1865.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
141 
Containing a great variety of Items, includi7ig many 
good Hints and Suggestions which we throw into small 
type and condensed form, for want of space elsewhere. 
Delayed.— Tlii6 number is issued later than 
usual. Just as we were preparing to go to press, the 
news of the terrible assassination came to hand, and as a 
mark of respect, business was nearly suspended for more 
than a week in this City. Even had we not consulted our 
own feelings, the delay would have been unavoidable. 
All Unusual Variety and amount of im- 
portant business items are found in our advertising col- 
umns, which will well repay examination by all readers. 
Annual Fair of tlic I\- Y. Slieep- 
Brceders' Association.— This first Fair of the 
society is announced for the Jih, 10th, and lUh of May, 
at Canandaigua, N. Y. Liberal prizes are olTered in 
five classes, for I. American Merinos; II. Fine Merinos; 
III. Delaine Merinos; IV. Long- Wools; and V. Mldiile- 
Wools. We hope our Eastern mutton sheep-breeders 
will be present in force (as it will be to their advantage), 
that the Merinos may be convinced that Soulhdowns, 
Cheviots, Oxfords, Cotswolds, Leiceslers, etc., still live 
and are worthy of consideration. D. D. T. Moore, of 
the Rural New-Yorker, offers a prize of $50 for the 
heaviest fleece sheared and cleansed on the ground, the 
age of the fleece, which must be of about one year's 
growth, and the weight of tne animal, both being taken 
into consideration. A very important premium. 
l>o'%rnins;'s Liandscape Oardenin^. 
—We are gratified to be able to announce that tlie prom- 
ised new edition of this work is at length ready. The 
delay has been occasioned by the necessity for re-engrav- 
ing the greater part of the illustrations. The work upon 
its first appearance, Immediately took rank as the stand- 
ard work on the subject upon which it treats. It has 
that happy blending of pleasant writing with practical 
hints that characterize its author's productions, and its 
reissue will be welcomed by all interested in rural 
afl^airs. Its Illustrations, by Steel plate, Lithograph, and 
Wood-cut, are numerous, and the work will be an orna- 
ment to the table or Library of every possessor. The 
binding is superior to the previous edition. Price $6 50. 
-Sent by mail, post-paid, at this price, 
Vineland,- To several iaq.uircrs. The "Novel 
Enterprise" published last month, was not an " editorial" 
article, but simply an advertisement, as we supposed all 
would understand from its position In the paper. We 
neither endorsed nor condemned it. As stated elsewhere 
In the same paper we do not scrutinize farm or land ad- 
vertisements very closely, because no man would be fool- 
ish enough to buy a farm without seeing it for himself. 
"Vineland" has some good features doubtless, but we 
are not prepared from personal knowledge to endorse 
or condemn It. (See Agriculturist, for May 1863, p. 153), 
We intended to return that way last year, for a thorough 
personal examination, but were prevented by illness. 
Unfair-^rice of Agrricultnral Im- 
plements.— It strikes us that the prices of farm im- 
plements, are very high when we first hear them, and In 
fact they are when counted in dollars : but we urge farm- 
ers not to refrain from purchasing, with the expectation 
that they will be lower. Let us consider rather, the 
prices we have, as a class, been getting for what we have 
had to sell, and how easily we have earned the green- 
backs which we must now pay out. Compare the prices 
of all these things, and of books and agricultural papers 
too, with the prices which corn, wheat, beef, butter, poul- 
try, etc., have been selling for all winter, and the prices 
which are likely to prevail, at least if the hopes of the 
fafroers are realized. No man now-a-days can afford to 
use poor implements. It is unfair to apply a measure to 
others' prices, with which we will not measure our gains. 
Blood and Bone SpaTin are very dif- 
ferent pathological conditions of the hock joint ; the 
former is a distension of the membranous sack which 
surrounds and connects the bones forming the hock joint, 
occasioned by an excessive accumulation of the fluid 
iSynovia), by which the joint is lubricated. It takes its 
name Blood Spavin, because a large vein passes over 
the sack on the inside of the hock ; the vein has nothing 
to do in producing the disease, but It sometimes sufl^ers 
and becomes enlarged by pressure from the sack. The 
tieatment for Blood or Bog Spavin, as it is also some- 
times called, is to allay acute inflammation by cooling 
applications. If this fails, Etimulating liniments, and 
the various compounds of Iodine, with continued pres- 
sure, may succeed. The disease is, however, apt to re- 
turn. Bone Spavin is caused by an inflammatory condi- 
tion of the periosteum, bones, and ligaments of the hock 
joint, producing more or less disorganization, and gener- 
ally terminating in a union of the bones, and an enlarge- 
ment of bone. It Is generally caused by violence and 
over-exertion. The treatment is, in the early stages, to 
check Inflammation, by cooling appliances to the joint, 
and oy rest ; this failing, repealed blisters, followed by 
an ointment of Ihelalniodlde of mercury, and other com- 
pounds of iodine, and, as a last resort, the actual cautery. 
