482 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[December, 
Csmiiin;*' Corn.—We stated last month, as 
we have several times before, that we know of no method 
by which green corn could be canned other than in sol¬ 
dered tin cans, and by long boiling, and that the process 
was one that could not be well followed in the family. 
Several have written to show that our view is incorrect, 
and kindly give us the processes which they have found 
successful. By canning fruit and vegetables, we under¬ 
stand putting them in air-tight jars or cans, and securing 
their preservation by exclusion of air. The sugar added 
to fruit is not necessary to its preservation, but to pre¬ 
pare it for use when required for the table. All the pro¬ 
cesses of preserving green corn sent by our correspon¬ 
dents do not come under this definition of canning, but 
the vegetable is preserved either by the use of a large 
quantity of salt, or by the aid of tartaric acid, which 
mast either be removed by soaking, or neutralized by 
the use of soda before the corn can be eaten. We were 
aware of these, and other processes for preserving this 
and other vegetables, but we do not regard these as can¬ 
ning in the proper sense of the word; still, we thank 
those who have written on the subject. 
To <»et Bti<l of Stumps.—“ J. D. 
Meadville, Pa. The plan proposed to destroy stumps, 
viz., by boring a hole 8 inches deep in the center, and 
putting saltpeter into the hole, leaving them during the 
winter, and burning them in the spring, will be found de¬ 
lusive. The saltpeter will not wholly saturate the stumps, 
and thus they will not be sufficiently combustible to 
burn out top and root together. But if several holes 
were bored downwards around the stump, and these 
filled with the saltpeter now, and the stump be left until 
a dry time next summer, tnere would be a greater prob¬ 
ability of the success of the plan. 
A Cli<‘np Windmill.—“ D. H.,”. Chicago. 
A plan for making a cheap windmill was given in the 
American Agriculturist , for May, 1872. But when the 
time taken in making it, and the cost of the materials 
and gearing needed, are figured up, they will be found 
to amount to about as much as a good windmill made by 
any of the respectable manufactures. Now that the 
competition in making machinery has become so active, 
and the methods of manufacture so effective, it is sel¬ 
dom economical to make machines for one’s self. 
A Re|Midintcd Hiirgnin.—“ J. L. M.,” 
Yan Buren, Pa. If two persons sign an agreement in 
duplicate, each keeping a copy, and no witness was pres¬ 
ent at the signing, the agreement is nevertheless bind¬ 
ing, and can be enforced by law. If one of the parties 
denies the agreement and his signature in court, it will 
only be necessary to prove it by some witness who is ac¬ 
quainted with the handwriting. 
Methods of lEstiinating' Weights 
of Cattle at New York. —"F. A. N.,” Jefferson 
City, Mo. The mode of selling cattle at New York is 
both absurd and inconvenient. Animals are sold at so 
much a pound, estimated dressed weight. The dressed 
weight is estimated and agreed upon by buyer and sel¬ 
ler, at so much per 103 pounds. For instance, a beast of 
1,200 pounds is sold at 10J cents per lb. dressed weight, 
estimated at 57 lb. per 100 ; the buyer, therefore, pays 
for 581 pounds of beef at 104 cents per lb., or not 
quite 6 cents per lb., live weight. The system in vogue 
in Chicago and St. Louis, viz., selling by actual live 
weight on the scales, is far preferable. 
Swelling of the Bidder.—“ J. N.,” 
Potts, Ya. Swelling of the udder, or mammitis , or gar¬ 
get, is sometimes caused by rheumatism, and is not al¬ 
ways an immediate effect of inflammation, caused by 
parturition. It sometimes results from cold taken by 
the cow lying in a wet field, or upon cold, damp 
ground. It is always accompanied by fever, or by a 
chill, during which the animal shivers and trembles. 
The proper treatment consists of removing the fever by 
a dose of salts, and afterwasds giving saltpeter (nitrate 
of potash) in half-ounce doses, twice in one day. If 
there is a chill, the animal should be well rubbed with 
woolen cloths, made hot, and then wrapped in some hot 
blankets. A brisk purgative should be given, and the 
udder fomented with hot water for two or three hours. 
The milk should be drawn by a milk tube, and to facil¬ 
itate this, a weak solution of soda should be injected by 
means of a syringe. 
