368 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[September, 
■Winneshiek.Hesper.Sept. 15-16 
Worth.Northwood.Sept. 16-18 
NEBRASKA. 
Butler ..Davis City.Sept. 15-17 
Cass .Plattsmouth.Sept 15 17 
Central Nebraska Hastings.Sept 13-16 
Clay .Sutton.Sept 8-10 
Dawson.Cozad.Sept. 15-17 
Dodge.Fremodt.Sept. 14-17 
Franklin.Franklin City.. ..Sept 8-10 
Gage.Beatrice.Sept. 14-17 
Hall.Grand Island_Sept. 1617 
Jellerson.Fairbury.Sept. 13-15 
Johnson.Tecumseh.Sept. 15-18 
Kearney.Minden.Sept. 10-12 
Lancaster...Lincoln.Sept. 14-16 
Otoe.Syracuse.Sept. 14-16 
Nebraska City_Nebraska City...Sept. 6-11 
Rlcnardson.Salem.Sept. 15-17 
Saline.Crete. .Sept. 14-16 
Washington.Blair.Sept. 14-16 
York..York.Sept. 14 
KENTUCKY. 
Anderson.La wrenceburg... Aug. 17-20 
Bath.Sharpsburg.Aug. 3 6 
Boone.Florence....Aug. 31-Sept 4 
Bourbon...Paris .Sept. 7-11 
Boyd.Ashland. Sept. 29-Oct. 1 
Boyle...Danville.Aug. 10-13 
Christian.Hopkinsville.Oct 6- 9 
Daviess..Owensboro..Oct. 13-15 
Fayette.Lexington..Aug. 31-Sept. 4 
Franklin.Frankfort.Sept. 21-24 
Harrison.Cynthiana.Aug 24-28 
Henderson.Henderson...Sent. 28 -Oct. 2 
Madison.Richmond.Aug. 17-20 
Mason.Maysville.Sept. 21-24 
McCracken.Paducah.Oct. 5- 9 
Mercer.Harrodsburg.....Aug, 3- 6 
Nelson.Bardstown.Sept. 7- 9 
Shelby.Shelbyville.Aug. 24-27 
Simpson... .Franklin____ .Sept. 16-18 
Washington.Spriugtleid.Aug. 1821 
MISSOURI. 
Mississippi..Charleston.Sept. 21-24 
S. E. Distric.t....Cape Girardeau .Oct. 12-16 
St. Francois..... .Farmington.Sept. 14 .8 
SOUTH CAROLINA. 
Anderson.Anderson.Oct. 20-22 
Abbevile.Abbeville.Oct. 13 
Barnwell.Barnwell..’..Oct. 20-22 
Newberry.Newberry.Oct. 6-8 
Orangeburg.Orangeburg...... - 
Sumter.Sumter...Oct. 13-15 
Union. Union...Oct. 26-28 
KANSAS. 
Cherokee.....Columbus.Sept. 22-24 
Crawford.....Girard...Sept. 7- 9 
Dickinson.Abilene.Oct. 18-16 
The Texas State Agricultural and me¬ 
chanical College, is preparing for active work. It 
has made an excellent move in the right direction in the 
appointment as Professor of Agriculture and Horti¬ 
culture, Mr. C. C. Georgesou. Professor G. grad¬ 
uated a few years ago at the Michigan Agricultural 
College, and lias for some time been engaged upon 
the “ Rural New Yorker,” of this City. Mr. G. is one 
of the coming men in the agriculture Oi this country, and 
will in his new position find a much wider and more 
congenial field ol usefulness than he has heretofore oc¬ 
cupied. Prom our knowledge of Prof. G. we can cheer¬ 
fully commend him to the favorable consideration of our 
Texan friends. We shall be disappointed if he does not 
in time show the wisdom of the appointment, by render 
ing essential service in the development of the agricul¬ 
ture of that large and most beautiful State. 
Rabbits Not Wanted.— Several months ago, 
we suggested ttiat those who had choice rabbits for sale 
should make the fact known. It had reference to Lop- 
eared and Angora breeds, and as a hint to dealers who 
had these for sale to advertise them. Parties continue to 
write ns that they have choice common rabbits for sale. 
We do not wish to buy rabbits. 
How to Kill a Beef.— Intelligent butchers un¬ 
derstand that the quality of the beef is influenced by the 
manner in which the animal is killed. Prolonged torture 
promotes secretions which are Injurious to the flesh. In 
the large slaughter houses the method of pithing is now 
general y introduced and consists in piercing the posterior 
part of the brain with a sharp instrument called a spud. 
