1870.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
127 
Weeds of Maine — By F. LamsonSmbner. 
—This is a pamphlet of 62 pages, by a young botanist, a 
student at the Maine Agricultural College. It gives both 
a popular and brief botanical account of the troublesome 
weeds of the State, with suggestions as to their extermi- 
nation. If fanners would become better acquainted 
with the strategy of their enemies, the weeds, they could 
operate against them with better chance of success. This 
little work will prove useful in teaching the proper 
names as well as the habits of weeds. 
The Torrey SSotanical Clnl>.— The 
botanists of New York and vicinity have for some years 
been associated under the above name. With the present 
year they commenced the publication of a Monthly Bulle- 
tin of matters mainly relating to the local Flora. They de- 
sire to be in communication with all who are interested 
in studying plants within 30 miles of Xew York City. 
These and others can procure the Bulletin for a year by 
enclosing $1 to "Win. H. Leggett, 234 East 10th-st, X. Y. 
Another- Vine B a rotectoi% — If bugs are 
not kept away from cucumber, melon, and similar vines, 
it will not be for lack of contrivances to effect it. The 
latest one we have seen was in the stock of R. H. Allen 
& Co.. and is shown in the engraving. It is made of mos- 
qnito net. four triangular pieces of which form the sides ; 
the edges or corners are of two thin strips of wood, 
ae 
nailed together with the netting enclosed between them. 
At the top are two small bits of leather, each one of 
which is tacked to two of the wooden supports in such a 
manner as to form a hinge. The protector, when not in 
use, shuts up and occupies a very small space. It is 
claimed that 24 dozen can be put into a flour barrel. They 
nrc easily made, bnt arc sold by the dozen very much 
cheaper than one can aflbrd to make them. 
How to Improve a Meadow. — U S M " 
Seymour, Conn. — Harrow it thoroughly, sow on some 
fresh grass seed this spring. Pile or compost your ma- 
nure, putting in a half bushel of bone-dust to the ton of 
manure, turn it two or three times, and apply it to the 
meadow at the rate of 20 tons per acre. Or, if more con- 
venient, use good Permian gnauo or superphosphate of 
lime, broadcast, at the rate of 409 lbs. to the acre, during 
rainy weather this spring. 
Good Pig>« — Porter Frisbce, Secretary of the 
Delaware County (X. Y) Agricultural Society, writes, 
that at their annual meeting they had a good show of 
grains, seeds, dressed meats, etc. Five spring pigs were 
shown — three of them, 10 months old, weighed, dressed, 
■Hi), 354 and 332 lbs. ; and two pigs, of- 9 months old, 
weighed, dressed. 371 aud 333 lbs. 
Bark Spouse. — D. B. Boyer, Montgomery 
Co., Pa. Yonrs is a bad case of the Oyster-shell Bark- 
lonsc. The eggs arc under the scales, and will hatch in 
June. If (his tree is in an orchard we should cut it down 
and burn it ; and give close attention to the other trees 
upon which you say it is "starting." VTc do not com- 
mend Mr. Norris 1 plan of painting trees "from stem to 
stern." but your tree is good for nothing else but to burn, 
or devote to some such desperate experiment. 
Floral Inhibition at Charleston, 
5. C. — An exhibition will be held by the Charleston Co. 
Ag'l and Ilort. Soc, from May 1st to 10th, and liberal 
premiums are offered for the leading classes of flowering 
plants as well as for baskets, bouquets, strawberries, etc. 
H. B. Ilolbcck is Secretary. 
Corn vs. Wheat in Virginia. — " H. 
G.," Augns ta county, Va., writes : "My farm is a sandy 
loam, excellent for corn, but rather too light for a maxi- 
mum crop of wheat. I can raise from 40 to CO bushels of 
corn per acre, while the same land rarely yields over 20 
bushels of wheat, and often less. If we attempt to push 
it beyond this, it falls down and does not fin well ; but it 
brings fine clover." We can see no reason why such land 
cannot be made to yield 30 or 35 bushels of wheat per 
acre, Vmkrdmin where needed, make the land clean, 
so that there shall be no weeds or grass in the wheal — 
raise more clover and keep more sheep. If this docs 
not give stiffer straw and a well filled ear, try lime. 
