82 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
fMABCu, 
Contents for March, 1877. 
Among the Fainiera — No. 14 94 
Animal Porti'uiliire 99 
Bee Notes for March 2 lUvslrations . . 90 
Boys and Girls^ Columns — The Doctor's Correspond- 
ence — Aunt Sae's Puzzle Box— Amusement for Boys 
— Feeding the Birds— Aunt Sue's Chats — Story of the 
Three Little Boys and their Big Suow Ball, 18 lUus- 
trailons.. W5-WS. 
Breeds, Standard or Pure 96 
Caladinm, A Large 103 
Catalogues Received 90 
Ditcher and Excavator, Randolph's lUuslrated . . 93 
Engines for Farm and Worlishop, Steam.ZMustrat's. . 93 
Fence Gauge lUuslrated.. 98 
Fence Posts, Shaping and Boring 3 Illustrations. . 97 
Flower Garden and Lawn for Llarch S3 
Flowers, How they are Fertilized 102 
Fruit Garden for March S3 
Grass, Guinea Illustrated.. 99 
Greenhouse and Window Plants for March 83 
Hints and Helps for Farmers 8 JUustrations.. 96 
Honsehold Department— Home Topics- -A Convenient 
Pantry — Eastlake Furniture— Honsehold Notes and 
Recipes 2 Illustrations. . 103-103 
Horseshoes, Movable Calks or Studs ioT..Itlustrated. . 96 
Kitchen Garden for March S3 
Market Report for March 84 
Ogden Farm Papers, No. 83 91 
Orchard and Nursery for March S3 
Orchard, Changing the Bearing Tear of 103 
Pig Pen, A very Convenient Farm... A JUustrations.. 9S 
Plants, Begonias and their Uses Illustrated . .101 
Plants, Slender-leaved Ipomcea Illustrated . .101 
Plants, Useful Method of Propagating... Illustrated. 102 
Potato Sweet lUuslrated.. 99 
Pumps for the House and Barn 5 Illustrations. . 93 
Eahbits, Group of Lop-eared lUuslrated. . 81 
Science Applied to Farming 91 
Sheep, A "Braited" Illustrated.. 98 
Talk on Farm Crops— No 1 95 
Thorn, Pyracanth 103 
Tips in Place of Shoes for Horses Feet.. lUuslrated.. 97 
Work, Hints About for March 82 
INDEX TO "BASKET." 
Alfalfa, Work on 86 
Ashes, Use of Wood 89; 
Avrshire Breeders Assoc. .86 
Blue Grass in Wash. TemSS 
Bmsh, Cutting 89 
Butter Tubs Ss; 
Cabbage Worm, Hot Wa- 1 
terfor 86, 
Calf. A Sick, S9i 
Canker Worm Guard 88 
Canker Worm, Now 88 
Cattle Disease in England.S6 
Caltle in Colorado S7| 
Cement for a Cellar 90 
Corn, Planting in Drills.. .SS 
Crops withtmt Manure 89 
Currants and Gooseberries 
in Kansas 89 
Egg Food, Imperial 89 
E^gs. How long can they 
be Kept .^ 87 
Evergreens in Pots 89 
Farming in Colorado 89 
Fertilizers, Special 87 
Fish Culture, Profitable. .. S3 
Grape, Lady 89 
Grease in the Heels 89 
Guano, Peruvian 86 
Hay, Loss of Weight in 
Old 88 
Humbugs, Sundry ... 87 
Immortelles 89 
Incubator, Corbett 87 
JerusalemArtichokeAgaiu90 
Labels Zinc 86 
Lice, Where do they Come 
from 89 
Life Insurance 86 
Lime, Shall we Use 89 
Linnaeus, the Botanist S9 
Manure, How it is Wasted. S7 
Mark Twain's Latest WorkSo 
Milking Tubes 81; 
Mud, How to Use Salt. . . 87 
N. J. Horticult, Society.. .88 
N. J. St. Ag'l Society 87 
OR SHORTER ARTICLES. 
