1807.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
129 
Slow Torture at the Stack.— Au in- 
telligent "Iowa Farmer" takes t; Connecticut" to task 
for his plea for shelter for cattle. "We agree with Con- 
necticut in regard to the desirableness of shelter, yet be- 
lieve with Iowa that snch stock as we get from Iowa and 
Dlinois do not appear to have led lives of extreme suffer- 
ing. He writes : " Now I do not uphold slow torture or 
any kind of torture for the dumb brutes, but it does not 
follow because they are not in warm stables that they are 
uncomfortable. That depends very much upon climate, 
natural shelter and food. In the report of the live Btock 
market of New York for the week ending Feb. 2— and I 
believe it is so during the year— nearly one half of the 
cattle were from Illinois, numbering 2,052, while only 97 
Were from Connecticut. I do not suppose one half of 
these Illinois steers were ever inside a stable, and yet 
when they left the Sucker State they were fine, fat, sleek 
fellows, and did not look as though they were suffering 
slow torture, but enjoying themselves about as well as 
bovines usually do. A fat animal rarely suffers from cold. 
But few of the men that have fed these steers are at 
present in much danger of going to the poor house." 
Draining; ^ffarshes into Wells.— 
11 M. M." This is sometimes done with success. If the 
Bwamp lies upon a clay hard pan, impervious to water, 
and there is a stratum of dry gravel beneath, it would be 
best to dig through the hard pan and watch the results. 
If the water disappears in the immediate vicinity of the 
well, it will pay to dig others. "We should not rely upon 
one well to drain several acres. You want to empty your 
basin rapidly after showers, especially in summer. "Wens 
at frequent intervals would also help to improve the cha- 
racter of the subsoil more rapidly. But if the wells fail, 
break through the hills and put down a covered drain 
deep enough to take off all the water. Marsh land is, as 
a general thing, poor property ; — knock the bottom out 
of it, and it makes the best grass land in the world. 
Selling- Land for Quarries.— Mrs. 
N. E. B. An undeveloped quarry cannot be worth very 
much more than the value of the land for other purposes. 
It costs large Bums of money to test the value of the slate, 
granite or marble, as the case may be ; and all this invest- 
ment is a dead loss if the stone prove worthless. Even 
when the value is proved, nearly the whole cost of a stone 
is for the labor expended in dressing it, and in setting it 
to market. And yet a stone quarry maybe worth more to 
a community than a gold mine. It may make a steady 
market for labor and foster industrious habits. 
Flat or JL»]j» Furrows — E>onl>Ie 
Plows, — In our discussion of Flat and Lap Furrows we 
have had no reference to the furrows turned by double 
plows— that is, large plows, with a " skimmer " plow or 
"jointer" on the beam. "Brutus," of Westport, N. Y., 
writes thus : " In the number for January I see an article 
in which the writer gives the flat furrow the preference. 
Such is not the theory or practice of our first-class fann- 
ers in this section ; the lap furrow better drains the land 
and gives us a warmer, livelier and quicker seed bed. 
That the grass and weeds are more troublesome with lap 
than with flat furrows may be true if sod-land be plowed 
with the common plow. But we obviate that difficulty in 
this manner : we attach to the beam of the plow, in the 
tamo manner as a coulter, what is termed a 'jointer,' 
which cuts two or three inches deep ; as the plow moves 
on, the jointer deposits in the bottom of the furrow all 
the grass, which otherwise would form the joint or lap of 
the furrow, and thus it is buried out of the way of the 
harrow, and where it will rot quickly. Corn land prepar- 
ed in this manner will require but little hand labor. In- 
stead of a sod in the lap of the furrow, we have a ridgo 
of mellow soil, and the cultivator or horse-hoc, in the 
hands of a careful laborer, will destroy all the weeds that 
make their appearance between the rows. Iu preparing 
stubble land for wheat tho same plow is used ; the jointer 
turns down the stubble, the plow covers it up, and the 
field has tho appearance of a summer fallow. The jointer 
may be attached to any plow with a proper length of 
beam."— Wo hope this will beguilo no one into em- 
ploying lap furrows (in tho common sense) in spring 
plowing, unless he can not make flat ones. 
The Wheat Failure.— "J. B.," Rich- 
mond, Ind., writes ; "The partial failure of the wheat 
crop during the past few years in pome sections, suggests 
the question if with a soil of unsurpassed fertility, all the 
modem appliances of machinery, and various periodicals 
and books that treat of systematic and scientific agricul- 
ture, are we falling far behind our less favored neighbors 
of the extreme North aud Northwest in the production 
and quality not only of wheat, but of other cereals ? Wo 
admit the seasons have been of late unfavorable, "but is 
this the only cause of failure? Have not other causes 
over which we had control had more to do with it ? Havo 
wo not boon too careless about the improvement and 
selection of Eeed, the choice and preparation of soil ? 
