164 



THE GENESEE FARMER. 



ing would improve it. My trees are about 30 feet apart. 

 Will it be necessary to make a drain for every row, or 

 will a less number be sufficient? Will there be need of 

 cross drains? How deep should the drains be made ? I 

 intend to put in small stoue, so as to allow the water to 

 filter through. How small should the stones be broken 

 for this purpose? How deep should the drains be made? 

 To what height should they be filled with stone ? What 

 precaution will be necessary to prevent the soil from fall- 

 ing or washing in among the stones, so as to obstruct the 

 passage for water? — T. R., Crawford Co., Pa. 



Leached Ashes.— (Robert Macauley.) They are good 

 for almost any crop on light hind. 



Unleached Ashes for Corn. — (R. M., Hamilton, C. W.) 

 Apply a handful to each hill after the corn is well up, 

 before the first hoeing. 



To Clean Foul Casks. — (R. T.) Fill them with meal 

 or bran and water, and let them stand until fermentation 

 takes place. The casks, it is said, will then be sweet, and 

 the mixture, will be better than before as food for swine. 



Grinding Sugar Beets. — Can sugar beets be ground in 

 & common eider mill, and the juice be boiled down to 

 sugar or sirup in the same way as maple sap. — c. w. d. 



They can. But will some of our readers, who have had 

 experience, favor us with an article on this subject? 



Hoeing and Harrowing Wheat in the Spring.— (H. 

 B. H.) There can be no doubt that hoeing wheat in the 

 spring is very beneficial. The only question is, " Will it 

 pay?" Try half an acre or so and determine this ques- 

 tion for yourself. We have known wheat benefitted ma- 

 terially by harrowing it early in the spring. 



Copferas for Seed Corn. — (Wm. Haines.) The object 

 of using copperas for seed corn is to prevent worms, 

 squirrels, chip-munks, crows, &c, from eating the seed. 

 It has no effect on the cut-worm and other insects that 

 eat the blade. One pound of copperas is sufficient for a 

 bushel of seed. Dissolve it in warm water sufficient to 

 cover the seed, and let it soak for twenty-four to thirty- 

 six hours. If necessary, dry it with plaster, but not with 

 lime, as the latter would decompose the copperas. 



A Cow Sucking Herself. — (A Subscriber.) Many 

 remedies have been published in back numbers of the 

 Genesee Farmer.. The last we have noticed is to split the 

 cow's tongue with a sharp knife, about two inches, making 

 two equal parts. Give her soft food for two or three 

 days, till the tongue heals, wheu she will be as well as 

 ever and effectually cured. 



Another remedy is to smear the teats with grease and 

 dust, then with cayenne pepper. A few dressings, it is 

 said, will effect a cure. 



Ornamental Vanes for Farm Buildings. — As your 

 paper is designed for improvement in rural affairs, I 

 would offer a suggestion that you publish, in a future 

 volume of the Farmer, a number of designs, with illus- 

 trations, for an ornamental vane, to be placed on the 

 ridge of the wagon-house, as that is generally the most 

 conspicuous' of outbuildings. The designs should cm- 

 brace some variety from cheap wooden structures, or 

 mostly so, to more costly styles. Those of wood should 

 have the spire turned in a lathe and fastened on the build- 

 ing by cutting through the ridge-board and fastened on 

 the inside. Those of metalic materials should have a 

 base of cast-iron, with four legs, spiked to the roof on 

 the ridge aud connected with the lightning-rod. These 

 would improve the appearance of out-buildings very 



much. You could procure the designs in no better-v 

 than by offering a prize similar to those formerly offei 

 for prize articles, so that you could procure a number 

 different styles. — Cyrus Baker. 



We will cheerfully give a copy of the Rural Poeti^y 

 the English Language — a three dollar book— for the b 

 essay on this subject, with illustrations. 



Suckers on Apple Trees. — (E. Walker.) If on 

 body or limbs of the trees, strip them off as fast as tl 

 are formed. If not allowed to grow too large, a ki 

 will be unnecessary, as they can be stripped off qi 

 easily. Suckers at the base of the trees are less eas 

 destroyed. We know of no other way than to cut th 

 off as fast as they appear, and keep cutting. Proba 

 some of our readers can give us a better plan. 



Ammonia, Superphosphate, &c. — In what form 

 ammonia, or sulphate of ammonia, or superphosphati 

 lime, to be bought for manure? These terms are p 

 zling to a beginner. — R. M., Hamilton, V. W. 



Ammonia is a gas, lighter than the atmosphere. I 

 an alkali, and unites with sulphuric acid, forming : 

 phate of ammonia. This is a salt, quite soluble, but 

 volatile. It can be obtained in New York for seven a 

 per lb. 



Superphosphate is made from bones. It is, in i 

 soluble bones. The bones are made soluble by the us< 

 sulphuric acid. Rhodes' superphosphate, advertisec 

 this number, is one of the best articles in market. 



■"Is there ant Cure for Heaves in Horses?" — (. 

 West.) There is probable no absolute cure. But m 

 may be done to help the horse. Feed him on cut hay, 

 mill-feed moistened in water. Work him gently, and n< 

 let him drink more than a pailful of water at a time, 

 this season of the year give him a tablespoonful, e^ 

 other day, of a mixture of equal parts by weight of 5 

 petre, sulphur, antimony and powdered liquorice-r 

 It is one of the best "condition powders" we have < 

 used. 



Soap for Seed Corn. — (A Canadian Subscriber.) 

 Marshall's plan of preparing his seed corn, as givei 

 the Genesee Farmer of last year, is as follows : 



"Heat some soap in a kettle, and then pour the 

 soap on the corn. It is better to have the corn in a li 

 kettle, (not the kettle in which the soap is heated,) a 

 can be stirred better than in a tub. Stir the corn at 

 same time the soap is poured on, till all the kernals 

 smeared with it. Then add as much plaster as will cs 

 the kernels to separate, and nicely dry the seed. His ot 

 is to get as much soap and plaster to adhere to the i 

 as possible. He does not prepare more seed at a t 

 than can be used in half a day. Keep it standing in 

 shade. If'exposed to the sun it will dry, and cause 

 soap and plastei to scale off. The soap and plaster d 

 the moisture, and cause the seed to germinate and ci 

 up quickly, aud the plants look healthy and vigorous. 



Beet Root Sugar. — In the March No. of the Ger, 

 Farmer I find an article on the "Cultivation of the I 

 Root for Sugar," and being well satisfied that the farn 

 of Canada, in many localities — myself among the n 

 ber— would do better to change their practice in farm 

 (as many are doing), the inquiry with me is, Would 

 beet root sugar-making be preferable to the cultivatio: 

 flax, which is so often urged upon us? If the figures 

 the article in question are nearly correct, I am confider 

 would, and have determined upon trying it in a small m 

 if I can get the right kind of seed and necessary insti 

 tions in the art of manufacturing the sugar. Know 

 of no better way of obtaining the requisite informati 