(iiraftiug' the Hickory, — Hickory nuts 
vary mnch in their wild state, but the difficulties of prop- 
agation have prevented the multiplication of the choicer 
specimens. Mr. David B. Dickinson, having tried va- 
rious methods of grafting without success, hit upon the 
following, which allows him to propagate the hickory 
with satisfactory results : Early in the Spring he grafts the 
stock, which should be small, very near the surface, or, 
if possible, below it. The graft is waxed in the usual 
manner, and then the earth is heaped around to cover 
all of the cion except the upper cud. Mr. D. has grafted 
trees now coming into bearing, from which he brings us 
specimens of the nuts. 
How Crops Feed— A Treatise on the At- 
mosphere and the Soil as Related to the Nutrition of Ag- 
ricultural Plants, with illustrations ; by Samuel TV. John- 
son, M. A., etc. New York: Orange Judd & Co. Pro- 
fessor Johnson's work, "IIow Crops Grow," is devoted 
to the chemical composition of the plant and the changes 
which take place during its life. Not only has that work 
received the highest commendations in this country, but 
it has been republished in Englaud under the editorship 
of two of the professors of the Royal Agricultural Col- 
lege, and it is being translated into German under the 
auspices of Liebig. As a companion to "How Crops 
Grow," we have a work by the same author entitled 
" How Crops Feed," in which are given the latest re- 
searches upon the relations of the atmosphere to plants, 
and the origin and composition of soils and the offices 
they perform in the nutrition of crops. It is sufficient to 
say of the present work that it is marked by the same 
thoroughness and clearness that characterized its pre- 
decessor, and is, like that, the best work upon its sub- 
ject in the language. As the author says in bis preface, 
" His office has been to digest the cumbrous mass of evi- 
dence in which the truths of vegetable nutrition lie 
buried out of the reach of the ordinary inquirer, and to set. 
them forth in proper order and plain dress for their legiti- 
mate aud sober uses." Those who would study the prin- 
ciples which underlie all correct agricultural practice can 
have no better aid than these works will afford them. 
A third of this series is in preparation, which will 
treat upon manures and fertilizers. Price, $2, post-paid. 
Rosebn^x on Crriupe- Vines. — J. Mc- 
Coy, West Va. — We know of no better way to treat the 
rosebng than to shake them off early in the morning, 
while they are dormant, catch them on a cloth and put 
them in the fire. The netting yon speak of might do for a 
vine or two, but it would be too expensive on a large scale. 
Cropping; an Orchstrd. — " J. B. H., 1 ' 
Iiancocas, N. J. — The soil of an orchard 10 years old 
should be given up to the trees, and instead of taking 
anything oft' by planting soiling crops, it would be much 
better to put fertilizers on to it. We know th:it it is the 
custom to mow or otherwise crop the orchard, and we 
know it is also the custom, in places where the practice 
prevails, to complain that fruit trees do not do well. 
Peaches in Indiann. — W. "\V. Borden, 
Clark county", Intl., states: "The night of Feb. 20th 
killed the entire peach crop in this vicinity. Such is the 
report from the high lands (the Knobs), by those exten- 
sively engaged in peach culture. In the valley the result 
is about the same. The peach buds were very much 
swollen, and the lilac buds were bursting. The ther- 
mometer indicated 3* below zero." 
** Sliot Land " in Kentucky. — "J. F. 
F."' writes : lt I have about twenty acres of what we call 
'Shot land.' If it were all together I would probably 
put it in some kind of grass, but it is scattered over my 
farm. The soil consists of pebbles from the size of a large 
buckshot down to that of a pin's head, nearly round, hard, 
but it can be cut with a sharp knife, exhibiting a dark 
iron-ore appearance on the inside. They arc in some 
places very thick on the ground ; and the thicker they arc, 
the less the land produces. It appears to be unable to 
retain ordinary manure." — Probably the best course 
would be to plow and seed to red clover encouraged by 
plaster, and calculate to turn under two or three crops of 
buckwheat, clover, or corn before it would begin to look 
like good soil or bear other crops. 
Inland Fisheries. — It is gratifying to no- 
tice the steady progress made in some States in stocking 
Btrcams and ponds with fine kinds of fish. All the New 
England States have commissioners who are active in in- 
vestigating and devising means for multiplying and in- 
troducing fish into their streams, lakes and ponds. We 
have received from the Massachusetts commissioners 
their report to the Legislature for the yearlS69, which is 
an instructive document to those interested in this sub- 
ject, as it details both successes and failures. The names 
of the New England commissioners are given, and we 
print one for each State for the benefit of persons in other 
Statesdesirous of inducing their legislatures to take action 
in fostering inland fisheries: Chas. G. Atkins, Augusta, 
Me. ; TV". A. Sanborn, Weirs, N. H. ; A. D. Ilager, Proc- 
torsvillc, Vt. ; Theo. Lyman, Brookline, Mass. ; W. M. 
