AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST 
[August, 
milk should stand only 12 hours, and sometimes it. will 
take 36 hours for the cream all to rise. If the salt is 
well worked in, four or live hours is as good as all night 
for the collection of the brine. In working the butter 
over the second time, you may be fast or slow, according 
to the temperature. In cool weather speed is of no ad¬ 
vantage. “ Wiping ” or “ sopping ” the butter with a clamp 
cloth is a good way to get the moisture out. Never let 
sour milk stand (unnecessarily) in any dairy vessel, and 
never let any thing stand in a wooden churn—except sun¬ 
shine and fresh air. 
Saintly Uplln.ji.dLs las 3s.W. — 
Can they be farmed profitably? asks E. Y. T., Richmond, 
Indiana.-We have no doubt of it. Within sixty miles 
of Chicago, on direct railroad, the proprietors of such 
lands, who live by hunting and fishing, do it from choice, 
not from necessity. Such lands will, when cleared, grow 
excellent clover, and that is the key to all other crops. 
Around Chicago there is a great amount of such land, 
and occasionally one sees a good farm with flourishing 
surroundings in the midst of it. The adage, “There is 
more in the man than there is in the land,” will apply 
here with force. If that land, unpromising as it now 
looks to the traveler passing through it, is managed well, 
its favorable locality will help it amazingly. Sweet po¬ 
tatoes, round potatoes, rye, clover, corn, and the dairy 
should be specialties. And we do not doubt that lime 
could be procured there cheap enough to give a dressing 
once in five years. Such lands in other localities flourish 
abundantly, but not without proper management and 
manure 
IPniiiy and I s :a in a .—However much these 
two articles may be used to hide deficiencies and cover 
up faults by dishonest tradesmen, in the farmer’s hands 
they may be made to do excellent service. Possibly the 
wagon, plows, and harrows that have been in active em¬ 
ployment during the summer, have had their seams or 
cracks opened by the sun’s beat. Now is the time to 
stop those cracks or seams with putty and a touch of 
paint, before the fall rains soak in and commence to rot 
the wood. Repeated swelling and shrinking do serious 
injury to all wooden implements, and now, while they are 
well shrunk, is the time to look after them and prevent 
the swelling which will occur if damp or wet is allowed 
to penetrate. Porks, shovels, axes, and all tools with 
wooden handles, should be rubbed with linseed oil while 
dry. They will have their elasticity preserved, and their 
durability and appearance improved thereby. 
Cnr« of Sfarness. —During- the busy sea¬ 
son harness is often neglected, and for want of cleaning 
becomes coated with dust, which causes it to dry and be¬ 
come cracked. It is then on the road to ruin. To save 
it, it should be taken apart, every buckle should be un¬ 
loosed, and it should be thoroughly cleansed with warm 
water and soap. If a thorough sponging does not free it 
from the glutinous coating derived from former greasings 
with improper materials, a weak lye of wood-ashes, or a 
solution of borax or soda, may be used, until the old 
grease is all removed. Then wipe the surface, and while 
the harness is still damp, coat it with sweet-oil until no 
more is absorbed. The oil will displace the water, thor¬ 
oughly penetrating the substance of the leather. It will 
thus be kept pliable. Harness should not be oiled when 
it is dusty or unclean; always wash it previously, as above 
directed. For fine harness an excellent dressing is made 
with S oz. beeswax melted, into which is stirred 2 ©z. 
ivory black, 1 oz. Prussian blue, ground in oil, 1 oz. oil 
of turpentine, and )4 oz. of copal varnish. This is made 
into balls. It should be applied with a stiff brush and 
the harness polished with a soft cloth. No hair or dirt 
will stick to this, and if expense is no object, werking 
harness may be made to look well with a coat of it. 
CSanrg-et nn«l BSiSlea- Cream. —“ L. T. 
W.,” Minn., has some cows which give stringy milk from 
one teat, which she calls dry garget. Also has occasion¬ 
ally a pan of milk in which the cream is bitter, and asks 
for remedies. Cows often sutler from inflamed udder 
when they come in, and if the calf is not allowed to suck 
or it is not reduced by other means, it results in “ caked 
bag,” or garget. Tumors often occur in consequence, 
which remain for a considerable period, and from time to 
time discharge their contents with the milk in the shape 
of a thick, glutinous matter. The remedy is to cause the 
substance of the tumor to be absorbed by the use of 
iodine applied to the udder, assisted by friction. The 
common iodine ointment of the druggist may be used, 
rubbed in around the diseased teat with gentle pressure. 
In such cases the milk from that teat should not be used. 
