80 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Feb. 



lowing : "Make a bag of strong linen cloth, about 

 two inches broad, and eight inches long ; fill it 

 •with copperas, and tie it on the foot just above 

 the ringbone, and wet it twice each day. Keep 

 it on about four weeks." 



Mr. A. Briggs, of Deerfield, Mass., states that 

 he can cure ringbone in seven cases out of ten. 



A STEAM APPARATUS — RAPE CAKE — MALT COMBS 

 — TOP-DRESSING GRASS LAND. 



Your good-nature in answering questions en- 

 courages me in Iramiiig a few interrogatories. 



What is a steam apparatus ; and how is it 

 contrived ; and where can one be seen or pur- 

 chased ? Such an one as Mr. Horsfall, the Scotch- 

 man, (as described by Flint,) probal)ly used. 



Can rape-cake be procured, and where ? Malt 

 combs also ; how are they obtained ? 



What is the most approved way of breaking up 

 green sward to cultivate and lay down again to 

 grass ? One of my neighbors says, turn the sod 

 the thickness of two inches, in the autumn ; ma- 

 nure the next spring, and harrow it in. 



Another says, plow two inches, but after spread- 

 ing manure, (also in the autumn.) Top dress in 

 the spring and harrow it in. 



Another yet says, it will pay to top dress, then 

 plow eight inches. In the spring cross plow ten 

 inches, then top dress, harrow in. It is to be un- 

 derstood that a respectable quantity of manure is 

 used. 



When is the best time to top dress mowing, i. e. 

 when will the manure benefit the land most, just 

 before snow in the fall, or just after snow in the 

 spring ? 



Very short answers will do. 



Yours, C. T. s. 



Harvard, Dec, 1860. 



Remarks. — Steam Apparatus. — A steam ap- 

 paratus for steaming food for stock consists of a 

 small boiler and force-pump, with some leading 

 pipe and a large feed-box in which to steam the 

 fodder. Mr. William Biuney, of Springfield, 

 and Mr. H. H. Peters, of Southboro', each have 

 one in operation. 



Bape Cake and Malt Combs. — It is hardly prob- 

 able that the first of these articles can be obtained, 

 as the rape is not cultivated here. Malt combs 

 may be obtained at breweries in the cities. 



Laying Sward Land to Grass. — Soils vary so 

 much that no one practice will suit them all. If 

 you do not wish to cultivate the land, plow 8 or 

 10 inches deep, the last of August, manure liber- 

 ally wiihjine manure, and you will not fail of sat- 

 isfactory Buccess. Top dressing and plowing in 

 the autumn and then plowing, top dressing and 

 harrowing in the spring, would be a thorough pro- 

 cess, but rather an expensive one — although 

 the oats or other crop sowed with the grass seed 

 would partly pay the cost, but at the same time 

 exhaust the land. 



Top Dressing Grass Land. — No one can say 

 •with absolute certainty what the best time is 



to top dress grass land. If we could do just as 

 we please, we should top dress grass land as soon 

 as the hay is carted off" in July. It is essential 

 that the manure should be very fine. It is better 

 to apply manure to grass land in the fall, because 

 it injures the surface to go over it in the spring. 



COUNTY surveys. 



I have noticed your commendation of Mr. Ged- 

 des' survey of Onondaga county, N. Y., as pub- 

 lished in the N. Y. Transactions for 1859. If our 

 Board of Agriculture could bring about a like 

 survey of each of the counties in our own State, 

 it would be doing a service worthy of everlasting 

 remembrance. As their meeting is adjourned to 

 the 8th of January, a day somewhat memorable in 

 our history, I trust you will pardon this sugges- 

 tion. 



Note. — One of our most intelligent citizens is 

 now engaged in prepai'ing a geological survey of 

 this county, which, I trust, will be forthcoming 

 the present year. Essex. 



December 24, 18G0. 



AUSTRALL\N OATS. 

 I wish to inquire if the Australian oats, so 

 called, have proved more profitable than our 

 common oats ? A Mr. Lincoln, of Woodstock, 

 advertised them two years since for one dollar per 

 bushel, put up in bags and delivered at the sta- 

 tion. A man in an adjoining town is now ask- 

 ing .$1,50 or $2 a bushel, and I for one don't 

 like to pay that, if my Woodstock friends are 

 feeding them out for what they are worth to their 

 cattle. If this inquiry induces any one to adver- 

 tise, I hope he will be prepared to furnish them 

 unmixed with other oats, and free from foul seed. 

 W. I. SiMONDS. 



HOUSE PLANTS. 



I want to get some information in regard to 

 destroying lice on house plants. E. P. 



Centre Brook, Conn., 1860. 



Remarks. — Dissolve half an ounce of bitter 

 aloes in a gallon of water ,and syringe the plants 

 both above and under the leaves. 



"THE son of a FARMER." 

 It is impossible for us to give our young friend 

 the advice he asks without a more minute knowl- 

 edge of his circumstances, tastes and habits of 

 life. He must consult some judicious friends who 

 know him, as to the pursuit he should choose. 



Veterinary Surgeon. — We learn that Dr. 

 George H. Dadu, so long a distinguished Vet- 

 erinary Surgeon in this city, has removed to Cin- 

 cinnati, for the purpose of establishing a Veteri- 

 nary School, and of practicing the science of Vet- 

 erinary Medicine and Surgery in that city. Dr. 

 Dadd is skillful and devoted to his profession, 

 prompt in attendance and courteous in manner. 

 We wish for him a wide sphere of usefulness. 



