324 
AMEKIOAI^ AGEICULTUEIST. 
[August, 
Animal Ailments. 
PROFESSOB D. D. SLADE. HAEVAKD UNIVERSITY. 
Hog Cholera. Swine Plague.— A. A. Baton, Lacka¬ 
wanna Co., Pa.—A'our description of the symptoms ex¬ 
hibited by the sick swine faithfully portrays the course 
of swine plague. “The symptoms are as follows: 
first, a dill], sleepy feeling accompanied by a cough, 
which increases from day to day, and an entire loss of 
appetite after the first day. The ailment affects the 
small of the back (the spinal system of nerves), so 
much so that the hog, in most cases, loses the use of its 
hinder parts, but in a few instances it can get up and 
down until death. Later the animal breaks out on the 
belly and around the throat, with red blotches which in¬ 
crease in size, until they cover the entire belly from 
under the chops to the tail. They are purplish-red, 
and look almost like mortification. The hog dies in 
from three to eight days. So far none have recovered. 
With two, great emaciation accompanied the disease, 
but in the other cases they remained plump.” - This is a 
highly contagious disease. By no means expose any 
newly purchased animals to tlie poison. Kill the sick 
and deeply bury all carcasses. Disinfect by efficient 
means everything that has come in contact with them. 
Use Carbolic Acid, Chlorine, Chloride of Lime, or Cop¬ 
peras. It would be far better not to occupy the same 
piggery under any circumstances if it can be avoided, 
certainly not until it has undergone a thorough and long 
continued purification. Place any newly purchased 
animals under strict quarantine long enough to prove 
their healthy condition. Avoid communication between 
these and the former herd by tlie same attendants. 
Gnawing the Woodwork.— Jno. W. Hall, Hancock 
Co., Me.—Has a mare which “eats up her crib and every¬ 
thing that she can reach, is fat, feeds and works well.”— 
It is often difficult to ascertain the cause of this pro¬ 
pensity. It may depend upon irritation of the teeth 
and gums, or upon habit, which is the result of confined 
idleness, or again, the animal may find something in the 
wood congenial to its taste. We are not treating here 
of crib-biting as a vice. Whatever may be the cause, 
the remedy is to provide no wood-work for the animal 
to gnaw. Place the mare in a box stall with perfectly 
smooth sides and no projections. Feed grain from an 
iron manger, and hay from the ground. Give salt, and 
a chance to eat earth, plenty of exercise, and a variety 
of food at ali times. 
Feeding op Horses. — E. Higgins, Uorfoik Co., Mass. 
—Corn and oats should not be ground together in equal 
quantities, and given as food to the working horses, for 
the reason that the corn contains twice as much oil as 
the oats, has marked heating qualities, and being such 
concentrated food, is liable to produce colic and indi¬ 
gestion. To be sure, there are many horses on slow 
work that may become accustomed to a mixture of equai 
parts of oats and corn, and may escape any evil con¬ 
sequences, but still there is always danger. It is better 
to err on the safe side, and to feed a mixture, in which 
the oats exceed the corn by just double ihe amount. 
Splint. — Mr. B. Moore, Greene Co., N. Y.—Splint is a 
bony enlargement or tumor, which in its formation 
causes pain and consequent lameness by the distension 
of the covering of the bone. This covering is extreme¬ 
ly sensitive when at all inflamed. Sometimes the growth 
is very gradual, and the neighboring tissues accommo¬ 
date themselves to the abnormal condition without caus¬ 
ing pain and lameness. The size of the splint is no 
criterion of its importance, a small one often giving 
more trouble than a large one. The treatment in its 
early stages consists of subduing the inflammation by 
rest and cooling applications. After all heat and ten¬ 
derness have gone, blistering is of service, which is to 
be repeated if the enlargement continues. If pain and 
tenderness return after an apparent cure, give the animal 
a long rest. It is not advisable to perform any surgical 
operation for the mere purpose of removing the tumor, 
as such an operation may induce an undue amount of 
inflammation in the parts. The tendency of the splint 
is to become absorbed. Hence it is not often found 
upon aged horses. The ointment of the Red Iodide 
of Mercury often proves an excellent absorbent of the 
bony tumor, a small portion to be rubbed in daily. 
Shoulder Lameness.— Mr. Reuben Davis, Columbia 
Co., N. Y. — From the symptoms given in your letter, 
I should say that the horse is suffering from shoulder 
lameness, the result of a sprain, or possibly of rheuma¬ 
tism, and that morbid changes were going on in the 
joints, in the course of which bony exudations will be 
thrown out. The presence of these changes undoubted¬ 
ly account “ for the snapping or cracking noise heard 
somewhere near the shoulder joint.” For treatment, put 
on a high-heeled shoe, and turn out to pasture. Com¬ 
plete rest, or only very slow, light work, must be insist¬ 
ed on. Subdue any inflammation by warm water for 
pientations to the joint, to be frequently repeated. 
