1878.] 
AMERICAN AG-RICULTUHIST, 
327 
•containing a great variety of Items , including many 
good Hints and Suggestions which we throw into smaller 
(type and condensed form , for want of room elsewhere. 
A Woman Farmer at Valley Springs, Dakota, 
■who deserves success, wrote to Messrs. B. K. Bliss & 
Sons, in regard to their wheat prizes, as follows: “ It did 
not occur to me in writing to you yesterday, that you 
might think it singular that a woman should write you 
for seed in order to compete with men for a prize. To 
convince you that I mrt not incompetent to try, I will 
mention a few items of the work I have accomplished 
already : We lost all we had, by fire, and came West, to 
make a new home. As soon as a portion of the claim 
could be broken up and made suitable, I commenced put¬ 
ting out forest trees and small fruits, as far as I could 
■command the means to purchase. The first year I rode 
nine miles on horseback to the nearest timber; took up, 
brought home, and set out four hundred forest trees. 
The next year I sot out four hundred feet of willow hedge, 
besides currants, blackberries, strawberries, and rasp¬ 
berries ; the next year a large lot of asparagus, pie-plant, 
one hundred raspberries, and eighty dwarf cherry trees. 
This year I shall complete seven hundred feet of willow 
hedge, set one hundred raspberries, two hundred straw¬ 
berries, and make a large garden, and flower beds, be¬ 
sides doing my own housework for four persons. Won’t 
yon please permit me to try for a prize ? ” She was placed 
in the list of competitors, and we hope to record her as 
first prize winner. 
Manual of the Apiary, by A. J. Cook, Profes¬ 
sor of Entomology in the Mich. Ag’l. College. The 
author is known to us as an earnest student, and excel¬ 
lent observer, and has in the present work given the lat¬ 
est views as to the physiology of the bee, and the recent 
improvements in bee-keeping. Like a true naturalist, 
he does not assume to know everything, but all through 
the work gives credit to other authors and reference to 
other works, where particular topics are treated more in 
detail. The work, 28G pages, abundantly illustrated, is 
sent from this office, postpaid, for $1.25. 
Hmw Strawberries are Sold in Belgium.— 
Our correspondent “ G. W. W. II.” writes from Frank¬ 
fort : In travelling through Belgium in June, strawberries 
are brought to the car windows at every station—luscious 
great berries, some red, some white, often as large as a 
pullet’s egg, and temptingly displayed in shallow baskets, 
made of split willow, in the form given in the engraving. 
Baskets of this shape seem to us well deserving of intro¬ 
duction in America. The construction is simple, strong, 
and inexpensive. A single willow withe forms the handle 
and middle support of the bottom ; a second withe bent 
to a circle forms the rim ; and four others, i. e., two on 
either side between the middle piece and rim. complete 
the foundation into which thin strips are braided. The 
depth is only a quarter inch, diameter three inches. On 
the bottom are a few fresh grape leaves on which are 
placed the berries, nearly all of them exposed to view. 
“Ferns In Their Monies, and Ours,” is 
the attractive title of a work on Ferns, and their Culture, 
by John Robinson, Esq., of Salem, Mass. If the welcome 
accorded to a work is in proportion to the need for it, 
this should meet with a large and rapid sale, for there is 
no special work for which there have been so many in¬ 
quiries as for one on ferns. It is not easy to couceive 
how this demand could be more acceptably met than by 
the book in question. While those who cultivate ferns 
may not care to give much study to their botanical char¬ 
acters, every intelligent person will wish to know what 
constitutes a Fern, and how it differs from other plants, 
all this is admirably told in the chapter on “ The Life 
of a Fern.” Abundant references are giveu to those who 
would study ferns botanically, and an excellent sketch 
of the literature of the subject is given. Having long 
known of the author as a thorough student and success¬ 
ful cultivator of these plants, we were prepared to find 
in the practical portions of his book the results of expe¬ 
rience in the culture of ferns, under-glass and out of doors. 
The work, presented in the neatest possible form, and 
well illustrated, is creditable to the publishers, the Na¬ 
turalist’s Agency, Salem, Mass. Sent postpaid by the 
Orange Judd Company for the publishers’ price, $1.50. 
