166 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[June, 
slabs, bark, saw-dust, etc., and also pond mud, a large 
part of which is leaves, and wishes to know what to do 
with it. All such decomposed wood goes in agricul- 
tural parlance under the name of chip manure. Com- 
post it wilh lime or ashes until it all breaks down fine 
and dark colored, or cart it into the barn-yard and mix it 
with the manure, throwing it up into regular compost 
heaps, provided they can be kept moist, and at the same 
time not water-soaked. The material will be found quite 
valuable. As to the pond mud, get that out when the 
pond is drawn off, let it lie a while exposed to the air, 
then spreading it in layers 4 inches deep, scatter over it 
quite liberally lime slaked wilh strong brine, let it lie a 
month, then cut it over, re-forming the heap. If it ap- 
pears fine and well decomposed after 2 or 3 months, use 
it next fall . It ought to be worth nearly as much as com- 
mon yard manure. If ammonia is given off when the 
heap is opened, add a few bushels of gypsum or plaster. 
Suhsoil Plows- Wliat do they Cost? 
et c ,_" R. c. R." Good steel subsoil plows cost $12 
to $20, according to size and quality. Iron ones are 
cheaper, but not so good. Any good agricultural store- 
keeper ought to keep some on hand, and at any rate can 
furnish them at the same price that the manufacturers 
in Ihe large cities East or "West charge for them at retail. 
Blue Grass in Bowa.-Mi. G'. A. Ben- 
bower, Madison Co., Iowa, says that this grass does fine- 
ly with him, and notwithstanding the backward spring, it 
was 6 inches high on May 3d. 
Crops in California. — The California 
Farmer says that the prospects of the grain crops are 
excellent in almost every part of that State. In many sec- 
tions crops are said to be 4 to 6 weeks earlier than usual. 
Oats— "the meanest Crop Raisea." 
— In tlie Basket of the April No., p. 102 we quote the 
opinions of some Ohio farmers against the oat— and call 
for more facts.— We have several communications quite 
to the point, but very much in favor of their culture. 
The vote of the farmers can not, it would seem, be un- 
animous in their favor. Let us hear both sides. 
Italian Barley.— Our call for the experi- 
ence of the readers of the American Agriculturist with 
the Nepaul or beardless barley elicits the following tes- 
timony in regard to the Italian, accompanied by a sample, 
from E. Maurhotf, Butler Co. (State not named). " This 
was obtained from the Patent Office several years ago, 
is sowed in the beginning of May, on moderately rich 
ground, comes to perfection in three months, weighs fully 
as heavy as wheat, answers very well for any kind of 
batter-cakes, like buckwheat, but tastes better, and 
makes an excellent substitute for coffee. The grain 
grows very fast, the straw is soft and good for fodder, but 
chickens are too fond of it, and hard to be kept off, if 
it be once found out by them." The grain is naked, like 
wheat, the head two rowed and not strongly bearded. 
Is Hung-ariau CSjrassJDangerous ?— 
"G. W. D." Framingham. Mass. It is no new cry that 
there is some danger attending the use of this crop. 
From all we can learn the trouble is not experienced 
when it is cut soon after flowering, before the seed ma- 
tures and the hard shell forms over it, and before the 
tufts of bristly hairs which surrounrt the seeds become 
stiff, as they do when the seed is ripe. No case of injury 
has ever come under our personal observation. 
Hungarian Grass. — J. S. Adolphus, Ot- 
sego, Mich., propounds to the Agriculturist, the follow- 
ing questions: "Is the Hungarian grass suitible for 
sheep ? Is it injurious to other stock ? How much seed 
is sown per acre ? When is it sown ? Will it do well on 
a sandy soil? At what stage should it be cut for fodder ?" 
We know no reason why sheep would not do well on 
Hungarian grass, though fine hay would probably be bet- 
ter for them. If cut just as it goes out of blossom, we do 
not believe it will hurt any kind of stock. It maybe 
sown any time before the middle of July — best about the 
middle of June. Use half a bushel of seed, (half as 
much, if you want seed only). It will do tolerably on a 
sandy soil that is not too poor, but very well on good 
light loam, manured last year. 
Horses Pulling at the Halter.— 
" Dick." Many remedies have been proposed for curing 
this bad habit, but a simple and effective one is, to dis- 
card the common halter, and get a broad, strong leather 
strap to buckle around the neck a few inches below the 
ears. A horse may pull at this, but will soon give it up. 
for a few times. He says the remedy is a good one and 
will effect a cure in most cases. It is easily tried. 
