1S33.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
69 
to reach Subscribers, through carelessness in the mails. 
Very often a subscriber writes: "Send my paper the 
same as last year," without telling where. Probably one 
out of ten of all the letters in the country, no matter by 
whom written or where sent, are simply dated at the 
P. 0., the State being omitted. Our clerks have spent 
hundreds of hours in studying out the postmaster's 
stamp, or as that is very often illegible, in looking over 
the mail-books to find which State a letter came from. If 
from an old subscriber, this is found; if not, not; and 
then comes a scolding letter, ten chances to one with the 
State again omitted, from the general habit of omitting it. 
We have on file several letters containing money, on 
which there is not the slightest indication, inside or out, 
as to where they came from, or who sent them. Such 
are some of the difficulties we, in common with other 
publishers, labor under, and we only speak of them in 
excuse for apparent neglect and want of promptness. It 
is hardly to be expected that some mistakes will not occur 
on the part of the writers of so many letters. On an 
average, we have received a subscriber every forty-seven 
seconds of working-time (10 hours a day) since last No 
vember. These names, with the Post-Office address of 
each, have been picked out of the letters, placed on the 
entry-books, and transferred to the alphabetical mail- 
books, and so far not twenty errors have been made 
When the name and address are fully and correctly sent. 
Horn Ail in Cattle.— Albert D. Rust, 
Montcalm Co., Mich. Horn Ail, or " hollow horn," as it 
is sometimes called, is a symptom or accompaniment of 
disease, and not a distinct malady. It often results from 
severe catarrh. Any disease that greatly disturbs the cir- 
culation of blood will pioduee coldness at the extremities, 
and severe inflammation about the head would be likely 
to affect the inner structure of the horns. Remedies 
should be implied to the seat of the disease. Boring the 
horns is condemned by our best veterinary authorities. 
Hatching CUiclcens.— S. D. Ingrali.im, 
Brown Co., 0. Bement's American Poulterer's Com- 
panion gives an account of the various contrivances for 
hatching by artificial means. We are not aware that ma- 
chine hatching has been successfully done on a large 
scale. The great difficulty seems to be to raise the chick- 
ens after they are hatched. They flourish best when they 
have the care and protection of the mother hen. 
Tobacco in Maine. — H. N. K. writes to 
know if Havana Tobacco will come to maturity in 
Maine. We do not know. Probably it will in favorable 
locations, if started early. Some one else can perhaps 
answer more definitely. 
The Chicle Pea.— " Querist," Worcester 
Co., Mass. We do not know where Wood gets his au- 
thority for staling that the Chick Pea is poisonous. It 
has been used as a food in the old countries for centu- 
ries, and we have frequently eaten it In Mexico, where it 
is an article of consumption, and never heard of its being 
hurtful. We do not know the "Indicator" you refer to. 
Chinese Yam, {Dioscorea batatas.) — Abner 
Smith, Pottawatomie Co., Kansas. It is hardly worth 
while to give the chapter you ask on the cultivation of 
this plant, as it has been generally abandoned, and never 
had many claims upon public attention, except in the 
statements of those speculating in the roots. Planted on 
very deeply-worked, rich soil, it sometimes does well, 
but as a rule it seldom pays the expenses of digging. 
Sweet Potatoes in Iowa.— Dr. J. W. 
Smith, of Floyd Co., Iowa— about 43 degrees of latitude 
— raised three bushels of Sweet Potatoes U>st year, and 
with only ordinary cultivation. He obtained the plants 
May 31, and dug the crop early in October. Some of the 
potatoes were as large and fine as any grown in the 
country. The soil was a sandy, prairie loam, resting 
upon a sand subsoil. 
Bitter Pumpkins. — Joseph Philbrick, 
Bloom-field, Me., writes us that he has raised a hybrid be- 
tween the common pumpkin and a small "fancy gourd," 
which had an intensely bitter taste. Those who raise or- 
namental gourds should not grow them where there is 
danger of their mingling with squashes or pumpkins. 
Covering Strawberries.— Win. R. Mor- 
gan, Harford Co., Md. The largest grower of Straw- 
berries to our knowledge, covers his vines with straw, 
threshed with a flail. In the Spring the straw is parted 
so as to uncover the plant, and left on the ground as a 
mulch, and to keep the fruit clean. 
