54 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[February, 
over against the side of the post as shown in 
fig. 4. A trough in this position is, for all prac¬ 
tical purposes, just as good as though bottom 
up, however by leaving the post nearly as 
wide again at top, and on a level with the top 
of trough when right side up, the trough can 
be turned bottom up, when properly hinged. 
This trough is also easily made portable by 
connecting the ends below the trough. 
- — o —...-- 
A “Laying Coop” or Nest Boxes. 
Mr. J. Stewart has in use a “ Laying Coop” 
made without any nails, and can be quickly 
taken apart for packing away, whitewashing, 
etc. It can be made of any size to suit. The 
top and bottom boards have tenons on the 
ends passing through mortises in the end 
boards, and held in place by wooden pins, as 
shown in the accompanying engraving. The 
top and bottom boards have '/Vinch holes 
bored through them, which receive pins that 
pass into the corresponding holes bored in the 
edges of the partition boards. As these par¬ 
tition pieces are all alike, they are easily put 
in place. There is a bar or step along the 
front of the nest to prevent any eggs from 
falling out—the bottom board may extend 
forward for a few inches to serve as a place 
upon which the fowls may alight. 
Binding Loaded Logs. 
Mr. J. E. Lee, Chippewa Co., Wis., sends a 
sketch and description of his method of bind¬ 
ing logs when a number of them are drawn 
upon a bob-sled. The binding chains are put 
over the lower logs, and two top logs are 
placed above the chains, and by their weight 
METHOD OF BINDING LOGS. 
they hold the chains tight and keep the load 
secure. Mr. L. hints that the method is not 
satisfactory where the road is rough or along 
a hill-side. The style of bob-sled that is used 
for logging in the timber regions of Wiscon¬ 
sin may be of interest to many. 
Sheep Skins.— “A. T.,” Canyon City, 
Col., has several sheep skins, and wishes to 
know how he can remove the wool without 
cutting it off. We only know of the tanners’ 
method, which is, to soak the skins (if dry) 
in water until thoroughly softened ; when 
any adhering flesh, etc., is scraped off by a 
blunt knife. The skins are then hung up in 
a close, warm room, where they are kept un¬ 
til putrefaction sets in and goes on sufficient¬ 
ly to loosen the wool, which is then removed, 
and the skins placed in a lime vat to harden 
them. After remaining in the lime for 
several weeks, they are then tanned. 
A Makeshift Well Curbing. 
Mr. W. J. Dumble, Pembina Co., Dakota, 
finds the use of barrels very satisfactory for 
walling up a well. His method is to dig the 
well the required depth, and place a barrel in 
the bottom with holes bored in the lower 
head, and in the sides 
as far up as the middle 
hoops, for the entrance 
of water. Pack the soil 
closely around the bar¬ 
rel and place a second 
barrel upon the first one, 
both the heads being re¬ 
moved. If they do not 
fit together firmly a few 
strips and nails may be 
used. In this way con¬ 
tinue until the surface 
of the ground is reach¬ 
ed, a distance of 12 to 
16 feet in Mr. D’s local¬ 
ity. The barrels, old 
molasses, etc., can be 
bought for 50 to 75 
cents, and are much 
cheaper than to use lumber. We give this 
method with the engraving, as a “make¬ 
shift ” curbing for families in a new country 
who must have a well at short notice with 
little time or money to make it. 
MAKESHIFT WELL 
CURBING. 
About Silk Culture. 
