1865. 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
239 
The "Spring House'* of the Prai- 
rie— D. Kllpatrick, of Des Moines Co., Iowa, writes to 
express his appreciation of the article on making clieese 
from few cows, anJ says : *' We tliink that article ulone 
worth a year's subscription. We cannot make butter, or 
keep it well when made for want of the "spring house," 
80 familiar to many of your readers, where ■' He sendelh 
the spilngs to the vallies which run among the hills." A 
spring Is a very rare thing on the Prairies. We can make 
cheese without difficulty on the plan there giren, by keep- 
ing the curd till snoush is obtained to fill the hoop, by 
hanging it in a bucket in Ilie well. By the way you may 
tell your readers in like circumstances, that they can 
have sweet, coo/, delicious milk every day in the same 
way. Get a good can, or a pail with a close fitting lid 
(we have used a coffee boiler to eooiI advantage), fill it 
with fresh milk and hang it in the well with a strong 
cord, lowering it near to the water, and using great care 
not to spill any in the water, or you will spoil your well. 
Just at meal time draw it up (stirring whatever cream is 
on It well through, it don't hurt it a bit), and if there are 
any children about, you will wonder how soon it will 
disappear to their satisfaction and yours." 
I^ermentecl Swill. — A ''Subscriber" asks if 
"swill for fattening hogs will lose or gain any thing by 
allowing it to ferment?" Swill properly so called can 
never gain any thing by fermentation, for if *' fermenta- 
tion" be allowed to go on long enough all swill will 
putrify. Many good farmers allow their swill to fer- 
ment to a sligiit extent before feeding, in order to give it 
greater uniformity of character, and, in case meal of any 
kind is added to the "house slops," to take the place in 
a measure of cooking, which is inconvenient in the sum- 
mer time. When this is practised, however, swill 
should be kept In several different vessels, so that the 
feed may be fermented uniformly from day to day. 
Fine Grapes. — Those who visited the straw- 
berry exhibition of the American Institute last June saw 
» collection of exotic grapes, the like of which is seldom 
exhibited. A large number of varieties were shown, the 
berries in each bunch being as near alike as if they had 
been cast in the same mould. Tiiis splendid display was 
made by Mr. John Ellis of the Fox Meadow Gardens, 
Westchester Co., N. Y., whose extensivs graperies fur- 
nish tlie New York market with a large share of this de- 
licious, though costly fruit. 
Xrainiug: in CJraperies. — "Amateur." 
Your plan shows the alternate renewal system, which is 
very difficult to carry out. Better study CliorUon, or 
some otlier authority for the best methods, as we have 
not space to illustrate them. 
lla.le^s Early I*eacli.— Isaac Piillen, Esq., 
of Hightstown, N. J., has sent us fine specimens of this 
variety from his orchard houses. This is a favorite sort 
with Mr. PuUen, who finds it at least two weeks earlier 
than any other. Its quality is excellent, andil is as hand- 
some as it is good. 
Catalogues, etc.. Receive*!.— William 
Parry of Pomona Garden and Nursery, Cinnaminson, N. 
J., sends his price list for the fall of I860. Mr. P. has the 
Philadelphia Raspberry as a speciality We are in- 
debted to Geo. M. Beeler, Secretary, for the Transactions 
of the Indiana Horticultural Society at its fourth annual 
meeting. The Transactions of the Worcester Co. (Mass.) 
Horticultural Society, from 1857 to 1S64, have been sent 
by ita Secretai^, Edward W. Lincoln ...C. S. De Witt, 
Montreal, sends us Hind's Essay on the Insects and 
Diseases injurious to Wheat Crops, a prize essay publish- 
ed in 1857 for distribution in Canada at public expense. 
Augpastns O. Moore, — Every one having 
a collection of American agricultural or horticultural 
books, will find upon one or more of them the imprint of 
A. O. Moore «k Co. Had Mr. Moore been solely a book 
publisher, a notice of him would scarcely have interested 
our readers, but as he was thoroughly identified with 
their pursuits, it seems proper to give more than a brief 
mention of his life and work. Augustus Olcott Moore 
was born in Columbus, Ga., in 1822, and removed at an 
early age, with his parents, to Ohio, in which State, at the 
age of 19, he purchased a farm which he carried on for 
four or five years. He afterwards went into the banking 
business in Cincinnati, where he remained for several 
years. Being devoted to art, he left mercantile life after 
several year's experience in It. and gave his time to 
painting. Though he never ranked himself as an artist, 
he possessed itecided talent in art, and had it not been for 
his great modesty would have been known as an artist. 
