1880 ] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST, 
24,7 
'JL'lie Prize Essays on Keeping One Cow. 
—Tbe prizes offered in the February number of the 
American Agriculturist brought to the Editors more than 
seventy (73) essays. Over half of them thoughtfully 
and well written. They were submitted to two gentle¬ 
men in entire ignorance of who their authors were, and 
they awarded the prizes as follows: 1st prize, $50, to 
“Buttercup,” Mrs. G. Bourinot, House of Commons 
P. O., Ottawa, Cunada; 2d prize, to “Doctor,” W. S. 
Battles, Girard, Pa.; 3d prize, to “Mobile,” Geo. G. 
Duefee. Mobile, Ala. 
Insects and Force Pumps.— A few years ago 
we knew not the Potato Bug, and the makers of pumps 
and hand-water engines of all kinds could make their 
squirts to clean carriages, wash windows, put out fires, 
and do various other feats in hydraulics without regard 
to bug killing. Now a pump that does not provide for 
the potato is not complete. Such was our thought as w r e 
unpacked the parts of “Lewis’ Combination Force 
Pump.” It must not be thought from this that the pump 
is complicated—as it requires but a simple change to 
convert a regular force pump, with its short hose, into a 
garden syringe. Another slight change—and there yon are 
—a Paris-greener or London-purpler—the potato bugs are 
provided for, and the combination is complete. The 
thing is a perfect arsenal of water guns, each serviceable 
in its way, and made for use rather than show. 
44 Tlie Complete Home.”— If an inexperienced 
house-keeper wishes to know how to cook a particular 
dish, there is a whole library of works ready to help her. 
But cooking is not the only department in the manage¬ 
ment of which a yonng house-keeper, and for that matter, 
one who is not young, needs advice, and it is very seldom 
that it can be had save of some other house-keeper of 
wider experience. But every mother of a family has not 
a friend at hand to whom she can go in her doubts and 
perplexities concerning the various matters of home 
management; and the work entitled “The Complete 
Home ” is intended to be an adviser in not only what re¬ 
lates to the material comfort of the home, but with regard 
to what we may term the morals of the household. In 
all that relates to—what old fashioned people call “the 
.bringing up of children ’’—its teachings appear to be emi¬ 
nently sound and useful, and it is a work that may prove 
a comfort and a help to many a mother. 
Milk in New Jersey.— New Jersey has excellent 
laws regarding the sale of milk ; that State has a way 
Of executing her laws (and sometimes the people who 
don’t observe them) and the State Board of Health are 
taking measures to put them in force. Dr. Wm. K. 
Newton, Paterson, has been appointed State Inspector 
of Milk and circulars are sent out informing people of 
the requirements of the laws. The case is well covered 
by this statement—“Milk may be defined as pure when 
it comes from a healthy cow and when nothing is taken 
from or added to it.” Those who deal in any other 
kind of milk are liable to both fine and imprisonment. 
The State Inspector wishes to obtain samples of 
milk from diseased cows, especially from cases of pleuro¬ 
pneumonia—they may be sent to his office in Paterson, 
American Cutlery.— It is not many years ago 
that it was rather a severe test of one’s patriotism to 
purchase an American knife, the chances being greatly 
against it being of serviceable quality. At present 
American knives are among the best. We are glad to 
know that in making scissors great progress has been 
made by onr manufacturers. Large scissors or shears 
have long been produced of excellent quality, but small, 
delicately formed and highly finished scissors were until 
recently imported. There is no need to look abroad for 
scissors, to judge from a sample of the manufacture of 
Maher & Grosh, Toledo, Ohio, recently placed on trial. 
Of course one can not tell how they will stand the wear 
of months, but for present excellence, fine form and 
finish,they are exceedingly creditable and full of promise. 
4k 1Tte” Authority.— The street signs of New 
fork are always interesting and especially so just after 
the May movings. A rural paper published in the City 
of New York celebrates its removal with a perfect erup¬ 
tion or signs. One of these reads “The American Hor¬ 
ticultural Authority.” “ The Authority ” is good, and it 
was well to put it on the sign, as it might not be dis¬ 
covered by reading the paper 
To Measure Corn in the Crih.— “R. A. S..” 
Douglass Co., Kansas, writes: “Get the contents of the 
crib or bin to be measured, by multiplying the length and 
breadth, and this product by the hight, all in feet 
Multiply the product by 4, and cut off the right hand fig 
ure. For example, the crib is 10 by 16 feel, and S feet 
high, 10x16x8=1280. Multiply the product 1280 by 4, 
makes 5120. and cut off one figure, giving 512, the number 
of bushels of corn. Should the corn be settled very tight, 
having been in the crib for six months or more, I multi 
ply by 4£ instead of 4. I have bought and sold thousands 
of bushels by this method, ami know it to be correct. 
