AMERICAN AGMCULTQRIST. 
[January, 
Instruction iu llorse-sliocing. — 
U L. S.," Champaign Co., 111. It is impossible to learn 
from hooka how to shoe a horse. One may learn how it 
should be done, but to do it requires practice. It is a 
very simple thing and easily learned; and every farmer 
should know how to do it. He may save many dollars 
and much time by possessing such knowledge. The 
Goodenough Horse-shoe Company will send a competent 
teacher of the art to any part of the country, in which 100 
pupils, at $3 each, can be procured, who will teach each 
one to shoe a horse and take care of the feet. The 
Granges can do no better work than in this way to have 
all their members properly instructed in this art, the 
proper care of the feet and methods of treating simple 
foot complaints. 
Grain Drills.— "H. M. W., 11 Portage Co., 
Ohi». We have not experimented with any seed drill 
sowing less than eight inches between the rows. What 
difference in the yield would result from making the 
drills Beven inches apart we can not say, but the yield 
would probably be less than if the drills were made nine 
inches apart. We think nine inches the best space for 
drills for wheat or rye. If the crop so drilled were culti- 
vated in the spring, there is no question of its conse- 
quent improvement. 
Cure for Curb.— "D. M. H.," Oswego, N.Y. 
Curb consists of a swelling immediately below the hock 
and at the back of the leg, upon the back sinew. It is 
the result of a strain or of inflammation, and is not neces- 
sarily a cause of lameness any more than a windgall, 
thoroughpin, or bog spavin, to all of which it bears a 
cloBe relationship, except as to locality. The treatment 
ie to rab the part with ointment of binoidide of mercury, 
as mnch as the size of a hickory nut every sixth day. 
Pickle for Sugar-Cured Hams.— 
" Subscriber." A very common pickle for hams is made 
by dissolving one pound of coarse salt with four ounces 
of sugar in as little water as possible (sugar-house syrup 
may be substituted for the sugar). This pickle is boiled, 
ekimmed, and poured, when cold, over the hams already 
well rubbed with salt and paeked in a barrel. 
ISP Sec Pages 3£ and 3£. 
Gale's Copper-Strip Cutter. — The 
machine manufactured by Warren Gale, of Chicopee 
Falls, Mass,, is the "Gale's Copper-Strip Feed Cutter." 
which we have often recommended as being an excel- 
lent feed cutter. 
Knitting Machine.— " J. W.," Brown 
Co., Ohio. The Bickford Knitting Machine, price $25, 
is considered a very good one for family use. All the 
knitting machines require to be used with care, and some 
amount of mechanical skill is needed to run them suc- 
cessfully. They are not so easy to run properly as a 
sewing machine. 
Petroleum for Shingles. — U G. W. 
K.," McKinney, Texas. Crude petroleum would not 
make a proper coating for a pine shingle roof. The roof 
is the part of a house most exposed to fire, and is suffi- 
ciently inflammable without soaking with petroleum. A 
good pine shingle roof, well laid, hardly needs any coat- 
ing to preserve it, as it will last as long as an ordinary 
frame house. If any coating is desired, and the water 
from the roof is not to be preserved, gas-tar or any of the 
oxide of iron paints, generally known at the fireproof 
metallic paints, are the best coatings. Crude petroleum 
ie very cheap, and one barrel, worth about $5, should 
cover the buildings of a moderate sized farm. 
Ground Bone. — "J. J. L.," Crisfield, 
Md. Ground bone is a good application for almost any 
crop. For wheat, 500 lbs. per acre might be spread in 
the spring and harrowed in with a light harrow or a 
bush. 200 pounds of guano, however, would doubtless 
have a better effect upon the wheat. 
Broom Machinery.-" T. S.," Clinton, 
La., and many others, are referred to W. J. Brooker, 
Fort Plain, Montgomery, N. Y., for the information they 
desire as to broom-making machinery. 
Epizootic and its Results.— "E. H. 
McC," Lee Co., Iowa. The epizootic, which so gen- 
erally affected horses over the whole country last year, 
often leaves as its effects a chronic cough and a running 
at the nose. Besides, the complaint itself is very likely 
to return upon exposure to cold. It is very difficnlt to 
cure the cough and nasal discharge, which arc the effects 
ef a sort of chronic catarrh. The most effective remedy 
has been found to be sulphite (not sulphate) of soda, in 
half ounce to one ounce doses, given twice a day for a 
few days, and then intermitted. If the horse is weak, 
some tonic, as a tea-spoonful of ground ginger, should be 
given with the soda. Inhalation of the vapor of carbolic 
acid has been found useful. 
