4:56 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST, 
[December, 
Save tlie Index Sheet, which is put loosely in 
this number, so that it can he bound or stitched at the 
beginning of the volume. It enumerates about 2,000 valu¬ 
able, paying facts and suggestions, and 600 illustrations. 
$100 for 13 Cents.—A Cow that Sucked 
Herself.— A Business Man furnishes us the following 
for publication, but “ don't want the notoriety of having 
my name in print:” “_I have taken the American 
Agriculturist for many years, and always find in each 
number some hint or suggestion that I would not be 
without for its cost, of 13 cents. Here is an illustration 
of the value of one number. I had a fine blooded Jersey 
cow that cost me $150, and was worth it to me, until she 
contracted a habit of sucking herself. I tried various 
remedies, including an unsightly head frame with pro¬ 
jecting sharp points. I was so disgusted with the crea¬ 
ture that I would have jumped at an offer of $30 for her. 
Your paper told me to put a short piece of small gas-pipe 
across her mouth, leaving the ends open, and make two 
or three small holes in its middle, tying it in with a small 
cord extending to the horns. I had this done with a bit 
of iron pipe I chanced to have. The air admitted through 
the ends and little holes prevented suction ; the pipe did 
not interfere with her eating, or make much show, while 
it entirely broke her of her bad habit, and after awhile it 
was left off. Now I would not take $150 for her as a 
milker and breeder. That item was surely worth $100 to 
me, and that number cost me only 13 cents. I say to 
every man : you can’t fail to get some hints every year if 
not every month that you can not afford to be without 
for many times the cost of the paper.”—[We have multi¬ 
tudes of testimonials of a similar character.— Eds.] 
Jewel to Prevent a Cow from Sucking 
Herself.— A subscriber sends a model of a “jewel” 
which is used in the nose of a cow that sucks her¬ 
self. It is made of some soft, tough wood, such as bass, 
poplar, or ash, and about twice as large as the engraving 
A WOODEN JEWEL FOR A COW’S NOSE. 
represents. The distance between the knobs of the two 
lobes is about I-inch, just enough to permit their being 
pressed over the thick edge of the cartilage of the nose, 
and close enough to keep the “ jewel ” in place. The in¬ 
strument hangs down over the cow's nose, and prevents 
her getting the teat into her mouth, but does not hinder 
feeding. It is an easily made and practicable device. 
Price of Milk at tine Factories.— “T. B.,” 
Saginaw, Mich. The factories are now paying less than 
one cent a pound for milk. When cheese is 10 cents, 
milk should be worth about one cent per pound ; for it 
requires 10 pounds of milk to make a pound of cheese. 
The value of milk depends upon the prices of its pro¬ 
ducts: cheese and butter. The better these are, the 
higher price they bring, and the more the milk is worth. 
Good Service Complimented.— At the recent 
annual fair of the Farmer’s Club, Dr. Cramer, President 
of Trinity College, North Carolina, addressing Capt. A. 
Parker, said: “ By request of the Society, I present you, 
for your prompt attendance at every meeting since the 
Society was organized, a copy for the coming year of the 
American Agriculturist , the best Agricultural Journal in 
the United States... .”—(a double compliment!). So 
writes Chairman D. Reid Parker. Query: If each 
one of the 3,500 Agricultural Societies, more or less, 
in this country, should similarly compliment each officer 
having the same claim to recognition, as Capt. Parker, 
by how many copies would the circulation of this jour¬ 
nal be increased? “ We pause for reply.”_P. S. -We 
cannot calculate upon a large increase from this source, 
first, because we fear there will be comparatively few 
who are able to show such a record; and, second, be¬ 
cause, as a rule, the active, enterprising men who are 
foremost and most faithful in helping on agricultural 
improvement, are already regular readers of this journal. 
The Nettle Story. - Certain newspaper state¬ 
ments, like comets, have their orbits, and come around 
again at intervals. At one time it is the man who pro¬ 
duced seedless apples by putting in a bud upside down; 
at another it is the one who produced the sweet and sour 
apple by inserting the halves of two buds. Just now it 
is the Nettle, and we can hardly take up a paper without 
seeing a statement of the great value of the Nettle as a 
fibre-producing plant, and that our Consul somewhere 
has communicated the important news to our Depart¬ 
ment of State. The last article upon this subject that we 
have met with, concludes thus: “The question occurs 
how a plant possessing such a variety of merits should 
have been for ages regarded as the most noxious of 
weeds ? ”—Having heard of Nettle linen as long as we 
have known about the uses of plants at all, we, as a mat¬ 
ter of curiosity, traced back the uses of the Nettle fibre. 
