82 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[March, 
Contents of this Number. 
Among the Farmers, No. 38—Ear marks for Cattle- 
Sugar from Beets—Beet-Pulp—Mangels as a Crop— 
Rubber Floor-Wipers for the Dairy.4 III.. 94 
Bands for Corn-Shocks.4 Illustrations.. 95 
Barn or Mill, Sliding Spout for. Illustrated.. 95 
Boys and Girls Columns.—The Doctor’s Talks—The 
Center of Gravity—Question from Aunt Sue-It is 
a Squid — Illustrated Rebus — Our Puzzle-Bos — 
Shawl-Strap Pen-Wiper—Musk-Rats, and How they 
are Hunted.15 Illustrations. .106-308 
Boys—Anotner Good Word for them... 95 
Butter Production, East vs. West. 94 
Cattle, A Salting Table. Illustrated.. 95 
Cattle-Men, Encouraging to .95 
Cattle, No-Horn, The “ Jamestown ”_ Illustrated.. ICO 
Cattle. Polled or Hornless, Different Breeds. . 93 
Corn and Fodder Culture in Virginia..5 Illustrations.. 96 
Currant Fruit-Worm, The. . Illustrated.. 103 
Drain-Tiles, How they are Made. Illustrated.. 92 
Farm-Engines, Self-Propelling. Illustrated.. 92 
Farm-Work for March. 82 
Fence-Posts, Methods of Setting.4 Illustrations.. 97 
Fences, Moveable.5 Illustrations.. 98 
Flower-Garden and Lawn in March. 84 
Flowers—The Scarlet Clematis. Illustrated. .103 
Fruit-Garden in March. S3 
Garden Vegetables, Trials of New and Old. 84 
Greenhouse and Window Plants in March.84 
Horses, Training and Education Make the Hors e..Ill.. 81 
Household.—Home Topics—Let the Children Learn to 
Chew — Drinking at Meals — Inside Finishing of 
Houses—Floors and Carpets—Easiest Way to Make 
Graham Bread — Cockroaches — Bread or Kneading 
Board—What is Tin-Ware? The Care of it—Meth¬ 
ods of Washing—Hand Snow-Plow—File for the 
American Agriculturist — Egg-Tester, Useful and 
Easily Made.5 Illustrations. .103-105 
Housekeepers—A New Hint. . 89 
Humbugs, Sundry.•..85-86 
Ice-Houses and Ice Without Houses .3 Illustrations.. 97 
Important Experiments with Fertilizers. 89 
Indian Corn, Newer Varieties of Promise..92 
Insects—The Currant Fruit Worm_ Illustrated _102 
Kitchen and Market Garden in March. 83 
Michigan, Iron Mines of.2 Illustrations..^ 8-99 
National Wealth, Our Rapidly Growing. 89 
Orchard and Garden in March. 83 
Poultry-House, A Convenient .2 Illustrations. 90 
Poultry-Keeping in a Village. 98 
Poultry, Rumpless Fowls. Illustrated.. 93 
Potato, A New, The “St. Patrick”. Illustrated. .102 
Prickly Comfrey for Poultry. 89 
Raspberriers for Market, The Cuthbert.. Illustrated.. 101 
Rhubarb in England, Forcing. Illustrated.. 101 
Root-Cutter,Home-made.3 Illustrations.. 97 
Science Applied to Farming—Field Experiments with 
Fertilizers—Reports and Their Value—Experiments 
for Testing Soils—Samples of Field Experiments— 
The Table—Soils Needing Phosphoric Acid—Soils 
Responding to Potash.91 
Sliding-Spout for Barn or Mill. Illustrated.. 95 
Stone-Boats.4 Illustrations.. 96 
Tide-Gate, A Self-Closing. Illustrated.. 100 
Tree Planting, The Ailanthus.102 
West,Editorial Correspondence from—Youthful Shep¬ 
herds—Ambitious Frontiersmen—Lady Excursion¬ 
ists—Western Words and Phrases—Best cure for 
Dyspepsia. 90 
Wheat and Corn in Alabama.98 
Where our Grain and Fertility go. % 
INDEX TO “ BASKET,” AND OTHER SHOUT ARTICLES. 
