48 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[Febrtjaky, 
How to Raise Ducks.- " J. M.," St. 
Michaels, Md., writes that he and many of his neighbors 
have found duck-raising extremely profitable, and one of 
the number has, in fact, made a small fortune at the busi- 
ness. He says the best way is to set ducks 1 eggs under 
hens, and commence incubation not earlier than the first 
of April, and stop not later than June 1st, and claims 
that ducklings from eggs set later than the latter date can 
seldom be reared. 
Will Hens Lay Half tlte Year ?— 
41 D. B. S.," Brooklyn, N. Y., asks this question. Ordi- 
narily they will not. In some instances they will lay 
eight or nine months of the twelve. There is much vari- 
ation, depending on breed and management. It is not 
ivise to base calculations on the remarkable yield of an 
occasional flock, published far and wide, for the very rea- 
son that it is remarkable. Some fowls will lay twelve 
dozen apiece yearly, but seven or eight dozen is a fair 
yield. Now, it will be seen that there can be but few 
instances of fowls laying daily, or two days out of three, 
dnring about one hundred and eighty days in a year. 
His Apple-Tree.— W. Hayden, Stringer, 
Kansas. Tent-caterpillars' eggs is what's the matter. Cut 
off and burn all you can find. 
Cions— Grafting;.— " J. H. L.," Hancock 
Co., Ohio. Choose short-jointed, well-ripened wood; 
*• water shoots " are not usually of this character. Graft- 
ing was can be made hard or soft by the use of more or 
less linseed oil or lard. 
Wheat and Chess. — Joseph Weaver, 
Wayne Co., Ind. Your view of the occurrence of chess is 
eaid to be the result of " searching." We can not accept 
it without specimens to jn ,(yve it- Wc know perfectly 
■well that wheat makes secondary roots, but we do not 
know that, the primary roots will, as you claim, produce 
chess. Let us have proof. 
What to do Avith a Scahhy Pig.— 
*■ H. Si" has two pigs four months old, of the same litter 
atria" kept in the same pen. One thrives well ; the 
ether, in spite of repeated washings, gets scurfy, or 
flabby, and appears tight in the skin and poor. "What," 
le asks, " would you do to set him to rights ? "—We have 
no faith in physicking pigs, but would suggest giving 
llim a table-spoonful of a mixtu.ro of BtilpTmi' find saltpeter 
every other day in his food. Add carbolic acid to the 
water in which he is washed— an ounce to a gallon. 
Proper Tcmperatmre for Scalding 1 
I8oi!>. — "K." wants to know how hot water should 
be to scald a hog just right. A few degrees below 
boiling heat is best. It is not well to scald too much. 
The Value of Charcoal ]>nst.— A 
»' Subscriber," Camden, S. C, asks the best mode of 
using charcoal dust as manure. It is of little use directly 
otherwise than as an absorbent. We at one time burned 
ft large quantity for the ashes, which were more valuable 
than the charcoal. 
Composting Rotten Wood, Leaves, 
etc., with Liquid Manure. — U B." Vegetable 
matter must be kept moist or it will not ferment and rot. 
The liquids should, therefore, he thrown over the pile, 
and, if the ammonia escapes, sods or earth may be thrown 
npon the heap. Pine-wood ashes contain so little potash 
that they would not injure a compost heap. 
Sowing- Clover-Seed on "Wheat. — 
** G. A. B.," Prince Edward Co., Va., wants information 
about sowing clover-seed on wheat, and of laying down 
permanent pasture. Clover maybe sown early in spring, 
on the last snow, which on melting carries the seed 
down into the soil ; or later, by sowing on the soil when 
the ground is sufficiently dry to bear a harrow, and har- 
rowing the wheat with a Thomas smoothing harrow, 
■which covers the clover and benefits the wheat. Tim- 
othy may be sown at the same time as the clover ; quan- 
tity, one peck of each. 
Disease in Cattle. — A " Subscriber," 
Charlemont (no State), has some cattle suffering from a 
complaint which appears as sores, or raw places, mostly 
on the legs, which heal over, leaving bare spots. This is 
owing, doubtless, to low condition. Give good food, 
shelter, and pure water ; also salt, in which some sulphur 
is mixed, for them to lick. 
