128 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[April, 
Contents of this Humber. 
Among the Farmers, No. 51.—Sam Stone’s Horse 
Shoe, Right Angles, Cooling and Ventilating Milk 
and Cans. A Milk Stirrer, A Cream Can.. 10 Ills.. 140-141 
Barn for Sheep.4 Illustrations..Ml 
Bee Notes for April.... . Illustrated.. 134 
Boys and Girls’ Columns r — The Doctor's Talks ; 
Action and Reaction, Momentum, The Doctor's Corre¬ 
spondence— Paste for Scrap Book.—The-“ Girdler.” 
Our Puzzle Box. A New Puzzle. A Bed of Mixed 
Plants. Birds and Nest Building.7 Illustrations.. 152-154 
Bull), A New Cape .;. Illustrated.. 147 
Butter, Gilt-Edge. .2 Illustrations. 141 
Catalogues Received. 160 
Clearing up a Farm.. Illustrated. .127 
Coleus, The New Varieties of. Illustrated. .Ml 
Creed, An Agricultural. 146 
Driver, A Fence Post....2 Illustrations. 142 
Experiments, The American Agriculturist .135-136 
Farmer, Important to Every. ..135 
Farming, Poultry.4 Illustrations.. 145 
Fastening Door, Another Inside. Illustrated .146 
Fences and Fencing. Illustrated. 134 
Garden, Flower and Lawn. 130 
Garden, Kitchen and Market. 129 
Garden. The Fruit . 129 
Grape Growing and Wine Making.132 
Greenhouse and Window Plants..130 
Guards for Feed Troughs.3 Illustrations.. 145 
Bints and Helps forFarmers : A Corn Marker, To Sling 
a Barrel, Safety Knot.7 Illustrations. 142 
House, Plan of. Costinggl,500. 4 Illustrations ..138 
Household; A Framed Calender, Look Well to the 
Pork Barrel, Hints on Household Matters, House¬ 
hold Notes and Queries, Mildew on Cotton Cloth, 
Work with Scroll Saws. 5 Illustrations 150-151 
Humbugs, Sundry. Illustrated .132 
Ladders, Farm. . . Illustrated.. 143 
Markets for April. . 130 
Marl, Shell, Oyster Lime, and Muck. 144 
Mildew, The Lettuce......3 Illustrations. .148 
Milk as Poultry Food.145 
Nuts and Nubbins.160 
Orchard and Nursery.129 
Potato, The “Mammoth Pearl ”. Illustrated.. 148 
Racks for Feeding in Yards. . ...... 3 Illustrations.. 146 
Raise? What Shall We. 146 
Record, A Jersey Cow .141 
Rhubarb.148 
Saws and How to Use Them.14 Illustrations. .144 
Science Applied to Farming, LVI.137 
Sheep, American Merino.. Illustrated. .139 
Strawberry Bed, Have You A.149 
Vine That Grape.4 Illustrations. .149 
Waste, Sewage of the Family. 143 
Water, Pure Cistern. Illustrated . .143 
Windows, Stable. 3 Illustrations. .143 
Worm, Tape, In Lambs. 142 
INDEX TO “BASKET,” AND OTHER SHORT ARTICLES. 
