1874.] 
AMKRICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
287 
The Patrons of Husbandry in Ohio 
have availed themselves of the general corporation laws 
of the State, and stand on the records as a regularly in- 
corporated body, " The Ohio State Grange of the Patrons 
of Husbandry, for the promotion of agriculture and the 
mntual benefit of those engaged in the purchase and sale 
of stock, commodities and articles pertaining thereto, 
including household luxuries." This places the State 
Order on the business footing of other corporate bodies. 
The Swiss Colony, which located in the 
Tennessee mountain region six years ago, has made a 
lair record as an agricultural community. There are in 
the colony 393 inhabitants, living in 76 houses. They 
have 7,600 fruit trees, 4,700 grapevines, and till about 
1,000 acres of land. They have two schools, and have 
established an Agricultural Society. The growth is not 
like that of communities on Prairie railroads, but it is 
growth, nevertheless. 
A Colorado Sheep Farm. — Mr. John 
Sheldon, of late a large sheep fanner of New York State, 
has commenced sheep farming in Larimer Co., Colorado. 
He has 500 acres of land, upon which he has made an ar- 
tificial lake of 40 acres, which he has surrounded with 
planted shade-trees. He has already brought three car- 
loads of pore Merino sheep to the farm. The celebrated 
ram "Dictator," which has yielded 26 lbs. of wool at a 
Shearing, is at the head of his flock. Mr. Sheldon pro- 
poses to put 10,000 Mexican ewes upon the range. 
Crop Prospects.— Advices from the great 
corn-growing States of the \Test represent that, although 
there were many interruptions to corn-planting in May, 
the seed went into the ground in good time, and under 
circumstances ordinarily favorable. Letters received as 
late as May 29th, report favorably as to winter and spring 
Wheat prospects, and enthusiastically as to fruit prospects. 
St. Joseph and Denver City IS. IS. 
Bonds.— Those of our readers, who bold any of the 
above bonds, are informed that the U. S Court, held at 
Leavenworth, Kansas, has appointed a " special muster " 
to report the amount of interest due and unpaid. In 
order that this may be done, the bonds and unpaid 
coupons simuld dc deposited at once With Tne Farmers' 
Trust and Loan Co., the trustees under the mortgage, at 
2G Exchange Place, New York. As Boon as the deposit 
has been made, measures will be taken to purchase the 
property for the bond holders. 
A Male witli a Colt. — A. Pepper, Frank- 
lin Co., Ind., writSs that a mare mule owned by a neigh- 
bor has recently had a horse colt, which it suckles and 
cares for the same as any other mare would. (.Such an 
occurrence is rare, but happens.occasionally.) 
Connecticut State Board of Agri- 
culture.— Wc have received through Secretary T. S. 
Gold, the reports of the Connecticut Board of Agriculture 
for 1873. These reports increase in interest and value 
year by year. Undiluted by the useless tables of figures 
usual in such reports, this volume is filled with practical 
matter; papers and discussions upon matters of every 
day interest to the farmer, by men who gain their living 
in the field as well as by those who are eminent for their 
scientific attainments. It is one of the best of the 
few agricultural reports which it will pay to procure, to 
Btudy and to keep for future reference. 
The Butter Convention. — The National 
Convention of Buttennakera and Dealers, met at Indian- 
opolis on the 17th of June. The principal address was 
ma 1» by Mr. D. W. Dake, of Beloit, Wis. We are unable 
to find space for this valuable address, but it will doubt- 
less be published in full in the final report of the pro- 
ceedings. It is worthy of careful study. A large num- 
ber of essays were offered in competition for the pre- 
mium of $1,000 liberally offered by Mr. Dake. 
How to Use Bones.— "P. A. D.," Lex- 
ington, Va. Powdered or crushed bones are useful for 
any crop. They add to the soil phosphate of lime chief- 
ly, and this is a component part of nearly every vegetable 
valuable for food. They are of special value for turnips, 
or potatoes and grass. 
Tau-bark for Stal>les.— "P. A. D." 
Leached tan-bark makes a very clean and cool bedding 
for horses, but it should be dried before it is used. 
If used while wet it ferments and heats, and will cause 
the hair to fall from animals that are bedded with it. At 
least such has been our experience with it. Sawdust is 
the cleanest bedding for horses that we know of. 
Artificial Ponds.-«F. L. T.," Winne- 
.bago Co., Wis. Gold-fish will live In an artificial pond, 
if there is plenty of water kept in it, although there may 
not be a stream running through it. But trout will not. 
