1880 .] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST 
327 
Veterinary Education.—Every now and then 
\va are asked if one can not qualify himself to be a Vete¬ 
rinary Surgeon by studying. by himself, and are asked 
what books should be used. We would gladly aid and 
encourage self-instruction in every case where it is 
proper. The present improved condition of veterinary 
medicine is due-to the fact that the Veterinary Surgeon 
of the present day is no longer a conceited but ignorant 
“ horse doctor,” but a man who has qualified himself for 
his profession, and is as well educated as the regular 
TVI. D. Wo do not propose to aid in lowering this stan¬ 
dard by the encouragement of any half-way qualification, 
and one can no more properly fit himself by his unaided 
studies to practice upon beings with four legs than he 
can to doctor those with two legs. In both cases the 
very foundation of a proper education is a thorough 
grounding in anatomy and physiology ; these can only be 
properly learned by the aid of dissection under a com¬ 
petent demonstrator; this, if nothing else, would prevent 
one from educating himself, and there are other equally 
strong reasons against its practicability. The fact is, that 
no profession holds out greater inducements in the 
promise of a successful and profitable career, than that 
of Veterinary Surgeon. But it only offers this to those 
properly qualified. While it no doubt seems otherwise 
to the applicants, we are really doing them a kindness 
when we advise them to not add to the number of half- 
educated quacks who call themselves Veterinary Sur¬ 
geons. Those who intend to he properly educated can do 
much in the way of preparation by a study of text hooks 
in the various departments of instruction. The list is 
too long to be given here, lint those interested in the 
matter will find it in the aatalogue of the American Vet¬ 
erinary College, which may he obtained by addressing 
Prof. A. Liautard, Dean of the Facnlly at the College ; 
No. 141 West 54th St., New York Cily. 
“Some” Experience with Rabbits.—One 
of our editorial staff, had a bright lad of 11 years, who 
had the rabbit fever quite bad. He produced figures to 
show that he could pay all his own expenses if he could 
get the “plant.” So, after considerable investigation in 
the market, the father took home a fine pair of lop-ears, 
at a cost of $25, and ordered an improved “ Hutch ” con- 
structeclat a cost of $16. While waiting for this, the rab¬ 
bits were kept in two large dry-goods boxes made of inch 
piio boards. The young “proprietor” went early every 
morning to count up the expected progeny, and had as 
much figuring on the results as the milkmaid had on her 
eggs. But one morning’s observation showed by the 
teeth marks, that some strong animal had gnawed and 
wrenched off the inch-thick boards and the scattered 
fur and hits of skin were all that remained of the splendid 
dam. The “state of mind” of the “proprietor” was 
not to be described. — Moral : Ask (he Boy for it. 
P. S.—Thinking that the marauder, whatever it might be, 
wonld he meat-hungry again, and try the buck, a liberal 
amount of beef was placed near the box. This was gone 
tiie next morning. Afew rods off was a monster dog, of 
the “female persuasion,” which had evidently laid down 
to rest, and forgot to wake up at daylight. Some may sup¬ 
pose that the Arsenic bottle got overturned accidentally 
on that meat. But there wasn’t any arsenic on the place, 
either in any of Prof. Dana’s crystals, or in any other 
form. We haven’t said anything about s-t-r-y-c-h-n-i-n-e. 
About Lightning Rods.—The lightning rod 
venders have established such a had reputation that the 
people in all parts of the country are shy of them. If 
there are any who deserve to he trusted it is their misfor¬ 
tune to he engaged in a business in which there is such 
a number who are to be avoided. In cities there are 
persons in the business of erecting lightning rods who 
thoroughly understand it, and who have established a 
reputation for good work and fair dealing. Those who 
live beyoiid the reach of competent parties, and who wish 
to protect their buildings are at a loss how to accomplish 
it. Our advice is often asked in snch cases, and this is 
intended as a reply to a number of inquiries. There is 
nothing about the proper erection of a lightning rod that 
may not be done by any intelligent person, aided, it may 
be, in some parts, by a blacksmith. The rules to be ob¬ 
served are not many, hut they must he intelligently com¬ 
plied with, else the work had better not he undertaken. 
An imperfect rod is vastly more unsafe than none at all. 
