198 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[July, 
Botts. Prevent rather than Cure. 
— This parasite is the imaginary cause of almost all the 
ills that afflict the horse. What harm it really does no- 
body knows, but the natural presumption is that it does 
no good, though there are some learned veterinarians 
who claim that botts are really of service to the horse in 
promoting digestion as a sort of tonic stimulant. For 
our own part however, we very much prefer that Dob- 
bin should have none of them. It is incontrovertible that 
no safe medicine taken into the stomach will affect the 
bott grubs, which adhere to the walls of the stomach. — 
When they get ready they will leave, being ' cast out into 
the draught,' and though milk and molasses and similar 
things sometimes seem to have a tendency to coax them 
away, this is inoperative, except when the stomach con- 
tains mature grubs. The Gad-fly, the parent of the bott, 
lays her eggs on the inside of the fore legs of the horse, 
and on the shoulders chiefly. It has for some time been 
the writer's opinion that these parts of the horse might 
be oiled with either simple grease, or with grease mixed 
with some drug or essential oil, (turpentine or oil of 
cloves) and the fly repelled. We have no conveniences 
this year to test the value of this idea, but throw it out for 
the benefit of the readers of the American Agriculturist. 
Scratches vs. Grease. — "Green ey." Gun- 
powder and lard (in proportion of two of lard to one of 
powder) is a not a sure cure for scratches, not even after 
washing the horse's legs with castile soap, and drying 
carefully ; but it is a very good application. 
Sixty Year Old Pony. — The London pa- 
pers notice the death recently of a pony at the remark- 
able age of sixty years. 
.Brine ibr Poll Evil. — P. A. Ross, Green 
Co., Pa., writes to the Agriculturist that he cured the 
disease known as Poll Evil in the horse, by injecting into 
the opening strong brine of common salt, with a syringe. 
The sore dried up after the first application, but having 
broken out again a second dose entirely cured it. The 
case was one of two years' standing. 
The great White Ox. — " Pride of Living- 
ston" was sold by Col. Thos. F. De Voe, of the Sanitary 
Fair Agricultural Committee, to Mr. Carlos Pierce, of 
Boston, a retired merchant who has a beautiful farm and 
country residence in the town of Stanstead, Canada 
East, a few miles north of Newport, Vermont, whither 
the ox was taken for further feeding. The price was 
$1,000, the highest on record paid f6ra fat ox. 
A great Opportunity for Profitable 
Business.— The'subject of Live Stock Insurance 
is one of great importance to stock owners, and money- 
ed men would find investments in companies chartered 
for this purpose very profitable. As yet none exist in this 
country-so far as we know. We believe that the prac- 
tice of insuring valuable animals by private parlies is 
sometimes practised, but not to any considerable extent. 
The Insurance of Crops. — That is, in- 
suring the farmer, after he has prepared his ground and 
sowed his seed, against a small crop or a failure alto- 
gether, through hail, drought, rain at harvest, insect 
ravages, etc., is a subject well worthy of the attention of 
those who have money to invest. It is extensively prac- 
tised in Great Britain and on the continent. 
Logs and Stumps in Pastures. — 
Erastus. The logs should be put in heaps and burned, 
and the ashes scattered. The question of removing 
stumps depends upon the relative value of land and labor. 
It Is generally best to let the stumps rot for a lew years. 
Trap-rock Soils. — " Orenaug ". — Decom- 
posed trap-rock makes as good a soil as exists in the 
world. The kind of manure it needs depends upon the 
Topping and working it has been subjected to. If yours 
oe situated on a hill-side, so that the soluble and finest 
portions have been washed down to the plain or valley', 
common barn-yard manure is doubtless best. If it has 
>een long pastured and cropped with grain, or mowed 
and seldom manured, bone dust, plaster, lime, and salt 
will be found good applications. 
Girdled Trees.— "A. M. E.", Beaverdauj, 
Wis., has" young trees girdled by rabbits about a foot 
from the ground, and asks when to cut them, in order 
that young shoots may spring up. The course to be 
pursued will depend entirely upon the way the tree 
was treated in the nursery. If it was worked low and 
a shoot can be obtained from above the bud, it may pay 
to cut them down and grow a tree from this bud. This 
will depend altogether upon the age and condition of the 
tree. The cutting may as well be done at once, or if 
there is danger of injury to the new shoot, do it in autumn. 
