1878.] 
129 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
are requested to draw a pencil through that word, to re¬ 
mind you that it belongs to a very different game. But 
good things are often hit upon by more than one person, 
and it now appears that the game described by Aunt 
Sue, though quite unlike Mr. Wright’s, is similar to one 
offered for sale by C. E. Hammett, Jr., a well known 
bookseller, of Newport, E. I., who furnishes the boxes of 
letters, with printed directions for playing the game, 
which he will furnish by mail, post-paid, at 27 cents. We 
may add that we hardly know of any other way in which 
this small sum will afford so much amusement, as besides 
the game referred to, the same letters may be used for 
various other games described by Aunt Sue. 
Perclierou Horses.—A meeting of im¬ 
porters and breeders of Norman or Percheron horses, was 
held at Peoria, Ill., ou February 14th last. The chief 
object of the meeting was the change of name of the As¬ 
sociation of breeders and importers of Norman horses, 
and the addition of the word Percheron before the word 
Norman. This object was accomplished. The stud book 
will now be called “ Perclieron-Norman.” A motion to 
the effect that the Percheron and Norman horses were one 
and the same breed, was laid on the table. This is well, 
as all the “ resoluting ” would hardly change the fact that 
they are different horses in many respects. Only imported 
horses, native full bloods, and animals having five pure 
crosses, can now be admitted to the stud book. 
Scurvy in Poultry.—“ A. C.,” St. Mary’s 
River, Ga., sends the following account of a fatal 
disease affecting fowls in his locality, which he calls 
“warts:” “The warts begin to show themselves with 
warm weather—(here, our climate is nine months sum¬ 
mer, and three of spring), generally about the head and 
neck, working towards the mouth and around the bill. 
They resemble the human 1 small-pox. 1 The pustules 
are filled with yellow-colored matter. If the warts get 
into the mouth, the bird is choked, as the tongue and 
throat swell up, as in diphtheria. As remedies, sulphur, 
gas-tar, kerosene, etc., have been tried in turn, and 
failed. The birds, as well as chicks, are attacked. 
Sometimes the whole body is affected, when the 
feathers fall off. Turkeys, likewise, have the dis¬ 
ease, but ‘water-fowl,’ such as geese and ducks, in the 
same yard, are perfectly free from it.”—The disease is 
scurvy. It is, fortunately, rare, because, when it attacks 
a flock, it generally destroys the whole, unless measures 
are taken to stop it. These are, to administer to each 
bird ten grains of sulphur and one grain of calomel, every 
alternate day; and to apply to the diseased parts an 
ointment, made of one ounce of sweet oil, mixed with 
one-third of an ounce each of sulphur and turmeric. The 
disease is in the blood, and is not warts, by any means. 
To prevent its spreading, give chopped fresh vegetables 
and boiled oatmeal mush to the other fowls ; and put In 
the drinking water enough Aromatic Sulphuric Acid 
' (Elixir of Vitriol) to make it decidedly sour to the taste. 
Also, separate the sick birds from the well. 
The Pip in Poultry. —“W. T. W.,” 
Dutchess Co.,N. Y. Poultry are sometimes troubled with 
a disease known as “ pip.” This is inflammation of the 
tongue and mouth, with the growth of a horny scale on 
the point of the tongue, which prevents the fowls from 
feeding. Give each fowl a pinch of powdered chlorate of 
potash, dropping it into the throat and upon the tongue, 
and remove the scale with the point of a penknife. 
Fresli Manure bad for Potatoes.— 
“J. H. T.,” Palmyra, O. Fresh manure is hurtful to 
potatoes. This crop needs old well-rotted manure, or 
the tubers are apt to he scabby, and to be infested with 
white worms. Fresh manure may he used for com with¬ 
out any ill effects. The corn rather likes it. There are 
no potatoes so clean and free from blemish, as those 
grown with the artificial fertilizers. 
To get Land under Grass quickly. 
—•' A. M. D.,” Portsmouth, Ohio. After a wet piece of 
land has been underdrained, it may be best seeded by 
plowing and sowing with oats rather thinly. Oats suc¬ 
ceed well upon cold moist ground, and upon a sod, and 
if there are no more than 2 bushels of seed per acre used, 
the grass seed, will take very well with this crop. A mix¬ 
ture of 4 quarts of timothy, a bushel of red-top, and a 
bushel of blue-grass per acre, would be preferable. 
Catalogues of Healers.— A list of the 
catalogues received since those acknowledged last month 
will be found on page 153. This, together with the re¬ 
markable variety of advertisements, can not fail tor in¬ 
terest all intending to purchase. 