Tan for Hotbeds.— "Querist," Worcester 
Co., Mass. This as it comes from the tannery is too wet 
for use; it should be moist, but not wet. After it has 
dried sufficiently it is thrown into a heap to ferment, oc- 
casionally shoveling it over to admit air. It takes a 
month, more or less, to bring it into heat. Mixed 
with manure it heats sooner, and is more lasting than 
manure alone. Hemlock bark is considered about one- 
third less valuable than oak bark. 
Currants— Best Kinds. — J. B. Welch, 
Winona Co., Minn. The old Red Dutch, White Provence, 
La Versailles, and Cherry, are among the best sorts. 
List of 1,600 Dwarf Pears.— Geo. R. 
Underbill, of Queens County, N. Y., (near Oyster Bay.) 
submitted to us a list of 1,600 Fall and Winter Dwarf 
Pears, which lie prepared to plant for market purposes. 
We laid the selection before the Fruit-Growers' Meet- 
ing, and there was a general concurrence in the opinion 
that it was a judicious one, excepting that it is not neces- 
sary to double-work the Flemish Beauty. The list is: 
"100 Flemish Beauty (double-worked) ; 100 Louise 
Bonne de Jersey; 100 Beurre Bosc, (double-worked); 
400 Duchesse d'Angouleme; 200 Beurre d'Anjou ; 150 
Beurre Diel ; 50 Urbaniste; 50 Beurre Superfin ; 100 
Beurre Clairgeau (double worked) ; 200 Vicar of Wink- 
field ; 50 Beurre Gris d'Hiver Nouveau ; 50 Doyenne 
d'Alencon ; 50 Beurre Langelier. 
Balsam Poplar. — Wm. McJunkin, of Al- 
leghany Co., Pa., sends us the pods, and asks us what is 
the cause of the cotton upon them, and why it had not ap- 
peared previous to 1862. The cottony hairs are a natural 
attachment to the seed, and aid in their distribution by 
the winds. Tiiey were not seen in other years because 
the trees for some reason failed to perfect their fruit. 
Baslcet for Picking' Fruit.— Sometime 
since we received from Messrs. Monroe Brothers, Fitch- 
burg, Mass.. a specimen of a basket which is quite 
convenient forgathering, or rather for emptying fruit, 
without bruising. The top is round, but the bottom is 
carried down square, and is closed by two thin boards. 
These are hung on hinges at the four corners, so as to 
close the bottom, or drop down and leave it open. When 
closed they are kept so by a double wire which passes up 
through the centre of the basket, and is held to the 
middle of the handle by a catch. When the basket is 
filled it is Jet down into a barrel, or oilier receptacle, and 
by slipping the catch the bottom boards drop down and 
discharge the fruit without the bruising incident to pour- 
ing out, or the labor of transferring fruit with the hands. 
Fitting Sap-Spouts.— D. Coon, "Waushara 
Co., Wis., writes to the American Agriculturist that Sap- 
Spouts can be very readily fitted for insertion, by using a 
hollow auger, such as wagon-makers have for boring 
tenons on the ends of wheel-spokes. He makes the 
tenon on the spout half an inch long, with a square 
shoulder to fit against the tree, which prevents leakage. 
Before tapping, the rough outside bark is shaved from 
the trunk. The remaining bark is about one-fourth of an 
inch thick, so that the spout enters the wood only about 
a quarter of an inch. This gives almost the whole sur- 
face of the cut for the sap to escape from. 
Water in Lead-Pipes. — A. E. Groff, 
Owing's Mills, Md. We cannot say whether it would be 
safe to conduct the water through lead pipes without 
knowing its quality. Very pure water readily acts upon 
lead. But very little spring, or river water eveu, is so 
pure that it may be safely conducted through lead. 
Cement pipes are perfectly safe. 
A JMil«l Winter in Indiana.— E. W. 
Weir, of Lagrange, Ind., sent us specimens of violets 
and pansies in bloom in the open air, on January 26th. 
Home-made Lineu.— "M. A. H.," Mar- 
shall Co., Iowa, counsels the ladies to leave the piano for 
the spinning wheel and the loom, to manufacture linen to 
take the place of cotton for home consumption. This 
may be advisable in some remote sections, but manufac- 
tories already established will do the work better and 
cheaper, provided farmers will keep them supplied with 
the raw material. There is usually work enough for the 
females of every household, without adding spinning and 
weaving to their labors. 
Xhe Address of Soldiers.— Mrs. H. H. 