Abortion in Cows. 87|Life Insurance.115 
Animal Fastenings. 87iMicroscopes, Compound. 86 
Ashes for Poultry.113 North Carolina. 88 
Ayrshire Herd Books_ 88 Nuts and Nubbins.115 
Bommer’sMethod. 87!PaperOil-Cloth . 88 
Books for Farmers. 87 Pigs, Chester Wanted ... 87 
Bull Calf.115'Pigs. Scurfy. .113 
Blitter. Prize. 87:Pig-Tronghs. 115 
Cattle, Exportation of.... 86 Plants, Hardy.86 
Clouted Cream.113 Plants, New and Rare.... 88 
Colt. Feeding a.113 Potato-Planter.86 
Corn-Crib, Rat-proof. .HI .87 Poultry, Fountain for. III.. 88 
Cow, Leaky.115 Prickly Comfrey in Ga.. 86 
Draining Lands, Houses. 86 Protruded Rectum.115 
Eggs, Preserving.113 Rat-Proof Crib. 111.. 87 
Farm Implements . 88 Saw Bnck.. .Illustrated.. 88 
Fence-Building. Aid in.. Seed Drill. 88 
2 Illustrations.. 88-Sheep, Merino Register. 88 
Fertilizer for Grass. 87'Sheep Netting.113 
Fistula. 87:Shpep Raising. 87 
Forest-Planting. 88 Soda-Ash as Fertilizer... 87 
Goats, Angora.!. 87 Spelling Books_-. 88 
Green Fodder. 88 Steaming Food. 87 
Harrows.115 Straw, to Use.113 
Hog Products. Exports.. 86 Stone Rake.113 
Horses Interfere. 87iStnrtevant, ,T.N., Decease 88 
Horses, Three Abreast. ISummer-Fallow.115 
2 lll"strations .. 87 Tobacco in Texas. 87 
Horse-Power. HI.. 88 Wagon Seat.. Illustrated.. 87 
Horticultural Tacks. 88 Water Dish. Illustrated.. 87 
Lamp-Shade. 111.. 87 1 Witch-Grass. 87 
Calendar for March, 1879. 
Poston. N Eng¬ 
land. N. York 
State , J tichi 
gaily Wiscorir 
Hiii. Iowa, and 
Oregon. 
6 27 : 
6 20. f 
6 10 
6 
6 
6 
6 
6 
6 
5 
5 56 
5 54 
5 53 
5 51 
5 49 
5 4 
5 46 
5 41 
xV. Y. Citij. CL, 
Philadelphia, 
New Jersey, 
Penn.. Ohio. 
Indiana, and 
Illinois. 
. 
. 
<* 
- . 
S . 
- o? 
- .. 
$ £ 
*0 qj 
5“ 00 
*5 * 
e -2 
n ^ 
CQ * 
H.M 
U. M. 
H.M 
FT.M 
II. 51. 
H.M 
H.M 
H. M. 
5 50 
1 40 
6 34 
5 51 
1 33 
6 32 5 53 
1 27 
5 51 
2 35 
0 32 
5 52 
2 29 
6 31 
5 54 
2 22 
r. 52 
3 25 
6 31 
5 53 
3 is 
6 29 5 54 
3 12 
5 53 
4 7 
6 29 
d d;> 
4 2 
6 28 
5 56 
3 57 
d 55 
4 43 
6 28 
5 56 
4 39 
6 26 5 57 
4 35 
5 56 
5 14 
6 2(5 
;> 57 
5 12 
6 25 
5 58 
5 9 
5 57 
rises 
6 25 
5 58 
rises 
6 24 
5 59 
rises 
5 58 
6 32 
6 28 
5 59 
6 32 
6 22 6 0 
6 32 
5 59 
7 50 
6 21 
6 0 
7 49 
6 20 6 1 
7 48 
6 1 
9 10 
6 
6 1 
9 7 
6 19 6 2 
9 4 
6 2 
10 30 
6 18 
6 2 
10 26 
6 17 6 3 
10 21 
6 3 
11 48 
6 16 
6 3 
11 42 
6 16 6 4 
11 37 
6 4 
morn 
6 15 
6 5 
morn 
6 15 6 5 
morn 
6 5 
0 59 
6 13 
6 6 
0 53 
6 13 
6 6 
0 46 
6 6 
2 1 
6 11 
6 7 
1 54 
6 11 
6 7 
1 48 
6 7 
2 51 
6 10 
6 8 
2 45 
6 10 
6 8 
2 39 
6 9 
3 31 
6 8 
6 9 
3 26 
G 8 
6 9 
3 21 
6 10 
4 3 
6 6 6 10 
4 0 
6 6 
6 10 
3 55 
611 4 30 
6 5 6 11 
4 27 
6 5 
6 11 
4 24 
6 12 
4 53 
6 36 12 
4 51 
6 3 
6 12 
4 50 
6 13 
5 14 
6 1 6 IS 
5 14 
6 2 
6 13 
5 13 
6 14 
sets 
6 0 6 14 
sets 
6 0 
6 14 
sets 
6 15 
7 23 
5 58 6 15 
