162 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[May, 
Contents for May, 1878. 
Among the Farmers, No. 2S.—Tramps—Feedidg Work 
Horses—Horses Lying Down—Chances for Farming 
— Supplying Mills — Free Trade in Milk — Beet 
Sugar.174-175 
Barn, Plan of Wisconsin.3 Illustrations.. 179 
Bee Notes for May.5 Illustrations. .169 
Between New Zealand and New York .169 
Birds, The European Sparrow.179 
Birds, The Penguins. .•. ..Illustrated.. 173 
Boys and Girls’ Columns.—Aunt Sue's Chats'; Card- 
Basket; Red Varnish ; Shirt Bosoms; Puzzle Draw¬ 
ing—The Doctor’s Correspondence : The Telephone 
—Aunt Sue’s Puzzle Box—Young Microscopist’s 
Club: More Mounting ; Water Fleas; Vorticellas; 
Willows and Poplars—Little Gardeners and Little 
Gardens.13 Illustrations. .185-188 
Broad Tires to Wheels...179 
Cattle, Green Crops for Cows.176 
Cattle, The Health of. 179 
Cattle, The Value of Jerseys.179 
Cementing a Cellar.4 Illustrations.. 176 
Champion Mower and Reaper_3 Illustrations.. 161-168 
Connecticut Dog-Law.178 
Cornstalks, Preparing for Fuel.4 Illustrations. .176 
Corn, The Improvement of.180 
Diphtheria and Filth. 169 
Farm Work in May .162-163 
Filter for Rain Water. Illustrated.. 176 
Flower Garden and Lawn in May.164 
Flowers—The Slender-leaved Lily. . Illustrated.. 181-182 
Foot-Bridge, A Simple. Illustrated. .177 
Fruit Garden in May. 163 
Greenhouse and Window Plants in May.164 
Gulleys, How to Fill Up.2 Illustrations. .178 
Hay Making Machinery.3 Illustrations.. 170 
Hints and Helps for Farmers.—Open Ditches—Port¬ 
able Feeding Coop—Feeding Trough—Dibble for 
Potatoes—Feed or Grain Bin—Useful Corn Marker— 
Hitching Posis and Rings.11 Illustrations. .ISO 
Household Department.—Home Topics.—How to Do 
a Washing—Protection from Moths—Winter Bed¬ 
clothes in Summer—Bean Soup—Potted Ham- 
Baked Ham—Rhubarb Pie—Gardening for a House¬ 
keeper-Women’s and Children’s Shoes—Household 
Notes and Queries—Cooking Veal—Gasoline—Yeast 
—Cottage Pudding—Lemon Pie—Carpet Moths— 
Recipes Wanted.2 Illustrations.. 183-184 
Houses, Contiguous, Costing $1,000 each.4 III.. 172 
Insects—The Potato-Beetle.1S3 
Improving Wet Meadows.6 Illustrations. .177 
Kitchen Garden in May.164 
Live Stock Markets.165 
Market Reports...105 
Orchard and Nursery in May.163 
One Grape Vine.3 Illustrations .182 
Peas, A Wire Trellis for... . Illustrated. . 1S3 
Poultry—How to Raise Ducks.177 
Poultry—Mortality Among Turkeys.17S 
Poultry—The Light Brahmas. 179 
Poultry—White-crested White Polish. .. Illustrated. .173 
Scare-Crows for Cornfields... . 2 Illustrations. .176 
Science Applied to Farming, No. 41.—More About 
Farm Experiments.171 
Small Street Swindle. Illustrated.. 169 
Talks on Farm Crops, No. 15.—The Oat Crop—Value 
of Oat Hay—Potato Culture—So wing Mangels. 175 
That Butter Compound.170 
Trees—The Catalpa and Its Uses. Illustrated.. 181 
Winter Oats. 175 
INDEX TO “BASKET,” OR SHORTER ARTICLES. 
