306 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[ J ULY. 
Portulaca—Purslane—Pussley. 
A correspondent asks us to say something about 
“Pussley,” but as he does not indicate what he 
would have us say about it, we suppose he has ref¬ 
erence to it as a weed. The plant is known over a 
large portion of the country as “ Pussley,” which 
is evidently an abbreviation or corruption of the 
English name, “Purslane.” The plant is known 
in Europe in cultivation and not as with us, as a 
weed. The derivation of the English name is by 
no means clear, some regarding the origin to be 
from porcelloma, a sea-shell, the same from which 
the fine earthen ware gets its name ; while others 
think the name derived from porcella, a diminutive 
of porcus, a pie, probably in allusion to its greedi¬ 
ness in feeding. The botanical name Portulaca is 
ancient aud its derivation is unknown. Our com¬ 
mon Purslane (P. oleracea) is probably a native of 
the warmer parts of both hemispheres. Over a 
large part of this country it has become thoroughly 
established as a weed, and we have seen it growing 
on the far western plains as if it were a native. It 
makes but little show early in the season, but in 
the hot days of July and August it grows with as¬ 
tonishing rapidity. An inconspicuous seedling 
will, if left undisturbed, in a few days form a 
spreading mat a foot or more across. It is a gross 
feeder aud of course a weed to be exterminated. 
It is very tenacious of life, and if the root is merely 
cut off, the plants will make new ones; hence in 
hoeing in the garden or the corn-field, the plants 
should be always turned over. While its presence 
shows slovenly culture it is not a very obstinate 
weed. When it is cut up by the hoe, only a part 
•of the work is done ; it should be raked up and fed 
to the pigs, who are very fond of it, else the plant, 
apparently dead, will have sufficient vitality to en¬ 
able it to ripen its seeds. The plant has given rise 
to two proverbial sayings : “As mean as Pussley,” 
and, as applied to a slovenly gardener: “He lets 
the Pussley get ahead of him.” While the plant 
in this country is only regarded as a weed, in Eu¬ 
rope it has a place among garden vegetables, the 
seeds being offered in the catalogues in several va¬ 
rieties, differing in the color of the stems, and the 
works on gardening give directions as to its cul¬ 
ture. We do not need to cultivate it in this country, 
but in neglecting it altogether we let a very excel¬ 
lent pot-herb go to waste. The succulent and ten¬ 
der stems if cooked and dressed in the same manner 
as spinach, form a most excellent substitute for 
that vegetable, and one that is always to be had in 
the hottest weather. Those who are fond of greens 
should try “Pussley.” 
The Turnip Crop. 
No crop makes better returns for labor bestowed 
than turnips. The seed may be sowed any time 
from the first of June throughout August, in many 
localities below the isothermal of say the north 
line of Connecticut. It may be sowed broadcast, 
in drills or rows, or as a “ cattle crop,” among corn ; 
•or turnips may be used to seed to grass with, sow¬ 
ing both the turnip and grass seed about August 
1st. For turnips alone the preparation of the 
ground is simple. It needs good plowing and har¬ 
rowing if in fair heart; but a dressing of 400 lbs. 
•of bone dust or 250 lbs. superphosphate to the acre 
will almost insure a good crop. We rarely have 
such dry weather that turnips will not start in July, 
and soon as they make leaf heavy dews seem to be 
enough to keep them growing, but last year was an 
exception in this part of the country. In many 
fields turnip seed on dry ground did not germinate, 
or at least did not make any show above ground. 