Place this in your ‘Boiled down’ list, recommending 
it to be pasted on the barn door of all corn raisers.” 
This is certainly a quick method. 
The Hydrangea “Thomas Hogg.”— No 
longer ago than October, 1876, we published an engraving 
of this Hydrangea, and described it as one of the most 
important of recent novelties. This spring we find it 
very generally for sale by the street venders of plants 
who offer it among verbenas, geraniums, and other 
plants at the stands near the markets. This shows two 
things: 1st, that the plant is of easy propagation, and 
2d, that it itself possesses merits which will make it 
popular. Both of these are true of this ; but we always 
regret to see persons buy plants forced into flower. 
Prof. A. It. Ledonx. — We mentioned some 
months ago that Doctor Ledonx had resigned his posi tion 
as chemist to the N. Carolina State Board of Agriculture. 
A few days ago we had the pleasure of a call from him 
and learned that he had already established himself in 
the city as a chemist and proposes to give special atten¬ 
tion to investigations relating to agriculture. 
Night Soil.— This name was given to the contents 
of privies, because the emptying of them is largely done 
at night. Its bad odor is the chief objection to its use 
upon the garden, and this is enough to keep it from being 
employed, unless it is first deodorized. Liquid from the 
privy vault may be used, by making holes here and there 
in the garden soil, filling them with the liquid manure, 
and replacing the earth after that has soaked away. We 
have raised very fine tomatoes in this manner. 
Big Peruvian Corn.- “C. O.,” Iowa. This corn 
is by no means new to this country; we figured some of 
the enormous kernels in June, 1866,and it was tried by sev¬ 
eral of our friends at that time. We observe that it is 
again introduced, and farmers are again asked to try it. 
There is no doukt but what it will grow—indeed,that is the 
trouble with it, it doesn’t stop growing. Frost will come 
and find it still growing without even stopping to make 
a tassel. The variety is entirely unsuited to onr climate. 
It would perhaps come to perfection in the southernmost 
States, and if it were worth while, one might by selec¬ 
tion in a few years establish a variety that would be earli¬ 
er in its ripening. We have not seen the ear, but are told 
that it is not only not large in proportion to the kernel, 
but is really quite small. Supposing it to be a different 
species from the common corn Zea Mags, some European 
botanist has called it Zea Macrosperma ; big-seeded Zea. 
It is often called “ Cuzco corn.” 
Granular Butter.— To those who have inquired 
in reference to the production of butter in the granular 
form, described in an article in April last, we would say 
that the peculiar condition is not due to the kind of 
churn that may be used. Just as good granular butter 
may be produced in the “ Blanchard,” or any other churn 
with a revolving dasher, as in any form of oscillating 
churn, it all depends upon stopping at just the right time, 
and that is, when the granules have formed, and before 
they have been compacted into a uniform mass, as 
they will be, if the motion oi the churn be continued. 
FIgliting tlie White-Grub.— No pest of our 
farms and gardens is more destructive than the White- 
Grub. It is especially mischievous for the reason that 
we know nothing of its presence until it has done its 
work. Operating underground, and out of sight, but lit¬ 
tle can be done to destroy it. We have several times 
suggested that the only effective method of attack is 
when it is in the perfect or beetle state. Many are not 
aware that the parent of the White-Grub is the so-called 
“May-Bug,” “Jnne-Bng,” or “Dor-Bug,” as it is vari 
ously called, and which often makes its way into the 
house in the evening, attracted by the light, where it 
makes its presence known by a great deal of bustle and 
noise as it bounces about in a headlong manner. The 
few insects that come into thg house give but little idea 
of the great numbers that are doing mischief elsewhere. 
In each locality the beetles are especially abundant once 
in three years, and were the cultivators of a neighborhood 
to unite, in the destruction of the beetles, the White- 
Grub would do comparatively little damage. Some beetles 
appear every year, but the great crop is once in three 
years As every female lays about 200 eggs, the import¬ 
ance of killing her before she has a chance to provide for 
that number of grubs will be seen W C. Stiles, Jr., 
Wood Co., West Va., has been acting upon our sugges 
tion, and sends an account of his success Mr. S. uses a 
“ Tubular Lantern ” set in a discarded milk pan, an inch 
or two of water is placed in the pan, and a layer of coal 
oil (kerosene) is put upon the water. The first night he 
tried two traps like this, he caught 189 beetles, the 
second night he caught over 500, and proposes to con¬ 
tinue their use so long as any are taken. Of course any 
good lantern will answer as well as the one he used. 