When to Use Ashes.—“ W. E. T.,” Alle¬ 
gan Co., Mich. It would not be advisable to use ashes 
now on land to be planted with spring crops. Ashes are 
rapidly effective, and should be sown broadcast on the 
harrowed ground, just before the crop, whether corn or 
potatoes, is planted. 
ginnse for Tons of Dee.—“C. M„” 
Randolph, N. Y. An ice-house to supply 100 tons should 
be able to hold a mass of ice 25 feet square, and 12 feet 
high. This would be about 7,500 cubic feet, equal to 150 
tons ; but allowance must be made for waste, even in 
the best constructed houses. The principle on which 
ice-houses are made was fully described in the November 
American Agriculturist. This is the same for large or 
small houses. A large house will need to be made 
stronger throughout than a small one. 
A Farm Mill.—“ J. C. B.,” Charleston, 
Ill. The Big Giant feed and meal mill, made by J. A. 
Field & Co., of St. Louis, Mo., is worked by one, two, 
or four horses, according to the size. The two-horse 
mill grinds 10 to 20 bushels of ears per hour, or an 
equivalent of shelled corn. Shelled corn can be ground 
fine enough for family use, and, if desired, the whole 
ear, corn-cob and husk, can be ground together into 
meal fine enough for feed. This mill is worked directly 
by a lever, is made of steel, and is self-sharpening. 
Snrffeit.—“ J. H. B.,” Barnstable, Co., Mass. 
When a horse has been worked hard, and by some rea¬ 
son, perhaps, a chill when warm, or by drinking cold 
water, the perspiration is stopped, the skin becomes 
congested, and often appears covered with small swel¬ 
lings or lumps. This is known as surfeit. It may gen¬ 
erally be relieved by a purgative—for example, a pint of 
linseed oil, followed by a diuretic, as half an ounce of 
saltpeter, given twice daily, for a few days. 
Valme of* Marl.— 1 “ G. W. H.,” Newburg, 
N. Y. The value of marl differs slightly, according to 
its chemical character. Generally, it is nearly pure car¬ 
bonate of lime, mixed with some silica. It is then worth 
very little, not more than 50 cents a load, as a fertilizer. 
When there is some phosphoric acid in it, it may be 
worth a dollar a load. Occasionally, there is one or two 
per cent of phosphoric acid contained in the shell marls. 
The green-sand marl of New Jersey is quite different in 
its composition and value from the ordinary shell marls. 
Shipment of Meat from Aus¬ 
tralia.— We learn from the Sydney papers that the an¬ 
ticipated shipment of meat in refrigerators, from Aus¬ 
tralia to England, will hardly take place. After very 
costly preparation, and a delay of over two months wait¬ 
ing for alterations in the defective machinery, the vessel 
sailed without the meat, and the experiment is put off 
until its return. 
Time Required for Ilomesiciul- 
ing.—“O. P.,” Monroe Co., N. Y. Five years resi¬ 
dence is required to secure 89 acres of government land, 
uncier the Homestead act. The cost of survey, and fees 
to be paid, amount to $14. Land that we know of may 
be taken under this act in Reno Co., Kansas, not far 
from the town of Hutchinson, and, doubtless, in other 
localities that we do not now know of. 
Pipe for Water.—“ R. F. W.,” Chester 
Co., Pa. There would be no difficulty in running water 
100 feet with 6 feet fall through a one-inch pipe, or even 
a 4-inch pipe. The tin-lined iron pipe, made by the 
Nason Manufacturing Company, Beekman Street, N. Y., 
is to be preferred before lead pipe. 
To llnng ii Ti-!iiisp»re«»cy.—“Sub¬ 
scriber,’’ in reference to the transparency figured last 
month, on page 482, asks how to at ach the ring by 
which to hang it. A small piece of tape is put through 
the ring, and an end of the bit of tape, pasted or gummed 
to each side of the glass before the edging is put on. 
Keeping Sweet Potatoes for Seed. 
E. Hall, Athens, III., who is largely engaged in raising 
sweet potato plants or sets, sends us his method of pre¬ 
serving the potatoes during winters when the mercury 
often reaches 20° and 30° below zero. A cellar, or house 
above ground is used, as most convenient, which has 
double walls filled in with sawdust or similar material. 
The bins are made as large as the room will allow, leav¬ 
ing a space of one foot all around the walls. The bins 
are made air-tight , or lined with paper, and set, without 
bottom, directly upon the ground. All air currents are 
excluded, as these would so dry the potatoes as to pre¬ 
vent them from growing. The potatoes are stored in 
the bins the same day they are dug, in a layer six feet 
deep, for all except the “Bermuda Red,” which heats so 
much in the sweating stage, as to be injured if placed 
over three and-a-half feet deep. The sweating stage 
lasts for three or four weeks, great quantities of water 
being evaporated, and the house should be well aired if 
the weather is dry and warm ; if not, a fire should be 
kept burning in the stove or furnace. Sprouting com¬ 
mences at this time, but the rapid shrinking of the po. 
tato soon arrests it. When the sweating is over, the 
bins are covered on top, leaving holes for ventilation, 
and frequent examination is made to see that no reten¬ 
tion of evaporation causes heating and decay. A bin of 
potatoes six feet deep, will settle 14 inches during the 
winter, and this shrinking is all the loss we ei pect; 
though a few may rot at the sides and top, the mass will 
be sound from the bottom up. The temperature is n' t 
allowed to go below 50°, and it often reaches 70° or 80°. 
