326 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[November, 
ISii-t Sucking - a Cow.— A writer in the 
London Field relates, that on visiting his cow shed he 
found a newly-calved cow quietly lying down chewing 
her cud, and a huge rat lying at full length between her 
legs sucking vigorously at one of her teats. He had pre¬ 
viously noticed that the cow gave less milk than she should 
have done so soon after calving. 
Apples for Mileli Cows. —C. D. Wal¬ 
ters, Essex Co., N. J. Sound apples judiciously fed to 
cows will not lessen, but rather increase the flow of milk. 
They afford an excellent change of diet. Feed them at 
the rate of five to eight quarts night and morning. 
Slaeep 5>isease Isa Mieliig-a.il.— Charles 
Goodrich, of Ionia Co., writes that a tr oublesome disease 
has broken out among sheep there. “Lumps appear on 
the throat, generally one on each side ; these gradually 
enlarge and close the gullet and windpipe to which they 
are attached, choking the sheep to death. What is the 
cause and remedy ?” 
Small S'ox in Slaeep.—Recent English 
agricultural journals give accounts of the ravages of 
small pox among sheep. It is believed to have been in¬ 
troduced by a flock imported from Holland, and has 
proved disastrous to many flocks. Precautions are being 
taken by inoculation, etc., to prevent its further spread. 
To Cure BOclting Morses.—“ J. R.,” 
in tlie Rural New-Yorker, recommends the. following 
plan : “ Let the horse stand between two partitions. 
Bore a two inch hole in each, on a horizontal line, about 
one and-a-half inches above the horse’s hips; take a round 
stick long enough to reach across the stall, and place it 
in the holes, and put a pin in each end of the stick so that 
it can not fail out. The horse may try to kick, but will 
not be able, as the stick will prevent the necessary ele¬ 
vation of his hind Quarters, and after a few attempts, he 
will give it up.” This may answer temporarily for an 
already spoiled horse: better never teach a horse to kick. 
Martingals for Morses.—C. B. Wells, 
Cayuga Co., N. Y. Properly broken horses will never 
need a martingal. It is used to keep the horse’s head in 
good position, which can be done with the reins if the 
horse has been rightly trained. It ma,v be of service to 
control a horse which has learned the vice of rearing, 
but ordinarily it imposes an unnecessary and painful re¬ 
straint upon the freedom of motion of the animal. 
Wlaut is BSingl»one ?— Young Farmer, 
Sullivan Co,, N. Y. Ringbone in the horse is an unnat¬ 
ural bony growth forming a Circular excrescence upon 
the coronet, or part of the hoof immediately above the 
junction of the hair and hoof. It results from a strain, 
usually while horses are young, and causes one of the 
worst and most incurable forms of lameness. 
SlkunSisrs versus Mats.— J. J. H. Gregory 
writes to the New-England Farmer, that he has voted the 
freedom of his farm to skunks, in return for the service 
they have rendered in freeing his premises from rats. 
The latter vermin had taken up their quarters under the 
barn, but when a skunk presented himself, they gave a 
wide berth to their unsavory neighbor, and totally disap¬ 
peared. Mr. G. thinks skunks attack poultry only when 
they can get nothing else, and that their principal food is 
beetles and other large insects. 
Are Coal Ashes Worthless?— “John.” 
No Sir; neither are they of great value. Still they are 
worth saving. Their fertilizing power will vary, of 
couise, according to the kind of coal used, and the 
amount of woody substances employed in lighting the 
fires. A chemist, who analyzed several specimens of 
ashes taken from an ordinary grate, states that “they 
consist almost entirely of the various earths, a small por¬ 
tion of charcoal, and the saline matters, of .which the 
sulphate of lime (gypsum), and lime constitute about one 
quarter.” Turning from science to experience, we find 
that such ashes make an excellent dressing for grass 
land, and in some conditionsof the soil,give a fine growth 
of turnips. We have found them useful as a mulch 
about the roots of fruit trees. Of their utility for walks 
md roads—the ashes to be covered lightly with gravel 
-we have often spoken in the American Agriculturist. 
Wheat, B8.ye, Oats, and Com in 
Wisconsin—Large Yield of Wheat.-Wm. H. 
Baker, of Racine Co., Wis., writes to the American Ag¬ 
riculturist, Oct. 8: Winter wheat has done finely. As an 
instance, Nathan Burnham, near Racine, sowed 4 bush¬ 
els of bearded wheat on about 4 acres of clayish soil, 
well tilled, but nothing more, and measured up 158 bush¬ 
els, besides some not screened, making over 40 bushels 
per acre. Farmers are sowing winter wheat very large¬ 
ly this Autumn.—Rye and oats have done better than the 
average. Corn is happily disappointing all, and turning 
out well. I have over an acre of sorghum looking finely; 
no frosts to disturb it as yet. 