Hudson, Hartford, Conn.; Alfred A. Seed, Apponang, R.I. . 
How to Apply Haniirc- E. Taylor, j 
Michigan, asks: " What shall we do with our barn-yard* 
manure ? George Geddes says plowing it under 10 or 11 
inches deep is the poorest way to apply it. This has 
been our plan ever since I can remember. We sow wheat 
after corn, then clover two years, and then corn again, 
and so on ad infinitum. Now, what shall we do with the 
inauure ? " Do as you have been doing, if it docs well, 
and never mind the agricultural doctors. If the com 
does not get the benefit of the manure the wheat will. 
But do )*oii plow 10 or 11 inches deep? Measure and see if 
the furrow slice is over 8 inches thick. Most people 
think they plow 2 or 3 inches deeper than they really do. 
Plaster on Clover.— "'H. G.," Augusta 
county, Va.. writes: " "We all use plaster here on clover. 
and it increases the yield very much— in fact, I think it 
doubles it in most cases." 
ISaising Lambs by Hand.-Usc the 
milk of a new milch cow, and let the cow be well fed, so 
that the milk may be as rich as possible. Put an India- 
rubber nipple on a glass bottle; and be sure that the bot- 
tle is thoroughly cleansed with boiling water every day. 
Clover tor Pi£f*. — A correspondent writes : 
14 With a good clover pasture, I can easily make a full- 
bred pig weigh 400 lbs. with 22 bushels of corn." 
l£nf tondtole ltou<*ifiets.. — Some 
ago we gave engravings of 
some button-hole bouquet 
holders made of glass tube. 
A writer in a recent num- 
ber of the Gardeners' Chron- 
icle (Eng.) gives a plan 
which will be acceptable 
to those who cannot conve- 
niently procure the tube 
holders. Some moss is tied 
to the stems of the flowers and 
thoroughly wetted ; then the 
stems arc surrounded by 
a piece of oiled silk of the 
shape and twice the size shown by the dotted lines 
the accompanying diagram. This is bound by means 
of 
a thread, and will prevent evaporation from the moss. 
Allen's < ;iiab>gii< . — Among the numer- 
ous American aud foreign illustrated catalogues we have 
from time to time received, none equals in completeness 
and fullness of illustration the volume recently issued by 
R. H. Allen vt Co. It embraces tools, vehicles and ma- 
chines used by the Northern farmer and by the planters 
of the South, of Cuba and South America, by unrsery- 
men. gardeners and fruit raisers, by brick-makers, car- 
penters and others ; implements for draining, for ice cut- 
ting and handling, and a great variety of household arti- 
cles, daiiy implements, apple-parers, etc., etc. It in- 
cludes scales, pumps and hose, edge tools, bells, and even 
thorough-bred stock — and almost everything is pictured. 
The price asked is $1, and this is refunded with the first 
order. This offer to refund has given rise to some exhi- 
bitions of shrewdness almost past credence. For in- 
stance, a person in Belmont, Ohio, sends for the book 
and $1 worth of sundry seeds, saying; "1 sec yon pro- 
pose to refund the price of the book on receipt o( the lir-t 
order; and. as you propose to pay postage on the book, 
you may send the amount ■"■' j peas, box the book 
and seeds and send by express." The order was tilled. 
IKnrning- Hones.— "A. J. K." Rces Cor- 
ners, Md. — Rone ashes are useful, certainly : but there is 
a heavy loss of value in burning them. A bone mill is a 
pretty heavy ail'air— Stewart's, one of the best, costs 
$1,000. Bones maybe slowly reduced by being broken 
With a sledge, and then mixed with fresh WOod-ashcH 
kept moist for two or three months. When overhauled 
the heap should be mixed with earth, ami the still hard 
bones thrown out to bo worked over again. 
< 'limbing Kern. — C. C. Schenck informs 
us that this plant, figured in Jan. last, grows abund- 
antly upon the Cumberland Table-lands in Tcncssce. It 
is known there as "Wild Pea-vine." and the starveling 
cattle feed upon it in the absence of better food. 