Having reached the ancient Egyptians, we stopped in 
the search. There are now parts of Ireland, Scotland, 
and of Germany, where the country people have used for 
ages and still use the Nettle fibre to make their house¬ 
hold linen. The reasons why it is not more cultivated 
are: the small quantity of fibre and the difficulty of se¬ 
parating it, and the fact that to produce a really fine 
fibre, the richest possible soil is required. 
Other Journals and Magazines in Club 
with the American Agriculturist at 
materially reduced rates. See page 483. 
Mocking-Bird Food.— “A. W. C.,” Fall River, 
Mass. Mocking-birds are difficult to keep, but, with care 
in feeding, the obstacles may be overcome. For a steady 
diet, use corn-meal and milk (made up twice a day to in¬ 
sure its sweetness), with a little chopped, hard-boiled 
egg mixed with it, and some mashed potato occasionally. 
Chopped beef, flies, and spiders, should also be fed them, 
or if turned loose in the room, they will catch insects 
for themselves. Cherries and berries, especially Poke- 
berries, in their season, are much relished by the birds, 
and are a necessity to insure health. Regularity in feed¬ 
ing, aud care, and cleanliness, are essential to success. 
Mixed Corn. — “ S.,” Genyo, West Va., having corn 
with both white and yellow kernels on the same ears, 
inquires about planting this mixed seed, as these ears 
seem more solid than those bearing kernels of only one 
color. We do not believe in mongrels of any kind, 
and doubt if the mixed ears have any advantage in 
the way of solidity that may not be found in some 
established variety. Evenness in ripening is often im¬ 
portant in the corn crop, and the two sorts in these 
ears may mature together or not. A field planted with 
this seed would have some stalks bearing all yellow and 
others all white ears, while many would be more or less 
half and half. If there was a week’s difference in ripen¬ 
ing, a part of the crop would be cut up too soon or too 
late. Besides, there is a chance of loss from imperfect 
fertilization — a matter we have not space to discuss here. 
We favor attempts to improve Indian corn, but planting 
mixed seed is not likely to lead to any good result. 
The Illinois Horticultural Society.— The 
23d annual meeting will be held at Springfield, Ill., on 
Tuesday, the 10th inst., and continue for four days. The 
programme is full and attractive, and rail-roads and hotels 
reduce their fares. Mr. O. B. Galusha is Secretary, and 
we would give him due prominence and thanks as just 
one Secretary who sends us the notice of a meeting in 
time for us to publish it. Re-elect Mr. Galusha. 
Covered Milk-Fail.— The Dairy Supply Co., of 
New York, exhibit a milk-pail which excludes all dust 
and dirt from the milk. As shown in the engraving, its 
cover is somewhat hollowed, to make it strong, and is 
used as a seat for the milker. The funnel projects under 
the cow, and occupies a convenient position for receiv¬ 
ing the milk : it is connected with the pail by a heavy 
rubber tube, so that if kicked by the cow, no damage is 
done; in the lower part of the funnel is a wire-gauze 
strainer which prevents any impurities getting into the 
pail. The result, with proper care otherwise, is clean 
milk; no danger of loss by the cow’s putting her foot 
into the pail or kicking it over, and greater convenience 
to the milker than the ordinary pail affords. This pail 
makes some amends for even a careless milker; but a 
lazy or slovenly man need not think that it will remedy 
the result of his sloth or carelessness, or give better milk. 
Concrete Floors for Cow Stakles.— “ A. G. 
W.,” Navarino, N. Y. Concrete floors are “ a good thing 
for cow stables, where part of them are to be stanchioned, 
and part kept in box-stalls,” or otherwise; but such 
floors especially require the use of absorbents, as flue 
earth, muck, or plaster, etc. The stanchions and parti¬ 
tions are fastened down by bedding them in the fresh 
concrete, or by drilling holes in it when dry. Gutters 
are easily made in the concrete, by laying down a 
“form” of the desired width and depth, and “pud¬ 
dling ” about it. A good concrete may be made of 1 part 
cement, 1 part lime, 6 parts sand, and 4 to 6 parts of small 
pebbles. “ An inexperienced man,” who is handy with 
tools, knows how to make mortar, and has sufficient 
judgment, can lay such a floor. The surface is made 
smooth by levelling, pounding with a maul, and finishing 
off with a mason's trowel or other smoothing instrument. 
