PROCEEDINGS OF TEE FARMERS' CLUB. 155 



and these waters coming fi-om the mountain country are very pure, and 

 there is no standing water to make it sickly. The bottoms are very level 

 and don't overflow; fertile and beautifully formed, and will be favored in 

 a short time with branches of railroads from tlio States, closing on to the 

 Pacific railroad on the hundreth parallel, between the Republican and Platte 

 rivers, and is destined to bo the best portion in the country, being right 

 between the gold regions and the main eastern portion of America, and 

 now is your time to get land if you have got none under the Homestead 

 Act, for 612 for a tract of 160 acres. The Platte river is now dry for a 

 hundred miles above the Loup river junction with the Platte; the cause is 

 supposed to be the scarcity of snow in the mountain. The stream is about 

 one-half or three-quarters of a mile wide, and filled up with sand to within 

 two and six feet of the top of the bank. 



Ammoniated Guano. 



Messrs. J.O. Barker & Co., No. 37 Wall-st., ask our opinion of the am- 

 moniated guano from the islands of the Pacific. 



Mr. Solon Robinson — I have used some of this guano upon my farm the pre- 

 sent summer, and my farmer, who has been used to Peruvian guano, disco- 

 vered no difference. That, I think, is a pretty strong recommendation. 

 At any rate, in all cases where phosphates are required, this kind of guano, 

 which costs only half as much as Peruvian, will be found of equal value. 



Poison Ivy Cures. 



Mr. John J. Tallman, Steadman's, Chautauqua county, N. Y., says: "Whe- 

 ther Mr. Breed, when he speaks of poison ivy, alludes to Rhus Vernix or 

 Rhus Radicous, I do not know; but if the latter, I can fully indorse his 

 mode of preventing persons from being poisoned; and if any person should 

 be 80 unfortunate as to get poisoned, if he will immediately wash the 

 affected parts in a solution of indigo, or boil up white ash bark in water, 

 and wash in the water, he need not fear any unpleasant consequences." 



Caterpillars — How to Get Rid of Them. 



Mr. Charles E. Pettit, Munson, Henry county, HI., says: "Caterpillars are 

 very numerous in this section, doing much damage to our young and thrifty 

 orchards, making nests in the tops of trees. How would it do to take a 

 torch and burn them ?" 



Mr. Solon Robinson — It will do well. Tie a bunch of cotton or rags 

 upon a long pole, and dip in kerosene oil, and light it and trnst it into the 

 nest as soon as it is formed, when the worms are at home and small, and 

 easily killed. Such a torch will burn long enough to destroy a good 

 many nests. 



How TO Fatten Poultry. 



Mr. P. M. Barber, Montgomery Station, Penn.. wants somebody to send an- 

 swers to the Farmers' Club to the following questions: " In order to fatten 

 poultry most rapidly and economically — 1st. How should houses be con- 

 structed ? 2d. How many should be kept in a house of a specified size ? 

 3d. What should be kept in the house in addition to regular feed to facili- 

 tate fatting and also laying ? 4th. If any different mode for turkies and 

 chickens, please specify. 5th. Should feed be kept constantly lying in 

 house or should they be fed frequently ?" 



