18G8J 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
4.01 
Our Jersey Bulls at the West- 
chester Co. Fair.— We were not a little gratified by 
receiving, a IVw weeks since, from Mr. Swain, the first 
prize cards and ribbons worn at the Westchester Co v 
Fair, by two of the young bulls we had selected from his 
herd and offer as prizes. We were prevented personally 
attending this exhibition, but learn that it proved the 
efficiency of its new management in a gratifying decree. 
Blow to TaliO Care of a Goat.- 
" Mrs. tj. W. V7." asks how to take care of a goat : if 
they Will thrive Op hay and corn; what they will cat; 
bow long they go with kid, etc. An associate who lives 
in the city recommends to feed them on tenpenny nails, 
old posters, and hard-coal cinders, as the goats kept about 
his residence seem to thrive on that fare. Soberly— goats 
need air and exercise more than almost any other ani- 
mal. They cannot well be kept stabled. Good hay, with 
the scraps from the table (swill), would be sumptuous 
fare. They are a knowing animal, and will seldom tangle 
up a tether if fastened out to graze by one. They will 
gnaw and destroy any cultivated tree or shrub we know 
of, eat up collars and shirt bosoms, straw hats, books, 
etc., etc. The goat goes with kid about 150 days. 
What Spring- Crop on Fall Plow- 
ed Sod ?-" D W. L„" of Hardin, Tex.. Mo.. Iowa, 
111., or O.. (which State we know not,) asks ; "What would 
be the most profitable crop to be raised on tame sod, 
plowed late in the fall and well pulverized ? Would wheat 
do well ?" You have your choice among grains between 
Spring Wheat, Oats, and Barley. If the first does well in 
your section, and the soil is in good order, sow that, and 
get it in early, even before the frost is out of the ground. 
Besides, you may raise potatoes, planted early; at the 
South, castnrbeans. first giving the land thorough harrow- 
in g and mellowing; flax for seed, if the land is rich and 
Tree from weeds, plowing deep this fall, cross plowing 
and harrowing, or "cultivating" (that is, cultivator-ing) 
very thoroughly in the spring ; and other crops might be 
named, if we knew the size of the field, soil, and location. 
A Guide to the Study of Insects.— 
The appearance of the first part of Dr. Packard's work 
was announced some time ago. The third part has just 
come to hand, and is full of interesting matter about bees, 
wasps, and related insects, well illustrated. The parts 
sent by mail from this office at 50 cents each. 
Ichneumon Flies and Grasshop- 
pers.— "E. S.." Highland, Kansas, says : "The grasshop- 
pers have found their match in these flies. They arc found 
in great numbers in a dead or dying state, with worms or 
maggots in them ^ to % inch long, with small black or 
brown heads. Scarcely any fall wheat has been sown in 
parts of the State on account of the grasshoppers. This 
country is improving at an astonishing rate. 1 ' 
** Freezing- Kills the Es:gs."- Horace 
Greeley is reported as saying, with respect to the de- 
struction of insects : '* Fall plowing is also a good rem- 
edy if the laud is left in ridges. Freezing kills the eggs." 
To this we say in the words of the Scotch verdict, " not 
proven." All the testimony points to the indestructibil- 
ity of the eggs of insects byany amount of natural cold. 
The eggs of the tent caterpillar, katydid, and all those 
! which deposit them above ground, pass our se- 
verest winters without injury, and until it is shown by 
positive experiment that the eggs deposited in the earth 
arc of a different nature, wc shall decline to believe that 
" freezing kills the eggs." If the belief that it does will 
induce people to plow land in the fall and leave it in 
ridges, it will not be productive of injury, but of good. 
The Cincinnati Horticultural So- 
ciety's Exhibition was a most enjoyable affair It 
was held in the spacious skating rink, which was made 
so summer like that one would not suspect that it was a 
building mainly devoted to winter pleasures. A mile's 
length of evergreen wreath quite hid the truss work of 
the roof, and a large fountain, surrounded by rock-work 
and grotesque plants, occupied the center of the floor. 
