I860.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST 
158 
undertone : “ Dear me ! the viciousest looking women 
lever saw in my life ! What were they put in here for ?” 
<i Tney are here,” he replied, “ because I am here ; they 
are my wife and daughters, madam But madam was 
traveling out as fast as possible. 
i©-' 
Into which are thrown all sorts of paragraphs—such as 
Notes and Replies to Couhespondents, with Useful or 
interesting Extracts from their Letters , — 1° be drawn 
from as we have room left here. 
Personal Queries, —In addition to what was said 
last month, it is proper to state, that the time of the Edi¬ 
tors, in one sense, belongs to the great mass of their read¬ 
ers, and can not be justly devoted to questions which 
concern only the asker. Here arc examples. One man 
has found on his farm some shining ore (probably worth¬ 
less sulphide of iron) and he sends us samples and wants 
to know if it contain silver or gold. To answer positive¬ 
ly, would require at least some hours of chemical investi¬ 
gation, and perhaps an analysis costing $5 to $10, to say 
nothing of postage on a return letter not provided for. 
A hundred others describe their several fields, and ask 
how each shall be cultivated to the most profit—to answer 
which, would require in every case a careful study and 
investigation of all the circumstances of location, markets, 
available manures, previous culture, etc. Let our friends 
remember that time is money ; that to write a letter or 
even read one, costs time ; that individual subscriptions 
do not average a dime profit each; that we now expend in 
editorial labor alone over $5,COO a year—or more than the 
entire income of many journals. We will be just as pa¬ 
tient and just as accommodating as we can ; will contin¬ 
ue lo answer individual questions even, as often as we 
can—in short, do all we can to meet the wishes of all our 
readers—attending to questions of general interest first, 
and to those of individual interest afterwards, but there 
must be a limit. “ Some things can be done as well as 
others ’’—and some can’t. 
Those Bam Plans, which were called for, have 
come in quite freely. Forty-seven plans were sent to our 
caro. The plan that comes most nearly to what is desired, 
will be selected, and a correspondence opened with the 
sender, who will be entitled to the premium. Wehave ex¬ 
amined several of the plans which seem to be worthy of 
notice, and perhaps illustration; and after the selection is 
made, if there be no objections, we shall be glad to ex¬ 
amine them all at leisure, and make such gleanings from 
them as may appear to be useful, and we may have time 
and room for, during the year. 
Don’t Nickname—to Exchanges.—A num¬ 
ber of our exchange papers which transfer articles from 
the American Agriculturist , give credit by adding the 
abbreviated words, Am. Ag. This is no doubt quite 
complimentary, as it presupposes every body knows this 
pnper and will recognize the initials. We never did like 
nick-names however, particularly such outlandish sound¬ 
ing ones as the above. Moreover, there may be yet a few 
who have not seen this paper, and for their benefit, as 
well as for the reason above, we respectfully ask our 
friendly cotemporaries, who find articles worth copying, 
to use the t vhole name. 
Massachusetts White Grape.—J. Leonard, 
Saratoga Co., N. Y., and others. We have not tried this 
grape, which has been so highly lauded in the advertise¬ 
ments of a Cape Cod nurseryman, and it is not neces¬ 
sary to look after it, after reading the following in 
the Annual Report of the Massachusetts Horticultural 
Society: “.The woods of Massachusetts abound 
with grapes of similar quality.... It has all the strongly 
marked characteristics of the Wild Fox or Bullitt grape, 
and is utterly unfit for cultivation.” 
Raisins' Grapes from Sect!.—E. Ferguson, 
Monroe Co., N. Y., in alluding to the article under the 
above head, in the Feb. Agriculturist, page 51, says he 
has been raising seedling grapes for the last ten years, and 
has produced thousands of plants, but during all this time 
has only succeeded in getting one really good grape, and 
that the remark in that article “ that 99 out of each 100 
seedlings would not be worth raising,” was not even 
strong enough. We do not mention this to deter those 
who are engaged in the praiseworthy effort of adding to 
ou" stock of American seedling grapes, but to show to the 
novice what a laborious operation it is to produce a really 
fine grape. 
Situation for a Vineyard.—J. C.Oaks, Perry 
Co., Mo. A side hill is preferable for the vine, unless it 
slopes towards the north. The inquiries of yourself and 
others as to sorts, are answered in former numbers. 
