1870.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
217 
meijds the use of a 3 | 4 -inch rod of iron, beut in 
the middle over a mandrel of proper diameter, 
having its ends inserted in holes drilled about 
3 inches deep, in flat stones about 18 inches 
square, as shown in figure 3. The fence is 
made by inserting strips or rails either lap- 
ping or cut beveling, and the beveled portions 
lapping between the parts of the post. Blocks 
of wood or pieces of board placed between the 
different ranges of strips would hold them at 
the required bights, as shown in figure 4. Sev- 
eral modifications of this fence are suggested. 
Mr. S. says: "Ordinary split rails trimmed a 
little at the ends, can be placed with the ends a 
little through the posts resting on each other; 
Fig.3. — IRON FENCE POST. Fig- ±- 
making a fence from which a length may be 
taken with little trouble, and which may be 
moved by taking apart, without injury, and 
with little expense. Two-inch plank, 5 inches 
wide, and 12 feet long, ship-lapped together at 
the ends with blocks 6 inches long, and any width 
desired, make a neat and durable fence. The 
stones should be left a few inches above the sur- 
face, and should be heavy enough to keep the 
fence in its place in a gale. Cement blocks might 
be used in the absence of stone — but in this State 
we can hardly imagine such a contingency." 
"We have seen fences made by boring holes 
through rails, or bars, and slipping the bar3 
over single rods of iron set in stones in the way 
described ; the bars forming adjoining lengths, 
alternately supporting one another. Mr. Smith's 
plan is a better one, as it admits of the easy 
removal of the rails, or the shifting of the fence. 
Early Made Hay. 
— • — 
The practice of beginning to cut the grasses 
as soon as they are fairly in blossom is rapidly 
gaining favor. This favored time comes to many 
fields in this latitude, from the middle to the last 
of June. With the improved implements of 
hay-making — the horse-mower, rake and tedder, 
it is not difficult now for the farmer to gather 
all his hay crop at the time when it makes the 
most nutritious fodder. The early cured grass 
does not give so heavy a yield of hay to the 
acre at one cutting, and the same bulk will not 
weigh so much as the grass cured two or three 
weeks later. But very careful experiments 
show that the hay thus treated is much more 
nutritious ; it is relished better by all kinds of 
of neat stock, and nothing is left in the manger. 
This tender, sweet hay is particularly impor- 
tant for sheep and young stock in the winter. 
If it do not bring so much in market or at the 
stables, at least, the hay, that is retained for 
home use, should be early cut. It does not ex- 
haust the soil so much as where the seeds are 
allowed to mature. If the ground is very rich 
it allows of a second cutting in August. If not, 
it makes a heavy after-math and shelters the 
roots of grasses in the winter. The practice is 
increasing among our reflecting farmers, which 
is pretty good evidence that it is safe to follow. 
Marketing Butter. 
Having had several inquiries as to the best 
manner of preparing butter for retail marketing, 
we give the following account of the practice at 
Ogden Farm, which is similar to that of the 
producers of the celebrated Philadelphia butter, 
well known for both its excellence and high price. 
The butter is all sold in half-pound prints, 
each of which bears the monogram or trade 
mark O F, as shown in 
fig. 1. These pats are 
S'l" inches in diameter, 
rounded up in the cen- 
ter and about an inch 
thick at the edges. As 
soon as made, they 
are wrapped in damp 
cloths, about 8 inches 
square. The printing is 
done in a wooden cylinder 3'| 2 inches in diame- 
ter, of which the printing die forms the bottom. 
Fig. 2 shows a section of the cylinder with the 
parts in place. The walls of the cylinder are 3 | 4 
of an inch thick; a a, are brass screws, 2 inches 
long. There are three screws, which serve as 
legs to the mould ; they may be turned in or out 
to regulate the quantity of butter ; b, is the print- 
ing block, and c, the block on which it is sup- 
ported. By substituting a thinner block in the 
place of e, heavier 
Fig. 1. — STAMP. 
