36 
AMERICAN AQRIGULTURIST. 
TFebruart, 
Containing a ^eat variety of Items, including inanif 
good Hints and Sm^ffestwns which we throw into sjnall 
t>j}ie and condensed form, for want of space elsewhere. 
A ** IVisconi^iiK SorgliiitH Coiivew- 
tiou" is lo be lield in Mfidison, Feb. 7, at 10 A.M. 
JTIirliigau As:rlcitltural College.— 
The aiinoiuicenient of this College is given incur ad- 
veitif^ii:g coliiins. Tliis is tlie oldest institution of the 
kind in the country, has an excellent corps of professors, 
and ample means of instruction. To Western stu- 
dents it offers opportunities for acquiring a scientific 
and practical education, wliich they should not allow to 
pass unheeded. As compensated manual labor is a fea- 
tnte in this college, a student is able to complete his 
course with comparatively little expense. 
AgficMlturul Colleg-os.— " Sophomore," 
Louisville, Ky., asks how these differ from other colleges 
and wliat arc the principal studies taught in them. The 
course of instruction in Agricultural colleges is arranged 
with special leference to the wants of the farming popu- 
lation, and will be more or less extensive, according to 
the views prevailing in the commiinily where the college 
is situated. Chemistry, animal and vegetable physiology, 
and siicli other sciences as have a relation to agi icullure, 
are tlioroughly taught, wluie the languages and the purely 
literary studies receive less attention or are altogether 
omitted. The only Agriciiltuial colleges yet in operation, 
as far as we know, are (hat of Pennsylvania, advertised 
in the January AS^'icuUurist, and that of Michigan, ad- 
verlisedin the present paper. There is also one in Mary- 
land, but, judging from its catalogue, its course does not 
essentially differ from that of other colleges. 
^Vliat Constitutes » €Sood Compost 
Besides Stable ITIaunrc ?— H. M. C, Middlesex 
Co., Conn. A compost is a manure from a mixture with 
the excrements of other ingredients than thelitier bedding 
of animiils. If the dung and urine of animals is the basis 
of a compost, it will, of necessity almost, be mixed with 
the litter and the waste of the fmlder, etc. To this may 
be added three or four times as much dry swamp muck 
or peat broken down quite fine, parings of roadside tuif 
or headlands, or any other vegelable substances, as saw- 
dust, chip dirt, etc. A smaller quantity of gt)od soil does 
very well, and even sand is often employed as an ab- 
sorbent of liquid mannre, and as an ingredient of the 
compost. Bones pounded pretty fine, gypsum (plaster), 
leached ashes, leather scraps, bone nr horn turnings, 
woolen waste, hen manure, house slops, chamber lye, 
brine, etc., are all valuable additions, and make the 
thorough working over of Ihe heap, and a corresponding 
increase of more inert suiistances desirable. Lime or un- 
blenched ashes are not suitable to mix with animal ma- 
nures, but maybe previously mixed with the muck to lie 
awhile before adding it to the manure compost, etc. 
Editorial Quarrels — Xrue Ambi- 
tion* — The long time readers of the Agriculturist will 
bear witness that we very seldom have any disputes with 
our contemporaries. We confess to an ambition, in com- 
mon with others, to have our journal occupy the highest 
rank, but we scorn to seek to stand uppermost, by pulling 
others down below our own standard. That is a low am- 
bition which leads one to carp at and pick flaws in his 
neighbors, in order to show oflT by contrast his own su- 
perior merits. If any one sees the slight^t leaning in 
that direction in this journal, he will do us a great favor 
by pointing it out. The true way to pre-eminence is 
through superior energy, enterprise, and intrinsic merit. . 
We repeat then, tliat we will not, and can not stoop to 
fault finding, to p-ying into tlie concerns of our contem- 
poraries, and as a rule, only refer to them and their do- 
ings when some error of statement or opinion Is likely 
to lead the public astray. 
Stop Xliut Falseliood. — We notice that a 
few jealous journals, in the spirit referred to above, have 
industriously circulated a falsehood in regard to this 
paper, \\hich we have so far passed by as unworthy of 
notice ; but as it is kept up, and concerns the infegrity of 
the Publisher, we notice it briefly now. It is asserted 
that " last winter, when the price of paper rose, this jour* 
nal was reduced lo 'half size.' " — Another says " greatly 
reduced;" that the "half sheet was advertised at full 
rates ;*' and, increasing in the boldness of the statement, 
it is next asserted that "the half"— "the reduced" sheet 
—is offered at an advanced price. The truth is, no re- 
duction was made "last winter," nor until Septem- 
ber, and then but a slight one, In three numbers, and it 
was then stated that the advertising space would be less- 
ened, and extra efl!brts be made to condense the matter, 
so as to give about the usual amount of information. So 
little was the contraction, that only two readers com- 
plained of it, and one of these said he did not notice it 
until informed of it througli one of our jealous contempo- 
ries. The whole reduction of size during the entire year 
amounted to just three-fourths of one number. Second: 
When the sm.dl advance in price was made, it was dis- 
tinctly staled Ihat it was done in order "to be able to 
maintain the full size of the paper, and keep up its pro- 
gressive character," and this size w as restored before tiie 
advanced price took effect, and before any of our jealous 
friends uttered their slurs — or to be plain, their falsehoods. 