Wheat Thrasliing oat Well.— Charles 
Goodiich, of Ionia County, Mich., writes to the American 
Agriculturist: “ — I find that upon thrashing, wheat turns 
out beyond all calculation. In this county it is the best 
of many years. I do not know of a field grown on well 
cultivated summer fallow, that has not yielded 25 bushels 
to the acre, while 30, 40, and even 45 tjfshels are by no 
means unc^pmon. I must boast a little for our county, 
by telling that one field of six acres yielded over 52 bush¬ 
els per acre. I had 400 bushels myself on ten acres. 
Corn well filled ; early potatoes poor, late promise well.” 
lYew Mice Fields.— The high price of this 
commodity resulting from non-intercourse with the States 
whence the chief supply has usually been drawn, is 
stimulating experiments in new localities. The Califor¬ 
nia Farmer urges cultivators to introduce it upon the 
lands along the streams, millions of acres of which are 
now lying waste on account of the annual floods. Messrs. 
Judd & Wilder have just sent to San Francisco an extra¬ 
ordinary crop raised in the Sandwich Islands. An area 
of 15 acres and 802 feet was cultivated, which turned out 
89,200 lbs., or 5,935% lbs. per acre. This, at 6 cents per 
lb., gives an income of over $350 per acre. 
Contract to Rai^eOnions ©Ifered.— 
Wm. J. Spence, who claims to be on some of the ostra¬ 
cized “ barren or waste lands of Long Island,” has tried 
his hand at onion raising for two years, and is well pleased 
with the result so far as amount and quality of the crop 
is concerned; his only difficulty has been in marketing or 
keeping them. He says that if any one will contract to 
take nice red, or white silver-skinned onions, delivered 
at the Railroad in Autumn, at 50 cents per bushel, lie will 
bind himself to furnish 1000 bushels or more, raised on the 
said lands, and consider the contract a very good one. 
Agricnltiu-al Inventions in One 
Year.—In the official list of “ Agricultural Inventions or 
Discoveries for the year 1861,” and a war year at that, we 
count 25 bee-hives, 51 cultivators, 26 churns, 70 harvesting 
implements, 26 corn planters, 41 plows, 45 seeding ma¬ 
chines, 19 thrashing machines, and several other farm 
and garden implements in smaller numbers. 
Size of Cistern and Kind of Pump. 
—H. Schepper, Owen Co., Ind. Eight feet deep and 
eight feet in diameter in the clear, is a good size for a 
family cistern. This will hold over 3,000 gallons, or 95 
barrels—enough for ordinary use. When exposed to 
freezing, a chain pump is preferable. A Douglass or 
other iron pump is convenient in the kitchen, or where 
otherwise protected from frost. 
Cisterns and Wells — Convenient 
way to Examine tliein,—It is probably not known 
by most persons, that the bottom of a cistern or deep well 
even, may be thoroughly inspected for filth, or lost arti¬ 
cles, by using a common mirror (looking-glass). When 
the sun shines, hold the mirror so that the light will be 
reflected in a bright spot at the bottom of the water, and a 
pin can be seen at a depth of 10 to 20 feet or more. We 
have in this manner seen fishes at the bottom of thirty to 
forty feet of clear water. If the sun be hid by intervening 
objects, use two or more mirrors to bend the light by 
double or triple reflections to the desired point. We have 
thus thrown the light coming into the dining room win¬ 
dow, by one mirror through the door into the kitchen, by 
another to a corner of the latter room, and by a third 
mirror cast it down into a cistern sufficiently strong to see 
a small angle worm at the bottom.— Amer. Agriculturist. 
©i*apes and ©rape Wine.— Samples 
from H. H. Brown, Washington Co., Pa. The wine with 
1 lb. sugar to 1 gallon of juice is too acid to be palatable; 
that with 3 lbs. sugar to the gallon is a mild, pleasant 
drink. The fruit and wine were exhibited at the Fruit 
Growers’ Meeting, and those who examined them unani¬ 
mously pronounced the grapes Isabellas. 
©rape and Fruit Mumbugs.—' The 
present Autumn is developing an amount of rascality in 
fruit trees and vines, that is almost incredible. The fa¬ 
vorable season has produced fruit on nearly every tree, 
shrub, bush and vine. Almost daily gentlemen bring 
to the office of the American Agriculturist speci¬ 
mens of poor fox grapes grown on vines which they 
bought at high prices a few years ago, supposing they 
were getting the best standard sorts. They have lost 
their money, and time, and patience.—We pity them, but 
they have themselves to blame somewhat, and for this 
reason ; Most of these vines, if not ail of them, were pur¬ 
chased, not of regular nurserymen, those who have a 
reputation to sustain, but of temporary peddlers and deal 
ers who annually open a shop on Broadway, or a stall in 
the markets, or hawk around the country trash labeled 
with any name the purchaser may chance to call for. 
