234 , 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[June, 
Honey Locust and Cataipa Seeds. 
—“ W. F. TY.,” Iowa. These seeds need no preparation 
before sowing. Those of Honey Locust, if of the previous 
year’s growth, have with us germinated almost as readily 
as beans. If old, we should scald them. Catalpa seeds 
are very thin and light, and should be covered but slight¬ 
ly ; do not sow until the ground is warmed, in a light 
rich soil. We fear that the Catalpa may not be hardy with 
you, but do not know positively. 
Seed Distribution.—In the course of a 
year we get some strange letters, but quite the strangest 
of late, is one from a lady in Indiana, who “ lias been in¬ 
formed” that we were “the Government Commission¬ 
ers for the distribution of foreign seeds,” and gives us a 
list of those she wishes, without even a stamp to pay 
postage. No, we thank you, madam, we have “no con¬ 
nection with the. shop over the way.” Mr. F. Watts, 
Washington, D. C., is seed peddler in general. We do 
not know what the future may have in store for us, but 
we haven’t yet come to running a government seed shop. 
Export of Morses.— The export of live 
animals from the United States and Canada, is rapidly in¬ 
creasing, and bids fair to become an extensiveand profit¬ 
able business. Already hundreds of horses are annually 
shipped from America to Great Britain, and to encourage 
the business, an association called the “ British Empire 
Horse Supply Association,” has been formed with a Mil¬ 
lion dollars capital. The purpose of the Association is to 
import and export both horses and cattle, and the chief 
source whence the supply is expected is North America. 
Exports of Agricultural Produce. 
^The total exports' of agricultural produce for the year 
1876, amounted to $490,966,740. Of this large sum grain 
and flour amounted to $132,085,740; meats to $62,156,223. 
Cotton amounted to $187,662,425, or less than the value of 
breadstuffs and meat alone. The value of mined and man¬ 
ufactured articles exported in the year, was $146,482,428, 
or less than one-third that of agricultural produce. This 
is an encouraging exhibit, and it is more encouraging 
still to know that there is a probability of a large increase 
in this export business. 
Weiglit of Pressed. Mutton.—“L. L. 
B.,” Springfield, Ill. A well fatted sheep will give 57 to 
58 lbs. for the 100 lbs., if; the fleece is not more than three 
-months old; a sheep in good store order will dress 50 lbs. 
to the 100; these estimates do not include the head, heart, 
or any part of the valuable intestines. 
A Puzzled Jury.— “G. D. A.,” Pough¬ 
keepsie, N. Y.. sends an account of a case which came 
before a jury, but which was too much for them. A cow 
had a dead calf on the 1st of Nov., and the owner put 
with her a 2-days-old calf of another cow. A short time 
after the cow was sold as a new milch cow, with a calf, 
but nothing was said about the calf being a foster one. 
A month afterwards, a badly decomposed foetus was taken 
from the cow by the purchaser, who. suspected fraud, and 
sued the seller for the return of his money. The ques¬ 
tion which the jury could not decide was, whether a cow 
could carry one of a pair of twin calves in a dead state 
for four weeks after the birth of the first. Such a thing 
has occurred frequently, and is not at alt strange. What 
the equities of the case are, however, we do not feel 
called upon to decide. If we had sold the cow, we should 
feel bound in honor to return the money, unless at the 
sale the usual conditions were announced that the ani¬ 
mals were sold ‘ with all faults and errors of description.’ 
Spring and Winter Barley.— 11 C. 
J.,” Eockbridge Co., Va. The seed of barley sown in 
the fall will grow equally as well if sown in the spring. 
It will be somewhat later in ripening than the fall sown. 
Profit of Breeding- Dfforr.es.— “Young 
Farmer,” Lancaster Co., Pa. There is probably no more 
profitable branch of agriculture than horse-breeding, if 
the proper kinds are kept. If not, there is scarcely a 
more unprofitable business. A few poor horses will soon 
“ eat their heads off.” The demand is now for horses 
that are strong, large, and active, fit for carriage horses, 
or for active service in cities. These come from roomy 
rangy mares, and a well-knit stout stallion, of good trot¬ 
ting family. The mares will earn their feed by farm 
work, and the profit will be in a colt every year. Breed¬ 
ing of stock takes less from the soil than grain growing. 
What Constiliites n Tlioroiigli- 
tored ?—Prof. G. E. Morrow writes, in reference to a 
reply to this question in the American Agriculturist for 
May, that we “are in error in the statement that five 
crosses entitle an animal to entry into the Short-horn 
Herd-Book. For the English Herd-Book four crosses 
entitles a cow to entry, making five, of course, for a bull. 
