AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST.; 
123 
ing ter. acres, went round the whole field, cutting a fur¬ 
row ten inches wide, and continued thus until he finished 
at the centre. Question 1 st—How many miles did he 
travel ? Question 2d—How many “ bouts ” did he make ? 
This problem is interesting, and admits of several solu¬ 
tions. The word bout, to avoid confusion, we called once 
round the field, and the answers given are in accordance 
with this definition ; but it might be proper to call these 
“ rounds;” and name each turning at a corner, a “ bout;” 
for at each of these points the plowman calls to his team 
to “ come about.” The first question may be solved thus : 
10 acres equal 1600 square rods, or a single strip of land 
one rod wide and 1600 rods long. But a rod is 16} feet 
and 16* times 12 inches, or 198 inches wide, divided by 
10, gives 19.8 furrows wide. Then the whole field is 
equivalent to one furrow 19.8 times 1600 rods long, or one 
furrow 31680 rods long. Dividing this by 320 rods in a 
mile, gives 99 miles travel, if we make no allowance for 
loss or gain at the corners ; for it ts evident, that we 
could begin at the centre and wind this long furrcrw 
around so as to just fill up the field. 
Another way to solve it would be, to get the square 
root of the 1600 square rods, that is 40 rods for the sides of 
the square ten-acre field. Now there would be just 20 
r ods from each side to the centre, and in 20 rods there are 
396 furrows, 10 inches wide. So when the plowman cuts 
396 furrows off from each side of the field he would reach 
the centre—that is, 396 “ rounds,” or “bouts” round the 
field (or 1584 corner .bouts), would plow it all. But 
the outside furrow is four times 40 rods, or 160 rods long, 
and the centre one 0, and the average length of the fur 
rows is 80 rods. 396 rounds of 80 rods each, equals 31680 
rods, or 99 miles travel, 
There are still several difficulties. When the plow goes 
to the corner, does it go clear out to finish its furrow be¬ 
fore stopping, or does it stop 10 inches back, to turn around 
and begin the next furrow 10 inches from its outer edge 1 
If it does the latter, then there is a saving of 10 inches 
at each comer, or 40 inches in each round, equal to just * 
of a mile in making 396 rounds.... If on the contrary, the 
plow runs clear out at each corner, it must be pulled back 
10 inches to start the next furrow, and here is a loss (back¬ 
ward travel—hard on the backs of weak plowmen), equal 
to i-mile in 396 rounds. 
Again, when 395 rounds are made, there is left a piece 
unplowed, 20 inches square. Now', one furrow out and 
one back—that is, two side furrows, will finish this, 
requiring 1582, instead of 1584 corner bouts. Or the 
plow may cut off one-half of the plot, leaviag a strip 20 
inches long and lOinehes wide ; turning a quarter round, 
it cut 10 inches of this off, and then anotner quarter 
Tound finished it, leaving nothing to require a last comer 
bout. This would give 1583 corner bouts. Bckh of 
the points respecting the finishing of the piece, were 
referred to by “ Sallie,” of Indiana Co, Pa, w ho gave clear 
solutions of this, and a pretty figure for the precedin 
problem. Nathan Blakeslee, of Oakland Co, Mich, made 
the last round a three-quarters one, or 1583 corner bouts. 
The following answered, 99 miles and 396 bouts : Jno. 
Souter, Butler Co, O ; Jos. W. Anderson, York Co, Pa 
W. W. D., Mass ; Jno. A. Bowden, St. Andrews, N. Y 
Jacob D. Shank, Clinton Co, O ; Wm. H. Munroe, Arm 
strong Co, Pa; Wilson Stuart, Washington Co, Pa; 
John Fleming, Somerset Co, N. J ; Joseph H. Simpson, 
Ill ; E. H. Gilbert, Washington Co, N. Y; Mont. B. 
Cowperthwait, Kings Co, N. Y ; Joseph Vipond, Jo Da 
vies Co, Ill; John F. Miles, ‘Girard, Pa ; J. W. English 
Rhinehart, O; Irving E. Walker, Westboro, Mass; S. 
Johnson, Keene Co, N. H ; J. Martin, Jefferson Co, N.Y ; 
P. L. Donald, De Soto Co, Miss ; T. M. Kirkby, Cecil Co, 
Md ; Sarah L. Tudor, Rappahannock Co. Va ; Harriet 
Clarke, Manitowoc Co, Wis; J. S. Rapalje, Hennepin 
Co, Min ; Benj. Imlay, Yadkin Co, N. C; R. R. Simp 
son, Scott Co, Iowa : Joshua A. Manniere, Lamoille Co 
Vt; Archibald Ransom, Niagara Co, N. Y.Abr. 
