312 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[September, 
C^liiiit»ey<>» in May Stacltm. — It is a com- 
mon piiictice iji Erightml. where it is fieqiieiUly difficult 
to get liiy v\eil cmed, lo make ri chimney in the hay 
staclt. This is done by filling a large four bushel sack 
with cut straw and placing it upi ighi in the middle of the 
slack, and stow the hay around it. As the stark rises, 
pull up tlie sack and proceed as befoie. until it is finished, 
and yiiu have a chimney that will carry off tlie heat, gases, 
moisiure, etc. A butter firkin wiih a handle to it or a 
rope answers tlie purpose. Wlien hay is slacked in a 
bain, esnei'ially a light txiardel one. this nhirnney is of 
still more importance, ami care should also be taken to 
have rails underneath, so arransed that air can circulate 
under the hay and get into the chimney. 
iiieveiRtU Toliiiuo oT tlic American 
SUort-llorii Herd Book, which has been fur some 
lime promised, is now on our table. It ccnil;dns the 
pedigrees of 1066 bulls, and 2400 cows, owned by about 
400 breeders. This is the 7th of a series of volumes, 
edited and imblished by Hon. L. F. Allen, of Buffalo, 
wliich are of inestimable value to Short-horn breeders. 
We can not better express our own appreciation of this 
work than by quoting and endorsing the following from 
the preface : '* No one need suppose that lie can become 
a successful breeder, and cotnmand sales and prices, un- 
less he be familiar with all the blood, and strains, and 
crosses of Anglo-American Short-horns. They must be 
his study. Without this knowledge he goes gropingly to 
work. Some breeders may suppose that in poss.essing 
the volume containing the pedlgiees of their oun stock, 
their ht-rd book necessities are supplied. Not so. The 
best, and most successful breeders, whose henls are 
•most sought by intelligent purchasers, are those who 
possess and study the entire series of the work." 
XUe Use of Scrub or <«ra«le Bnlls. 
— This practice can not be too seveiely deprecated. 
There are plenty of ihoiougli-bred bulls. Ayrshires and 
Alderneys espef-ially. piotiably also Devons. which are 
for sale at very low prices ; calves for SoO to $75— year- 
ling's, SKlO to $200. Quite ofien. bulls of name and 
fame, 3 years old or so, which have been used as long as 
their owners desire upon iheir own herds, and which are 
still as good as ever, may be bought very cheap. Cer- 
tainly no farmer who raises his heifer calves should ever 
use a scrub or grade bull, and lliose who raise veal 
should use good blood Short-horns or Ayrshires. 
I'r^^vfulive of llic Pl«itro«pnen- 
niouia. — In the 2d Report of the Roval Commissinners 
on ihe Rinderpest, "Col. the Hon." Wellington P,-\trick 
Chetwyne Talbot and his advisor, wiio is bailiff of Lord 
Granville, state in their testimony that as a preventive of 
the diseases to which close kent cows are subject (Pleu- 
ro-pneumoida. etc.). the following articles ate given to 
the cows in Col. Talbot's and Lord Granville's milk 
stables, viz : ! oz. nitre every other day to each cow in 1 
pint of vvaier. (probably oji the feed,) 1 pint of prepared 
charcoal between two cows on the feed, every 'morning. 
This changes the odor of ihe breath in a few days. 
Cako<l Bag: follo^ving- a Xlinnder 
Storm.— \V. L. Beneiicl. Orange Co.. N Y.. com- 
munic.ites to the readers of the Amencitn Agriculturist 
the following interesting facts : On the afternoon of the 
27th of June it was exceedingly hot and a thunder storm 
passed over, preceeded and accompanied by cold wind 
and rain. He says: ** My cows were in the pasture during 
the shower, which was very heavy, Thev were br(»ught 
up to be milked at 6 o'clock, when 1 found three of them 
with their udders very m-ich swollen, b^dly infiamed, 
and so sore that it was ditficult to milk them. But little 
milk, ami that clotted, could he drawn from the parts af- 
fected. I put them in the stable with plenty of dry straw 
for bedding, and bathed the paits freely with cold water. 
This seemed to afforil much relief, and I repeated the 
application in about two hours. The next morning the 
swellins had some%vhal stibsideil. Cold water was again 
applied freely, as also the succeeding evening, when the 
cure seemed complete. Some years smce I had two 
cows affecied tlie same way, one of which lost one of her 
teats, an ! Ibe oilier drier! up for Ihe season, but then I 
had not learned from the AgricuHunst to put ray cows 
immediately in the stable and give Ihem a dry bed." 
