3<56 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[OCTOBER, 
An ** Axiom." — "G. H," writes us in regard 
to a question which we consider -ettled, and therefore 
can not reopen. But lc$t he might think we treat him 
discourteously, wc would say that he is as incorrect in his 
main idea as he is when he speaks of an "almost uni- 
versally established axiom." An : xiom is a self-evident 
truth, as that "the whole is greater than one of its 
parts." and therefore can not he said to be "almost uni- 
versally established," or admit of any qualification at all. 
Fall Treatment of Old Uleadowii. 
— Old meadows which have partly run out, and which it 
is not convenient to plow up, may he renovat d by tearing 
up the old sod and hare spots with a sharp-toothed heavy 
harrow driven rapidly over it. When the surface lias be- 
come 'oosened, fresh seed may be scattered, and a rolling 
immediately afterwards would be a help. Some fine 
minure o- other fertilizer should be applied, and a light 
dressing of lime or ashee would also be a great benefit. 
V.iosBi1»;«i*dy Poplnr — The Other 
Side. — " G. W. G.," Iroquois Co., III., gives his view of 
the Lombard v Poplar as follows: " I believe the Ameri- 
can Agriculturist has proved itself a friend to that ■ mch- 
abuscd tree the Ailai thus, and now to h ive it turn around 
and a' nse one of the most beautiful trees onr broad 
prairies possess is beyond my comprehension; We-have 
no tree better than the Lombardy Poplar to protect us 
from the winds that b'ow across our prairies. Yon may 
talk about your bean-pole Ailanthus and the other trees 
you speak of, but when it comes to the real facts, which 
we ought to know, living on the prairie, you will find the 
Lombardy Pi nlar supplies a place which very few trees 
can do, and r.t least none that you have mentioned. I 
can go on and tell scores of uses wh !f ii the Lombardy 
Poplar can b • put to, but will refrain from troubli g yon 
now. Pleas 1 let me ask yon to tell the Nebraska man to 
set a grove around his barn-yard, farm, or anywhere, four 
feet apart each way, and I can prove to him that there 
will be in time to come few groves more beautiful, none 
more useful, and no part or place of ground on his fh'-m 
more valuable."— As our correspondent speaks of the 
Lombardy Poplar as "beautiful " and "useful," and the 
Ailanthus as a "bean-pole," we suspect that h? does not 
know the Lombardy, and must be talking about some 
other tree. 
Potatoes and lite E*ota*o-flSuc:. — 
"A. W.," Phillipsburgh, Ohio, asks if the potatoes the 
vines of which have been defoliated by the bug and 
checked in growth, will be good to use. — No injury is like- 
ly to come to the potato by the work of the bugs upon the 
leaves. If the potatoes cook well, we should cat them. 
Poor Yield of Crops. — The average 
yiehl of crop-, according to the census returns, is only 
about fourteen dollars per acre for all the land in cultiva- 
tion in th" United States. This is a poor showing, and 
shows the great need for improvement in our agriculture. 
Xlie Crops of Illinois.— According to 
the census reports, the Sta'e of Illinois produces larger 
crop- of grain than any other State, and in total products 
of all kinds she comes second only to New York. 
ISprrptian Beets.— " W. B. H.," Berea, 
Ky. The Egyptian is the best early beet when 3-011 can 
get it pure. Onrs came up full half Bassanos, some ras- 
cally European seedsman havincr mixed them. It is likely 
that this year our dealers will have home-grown seed. 
A Oank Churn. — Mrs. J. F. B., Martin 
Co.. Minn. Try the Blanchard Churn, made by P. Blanch- 
ard's Sons, Concord, N. II. We arc never over twenty 
minutes in churning. The butter can be almost entirely 
worked in the churn. If there is any better churn than 
this, we should like to know it. 
Plums Rotting. — " E. P M " Indianapolis, 
Ind. The rotting just at the time of ripening is not an 
unusual thing with plums, especially in some seasons. 
We have heard much complaint this season. Wc have 
seen no satisfactory reason given. Good culture and 
thinning of the crop are the best advice we cau give. 
JVIelon Seeds — Lima Iteams. — Mrs. 
C. R. M.. Naples. III. The seeds sent are those of the 
Apple-seeded Waterraelo 1, a good variety, which keeps 
well after it is ripe... The proper Large Lima bean is 
always white. There arc mottled and purple varieties, 
Which are but little grown. 
