1884 .] 
15 
AMEBICAE" AG RIC D LT GRIST. 
Chat with Readers. 
Robbers or Road Agents, as they call them at the far 
West, whom Leech so successfully trailed a year before. 
He had repeatedly stated that he should Uill Leech, and 
he was now Jollowing him for that purpose. Several 
times he went around the room watching an opportunity 
to fire upon Leech and make his escape, but the latter 
faced him at every turn, and with his hand on the hilt of 
his revolver, prevented the wculd-bc assassin from tak¬ 
ing him at a disadvantage. A few months later, through 
Leech’s efforts, the remainder of these Road Agents were 
captured in Elk Mountain, and one of them was sus¬ 
pended on a telegraph pole, at Rock Creek, by the captt)rs, 
on their way back to Laramie. During tlie following 
spring Leech, came on to New York, and declined all 
propositions of publishers to prepare a story of his fron¬ 
tier experiences. The last time we heard of him, he was 
mining in California Gulch, Colorado. 
A. New ITIodel of Palace Cars. —We hear that 
three cars ai e now being constructed at Troy, New York, 
after a new European model, which may perliaps' work 
quite a revolution in modes of travelling. Instead of 
being through tlie centre, the passage-way is at the side 
of the car. From this passage-way, doors open into the 
state rooms, which, witli adjustable partitions, can be 
made to meet the requirements of any number of pas¬ 
sengers from two to ten. During the day time, meals 
are served, and at night hammocks or berths are un¬ 
swung. A gentleman can have his entire family with 
him in one of these state rooms, and eat and sleep as if 
at home, though of course in more limited quarters. If this 
new pattern of travelling cars should take with the pub¬ 
lic, a company is to be organized for their construction. 
Icelanders in America.— One afternoon we 
came upon a settlement of Icelanders, near Marshall, 
Lyon County, Western Minnesota. They were repre¬ 
sented to us as being excellent, desirable citizens. Dur¬ 
ing the same day we drove past Scandinavian, French and 
Belgian colonies, and through two entire townships ex¬ 
clusively owned and settled by Low Dutch. Thus it is 
that peoples of all nationalities from the old world min¬ 
gle together in the new, and add to the wealth and in¬ 
dustries of the States which they populate They speak 
different tongues. Their children will all unite in speak¬ 
ing Er.glish. 
Take Care of Yoiir Credit. —A few years ago 
Neodesha, beyond the Missouri, borrowed ten thousand 
dollars for School purposes; when the bonds became due 
recently, they were not honored, and we have yet to hear 
that they have been paid. Very great injury has been 
done in the past to entire regions of the West hy acts of 
this kind. Better that the people of any State which de¬ 
sires emigration should club together and pay off the 
bonds in such a case as this, rather than that they should 
go unredeemed. People wonder why Eastern capitalists 
take three and one-half per cent, for money, when they 
can loan the same at seven, eight, and ten per cent, in the 
far West. A single case, however, of town or city repu¬ 
diation, injures the credit of an entire State, and begets 
distrust among Eastern capitalists. Furthermore, people 
moving West do not care to settle in neighborhoods 
which do not pay their obligations. 
Pierre Versus Pierre.— Less than two years 
ago Pierre, Dakota, was located on the Eastern bank of 
the Missouri River. Then came other parties who laid 
out the Pierre Extension, or new Pierre, on the plateau 
overlooking the first site. Then followed a rivalry be¬ 
tween the old town and the new as animated in propor¬ 
tion as that prevailing between St. Paul and Minneapolis. 
When we were there last autumn the people interested in 
the new, assured you that the old town'would be sub¬ 
merged whenever a heavy fiood came, and the people of 
the old town as confidently asserted that the new town 
never could and never would amount to anything. 
Houses were being transferred bodily from one site to 
the other. A hotel projected on the Plats, and likewise a 
b.ank, have been removed Itodily to the upper plateau, hy 
owners whose faith is in the new town. 
