158 
In comparing my results with others I concluded to increase the addition of 
rich feeding matter towards the middle of the fattening term, and then decrease 
again, not however, diminishing the amount of food to be consumed. I 
likewise found that feeding oil-cake, maize, brans, oats, &c., will increase the 
rapidity of fattening and not require as big a bulk, thus saving time and matter. 
All such and similar facts may be established by not neglecting to weigh the 
cattle. 
REFUSE MATTERS OF FACTORIES AS FERTILIZERS. 
“The Journal of Agriculture” of Rhenish Prussia states that the refuse 
matters of the potash factory of Deutz are being used to great advantage as 
fertilizers. Dr. Camrodt writes that he used 70 ewt. of this refuse per acre, at 
a cost of about one dollar, and harvested an increased crop of 30 ewt. per acre 
over the yield of lands upon which it was not used, making a clear profit of about 
$20 per acre. Thousands of tons of this refuse accumulate around the western 
asheries, where black salt and pearlash are manufactured from wood ashes, and 
from analysis and experiment it_is considered a valuable and economical fertilizer 
at $2 50 per ton. It is applied to the soil in the fall, and has a tendency to keep 
the ground mellow and well pulverized. Gypsum, rich in potash, also aceumu- 
lates in these factories, and is found to be especially adapted to grass and clover, 
in many instances doubling the crops. The richest of all such matters, however, 
is said to bethe refuse in making beet sugar. The dirty water, as the lye was called 
in the infancy of beet-sugar manufacture, was formely conducted into ponds and 
rivers, killing the fish and poisoning the air far around, but by experiment the 
material proves to be worth almost as much as a fertilizer as the sugar produces 
in the market. . 
/ 
DESTRUCTION OF INSECTS INFESTING CEREALS. 
In an article by M. Gaud, agricultural engineer of Belgium, it appears that sinee 
the year 1865 the depredations of the weevil and the alucite in that country have 
been alarming, and the scourge threatens to become even greater in the future, 
these parasites appearing in incredible numbers in the southwestern portion of 
the country. It is stated that in 1770, when the granaries of L’ Angoumois were 
invaded by an army of alucites, sulphur-gas was the most effective remedy ap- 
plied. The grain was deposited in barrels smoked with burning sulphur—the 
vessel being prepared by burning within it a few sulphur threads, made by 
drawing coarse threads through melted brimstone. Fifteen inches of this thread 
is sufficient for each barrel. The grain is then thrown in and kept there 
under cover for fifteen minutes, when the operation is complete. If the grain be 
very much damaged by the parasites, it should remain somewhat longer in the 
barrel. 
[The only objection to this plan would be the taste or smell of the grain af- 
terwards if used fer bread. Would it not affect germination ?| 
