214 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[June, 
Tlie hens can be set about the first of February, anJ the 
young chicks will do well, making early spring chickens 
for market, or will come in as laying hens early in autumn, 
and may be depended upon for eggs the next winter." 
Ailsiiitiius liijuriows to I*eai"s. — W. 
I. Allen, N. V., asks if - an Ailauthus tree planted in the 
inidst of and overshadowing a lot of dwarf pear trees, 
would have any injurious effect upon them." Yes, it 
would probably injure Ihem seriously— and so would any 
other tree, if the dwarfs are as near tosether as usual. 
If he fancies the Ailanlhus, let him put it by the roadside. 
Ka«l i.Hck witU I'lieri-y Pits.— H. L. 
Soulhwurth. Utah Co. Tiie Mahaleb pits probably be- 
came loo dry, froin.lhe overland journey, to grow. Get 
Ihem in winter if possible, ami mix with earth, in a box, 
exposed to cold but sheltered from rain. The advantage 
of the Mahaleh is, that it is a dwarfing stock. 
The Ita««pl>erry from CwttiMffS. — 
J. T. H. Waite, Somerset Co., .Md., aslis if he can prop- 
agate the Raspiierry Hom cuttings. Green wood-cut- 
tings, in moist ground and properly shaded, will grow. 
Rust on tlie Rus^pberry.— E. A. Kiuir. 
Last year we liad several other complaints of this trouble, 
besides yours. Tht rust is a parisitic fungus which 
grows upon the leaves, and probably fiiuis some seasons 
more favorable toils development than others. We liave 
not known any remedy (o be tried, but should make an ex- 
periment with sulphur on its first appearance. If any 
one has found an effectual cui^, we should be glad to 
hear of it, as the trouble threatens to be a serious one. 
IrViiiter Cherries. — '' Subscriber " asks 
what these are. The Winter Cherry, also called Straw- 
berry Tomato, is a species of Physalis, a plant closely re- 
lated to the tomato ; it bears a small round berry as large 
as a medium sized cherry, and quite enveloped in the en- 
larged calyx or liusk. These berries have a very fruity 
flavor, and will keep for a longtime, ifallowed to remain 
in tlie husk. They make a very pleasant preserve with 
sugar. The plant is raised as easily as the tomato, and 
is very fruitful. The seed is sold by all the dealers, wlio 
usually catalogue it as Strawberry Tomato. 
Xlie ^nail FIo>ver.— A correspondent in 
Pomeroy, Ohio, succeeds in growing in the open air the 
Snail Flower, figured in February last. The seed is 
started in a hot-bed. and the plants transferred to the 
open border when the weather is warm. " It does not 
flower the first season, but if kept over winter from frost 
and damp, will grow luxuriantly and bloom the second 
year, and I think it will continue to bloom pereimially." 
I*E-opas'aiing Roses.— Hattk*.— Layering, 
is the surest way, but there are some Roses that require 
two years to root. Make a slanting cut near a bud in the 
part that goes into the ground. See that the soil is rich 
and keep it from becoming dry in summer, by a mulch of 
moss or sinrilar covering. 
Rose Layer.^Mrs. L. H. James, Hillsbor- 
ough Co.. N. H. If the layer was put down in Septem- 
ber, it was quite late and may not be looted. A little 
careful digging will determine this point. Should it not 
be rooted, let it be another year. The shoot sliould have 
been *■ tongued " or cut lialf way through with a sloping 
cut with something put in to keep the wound from clos- 
ing. This may be done now, if neglected then. If well 
rooted, the layer may be removed to a good, ricli siul. 
From the description we gitess it is Queen of the Prairie. 
Propagating; tlic OleauOler. — L. Tay- 
lor. Young giowth. taken just as it is becoming firm, 
will root with great ease in warm weailier. A very 
common way is to put the cuttings uith their lower ends 
in a botlle of water, and when rooted set in rich soil. 
Riicl-eatiiig' Birds. — J. Hyde, Washington 
Co., 111., finds his peach twigs wholly stripped of buds ; 
thinks it was done by a bird, and wishes to know what 
bird dors it. P.utridges will sometimes, in a scarcity of 
food, eat the buds of apple trees, but we never knew 
them to trouble tliose of tiie peach. 