7 21 
5 59 
6 15 
7 19 
6 17 
8 25 
5 57 6 in 
8 22 
5 57 
6 16 
8 18 
6 18 
9 27 
5 55 6 17 
9 22 
5 55 6 17 
9 18 
6 19 
10 28 
5 53 6 18 
10 23 
5 54 6 18 
10 18 
6 20! u 29 
5 52 6 19 
11 23 
5 52 1 6 19 
11 17 
6 21 
morn 
5 50 6 2d 
morn 
5 51 6 30 
morn 
6 22 
0 25 
5 48 6 21 
0 19 
5 49 i 6 21 
0 12 
6 23 
1 17 
5 47 6 22 
1 10 
5 48!6 22 
1 4 
6 25 
2 1 
5 45 6 21 
1 55 
5 46,6 23 
1 50 
Washington, 
Maryland, 
Virginia. Ken- 
lucky, Missou¬ 
ri, and Cali- 
fornia. 
rHASES OF THE MOON. 
MOON. 
BOSTON. 
N. YORK. 
WASn'N. 
CnA’STON 
CHICAGO. 
In. 
1st Quart 1 
Full M’n 8 
3d Quart. 1 14 
New M’n 22 
1st Quart 30 
It. M. 
3 14 mo. 
8 25 mo. 
10 57 ev. 
4 20 ev. 
8 21 ev. 
H. M. 
3 2 mo. 
8 13 mo. 
10 45 ev. 
4 8 ev. 
8 9 ev. 
n. m. 
2 50 mo 
8 1 mo 
10 33 t-r. 
3 50 ev. 
7 57 cv. 
It. M. 
2 38 mo. 
7 49 mo. 
10 21 ev. 
3 41 ev. 
7 4.5 ev. 
H. M. 
2 8 mo. 
7 19 mo. 
9 51 ev. 
3 14 ev. 
7 15 ev. 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
NEW YORK, MARCH, 1879. 
Hints for the Work of the Month. 
[The Hints and Suggestions in these columns are 
never copied from previous years, but are freshly pre¬ 
pared for every month, from the latest experience and 
obseiwations, by practical men in each department .] 
Spring begins the 20th of March, at 6:20 P. M., but 
spring work began some time since in the South 
and Southwest. In the North winter yet lingers, 
but the time for the first spring work has come. 
Lay plans for the Year without delay. The fore¬ 
handed man works to great advantage. He loses 
no time ; everything is done at the proper moment. 
Hired Men are now engaged to begin work April 
1st. The season usually consists of 8 or 9 months, 
leaving the men idle about one quarter of the year. 
It is well for employers to consider if they can not 
better afford to give steady employment. There is 
work to be done at all seasons if sought for. 
The change of Weather often exposes men work¬ 
ing in the open air to great risks. To keep the 
feet dry is very necessary. A well-drained barnyard 
is one preventive of wet feet, and wearing rubber 
boots wherever water or mud is to be encoun¬ 
tered, is ano’her. The latter will serve in all cases. 
Horses' Feet should be well cared for in the slushy 
condition of the roads. When brought in from 
work, horses should be well rubbed down with a 
piece of blanket, and the feet and legs thoroughly 
dried. The friction will remove the chilling effect 
of the cold slush ; hut if this is left upon the feet, 
the skin may become diseased, and cracked heels 
or foot fever result from the carelessness. 
Surface Water is to be let off from fields and roads 
before the ground is deeply thawed. This will 
avoid wasteful and annoying washing of gulleys. 
Drains should be inspected and the outlets cleared 
of clogging ice and snow. 