Colt weak in the Ankles*— "S. E.," 
Camden Co., N. J. Your colt that "trips or drops on 
his hind fetlock " does it from weakness probably, and 
good keeping with little work will very likely cure him. 
If you can, use him without shoes on his hind-feet ; but if 
he must needs be shod, use light shoes and have them 
conform as nearly as possible to the natural tread of the 
foot. Don't let the horse-shoer make a pretty shoe, and 
rasp the hoof to match. 
Nervous Horse— Cure Wanted. — A 
subscriber has a mare high-strung and nervous ; she starts 
at every- sharp noise "like a snap of the finger or the 
slightest noise of the lips," yet is not really " skittish" 
She exhibited it first after being alarmed by a pistol fired 
near her. We advise perseverance in the plan, already 
tried without success, of accustoming her to these sounds 
in the stable and while she is being fed and caressed. 
Rutabagas for Cattle.— "T. F. Brady," 
Minnesota, writes: "I have heard it said that feeding 
Rutabagas to cattle was injurious, because they injure 
the teeth so that the cattle cannot chew hay, and actually 
grow poor by eating Rutabagas. Now I wish to know 
if such is the fact?" No, it is not a fact. Rutabagas 
are one of the best kinds of roots for cattle feed. No 
roots should be fed without cleaning, for it is probable 
that if cattle have to chew much sand and gravel with 
their food, it will hurt their teeth. 
To Cure liieliiBn;; Hellers. — D. J. Ells- 
worth writes that he pursues with entire success the fol- 
lowing plan: "Tie a small rope loosely around the 
body just back of the fore legs ; then take a short stick 
and twist the rope tight ; hold one end of the stick with 
the right hand, to tighten the rope, and milk or handle 
the bag with the left. If the rope be made very tight, 
the cow will lie down." 
Milking- a Cow with Sore Teats. — 
" J. W. C", Litchfield Co., Conn., writes to the Ameri- 
can Agriculturist that one of his cows while dry froze 
two of her teats. " At calving, when milked, the blood 
ran freely. It was nearly impossible for two persons- to 
milk her, and it caused her intense suffering. At the 
suggestion of a neighbor we took two hen's quills, cut an 
oblong hole about one-fourth of an inch from the small 
end of each, oiled and inserted them into the teats, caus- 
ing no pain whatever to the cow. The bag was emptied 
of milk in a short time, without pain to the cow or trouble 
to ourselves. After continuing the operation for some 
days, the result is, that the teats are fast healing; the 
cow is relieved from pain, and, instead of drying her up, 
as we probably should have been obliged to do, she is 
saved for milk this season. It is pdssible that a long 
continuance of milking thus would dry up the cow." 
Loss of Cattle in California. — The 
lower counties of California were subjected to a terrible 
drouth during the usually wet season there, by which 
pastures were dried up and thousands of cattle perished. 
Abel Stearns, the great stock raiser of *Los Angelos lost 
about 12,000 head. Another man lost 5000, and others 
large herds of less number. They were the native wild 
cattle, roaming over the immense ranches, and valued 
mainly for their hides, say $2 to $5 each. If they be re- 
placed with animals of cultivated breeds, in the end there 
will be a gain to the State. 
Cure lor Scratches.— William C. Hart, 
Orange County, advises to apply kerosene oil once a day 
A l,eOO-i>ouu«l Hog-.— The notice of Mr. 
Benham's 1, 355-pound hog— the stuffed skin of which is 
now on exhibition in our office— has drawn out several 
communications in regard to great hogs. - One of these 
presents the following evidence that a much heavier hog 
was once killed in Burlington Co., N. J. T. S. Briggs 
of Evesham, writes that he has in his possession the 
memorandum book of Thomas Gilliiigham of Philadel- 
phia, who "lived to be 90 years of age, and never had 
his word doubted." In this memorandum book is the fol- 
lowing entry :—" 1832, 12lh mo., 21st; Weighed a hog for 
Benjamin Rogers, Mansfield Township, Burlington 
County, N. J. — weight 1611 lbs." Friend Briggs says 
moreover: "I have heard him tell about it dozens of 
times." This testimony, we think, is good, and if it takes 
a plume from Mr. Benham's cap, he will rejoice as much 
as any body to know the fact. 
" Chester White » Hogs.-" W. P. T." 
The Agriculturist has never intimated that the Chester 
White's were not white, nor has it stated that they breed 
pied or colored pigs. Our readers have been put on their 
guard least they might buy white pigs having the same 
general shap? ;is these, but not being well-bred. There 
is complaint that animals bought for pure Chester 
Whites, breed pied offspring, showing impure blood. 