3f ovspapers on Stra"»^'l>erries, — It 
has become the fashion of late for tlie secular and re- 
ligious papers to have an ''Agricultural Department." 
Some papers by selections from the standard Agricultur- 
al Jouinals, make a very readable colunm. while those 
which attempt to be " origimil," are frequently so in every 
sense of the word. The N. Y. Times has an article on 
*' How to Raise Strawberries," in which it gravely says : 
"Three things were suggested to our mind while looking 
about the fields of Mr. Lambert, as being absolutely es- 
sential to Ihe successful and profitable cultivation of 
etrawberries, namely, a sandy soil, a liberal supply of 
manure, and clean cultivation. These things compre- 
hend all the important requisites in raising a remunerat- 
ing crop of strawberries. Clean cultivation and manur- 
ing bountifully will prove eminently satisfactory on 
heavy soils ; yet, a light sandy soil is the place for this 
kind of fruit."— There are some strawberries that will 
succeed on sandy soil witii plenty of manure, but these 
are not, as a general thing, the choicer varieties, and 
though one may by aitificial means overcome the natur- 
al barrenness of a spot, no one who knows anything 
about strawberries, would ever put a sandy soil down as 
an important requisite. A good rich, not stiff, soil is 
necessary, if one would grow the best fruit. 
. House ^e>«'a^e in the Oardeu. — 
Those who have not tried it have no conception of the 
utility of liquid manure wlien applied to growing plants. 
Many of those who buy poudrette, and other commercial 
fertilizeis, probably allow materials to run to waste on 
their own premises, which are equal in value to those 
they purchase. All the house slops, including sewage of 
all kinds, should somehow find Iheir way upon tlie land. 
In January last, page 14, we have given methods for 
uliiizing the contents of privies, and in August, 18G5, a 
plan for a lank for liquid waste was shown. The method 
shown In the last named article Is only practicable in 
peculiar situations. In England, much more attention is 
given to saving domestic manures than with us, and we 
give, from the Gardener's Magazine, an engraving of the 
form of receptacle employed there. The cistern is built 
with two compartments, and deep enough to secure a 
good fall for the contents, which enter at l>, into the com- 
partment, 1. Here the coaiser poitions settle at c. and 
the more liquid porli<)ns overflow through the ?yphon. (/, 
into the other division of the tank, and are remove 1 as 
wanted for use by a pump attached to the tube, e. The 
sfediment at c, is removed once a year, or as often as it 
accumulates in sufficient quamity, and is highly valuable 
as a fertilizer. 
Deodorizer.— " T. C. H." asks : *' What will 
deodorize the contents of a privy, as soon as applied ?"— 
An abundance of gooil lonmy soil will do it as quickly 
as any thing, and bring tlie materials into a condition to 
be shoveled over, and used as manure immediately, 
though it is better to let it lie in a heap a few days. Diy 
swamp muck and finely ciumbled peat require a less 
weight to affect Ihe same result — hence make less cart- 
age — but do not act so promptly as fresli soil. 
Dnsliels of Corn in tlic Ear. — A busbcl 
of ears of corn is obviously a measure full of ears of 
corn, heaped a full peck above the rim ; but a bushel of 
corn in the ear is, as obviously, a bushel of corn, with the 
cobs counted out. By common consent the cobs that 
hold a bushel of corn, are allowed to weigh 12 pountls. 
and so, where the weight of a bushel of corn is fixed le- 
gally at 58 pounds, that of a bushel of corn on the ear Is 
legally fixed in many States at 70 pounds. 
Onr Farm of tbnr Acres,— This pleas- 
ant account of experience in farming in a small way, 
has a freshness of style which makes it a readable work 
to any one ; and to those who have only limited posses- 
sions, it offers many useful suggestions as to the manner of 
making the most out of a small amount of land. Price, 
by mail, 6U cents bound ; 30 cents in paper covers. 
Roolc on Indian Corn.— The value of a 
thorough book on this subject has long been felt. The 
one before us in part supplies the want, though the sub- 
ject is 50 great that no one could expect it to be exhausted 
in a I2mo. of 300 pages. The author shows himseK 
quite familiar with the only literature upon his theme, 
which is really reliable, viz: the articles in the agricul- 
tural journals. From these and from other sources not 
so easily accessible, a mass of pr.acUcal information is 
condensed, and very well arranged. No cultivator of 
the great American cereal can peruse the volume with- 
out learning much which he may well apply in the 
preparation of his soil, selection of his seed, cultivation, 
harvesting and feeding of his crop. Sent by mail for $1.75. 
