1880.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
3 T9 
universally attending butter-making at this time of 
the year, are mostly overcome by the practice of 
milking three times a day, and the cow being near 
at hand it is a small matter to adopt this practice.” 
A Mud and Muck Digger. 
-*3^- 
Mr. H. H. Hooper, Bedeque, Prince Edwards 
Island- sends sketches of an apparatus for digging 
that is now used quite extensively by himself and 
others in getting out the mussel mud largely 
employed in that region as a fertilizer. As it 
is not patented, and may be advantageously used 
Fig. 1.— A MUD AND MUCK DIGGER 
in many cases in getting out muck, we give it 
for the benefit of those who have use for such an 
affair, whether to restore to the land some portion 
of the fertilizing material that is always running 
into the sea, or would make use of the fertilizing 
elements contained in the slowly decaying vegeta¬ 
ble matter of bogs and swamp holes. The lower 
portion of the long handle (fig. 1) has strong iron 
Fig. 2.— THE SCOOP. 
bolts placed every six inches apart, which come 
against au iron dog in the frame at B, and serve to 
hold the scoop in place while being filled. If the 
mud or muck is hard, the end of the frame may 
rise up, it being provided with a hinge at A. The 
scoop is worked by a horse 
attached to a capstan. The 
whole machine as arranged 
for work is shown in figure 
1. The scoop is made as 
shown in a larger view in 
figure 2; and is provided 
with a sliding bolt, A,which, 
when pulled out, allows the 
scoop to fall and empty it¬ 
self. A portion of the up¬ 
per part of the capstan to 
which the horse is attached 
is shown in figure 3. The 
wheel, A, which carries the 
chain, cable, or rope, as the 
case may be, is set loose by 
means of a small lever, with 
a cord attached, B, which comes against broad 
bolts and holds it when the scoop is being raised. 
3.— PART OF WHEEL. 
The Collecting and Uses of Rock-Weed. 
The Rock-Weed, or Blister-Weed, as it is some¬ 
times called, (Fucus vesciculosus), is one of the most 
valuable of marine plants, and in general use, as a 
fertilizer, in all the shore towns, where a rocky 
coas f favors its growth. It takes its popular name 
from its habit of growth upon rocks that line 
the shore. It clings fast to the boulders wherever 
there is room, and the foliage (as its fronds may be 
regarded), hanging in loose tresses, about eighteen 
Inches long, completely covers the rocks. The 
plant is left more or less bare at half tide, on the 
ebb, and from that time to half tide on the flood, 
can be readily gathered by the hands. It is thrown 
into large baskets and piled on the shore, or car¬ 
ried directly to the cart and drawn to the fields 
where it is to be used. Farmers more remote from 
the shore, and persons who make a business of 
selling sea wrack, transport it mostly in boats and 
large scows, which are pushed in among the rocks, 
and loaded, so as to be got off at high tide. The 
law of the sea makes all wrack, below high water 
mark, common property that may be removed at 
any time by water, it cannot be carted off over 
the land, without the 
consent of the owner. 
This gathering directly 
from the rocks during 
the summer, furnishes 
an article of the highest 
value as a fertilizer. 
Later in the season, 
during fall and winter, 
it is torn from the rocks 
by the storms and driven 
ashore, mixed with eel 
grass and other marine 
much more easily gathered but 
The clear Rock-Weed, 
plants. This is 
is not near as valuable, 
where farmers are acquainted with it, has a stand¬ 
ard value and sells as readily as stable manure. 
