1874.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
417 
under-growth of woods should first be cut off 
close to the ground and piled in heaps for re- 
moval. They may be cut up if no larger than 
an inch in thickness, by a strong fodder-cutter, 
or a broad axe upon a block, into leugths of 
two or three inches, and used for fuel. Then 
the leaves may be raked up with a horse hay- 
rake into windrows, and then into heaps. They 
may be loaded up into hay-racks covered with 
bam sheets or blankets, with barley forks or by 
means of leaf-baskets such as is shown in the 
accompanying illustration. We have pur- 
chased these made of spliuts for 50 cents each ; 
but have seen them made and used by char- 
coal burners for tills purpose, of a stout hoop 
of hickory to which a piece of coarse bagging- 
is sewn. This makes as good a basket for 
gathering leaves as any. It should hold about 
two bushels when heaped up. A wagon is 
soon loaded by their aid. When gathered they 
should be stored in a place where they may be 
kept dry, and if in good condition, a ton of 
mixed hard-wood forest leaves may be consid- 
ered as well worth two tons of straw. 
The Ecraseur. 
Some time ago we referred to an instrument 
used in the operation of emasculation, by 
which it was rendered much easier of perform- 
ance and perfectly safe. This 
very necessary operation on 
the farm is not done without 
a certain amount of risk and 
loss of stock, and an instiu- 
ment by which it can be per- 
formed safely, is of great 
value to those interested. 
Since our reference to the 
ecraseur, we have received 
numerous enquiries as to the 
mode of using it. This we 
now describe. The instru- 
ment, as shown in the illustra- 
tion, consists of a tube in 
-which a chain of plate links 
is drawn in or out by means 
of a screw at one end. The 
parts to be removed are laid 
open in the usual manner, 
taking care to make a open- 
ing at the lower part of the 
scrotum, so that in case of 
the formation of pus in the 
wound, it may escape, and 
not become absorbed. The chain is placed 
around the gland, and the screw is turn- 
ed until the pressure of the chain up- 
on the cords and vessels causes its separa- 
tion. The operation is then complete. The 
compression to which the vessels have been 
subjected, nearly always prevents all bleed- 
ing, and but a few drops of blood are lost in 
any case. The paiu is reduced to a minimum, 
and the after operation of cauterizing is unne- 
cessary. The time occupied is very much 
shortened, and generally the process of healing- 
commences at once and goes on successfully. 
By means of the length and peculiar form of 
the instrument, it can be used wheu other 
means would fail. We believe that Prof. Mc- 
Clure, veterinary surgeon, of Philadelphia, is 
to be credited with the introduction of this in- 
strument into our practice, and that Mr. D. W. 
Kolbe, of Philadelphia, is the manufacturer of 
them. A cheap instrument is made especially 
for the use of those who cannot procure the 
services of a regular veterinary practitioner. 
A Farm Signal. 
The following will be found a convenient 
method of conve3'ing signals to distant parts 
of the farm, in place of the old-fashioned tin 
horn, the usefulness of which is confined to its 
one single unmelodiousnote suggestive only of 
dinner time. There are times when messages or 
instructions are to be conveyed, and it is not 
convenient to send a messenger. A visitor calls, 
or some business needs attention, and some one 
has to lose time to go to the farther end of the 
farm to convey the information. All these 
steps may be saved and the time also, by hav- 
ing a little code of well-understood signals, and 
a contrivance such as is here illustrated fixed to 
the gable end of the barn or the house. A short 
post is fastened to the end of the barn, passing 
through the roof. At the top of this post a 
wooden wheel is fixed, having two holes bored 
iu the edge at opposite sides, and an arm pro- 
jecting outwards from the edge. The wheel 
works upon a wooden pin driven into the 
post. A cord is fastened to each of the holes, 
and by pulling one or the other of these cords 
the arm is made to take any position desired. 
It may be held upright, or sideways, and level, 
upon either side, or pointing upwards or down- 
wards upon either side. In this way seven 
different signals may be made. If more are 
needed there may be another wheel placed on 
the other side of the post, and seven more sig- 
nals may be given. In this case each set of 
arms should be painted different colors. Red 
is the color that is most easily seen at a dis- 
tance, and black would make a good contrast. 
In our own experience we have found that sig- 
nals given in some such way are very quickly 
noticed, and when it is known that they are 
thus given the eye is very frequently cast in 
the direction to look out for them. A little red 
flag run up at dinner time or other times on the 
flag staff at the end of the house, never failed to 
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FARM SIGNAL. 
bring us home within a few minutes, but in 
this case the signal failed to convey more than 
one message, and its meauing consequently was 
sometimes mistaken. 
Method of Climbing Trees. 
People who live in timbered districts fre- 
quently find it convenient to have some way 
of readily climbing a tree. In felling trees 
where timber is valuable, much damage and 
waste is prevented by being able to bring the 
tree down exactly where it is wanted. To do 
this it is often necessary to climb the tree to be 
felled, and sometimes an adjoining one. In 
making surveys in wooded districts, or to get a 
more extended view in places that are only 
partly wooded, as in prairies made up of what 
Fig. 1. — CLIMBING TREES WITH STlErXPS. 
are known as openings, where one has occas- 
sionally to hunt stray cattle, it is sometimes 
very necessary to get up a tree. This may be 
done very readily by procuring a pair of spiked 
stirrups like that in figure 2. It is made of a 
flat iron bar about an inch wide and a quarter 
of an inch thick, bent to pass under the boot 
in front of the heel, and made with loops by 
which it may be strapped to the leg. A sharp 
stout spur is fixed at the lower 
part, and when the stirrup is 
worn this spur comes at the in- 
side of the foot. When a per- 
son wishes to climb a tree, one 
of the spikes is thrust into the 
bark and then the other, a step 
upward being taken at each 
time. A cord is carried around 
the waist, and if it is necessary 
to do any work while up the 
tree, the climber can pass the 
cord around his body and the 
tree, and make himself secure. 
The rope also answers to draw Fjo . 2 
up tools or anything else that 
may be wanted. The method of climbing, 
by aid of these stirrups, is shown in figure 1. 
Ceiled Stables. — The usual method of 
ventilating stables beneath barns, is by allow- 
ing the foul air to escape through the hay and 
grain stored above the animals. This is objec- 
tionable for obvious reasons. Such stables 
with poles or rails for the floor above, are 
dingy, dark, and generally well festooned with 
cobwebs. Besides their disagreeable appear- 
ance, they allow the dust, chaff, and hay seed, 
to fall upon the backs of the cattle, and these 
are thus always kept unclean. Dark stables 
and coats matted with dust are not healthful 
for cattle, to say nothing of the deteriorated con- 
dition of the feed stored above them, which is 
exposed to all the foul air that rises from 
beneath. We greatly prefer to have the floor 
