1880 .] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
337 
“ Don’t Like the Premiums. An old sub¬ 
scriber, whose opinion and good will we highly regard, 
■writes: “* * * I don’t like your premium business. 
Why not abolish it and give every subscriber the benefit 
of the premiums * * *” We would like to exchange 
places with our friend for a little while, we enjoying his 
quiet life, and he taking full charge of the publishing 
business. He would get some new ideas in one year, or 
at least in twenty-seven years as we have done, provided 
he did not wear out before the end of the time, as nine- 
tenths of the papers we have seen started, have done. 
Elsewhere (page 377) we have explained the theory of 
giving premiums, and let us just add here, that every 
subscriber does enjoy the benefit of the premiums. The 
regular single and club prices of the paper as giveu on 
the 2nd cover page, are as low as they can be without 
diminishing the value of the paper, and lower than they 
could be were it not for the premiums which increase the 
circulation. The larger the circulation the greater is 
the number of persons among whom is divided the gen¬ 
eral expense of preparing matter, engravings, type-set¬ 
ting, office, etc., and so a far better paper can be given 
to 100,000 or more subscribers than could be given to a 
smaller number at the same price per year. Remember 
that the premiums are paid for out of advertising re¬ 
ceipts, which the larger circulation brings in. The extra 
advertisements on the extra premium supplement will 
largely swell the list of the premiums. Our friend can 
shut his eyes on the premium sheet, and read only 
the regular sheet which, as he says, “ is worth what it 
costs him anyway,” and still be satisfied. 
Oats witli Wheat.— The sowing of a bushel of 
oats per acre, with the winter wheat, has often proved of 
material benefit to the wheat crop. The oats grow more 
vigorously than the wheat and aid in catching and hold¬ 
ing the snow. The oats act as as protection or mulch to 
the wheat. The little food the young oat plants draw 
from the soil is returned during the spring when, be¬ 
ing killed by the winter, they rapidly decay. 
Plants, Insects, etc., by Mail.—' We have 
on hand, at the present time, half a dozen or more pack¬ 
ages by mail, containing specimens of plants, insects, 
etc., sent for us to name, which give no clue to the 
sender. We have also a number of letters and postal 
cards, saying in effect, that “a plant or insect is sent this 
day by mail—What is it?” We are in some cases able to 
learn who sends the specimen by the handwriting; 
sometimes a descriptive hint in the letter helps, but after 
we have done all, there are several left wanting an owner. 
In the majority of cases the specimen and note can come 
together under one letter stamp, and it is always better 
to send thus than to separate them. Where the size of 
the specimen makes it desirable to send it at the lower 
rate of postage, then the letter should so describe the 
parcel that we can be sure to refer it to the proper owner. 
The Farmer’s Weather Case.— In answer to 
a number of letters asking how, when and where the 
Weather Case, described in the June number, page 231, 
can be had, we will say that an official letter from 
Washington on this point states : “Due notice will be 
given the public throngh the press at such time as ar¬ 
rangements fortbe instruments may be completed.” 
A Dairy House on a Small Scale.—“D. 
G. C., ’’Prince George’s Co., Maryland, writes: “My wife 
wants a dairy house, and unfortunately I have neither a 
spring nor a running stream available, sufficiently near 
the dwelling house for her purposes; I have, however a 
very fine well of water, which I have thought could be 
utilized. My idea is, to dig a pit, say four or five feet 
deep, wall it up to about four feet above the ground (of 
course have the pit well drained) cover it with an arched 
roof, and the whole covered with dirt and sodded. In¬ 
ternally. I would connect the receptacles for the milk and 
cream, and butter, with the pump in the well, so that 
whenever the pump is used there would be a flow of 
water into them. I would be obliged to you for your ad¬ 
vice as to the practicability of this plan, and whatever 
suggestions you may deem advisable io render it success¬ 
ful.”—Your plan is a veiy good one—but you want to 
have both light and ventilation, by which we mean 
neither a glare of sunshine nor a breeze, bnt light enough 
to see every thing clearly, and a constant change of air. 
If the water can be held at a temperature at or near 55° 
you can employ deep setting—otherwise experience 
teaches some system of shallow setting will be best. 
Amount of Seed.— There is no precise amount 
of wheat to be sown per acre—no rigid, inflexible rule 
to be followed any more than in the application of ma¬ 
nure or an artificial fertilizer. Much depends upon the 
soil; if it be rich, deep, and clean of weeds, the amount 
of seed need not be great. Mr. Mechi, of England, ad¬ 
vocates thin sowing, he using only three pecks per acre; 
but his land is in high culture, thoroughly drained and 
clean of all weeds, and every grain strikes its roots deep 
into the soil, finds an abundance of food, tillers freely, 
and soon covers the ground with a vigorous growth. 