American Entomologist. .161 
Butter Coloring.161 
Botanical Gazette.161 
Calves. Weaning.161 
Cans, Old Fruit.159 
Carp Culture in Califrnia.161 
Carp. Distribution of._131 
Cocoanuts for Baskets... 132 
College, The American 
Veterinary.160 
Cribber, Cure of.161 
Dentaphone and Audi- 
phone .160 
Draining—Why? .161 
Fairs. Prizes at...131 
Fair, State, Description..161 
Fair, The Next World’s. .131 
Farms, Plans of Dividing.131 
Features of this Number.131 
Hogs, Shrinkage in.161 
Hooks, Some Fish.159 
Insurance, Life, A Duty..160 
Le Doux. Resignation of. 131 
London Purple .160 
Manure for the Garden.. .131 
Manures, The Mapes’... .160 
Muck-Land. 132 
Muck, Value of Swamp..132 
North Carolina.161 
Oleo-Margarine in Iowa. .132 
Omission, Slight.161 
Pages, More ExTa.131 
Peanuts in California.. ..161 
Peach Culture..161 
Peaches in NewEngland.161 
Pear Growing.161 
Plants, New and Rare.. .160 
“ Poor Spring”.159 
Raffia.—Tying Material. .160 
Roof, To Raise a.161 
Show, The Great Dog... .133 
Society, Mich. Pom.161 
Stains, Kerosene.132 
Stock, Sale by Weight. ...161 
S ory, A True.131 
Strawberries.133 
Thistles, Experience.161 
Timber, Preserving.132 
Wages, Farm.161 
Washer, RobbinsFamily.161 
Woodshed.161 
Worm in Peach Trees. ,.131 
Bee Plants. —“ J. F. Z.,” Isanti Co., Minn. But 
little has been done in this country in the way of grow¬ 
ing plants expressly to furnish pasturage to bees. One 
of the strongest claims that bee-keeping has upon farm¬ 
ers is, that it utilizes that which would otherwise go to 
waste. To devote land and the labor of raising plants to 
the bees would put the business upon a very different 
footing, whether it would be profitable or not remains to 
be tested. In a conversation with the late Mr. Quinby 
on this subject,, he stated that the plant which seemed to 
him the most promising for cultivation was the common 
Catnip. This is a perennial, and a field once stocked 
wonld remain for several years; it blooms in summer 
when other honey-flowers are scarce, and it is said that 
the product is very white and of great delicacy of flavor. 
Calendar for April, 1880. 
Boston. Fling- 
N. Y.Cilu. Ct„ 
Washington, 
land.N. 
1 ork 
Philadelphia , 
Maryland , 
<«? 
State , Mich.i 
New Jersey. 
Virginia. Ken - 
gan 
Wiscon- 
Penn.. 
Ohio. 
lucky, Missou- 
© 
$ 
sm. Joioa. and 
Indiana 
and 
ri , 
and 
Cali - 
Oregon. 
Illinois . 
fornia. 
©• 
©1 
© 
o'- 
© 
* 
<§1 
-a Co 
©«2 
V2 £ 
Mo'n ' 
rises. 
cc 
s! -“I 
coSi S-g 
H.M 
H.M 
H. M. 
H.M 
H.M 
H. M. 
H.M 
H.M 
H. M. 
1 
T 
5 42 
6 26 
0 53 
5 43 
6 25 
0 47 
5 44 6 23 
0 41 
2 
F 
5 4' 
6 27 
1 42 
5 42 
6 ‘26 
1 3? 
5 43 6 24 
1 32 
3 
s 
5 39 
6 28 
2 24 
5 40 
6 27 
2 19 
5 41 6 25 
2 14 
4 
s 
5 37 
6 29 
2 5B 
5 38 
6 28 
2 53 
5 40 6 26 
2 49 
5 
M 
5 35 
6 30 
3 25 
5 37 
6 29 
3 23 
5 33 6 27 
3 21 
6 
T 
5 34 
6 31 
3 50 
5 35 
B 30 
3 49 
5 37 6 28 
S 19 
7 
W 
5 32 
6 32 
4 14 
5 34 
6 31 
4 14 
5 3j 
6 29 
4 16 
8 
T 
5 30 
6 33 
4 38 
5 32 
6 32 
4 39 
5 34 6 30 
4 41 
9 
F 
5 29 
6 35 
sets 
5 30 
6 33 sets 
5 32 6 31 sets 
10 
s 
5 27 
6 36 
8 5 
5 29 
6 34 
8 2 
5 31 6 32 
7 58 
11 
s 
5 25 