Until September, and since November, the paper has been 
as large as it ever was. We have no idea of making it 
smaller, and think it is improving in intrinsic value with 
each nuEiiber. We have no hopes that the vilifiers will 
retract their false statements, but we Shall not quarrel 
with them, nor, if they behave civilly, point out their nu- 
merous deficiencies, the kind of advertisements tliey ad- 
mit, to meet expenses, etc. One of them would better let 
others alone, and attend to his own business, so as not to 
stop liis paper again when the subscription money is all 
in for a year ahead, and also settle up his unpatented 
patent operations, so as to die in peace.— If our reatlers 
are satisfied, it is enough for us. If they are nut, they 
will of course go where they are better treated, and they 
ought to. We shall not complain, and scold our contem- 
poraries for being superior, but rather praise them for it. 
Fortunately for us, our readers seem to be more than 
satisfied, which they manifest by bringing along many 
others— for which we thank them. 
Aslies ou Potatoes. — Hard wood ashes 
are one of the most valuable kinds of manure, especially 
adapted to potatoes, which nowadays are so sensitive 
to decaying manures. Chester Belding, of Orange Co., 
M. Y.. writes that he applied " unleached ashes to the 
potato hills after first and second hocings, at the rate al- 
together of about 15 barrels per acre. Two rows through 
the center which were not ashed, yielded at the rate of 
197^^ bushels per acre, while the others produced at the 
late of 2S0 bushels per acre. There was no perceptible 
din*erence between rows ashed once and those ashed 
twice. Will ashes continue to be beneficial if applied ? 
and how many years will one application be beneficial ? 
A dressing of ashes will show its good effects several 
years on grass, grain, etc., and marked good effects will 
be noticed from liberal applications each year on the 
same land— but tliis is usually not an economical practice. 
Farm Inipleiuents Cheaper I\ov«' 
Tliau Tliree Years Ago.— The manufacturers 
of the Buckeye RIower have prepared a table showing 
that their $175 machine costs the farmer less now than 
in 1861, when a similar mower was sold for $100. Taking 
from the November Agriculturist of 1861 and 1864, the 
New York prices of farm produce, they reckon that it 
required to buy the mower in 
lbs. ffti>/. ^V7leat. Corn. Butter. Che^M. Wool 
1S61 f?inO).14,300 77buah. 152 bush. 6-i5 Tbs. 16^7 lbs. 223Tb9. 
1864 (fl75).ll,000 69bush. 92 bush. 350 lbs. 800 tbs. i;5Ibs. 
Similar figures apply to other proiluce and other im- 
plements, as well as to relative prices in other places. — 
They apply still more forcibly to onr own subscription 
rates. While improvements have been made, and print- 
ing paper costs nearly three times as much, the rates are 
raised but one quarter to cluts, and one half to single 
subscribers, owing mainly lo increased circulation. 
Thus a single subscription, cost (at N. Y. prices) in 
Hay. Wheat. Corn. Butter. Cheese. Wool. 
ISfil ($1.00).. 143 lbs. 25 quarts 4Sqnarts 6lbs. Ifilbs. 2!^ n-s. 
18&i ($1.50).. W lbs. ISquarts 25quart8 3lb8. "lbs. i;^ lbs. 
Barley on I^ig^lit, Gravelly Soil.— 
"Subscriber." Barley delights in a gravelly loam, not 
very light, however. Sow as early a? the soil can be 
worked, on ground manured last year for some hoed 
crop, or on a sod turned under last fall. TJie crop will 
not bear heating manure, but on land in poor heart, such 
applications as seaweed or muck compost, marl, leached 
ashes, gypsum, or lime, are useful. Barley is liable to 
smut and rust, but less so than most varieties of wheat. 
Apples fi>r Ho^s. — Daniel Emerson, of 
Summit Co., Ohio, writes to the American Agriculturist : 
" In my youth, my grandfather, one autumn weighed four 
bhoats and put them up to fat. I gathered sweet apples 
and fed to them. At killing time the hogs were again 
weighed and were found to have gained two pounds per 
day each. They were fatted only on apples, and the 
pork was very nice, sweet, and sufficiently firm. This 
year I kept my pigs penned, and during the summer daily 
gave them weeds from the garden. From the first of 
August for two months they had nothing but sweet and 
grafted sour apples, and since then, apples and corn. 