Arkansas Bill Dies.— Last year he repeatedly 
crossed from the Indian Reservation to Pierre, and fired 
indiscriminately at the lights in the opera house, and 
elsewhere. One afternoon he slopped in front of a cir¬ 
cus tent, aud discharged a half-dozen balls through the 
canvas. That was a little more than the citizens could 
put up with, and they sent word across the river to Ar¬ 
kansas Bill, that he never would return alive, if he ven¬ 
tured over again. He however defied the authorities, 
and again came, declaring that he’d just as soon die 
then, as at any time. The citizens took him at his word, 
and, as he touehed the shore, riddled his body with sev¬ 
enteen bullets. He had killed a man some months be¬ 
fore in the Black Hills, and become a desperado of the 
worst description. These outlaws, who have long ter¬ 
rorized portions of the Western Territories, are being 
disposed of, one after another. All the country from the 
Missouri to the Black Hills, once regarded as so danger¬ 
ous for travel, is now comparatively safe and secure. 
Presekvino Dahlia Roots.— “ Suftscriher,” Lynn, Mass. 
—A dry cellar, one which will keep potatoes well through the 
winter, will preserve Dahlia roats, 
The Red Polled Cattle Club.— “ E. B. H." Brooklyn 
The President of the Red Polled Cattle Club is Col. J. B. 
Mead, Randolph, Vt., who was elected to that office at the 
late meeting in Chicago, when the club was organized. 
Sunflower Seed.— “ W. G. C'.,” Loretto, Pa., asks where 
he can procure sunflower seed In large quantities, and 
thinks that such poultry supplies should be advertised. 
Those who need this seed for horse-medicine or for poultry 
usually raise it themselves. Probably wholesale seed- 
houses can supply it by the bushel, 
A Double Egg.—J. E. t/ones.—Chanute Kans., writes us, 
that he found a perfectly developed, hard-shelled egg, with¬ 
in the albumen of another egg, which had a soft shell. The 
outer egg is quite as large as a turkey’s egg. This is a mon¬ 
strosity of not very rare occurrence. Unusually large eggs 
are generally double yolked, but occasionally they contain 
a perfect egg within them. 
The Time to Cut Cions.— “JVf. A. J." Hamilton Co., 
Ohio.—Cions for grafting, should be cut as soon as the trees 
from which they are taken are dormant. Experiments 
show that tw'igs cut for cions at the end of winter, are much 
less likely to succeed than those taken as soon as the leaves 
fall in autumn. Take advantage of the first mild spell, and 
cut all needed for grafting next spring. No other material 
is so good for preserving them as fresh sawdust. Sand will 
do, but it adheres to the cions, and dulls the knife. 
Mouse Stains. —“ J. B. W.,” (no date,) asks, “ how to re¬ 
move mouse stains from a woollen garment.” The works 
on scouring say nothing of this kind of stain, and our 
correspondent must experiment. Clear warm water will 
remove many stains. This is quite likely to be alkaline, and 
we should try a weak acid, such as vinegar, or acetic acid, 
much diluted. If the fabric is white, we should try, after 
removing all that is possible with water, bleaching, by 
burning sulphur matches under the spot while it is damp. 
The Germination of Seeds.— “K. J. D.,” Ocala, Fla. 
The only recorded experiments to show the time required 
for the germination of seeds which we now recall, are by a 
Frenchman, M. Appelius. Such lists are of little value, as 
the lime is greatly influenced by temperature, the amount 
of moisture in the soil, and especially by the depth to which 
the seeds are covered. In the list referred to the time given 
is much longer for some seeds and a great deal shorter for 
others than is shown by the experience of gardeners in this 
country. 
Compost and Quack.—” JR. B. Reynolds,” Columbia Co., 
N. y., writes us that he has a large heap of compost, made 
up of coal aslies, whicli has been used in earth closets, 
kitchen garbage, leaves, and other materials that readily 
decompose. He was about to apply this compost around his 
fruit trees, currant bushes, etc., but was told, if he did so 
it would bring in, or “ draw Quack,” and asks if it is true. 