In 1853, Mr. Moore came to N. Y. City and engaged in 
the publishing business, which he continued until 1859. 
As a publisher he was noted for his sympathy and co- 
operation with literary men and artists— a trait which 
was doubtless often excercised in opposition to hi^ in- 
terests as publisher. In the revision of Downing's Lands- 
cape Gardening, many of the finest sketches were made 
and put upon the engraver's block by his own hand. Tlie 
close confinement of the bonk business brought on 
hemorrhage of the lungs, and he was forced to relinquish 
it In 1859. He afterwards travelled in California, Central 
America, West Indies, Minnesota, and Europe. Several 
of his observations in Central America were published in 
the Agriculturist, Illustrated by his own pencil, and while 
he was in business, he was a frequent contributor to our 
columns, especially upon insects injurious to horticulture. 
Mr. Moore returned from Europe in the autumn of 1S64, 
and died in April last. We have delayed a notice of the 
death of Mr. Moore for the lack of precise data, and now 
give this too brief tribute to the memory of a noble, un- 
selfish pure-hearted friend. 
IVilliam IfiiicWiiiiiistci*, the founder, 
editor and publisher of the Massachusetts Ploughman, 
died at his home in Framingham, Mass., at the age of 82 
years. He was educated at Harvard College, became a 
lawyer, but subsequently gave up this profession for that 
of agriculture, and a few year's after (in IS41), in connec- 
tion wi-ih his son, established the Ploughman in Boston, 
which has ever since held a prominent place among Am- 
erican Agricultural Journals. Mr. Buckminster retired 
from the active editorship of the paper in 1862. His ac- 
quaintance among farmers and agriculturists was very 
extensive, and he will be long remembered and sincerely 
mourned as an earnest, honest, useful man. 
Plants learned. — S. A. Hunter, Alleghany 
Co., Pa.— The common Blue-flag. Iris versicolor... H. 
Humphreys, Davis Co., Iowa. Some kind of Juncus or 
Rush, but quite too young to determine the species 
B. B. Herrick. Negundo aceroides, the Ash leaved Ma- 
ple, also called Box-elder. Sugar is sometimes made 
from this species. ...M. R. A., York Co., Me. No. 1 is 
Calopogon pulckellus, one of the most beautiful of our 
native orchids. No. 2 is the very common Ctnquefoil 
or Five-finger, Potentilla Canadensis, 
Agricultural and Horticultural 
Fairs,— If those who have charge of the preliminary 
work in arranging for exhibitions the coming autumn will 
send us, before Aug. 10th, notice of place, date, and 
name of corresponding secretary, or business manager, 
they will aid us in issuing our annual list in September, 
and receive the thanks of the editors. 
ISlaclc Knot. — We have numerous iaqnirers 
respecting this, and have had the experience of only one 
person in treating it. Mr. A. D. Brown, of Mercer Co., 
N. J., states that he knows the following remedy to be 
eflTeclual. A lablespoonful of chloride of Lime (Bleach- 
ing Powder) is mixed with a quart of water, and after it 
has stood, occasionally shaking, for a few hours it is ready 
for use. The knot is pared even with the healthy bark, 
and the solution applied to the wound. Mr. B. says : '* I 
will guarantee that the Black-knot will not appear in that 
place again." A simple remedy and easily tried. 
XUe Xen-lined Potato Beetle.— We 
have received from A. S. Runyon, Putnam Co., Mo., as 
well as from others in difiercnt parts of the West, speci- 
mens of an insect which is very destructive to the potato 
crops. The larva, orgrubis represented in fig. I, It is of 
a yellow color with black 
dots. The perfect insect, 
eiven in fig. 2, is of a pale 
yellow color, marked with 
ten black lines, five ou each 
wing cover. Both tliese en- 
Fig. 1. 
gravlngs are of twice the natural size, and give a sufficiejit- 
ly good representation of the insect to enable it to be recog- 
nized. Those wishing a detailed description are referred 
to Duct. Fitch's article in the Transactions of the N. Y. 
