24.8 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[JUIT, 
(a email bit of metal sun-diul of uo practical use) ; about 
$50 wortb of Jewelry, according to tbe description, for 
$1 ; good $3 watches I ; eight pieces of gold jewelry 
worth $6 for 50 cents ; " bankrupt stock " of course ! 
two swindling Wall-street ''Stock privilege" dealers, 
etc., etc. If tbe Editors or Publishers know the charac- 
ter of these advertisements, why did they give the quasi 
endorsement of them in the editorial ? If they don't 
'■know" or "-suspect" any thing "immoral" or 
" swindling " in them, then they must be very "verdant 
youth," too wft-" knowing," too «n-" suspecting," to be 
safe guardians of their readers' interest. 
Ho>v to Prevent Oapes. — "Mrs. H. 
W, M.," Jeft'erson Co., Ky. The worms fouud in the 
■windpipe of young chicks, are those known as gape- 
■worms. It is quite possible that those often found in the 
intestines are the same worms, but the full history of the 
gape-worm is not well understood. It is supposed, how- 
ever, that the old fowls carry the woi^ms, and discharge 
them with the egys in the dung. The eggs are picked 
up by tbe chicks, and are batched iu the stomach, from 
■whence they crawl up the gullet, until they reach the 
windpipe, where they stay. A very similar worm infests 
sheep and young lambs, in very much such a way as 
this. It is easy to prevent lambs from being affected, by 
keeping them from pasturing after the old sheep, and it 
is equally easy to prevent gapes in chickens, by keeping 
them upon fresh ground. Prevention in this case is 
easier and better thau cure, especially when th»«- Is no 
cure that can be .depended on. 
Alfalfa (l.iicei-11) in Texas.—" J. W. 
S.," Bandera Co., Texas. Alfalfa succeeds well in Cali- 
fornia, Northern Mexico, and in Texas along the Rio 
Grande, and would probably do well with you. Seed can 
be best procured in California, as that grown in a dry 
locality, succeeds better in a dry climate than other seed. 
It can be procured of B. F. ■Wellington, San Francisco. 
A Subsoil Plo^wr for L.ands that 
irash.— " J. A K.," Knox Co., Mo. Any plow that 
will open up the subsoil, and leave channels for the per- 
colation of water, would be serviceable for lands that 
■tt'ash. Light lands, with c'ay subsoils, are very subject 
to this inconvenience. In such cases subsoiling with a 
mole-plow is to he recommended. The deeper the sub- 
Boil is disturbed, the more effective is the result. 
Ilo^vr to make a Stone I>rnin. — "C. 
S.," Lewiston, Me. In laying a drain to be made of 
stone, the ditch should first be dug out to a proper depth, 
say at least three feet, and of a width sufficient to leave 
a clear passage for all the water expected to flow through 
it. Place long narrow stones along the side at the bot- 
tom, bed the stones well, and pack clay at the back to 
prevent water from making a channel behind or under the 
stones. Then lay fiat stones across these, each end rest- 
ing upon the first mentioned stones, leaving a clear water 
channel. Afterwards pack stone carefully on the top of 
the flat stones, covering all holes so that the earth can- 
not fall into the drain. If the drain could then be filled 
with gravel it would be best, if not, fill in with earth. 
Such a drain, well laid, will last as long as a tile-drain. 
The bottom of the drain should not be paved. 
Ho>v to tliro^^r a Horse. — "C. A. H.," 
Somerset, Me. To throw a horse safely, a strong strap 
should be passed around the body^at the saddle girth. A 
loop is fixed beneath the belly. One fore foot is lifted 
and fastened to the loop. In this condition the horse 
cannot kick. Straps are passed around the hind fetlccks, 
and a rope fastened to these is passed through the loop. 
A strap is also passed around the remaining fore foot, 
and a rope is attached to this. The last rope is drawn 
up until the horse is on his knees, when the other rope 
is drawn up, and the horse is gently pushed over upon 
his side. The ropes are then drawn up quickly and se- 
cured, when the horse is powerless. 
Superioetalion.— " W. B. E.," Hancock 
Co., 111. It is quite possible that a cow may produce two 
calves by different bulls. Such an occurrence has taken 
place occasionally with cows, and mares have similarly 
produced two colts. It is known as suj^rf station. Some- 
times both of tbe young animals live, but generally one 
or both die before birth. 
Poll-cTil. — " D. C. B.," Warwick, N. T. 
