1873.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
Kyanizing Timber.— " L. I. B.," 'Wey- 
mouth, Mass., asks, What is feminizing and how is it 
done f— Kyanizing is a process invented many years ago 
by a person named Kyan. It consists in saturating the 
timber with a solution of corrosive sublimate (bichloride 
of mercury), or chloride of zinc, under strong pressure. 
There are more than twenty other similar processes which 
have the same object, but they require powerful machin- 
ery and are not suitable for general application. One of 
the simplest and most easily applied processes of preserv- 
ing timber (especially adapted to fence-posts) is to set the 
seasoned pieces on end, surround the upper cud with a 
baud of rubber or plastic clay projecting beyond the 
edges upwards so as to hold liquid, and fill it with the 
preceding solution, which gradually penetrates the pores, 
and by destroying the vegetable albumen removes the 
tendency to early decay. 
87 
Cost of Feeding- Horses.— Dr. Voeleker, 
an eminent English authority, is of opinion thatahorse 
requires for its sustenance the produce of eight times as 
much land as is necessary to sustain one man. If this is 
correct, then the sustenance of the eight millions of 
horses and mules we possess -would be equal to the sup- 
port of over CO millions of men. To feed our horses costs 
50 per cent more than to feed our present population. 
Xo the Pisciculturists. — An expe- 
rienced traveler says : There is no fish more richly de- 
serving an introduction among us than the Russian Ster- 
let, for, being a mud-fish, it will thrive where the trout will 
not. Another great consideration, it has no bones. Its 
flavor is considered almost if not quite equal to onr 
celebrated Whitefish of the Western lakes, but it is not 
usually so large. It abounds in the Volga, and we do not 
know but in other rivers of Russia. We believe it is 
also found in the Caspian and Black Seas. 
The Whitefish of the Western 
Lakesandtlie Otsego Shad.—" A." asks: "Can 
any of your readers inform me if these delicious fish have 
yet been introduced into the large ponds and small lakes 
of the Eastern States ? If not, why not ? "— Tou do not 
give State. If iu New Tori; State, you can probably get 
Whitefish of Seth Green, the State Fish-Culturist, who 
has secured n Jorge number of eggs. 
Breeding- Iu.and*In. — " J. C. M." 
writes: " I have a Berkshire sow and boar near the same 
age. They are half brother and sister, being sired by the 
sire of both dams and both from first litters. Are they 
too near to breed together? "—If the sire (B) is a very 
choice animal, aud if the two original sows (A and Z) 
■were of entirely distinct blood, it may do to risk breeding 
the offspring of B A and B Z together. They are not 
identical blood, as brother and sister would be. Their 
offspring would have 73 per cent of B blood and 12! i of 
A aud 12', J of Z blood. As we have before said, if B is 
a very superior and healthy animal, yon may get very 
choice pigs that would be very valuable to cross with 
common sows, or for establishing a new strain of "B" 
stock; but as a rule there are more" chances of failure 
than of success, especially with pigs. It is best to avoid 
in-aud-in breeding as much as possible. 
Coty-Milker.— "S. J. B.," Nelson. We 
know of no cow-milker that has come into practical use 
•*Ve know nothing of the parties you inquire about. We 
also know that we would have answered by mail had 
yon named your State, or had the post-mark been legible. 
English. Roots.— Some of the large seed- 
houses in England offer prizes for the best roots raised 
from their seed, and in this way get up private root- 
shows. Messrs. Carter, Dunnett & Beale have sent the 
lot which took the prize at their last show to Messrs. B. 
K. Bliss & Sons, who exhibit them at their store on 
Park place and Murray street. The mangels, various 
Swedish turnips, carrots, onions, etc., are something 
wonderful iu size, and show what can be done in root- 
culture in a climate particularly favorable to it. 
Cannas.- W. M„" West Newbury, Mass. 
Species of Canua, of which there are several in cultivation 
will come true from seed. The majority of the finest 
ones are garden varieties produced by hybridizing, etc., 
and these cannot be expected to reproduce themselves 
exactly, but are multiplied by division of the roots. 
Keeping Sows too Fat.— "I have al- 
ways," writes a Pennsylvania fanner, "been afraid to 
keep breeding animals too fat. I once lost two valuable 
Ayrshire cows from milk-fever, canscd as I supposed by 
keeping them in loo high condition. Since then I have 
tried to avoid this error. I have just been reading 
' Harris on the Pig,' and am almost convinced that I have 
been keeping my breeding sows too thin. I have eome 
Berkshire sows now from nine months to a year old that 
I intended to breed from. They weigh about 75 lbs each. 
