274 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[July, 
The American Agricultural Association— 
Its Journal. 
This Association is the third attempt that has 
been made to unite the agriaulturists of this ex¬ 
tended country into a working body. How far it 
may succeed in doing this, it is too 60 on to 
conjecture. That the object is a commendable 
one, there can be no doubt, and the beginning has 
our best wishes for its success. The appearance of 
Vol. 1, No. 1, of its “Journal,” is calculated to 
awaken renewed interest in the Association, for it 
compares most favorably with any publication of 
its kind, whether issued at home or abroad, and it is 
much to the credit of the Secretary and Editor, J. 
H. Reall, that he has brought together and pub¬ 
lished, in such a presentable shape, the varied mass 
of matter it contains. Its 260 ample pages are filled 
with addresses made at the meetings of the Associ¬ 
ation, and papers prepared especially for this 
issue. The subjects cover a wide range, and several 
of the articles are of permanent value. Besides 
the papers from those eminent in the agriculture 
of our own country, are articles by Prof. J. P. 
Sheldon, and Doctor J. B. Lawes, of England. 
The first named gives an interesting account of the 
relations of land-holding to agriculture in the old 
country, while Dr. Lawes, who may be regarded 
not only as the great benefactor of the agriculture 
of England, but of that of the world, discusses 
the means of “Increasing the Fertility of Pastures.” 
With us we apply the term pasture, to grass land 
from which the crop is fed off by grazing animals. 
Permanent meadow-lands is our term for what Mr. 
Lawes has in view as “ pastures.” There is nothing 
relating to our agriculture of greater importance 
than the improvement of our grass lands, and this 
article, of which a brief abstract is given else¬ 
where, should be useful to every intelligent far¬ 
mer. We learn that the Association have in con¬ 
templation a National Exhibition of all farm 
products, animals, machinery, etc., at some central 
point, in 18S2, of which we shall no doubt be duly 
informed. The volume is sent free to all members 
of the Association, and may be purchased at this 
office, or sent post-paid by mail for 75c. 
Wind Engines—The Halladay. 
A correspondent in Brazil wishes to get a wind 
engine : his letter sets forth the different kinds of 
work he wishes to do, of which pumping water is 
but one, though an important item. He also gives 
Fig. 1.—THE HALLADAY WIND ENGINE. 
several conditions which the machine should meet. 
With a view to aid our correspondent in procuring 
a wind engine (as the machines are now generally 
called in preference to “wind mills,”) we consulted 
our file of catalogues. We may say, in passing, 
that in looking over these catalogues we were 
struck with the wonderful amount of mechanical 
skill displayed in the various devices, and the tact 
manifested by the makers, each presenting the 
peculiarities of his engine in the most effective 
manner. From the catalogues it appeared that the 
Halladay Mill, made by the U. S. Wind Engine and 
Pump Co., Batavia Ill., would meet the conditions 
given by our Brazilian friend, and we here give 
an engraving to show the general structure and 
appearance of the mill as set up for work, only a 
part of the tower being given. For its structure we 
Fig. 2.— THE MILL AT REST. 
refer to the catalogues of the Company, in which 
every part is made plain by showing every detail 
and its use and action. The engine is a self-regu¬ 
lating one, and its structure is such that the stronger 
the wind, the less surface presented to its force; 
the vanes being self-adjusting and keeping the 
speed uniform, whether the wind be light or heavy. 
When it is desired to stop the wheel altogether, the 
vanes are readily put in the position shown in figure 
2, in which they present their ends to the wind and 
afford no surface for it to act upon. Those who 
have passed through the western prairies know how 
largely wind is made to pump water, and do other 
work of the farm. Numerous as are the windmills 
already in use, we have hardly beguu to utilize the 
immense power that is constantly “running to 
waste.” One in travelling among the market gar¬ 
dens in France, sees, as an essential feature, some 
provision for watering the crops, and we have no 
doubt that our own gardeners will find it profitable 
to adopt some easy methods of irrigation ; in this 
the wind engine will play an important part. Al¬ 
ready some small towns and villages at the West 
are supplied with water raised by means of the 
Halladay Wind Engine. Aside from the great com¬ 
fort and convenience of a constant supply of water, 
its importance in case of fire cannot be over-esti¬ 
mated, and in some places, especially where the 
buildings are mainly of wood, it will pay to pro¬ 
vide water solely for the purpose of extinguishing 
fires by placing reservoirs in proper locations, to 
be kept filled by wind engines like the Halladay. 
