36 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[January, 
Salt on Wheat.— “ L. II.,” and several others. 
While on some soils salt produces no apparent results, 
on others it is of marked benefit. Its utility can only 
be learned by experiment. It often hasan indirectactiou, 
in enabling the plant to take up Silica and strengthen 
the straw. Its effect in preventing the growth of those 
minute fungi which cause rust and smut, is sometimes 
beneficial. After cold weather has put a stop to the 
growth of the plants, salt sown at the rate of five or six 
bushels to the acre, often increases (he health of the 
plant and improves the appearance of the grain. 
Assays of Minerals. —Those who send us speci¬ 
mens of minerals should recollect, that while some min¬ 
erals may be determined with fair accuracy by a mere in¬ 
spection, others require chemical examination, for which 
we have not a laboratory or the time, and unless provi¬ 
sion is made for an assayer’s fee, we can make no report. 
Iteporls of SSortieuItural Societies.— In 
filing away the Reports that have been sent us from time 
to time during the past year, we are reminded in the first 
place to make a general acknowledgment to those 
secretaries who have not had a special one. We observe 
that the Reports, as a rule, are less bulky than iu former 
years, while they are correspondingly more valuable. It 
may gratify Mr. Smith to read that he exhibited 23 vari¬ 
eties of the common apples, with the list of their names, 
or Miss Jones, that she had the same thirteen chrysan¬ 
themums, the list of which is published this year, as it 
has been every one of the past dozen years. These mat¬ 
ters make work for the printers, and increase the bulk 
of the Reports, but they do not add to their value. The 
Sixth Report of the Montreal Horticultural Society is 
a model in its way. Its mechanical execution is excel¬ 
lent, and its papers of commendable brevity, and all the 
more valuable for being on local matters. The same 
may be said of the Proceedings of the 26th Annual Meet¬ 
ing of the Western New York Horticultural Society. 
This is one of the “ meatiest ” Reports that come to us 
and always contains useful matter. The Ohio and the 
New Jersey State Horticultural Societies both have our 
thanks for their valuable Reports. 
Preserving Eggs. — Numerous correspondents 
have asked if there is not some method of preserving 
eggs for an indefinite length of time, so that they can 
not be told from fresh eggs, without the use of lime. 
So far as we are aware, there is no method practicable, 
on a commercial scale, other than the use of lime-wash. 
For home-use, several plans have been tried with more 
or less success. To preserve eggs, the pores of the shell 
must be stopped up, for two reasons : to prevent the 
entrance of the air, and consequent spoiling of the con¬ 
tents ; and to prevent the evaporation of the moisture 
of the egg and a drying up of the contents. Placing 
the eggs in a net or basket, and plunging them for a few 
seconds in boiling water, long enough to cook or solidify 
a thin film of the white next to the shell, is successfully 
practised iu some families, but it would spoil the eggs 
for sale. Closing the pores by smearing the shell with 
lard, suet, or linseed oil, has been tried with more or 
less success. Many years ago a patent was taken out 
for the use of shellac varnish for the same purpose. 
The care required in the use of the varnish, as each egg 
must be treated separately, and as a slight uncovered 
space would allow the egg to spoil, besides the discolor¬ 
ation, prevented this from coming into use. If any one 
can suggest any method better for commercial purposes 
than the lime-wash, we should be glad to have it. 
Japan and Japanning. — Several inquirers. 
These terms are used with very different meanings. 
What is known as Japan, or Japan Drier, and used to mix 
with paint, is made with Linseed Oil,Litharge,Umber, and 
sometimes other ingredients. It cannot be readily made 
on a small scale, and it is better to buy it. The process 
called Japanning, as applied to wood, pasteboard, etc., 
consists in the use of a varnish made of Asphaltum, 
Anime, or other gums, with oil, the work being after¬ 
wards exposed in an oven to a heat of about 300°, to make 
the varnish flow, and give a beautiful smooth surface. 
The Japanning of common articles of tinware, which 
gives a rich brown color, is done by applying a varnish 
made by dissolving Asphaltum in turpentine, and add¬ 
ing a little linseed oil to toughen it. 
Success In Artificial Incubation.- “W. H. 