Clover Seed may be sown this month upon the bare 
ground after a light frost. By sowing upon a light 
flurry of snow, upon which the seed can be seen, a 
very even east may be made. The “ Cahoon ” and 
the “Philadelphia” broadcast sowers are good 
machines for sowing seed very rapidly by hand. 
Harrowing Fall Crain is in order as soon as the 
ground is dry. It will help to cover up plants that 
have been loosened by heaving, and will aid weak 
plants to push ahead. A dressing of artificial fer¬ 
tilizers will be a great benefit to these crops. 
Artificial Fertilizing 6eems to be the most impor¬ 
tant question now before farmers. It is a compara¬ 
tively new thing here. But there is no other 
way to procure the necessary manure to cultivate 
all our fields, and to get the largest crops. Half 
methods will no longer pay. We have a wide mar¬ 
ket to fill and prices are low. To make things even 
we must produce more. It is well to consider seri¬ 
ously how far one can experiment with artificial 
fertilizers this season as a guide for future use. 
The article by Prof. Atwater on page 91 may be 
studied with profit. 
A Caution .—Buy no fertilizers without knowing 
precisely what they consist of. Peruvian Guano, 
and other reliable fertilizers, when genuine, always 
have a brand upon the bags, with a statement of 
their analysis. Special manures are sold by res¬ 
ponsible dealers, according to known formulas, 
which should be studied by the purchaser, that he 
may know what he is getting and how to use it. 
Cows .—Want of care during the winter leaves a 
cow very poor and weak in the spring. Any animal 
that is out of condition should be well cared for 
now. A mess of warm-bran slop, with one ounce 
of ginger stirred in, will be very useful. It is not 
safe to over feed, especially with stimulating food. 
Calves .—A calf that is iufested with vermin, may 
be knotvn by its rough coat covered with ticks. 
The young animals should be freed from these- 
pests at once. A mixture of lard and sulphur 
rubbed along the spine and on the brisket will be 
effective ; and a dose of a tablespoonful of sulphur 
and molasses, once a day for a week, will help 
greatly to drive away lice and prevent disease. 
“ Black-leg" in Calves is frequent just now. It 
mainly affects the best kept animals. To prevent 
it, give the sulphur and molasses, and feed no meal. 
To reduce the condition gradually is an effective 
preventive. Medicines come too late in this dis¬ 
ease, which is almost surely fatal at this season. 
Sheep .—A few one-ounce doses of a mixture of 
equal parts of sulphur and cream of tartar will re¬ 
lieve the irritation of the skin common in the early 
spring, and the loss of much wool by rubbing. 
Ewes should have dry and clean pens and yards. 
Abundant litter is no remedy for a wet floor ; a dry 
board is better than a foot of damp straw for a bed. 
Lambs —Early lambs may he pushed forward by 
giving them a little fresh cow’s milk. They will 
soon learn to drink this from a pan. The milk 
should be given warm from a fresh cow, a quarter 
of a pint to a meal. Do not overfeed any young 
animal; that retards, instead of assisting growth. 
Swine —Separate breeding sows from other pigs, 
and provide them with a warm dry pen, bedded with 
leaves or cut straw, and furnished with a rail fas¬ 
tened 8 inches from the floor and from the wall to 
prevent the young pigs from being crushed. It is 
well to give the sow half a pint of raw linseed-oil a 
few days before farrowing, and immediately after; 
this may prevent her from destroying the pigs. 
Spring Work .—The first work is to replace fences- 
laid by the winter storms. There is nothing gained 
by plowing too early. The soil should be dry be¬ 
fore a furrow is turned. Manure may be drawn 
out; stones can be gathered from frozen ground 
when the warmth of the sun has loosened them. 
Poultry .—Unless great cleanliness is observed, 
the poultry-houses will become offensive and un¬ 
wholesome in the damp and warmer weather. 
Clean often, and sprinkle with plaster and coal ashes, 
or dig up the earthern floor and freshen it. If lice 
or fleas abound, apply grease or kerosene oil to the 
perches: it will spread from these to the fowls. 
Provide warm, sheltered nesting places for the 
early setting hens, and a glass covered coop for the 
chicks. Feed young chicks little, but often. 
Tools .—Every implement needs overhauling, and 
many will require repairing. This is the last oppor¬ 
tunity of getting things “to-rights” before they 
will be needed. Sharpen and polish up the tools, 
clean the machines and oil them thoroughly; look 
