343 
aiAerigan agriculturist. 
[OCTOBEK, 
Two 9Ionth§ Free. 
All new subscribers to the. Agriculturist now received 
for one year., are at once entered in our boohs to the close 
of 1867, Thus, then, all new subscribers received in 
October /or Volu7ne 26, that is for all of 1&67, will 
ge: the Agriculturist /or yovanber and Deceoiber o/ this 
year without any extra charge. Note, that this ojfer is 
only for October, except for names from the Pactjic Const, 
and other points too distant to respond by the close of 
the moutk, N. B. — The above applies to all subscribers, 
lohethcr singly or in clubs, or in premium lists, or 
from Agricultural Societies, etc. 
Contents for October, 1866. 
Aniiiials— What most profitable? 358 
Bcjes—Obsei'Viitions on Burying 358 
iilaokberry^ Wilson's Early Illustrated . .3fi0 
Boys anct Girls' Columns — New Weights and Meas- 
ures— Very Fine Writing— Checkers or Draughts- 
Lawsuit about a CoEuma — Sudden Cure of Cholera 
— Comiral Pirlnre— Siucie nf my Mistakes— Odds 
and Ends— A Coat of Arras— Problems and Puzzles 
—The PetKitten-Aiiother Owl Story— A Rich Man 
— Queslion for Khoejnakers 36(i-3CS 
Bulbs— Planting for Spring Elowers 361 
Cooking Hints, etc- Chess Pie — Apple Pudding — 
Cheap Tea Cake— Delicate Cake— Cream Cakes — 
Tomato AVine— :\Iaking Pickles— Sweet Pickles- 
Pickled Green Tomatoes — Tripe— Note lo Cor- 
respondents — Particulars Wanted— Hints to Butter 
Makers — Preventing Rust on Steel 366 
Coin— Saving Seed 357 
Cuttings, Making in Autumn 364 
Drain Tile Manufacture 3 Illustrations ..356 
Elkor Wapiti Illustrated.. Sil 
Fairs— Agricultural, List of 3T9 
Farm Work in October ,342 
Fertilization by Inset^ts 3 Illustrations . .Z^i 
Flov^cr Garden and Lawn in October 344 
Fruit Garden in October 343 
Garden — Kitclien in October 343 
Gates— Rustic for Hedges 4 Illustrations ..2b9 
Grapes and Culture— Notes on 363 
Grapes — Cold Grapeiy in October 344 
Green ami Hot-Houses in October 344 
Hani> Brolher^' Lottery 344 
Hedge Plant— Sweet Viburnum Illustrated. .3Gi 
House Plants— Care of. 360 
Ice Houses — North and South 6 Illustrations . .Zhl 
* Lilies — Native«and Foreign 361 
Lily— Long-flowered Illustrated .361 
Lime vs. Phosphate 359 
Locust — Seventeen-Year 3 Illustrations.. 559 
Markei Reports - 379 
Mattresses— Husk 365 
Orchard and Nursery in October 343 
Plowing— Fall Ti 357 
Premiums for 1867 349-352 
Prizis— $1,250 Offered for Essays 344 
Raccoon Illustrated.. 348 
Rasp'ierries — New C63 
Sliirls— A Woman's "Say" 365 
Skuid; Illustrated.. 3i8 
Swine— Good Breed 354 
Svvino— Group of Chester Illustrated. .3bo 
Tree.. — Heeiing-in 363 
'I'ritouias— Care of. 363 
Vegetiiblcs— Preserving in Winter 362 
Wallis and Talks on the Farjn, Np. 34— Clover Wid 
Bailcv— Straw in Bam Varus— Feeding Cow's — 
Peas for Slock— Diehl Wheat— t'ernientea Food for 
Swine — Keeping Animals Warm — Joe's Potato 
Planter— Quality of Milk 354-355 
INDEX TO "basket," OU sKORTElt AllTlCl.ES, 
Agriculturist, Valuable. .345 
Apples, Picking 345 
Barley, Beardless 347 
Barometers S45 
Blacklierry Querie.i 346 
Black ben ies, l*ropa'ting.347 
Book, Gardening 346 
Cabbage Queries S46 
Caulillower, Cooking 346 
Cauliflouer. Large 346 
Cheese Factory, New. . .347 
Coin, Drving..' 347 
Death, Prof. Porter 346 
IJocuments Received. ...345 
Egg Fruit, Cooking 346 
Fair, New England 346 
Fair, N. Y. Stale 346 
Fence Posts — Setting — 347 
Grape Box, New 346 
Horse Racing., 347 
Humbug, Ink 346 
Humbugs, Sundiy 345 
Ink, Home-made S46-7 
Manure for Potatoes, -.347 
Manure from Breweries.347 
W, nure, Green Clover.. 347 
Ma.ure, Oyster Slietls.. .347 
Meats. Curing 347 
Mowers. Premiums 346 
Orchards, IManuiing 346 
Pew Hat Rack 346 
Politics 345 
Poultry, Diseased 347 
Poultrv, Marking,, 347 
Promp; Sctllement 340 
Question! nut Answered. 347 
Rats, Expelling 347 
Reapers, Premiums 346 
Roof, Leaky Tin 347 
Roofing, Pl'aslic Slate. . .347 
Roots in Cislerns 347 
Sod Fence and Ditcli 347 
Stopping Papers 345 
Sussex Co., >f. J 347 
Sweet Potato Vines 347 
Tomato Seed 346 
Tomato, Tiiden 346 
Wagon, Dumping 347 
Water. Witching for 347 
Weight of People 347 
AMERIC.4N AGRICULTURIST. 