L.,” New Orleans, La., writes; “Last March I placed in 
my incubator 180 eggs bought on the market at 20 cents 
per dozen. At the end of the eighth day of incubation, 
examined them, took 30 unfertile out of the lot, leaving 
150 containing chicks, as far as could be seen ; I lost a 
number by a stroke of lightning, which fell next door, 
and others died at different stages. Out of the lot I 
hatched 120 healthy chickens, and I raised out of these 
110, which attained maturity. I raised them artificially, 
that is without a mother, the heat being furnished 
by the lamp of the incubator. As for showing them 
how to eat, scratch, etc., I had no trouble, as I had 
several young chicks hatched by a hen, which I put in 
among them at night, since which time they have taken 
care of themselves.”—This is an encouraging report for 
those who contemplate raising chicks artificially. When 
we take into account the fact that the eggs were bought 
in the market, and had no special care in handling, the 
proportion that hatched is remarkable. A former asso¬ 
ciate some years ago made the statement that he had 
just as good success with barrelled eggs sent from the 
West, with all the rough handling they must receive, as 
he did with eggs carefully packed by those who adver¬ 
tise “eggs for hatching.” 
Earwigs.— “W. B.,” Bergen Co.,N. J.—The insect 
so troublesome to European gardeners, called Earwig in 
England, is not known in this country. It is a noc¬ 
turnal idsect, nearly related to the Cockroach. It is said 
to be called Earwig, because it hides itself in any hole 
or crevice, and has been known to take refuge in the 
human ear. Others say the name is properly Earwing, 
in reference to the shape of its short wings. What is of¬ 
ten called Earwig in this country is not a true insect, but 
one of the Myriapods, related to the tropical Centipede. 
Osiers—Willows. —“J. D..” Shepherdsville, Ky. 
The common Osier is only suited for very coarse work, 
such as farm baskets, etc. For the finer wicker work, 
various kinds of willows are used, and most of the large 
nurseries can supply them. We cannot give you prices. 
Pruning the Norway Spruce. — N. A. 
Briggs, Merrimack Co., N. H., asks the proper sea¬ 
son for pruning the Norway Spruce, and like several 
others who have made the inquiry, omits to say what is 
his object in pruning. Pruning may be done for very 
opposite ends. If the Spruce is planted as a hedge or 
screen, then it needs to be dwarfed, rather than encour¬ 
aged to grow upward. Cutting back the new growth, 
before it has yet hardened, is generally done, in June: 
this has the effect to keep the tree in a dwarf, compact 
form. If the object is merely to regulate the shape, by 
removing or shortening certain branches, it may be done 
in autumn at any time before severe weather comes. 
For cutting away the lower limbs of a Norway Spruce, or 
other evergreen, there is no one “ proper time.” 
Pruning the Pencil Tree. —“D. W. C.,” Syra¬ 
cuse, N. Y. By cutting back from one-third to one half 
of the previous season’s growth on a young tree, and at 
the same time removing altogether any crowded 
branches, a more compact head is formed. Besides, the 
tree is less likely to break down from the weight of fruit, 
which is more evenly distributed. This cutting should 
be done very early in spring. We recently saw in Mas¬ 
sachusetts some trees that had been thus treated; all 
were compact and shapely, and the foliage was remark¬ 
ably vigorous and healthy, while those that were in bear¬ 
ing had the fruit evenly distributed. Especially in gar¬ 
den culture is this treatment advisable. 
Mealy Bugs.--” H. T. W.” When these first make 
their appearance upon window or greenhouse plants, 
commence the attack. It is not difficult to keep them 
under if taken in hand at their first appearance. Keep a 
small bottle of strong alcohol or benzine, with a camel’s- 
liair pencil fixed to the cork, and when a mealy bug is 
seen, give it the least touch of the liquid. We have of 
late years used nothing, applied (so to speak) with a 
pointed stick. Whittle a piece of soft pine down to a 
very sharp point, keeping several such sticks in handy 
places about the greenhouse. Whenever a mealy bug is 
seen, impale it on a pointed stick and remove it. It is 
very easy if you begin early and keep the mastery. 
Sending Poultry to Market.— Messrs E. & 
O. Ward, the veteran commission dealers, have learned 
that an impression can be made on some people only by 
hammering away. None better than they know the im¬ 
mense aggregate loss to senders of poultry to market, 
through the neglect of a few simple points, which are 
easier to observe than to omit. In their large general 
circular they give directions for preparing poultry for 
market; in autumn they send out a Special Poultry Cir¬ 
cular, and towards the Holidays they publish a condensed 
form, in which they say “ To insure highest market 
prices, poultry must be well fattened: crops empty when 
killed: kill by bleeding, but do not remove the head; 
have them nicely and well picked, the skin not broken 
or torn ; the entrails should not be removed ; thoroughly 
cooled but not frozen. Pack in boxes, with a layer of 
clean straw (Rye straw the best) between each layer of 
poultry, in the same posture in which they roost. Mark 
each box, specifying what it contains. Send invoice by 
mail. Ship to reach us about the middle of the week- 
should never reach us so late in the week as on Saturday. 
