1867.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
243 
grape Tine. The third year, I let two branches grow each 
way. I have continued training my Flowering Almond 
each year, and now I have a beautiful climber, a. little 
' over twelve feet high, and three inches around. The 
three branches on each side are two and a half feet 
long, and a little over one inch around. It blossoms 
about the 10th of May, long before other plants bud." 
Sailed, for Europe. — On Wednesday, 
May 20th, on the Steamer Tripoli, Orange Judd, Esq., 
wife, and three children. We have since heard of the 
safe arrival of the steamer. 
Married. — At Munson, Mass., on Jane loth, 
Mr. A. W. Roberts, Superintendent of the Engraving De- 
partment of the American Agriculturist, io Miss Ida Beattie. 
Perseverance asni'S 3?iaeaos. — We have 
had the pleasure of presenting a magnificent Steinway 
Piano to Mrs. Annie Flagg, of Bloomington, HI. This 
lady commenced canvassing about the 1st of October, 
lSGG,and allowed nothing to discourage her in her attempts 
to earn the prize. On May 4th she was here, selected a 
piano, and expressed her entire satisfaction. A beautiful 
little two-year old, who accompanied the mother all the 
way from Illinois, showed that it was not a trip to while 
away time, but a real business transaction, with a view to 
adding new attractions to a pleasant home, that stimulated 
this successful operation. $650, earned in seven months, 
besides attending to the cares of a family, are indications 
of the kind of stuff we should be pleased to sec more of 
In the world. Mrs. Flagg's judgment in working for the 
Steinway Piano we can approve most heartily, as 
each of our partners has one of them in his own house, 
and desires no better instrument. 
Still More Grape ILiteraUure.— 
" Mead^s American Grape Culture and Wine Making." 
By Peter B. Mead. New York: Harper & Brothers. It 
is a very handsome volume of some 4S0 pages, and very 
liberally illustrated. When we have perused it, we shall 
be able to say something of its contents Vineyard 
Culture, by Du Breuil, with notes by J, A. Warder, is an- 
other work soon to be issued by Robert Clark & Co., Cin- 
cinnati. Dn Breuil is high authority, and the value of the 
work to Americans will be greatly enhanced by the copi- 
ous notes of Dr. Warder. We have the specimen sbeets 
only, and must defer a more extended notice until the 
work is out. It Is beautifully printed. 
Molar obi tBae Grape Vine. — The trans- 
lation of Mohr's work, by "Horticola," is now ready, and 
forms a neat little work of 129 pages. It is a very plain 
discussion of the structure of the vine, and the principles 
involved in its pruning, training and cultivation gen- 
erally. As the propagation of American varieties is dif- 
ferent from that pursued in Europe, the translator has 
given an account of our methods, and added some brief 
notes on the leadiug American varieties. 
Tennessee Lands. — The advertisement of 
Mr. Dodge will bean answer to many letters asking where 
southern lands can be bought. Mr. D., well known 
as an artist before he became a fruit grower, is, on account 
of the ill health of a member of his family, prevented from 
returning to his estate, from which he was driven by the 
fortunes of war. We have no personal knowledge of the 
property, but from the references he gives to those who 
have seen it, and the fruit we have seen from it, we 
think it worthy of the attention of those who are seek- 
ing a location in the Southern States, 
IVotes of Travel— Crops, Use of 
Lime, etc.— One of the Editors, traveling in Pennsyl- 
vania, writes us, from the Valley of the Lehigh, as we go 
to press, u that the <?rops arc everywhere looking very 
finely, and it is admitted, on all hands, that the grain 
harvests were never more promising. The country, all 
along the line of the railroad, from Easton to far above 
Catasauqua, \* a succession of wheat and rye fields, and 
blooming meadows — very encouraging lo people who 
have been paying $:J5 dollars a ton for hay. Wheat is 
quite as generally grown in this section as rye, and many 
of the fields arc so rank in growth that the straw is lodged 
in spots. The prevailing rock is limestone, and the prac- 
tice of liming the land, once in four or five years, is 
almost universal. This, and the turning in of green 
crops, is the main reliance for keeping the ground in 
good heart. All the manure that is made is applied to 
the land, but a much greater breadth is cultivated than 
can be fertilized by this method. Indian corn is much 
more largely cultivated than on the sea-board. It is not 
uncommon to find 30 and -10 acres raised on a two hun- 
dred acre farm, with about, as much in wheat or rye. " It 
is much more a grain than a grass region. As the lime 
is generally quarried, and burnt, upon the farm, and al- 
ways in the immediate vicinity, it makes a very cheap j 
dressing for the land. It is rarely more than ten cents a 
bushel at the kiln, and the quantity, when slaked upon 
the field where it is used, is about double. Thirty bush- 
els to the acre is considered a fair dressing, thongh much 
more than this is often used. Whatever the philosophy 
of its action upon the soil, its beneficial effects are every- 
where apparent, and its influence, upon fields underlaid 
with lime rock, is quite as apparent as upon the adjacent 
districts, where another rock prevails. Liming the land 
is a cardinal doctrine with every farmer in this region.' 1 
To Officers and 3Eeml>ers ©f Horti- 
cultural Societies.— We are desirous of being able 
to furnish early as complete and accurate a list as possi- 
ble of the Autumn Fairs, and, besides, wish for our 
Annuals a list of the officers of all the prin- 
cipal agricultural, and kindred societies, in North 
America. We take the liberty, then, of asking to 
have the circulars, posters, reports, or marked newspa- 
pers, containing information about such societies, which 
will be of value to us, sent to the address of the American 
Agriculturist. In case such printed information can not 
be obtained, please drop us a line. Advertisements and 
notices in county papers, etc., are likely to be overlooked 
unless distinctly marked. As this item may not meet the 
eye of officers, a private member, or any one interested, 
in any particular society, will do us a great favor by giv- 
ing the information at as early a day as possible. 
