1877 .] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
327 
-tie attention, very certain.in its operation, the Day pro¬ 
cess is to he preterred by those who either can not well 
procure the requisite manure for the Corbett machine, or 
-do not know how it works when in active fermentation, 
•or who do not wish to give constant supervision to the 
dneubator day and night. 
Milking’ Tnbes.-f* W. N. B.,” Sangamon 
■Co., Ill. In the American Agriculturist for Nov., 1876, 
was described and illustrated, a tube made for drawing 
the milk from hard milking cows, or those whose udders 
• or teats are diseased. We give herewith a second illus- 
= 4 =' 
itration oi this milking tube, which shows correctly how 
the slide should be placed so as not to irritate the inner 
part ol the teat. The tubes are made of silver, by George 
P. Pilling, 701 Chestnut St., Philadelphia. 
7 SO Original Engravings for 
$1.60, or less.—At least 750 well executed, well 
printed engravings, of an instructive or pleasing charac¬ 
ter, will appear in the pages of this paper during the 
next 15 months. Many will be large; others, though 
small, will convey useful information about implements, 
•convenient contrivances, valuable and ornamental plants, 
•etc. Any new reader, subscribing for 1878 during this 
anonth, will get all these 750 Eugravings, as well as a 
great amount of useful reading, for a single year’s sub¬ 
scription price—at most $1.60, including postage, and 
less, where two or more club together, as noted on p. 326. 
Coburn’s Swine Husbandry, judg¬ 
ing from the demand, is a book the farmers have been 
wanting. The work is a condensed presentation of our 
present knowledge on swine and all their belongings. 
The author is not so conceited as to suppose that what 
Sie does not know is not worth knowing, but has made 
use of valuable matter wherever it could be found, and 
lie has given credit for it in a fair, open, and manly man¬ 
ner. We repeat that “Swine Husbandry” is the most 
valuable recent addition to our agricultural literature. 
Sending Things.— Whether fruit, insects, 
plants, or other objects, are sent by mail or express, to 
be named or for whatever purpose, please mail, the same 
day , or before, a note concerning them. We have a lot 
of articles to which there is no clue, and are of no use. 
Treatment of Splint in a Horse.— 
41 L. H. P.,’ r Salt Lake City. “Splint” is caused by a 
•deposition of bony matter along the bones of the shank, 
almost invariably on the inner side. It is the effect of 
inflammation of the periosteum or covering membrane of 
the bone. The first symptom is lameness, and a pecu¬ 
liarity of this affection, is the low drooping of the ani¬ 
mal’s head when exercising. In the early stages there is 
heat in the part, tenderness, and a soft swelling. Then 
treatment may be effective. This consists of rest, the ad¬ 
ministering of purgatives, and application of cooling lo¬ 
tions. After the heat has subsided, blistering may be 
resorted to. When the bony matter is deposited, and 
can be felt or seen along the hollow of the shank, it is 
past cure. The disease is a counterpart of ringbone, only 
appearing in a different place. 
Winter Oats for Feed.—“S. J. H.,” 
Tnscumbia, Ala. The roughness of the upper end of 
the grain of winter oats, is not a serious objection 
to its use for horses. If there is any doubt about it 
the grain could be coarsely ground or bruised in a mil!, 
then there could not be the least objection. The only 
possible trouble that could arise, would be when a horse 
should bolt the grain without chewing it, then the rough¬ 
ened beardy ends might irritate the intestines. Bruising 
or grinding would remove this danger. 
Treatment for a Hruised Leg.— 
“ R. N. C.,” Morris Co., N. J. A swelling on the leg near 
the knee, caused by a kick, whicli does not readily disap¬ 
pear, may be treated with iodine ointment rubbed on to 
it three times a day. It is probable that an effusion of 
serum lias occurred through inflammation of the mem¬ 
branes. This must be absorbed as soon as possible, lest 
it form a thickened fibrous deposit, which may become 
permanent. If it does not disappear after several days’ 
treatment with the iodine ointment, the advice of a 
veterinary surgeon should be sought. It might be dan¬ 
gerous to trifle with it, as it is located near a joint. 