The bitter cream may arise from weeds eaten by the cow. 
or an abnormal state of the liver resulting in an excess of 
bile; or, what is most probable, the pan may not have 
been perfectly cleaned from sour milk, and the milk and 
cream may have soured prematurely ; without knowing 
more than the bare fact communicated, it is impossible 
to give either a definite cause or remedy. 
Cias-ing' Corn Shoulder. — Mr. A. O. 
Bayley, Derby, Vt., says: “We fully agree with Mr. 
Foster (Agriculturist for May) about the value of fodder- 
corn, especially as a milk-producing feed, either in a 
green or dry state, notwithstanding Dr. George B. Loring 
pronounces it to be the ‘ meanest feed that can be given 
a cow.’ We would, however, for winter use, cut and cure 
it before it has attained its full growth; when in blossom 
is probably the best time. Green-cut corn-fodder is as 
much superior to that which is ripe as early cut hay is to 
that which has matured its seed. Our practice has been 
to sow in drills, and of late years not more than ten or 
twelve kernels to the foot. I find from experience that 
cattle will cat fodder grown from this rate of seeding 
with better relish than the small and unnatural growth 
obtained from heavy seeding. I do not think that 
corn grown at the rate of thirty or forty plants to the 
foot contains so large amount of sweet and nutritious 
juices, in proportion to its weight, as that grown from 
thin seeding. The principal difficulty lies in the curing ; 
a corn-stalk as green as I cut it is so limber it is next to 
impossible to make a stock stand that is small enough to 
cure well—it will tumble down when there does not seem 
to be the slightest occasion for it. Last year we tried 
several expedients, and at last hit upon a plan that 
worked with complete success : two crotched stakes were 
driven into the ground at a convenient distance apart; a 
pole was laid crosswise three feet from the ground ; 
small bundles were placed on each side of this support, 
and bound together two and two, one on each side of the 
pole. There was some work in this, but it was the best 
of some half-dozen different arrangements. This was 
nicely cured, and made excellent winter feed, cattle eat¬ 
ing it as readily as the best of hay. If we had let the 
corn stand until ripe wo should not have had so much 
difficulty about making the stocks stand.” 
tion to my mind is how a common herd of plantation 
cattle are to be taught to walk up and be haltered of an 
afternoon. As the sole object in stabling them is to save 
the manure under shelter, I should much prefer dispens¬ 
ing with the halters, if there was any way to prevent their 
hooking one another under a reasonable-sized shelter. 
Dairymen, I suppose, have constantly to train new cows 
to ‘ come up to the rack,’ and possibly I may get a hint 
from their experience. I can’t agree with your esteemed 
contributor, ‘Walks and Talks,’ about making manure in 
an uncovered lot, and want to improve on our common 
plan of penning cattle; but as mild as our winters are 
and common as the cattle are, more for the sake of the 
manure than of the cattle.” 
1. For cows of ordinary size, 3 feet is a sufficient width 
to allow to each. 2. It is quite as well to have no parti¬ 
tions at all, only the posts to which the animals are fast¬ 
ened ; these will separate them sufficiently. 3. In fasten¬ 
ing to posts the chain has only length enough to go 
around the cow’s neck—loosely—carrying a large ring that 
plays up and down on the post. 4. The chains are made 
for the purpose. They are not expensive. 5. If an iron 
rod is used in the place of the post, it should come to 
within about a foot of the ground. As the cow stands 
up to the rack, in a natural position, the post (say 3 inch.- j 
es in diameter, and of strong wood) should be close to 
the left side of her neck — a little back of the head.' 
Each post carries its chain by a large ring or clamp that ‘ 
plays easily up and down upon it. The chain has sever- 
al rings at one end (to regulate the length) and a cross¬ 
piece at the other. The tying is a very simple matter, ’ 
especially if a nail be driven, a little out of the cow’s 
reach, on which to hang the ring end of the chain so that 
it can be reached without stooping. 
Cattle will soon learn to come to their stalls for any 
regular reward — either meal, bran, salt, or hay—and they! 
should be fed at once on coming in. The only way to get | 
on without tying would be to put the cattle in stanchions-, j 
which for the case in question would answer very well., t 
S011II& Carolina IPSiospiUate. — I. H. 