Gregory ora Squaslaes. — We have just 
published a treatise by Mr. Jas. J. H. Gregory, of Marble- 
head, Mass., on the Culture of Squashes. We have a lik- 
ing for these books on special culture, as the author has 
a chance to say all he has to say on the subject. We can 
not see how Mr. Gregory could have treated the matter 
more in detail. The title of his work is " Squashes and 
How to Grow Them," and he not only tells how to grow 
them, but gives all the details of harvesting, storing and 
keeping, marketing, saving seed — in fact, all that a prac- 
tical man who wields a vigorous pen can tell on the sub- 
ject. We announced this work some time ago, but the 
illness of Mr. Gregory, prevented its earlier publication. 
We would inform certain parties (see page 25S,) that this 
work was written by Mr. Gregory, and not by one of our 
Editors, and shall keep the manuscript for some time, to 
satisfy any stupids who may attribute this work to other 
than the author. Until we read this work we bad no idea 
of the importance of the squash crop, but it would seem 
that it ranks next to the potato, and that it will pay every 
farmer to cultivate squashes, rather than the compara- 
tively valueless pumpkin. AboutTO pp., paper covers, 30c. 
Silveroleave«l Maple, — J. W. B., Bona- 
parte, Iowa., asks if " what the nurserymen sell as soft, 
or white maple, are one and the same." The silver- 
leaved maple is Acer dasycarpum, and is often called white 
maple. The name soft maple is at the East usually ap- 
plied to Acer rubru?n, the red or swamp maple. The sil- 
ver-leaved maple, a common tree at the West, is one of 
the most valuable for planting in belts, and it is of rapid 
growth, does not throw up suckers, and is useful as fuel. 
Where can I get it ? — A large number of 
our letters may be condensed into " Where can I get this, 
that, or the other thing ?" If the thing inquired about is 
out of the usual way, we take a little pains to And out, 
and write the party thus inquiring, but when it is for 
common nursery or seed stock, we cannot notice their 
letters. Every nurseryman or seedsman has or can get 
from his neighbors all the usual articles of trade, and it 
is useless for us to say that common articles may be had 
at any particular place. If one has a good thing to sell, 
he knows enough to advertise it, and there is little danger 
of any dealer keeping long in obscurity. The demand for 
new breeds of animals of all kinds, including fowls, is 
something wonderful, and it is the same with plants. Wo 
do our best to answer these queries, but we cannot satisfy 
those who ask us where many common things can be had. 
We suppose that we have had fifty inquiries this season 
for tree seed. The best that we can do. is to send the 
letter to a reliable dealer, with the request that he will 
forward his catalogue to the writer. 
Jlore Clrape Vines.— Some parties, we 
notice, have alrready begun to advertise their stock of 
vines for the fall trade, and others are preparing to do so. 
Judging from the indications, the number propagated 
this year will be large, though not, we think, in excess of 
the demand. Every spring thus far has shown a scarcity 
of the leading kinds, and grape growing in this country 
has only fairly commenced. There is an advantage in se- 
enring vines for planting early ; the first comers can se- 
lect from better stock, and, as a rule, prices have also 
been higher in spring than in the fall. 
