1864] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
3y 
Ume and Sorrel..— "B," of Cecil Co., 
Md. Your argument looks reasonable, but, though we 
bold with you that time is a great help In ridding tho land 
ot sorrel, yet wo have seen land woll limed again and 
again, still full of sorrel— and have never ycl known tho 
treatment recommended on page 364 last volume, viz : 
with lime, barn-yard manure and good tillage, to fail In 
subduing sorrel for several years. Wo propose your 
query to the readers of the Agriculturist.— " Does sorrel 
ever abound on limestone soils V* 
Hook on Composl-lienps. — Read- 
ing Fanner.— A reader of the Agriculturist writes 
from Dutchess Co., N. Y. : " Please inform me through 
the Agriculturist, what good work there is on the making 
of compost-heaps. Also whether you think much good 
can bo derived from the reading of agricultural works, 
such as Liebig s new one on the ' Natural Laws of Hus- 
bandry.' My friends laugh at me for studying farming. 
I am not a practical farmer as yet, but will be, I hope, In 
the course of six months, and I want to be an enlightened 
one." Very good— stick to the reading, but don't neglect 
to learn from both good and bad practice. Johnson on 
Manures, is the best book that we know of on the treat- 
ment of muck and peat in compost heaps. Price 75 cents. 
Canada Thistles.— J. M. Wylie, Windham 
Co., Conn., reports that he commenced war upon a patch 
of thousands, cutting them with a hoe on the 6th ami 7th 
of July. The first assault reduced the number to about 
two hundred ; after the second attack but three survived, 
and these gave in after the third year's good hoeing. 
ltrahma Pootras.— Mr. 0. II. Pick, Mel- 
rose, Mass., writes to the Agriculturist that he lias kept 
various breeds of fowls, and considers these superior to 
all others, and that his neighbors arc of the same opinion. 
Their flesh is while and lender, and excellent for the table. 
He says that they lay larger eggs and more of them du- 
ring the year than any oilier sort. With the thermometer 
varying from 5° below to 15° above zero he has averaged 9 
eggs a day from 12 laying hens. Feeds com, oats, beef 
scraps, and boiled potatoes, and gives plenty of water, and 
clam-shells or bones. His hens weigh from 5 to 8 lbs., 
and the cocks 10 lbs. each. 
Renovating- an Orchard. — " Young Far- 
mer," proposes to renovate an old orchard by spreading 
fine manure this winter, giving a shallow plowing in 
spring, and planting potatoes in every third furrow. When 
the potatoes are matured, he will turn in hogs enough to 
root out and eat the potatoes. 
I Powder for Insects.— u J. T. W," Volun- 
(own, Conn., does not trouble himself about the Persian 
or any other insect powder, but uses gunpowder to repel 
the raiders. Early in the morning, when the tent-cater- 
pillars are all in camp, he takes a gun charged with pow- 
der only and at a short range— two or three feet — he lets 
drive at the enemy which is reported as " killed, woun- 
ded and missing" without injury to the tree. Boys ! stop 
shooting harmless and useful robins and try caterpillars. 
Heeling iaFniit Trees.— " W. K," Deca- 
tur, O. If properly heeled in, trees will keep perfectly 
well. It is practised when trees are received before the 
planter is ready to set them, or whenever it is necessary 
lo keep them nut of the ground for a greater or less time. 
Persons in regions subject to heavy winds prefer to get 
their trees in the fall, keep them heeled in through the 
winter, and set at the earliest practicable time in the spring. 
New Tree Protector.— F. Roys & Co., East 
Berlin, Conn., have sent us samples of tree protectors 
which will doubtless prevent the attacks of mice and rab- 
bits. They are of various sizes, and made of sheet iron 
in the same way as a stove pipe, except that the turned 
over portion which holds the edges together is not fast- 
ened, but may be locked or unlocked at pleasure. They 
are coated with some kind of cheap paint and if properly 
cared for will last several years. Cost about $7 per 100. 
What Apples for Ohio.— "M. C. A.," 
of Ansonia, State not given, but probably Ohio, wishes to 
know what four kinds of late keeping apples to plant. 
The choice will depend much upon where the fruit is to 
be marketed as well as local peculiarities only to be learn- 
ed by the experience of others in the immediate neighbor- 
hood. The White Pippin, Wine Sap, Rambo, Yellow 
Bell Flower, and others do well in most parts of Ohio. 