.In America, the rule is supposed to be more strict. For 
entry in the American Short-horn Herd-Book, animals 
must trace to imporred stock or to those already re¬ 
corded ; for the Short-horn Eecord, Alexander’s, they 
must trace to imported stock on both sides in all cases.” 
Here is a distinction without a difference, and fails to 
show our statement to be an error. If in the English 
Herd-Book four or five crosses entitles an animal to entry, 
and entry in that herd-book entitles, on importation, to 
entry in the American Short-horn Herd-Book, then it is 
as we said. The question is, what makes a thorough¬ 
bred, and as five crosses make a thorough-bred in Eng¬ 
land, and such an animal imported .is accepted here as 
thorough-bred, what is the difference between a thor¬ 
ough-bred and an animal having five crosses. 
Ass imiisnal Occurrence frith S*igs. 
—“N. J. H.,” Hillsdale, Ill., writes that five of his sows 
have already had pigs, but that nearly all of the pigs have 
been wrongly presented (breech presentation), and con¬ 
sequently only seven of them have been saved. There 
is nothing extraordinary in a wrong presentation, but 
that it should be generally the case with a number of 
sows on the same farm, would lead to a supposition that 
some accident must have occurred. Yery violent action, 
such as chasing by a dog, might cause such an accident 
in some; but we can offer no explanation of the fact that 
nearly all were affected. 
Boultry Manure forTebacco.— “TV. 
M.,” Lock Haven, Pa. Poultry manure or other concen¬ 
trated fertilizers should be used, so as not to come into 
close contact with the roots of a plant or the seeds, ex¬ 
cept in a diluted condition. It should either be mixed 
with earth before applying it, or it should be scattered 
over the ground very thinly. 
Corn after Buckwheat.— “ P. R.,” Osh¬ 
kosh, TVis. There is no good reason why corn should 
not produce a good crop after buckwheat, if the soil is 
good. Buckwheat has no injurious effect upon the soil. 
Difficulty in Malting a Cistern.— 
“ T.,” Troy, N. Y.—It frequently happens that in dig¬ 
ging for a cistern, surface or spring water enters from 
the side or bottom, and hinders or prevents success. We 
have recently experienced such an obstacle, and sur¬ 
mounted it as follows: A floor of hard brick was laid in 
cement, after spreading a layer of concrete of cement 
and gravel three inches thick. The water was kept dip¬ 
ped out. This was left to harden for two days, then the 
wall of brick laid in cement was raised, and a backing of 
concrete put in, and rammed, but not so hard as to dis¬ 
place the bricks, between the wall and the earth. This 
was carried up to the-surface, and a perfecty water-tight 
cistern, both inside and out, was the result. 
Shepherd's Bog'. —We have an unusual 
number of inquiries for trained shepherd’s dogs, but 
unfortunately have no knowledge of any competent per¬ 
son who makes a business of training them. Any one 
who would undertake the rearing and training of good 
dogs, would find ample demand for his animals from the 
readers of the American Agriculturist alone, provided 
he made the fact known in the usual manner. 
Blow to feed Fodder preserved By 
Ensilage.—" T. M. H.,” Wheeling, W. Ya. In the 
American Agriculturist for June, 1875, was given an il¬ 
lustrated article on the preservation of sour fodder in 
silos. The word “silo” is defined in Webster’s Dic¬ 
tionary, as a subterraneous pit for keeping feed. It is 
precisely the same in the French. The fodder is cut 
from the silo with a long knife, or a spade, ground sharp, 
in upright slices, leaving a compact smooth face. A 
smooth, closely fitted shutter, or several of them, arc 
placed closely against this face and pressed tightly to it 
by braces against the sides or the floor. In this manner 
access of air to the open side is prevented. 
Grills for Itcclaimcd Marsh Land. 
—“T. J. C.,” Wood Co., Wis. If the soil of the marsh is 
yet very moist, Eed-top would bo the best grass to sow. 
If it is only moderately moist. Timothy will succeed very 
well. No clover but Alsike would do well on it. 
Blow to Treat ail Injured Foot.— 
“ W. L.,” Tallapoosa, Ala. A mule’s foot, that has been 
crushed, may be cured by proper treatment. The mule 
is by no means beyond future usefulness. Dress the foot 
with cold water; and keep it bandaged; cut away the 
torn pieces of horn, and as soon as the inflammation has 
subsided, dress the wounds with tow or lint, steeped in 
cotton-seed-oil, to which a little carbolic acid has been 
added, applying every morning to the wounds, before the 
tow is used, some compound tincture of myrrh. In course 
of time the horn which has been removed will be re¬ 
placed. Of course the animal must be kept at rest. 
