The Progressive Batavian Batavia, Genesee County, New York State September 20-1878 #2 of 2 Neighboring Counties. Spencerport wants a free reading room. It has struck Avon--the pedestrian wave. Mrs. RIGGS and Mrs. McMANN were found dead in their beds at Albion recently. Salamanca, Cattaraugus county, has fifty-three SMITHS, and yet complains of unhappiness. Orleans County farmers are going into the wheat culture more extensively than usual this season. A farmer in Riga, Monroe county, recently killed his horse with a fence rail. He was fined $25. Work is to to commence immediately on the Erie R.R.'s double track between Castile and Gainesville. The potato crop near Warsaw is light, and in many cases effected with the rot. Ditto almost everywhere. Dr. A. FITTS, of Cuba, Allegany county, has gone to New Orleans to assist in caring for the sick. Noble fellow. The annual fair of the Niagara County Agricultural Society will be held Sept. 26th, 27th and 28th at Lockport. Aaron BARBER, an extensive and prosperous farmer, of Avon, has threshed and sold 5,000 bushels of wheat this season. Nearly four thousand persons registered at the Pioneer log cabin, Silver Lake, during the month of August. Two men have recently been convicted and fined, in Steuben county, for jumping on a railway train while in motion. A Rochester preacher is drawing large audiences by his twenty minutes sermons. Preachers, everywhere, please notice. James GORDON, the postmaster at Peoria, Wyoming county, has been postmaster under all administrations for forty years. In the neighborhood of Perry, Wyoming county, there are 132 acres of hops. Six hundred and sixty-one pickers are employed. The Akron, Erie county, cement works have, after a "shut down" of two months, resumed work again with a large force of men. Frank SMITH, late of the 'Castilian,' is about to start a paper in Wyoming village, Wyoming county, if rumor is not disastrously mistaken. Medina claims to have extensive salt mines, located about two miles from the village. Situated on the verge of the "briny deep" as it were. The Akron 'Breeze' is the name of a good sized weekly paper recently started in Akron, Erie county, by F.G. SMITH. It has a breezy local page. Dr. J.C. FISHER, of Warsaw, who was recently ordered by the U.S. Authorities to Mobile, Alabama, is a nephew of Hon. John FISHER, of Batavia. The season at Silver Lake has closed for 1878. Two new hotels will be built next year, one at White's Landing, the other at the Genesee camp grounds. The owners and leases of Mills at Hemlock Lake have applied for a perpetual injunction to restrain the City of Rochester from using Hemlock Lake waters. Frank BURT, of Parma, while cutting a bee tree one day last week, was struck by the falling tree and dangerously injured. Frank should 'bee' more careful. STANDEVEN is the name of a Medina carpenter. His plumb-line ought to be true. - 'Orleans Republican.' It's awl plane enough saw far, now who'll adz some more? F.A. BREGG, deputy postmaster at Salamanca, has suddenly absconded and an investigation of his financial relations demonstrates that his honesty is nothing to Bregg on. Mr. John R. FRYER, long time Station Agent at Avon, has had his official neck dislocated for having deadheaded a car load of wood for himself or friends. His fat's in the Fryer. C.F. UNDERHILL, the milliner man, who left remembrances in this village, has done the same in Medina cheating the 'Register' out of a printing bill. If the editor could see Mr. U. he would probably make him Swett. One day last week, John C. SMILZER, of Dansville, committed on a charge of perjury, escaped from the Livingston County jail yard where he had been allowed to go by the Sheriff. $20 reward is offered for his recapture. One of the finest nurseries we have seen for years is the one owned by RUNDLE & GLEASON of Varysburg. - Attica 'Argus' Well, just run over here and take a look at BOGUE's Batavia nursery. It discounts any Varysburg nursery that ever grew. Lockport, this year will put up over 1,500,000 cans of fruit and vegetables, in about the following portions: Tomatoes, 1,000,000 cans; corn 250,000; strawberries, cherries and other fruits, about 250,000; peaches, 24,000; apples, 50,000. The Batavia papers want to know why that switch was placed directly in the center of the walk leading to the depot in that village? It was thought that by putting it in the center of the walk the average Batavian would be least likely to run against it. Lewis' address on "The Future of the Pumpkin Seed" may do for Genesee, but not for the intelligent Wyoming County Farmer. - 'Wyoming Democrat' Monday morning last, Malcolm McVEAN's flouring mill at