The operator, who must lie a very cool and experienced 
one, stands upon a platform above the cattle and thrust? 
the spud into the brain ; the animal falls and is insensible 
in an instant. This humane method is not practicable 
for farmers who have few animals to kill during the 
year. In killing in the ordinary manner the object is the 
derangement of the brain, as this is the seat of conscious¬ 
ness, and therefore of sensibility to pain; consequently 
the blow must be. directed at the brain. For beeves the 
exterior point to he struck is the intersection of the two 
lines joining the base of the horn and the opposite eye— 
a point above and not between the eyes. The blow may 
he by either a bullet, an axe, or hammer. If the butcher is 
a good shot, he may use the rifle, otherwise the heavy 
hammer or axe. The head of theanimal beingfirstseenre- 
ly fastened and then blindfolded, a single blow of either 
ballet or hammer should be sufficient; after which the 
throat should be cut and the bleeding accomplished. 
Care of Root Crops.— A good crop of roots can 
not lie expected without the ground is kept clean by 
frequent cultivation. Many farmers prepare the ground 
properly and sow the seed with care, and then leave the 
young plants to strive against the weeds as best they may. 
Such work can not pay; careful preparation must be 
followed by clean culture. An outlay of $5 or $10 in 
weeding and hoeing, may very easily make $25 to $50 
difference in the crop ; in fact it may make the difference 
between a crop of roots and a rank growth of weeds that 
cover tiie ground and fill it with foul seed. If roots are 
to be grown we must help them by keeping out the 
weeds. No other way will be successful. 
“Blanketed” Cattle.— “J. S B.” These cattle 
were imported into this country many years ago. They 
are excellent milkers and are found in herds in Orange 
and other counties in New York. Several names have 
been given them such as ‘'Belted,” “Sheeted,” “Draped,” 
etc., all founded on the leading characteristic—a broad 
belt of white passing around the middle ot the body, 
while the front and rear portions are black. This pecu¬ 
liar and quite constant and uniform marking makes these 
herds particularly striking to the eye, as they feed on the 
meadows and hillsides. In Holland, from which our 
“Blanketed” Cattle came many years ago, this breed 
is highly esteemed by many and preserved with care. 
S<og Brains, that will last for several years, may he 
made, but they should be laid down only when other 
kinds are ont of the question. The ditches for them are 
dug in the usual manner and the logs placed in the bot¬ 
tom so as to make a throat or water channel. Two logs 
are placed along the sides of the bottom, and the third 
rests upon these two, the side logs being kept apart by 
the pressure of the middle one. Brush or sods should he 
put in, to fill any small spaces between the logs, when the 
ditch ean be filled. Such drains are of special value in 
newly settled regions where logs are the only materials 
at hand for the drains that must be constructed at once. 
The Adjustable Folding Camp Chair. 
When we came across the chair described on page 317, 
last month, at the house of a friend in the country, we 
looked in vain for the name of the maker. Knowing that 
devices not one tenth as useful and sensible were pat¬ 
ented, we were surprised not to find either the customary 
“Patented,” or “Patent Applied for” anywhere upon 
the chair. All that our friend knew about the chairs 
was, that he had bought them of some one who offered 
them at tiis office in the city. It now appears that the 
chair was patented, but that some one without proper 
notions of right and wrong had copied the design and 
made and sold the chairs. The chair is patented by 
Gifford & Bates, and is sold by A. W. Moorehouse, No. 
242 Canal St., who, when lie discovered the error, in¬ 
formed us of the real state of the case in a manner that 
makes it a pleasure to correct the mistake. No matter 
how much we may try to avoid them, such errors will 
occur, and all we can do is to state the fact, that the 
article is patented, and that no one has a right to make a 
chair of the style referred to, without the permission of 
the owner of the patent. There is a very common im¬ 
pression that any one can make a patented article for his 
own use, without reference to the patentee. This is a 
mistake. No one lias a right to make a patented article 
for his own use, and he has no right to use or.e that 
another person has made in disregard of the patent. As 
to the chairs in question, our good opinion of them is in¬ 
creased after seeing those made by Mr. Moorehouse. 
Tiie chief fault of those we first saw was, that they were 
just a little too narrow; while Mr. M. ’shave ample width; 
they are moreover much better finished. The engrav¬ 
ing given last month gives an idea of the plain style for 
tiie lawn, veranda, or camp, but sonic are made for the 
house which are as elegant as they are convenient and 
comfortable. We give an engraving of one of the moro 
highly finished chairs, which has the wood work in ebony 
finish, relieved by a little gilding, while the hack and 
seat, instead of duck, as in the others, are formed by a 
piece of Brussels carpet. The chairs fold up in tiie most 
compact manner and only occupy the thickness of one 
side piece, allowing of very close "packing either for 
transportation or storing away when not in use. 
Protection of Soils in Winter.— Some French 
physicists have been recently making some extended 
experiments upon the temperature of soils during winter. 