NKW-yORK, OCTOBER, lS6fi. 
It, is a great thin^' to be befoi-e-liand \vitli one's 
woi'k, 60 .IS to feel free to take a ruu away from tlie 
farm fora few days to attend a Fair or State Conven- 
tion, or to give up a. few days to politics. If we 
could only malce those plodders and day-aftei'-tlie- 
fair folks among our readers, work up and get 
ahead with tlieir worli, so as to stay so the rest of 
their lives, we might even advocate turning i>oli- 
tician for a few d.ays or weeks, now and then. 
There are a great many who will have the time to 
go to fairs, and see the ne.it stock and fools, get 
new notions, and seeds, etc. — it does tliem good 
the whole year. The October fairs make a long 
list, and we hope .all our readers will be able lo go 
to some of them. We go to press too early to be 
able to report about any of the September fairs, 
except those of the New Engkand Society, and of 
the N. Y. State Ag'l Society. See p. 34fi. These fairs 
are, day by day at this time, developing the fact that 
the fruits of the earth arc ours in most bountiful 
store this year. The few frosts in August did little 
damage, and we confidently anticipate tliat the corn 
crop will make good its earlj' promise. Potatoes 
arc rotting in some sections, but not very badly. 
Sorghum promises very well, and there is a great 
breadth planted. If severe frosts hold off until 
after our readers receive this papci-, the critical 
period will have passed with .almost every thing. 
At this season farmers are more likely to appre- 
ciate the heneflts of .association than at most 
others, and wc call attention to the formation of 
Mirmer's Clicbs. — These are useful not merely for 
the purpose of holding discussions upon matters of 
agricultural theory and practice, as too mauy are apt 
to think who ^^pooh^'' at a " debating society,'' but 
an especial use of the fai-mei-'s club is to learn about 
the markets, and to contrive methods of selling the 
produce of its members in the most .arrvautagcous 
way. Tlie lone farmer gets " posted" .about lu-ices, 
.and theu runs his produce or stoclc off to meet the 
demand of some ijarticular market, but says noth- 
ing about it until it is disjjosed of, and not then 
unless he has sold well. He keeps his information 
to himself, lest his neighbor should laugh at him, or 
in order to have the sorry gratification of seeing liis 
neighbor, who has laughed at his mistakes the year 
before, fall into a trap which he has avoided. In 
the club all maj' work for one another's interest, 
and so advance their own. On speei.alties, into 
which communities of fanners often run, clubs 
have the ability to improve the products and the 
style in which they are marketed, so that the district 
shall gain a reputation for some particular articles, 
which will bring buyers to the place, or enable 
producers to realize considerably higher prices than 
otherwise. All such things are the legitimate ob- 
jects of a farmer's club, and besides the circulating 
library of agricultural books and periodicals, the 
stated meetings for discussion, and those for social 
enjoyment, ought not be omitted. We ouglit to 
have farmer's clubs all over the country, just as 
much .as district school.-. Men do not stop learn- 
ing when they come to years of discretion, and 
there is no pleasantcr school for grown up farmer 
folks than the farmer's club. The movers for 
such clubs often ask us for a constitution, and 
seem to be at a loss how to start without oue. 
We have one iu type, crowded out this month, 
which will answer a good purpose, and may be 
modified to suit the requirements of every club. 
