1872.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
329 
Weak Hoof's.— "M. E.," Walla Walla, 
W. T. , wants something to prevent the hoofs of his horses 
and colts from breaking as they do in his dry climate. 
They are too dry, and if they are washed in water occa- 
sionally and then well rubbed with tar they will become 
tougher. It would be well in addition to keep the loose 
ragged parts pared off. 
Curb.— T. B. Towusend, Washington Co., 
Maine, asks for information relative to curb in horses, 
nnd whether it is likely to cause permanent lameness. 
This isa disease of the tendon at the rear of the hock-joint 
and its sheath, resulting from a strain, and appeurs in 
the shape of a swelling immediately below the joint at 
the back of the leg. It does not affect the bone as a 
epavin does. It is curable by cooling applications and 
bandages on the parts, if curable at all. Blisters or 
firing irritate it and render it totally incurable. 
Substitute for Woou-Aslies. — I. Lit- 
tle, Akron, Ohio, wants to know if there is a substitute 
for wood-ashes. The German salts, or kainit, and sul- 
phate of potash are all sold as substitutes for wood- 
ashes, and have been used in England with success. 
Fallows.— T. B. White, Sherburne, Mass., 
asks if fallowing will help light soils, and if a fallow ia 
plowing land and keeping it for a year free from weeds.— 
Fallowing is not profitable on light soils unless they are 
excessively weedy, and then a hoed crop would be better. 
But on heavy clay soils which are very weedy, and have 
been severely cropped, a fallow, which consists of 
several plowings and harrowings and a complete mellow- 
ing and clearing of the soil from weeds, is very often 
highly beneficial. 
Roots for Stock.— "C. B. J.," Bear Lake, 
Wis., is preparing land for roots, but is doubtful which 
sorts would be best to plant for cows and young heifers. 
There are no roots which exceed the rnta-baga and the 
sugar-beet for feeding purposes, and as a variety to some 
extent is desirable, it might be better to plant both of 
these kinds. For a good crop rich clean land is needed. 
ItliHcing' Machine. — Ernest Bcckert, Mon- 
tana, asks if there is a milking-machine, and if so 
where it can be got. We do not know of any better ma- 
chine, or one so good, as the ordinary one that sits on a 
three-legged stool and sings while it milks. The patent 
machines are merely curious failures. 
Sweet -Corn Fodder. — A " Youthful 
Fanner " says he believes that sweet-corn fodder con- 
tains more nutriment than that from field corn, and he 
is cultivating six acres for his stock. Is he doing wisely ? 
—This is a question which has two sides to it, as many ! 
others havo. Sweet-corn fodder contains more sugar but i 
is less bulky, and the yield is not more than half or ono ! 
third that of common Western or Southern corn. ] 
However, the result of the experiment will test the ! 
question, and we should be glad to hear how it turns out. 
West Stuuap-Puller.— "R. S.," Cox's 
Mills, Ind. There are several kinds of these imple- 
ments described in late numbers of the Agriculturist, 
which are useful in their way. There are several others 
made throughout the country which are patented, and 
which are said to be good machines, and which it would 
be for the general interest if they were advertised. We 
do not know the makers 1 names. 
Ditching Machines. — We have several 
inquiries for ditching machines, also about their rela- 
tive merits. We do not know the addresses of any of 
these makers, but we know there are machines which 
will do good work where there are no stones or roots to 
interfere with them. The best we have seen was at 
Duquoin, at the Illinois State Fair last year, but unfor- 
tunately can not give the address of the makers. 
A Six-Acre Farm. — "A Constant Read- 
er," Portage City, Wis., asks what shall he raise on six 
acres of light sandy soil to get the greatest revenue out 
of it when he can not attend personally to it ? He sug- 
gests hops.— Hops thrive best on deep, strong loams or 
clays, and this light soil would not be suitable for them. 
Such crops as potatoes, cabbages, carrots, sweet-corn, 
and others, called market crops, would be most profit- 
able on such a small tract near a town, if, as we may 
suppose, there is sale for them ; or strawberries or 
small fruit might do. But the question is, How can 
these be profitably raised without personal attention ? 
There is no resource here but to get a good market gar- 
dener to raise the crops on shares or on long rental. 