6 37 
9 8 
5 27 
6 35 
9 3 
5 29 6 S3 
8 58 
12 
M 
5 24 
6 38 
10 6 
5 26 
6 36 
10 1 
5 28 6 34 
9 55 
13 
T 
5 22 
B 39 
11 1 
5 24 
6 37 
11 55 
5 26 6 35 
10 49 
14 
W 
5 20 
G 40 
11 49 
5 22 
6 38 
11 4-1 
5 25 6 36 
11 38 
15 
T 
5 19 
6 41 
morn 
5 21 
6 39 
morn 
5 23,6 37 
morn 
16 
F 
5 17 
6 42 
0 32 
5 19 
6 40 
0 27 
5 22 6 38 
0 21 
17 
S 
5 16 
6 41 
1 9 
5 18 
6 41 
1 4 
5 20 6 39 
1 0 
18 
S 
5 14 
6 45 
1 40 
5 16 6 42 
1 37 
5 19 6 40 
1 33 
19 
M 
5 12 
B 4B 
2 9 
5 15 6 43 
2 6 
5 18 6 41 
2 4 
20 
T 
5 11 
B 47 
2 35 
5 13 6 44 
2 34 
5 IB 
6 42 
2 32 
21 
W 
5 9 
6 48 
3 0 
5 12 6 45 
3 0 
5 15 
6 42 
3 0 
22 
T 
5 8 
6 49 
3 25 
5 11 6 46 
3 37 
5 13 
6 43 
3 28 
23 
K 
5 6 
6 5n 
3 53 
5 9 6 47 
3 55 
5 12 
6 44 
3 58 
24 
S 
5 o 
6 51 
rises 
5 8 6 48 
rises 
5 11 
6 45 
rises 
25 
s 
5 8 
6 52 
8 21 
5 6 6 49 
8 16 
5 9 
6 46 
8 11 
26 
M 
5 2 
6 54 
9 35 
5 5 6 51 
9 30 
5 7 
6 47 
9 24 
27 
T 
5 0 
6 55 
10 42 
5 4 6 52 
10 36 
5 G 
6 48 
10 30 
28 
W 
4 59 
6 56 
11 37 
5 2 6 53 
11 32 
5 5 
6 49 
11 26 
29 
T 
4 58 
6 57 
morn 
5 1 6 54 morn 
5*4 
6 50 
morn 
30 
F 
4 56 6 58 ' 0 22 
5 0 
55 
0 18 
5 3 
6 51 
0 14 
PHASES OF THE MOON. 
BOSTON. N. YORK. WASH^.ICHA*STON CHICAGO 
3d Quart. 
New M’n 
1st Quart 
Full M’n 
D. H. M. H. M. H. M. H. M H. M. 
2i 1 29 mo. 1 17 mo. 1 5 mo' 0 53 mo. 0 23 mo. 
9; 10 23 mo.HO 11 mo. 9 59 mo 9 47 mo. 9 17 mo. 
17 2 30 ev. | 2 18 ev. j 2 6 ev.i 1 54 ev i 1 24 ev. 
24! 6 6 ev. 1 5 54 ev. 5 42 ev.i 5 30 ev i 5 0 ev. 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
NEW YORK, APRIL, 1880. 
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 
observations, by practical men in each department.] 
Spring work comes without hurry to the fanner 
who is prepared. Much of the mischief laid to un¬ 
favorable seasons rightly belongs to a laggard begin- 
ing. A well started crop rarely fails to be satisfac¬ 
tory in spite of weather, and a late one is rarely so. 
Early Planting and Sowing. —With the soil well 
prepared, early sowing is most desirable with 
many crops. Some tender ones make a poor start 
unless the ground is warmed by the sun and air, 
and a late frost may do harm. But it is rarely wise 
to delay because of what may happen, when prompt¬ 
ness promises the best results. 
The Condition of the Soil is always to be taken 
into account. Fields that are drained, either nat¬ 
urally or artificially, may he safely sown when a 
wet soil cannot be. Wet soils are cold. Somedeny 
this, on the ground that the water is as warm as the 
soil, and has no refrigerating effect: But it is the 
circulation of air in the soil that warms it, and if it 
is so filled with water that air cannot enter, it re¬ 
mains cold, until the water has evaporated. 
The First Crop to be Sown, is spring wheat, then 
oats; after these come beets and potatoes. Wher¬ 
ever spring wheat will succeed it is a desirable crop, 
even when sown in April. Out of its natural dis¬ 
trict, which is marked out by peculiarity of climate 
more than any other condition, it is of no use to 
sow it, unless in a small way to experiment with 
new varieties of unusual promise. 