In sowing turnips broadcast the greatest care 
must be taken to have them thin enough. A pound 
of seed to the acre is all that should be sowed, and 
this should be divided, the whole piece being sowed 
twice at right angles. Iu'Europe the seedsmen use 
old seed baked, or baked rape seed, to mix with tur¬ 
nip seed as an adulteration. If we could buy here 
such old baked 6eed so as to mix it ourselves—say 
five pounds of baked with one of live seed, and thus 
be able to make a fair cast, instead of throwing lit¬ 
tle pinches of seed as we now do, it would save a 
good deal of trouble. Sowed in drills, turnips must 
be thinned. Much rank manure gives a strong 
bad flavor. Turnips ought never to have the first 
chance at a dressing of yard or stable manure, but 
to come in as a second crop. As to varieties, 
there are two widely different classes, and interme¬ 
diate varieties without number which it is hard to 
classify. Swedish or Russian turnips, generally 
known as “Ruta-bagas” or “Swedes,” are a very 
distinct, hard-fleshed, glossy-leaved kind, occurring 
in many varieties, that need better soil, earlier 
sowing and better culture than the soft-fleshed or 
English turnip, which is rough-leaved, grows most 
rapidly, is a voracious feeder, doing well and mak¬ 
ing a bulky watery crop where Swedes would do 
very little, and yet it is question whether the small 
crop of Swedes would not contain nearly as much 
nutriment as the soft turnips. Between these two 
extremes of hard-fleshed and soft-fleshed kinds are 
many varieties partaking in a measure of the hard- 
fleshed character of the Swedes, but generally re¬ 
garded and treated as belonging to the common or 
English species. Such are the “Yellow-globe,” 
“Yellow-stone,” “Dutch,” etc. As a rule it is 
best to sow Swedes as early as the first of July, 
the “ Globe ” and “ Stone ” turnips as early as the 
25th, and the soft turnips, “ Strap-leafed flat,” 
“ Cow-horn,” etc., by the 10th of August. The last 
named ft the best to seed down to grass with, 
and on good soil not clayey, turnips and clover 
seed may be mixed together, using about 15 pounds 
of clover seed because some will winter-kill. 
About Buying Milk. 
It is delightful to have milk from your own cow, 
that you know is pure and good, that raises cream 
and has a fine flavor ! If denied this privilege, the 
next best thing is to get milk from some well- 
known honest neighbor. If good and carefully 
handled, it should remain sweet all day in summer, 
if kept in a cool place, and longer in winter, or in 
cool weather. But the utensils in which the milk 
is received and stands in must be scrupulously 
clean, not neglecting the seams in the tin ware, in 
the pail cover, aud the joinings of the handle, so 
that not one particle of milk is left to dry and be¬ 
come sour. After washing pail and cover thor¬ 
oughly, scald them with boiling water, and wipe 
with a clean cloth. Then set them in bright sun¬ 
shine or invert over the stove where they will heat 
without injury. Sometimes, when it is not con¬ 
venient to use scalding water at every washing, I 
have used borax quite freely, or some strong 
alkali, rinsing very thoroughly, and drying 
them, after wiping, by sunshine aud fire. Then 
if purchased milk sours, I know whose fault it 
is. The pail, however clean, should not be set away 
empty with the cover put on tight. If the milk is 
kept in the pail (not a good practice) it should not 
be shut closely. Leave it partly open until the 
milk has cooled, and never leave it standing in the 
midst of bad odors. If in spite of your care, the 
milk sours too soon, those who supply it must be 
in fault. The milk-pail or strainer may be unclean, 
or turnips or ruta-bagas may have been fed in¬ 
judiciously. If the milk does not sour suspiciously 
soon, you may decide that the flavor is from tur¬ 
nips or wild garlic, or other plants in the grass or 
hay. It is not difficult to know if new milk is 
adulterated with skimmed milk by a little experi¬ 
menting. It is not of the least use to expostulate 
with a person who sells you skimmed milk. If 
guilty she will be sure to be angry, and if dishonest 
enough to take your cream off, do you suppose she 
will be honest enough to confess it ? All you can 
do is to change your source of supply. The milk 
peddler who comes to your door with his large 
cans of milk, is much more likely to adulterate 
his milk with water than with skimmed milk. His 
long jaunt in the sunshine, and shaking cans by 
the jar of the wagon tends to sour milk very soon. 
If milk does not keep sweet from one supply to 
the next, scald a part of it, not actually boiling it, 
and the scalded milk will do for most purposes. 
