THE GENESEE FARMER. 



37 



Inquiries and Answers. 



Subsoil Plow. — (J. Maohor.) We are not acquainted 

 with the plow to which you allude. 



Husking Corn.— (M. R.) The price usually paid for 

 husking corn in this vicinity is 3 cents a bushel of ears. 

 We have known 4 cents paid. 



Foot-rot in Sheep.— (Benj. Turner.) Pare the hoofs, 

 and then with a feather apply some muriate of antimony, 

 or a strong solution of sulphate ot copper. Coal tar is a 

 preventive, as well as a cure. 



Grafting Apples and Pears on Crab Apple, and 

 Peaches on Plums. — (C. H. P., Greenville, Mich.) You 

 will probably be able to work successfully the different 

 varieties of apples on the wild crab- apple stock, but the 

 pear will not make a union with this stock sufficiently 

 lasting to be useful. Working peaches on plum stocks 

 does not reuder them hardier, but admits of their culture 

 in land somewhat heavier than is suitable for the peach. 



Rice for Pigs. — (A Long Island Farmer.) We do not 

 recollect any experiments showing the value of rice as 

 food for pigs. This we know, however, that rice contains 

 a huge available amount of carbonaceous matter, and must, 

 when mixed with some highly nitrogenous food, such as 

 peas, be very nutritious. Whether it will pay you to feed 

 damaged rice depends on the price. It can sometimes be 

 obtained at a cheap rate. In a London paper now before 

 us (the Agricultural Gazette) it is offered for £4 or $20 

 per ton. If you use it, we shall be glad to hear the re- 

 sults of your experiments. a 



" What Breed of Pigs shall I Keep ?"--(R. T.) That 

 depends on circumstances. Near a large city, where fresh 

 pork is in demand, a small breed will probably be most 

 profitable, as small pigs, that are fat at an early age, al-. 

 ways command the highest price. This is the reason why 

 the "small breeds " are so popular in England. The Es- 

 sex or the small Suffolk will in this case suit you. 



On the other hand, at the West, where corn is abun- 

 dant, the large breeds that will attain great weight at say 

 18 months old, will be most profitable. Such a breed as 

 the Yorkshire would there be desirable. 



Asphalte Floors. — (R. T. A.) They are quite common 

 in England. They are made as follows : Dig sifted gravel, 

 such as is used for topping walks, and use coal gas tar; 

 level the ground perfectly ; mix gravel and tar, two 

 quarts ot the latter to each bushel of the former, till 

 every particle of gravel is saturated with tar. This is best 

 done on a boarded or stone floor; spread evenly, about 

 one inch thick ; roll till hard with a heavy garden roller. 

 When dry, add from 2 to 5 inches rnore, according to the 

 purpose for which the floor is required. Roll as soon as 

 laid, and frequently, until it is quite solid. 



Grapes for Wine.— (R. H. M., Palmyra, Ind.) The 

 Clinton Grape possesses no superior qualities to the Ca- 

 tawba for wine purposes, where that variety can be grown 

 iu perfection, but is in every respect inferior. The Del- 

 aware is the only variety, in our estimation, which is bet- 

 ter for this purpose, and we shall expect to see it planted 

 more extensively for vineyards than any other sort. 



While it is equally as productive as the Catawba, it has 

 the advantages of 'being hardier, earlier, and better iu 

 quality. Even farther north than where the Isabella ri- 

 pens, this sort can be produced in perfection. 



Best Climate for Sheep. — (W. Cook.) We have not 

 space to answer your inquiries in full this month. Sheep 

 can stand cold weather without injury if it is dry. Sudden 

 changes and cold rains are very injurious. We believe 

 sheep require shelter quite as much in the Southwest as 

 at the North. The weather is not as cold, but is more 

 changeable, and the sheep frequently get thoroughly 

 soaked to the skin. In this condition a cold, raw wind, 

 and a damp soil can not help but carry off much of the 

 heat which is necessary to the well-being of the sheep. 

 The natural heat of the body of sheep (105°) is much 

 higher than that of horses and cattle. This heat is kept 

 up by the consumption of food (or burning of fuel) in the 

 lungs, etc., of the animal. To prevent this heat from 

 flying off, the sheep are provided with a good warm coat 

 of wool. To be effectual, however, the coat must be kept 

 dry. In a cold, dry climate, if the wool gets a little wet 

 on the outside it is soon frozen, and this acts as a coat of 

 mail, with a good warm lining of dry wool inside, so that 

 the heat from the warm body within does not fly off. It is 

 said that the Scotch Highlanders in olden times, when 

 exposed during frosty nights, wet their plaids before 

 lying down to sleep, and by holding them for a short time 

 from their bodies they were frozen into a stiff, hard board, 

 sufficiently thick and impervious to defend them from 

 the cold. The slight coat of frozen woof acts in the same 

 way. But in wet weather there is no such protection, aud 

 so it is that you will find it equally important to provide 

 shelter in the warm, but wet and changeable, climate of 

 the Southwestern States. 



Mixing Paints. — Will some ot your correspondents 

 who have had experience furnish a few directions tor mix- 

 ing paints for general use on the farm? — C, Avon, N. Y. 



The Rev. G. A. Anderson writes : " The December 

 number of the Genesee Farmer has come to hand, as usual 

 full of valuable information to any man, no matter what 

 his position in life may be. It is to be hoped that your 

 subscriptions for 1362 will be more than double that of 

 the past year. Many persons have objected to what they 

 call "book farming," but there can be nothing said 

 against following the advice you give us. The more such 

 a paper is read, the better will our land be cultivated, aud 

 the less idleness and dissipation will there be." 



Premium Crops in Maine. — Some friend has kindly 

 sent us the Report of the Committee on Crops of the An- 

 droscoggin (Me.) Agricultural Society. The first prize 

 for corn was awarded for a crop of 72 bushels of shelled 

 corn per acre. The first prize potato crop was 280 bush- 

 els per acre. The first prize ruta-baga crop was 165 

 bushels on one-quarter of an acre, or at the rate of 5S0 

 bushels per acre. Carrots 480 bushels per acre. 

 ►•-• . 



Sheep in Iowa. — Mr. H. Ten Eyck, of Madison county 

 in this State, took 113 Merino ewes in the autumn of 1860 

 to Iowa. He is so well satisfied with the result that he 

 has recently increased his flock to 1,200. He thinks Iowa 

 well adapted to wool-growing. 