» '/iu ^ 
* T ) n on\ 
OUR j 
BASKET, j 
Cii'andmotlier’s Qiiig-ei’toreatl.— A 
correspondent asks us for a recipe for gingerbread, 
“ such as our grandmothers used to make.” Our grand¬ 
mother's granddaughter makes as good gingerbread as 
we ever saw, and this is the way she does it: Molasses, 
two cups; milk, one cup; flour, four cups ; butter, one- 
half cup ; soda, one teaspoonful; spice (cinnamon, 
cloves, or ginger), to taste. We have a notion that the 
best gingerbread is made without ginger. 
Plsiiit for a IVanie.—P. H. Adams, Wil¬ 
liamson County, Tex. The plant sent, which you say the 
Cherokees call “ Tonkawa,” is Gonolobus bifloi'us. The 
genus Gonolobus belongs to the Milkweed (Asclepias) Fami¬ 
ly, and its species, usually climbers, are more abundant 
in the Southern than in the Northern States. But little 
is known about their properties, except that the roots of 
one or two are said to purge violently, and the Indians 
used the juice of some of them to poison arrows. 
Oiir Li!$t of Fairs.— Already we receive 
applications for our list of the fairs to take place the com- 
ingautumn. Weagain urgently request, as usual,all Secre¬ 
taries of Societies and Fair Associations, who have not 
already done so, to send ns their announcements at once. 
Our publication of the list, gives each fair, however local, 
a ivide advertising, which is worth taking a iittle troiibie 
to secure. Let us have the announcements early! 
A Curious Insect.—W. L. Remington, 
New Haven Co., Conn., writes: “ I send by mail a curi¬ 
ous insect, which I found under a stone in a moist 
place, and would like to know the name of it.” The 
insect is the Northern Mole Cricket, Gi'yllotalpaboi'ealis. 
Its name indicates its burrosving habits. This not very 
common insect was described and flgured in the “Doc¬ 
tor's Talks ” for November, 1881, page 493. There is an¬ 
other species in the Southern States, and one in the 
"West Indies, which latter is said to be very destructive 
to the roots of the sugar-cane. 
Rose-ISiia's aii<l ISoses.— M. Stanford 
Jackson, Allegheny County, Pa., complains of the havoc 
the Rose-bug makes with his roses, and asks what he 
shall do to prevent their appearance on the bushes. The 
Rose-bug appears to defy the ordinary insecticides, and 
to require catching and killing. In early morning they 
are torpid, do not readily take to flight, and may be 
shaken from the bushes at that time. Tliey may be 
caught upon cloths spread under the bushes, or in broad, 
shallow tin-pans, which contain a little kerosene. Those 
caught on cloths may be killed by kerosene or by burning. 
Hurrying flie Cliiclcs.— H. J. Janzer 
having heard that there is an incubator that will hatch 
eggs in considerably less than twenty-one days, asks ifit 
is true, and upon what principle such an incubator is 
constructed ? We doubt if there is any method by which 
the time of incubation can be shortened an iiour. In our 
experience witli an incubator, we have found that those 
eggs which did not hatch within half a day after the 
twenty-first, did not hatch at all. The improper manage¬ 
ment of the heat may prolong the time for a few hours, 
but that any invention can be made to appreciably short¬ 
en it is, we think, very improbable. 
Water Cre.sses. —Several who have suita¬ 
ble streams for growing Water Cresses, ask how to stock 
them with the plants. If Water Cress grows any where 
in the vicinity, the easiest way is to get plants or cut¬ 
tings from an established bed. A fragment, or branch of 
a plant will grow readily. If plants are not available, 
they must be raised from seeds, which are kept by the 
principal seedsmen. The seeds may be sown in pans or 
shallow boxes, keeping the soil quite moist. Wlien the 
seedlings are up, water freely, keeping the soil in the 
condition of mud. If exposed to full light, with plenty 
of water, the plants will grow very rapidly, and soon be 
ready to set out in the water beds. 
Fertilizer for Str«wl»erries.— C. O, 
Foster, McKean Co., Pa. Superphosphate of Lime, 
made by treating bones with sulphuric acid, would no 
doubt be useful for strawberries, though we should pre¬ 
fer thoroughly decomposed stable manure, or if a special 
stimulating fertilizer is required, guano, or ashes. If it 
is proposed to use superphosphate, buy it, but do not 
undertake to make it. To one without experience im 
such manipulation, the operation of treating bones with, 
sulphuric acid is a dangerous one, and has resulted in. 
serious accidents. Farmers can make many things-, 
cheaper than they can buy them, but superphosphate is- 
not one of these. 