The most noticeable feature was the way in which pot 
plants were exhibited. Instead of being placed upon 
tables and stands they were tastefully grouped upon the 
floor, and so surrounded Hy turf that theefiect of the whole 
was that of a brilliant and well-kept garden. For beauty 
of arrangement this far exceeded any exhibit ion we have 
s sen, and the result was largely due to the taste and hard 
■work of Messrs. Haerlin and Pentland. and the abundant 
contributions of J.B.Bennett, Mr, Longwarth % Captain 
Anderson, and others whose names have escaped us. J, 
S. Cook had a forest of choice green-honse plants, re- 
markably hrallhy and well grown, and deservedly took 
si proration. The collections of evergreens in pots 
by P. Pentlaud and S. S. Jackson & Co. were very fine 
and interesting. The display of fruits, especially of 
grapes, was large, but that of vegetables not up to what 
we expected. Of course wc cannot give a detailed re- 
port of this splendid exhibition. Much of its success 
was due to its President, Capt. \Y. P. Anderson, who 
worked only as one who has his heart in the cause can, 
and R. A. Warder, who is just a second edition of " Am- 
erican Pomology," and seemed to possess the happy 
(acuity Of being everywhere at once. Under its present 
administration the Society will maintain the claim of 
Cincinnati to be one of the important centers of Horti- 
culture. We cannot close tins brief notice of the show 
without alluding to our pleasure in meeting such 
veterans in the cause as Robert Buchanan, Graham. 
Mottier, Mc'Avoy and others, whose love for fruits and 
flowers seems to strengthen with their years. 
The Ohio State Fair was held at Toledo, 
Sept. 21st to 25th, under the auspices of the Ohio State 
Board of Agriculture. Though a cold storm interfered 
with the attendance, it was a grand success. For excel- 
lence of arrangement, abundance of contributions, courte- 
sy of officials, and the generally intelligent appearance of 
the crowd, it excelled any State Fair we have ever attend- 
ed. The show of stock of all kinds was large, but the 
rain prevented a full examination. In the department 
of implements the variety was bewildering. It has been 
said to be the best exhibition of implements ever made. 
The mechanical or machinery department was also very 
full. Indeed, the show was so immense that the single 
day to which the rain confined ns was hardly enough to 
allow one to take more than a general survey The halls 
devoted to specialties were spacious, well arranged, and 
well filled. The show of fruit was something to gladden 
one's eyes. We cannot particularize, except to say that 
the ranch-neglected quince was here in deserved promi- 
nence, that the display of grapes was immense, and that 
our friend. M. B. Bateman. of Painesville, deservedly 
took the leading premiums. Floral Hall was full of beau- 
tiful things, among which the fine collection of Lenk & 
Co., Toledo, was conspicuous. The Vegetable Depart- 
ment, facetiously styled "Pumpkin Halt " by its inde- 
fatigable superintendent. D. C. Richmond, of Sandusky, 
was full of excellent products. It was a treat to see 
that vegetables for once have as good a chance as pears 
and grapes. Among the points of attraction were the 
temporary offices of the Ohio Farmer and the Toledo 
Blade, and it were difficult to say from the number of 
visitors at each, who was the more popular. Col. Harris of 
the Farmer or Mr. Locke of the Blade, the latter being 
the well-known Petroleum V. Nasby, Postmaster. 
Scabby E.eg in Fowls. — " G. P.," 
Amite, La., writes • "My fowls have been troubled in 
this way. We call it Gout. My remedy is turpentine, 
applied, say twice a week, with a small brush or swab. 
Whoever makes the application must be careful not to 
let the turpentine run down along the toes, as it is apt to 
make them bleed. Three weeks will be about the time 
required for the entire disappearance of the scab.** 
Underdraining; Water Meadows. 
—An English farmer broke up thirty acres of water 
meadow which produced nothing except coarse sedge- 
grasses and rushes. After it was thoroughly drained and 
laid down to grass, he was able to cut four crops of green 
fodder annually of the very best quality. The same thing 
could be done in thousands of instances in this country. 
Ditnible Footed Fowls. — When heavy 
fowls roost high, as they always fly down, they are very 
apt to drive gravel stones into the soles of their feet, and 
to bruise them otherwise so as to cause swelling and sore- 
ness. Sometimes, also, corns appear on the soles These 
troubles are much more frequent among roosters than 
hens because they are so much heavier. "J. C. I\." de- 
scribes a trouble, which is probably a corn due to the 
same cause, or possibly hereditary. Corns may some- 
times be cut ont carefully, or loosened about the sides 
and pulled out. Stuff plenty of lint into the cavity and 
bind a piece of rag on ; it will heal soon if the bird is well. 
Xhe American St nd-Book.- Lovers 
of the horse, and especially all in this country interested 
in the thoroughbred horse, should welcome with ns the 
first volume (A toL) of the American Stud Book, prepar- 
ed by Col. S. 0. Bruce, of New York. This contains the 
pedigrees of ''all the imported thoroughbred stallions 
and mares, with their produce, including Arabs, Barbs, 
and Spanish horses, from the earliest accounts to the end 
of the year lSGT ; also all the native mares and their prod- 
uce " The great value and importance of correct pedi- 
: breeding animals are now universally conceded. 