&>ahlias and Gladiolus.— "W. C. S", 
Laporte. Ind. The Calendar always indicates the time 
for starting Dahlias in the hot-bed or house. They will 
bloom if started out of doors. It is not necessary to 
start Gladioluses in pots, though flowers may be had 
earlier if they are forwarded in this way. 
Cranberry Ground. — " R. C. R." The 
land you describe is well adapted- to cranberry culture. 
Shut off the water from it; dry the land by systematic 
draining ; cut off the bogs and flags, piling them in wind- 
rows so that when dry they may be burned ; burn them 
and plow the land, twice if possible. If by this means 
you can get it into good order, plant this fall, and after 
planting let water on enough to keep the soil quite moist, 
and be prepared to take advantage of the usual high wa- 
ter late in the fall after growth has stopped, or early 
in winter, to flood the whole and keep it flooded unbil 
spring. Mark those of the wild plants you speak of 
which are prolific and produce large fine berries, and 
use these rather than expect to buy better ones. 
Ozier Willow Pence.— Fay Hopkins, 
Lorain Co , Ohio, writes ■ "lam trying to raise a hedge 
fence of the ozier willow ; can you tell me when, and 
how the shoots should be bent down and woven togeth- 
er?" Cut back in the fall or spring allowing only a 
few of the shoots grow (two or three, according to close- 
ness of the plants.) If they grow strong enough, at 
the end of the second year, weave them together after 
the leaves fall, inclining each stem at an angle of about 
45 degrees. 
A Box for Mailing- Strawberry and 
other Plants. — The call made some months 
ago for a box suitable for packing the plants of the Agri- 
culturist Strawberry, drew out a large number of devices 
of various degrees of merit. The samples were carefully 
examined, and the choice fell upon that sent by Mr. 
M. D. Thompson, 135 Montague St., Brooklyn, L. I. The 
engraving gives a view of the box as opened to receive the 
plant. It consists of a thin wooden cylinder completely 
cut through on one side and partly so on the other, so as 
to be flexible and allow it to be opened. The ends are 
closed by circular pieces fitting in grooves, and one of 
them has a hole for ventilating the interior. The plant, 
with the roots properly protected, is placed in the box, 
which is then closed and secured by pasting a directed 
wrapper around it. Packed in this way it is believed that 
all injury from the rough usage of the mail will be avoid- 
ed, and it is hoped that each subscriber who has applied 
fora strawberry plant will receive it in good condition. 
This style of box w r as selected as combining strength, 
neatness, ease of packing, and cheapness, in a greater 
degree than any other, and there is no doubt it will come 
into general use. The invention is patented. 
Many Potatoes for One.— M. J. Cowell, 
of Cayuga Co., N. Y., has been experimenting upon the 
yield of potatoes and succeeded in getting 217 from one 
potato, the most in 12 experiments ; variety not named. 
Cabbage Seed. — L. P. Rogers, Knox Co., 
111. Cabbage seed raised from the stalks would soon de- 
teriorate. The best cultivators of seeds raise from the 
finest heads only and of these allow only the central and 
strongest shoot to grow. 
Onions from Seed.— "J. W. V.", Millers- 
burg, O. At the East there is no difficulty in maturing 
onions from the seed the same year of sowing. Where 
the climate is warmer, they must be sown as soon as the 
ground is open in spring, or they will make only small 
onions. Perhaps the best w-ay with you will be to sow 
thickly for sets to be kept over winter, to be put out to 
complete their growth the second year. 
Docs Sorrel ever Abound on Lime- 
stone Soils ? — "J. M. R.," of Cumberland Co., Pa., 
says that it does, but that with proper cultivation it is 
easily destroyed. May we not have some'otber respon- 
ses to this question which was asked some months since ? 
New Remedies for Bugs.— "R. B. S." 
of Georgetown, D. C, applies to the hills of melons. 
etc., when young, a free sprinkling of corn meal, and 
renews it after a rain. He says this is effectual Anoth- 
er, and one who has had great experience with insects, 
says that a decoction of parsley, made with roots and 
tops, sprinkled over the plants will keep off the striped 
bug. We shall try these simple remedies. 