■>oty's 'Wasliin;? M aclii no .- Among 
other commendations of our prendums, R. F. Roberts, 
of Racine, Wis., writes: "The American Agriculturist 
Premium Washing Machine, sent me for subscribers, has 
done the washing every week since it came, for a family 
of eight persfms, without the least liand rubbing, in less 
than half the time, and with a good deal less than half 
tlie labor, it would have required with the washboard. 
It can not be too highly recommended " 
Commercial Question?-*.- " Inquisitive:" 
We cannot undertake to answer queries about the prices 
of oils and other articles not in the line of our experience. 
Dnfermented Wine.— H. Neff, Hunting- 
don Co., Pa. We cannot tell you how to make it. as 
there is no such thing as unfermentcd wine. Any kind 
of syrup may be called wine, but it is a misuse of the 
term. Wine, according to the authorities we accept a» 
guides in the use of language, is defined as the fermented 
juice of the grape. When iisel for the juice of other 
fruits, the name of the fruit is always mentioned, as cur- 
rant wine, etc. Unfermented grape juice is called "must." 
Blaclcberry Root. — We have inquiries 
as to which variety to use the root of medicinally. It 
makes little difference which. All are astringent. 
Xhe ^ledieal an<l Snrgical Re* 
porter,— This has always been a welcome exchange, 
not only for its medical news, but for general scientific in- 
telligence. Our professional readers will be glad to leam 
that this excellent medical journal is now enlarged to 40 
pages, and is published both in New Vork and Phila- 
delphia weekly, at $.i per year. S. W. Butler, M. D., 
Philadelphia, is the principal editor. 
Red Ant$i. — "II. P." -writes : "I have tried 
various remedies^' Persian insect powder,' and sponges 
dipped in sugar and water, etc., but the cry is still they 
come. What will prevent them?' (See page 228.) 
<iilne — Its Preservation in Hot 
Weatlier.— " C. H. E.," Rockingham Co., N. H., 
writes to the Americari Agriculturist : " It will be useful 
and convenient for pattern and cabinet makers and 
others, to know that if a piece of zinc, the usual thick- 
ness l-6th of an inch, and 2 or 3 inches in diameter, be 
placed in the bottom of the pot containing the glue, and 
kept there, it will prevent the glue from becoming putrid 
and spoiled. I do not say positively that it w iU prevent 
putrefaction in every case, but I saw it tried with perfect 
success during last July and August in a shop where 
eight or ten men used glue every day." 
I*ictnres Sent.- A. L. Skinner, Panola. 
No clue lo her State. The sketches show an apprecia- 
tion of humor, but a lack in knowledge of drawing. Our 
best advice is, to study good drawings a^d learn to draw- 
outlines correctly before attempting elaborate work. 
>ot " lie/' l>nt Soap.— E. Northup, of 
Fairfield Co., Conn., sends a specimen of a substance 
found in a brook. As the material burns, he jocularly 
inquires if he has "struck ilc." The article in question 
is anparently Adipocere, a soap-like compound, some- 
times found where animal matter is long under water or 
buried in a wet place. Whole bodies have been found to 
be changed into this substance. 
Xo Start Rnsty :\nts.— A little^arbon 
oil (kerosene), dropped on. will penetrate the threads, 
and the screw can be immediately turned. 
Big: Crops,— The Salt Lake Telegraph is re- 
ported as saying, that on two and-a-half acres President 
Young raised last year 750 bushels of peaches, 400 bu-^h- 
els of apples. 22 bushels of plums, 25 bushels of straw- 
berries. 2 bushels of pears, 25 pounds of cherries. I,6"5 
pounds of grapes, and gooseberries, raspberries and cur- 
rants in multitude. The absurdity of this will be ap- 
parent when one foots up the figures and fintis. allowing 
56 pounds to the bushel for chen ies and grapes, that the 
product of these various fruits is very nearly 500 bushels 
per acre, and more than 3^ bushels to each square rod. 