Scottsville, Monroe county, was entirely destroyed by fire together with quite a quantity of wheat and flour. Total loss some $10,000. The fire is supposed to have originated from the combustion of the fine flour particles around the smut machine. The LEWISES seem to be popular in Niagara county. Alonzo LEWIS is superintendent of the poor, S. Clark LEWIS is in nomination for Sheriff and S. Curtis LEWIS is in nomination for County Treasurer. The select school started by Miss Agnes Allen,, has started very successfully. A large number of scholars are in attendance, and more promised. Miss ALLEN has a splendid education and knows how to impart it to those under her care. + A Very Surprising Party came off at Bergen last Tuesday afternoon, at the residence of Aaron ARNOLD, Esq. It was his birthday, and about thirty of his friends and neighbors, very quietly gathered at Mrs. WHITAKER's, across the street, and while Deacon SHEPARD was holding him in a friendly chat on the lawn, they all marched over and took him and his unsuspecting wife by storm. Aaron's limber tongue was tied for once, and he could not even say "going" for they were all coming. He was soon helped into the bedroom and arrayed in his Sunday clothes, for he had just arrived from his farm, and finally regained his wonted composure. It was also the birthday of another, for Mrs. Aydin MOSIER is his twin sister, as any one might know (if they were told) by looking at them both, for one is broad and the other long. Their mother, Mrs. OSBORNE, was present, and looks only a few years older than these twins she bore forty-eight years ago. She is really seventy-four, but as erect in form and as pleasant in conversations as a bride. Mr. ARNOLD and wife have four children, the oldest of whom is Mrs. C.V. HOOPER, of Batavia. All of them were present. At the table Esq. WARD closed the feast prepared and brought by the guests, with a neat little speech in which he noticed representatives present of many pioneer families, and a greeting word to the surprised family, to which Mr. ARNOLD replied as well as his feelings would permit, for when his heart is full his throat fills up also. A general good time was enjoyed, and all went home early. + The Potato Rot. Mr. Editor: The potato rot is abroad in the land, and the universal cry is "What shall be done with the potato crop?" Some dig and hurry them off to market. Others store the sound ones to chance the rot and the spring market. But there is a large portion of the crop, the partially effected ones and the small ones, which are uncared for or unsaved by either of the above methods. Their loss detracts too much from the value of the crop. How shall they be utilized and made profitable? By steaming them for Stock feed. What, steam the effected tubers? Yes. The subscriber has had much experience in cooking potatoes by steam for hogs, cattle, sheep, poultry, etc., and has ascertained, what is not generally understood, that the hot steam extracts and passes off in liquid form, the poisonous substances of the skin and the parts effected by the rot when not entirely decayed. Boili ng them will not do this, because the water in which they are boiled absorbs and retains the poisons till they permeate the entire mass which it envelopes. To cook rightly by steam there must be always kept open at the bottom of boiler or steam box, a small hole, say one half inch in diameter, through which the poisonous substance of rot and skin may escape. The potatoes must be quickly steamed, uncovered when rare done, left to dry a short time, then removed to another vessel and mashed while hot and soft, stirring in provender, milk, or whatever else you may desire to mix with them, as feed for the different kinds of stock. It is the evidence of my experience that nothing will fatten hogs, cattle, poultry, etc., faster than cooked potatoes mashed while hot, with mill-fed or bran. Of course potatoes so far decayed as to be soft and "jellied" should not be used, but where, though skin spotted and discolored, the tuber is still hard, or comparatively hard, it may be profitably used. In my experience I have used the "Prindle Steamer" as the most simple, perfectly safe and durable, but any good and efficient steamer will do the work, and save much, in beef, pork,, etc., by promptly utilizing the crop now threatened with destruction by the rot. The advantages of steam cooking over, the boiling process must be apparent to the progressive mind, at least, and no farmer in this enlightened age can afford to be without some cheap, safe and efficient apparatus for the steam-cooking food for his Stock. P. + ~conclusion of this issue~ submitted by Linda C. Schmidt