Unlike many others, this is destructive in its beetle 
state, feeding usually on the leaves of trees, especially 
the cherry-tree. In the years of their abundance, the 
trees in which they take refuge should be found, and in 
the morning, while they are torpid, the insects should be 
shaken off, caught upon sheets,- scalded, and fed to pigi 
Several pailfuls have been taken in this manner in a sin¬ 
gle morning. The much abused crow does good work in 
destroying the grubs. Wc know of a case in which they 
caught the grubs that were at work upon the grass of a 
lawn. We have no doubt that when the crow is accused 
of destroying the young corn, it is merely after the grubs 
that attack the plant. The skunk is known to destroy 
great numbers of the beetles. 
Beautiful Pansies.— No doubt that many who 
have seen the colored plate illustrating Pansies, and pub¬ 
lished by Messrs. B. K. Bliss & Sons with their Catalogue, 
have supposed that the artist had exercised his imagina¬ 
tion, both as to size, and the strange combinations of 
colors. So far from this being the case, the flowers are, 
if anything, rather below the real size, and as to colors, 
it would be impossible to conceive of any artificial colors 
more brilliant, or more strangely contrasted, than they 
are in the flowers produced by the remarkable strain of 
seeds secured by Messrs. Bliss & Sons. Some of the 
blooms are as near black as it is possible for a flower 
to be, and of a velvety texture of great richness. 
Potatoes to Bermuda.- -In conversation with a 
friend who was familiar with the Bermuda trade, we 
asked him what the steamers principally took on their re¬ 
turn trip The reply was—“ Everything eatable, includ¬ 
ing potatoes.”—As “Bermuda Potatoes” are one of the 
principal exports from the Island, we supposed that the 
potatoes sent there were to be used for seed, but were 
informed that they were to be eaten—the planters find¬ 
ing it more profitable to sell their potatoes, than to eat 
them, as the price of a barrel of Bermudas, will buy several 
barrels of those from the States, and pay freight besides. 
Bitter Milk.— “ Mrs. A. N.,” Jefferson, Tex., finds 
that her cows eat “ Dog-fennel,” and that the milk is on 
that account disagreeably bitter. We do not know of 
any help after the plant has been eaten. If any reader 
does, we hope it will be made known. 
Millet Seed for Chickens.—" J. T.,” Baltimore, 
Md., writes, that “ those who know nothing of feeding 
Millet seed to young chickens, have something to learn. 
It does away with the customary slop attending the mix¬ 
ing of meal, and the seed may be swallowed by- the 
smallest fowl. I use it altogether.” There are now sev¬ 
eral things called “Millet,” in cultivation; we suppose 
that our oorrespondent has reference to one of the Setarias, 
known as “Golden,” “Mammoth,” “Bengal,” and “Hun¬ 
garian Millet,” and closely related to Hungarian Grass. 
Pond Elly Culture.— “ C. W.” and others. We 
have not published any directions. A tub of some kind, 
some garden soil and water, are all the requirements. A 
tub may be made from a portion of a cask, and if desired 
it may be sunk in the ground. Place in the tub good 
soil enough for the roots, perhaps a quarter full will be 
sufficient; put in the plant; it is not necessary to plant 
it, merely pressing the stem into the soil will answer. 
The big affair which passes for the root is really the stem, 
which lays along the bottom of the pond. One side of 
this produces roots which take a strong hold of the soil, 
as every one who has tried to get up one knows, while 
buds producing the leaves and flowers are on the upper 
side. When the tub is filled with water, no further care 
is required during summer, except to supply water as it 
may be needed, as it is not likely that the rains will make 
up the loss by evaporation. Unless the tub can be so 
protected that it will not freeze solid, it should be re¬ 
moved to the cellar at the approach of cold water. Only 
enough water need be left in the tub when it is moved, 
than will be needed to keep the soil moist. 
Mowing Machines.— It is estimated that 150,000 
of these labor-saving machines are annually manufac¬ 
tured. There are 35,000,000 acres of meadow land in the 
United States, and the thought of mowing all this by the 
old method of the scythe, is enough to make one’s back 
ache. Thanks to the inventive genius of a few men, that 
there is an easy and inexpensive, as well as rapid way, 
by using the mowing machines, many kinds of which are 
models of neatness and simplicity. 
Food for Cattle Good for Fowls.— A while 
ago we had something to say about Weston’s Food for 
Cattle, stating it to be a mixture of well known condi¬ 
ments and tonics, prepared in a convenient form for use. 
We have since been assured of its utility as a food for 
fowls and young chicks. From our knowledge of its 
composition, and of its effects upon horses and cattle, we 
should expect good results from giving it to fowls. 