Abortion in Cows. — U T. B., M Maes*, says 
this complaint has got amongst his cows, and asks if it 
will do good to allow them to go farrow a year. Gen- 
erally, in tnch a case, it is found best to sell off the 
whole herd and buy a new stock. The los^ of a year's 
profit would be too considerable, and would be far 
greater than thus changing. The change often results in 
bringing about a cure in the cows. Then the whole 
premises should be disinfected or cleaned, whitewashed, 
and renovated most thoroughly before the new stock is 
brought in. The nervous system of cows has more to 
do with this than is generally supposed, and once the 
trouble occurs by accident, as in this case, it spreads as 
by contagion. Then medicine and treatment are found 
of no avail, and dispersion is the simplest remedy. 
Punctuation. — " C. L.," Portage City, Wis., 
wants to learn the rules of punctuation. "Wilson on 
Punctuation," which may be ordered through any book- 
seller, would be a useful work to study. The writing 
would be a fair business hand, with more care. The 
main thing in business writing is to write legibly. 
The Cook: Evaporator— Patent Ex- 
tended..— The patents covering this machine— an in- 
vention that has proved of great value to the sorghum and 
sugar-cane interest— which expired on the 22d ult., have 
been extended seven years. These patents cover all 
channeled pans in which a cooling surface is used as a 
resting-place for the scum, and all pans which afford 
facilities, either by rockers, gate, or otherwise, for regu- 
lating the flow of the stream of juice on the bottom. As 
the entire control of the Cook -patents has passed into 
the hands of one party, and prosecutions will be com- 
menced against all parties infringing, it is important 
that those using, or about purchasing, an evaporator 
that infringes on these patents, should know that not 
only are the makers of such machines liable to heavy 
penalties, but the dealers and those using them also. 
Condition Powders. — "M. Z. F.," Van 
Buren County, Mich., has some blooded pigs which he 
wants to grow rapidly and look well ; he asks if condi- 
tion powders will be good for them, and if fed in large 
quantities can harm result?— These powders have gen- 
erally tonic and alterative properties, or are intended to 
have, and are supposed to increase the appetite: But it 
is not wise to depend on them to the neglect of good 
sufficient food and cleanly and healthy lodging. If 
given in excess, undoubtedly they would be harmful. 
Danger of Choking- by Turnips. — 
A. C, Knoxville, Tenn., asKs if there'is danger of cattle 
choking when feeding in a field of small turnips. Yes, 
more so than in any other way, and it should not be 
permitted. Better pull the turnips, and chop them up in 
a trough with a sharp spade, and feed them in the yard. 
Disease of Poultry. — J. R. Williams, 
Raleigh, N. C, wants a remedy for his poultry, which 
have lost their appetite, keep their eyes shut, and hold 
their heads to the ground ; their feathers fall off, and 
their bowels are costive ; after twelve to thirty-six hours 
they die.— This seems most like pip, which affects the 
point of the tongue and prevents the bird from feeding, 
and results in fever and starvation. On examining the 
tongue, if a horny scale is seen on the point of it, re- 
move it with the finger-nail, and give soft feed. 
Gail Borden. — We are indebted to Mr. S. 
L. Goodale, Sec. Maine Board of Agriculture, for a very 
neat pamphlet, of which he is the author, giving an ac- 
count of our friend Gail Borden's inventions in preparing 
condensed milk, concentrated meat, etc. The memoir 
has an excellent portrait of the " great condenser." 
Col. Waring's $100 Premium for 
1872. — The annual premium of one hundred dollars, 
offered by Col. Waring, of Ogden Farm, for the best 
Trophy Tomato raised this year from seed of his 
"head-quarters'' 1 stock will be awarded by the editors of 
this paper to the heaviest tomato, of perfect form and 
well ripened, that may be sent, express-paid aud in good 
condition, to Messrs. Orange Judd & Co., 245 Broadway, 
New York, before October 1st. The specimens sent will 
be exhibited at this office, and will be well worthavisit. 
The Trophy has, from all accounts, and from our own 
observation of it, surpassed itself this year — especially 
in earliness of ripening and in profusion of bearing. 
Grub in the Head. — A "Doctor," of 
Westfield, Mass. , says that " grub in the head " in sheep 
may "be cured by pouring into the ear a table- spoonful 
of butter melted and mixed with a teaspoonful of spirits 
of turpentine. "—Now this wise, or rather otherwise 
doctor, seems not to know that the grub exists only in 
the nasal sinuses, and can only be reached through the 
nostrils, and how his physic is going to reach the grubs 
through the sheep's ear is a mystery which he ought to 
fully explain. We have tried all reasonable remedies, 
but have found prevention by keeping the sheep's noses 
tarred to be much the best ,l cure." It is very rare that 
a sheep dies from the effects of these grubs, but turpen- 
tine in the car would be far more injurious than a good 
many grubs in the head. 