Acres in Tobacco.193 
Artificial Fertilizer.194 
Ashes and Salt..194; 
Bean Planter.167 
Best Cows.193 
Books on Poultry.167 
Business Change.167 
Butter Color.166 
Butter Table.167, 
Capons.167 
Catalogues Received_194 
Chinese Blocks.166 
Cranberry Culture.194 
Cuba and Artillery.166 
Dentistry. 166 
Economic Tree Planting.167 
Field Mice.194 
W. C. Flagg’s Death.168 
Forestry and Its Needs..167 
German Millet.167 
Glasnevin. 194 
Grade Jersey Cow. 193 
Grass Family.193 
Green Manuring.194 
Hay Fork Carriage.167 
High Farming, no Ma¬ 
nure....168 
Lice. To Destroy.193 
Life Insurance.166 
Malt as Feed.167 
Microscope... ..166 
Nebraska.167 
Officers of Fairs.166 
Oxford Down Ram .. .. 194 
Peach Prospects.168 
Potatoes on Same Soil... 194 
Questions to Discuss... .194 
Reliable Business Men.. 166 
Rotting Sod.194 
Scratches in Horse.193 
Sewing Machines.167 
Sheep Dip.193 
Sheep Shears.194 
Shell Marl.168 
Shepherding.167 
Sundry Humbugs.167 
C. Taber’s Death.166 
Trial of Steam Engines..167 
Wheat in Del. and Md..l68 
Who is Breeder?.193 
I*Iastei- on Clover. —“ J. G. W.,” Bates 
Co., Mo. Plaster should be sown upon clover as soon as 
the growth is vigorous in spring—about the first week in 
May is the usual time. 80 to 200 pounds per acre is used. 
Calendar for May. 
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AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
NEW YORK, MAY, 1878. 
Mints for Work. 
[The Hints and Suggestions in these columns are 
never copied from previous ijears, but are freshly pre¬ 
pared for every paper , from the latest experience and 
observations, by practical men in each department .] 
Corn Planting.— Over a large portion of the coun¬ 
try the planting of corn begins with May. Although 
early planting is convenient, and in some cases un¬ 
avoidable to prevent stress of work, yet with corn 
it is a question if anything is saved by hurrying 
it into the ground. The first operation, that of 
Plowing Sod Ground, we generally postpone until 
ready to plant, so that the seed may go into fresh 
mellow soil, and the clover grow as much as possi¬ 
ble. With fallow ground this may not apply. 
Manure for Corn.— Corn is a gross feeder, and 
fresh manure is acceptable to it. Where the sod 
has been top-dressed early in the spring, and the 
manure turned under with the vigorous growth of 
herbage, no better preparation can be made for this 
crop. Then after harrowing, a light dressing of 
some active artificial fertilizer, guano, blood-ma¬ 
nure, fish scrap ; or either of the special corn ma¬ 
nures may be given broadcast, or in the hill. When 
the sod has not been previously fertilized, the 
manure,if coarse, may be spread upon it and plowed 
under, or, if fine, may be harrowed in. When no 
stable-manure can he had, a liberal dressing of 
Artificial Manure, of some kind, should be used 
for the corn crop. It is very certain that an im¬ 
proved agriculture must be based upon the use of 
this kind of fertilizers ; because, as we can not help 
taking something from the soil which, under the 
best system can not be returned to it, it becomes 
necessary for us to find something to replace the 
loss. This we may do by purchasing five or ten 
dollars worth per acre of artificial fertilizers, and 
gaining twenty or thirty dollars worth of extra pro¬ 
duct in the crop. Fertilizers, well applied, can be 
made to return their cost, and a hundred per cent 
profit’; and this ought to be satisfactory. 
How to Use Fertilizers. — Many chemical ferti¬ 
lizers are highly concentrated, and should not be 
brought into close contact with the seed. We 
are using several tons of these fertilizers the pres¬ 
ent season, and apply them in the following way: 
About two-thirds is sown broadcast on the har¬ 
rowed soil, and one stroke of the harrow is then 
given to mix soil and fertilizer together. The seed 
is then drilled, or planted, and the other third is 
then scattered evenly upon the surface. In this 
way a very thorough mixture is secured. 
