228 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[August, 
Containing a great variety of Items , including many 
good Hints and Suggestions which we give in small type 
and condensed form for want of space elsewhere. 
State aad County tt'alrs—C&sir Bast. 
—On page 250 will be found a list of all the Stale and 
County fairs of which we have any knowledge. We have 
been very diligent in watching the papers for reports of 
meetings, appointments of fairs, etc., and both in this way 
and through our correspondents we have only learned of 
those there given. May we not appeal lo our readers, es¬ 
pecially to such as are interested in Agricultural Socie¬ 
ties, to furnish us the information at once, by marked pa¬ 
pers, premium lists, or letters, telling the time and place 
of holding any County or State Fair which is not record¬ 
ed in the list ? 
Itoyal Agricultural Show a Pecun¬ 
iary failure—Rain and Crops in England, 
—Mr. Judd writes in a postscript to a letter dated London, 
July 5th, that “the experiment of holding the Great Annu¬ 
al Exhibition of the Royal Agricultural Society, in Lon¬ 
don, at a time when there were so many other attractions, 
proved a failure pecuniarily, though very fine as a show. 
The total receipts amounted to j£ 12,000 ($00,000), but this 
was from $15,000 to $20,000 below the expenses. The 
weather here is still very rainy—it pours down every oth¬ 
er day, and drizzles during parts of the intervening days. 
It would hardly seem possible that the hay crop should be 
gathered in even tolerable condition, or that the wheat 
crop should make any progress. Considerable fears are 
expressed here as to the prospects. We can not rejoice 
at the losses of our friends elsewhere, even though it may 
benefit us; but perhaps Providence may compel jealous 
foreigners to aid us in bearing part of our expenses, by 
compelling them to purchase our grain crops.» 
The Homestead law.— The following 
letter from Speaker Grow, interpreting this law for a 
Kansas subscriber, will explain itself: 
Speaker’s Room, June 20, ’62. 
Dear Sir.—No one person can take, under the Home¬ 
stead Act, over a quarter section, and that he can take 
without any reference to how much land he owns, if he 
occupies and cultivates as required by law. But if he 
lives on less than a quarter section, he can take adjoining, 
provided that (which) he takes with what he has shall not 
exceed a quarter section. Your owning land in Kansas 
does not prevent your settling on and cultivating either 
an adjoining quarter section, or any other elsewhere. 
Yours truly, G. A. Grow. 
Settlements under- tlie Homestead 
Act.— “ J. C.,” “H. W.,” Melrose, will see by referring 
to our last issue that we advise the formation of compa¬ 
nies, say fifty families or more, in making new settlements. 
This plants all the institutions of civilization in the wil¬ 
derness at once. Get up such a company or join one al¬ 
ready formed, if you move at all. 
Tlie Agriculturist and tlic Ladies. 
—“ G. E.,” Pa., says, a wife in his neighborhood threat¬ 
ened to leave her husband, because he talked of dropping 
the Agriculturist. He does not say how far from him that 
wife lived, but we have a right to guess. “ Served him 
right.” What sensible woman could be expected to keep 
house without our hints on household matters, floricul¬ 
ture, and our recipes ? 
Strawberry Exhibition—Explana¬ 
tory Remarks of tlie Committee.— Our last 
number was a little delayed, and we were enabled to in¬ 
sert the Awards made by the Committee of Judges on the 
Strawberry Exhibition, reported upon more fully on pages 
240 and 241, but we had no space for other remarks, 
which we here give. The hints will be of value to Soci¬ 
eties offering prizes for similar exhibitions: 
“The Committee appointed to examine the Strawberries 
exhibited at the office of the American Agriculturist, of¬ 
fer a few explanatory remarks. They have selected the 
Triomphe de Gand, as the best for general cultivation, 
and by this they mean the bestfor market. The best ber¬ 
ry for market is the one which, for the time being, will 
net the greatest profit per acre, under good cultivation. 
This distinction the Committee believe, belongs at pres¬ 
ent to the Triomphe de Gand. But there is another 
prize offered for the best market berry. Now in the Com¬ 
mittee’s view, this prize also belongs to the Triomphe de 
Gand ; but, being requested to do so, they have selected 
another popular kind, the Wilson’s Seedling, but, would 
state that they deem it in quality quite inferior to the 
Triomphe de Gand ; it is, however, large, firm, very pro¬ 
ductive, and sells for a good price. 
