1SG7.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
S9 
TTiarfliing' iai Oa'ccil Crops. — B. M. 
French asks : l * Why will not Ragweed plowed in, he a3 
beneficial to the soil as any cultivated crop ? " Because 
lacy do not furnish as much vegetable matter. The great 
advantage of clover as a green crop, is the large mass of 
roots and leaves it furnishes. So of buckwheat, peas, 
and other crops used for this purpose. "Weeds are better 
turned under than left to go to seed, but hoed crops should 
be kept upon the ground until the weeds are subdued. 
Clean cultivation and high manuring will soon finish 
them. If Air. F. can not use clover on account of its win- 
ter tilling, try buckwheat, or what is better, drain his 
land. The cereals do not exhaust land, when they are 
turned under, but when they are suffered to go to seed, 
and both stalk and kernel are removed from tho soil. 
Under draining is a remedy for winter killing. 
Cockle Instead, of Wfiieat. — A Sub- 
scriber asks: "What are the merits and demerits of 
cockle as an article of food for cattle?" — We have been 
shy of the article since Job and his friends held their dis- 
cussion. " Let cockles grow instead of barley," was about 
as bitter a curse a3 those old time fanners could invoke 
on their neighbors 1 fields, and their cockle and ours, if 
not the same plant, we guess are of about equal value 
for fodder. We most decidedly prefer the cereals. 
draining- to I>ry up Springs, — "B. 
AT. F." asks: "Where springs come out near the base of a 
hill, will a drain above, five or sis feet deep, cut off the 
water and dry up the spring ? " Certainly, if you tap the 
feeder of the spring, and provide an outlet for your drain. 
The spring is a natural outlet for an underground drain. 
Pumpkins instead, of Boots.— " B. 
H. F." We have never made accurate experiments of the 
comparative value of these for feeding purposes. Both 
arc very good. Large quantities of pumpkins and squashes 
are raised in the Eastern States, and fed to milch cows, 
and fattening cattle, and hogs, both cooked and raw. They 
pay well. They are not as easily kept as roots, but are rais- 
ed with less trouble, as they are generally a stolen crop 
with corn and potatoes, which is very doubtful economy. 
Pipe for ILiqtiid Mamwrc.-"B. M. F." 
This should be protected with a strainer at the upper end. 
Its liability to obstructions will depend very much-upon 
the fall. The more rapid the descent, the less trouble 
you will have with sediments. Two inch glazed tile would 
probably be much cheaper than lead or iron, and would 
be less likely to be obstructed by sediment. 
Flowing- Pasture and Meadoir.— 
All land, that is not already too wet, is benefitted by irri- 
gation. Land plowed in winter produces much more grass. 
It may stand on all winter without injuring the grass. In 
the summer the water should be carried over the ground 
in small ditches, and let on at intervals. Draining and 
irrigation should go together to secure the best result*. 
Prcminm Washer and Wringer. — 
Next to the sewing-machine, the Washer and Wringer 
have always been favorite premiums with those obtain- 
ing clubs of subscribers for the American Agricul- 
twist, and hundreds of them have been sent out in this 
way. The following testimonial to their excellence from 
so competent a source, is worthy of note. Mrs. Laura E. 
Lyman, authoress of one of our prize Housekeeping 
Essays, writes, "I have for some time been using the 
Doty Washer. It is in the highest degree a labor-saving 
machine, and also a great saver of clothes, as it dispenses 
almost entirely with the old mode of rubbing them on the 
wash-board. With two children, a girl of twelve and 
a boy of seven, the washing can be done with no 
fatigue on my part and little on theirs. With the 
Washer and Wringer there is avoided the inconvenience 
and danger to health of having the hands immersed, now 
in hot, and then in cold water. Doty, for his invention, 
deserves the gratitude of every housekeeper." 
Vermont Agricultural Society- 
Significant Wool Resolutions.— The State Agri- 
cultural Society, of Vermont, held its annual meeting on 
the 2d of January, and in the resolutions passed respect- 
ing the tariff bill, now before Congress, praying its pass- 
age, a remarkable admission was made, namely : " Our 
own wools arc lying on our hands uncalled for at any prices 
thai would pay over, half the cost of production. " We 
would ask Vermont farmers if they think this fact an es- 
pecial recommendation for the greasy Merinos they are so 
proud of? Other people can sell their wool. But we 
hear that thoclipa of two or perhaps three years an- chiefly 
still in first bands in Vermont. Why? Notbecausoof 
low tariffs, hut because, if manufacturers can buy wool 
they will let grease alone. When it is bought and sent to 
the Now York market. It is avoided by all manufacturer.-. 
and the purchase of these greasy fleeces, cleansing them 
thoroughly, and returning them to the market, constitutes 
a lucrative business. If Vermont wool growers, will but 
tub-wash these fleeces, they will save a large amount of 
excellent manure for use upon their farms, and find a 
ready sale, at a fair price, for the stock now on hand. 