M^oodclindc Medicine— From your sug- 
gestion some months >inci'. lo smoke out woodchucks 
■with a rag dipped in melted sulphur, I took the hint of 
another method. This is my recipe : Bla«'.ng powier, 1 
lo. ; saltpeter, pounded fine, 1 lb. ; floweis of sulphur. 2 
lbs. {Total cost So cents.) Mix wci!, ii'>t bieaking the 
grains of powder. Some rainy Jr-y roll a half newspaper 
on the broom stick, tie up or . om\ of the tul>e so ma le ; 
fill 6 or 8 inches with the medicine, insert 10 inches of 
blasting fuse (price Scents a yaidj, tie snugly, and re- 
peat, until you have a rocket for each woodchuck, and 
one lo sjiare for the boys when they want a Roman 
candle, and you can't afford one. (Somedark evening la*h 
it firmly to an arrow near the head, and when the fuse 
has burnt short, let it fly 100 or 150 feet in the air atid Ihey 
will .shout.) Put the rest in a raisin box. cover with a 
shingle, and detail an artillery guard to carry the caisson 
in the day of battle. Order the regiment under arms, 
send skirmishers in advance to report on woodchuck 
holes, let the corps of sappers and miners close the upper 
opening, if one is higher than the other, and prepare sods 
and dirt for the lower ; light fuse, insert rocked as far as 
may be. charge shovels and slop the hole when the fire 
becomes a roar, and see how the srnoke will force iis way 
through the ground in various places to show the course 
of the tunnel. Repeat nniil the ca^sso7^ is empty. My 
woodchucks do not dig out again. * 
Hen Ejice. — Try the following. (Where the 
idea comes from we do not know, but we have liltle 
doubt it will work well ; an alum wash kills lice on cat- 
tle, why will it not on hen roosts) : Dissolve alum in 
cold water, or better in hot water, adding enough waier 
to keep it all in solution when cold — about '2 pounds of 
alum lo 12 quarts of water ; and apply this thoroughly 
to every part of the hen house, ami perhaps also to the 
hens. It tans the lice, as we suppose. 
IVlarking; Chickens. — It is ofteu .i desir- 
able thing wiih breeders of fancy poultry to be able to 
mark them so as to reatlily identify individuals in Hie 
flock, in order to keep a register, on the principle of a 
herd-book, or. so as to be able to recognize the age of 
hens at a glance. In the great poultry shows of England 
and France, it has been found very ditficult lo separate 
birds of the same breed should they by any accident be- 
come mixed, and we have seen a French suggestion that 
fowls should be marked by noiclies filed upon the loes. 
This might do for a year or two. but it is very awkward, 
and we suggest thin copper labels the size of an ohl tliree 
cent piece, wired upon one leg (above the spur in cocks). 
Such labels may be of several different shapes — square, 
round, oblong, trianaular. oval, and all the chickens of 
one year receiving their labels at six months t»ld mieht 
be adornet! with those of one shape, while liiose of anoth- 
er year receive another shaped label, and so on. 
Curing and Packin;;;; llani!>>(. — F. Kes- 
ler, of Great Sail Lake City. Utah, writes his method of 
curing and packing hams as follows, and though we 
do not like his pickle veiy well, the way of packing 
is new to us and may be very good : •' I pack my joint 
meat in barrels as close as I can. make my brine strong 
as possible with boiling water, letting stand until cold, and 
then for every 100 lbs. of meat add <me teaspoonful of 
saltpeter to the brine, stirring all well toselher. Cover 
the meat w ell over with the brine. If the weather is very 
cold and ihe hams large (say 40 lbs. weight), they shr)uld 
remain 6 weeks ; if the weather is mild, or the meat kept 
in a warm place, 4 weeks will be suificient. Rub the 
bony paits well with a strong decoction of red pepper. 
Hang up the meat for smoking, the hocks down ; this 
prevents drippage ; smoke to taste witli green hickory or 
sugar maple. The smoke house shoulil be roomy. When 
sufficiently smoked, I pack in boxes or barrels in clean 
new wood ashes, where the hams will repnain in perfect 
safety until needed for use. 1 have kept my hams and 
shoulders in tins way for years past witli entire satisfac- 
tion ; no vermin of any kiuil will trouble them in the 
least. I have never known the first piece of meat treated 
as above to become rusty or old tasted, but it retains its 
freshness until used up." 
PicUlin": Ifeef and Xon;^iies. — 
Burliii^lou Recipe.— Rub slightly with fine salt 
and let them lie 24 hours. Then cover with the following 
cold pickle : For 100 lbs. meat, P gallons of soft water, 6 
lbs. fine salt. 1 'j ounces saleratus. 3 ounces salt;ieter, and 
I's lbs. of sugar. Beef for drying to be left in this brine 
nine days ; Tongues three weeks. —Ctty Subscriber, 
Ho^v *o 'Frain a Shepherd Wog:.— 
Will somebody answer '"One who wants to know?" 
Oogs for Sale. — The picture in a recent 
number brings numerous inquiries about Black and Tan 
and Bull Ten ieis. Ttiere are people in all the cities 
who make a business of buying and selling, or breeding 
dogs. They would be able lo sell a good many of such 
a£ would be servicable ratters, etc.. if they wouhl adver- 
tise. Good shepherd dogs are frequently inquired for. 
The Sliding: Balance Oate not Pa- 
tented.— J. S. .Rogers, of Marengo. III., answers one 
question in ihe June number about ihe gate as follows • 
"Theie is no patent oiuhe pate rhat 1 know of. but Mr. 