A Skirt for 50 Cents— Seemed to us so improb¬ 
able, that we ordered a dollar’s worth of shirts to see 
what they could be like. Of course, finer shirts are 
made, but how even such shirts as these are made for so 
low a price, still remains a problem—we give it up. 
Peaelies by Mail.—Some six, or more, corre¬ 
spondents have notified us that they have sent speci¬ 
mens of peaches by mail, asking our opinion as to qual¬ 
ity, earliness, etc. In no case, save one , have those speci¬ 
mens been received. In this single case the 
ruling is strange enough. The sender properly 
paid postage on the parcel, as third-class matter. 
The parcel came to us, marked 92c—letter-rate, 
the stamps put on by the sender ignored,and the 
package marked, “non-mailable.”—How it could 
be “ non-mailable,” when it was mailed, and de¬ 
livered at letter-rates—or why the post-stamps 
put on by the sender should go for nothing— 
be confiscated, as it were, are among those 
things that “no feller can find out.” It may 
be that wo shall some day have a postal law 
that both the people who use the mails and 
the Washington “powers” will understand alike—until 
then we must endure with what patience we may. 
AvticHiokes for Hog-Food.— A circular from 
“E. F. Brockway,” of Ainsworth, Iowa, offering Artichoke 
tubers for sale for planting, reminds us that this root is 
an excellent food for hogs, for which purpose it is now 
quite extensively grown in some sections; they are more 
nutritive than any ordinary vegetable, save the potato, and 
nearly equal that chief of vegetables. Under systematic 
culture they are easily grown, and yield large crops—even 
as high as 800 bushels per acre having been raised, and 
1,500 to 2,000 bushels per acre yields are claimed in some 
instances. They are planted like potatoes, in spring, on 
light dry land, and cultivated the same as corn. Of 
course this is the plant known as “Jerusalem Artichoke,” 
a variety of which is offered as the “ Brazilian Artichoke.” 
line all round. To prevent soiling the lamp or table, the 
charred part can be pinched of mainly, giving it a final 
smoothing rub. The dark portion that will not rub off. 
is quite as good as the unburned parts, and will light 
more quickly. When impure oil is used, the wick be¬ 
comes coated all through with dust or dirt; and when this 
accumulates so as to interfere with the ascent of the oil, 
a new wick is essential. 
A TTurulp Topping and Fulling Maclaine 
is extensively used in England, where the turnip is one 
of the principal crops grown on all slock farms. The in¬ 
creased acreage devoted to the crop in this country cre¬ 
ates ademand for some simple machine for harvesting it. 
We reproduce an illustration from the “Agricultural 
Gazette” (Eng), of one known as “ Hunter’s Turnip-Top¬ 
ping and Tailing Machine,” which is simple in construc¬ 
tion, and said to be effective in operation, and is self-act¬ 
ing. “ In a neat wrought-iron frame, two saws are fixed to 
guides, which run on the crown of the turnip, and pre¬ 
vent the saws from cutting or bleeding the root. The 
whole is hinged to the frame at one end, and fastened by 
means of a chain to the other, so that the cutting saws 
adapt themselves to the variously-sized roots. At the 
back end of the machine, and well clear of the saws, is a 
cast-steel concave blade or shear, which lifts the root 
without cutting, so that by the use of this implement, a 
crop oF turnips and sweedes can be lifted and topped 
with much despatch. It is also made double.” We un¬ 
derstand that the machine is not patented in this country, 
and it is so simple, that any good mechanic, by the aid 
of a blacksmith, ought to be able to make one. 
Oaponizing;. —“F. E.,” Sussex Co., N. J. Young 
fowls cannot safely be caponized after they arc 3 months 
old. When of 6 or 8 pounds weight there is more risk than 
when they weigh half that. Capons frequently weigh 10 to 
1G pounds, and sell for much more than common fowls. 
For the price of the instruments write to II. II. Stoddard, 
Hartford, Conn. “Philadelphia dry picked” poultry 
doesn’t come from that city, but from Bucks and Berks 
Counties, Pennsylvania, and other districts, for which 
the nearest market is Philadelphia. 