Root Grafting - .— E. Fobes, Penobscot Co., Me 
We are opposed to root grafting in all cases. Some nur¬ 
serymen still advocate it, as the operation can be per¬ 
formed during the Winter, upon trees taken up in the 
Fall. If practiced at all, only entire roots of small trees 
should be used, instead of bits of roots, at one time recom¬ 
mended. Our objections are that transplanting a tree af¬ 
ter it has just been grafted, so enfeebles its growth that 
only a w eak shoot is thrown up the first season, and an¬ 
other year is required to form a good stocky trunk. It is 
always better to have a trunk formed by a single season’s 
growth. The next year will give it a good head. Nur¬ 
serymen practice root grafting much less now than for¬ 
merly. 
Grafting the Hickory.—F. Meissner, Lee Co., 
Iowa ; S. Smith and others. The thick shelled, or “ pig 
walnuts,” may be improved by grafting the shag-bark or 
thin shelled variety upon them, either in the branches or 
upon the stocks of young trees. The English walnut. 
(Madeira nut,) can also be grafted upon the hickory. Wo 
question whether it would do well upon the black walnut. 
To Prevent Forked Trees splitting.—J. 
T. Moxley, Sheboygan Co., Wis., recommends to twist 
or wind together a few of the smaller limbs above the 
fork, which will growin that position as the tree increases 
in size, and form a natural brace. He states that he has 
many trees successfully treated in this manner. We 
have prevented forked trees inclined to split, and even se¬ 
cured those that had already commenced to part, by bor¬ 
ing through with an inch auger and driving in a strong 
wooden pin. A smaller iron bolt, with a head on one 
end and a nut on the other end is even better. The new 
growth will soon cover the pin or bolt. 
Downer’s Prolific Strawberry. —F. W. 
Adee, Queens Co , N. Y. Plants of this wonderful ber¬ 
ry, “ larger than the largest, better than the best, more 
prolific than the greatest bearers,” we hear, are now being 
sent out at $5 per dozen. Whether the $10,000 are se¬ 
cured, Mr. Downer does not inform us, but those who 
will send him $5 are no longer to be without a berry 
which combines all the good qualities of its predecessors, 
and which leaves nothing to be desired. But seriously, 
we advise you to wait one season longer, and you will 
probably find enough at a price sufficiently low to pay for 
the loss and disappointment of being without them for a 
year. We question its superiority over some of our well 
proved and popular varieties. 
May Queen Strawberry.— S. S. Thompson, 
Salem Co., N. J., thinks this strawberry is not sufficient¬ 
ly known, as he does not find it in the books. He describes 
it as a solid, pale red berry, early and prolific. This is 
about the character given it in the few books or catalogues 
which mention it. It is called a good market berry, al¬ 
though rather acid to rank as No. 1 for the table. 
lldiailIhus Tnberosus- (Jerusalem Arti¬ 
choke.) W., Franklin Co., Mo. This South American 
plant is cultivated to some extent both for the table and 
for stock. It is not considered as good as the potato for 
cattle or hog3, but will yield more per acre. Most seed 
dealers can furnish the tubers for planting. 
A California Carrot Crop.— M. G. Tucker of 
Crescent City, California, sends an account of his last 
year’s carrot crop on the Klamath Indian Reserve. Six 
acres of light sandy loam were sown in drills 18 inches 
apart, the seed being put in thickly, and the plants after¬ 
wards thinned out. The yield appeared so large that the 
product of one acre was carefully weighed, the tops being 
cut off close before the weighing. The result was 101,600 
pounds, or nearly fifty one tons to the acre! Many of the 
carrots measured 30 inches in length, and weighed as high 
as 11 lbs. each. We do not remember to have seen so 
large a yield reported elsewhere. Mr. T. writes that the 
Indians are very fond of carrots. 
Esparsclte or Sanfoin.— M. Braun, Dallas Co., 
Iowa. The Sanfoin (Hedysarum onobrychis) does not 
flourish as well in this country as in Germany. It has 
been tried in the Northern States with indifferent suc¬ 
cess, not being sufficiently hardy to withstand the Win¬ 
ter. At the South it will probably do better, but we think 
lucerne would be preferable in your climate. 
Toss of Voting' Queen Rees.—J. Butler, 
Jackson Co., Mich., writes that he has observed young 
queens in his hive from 10 to 14 days after the issue of the 
first swarm, but that 10 days later, the slock would be 
queenless. He asks for information “ What was their 
fate 1” 
To Destroy Cut Worms. — E. Armantrout, Clin 
ton Co., Ind., writes, that the cut worm can be effcctu 
ally destroyed, by making two or three holes ir. the 
ground near a plant, from five to eight inches deep with 
a sharp pointed stick of an inch or more in diameter, into 
which the worms will crawl after committing their dep 
redations, never again to return. (Why not 1— Ed.) 