Sawdust for Bedding;.- "A. S. T„" 
of Center Co.. Pa., writes that he has used sawdust to 
bed horses and cattle for fifteen years. "It is a good 
bedding," he says, u but, except for trees, very poor 
manure. The manure l firefangs* easily. I once lost a 
hundred dollars worth of good manure by using too much 
sawdtiSt." By keeping the manure-heap moist enough, 
firefanging may be prevented, or the manure might be 
drawn out and spread on the land directly from the stable. 
]>rni:iin£>- Timbered Swamp-Land. 
— A Pennsylvania lumberman writes : ik It pays to drain 
swamps that are covered with trees for the benefit of the 
timber. I have seen much valuable timber die for 
want of draining.'"— There seems to be some difference 
of opinion on this subject, and we should be glad to hear 
from any who can furnish facts bearing on the point. 
Farm and Household Help. — Adrien 
Briggs. A letter sent to your address was returned 
as unclaimed. Its purport was that we know of no such 
facili ies for obtaining help as you speak of. nor at the 
prices named. If you can find us a good woman to do 
housework who will agree to stay a year for $100, we will 
give you $95 for your trouble. I" any Chinese laborers 
are seeking employment in New York, we have never 
heard of t*iem. Those who come to the city daily have 
as much difficulty in finding help as you who live at a 
distance. Ton have been deceived by some one. 
A Good Cow.-H. E. Wright, of Meadville, 
Pa., writes ns that he has a cow " the mother of which 
was part Devon and the father a thorough-bred Short- 
horn. She L r ives the richest of milk — none better except 
the Alderneys. The last time she calved (1871) she gave 
during the months of May and June 72 lbs. of milk each 
day, and one day 80 lbs. I milked her three times a day. 1 ' 
A Professor ©1* Horticulture* — Mr. 
Charles S. Sargent, o r Brooklinc, Mass., has been ap- 
pointed Professor of Horticulture in Bussy Institution, 
which is the " Farm School " of Ilarvard University. Mr. 
Sargent is well known to the readers of the Agriculturist 
as the maker of the highest-priced butter sold in America, 
and as the most successful grower of azaleas. He is 
ptill a young man, with much enthusiasm and more 
knowledge in horticultural matters, and he enters upon 
his work with a determination to make it practically 
useful. An important feature of his department is a 
commercial greenhouse tnd garden in which pnpils can 
obtain not only practical ins'ruction, but actual expe- 
rience of the business of gardening. We know of no 
better opening for any young man who may desire to cm- 
bark in the pleasant and profitable profession of com- 
mercial gardening than to place himself under Professor 
Sargent's tuition and guidance. Incidentally to the giv- 
ing of instruction, it is proposed to grow and to distri- 
bute at a low price such of the cho'cer and more useful 
plants as are not easi'y to be obtained in the market. We 
are glad that Massachusetts has at last an institution 
where horticulture is taught, and Shall watch the career 
of this new school with much interest, b lieving it well 
calcu'ated to accomplish most useful work. 
An Australian Catalogue* — Those 
who are accustomed to regard Australia as a place quite 
out of the world would he surprised if told that horticul- 
ture is there in a most flour i shin 5 condition, and that the 
sun 1 cities are far ahead of New York in all horticul- 
tural matters. We have just received from Anderson, 
Hall & Co., Sydney, their seed and p'ant catalogue, 
which in mechanical appearance and illustrations, and 
the character of its contents, will compare favorably with 
those issued by the New York and London seed estab- 
lishments. In looking over the seed lists, we find that 
most of the novelties in vegetables and flowers are offered. 
Conover's Colossal Asparagus finds a place, and the Early 
Hose potato is mentioned as of great prom'se, and just 
introduced. In looking over the list of fruits we find the 
varieties, as misfit bo expected, mainly English. The 
many fine apples of onr Southern States should be tried 
in Australia. The list of Australian seeds, the remarks 
on fee-growing — in fact, the whole catalogue we have 
perused with much interest. 
Will it Pny to Raise Corn?- X 
correspondent of the Agriculturists at Wawatosa, Wis., 
writes: "As you arc a practical farmer, I would like to 
ask if you think it will pay to ra'.se corn where wc give 
one third for husking, and raise 50 bushels per acre, and 
sell the pork it make^ for five dollars per hundred ? '' , — 
We do not see how it can pay the fanner. It would pay 
the man who does the husking very well ind ed. Tie can 
well afford to sell pork at five dollars per hundred pounds. 
But the other two thirds, after paying for the rent of the 
land, the plow T mr, harrowing, planting, cultivating, and 
cutting up, shocking, and cribbing, will not leave much 
profit for the man who raises the crop. We must, look 
for better pnees. Staple articles like corn and pork can 
not long sell for lesB than the cost of production. 
