AMERICAN AG-niCXJLTTIRIST. 
175 
idWJ 
the best, but that in which there has been a regular 
but controlled f ermentation. In one case, the corn¬ 
stalks are still tough, the straw, swamp-hay, etc., 
saturated with liquid and incorporated well with 
the solid manure, but n no fit shape for plant-food. 
On the contrary, in those portions of the heap, 
where the strawy mass could absorb the liquid ma¬ 
nure, and be sprinkled frequently by water thrown 
over the heap from that which leached into the low 
parts of the cellar, all the vegetable fibre was rotten 
and easily cut or broken, and at the same time 
there was no odor of escaping ammonia. The fer¬ 
mentation had obviously gone on almost all winter, 
though the surface was frequently frozen. 
Will tlie Potato Beetle trouble us tills Year t 
I have been comparing notes with Mr. Henry E. 
Acker, of Woodbridge, and he gives me the follow¬ 
ing facts. Ths ground dug over for hot-beds and 
greenhouses in the fall of 1875 was found well 
stocked with the pupae ; that dug over last autumn 
contained few, if any. In digging over the ground 
in the greenhouses last year, the beetles or the 
pupae were frequently met with, this year none are 
observed. When he set out his tomato plants last 
May and June, the first setting were almost all de¬ 
stroyed, consumed by the beetle in one stage or an¬ 
other, and other plants to the number of several 
thousands had to be provided. As soon as a good 
stock had been established, there was no more 
trouble, and hardly a beetle or grub was seen upon 
the plants the rest of the season. Mr. A. raised no 
potatoes, but kept watch of the insects, and was 
surprised to see so few during the latter part of the 
season. In fact the only place where he observed 
them in considerable numbers, was along a stretch 
of beach, where they were washed up, and remain¬ 
ed alive for a long time. It was the experience of 
many potato-growers that after the drouth became 
severe, the beetles were no more troublesome. The 
question is, was it the drouth, or were the pests 
discouraged from some other cause. I think those 
who refrain from planting potatoes in about the 
usual quantities, either from fear of the beetle’s 
ravages, or on account of the high price of seed, 
will do a very foolish thing. 
Home-Made Phosphate. 
A Subscriber, Schuylkill Co.,Pa., gives the follow¬ 
ing method of making a bone fertilizer. I have used 
for some years, with good effect, a fertilizer made 
as follows: I get annually a few tons of raw bones, 
and burn them with wood, when they become very 
brittle, the grease being extracted. I then break 
them small, either with a heavy mallet hitched with 
a spring-pole, or run them through a small mill with 
horse-power ; in this condition they are not much 
harder to grind than coffee. I then pack the ground 
bones in layers in old oil-barrels, and pour upon 
each layer, stirring as mixed, enough dilute sul¬ 
phuric acid, (oil of vitriol), one part acid to three 
parts water, to moisten them. In a few weeks all 
the bones are decomposed, and the mass is dried 
by using a little gypsum (land plaster), so~as to be 
easily shoveled out. By this method the farmer 
can manufacture his own superphosphate, not only 
at a minimum cost, but with absolute reliability.” 
[This process is upon the whole the most simple 
one by which the farmer can utilize accumulated 
bones. It is not alone the grease that is lost in 
burning, but the gelatine is also more or less com¬ 
pletely consumed. Fresh bones contain, on thb 
average, about one-third their weight of animal 
matter, ossein, which, by the action of water, is con¬ 
verted into gelatine or glue. This contains nitrogen, 
and by decomposition affords ammonia, and a su¬ 
perphosphate thus prepared will be destitute of am¬ 
monia; but it will be cheaper for the ordinary farmer 
to supply ammonia in guano, fish-scrap, or other 
commercial fertilizer, than undertake to convert raw 
bones into superphosphate. Those not accustomed 
to handling sulphuric acid, should use great cau¬ 
tion. When superphosphates made on the farm 
were first proposed, accidents were so numerous, 
often so severe as to cause the loss of eyes, that we 
discouraged the attempt to make them, and would 
now advise only those who can use proper care to 
do so. Sulphuric acid is exceedingly corrosive, and 
should be handled with a full knowledge of the 
fact. A drop thrown into the eye will be likely to 
destroy that organ. It should be poured from the 
carboy slowly and gently, to avoid all gurgling. 