From what is said in 'Harris on the Pig' I suppose I 
have made a mistake in keeping them so thin. Would 
you, or would you not.advise me to breed from them ? " 
—You have cenaiuly kept your pigs too thin. If they are 
healthy and thrifty, they may nevertheless produce good 
pigs, but this is not the way to obtain the most valuable 
stock for breeding purposes. A well-bred pig should 
have had all it can eat and digest while young for genera- 
tions. Mr. Harris makes this matter very clear, though 
he perhaps carries the practice of high-feeding to an ex- 
treme. In his own practice, however, he has been quite 
successful as a breeder. As we understand him, ho does 
not recommend high-feeding after the pigs have attained 
their growth. He feeds his pigs all they will eat until 
they are five or six months old, and then gives less con- 
centrated food. 
Managing a Stock-Farm.-" S. K. S.," 
New York, asks the following questions : 1st. Can he by 
feeding all the crops he raises on a farm to pigs and Bheep 
keep the land in good order? 2d. What crops would 
be best for the land and for the stock ? 3d. What kinds 
of sheep and hogs would be the best to keep ?— Replies : 
1st. Tes. 2d. The crops should be clover, corn, roots, 
with rye, oats, or barley for crops with which to seed 
down to clover again. Variations may be made occa- 
sionally, but the main crops would be these. 3d. Berk- 
shire or Essex pigs or their grades, with grade Cotswold 
sheep or South-Downs, would be suitable. 
Cure for Garget. — M. R. Smith, Fort 
Hamilton, sends the following experience with an Alder- 
ney cow, whose milk was bloody after calving and the 
udder inflamed. The cow was bled, and a pint of castor- 
oil given to her. Her udder was rubbed night and morn- 
ing with an ointment of elder leaves and twigs boiled in 
lard. In a week the cow came to her milk, and was never 
afterwards troubled with this complaint. 
Fodder Corn.—" L. C," Lexington, Ky., 
desires to know how many acres of fodder corn wonldha 
needed to supply 50 cows from 15th July to 15th October.— 
The general allowance is one square rod per cow per day. 
But this depends, of course, on the character of the soil. 
Twelve acres of rich core land would doubtless be suffi- 
cient, if planted in rows three feet apart and twelve seeds 
to the foot, and the soil kept well cultivated. If the soil 
is poorer or the best care not taken, double that quantity 
might be insufficient. 
Black Berkshire Pigs.— "J. C. M." 
asks if a pig entirely black can be a pure Berkshire.— 
It would require good evidence to establish his purity. 
The probabilities are that he has a dash or Essex blood in 
his veins. 
Cement Cor Brain-Tiles.—" A Subscrib- 
er " asks how cement lor makingpipes and tiles is mixed. 
—One bushel of Ro6endale cement should be evenly mixed 
with three bushels of sharp clean sand and four bushels 
of washed gravel, not very coarse but not fine. When all 
is carefully mixed, sufficient water should be added to 
make a soft mortar, and the cement rapidly worked until 
well mingled, and then Immediately used. It sets very 
quickly. 
Tan-Bark- for Manure.— "E. H. C," 
Bradford Co., Pa., asks if spent tan-bark is worth hauling 
eight miles to use as manure ?— Hardly, if there is other 
work for the horses or man. If not, it might be worth 
w-hile to h»ul it during the winter, and bum it slowly as 
soon as dry enough in spring, and spread the ashes on 
grass land or potatoes. 
Quick Churning.— "E. K. G.," Hollistou, 
Mass., in reply to an inquiry about a difficulty in making 
butter come, says he has always succeeded in churning 
in ten minutes by taking care to have the cream of a 
temperature of 60 to 04 degrees. There should be no 
guess about it, but the thermometer should be used to 
see that the cream is exactly right. 
White Mustard again.— "C. E. C." 
We have told all we know of white mustard. It is a 
comparatively new crop, in this country, and we shall 
have to experiment with it much longer than we have, 
before we can answer all your questions. We will an- 
swer such as we can. 1st. While mustard fed green to 
cows does no< impart any disagreeable taste to the milk, 
cream, or butter. 2d. We did not pasture cows on it! 