Potomac Fruit-Growers* Asso- 
ciation.— The annual exhibition was held last month, 
and compared well with the exhibitions of national con- 
ventions in quality, showing that we have about us as 
good a fruit-growing region as can be found. The col- 
lections of fruits consisted of some ITS samples of pears, 80 
of apples, (JO of peaches, 00 of grapes, also almonds, paw- 
paws, etc. The principal contributors were John Saul. 
Washington, O. D. Munson, Va., C. Gillinghnm, Va.. I?. 
A. Phillips, Va., and J. B. Claggett, D. C. The Agricul- 
tural Department and the Maryland Agricultural College 
were also exhibitors. 
Seeding* Down in tlie Fall*—" In- 
quirer" may seed down in the fall by plowing or harrow- 
ing the surface until it is sufficiently mellow to receive 
the seed, and sowing as early as possible. If clover can 
be well established before winter, or where the snow 
gives ample protection, it may be sown iu the fall. 
Among 3£ailroa«l SSoutis we judge 
there can be few if any better or safer ones than those of 
the New Canada Southern li.Yl. Its directness between 
New York and Chicago, its good grade, and the character 
of the men engaged iu it — men who never go into a poor 
enterprise— are all so many guarantees of its great suc- 
cess. A safe seven per cent gold interest bond, at ninety 
per cent, is " not a bad thing to take. 1 ' We would like 
to have money enough to take the whole. See adv't. 
Soil for Compost.- "T. A. O." asks: 
".In get'ing soil for compost, how do you keep from 
Bkimming the land or leaving theBubsoil bare where the 
soil is not overtwelve inches deep ? " , — In England, where 
composting is far more common than in this country, the 
usual plan is to select an ol 1 headland or fence-bottom 
or earth-bank, or soil that has been thrown out of ditches, 
or road scrapings. We have never known a farmer go 
into a field and dig up his ordinary soil to make compost 
with. He uses material that he wants to get rid of. 
RommerN Method of Malilnfi- ma- 
nure.— 11 I have just read tbis book," wr tea "T. A. O. 1 ' 
'•Do you fully indorse it :?**— No. But it is worth read- 
ing. You must exercise your own judgment. Try and 
separate the chaff from the wheat. If there are any spe- 
cial points on which you want information we shall be 
happy to hear from you. 
■ -anu"* troth's Hive. — In anwer to "M. 
F. N.,' 1 who wishes to know if the patent on the Lang- 
stri th hive is run out or renewed, Mr. Quinby writes: 
"In answer to the above, I would say that I believe that 
th ■ second patent of L. L. Langstroth's hive expires in 
October, 1872. His patent was renewed in 1S65 for 
seven years. As it could not be renewed again by the 
Commissioner, many bee-keepers were apprehensive 
that he would apply to Congress the past winter for an 
extension. Accordingly, many remonstrances were sent 
in against, it. I believe, however, he made no 
applic tion." Mr. Quinby must have made a mistake in 
his date, as Mr. L. advertises that his patent was renewed 
in 1S66, and, this being the case, will not expire nntl 
October, 1873. 
How many Rricks to si Cubic 
Foot ? — N. R. Fielding, Decatur, Ala., wants to know 
bow many bricks there arc in a cubic foot.— This depends 
on the size of the brick, for there are various eizes. 
Multiply the length, breadth, and thickness of the brick 
in inches together, and divide 1,728 by the amount. 
There are 1,72S cubic inches in a cubic foot. 
I»rice of Clover-lluller.— "G. B. L.," 
Bernard!, Mo.— The price mentioned is that of one made 
by R. II. Allen & Co., Water street, New York. 
An Ill-mannered Horse. — " O. 8. C," 
Danville, N. n., wants a cure for a horse which keeps his 
tongue out of his mouth, when traveling. — Fortnnately 
we never owned a horse so badly brought up as this, and 
have no experience. Wearing a muzzle would probably 
prevent it. It may be that some of onr readers can help 
" O. S. C." in his trouble. 
Fall Work on Drains. — A "Farmer" 
asks what he can do iu the way of draining through the 
fall and winter.— The fall is the very best time to prepare 
for making drains, and the winter the best time for com- 
pleting th' m. Now is the time to lay them out, etaking 
the ground in the direction the drains should run, and as 
soon as frosts begin to occur the lines might be covered 
with coarse litter or swamp bay or stalks in bundles, 
which will prevent the ground from becoming frozen. 
During heavy frosts the digging should not advance 
faster than the drain can be completed 