N. Y. Horticult. Society.. 89 
N. T. State Ag'l Society. .86 
Pea, Japan 87 
Peanuts 89 
Pears, A Cluster of S9 
Plants, Resurrection 89 
Plows Adamant 86 
Poinsettia 89 
Poinsettia, Double 89 
Pork Barrel, Cover for a.. 87 
Posts Reversed 89 
Potato Catalogue, Bliss & 
Sons' 86 
Potatoes to be a Profitable 
Crop for 1877 87 
Poultry, Caponizing. ..89 
iPoultry, Crossing 89 
Poultry for Eggs 89 
Poultrv. Litter for 89 
iPrickly Comfrey 87 
Quinces 88 
Ral)bit Skins. Curing 86 
Retention of Fojtus Ab- 
normal 87 
Rinderpest in Europe S6 
Roots for Hogs 90 
Sawdust as an Absorbent. 90 
Short-born Milkers 87 
iSorrelTree S9 
Sorrento or Inlaid Work. .86 
Stanchions, Use of 90 
Stock foraDairy Farm ...86 
Summer Fodder Crops for 
Miim 86 
Tomatoes from Bermuda. .89 
|Tumor in a Heifer 89 
Turkevs and Ducks, Best. 87 
IWarts, Proposed Cure for.SO 
, Water Witching 88 
Weevils '. 8S 
Weight of Pigs Heads. . . .89 
iWestern N. Y. Hort. Soc. S6 
iWheat Lodging 87 
-Wool Manuf. Bulletin of. .86 
Wool ProdnctofCal. 1876.90 
jWorms in Horses 87 
Keeping: Hors Clean. — " C. W. B.," 
Henderson Co.. N. C. The floor of a hog pen should be 
of plank. The pen and the hogs can then be kept clean. 
If the animals are permitted to root up the floor of the 
pen and burrow in the earth, they will always be in an 
uncleanly and unwholesome condition, and much food 
will be wasted. It is quite unnecessary for either the 
comfort or health of the hogs, to let them exercise their 
natural propensity to mot in the grourd. The exercise 
is really a waste of food, and takes so much from their 
growth. Hogs will fatten most quickly when they eat, 
and sleep, and remain perfectly quiet, as they wiU do in 
a dry, warm pen, with a clean plank floor, and bedding 
of clean straw and plenty to eat. 
Calendar for Karch. 
.c' 
^ 
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1 
T 
a 
K 
s 
S 
4 
.S 
n 
M 
f. 
■r 
w 
R 
T 
» 
K 
III 
S 
11 
S 
ia 
M 
l.S 
•I' 
14 
W 
I.T 
T 
l« 
K 
17 
S 
l« 
S 
19 
M 
2(1 
■!■ 
ai 
W 
ti 
■r 
:>s< 
!<• 
i!4 
S 
ii 
S 
■M 
\l 
T, 
■I' 
2a 
w 
an 
T 
m 
K 
3t 
B 
land, jV'. York 
State, Jlichi 
gan, Wiscou- 
Kin. Iowa, and 
Cregott. 
H.3I 
6 34 
6 34 
6 K 
6 3<: 
6 -S 
6 2-, 
6 2.' 
6 as 
6 22 
6 20 
6 IS 
6 1 
6 1 
6 IS 
6 11 
10 
6 
6 
6 
6 3 
1 
5 59 
5 --a 
3 56 
5 54 
5 52 
5 50 
5 49 
5 47 
5 45 
5 43 
n.ii 
5 50 
5 51 
3 5' 
5 54 
5 55 
o 56 
5 5: 
58 
59 
8 
9 
6 10 
6 U 
la 
6 13 
6 15 
6 16 
17 
6 IS 
19 
6 ao 
6 at 
22 
6 24 
6 25 
H. M. 
8 29 
9 44 
10 57 
morn 
9 
1 17 
2 18 
3 10 
S 53 
4 28 
4 56 
5 20 
5 40 
sets 
6 56 
8 2 
9 II 
10 23 
11 3J 
mom 
43 
1 50 
2 45 
3 29 
4 5 
4 34 
4 58 
5 at 
ises 
8 32 
9 47 
.V. r.Ciii/. tt., 
Philadelphia, 
yetD Jetsey, 
Penn., Ohio. 