Al^o-reag^rouiid Cellars.— The subject 
of building cellars above ground and apart from the- 
dwelling, is evidently engaging the attention of many- 
persons. Mr. H. W. Pond, New York City, writes us a 
number of suggestions concerning the building of such 
a cellar, one of which seems of special importance. He- 
says: “I shouid make the first, or lower floor, of as-^ 
phalt, and the foundation walls should have a stratum, 
of asphalt laid in them at the level of the floor, to pre¬ 
vent the ascent of moisture.” Also, “the asphalt or 
cement floor,” he suggests, “ should be sloping, and. 
scuppers made, so that, for sanitai-y reasons, it could, 
be flushed with water.” Mr. P. also suggests, that 
such a cellar should have an ice-chamber at the top. 
Tomatoes aad. Cancer.—" Old Sub¬ 
scriber ” writes: “I have two acquaintances who are 
afflicted with cancer. They have both been advised bjr 
their physicians to discontinue the use of tomatoes, 
either cooked or raw. Will you kindly give your opinion 
on the tomato and cancer question ?” The statement, 
that the use of tomatoes will cause cancer, has been the- 
rounds of the press like many other ioose assertions. 
We have not seen it stated by any responsible author!tjr 
that the tomato has any relation to cancer. Secondly, 
wo should wish to know, who decided that the friends in 
question are afflicted with cancer. Not one case in ten 
of so-called cancer is ready that terrible affliction. For 
ourselves, we shall continue to eat tomatoes. 
Fliect lias Sialt TT|>on Ani>^ 
mals ?—This question comes to us frequently. There 
is a small body of “ reformers ” who hold that the use of 
salt is the eause of many human aiiments, as well as the- 
diseases of our domestic animals. The necessity for 
salt in the huinan system was recognized in the ancient 
laws of Holland, which condemned criminals to be de¬ 
prived of salt in their food, and they died in the greatest 
torture. Wild animals, especially deer, show that they 
regard salt as necessary, by travelling great distances in 
order to reach the “ salt licks.” Domestic animals show 
by the avidity with which they dispose of the salt at the- 
periodical salting, that it meets a want of their systems,. 
We should regard these manifestations as proof that ani¬ 
mals needed salt, and that it was jn some way benefleial. 
Physiologistslell us that the blood contains a large per¬ 
cent of salt, and that this is necessary in order to keep- 
the blood in its proper condition. 
Heal Worms.— S. B. Uoane, San Francisco 
Co., Cal., asks us: “How can I keep a stock of ‘Meal¬ 
worms’, in what must I keep them, and on what should I 
feed them, that they may multiply fast? ’’—There are two 
caterpillars called “ Meal-worms,” the parent insect of 
one being a beetle, and of the other a small moth. The- 
worms are often found in old flour barrels, in Indiart 
and rye meal, old ship bread, etc. They are used as bait 
in fishing, and especially as food for singing birds. If 
the worms are not full grown, we should keep them on 
Indian meal. There is no treatment by which our cor¬ 
respondent can multiply them, as in their caterpillar- 
state they do not breed. They must pass into the state • 
of pupa or chrysalis, from which they will come out as 
beetles, or moths, as the case may be. These are the - 
perfect states only in which do they breed. The perfect 
insects lay eggs from which the worms hatch, and live- 
in flour, meal, etc., until they reach their full size, when, 
the same round is again gone through. 
Rats aiicl Flies.—We have received from.; 
ladies, suggestions for keeping both these pests at a dis¬ 
tance. We give these for the purpose of asking for- 
wider experience. If the remedies are generally effica¬ 
cious they should be more widely known. As to rats,, 
we translate from Mary Hadlein’s German letter, who- 
says: “ The best thing to drive away rats is the Pepper¬ 
mint plant ; they can not bear the smell of it and dis¬ 
appear. We place it in the oats, rye, etc., when they are 
brought in, and also under the pig pen. Though we no- 
longer have any rats, we keep on using the plant, lest a 
strange one might make us a visit.” In absence of the 
fresh herb, a few drops of the Oil of Peppermint should, 
be equally efficacious. As to flies, Mrs. L. L., who has. 
had several years’experience in California, writes us:: 
“ In southern California every old Spanish residence is ■ 
surrounded with the Castor Oil plants, and when the - 
American residents are tortured with the “July fly,” 
that rivals all flies in numbers and pertinacity, these,- 
Spanish homes have not ally or a mosquito in thenn,” 