Composition for Welding Iron.— 
“W. S. B.,” Barnwell Co., S. C. A composition for 
welding iron at a very low heat is made by Delamater & 
Co., 13tli st., N. Y. 
Boole on Sheep Baising.—“S.,” Terre - 
Haute, Ind. Stewart’s “Shepherd’s Manual” is the 
most useful book on sheep breeding and keeping. It 
contains all the information needed that can be learned 
from books, and very full and plain directions for all the- 
differeut operations connected with keeping sheep, with 
many illustrations. It can be procured of the Orange 
Judd Co. for $1.50, post-paid. 
Wool Manufacturer's Bulletin.— 
“ A. E. S.,” Terre Haute, Ind. The Bulletin of the Wool 
Manufacturers’ Association is published quarterly in 
Boston. This address is sufficient to reach it. It con¬ 
tains much information, of value to those who grow 
wool, as well as to those who manufacture it. 
Salve for Cracked. Teats or 
Wounds.—” T. A. G.” An excellent salve f®r dress¬ 
ing cracks, cuts, or wounds, in cattle, sheep, or horses, is 
made as follows : Melt together, with a gentle heat, 2 oz. 
each of bees-wax and rosin, add half a pound of lard, 
and when melted and removed from the fire, four ounces 
of turpentine; when this is well mixed and while liquid, 
stir in thoroughly one ounce of finely powdered verdigris, 
and continue stirring until cold, and keep in a jar. This 
should be applied after washing the parts with warm 
soap and water. 
Bye amongst Corn.—“TY. H. S.,” Peoria, 
HI.—If rye is sown amongst com at the last plowing in 
July, it will probably head out before winter, and be 
lost. This is too soon. If the com is cut as soon as ripe, 
and shocked in rows 30 feet apart, the field may be plow¬ 
ed early in September, and sown to rye in the usual man¬ 
ner with success. When the corn is moved, the vacant 
rows may be plowed and sowed also, and although later, 
these will produce a crop of straw, if not of grain. 
Peas anil Oats for Fodder.— “C. TY. 
F.,” Princess Anne Co., Md. The common northern 
field pea is the one used with oats for fodder crops. Any 
kind of pea will do. Tares or vetches are equally useful. 
The object is to get a heavy burden of foliage and stem 
along with the oats. Very nearly the quantity of seed ; 
used of each when grown separately, may be sown. 
Time for Composting- Swamp 
Mlicit.— “ A. W.,” Cecil Co., Md. Lime newly slacked, 
dry, and in fine powder, is the best material for compost¬ 
ing with muck, to prepare it for use. Gypsum is a neu- ; 
tral salt, and cannot combine with the acids of the muck, 
or aid in decomposing the vegetable matter. The mild 
lime usually imported into Maryland from the Pennsyl¬ 
vania lime kilns, or oyster shell lime, maybe used. 
Diseases of Cattle.— “H. F. H.,” Hope- ) 
dale, Ohio. Dr. Dadd’s book on Diseases of Cattle, (price .: 
$1.50), is one of the best works on this subject. Prof. ^ 
Law’s “Farmer’s Veterinary Adviser,” is a new and very 
valuable work. The price of this book is $3.00. 
Brewer’s 44rains not Good for 
Horses.—“A. S.,” Manchester, N. H. Brewer’s grains a 
are not to be recommended for horses. Sloppy sour food 
is to be avoided, as well as dusty feed, such as malt- n 
sprouts. But cows do well on such feed, and for them 'i 
both the grains and sprouts are useful. A horse requires -j 
concentrated and dry food, as its stomach is very small as ■ 
compared with that of a cow. 
Na w dust i ci Manure.— “Reader,” Orange 
Co., N. Y. Manure made of sawdust for bedding, is not 
worth so much as that made with straw. It is apt to | 
“burn” or fire-fang in heating, and contains very little ' 
of the most valuable component parts of straw. The j 
manure is reduced in value from one-third to one-half. 
Hungarian CJrass. —“A. S. S.,” North¬ 
umberland Co., Pa. This should not be sown until June. ' 
Half-a-bushel of seed per acre is ample. The crop should..' 1 
be harvested before the seed begins to ripen, and cured,( 
in the same manner as timothy hay. 
CSypsum on Corn.— “Elmwood,” Peoria 
Co., HI. Gypsum, or plaster, should be applied to corn, 
when the plants are about six inches high. A handful 
may then be scattered about each hill. About 300 lbs. 
per acre will give one ounce for each hill. 
Bow Beat Muck may lie Used.— 
“ S. J.,” Bayou LaFourche, La. To use muck as a fer¬ 
tilizer, dig it and let it drain for a few weeks, then com-' 
post it with cotton-seed, adding a bushel or two of shell 
