64 



THE LANCASTER FARMER. 



[April, 1878. 



Wind Sucking. 



Wiud sucking, stump sucking and crib biting are 

 all one and the same habit, and, in some instances, 

 are the manifestations of a disease ; in others, the 

 habit may have been acquired from old and con- 

 firmed crib biters. Some veterinarians attribute 'it 

 to a distortion of the teeth, which have become worn 

 away on their interior edge so as to show more or 

 less of the yellow instead of the enamel. Professor 

 Law says: " These worn teeth are associated with 

 the serious vice of wiud sucking (swallowing) and 

 eructicatiou, which leads to tympany, digestive dis- 

 order and rapid loss of condition. The horse seizes 

 the manger or other solid object with his teeth, 

 arches and shortens the neck, and makes a grunting 

 noise. The wind sucking may exist without crib 

 biting. It may be learned by standing idle near a 

 crib biter, and always goes on to disease and loss of 

 condition." The same authority prescribes the fol- 

 lowing treatment : " Smear the front of the manger 

 with aloes or other bitters ; cover all exposed wood- 

 work with sheet-iron ; muzzles may also be put on 

 after the horse has done feeding." Other equally 

 good authorities recommend putting a lump of salt 

 and one ol white chalk or magnesia in a box before 

 the horse, and keeping these constantly within 

 reacli. As we have said, the habit may be learned, 

 but, in most instances, it may be considered as a 

 kind of dyspepsia, and the burning acidity of the 

 stomach prompts the horse to get relief by sucking 

 in cool air. The salt and magnesia or chalk afl'ord a 

 similar momentary relief, and frequently lean to a 

 permanent cure. 



^ 



Thoroughbred Sheep. 



A farmer who has only kept the common sheep of 

 the country can scarcely be convinced of the loss he 

 sustains from year to year. He will tell you that 

 they do not average much above two and a half 

 pounds of wool per head ; whereas the Merino and 

 Cotswold, either separately or by crossing, will pro- 

 duce an average of from seven to nine pounds of 

 much superior wool, and selling for a much higher 

 price. They are more beautiful animals than the 

 common, it costs no more to keep them, their car- 

 casses for the market are even more valuable, and 

 they are as prolific or more so than the common kind. 

 Hence they are three times the profit of the ordinary 

 sheep, and in almost every respect to be preferred ; 

 yet we see the general farmer continue from year to 

 year to rear the animals which are of so little profit. 

 It is true that the first cost of the thoroughbreds is 

 much greater, but it is not recommended that a be- 

 ginning be made on a large scale. Three of each of 

 the Merinos and Cotswold would be enough to start 

 with, as in a few 3 ears they would multiply to a con- 

 siderable flock, and allow of sales that would soon 

 cover the original expense. 



Will not farmers generally consider this sugges- 

 tion? We ask tliem, on the ground that every farmer 

 does or ought to keep a few sheep upon his premises, 

 as they are the best enrichers of the land that have 

 yet been discovered. 



Lice on Cattle. 



Some two weeks ago an old negro on the planta- 

 tion told me to tie a cotton string about the size of a 

 very small plough line around each one's neck, and 

 to tar it well before putting it on ; but the remedy 

 seemed so silly and nonsensical that I treated it with 

 disdain. He, liowever, to convince me, caught a 

 very lousy calf and placed the tarred string about 

 his neck, and with an exultant shake of the head 

 bid me await further developments. To-day he 

 brings up the calf and bids me look for myself and 

 see his triumph. To my surprise nearly every louse 

 had disappeared. He says the lice travel toward the 

 head, get to the tarred string, mount it, and then, 

 .confused or stifled, ignominiously give up the battle 

 and tumble to the ground. — Cvnntry Oentleman. 



Abortion in Cows. 