IIinl!« about IVork. 
Perhaps there is no more important thing for a 
farmer to think of at this time, after he has harvest- 
ed his crops for the most part, and begins to see 
his way clean through his fail work, than his 
Buildiiujs. — A little Labor upon them now will 
tell. A board here and a nail there, and a few 
shingles newly set, will save many dollars' worth of 
loss or expense later in the season, when storms 
and winds do their work, and rain and snow pene- 
trate. Warm close stables, with good ventilation, 
should be looked to. Make sheds to shelter ma- 
nure if it is thi'own out of barn windows and doors. 
No matter how good your barn-yard, the manure is 
a great deal better kc[it under cover. Even the 
bog-yard ought to be thus covered, though there 
should be space for the sun to shine in, and make a 
^val■m place during a good part of the day. Paint- 
ing m.ay be done in October to excellent advantage. 
Take time after a rain when surfaces are clean and 
when there will be no dust flying. And in connec- 
tion with putting the buildings in order for winter 
above ground, do not foi-get the 
Cellars. — Both bouse cellars and root cellars 
should be cleaned out, and well limed. If there 
is time, put in grouted cemeut bottoms, proof 
against rats, and mice, and water. Cement the 
walls also, first chinking them up, that is, filling in 
between the stones with small ones. A good cel- 
lar is not only a comfort, but if frost jn-oof and rat 
proof, a great economy. Make cellai-s frost proof 
by banking up outside against the wtiils, if they arc 
exposed, and by double doors and windo%vs. We 
have discussed the subject of 
Ice Ifuitses on page 3.57, and have only to add here 
that it is worth all it costs to have a good supply of 
ice all the year round. The house wc describe is 
more substantial, and hence more expensive, than is 
absolutely necessary, but wc cannot counsel our 
readers to do half- way work, nor to make a poor 
thing. One 10 x 10 feet inside will pack -t cubic 
yards of ice for each foot of elevation. 
Live Slock at this season require the careful atten- 
tion of the farmer, for it is now that the question 
of profits is really settled. The weather is not 
severe, yet bracing enough to give animals an ap- 
petite. There is an abundance to eat, and it is not 
difflcult to get stock in good condition. The care- 
ful husbandman will husband those things which 
will keep best, and feed out those which are of a 
perishable nature. Soft corn, nubbins, grown graiu, 
green pumpkins, and the fruits of the orchard, 
wliich are liable to decay, may be fed to cattle, or 
cooked for swine, and help to get them in first-rate 
order for winter, before tlie grass fails, and while 
it begins to afford not quite so good feed as is 
desirable. It is ruinous policy to neglect 
Calves and CoUs at any time, but especially give 
them a good start and let them face tlic winter with 
a coat of tilt on their ribs, and if they look better 
than your neighbor's, you will be vei-y apt to keep 
them growing, by grooming them now and then, 
.and providing at least warm sheds for them. 
Cows ought to be yarded at night at all seasons, 
but at no time is it more import.ant than now. 
The nights are long, the cows need some extra feed, 
which is best given in racks or in troughs, or in the 
proper st.alls, and the verdure they croj), consists 
largely of old leaves which are full of inorganic 
or ash constituents, hence their dung is of moi-e 
v.alue than usual. Keep up the flow of milk by 
feeding pumpkins (without the seeds), roots, soft 
corn, etc. Practice the same course of feeding lor 
Beci'cs, for they lay on flesh very fast now, and 
will do as well on grass and the articles lucutioucd 
in liberal quantity, as on much richer food later iu 
the winter. Leave only the finis/iini/ to be done 
by and by, and secure the foundation of fat in this 
month and next. With 
_7/(i</.s, the case is a little dilt'erent. They should 
be putting on fat now for good, and have all they 
can eat of thoroughly cooked rich food. Keep 
them clean, giving them warm nests and idcnty of 
litter. Most fanners lose half the hog manure — the 
most valuable of all made on the fiirm, except that 
of fowls. Hogs thrive so much better for being 
clean, tliat it pays to wash them, A watering can, 
aquarius, or syringe will make short worlc of it. 
Clean the troughs daily; have separate troughs for 
water .and feed, and let there be a full supply of 
water at all time* A Utile salt in the food is good, 
perhaps essential. Let hogs have ashes and char- 
coal. They even like to root among coal ashes ; 
and superphosphate and ashes, Mr. Harris says, 
they cat ^vith avidity. Should any scour, give 
powdered chalk mixed in their feed. 