Mexican Ever - hearing Straw- 
berry.— Who can tell us how the Mexican Ever-bearing 
Strawberry behaved itself during the year 1871? Will 
some of those pomological gentlemen who allowed their 
names to be u<:.I in its behalf, and those wise editors 
who directly charged or mildly insinuated that we knew 
nothing about the subject, have the kindness to take the 
witness-stand? We received more abuse for opposition 
to this strawberry, and from persons of whom we had a 
right to expect better things, than ever fell to our lot be- 
fore. We do not retort upon these gentlemen, but merely 
ask, How about that Mexican Ever-bearing Strawberry ? 
North Pacific Railroad. — Parties set- 
tling on the lands granted to the North Pacific Railroad 
Company along their line now constructing, can have the 
priority in purchasing their locations when the lands are 
brought into the market, and have their improvements 
thus secured to them. An immense territory of fertile 
lands is opened to settlement by this road. 
Peanuts. — "E. R. P." The crop requires 
good land and should form part of a rotation. We have 
no space now, but will try to give an article in season. 
Stuffing Animals.—" J. W.," Billings, N. 
T. The proper method of stuffing a quadruped can only 
be learned by practice. Careful measurements are to be 
taken of all the parts, and the size and natural position 
accurately preserved. The limbs and neck are strength- 
ened by wires. Hemp, bran, and fine grass are used for 
stuffing, according to the size of the specimen. The skin 
is first poisoned with arsenic. Maynard's Naturalist's 
Guide is the best work on the subject. Price $2.00. 
Agave Virginica. — In an article in Novem- 
ber last we expressed our doubts whether this plant 
would live after flowering. Mr. J. Williams, of Verona, 
Miss., writes that it flowers from year to year. We 
find that our plant has produced buds for another year. 
Colorado Potato - Bng, — Some one 
asked through our columns, some months ago, if the 
Potato-Bug had, in its Eastern progress, left Colorado. 
Several have written to inform us that in Colorado it 
u still waves, "but perhaps less troublesome last season 
than in previous years. 
China- trees for a Hedge,— F. A. 
Looney, Bosque Co., Tesas. By China-tree we suppose 
you mean what is commonly known in Texas as the 
"Wild China" — Sapindus marginatus. We have never 
heard of its being used as a hedge plant, and as it has no 
thorns we should not thinlc it would moko a very cflccttvo 
barrier. The late Mr. Affleck, who paid much attention 
to hedging in Texas, gave decided preference to the 
Cherokee Rose. The Pyracanth Thorn is also very use- 
ful. Almost any tree or shrub will make an ornamental 
hedge if kept properly cut hack. 
Raisins.— "T. L. N.," Winslow, La. The 
finest raisins are grapes merely dried in the sun. The 
Muscatel raisins have the stalk of the bunch partly cut 
through and are dried upon the vine, the leaves being re- 
moved to allow of full exposure. Commoner kinds are 
dried upon lines and afterwards dipped into a lye to 
which salt and oil are added. The effect of this is to give 
the raisins a brown, varnished appearance and to cause 
the exudation of sugar, seen on common raisins. Grapes 
that contain sugar enough will be gradually converted 
into raisins in an airy room, if not packed too closely. 
Red-Hoot.— " C. S.," La Porte, Ind. We 
believe that the plant called Red-root by " Walks and 
Talks," is LUlwspermnm arvense, though we could never 
get him to send us a specimen. It is a most unfortunate 
name, as the weed is but a local one, while the widely- 
spread Amarantkus retrofl-exw is known as Red-root 
throughout the Western States. The common name of 
Zithospermum in England is Gromwell, and as we prob- 
ably received the plant from there, we ought to take the 
name with it. 
The Period of Incubation.— " B., 1 ' 
Ashland, Va., is positive that a hen of Ma hatched thir- 
teen chickens from eggs that had been in process of incu- 
bation but fourteen days, instead of the normal period of 
twenty-one days. We would not question his veracity 
while disbelieving the account. Some person may have 
stolen the original eggs before they were spoiled, and 
substituted others that had been set upon for a week. 
Any reasonable theory whatever is preferable to one that 
involves a repeal or suspension of nature's laws. 