We do not argue against the tariff, but only against grease. 
Experience "%vitU Sors^aaim. — H. K. 
Smith, of Putnam Co., HI., writes: "L. Grafton's expe- 
rience in the January 'Basket' is in some ways very 
different from my own. I have worked at it on ' Cook's ' 
Evap. for 7 years, and prefer the original black-seeded 
Sorghum. Green cane is not fit to work. It will not make 
sugar for mc, and but little syrup. What syrup I make 
when the seed is entirely ripe mates a great deal of sugar, 
often }-j to y 2 of the barrel will be grained, but never a 
grain when the cane is at all green. My molasses (not 
syrup) will not keep over summer if the cane is not ripe, 
but works, sours, and forms more or less jelly. I can tell 
1 Grafton ' just what makes the ■ salty taste ' in the mo- 
lasses. I have had half a dozen lots that were grown on 
a pig pen site, where rich manure had been hauled out, or 
an old straw pile, and they universally tasted salty ; one 
so much so that we could scarcely taste it. We never ma- 
nure in Illinois for cane. It grows a good crop upon land 
that has been farmed steadily, and without manure, for 25 
or 30 years, and which will not raise good corn or wheat. 
Three years ago I cut the seed of some Sorghum when it 
was in bloom, let it stand three weeks, worked up two- 
thirds of the lower end of stalks, it made a beautiful mo- 
lasses ; 6 gallons to a barrel of 36 gallons, which nearly 
all grained, forming very fine crystals. We think it im- 
proves the quality of the cane to store it in cool loeaiher. 
We make a great deal of molasses here in Illinois. To 
show you that I have had experience in evaporating, I 
will state that my molasses always commands the high- 
est price in market. I can always get all that I wish to 
work, and more, at one-half the equivalent price." 
Am. Dairymcns' Association. — The 
second meeting of this association under its present or- 
ganization was held at TJtica, N.V., on the 9th of January. 
The attendance of dairymen was large, and included many 
from Canada and from the Western States. The feature 
of the meeting was Mr. X. A. Willard's report of his ob- 
serrations abroad, in regard to cheese-making there. Mr. 
Willard is a thoroughly practical man of culture, and prob- 
ably better informed in regard to cheese-making than any 
other man in America. His address was very interesting, 
and his observations and conclusions, when given to the 
public, as it doubtless will be, will be productive of 
great good. Officers for the current year were elected. 
The President is George Williams, of Oneida, N. T., 
and the Secretary Geo. B. Weeks, of Verona, N. T. 
The American Cow Ufillcer. — "J. 
J.," of Spring Valley, Colorado, and others, ask if 
we have yet found out whether or not the cow milker is a 
success. Wc have visited the office once and again, in 
order to find out when we could go to see the milker in 
use. We were told that none were iu use hereabouts, 
that the employes at the great milk stables would mob 
any one attempting to introduce them, and that they had 
been out only a few months, and had not been tried very 
long any where, etc. Each time they told about the same 
story. The same machine, to all appearance, was exhibi- 
ted at the World's Fair in London, in 1863, and wc have 
tried in vain ever since to know of a fair trial being 
made. Wo have written to their agents at a distance and 
got no reply, and on the whole, have not as much faith iu 
it as in the more tedious hand process. 
The Horticultural Laws of Illi- 
nois. — Every one with much experience in fruit grow 
ing knows that certain marauders consider all kinds of 
fruit as " free plunder," that these thieves have a way of 
taking one's choicest specimens, and that it is very dif- 
ficult to meet such fellows with the " common law." To 
remedy the difficulty of convicting fruit thieves, the State 
of Illinois has passed some very stringent laws, which we 
copy, in the hope that these, or similar laws, may becuact- 
cd in States In which the Legislature is now in session : 
An Act to Ptjntsh Fruit Thieves. — Be it enacted by 
Via Rnple of tlie State of Illinois, represented in the General 
Assembly, That if any person or persons shall hereafter 
enter the inclosure of any person, without the leave or 
license of such owner, and pick, destroy, or carry away 
the fruit of any apple, plnra, peach, pear, or other fruit 
tree or bash, such person or persons shall bo guilty of a 
misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof, may be fined* 
any Bum not less than ten dollars, nor more than fifty dol- 
lars v and maybe imprisoned in the county Jail for any 
period not exceeding twenty days. The penalties incur- 
red by a violation of this act maybe enforced by indict- 
r.i ml in any court having jurisdiction of misdemeanors 
in the county where the offense is committed, or the fine 
may be recovered in action for debt before any justice of 
the peace of such county. 
