286 TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



March 26, 1863. 

 Mr. E. Doughty, of Newark, N. J., in the chair. 



Sheep Disease. 



Mr. D. B. Knapp, Clark's Mills, Wisconsin, says that the scab has made 

 its appearance in that heretofore healthy country, and asks the Club for » 

 remedy. 



Mr. Solon Robinson. — This disease is fully treated in books upon sheep 

 husbandry. Youatt recommends mercurial ointment. The disease is a 

 very infectious one, and is most apt to attack a flock of sheep in a state of 

 poverty. 



Applying Lime and Bones. 



Mr. E. S. Marshall, of London Grove, Chester county. Pa., says: 

 . " I shall plow a sod field and spread on fifty bushels of lime to the acre, 

 after it is plowed. Now, what I want to know, is, will" the lime and bones 

 both do together? I wish to sow the bones on after the ground is plowed. 

 I can buy acid and dissolve the bone if it would be better. The field that I 

 intend to plant with corn I always spread on my lime the year before I 

 plow for corn, but in this case did not get it done. Will it do to put on 

 both lime and bone together ?" 



Prof Mapes. — This question is easily answered. It will not do. The 

 lime will retard the decomposition of the bones so as to render them of but 

 little present value; and he would be no better off if he should use acid, 

 because the lime, having an affinity for sulphuric acid, would seize it away 

 from the bones, and the result would be sulphate of lime — common plaster. 

 He cannot afford so expensive a process to obtain that article. Mixing 

 lime and bone as proposed would deteriorate full three-fourths the value of 

 the bone. For immediate use I had rather have five bushels of bones 

 treated with sulphuric acid than fifty bushels unprepared. 



Keeping Apples during Winter. 



A correspondent says: 



" Buckwheat hulls, separated in bolting the meal, are excellent to pack 

 apples, and they are worthless for feed. Cover the bottom of your barrel 

 with hulls sufficient to keep them from the wood, then put a layer of apples 

 and another layer of hulls, and so on. Have your apples ripe and dry, and 

 if your cellar is damp they will not gather moisture as soon as if packed 

 in other brans, or grain of any kind. Turning shavings are very good, if 

 well dried, to pack apples in. Try it." 



Mr. Wm. S. Carpenter said that if buckwheat bran was good, it was 

 unlike all other bran. Fine cut hay is good. So are leaves. Rice hulls 

 are the best material. Sawdust is not good; it is apt to impart its flavor 

 to the fruit. 



Prof. Mapes. — That is the case with many substances. If sawdust is to 

 be used it should be thoroughly baked. Cotton, coal, clay and paper 

 extract flavor. Bone charcoal will destroy the flavor of the richest fruit. 



Dr. Trimble. — I hope the use of buckwheat hulls will not be condemned, 

 as this material can be procured in nearly every part of our country. 