If one starts without a pretty thorough familiarity with 
the laws of electricity, he needs much fuller instructions 
than can well be given in snch an article as we could 
find room for in our pages. Fortunately there are excel¬ 
lent little hand-books in which the subject is treated in 
all necessary detail; one of these is by Prof. John Phin, 
and there is another, the name of the author of which is 
notjnstnow at hand. Taking a work of this kind as a 
guide, one should carefully study it in advance of begin¬ 
ning the work, in order that the principles involved may 
he well understood. While copper is a better conductor 
of electricity than iron, the greater cost causes iron to he 
generally used. A round iron rod Via in diameter may 
be used, but the use of square rods and o( flat strips is 
becoming very common. A strip an inch wide and 3 /ia 
of an inch thick is a good size, is easily applied, and when 
painted of the same color as the house is not generally 
noticeable. Contrary to former notions, the rod may he 
painted any desired color. Insulators of glass between 
the rod and the house are regarded as worse than useless; 
were they of use at any time, so soon as they become 
wet their insulating power is offset by the conducting 
power of the water. The termination of the rod in the 
air was formerly of platinum or of heavily gilded metal, 
and great care taken to have a sharp point. Now iron is 
used, and little attention given to sharpness. A rod pro¬ 
jects a few feet above the chimney, and there are uprights 
often along the ridge. The proper termination in the 
ground is of much importance. The lower end should 
by all means reach permanently moist earth, and it is all 
the better if a rod can end in a well. Prof. Pliin's work 
may he had of the Orange Judd Co. Price by mail 50c. 
Dog Fennel Once More.—Our friends in the 
Southern States are occasionally troubled by their cows 
giving bitter milk, and we have had a number of in¬ 
quiries within the past few months as to a remedy. 
When the milk is bitter from anything that the cows have 
eaten, we doubt if anything can he done to remove the 
unpleasant taste. In snch cases prevention is better 
than cure. Ascertain what causes the bitterness .and 
keep the animals from it. There appears to he some 
disagreement as to the plant which causes the trouble. 
A lady wrote from Texas that it was due to “Dog-Fen¬ 
nel,” while Prof. Phares, of Miss., ascribes it to “Bitter- 
Weed.” It is quite likely that both are right, as both are 
positively bitter herbs. Dog-Fennel is the common 
name for Eupatorium fceniciilctceum , an own brother to 
the well known Boncset or Thoronghwort. Bitter-Weed 
belongs to the same family of plants, hut to a very differ¬ 
ent genus, being Helenium tennifolium and is a southern 
brother to our well-known Sneezewort. The statement 
by Prof. Phares, that cows will not eat Dog-Fennel (July, 
p. 285) is now contradicted by H. Woodbury, Morgan Co., 
Mo., who says that cows will eat this and various other 
weeds. He says that in his own State and in Arkansas, 
he has seen them leave a pailful of corn-meal slop and 
eat the Dog-Fennel, and suggests, as seems very probable, 
that they eat this and other hitter plants ns a kind of 
tonic. Milk is too sensitive an article to tamper with, 
and no attempt to neutralize or overcome any unpleasant 
taste or odor, derived from the animal’s food, is likely to 
succeed. The remedy must begin with the pasture. 
The American Institute will hold its Semi- 
Centennial Exhibition, next year ; this year its 49th ex¬ 
hibition will begin Sept. 15th, and last until Nov. 27th. 
It perhaps cannot be avoided, but these occasions are 
largely used by dealers to advertise their wares, and much 
that is shown can he seen in the shop windows. Still, 
in spite of this, there is always enough that is really 
new and useful to make the exhibition well worth at¬ 
tending, and the spacious building is sure to he well 
filled, at least every evening during the season. There 
has been in past years much concerning tire management 
of the Institute that has been sharply criticised, hut the 
present Board of Managers seem to be working to make 
the Institute as widely useful as possible. Among other 
indications of this is the encouragement this year offered 
to “Amateurs and Apprentices in all branches of Me¬ 
chanical, Industrial and Decorative Art.” It is proposed 
to admit “ without charge, for exhibition and competi¬ 
tion, all such work as may he approved, and to award 
premiums do those who may excel in the arts named.” 
We understand that besides the regular trades and the 
acknowledged arts of Sculpture, Painting, Drawing, etc., 
this offer includes Fancy Work,Embroidery, Decorated 
China, Wood Carving, Scroll Sawing, and all other artis¬ 
tic handiwork, calculated to adorn American Homes.” 
Applications for space arc to he made before Sept. 1st, to 
the General Superintendent, Room 22, Cooper Union. 
New York City. 
Turnip Green*,—“ A. W. K.,’’ Oldham Co., Ky.. 
sends for trial the seeds of “Turnip Greens,” which is the 
basis of the Kentucky dish known as “jowl and 
greens.” The plant, according to our correspondent, is a 
variety of turnip which produces a large top and a small 
woody turnip, and in his climate is sufficiently hardy to 
generally grow all winter. The seed is sown at the same 
time as late turnips, and the greens may be had any time 
during the winter. He says:—“We commence eating 
greens after Jan. 1st, boiling them with a small piece of 
bacon, or in salt water, if preferred.” He says the plant, 
is liked by bee-keepers as a producer of pollen and honey. 
