488 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[November, 
Will a Creamery Pay?— Will butter-making 
pay anyhow ? If it will pay to make good butter in the 
private dairy, then a well managed creamery will pay ; 
but it must be well managed. A question to which this 
is the answer comes to us from Montgomery Co., Pa. 
There are several reasons why creameries fail to be 
profitable. If one farmer's milk has 7 or 8 per cent of 
cream and another’s has 20, and others all along between, 
the poor milk being largely in excess, when dividends 
are made according to the weight of milk furnished, it 
is clear that not only do the men who furnish good milk 
lose heavily, but the creamery loses also. The cream and 
the butter, of badly fed, or half starved, cows has no 
flavor. Such butter cannot sell at a high price, and a little 
such milk or cream will damage the whole product. 
Creamery butter that cannot beat “ Oleo,” is made at a 
loss, and ought to be. 
Asbestos ILiquid Paints.— Through a number 
of years, the H. W. Johns Mfg. Co. have established an 
enviable reputation for making liquid paints that are 
remarkable for their durability and beauty. Their 
Asbestos Liquid Paints have real merit, and all who con¬ 
template painting their farm and other buildings should 
bear this in mind. We can gladly refer the reader to our 
recommendations of this firm and its paints in the past. 
Moss Collars for Horses.— During the late war 
the Northern soldiers became acquainted with Southern 
Moss in all its forms. They saw it growing in long gray 
streamers from the cypresses in the swamps. They saw 
the negroes gathering it, sweating it, and rubbing it free 
from the outer coats, leaving the horse-hair like, wiry 
threads which form the inside and are the useful part. 
This, in trade, is known as Southern Moss, and is used 
like horse-hair for stuffing seats, beds, etc., and as an 
“adulteration,” so to speak, of curled hair. Twisted into 
ropes, it gets a regular curl like horse-hair, and it re¬ 
quires a moderately close inspection to tell which is 
which. The soldiers found saddle cloths plaited of this 
moss by twisting it into cords, to be most excellent, 
curing saddle-galls, and preventing sweat-blisters, and 
pads made to go under mule-collars, and wherever the 
harness galled, were good also. We have received a well- 
made horse-collar of this material, bound with leather at 
top and bottom, and with leather fenders to prevent wear 
from the trace chains. They appear to be a very good 
article, and we see no reason why the manufacturer, Mr. 
A. D. Martin, of Louisiana, should not have a large trade 
in them, both South and North. 
Cord Binders for Harvesters. —A number 
of different materials as straw, and wire, have been in 
use by the self-binding harvesters, but farmers are not 
ratisfied with the work, and have frequently applied for 
a binder that would employ a cord. The manufacturers 
of the Champion Reapers have developed an Automatic 
Cord Binder, which has done excel ent work in the field 
during the past season, and bids fair to meet the want of 
those who have grain to cut, and wish to bind it in a neat 
and substantial manner. 
Grass Seed.— “C. M. II.” The seeds of the common 
grasses will retain their vitality two or three years, and 
even longer if kept dry, but the longer they are kept the 
slower they are in coming up and the fewer start. 
Concrete Buildings.—” H. W. G.,” Steuben Co., 
N. Y. In Dec., 1874, we gave full descriptions of the 
method of preparing Concrete, and of building with it. 
That or any other single back number of the American 
Agriculturist for 24 years past is mailed for 15 cents. 
Sporobolus Indicns—Smut Grass. —In re¬ 
sponse to a request in the September number, D. L. 
Pharos of Starkvillo, Miss., sends the following notes on 
the Indian Drop-Seed Grass or Smut Grass : “ This peren¬ 
nial plant from India is thoroughly naturalized and at 
home in our Southern States. In some localities it is 
known as “ Carpet Grass,” as are also several other 
grasses. Its generic name is founded on the fact of its 
easily shedding its seeds, and it is hence called Indian 
Drop-Seed Grass. Many of the panicles become affected 
with a dark-colored parasitic growth, which adheres 
tightly to clothing coming in contact with it, giving it a 
smutty appearance, and hence the grass is appropriately 
and more generally called ‘ smut grass’. On many com¬ 
mons, uncultivated fields and yards, it grows abundantly 
and luxuriantly, and furnishes good grazing from April 
until frost in autumn. It thrives well under much graz¬ 
ing and many mowings, and grows promptly after each, 
on good, moist land. Cattle and horses are fond of it; but 
if not kept well grazed or frequently mowed it becomes 
tough and they refuse to eat it unless quite hungry. 
Prom long fibrous roots it sends up chimps of long leaves 
in great abundance. I have just measured some leaves 
three feet long. This, however, is an extreme length. 
The culms are usually one and a half to three feet high, 
with panicles six to eighteen inches long. I have just 
measured within a few steps of where I am writing, culms 
four feet eight inches long with panicles eighteen inches. 