Wool. — Two sheep owned by Oron Whitcomb, 
Ashland Co., O., sheared $20.80 worth of wool of one 
year's growth, this season. The weight is not given. 
Goou Company lor Sheep. — Alouzo 
Wilson, Cerro Gordo Co., Iowa, says: "Get a good 
muley heifer, 1 or 2 years old— white or strawberry- 
roan ; let her wear the bell, she will give great satisfac- 
tion to the sheep, is readily seen by them, keeps the sheep 
from wandering, and will become very much attached to 
them, will greatly assist in driving the sheep over streams, 
etc., and will be found to be of more benefit than I can 
detail. An old cow does well, but will not become so 
much attached to the sheep. The cow or heifer should 
have no horns." The idea is not new, but excellent. 
Loss oi" L»m1>s.-T. P. Brown, Dacota Co., 
Minn., thinks that a considerable loss of lambs, particu- 
larly in cold weather, is occasioned by the teats being 
stopped by a little hard lump just within the point. A 
vigorous lamb will loosen it, but a feeble one can not. 
He advises to catch the ewe and by squeezing the teats, 
remove these lumps, which will be found in nine cases 
out of ten. Mr. B. considers this to cause the loss of 
more lambs at birth than all other causes combined. 
- Insects on Asters.— Stetson, Brunswick, 
Me. Growing them in a new and different soil is the 
only way we can suggest to get rid of the "lice" upon the 
roots. We have never been troubled in this way. 
The Cut-worm a Cliinher. — Cyrus 
Olney, of Monroe Co., N. Y., states that upon visiting his 
garden at night with a lantern he found 4 to 6 out-worms 
on each dwarf pear tree — some of them eating the top- 
most buds. He offers a prize to children for every dozen 
collected — a very certain way of getting rid of them. 
More ahout the <j*opher. — Rev. A. G. 
Perkins, Dakota Co., Min., says that he shot many go- 
phers last year, and in every case but one, their pouches 
were full of dirt. The exceptional one had about half a 
gill of peas, procured from vines near by. 
Wo Rats or Mice.— Isaacsen's Phosphoric 
Paste has given us more than a year's freedom from these 
pests. It appeared to drive them off, as no dead ones 
were found or smelled. Several friends have found the 
remedy equally valuable. Has any one failed with it? 
With our favorable experience, we think we di> the read- 
er a favor by recommending the use of this preparation 
where rats and mice are troublesome. We have not yet 
tried Mr. Isaacsen's other insect remedies advertised, and 
therefore know nothing of them. 
Xo Expel Fleas from Animals.— Dr. 
Dadd recommends to rub a few drops of oil of penny- 
royal along the animal's spine. We have used oil of 
wormwood for the same purpose with very good results ; 
it may be necessary to repeat the application several 
times, and also to extend it to different parts of the body. 
BMsi iii^n I siting Italian Rces. — Hi- 
ram McClelland, Seneca Co., O. The Italian bee is 
longer than the common species, has a more hairy cover- 
ing, and is particularly distinguished by yellow bands 
which surround the body. Queens, however, may pos- 
sess these marks and yet not be pure breed, as tlie prog- 
eny of the Italian crossed with the common black bee 
may have all the external features of only one parent 
The only sure test of queens, is in the character of the 
young bees ; if these show no features of the common 
species, the purity of the mother maybe relied upon. 
"Bees in Houses.— G. G. Macomber, Bristol 
Co., Mass. In large apiaries, a house, or room in some 
outbuilding for wintering bees is desirable. A good ar- 
rangement is described in Quinby's Mysteries of Bee- 
Keeping, noted [on our Book List. 
KgTSsf in Winter.— " W. H. M\," Norfolk 
Co., Mass., commenced the year with '2 two year-old 
liens, 6 one-year-old. 18 spring pullets and I cock. They 
were fed 3 times daily— a quart of corn in the morning, 
a quart of scalded meal mixed with a little scrap cake, 
at noon, and a quart of corn at night. They were al- 
lowed to run, and had always before them lime, shells, 
dust, and fresh clean water. They laid in Jan. 353 eggs, 
in Feb. 452, in March (5 hens setting,) 413, in all 1,218 
eggs. The smallest number in any one day was 5 ; the 
largest, 21 ; the average 13. Average weight, 1% lbs. to 
the dozen. No doubt they had warm, comfortable 
quarters, though this is not specified. 
Loss of Chickens. — A. B. McKeon, 
Bergen Co., N. J., reports that the gapes in chickens 
