1867. 



NEW ENGLAND FARJUER. 



135 



The use of bone in all countries, however, 

 has been conOned to that which has been sim- 

 ply crushed, or broken into (ra<i;ments of con- 

 siderable size. But all the authorities agree 

 in the great advantage oi' having bone reduced 

 to a powder by mechanical means. Although 

 it has long engaged the attention of in- 

 ventors, no machine has been made which 

 would reduce bone to powder till the invention 

 of those used solely by the Boston Milling and 

 Manufacturing Company. 



Now what the public wishes to be assured of 

 is, whether this pulverized bone, manufactured 

 by this Corporation is pure and unadullerated. 

 To this we reply, that from the first we have 

 advertised everywhere that its 2jerJ'ect purity 

 was preserved ; no adulteration or admixture 

 whatever being introduced, except Jive per 

 cent, of common salt, as a preservative when 

 packed in barrels. A guarantee to this effect 

 can be given by this Corporation. We have 

 constantly solicited investigation, and it has 

 been a subject of inquiry by many. We have 

 been permitted by all the agiicultiiral newspa- 

 pers in this city to refer to them upon this sub- 

 ject for now nearly one year, because they 

 have given our mills, our process and our 

 Flour of Bone a thorough examination. 



We should be glad to give Mr. Nutting an 

 opportunity of examining, and here offer him 

 and his friends, through the medium of your 

 columns, a full and free invitation to inspect 

 our works, processes and their results. We 

 guarantee one thing, at least : — to satisfy them 

 that we furnish perfectly pure hone, grotmd 

 fine by a strictly mechanical process, without 

 burning or using acids. Of course we do not 

 guarantee that it will prove a success in every 

 description of soil or in every season. Did 

 Mr. N. ever know of any manure which could 

 be absolutely promised to produce the same 

 effect under every and all circumstances, all 

 differences of soil, climate, &c., &c. ? Is it 

 fair to condemn our article, because, as he 

 states, it once failed with him ? We think not. 

 Not to occupy too much of your paper in our 

 matter, we conclude by expressing the hope 

 that Mr. N. will give us an opportunity of be- 

 coming acquainted with him personally. For 

 we believe that he will then be satisfied that 

 we, too, also have an interest in the well-be- 

 ing of agriculturists generally, and if honest 

 efforts can prove this, he may rest assured of 

 o.jr making them. Respectfully yours. 

 A. F. Dkvereux & Co., 

 Agents Boston Milling and Manufg Co. 

 Boston, Mass., Dec. 14, 1866. 



FERRETS AWD RATS. 

 Rats are a great nuisance. My pig-pens 

 and buildings are overrun with them. .1 often 

 wish for a pair or two of ferrets and a couple 

 of good terrier dogs. We could have some 

 glorious sport. When I was a boy. In Eng- 

 land, I used to keep ferrets, and can well re- 



member many days when I was too sick to go 

 to school ; but cannot recall a day when 1 was 

 not well enough to go "a ferreting!" We 

 used to stack nearly all our grain, and as it 

 was never threshed until the winter, and fre- 

 ((uently not before the next summer, t!i(! stacks 

 that were on the ground were a favoiilc haunt 

 for rats. I have seen old stacks tliat were 

 completely riddled with rat holes — sides, top 

 and bottom. Such a stack afforded real sport 

 for us youngsters. Armed with a good stick, 

 we stood one on each side of the stack. The 

 ferrets, having been fasted over night, were 

 turned into the holes. They would creep 

 along there slowly at first, but "as soon as a rat 

 was scented they were more active, and when 

 the game was fairly started Master Rat, or 

 Madam, must make good pace to save their 

 skin. With a rush he leaps from the stack, 

 Avhen a terrier makes short work of him. 

 When the sport is lively, half a dozen or more 

 are on the ground at once, and dogs and boys 

 have all they can do to attend to them. 



The smaller the ferret the better, as she 

 can follow the rats more easily and rapidly 

 through the holes. The large male ferrets are 

 seldom as good rat catchers — or more prop- 

 erly, vdtfrigldeners — as the small female fer- 

 ret. ]f kept perfectly clean and in a warm 

 but well ventilated pen or box, and fed regu- 

 larly with a little new milk and scraps of fresh 

 meat, birds, heads of chickens, blood, etc. ; 

 there is no difficulty In raising them. 



AVhy cannot we keep ferrets in this coun- 

 try ? The only difficulty I can think of Is our 

 severe winters. But it would seem that this 

 could be overcome by keeping them in a barn 

 cellar and furnishing them with plenty of dry 

 l^eddlng. In which they can burrow and form a 

 nest. 



I see ferrets are advertised at $20 a pair ! 

 When I was a boy I frequently raised seven, 

 and in one case nine at a litter, and used to 

 feel rich when I could sell the young ones for 

 $ 1 50 per pair. They breed twice a year ; 

 and some of our young farmers' sons, espe- 

 cially in the milder sections, would find a plea- 

 sure and profit in keeping them. — Joseph Har- 

 ris, in American Agriculturist. 



BEST -WAY OF SEEDING- DOWN. 

 The Harvest Club of the Connecticut Valley 

 discussed this subject, at a late meeting at 

 Thaxter Shaw's, in Montague, Moses Stebbins 

 in the chair. As reported by the Boston Cul- 

 tivator, Thomas J. Field, Pi-esldent of the 

 Franklin County Society, opened the discussion. 



He recommended 12 lbs of clover seed, 6 

 quarts of herdsgrass, and 1 bushel of red top to 

 the acre ; also that fanners raise their own 

 seed. The best clover seed in market, he said 

 Is that grown in Putney, Vt. Farmers grow- 

 ing their clover seed need not separate the 