1 
m 
$ 
Fig 
lumps may be printed. 
The butter is pressed 
closely into the mould 
and "struck off" even 
with the top of the 
cylinder. The pat is 
thrown out by push- 
ing the block c, from below, mould and all going 
into cold water for a moment. It is necessary 
that all parts of the apparatus be kept soaking 
wet. The printing is laborious but it pays. 
As fast as the pats are made and wrapped in 
cloths, they are packed * 
in the market tub, fig. 3, 
which is 2 feet high, 2' | 9 
feet long on top and 1 
foot 7 inches wide. It 
is made of cedar, and is 
brass hooped and paint- 
ed; the lid is hinged in 
the middle so that either 
side may be raised, or 
tbe whole may be lifted entirely off. One of the 
staves at each end rises about G inches above 
the top and has holes cut through for handles. 
An oak bar, with ahead on one end and a hing- 
ed hasp (brass is preferable) on the other, is pass- 
ed through these bandies to hold the lid down. 
When it is pushed home, the hasp cau be 
turned down over a staple 
at the end of the tub and 
secured with a lock or pin. 
This tub is only a case for 
the tin, ice, and butter tray 
which lines it. The ends of 
this tin tray are partitioned 
off at a widtli of about 6 inches, as showu in 
fig. 4, and the compartments so formed at the 
ends, which are for broken ice, are closed with 
O. — liUTi'ER-TUB. 
Fig. i.— TOP VIEW. 
hinged tin covers. The center compartment is 
fitted with tin studs supporting five tiers of mov- 
able wooden shelves ; and each shelf consists of 
two pieces for facility of 
handling. The shelves 
allow, with the bottom, sis 
tiers of prints. A section 
of this tray, packed with 
butter and ice, is shown in 
fig. 5. Packed in this way, 
a blanket being thrown 
over the tub in the wagon, butter may be car- 
ried around for a whole day in the hottest 
summer weather, without losing its hardness. 
Fig. 5. — SECTION. 
More Stvles of Tail-board Fastenings. 
During the year past we have exhibited sev- 
eral forms of tail-board fastenings, which to us, 
and most of our readers, have, at least, had the 
merit of novelty. Some have been great im- 
provements upon the old rod and tail-nut, and 
all have had some feature to recommend them 
either for dumping carts or wagons. Now we 
have two more to show. The first, fig. 1, is 
from Isaac S. Bachtel, of Stark Co., O., who 
writes : "I first saw this tail-board fifteen years 
ago. Tou will observe it may be loosened from 
either side, and swung open like a gate, or it 
may be taken out altogether. A chief merit is 
that there are no strips in the corners of the 
box. I use it behind and before on that ac- 
count." The fastening of each end consists of 
two semi-circular straps of 'Ij-iuch iron, one 
Fig. 1. — TAIL-BOARD FASTENING. 
attached to the tail-board, the other to the out- 
side of the box, and forming a hinge when 
united by a '| 4 -inch rod passing through their 
bent ends. This rod when withdrawn to disen- 
gage the board, should be immediately replaced. 
The other plan is sent us by Mr. C. H. Rue, 
and consists of a slight modification of the com- 
mon rod. A rod of the usual size, say '| 4 -inch 
iron, is fixed upon the tail-board, as shown in 
fig. 2. This rod terminates in a strong hook at 
each end. These hooks go into eyes in bolts, 
one or both of whicb are fastened with tail-nuts, 
and having some play, so that after tbe hooka 
are iu they may be screwed up light. A few 
turns of the nutare sufficient to relieve the strain 
upon the hooks, and the rod having a little play 
wlien one hook is loose, the other is easily unfast- 
ened. The bolts are inserted a little lower than 
Fig. 2.— TAIL-BOAKI> FASTENING. 
the line of the rod, so that when screwed up the 
board will beheld down and kept from rattling. 
The cheapness and convenience of the arrange- 
ment are apparent and well worth imitating. 