Indiayta, and 
Illinois, 
KS 
H-3I H.3I 
6 33 5 52 
6 3215 .53 
6 olio 54 
6 29 5 55 
6 28 5 56 
6 27 5 5' 
6 26 5 59 
6 24 6 
6 22 6 
6 20,6 
6 18 6 
6 17 6 
6 15 6 
6 13 6 
6 1216 
e 10 6 
S 
916 9 
716 10 
6 5 6 11 
6 3 6 12 
6 2J6 13 
6 116 14 
6 0;6 15 
5 5816 16 
5 56,6 17 
5 54iG 18 
5 53,6 19 
5 52 6 20 
5 50 6 21 
5 4S 6 22 
5 46l6 23 
H. M. 
8 29 
9 42 
10 52 
morn 
3 
1 11 
2 11 
3 4 
3 47 
4 a3 
4 52 
5 17 
5 33 
sets 
6 56 
8 1 
9 8 
10 18 
U 34 
morn 
39 
1 43 
2 K 
3 24 
4 1 
4 31 
4 57 
5 23 
rises 
8 29 
942 
Jlarylatid, 
Vii'Qifiia.Ken- 
tucJcj/, Missou- 
ri^ and Cali- 
fornia. 
H.31 U.M 
6 32 5 58 
6 31 5 5 
6 30 5 5., 
9 29 5 56 
6 as 5 57 
6 26 5 58 
6 24 
6 23 
6 21 
6 19 
6 IS 
6 16 
6 15 
6 13 
6 12 
6 1(1 
6 9 
6 
6 9 
6 10 
6 n 
6 la 
6 2 6 13 
6 1 6 14 
6 6 15 
5 58 6 16 
5 56 1 
5 .55 6 IS 
54 6 19 
5 53 6 2(' 
5 51 6 21 
5 49 6 aa 
5 47 6 23 
H. M. 
8 a7 
9 34 
10 49 
11 57 
morn 
1 4 
2 4 
2 56 
340 
4 16 
4 47 
5 13 
5 36 
sets. 
6 56 
7 59 
9 5 
10 13 
11 23 
raorn 
32 
1 36 
2 82 
3 18 
3 56 
4 28 
4 56 
5 32 
rises 
8 37 
938 
I'HASES OF THE MOON. 
BOSTON, y. TORE. WASR'X.ICHA'STON CHICAGO, 
in. In. 31. 
6 5 7 ev. 
14^10 10 ev. 
aa, 8 35 mo. 
29, 1 5 mo. 
fl. M. 
5 5 ev. 
9 53 ev. 
8 13 mo. 
."3 nio. 
R. 31. 
4 53 ev. 
9 46 ev. 
8 1 mo 
41 mo 
n. 31. 
4 41 ev. 
9 34 ev. 
49 mo. 
H. 3t. 
4 11 ev. 
9 4 ev. 
19 mo. 
a9 nio.il! 49-'8th 
IMERICAIV AGHICULTURIST. 
NEW YORK, MARCH, 1877. 
One of the most noticeable occurrences of recent 
times is the purchase of ten thousand American 
plows by the Russian Government, for distribution 
among the farmers of Russia. There is more in 
this than Tvould seem to be at first sight. It is 
certainly a great compliment as well as a valuable 
acknowledgement of merit to American agricultural 
implement makers, but it implies that the com- 
petition of American farmers in the European grain 
trade has touched what has been considered an in- 
vulnerable spot. The wheat growers of Southern 
Russia supply what is known as the BlaclySea trade, 
and being much nearer to the market than we are, 
their wheat has had a great advantage over ours. 
But American wheat has displaced the Russian 
wheat, to a considerable extent, in the English mar- 
ket and the Russian farmers have now to exert 
themselves to hold even a portion of that trade. 
Hence it is determined to try the plows that we are 
using, with a view to produce wheat more cheaply 
than hitherto. But there is something else needed. 
The man that holds the plow is of more account 
than the plow, and there are no farmers in the 
world who are more iutelligent or more skillful 
than American farmers. But we cannot afford to 
rest upon what we have gained. The important 
fact here noticed shows that our competitors 
are by no means idle, and intend to improve their 
methods of work as far as possible. We must 
meet their improvements by others of our own. 
Hints al>OBit YTork. 
Keep a Sole Book. — Perhaps there is no business 
in which there are always so many beginners, as 
farming, and these, whether new at the business or 
an old hand at it, should make a practice of noting 
things as they occur to him, or as they happen ; 
and a note book is handy to have in one's pocket. 
Hew Things are continually coming into notice. 
1^'ow it is a new fodder plant, some new variety of 
wheat or corn, a new cross of some domestic ani- 
mal, or a new tool. It is well to try any promising 
novelty in a small way, at first, to test its value. If 
successful, it is afterwards easy to add to the stock. 