A Hardy Meagre.— O. K. Wilmoutb, Kent 
Co., Mich, The Norway Spruce Is perfectly hardy, 
quick-growing, and bears cutting well. The Hemlock 
hedge referred to was probably the Arbor Vitse, common- 
ly known in your State as White Cedar. It is very 
abundant In some parts of Michigan, and young tree 
takon from tho woods do well. Tho Norway Spruce Is 
tho best of tii- two. 
Osa^e Orange Seed.— B. Leone, Lcc Co., 
Ind. Tho tree grows most abundantly In Eastern Texas 
and along the Red River, In portions not yet ocoupied by 
our forces. One going to Matamoras for the seed would 
be quite as fur off, in point of time at least, as Indiana. 
The common name of the tree In Texas is "Bodock" which 
is a corruption of Hois d'arc a term which was applied to 
It by tho French settlers, meaning bow-wood. It is nev- 
er called Mczquit in Texas, that name applying to a 
different tree, one much resembling tho Honey Locust. 
Plants described.— W. T. Grimes, Galla- 
tin Co., III. It is usually difficult to recognize flowers 
from descriptions, unless they are accurate botanical 
ones. We will try the seeds sent, and would like some 
bulbs of the lily-like plant. 
A Plant for the Shade— J. M. Geist, 
Lancaster, Co., Pa., wishes a plant to grow in the shade 
where grass will not form a turf. Try the common Perl- 
winkle, (Vinca minor,) often and Improperly called 
"Myrtle." This spreads quite rapidly and makes a tol- 
erably dense covering of green. 
Plant for a Karae.-J. W. Smith, Deca- 
tur Co., Ind. The leaf Is apparently that of the Carri- 
on Flower, S mil ax herbacea, a native and a troublesome 
plant, which should be eradicated wherever it occurs. 
The greenish flowers appear In June and give out a most 
disagreeable stench. 
Tuberoses.— "Inquirer." It is customary to 
buy imported bulbs, as our season is not long enough to 
perfect them. Offsets are to be broken from the old im- 
ported bulbs before planting. It is said that offsets formed 
during the summer will bloom after three years cultiva- 
tion.— We have not tried It. 
ISoolc upon Green Houses. — Ph. Giles, 
EJen Gardens. W. C. Leuchar's Green and Hot Houses 
is the only work specially devoted to tho subject. It treats 
of the construction, warming and ventilation of plant 
structures. Sent by mail on receipt of $1.25. We know 
no work which gives directions for the building of hous- 
es and the treatment of plants. McMahon's American 
gardener, price $2.50 gives the details of the management 
of green-house plants. 
Flower Seeds for Rhode Island 
Children.— The "Rhode Island Society for En- 
couragement of Domestic Industry," has undertaken to 
give, so far as possible, some flower seeds to all the chil- 
dren attending public schools, and to this end solicits con- 
tributions of flower seeds, to be sent to their rooms, Rail- 
road Hall, Providence R.I. The object is most worthy. 
Children all love flowers and this love, if cultivated, will 
bloom in refined tastes and give happiness in after-life. 
Seed Catalogue. — That of J. M. Thor- 
burn & Co. of 15 John St. N. Y. is the first one of these 
interesting annuals that has reached us. Upon looking it 
over we find that it includes the new as well as the old 
and proved varieties of garden, field, fruit, and other 
seeds. — One new feature is worthy of special commenda- 
tion, namely, a table calling to mind the various vegeta- 
ble seeds to be sown in each month. The Catalogue Is 
sent by mail on application. 
Skaneateles (N. T.) Farmers' Club.— 
Officers elected Jan. 2d, for one year : Pres't, Dor Austen ; 
Vice Presidents, Alford Lamb, Christopher C. Wyckoff; 
Recording Secretary, Chancey B. Thorn ; Corresponding 
Secretary, William R. Willets ; Treasurer, William J. 
Townsend ; Directors, Wills Clift, George Austin; Di- 
rectors holding over, Squire M. Brown, William E. Clark, 
John Davey, Jacob H. Allen. 
Treatment of Bee Stings. — Many 
persons suffer so little from bee-stings, that they fear them 
no more than mosquito biles, and this is usually the case 
with our most successful apiarians. Others (like the 
writer) suffer severely; the slightest sting produces 
large swelling and great pain. On this subject, W. N. 