The milkmen near Boston have found a satisfac- 

 tory remedy in the use of lime. They give it to the 

 cows by sprinkling a spoonful at a time over their 

 food, two or three times a week ; or sometimes they 

 sprinkle lime among the hay as it is stowed away in 

 the barn. A neighbor of mine who keeps about 

 twenty cows, and who was formerly much troubled by 

 abortion among his herd, informs me that for the 

 last three years, since he has made use of lime, he 

 has not had a case, and that very many of his ac- 

 quaintance have had similar experience with their 

 herds. Whether the well-known lack of lime in our 

 Massachusetts soil has anything to do with this is an 

 interesting question for the man of science. — Massa- 

 chusetts Plonijhrnmi. 



Iowa had 1,3.5-1,608 sheep in 1867, valued at 

 $2,000,0000. In 1877 it had only 318,439 sheep, as- 

 sessed at §34.5, 8:i7. This is progressing backward in 

 wool-raising. In 18C7 Iowa had 77,612 head of swine, 

 valued at Si,4S3,000. In 1877 they had increased to 

 1,654,708, more than double the number, valued at 

 $3,89y,301. Evidently the Hawkeyes prefer hogs to 

 sheep. 



LITERARY AND PERSONAL. 



Church's Musical Visitor for March. — 

 Among the features of special interest in Church's 

 Musical Visitor for March, the new " Lifeof Chopin" 

 claims the attention of musical people, and the arti- 

 cles on *' Expressive Piano Playing," and " Fredriech 

 Wieck, the great Music Teacher," are no less inter- 

 esting. This number also gives full particulars con- 

 cerning the approaching great Cincinnati May Musi- 

 cal Festival, and a good description of the new organ, 

 which will be dedicated on that occasion. The edi- 

 torials, correspondence and short notes are unusually 

 entertaining, and the music pages give a very liberal 

 supply of late music, both easy and difficult. Among 

 the latter the " Sketch of Festival Ode," will interest 

 musicians. It is from the work by Otto Singer, 

 which has been written for the opening of the new 

 Cincinnati Music Hall, and of which the critics have 

 been lavish with praise. The ballad entitled "Re- 

 gret," by J. A. Butterfield, is also remarkably fine. 

 This number also contains " When the Grass Grows 

 Over Me," song and chorus, by D. C. Addison; 

 " Golden Leaflet Schottische ;" "The Last Leaf," by 

 Jas. McGranahan, and "Ripple, Little Brooklet," 

 quartet, by C. C. Case. This is a large quantity of 

 good music to be in a single number of a magazine 

 costing only 1.5 cents, or ?1.50 for a whole year. If 

 bought at any music store, the same music would 

 cost fully §2.00. Every subscriber to the Visitor 

 also receives a valuable premium, free. Send stamp 

 to the publishers, John Church & Co., Cincinnati, 

 0., for particulars. 



The Co-operative Employment Bureau of the 

 Bowery Branch, T. M. C. A., 134 Bowery, New 

 York, have opened a register of farms, offered for 

 rent or sale, in Eastern, Middle and Southern States. 

 No fee or commission will be charged for entry on 

 the register, the object of which is to place within 

 reach of those desiring farms, the means of informa- 

 tion which shall enable them to make judicious 

 selections without the inconvenience or expense of 

 consulting land agents. The register will be opened 

 to all wishing to rent or purchase farms. It is 

 hoped by this effort, that many intelligent emigrants 

 of means may have their attention called to cheap 

 and desirable farms in these States, and thus be led 

 to purchase where they may have society, schools 

 and churches. No fee or commission will be charged 

 for examining the register. Information of farms 

 for sale or rent, should state number of acres, tillage, 

 woodland and orchard, with description of soil and 

 improvements, springs, wells and buildings, and 

 terms of sale ; also state any incumbrance. Name 

 and post-office address should be very plainly writ- 

 ten. Male help of any kind may be had by applica- 

 tion at the same office. Address Rev. John Dooly, 

 No. 134 Bowery, New York. 