Bee Notes for December. 
BY L. C. ROOT, MOHAWK, N. Y. 
Bees during the present month should be left undis¬ 
turbed. Those placed in winter quarters in-doors must 
be kept perfectly dark and quiet. The temperature must 
be kept as near as possible to 45 degrees . An event of 
much interest to apiarians was the 
National Bee-keepers Convention, 
which was held in New York City, on Oct. 16th, 17th, 
and 18th last; the attendance at the meetings, which 
took place in the Cooper Institute building, was large, 
and the exhibition of honey, etc., at the Fair of the 
American Institute very fine,and indicated great improve¬ 
ment in the methods of placing honey on the market. 
Officers anti next Meeting. 
The Convention adjourned to meet in New York on 
the third Tuesday of Oct., 1878. The officers-elect for 
the ensuing year are: President , J. H. Nellis, of Canajo- 
harie, N. Y.; Secretary , T. G. Newman, Chicago, Ill.; 
Treasurer , A. J. King, New York City. 
Tlie Views of (lie Convention, 
as to the present condition of bee-culture, and the 
causes which have led to the great improvement already 
manifest, were set forth in a paper prepared by the Rev. 
J. W. Shearer, of which the following is an abstract: 
1. Movable Comb Hives.— The invention of these has 
placed bee-keeping on the basis of a successful business 
pursuit. Such hives, adapted to climate, furnish every 
facility for intelligent management of bees by regulating 
swarming, guarding against moths, and manipulating 
both bees and comb. 
2. The Honey Extractor.— The invention of this, 
which empties the honey from the combs by centrifugal 
force, without injury to the combs, which may be re¬ 
turned to the bees, marks another great step. Thus vir¬ 
gin honey, free from foreign admixture, is obtained. 
3. Artificial Comb Foundation.— This, made of pure 
wax, was first successfully used to a large extent this 
season. Bees receive this artificial comb foundation 
with readiness as receptacles both for honey and brood. 
4. Italian Bees and Queens.— The introduction of 
Italians, and improved modes of rearing queens, and in¬ 
troducing them to colonics, has greatly improved the 
value of the honey gatherers, because of the superiority 
of the Italian bee and the introduction of new blood. 
5. Avoidance of the Stings.— Danger from stings is 
now largely overcome by the simple appliances used for 
the protection of the person and for subduing the bees, 
nearly removing one great obstacle to bee-culture. 
6. To Consumers of Honey.— Nice white comb is 
generally admired, but many can not afford the price. It 
is no better than extracted honey. All comb is wax, 
which ii perfectly indigestible. Extracted honey is the 
pure liquid honey as it is taken from the combs by the 
extractor. It is entirely different from what is known as 
strained honey. Consumers desire ungranulated honey, 
and dealers will attempt to supply the demand Almost 
all pure honey will granulate when exposed for some 
time to light and cold. Much of the jar honey recom¬ 
mended not to granulate, is a very inferior article, com¬ 
posed largely of glucose or some inferior substance. 
Granulated honey can be reduced to its liquid state in a 
few moments by placing the jar in warm water, and 
remain liquified for some time before again crystalizing. 
7. To Producers of Honey.— By full use of improve¬ 
ments in bee-keeping, the honey crop of America may 
be indefinitely increased and become a great source of 
national revenue. None need fear over-production. The 
home demand and consumption is largely increased 
whenever people learn to know the superiority of such 
honey. Dealers in New York have already commenced 
a large export trade, and they tell us that their only dif¬ 
ficulty is in procuring honey in proper shape and quan¬ 
tity to supply the growing demand. Trade demands that 
they be put up in nice, attractive packages and in small 
parcels or jars, so as to be readily handled by grocers and 
consumers We believe thatimprovements in bee-keep¬ 
ing, as compared with old methods, are not less than 
those seen in railroads and steamboats as compared with 
former modes of travel. 
[The above are the essential points presented in this 
statement of facts, though much abbreviated on account 
of our crowded columns, Ed,] 
