1878 .] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
17 
preserved for sale to hatters, who use the fur. 
The fanners are still troubled with the pests, but 
sueh wholesale destruction must in time have the 
effect of reducing their ravages. In parts of 
Oregon, rabbits have caused very extensive de¬ 
struction of crops, and a hint may be gathered 
from the Australian plan, which may lead to 
measures of relief and turn the pests to profit. 
Some Useful Corn Mills. 
Corn is so cheap that many do not take the trou¬ 
ble to be saving with it, and no grain is so wastef ully 
Fig. 1.— “big giant” corn mill. 
used. Economy is too rarely considered on Ameri¬ 
can farms. “ Lightly come ; lightly go,” seems to 
be the principle on which we all are too ready to 
act, and we throw out our whole grain with a 
liberality that is both wasteful and costly. Now it 
is certain, that grain when crushed or ground is 
worth more for feeding than when whole. It is eaten 
with less muscular effort, which is in reality no in¬ 
considerable gain, as for every movement of one 
single muscle there is an expenditure of vital force 
which requires the consumption of some food to 
replace it. Ground corn is also more easily digested, 
and there is less loss of undigested grains, which 
are carried off with the excrement^-a loss which 
is in some cases equal to a quarter or a half of 
the quantity fed. To get our grain ground costs 
11 per cent of it. For every‘10 bushels taken to 
the mill, we get 9 returned, a cost of one-ninth. 
For every $9 worth of com fed, we pay the 
miller one dollar. In feeding $500 worth of grain, 
then, the loss is equal to $55. Many farmers pay 
this amount every year, and besides lose many days 
time in going to and returning from the mill. Now 
it is very plain that if a farmer, who has been in the 
habit of feeding this quantity of grain every year, 
could procure a mill for the same amount that he 
pays yearly for his grinding, the mill would be paid 
for in one year, and ever afterwards the grinding 
would cost nothing, because it would take no longer 
to grind at home than to go to the mill. Many 
farmers, if such a mill be pointed out to them, will 
avail themselves of its advantages at once. A mill 
Fig. 2.— outside shell of “big giant.” 
that will grind 20 bushels of corn-ears, or 15 bushels 
of shelled-corn, into meal in an hour, with two 
horses attached to the sweep, is shown at figure 1. 
It is the “ Big Giant ” com mill, made by Jas. A, 
Field, Son & Co., of St. Louis, Mo. The engraving 
shows the mill set in its frame, ready to be staked 
to the ground, or to be bolted to a barn floor. It is 
operated by a sweep, to which the horses arc at¬ 
tached, and which embraces the outside shell of the 
mill, which is shown at figure 2. The inside cone 
is shown at figure 3. The cutters are arranged upon 
the upper part of the cone, and the grinding parts 
at the lower portion. The outside shell is similarly 
arranged, and by elevating or depressing the latter, 
by means of set screws, the meal is made coarser or 
finer. Corn in the ear, or ears with the husk, as 
stripped from the stalk, may be ground in this mill 
as easily as shelled corn, the cob being reduced to 
meal with the corn. The advantage of this to large 
hog, cattle, or sheep-feeders, is apparent at once. 
In grinding corn in the shuck, a little extra care in 
feeding the mill will be necessary. Having seen 
this mill at work, grinding both shelled corn, and 
ears yet green from the field, into meal, we can say 
from personal inspection that it does its work easily 
and excellently, and is a valuable and effective ma¬ 
chine. This mill is also made with gearing, to be 
operated by water or steam power. 
At figure 4 is shown a combined com-sheller and 
mill, known as the “ Mishawaka Feed Mill,” made 
by the St. Joseph Manufacturing Co., of Mishawaka, 
Indiana. It shells and grinds at the same time, or 
does either separately. It can be operated by hand 
or by power; with power it grinds 15 bushels an 
hour. The grinding plates are made of hard iron, 
and are expected to grind 1,000 bushels without 
being renewed. When worn, they are replaced 
with little cost and great ease. The mill is simple, 
durable, and works with light power. It grinds 
fine enough for feed only. Another useful feed 
mill is the “IXL ” Mill (fig. 5), of the U. S. Wind 
Engine and Pump Co., of Batavia, Ill. This is 
Fig. 3.— inside cone of “ big giant.” 
wholly of iron, and is run by power. The chilled 
iron grinding plates have grinding surfaces on both 
sides, and can be reversed. One set is expected to 
grind 4,000 bushels before they are completely worn 
out, when they can be replaced. To own one of 
these serviceable mills, could not fail to be profitable 
where a large quantity of grain is fed ; and where 
but little is used the convenience of having one’s 
own mill may still be enjoyed if a few neighbors 
could join in purchasing one. That would save 
many a tiresome journey to and from a grist mill 
in disagreeable weather, and over bad roads. 
- -m m w - 
Why We Should Grow Wool and Mutton, 
The consumption of wool in the United States is 
far ahead of its production ; a certain market is 
therefore offered for all we can produce. For 
several years past, the operation of a tariff has ren¬ 
dered the market for our wool steady and profit¬ 
able to the growers; and which has helped, if it 
has not induced, an extension of sheep culture be¬ 
yond any precedent, and at the same time greatly 
encouraged the woolen manufacture. The growth 
of wool and its manufacture into various fabrics, 
are necessarily closely related industries, and one 
I flourishes or suffers with the other. At the pres¬ 
ent time, our woolen manufactures surpass in ex¬ 
cellence those of any other country. The Centen¬ 
nial Exhibition proved this. The finest broadcloth 
there, was made in the State of Maine, but it is mor¬ 
tifying to ns to have to confess that the wool was 
brought from Silesia, while we are as well able to 
grow it as are the German farmers. The American 
Fig. 4.— THE MISHAWAKA FEED MILL. 
cassimeres were not excelled by any from foreign 
countries ; these are made from American fine to 
medium or merino wool. American flannels are 
better than similar European fabrics, because they 
are made from American wool, which is better than 
any we could import for this purpose. Our blank¬ 
ets are superior to any foreign ones; those made 
in California and Minnesota surpassed any others 
that were shown at the Centennial, and the Min¬ 
nesota blankets are actually exported to Europe 
for use in railroad sleeping cars. American knit 
goods of the very best quality are made from our 
combing wools. A most beautiful fabric, the 
America “ India ” shawl, is made from our finest, 
long wool. Our worsted fabrics, delaines, and cash 
meres, are made from our home-grown wools ; but. 
our alpacas are made from English combing wool. 
These last mentioned goods are so excellently 
made that they are excluding foreign fabrics, and 
are helping to turn the balance of the foreign trade 
greatly in our favor. One mill used for these goods 
10,000 fleeces weekly. For the first time in our 
history, our national flag is made of American grown. 
Cotswold wool, as are also the present fashionable 
bunting goods for ladies dresses. In carpets we excel 
the long-famed English manufactures. Over 100 fac¬ 
tories in Philadelphia, alone, are making carpets* 
and Others are at work in scores of villages and 
towns. “ Ingrain,” which has two colors in a line ; 
“ three-ply, ’’which has three ; “ tapestry,” which 
is printed ; “ Brussels,” which is dyed in the yarn ^ 
“Wilton,” “ tapestry-velvet,” and “ Axminster,’* 
which are all velvet; all these are now made in this. 
Fig. 5.— THE IXL FEED MILL. 
country and sold so cheaply that almost every 
house in the whole landhas carpets upon its floors. 
Lastly, the worsted coatings, with which our men 
of all degrees and professions are clothed, are 