We are led to this discussion of Spavin by the receipt o! 
a recipe for its cure, sent by Harriet Garlock, with an 
interesting account of her horse and her management. 
She will observe from the above, that the apothecary ad- 
vised judiciously when he recommended the Iodine. He 
can also supply, when you again require It, as you prob- 
ably will, a much safer and better blister than the one 
you have named, if you ask for the Ointment of Can- 
tharides. If this be found too hard for application, add 
a little sweet oil. The swelling left after the acute In- 
flammation subsided in your horse, was fibro-plastic 
matter. The iodine assisted nature In its absorption. 
^Vliat Ailed My Horse? — Geo. Lusk 
describes minutely the disease by which his horse died. 
It was characterized by dullness, stiff"ness, and swellings 
of the legs, formation of pus In the neck, ulcers on the 
body — up to which time his appetite was quite good. 
After some time this changed, and he ate tittle or nothing 
—labored heavily in breathing, and shortly after died. 
A gentleman, on whose veterinary knowledge we place 
great reliance, says of that case : " After a careful con- 
sideration of the case described by your correspondent, 
I consider It an analogous type to these diseases known 
as glanders and farcy. These diseases, spoken of as 
separate, are really one and the same. The disease may 
remain in a latent state for some time, but little aflfecting 
the animal, until excited into an active condition by some 
unknown Influences. The treatment must be strengthen- 
ing—not depletive. Tonics and difi'usible stimulants, 
w ith generous and nutritive diet. Such cases are gener- 
ally fatal, and are also dangerous to man. In all 
suspected cases of glanders, the animal ought to be iso- 
lated, and. if the suspicions are confirmed, destroyed." 
Animal Piiotog^raplis. — There are many 
difficulties in photographing animals so that a correct and 
agreeable likeness can be obtained. We all want to see 
the good points, and are only too willing to liave faults, 
though characteristic, extenuated, even out of sight. The 
result of this is that animal portrait painters have pand- 
ered to the wishes oi iwners till the public Is In a mea- 
sure satisfieil with little headed, big square bodied, slim 
shanked diminutive hoofed caricatures of horses, cattle 
and sheep, which are absolutely hideous to anybody who 
knows not what points a breeder values, and to what he 
would be happy to have his stock approximate, but who 
only knows animals as the creator made them. The 
photographer of animals labors uiih many difficulties. 
They do not stand still long. It his hard to give them 
pleasing and natural backgrounds, to make them assume 
agreeable, spirited attitudes, and especially difficult to 
place them In such lights, that their best points will come 
out. Great success in this way has been attained by 
Rldgeway Glover, of Philadelphia, whose card is in our 
advertising pages. He has made the subject one of 
especial study, and specimens of his work in our office 
will go far towards convincing breeders of Improved 
stock that sun-light well managed will almost ''flatter." 
Carrots.— Sow so as to Mow the Tops.— 
Lyman Harrington, of Bennington Co., Vt., writes to 
\\\e Agriculturist : '* Many who raise carrots cut the tops 
off with a knife, which takes much time. To avoid 
this, the ground should be made very smooth when 
sown, and kept so, and no stones left on It. When ready 
to dig, let a good mower cut one swath (say 4 to 6 rows), 
rake oflf the tops, bearing heavily on the rake. All re- 
maining uncut will be drawn, or leaned, one way. Then 
having his scythe very sharp, he can easily cut what re- 
mains, by sliding the point of the scythe close to the 
ground by the side of each row. A skillful man, used to 
it, can cut and dig from 50 to 100 bushels per day. I have 
practised It for many years, with much saving of time." 
miionld ITIeado-ws 1»e Pastured?— 
The temptation to a farmer to turn his stock into his 
meadows both in fall and spring is great. But Is it not a 
mistaken policy? If the grass could be allowed to grow 
after haying time until winter, and then lie and protect 
its own roots in winter, and, at the same time, slowly 
rot, the annual crop of hay would be much increased. 
If the regular pastures give out, provide some fresh cut 
feed for the stock. The best thing for spring feed is 
roots ; for summer and fall, corn sown broadcast at in- , 
tervals through the summer, and cut up green, as wanted. 
