214 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[June, 
few who have the requisite tact and knowledge for this 
kind of work are a small minority, and these, if they wish 
to undertake it, will need no help from us. To farm¬ 
ers in general, unused to handling powerful chemicals, 
the process presents difficulties, and may be the source 
of dangerous accidents, and they, ns a whole, had better 
not attempt to make bones into superphosphate. 
Fure Bred Stock.— “T. C. R.,” Allegheny Co., 
Pa. The only certain way of ascertaining the purity of 
the breed of any animal is its record in a trustworthy 
herd book. Such a record establishes purity of blood so 
far as the utmost care in securing proof can be used. By 
tracing the pedigree of an animal through the different 
owners of its ancestry, and by identifying these through 
the several transfers, fraud is made almost impossible, 
and the character of the ancestry and the probable value 
of the animal are ascertained. The chief value of herd 
books consists in this. 
Safety from Fire from a Steam Engine. 
—“H. F. C.,” Oxford, N. H. There is no doubt that 
steam can be used on many farms with economy, but the 
dread of tire prevents it. A safe arrangement can be 
made without trouble. It is not necessary to have the 
boiler in the barn, although it may be placed there with¬ 
out danger. A boiler-house may be placed 100 feet from 
the barn, and the steam carried in pipes protected with 
asbestos-covering to prevent condensation. Or a chim¬ 
ney may be built through the roof, and the pipe carried 
into it, and there will be no more danger than in a wood¬ 
en dwelling-house with a shingle roof. The saferway is 
to have a detached boiler-house not less than 100 feet 
distant from the barn. — 
Harrowing Young Oats.— “D. W. L.,” West- 
wood, Ya. Upon smooth land the Thomas Harrow would 
be beneficial to young oats, but if the land is rough, and 
it is full of corn-stubble, the experiment would be 
risky from the danger of tearing out much of the crop. 
To Remove Warts.— “H. S.,” Hancock Co., 
Miss. Warts may be safely removed, or at least prevented 
from further growth, by the judicious use of caustics. 
The application, to be effective, should be of such a 
strength, as to corrode the surface only, and not cat into 
the body of the wart; it should be repeated as soon as the 
new surface has become freed from the decomposed por¬ 
tion. A solution of 10 grains of Nitrate of Silver, in one 
ounce of water would be sufficiently strong, or in place 
of this. Nitric Acid, diluted with four times its bulk of 
water, may be used to touch the surface of the warts. 
Canadian Horses.— “C. W.,” Lea, Minn. The 
horses known as Canadian, are descended from French 
stock, probably from the Percherons. To raise horses of 
good size, 1,400 lbs. or thereabout, a pure Percheron (not 
Norman) sire should be used. The Canadians arc small¬ 
er than this, and would not be suitable for raising 1,400 
lb. horses. The Cleveland Bays described in the Amer¬ 
ican, Agriculturist, or the Clydesdale would make good 
sires for the purpose referred to. 
Cultivating Oats and Barley.— “P. L. J.” 
Oats and barley, as well as other small grains, are bene- 
fitted by and need cultivation, though perhaps not al¬ 
ways so much as wheat, as the latter tillers more, and has 
more roots. If a wheat-hoe is not available for the work, 
it will be well to give the oat and barley fields a light 
harrowing after the young plants are 4 to G inches high. 
This will serve as an initial experiment in cultivation. 
Sliingle Machines.— “ J. A. P.,” Coahoma Co., 
Miss. There are machines made for splitting shingles 
from steamed blocks, or for sawing them from dry blocks. 
They may be cheaply made in the manner described and 
illustrated in the American Agriculturist for Nov. 1871, 
which refers to steamed and split shingles. To make 
shaved shingles, the blocks, sawed as there described, are 
split by means of an instrument called a ‘'frow,” and 
are shaved in a “ horse,” shown at p. 223 of this number. 
The White Grub.- Strange as it may seem, it is 
not generally known that the White grub—the large, fat, 
unpleasant looking caterpillar—is the larval state of the 
common May-bug or June-bug. The white grub is one 
of our most serious insect pests, for the reason that its 
work is done underground, and we have no knowledge 
of the approach of the enemy; we only know that it has 
been there when its work is done. Acres of lawn and 
meadow grass, rows of strawberry plants, and even rows 
of nursery fruit trees, and multitudes of other plants, 
including corn, are annually destroyed by it. In view 
of the destructiveness of the larva, every perfect insect 
should be killed. It is the brown beetle that comes 
into the house in the evening and makes such a noise 
by bouncing against the ceiling and elsewhere. Catch 
and kill. While there are more or less each year, the 
beetles are especially abundant once in three years, the 
particular year varying with the locality. When they 
are found clustering in the trees, a special effort should 
be made to destroy them. The beetles themselves eat 
the foliage of trees, and are sometimes destructive. 