“The Committee would suggest, that on future occasions 
the list be headed with a prize for the best berry, quality 
alone to determine. A prize might also be offered for the 
best berry for the garden', and another for the best for the 
field, retaining the excellent feature'of the present list, of 
a prize for the best dish of the leading kinds, which should 
come in, however, before the prizes for collection?, so 
that the judges may select the best, whether in a collec¬ 
tion or not, and avoid the anomaly of giving a first prize 
to a second class dish, as lias happened on the present oc¬ 
casion. The Committee can not close without congrat¬ 
ulating the Proprietor upon the good management and 
entire success of the exhibition, and expressing a hope 
that these exhibitions may be often repeated.” 
Poisoned Sheep. —“M. W.,” East Taunton, 
Mass., says lie has used butter forced down the throat 
with entire success for thirty years. The sheep are prob¬ 
ably poisoned with laurel, though he does not say so. The 
oils are effectual remedies for some kinds of poison. It is 
safer to extirpate the laurel. 
The Hose Slug-.—' Whale oil soap, four lbs. 
to the barrel of water, applied with a syringe, is the best 
remedy we know of. 
Butcher’s Oils*! foi- Hems.— Nothing- 
better to start laying. But it is almost certain to give 
the eggs a bad flavor, which, however, only persons of 
delicate taste will notice. 
Butter from Scalded Cream.—“ J. 
C. R.,” Pittsfield, Ohio, lias tried the method recommend¬ 
ed in a former article with entire success. The method 
is, to put the cream into a dish set in a kettle of hot water. 
Sour Mills and £ B repara4i osa of 
Meal for Calves.—In answer to “ S. T. L.,” Dwight, 
III., we quote from Allen’s book on “ Domestic Animals 
“The milk should not stand more than half a day before 
feeding to young calves. As they advance in age, it may 
be fed rather older, but should never be allowed to be¬ 
come sour ; nor should it ever be fed cold.” Sour milk 
is neither natural nor wholesome for calves. To prepare 
meal for them, scald it, and add a small proportion of 
flax seed. Wheat bran or oat meal, with a little salt, ad¬ 
ded together with fine hay, is good food for calves after 
weaning, if pasturage is short. 
Choked Cattle.—“J. E. W.,” of N. J., says 
“ seize hold of the tongue of the animal and give it two or 
three jerks, harder or lighter according to the age of the 
animal.” Sometimes simply rubbing and squeezing, with 
a firm pressure, the outside, will remove the obstacle. 
Some Bogs. —A farmer’s daughter puts in a 
demurrer against our sweeping condemnation of dogs— 
because her dogs churn. For five years they have done 
the churning in a large dairy, saving a great deal of hard 
labor to the women of the household. Now this is sensi¬ 
ble, and we glory in the dogs that work—and still more 
in the women that know how to get service out of them. 
We have never supposed that the Almighty made a mis¬ 
take in creating dogs. They have their uses like other 
animals. A horse is excellent in the stable, but a poor 
parlor companion. A goat is very,good cropping scrub 
oaks, blackberries, and brier roses, but we should not like 
him in the orchard, under the table, on the sofa, or in bed 
with the children. It is your sleek, useless parlor dogs, 
that we object to. A dog at a churn or grindstone, or 
what is better, under a garbage cart helping his master, 
we glory in. No more useless curs. “Your work, Mr. 
Cur, or your neck,” should be the motto. 
E&a-y May for Cows in Summer.— 
Cows sometimes get a surfeit of grass, especially in wet, 
warm weather, when the grass is succulent and rank. 
This feed distends the bowels uncomfortably. An arm¬ 
ful of dry hay once a day, will serve to absorb some, of 
this moisture, and benefit the cow in several respects. 
Poultry iu Indiana.- 11 C. G. E.” Poultry 
can be sent to the N. 1 T . market in the winter season from 
points near railroads at a profit, if nicely fattened. 
laws of the city and the location of the markets; and in 
whatever has any connection with the sale of human 
food, the book is particularly full and clear. The history 
of public buildings, streets, squares, ferries, of the origin 
of now prominent and wealthy families, of the Revolution¬ 
ary war, and of important Civil and military events as 
successively they had a bearing on the craft, give to the 
work ever-varying interest. We have peruked it with 
very great pleasure and instruction, and find everywhere 
evidence of great discrimination and accuracy. It has 
especial interest to the agriculturist, because not only the 
first introduction of neat cattle and small cattle into New 
Netherlands, is recorded, but changes in the character of 
market stock are noted, as well as record made of the 
most notable animals ; and in a subsequent volume, in 
which histories of the markets of other cities also will be 
given, Mr. DeVoe purposes to discuss the ways in which 
various kinds of meat, and other produce, are brought to 
market, and to describe every article of food sold in the 
public market, the manner of its production and how it is 
prepared for sale. We are impatient for the second vol¬ 
ume. The price of Vol. 1, (large 8vo., 621 pages, and 
beautifully printed) is $2.50. 