State Agricultural Society for 186:1, p. 796. The female 
deposits her eggs upon the underside of the leaves, and the 
brood is hatched in 3 or 4 days, ready to commence their 
depredations, and if not checked, 
soon destroy every vestige of vine. 
The insects fall very readily when the 
plants are disturbed, and it has been 
recommended to catch them in pans 
containing hot water. A writer in 
the Kansas Farmer states that by 
timely attention the crop may be 
saved. He finds It inconvenient to 
renew the water as fast as it coolsi 
and uses instead, cold water with a ^ ■£• ■ 
thin stratum of turpentine on the surface. The insects, 
in dropping into the water pass through the tur- 
pentine and are killed by it. Probably benaine, such 
as is used by painters, would answer in place of turpen- 
tine, and be at the same time much cheaper. 
Root-pruning;: HyacintUs.— M. Vasin, 
of France, finds that by cutting the roots of hyacinths 
grown in water to within about an inch and a half of the 
bulb, the bloom is much finer. It is done when the leaves 
are well developed and before the flower spike has 
protruded itself above them. 
Ifarnum's latest (not last) 1>isplay. 
Barnum's Museum gave on Thursday. July 18th, an ex- 
hibition which completely exhausted its resources. In 
other words, this curiosity shop, which was known, by 
name at least, from one end of the land to the other, is 
destroyed by fire, and all its natural curiosities, relics, 
antiquities, etc., are gone. The collection, aside from 
much that was trivial, contained a great deal of real 
value, and no one could visit it without being instructed, 
and in this view it is a national hiss. Mr. Barnum, how- 
ever, is not a man to be set back by the loss of a m;iseum, 
or two, and is preparing to start a new one already, be- 
fore the stones of the old one are colil. and he calls upon 
all who have natural or other curiosities, suitable to be 
placed in such an institution, to communicate with him. 
The German Edition of the Agriculturist- 
Reduction of Price. 
It gives the publisher pleasure to announce that the 
reduction in the expenses attending the preparation of 
the German edition of this journal has been sucl , that he 
has decided to receive subscriptions at the same rates 
with the English edition. This edition has never been 
conducted at a profit— but very much the contrary. 
Nevertheless— being fully of the opinion that it ought to 
pay— and assured on every hand that it has been and is 
doing a great deal of good among German farmers and 
others, it has been continued. Now with the improve- 
ment in the times, the disbanding of the army and the re- 
turn to peaceful industriesof our soldiers, he is confident, 
that with a reduction of the price, a large addition to the 
subscription list may be secured. The agricultural and 
horticultural portions of the Agriculturist are well trans- 
lated, and besides, a special department is edited by Hon. 
F. Muench. of Missouri, (well knoun throughout the 
Country by his Norn de Plume ''Far West,'') which adds 
much to the value and interest of this edition. 
$300.00 for a Barn Plan. 
One of the subscribers to the Agriculturist is about to 
erect Farm Buildings, and wants a plan. To secure one 
he authorizes us to ofl'er three hundred dollars ($300) in 
prizes, as follows : 
$150 For the best plan. 
$100 for the second best plan, 
%oO for the third best plan. ^ 
The plans must be submitted to a commltfee to be 
announced in the September number, on or before the 
first Monday in October. The plan must be for the ac- 
commodation of a dairy of 20 cows, 2 yoke of oxen, 6 
horses, with young animals to keep up the stock, 100 
sheep. 20 hogs, and 300 poultry. The building or build- 
ings must be of wood, and calculated for a level farm. 
The plans should be carefully drawn to a scale. Work- 
ing plans and specifications are not now desired; but full 
explanations of every valuable feature, materials used, 
in ceneral, and every thing essential to be known by an 
architect or builder to enable him to prepare working 
plans, should be furnished. The plans will become the 
property of the gentleman making this offer, and a selec- 
tion will be published in the American Agriculturist. 
In addition a very liberal sum will be paid for the full 
working drawings and specifications of the plan decided 
upon after the prizes are awarded. And any new and 
valuable ideas or suggestions furnished, which maybfl 
adopted, will meet with appropriate recognition. 