There is much difference in the size of the grains of 
diff rent varieties of wheat, therefore, the smaller the 
grain the greater the number of plants that may grow 
from a given amount. The end to be gained is to have 
the ground well covered with deep rooted, well fed, and 
therefore, vigorous'plants, and any more or less seed than 
will do this is a poor seeding. It is evident that we can 
not give any rule for everybody to follow on any kind of 
soil under any circumstances. 
“Clydesdales for America.”— The “North 
British Agriculturist’’(Edinburgh), under this head de¬ 
scribes three fine Clydesdale stallions recently shipped to 
the United States. They are of the famed “Prince of 
Wales” breed, with noted animals as their ancestors. 
“ These horses ate only two years old and should prove a 
real acquisition to the already large number of good 
Clydesdales in America.” 
Implements in tlie Field.— One in riding 
through the country is surprised at the mannes in which 
farmers leave their valuable farm machinery in the field 
without any protection from the rain and the sun. A 
shed of rough boards costs but little, and will pay a large 
interest on the investment, if used to shelter these ma¬ 
chines. Because we do not see the slow decay, we 
are apt to forget that it is going on, until reminded by 
some costly machine which goes to pieces just at the 
moment when most needed. This treatment of machines 
is excellent for the manufacturers, but it is one of the 
prominent reasons why “farming don’t pay.” 
Fast Time.— The remarkable trotting speed of a 
mile in 2.1.314, made by Mr. W. II. Vanderbilt’s six-year- 
old mare “Maud S.,” at the Chicago Trotting"Park, last 
month, leads one naturally to look into the character of 
her ancestors, in order to account for her wonderful per¬ 
formance. Her sire was “ Harrold ” (son of “ Rysdyk’s 
Hambletoniau ” and “ Enchantress” by “ Old Abdallah.” 
Her dam was “Helen Russell” by “Pilot,” son of 
“ Pacing Pilot ” ; herthird dam was “ Maria Russell,” by 
Thornton’s “Rattler.”) It will thus be seen that “Maud S.” 
is from fast stock and a good record might be expteted 
of her. “ Her legs and feet are faultless in form, and ap¬ 
parently of a quality that will stand up under any amonnt 
of use; and,judging from her actions on the track, she 
is as faultless in disposition as in conformation." This 
simply shows that breeding will tell, and that there is 
a great deal in pedigrees, if made with some definite 
end in view. “ Like produces like.” 
Old Meadows may be quickly renovated by cut¬ 
ting up what may be le t of the old sod, with a disk 
harrow, then applying a good coat of fine manure and 
seeding with timothy and clover. The surfacd may be 
rolled after the grass seed is sown to make the surface 
smooth for the mower. A good mixture of seeds for 
meadow hay is Orchard-grass and Kentucky Blue-grass, 
one bushel each, and six pounds of Red Clover. 
Rain Water from Barns.- With eave-tronghs 
upon the barns and a cistern, a good supply of water 
might be secured to supply the stock when the barn well 
fails, as it frequently does in the summer. The annoy¬ 
ance of dripping eaves and a sloppy barn-yard, with its 
waste of manure from washing would be avoided, which, 
aside from saving the water, would more than pay for the 
expense of eave-tronghs and the cistern. 
muck,—“ R. B. K.,” Columbus, Wis. The specimen 
sent is muck of a very pure quality. It looks as if it 
might be used as fuel, if taken out in blocks and dried ; 
at any rate, the experiment can be easily made. If dug 
out at the approach of winter and allowed to freeze, it 
would be nseful as an absorbent in the stables, or it may 
be added to the manure heap. Having drained it, yon 
can, no doubt, make it raise something better than 
“wire grass.” We should sow Timothy next spring. 
Tlie Grain Weevil.— “ H. J. R.,” New Market, 
Va. The heating of the wheat has nothing to do with 
the occurrence of the weevil. Just how the weevil first 
gets into the granary would be difficult to say. It, no 
doubt, can fly for considerable distances, and may be 
brought on to the farm in various ways. It comes from no 
other insect. The perfect insect, or weevil, deposits her 
egg either upon or in a minute hole she makes in the 
grain. The egg soon hatches, and the resulting mag/ot 
feeds on the contents of the grain ; by the time it has 
made its growth, it has devoured the flour of the grain ; 
it then enters the pupa or dormant state, and in about six 
or seven weeks from the time the egg was laid it comes 
out a perfect weevil, ready to continue its kind. How 
long the insect lives is not exactly known, but it remains 
over from one crop of wheat to another, in the beetle 
state, hidden away in cracks and other places of shelter. 