As to Virginia. — "G. W.," Nepany, 
Ct. That part of Virginia around Richmond is per- 
fectly healthy, pleasant, and fertile. Any Northern man 
settling there will undoubtedly be respectfully treated if 
he behaves himself as he ought to do in any place. If 
he minds his business, and docs not want to run for an 
office, he will have nothing to complain of there. 
A Question of Morality. — u C. O. 
W., 1 ' Medina Co., O. It is a perfectly honest business to 
train a mare— that as a farm marc is worth hut $150— and 
make her worth $500 as a trotter. But if successful, it is 
not always a profitable business, for the reason that by 
working upon a farm steadily duriug the time needed to 
train and dispose of the mare, the extra money might 
often be earned twice over. Then again, one might fail 
and the lime would be lost and the money besides. 
Cooking; Cotton-Seed.— u A. P. K.," 
Greenville, Miss., writes us about cooking unluilled 
cotton-seed, lie says: "lean prove by ray experience 
that, so far as milk cows are concerned, cotton-6ced, 
properly boiled while fresh, arc as readily digested as the 
hnlled seed, and may be used without any danger of in- 
jury from the presence of the hulls in the stomachs of 
the animals," 
Though it is essentially English, we rarely get a number 
that has not much of interest to us, and we have often 
wished that a similar journal might be produced in this 
country. As the next best thing to an American popular 
monthly of this kind, we have a reprint of the English 
one by G. P. Putnam's Sons, who reissue Science Gossip 
at 20 cents a number. We do those of our readers who 
are in want of a popular journal upon natural science 
a service by calling their attention to this reprint. 
~- —m + *— _*_» _ 
Books Noticed. 
Our Western Office. 
The Agriculturist makes no claim to be especially East- 
ern or especially Western, but what its title indicates — 
wholly American. It has always been our aim to make 
a journal which should be welcome in every part of the 
country. Our office of publication is located at the great 
commercial center, New York, which is a matter of neces- 
sity for a paper of large circulation, as the facilities for 
producing such a journal are more abundant here than 
elsewhere. Finding a need of an office in the great com- 
mercial city of the West, we have opened one in Chicago, 
where our papers and books may be found, and any busi- 
ness in relation to the advertising, subscription, and 
other departments of the papers may be transacted. This 
office is in charge of Mr. W. H. Busbey, favorably known 
iu connection with the American Farm Journal, Toledo, 
O., and other Western journals. Our friends who visit 
Chicago are invited to call at our office, Room No. 4, 
Lakeside Building, where they will be welcomed by 
Mr. Busbey. 
Reports, Catalogues, and Journals. 
The Michigan Pomological Society, although 
scarcely three years old, is already well established and 
doing good work. Its report, published with commend- 
able liberality by the state, is a handsome volume, and 
contains papers of interest and value. 
The Ohio State Horticultural Society, the but- 
terfly of which the Ohio Poraological Society was the 
chrysalis, gives its report in a condensed form, contain- 
ing, among other useful matter, an essay upon Small 
Fruits, by Louis Ritz, of Plainville, Hamilton Co. 
The Popular Science Monthly (Appleton & Co.), 
keeps up the interest of its early numbers, and contains 
the best productions of modern scientific workers and 
thinkers. It is creditable to the country that such a 
journal finds support. 
Tick's Floral Guide.— We have before noticed the 
fact that Mr. James Vick, of Rochester, publishes his 
catalogue in the form of a quarterly, and he is early in 
the field with his first issue for 1874. Mr. Vick was for- 
merly an editor, and can not get out of the harness alto- 
gether; so that in giving his catalogue proper, Mr. V. 
presents a number of horticultural items which are 
abundantly illustrated; and the whole is prefaced by a 
very handsome chromo of Double Portulacas. 
Moon's Bee World is the title of a new apiarian 
journal issued by A. F. Moon & Co., Rome, Ga., the first 
number of which has just reached us. It is in magazine 
form of 32 pages. $2 per annum. 