Flies and Mosquitoes. 
Much may be done to avoid the annoyance 
caused by these insect pests, by a little care in 
keeping them out of the house. In localities where 
they are especially abundant, it will pay to fit the 
windows and outside doors with a screen of wire 
cloth. Where this screen can not be afforded, 
there mosquito net may be substituted, but the 
wire screens, if properly cared for will last for 
years. Cheap frames, of the size to fit in the place 
of the upper or lower sash, can be readily made and 
covered with mosquito net, and should be provided 
for all the windows, at least for those of the rooms 
in general use. The doors, especially the kitchen 
door, should have a similar screen, and should be 
furnished with a spring, to make sure of prompt 
closing. If the sleeping rooms are aired and put 
in order very early in the morning, and then closed 
while the air is still cool, and not opened until the 
“ cool of the evening,” but few insects will find an 
entrance. In spite of all precautions, a few flies 
may find their way into the living rooms. These 
may be killed by the use of a folded newspaper, 
or all the windows but one being darkened, they 
will go towards the light, and may be easily driven 
out. Whatever the annoyance of flies in the house, 
do not use Jly-poison. This is sold under the decep¬ 
tive name of “Cobalt,” to be mixed with sweet¬ 
ened water, amd set about the rooms to attract the 
flies. It kills the flies—but it kills children also. 
We have known of two distressing deaths from 
this cause, and it should be generally known, that 
the powder sold under that name is not Cobalt 
at all, but is really Metallic Arsenic, and a most 
deadly poison. There should be a severe penalty 
for selling this most destructive agent under the 
false name of “Cobalt.” Bo not use it, either as 
“ Cobalt,” or in the shape of “ FlyPaper.” A dark 
paper is sold, labelled “FlyPaper,” with directions 
to put a piece in a plate, and keep it moist. This 
paper is impregnated with the same deadly arsenic. 
In Europe a till more dangerous fly paper is sold, 
which has been soaked in the deadly Cyanide of 
Potassium. Avoid them all. The sticky fly paper, 
which the makers call “ Catch ’em Alive Oh ! ” is any 
common paper upon which is spread a thick varnish 
made by melting together rosin and linseed-oil; it 
is not dangerous, and acts only mechanically, by 
cruelly holding the insects fast, until they die. 
Quassia is stated to be poisonous to flies ; we have 
not had occasion to try it, but have no doubt of its 
efficacy. A strong tea made of this, sweetened 
with molasses, may be exposed in plates without 
fear of danger. It is said that strong green tea, 
well sweetened, acts as a poison to flies. With re¬ 
gard to the destruction of the mosquitos that may 
enter the house, we should be disposed to make a 
trial of the Persian Insect Powder, Pyrethrum. A 
small quantity of this burned in the closed bed 
room, has been found to destroy every mosquito. 
In France (as stated in last month), pastilles 
made of this powder, are used for this purpose. 
The same end may be accomplished by sprinkling 
some of the powder upon a few live coals, on a 
shovel or in any safe vessel. The powder is per¬ 
fectly harmless to all but insect life. With both 
flies and mosquitoes, much may be done in the way 
of prevention. Flies breed in the manure about the 
stables and pig-pen, and proper attention to clean¬ 
liness in the out-buildings will diminish their num¬ 
bers. No scattered manure should be left about; if 
all is placed on a compact manure heap, the heat of 
fermentation will kill the larvae. Wherever there is 
stagnant water, there is a breeding place for mos¬ 
quitoes. It should be generally known, that the 
“ wriggles ” so common in rain-water, are the young 
of the mosquito. It is often the case that rain¬ 
water hogsheads or cisterns, are for convenience 
placed near the kitchen door, to receive the water 
collected from the roof. These are a constant 
source of supply of mosquitoes all the season—reg¬ 
ular “ hatcheries ” as the fish breeders say. All 
such water receptacles should have tight covers, 
as then the parent mosquito will not enter to de¬ 
posit her eggs, nor can the wriggles flourish in 
darkness. 
