first, for the home mar ket, and second, for exportation. The latter, which in 1852 was 4,769,000 francs, (£190,760,) reached, in 1853, 5,370,000 francs, (£214,800,) or an increase of 12 per cent. 66 'Doubtless, our exports of linen cloth have not of late reached the figure at which they stood many years ago. Nevertheless, from year to year, since the terrible crisis through which Flanders has passed, we have made a progress worthy of note. On this point an important observation should not be lost sight of, viz., the partial transformation which the manner of manufacturing linens has happily passed through. More and more, especially for export goods, weaving in the cottages of individuals has been replaced by weaving in spacious factories, under the eye of the employer. By this system, the first preparations are made with more care and with greater uniformity, the weaving is done with greater precision, the quality of the fabrics is more looked to, and consequently they are more satisfactory to our foreign customers. The good effects of this real improvement may be slowly felt, but they will be decided and permanent. "Our export of linen fabrics, of all kinds, were, during the year 1852, to the value of 9,612,000 francs (£384,480,) and rose in 1853, to 11,214,000 francs, (£448,560,) an increase of above 16 per cent. "Taking, therefore, for a base, the value of the products exported in 1853, at the same appraisement as that of 1852, we find the following to be the increase on the year-Flax, 2,099,000 francs; yarn, 601,000 francs; linen fabrics, 1,602,000 francs; total increase, 4,302,000 francs, (£172,080.") THE COMING WHEAT CROP. Colonel Johnston, of the New York State Agricultural Society, has made the following estimate of the comparative yield of the wheat crop of 1858 and 1859, in the United States : |