Drains. — There is no better time than the present 
to dig di-ains. The January thaw, which was very 
general, has filled the low ground with water, and 
flowing water is the best possible leveling instru- 
ment. The narrower the drain is made, so that a 
man can work easily in it, the cheaper may the 
work be done. When water is flowing in the drain,, 
lay the tiles from the head downwards. There is 
no danger then of obstructions entering them. 
T/ie Cost of Dralnlru) can hardly ever be less than 
it now is. Labor is very low, and those who have 
improvements to make, and have the money, or see 
their way clearly to repay it, if borrowed, could, 
have no better opportunity than the present. 
Standing Water. — A very important work is to let 
ofi' any water that accumulates upon the surface. 
This requires constant attention, and the use of the 
hoe or a shovel. AVhether there is a crop in the 
ground or not, it is equally necessary to do this 
thoroughly, else the soil is soaked and dries very 
slowly. The amount lost through water remaining 
upon fields, would each year buy for eveiy farmer 
wfho permits it, a good paper and more books than 
he could well study in a year. 
Bam-yarcLs, especially, should be freed from wa- 
ter ; the wash from the roofs should be carried off 
before it has soaked through the manure and dis- 
solved out all the valuable parts of it. 
Live Stock. — When the coat is shedding, the use 
of the card, or a smooth curry-comb, should not be 
neglected. There is then an irritation of the skin, 
which is allayed by brushing or carding, besides, 
the loose hair is removed and does not rub off on 
to the clothes. A teaspoonfnl of sulphvir daOy, to, 
every animal, for a week or two, would be helpful. 
Vermin, — As the warm weather comes on, lice 
and ticks become active, and annoy the animals- 
greatly. A mixture of equal parts of lard and kero- 
sene oil, put on the back and brisket of cows, 
calves and sheep, wiU have a good effect. 
Spring WTieat. — In the districts where this crop, 
succeeds, that is, north of a line drawn from Bos- 
ton, to the south shore of Lake Erie, and thence to 
Central lUinols, it is the first crop sown. Shallow 
plowing, with thorough harrowing, leaving what- 
ever small clods may remain after the harrowing, 
upon the surface, is the best preparation. Where 
some stimulating fertilizer is needed, use 150 lbs. of 
superphosphate of lime, or 1 00 lbs. of guano,per acre. 
Barley. — Skillful management is required to suc- 
ceed with this crop. Peculiar soils are required to 
produce a clear, thin skinned, bright colored sam- 
ple, such as brings the best price in the market. A 
friable, clean, mellow, dry, limestone clay-loam is 
perhaps the best soil, but some lighter soils, that 
are warm and rich, wUl produce good barley. The 
soil must be thoroughly worked, and free from 
weeds. Barley should always be drilled, and the seed 
placed at an even depth below the surface. There 
is no better crop with which to sow to clover. 
Oats will succeed upon soOs where barley would 
fail. A rough sod and a moist soil will grow good 
oats ; it is the best spring crop for a reclaimed 
swamp or a newly broken clayey meadow. Two- 
and-a-half bushels of seed, per acre, is light seed- 
ing ; 3 bushels, t£ drilled, or 3t, if broadcast, is 
sometimes sown with good results. The thick 
seeding yields a finer stalk, which makes a more 
desirable fodder than stouter straw. 
Oats and Peas, sown together, produce a very 
nutritious fodder. The two crops together, upon 
one acre of good soil, will yield nearly, if not quite^ 
as much fodder as would an acre of each sown sepa- 
rately. We have sown two bushels of oats and sij 
pecks of peas to the acre. If sown early, the fod- 
der may be cut for soiling cows or horses in SIny or 
June, and a succession for continuous use mhy b» 
sown every two weeks until early in May. Roll 
the ground after sowing, so that the crop may be 
cut with a mower, which may easily be doue, as th(s 
oats support the peas and prevent lodging. 
Other Fodder Crops are barley and tkres, or vetch- 
es, spring rye, and in the Southern States the Cow- 
pea may be added to these. A few acres of some 
early fodder crops wUl be foL.nd very useful for 
feeding green, or for cutting and curing for hay. 
Potatoes. — Earlier plantmK than usual, will be ad- 
visable. Few plant early enough, and now that the 
Colorado beetle is around very early, it will be well 
to ,get the start ol him. We have planted as soon 
as the frost was out of the ground and the soil dry. 
