1870. 



NEW ENGLAND FARRIER. 



421 



THE EIDEK DUCK. 



Among the Sea Ducks that visit 

 the bays and inlets of the New Eng- 

 land coast during the fall and win- 

 ter months, the Eider is distinguished 

 for the remarkable softness of its 

 down and the beauty of its plumage. 

 They breed in Labrador and are sel- 

 dom seen south of New York. Mr. 

 Samuels, in his book on the Birds 

 of New England, says the prevail- 

 ing color is white, the under surface 

 and sides of body, hinder part of 

 back, rump and tail black ; wings 

 white on both sui faces, except the 

 quills, which are black. The nest 

 is placed on the ground, under a 

 bush or tufc of grass, and is lined by a thick 

 layer of down which the female plucks from 

 her breast. The down of a nest, though 

 bulky enough to fill a hat, rarely weighs more 

 than an ounce. They fly rapidly and gener- 

 ally near the water, and are expert divers and 

 remain a long time under water. They are 

 shy and difficult to kill. The flesh of the 

 young and females is said to be well flavored, 

 but that of the males is tough and fishy. 



Trial of an American Steam Plough 

 IN Boston. — Most of the readers of the 

 Farmer will remember the illustration of the 

 Standibh Steam Plough that we published 

 last year, (Monthly, page 428) This plough 

 or rather cultivator, was invented in Cali- 

 fornia, where two of them are now in use. 

 The machine that was recently tested in South 

 Boston was made in this city under the super- 

 intendence of the inventor, Mr. P. H. Stand- 

 ish. The Advertiser says that the results of 

 the trial here were quite satisfactory. The 

 machine was easily directed by two guiding 

 wheels in front, and moved over the ground 

 making the dirt fly, and completely breaking 

 up the ground to the depth of eight inches. 

 The principle seems to be a correct one, and 

 though this trial showed some slight defects, 

 they can be easily remedied and another trial 

 •will be had at an early day. The power of 

 the engine was thirty horse. 



Fall Caeb of Stock. — The Maine Farmer 

 gives an abstract of Mr. Willard's Lectures at 

 OroQO, on dairy farming. In closing his remarks 



on the care of stock, he says :— It requires one- 

 fourth more food to winter a cow if she come to 

 the barn in a poor condition. At no other season 

 of the year is so much care needed as ia late au- 

 tumn and so little care exercised. Frosts affect 

 the grass to such a degree that it is not a good 

 plan to keep cows in the pasture without addi- 

 tional food after the first hard frosts. Barns should 

 be warm and well ventilated, and by so construct- 

 ing them as to secure these two conditions a lai-ge 

 amount of food will be economized. 



"WHITEWASH THAT 'Wllili NOT RUB 

 OFF. 



It is not only a common, but a very wholesome 

 practice, to use whitewash. It preserves wood 

 work, renders it disagreeable as the habitation of 

 insects, and promotes health. Thousands of 

 dwellings are made cheerful by its presence on 

 the ceilings of their rooms, and even the walls are 

 often indebted to it, where paper and paint can- 

 not be afforded. It is cheap and easily applied. 



The outsides of barns are sometimes white- 

 washed, and leantos and horse stalls are quite fre- 

 quently covered with it, and are kept clean and 

 wholesome by its use. 



One objection to it, as commonly used, is that 

 it rubs off easily when touched, and spoils the 

 Sunday coat or best hat. It is annoying to go in- 

 to church, or through the street, with broad lines 

 of white drawn on one's back, to say nothing of 

 spoiling the cloth. To prevent all this, if the wash 

 is to be used indoors, mix half a pailful of lime 

 and water, take half a pint of flour and make a 

 starch of it, and pour it into the whitewash while 

 hot. Stir it well and make it ready by thinning 

 it for use. A little glue will answer the same pur- 

 pose. If for out-door work, add a little salt and 

 boiled rice, made thin. Scarcely a particle of the 

 lime can be rubbed off when prepared in this 

 manner. 