They visit both forest and fruit trees, and in great num¬ 
bers in the year of their abundance. In early morning 
they do not attempt to fly, and may be shaken from the 
trees and caught upon cloths spread to receive them. 
When -we consider that with every female we destroy a 
host of possible grubs, it will be seen that this is the 
most effective method of dealing with this pest. 
Aslies—Piaster.—“J. M. T.,” Tildcn Co., Ind. If 
those subscribers w ho have the back numbers of this 
journal would examine them before writing to us for in¬ 
formation, they would often save themselves much trou¬ 
ble, as they would frequently find their questions al¬ 
ready answered either in the “Basket” or some general 
article. The subject of “ashes ” has been treated several 
times during the past year, but we are of course always 
ready and glad to answer any new questions_Un¬ 
leached wood-ashes are a good fertilizer on most sandy 
loams, and are profitable in any quantity, from 20 to 50 
bushels per acre. For wheat and other small grains, sow 
ashes broadcast, and harrow them in, before sowing the 
seed. They may be applied to fall-sown wheat in spring, 
to the extent of 25 bushels per acre, put on in the middle 
of the day, when the ground and plants are dry_Plas¬ 
ter can have but little effect in impoverishing the soil, 
though it may to a slight degree when used alone , as it 
furnishes but little plant-food, while it helps the plants 
get other food from the soil. Plaster is more profitable 
for a corn-crop on sod-land, where the soil is light, than 
on stubble, for the reason that its action is greater in con¬ 
nection with decaying organic matter than in a compara¬ 
tively bare soil. See other items for replies to questions. 
An Improved Nest.—“J. R. II.,” Attleboro, N. 
Y., sends the accompanying sketch of a nest-box so ar¬ 
ranged with a roller at the front that the fowls cannot 
roost upon it, nor sland on it to fight other hens from the 
next. The end partitions are raised 2 inches at the front 
above the others, and a roller or 8-sided rod 2 inches 
thick, is fastened with a wood screw at each end so that 
it will turn easily and a hen cannot roost on it. There is 
an opening at the bottom in the front to air the nests. 
The Metric System. —We received a few days 
ago, a postal card from a friend in Boston, along the up¬ 
per edge of the message side of which, was printed, 13 
Centimeters— one Decimeter and three Centimeters over to 
fill the space. Underneath this was printed, “To make 
the Centimeters familiar, the Metric Bureau 32 Hawley 
St., Boston, prints this without charge.” We do not 
know what kind of a “ Boston Notion ” the Metric Bureau 
may be, but it takes measures in a matter of fact way to 
popularize the Metric System. 
Egg-Eating Hens.— “ W. A. B.,” Cook Co., 111. 
A nest with a false bottom may be used to circumvent 
egg-eating fowls. The nest is made with a false bottom, 
sloping from each side to the center, and one-half of it is 
raised sufficiently above the other to permit the eggs to 
roll down on to a lower bottom, which is covered with 
soft hay. When hens are inveterate egg-eaters, it is bet¬ 
ter to kill them than to bother with them. 
Whitewash the Outbuildings.— Now that 
the hot weather has come, it will be necessary to clean 
up the buildings to prevent the increase of vermin. A 
good coat of whitewash well dashed on and into every 
corner will be very beneficial, and will not only kill lice 
and fleas and their eggs, but will purify and sweeten the 
places. A convenient way to apply the wash is to make 
a barrelful and spread it with a Whitman fountain pump, 
dashing it into every corner and crevice. In this way 
there need be no danger of soiling the clothing or the 
hands, especially if a pair of mittens bo worn. 
Hungarian Grass for Cows.— “C. H. D.,” 
Smithtown, Iowa. Hungarian grass is a useful green 
fodder crop, but it makes coarse hay, and is inferior to 
oat-hay or corn-fodder. Sugar-beets, which may also be 
planted this month (June) will also make a winter feed 
superior to Hungarian grass. This grass grows on any 
good land, and matures for cutting in eight weeks. 
Peas and Corn for Fodder.— In place of oats 
and peas grown together for green fodder, we have of 
late grown corn and peas ; dropping one row of corn and 
then a row of peas close to it; the double rows are made 
3 feet apart, and are cultivated in the usual manner. If 
the early small corn is grown, the two crops may he sown 
late in this month, or early in July, and the rows may be 
made 30 inches apart. It may be used green or cured for 
winter feeding. The peas fasten themselves to the stalks, 
and a very dense growth is made. 