Silk Culture In Alabama.—SamuelR.Lowery 
is President of an Industrial Academy at Huntsville, 
Alabama, where it is proposed to give colored youths of 
both sexes a thorough English education and instruct 
them in various Agricultural, Horticultural and Mechan¬ 
ical pursuits. Prof. Lowery proposes the raising of silk 
upon a sufficiently large scale to test its value as afford¬ 
ing an occupation, especially to females, being greatly 
encouraged by the experiments that have been made on 
a small scale by his family. Every endeavor by the colored 
people to help themselves, has our best wishes, and if 
this experiment helps establish the practicability of silk 
culture as an industry it will benefit tiie country at large. 
Facts About Florida.—A correspondent who 
left Wisconsin on account of his health, and settled in 
Florida only after two years of wanderings and explora¬ 
tions, takes what wc have no doubt is the correct view 
of the State as a place for settlers from the Northern 
States. He thinks that the State has been much over¬ 
praised by parties interested in the sale of lands. He 
says: “ Many have come here who have failed elsewhere, 
and nine out of ten of these will fail here. There is an 
honest living here for those who will earn it, in the rais¬ 
ing of about the only thing the country is fitted for— 
Oranges. I owe much to the country, hut I would ad¬ 
vise no one to own a grove unless he can come here to 
attend to it personally.” And to this we wonld add, that 
it takes some years to get an orange orchard into profita¬ 
ble hearing. Of course one must have capital enough to 
start the trees, and either capital or other resources to 
subsist upon while caring for the trees and waiting for 
them to bear. These points should enter into one’s cal¬ 
culations in advance. With a bearing orange grove, we 
presume, there are no doubt many attractions in the busi¬ 
ness, in the climate, etc., if one can locate so as to have 
desirable social and educational advantages for a young 
family, if he have one. 
Rye for Soiling;.—The first soiling crop in early 
spring is rye. For this purpose it should be sown late 
this month or early in September. A deep, mellow soil, 
well supplied with rich manure, is the one which gives 
the best returns for the trouble. After it is cut in the 
spring the rye will spring up again, and even a third crop 
may thus be obtained from the same sowing, and at in¬ 
tervals of a few weeks. 
Population ©four Large Cities for 1880. 
—The returns ef the Census recently taken show the fol- 
lowiugtpopulation for the 17 cities of the United States 
having over 100,600 people. The population of the same 
cities for 1870 is also given, to show the growth that has 
taken place in the past ten years : 
1880. 1870.1 1880. 1870. 
New York...1,207.000 952.000 Cleveland. 156,000 93,000 
Philadelphia 847,642 674,000 Pittsburg. .153,000 86,000 
Brooklyn... 554,001) 396,000 Buffalo .... 150,000 117,000 
' Chicago .... 474,000 299,000 Newark.... 137,000 105,000 
St. Louis... 400,000 310.000 Milwaukee 130,000 71,000 
Boston. 360,000 250,000 Louisville .120,000 100,000 
Baltimore... 350,000 267,000 Detroit... .119.000 79,000 
Cincinnati.. 250,000 216.000 Providence 104,000 68,000 
Washington 160,000 110,000 
A number of changes in the scale has taken place. 
Chicago, that stood fifth in 1870, takes the fourth rank; 
in fact, changes places with St. Louis. The same with 
Boston and Baltimore. 
Ripariau Rights.— “D. K„” Rhode Island. The 
term comes from the Latin ripa, a river hank, and in law 
refers lo the privileges and rights of persons owning land 
along rivers and streams. It would take too much space 
for us to give even an outline of the subject, as there are 
the rights in common law and their modification by the 
laws of different. States. A very good idea of the matter 
may be obtained by reading the article under the above 
heading in the 14th vol. of the American Cyclopaedia. 
Points or Shoes to Wheat Drills.—Who- 
everclaims to increase the yield of wheat from the -same 
amount of seed will be very sure to receive attention. 
The seed wheat, as it is put into the ground from the 
ordinary drill, lies in narrow strips about an inch wide. 
If the same amount of seed could be so placed as to oc¬ 
cupy a strip three or four times as wide, it is evident 
that the plants will have more room, and that their 
early development, taking place without crowding, will 
be more vigorous, and the plant better prepared to give 
its yield of grain. J. A. Jones, Wilmington, Del., makes 
a Drill Point of his own invention, which may beat 
tached to any drill in place of the points of the old style. 
These points are so constructed as to run steady and 
level, forming a flat-bottomed furrow from 3£ to 5 inches 
wide, and to scatter the seed over the whole width. This 
is a matter deserving the attention of wheat growers. 
Overstocking the Farm.—There is snch a 
thing as keeping more than a profitable number of cows 
or sheep upon a farm. A half dozen half-starved cows 
will not yield as much milk as three that have all the 
food that they want. If there is no more stock than can 
be well kept the returns will be the greatest in money, 
and also in the satisfaction of seing the animals in a good, 
healthy condition—no small part of the income to one 
who loves to have good stock well kept upon his farm. 