"Poll-evil," so-called, ivhich is really an abscess at the 
junction of the head and neck, is not serious unless the 
joint of the neck and head is involved. This is known 
by the stiffness of the neck, which prevents movement 
of tbe hea(\ In this case it is almost certain that tbe 
spinal cord will be affected, and the animal lost. Other- 
wise, all that is necessary is to open the abscess so deep- 
ly that the matter may escape from the bottom, and dress 
it with a solution of half a dram of Chloride of Zinc in a 
quart of water. A tape should be tied in the wound, 
and when healing commences, this should be retained 
in the bottom to keep it open until the top is healed. 
Bitter Milk.- " Subscriber," Carroll Co., 
Md. When the milk and cream have a bitter or other 
wrong fiavor, the cause should first be sought in the food 
or water. If there is nothing to be found in the food, the 
water should be examined with care, as this is the most 
frequent cause of bad milk. If the water is from a pond, 
or other stagnant source, and is not perfectly pure and 
fresh, this is probably the cause of tbe trouble. If not, 
it is possibly the effect of tbe clover, or the meal fed may 
be moldy from heating. The easiest way to correct the 
bitter taste of the milk, is to put a piece of saltpeter, the 
size of a small bean, into each pan of milk. 
An Old Warget.— " W. H. D., Washing- 
ton, D. C. When a cow's udder becomes permanently 
indurated, from the effects of an attack of garget some time 
previous, the structure of the gland has become changed, 
the railk-ducts have become thickened and closed, and 
there is no remedy. It is very probable that there will 
be trouble with the udder when the cow again has a calf. 
Cement Koof. — "D. 0. S.," Saginaw Co., 
Mich. A cement roof may very easily be made, by hav- 
ing an edge strip all around, so as to leave a space two 
inches deep all over the surface. The roof should not 
be more than one-eighth pitch, and may be very nearly 
flat. The cement should be mixed with four times its 
bulk of sand, while dry, water should then be added, un- 
tU sufficiently plastic. The cement is to be laid on with 
a plasterer's trowel, and finished smoothly. 'When dry 
and bard, it may be coated with gaa-tar and sprinkled 
with fine sand. 
Compost of Fisli, i'lastor, and 
EartU.— " Z. M.," Suffolk Co., N. Y. In making a 
compost offish, earth, and plaster, the plaster would have 
no injurious effect upon the fish, but, on tbe contrary, 
would be beneficial in fixing the ammonia which would 
be formed iu the decomposition. 
Slatted Stalfle Floors.— "B. F. H.," 
Lake Grove, N. T. Tlie slatted fioor referred to in the 
American Agriculturist for June,page 217, is movable. 
When the floor beneath is to be cleaned, tbe slatted floor 
is removed and then replaced. This floor can be laid 
upon the ground or a bed of sand, which can be renewed 
whenever necessary, and thus the horse will be kept 
clean from litter. 
Punch to ITIark Chiclcens. — " J. A. 
E.," Eastman, Pa. A punch to ni.-irk chicks, so as to 
distinguish one brood from anotli'-r, may be procured 
from any dealer in shoe findings, or harness maker. The 
usual leather punch may be used. 
The American Vet«^rinary College. 
— We have received the Second Annual Announcement 
and Keport of the American Veterinary College. Some 
interesting and novel features are noteworthy. Among 
these are the free scholarships offered to each State 
Agricultural Society in the country. A preliminary ex- 
amination, to which candidates for admission are to be 
submitted, and the extension of the time of study, to three 
full courses of lectures, instead of two. These innova- 
tions will undoubtedly tend greatly to increase the value 
and efflciency of the college. 
Treatment of Oarget.— " C. D. E.," 
Passaic Co., N. J. The proper treatment of garget de- 
pends much upon the character of the disease. Generally 
it is sufficient to give some cooling laxative medicine, 
and to apply cold water to the udder, leaving wet cloths 
upon it, supported, if necessary, by a broad band around 
the cow. The udder should be freed of whatever milk it 
m.ay contain, and if the milk is clotted, it may bo removed 
by injecting into the teats, with a metal syringe, a pint of 
water in which a teaspoonful of carbonate of soda has 
been dissolved, and after a few minutes milking it out. 
The coiv's feed should be very light and cooling. 
Vetches.— "W. McG.," Clearfield Co., Pa. 
Vetches, or tares, will grow very well in your locality. 
The seed can be procured of tbe principal seedsmen in 
New York, and perhaps elsewhere. The Veteb is a very 
good fodder crop. It is better to sow it with barley or 
oats ; 1^ bushels of Vetches, with 2 bushels of the other. 