D., Windsor Co., Vt. The various regiments of our 
armies are so constantly changing their location that no 
one outside the War Department can give the precise po- 
sition at any time. The best way to address a friend in 
the army, whose place is not known, is to put upon the 
letter his name, company, and No. and State of the regi- 
ment, and address it to u Washington, D. C, or else- 
where." It will then go to Washington, and be there put 
into the regimental box, to be forwarded. 
Yankee- S. B. Walton, Harford Co., Md. 
This word is said to be derived from the attempts of the 
Indians to speak the word English, which they called 
Yenghees and Yanghees. 
Xwe Short Horn Herd Book*— The 
Editor of this work {Hon. L. F. Allen, of Black Rock, 
Erie Co., N. Y.,) writes February 9th : " Your noiice of 
the Herd Book, on page 37, of February Agriculturist 
partially misapprehends my intention as to publishing 
6th Volume Herd Book. It will be published, as usual, if 
pedigrees enough come in to warrant it, of which I have 
little doubt, judging from the numbers that I daily receive 
for record. No time should be lost in forwarding them, 
that I may proceed with their compilation. I shall prob- 
ably hold open the work long enough to embrace the 
Spring increase, provided they be seasonably sent to me. 
There never was a better time for our cattle breeders to 
improve and increase their Short Horn herds than now. 
The demand for them must soon revive, and those who 
have choice and sufficient stock will reap the advantage." 
Practical I\otes on Onion Culture. 
—Several new subscribers inquire "what is the pam- 
phlet on Onion Culture referred to in our columns?" 
Some time since we offered a premium for the best poe- 
tical treatise on onion culture, to embrace all items from 
furnishing seed to marketing the crop, to be written by 
experienced growers. A large number of good articles 
were sent in, and after the awarding of the prize by the 
Committee, we selected seventeen of the best, and printed 
them in a book or pamphlet of 32 pages. This contains 
the plain, practical directions of seventeen cultivators, 
residing in different parts of the country, and is undoubt- 
edly the best source of information to be found on this 
topic. It is sold, or sent post-paid for 21 cents, (or seven 
3 -cent stamps — or two 10 cent currency notes will answer. J 
**Xhe Employment of Women," — » 
This is a subject of great importance just now. A 
million men are in the army, and what shall be done^by 
their wives, widows, daughters, and female friends who 
have hitherto depended upon them? We are glad to 
announce a really valuable book on this very topic, 
prepared by Mrs. Virginia Penny, who has devoted 
several years to a careful and laborious investigation of 
the question, and has collected a vast amount of really 
useful information, which is condensed into a volume of 
500 pages. It is a sensible book; is not filled with a 
diatribe upon woman's rights and woman's wrongs, but 
goes right to the point, and shows what women arc do- 
ing, and indicates the branches of labor and business 
where they are not now employed, but in which they 
might take the place of men, in part at least. Instead of 
being called a Cyclopaedia of Woman's work, it might be 
entitled one of human industry, for there is scarcely an 
occupation upon which it does not contain some inter- 
esting information. The different employments, the 
terms of apprenticeship and rale of wages are given, 
as well as the relative demand and supply of each kind 
of labor. We pleasantly passed some hours in turning 
over its pages, and wonder at the industry which col- 
lected such a mass of information, and admire its plain 
and unassuming style. We believe that the author has 
done a good work in presenting this book to the public. 
We esteem the book so valuable that we have placed it 
In our list of books for premiums, and on sale at the 
office. Price $1 50, (including postage, when sent by mail.) 
** Wool CJrower."— J. S. Johnston, Law- 
rence Co., Pa. A paper with the above heading was pub- 
lished for some time and then discontinued. Recently 
it has been revived. 
** A Million Postage Stamps."— " G. 
W. K.," Penn. The collection of a great number of dif- 
ferent kinds of P. O. stamps, one of each, has been un- 
dertaken by several persons as a matter of curiosity ; but 
the collections of a million referred to in your letter, and 
in three other reported cases, are no doubt for bad pur- 
poses. The parties buying them select the best and wash 
off the ink carefully, so as to use them again. If they save 
and use only one out of every ten 3-cent stamps, they 
make three thousand dollars, and can well afford to give 
$200 to some Sunday school or oilier benevolent object as 
a blind. All such persons should be promptly reported 
to the Post Master General at Washington. 
Erysipelas. — " M. A. G," writes that a strong 
infusion of Indian Tobaco {Lobelia injlata) in vinegar, 
applied to the part affected, will allay the intense burn- 
ing which accompanies this disease. Erysipelas Is too 
formidable a disease to be treated in domestic practice, 
and we give the suggestion without recommending it. 