Turkeys weighing over 11 or 12 lbs. are in very little de¬ 
mand after New Year's Day. If you cannot find any 
profit in sending prime quality and well prepared, you 
need not look for any in ordinary or poor qualities. We 
repeat again and again—see to it that every package is 
marked ivith your name or initials , and also what it con¬ 
tains, and send invoice .” The Messrs. Ward suggest that 
by adhering to the above, on one consignment shippers 
of poultry will save more than a year's subscription to 
the American Agriculturist will cost them. 
A Correction.— In Professor Caldwell’s tables un¬ 
der “Food Rations for Milk,” Dec. 1881, page 517, there 
is an omission of a single period, which has brought 
confusion to some of our readers. After Cottou-se^d 
meal, instead of “ 25 lbs.,” read 2.5 lbs. This is an easy 
mistake to make, and one that might lead to great error. 
Experience with Barbed Wire Fence.— 
“A. H. G.,” Grand Rapids, Mich., is of opinion that the 
different reports as to the value of barbed wire fencing 
are due to the manner in which it is put up. His first 
attempt was with barbed wire aloue. A dog drove his 
herd of 11 cows at and through the fence, one cow being 
so injured in the udder that she was turned into beef. 
After this accident he nailed one board at the top; the 
animals now see it, and he regards this as the best 
fence on his farm. On another farm he keeps a num¬ 
ber of colts, which had the habit of breaking down and 
going through the board fence. He set posts about 20 
feet apart, and placed a single wire upon these at about 
10 inches above the boards. His neighbors predicted 
that the colts would injure or kill themselves with this 
barbed wire, but though some of the colts are very mis¬ 
chievous, none have been over or through the fence, or 
have even been scratched. Mr. G. finds great satisfac¬ 
tion in getting the better of an unruly horse. 
Feed Mill Prizes.— J. A. Field & Co., makers of 
the well known Big Giant Feed Mills, offer four of their 
mills as premiums ; two for the first and second best 
results in cattle feeding, and two for the same in hog 
feeding. The conditions for competitors can be had by 
sending to Messrs. J. A. Field & Co., St. Louis, Mo. 
Soldering Copper or Brass .- 1 “ H. W.” The 
liquid used by tinsmiths and other workmen to cause 
soft solder to adhere to copper, brass, and even to iron, 
about which some maintain a secrecy, is merely a crude 
chloride of zinc. To make it, put a little muriatic acid 
into a wide-mouthed bottle of twice the capacity. Set 
this out of doors, on account of the odor, and add zinc 
cut in strips, so long as any is dissolved. In soldering 
copper, brass, or iron, scrape the spot bright, place upon 
it a diop or two of this liquid and apply solder in the 
usual manner. 
A Freight Car-Load.- The ordinary freight 
cars used on the different railroads, can each carry : 400 
to 450 bushels of wheat: 500 bushels of Indian corn; 400 
to 500 bushels of Potatoes; 8(0 to 900 bushels of oats; 
125 barrels of flour. This is 12 to 14 tons (of 2,000 lbs.) 
weight the car load. 
Statistician at the Bepartment of Agri¬ 
culture.— Col. J. R. Dodge, who found that the De¬ 
partment was not large enough to contain both himself 
and LeDuc, and departed for a while, has been restored 
to his old position by Commissioner Loring. An excel¬ 
lent thing for the Department, and for the country. 
THE 
CHBCKERiMB ^ 
^ PIANO, 
TOIC USlP'S’llP in a11 P reat contests, and for 
IrSlL IlbiltO THE PAST FIFTY-SEVEN 
YEARS the ACKNOWLEDGED STANDARD of the 
WORLD—being copied not only by the makers of 
this country, but of Europe —will be offered durir.g 
the present conditions of trade at 
GREATLY REDUCED PRICES. 
All persons wishing to purchase (or examine) in¬ 
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Warerooras. 
CHIQEEEmQ & sous, 
130 Fifth Ave., IV. Y. | 150 Tremont-st., Boston. 