This applies to fruit trees, flowering plants, etc., as well 
as to grapes. When the truth becomes known a year or 
two afterwards, the rascals are non-come-at-ibus .—'There 
are more left of the same sort. 
Seedless ©rapes. —S. Gaylord, of Litch¬ 
field Co., Conn., sends specimens of wild grapes of small 
size, reddish color, which he thinks will prove valuable 
for cooking, as they are destitute of seeds. They are in¬ 
deed seedless, but it is probable that the hard pulp ami 
the poorer flavor will weigh against the absence of seed. 
They may answer for sauce, but, as a grape, can not be 
compared with the standard sorts, such as Hartford Pro¬ 
lific, Concord, Diana, Delaware, etc. 
©rape Blight Prevented l>y Bones 
and Boots.— F. A. Denny, Macoupin Co., Ill., writes 
to the Agriculturist that he kept the blight, (mildew?) 
from his Isabella vines, while those of his neighbors 
were ruined, by digging trenches and filling them with 
old bones, shoes, rags, etc., which he gathered at little 
cost. Probably the drainage afforded by the trenches had 
most to do with the health of the vines, though the 
bones and rags furnished good fertilizing materials. 
Bleeding ©rape Vines.— A. C. Eaton, of 
Huron Co.,0., writes to the Agriculturist: “Burn wound¬ 
ed parts with a red-hot iron; or, first put on shoemaker’s 
wax, then use the hot iron. This drives the melted wax 
into the open pores and stops the out-flow of sap.” 
“ Vineland Lands.” —To a number of in¬ 
quirers. We have not yet been to “ Vineland,” and can 
give no reliable information about the lands in question, 
until we can get time to go and see for ourselves. The 
reports are that a large tract of land in New-Jersey, 
southeast of Philadelphia, has long been owned in Eng¬ 
land, and that it is now offered on sale in small plots or 
farms. Of the quality of the land, the title, etc., we can 
as yet say nothing from actual knowledge. Of course, any 
one thinking of investing, or fixing a home there, will first 
uihke personal observation, and thorough investigation. 
Peaeli ’Frees in Pots.— This method of 
growing dwarfed trees is coming into favor with ama¬ 
teurs. Though it would hardly pay to raise such peaches 
for ordinary marketing, they present such a handsome 
appearance, when in bearing, as to be a fine ornament in 
the green-house. A beautiful specimen of the Catherine 
Peach grown in this way, by James Wiggins, gardenei 
for Jas. Brown, Esq., Weehawken, N. J., is now on ex¬ 
hibition at the Office of the American Agriculturist. It is 
3 feet high, the limbs spreading about 16 inches each way 
from the center. It yielded 19 well ripened peaches, part 
of which still remain on the tree. It is growing in a 
13-inch pot, and is apparently as thrifty as any of its tall¬ 
er relatives standing in the open field. 
Aames of Trees.— 11 John.” The scientific 
name of the common cork-bark elm is ulmus fulva. 
That of the pitch pine is pinus rigida. Both are indige¬ 
nous in this State. 
Synonyms of Apples, Fears, etc.— 
F. T. R., Ottawa Co., Ohio. You will find most of the 
various names by which certain varieties of fruit are 
known in different localities, given in Downing’s late 
work “ Fruits and Fruit Trees of America,”—a most ex¬ 
cellent book of 760 pages, with illustrations of all the 
leading varieties of apples, pears, etc. (Price $1.75.) 
Sweet-Sour Apples.— Since the reference 
to these on page 229 (August Agriculturist), we have had 
several letters from parties growing them. N. G. Abbot, 
Warren Co., Pa., says he has apples which are plainly 
Talman Sweetings on one side, and R. I. Greenings on 
the other. He offers no explanations of the anomaly.—M. 
A. Barker, of Wyoming Co., N. Y., says apples with one 
side sweet and the other side sour, are obtained by split¬ 
ting a sweet and a sour cion, carefully tying them togeth¬ 
er and inserting at the grafting season. Even a bud on 
each must be split, and the two united just in the outer 
edge of the cleft, and be well covered with wax. This 
has been stated before, but so far as we can learn, no one 
is able to produce the “half and half” apples at pleasure. 
They appear to be a lusus natural, a sport of nature, not 
to be produced by human art with any certainty. 
Seedling' Apple.— From J. A. Lewis, 
Windham Co., Conn. Resembles Porter in size, form 
and color, of whiter flesh, moderately juicy, mild sub 
acid flavor, and apparently worthy of dissemination. 