To make such a pond, it is only necessary to dig out the 
earth and raise a dam to preserve the supply of water. 
In digging the pond, it is well to make some deep holes 
in the bottom, and not to have it all the same depth. 
Planes* StiipernliospUntc— "H. M.," 
Bergen, N. J. One superphosphate, honestly made, is as 
good as another. The process is such, that the amount 
of soluble phosphoric acid is, or should be, about the 
same in all superphosphates. As regards the above-men- 
tioned fertilizer, we can say that the manufacturer of it, 
Chas. V. Blapes, has an excellent reputation, and is trust- 
worthy, and that is the main polut to be considered in 
purchasing a fertilizer. 
Railway Hiorsc-Powcrs. — " V. W. 
K.," Shii-land, 111. There is not much choice as to rail- 
way horse-powers when made by reputable makers. The 
principle involved in their construction is nearly the 
same in all of them, and the chief point in selecting is 
strength and excellence of construction. There are 
several described in the advertising columns, either of 
which would be desirable machines. 
FlaJalencc in a Horse.— "C. P. M., v 
Newark, N. J. Flatulence, or the discharge of wind, is 
a symptom of indigestion. It should be remedied by 
feeding easily digested food, such as boilod oats, or 
scalded cut-feed, with ground oats and bran, and a pound 
or two of linseed meal. An ounce of salt should be 
given with each feed. A few carrots, or boiled potatoes, 
would also make a useftd addition to the feed. 
City Street Manure.- 1 S. F. K." The 
sweepings of the streets of towns and cities are mixed 
with so much earth and rubbish, that their value is much 
less than good stable manure. But they have the advan- 
tage of being free of weeds. The urine, which is so 
valuable a part of stable manure, is not contained iu the 
street sweepings. At $11 per cord for stable manure, as 
usually estimated, street sweepings should not be worth 
more than $3. Peter Henderson, an excellent authority, 
and who has used them extensively, speaks very highly 
of them for garden purposes. 
llssil and Horticulture. — Some of our 
friends, who live in the northern part of Bergen Co., 
N. J., snfl'ered severe loss from the hail-storm of July 4th. 
The hail-stones were so large as to break not only glass, 
but sash, and do other damage. Greenhouses were de- 
molished, and fruit-trees not only stripped of their fruit, 
t>ut their leaves. Unless one has witnessed the effects of 
such a storm, he can have little idea of the destruction it 
carries in its path. Several years ago we were at Roch- 
ester, just after the nurseries of Ellwanger «fc Barry had 
been crossed by one of these hail tornadoes. It was a 
sad sight Since making note of the above, we learn 
that the great Rose Show, announced for July 3rd, at 
Lyons, France, is postponed until September, on account 
of a great hail-storm, which injured not only roses, but 
other vegetation, and destroyed the grape and other 
crops of a wide region. 
Pacliing- Eggs for Hatcliing. — "L. 
M. A. /'Toledo, Ohio. The best material for packing eggs 
is oats, and wheat chaff is nearly as good. Finely chop 
ped straw is also a good material, but bay and sawdust 
are very poor material. The common idea that eggs arc 
injured for hatching by transportation, we do not believe. 
We have raised a large number of fowls from eggs taken 
from barrels, in which they were packed with oats for 
market, and which had traveled over 1,000 miles with 
rough, usage on the way. The losses were inconsiderable. 
Death of a I>nehess. — The two-year-old 
heifer, 7th Duchess of Oneida, which was purchased by 
Mr. A. J. Alexander, of Kentucky, for $10,000, at the New 
York Mills sale, iast fall, has recently died of pneumonia. 
This death, with that of the cow Sth Duchess of Oneida, 
which sold for $40,000, shows what great risks breeders 
of this class of stock are willing to run, and that these 
great prices do not represent all profit. 
Toe Locli Nut and Bolt Co.— "W. 
W." The address of the manufacturers of the lock nuts 
and holts, described in the Agriculturist some time ago, 
i 11 Dcy-st., New York. It was formerly 01 Broadway. 
Is Flax an Exhaustive Crop? — "N, 
T. S.," Lincoln, Neb. Flax is considered as as exhaus- 
ting crop, and justly so, when we know that the seed 
contains twice as much potash and phosphoric acid, and 
twice as much nitrogen as wheat, while the straw is still 
more exhaustive of these valuable constituents of the 
soil, than wheat strew. A soil that would produce six 
successive crops of wheat, will bear only three of flax, 
even when the straw may be returned to the soil. 
