1877.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
44 3 
stock, and a special catalogue to the Forest Rose Straw¬ 
berry; a variety- highly esteemed where it has been tested 
E. P. Rob, Cornwall-on-the-Hudson, N. Y., issues a full 
circular on small fruits, which, like all Mr. R.’s produc¬ 
tions, is fresh and interesting. 
W. '& T. Smith, Geneva, N. Y.—-This well known es¬ 
tablishment has a full wholesale list in every department. 
F. Trowbridge, Milford, Conn., issues his Cranberry 
circular, and offers some new varieties. 
A. R. Whitney, Franklin Grove. Ill.—Mr. W. is known 
as the originator of several choice Siberian apples, which 
he offers with other trees. 
SEEDSMEN & DEALERS IN BULBS. 
The autumnal catalogues of seedsmen are mainly de¬ 
voted to Dutch bulbs and flower-roots, and to seeds of 
greenhouse plants. Most of them give full directions for 
the cultivation of bulbs in the house and in the border. 
Beach, Son & Co., No. 7 Barclay St., New York City, 
present their bulb list in the Oct. No. of the “ American 
Garden,” which contains timely and useful articles. 
R. P. Critchell, Carthage, Ohio, a descriptive and in¬ 
structive special bulb catalogue. 
W. II. Carson, 125 Chambers St., N. Y. City, in a char¬ 
acteristically neat catalogue, besides bulbs and directions 
for growing them, offers a full assortment of window gar¬ 
dening appliances, such as brackets, stands, pots, etc. 
James Fleming, 67 Nassau St., N. Y. City, was the 
first to send his autumn catalogue of bulbs and other 
timely articles. 
Peter Henderson & Co., 35 Cortlandt St., N. Y. City, 
offer, besides a full stock of bulbs, plants for winter¬ 
flowering, seeds for fall sowing, and a great variety of 
horticultural stock. 
A. W. Livingston, Reynoldsburg, Ohio, is on hand 
with his list of vegetable seeds, with the •‘Acme ” toma¬ 
to as a specialty. 
Nanz & Neuner, Louisville, Ky., offer bulbs and 
other plants for window gardening, seasonable seeds, etc. 
Thomas Meehan, Germantown, Pa., sends a full list 
of seeds of American trees and shrubs, in which, we are 
glad to learn, he has a large European trade. 
F. K. Phcenix, Bloomington, III., sends a special bulb 
catalogue, and a very full one, with a list of winter-bloom¬ 
ing greenhouse plants! 
J. F. Robey, Buda, Ill., offers western-grown vegeta¬ 
ble seeds, flower seeds, and seeds for the farm. 
J. M. Thorburn & Co., 15 John St., N. Y. City.—No 
bulb listexceeds this in fullness and value of its contents. 
Seeds for autumn sowing, grass seeds, etc., are offered. 
James Vick, Rochester, N. Y., is always expected to 
. do something surprising; he issued his heretofore re¬ 
markable catalogue as a quarterly, and now promises, 
in 1878, a monthly. Nothing succeeds like success. 
FOREIGN. 
Anderson & Co., Sydney, New South Wales, publish 
a supplementary list to their general catalogue, which for 
neatness and tasteful arrangement might be stndied by 
dealers in older countries, while its offer of the newer 
American potatoes, Prickly Comfrey, etc., shows that our 
insular friends are not at all behind the times. 
Wm. Bryce & Co., Glasgow, Scollaud, and London, 
Eng.—Wholesale dealers in vegetable, agricultural, and 
tree seeds. 
Wilson & Rankin, Glasgow, Scotland.— A wholesale 
list of agricultural and garden seeds. 
FLORISTS—GREENHOUSE PLANTS. 
L. B. Case, Richmond, Ind., issues his catalogue in the 
form of a quarterly, entitled the “Botanical Index,” 
which promises to be useful to plant collectors. 