The Quantity to be Used. —After many experiments 
last season, we have fixed on 500 to 600 pounds per 
acre, where no other manure is used, aud 200 to 300 
when the soil does not need a full dose. It is not 
wise to half feed the soil, any more than to half 
feed an animal. 
Choice , and Preparation of Seed. —No plant is more 
improved by choice of seed, and careful cultivation, 
than corn. For some hints on this subject, see 
article last month. To deter birds from pulling the 
seed, and cut-worms from nipping the sprouts, it 
has been found effective to roll the seed in pine-tar, 
and then in plaster. The scent of the tar will re¬ 
main a long time, and will be disagreeable to the 
vermin. The tar can he most easily applied by mix¬ 
ing it with hot water and then stirring in the corn. 
Top-dressing Fall Grain. —Graiufields that look 
unthrifty and yellow after the drying winds of the 
spring, will be benefited by a top-dressing of active 
fertilizer; this will help the clover and young grass. 
Plaster is often very useful upon young clover- 
fields—frequently doubling the hay crop. Thus 
applied, it will serve to produce a good crop to be 
plowed in upon distant fields where manure can not 
be easily handled. One bushel (80 pounds), up 
to four, six, or eight bushels even, may be used to 
the acre as early as practicable this month. 
Early Potatoes, that have not yet been planted, 
should he got in without delay. With this crop 
earliuess is a great advantage where beetles abound. 
Pare Paris Green is the best remedy for the beetle. • 
Last season we mixed it with plaster, which is much 
cheaper than flour, does not scatter so much when 
the wind is blowing, and adheres to the leaves 
equally well. As it is best to be prepared for the 
beetle, a supply of the Paris green should be pro¬ 
cured in readiness for his arrival. 
Foot Crops. —The article upon “ Root Crops for 
Stock,” given last month, may be very profitably 
read over again. Nothing can be added to it, ex¬ 
cept, perhaps, to say that where the drill culture 
there described is found difficult, very good results 
may be had from culture on the flat. Ou the whole, 
mangels are to be preferred to any other root, as 
they yield better, are more certain, are less troubled 
with the fly, and make excellent feed. 
Horses. —Now,with hard work, teams require good 
care. Horses will come from the field in much bet¬ 
ter condition if they are protected from worry by 
the flies. The best protection is a thin sheet made 
to fit the neck, with holes for the ears, and to buckle 
under the throat, and to cover the back, hanging 
loosely at the sides to give access of air beneath. 
It should he held by a crupper band beneath the 
tail. Too much corn fed now, is apt to produce 
irritation of the skin, and make the animals restless. 
Cleanliness will be found a great comfort to them. 
Sheep and Lambs. —The most profit from a sheep 
is to raise a lamb that will sell for more than the 
mother is worth. This can be easily done by earing 
well for the earliest lambs. A Iamb, 90 days old, 
and well fattened, will often sell for ten dollars in 
the cities, and half that in country villages. A half- 
bred Cotswold lamb, fed now with a little mixed 
oatmeal and bran, and suckled by a native ewe, will 
make an excellent market lamb. Lambs now being 
fed should be protected from cold storms, and the 
ewes should have some extra feed. 
Sheep Washing. —To wash the wool on the sheep’s 
back is not a profitable practice. The wool is not 
half washed, aud the difference in price will not pay 
for the loss of weight, to say nothing of the trouble 
and risk for both men and flock. If the sheep are 
kept reasonably clean, and the wool free from rub¬ 
bish, it will be found better than having to wash 
them to get rid of unnecessary filth. 
Tagging the Ewes should not be neglected; the 
wool should also he clipped from about the udder. 
Much disease in the lambs is undoubtedly caused 
by filth in the mother’s wool. 