Satterthwait, of Aiken, S. C., writes: “You know of the 
extensive deposits of petrified bones of animals in the 
neighborhood of Charleston, S. C. These bones, when 
ground and made soluble, are excellent manure for our 
lands, but the price is so high when manipulated, that we 
farmers can not afford to buy it. Neither can we afford 
to farm these poor lands without manure. Consequently, 
we should know how to manipulate for ourselves, and I 
appeal to you for the desired information, hoping I am 
not asking too much. We can purchase the ground bone 
at the factory for from $12 to $15 per ton. When made 
soluble with an equal weight of sulphuric acid, they 
charge $40 per ton. Can we not add the acid ourselves? 
and will it pay ? ”-We have no doubt you could buy the 
ground bone and the sulphuric acid and make the soluble 
manure on your farm somewhat more cheaply than you 
could buy it, but the saving would not, probably, be so 
great as you imagine, though it would be worth while 
if the quantity needed -were enough to cover the outlay 
for the necessary fixtures. The profit will depend on the 
cost of the materials and the labor required. If 
a ton of ground bone costs $15, and a ton of 
acid costs (including the use of carboys, freight, and 
handling) $50, the two tons would cost (for material) $65, 
leaving a margin of $7.50 per ton, to cover the cost of 
manipulation. What the material actually would cost, 
we do not know. It would be worth something to know • 
you have the genuine article, but we do not hear that the 
manufacturers of South Carolina superphosphates are 
making undue profits by their business, and we would 
recommend farmers to figure carefully before they com¬ 
mence making their own superphosphate. Nothing can 
bo more true than our correspondent’s remark that it will 
not pay to farm any poor lands without manure. 
——-»-<-—<o «— - ■ ► «■- 
Plantation Cows. 
We have received the following letter from an esteemed 
correspondent in South Carolina: 
“ I would like to get some information about stabling 
cows, which I do not find in the agricultural books within 
my reach, and would be glad of instruction on the follow¬ 
ing points: 
“ 1. When fastened with baiter, how many feet of front 
is allowed each animal ? 2. IIow much of a partition is 
there between the different cows ? I can not recollect 
whether those I have seen fastened were secured with a 
collar around the neck, or whether the chain was around 
the horns. 3. In either case, how long should the halter- 
chain be ? 4. Are common trace-chains used, or chains 
made especially for the purpose? The halter-chain I 
believe works with a ring upon an iron rod, giving the 
cow’s head more play up and down. 5. IIow high from 
the ground should this rod be ? The most puzzling ques. 
Bee Notes for August.—-Tty M. Quinby.. 
The moth will continue or increase its depredations,, 
and the price of exemption, for weak colonies, is per-; 
petual vigilance. Continue to place sweetened water 
and vinegar about the hives at night. Any diseased 
stocks that have been neglected, may be driven out now. 
What they do will be good for another year, if not avail¬ 
able this. Where buckwheat is abundant, strong colo¬ 
nies, in good seasons, will store a plenty of surplus, and 
boxes should be given them with reference to it. Boxes 
of clover-honey should bo removed early this month,, 
even if not quite full, as a little of that from buckwheat 
ou the outside materially affects the price. Weak stocks 
will sometimes fill a box half full, more or less, and if 
honey fails somewhat, they will remove every particle of 
it to the combs below, while strong swarms may be 
gradually filling boxes. Watch such closely, and take off 
t he boxes if necessary. As the honey in such boxes is free 
from bee-bread, it is nice for the table even if unsealed, 
and the supply of honey being limited at this time, it 
might not be safe to risk putting the boxes on another 
hive for filling. Swarms which come this month are 
worth but little, and the bees are needed in the old 
stocks. Should any swarm now issue, and should there 
be a queenless colony in the apiary, divide the swarm, 
give half the bees with the queen to the queenless one, and 
return the rest to the hive whence they issued. If not 
needed in this way, take away the queen and put the bees 
back in the old hive. They will not be likely to come out 
again so late in the season. Should a streak of white, pow¬ 
der-like substance be seen on the surface of the combs of 
box-honey that has been kept through the hot weather, it 
is a sign that a web will soon appear, and that a worm is 
there, though he does not appear. Put the honey-box in 
a close box, and smoke with brimstone, but not so 
strong as to discolor the combs. In rearing Italians, 
where they are surrounded by natives, it is difficult to 
keep them pure, as the queen will sometimes meet the 
drone three miles away. To obviate this, it is well to 
keep drones as late as October, at which time natives are 
destroyed. To do this, select now a colony of the best. 
Take away the queen, and eight days afterwards destroy 
all the queen cells. In such a case drones are not de¬ 
stroyed, unless destitute of stores. You may increase the 
number by introducing t wo or three drone-combs con¬ 
taining sealed brood. The same hive can be used to 
winter a colony if it has plenty of honey. The 
bees from some light colony may be introduced 
in November or December. Allow me to repeat 
here, that persons wishing to make the most of their 
bees must discard the box-hive, and educate themselves 
to use movable combs in some form. Study the subject. 
And I would strongly advise the use of the mel-ex- 
trnctor. It is proved that two or three pounds of ex¬ 
tracted honey can be got where one can be obtained in a 