Peter Henderson, 35 Cortlandt St., N. Y. City, in ad¬ 
dition to his general plant catalogue, has a list of plants 
to flower in the parlor or greenhouse during the winter. 
Tyra Montgomery, Mattoon, Ill.—Special rose and ge¬ 
ranium catalogues, and one of general greenhouse stock. 
George Such, South Amboy. N. J., in his autumn cat¬ 
alogue presents the latest additions to his remarkable 
collection of greenhouse and stove plants. The neatness 
of the catalogue is in keeping with the select character of 
its contents. 
A. Troth, Memphis, Mo., presents his catalogue as a 
quarterly, and offers greenhouse plants and seeds. 
MISCELLANEOUS. 
Bees. — J. B. Nellis , Canajoharie, N. Y. Swarms, 
queens, and aparian supplies generally. 
L. C. Root, Mohawk, N. Y.—Bees and queens, sample 
hives, smokers, extractors, and ail bee-keepers’ supplies. 
Giant Powder.— The Atlantic Giant Ponder Co., 61 
Park Place, N. Y. City, publish an account of the powder 
(Dynamite), and tell how to use it. 
Optical Instruments.— T. B. McAllister, 49 Nassau 
St., N. Y. City, offer 'everything in their line, from a small 
microscope up to a large stereopticon. 
Ornamental Iron Work.— The Racine (I Vis.) Hard¬ 
ware Manvfactming Co. make ornamental house-furnish¬ 
ing goods, florists’ baskets and brackets, window gar¬ 
dens, aquaria, and other articles in great variety. G. W. 
Peck, 110 Chambers St., is the New York agent. 
Scroll Saws and Materials.— G. Webster Peck, 110 
Chambers S'., New York City, issues a very full catalogue 
of saws of all styles, woods, patterns, and everything re¬ 
quired in scroll sawing. 
Silk. — L. S. Crazier, Williamsburg, Manhattan Co., 
Kas., at Silkville, in the above town, carries on success¬ 
fully the raising and the manufacture of silk. His cir¬ 
cular gives information to those who would purchase 
eggs, and offers several varieties of the Mulberry. 
Reports of Societies and Olliers.— 
Reports of Societies, Boards of Agriculture, and others, 
form a class of literature the character of which has been 
much improved of late years. Instead of the long and 
dreary essays formerly published, and which were of no 
other use than as padding, we now have reports of what 
was done and said, and unless of real value, only a brief 
abstract is given. These, reports increase in value with 
time, and form an important part of a library for refer¬ 
ence. Our limits do not allow of extended reviews of 
such publications, and we can give only a brief acknowl¬ 
edgement, at the same time expressing to the Secretaries 
and others our thanks for their courtesy in sending them. 
The Aberdeenshire ( Scotland) Ag'l. Association's report 
for 1876, is largely devoted to an account of O elaboate ex¬ 
periments with the turnip crop, and illustrated. 
The Journal of the Agl. Society of New South Wales. 
Part 3, July, 1877, naturally gives much space to sheep 
and wool. 
The Kansas State Board of Agriculture issues Monthly 
Reports, which show how fortunate it is in having such a 
Secretary as Alfred Gray, Esq. 
North Carolina's Commissioner of Agriculture, the Hon. 
Leonidas S. Polk, in his first quarterly report, shows that 
the State is on the right track in its agricultural matters. 
The Report of the Connecticut State Board of Agriculture, 
by its Secretary, T. S. Gold, Esq., for 1S76-77, maintains 
its excellent character. It includes the report of the work 
at the Experiment Station, by Prof. Atwater. 
The U. S. Entomological Commission, consisting of 
Profs. Riley, Packard, and Thomas, have issued several 
bulletins giving the progress of their work, and convey¬ 
ing useful information, especially with reference to the 
Locust or Grass-hopper. 
Destructive Insects of the Far West, including the Locust, 
are fully treated in Prof. A. S. Packard’s report as Ento¬ 
mologist of Hayden’s Geological Survey, and published 
by the Department of the Interior, in a separate, well 
illustrated volume of over 200 pages. 