Have not successive and exhaustive cropping of the land, 
with a want of intelligent and searching investigation 
into this sad deterioration and diminution of one of our 
great staple crops, contributed to the result?— While 
some of our farmers have been allured by the specious 
representations and promises of adventurers and irre- 
sponsible dealers in "wine plants," tobacco, etc., they 
have neglected the cnlture of those more substantial and 
permanent sources of wealth npon which rest the real 
happiness and prosperity of the country. During a recent 
visit to Canada I was informed that the farmers meet at 
stated periods in their several districts for the buying, 
selling and exchange of choice grain, etc. Could not 
such a wise system be instituted here ? Cannot some- 
thing be done before we risk another failure ? " — [It would 
be hard to set a limit to what a good, active township or 
county farmers 1 club might accomplish in this way.— Ed.] 
Pump for Well.— "E. A. P." The dis- 
tance of the well from the house is not a matter of so much 
importance as the depth of the well. The suction pump 
will only raise water twenty-nine feet in a perpendicular 
hight, and the pump must be very perfect to draw this 
whole distance. Tho deeper the well, the more force it 
will require at the pump handle. The lead encased block 
tin pipe is a good article. The nearest village plumber 
will tell you the cost of the article and of suitable pumps. 
What to l>o With Slaughter-House 
Bones.— It is a difficult thing to say what a farmer 
should do with bones and offal that he can collect 
at a slaughter-house. They may all be thrown into a 
heap with stable manure, to fill all the interstices and 
give compactness to the heaps. This, if watered a little 
to start fermentation, and covered with earth or muck, 
will heat, and many soft bones and all the gristle and 
flesh will become free from the hard bones, which may be 
thrown out when the heap is forked over. The softened 
bones should be thrown to one side and mashed with a 
sledge. Those that remain hard, though they would 
yield to repeated operations, may better be left to dry and 
then sent to a bone mill, if one can be easily reached. 
There should be one in every neighborhood. If this can 
not be done, which is usually the case, the bones may be 
broken up somewhat with a sledge, and either rotted 
again, or treated at once with sulphuric acid and water. 
First wet the bones, which should be on a hard clay floor, 
somewhat dishing, or in a half-hogshead tub, then pour 
upon and over the heaps gradually oil of vitriol, to the 
amount of half the weight of the bones, adding mqre 
water occasionally. There will be intense heat generated, 
and the mass Bhould be shoveled over or stirred well fre- 
quently, more water added if it dries at all ; and so, after 
a while, the hard bones will yield. It may be necessary 
to add more acid, and finally the mass may be dried off 
by mixing the mashed bones, or adding muck or dry soil. 
Cora Blight.—" Will corn blight if planted 
three years in succession upon the same piece of ground ?" 
Not if you put on plenty of manure. Corn is said to have 
been planted on some of the bottom lands of the Scioto 
Valley for 40 years in succession, without any evidence of 
blight. But rotation of crops is ordinarily the true policy. 
The shamming;** off" SorgfhiflmJSi&iee 
are said to be good food for milch cows, and it will pay 
better to use it in this manner than for vinegar. 
Coal Ashes.— "H. S. F.," Bellows Fall, Ct., 
asks, " whether coal ashes can be used in any way." Tho 
best use to be made of them is on roads and walks, cither 
by themselves or with gravel. They soon pack very firm. 
They contain a slight amount of fertilizing material and 
may be used on stiff soils where sand would bo beneficial. 
Farming- hy Professional I?Ien.— 
Wc have received a letter from a city lawyer asking in- 
formation upon this topic, wliich will soon bo answered 
by a gentlemen of experience. It is entirely practicable 
for a business man in the city to live in the country, and 
derive a largo part of the support of his family from tho 
cultivation of the soil, or to quit tho city altogether upon 
a very moderate income. Just how this can bo done can 
not bo told iu a basket article. 
I'Oiiisiana Stafle Fair iu May. — 
An Association proposes holdings State Agrieultunr-Fair 
in Baton Rouge, La., during the week beginning Monday, 
May oth. Mr. Clayton EvortS, uf Baton Kongo, is Cor- 
responding Secretary and will give further Information, 
Apples Tor Wisconsin.— At tho annual 
meeting of the Wisconsin IIortieultur.il Society tho fol- 
lowing list of five varieties was adopted : Rod Astr.irli.in, 
Duchesne of Oldcnburgh, Fainuuso, Tallman Bwocting, 
Golden Russet. For a second five: Fall Stripe, St. Law- 
rence, Perry Russet, Red Romanite, and Willow-twig. 