Waite, Burnell, Huggins & Co., London, send us 
their wholesale seed list, which contains the usual stand- 
ard varieties and some novelties. This is a very large 
seed house, and enjoys an excellent reputation. 
Science Gossip. — We have for several years taken 
Hardwicke's Science Gossip, as being the best popular 
magazine devoted to scientific subjects in the lan-junee. 
For several months our notices of books have been 
crowded out, but we have made such arrangements as 
will, we trust, enable us to do better by publishers in, 
future. While we can not agree to notice all works sent 
to us, we shall endeavor to keep our readers advised in 
regard to such publications as we consider useful. 
School and College Text Books.— A valuable series 
of works of this class is issued by the well-known house 
of A. S. Barnes & Co., N. Y. Of those that have recently 
come to hand are A Fourteen Weeks" Course in ChemUtry % 
by J. Dorman Steele, which seems to be an excellent ele- 
mentary work upon the subject, and one in which we are 
glad to sec the modern nomenclature employed. $1.50. 
A Manual of Moral Philosophy^ which needs no other 
commendation than that it is by Doctor A. P. Peabody, 
and was prepared for the use of his classes in Harvard. 
$1.25. 
Landscape Architecture, by n. W. L. Cleveland. 
Chicago : Jansen, McClurg & Co. This neat little work 
discusses the principles of landscape gardening from a 
Western point of view, and is especially adapted to the 
wants of the rapidly growing towns of the Western 
states. It contains also an essay on tree planting upon, 
the great plains. 
Half Hours with the Microscope, by Dr. E. Lan 
kester. G. P. Putnam'B Sons have reproduced in a neat 
style this popular Euglish work npon the use of the mi- 
croscope. It is mainly devoted to pointing out objects 
of various kinds that are of interest under the micros- 
cope, and to showing how to prepare them. 
Our Common Insects, by Dr. A. L. Packard, Jr. 
Salem : Naturalists' Agency. This is mainly n reproduc- 
tion of articles that have appeared in the American 
Naturalist, and contains much that is interesting and 
valuable. Dr. Packard is one of our most competent 
and thorough entomologists, and we always, when we 
see a publication of his, regret that he is not more popu- 
lar. Iu no branch of science is there so much need of 
popular works as in entomology, and we hope that some 
one will be found who is able to talk familiarly as well 
as learnedly about, insects ; but we have had no works 
since that of Harris in a style suited to the common 
people. 
Seats and Saddles, Bits and Bitting, is the title of 
a work by Francis Dwyer, Major of Cavalry iu the Aus- 
trian Army, published by Lippiucott & Co., Phila. In 
this the whole "subject of the mechanics of horseback 
riding is thoroughly and exhaustively discussed, and the 
work can not fail to be of great value to both civil and 
military equestrians. 
A Man of Honor, by Geo. Cary Eggleston. This 
appeared as a serial in Hearth and Home, and is now 
published by Orange Judd Company. $1.25. It is a 
pleasing story of Virginia life, without any attempt at 
the sensational. 
Silver and Gold.— Under this title J. B. Ford & Co. 
publish the report of Prof. R. W. Raymond, U. S. Com- 
missioner of Mining Statistics, in a handsome form, il- 
lustrated, for $3.50. It is a very full account of th« 
various mines which yield what are called the " pre- 
cious " metals, and describes the smelting and other 
metallurgic processes. Such a work, prepared by so em- 
inently competent a hand, is highly important to all en- 
gaged in developing the mineral resources of the country. 
Widdifield's New Cook-Book, by Hannah Widdi- 
field. Philadelphia: Peterson & Bros. $1.75. Weal- 
ways notice a new cook-book with hesitation, as, like a 
dictionary, one can not jndge of its merits or defects un- 
til after the intimate acquaintance that comes of use. At 
present we can only say of the one before us that it 
looks promising, and that such recipes as we have ex- 
amined appear to be well considered and practical. 
The Daily Record ; on, Everybody's Diary for 
1874. Hastings & Co., 202 Broadway. $1.50. This is a 
diary of the size of a large foolscap page, which gives 
sufficient space under each date for such record as it is 
desirable to make. It would be found very convenient 
for a farm journal. A series of tables of various kinds 
and an almanac occupy the first part of the book, and a 
thin blotter is placed between the leaves— a capital plan 
In insure ni-atness. 