The Maine Pomological Society, in its report for 1876, 
gives carefully digested fruit lists of great local value, 
and papers and discussions of interest. It is fortunate in 
having in Mr. Geo. B. Sawyer, a most efficient Secretary. 
The Ohio Horticultural Society sends its 10th Annual 
Report. As John A. Warder is President, and M. B. 
Bateham Secretary, it is sure to have much of value. 
The Wisconsin State Horticultural Society's Report for 
1876, and the Winter Meeting of 1877, shows that this is 
in no respect behind older associations in the interest of 
its transactions. A marked feature is the number of 
ladies who take an active part, more than one-third of the 
papers presented at the annual meeting, were by ladies. 
Sewing lUacliincsi—Wilcox and 
Gibbs’. —This machine has been so long in use, that 
the time has gone by when it needs commendation, for in 
its original form it is as well known in families as any 
other machine. It is not too late to call attention to their 
new improvement, which is applied to their “Automatic 
Silent Sewing Machine.” A description of this, together 
with what the makers propose, in view of the general re¬ 
duction of prices by all the sewing machine companies, 
may be learned by sending to the Company (658 Broad¬ 
way) for their circulars, which give full details. 
Cure lor Seal#.—“J. W. D.,” Lewiston 
Co., Texas. Kerosene oil is not a proper or safe cure for 
scab. A better application is Buchan’s Carbolic Sheep 
Dip, or some others, described fully in Stewart’s “ Shep¬ 
herd's Manual, (price $1.50). A cheap and good dipping 
arrangement is described in the same book. Every owner 
of sheep should have this manual, which is an American 
work designed for American shepherds. 
I*j«ralysis in — “W. W. M.,” Green¬ 
wood, Del. Young pigs are not unfrequently troubled 
with paralysis of the hind-quarters, or, as it is called, 
paraplegia. This disease has several causes; disordered 
digestion, nervous weakness, parasitic worms in the fatty 
tissues of the loins, or rheumatic affection, all produce it. 
A good remedy, in either of these cases, is to rub the loins 
with turpentine, and to give a few doses of one ounce of 
linseed oil with one teaspoonful of turpentine in each. 
The Rest Fodder Cutter.—“T. S. C.,” 
Painesville, O. It is difficult to say which is the best. 
There are many good ones, and several of them were re¬ 
cently illustrated in the American Agriculturist. We use 
the Baldwin fodder cutter, made by C. Pierpont & Co., 
New Haven, Ct., and find it every thing that can be desired. 
New May in the Barn.-“ E. D. S.,” 
Spencertown. N. Y. Hay should not be put in the barn 
when wet with dew or water. If there is a little sap left 
in it, it will not matter much, if the barn is well ven¬ 
tilated. All hay and grain, when newly mowed away in 
a barn, undergoes a process of sweating, which is a fer¬ 
mentation of the sap left in it, a consequent heating, and 
evaporation of the moisture. If part of this moisture is 
carried off by means of good ventilation, the mass cools 
down, some of the dampness is absorbed again, and the 
hay or straw is left bright and sweet; otherwise it mil¬ 
dews. A tightly closed barn will cause mildew, because 
the moisture can not escape, and the contents become 
damp, not being able to absorb all the vapor. 100 lbs. of 
“ air-dry ” hay contain 14 lbs. of water; if more is left in 
it, it is damp, and must be injured by mold or mildew. A 
brisk current of air will carry off this excess of dampness; 
therefore we advise that the barn-doors be left open, 
when a brisk dry wind is blowing. 
Some 'Western Cuttle Men.—The busi¬ 
ness of raising sheep and cattle on the great western 
plains, is not only one of agreeable and healthful excite¬ 
ment, but when judiciously managed, is very profitable. 