Winter Oats.— “E. H.,” Greenville, Term.-, 
■writes in regard to winter oats: “ This crop is now pret¬ 
ty generally grown in the mountain section of East Ten¬ 
nessee, and in some neighborhoods has been cultivated 
=as a distinct winter crop for over thirty years. It has be¬ 
come quite as hardy as winter wheat or rye. The last 
winter was one of great severity ; large peach trees and 
vineyards were destroyed by the cold, and many supposed 
our winter crops would be frozen out, yet they were not, 
and the winter oats stood the winter better, if anything, 
than tlie less hardy varieties of wheat. Those who ordered 
seed from the Agricultural Department, and from here, 
as a genera! thing, did so too late. This crop must be put 
in early, so as to give ample time to mature a good stout 
root and top before cold weather sets in; August and 
September are none too early to sow. The crop is very 
generally used for a late fall and winter pasture for calves 
and small stock. The yield of winter oats is fully double 
that of the crop sown in the spring, has no rust or smut, 
the stalk from its slow growth is stout, and it rarely falls 
down or lodges. The husk of the grain is tliin, and the 
grain plump and large. Taken in all its qualities, it is 
one of our most valuable crops.”—[It would doubtless be 
a wise thing to experiment in a small way with these 
oats. If they will be found to resist the cold of our 
Northern and Western winters, this will be a valuable ad¬ 
dition to those fall crops we now have. The value of this 
variety of oats is fully established in the Southern States, 
where it may furnish much needed pasture or fodder. 
The hint about early sowing should not be neglected]. 
Fanning- Mill for Cleaning- Grain. 
—“A. S. S.,” Petersburg, Ya. The fanning mill you re¬ 
fer to, is probably that which is made by a manufacturer 
at Racine, Wis., and was referred to in the American 
Agriculturist of August, amongst the notices of cata¬ 
logues received. 
Disease in Pigs.—“I. M. P.,” Buchan 
Co., Iowa, Diarrhoea and vomiting are symptoms of bil¬ 
ious disorder, such as the so-called “ hog cholera,” This 
is much more easily prevented than cured. The proper 
mode of treatment depends very much upon the previous 
management, or mismanagement of the animals. A mix¬ 
ture of sulphur, or copperas and charcoal, in equal parts, 
has been recommended, and found both preventive and 
curative. A tablespoonful of the mixture is given ata dose. 
Impaction of tlie Stomach, Dry 
Murrain.” —“ G. F. C.,” St. Joseph, Mich. This dis¬ 
ease is fatal if neglected, as it soon disturbs the nutritive 
functions, and the blood becomes disorganized. Indi¬ 
gestion is tlie cause of it. On the first symptom, which 
is a sleepy, dull, listless condition, with torpidity of the 
bowels, and constipation, pint doses of linseed, sweet- 
oil, or lard, should be given. Injections of soapy water 
are useful. Bleeding is to be avoided as dangerous. 
When the symptoms are aggravated, and the animal re¬ 
fuses to move, the case is serious. Then copious drenches 
of water sweetened with molasses, and strong purgatives 
of Epsom salts dissolved in plenty of warm water, should 
be given. Alternately with the sweetened water, an 
ounce of carbonate of ammonia dissolved in a gallon of 
water, may be given twice a day, if tlie animal needs a 
stimulant. The copious watering is needed to dilute the 
dry contents of the stomach. 
Making Phosphate.— “W. W. M.” If 
we were to give advice to those about to make phosphate, 
we .should say “ don’t.” The operation is very risky and 
disagreeable. Having tried it once, we would pay double 
price for the ready made phosphate rather than make our 
own. Good, pure superphosphate can be bought so low, 
of any of the respectable dealers Whose names are found 
in the American Agriculturist, that it is not even eco¬ 
nomical, even were it safe and easy, for one to make it 
himself from the materials. 
Treatment for Hog Cholera..—“ D. 
W. D.,” Madrid Bend, Ky. To give tlie different courses 
of treatment for the prevention and cure of the disease 
known as “ hog cholera,” would occupy more space than 
we could spare, when there are other means of procuring 
the information wanted. This can be had in full in the 
new work on Swine Husbandry, by F. D. Coburn, of Po¬ 
mona, Kansas, published recently by tlie Orange Judd 
Co., price $1.75, free by mail. No swine breeder or feed¬ 
er should be without this hook, which contains all tlie 
information of value about swine, their feeding and gen¬ 
eral management when well or sick, that can be gathered 
from the most trustworthy modern sources. 
Culture of Corn in Hrills.—“S. G. 