Tobacco in Virginia and North Carolina. — 

 Some observations in .connection with the several 

 types of tobacco now produced in these two States — 

 including Dr. Volker's examination of our fine yel- 

 low tobacco — and on the introduction of a new type, 

 namely, cigar tobacco. Presented by the Southern 

 Fertilizing Company, Richmond, Va. An octavo 

 pamphlet of 40 pages. Office, 1321 Cary street. 

 This pamphlet contains a full and interesting discus- 

 sion of the tobacco plant as an article of trade and 

 commerce, as well as its culture, in which a high 

 compliment is paid to the tobacco of Lancaster county. 

 Mr. A. C. Libhart's essay on Tobacco culture, which 

 was published by this company last year, is re- 

 issued in this pamphlet, which is a highly compli- 

 mentary endorsement of its rare excellence. The 

 work contains a map of the Jurassic and Triassic 

 Rocks of Virginia. 



Takino "time by the forelock." Here we already 

 have the Premium List, with the "Rules and Regu- 

 lations of the Ninth Annual Fair of the Montana 

 Agricultural, Mineral and Mechanical Association," 

 to commence at Helena, Montana, on Monday, Sep- 

 tember 23rd, 1878, and to continue six days. A 12mo. 

 pamphlet of about 50 pages, about 20 of which are 

 devoted to the general list of premiums, 10 to special 

 premiums, and 20 to advertisements. The general 

 premiums are very reliable, and are equally dis- 

 tributed ; for instance, the highest premium for a 

 horse is $25, and the best bushel of wheat $15. But 

 the most noted feature is the special list, by artizans, 

 producers and manufacturers outside of and inde- 

 pendent of the Society, some of which are $40 and 

 $50, one hundred per cent, higher than the highest 

 offered by the Society. This seems to be an encourag- 

 ing movement. 



The Artificial Flower Guide, conducted by J. 

 Loewenstein. A semi-annual magazine, devoted to 

 information on the uses of artificial flowers for the 

 toilet, decorative and all other purposes. Price, 20 

 cents. Published by the Parisian Flower Company, 

 No. 28 East Fourteenth street. New York ; No. 9 Rue 

 de Clery, Paris. A square 12mo. of fifty pages, in 

 paper covers and most elaborately illustrated and 

 embellished with thirty-five splendidly executed en- 

 gravings. Embracing bridal appointments and veils, 

 floral garnitures for balls and evening costumes ; 

 vases, stands, hanging groups, brackets, terra-cotta 

 ornaments, &c., &c., together with full instructions 

 io the art, the meaning, the sentiment and the philoso. 



phy of artificial flowers and their relations to our 

 social and conventional customs — ornamental and 

 useful. 



High Farming Without Manure. — Six lectures 

 on agriculture, delivered at the Experimental Farm 

 at Vincennes, by M. George Ville, Professor of 

 Vegetable Physiology at the Museum of Natural 

 History, Paris, France. Published under the direc- 

 tion of the Massachusetts Society for the Promotion 

 of Agriculture. Boston: A. Williams & Co., 283 

 Washington street, corner of School street. This is 

 a handsome 12mo. of 108 pp. , in paper covers, and 

 between those covers is condensed a vast amount of 

 analytical and statistical information on subjects 

 relating to the farm and farming, embracing the 

 fundamental principles of plant development, and 

 the means of facilitating that development, through 

 the aid of science ; acknowledging agriculture as a 

 scientific problem, and manipulating it on that basis. 

 Something for progressive farmers. 



Report of the services of the Centennial meet- 

 ings of the "Church of God," held by authority of 

 the General Eldership, in the Bethel of the Church 

 of God, corner of Germantown avenue and Berks 

 street, Philadelphia, Pa., July 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th, 

 1S76. J. F. Weishempel, ji.. No. 360 West Baltimore 

 street, under the Eutaw House, Baltimore, Md. A 

 pamphlet, of 8 pages octavo, of interest and use. 