Artificial Food for Calves. — “T. R. C.,” 
Mineral Co., W. Va. When milk cannot be found for 
calves, a substitute can be made by pouring boiling water 
upon some hay, and mixing with a sufficient quantity of 
this hay tea a quart or more of gruel made as follows; 
Take a quart of flour, tie it in a cloth and boil it three or 
four hours ; when it is cold, grate a tablespoonful and 
boil it in one quart of water, with a tablespoonful of lin¬ 
seed meal and a little salt. This gruel may be diluted) 
somewhat if too thick. If the calf suffers from diarrhoea,, 
substitute cotton-seed meal for the linseed, and add a tea¬ 
spoonful of prepared chalk to each mess of gruel. When, 
there is an irregular supply of milk, too much at one time- 
and none at another, the surplus may be boiled and set 
away in tightly corked bottles for use in time of scarcity, 
and then helped out with the above mixture. 
Salt for Sheep. —When sheep arc turned on to the' 
grass, a daily allowance of salt should be given. A tea- 
spoonful for each sheep is sufficient. The safest way to- 
give the salt is to provide a lump of rock salt in a con¬ 
venient sheltered place and leave it so that the sheep can- 
go to it when they wish. Salt prevents indigestion,, 
and greatly discourages parasites in the intestines. 
Seeding a Reclaimed Marsh.— “D. n. M.,” - 
St. Louis, Mo. The surface of a marsh that cannot well 
be plowed, may be cut up and pulverized by the disc- 11 
harrow. This can be weighted so as to make a sufficient 
impression upon the tough surface to make a good cov¬ 
ering for the seed. Timothy and Red-top are the best 
grasses to seed down with. Ten lbs. of Timothy, and 14 
lbs. of Red-top seed will be sufficient for one acre. 
Second Crop Clover for Feed.—“J. H. D.,”' 
Adams Co., Ohio. When a second crop of clover can be 
cut while it is soft and succulent, and before the stems- 
have become woody, and if it is cured in the cock and 
not in the full sun, it will yield very acceptable and good 
fodder. Otherwise it is not only poor feed, but is un¬ 
healthful. In this case it would pay better to leave it to- 
die down on the ground as a protection for the next year's 
crop, and as a fertilizing material. When the season is- 
dry, second growth clover is apt to be hard and indiges¬ 
tible, and unfit for fodder. It may, however, be cut for 
litter with advantage. 
How a Young Horse Can be Spoiled.— 
“ F. H. R.,” Macoupin Co., Ill. When a young horse- 
acts badly in harness, it is because he has not been prop¬ 
erly taught his business. To whip and ill-use him is to- 
spoil him. A horse is naturally willing and docile, if 
well used, and much may be done by kindness, patience,, 
and judgment in removing the ill effects of wrong treat¬ 
ment. A colt should be trained when young, and gradu¬ 
ally taught its duties ; the greatest care should be taken 
to avoid frightening or irritating the animal, and much 
patience should be exercised. If the animal refuses to do 
what is required, punishment will make matters worse ; 
something should bo done to distract its attention, 
when it will generally become docile. 
Crops for Flowing Under.—“J. N. H.,” Lan¬ 
caster, Pa. The most available crop for plowing under i© 
red clover, but a heavy growth cannot be produced on 
poor land without a liberal application of artificial fer¬ 
tilizer. Winter rye may be used for this purpose, but it 
is not worth nearly so much as clover. Buckwheat ranks- 
next to clover, and can be grown more quickly, it may 
be sown in May. and after turning under, a second crop 
may be sown in July to be plowed in in September. Per¬ 
haps the best plan would be to sow buckwheat and plow 
under two crops, following with rye, and plowing that 
down in May or June, the second year, and then seed to- 
Orchard grass and clover, if grass is wanted. In this way 
a crop of hay may be taken the same year that it is sown. • 1 
Seeding Swamp Meadows,—" W. H.,” Wythe 
Co., W. Ya. Timothy and Red Top or Orchard Grass, are 
suitable kinds of grass for moist meadows. If too rough 
to plow, the surface may be cut up and loosened with the 
sharp disc harrow, which leaves the ground in better con¬ 
dition than by plowing and ordinary harrowing. 
Tumors iu Cow’s Teats.— “ H. G.,” Cratliie, 
Out. The tumors or nodules which form in the cow’s- 
milk ducts are difficult to remove; the duct, however, 
may be opened by means of an instrument made by in¬ 
serting a small blade of a penknife in a slit in the side 
of a thin piece of whalebone rounded at the end and 
polished; the instrument is inserted in the duct, and the- 
edge of the blade which projects a sixteenth of an iuch> 
cuts the tumor and opens the passage. A small wooden* 
plug is put in the duct to prevent closing until it heals. 