Meyers, Ogle Co, Ill, (99 miles and 1 ft, 391 bouts); Peter 
A. Le Fevre, New Platz, N. Y. (990 m, 396 bouts) ; S. K 
Verrill, E. Poland, Me, (99* m, 396 bouts); R. W. C. 
Burlington Co, N. J, (98 i m. 395 bouts. (The other re. 
plies differed so far from the rght answers that we do not 
note them. 
Probs. 27 and 28 have been largely answered, (47 
correct answers already to 28), but as stated last month, 
these will be attended to in May. 
New Problems. 
We get many of these, but can publish only a small 
part of them. We thought we would print no more enig¬ 
mas, but so many grown up people, as well as boys and 
girls write requesting this kind of problems, that we have 
concluded to, now and then, select a good one ; so our 
young friends may send in their contributions when they 
an make up something extra of this kind. A good many 
send old problems ; we hope every boy and girl who sends 
one will always tell us whether it it is new or old. A good 
thing is not to be despised because it is old. Don’t forget 
our t equest that the answer to each problem be put on a 
separate slip of paper, if two or more come in the same 
letter, and put on each your name,post office, County and 
State. We only print the County and State, for should 
we give your P. O., there are a lot of dealers in lottery 
tickets and gift enterprises and various humbugs, who are 
constantly on the lookout for names, and ten chances to 
one you would be flooded with their vile trash, if they 
could find your address in this or any other paper. We 
have frequently been offered large sums to furnish a list of 
the names on our mail books, under the specious pretense 
that they were wanted for legitimate advertising pur¬ 
poses, but such a list will never be furnished. 
We only give one new problem now which with 27 and 
28 will make three to be answered next month. 
Prob. 29.— Sent by H. B . Reist, Lancaster Co., Pa. (not 
original). To arrange the following five pieces into a per¬ 
fect cross. 
pen of Dr. J. A. Warder of Cincinati, which name is 
sufficient to commend it to the attention of all interested 
in the subjects of which it treats—and who is not? espe¬ 
cially the part relating to evergreens. The book contains 
much useful information respecting various hedge-plants; 
we are not prepared, however, to agree with one state¬ 
ment of Dr. W , viz : “ That the osage orange ( maclura 
aurantiaca ) is the hedge-plant for the United States 
may be fearlessly asserted.” The information on ever¬ 
greens is quite full, and the book contains numerous plates 
and smaller illustrations. 290 pages; price $1. ru¬ 
ral affairs, by Jno. J. Thomas, L. Tucker & Son pub¬ 
lishers, is announced at length in our advertising columns. 
We have not yet seen a copy, but it is doubtless a valu¬ 
able work. 
. .——— . ' ' ■ i 
Into which are thrown all sorts of paragraphs—such as 
Notes and Replies to Correspondents, with Useful or 
Interesting Extracts from their Letters, together with Glean¬ 
ings of various kinds from various sources. 
A Scriptural Sum. 
Here is a sum in addition for you to work out. It will 
require diligence and care, and admit of no wasted time ; 
Add to your faith.virtue ; 
Add to vour virtue.knowledge ; 
Add to knowledge.temperance ; 
Add to temperance.patience ; 
Add to patience.godliness ; 
Add to godliness.brotherly kindness; 
Add to brotherly kindness.charity. 
The Answer -“ For if these things be in you and abound 
they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor un¬ 
fruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”—2d 
Peter, i: 5-8.— Christian Index. 
The Warning Kell. 
(Here isabeautiful waif which wefindin the “ Drawer.” 
We have never known when or by whom it was written 
Our young readers have all heard this monitor speak with¬ 
in They will be wise if they heed its warnings.) 
In every youthful breast doth dwell 
A little tingling, jingling bell, 
Which rings if we do ill, or well. 
And when we put bad thoughts to flight, 
And choose to do the good and right, 
It sings a pcean of delight. 
But if we choose to do the wrong, 
And ’gainst the weak strive with the strong, 
It tolls a solemn, saddened song. 
And should we on some darksome day, 
When hope lights not the cheerless way, 
Far from the path of duty stray, 
’Twill with its tones serene and clear, 
Of warning in the spirit’s ear, 
Our slow returning footsteps cheer. 
And always in the worldly mart, 
With its sweet song it cheers each heart, 
To do with energy their part. 
Then let us strive with main and might, 
To shun the wrong and do the right, 
And the bell’s warning song ne’er slight. 
Conscience 
New Kooks. 