Tlie Best Lamp is what is commonly called the 
“ German Student Lamp,” or some one constructed on 
the same principle. These lamps are made in America 
better than elsewhere. Mr. Hinrichs says the proper 
name is “ St. Germain.” These have a reservoir of oil so 
arranged, that whenever the oil around the wick sinks 
so much as an eighth of an inch, a bubble of air enters 
the bottom of the reservoir and lets down more oil. A 
lamp flame is fed by oil ascending by capillary attraction 
through the wick. In the common lamp, as the oil burns 
away, it has further to rise, and feeds slower, and as the 
wicks are not uniform, and are often clogged, the light 
both diminishes and is unsteady. In the Student Lamp 
all this is obviated ; there is a clear, steady light as long 
as the reservoir holds a spoonful of oil. Such lamps are 
vastly superior to the light of gas, which, owing to con¬ 
stantly varying pressure, is always unsteady, straining 
the eyes, even when it is not flickering. As to economy, 
our “ family expense book” shows for the same quarter 
in the year, that after introducing the Student Lamp 
through the house, kitclrep included, and using Pratt’s 
Astral Oil, bought at the regular price, through the 
grocer, we had a better light at one-tenth the expense of 
gas. By the way, there is an important addition to the 
old ball-and-pin valve, in lamps constructed on the above 
principle. A cut-off is attached to the discharge tube at 
the base of the reservoir, which also has a catch at the 
side that not only stops the churning motion but also 
prevents its being lifted out until it. is turned so as to 
close the discharge tube. After filling and replacing, a 
quarter turn opens the bottom. This arrangement is safer 
and more convenient, as it avoids the usual dripping or 
spilling of oil, and prevents any over-flowing of the wick. 
Trimming; ILamps—The Best Way, by far, 
is not to trim them at all. It is is very difficult to cut the 
wick evenly all round, and any portion or point left 
higher than the rest, gives an irregular flame, if not 
smoke. All that is needed, is to remove the thoroughly 
charred portion at the top. Turn the wick up just enough 
to expose this part, and rub it off with a cloth or with soft 
paper; the top of the wick will then be even with the fire 
Merino Rams.-“ff. II. O.,” Washington, D. C. 
It would not pay a breeder of prize Merinos to raise them 
for £5 a head. That is about the mutton price for an ordi¬ 
nary native sheep. A good Merino ram cannot be raised 
for less than $15 to $50, according to the breeding value 
of the stock. The latter price is very moderate for an 
animal that will add a value of at least one dollar for each 
of tiic lambs he may sire—GO to 80, from 50 ewes each year. 
They can bo procured of advertisers in this Journal. 
u Mouse Flans for 55verylbo»ly,” by S. B. 
Reed, Corona, L. T., N. Y. The House Plans which 
have formed a marked feature in the American 
Agriculturist for the past three volumes, have differed 
from most such plans in _ the fact that nearly 
every one has been subjected to the test of prac¬ 
tice. They have not been the ideals of an architect, but 
represent houses that have actually been bnilt. The 
work abounds in a great number of practical common- 
sense suggestions, convenient and useful devices, many 
of them original ones. Another most useful feature is 
the estimate of cost, down to the minutest details, so 
that one may calculate from the price of lumber at any 
given time or place, within a few dollars of the outlay 
required. These plans cover such a wide range as to 
style and cost, that they may be properly designated 
“ for everybody,” as the needs of those who can afford 
only a $250 cottage are as carefully provided for as those 
who invest $8,000 or more in a handsome mansion. There 
is not only this wide range of prices, but an equally wide 
variety in styles, and while none are overloaded with or¬ 
namentation, costly at first, and more co ;tly to keep in 
repair, the pleasing aspect of the dwelling is regarded in 
even the humblest of the designs. The many persons, 
builders and others who have purchased hound volumes 
of the American Agriculturist solely for the sake of 
these plans, and all others who wish really practical de¬ 
signs for dwellings, arranged with a view to the comfort 
and convenience of those who are to live in thorn, will 
be glad to know that they have been reproduced in the 
form of a Book with the above title. The engravings, 
on the heavy tinted paper, with the careful printing 