The best method of getting rid of the weevil, when it has 
once established itself, is to store the wheat elsewhere 
for two years, thus starving it out. To keep the 
weevils out, the French line their granaries with sheet 
iron, taking care that the door closes with a tight joint, 
and covering the ventilating openings with wire gauze. 
Kentucky Blue-Grass.— Prof. Asa Gray writes: 
A correspondent wants to know, and asks us to tell him 
“ botanically,” whether “ Kentucky Blue-Grass,” [Poa 
pratensis) is a native grass in that Slate and Indiana, or 
whether it was introduced from the East. That is just 
what I would like to know myself. I do not know of its 
being really native anywhere so far south as Kentucky. 
But where did the name originate ? “ Blue-Grass ” is not 
the English name of any grass, and I never heard it used 
in New England or New York. If the name grew up in 
Kentucky it would more likely be applied to a native 
grass than to any one introduced, which would come 
with a name of its own. Then is there any blueness 
about Poa pratensis ? The insignificant Poa compressa , 
which may be called Flat Grass, is bluish ; and was not 
that what was first called Blue-Grass? Somebody may 
know. [Poacompressa is often called “Wire-Grass.” Ed.] 
The Cotton Worm Investigation.—Prof. 
C. V. Riley, Chief of the United States Entomological 
Commission, has charge of the investigations of the 
Cotton Worm, so destructive in the South. For this im¬ 
portant work a corps of assistants has been employed, 
and the members are to be distributed as follows : Prof. 
J. P. Steele, of Mobile, will go to Texas, and make his 
headquarters somewhere in the Colorado Bottom ; Prof. 
W. S. Barnard, of Cornell University, will be stationed 
atVidalia, La., so as to study those portions of Louisiana 
and Mississippi omitted in 1878 and 1S79, on account of 
yellow fever. Prof. W. R. Jones, of the Mississippi 
University, will represent the investigating committee 
among the cotton lands of that State. Judge J. F. Bai¬ 
ley will have charge of Alabama. Prof. W. G. Fallow, 
of Harvard University, will aid in experiments to test the 
usefulness of fungus germs in the destruction of the 
cotton worm. Some time in September Prof. Riley ex¬ 
pects to go to California to take steps towards the culti¬ 
vation of the Pyrethrum, a plant which he believes to 
be the future, dangerless antidote for the cotton worm. 
Fetrolenm to Preserve Wood.— The pri¬ 
mary cause of decay in woo l is the fermentation and de¬ 
composition of the sap that is within the pores. Wood, 
pure and by itself, is not easily destroyed by the ordinary 
agencies of nature, namely: wet and dry weather, heat 
and cold, etc. If the sap within the pores can be either 
removed or rendered inactive, the wood may be pre¬ 
served. There are several methods of doing this, such 
as saturating the wood with mineral salts, creosote, etc. 
The cheapest, easiest, and therefore the best method, 
seems to be to charge the wood with crude petroleum. 
Pine, for example, is made almost water-proof by satu¬ 
rating it with this material, and therefore made much 
more lasting. Crude petroleum is very cheap, and may 
be applied with ablush until the wood will take up no 
more. In the application, care should be taken to avoid 
accidents from fire, and not approach the work with a 
flame until it is dry. An application of petroleum is es¬ 
pecially valuable to much exposed wood-work, as, for 
example, the shingles on buildings, which hy actual ex¬ 
perience are found to be rendered much more durable. 
Grapes from Texas.— On July 7th, D. M. Perl 
sent from his “Hungarian Vineyard,” in Harris Co., 
Texas, specimens of European grapes raised in the open 
air. These were Black Hamburg and Furmint, a white 
Hungarian variety. He also sent photographs of other 
varieties that ripen in June, and stated that his crop 
began to ripen on the last of May. Texas is indeed % 
favored climate if European grapes can be grown in the 
open air. The specimens, especially the Hamburg, were 
well ripened, and of much better flavor than those raised 
under glass. The bunches were too compact for I he 
berries to be evenly colored, a difficulty easily remedied 
by thinning. We shall be glad to hear that the present 
success is continuous, and that these varieties can be de¬ 
pended upon to produce and ripen in this manner year 
after year, as it opens up a new supply of grapes. 
Norman and Perclieron Horses.— Mr. M. 
W. Dunham, of Illinois, landed 97 French breeding horses 
from the Steamer “Egypt,” which arrived on the 8th, 
and were shipped West early in the same week. There 
were some 30 stallions, 30 mares, and 30 weanlings and 
sucklings, of which a large proportion appeared to be 
mares. There were comparatively few grays, but nearly 
all the importation were very dark, many blacks, with a 
few bays. It is the largest importation of breeding 
horses that has ever been made to this conntry. Several 
of the slallions were of enormous size, and of the 
Norman type, others possessed characteristics of the 
Percheron type. The quality on an average very good. 