There have been comparatively few valuable new books 
issued since the “ hard times” came on. We have, how¬ 
ever, half-a-dozen or so which we think worthy of a more 
careful reading and notice than the business season has 
allowed of. (We never give a list of guess-work “ no¬ 
tices” merely to please publishers and get our library 
filled gratuitously).... The “ Illustrated pear culturist 
is a very beautiful volume, containing sundry directions 
for planting, budding, grafting, pruning, training and 
dwarfing the Pear Tree, as also propagation, gathering, 
ripening of fruit, &c. It is distinguished mainly, however 
as the first American work giving colored plates of a large 
number of the most highly esteemed dwarf and standard 
pears. There are few or no prettier or more ornamental 
volumes of the kind for the table or library of the lovers 
of rural life. It was got up more for the love of the sub 
ject than for profit. The Editor witholds his name—a 
hint we suppose for us to do the same. Published by 
Starr & Co., New London, Ct., and A. O. Moore, New 
York. Price $6.hedges and evergreens is the title 
of a new work just published by A. O. Moore, from the 
To Correspondents. —By another month weiiope 
to nearly clear our table of the mass of unansweredr let¬ 
ters still on hand, calling for individual as well as general 
replies. 
Complimentary Letters.— Such kind words 
and acts of appreciation as are in a let ter before 11 s from Mr. 
L. Hariman of Madison Co , Indiana, and in hundreds of 
other letters of a similar character, are well worth labor¬ 
ing for. It is natural to any heart to love approval. We 
seldom venture, however, to indulge our vanity so far as 
to print such letters, unless some general good end will 
be thus secured. But, they are none the less gratefully 
received because not printed or individually responded to. 
American Cattle. —The chapter in type for this 
month is laid over—waiting for some illustrations. 
Pears—Corn—Oats—Ac.— II. Young, Owego Co., 
N. Y., and numerous other enquirers, will find the articles 
they ask about all advertised in the March or April Agri¬ 
culturist. The White Poland oats are sold now at $ 1,25 
per bushel, though we have found none this year quite up, 
in quality and weight, to the samples we distributed last 
year. The wet Autumn was unfavorable to their ripening 
bright and plump. 
PrUice Albert Potatoes.— A number of inquir¬ 
ies are made for these. The few persons in the country 
who have them for sale should advertise the fact and they 
would find a ready market at fair prices. 
Burr’s New Pine a Pistillate.—J. G. Mar- 
chant of Adams Co , 111., in alluding to Burr’s New Pine 
strawberry, says it iscatalogued by Nurserymen there, as 
a staminate or perfect plant, whereas, in our list, page 208, 
Vol. XVI, it is called a pistillate, or imperfect variety. A 
casual examination of the blossoms as they open in the 
Spring will prove our correctness in this particular. 
Titrneps.— J. P’s acceptable communication mark 
ed for insertion at the turnip planting season. 
Of titat BEiar Corn Crop, in Indiana, referred to 
on page 283 of December Agriculturist, Mr. L. A. Hale, 
of Sussex Co.. Del., and one or two others inquire: 
What was the kind and depth of the soil, the depth and 
manner of working, draining, manuring, planting, dis¬ 
tance of hills or drills, number of hoeings, &c. Who will 
answer ? 
Trees on Milly Ground.- W. II. Young, Suf¬ 
folk Co , L. I. On your gravelly hill, probably the chest¬ 
nut would flourish, though we cannot decide as well asif 
we had seen the soil. Locust trees would furnish more 
valuable timber, and might succeed well, especially 
around the base of the hill. 
A Flower in Winter. —On Jan. 25, W. H. Young 
of Orient, L. I., forwarded us a full blown flower of the 
Garden violet (Pansy, or Heart’s Ease) that day picked 
from the open ground. 
More Pumpkins still.—J. Kenyon writing from 
Henry Co., Iowa says he raised last year, in Ohio, a pump 
kin weighing 184 lbs., and another whose girth was seven 
feet and nine inches l.... Can’t we get any of the seeds 
of these various big pumpkins we so often hear of, to dis¬ 
tribute among others) We have often tried and as often 
failed.— Ed.] 
Patent Office Report and Seeds.—G. W. 
Lincoln, of Henry Co., Ill., writes : “ — I for one en¬ 
dorse all you say ofthe Agricultural Department at Wash 
ington, whichneeds a thorough overhauling — I have 1 
copy of the Patent Office Report and am honest in sayinf 
that I would prefer any one number of the Agriculturist 
for its practical information to the entire Patent Offie vol 
ume... .1 have had seeds through our representative, bu 
they proved to be of little account.... You men of influeno 
should undermine the heap of foulness at Washington.... 
[This is a sample of many letters received by us.— Ed.] 