The appressed panicles might be mistaken for spikes. 
The clumps enlarge rapidly, and soon occupy the whole 
ground densely. In 187S, I sent to the Department of 
Agriculture for analysis some hay of this grass. Dr. Col¬ 
lier’s analysis shows in 100 parts 12.46 albuminoids, 55.44 
carbohydrates, 25.91 cellulose, and 6.19 ash. Although 
containing so much nutritive matter, it is not so much 
relished dried as many other grasses. 
Some Notes on Pork.— Much as it is the custom 
to decry pork, it is “the farmer’s meat.” It is the only 
steady meat that many farmers can afford to have, unless 
too rich to need to farm at all. One reason why so much 
has been said against pork is the careless way in which 
it is often prepared. Pork that is used should always be 
properly cured and in good condition. I send a few re¬ 
cipes of my own .—Fried Park .—This should be cut in 
rattier thin slices and parboiled in a little water. Pour 
off the water and fry quickly. Lay it on the platter and 
pour over it a few tablespoonfuls of sweet cream, or if 
preferred the gravy in which it has been fried. Or make 
a batter with two eggs, half a cupful of sweet milk, and 
flour enough to make a thick paste, and dip the slices in 
this after they have been fried. Return the pork to the 
spider, and fry it in the batter, and it makes quite an ad¬ 
dition to the dish. Baked Pork .—A square piece of fat 
pork may be soaked over nigiit in sweet milk, and washed 
off; cut the rind in squares and bake until tender. This 
is very good. Boiled Pork.—A piece of pork boiled an 
hour and a half, than cut in slices and treated to a dash 
of pepper and vinegar, catsup or Chili sauce, makes 
a desirable dish to be eaten either hot or cold. “R. C. 
D.,” Walworth Co., Wis. 
Cubic Feet in a Ton of Matinre.— “ C. T. 
S.,” Springfield, O. A ton of manure as generally hauled 
out in the spring, moist and compacted more or less, and 
then thrown into a wagon, will contain 40 to 48 cubic feet. 
It is very indefinite and must necessarily bo so. 
Weeds. —The farmers should be deeply interested in 
the two leading points concerning weeds: how they get 
into the fields and garden, and how to get those out that 
are already in. Many of the seeds of weeds are sown 
with those of the crop, especially is this the case with 
those that are nearly of the size, color, etc., of the 
grains, and grass seeds. Great care should be exercised 
in sowing only pure seeds. If the weeds are already in 
the soil, the quicker steps are taken to eradicate them 
tlie better. Let no weeds go to seed. This will end 
the annuals. With perennials the work is more difficult, 
but it should be remembered that they are much more 
easily destroyed when young. Cut frequently and dig 
out by the roots when possible. 
A Peach Trouble. — “ C. W.” Wethersfield, 
Conn., writes: “Here are leaves from the twigs of seed¬ 
ling peach trees. They have appeared on our young trees 
in late summer and autumn, for a few years past. We 
throw the seeds about on our vegetable garden where 
they have a good soil and pretty careful cultivation, and 
do not have a separate nursery for the few trees we need 
for ourselves or to give away. I would be pleased if you 
could give me any light on this matter, whether it is very 
injurious or whether there is a remedy. I have trimmed 
off the affected twigs from some trees, but the trouble 
soon reappears. They grow rapidly nevertheless. It 
seems to be unlike the curling of the leaves in early 
summer, which was so common a few years ago, and 
which caused the large trees to shed their leaves once or 
twice, perhaps more times, in the season.”—The young 
peach leaves are affected with a parasitic fungus which 
grows upon the surface, sending in here and there small 
root-like outgrowths for the purpose of absorbing nour- 
rishmenf. The white floury, or frosty appearance of the 
leaves is due to the multitude of spores which have 
formed. The fungus is one of the White Mildews, a 
treatment of which, with illustrations, may be found in 
the 'American Agriculturist for December 1879, page 508. 
The oaks, maples, willows, lilacs, etc., are attacked by 
various closely related species of this same group of 
White Mildew. The European Grape Mildew—a disease 
which has been sodisaslrous to the foreign vineyards, be¬ 
longs to this, same group. The remedy is Flowers of 
Sulphur, dusted on as soon as the mealy or frosty ap¬ 
pearance is observed. Cutting away the twigs is not 
recommended, as it can do very little good. 
