PROCEEDINGS OF THE FARMERS' CLUB. 125 



closing upon being handled, and at night and before rain. It flowers all 

 Slimmer, is still in bloom Sept. 19th. I send with it the matured Legumes. 

 The Jersey Tea recommended by you as a substitute for tea, is a beautiful 

 floweringg shrub with a profusion of white blossoms. The Liatris adorn 

 our prairies most through the month of August, though still in bloom; 

 they are very brilliant, showy plants. 



Seeds of all the above flowers can be had by sending to me, with inclosed 

 stamps, to pay return postage. I have received a great many letters ask- 

 ing for seeds, but nearly all neglect stamps. 



One of your correspondents asks the cause of the falling of the Sorghum. 

 The farmers here attribute it to the chinch bug. I have examined the cane 

 but could find none of any account about the fallen, but about the green 

 and more thrifty looking hills, I found mj'riads working at the roots, so of 

 course they must leave after sapping the plants to their satisfaction, in 

 pursuit of better. 



/ Sowed Corn — How to Cure. 



Mr. E. W. Allen writes fiom Broken Straw, P. 0., Chautayqua county, 

 N. Y., that owing to the drouth winter fodder is very scarce, and he wants 

 to know the best way to cure sowed corn, as well as corn-stalks when cut 

 up by the roots. 



Mr. Solon Robinson. — I once cured a very heavy crop of sowed corn in 

 the following manner: I commenced cutting one side of the field and set- 

 ting the stalks against the fence. Then I set a row of forks and poles in 

 the space cut off", and set up stalks upon both sides of the pole, leaning 

 together, and so continued till all was cut. This is only practicable near 

 the forest. Where not convenient to set the stalks up in this way, I would 

 carry a bunch of straw along and tie the stalks in small bundles as fast as 

 cut, and set them up in loose stooks until partially cured, and then put 

 them together in form to withstand the weather. The same plan may be 

 pursued in curing corn cut up with the ears on, or after they have been 

 plucked. There is no better way to preserve stalks in winter than to set 

 them up like a roof across a straight fence, stone wall, or pole on forks, so 

 as to leave an open space through the center. When straw is of no value, 

 Oivev the peak of the roof with enough to shed the rain. 



Mr. K. H. Williams. — I would not bind the stooks, but set them up as 

 loosely as possible, so that the air can circulate freely, binding the stock 

 together at the top with a straw band. 



Mr. Solon Robinson. — There is a very simple little machine for this pur- 

 pose which I have used with great satisfaction. It is a wooden spindle 

 about three feet long, sharp at one end, with a crank and handle at the 

 other. The spindle should be made of ash, about an inch and a half in 

 diameter. The crank may be ten inches long and pretty strong. A stout 

 cord is attached to the spindle near the handle, with a hook on the other 

 end of the cord. To operate it the spindle is thrust through the stock of 

 the cornstalks near where the band is to pass around. The cord is then 

 passed around, and the loose end hooked into a staple in the crank. A few 

 turns of the crank draw the cord tight and press the stalks more firmly than 