Culture of Potatoes.—“H. T.,” Por¬ 
tage Co., Ohio. For general planting, now that the po¬ 
tato-beetle is with us as a permanent companion, the 
early varieties of potatoes will be preferable, Of the§o 
the‘‘Early Rose ” is yet a standard sort. The “Snow¬ 
flake ’’ is one of the favorite new varieties for field cul¬ 
ture. “Early Vermont” has been found to succeed in 
gome localities, and is worth trial, and there are several 
still newer early kinds that promise to be valuable. Late 
potatoes, in the East at least, have mostly succumbed to 
the beetle, and have been an almost total loss, or have 
cost more to save than they have been worth. Drill cul¬ 
ture is undoubtedly the most profitable. With drills 24 
to 27 inches apart for the early kinds, the seed may be 
dropped in single sets 9 inenes apart, or two sets in a 
place, 18 inches apart. The earlier the ground is pre¬ 
pared, and the sooner afterwards the seed is planted, the 
more forward will be the crop, and the better able to re¬ 
sist the beetle. Last year the earliest potatoes suffered 
very little, and Paris Green could not save the late ones. 
Tlie Ground Vut, Apios tuberose, was 
figured and described in January, 1S77. It was there 
stated that the root was one of the many things offered 
several years ago as a substitute for potatoes. We had 
not then made a trial of the tuberous root, having never 
seen any large enough. Last fall, Mr. E. S. Miller, of 
Suffolk Co., (L. I.), N. Y., sent us a flue lot for planting ; 
there were a few among them about as large as a black 
walnut—very black-coated and unpromising looking 
things they were. We had these boiled, and though 
when served their appearance was by no means attractive, 
we found them really palatable; quite dry and somewhat 
sweetish, and with a flavor somewhat between that of a 
sweet potato and a boiled chestnut. Wo do not know 
how long it takes to grow a root like the largest of 
these, but when grown, and one has a plenty of them, 
it would take him a long time to starve to death. 
To Rid Hog-s of Tice.—“ W. E. G.,’> 
Henrico Co., Va. To destroy lice upon hogs, rub well 
into the bristles, along the spine, on the brisket, and be¬ 
neath tlie arms and thighs, a mixture of lard and sulphur 
well rubbed together. 
Hiui’esis iu a Heilei*.—“D. H. H.,” 
Success, L. I. Diuresis, or excessive secretion of urine, 
may be caused by anything that will unduly stimulate the 
kidneys. Musty hay, smutty corn-fodder, mouldy meal, 
bran, or other food, or acrid weeds in the hay, all have 
this eft'ect. The remedy is to seek out and avoid the 
cause, and to give mucilaginous drinks, such as oat-meal 
or linseed-gruel, with a teaspoonful of powdered Peruvian 
hark, and as much powdered sulphate of iron, daily. 
©rowing Beans. — “ W. S. C.,” Fulton 
Co., Pa. Beans are a valuable crop, and give very little 
trouble. The most troublesome part of their culture is 
to preserve them from rain after they are pulled, so as to 
keep their color perfectly. When damaged by wet, they 
become stained, and reduced in value. The crop could 
very well he added to the ordinary rotation—for instance, 
after oats—as they can be got out of the way in time for 
sowing wheat, and wheat succeeds better after beans 
than after oats. Besides there is one more cultivated 
crop in the rotation, and the wheat would he cleaner. 
Relted. Cattle.—We have numerous in¬ 
quiries from many parts of the country for tlie belted cat¬ 
tle, which were illustrated in the Agriculturist for Dec. 
last.. A reply will be found in the advertising columns. 
The best Stock for a Milk Hairy. 
“ C. M. W.,” Orange County, N. Y. The best cows for a 
milk dairy are grade Shorthorns. They milk plentifully, 
giving rich, high-flavored milk, and the cream does not 
rise rapidly upon it. This renders the milk most suitable 
for shipping to a city or town market. By good feeding, 
cows of this kind are kept in good flesh, and when failing 
in milk, they fatten with rapidity. We cannot see how 
a milk dairyman can afford to raise calves. Profit is only 
made from milk, and a dry cow soon “ eats her head off.” 
A good supply of dairy cows is to be found in Southern 
N. Y. and Northern Pa., in the region of the head waters 
of the Delaware and Susquehanna rivers. A good class 
of stock is kept there bred to supply purchasers. 