W^orlt on Entomology. — "Z. P. K."ani 
others. Harris' Insects Injurious to Vegetation is th« 
best, general work yet published. Price with colored 
plates $4.50 by mail. In Hie transactions of the New 
York State Agricultural Society for the years 1855, '56, '58 
etc. are valuable papers by Dr. Asa Filch. 
Insects by Mail.— A number of persons 
have sent specimens of grubs and beetles in letters, and 
they have arrived in such a crushed state that it is impos- 
sible to recognize them. Perfect insects should he sent 
in some kind of box. Larva: are usually worthless un- 
less preserved in spirits, and in that case the package 
cannot go by mail, as breaking would Injure letters. 
A Destructive Insect.— S. S. White, Esq., 
Knox Co., III., sends specimens of a beetle which is very 
destructive to the orchards in his locality. The Insect is 
the New York Weevil (Wnjcerjis curculionoides) which 
was noticed and figured in August last year.— p. 242. 
Apliis on Currant Bushes. Amateur 
New Bedford, Mass. Probably the close situation of the 
bushes favors the development of these insects. Sylnging 
with tobacco-water is recommended. In England a soft 
brush is used, like a pair of pincers, to surround the limb 
and brush off the insects without injuring the plant. 
Weeds in Paths.— E. M. Swan, Meade Co., 
Ky. We have little faith in the efficacy of any other 
than a mechanical application to destroy weeds in walks. 
Poisons will be very likely to spread and injure the neigh- 
boring vegetation. A walk made as directed in last 
May's Agriculturist will afford but little foothold for 
weeds. A sharp hoe used so as to cut very shallow, and 
subsequent raking and rolling will keep walks clean. 
"Parasitic" Weeds ©nB,awn.— "H. 
F.", Oragne, N. J. We know of no parasite troubling 
the lawn. Let us see a specimen. 
Blue Grass lor Eawns.— E. V. Oven, 
Dii Page Co., 111. Sow alone and rake in very slightly, 
or sow on freshly raked ground and roll. See Calendar 
for evergreens. 
Edgings for Flower Beds.— C. D. Mc 
Kinley, Wayne Co., Iowa, wishes to know of some plant 
suitable for edgings which can be raii-ed from seeds. 
The best plant of this kind which occurs to us is the 
Thrift, (Anneria vulgaris) described and figured in the 
Agriculturist last July. . The common garden pink 
is sometimes used, but its color is too dull to be pleasant. 
Apocjitum aiiili'»sa?mi folium. — C. 
A. Gahne, Me. This is commonly cailed Indian Hemp, 
and grows so generally throughout the country that the 
seeds are not kept in the stores. It is doubtless abundant 
in your State. 
Cactuses.— "A. M.", Detroit, Mich. A strong- 
plant, properly treated, usually flowers every vear. They 
should be kept quite dry, giving only water enough to 
prevent wilting, during the winter. When the huds and 
growth begin to slart in spring, keep the soil moist until 
flowering is over and they have made their new growth. 
Black I£not.— Our neighbor of the Horti- 
culturist is certainly behind the times when he says in 
his June number : " It has not yet been settled whether 
the black knot is caused by an insect or whether it is a 
disease of the sap." It is not necessary to settle this 
question, as it is not either. More than 40 years ago 
Schweinitz showed that it was a fungus, which attacks 
young healthy trees and which was reproduced and Illus- 
trated in the Agriculturist for April, 1363. 
Wild Morning Glory.— "G. G.," Ottawa 
111. This can only be eradicated like quack grass, by 
persistent work. The roots must be carefully forked 
out and left to dry. No application to the soil will kill 
them and not injure the crops. 
Works on Botany.— A. B. Gage and many 
others. For a knowledge of plant structure get Gray's 
Lessons, and for systematic descriptions of native plants, 
Gray'6 Manual. The latter is illustrated with excellent 
plates of the Grasses, Ferns, etc. They may be had 
seperate or both in one volume, sent by mail for $2 50 