We mowed it and used it as a soiling crop. 3d. Shell 
marl would be a good manure for it. 4th. We think the 
growth of mustard will enrich the soil, if the crop is fed 
off on the land, more than oats or rye. 5th. We think it 
would be a good plan, if you have a field of loamy land 
that you are going to sow to wheat next fall, to sow it 
this spring to mustard, because if the mustard fails yon 
can still summer-fallow the field, and if you have a good 
crop you can use what you want of it for pasture or for 
soiling, and plow under the rest as a green manure for 
Sugar-Beets for Pigs.— "S. W." writes: 
" I see it stated that boiled sugar-beete will fatten pigs 
faster than raw corn. Would not mixing in meal with 
the hot boiled beets improve both ? "—Certainly it would. 
It is poor economy to keep pigs on beets alone. 
Pasturing Wheat in Winter.— " J. 
J. S.," New Amsterdam, Ind., asks if it is any benefit or 
injury to pasture wheat during the fall or winter with 
sheep or calves.— Where the wheat crop, in very warm 
wet weather after sowing, becomes very luxuriant, it is 
sometimes pastured down by sheep or calves. This re- 
tards its growth and causes it to tiller freely on lands sub- 
ject to " heaving." Sheep and calves are also sometimes 
turned on to the wheat in winter for the purpose of tread- 
ing the roots into the soil again and compacting the 
earth around them. We rarely see a crop of wheat so 
luxuriant as to need feeding off in the winter. 
Value of Holstein Cattle.—" C. G. H.," 
Bridgeton, N. J., asks for information about Holstein 
cattle.— We presume he means Dutch cattle, which are 
large, bony animals, of a black and white color generally ; 
they are large milkers, more suitable for the milk or 
cheese dairy than for butter, and require abundant feed 
and pasture. Bridgeton, N. ■!., is not adesirable location 
for these cattle. 
Where to Locate.— A farmer in Chester 
Co., Pa., writes: "I have been on the present farm 
twenty-nine years. Came here when sixteen years old. 
It was a worn-out farm. Father bought it for Sis per 
acre. He has renewed the Tumaings and otherwise im- 
proved the place until it would now, in this depressed mar- 
ket, bring $ao or $90 per acre. I have been farming on 
shares and renting the past 18 years, nave paid since 1862 
a yearly rent of $550. The farm contains 136 acres 16 
acres in woods ; the rest, with the exception of an acre 
has been plowed and is in good order. Produce on clover 
sod SO to 80 bushels corn per acre. With manure I have 
raised 100 bushels per acre. I have by strict industry 
and economy made and saved some money. I could pay 
abont half what the place would bring. Would it not be 
wiser to go South or West and pay all and have a farm 
clear ? We have good health, with family of five children. 
An answer would much oblige a constant and interested 
reader of the American Agriculturist."— We can not un- 
dertake to advise on such an important matter. You 
know the farm ; know what it has produced, and what 
money can he made from it. If there is a fair prospect of 
paying for the farm, we should think it was better to stay 
where you are than to go to a new place. Many farmers 
that go West aud South return discouraged. As a people 
we are so much inclined to move, that those who stay in 
one place and " fight it out on that line " are, all things 
considered, the more prosperous and useful. 
Plowing Under Clover.—" S. W.," of 
Seneca Co., N. Y., writes: "Forty years ago a farmer 
came to this county from Pennsylvania. He plowed 
under great crops of clover when in bloom for wheat. He 
told us that was the only way they raised wheat in Penn- 
sylvania, and he wanted to keep ahead of them. He suc- 
ceeded. But now he is dead, and the practice of plowing 
under clover has been abandoned. Aud the result it 
that the land has worked down hard and the wheat freezes 
out."— This is all very well. And we highly approve of 
plowing under clover unless you do something better— as 
you can. In this same neighborhood, and within a few 
miles, lies John Johnston's celebrated farm. He does 
not plow under clover, and yet his farm is as rich and pro- 
ductive as ever. 
The Labor Question.— J. A. Grnndy, 
Union Co., Pa., sends us a communication on this sub- 
ject, in which he gives his view Of the proper solution, 
viz.: " That farmers should act in harmony in raising 
the prices of produce by reducing the quantity. Thus, by 
raisiugonly half the quantity of grain, save half the la- 
bor and sell the product at over four times the usual 
price. Then raise the price of wages until the farm la- 
borer is put on an equality with the mechanic, and in- 
duced to stick to the farm." [The chief trouble in achiev- 
ing this result would be found in the utter impossibility 
of getting farmers to hold to such a combination. As 
soon as it was felt certain that the price was going to be 
raised fourfold, every man would sow and plant at much 
as he possibly could and thus defeat the scheme. This is 
human nature.and no combination will change that. -Ed. ] 