“ Plain Facts About Florida ” ia 
the title of a pamphlet by Geo. W. Dow, Fernandina, 
Fla. We are rather careful in noticing works aboutFlor- 
ida—at least those written with a view to induce emigra¬ 
tion thither. The impression prevails, as our corre¬ 
spondence shows, that the advantages of the State have 
been overpraised, and that many persons have been, by 
glowing descriptions, induced to go there, who would, if 
they only conld, gladly get home again. This is true of 
all emigration fevers. We do not believe in such fevers, 
and onr advice has always been, with reference not es¬ 
pecially to Florida, but to any other State—Don’t move 
to or locate anywhere, without first visiting the place, 
and seeing the land. Those, whether individuals or 
companies, who have land to sell, will present all the at¬ 
tractions of the locality, be it iu Florida or Alaska, and 
utterly ignore the drawbacks, and will continue to do so, 
as long as human nature remains as it is. We think that 
this little book of “ Plain Facts ” is very moderate, es¬ 
pecially when we read ou p. 13, “Mosquitoes and sand¬ 
flies are an incumbrance that Florida will never be free 
from,” and that, “ Fever and ague prevail in some local¬ 
ities at certain seasons.” Evidently the author has eyes 
to see both sides, and he will prove in the end a better 
friend to the State than those who represent it is a para¬ 
dise, which one lias only to reach to enjoy and prosper. 
Sent from this office, post-paid, for 25 cents. 
Basket Items 
on page 
continued 
152 . 
Exports of Agricultural Produce. 
The exports of agricultural products for 1877, were as 
follows; 
Breadstuff's, (which include all kinds 
of grain)..$140,068,087 
Cotton. 158,258,286 
Oil-cakes...... 4,276,050 
Provisions. 109.723,172 
Seeds... . 2,565,733 
Tobacco. 28,497,479 
Fruits. 1,836,918 
Total .....$445,225,725 
The total exports during the year were $671,632,366. 
The products of agriculture furnished, therefore, more 
than two-thirds of the whole of our foreign exports. This 
is a fair test of the relative importance of the agricultural 
interest, as compared with other national industries. 
When we compare the proportionate demands made by 
other industries upon the Government for recognition 
and assistance, with those afforded to agriculture, a very 
conspicuous inequality is apparent to the disadvantage 
of the latter. Farmers are permitted to get along as they 
can without help, and in spite of some hindrances, while 
other industrial classes clamor for help and get it. If we 
add to the above figures the vast amount of inland traffic 
supplied by agriculture, the comparison would be very 
much mote in its favor in one way, and its disadvantage 
in that pointed out. 
More About Farm., Experiments. 
Tlie following is in addition to the general article, with 
the above title, given last month, on page 86. An edi¬ 
torial, page 131, gives a summary general view of the ob¬ 
ject and aims of these experiments ; and Prof. Atwater 
discusses the subject on page 130. It will he noticed that 
sonic important additions are made to the “extras,” 
while the regular Set A is unchanged : 
Experimental Fertilizers. 
I. 
II. 
III. 
IV. 
V. 
VI. 
VII. 
Ia. 
16. 
Ilia. 
III6. 
IVa. 
VUI. 
IX. 
X. 
XI. 
XII. 
xin. 
Mateiiials. 
Kind. 
I A- [ Valuable 
mount. Ingredients. 
SET 
Nitrate of Soda. 
Dissolved Bone-Black. 
Muriate of Potash. 
) Nitrate of Soda. 
| Dissolved Bone-Black, 
j Dissolved Bone-Black- 
( Muriate of Potash. 
( Nitrate of Soda. 
■< Dissolved Bone-Black. 
( Muriate of Potash. 
Plaster. 
Price of Set A.. 
lbs 
Nitrogen. 
Phos.Acid 
Potash. 
Nitrogen. I 
Phos.Acid f 
Phos.Acid) 
Potash. J 
Nitrogen. ) 
Phos.Acid V 
Potash. \ 
1.40 
1.25 
1.90 
EXTRAS. 
Sulphate of Ammonia. 15 lbs 
Dried Blood. 
Sulphate of Potash. 
Kainit. 
j Dried Blood. 
| DissolvedBone-Black. 
Pure Bone-Meal. 
Fine Bone Dissolved. 
Dry Gronnd-Fish. 
No. 1 Peruvian Guano. 
Rec. Guano, “Oneco.” 
J Nitrate of Soda. 
| Muriate of Potash. 
25 “ 
20 “ 
30 “ 
20 j “ 
30 f “ 
50 “ 
50 “ 
50 “ 
40 “ 
50 
“Ij 
Nitrogen. 
Nitrogen. 
Potash. 
Potash,&c. 
( Nitrogen. | 
j Phos.Acid f 
) Nitrogen. ) 
| Phos.Acid j 
( Nitrogen. I 
| Phos.Acid j 
[ Nitrogen. 1 
I Phos.Acid f 
j Nitrogen. ) 
Phos.Acid V 
[ Potash. j 
[ Nitrogen. ) 
Phos.Acid > 
Potash. ) 
Nitrogen. 1 
Potash. f 
Each article will be put up in a small bag, numbered I., 
II., Ill,, Ia., etc., as above. Nos. I. to VH. will he put in 