To kill Cabbage Tice, etc.— Michael Schott, 
Col. Co., Mo., recommends to sprinkle Cabbage plants 
infested with lice or other insects, with a strong tea made 
from elder leaves. He says, it has proved efficacious in 
his own practice. Perhaps it might be serviceable in 
other cases. 
Anthracite Coal for Peach Borers.— Jno 
Ruddell, Carbon Co., Pa., writes that he has found fine 
Anthracite coal a preventive of destruction by the peach 
borer. He removes the earth from the trunk of the tree, 
down to where the roots spread, cuts out any worms found, 
and places about a peck of fine unburned coal in contacl 
with the roots and trunk of each tree. 
Antidote for Ants.— S. P. Shaples, Chester Co., 
Pa. Take a large sponge and sprinkle it with powdered 
sugar, letting it sift well down into the pores. Set this 
where the ants abound. They will soon swarm upon tho 
bait; then soak the sponge in hot water, and sweeten 
them again. Continue this treatment until they are mis¬ 
sing. 
Lynching Rats.— E. L. Watts, La Salle Co , I.I., 
regommends catching a few straggling rats, dipping them 
in gas tar, and setting them free. He says the others will 
leave. [Like Mrs. Glass’ recipe for cooking the hare. 
She begins : “ First catch your hare, etc.” Those strag¬ 
gling rats are not so easily caught —Ed] 
Using Muck—Ashes— Lime.—N. A. Smith of 
Franklin Co., Mass., writes: “ We use a large amount of 
muck composted with stable manure and in the yards, and 
with great benefit. It operates finely also when compost¬ 
ed with ashes, but these cost us 22 to 25 cents per bushel. 
Is there not some cheaper alkali than ashes at these 
prices?”_Ashes are best, because the very soluble al¬ 
kali, potash, is readily diffused throughout the muck-heap. 
There is vastly more alkali in a bushel of lime freshly 
slaked than in the small percentage of potash in a bushel 
of ashes, but it is not so soluble. Still, it is probable that 
unslaked lime at a dollar or less per bbl. is cheaper than 
ashes at 20 cts. per bushel, provided the lime be slaked 
just before using, and be thoroughly mixed through the 
heap. The excess of carbonic acid from the decomposing 
muck, renders the lime somewhat soluble 
More Laying Hens.—A subscriber at North 
Shore, Staten Island, the doings of whose poultry were 
given at page 37 of last volume, gives us the following re¬ 
port for 1859: Eggs laid by 30 hens in January, 238 ; in 
Feb. 336 ; in March 478 ; in April 406; in May 334 ; in 
June 311 : in July 306: in Aug. 308 ; in Sept. 257 ; in Oct. 
137 ; in Nov. 145 ; in Dec. 365—Total for the year 3621, or 
an average of 120 to each hen. (That is certainly eggs- 
cellent.) In January, 1860, 46 hens laid 421 eggs, and they 
were doing still better in February. In the above case the 
secrets of Subscriber’s success in Winter consisted of: 
warm house; ample yard room ; plenty of grain ; meat 
scraps ; kitchen refuse ; chopped cabbages ; pounded 
bones or oyster shells ; and clean water. 
Blackbirds not Useful .—Newton Southworth, 
of Scott Co., Minn., in allusion tothe plea that blackbirds 
do more good than harm, by destroying insects, says that 
these birds are so numerous there, as to destroy their corn 
crops when ripening. His own corn was half carried off 
in two days. “You may kill them with strychnine by the 
thousand, but ten thousand will come to the funeral, and 
take a lunch while there. Put 50 men on two acres with 
guns, and let them blaze away, and the impudent birds 
will sit and eat within ten feet of each man, and almost 
tell you to load and fire until you are satisfied—they wont 
miss from their number all you can kill”.... Under such 
circumstances, we should withdraw our plea for the birds 
—but this is an exception to a general rule. 
Sugar-Cane Mills—Lost Seeds.—Dr. D. P. of 
Arkansas, and two or three others will probably get the 
specific information they desire by addressing John H. 
Lidgerwood & Co, 195 Pearl-st., New-York, or Hedges 
& Free, Cincinnati, Ohio — The seeds for Dr. P. which 
were broken open and abstracted, we have sent again, 
and will be happy to do the same in other similar cases, 
when we have the seeds still on hand. 
Sheet Lead, for Roof ing.—John Day, Ozaukee 
Co., Wis. We are not familiar with this; tin (tinned 
iron) is much cheaper here than lead. Lead may perhaps 
be cheaper with you, but we think not. You can readily 
estimate the comparative cost per square foot, after as¬ 
certaining the relative price of the two articles in your 
locality. Lead sheets can readily be joined by locking 
and then solder with the aid of sal-ammoniac, or a solu- 