Poultry Rooks.— "X.," no post-office 
given, asks us to name the best works on poultry. Our 
advertising columns afford a sufficient answer. A very 
modest but sound and reliable book is entitled Saunders's 
Domestic Poultry, and another, written by a gentleman 
who stands at the head in English poultry literature, is 
called Wright's Practical Poultry-Keeper. Both for sale 
at this office. The Agriculturist gives each month prac- 
tical information concerning the management of fowls, 
and is in constant communication with some of the most 
extensive breeders in the country. 
Degrees of Frost.— " J. W. F." asks 
what is meant by ten or any other number of degrees of 
frost. We never heard any but an Englishman make UBe 
of the term, and it means the number of degrees below 
the freezing point. Ten degrees of frost would be 22°. 
Citron.— "F. W. M.," Sacramento, Cal. The 
citron of commerce is the candied rind of a fruit re- 
sembling the lemon, but it is much larger and the rind 
very thick in proportion to the pulp. It will grow where- 
everthe lemon and orange can be raised. The citron 
that " grows upon a vine " is a kind of watermelon, and 
can not be made into a substitute for the real thing. 
Apples and Pears on Wet Land. 
— F. A. Looney, Texas. If your land can not be drained 
plant your trees upon the surface, put soil enough upon 
the roots to hold them in place, and then plow farrows to- 
wards the trees upon both sides. This will leave ^the 
trees npon ridges with trenches between the rows. 
Mailing* Seeds.— "C. S.," La Porte, Ind. 
If you wrote the labels upon the seeds, the postmaster 
might, by a very strict construction of the law, collect 
letter postage. A liberal view is generally taken of 
the law, and written labels are allowed by almost all 
postmasters. The label is regarded as a part of the seed. 
Grafting.— u Subscriber," Dover, Del. The 
chestnut is very difficult to graft in the ordinary way. 
Success is most likely to follow grafting below the sur- 
face of the ground, as this would keep the cion and 
stock from drying. Peaches arc seldom grafted: the 
wounds exude gum and are very difficult to heal. 
Grafton Mineral Fertilizer.— This 
puzzles us. From the chemical analysis we should judge 
it to be nearly inert. Still those who have tried it, among 
them persons for whom we have respect, say that it is 
useful. Science and practice seem to he at variance in 
this case, and we allow it to be advertised with the 
distinct understanding that the analysis shall be given. 
Minnesota and its Productions. 
We lately inspected samples of grains and roots— pota- 
toes, carrots, beets, turnips, and kohl-rabi, with cabbages 
of enormous size, cranberries, and some fair-looking ap- 
ples, all the product of the extreme northern part of 
Minnesota. Heretofore that country has had the charac- 
ter of being snow and ice-bound for the greater part of 
the year, and it seems to have been one of the special 
offices of the great railroad which is now constructing 
through our North-west territory, to remove from our 
minds the impression of the sterility of these vast tracts 
of land. Certainly the immense size of the roots and 
the plumpness of the wheat, barley, and oats, brought 
from near the western shores of Lake Superior, remove 
all doubts as to the agricultural capabilities of this part 
of Minnesota. Minnesota is but a young State, as yet; 
still with her fertile soil and enterprising population, 
aided by the various railroads now crossing her territory, 
and her very salubrious climate, she has made an excel- 
lent position among her sister States, which every year 
\ doubtless see improved. 
Bee Notes for February— -^/ M. Qttinby. 
Hives that are out-doors should be raised when a warm 
day loosens them from the bottom, to see if the mice are 
nibbling the combs or destroying the bees, and all drop- 
pings swept off. Mice, if busy, should be trapped. Let 
such hives as are to have their location changed, be moved 
now, before the bees fly out. Give plenty of room be- 
tween the hives— ten feet, if convenient, is none too 
much. Have a separate stand and roof for each hive. 
Bees are moved in a Bleigh better than in any other way. 
Wagons with elliptic springs are next best. If bees are 
to be confined to the hive more than twenty-four hours,, 
put over wire-cloth, instead of muslin. Shade the hives 
in bright sunny days, when there is a light snow on tho 
ground. When it has thawed sufficiently to bear tho 
weight of a bee, let them fly. 
Bees that are housed should not be confined to the hive 
and removed to a distance, without first being set out on a 
warm day and allowed to fly. Those out-doors can bo 
moved at any time. In purchasing bees, look out for fonl 
brood, and be careful not to bring it into a neighborhood 
that is exempt from the disease. It is contagious and 
spreads rapidly. la twenty years we have learned nothing 