Stone-ware or glass vessels, only, should be used 
for strong acid, and unpainted wooden ones for di¬ 
luted acid. A stone-ware pitcher, of known capa¬ 
city, will be found the most convenient vessel. In 
diluting the acid, measure the required quantity of 
water into a tub or bucket—three, six, nine, or 
whatever number of pitcherfuls, of course leaving 
room for the acid to be added. Drain or wipe out 
the pitcher, and fill it with acid; then pour the 
acid in a small, steady stream into the water, until 
a fourth or smaller part has been poured in; then 
cease pouring, and with a stick stir the mixture; 
add another portion of acid, stir again, and so on, 
until all the acid is added. When the acid first 
strikes the water, there is sometimes a sputtering, 
and this, then and at all times, one should be on his 
guard against. When the acid and water combine, 
the liquid becomes very hot. Have at hand some 
old soft rags, and if any acid falls upon the skin, 
immediately wipe it, or rather sop it up, before 
washing the spot. It is well to have at hand some 
water of ammonia, or a solution of sal-soda, to 
neutralize any acid that may accidentally fall upon 
the skin or clothes. It is better to wear clothes 
that can not be spoiled. A little dust, a chip, straw, 
or 6uch matter, will cause the strong acid to become 
dark-colored, but does not injure it.— Ed.] 
A Dairy Barn for Twenty-five Cows. 
A correspondent requests a plan for a barn for 
a dairy of 25 cows. The arrangement of a barn for 
a dairy should be well considered, as regards saving 
of labor in milking, feeding, and cleaning, all of 
which are of great importance, as well as regards 
the first expenditure of money for the building. It 
is a frequent mistake that the buildings of a dairy 
farm are more substantial and costly than neces¬ 
sary. Boom is wanted for the convenient manage¬ 
ment of the cows, but there Is no necessity for 
elaborate construction, or for heavy and costly 
frames for the buildings. Floors are unnecessaiy, 
in fact are not advisable, if of wood; light paving 
of small cobble-stone, or concrete of gravel and 
lime are no more costly, and greatly more health¬ 
ful and cleanly, and perfectly free from vermin. 
The whole series of buildings for a dairy farm, may 
be made of a succession of cross-bents, connected 
together by girts and plates of light timber. The 
use of the horse-fork dispenses with tne necessity 
for high, wide barns for storing hay and fodder, 
and in place of these there may be long low sheds, 
along the peak of which the horse-fork may be car¬ 
ried on its travelers, and beneath which may be the 
cow stables, milking sheds, calf pens, horse stable, 
and wagon sheds. The form of the bent to be used 
is shown at fig. 1. It is 20 feet wide, 16 feet high 
at the posts; the timber for the sUl and posts is 
8x8, that for the girt is 6x8, for the braces 4x4, for 
the rafters 2x6, and a collar-girt of 2x6 is used to 
strengthen the rafters, and to support the carriage 
for the hay-fork. In building with these sections, 
the sills'may be bedded in concrete, either wholly 
or partially, or may be laid upon the concrete, but 
in the latter case should be so fitted that no water 
or air can penetrate beneath them, to cause rapid 
Fig. 2.— GROUND PLAN OP DAIRY BARN. 
decay. To wholly bed them is the best plan ; then 
an even, unobstructed floor may be made from end 
to end of the building. For the plan of the build¬ 
ing, we suggest that in figure 2, of which an isome- 
trical view is given in figure 3. On the left is the 
milking shed, open in the front or to the yard; 
from this is a passage-way to the stable, which is 
provided with 25 stalls, or stanchions, as may be 
preferred, each 4 feet wide, and a close pen for the 
bull at the end, 8 feet by 10. The stable is arranged 
with a feed-passage, 6 feet wide, in front, a feed- 
trough, 1% foot wide, a floor, 4}£ feet wide, a ma¬ 
nure drop and drain, 2 feet wide and 6 inches deep, 
and lastly a passage, 6 feet wide, in the rear, thus 
Fig. 3.— -ISOMETRICAL VIEW OF DAIRY BARN. 
occupying the whole width of 20 feet. The nearest 
comer of the second wing is occupied by the feed- 
room, with cutting-box, mixing-trough, pump, feed- 
bin, feed-barrow, and other needed furniture, and 
is 20 feet square, which will give ample. room. 
From this a door opens to the feed-passage, another 
opens from the feed-passage into the yard. The 
horses in the stable adjoining can be fed from the 
feed-room. Beyond the horse-stable, with its two 
double stalls, is the wagon-shed; then the calf- 
pen, arranged with separate close stalls for each 
calf, so that no two calves may ever be kept to¬ 
gether; a very important precaution, by which 
many calfish tricks and vices may be prevented. 
A yard, with manure-pit, covered with a roof, if 
wished, is in the center, and feed-racks are placed 
on either side of the yard. A tight fence encloses 
the whole. Over the calf-pen may be a storehouse, 
poultry-house, workshop, or any other needed 
apartment, and an outer stairway and door may be 
made to these, or this may be made in the wagon- 
shed. The whole length of the sheds should be 
260 to 300 feet. The main stable will be 110 feet, 
and the wings should be at least 75 feet each. Near¬ 
ly the whole of the upper floors can be used for 