Many young men from eastern cities are now engaged in 
this adventurous business. Amongst others might be 
mentioned Prof. Clarence King; Charles Motley, a nephew 
of the late J. L. Motley, the historian ; L. C. Briggs, con 
of a Boston merchant; Wilbur Raymond, B. A., who is a 
nephew of the senior publisher of the American Agricul¬ 
turist ; Galusha A. Grow, Jr., and a nephew of Sidney 
Dillon, of the Union Pacific Railroad. All these young 
men are successfully engaged in their business during the 
summer, some of them leaving their herds in the winter, 
to make a visit eastward. There are abundant openings 
in Colorado, Kansas, Wyoming, and other localities, 
for the employment of industry and capital in this way. 
Sheejs in Colorado.—Figures from a 
trustworthy source—the books of the Assessor of El Paso 
Co., Colorado—show that the number of sheep in that 
county have greatly increased since 1872. Thus: 
Number of sheep returned in 1872. 37,009 
“ 1873. 50.000 
“ “ “ 1874 58.000 
“ “ 11 1875 65,000 
“ “ “ 1876 74.000 
“ “ “ 1877. 102,000 
These figures show that the business is successful, not¬ 
withstanding failures of persons who have displayed re¬ 
markable ignorance and stupidity in their management 
of their flocks. Although there is a promising field for 
sheep in Colorado, judgment and common sense are necr 
essary for success in herding and general management. 
Rrsalamas 4bx- lEg'S'S.—“ J. H. J.,” Key- 
port, N. J. The Brahma fowls are not the most desirable 
for eggs alone. There are other breeds that are more 
prolific in that way. But for botli eggs and flesh, and 
their very quiet disposition altogether, they are perhaps 
the best farmers’ fowl. The past three months is the 
moulting season, and hens that are growing their new 
plumage do not lay. If yon want eggs and nothing else, 
you should keep either White or Brown Leghorns. 
To Core Egg- Rating- Mens.—“ E. A. 
G.,” Yostville, Pa., recommends that the shells of all the 
eggs used through the summer, be saved and given to the 
hens in the winter, when they will not care to break 
eggs. I may be worth while to try this method, but we 
have not much confidence in it. Hens may be prevented 
from breaking eggs by cutting off or filing the points of 
their beaks square. This does not prevent them from 
pickingup theirfood, butwhenthe hard points are remov¬ 
ed they can not use their bills for breaking up anything. 
The Cost of Fi-odiiciitg Wisestt.— 
“M. F.,” Belaii', Md. To know precisely the cost of a 
bushel of wheat, is a very simple thing ; nothing more 
being required than to keep an exact account of all labor, 
seed, and fertilizers employed. The proportion of ma¬ 
nure used up by the crop may be a matter of fact or of 
estimate. The following, copied from our farm account 
book, shows precisely what our fall-sown wheat costs • 
up to the present time for one field of six acres, viz.: 
Plowing, 5K days, at $2.00.$11.50 
Harrowing. 14 day. 1.00 
9 bushels Clawson wheat, ©$2.10. 18.90 
Drilling 6 acres, fa) 50 cts. 3.00 
600 lbs. Ville’s Complete Manure. 15.00 
Total. $49.40 
This is very plain and easy to do, and yet not one far¬ 
mer in a thousand keeps any such account. But it is ab¬ 
solutely necessary for the most profitable farming, to 
know what different crops cost. 
To Remove 51 Wart toy Aci«l.—“J. 
F.,” Huntsville, Ala. To succeed in removing a wart by 
acid, the application must be continued until the wart is 
entirely eaten away, and a raw spot is left, This must 
be kept from bleeding by styptic or drying substances, 
such as powdered copperas, sulphate of copper, or a solu¬ 
tion of sugar of lead, until the wound is gradually healed. 
Buckwheat HSrsm for Cows.—“B. & 
W.," New Market Junction, N. H. Buckwheat bran 
when fed to cows, causes an increased flow of milk of a 
poor quality, giving very white butter. Otherwise it is a 
serviceable feed, but not nearly so valuable as wheat bran. 