Rearing (thickens for Ularket. — 
" J. C," Fairfield Co., Ohio. It would be impossible to 
rear " broilers " for the New York market, so far away as 
Ohio. These young chickens are sent to market alive, 
and being very tender at their early age, would not sur- 
vive the long journey in good condition. But New York 
is not the only market for poultry of this kind. The most 
profitable poultry raising we have heard of, was near i 
small village, where a large country hotel or boarding- 
house was located, the proprietoi-s of which were glad to 
take at the highest price all the poultry raised. It is in 
such localities, as this, that special poultry raising is 
most profitable. Half-bred Light Brahmas have, so far, 
made the best broilers, but the Plymouth Rocks promise 
to compete closely with them. " Corbett's Poulti-y-Yard 
and Market," price 50 cents at this office, is a good little 
manual on this subject. 
Ensilag^e of Qreen Fodder.— "E. M. 
L.," Alexandria, Va. We do not know of any person In 
this country, who has tried the preservation of fodder by 
ensilage. It is not a new practice by any means ; the 
writer has seen fodder thus preserved on a French farm, 
over 20 years ago. The material in this case was heel 
leaves, which lie closely, and are very easily preserved. 
Corn fodder has been preserved by numerous French, 
German, and Hungarian farmers for five or six years past, 
and very particular accounts of it are given in the foreign 
agricultural journals. Several dairymen known to us, 
have thus preserved fresh brewers' grains every year. 
There is no doubt about tbe success of the process, if it 
is properly conducted. A full account of this process 
was given in the American AgiicuUurisi for Jane, 1875. 
Blindness in a Horse from Oph- 
tbalmla.— " M. J. S.," Caroline Co., Va. Periodic 
Ophthalmia, is almost certain to end in blindness. The 
disease may come and go for some time, but at each at- 
tack the film becomes more opaque, until finally the pus 
becomes absorbed, or the cornea becomes thickened and 
impenetrable to light. The only treatment available is 
to bathe the eye with a solution of 10 grains of Chloride 
of Zinc in a pint of water, and hang a cloth wetted with 
this over the eye. The horse should not be exposed to 
strong light while suffering from inflammation. 
A Clydesdale Stnd-ICook. — At a meet- 
ing held Feb. 26th, at Glasgow, Scotland, measures were 
taken by some of the principal breeders of Clydesdale 
horses to establish a stud-book for the registration of 
pedigrees. The Earl of Dunmore took a prominent part 
in the proceedings, and offered a resolution, which was 
agreed to, for the purpose stated. A committee was ap- 
pointed to carry out the object of the resolution, and 
agree upon details. 
Ho-\v to (iiet Kid of Chicken-Liice. 
— " J. C. M.," Luzerne Co., Pa. A poultry house may be 
cleared of lice, when badly infested, by thoroughly clean- 
ing it, scalding the floor, if of boards, and washing it 
with soft soap and boiling water. Wash the rest of the 
house with hot lime-wash, and rub the roosts thoroughly 
with lard and kerosene oil in equal parts. A small quan- 
tity of the grease should also be rubbed under the winga 
of the fowls, and uponTheir heads. This plan may need 
repeating once, before the vermin are cleaned out entire- 
ly. A plenty of dry earth or coal ashes should be scatter- 
ed in the house. 
Blasting; liogs.— "H. C. G.," Dardanelles, 
Ark. A charge of dynamite would certainly rend a cot- 
tenwood log 4 to 6 feet iu diameter very easily and quick- 
ly, and at a much less cost than $4 to $7 per log. Common 
blasting powder might be used with good effect, by bor- 
ing in the end of the log, so as to get the charge near the 
center, and tamping with sand. Dynamite, however, 
would reduce the logs to fragments, while powder would 
only split it into two or three pieces, which would have 
to be blasted again. 
" Rearing and Feeding;' Cattle,"— 
"D. n. H.," Poughkeepsie, N. Y., writes: "In the arti- 
cle, ' Lessons from Russian Agdculture,' you ask is there 
any better way of meeting the dilemma than by rearing 
and feeding cattle For the Eastirn States 1 think there 
is, and that it would be better to buy steers in the fall, 
fatten them iu the winter, and sell in the spring. Take 
10 acres good land, plant 3 with Prickly Comfrey, 2 with 
Durra, or Guinea Grass, and 5 with Peas, pull the peas as 
soon as some begin to harden, and cure them tlie same as 
grass. Pulling is better thau cutting, as the roots are 
worth more thau the same weight of tops for feed, and 
the cattle like them. Now, with tbe produce of the 10 
acres, I think I could feed and fatten 20 two-year-old 
steers in 4 or 5 mouths, if they were propeny fed and 
taken care of, which would give me a quantity of manure, 
and I could till less land and grow more wheat and corn." 
[We do not see that this plan is, in reality, anything else 
than rearing aud feeding cattle. It does not make any 
difference who rears and who feeds, whether one man or 
two. The seeming question was hardly intended as a 
query ; the dilemnia to our mind admits of no other solu- 
tion. Guinea-grass would not survive your winters.— Ed.} 