Irrigation. — " A Subscriber," Riceville, 
Tenn., writes that he is situated ou a muddy stream, 
has an improved 25 horse-power, and 100 acres of land 
around the water-power, and from 30 to 60 feet above it ; 
can he profitably use a pump to raise 1,00!) gallons of 
water per minute to irrigate his 150 acres ?— The way to 
figure this out is to take the weight of 1.000 gallons of 
water = 8,333 pounds, multiplied by the hight it is to be 
raised, GO feet, and divide by 33,000 ~ to the pounds 
raised by one horse-power per minute, which gives 15, 
the horse-power required to raise 1,030 gallons .per 
minute 63 feet high. The power is thus seen to be 
ample. The only remaining question is, would the 
expense of raising and distributing the water be repaid 
by doubling the crops of grass, as this is the utmost 
result to be anticipated in all probability. 
Shall he Farm?- "W. F. P.," Newark, 
N. J., writes us a letter which we like. He is a carriage- 
maker, but is strongly attracted towards farming, of 
which he knows considerable; is spber, careful, and 
industrious, and can rent a small farm near New York 
on favorable terms, and has eight hundred dollars cash. 
Though we do not profess to recognize character by 
handwriting, yet there is that in the tone of this letter 
which leads us to encourage W. F. P. in his desire, and 
gives us the belief that if any man can succeed he will. 
The Boston Cattle Show.- The exhi- 
bition of cattle which the Massachusetts Society for 
Promoting Agriculture had proposed to hold this month 
iu Boston, has been postponed until next year, because 
the only available ground for the purpose is occupied by 
the " Coliseum," in which the Jubilee was held, and ar- 
rangements for securing it could not be completed in 
time to give sufficient notice of the show. We trust that 
nothing will next year prevent the carrying out the very 
promising plans that had been formed. 
Cucumber Catsup. — J. D. Boggs, Md. 
The item referred to should have said cucumber cat- 
sup instead of " salad." To make the catsup, gather 
the cucumbers when full grown, but before they turn 
yellow, peel and grate them. Let the pulp remain upon 
a colander until the juice drains off, then rub through a 
coarse sieve, to separate the seeds. Half-fill bottles with 
this pulp, fill up with vinegar, aud keep well corked. This 
retains in a marked degree the odor and taste of freBq 
cucumbers, and is excellent with cold meats. When 
served upon the table, salt and pepper are added. We 
extemporised an efficient grater for this purpose by 
punching holes with a large nail iu the cover of a super- 
annuated wash-boiler. 
Me groes Two and a Halt* Better. — 
"Subscriber," Symmes, Ohio, in reply to the inquiry 
made in Agriculturist of August, says a Durham cow, 
owned by John Gardiner of that place, had a calf on 
the 16th May, and on the 25th gave iCi gallons of milk 
(42 quarts), and the calf at nine weeks old weighed 326 
lbs. This is the largest milking by 2| qts. we have 
heard of, and is extraordinary. But is there no mistake? 
West Virginia Farm Journal. — 
We find among our exchanges a new-comer, bearing the 
above name, which is a weekly, published at Union, 
Monroe Co., West Va. While especially devoted to the 
local farming interests, the editor has the good sense to 
let his readers know what is being done elsewhere, by 
means of judicious selections. 
The Bushberg; Catalogue.— Isidor 
Bush & Son, Bushberg, Mo., send us a wholesale cata- 
logue of grape-vines and small fruits, which is noteworthy 
for the extent of the collection and the condensed de- 
scriptions. We notice that Mr. G. E. Meissner, formerly 
of Staten Island, is now with the Messrs. Bush. 
'Free Seeds. — L. A. Gregg, Mini). It is 
better, when practicable, to sow all the seeds you men- 
tion in the fall. If they are to be kept through the winter, 
mix with sand, and keep in a cool place. If planted in 
the fall, they come up next spring; if in the spring, they 
should, if properly kept, come up the same season. 
Breaehy Cows. — W. F. Humphrey, 
Poultney, Vt., asks how he may prevent a cow from 
breaking down and jumping over fences. Sometimes a 
board hung from the horns over the face will do it. But 
if the cow is an old one she is most likely incorrigible, 
and the butcher would cure her of all her bad habits. 