Tlie Wheat Aphis.— Last year, at the 
East particularly, the Aphides, or plant lice, were very 
numerous on various kinds of grain, on cherry trees, etc. 
This year, while this continues in a less degree at the 
East, the West has been alarmed over large sections by 
the prevalence of the aphis in the wheat heads to an ex¬ 
traordinary extent. We have received 15 or 20 letters 
containing specimens of wheat heads thus affected. 
Some of the letters contained also other little, rough, 
dark colored insects witli light bands, which we recog¬ 
nize as those devourers of plant lice, commonly called 
tigers. There is little lo fear from the aphides, except 
when in immense numbers, at which times they greatly 
reduce the strength of the plant, and the grain does not 
fill. The damage done is not ordinarily perceived be¬ 
fore thrashing, when the grain will be found lighter. We 
know of no cure, or defense against them. As they in¬ 
crease, their destroyers—lady-bugs, tigers, and certain 
flies also—multiply, and will keep them in check. 
Insects on Gooseberries.—“ J. H. D.,” 
Kansas. The insects described are probably red spiders. 
The Bureau of Agriculture.— Isaac 
Newton, of Pennsylvania, Commissioner, and Richard 
C. McCormick, of New-York, Chief Clerk. This is the 
state of the case. It is our duty to our readers to an 
nounce the fact. We wish to say nothing more on the 
subject at present. 
S®:w : soji Browulow’s Book is a narra¬ 
tive of personal experiences in East Tennessee, during 
the eventful year just past, with much collateral history- 
and exceedingly interesting. 458 pages, 12 mo. Pub¬ 
lished by G. W. Child s, Philadelphia. Price $1.25. 
A Pamphlet on Bee-Keeping', by Mar¬ 
tin Metcalf, contains many valuable hints, some new 
ideas, and elucidates his method, and patent hive. 96 
pages, 12 mo., for sale by Saxton, New-York. 
TIMsease of Watermelon Tines.— 
“ F. C. A.‘” Windham, O. We have no acquaintance 
with the white worm which seems to be the cause of the 
disease. The tow around the vine would be more likely 
to be effective if it were watered with liquid manure every 
day. Bugs seldom get the start of thrifty plants. Possi¬ 
bly a change of spot for planting the melons would reme¬ 
dy the difficulty. 
a*ine Leaves a Mulch lor Strawbei-- 
ries.—“ J. W. H.,” N. H. We have no experience with 
this kind of mulch, but see no objection. Two inches in 
thickness, or even less, will be enough. 
Knssell’s Seedling Strawberry.— 
Mr. George Clapp, of Auburn, N. Y., made a beautiful 
exhibition of this new, large, and finely flavored seedling, 
at the office of the American Agriculturist, on June 28. 
The berries were seen by most of our prominent pomol- 
ogists, and many others, and universally admired. The 
berry is very large, scarlet, of fine flavor, excellent qual¬ 
ity, apt to be hollow cored, said to be very prolific, pis¬ 
tillate. See advertisement. 
— The Market Boole.”— Mr. Thomas F. 
DeVoe, Butcher, in Jefferson Market, and member of the 
N. Y. Historical Society, appears as the author of a histor¬ 
ical work of very great value. The first volume is a his¬ 
tory of the public markets of New-York, with sketch¬ 
es of many of the principal butchers, from the earliest 
time down to some now living. Statements and descrip¬ 
tions are introduced, interspersed with anecdotes,.so that 
one gains a very clear idea of the habits of the people, the 
Triomphe dc Band Strawberry.— 
“ W. S.,” Bordentown, N. J., thinks this the best of thirty 
varieties he has tried. His neighbors are digging up other 
varieties and planting with this;* 
ILycbee Wilts. —A new nut, or fruit, from 
Chinahas recently appeared in our market, called Lychee. 
It is the fruit of the Nephelium litchi, and consists of a 
pulpy fruit surrounding a large hard seed; the whole en- 