“ Quack,” or Couch Grass, likes a rich soil, and will not 
flourish on a very poor one. 'Whatever enriches the soil 
may encourage weeds, but one manure will not “ draw 
Quack,” any more than another. 
Bermuda and Johnson Grasses.—” J. Gerhart,” Law¬ 
rence Co., Ills., asks if Johnson-grass and Bermuda-grass 
are the same, and if it will prevent the after use of the land 
for ordinary farm crops. The two grasses are about as un¬ 
like as they can be. The Johnson-grass is a coarse, tall 
plant, often six feet or more high, with large tuberous 
roots, and is raised from seed. The Bermuda grass, on the 
contrary, is one of the finest of grasses, rarely a foot high. 
It does not ripen seed in this country, but imported seed is 
sometimes to be had. The usual method is to cut up the 
clumps, and plant the cuttings. We advise our correspon¬ 
dent to first experiment with these Southern grasses, before 
planting them to any extent. 
An Adobe Barn.—” J. Johnson,” Marysville, Kans., is 
about to build a barn, and is advised to put up one of 
” adobe,” or clay mixed with straw, and asks our opinion as 
to the material. In Mexico adobe is the common building 
material. Either large sun-dried bricks are laid, or the 
material is built up in frames, the same as concrete houses 
are constructed with us. In Nothern Mexico, houses are 
still standing, so old that all tradition of their building is 
lost. The climate there, with only a brief rainy season, 
greatly favors these houses. In Kansas they must contend 
with both rain and frost. Frost would do no harm if the 
adobe were dry, and it is probable that an outside coat¬ 
ing of cement would protect the material from the rains. 
We shall be glad to hear from those who have tried adobe 
buildings in the damper northern climates. 
How TO Keep Ashes.—” M. V. L.,” Erie Co., N. Y.— 
Where wood is the chief fuel, disastrous fires often occur 
from placing the ashes for future use in barrels. A coal of 
hard-wood, no larger than a hickory nut, will, if covered 
with ashes, sometimes retain its fire for weeks, so as under 
favoring circumstances, to start a conflagration. We have 
made the experiment of burying a small hickory stick partly 
on Are, in ashes on Wednesday, and on the following Mon¬ 
day, found it a mass of live coal. In cities, where they are 
less needed, large iron cans are sold. Every country house. 
if it has not a brick or other receptacle for ashes, may welD 
havo one of these heavy sheet-iron cans. Ashes are worth 
careful preservation for use upon the farm, aud in saving 
them, it is well to keep in mind, that they may be exceed¬ 
ingly dangerous. 
Troubled with Rabbits.-” C.L.Mason,” of Wisconsin, 
has a farm in Florida. In order to secure a field that was 
not overrun with rabbits, be purchased a neighboring island, 
but now finds that this Island breeds rabbits faster than he 
can get rid of them, and comes to us for advice. Are the 
“ rabbits ” one of the American hares which do not burrow, 
or naturalized European rabbits which make runs and nests 
underground? In Australia, where the true rabbit is a 
great pest, the most efficacious destructive agent is sulphur 
fumes. The sulphur is burned in a fumigator, and by means 
of a pump, the fumes are forced into the runs of the rab¬ 
bits with deadly effect. If the rabbit in Florida is a true 
rabbit, it will bo well to try sulphur fumes. If it is a hare, 
this is not practicable. We should then try strychnine, by 
sprinkling a few grains upon bits of sweet apples or carrots, 
both of which they are very fond of, and placing these in 
their paths. 
A Machine for Measuring Distances.—JR. Butler, 
Polk Co., Oregon.—The contrivance to attach to the wheel 
of a vehicle to record the distance travelled, is called an 
Odometer. There are several instruments of the kind, one 
of which we used a couple of times. It was attached to a 
spoke near the hub, a weight like the pendulum of a clock 
always hanging downward by its weight, and every revolu¬ 
tion of the wheel, moved a wheel one notch by a ratchet on 
the weight. The movement of this wheel was recorded on 
a dial plate outside. You had then only to multiply the 
circumference of the wheel by the number of revolutions 
shown on the dial, to know the distance travelled. Itacted 
well until loaned, when a run-away horse smashed it. This 
we brought from Europe, where it cost one pound, or about 
five dollars. IVe presume they are to be obtained of mathe¬ 
matical instrumant dealers, and of some dealers in imple¬ 
ments, at from six to ten dollars for a common measurer,. 
and more for those of greater accuracy.—I\’e only know of 
the “ Institute ” you inquire of, through its advertisements.. 