Ratio of Corn-Stalks to Grain.—“B. S. N.,” 
Washington, D. C. The relative proportions of corn¬ 
stalks to the grain depends on the soil, manure, variety, 
cultivation, and season, either one of which may modify 
the ratio—a tall, rank-growing variety has a much 
larger proportion of stalks than a small-stalked, mar.y- 
eared sort. Rich, nitrogenous manure develops more 
stalks than grain; a wet season more; good cultivation 
reduces it, and poor soil and poor manuring give an un¬ 
due proportion of stalk. We quote from several ex¬ 
periments, which show the range of the proportions: 
Acres. 
Grain per Acre. 
Stalks per Acre. 
Lbs. Stalks t<y 
1 Bush. Grain. 
16 
75 bush. 
6,000 lbs. 
80 
8 
120 
9,640 “ 
80 % 
— 
82 
8,240 “ 
100 K 
343-10“ 
5,122 “ 
149 
* The average yield in Massachusetts, taken several years 
ago ; the yield is larger now. 
The above figures are all of northern corn; probably 
the western and southern varieties would show differ¬ 
ent proportions, though no more regular. Other esti¬ 
mates allow 1 i to tons for a 50 bushel per acre crop. 
The variety of seed and the treatment, which produce 
the smallest amount of straw for a' given amount of 
grain, is the most desirable. Thoroughly dry corn-stalks 
can be baled the same as hay and straw, and not heat. 
Bronze Turkeys.— “J. H. S.” Logan, Ind„ 
Bronze turkeys are the result of a cross of the wild tur¬ 
key upon the black; or it may be that they are only 
the wild race domesticated. They are much larger than 
the common black variety, the male birds often weigh¬ 
ing 30 or 40 pounds, sometimes more, when fully grown. 
Feai'l Millet in Canada. —A. Coindet writes 
that he procured of Win. II. Carson (125 Chambers St., 
N. Y.,) the seed of Pearl Millet, and sowed it in a yard 
in Montreal. The soil was not manured, and the yard 
had the sun for only about two hours in the day. He 
sowed May 20th, and on July 15th, it being five feet high, 
he cut it; he cut again on Sept. 15th, the bight being six 
feet, and again on Oct. 1st, when the stalks were nine 
feet in bight. Mr. Coindet states that both his horses 
and cows were very fond of the millet, green or dry, 
“ Stock Breeding, »» by Manly Miles, M. D., late 
Professor of Agriculture in the Michigan State Agricul¬ 
tural College. New York: D. Appleton & Co. This 
work comes to hand just as our last pages are closing, 
and we can barely announce it, much less review it. A 
long acquaintance with the author and his enthusiasm 
in this specialty, his scientific thoroughness and con¬ 
scientious accuracy, allow us to say that, whatever is 
stated in the work as fact, may be relied upon; and what¬ 
ever is given as opinion, is sure to be honestly entertain¬ 
ed. Sent from this office at the Publishers’ price, $1.50.. 
Basket Items continued on page 481. 
letter From South Australia. 
The editor of the “ Australian Star,” Adelaide, South- 
Australia,in an interesting letter to the editor of the Amer¬ 
ican Agriculturist, writes : “ In your July issue, you re¬ 
mark, ‘ The Australian farmer can by no means rejoice 
over his American brother ; on the contrary, the latter may 
congratulate himself, that he is not the only, nor the worst 
sufferer, from small wheat crops.’—It is true that our av¬ 
erage yield is small, for in 1875-6 it was ll 57 /ioo bushels, 
in 1S76-7, 5 24 / 100 , and only about 7% bushels last season, 
but our farmers are far from poor. A man can purchase 
1000 acres in South Australia at $5 per acre with nine (9) 
years credit. He has to deposit ten per cent of the pur¬ 
chase money, which sum is regarded as interest in ad¬ 
vance for 3 years. With the aid of a South Australian 
invention called a Ridley reaper, which takes off the ears 
and leaves the straw standing, his wheat will not cost 
him $6 peracre. The farmer can, therefore, count as clear 
profit the value of every bushel in excess of 5 bushels to 
the acre. Late frosts and red rust spoilt the last harvest,, 
and many farmers were obliged to cut their wheat for 
hay, while others, hoping to reap ten bushels to the acre, 
found the ears only half filled. The highest yield was 35- 