They have found a striking difference between the tem¬ 
perature of soils covered with grass—a sod—and those 
that had their upper surface exposed directly to the air, 
the sod most effectually protecting the soil from the 
Troy.Sept. 28-Oct. t 
Ottawa.Sept. 29 0ct. 2~ 
Eureka.Oct. 7- 9' 
Newton.Sept. 29-Oct. 1 
Holton.Sept. 7-19 
Oskaloosa.. .Sept. 280ct. 2 
Oswego.Sept. 14-17 
LaCygue.... .Sept. 28-Oct. l 
Emporia...Sept. 7-11 
Peabouy.Sept. 21-23 
Marysville.Sept. 21 24 
Paoia.Sept. 29-Oct. 2 
IndependenceSept SO-Oct.2 
Parkerville.Sept. 20-22 
Minneapolis.Sept. 22-25 
Philip sou gh_Sept. 14-16 
Hutchinson .....Sept. 22 25 
Manhattan.. .Sept. 28 -Oct. 1 
Wichita.Sept. 14-17 
Topeka...Oct. 5- 8 
Wa.-hington..... .Sept. 15-17- 
action of frost. In the case of snow, it was found to be 
an excellent screen against changes of temperature—its 
value as a “ blanket” is more as an equalizer of tempera¬ 
ture, preventing sudden changes on account of its poor 
conducting power than to keep out the cold. A thick 
sod or a mulch of leaves of the same thickness, is better 
protection to the soil and living plants than snow* 
Feeding from tiie Hand.— It is remarkable 
how gentle the farm stock may become by kind and con¬ 
siderate treatment. Take, for example, calves at this 
season of the year; an occasional handful of meal, fed 
to them from a dish, will do them a double good ; it will 
aid in their growth and make them easier to handle 
when they become older. Tiie custom of carrying some 
salt to the sheep every time one goes to their pasture,, 
though it may not do them much good, pays in the gentle 
disposition which it develops in the flock. Little acts 
of kindness are not forgotten, even by the dumb animals. 
The Most Science Thing.— The talk of the 
venders o( various wares along the city streets is some¬ 
times quite amusing. One with a peculiar top a few days 
ago in front of our office thus presents its claims—“ Here, 
sir, is the most science thing ever offered. I tell you 
there ain’t nothing sold on the street so science as this.” 
Rots in Horses.— This trouble is due to the mag¬ 
gots or grubs of a fly which fasten themselves upon the 
lining of the stomach and sometimes that of the intes¬ 
tines of the horse. The female fly deposits her eggs 
singly upon the hairs of the lower jaw, neck, and forward 
legs of the horse. They hatch in a short time, and the 
tickling sensation produced by the young grub causes 
tiie horse to lick the place, and thus the grubs pass into 
the horse’s mouth and from thence into the stomach, 
where I hey soon fasten themselves by numerous minute 
hooks in rows upon their white wrinkled bodies. After 
about two months the bots pass from the horse and' 
bury themselves in the dung and remain in the dormant 
pupa state until the next season, when tiie fly begins the 
round of trouble again. The maggots irritate tiie coat of 
the stomach and cause the formation of pus, upon which 
they feed. There is no remedy for this tronblesome par¬ 
asite. A dose of physic may help to dislodge them, or 
hasten the time for their removal from the animal. 
“Oil Bropping from Trees.”— It is not oil;, 
but instead a sweet, syrup-like liquid that exudes from 
the bodies of piant-lice ( Aphides ) which feed upon the 
younger portions of the trees. This “Honey Dew,” as 
it is called, is frequently so abundant as to cover the 
ground, and tiie side walks in cities—where it is most 
frequently spoken of as “ oil.” Bees frequent such trees 
and gather the sweet exudation for the purpose of mak¬ 
ing it into honey. Ants are alsotond of it and are often 
found iu large numbers feeding upon the Honey Dew. 
Black Birds. —“B. J. G.,” Nashua, Iowa, states 
that he keeps Black Birds away from the corn crib, by 
hanging around them pieces of bright tin, by means of 
wires in such a manner that they will swing in the wind. ■ 
Lime as a Manure.— There are direct and in¬ 
direct manures ; that is, substances which themselves 
contain and furnish the plants with essential elements 
of their growth, and others that only feed the plants by 
acting upon other compounds which thereby yield a 
supply of nourishment. Of this latter class is lime as it 
is generally used. A good dressing of lime may double 
the yield of wheat on a field—not any and every field, but 
on some fields.—Now, why is it, tkatit will produce this 
remarkable increase on some fields, and that too when 
there is already sufficient lime in the soil to furnish all 
of that mineral needed by the growing crops for a scorn 
ora hundred years to come? The soil on which the lime 
has such a powerful influence, abounds in undecomposed 
organic matter ; the lime decomposes this matter and 
those compounds that are needed by the growing 
plants. It is principally to the nitrogen compounds 
set free that the increased production is due. The lime 
was the indirect cause of the greater growth. 
Doniphan.... 
Franklin. 
Greenwood.. 
Harvey.. 
Jackson. 
Jefferson. 
Labette__ 
Linn. 
Lyon. 
Marion... 
Marslia.l...... 
Miami....... 
Montgomery. 
Morns.. 
Ottawa. 
Phillips.. 
Reno. 
Riley_..... 
Sedgwick_ 
Shawnee..... 
Washington.. 
