Watering* Poultry. 
There are many devices for watering vessels 
for poultry. Some are more elegant than useful, 
some poorly adapted, and some are convenient 
and to the purpose. At home we always use 
shallow tin or zinc pans. They are light, easily 
cleaned, and easily emptied and filled. 
In visiting a farmers poultry yard the other 
day we saw a very good, cheap, convenient home¬ 
made device which pleased us entirely for summer 
use. But it would require some modification for 
winter. It was simply a large keg or half barrel 
which had originally been a whiskey or beer 
keg, but is now put to a better use It was set 
one end on a big stone. A spiggot was introduced 
in the side near the bottom, and so guaged as to 
drop the water slowly into a shallow pan from 
which birds of all sizes rould drink. The trunk 
or keg was filled every morning by a funnel 
through a hole in the upper end, and supplied 
water for the day which was always clean and 
wholesome, though not very cold. He was much 
pleased with his success in rearing chickens, 
ducks and turkeys this season, and had not lost 
any from disease. He attributed his success in 
great part to this heme made watering vessel, 
and the use of Poultry Powder in the water once 
a week. He will read this, and will be surprised, 
no doubt, to see so simple a device noticed in 
these columns. But simple as it is it is excellent 
and others may do worse than to improvise a 
similar utensil. Farm Journal. 
How to Grow Potatoes. 
The Potato is a native of America. It was, 
however never fully appreciated by our people 
until the invasion of the country by the Irish, 
who, by their example, taught us to like it. Its 
importance as a staple field crop was never fully 
appreciated by Arner can farmers until the in¬ 
vasion of the potato bug, who taught us, (by 
example,) to be industrious and enterprising in 
the culture of the succulent bulb. But enough 
on that score. 
We promised last month to tell how to grow a 
big crop of potatoes. To aid us, we have sought 
and obtained information from farmers who an¬ 
nually do that very thing—grow a big crop of 
potatoes. Where else should we go? To some 
college professor, with head full of theories, who 
could by analyzing soil, potato and fertilizers 
tell exactly how to do it? We guess not? 
WHAT THOMAS SHALLCKOSS SAYS. 
“In this neighborhood—twelve miles north of 
Philadelphia—potatoes generally follow corn, 
though a clover sod offers a better chance for a 
crop. To obtain the best results, after the fodder 
has been removed in the fall, plow the ground 
about 6 in. deep and leave for the mellowing in¬ 
fluence of the frost. After the ground dries in the 
spring harrow nicely, then spread about 16 tons of 
good stable manure. (The most potatoes always 
grow where the most manure is spread). Plant 
from the middle of April to the middle of May, 
in every other furrow, about 3 inches deep, using 
good seed, obtained, if possible, from a more 
Northern locality, making the rows come about 
2 feet apart. About as many potatoes will grow 
to the row as where they are planted in every 
third furrow. Keep the ground well harrowed 
until the potatoes are all up. The scratch har 
row kills millions of small weeds and lessens the 
labor of after cultivation. Work well with the 
cultivators until the vines are ready to fall, then 
hill up and wait for results. ,, We asked 
JOHN M. JONES, 
a young farmer of Montgomery Co., Pa., to ex¬ 
plain how he came to grow 400 bushels last year 
possible for seed. In September, 1874 I found 
the yield of the Vermont seed to be 73 lbs. and 
the yield from my potatoes 74 lbs. The result of 
this experiment, taken in connection with what 
I have observed in the growth of crops, leads me 
to the belief that it is more important to select 
good seed, from year to year, and always take 
good care of it, than to change seed, or obtain it 
from other localities.” 
CUTTING THE SEED. 
William G. Burke, of Delaware Co., Pa., says: 
“ In a late paper I notice the following sentences, 
‘ do not neglect to cut potatoes ten days or two 
weeks before planting.’ After a fair trial of cut¬ 
ting potatoes two or three days before planting 
and planting them immediately after cutting, I 
have adopted the latter course as preferable. In 
this way they come up much more certainly and 
I think more speedily. When I have ashes I 
sprinkle them with that, otherwise with plaster 
of Paris, so as to coat the cut surface.” 
B,. Warrington, says:—“The crown eyes of the 
potato—those farthest from the stem—are the 
only ones which yield vigorous plants ; the pro¬ 
duce of the other eyes is feeble and unremunera- 
tive. If, therefore, potatoes are cut for seed, they 
should not (as is usual) be cut in their length, 
by which the crown is divided and eyes of all 
kinds introduced into the seed, but they should 
be cut across, the half containing the crown eyes 