Sow a quarter, or half an acre at a time, ^i intervals of 
ten days or a fortnight. Grass lands fo favored, would 
require less top-dressing, and lees frequent plowing and 
re-seedIng, and the hay crop would bo largely augmented. 
Xlie Early Shaw Potato.— Mr. J. W. 
Helme, of Lenawee Co.. Mich., furnishes us with the 
history of this valuable early variety. It Is a seedling of 
the Mercer, and was raised by Mr. Bradly Shaw, of the 
township of Dover m Lennwee Co. According to Mr, 
H., It yields equal to the Peach Blow, if grown In rich 
soil, and Is preferred by him both for quality and yield 
to any variety with which he is acquainted. 
Xlie Currant Worm. — Mr. Otis Bigelow, 
of Onondaga Co., N. Y., gives the following account of 
the appearance of this pest, and the manner of combating 
It. It is likely that this scourge will increase the area of 
Its desolation each year, and all growers of currants 
should be on the lookout for its first appearance. " About 
three years since, people in this vicinity were surprised 
to find their currant and gooseberry bushes suddenly de- 
prived of their leaves. On examination we found the 
bushes covered with a myriad of green worms, speckled 
with black spots on the back and sides, and about K of 
an inch long when full grown. As soon as the leaves 
start in the Spring, a fly appears and lays Its eggs along 
the stems on the under side of the leaf, or some of the 
leaves In the middle of the bush ; these soon hatch and 
devour all the leaves clean, for about a week, when they 
change their skins to a pale green, and falling to the 
grouna dlsappea- By sifting the earth under the bushes, 
they will be found enclosed in little balls of It. In three 
weeks they come out as flies; the size of a common fly, 
which they nearly lesemblc, excepting that they are more 
slim and have a yellow abdomen. The reproduction 
of these worms Is continued until all the leaves are de- 
stroyed.— Remedy. — Dig up all the bushes that cannot be 
personally attended, and trim the remainder so as to 
leave them open and accessible. Visit them at least once 
every day. Look for leave." with little holes In them. 
The little holes indicate the presence of the newly 
hatched worms, which are not seen unless the leaf is 
turned up, as they always begin on the under side. By 
destroying four or five leaves on each bush per day the 
whole may be saved, as only a few leaves are selected 
by the fly to deposit her eggs. The worms never touch 
the fruit, and the stripping of the leaves does not prevent 
a new growth the same season, but these will no sooner 
appear than they are destroyed." 
A Orcat Poultry ShoM',— Mr. Barnum 
(of the Museum) announces a great Poultry, Pigeon, 
and Rabbit Show to take place at the Museum the last of 
April. We go to press too early to do more than state 
the fact. Liberal prizes are oflered, under the auspices 
of the "National Poultry Society." 
A Free Advertisement.— Many of our 
subscribers may receive circulars from the parties 
named below, who are doing a large business appar- 
ently, judging from the great number of documents they 
send out through the mails. Those who patronize them 
may be sure of not getting their money's worth. There- 
fore, bewiiie of Kendrick, Harmon & Co., P. Hoff'man 
& Co., J. M. Percival, Thomas Boult & Co., Hammelt 
& Co., Fletcher Brothers, Fletcher & Co., Egerton 
Brothers— all professed lottery dealers. Most of these 
promise that, if the first package of tickets is not sue 
cessful, they will send another package In their lotteries 
for nothing. No doubt of it ; a ticket In a lottery for 
jiothtng would be as valuable as most of them are. 
Look out also for the following dealers in " Jewelry," 
on the prize, or "grab" system: Marriott & Co., King- 
horn & Co., McConnell & Co., A. P. Coburn, etc., etc., 
and all who promise to give more than a dollar's worth 
of any commodity for a hundred cents. 
Xlie Arctic Cream Preezer. — By re- 
quest, Mr. Torrey brought in one of these, at the close of 
the Fruit Growers' meeting, April 12th, and before a 
large company, repeatedly demonstrated its ability to 
reduce cream of ordinary temperature to a frozen state 
In less than four minutes. The society unanimously 
testified by a formal resolution to the smoothness and ex- 
cellence of the cream, and the efficacy of the Freezer. 
For particulars see advertisement in this number. 
Crood Music— Messrs. O. Ditson & Co., who 
advertise regularly in the Agriculturist, rightly enjoy the 
reputation of sending out first class music of every de- 
scription. Some of the most popular songs and melodies, 
have emanated from their establishment, and our musical 
readers who patronize them may rely on having their 
orders by mail promptly and satisfactorily filled. 