Tlie <s International ” Sbeep Sliow.—The 
display of sheep at Philadelphia was not largely Inter¬ 
national ; but contained many excellent representatives 
of our own flocks from the East, the Great Plains, and 
Pacific Coast. Of the few hundred sheep on exhibition 
about half were Merinos, and the others were distributed 
amongst the Leicesters. Lincolns, Sonthdowns, Hamp- 
sbires, Shropshires, and Oxfordshires: some of the lat¬ 
ter were recent importations from English flocks, and of 
great size. The attendance of wool-growers and breed¬ 
ers was not large. During the discussion the fact that 
“ the manufacturers desire the production of precisely 
the kind of wool the farmers find most profitable t» 
grow,” was considered. A national registry of sheep 
was provided, and a winter meeting for discussion ap¬ 
pointed, to be held in Washington in January next. 
Another Adulteration in Gutter. —The 
New York dealers in butter, finding that the tubs overran 
in weight, five to six pounds, were at a loss to account 
for the fact, until they discovered that the increase in 
weight was caused by an addition of powdered soap¬ 
stone. This “ loaded ” butter came from the city of Cin¬ 
cinnati. The powdered soapstone is white, fine, and 
tasteless, and is sold for $20 per ton. It is not butter t 
Canada Thistles. —Daniel Keefer, of Penn., tried 
the salt cure for Canada Thistles. He cut the thistles 
short, August 1st, and put a tablespoonful of salt on each 
stalk or stub. They wilted at once, dried, and by Oct. 
1st, had disappeared. This requires even less patience 
in application than the persistent following up with the 
knife, and cutting them as one does asparagus just be¬ 
low the surface of the ground. 
Barrels for Keeping Roots.— The following 
is from one of the essays, “Keeping A Cow on Cape 
Cod,” by Mr. Nickerson, published in the new book. 
“Keeping One Cow,” and gives his method of using 
barrels for storing roots. “We have a way of our own 
for keeping our roots in the absence of a vegetable cellar,, 
or when we do not want them in the house cellar. We 
take any old barrels, set them in the ground, the chine 
just coming to the top of the ground (we do not want a 
head in either end of the barrels). Into these headless 
barrels we put our beets, turnips, cabbages, etc. As the 
weather grows cold, we cover the barrels with some 
loose boards. Whenever it is cold enough to freeze hard, 
we throw over them enough hay or straw to keep out the 
wet. By tin’s method we can, with very little trouble, at any 
time get out a barrel or part of a barrel of roots. In this 
way the roots keep in fine condition. Late in the spring, 
after the frost is out of the ground, turnips and beets 
will be as brittle and good as when pulled in the fall.” 
Of course mice must be guarded against. 
Success in Wheat Growing.— Mr. D. S. Cur¬ 
tiss in his new work on “ Wheat Culture,” concludes by 
saying: “Highest success in Wheat-growing involves 
and presumes skillful and intelligent management in 
other parts of farming, so that he who uniformly secures 
superior results with wheat and does not impoverish his 
land or soil cannot well be other than a good farmer, able 
to secure profitable results in all other farm operations. 
Hence to become an eminent wheat-urower is to become 
a complete farmer.” Mr. Curtiss knows of what he 
speaks as he has had a wide experience in wheat culture. 
Insects and Fruits by Mail.— It is safe to 
say that one-third of the insects and fruits sent ns by mail 
arrive in a useless condition, on account of the frail char¬ 
acter of the box in which they are enclosed. A paper or 
paste-board box rarely escapes crushing. Wooden and 
tin boxes usually come in good order. All such packages 
must be so tied that the contents can be examined. The 
use of nails or tacks, or closing by pasting, on strips of 
paper, subjects the package to full letter postage, often 
very heavy, and which we do not. pay. 
Draughts of Cold Air in the Stable.— 
Horses are quite sensitive to chilling draughts of air 
blowing upon them, and especially upon their heads; 
hence, in the construction of stables this should be borne 
in mind. Many stables have the horses face an alley 
a long the sides of which are doors, or a large space 
is left entirely open ; in such cases, whenever the rear 
stable door and the one leading out. of the alley are 
open, the horses stand in a chilling draught, front which 
they can not escape. Horses, like many people, can 
stand much wind in an open field, but will catch cold 
while in a draught only a short time. With proper ven¬ 
tilation, the doors of the stable should be kept closed in 
cold weather, that no draughts may occur. 
Native Amphibians.— “C. E. N.,” of Lindsay, 
Ont., writes to us to aid him in procuring a horned toad. 
This we cannot do. He wishes to study its habits, etc. 
We advise him to study the habits of our native Amphib¬ 
ians. frogs, toads, tree toads, salamanders, newts, and 
lizards. Possibly there are no lizards in Canada, but 
there are others we have named. Their habits are ex¬ 
ceedingly interesting, and not very well known even to 
natnralists. for very few have the patience or leisure to 
watch them and study carefully all their ways. All such, 
knowledge is of use—with it we may be able to secure 
the cooperation of these animals in controlling our in¬ 
sect enemies, for they live upon insects, and it is at any 
rate well to know what good friends they are to man. 