Many laborers who do not have steady employ¬ 
ment improve their leisure in gathering it, and the 
piles upon the wharves and shore never fail of 
purchasers, at remunerative rates. It is put to 
quite a variety of uses and is most prized by those 
who are best acquainted with it. It is not a con¬ 
centrated manure, but is thought to be more valu¬ 
able than the common yard manure. It is excel¬ 
lent for top-dressing pastures or meadows, and the 
effects are seen for several years, in the larger 
growth of grass, and in the improvement of its 
quality. It is a favorite fertilizer for ruta-bagas 
and the rock turnip. Trenches are opened, filled 
with the weed, and covered with four or five inches 
of soil. This never fails to bring a good crop—with 
fair cultivation. It is also highly prized for cabbages 
and potatoes, spread broadcast aud plowed in, or 
put in the hill. One of the best pieces of corn in 
town is upon a sod manured with Rock-Weed, 
spread broadcast and turned under last spring. It 
is an admirable thing in a compost heap made of 
muck, headlands, and any other refuse material, 
and throws the whole mass into fermentation as 
readily as stable manure. We have used it a good 
deal in the sty, aud there it operates as an absorb¬ 
ent and subdues immediately all unpleasant odors. 
Valuable as this weed is, but a small portion of it 
is gathered. It 6ells readily as it is discharged 
upon the wharves, at from one to two dollars a ton, 
and at these prices is a very cheap fertilizer for 
all farmers along the coast. Connecticut. 
A Plan for a Small Barn. 
There are many small farmers, villagers, garden¬ 
ers, etc., who wish only barn room enough for a 
single horse and carriage and a cow. To such, the 
requirements are cheapness and durability, com¬ 
bined with convenience ; and with these points in 
view we give the following plan of a small barn, 
designed by Prof. G. T. Fairchild, of the Michigan 
Agricultural College. Three barns have been built 
on the College grounds, after this plan, and are 
used by the professors, who speak in high terms of 
their adaptability to the wants of those wishing a 
small horse and carriage bam. A view of the barn 
from the front is shown in figure 1, and while plain 
in its construction, is pleasing in outline. The first 
floor (fig. 2) is 20 by 23 feet, and 8 feet between 
joints. A large sliding door, a, 9 feet wide, admits 
the carriage with the horse attached, which, when 
unhitched, is led through the sliding door, 6, into 
the stable. The small stable door, c, opens by 
hinges inwards, while the back door, opening to 
the manure yard, moves upon rollers. Two small 
windows, e, e, give sufficient light to the stable. 
The hay-rack and feed-box for the stalls are shown 
at/,/,/, each having a hay-shoot leading from the 
floor above. The grain-bins are neatly arranged 
under the stairway, these being three in number, 
ranging in contents from 50 to 10 bushels. The 
second story, or hayloft (fig. 3), is 6 feet from floor 
to plates, aud gives ample room fo the storage of 
hay aud straw. The stairway is . one corner, a, 
and out of the way ; b, the door fo the entrance of* 
the hay and straw; c, c, c, ends of the hay-shoots; 
d, ventilator; e, e, windows. The ventilator serves 
the purpose of a shoot for throwing down the straw 
used for bedding, and has a number of openings 
for this purpose at various bights, including one at 
the bottom for cleaning out the dust, chaff, etc., 
that is constantly accumulating from the loft. 
The cost of the barn thus described will vary ac¬ 
cording to the locality and the price of lumber, 
etc. The estimates for the Michigan barns were 
$300, above the foundation, with two coats of paint; 
but in most states the lumber would cost more 
than in Michigan, and the estimate for this 
small bam would be correspondingly increased. 
SLieep 1'or Fertilization.— Where sheep are 
kept for the double purpose of direct income in 
wool, mutton, etc., aud the manure they make, it is 
important that the extra food, or that outside of 
what the pasture furnishes, should be chosen with 
care. It would be wise for the American farmer to 
become better acquainted with cotton-seed cake, 
linseed oil-cake, and like concentrated foods. By 
feeding, and feeding liberally, of such foods, the 
sheep not only grow rapidly, but the manure they 
make is rich in nitrogenous matters and valuable 
fertilizing salts. The growth of animals is a means 
to an end, and when the most money is made from 
the flock, and the land enriched, the most rapidly 
the end is gained. The profit of sheep as fertilizers 
depends largely upon the kind of food that is used. 