 Sometimes poor "human mortals," in attempting 

 "to take the kingdom of heaven by force," inadver- 

 tently ignore the " kingdom of earth," and through 

 a mistaken zeal or a false aspiration, that which 

 ought to have been done to-day is, for selfish ends, 

 deferred until to-morrow. Through an unfortunate 

 discussion, in which everybody was right and nobody 

 wrong, the printing of this pamphlet was greatly 

 delayed, but "better late than never." 



Something Good and True. — We call the special 

 attention of the readers of The Farmer to the card 

 of Mr. C. H. Anderson, in the advertising columns 

 of this number of our journal, not only as someth- 

 ing new, but also something "good and true." The 

 intrinsic merits of the "Iron Stone," as a water and 

 drain pipe, are sufficient of themselves to recom- 

 mend this miiterial to the confidence of the public. 

 Mr. Anderson is so respectably endorsed by those 

 who have used the " Ardenbeim Iron Stone Pipes," 

 and is socially so highly connected in this county, 

 that we believe our farmers may repose the utmost 

 confidence in him, especially as through the superi- 

 ority of his wares he has been enabled to build up a 

 flourishing business-. 



Pamphlets and Catalogues. — Recipes for the 

 use of "Kingsford's Oswego Corn Starch," or pre- 

 pared corn, manufactured by Kingsford & Son, 

 Oswego, New York. Also, instructions in carving 

 and other useful recipes. 12mo. 64 pp. Contains 

 many gems in culinary preparations, which seem 

 only an aggravation in the absence of the where- 

 withal to provide them. 



The most satisfactory catalogues that have reached 

 our table are the price lists of green-house and bed- 

 ding plants, fruit and ornamental trees and plants, 

 small fruits, bulbs, &c. (by mail). Grown and for 

 sale by Edward J. Evans & Co., nurserymen, seeds- 

 men and florists, York, Pa. Names in bold type, 

 alphabetically and scientifically arranged, with 

 specific prices attached. Large stock — great variety. 

 The First Annual Report of the Connecti- 

 cut Agricultural Experiment Station. — From 

 the report of the Secretary of the Board of Agricnl- 

 ture. A royal octavo of 108 pages. In which the 

 subject of manures and fertilizers is most ably and 

 elaborately discussed, showing that the State has 

 emerged from the era of "horn gun-flints" and 

 "wooden cucumber seeds," and is developing the 

 practical and useful. Nothing has yet emanated 

 from any similar organization in Pennsylvania of the 

 same practical character. 



Our readers will please notice the change of loca- 

 tion in the advertisement of the Mendelssohn Piano 

 Co., of New York. They have opened new and 

 splendid warerooms for their matchless Pianos at 

 No. 21 East Fiftepnth street, between Broadway and 

 Fifth ave, near Union Square, opposite Tiffany's, the 

 great diamond and jewelry house, in tlie heart of the 

 Piano and Music business, and amongst the most 

 fashionable trade of the metropolis. 



Benson, Burpee & Co.'s Illustrated and De- 

 scriptive Catalogue of Garden, Field and 

 Flower Seeds, for 1x78, embracing select lists of 

 the choicest and most valuable varieties in caltiva- 

 tion, both home grown and cultivated ; all of the 

 highest quality — fresh and reliable. Also, a choice 

 selection of small fruits, plants, trees and bulbs ; 

 agricultural implements and thoroughbred live stock. 

 No. 233 Church street, PbUadelpbia', Pa. 



Annual Catalogue for 1878, containing a list of 

 garden, field and flower seeds, together with prices 

 and cultural directions. Published annually by 

 Price & Knickerbocker, successors to V. R. Douw & 

 Co., importers, growers and wholesale dealers in 

 seeds, agricultural and horticultural implements, 

 vanes, vases and garden requisites, 80 pages, 8v. In 

 ornamental paper covers, elaborately illustrated. 

 No. 80 State street, Albany, New York. 