Those peculiar excellencies or defects which have be- 
come, with hardly an exception the inheritance of sire, 
dam, and foal, tor generations folio wing generations. mark 
a distinct breed and fit it for the uses to which it is ap- 
plied. The question " What make.- a thoroughbred r" as 
applied to horses, has been often discussed. If all the 
blood flowing in a horse's veins can be proved to How 
through trained English horses from M Araby the blest." 
Turkey. Barbary. or Andalusia.— the horses of which 
countries all have a common origin— all agree that the 
animal is thoroughbred. If, however, the fact cannot 
be proved, would it be any lessa fact ? Then a horse may 
be a thoroughbred and universally acknowledged as such, 
and yet the proof be wanting. This, as we understand 
it. has induced many horse men to record horses ns thor- 
oughbreds which had pnre crosses for only five gen- 
erations. It is well known that some of ournio-t fam. us 
horses have had imperfect pedigrees, yet no one doubted 
their thorough breeding. Such, though not showing the 
requisite fire crosses, have been included in this volume. 
It is a handsome octavo, printed on tinted paper, with 
clear type, and embellished with 20 or more copper plate 
engravings. Published by E. B. Meyers & Co., Chicago. 
Coloring: Carpet Warp.- N„ S. Thomas, 
Painted Post, N. Y., sends the following direction for 
coloring carpet yarn. " Extract of Hemlock bark is the 
substance wanted. Wet the warp thoroughly with lime 
water: then boil in a strong liquor made by dissolving 
extract of hemlock bark in water. Use a brass, copper, or 
porcelain kettle (not iron or tin); this gives a tan color. 
For a black color use strong copperas water in place of 
lime water. Iron or tin vessels will answer when cop- 
peras is used. A slate color can be made by using a small 
quantity of the copperas water and extract liquor to a 
large quantity of the warp. A brown color can be made 
by using only a small portion of copperas with the ex- 
tract. The shades of color can be changed by varying 
the amount and proportion of the coloring materials. A 
little care will enable anyone to make desirable colors 
with these materials, and to modify the colors by using 
other substances with them. The extract of Hemlock 
bark is very extensively used by tanners for making 
leather, and is made at large establishments for the pur- 
pose located in or near the hemlock forests. 
Xhe Gamgee -Heal Preserving 
Process.— Professor Gamgee has been spending the 
summer at the West, prepariug to put up beef, mutton 
and other meats for Eastern and European markets. Ho 
recently returned with a fine lot of beef, mutton, prairie 
chickens, etc., which was exhibited for a week or more 
before being packed and sent to England. The beef was 
in quarters, the mutton in carcasses. We partook of 
some of the steaks and found them most delicious and 
are confirmed in our good opinions heretofore expressed, 
and in our best wishes for the success of the process, 
in the hands of the Gamgee Meat Preserving Company. 
Bleaching- Wool on Tanned Pelts. 
— "J. N.," of Trenton, a manufacturer, sends the following 
directions: " Put an old pot or other iron vessel in the 
bottom of a hogshead, and in the vessel a roll of brim- 
stone. Fasten near the top a stick or two, to place the 
skin on. The wool must be wet, when hung on the 
sticks. Heat an old iron red hot. or take live coals to 
start the brimstone. When it is burning briskly cover 
the hogshead tight to keep the smoke in. In bleachiug 
blankets we put them in after dinner and take them out 
next morning. If not white enough, repeat the process. ' 
Cork Oaks in California.— Mr. J. H. 
Lick. Lick's Mills. St. Clara Co., Cal., planted acorns of 
the cork oak in 1S5S. and now has S3 trees, from 15 to 20 
feet high and from S to 10 inches in diameter. This 
would indicate that the climate of California is very 
favorable to the growth of this valuable tree. 
Irrigation in Winter. — IC E. H. T .," 
Strondsburg. Pa. " I have a brook, quite small in the 
summer but running full in the winter. Will it be of any 
service to turn it on to a meadow with a rather light sandy 
soil this winter?" The popular idea that irrigation lsgood 
only for growing plants is erroneous. Water has a very 
important action upon any soil where there is good drain- 
age, and makes the inert matter available for plant food. 
In the most successful case of irrigation that has come 
under our notice the water is kept running through the 
winter. The freezing In severe weather makes a com- 
plete covering of ice, which acts as mulch. The grass 
starts early in the spring, and the crop is kept up to two 
tons to the acre without any other fertilizer than water. 
There is a mine of wealth In ever}' brook that can he 
turned upon a dry soil, if the fanner will work it. 
Jlore Glass. — Mr. Peter Henderson, not 
content with 17 green-houses, each 100 feet in length, 
has erected another house 300fcet long and 20fect wide. 
If Mr H's. flower business should continue to increase 
as rapidly as it has done for a few years past, he will 
soon have a good part of South Bergen under glass. 