“Continental Tea”—“New Jersey Tea.”— “Mrs. L.. 
B.,” Tuckerton, New Jersey, sends us an account of a plant 
growing in low swampy ground near the sea, which is. 
gathered, dried, and used as ” Continental Tea.” 'VTe do not. 
recognize the plant from her description, and request a. 
specimen. A low shrub, Gcanothus Americanus, quite: 
common in the woodlands all over the country, is known 
as “New Jersey Tea,” and was used by our revolutionary- 
grandmothers as a substitute for real tea, which, as Dr. 
Gray quaintly says, must have been a severe test of their 
patriotism. Some twenty years ago. It was claimed that 
real tea had been discovered growing in a Pennsylvania 
mountain. A company was formed to work up this “tea,’* 
aud the stock was offered with great claims. 'We procured 
a sample of it from head quarters, and the American Agri¬ 
culturist ahowed by engravings of the leaves, that it was 
not real tea, but the old “New Jersey Tea,” with a new 
name. The president of this Tea Company called on us. 
with threats of prosecution. Ho was told to go ahead—TVe 
have not since heard of the law suit,—or of that Tea Co... 
Improving Common Fowls.—” B. L. King,” Holt Co... 
AIo„ asks our opinion of the following. He proposes to take 
one hundred selected hens from the barn-yard flocks of the 
vicinity, and place with them four of the very best Wlilto 
Leghorn cocks. The eggs from these hens he proposes to 
sell to the farmers who keep only common poultry, at an 
advance over ordinary eggs, but at much less price than Is. 
asked for eggs from pure-bred fowls. Mr. E. thinks that 
this would bring up the standard of common fowls, and 
show farmers what they might expect from pure-breds. 
The plan is a doubtful one. The eggs lie sells may produce 
chicks better than the common fowls, and may not. But 
those who buy the eggs will breed from the birds pro¬ 
duced by them, using mongrel cocks with mongrel hens, 
and the result, in the second generation, is likely to bo a 
very “mixed lot,” vastly Inferior to the first cross, and 
probably less desirable than the common fonds. The only 
way to surely improve ordinary barn-yard fowls is, to con-- 
tinue the use of a pure-bred male with each generation. By 
the M-ay, twenty-five hens for one male is altogether too. 
many. For breeding purposes ten is quite enough. 
Horse-radish.FOR Market.—” J. A. (?.,”Manhattan Co.,. 
Kans. It is a mistake to treat horse-radish as one would a 
weed. Many plant it in some low place and let it take care 
of itself. Properly managed it may bo a profitable crop. 
The secret of success is in allowing it to remain in the 
ground only one season. Market gardeners usually grow it 
as a second crop, planting it between the row's of early cab¬ 
bages. English works advise planting the crow'ns. Our 
gardeners know a better way; they plant the “sets,’’or 
small roots, half an inch, or less i.i diameter, and six inches 
long. The sets can always be bought at the seed stores. 
They are made from the small roots when the crop is dug ; 
cut square across at the top, and slanting at the bottom, so 
that in planting they may be set right end up. These hav¬ 
ing iiorsc-radish already in the ground should digit the first 
mild spell. Some erroneously suppose it to be marketable 
only in spring. In tbe New York markets it is ofleredall 
through the cooler months, and finds buj'ers. After digging, 
cut off the side roots and pack in boxes of sand, to prevent 
drying up. In the markets horse-radish is sold in the grated 
state; the venders have very large revolving graters,, 
which are moved by a treadle. Some of the market 
women use a large, very coarse hand-grater. 