W.,” Gentry Co., Mo. There need be no difficulty in 
growing corn in drills instead of checkrows, if the proper 
implements are used in the most effective manner. The 
seed may he dropped with the ordinary two-row planter, 
the usual distance apart for the row, but not so far apart 
as usual in the row. Thus rows 3X or 4 feet apart, and 
the seed placed 2 feet apart in the row, would he a very 
good method. The plants may he thinned out to two stalks 
to a hill. When the corn is up, or before this; the ground 
should be harrowed with a Thomas harrow, which does 
not injure the plants. The system of cultivation .in drilj,. 
planting, is to destroy the weeds in the germ, and let 
none escape to grow strong. As soon as the rows are 
well up, they are worked with some implement which 
cuts close to the com. The Perry Scarifier, or the Shares’ 
Horse-Hoe, we have found very effective for this. The 
ground is worked frequently, not waitinjtuntil it is 
weedy, to begin to cultivate. It is necessar^o cultivate 
early and often. We find this method less troublesome 
and more profitable than the check row plan. 
Sundry HnmTrags. 
The object in exposing 
frauds of various kinds, and 
the rules by which we are 
governed, have been stated 
so frequently and so ex¬ 
plicitly, that we might sup¬ 
pose they would be gener¬ 
ally understood. Notwith¬ 
standing all this, a letter 
every now and then shows 
that our objects and methods 
are misapprehended. Here 
is one from New Jersey, 
which says: “Will you 
please write and let me 
know what your rates are 
for advertising humbugs and 
swindlers in your paper. **.* 
If your rates are not too 
high, I would like you to ad¬ 
vertise a firm for me, who 
have swindled me out of 
$16 or $17,” and the writer then goes on to give a history 
of his case. We have stated, and must now repeat, that 
tlie exposures in these columns are made solely to warn 
our readers against fraudulent designs, and that they can 
hot he used for any other purpose. If one has been 
swindled, he naturally feels a desire to somehow “ get 
even ” with the swindler, and if he can not recover his 
money, he can at least have the satisfaction of exposing 
the rascal in print. Tiie writer of the letter quoted above 
says, that he threatened the swindler with 
EXPOSURE IN THE AGRICULTURIST 1 , 
and we occasionally hear of similar threats made by 
others. While we have no hesitation in exposing any 
fraud—no matter what the position of the author ol it, s 
we try to bring common sense to the management of the 1 
matter. Being perfectly disinterested, we often see a 1 
transaction in a different light from the party concerned, ’ 
and it is not rarely the case that the complainant is as 
much to blame as the party complained of. As in mak¬ 
ing the publication, the responsibility falls upon us, wc • 
must be the sole judge of the nature of the evidence 
presented, and of the propriety of making the exposure. 
Take the case already referred to: we are requested to 
publish so and so as swindlers 5 the transaction is stated, 
but not a single letter or other document is given in sup¬ 
port of the statement, but we have only the word of a 
party personally unknown to us. We do not doubt the 
writer’s good faith and honesty in the least—simply the 
evidence is not sufficient. We would say to our New 
Jersey friend and to others who ask tlie question, that no 
money can purchase an insertion in these columns, and 
we must be convinced that the public will be benefited 
by a publication, and that the evidence is sufficient to 
warrant it, before we can publish any one as a humbug. 
SWINDLES UPON FARMERS 
are rather more numerous this season than usual, and 
they seem to be much after the style of the “ Spring Bed 
Swindle ” described last month. Instead of spring-beds, 
some chaps in Illinois have played the same game with a 
new kind of wire fencing. The plan is to offer to give 
the fanner 60 rods of the new fence, if he will put it np 
along the road where it will be seen, and serve as an ad¬ 
vertisement, and the farmer is to have the sole agency for 
the town, and be paid a handsome commission upon all 
orders he may take. The farmer accepts the proposal, 
and the agent tells him that it will take two coils of wire, 
for which the farmer willingly signs an order. In a few , 
days a stranger comes along to collect a hill for wire 
fencing, and wishes immediate payment. The farmer . 
explains that he put up the fence as an advertisement » 
and was to have it free. He is told that he was to have 
50 rods free, but lie has ordered outright 150 rods, and 
must pay for this at four cents a foot. If the farmer is 
timid, he settles with the chap somehow, perhaps gives 
his note for $ 100 , to pay for the wire he did not order. 
When he comes to examine his wire, he finds that he has 
200 rods of wire, which will only make 50 rods of fence, 
four strands high, and in due time learns that his note 
has been discounted at the bank in the nearest town. 
THE LIGHTNING ROD SWINDLE, 
though so old, and so often exposed, is far from killed; 
the latest accounts come from Ohio, where the same old 