Cote, the Paris correspondent of the Medical and Surgical 
Reporter, writes: "The organ with which bees inflict 
their sting consists of two barbed, or rather, serrated darts 
issuing from a sheath and placed back to back, so as to 
leave a groove between them. The sheath is encased in 
nine cartilaginous scales provided with muscles, eight of 
which perform the duty of pushing the weapon out, while 
he ninth draws it back. To increase the pain caused by 
the mechanical action of the dart, a poison is secreted 
from two bladders situated on both sides of the Intostlnes 
—and It Is this poison which causes the formation of a 
small pimple of an erysipelatous redness. This generally 
disappears In a few instants, but, sometimes, when sever- 
al stings have been Inflicted at a time, or when even a 
single one has injured a nervous filament, the Inflamma- 
tion Is rather severe. In such cases, Dr. Latour proposes 
tht following treatment : 1. To pull out the sting, which 
generally remains In the wound. '2. To bathe the place 
with Ice water, or else acetato of lead, or ammonia. 
3. To apply an Impenetrable coating of collodion, ren- 
dered elastic by the addition of one tenth part of castor 
oil, whereby the production of heat in the living tlisue Is 
prevented and inflammation avoided." 
Itiddaneeof Kats and other vermin may 
be secured by the use of the Phosphoric Paste. It is a 
slow poison and sure. After eating it the rats leave tho 
premises to die ; they seldom die about the house. 
Itailroad and Steamboat IH»a«ters. 
The number of serious accidents on railroads last year. 
In the United Stales, Is reported at 953, of which 2fl4 rc- 
sulled In death and 671 in wounds. This docs not include 
accidents to individuals caused by their own carelessness 
or design, or deaths and injuries resulting from the reck- 
lessness of persons in crossing or standing upon railroad 
tracks when trains were In motion.— The total number of 
casualiticsby steamboat accidents during the year was 340, 
by which 255 persons were killed and 85 wounded. — 
These figures look large, but can anybody estimate how 
much larger would have been the number of casualties, 
had all these persons travelled the same distances, drawn 
by horses in stage coaches, over common roads? Stage 
accidents occur one by one, and create no general sensa- 
tion, and a summary is never published. There Is no 
doubt that railway travelling is by far the safest mode In 
existence, even with its great rapidity. The road Is 
smoother, and the " horses" not self-willed, but under the 
control of the driver— if he Is sober. 
War Maps.— "We have received from H. H. 
Lloyd «fc Co., several very good maps, among them one 
which shows at a glance, and in an interesting form, the 
progress of the war, the original and the present territory 
occupied by the rebels, the battle fields, etc. For partic- 
ulars, see advertisement. Note that this is H. H. Lloyd 
& Co., 81 John-st.— a prompt and responsible House, wo 
have every reason to believe. 
Lamps "\vithont Chimneys. — We have 
tried and liked, and then disliked, so many varieties of 
lamps for burning carbon or coal oil without a glass 
chimney, that we are afraid to say a word in favor of any 
of them. The best one we have seen, thus far, is Hutch- 
inson's. It works very fairly. A perfect lamp for burn- 
ing the economical coal oils now so generally used, If 
cheaply made, would bring a fortune to the inventor. 
Black Currants for Wine.— u Young 
Farmer," Shelly, N.T., asks if it will pay to cultivate the 
black currant for " wine." We never knew so-called 
wine to be made from this species. Perhaps others have. 
See last April number for article on Tobacco, or the To- 
bacco Essays advertised elswhere. 
" Sainbuci Wine"'— E. S. Collamer, D. C. 
This is a mongrel name, part Latin and part English. 
Sambucus is the Botanical name of the Elder genus and 
is derived from the Greek name of an ancient musical 
instrument supposed to be made from Elder-wood. There 
is no such grape as the Sambucus grape. We have no 
knowledge of the wine in question except from the circu- 
lars of the makers who, if we recollect rightly, claim to 
have imported the European Elder for the purpose of mak- 
ing it. This Elder, the juice of the fruit of which is much 
like that of our Elder-berry, is largely used to adulterate 
port wine— indeed all red port is colored with it. This 
with other fruit juices will furnish an alcholic liquor 
which passes for wine with those who know no better. 
The " Wine Plant/"— Beware.- It 
Is necessary to again caution the public against the oper- 
ations of a class of speculators, who are swarming 
through the country, carrying samples of " wine " and 
selling Rhubarb or Pie-plant roots at enormous prices, 
claiming that these roots will, in a single season, produce 
several thousand dollars worth of "wine" t» the acre. 
A species of alcoholic liquor can be produced from almost 
every known plant, by fermenting with the addition of 
sugar. The juices of the Rhubarb stems can be used, and 
with proper manipulation, make a passable liquor, fla- 
vored somewhat by the plant, or, "as you like" by the 
addition of drugs. But it is sheer humbug to claim that a 
valuable high flavored " wine " can be produced directly 