There is an evident revival of interest in 
the subject of silk culture as shown by our 
correspondence. Some write to ask where 
eggs may be procured, others wish to know 
how much it will cost to start an establish¬ 
ment for silk growing, and other inquiries 
are received relating to the matter. Those 
who have looked into the subject most 
thoughtfully have come to this conclusion, 
with which we quite agree. If silk culture 
ever becomes one of our industries, it must 
be, at least at first, upon a small scale. It 
must be a family industry, a part of the farm 
products, just as the raising of chickens and 
of bees are at present. Nearly all of the 
labor required to raise a crop of cocoons is 
of that light kind that may be performed by 
women and children, and by those whose 
feeble health or advanced years will not allow 
them to join in the active work of the farm, 
yet would be glad to feel that they were do¬ 
ing something to contribute to the general 
welfare. While the raising of a crop of co¬ 
coons does not require hard labor, it demands 
intelligent care and attention, which must be 
given continuously. To care for the worms 
one day and neglect them the next, would 
result in disaster. There must be regular 
feeding and constant systematic attention 
throughout. By proper management, no 
doubt an important, though not very large, 
addition may be made to the income of the 
farm by the labor of those who might not 
otherwise be profitably employed, and by 
affording occupation to such would be use¬ 
ful aside from any money returns. So we 
feel assured that those who have investigated 
the subject are right, when they advise that 
silk culture be undertaken as a home indus¬ 
try. Let it be begun in a small way, and 
when the business is thoroughly learned, for 
like every other such industry it must be 
learned, then if found desirable it may be 
increased. Begun in this manner, with 
nothing but what the resources of the farm 
can supply, even a failure will bring no loss, 
while the experience gained will be of great 
value. The letters of inquiry are largely to 
ask where eggs can be procured, and how to 
treat them. There is something that goes 
before this—have our correspondents food 
for the worms after they are hatched ? We 
do not recollect to have had an inquiry upon 
the question of a supply of food, yet this 
is the very starting point in silk culture. One 
who should buy a herd of cows without con¬ 
sidering if he had proper pasturage, would 
make no greater mistake than do those who 
propose to raise silk without first providing 
proper food. What is proper food ? It must 
be some form or species of Mulberry, or the 
related Osage Orange. Either the common 
White Mulberry (Morus alba), or the Chinese 
Mulberry (iff. multicaulis), or some of the 
new varieties of these, are the best. Very 
excellent results have attended the proper 
feeding of the leaves of the Osage Orange, 
and where there are abundant hedges of 
this, the raising of silk may be undertaken 
with a fair prospect of success. If there are 
neither hedges of Osage Orange or Mulberry 
trees, then the first step, before considering 
the procuring of eggs, is to make a plantation 
of some kind of Mulberry to supply the 
worms with food; we say “some kind of 
Mulberry,” because if a special plantation is 
to be made, the Mulberry is preferable to the 
Osage Orange. The Mulberries must grow at 
least a year before silk worms are to be 
thought of, hence the beginning of silk cul¬ 
ture is the planting of these trees. The 
varieties and manner of planting will be 
given in another month. 
How Eggs and “Shortening” Lighten 
Cake or Bread.—Practical Suggestion, 
Most housekeepers know the fact; probably 
few think of the why. Any kind of work is 
less fatiguing, or at least more interesting, if 
we understand “ the philosophy of it.” When 
the whites, or the whole eggs, are beaten 
quickly and thoroughly, the albumen swells 
into a frothy mass, because a great deal of 
air is entangled in the tens of thousands 
of minute meshes formed. When this is 
mixed well into flour or dough, and baked, 
each air bubble is largely expanded by the 
heat, thus producing an immense number of 
small cells which give the fight texture, just 
as is done by the carbonic acid gas produced 
in yeast fermentation, or by uniting cream 
©f tartar and soda. 
Oily substances, as butter or lard (“ shorten¬ 
ing ”), produce apparent lightness, if the 
dough be rolled out thin and covered with 
the shortening and then folded upon itself, 
rolled out, and this repeated a good many 
times. In this case the moisture in the 
dough expands into steam, and any air en¬ 
tangled in it is also expanded. The oiled 
dough flakes prevent the escape of this vapor 
and air, and the successive flakes are raised up, 
producing “ lightness,” though each flake is 
solid and heavy, and measurably indigestible. 
It will be readily seen that the lightness will 
depend upon the number of rollings and fold¬ 
ings. The practical suggestion is, that the 
oftener they are repeated, even up to 10 or 15 
times, the lighter will be the pie crust,crackers, 
etc. Each application of shortening should be 
very thin, to avoid too much greasy matter. 
