406 Transactions of the American Institute. 



into this hollow throw all soap-suds, chamber lye, refuse, feathers, 

 and salt. If a chicken, pig, cat, or dog should die, throw it in ; add 

 wood ashes, waste lime ; in fact, anything not worth saving for swill 

 should go on the heap. The privy should be cleaned out in the fall, 

 and well mixed with the whole pile, so that it will get well rendered 

 by spring. A bushel or two of old salt will keep a good-sized 

 midden from freezing, and will be found an important ingredient 

 That nothing be lost, keep a barrel as near the door as decency will 

 permit ; and whenever any one washes let them pour the water into 

 this barrel, and when it gets full there is no danger but it will find 

 its way to the dung-hill. 



If any one thinks that lime, ashes, fish, flesh and other ingredi- 

 ents, all put together, will so work one on the other as to throw on 

 and waste their strength, let them use a little plaster, and all danger 

 will be avoided. All kinds of flesh should be covered as soon as put- 

 on the heap, or the cats and clogs will make way with an important 

 part of the heap during the year. Be sure to use plenty of muck if 

 it is to be had, and you will not fail to make a midden worth many 

 dollars during a year's time, If you think this worth publishing, I 

 will give my experience in preparing muck. 



Chairman Ely. — I like that letter. Let other farmers do like Mr. 

 McDonald. He is a good farmer, for he is alive to the importance 

 of saving every sort of waste matter and composting it with muck. 

 There is no thrift so important as this which he recommends. Take 

 a family, of say eight persons, and they can make a dung-hill in one 

 year, in just this way, as valuable as two tuns of phosphate, costing 

 at least $100. I hope he will write us about his muck-heaps. 



Inquiries about Texas. 

 S. Higgins, Cazenovia, 1ST. Y. — I have thought for a long time of 

 going west, but am yet undecided as to the best locality in that 

 section. I have heard a good deal about great advantages to be 

 derived from going to Texas. I am seventeen years of age, and 

 have been brought up on a farm. Would it pay for me, in com- 

 pany with a friend of mine — a man of 37 years of age — to go there, 

 and engage in the business of stock-raising ? If so, how would yoit 

 proceed in commencing said business ? "Would it or would it not 

 require much capital ? About how much would it require? What 

 is the best season of the year in which to start for Texas ? Is the 

 business of stock-raising there very profitable or not ? Would you 

 advise me and my friend to go ? 