How to Make S&ens ILay. — It is well 
enough to start hens in laying by giving them stimulating 
food, but we do not believe in keeping it up after they 
begin to lay generally. Much meat fat will induce disease 
sooner or later. M. J. Skinner, of Northampton Co., Pa., 
says he takes a common milkpot full of thickened milk, 
addB a tablespoonful of Cayenne pepper, and a handful of 
wheat bran, stirs it up and feeds it to the chickens every 
morning, and since he has done so has greatly increased 
his supply of eggs. It is a good practice, and not so in- 
jurious as feeding much meat. 
Stale Fish, for Main:re. — Mackerel and 
other kinds of salt fish, which arc spoiled for food, may 
often be bought very cheap for manure. They are best 
mashed up with soil or muck, and used after laying a few 
weeks and being worked over once or twice. Use at least 
three parts muck to one of fish. 
Cure for Crashing- Morses. — Wo 
published in the December number a suggestion from a 
Volunteer Officer in regard to a cure for cribbing being 
effected by separating the crowding front teeth. He at- 
tributed the habit or disease of cribbing or wind-sucking 
to the painful crowding of the teeth. Since making that 
statement we have received several letters confirming tho 
view. One correspondent says; " I am satisfied from ex- 
perience the view is correct." Our friends of the N. 
Y. College of Veterinary Surgeons, however, say it is 
entirely incorrect, and that they have seen horses 1 teeth 
filed out — that is, a thin file ran up between all the front 
teeth on the upper jaw without producing the least effect. 
BmproTcd Kins; Philip Corn, u Hol 
don n . Dutton Com and other standard eastern varieties, 
may be obtained of all dealers in agricultural seeds. 
Breaking; Morses to Single Line. — 
"J. L.," Chester Co., Pa., says the best way to break a 
horse to the single line that he has found is, to put him 
before a hoc-harrow in working corn, and attach single 
and double lines. When the single line will not answer, 
use the others. Have the single line loose from the har- 
row and folded around the hand. You can make a good 
leader of almost any horse in this way in a short time. 
Two Eggs a i)ay from One Hen. — 
"J. G. S.," Philadelphia. It may be that your observa- 
tion is correct. There is nothing in the nature of things 
to render it impossible for a hen to lay two eggs in one 
day. Two yolks in one shell are common. The occur- 
rence of one perfect cg;^ inclosed in another, (there being 
room in the outer shell for the first egg, and for a yolk 
and white of ordinary size), is not very rare. Hens will 
sometimes lay a sound egg and a soft shelled one the samo 
day ; but whether or not there is any absolute proof that 
a hen has laid two good eggs in one day we do not know. 
£$laelc Spanish. — " Can the Ethiopian 
Change his Skin?"— J. H. Mabbett, of South Bergen. X. 
J., states that he has a Black Spanish hen, about one half 
of whose feathers came white at the second moulting; 
at the third she was entirely white ; at the fourth she still 
remained white; at the fifth, which was last fall, about 
one half of her plumage came black. The hen now looks 
as she did at the second moulting. He says: "I have 
taken no little interest in watching the changes in her 
plumage, and intend to keep her as a curiosity until she 
dies. I presume she will be black again this fall. It is a 
freak of nature, and one I think of rather rare occurrence. 
Having inadc Black Spanish a specialty for the past six 
years, I have only heard of a very few from true stock 
that have made this change in plumage, and think, nnle&a 
they come in contact with some white fowls, they will 
not becomo more abundant than ' white crows.' M 
Threshing Conveniently in Single 
Floored Earns.— -John Larkin, of East Brandy wine, 
Chester Co., Pa., furnishes us with the following plan he 
adopted to do his threshing last fall, by which he says ho 
was enabled to perform the same in about half tho time 
formerly required. lie has an endless chain one-horse 
power and thresher, and instead of having them both on 
one Door, as is the custom with most Rumors to th.it sec- 
tion, he put the threshernp on poles, or BQUAXG pieces of 
timber that had been put across the front part of the bam, 
about eight feet above the lloor for mowing wheat on. 
Ho placed a conplo of planks cross-ways of Uieso, and 
screw-bolted them down. The thresher WHS than placed 
on these, and after adjusting the strap, was fastened down 
llie same as on the tloor. Two or three temporary posts 
were put up from the floor bcno&tu and nailed fa--t to tho 
Cross-pieces, a few looso boards laid dowu for a floor, etc. 