Joel lice, of Gaiesburg in this Slate, has made an im- 
provement on it. for which he has obtaineil a patent. It 
consists of an iron roller working on a swivel, widch is 
placed on a cross-niece under the second boar'l from the 
top. The gale rolls back until it balances, and is then 
easily .swung around. His agent has been through tliis 
section, selling rights to use tiie rolls, for $3 to $5, ac- 
cording to size of the farm, and leaves a supply of the 
cast rollers at some hardware store, where they are 
retailed at 25 cents, the buyer being required to show his 
papeis. Almost every f.irmerbuys a right, for the gale is 
cheaper, easier made and every way better than a 'pair 
of bars."'— See description of gate on page 219. 
Where to E«ocate V — Numerous letters 
come to us, asking advice where to locate for farm- 
ing, fruit or market gardening, etc. We are obliged 
to decline answering such applications for obvious rea- 
sons, one of which is ih:it they come inainlv from 
those who should first ascertain whether they should 
locate at all. Gardening of any kind is only successful 
wlien the individual has skill, perseverance and industry. 
One with a stock of these may locate anywhere near a 
market and do well, while one without them, no matter 
how favorably he may be settled, will soon fail. We try 
to give general hints from time lo time ; but lo give judi- 
cious individual advice, we should need loknow so many 
things about the querist's circumstances, experience, 
natural tact, capital, family, etc. (.witliout kn<iwing ail of 
which we might advise wrnngly>, that many hours or 
days of correspondence, and thought on the subject 
w<mM be required. Noonecould decide such, a question 
for himself even, without much meditation and inquiry. 
This statement of the case will explain why we do not 
answer many letters. Our lime can not of course be de- 
voted lo individual cases, or we should have none for 
the public, or for ourselves. 
I^oolc Out foi- the Pronouns. — A care- 
less use of pronouns often spoils sense. We try to keep 
them straight, but someiimes fail, and it is worth while to 
make a mistake now and then if we can get taken up so 
sharply and pleasantly wiihal, as we are by J. A. Delano, 
Macoupin Co., III., who writes : "I have read the Am. 
Agriculturist with satisfaction and profit for several 
years, and generally find ils teachings 'stand to reason.' 
No K I am in a quandary, the thermometer indicating 95° 
in the shade. On page 2T9 of .August number of Agricul- 
turist I rea<l tlie Doctor's treatment of his pinguitu'Unous 
porker. • He gives tt corn uieal and sour milk, and stirs 
it with a red hot iron.' Cannot some less ardent per- 
suasive to obesity be substituied during the present 
' healed term ?' Is ii not possible t"» induce sufficient 
agitation by those less objectionable {in extreme hot 
weather) appliances, tiie *$harp slick,' or the ' long pole ?" 
How often does tlie Dr. 'stir' his adipose pet? Might 
not chloroform or other anaesthetic be employed during 
the process perturbaiive ? Does not the Dr. render him- 
self liable to an action on a charge of 'cruelly to animals?'" 
Xile ■>i-ain*$ vs. ** Xiinhei- l>rain$.*' 
"J. R.." of Marion Co., Ind., asks : '• How do earthen 
tiles do for draining land ? — V>o the drains last many 
years? With us many drains laid with limber are failing 
after about 8 or 10 years use — the wood rots." It is 
such a settled thing in our own minds, that there is no 
material so good for drains as well baked earthen tiles, 
that perhaps v\e have not dwell upon it enough of late. 
Properly laid in any soil, excent in quick sands, or on 
other unstable boiloms. well baked tiles will last indefinite- 
ly'long Nobody has ever Unow^n such a drain to fail 
from the givitig out of the tiles. A drain may fill up, or 
the earth wash and some tiles drop out of |)lace. but 
placed below the influence of frost, the tiles suffer no 
perceptible change, except from the wear of the water. 
Soft tiles will someiimes he crushed by the pressure of the 
soil above, or crum'de by the action of frost, or perhaps 
by some other influences, and occasionally one soft tile 
in a line of hard ones gives out and makes trouble. 
«9apane»«e Striped 3£aize. — In the 
notice of ihis new omHraental leaved pUnt given last 
March, we were rather cautions in our praise, as we 
feared that it might forget the " kink." and fail to repro- 
duce its pecniiai ities from see ', outside of Janan. We 
have seen plants tliis year raisetl from seed grown by Mr. 
Hogg, and sent out tlirough the enternrise of B. K. Bliss, 
the well known seedsman, of Springfield. Mass. These 
plants are as beaiuifulty striped as those we saw last year 
from Japanese seed, and we see no reason why the pe- 
culiarity should not be permanent. The plant has raet 
with great favor in Europe, the horticulturists boih in 
England and on the Continent ."selling specimens in pots. 
Moreover, at the recent International Horlicultutat Ex- 
hibition, it received a prize, and has had honorable men- 
tion at other European shows. We are glaiJ to be able to 
give so sood an account of a novelty that we were the 
first to illustrate and bring prominently into notice. 