Blight—Tiles.— "J. Q. A. M." The blight 
in fruit trees is still an obscure matter, the sudden death 
of a tree, or a part of it, being usually the first intimation 
that there is any trouble. The evidence thus far ob- 
tained points to a fungus of some kind as the cause, but 
as yet very little light has been thrown upon its preven- 
tion Clay that makes good brick, will also serve for 
making tile. 
Value of Sawdust.-" G. R. W.," Boon- 
ville, Ind. Fresh oak or green sawdust is worth nothing 
as manure, in fact, it is not manure at all. It is of the 
most value when made to absorb the liquids from stables, 
it then rots very readily, and not only makes a convenient 
vehicle for the liquid manure, but is of some service 
itself. If we had a large quantity, which cost nothing, 
and could be cheaply hauled, we would pile it In large 
heaps and burn it, and use the ashes. Iu this way it 
would be of immediate and considerable value for any 
crop, but especially for grass. 
Pea Bag.— "W. G.," Ottaway, 111. The 
beetle deposits its eggs on the very young pod, and the 
minute grub cats into the pea, feeds, grows, and changes 
into a beetle ; -the entrance is so small that the growth of 
the pod obliterates all marks. Unless all in a neighbor- 
hood will agree to plant no buggy seed, we do not know 
how you can be clear of them. 
Indefinite.- " J. R., n Schley Co.,Ga. Tour 
question is too indefinite, and had you signed your 
name, as every one should in writing to any one, espe- 
cially to editors, you would have had a letter asking ex- 
planations, and saved us the trouble of printing this. 
Will not our friends be kind enough to remember that 
no merchant, banker, or other person in business does 
his correspondence by initials, and that business with 
editors should be done in a business-like manner. 
Preserving Eggs.— "J. O. B., v Newark, 
N. J. The most successful known method of preserv- 
ing eggs is to smear them evenly with boiled linseed oil 
and pack them with the small end downwards iu plaster 
of Paris or salt. It is doubtful if they can be kept fresh 
in large quantities for so long a period as 7 months, al- 
though they have been kept G months in small quantities. 
Preserving Posts.— "R. F. S., n Yellow- 
stone, Wis. It is sufficient if fence posts are soaked in 
Hme water for twenty-four hours, if they have been well 
seasoned previously. If they are green, forty-eight hours 
soaking should be given. A convenient way is to have a 
large hogshead half full of lime water and fill it with 
posts standing on their butt ends, and change the posta 
every day or two days until the whole are soaked. 
Poultry or Stock Dealers.— "W. O.," 
St. Paul, Minn. We can not give the names of dealers 
in poultry, eggs, or stock for very obvious reasons. The 
names of parties dealing in these things are to be found 
in our columns appropriated to such matter, and no per- 
son's name is admitted there if we know or have any 
reason to suspect that he is not trustworthy. Persona 
who desire to purchase, perhaps could not do better than 
select those dealers who are most conveniently situated 
for the purpose. 
Yield ©f Boot Crops.— "J. C. P.," 
New Orleans. A fair crop of mangels would be 600 to 
800 bushels, of ruta-bagas about 600 bushels, and of sugar 
beet6 400 to 500 bushels. Much larger crops are frequently 
raised, and double the quantities mentioned sometimes, 
but only in rare instances. It is safe to discount reports 
of unusually large crops of anything. 
II oily Iioclc Disease. — The Hollyhock 
fanciers in Europe are iu trouble. A mould or fungus, 
Pucclnia malvacearum, proves exceedingly destructive to 
the plants. It was first noticed in Bordeaux in April, 
1573, since which time it has spread rapidly through 
France and Germany, and has already appeared in Eng- 
land. The only proposed remedy is to destroy all the 
plants of the mallow family, hollyhocks included, and 
give it nothing to feed upon. 
Grain Weevils.— u J. C. B.," Allentown, 
Pa. Barns are not readily freed from weevils on account 
of the difficulty of reaching all their hiding-places. But 
granaries are more easily rid of them. The walls and 
floors should he washed with boiling water or potash lye, 
and every crack thoroughly explored with a stiff brooni 
dipped in it. Then the walls should be whitewashed 
with a thick coat put on while hot. The windows should 
be covered with fine wire gauze to keep out all insects. 