Ax Act for the Protection op Fbtjit, and Orna- 
mental Trees, Shrueeert and Vegetable Products. 
Section 1. Be it enacted by t/ie People of the State of Illi- 
nois, represented in the General Assembly, That if any per- 
son or persons, in this State, shall willfully, maliciously 
and without lawful authority, cut down, root up, sever, 
injure, peel or destroy any fruit or ornamental tree, culti- 
vated root or plant, fruit or other vegetable production, 
grape, strawberry or cranberry vines, currant, gooseberry, 
raspberry, or cultivated blackberry bushes, standing or 
growing on or being attached to the land of another, or 
shall, willfully and without lawful authority, cut down, 
root up, destroy or injure any fruit or ornamental tree or 
shrubbery, planted or growing on any street, lane, or 
alley, or public grounds, in any city, borough or incorpo- 
rated town in said State, every such person so offending, 
shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and, on convic- 
tion thereof, shall be punished by a fine of not more than 
five hundred dollars, or by imprisonment in the jail of the 
county not exceeding three months, or both, at the discre- 
tion of the court, and shall, moreover, be liable in double 
the amount of damages to the party injured. This law 
to take effect from and after its passage. 
Annnal 31eef lug 1 of tlae CommecticHt 
State Board of Agriculture.— This body was 
authorized by the last Legislature of the State, and was 
duly organized at its first session in New Haven, on tho 
8th of January, his Excellency Governor Hawley in the 
chair. It is composed of certain ex officio members, be- 
sides the Governor, and two representatives from each of 
the eight County Agricultural Societies, making about 
twenty members. By special invitation, the American 
Agriculturist was also represented at the meetings, which 
were continued with unabated interest for three days. A 
circular, issued by T. S. Gold, Secretary of the Board, 
proposing certain questions upon drainage, irrigation, and 
fruit culture, called forth a good many replies, and led to 
the attendance of some of the most distinguished farmera 
and fruit growers in the State. The Board had also made 
provision for lectures by Professors Johnson and Brewer, 
of the Talc Scientific School, which added much to the 
interest of the occasion. These were interspersed by 
discussions upon the topics indicated, and by reports 
from the various Agricultural Fairs held in the several 
Counties of the State. The County Societies are all kept 
up, and fairs are usually held, but not with uniform suc- 
cess. The following resolutions, looking to the improve- 
ment of these Societies, were introduced, and much the 
liveliest session was spent in their discussion. As they 
are of general interest and very suggestive of the wants 
of similar Societies in all parts of the country, we give 
them in full : — 
Resolved, That we regard permanent buildings, as well 
for live stock as for manufactured goods, essential to the 
permancut success of our Agricultural Societies, thereby 
enabling them to continue their Fairs for a longer period 
in each year. 
Resolved, That the location of these buildings in re- 
gard to facility of access by rail or steamer, is of the first 
importance. 
Resolved, That we recommend to the Agricultural Soci- 
eties the practice of securing contributions of stock and 
manufactures by personal solicitations of breeders and 
manufacturers, and devoting some time previous to the 
days of the Fair to this object. 
Resolved, That wc recommend the publication of tho 
proceedings of Societies, and their distribution through 
the country. 
Resolved, That we recommend to breeders the import- 
ance of explaining at the Fairs the qualities in the stock 
that they consider of chief value, with statements of their 
practice and success. 
The County fairs are doing a good work, and they ought, 
to be kept up in all the States where they are in exist- 
ence, and to be organized where they are not. A County 
embraces usually just about territory enough to bring to- 
gether a good representation of the several branches of 
agriculture, horticulture, and manufactures, and to make 
an interesting exhibition. A single town does not give 
variety enough, and the expense is a very serious objec- 
tion. The impression left upon our miud by the meet- 
ings is_that the agricultural and horticultural Interests of 
the State are in a thriving condition. Tho organization 
of this Board by the Legislature, after the example of 
Massachusetts, as one of the permanent institutions of 
the State, with its Secretory and Annual Volume of 
Transactions, is a cheering indication. The facilities af- 
forded for the meetings at the Hall of the Sheffield Scien- 
tific School, the gratuitous lectures given by Professors 
Johnson and Brewer, and the cordial welcome of all the 
Professors to the Board, and their guests, show that sci- 
ence is ready to extend its aid to UlCSC interests. Otir 
thanks are due to the Board tor their generous hospital- 
ity, and to the Yule Professor* tor numcroUG (hvors. 
