636 Tbaxsactioxs of the American Institute. 



and simple, but very hard for young men to follow, whether they hoe 

 potatoes or measure calico. I don't think the place makes any differ- 

 ence. "While scores start with Mr. Meeker, for the Kocky mountains, 

 there will be others who will not go beyond the sound of these fire 

 bells, yet they will make as much from a patch that you can throw a 

 stone across, as a Pike's Peak colonist on his square mile. There is 

 everything in the man, and nothing in the chance, for the right kind 

 of a man makes his own chance. 



National Defiance Bee-itive. 

 Mr. y. Leonard, Springfield, Pa., exhibited his ISTational Defiance 

 Bee-hive, also a queen trap, to prevent hives swarming. This hive 

 lias some improvements which were thought worthy of trial. 



Crushed Bone and Swamp-muck. 



Mr. J. Beaser, Orville, Ohio, inquired the cost of a mill for crush- 

 ing bones on a small scale, and whether a \evy nice quality of swamp- 

 muck might not be mixed with night-soil, and result in a good ferti- 

 lizer ? 



Prof J. A, Whitney. — Bone mills are made with several pairs of 

 cast-iron rollers arranged one pair above another. The bones pass 

 between the upper ones and are coarsely broken, then in succession 

 through the others, which reduce them more and more, until they 

 are fine enough. These mills are expensive, and no farmer can afibrd 

 to grind bones in small quantities. Composted with moist unleached 

 ashes, the bones will be gradually decomposed and made fit for use. 

 Night-soil has been very profitably composted with pond-muck, and 

 swampy muck would do quite as well. The muck should be dry, 

 previously exposed for some months to the action of frost and air. 

 The night-soil may be intimateljMnixcd with the muck, and the whole 

 kept under shelter. 



Dr. F. M. Ilexamer. — The best and clieapest wa}' to make bone 

 dust is to mix the bones with fresh horse manure, and keep it wet. 

 This p-ocess requires a year's time, but it is by far the most profit- 

 able. No fiirmcr who keeps a horse need be puzzled to know how 

 to reduce his bones. The compost thus made is quite strong, and 

 should be freely diluted Avith muck or loam. In fact, muck or 

 decayed vegetable matter of some sort, should be mixed with all 

 strong manures. 