Barley. —A fine condition of the soil is indispen¬ 
sable for this crop. Old barley growers know all 
about this, but many want to grow barley because 
it is a profitable crop when successful. It will suc¬ 
ceed in any good, well prepared soil, but a mellow 
clay loam which can be brought to good tilth is to 
be preferred. But good crops of bright grain may 
be grown on lighter loams if in good heart. It may 
be made an excellent soiling crop to follow clover, 
and as a change from oats. We prefer to sow 
thickly, say 21 bushels per acre, but opinions vary 
in this respect,and from 11 to 21 bushels is the range. 
Oats. —Early sown oats in our hot climate are, as 
a rule, better than the late sown. Our climate is 
not so favorable for oats as the cooler northern and 
northeastern ODes. There oats are heavy and plump, 
and seed from Canada, Nova Scotia, and New 
Brunswick will produce well for two or three years. 
By using seed from these northern localities, oats 
may be grown in the Middle States weighing from 
35 to 45 lbs. per bustaeL 
Flax.— It is supposed that flax is a “ hard ” crop- 
on land. It is true in one sense, but it will not in¬ 
jure a cool, moist soil that has a fair proportion of 
vegetable matter in it. It has been grown with 
oats and threshed for feeding, and there are few 
more profitable crops than this mixed one. A large 
demand is springing up for both seed and fibre.. 
Mills are becoming numerous. But it should not 
he lost sight of that mills will not come until there 
is some material to be worked up, and if the farm¬ 
ers of any locality wish for a factory near them, 
they must first grow the needed material. It is 
fortunate that flax can be grown for feed, and even 
the straw used for fodder when mixed with oats, 
so that a good foundation may be laid for a supply 
for flax mills. The same is true of 
Sugar Beets. —After many years of trial and fail¬ 
ures, the manufacture of beet sugar promises to 
become successful. It depends wholly on the farm¬ 
ers. To retain in our midst the millions of dollars 
sent abroad for sugar, is desirable. The Portland,. 
Me., Sugar Factory Company, after several seasons 
of work, still perseveres in inducing the Maine 
farmers to produce roots, and is sanguine of success. 
Beets can be grown profitably if a determined at¬ 
tempt is made. Let but one acre, or less, he planted 
and well tended, and as soon as that can be grown 
successfully, 10 acres may be. 
Rant Early. —Beets need to he put in very early. 
The seed should go in the ground immediately after 
the last harrowing, and if the seed be soaked to 
ensure quick germination, the young plants will 
get a start of the weeds. The writer’s practice has 
been to do this with all kinds of roots, and as soon 
as the green line of the plants can be seen, to run 
down the rows with a hand cultivator that cuts on 
both sides of each row, and stirs the ground within 
an inch of the small seedlings. By keeping the 
plants cultivated in this way the middles may be 
left without harm for some time, as the rows are 
kept distinct, and can be readily seen when the 
horse hoe is used. 
Plant by Hand. —Steeped seed cannot well be 
Bown by a machine; by steeping, the quality of the 
seed is discovered. A light furrow may be made 
and the seed dropped in it so closely as to consume 
6 or 8 lbs. of seed per acre. The rows may be cov¬ 
ered by the hoe or by a roller run over the ground 
across the rows. 
Fertilizers. —No other crop requires a more vigor¬ 
ous start than roots. A liberal application, at 
planting, of artificial fertilizer, Peruvian guano or 
special root manure being preferable, will go a 
great way to ensure success. It is well to scatter 
the root manure along the rows as they are opened, 
drop the seed and then cover. This prevents too 
close contact of seed and fertilizer which is often 
dangerous. Guano needs to be more thoroughly 
mixed with the soil. 
Com.— This is one of those crops which require 
a warm soil and which suffer from a late frost. 
But the ground may be prepared in season to help 
on the planting afterwards. As good a crop may 
be grown on stubble as on sod if the right method 
is followed ; and this is simply to give sufficient 
manure and thorough cultivation. 100 bushels per 
acre may be produced, and this means double or 
treble pay for the same labor. Far larger crops 
than this have been grown, and of late years, 
thanks to the general diffusion of scientific know¬ 
ledge through the best of the agricultural journals, 
the average yield of this grain has been doubled. 
A yield of 75 or 80 bushels is now secured where 
80 or 40 bushels used to satisfy fanners. The use 
of fertilizers and good methods of cultivation have 
effected this ; but the same means may be made 
available for even larger yields, and one should 
never stay satisfied with a large crop, but try for 