CSrnpe Queries.— G. F. C, Atchison, Kan- 
sas, writes; '* I have a small, prosperous vineyard, of 
200 vines, (Concord and Hartford Prolific,) now one year 
old, and would like to know (1,) whether it is best to 
give them an annual coating of manure, and cultivate them 
during the season, or (2.) whether it is best to give them 
a permanent mulch of saw dust. In cultivating them, 
the spade or plow will cut off some of the surplus roots. 
Does this (3.) injure the vine ? They made a vigorous 
growth of from 10 to 14 feet last season, (1 cane.) I cut 
them back to about three feet, and will grow two arms 
this season, for training to trelis. Is it best (4.) to let 
them bear fruit this season ? If so, how much, without in- 
jury to the vine ?" Answer.— 1. In proper grape soils but 
little manure is needed, and, as the vines were manured 
at planting, we should say no to the manure, and yes to 
the cultivation. 2. Saw dust is not advisable as a "per- 
manent mulch," as it soon begins to decay, and be infest- 
ed by troublesome fungi. 3. Use a hoc-fork, and keep 
the surface loose. 4. That depends upon the strength of 
the vine. In the long run, it is best for the vineyard not 
to bear until it is three years old. 
Hungarian CSrass.— If a farmer is like- 
ly to have less hay than his necessities require, wo 
recommended Indian corn, sown in drills, cut, and 
well cured, before the kernels fills on the ears, as the best 
substitute ; yet, as this requires a good deal of manure, or 
land in good tilth and heart, Hungarian grass may be 
used with great satisfaction and on poorer soil. It needs 
thoroughly drained laud, and if the soil be mellow, and in 
fair heart, even though corn or potatoes would suffer 
from drought upon it, this crop will probably do well. 
Itsas best to sow between the 15th of June and the 15th 
of July. Half a bushel per acre is enough. Cut when 
just out of blossom. The hard shell of the seed, and the 
bristly husk of the ripened grain, are said to injuro 
horses ; hence cut early. It is cured and stored like ha}-. 
W&at France Sends to Kiag-TaBatf . 
—France exported to England from January, 3S66, to 
October, 1S66, eggs to the value of $7,100,000 : butter and 
cheese, $13,200,000; poultry, $400,000; feathers, $2,400,000. 
Why cannot the United States help to supply poor John ! 
Mixing Kannre ^vatl* 6i H.ive " 
Aslaes. — "M. A. 11 This is .never advisable, and can 
only be done with safety where there is a large quantity 
of muck, charcoal or loam present to absorb the ammonia 
that is released by the mixing of the manure and ashes. 
Quinces.— P. H. Perrin. Angers is best for 
pear stocks ; it is distinct from the Orange or Apple 
Quince, and we cannot find, that Thomas, in either 
his old . or new work, says, that they are the same. 
Aeraiion iu €hnrning; — A neir 
Churn. — New churns are too common. Good ones arc 
rare. The quick churns usually make poor butter— pale, 
soft, and lardy. The article advertised as u The Dasher 
Churn," has been put through its paces, and for the last 
six weeks has reigned supreme in our small dairy. The 
butter comes, almost every time, before the churner knows 
it, say in five minutes, or less, waxy — firm, sweet, odor- 
ous. The milk and cream are well taken care of, the 
cow's feed is good, and the mistress of the dairy under- 
stands her business. Therefore the reason that we have 
so good butter is not all in the churn. The distinguish- 
ing feature of this churn is the admission of a constant 
current of air at the axle, which is dashed through the 
cream, and passes out of pipes in the cover. It is as 
simple and easily managed as any churn we ever used, 
and is well and durably made. 
Tine Hoove is the distension of the rumen 
of cattle by the gases, produced by the fermentation of 
food. The effects eating too freely of red clover are often 
of the most serions character. The production of great 
quantities of gas in the paunch inflates it and the animal, 
like a bladder, and all efforts to reduce il sometimes foil. 
Great care should, therefore, bo exercised thai fences arc 
strong, and that COWS, or other rattle, or sheep at pasture, 
can not break into a clover field. When clover is to be 
fed oft", the usual way is to accustom animals to it, gradu- 
ally turning them in an hour or two daily for a few days, 
then leaving them in altogether. This is right, but it is not 
absolute security. Experienced fanners believe that there 
is little danger after a few days, provided the cattle are 
well salted, or have, constantly, access to sail. "An 
ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." Relief 
is often quickly afforded by tying a small, firm hay rope, 
rather tightly, through the mouth, and over behind the 
horns, or over one horn and behind the other. The ani- 
mal's effort to shake off the rope, permits an escape of the 
gas, which will, ordinarily, not form again if a dose of 
soda or hartshorn be administered. One to one and one- 
i> | ■' ounces of either may bo ■ iven, In a pint of water. 