London Purple—Purls Green. —We 
are often asked, which of these poisons we prefer 
for killing Potato Beetles and otner insects. That 
either, properly applied, will be equally fatal to the 
insects we do not doubt. The “Green ” poison is 
one which has to be made directly from some com¬ 
pound of Arsenic and another of Copper. The 
“ Purple ” poison is a “ by-product ”—that is, one 
incidentally formed in the manufacture of some of 
the new dyes. Formerly it was a difficult matter 
to get rid of it; now that it can be used as an in¬ 
sect poison, it is afforded at a much lower price 
than a preparation that must be made. These are 
well known facts. The venders of the “Purple” 
claim that their poison is so cheap that it would 
not pay to adulterate it, and that it is always of the 
6ame deadly quality. That Paris Green is sold at 
several prices by the makers, shows that it is not all 
of the same quality. In purchasing Paris Green it 
is better to always get the best, as it is easier to 
mix it with plaster or other inert substance, than 
to pay the manufacturer for doing it. N.B.— 
Whichever of these poisons is used, let its storage, 
mixing and application be intrusted only to those 
who are aware of its deadly nature. As a matter 
of safety the farmer should look to this himself. 
‘‘Iroquois,” the Winner of the Derby. 
However greatly opposed upon principle to 
racing, every American is glad that the first animal 
in the first race of the world, was an American, 
horse. Wherever he may be, the Englishman! is 
interested in two days in the year, the Queen’s 
birth day, and Derby day ; as the wires conveyed, 
to every country the intelligence that the Derby 
was won by an American horse, there were prob¬ 
ably more astonished Englishmen than the world 
ever saw before. The horse Iroquois belongs to- 
Pierre Lorillard, of New York City, and is de¬ 
scribed as a bright-brown, sturdy colt, 15s hands 
high; in his make-up he has not that grace and 
beauty usually met with in high-bred animals, but 
has all the points that indicate great strength and 
endurance. Iroquois is out of the mare Maggie 
B. B., by imported Leamington. He was bred by 
A. Welch, at Chestnut Hill Farm, near Philadel¬ 
phia, and was sold to Mr. Lorillard when a year¬ 
ling for $7,000; he was sent to England with 
several others of Mr. Lorillard’s horses in 1879, and 
has won several races of less note, and is engaged 
for nearly all the important ones to come. The 
great victory by Iroquois was hardly looked for by 
his owner, who has two other horses of which 
he had greater expectations. This victory over a 
dozen or more of the choicest horses in England,, 
adds another to the many illustrations of the- 
axiom that “blood will tell.” Leamington was 
also the sire of Parole, Harold, Sensation, and a 
number of other noted racers. In June, 1870, we 
gave engravings from drawings by Forbes of sev¬ 
eral animals belonging to the Clifton Stud, owned 
by R. W. Cameron. Among these is a picture of 
Leamington ; we there said of him that he was 
“ regarded as the handsomest model of a race 
horse in this country, if not in the world.” This 
picture, though not a large one, was regarded as. 
so life-like, that the owuer of the horse called to con¬ 
gratulate us upon its excellence. Leamington was 
sold to Mr. Welch for $15,000. What price could 
now be had for Iroquois is difficult to conjecture. 
Good for North Carolina. —We like 
to see one who believes in his own country, and 
especially in his own portion of that country. “W. 
A. C.,” Wilmington, N. C., sends a newspaper 
clipping which gives the doings of a remarkable 
cow, belonging to the Rev. A. L. Slough, Shelby, 
N. C. The sales of the products from this cow 
purchased everything with which her owner’s table 
(five persons in the family), was supplied for six 
months. Then our correspondent adds that his State 
is the only one that filled every blank in the Cen¬ 
sus ; that it produces more cotton and rice to the- 
acre than any other State ; makes more money to 
the hand and horse ; has the finest iron in America; 
has more gold, and more kinds of liard-wood—but 
we have not room for it all. We admit that the 
“ Old North State ” has much of which her in¬ 
habitants have reason to be proud, and are glad to 
hear of the success of her intelligent farmers. 
Size of Tile Drains.— Mr. “ C. C. R.,” 
Paulding Co., O., writes : “ I wish to tile drain some 
of my fields. Please be kind enough to tell me the 
size of tiles to use. The land is flat with a clay 
subsoil. I can lay the tiles from 20 to 28 inches 
deep.”—We should judge that 2-inch tiles would 
be the best to use for the laterals, with 3-inch for 
the first part of the inaiu, and 4-inch for the 
remainder of the main drain, through which the 
water of the whole forty acres, or so, is to flow. 
“ Sprouts ” on Apple Trees. —Mrs. 
“H.,” Fairfax Co., Va. Your inquiry apparently 
refers to those quick growing, long, soft-wooded 
shoots that start from the interior of the trees and 
are often called “water sprouts.’ 1 These can rare¬ 
ly. if ever, be of use, and if tbey have grown 
should be removed. If the trees were occasionally 
looked after, the growth of these could be pre¬ 
vented by removing them when they first start.. 