The largest came lo the knife before the first of Decem- 
ber, very fat, and made most beautiful and sweet pork. 
A farmer in a neighboring town pronounces an acre of 
even indifferent orchard to be equal in value for hogs to 
an acre of the best corn, year by year.*' Why not plant <: 
sweet apple orchards for hogs and for cows also ? / 
llog-i^ Poisoned l»y Salt.— "U.," West- 
chester Co., N Y., says many hogs have been lost in 
that County, through having too much salt fed lo them 
ignorantly, and asks a cine. Old brine is very poison- 
ous to swine. Salt can haidly be calJcd poisonous un- 
less it is taken in large quantities. In either case, we 
would give the hog a warm bath, clean nest, and a diet of 
raw roots, especially potatoes, mashed to u pomace. If 
any of our readers have been successful with any p:n- 
ticular treatment, they will favor the inquirer and oMiers 
by communicating it to the American Agriculturist. 
Wintering; Hogs on Xurnips.— " D. 
D.," Lake Co., Ind., proposes wintering his hogs on tur- 
nips, and asks " Will it do ?" We think so. Why not ? 
40 Acre Clay Farm— Ayrsliire Bull, 
etc.— C. A. Bruce. Fulton Co., III., who has such a farm. 
naturally good for fruit and wheat land. asks : "Will It pay 
to haul ashes w Inch have been exposed to the action of the 
atmospliere for two or three years, a mile and a half, for 
the purpose of enriching oi' loosening the land?" — Yes. 
"Will subsoiling w.iihout umlerdraining beef any per- 
manent value ?"— Doubtful— ceitainly not if Ihe land is i 
wet...." Can you inform me at what price I would be 
likely to obtain a good Alderney or Ayrshire bull calf, 
or a yearling, next spring ?"— $25 to $75, according to 
quality — "I have an interval of 2 years in my file of 
i\\Q Agriculturist, iii what price can I obtain the vol- , 
umes for 1858 and 1S59 ?" Sent by mail, bound for $2.44 
each, unbound, $1.74 each. He adds : " The December * 
and January Nos. of the Agriculturist are splendid, and 
I wish I could send you a hundred subscribers." 
A Cliiclccn House for the l*rairies. 
Mrs. R. J. Trine, writes to the Amtrican Agriculturist : 
"Avery good, but cheap chicken house can be made, 
thus: Build a rail pen, leaving an opening at one cor- 
ner for access; and cover, and stop the cracks with prai- 
rie hay or straw. With such a hennery, and with plenty 
of frest meat, vegetables, grain^ fresh water, gravel, elc. 
hens can be induced to lay all^through the winter." 
Ho"»v to Ilrcalc Steers. — la answer to 
J. W. Brown, of Cecil Co., Md., and others: Steers 
have by no means so nervous a nature as horses. They 
will sooner yield to force, and accommodate themselves 
to what appears to them unavoidable necessity. So they 
do nol need so much careful reasoning with, so (o speak. 
It is best to begin with them as calves, and let the boys 
play with them, and drive them tied or yoked together, 
taking care that they are not abused. When a pa*^of 
old steers are to be put together and broken to the yoke, 
or a pair of bulls, as not unfrequently happens, i* is usu- 
ally best to yoke them, and tie their tails together, in an 
extempore stall, in a well fenced yard, and then turn 
them loose in the yard, which should not be large enough 
for them to run in and get under much headway. If 
the tails are not tied together, Ihey will frequently turn 
the yoke, which is a very bad habit. After half a day's 
association, the lesson of " ye up !" and *' whoha," 
may be inculcated — and when well learned — probably the 
next day," haw " and " gee." The daily lesson should be 
given after they have stood yoked awhile. They should 
not be taken from the yard until they have become used 
to the yoke, and are no longer wild and scarey, as they 
are apt to be at first. Each day all previous lessons 
should be repeated. Put them before an ox sled or a 
pair of cart wheels at first, rather than to a stone boat 
as they are apt to step on the chain, and that frightens 
them. All treatment should be firm but mild, and no 
superfluous words should be employed. 
Quinces in Clay Soil. — C. Holland, 
Peoria Co., III. A rich, deep loam is to be preferred, but 
the trees will doubtless do well on the clay, if it is ameli- 
orated by draining, deep working, and by the uso of 
coarse manure. The addition of salt would be of doubt- 
fiil utility. Experiment with it In moderate quantities. 
Stra^vberry Plants for Subscril»- 
ers— Explanation. — To the numerous inquiries 
from new subscribers, we answer generally; The " Agri- 
culturist Strawberry" was offered free, and sent to all 
subscribers for 1854, who applied for it according to the 
rules. This done, the new growth of autumn was sold 
to Rev. J. Knox, of Pittsburg, Pa., who, being by com- 
mon consent the "Strawberry King" of the country, 
was anxious to secure this Queen of the strawberries, and 
