1871 .] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
447 
Tiie Northern ff’acific Railroad 
is a national enterprise, and as such is interesting to 
every citizen of our country. As we have before re¬ 
marked, it will open to settlement a rich agricultural re¬ 
gion capable of supporting and employing the entire 
people of three or four of the smaller nations of Europe. 
We are glad to learn that the route is proving more 
favorable even titan was anticipated by the projectors. 
The bonds of the road, paying 7-30 interest (2 cents a day 
on each $100), are convenient, pay a good interest, and 
are a desirable investment. They are in the good hands 
of Messrs. Jay Cooke & Co., whose announcement is 
given on the cover page. 
Plowing- Sod-Land lbs* Corn.— 
“ W. E. H.,” of Clay Co., Mo., has a ten-acre clover-field, 
that has been down five years, and during this time has 
received several liberal dressings of stable manure. He 
intends breaking it up for corn, and asks our opinion as 
to whether it would be best to plow it in the fall and 
again in the spring, or not to break it up till spring ? The 
soil is deep, dark upland. Much would depend on cir¬ 
cumstances, but in our own case, unless the sod was very 
tough and we could break it up very early in the fall, so 
that it would rot before winter set in, we should prefer 
not to break it till just before planting in the spring. 
“ Should it be broken deep or shallow ? We can not tell. 
As it has received such liberal top-dressings of manure, 
shallow plowing, say sis or seven inches, would probably 
give the best corn the first year. 
(Sood Returns from si Small Flock 
of Sheep.—W. H. Rathbonc, of Ct., writes: “ We 
have only 15 sheep, about half of which are grade Cots- 
wold, tlie remainder grade South Downs; only twelve of 
the ewes brought lambs, remaining three were yearlings. 
The twelve ewes brought 17 lambs, which were all sold 
by the middle of July at 10c. per lb.: total weight 1,247 !i 
fl>s., a fraction over 73 lbs. each. One of the sheep was 
killed by dogs, before shearing. From 14 sheared we had 
5a!4 lbs. wool, sold at 55c. per lb., $30.52. Total from 15 
sheep, $155.27, or $10.35 from each sheep. The lambs all 
came in March, with the exception of two, which came 
the last week in February. The sheep are all good mut¬ 
ton. So you see that the capital is not impaired, as the 
sheep are all young.” 
Fanning on tlie West Coast of 
Mexico. —“Constant Header.” Our personal knowl¬ 
edge of the agriculture of tlie western coast of Mexico 
is confined to the northern portion, Sonora and Sinoloa. 
There cultivation without irrigation is impossible ; with 
it all the cereals yield good crops, and sugar-cane and 
many of the tropical fruits may be grown. You could 
probably get statistics of the several States from the 
Mexican Minister. 
Cui-issg- Cats. —“C. W.,” Alleghany, Pa., 
asks how to cure a cat that nearly chokes with worms. 
We never knew of a case of this kind, andean not advise 
from experience. If the cat was ours, we should experi¬ 
ment a little. Take a piece of stout cord and a “ sizable ” 
stone. Tie one end of the cord securely to the stone, and 
the other end around the cat’s neck. Then throw the 
stone into the Alleghany Kiver. 
Transplanting- Blielkoa-y Trees.— 
J. Williamson, Adams Co., Iowa. Hickory trees have such 
strong tap-roots and so few fibrous ones, that it is very 
difficult, to transplant them. The chances of success would 
be greater, if you were to dig down and cut off the tap¬ 
root with a sharp spade, and let the trees remain another 
year before attempting their removal. 
Rolling- I„an«l for Corn sisisl B*«ta- 
loes. —“E. W.,” of Kansas, wishes to know “ifthere 
would be any benefit in rolling potato or corn ground, 
either before or after planting, provided it was free from 
lumps.” Many farmers think the roller, by pressing the 
particles of surface soil more closely together, checks 
evaporation and keeps the soil moist. Where the ground 
is lumpy this is undoubtedly the case, but where it is 
entirely free from lumps, we think, as a rule, there is 
little to be gained by rolling. A thorough harrowing 
will consolidate such soil deeper and better than a roller. 
WSaen to Apply Allies, Time, and 
Guano.—“I. I.,” Pontiac, Mich., asks when to spread 
ashes, lime, and guano. Lime and ashes maybe spread 
in the fall, but guano is best spread early in the spring. 
M®W Mwtcla Oil-Meal ?—Jas. Smith, 
Woodsville, O., wants to know how much oil-meal may 
be fed to fattening beeves, without waste. It is best to 
commence gradually, as this feed is often too laxative at 
first. One quart at a feed, mixed with wheat-shorts, with 
a handful of salt, would be a good way of commencing; 
and the quantity may be increased gradually to four 
quarts, But coarse feed, as straw, with plenty of hay, 
should be fed in abundance, even if roots arc supplied. 
Cattle fed on oil-cake meal should be well littered. 
"What Agricultural IBoolcs to B£ea«l. 
—A young farmer in Wisconsin says ho intends to de¬ 
vote his evenings this winter to reading agricultural 
books, and asks what he shall select. The best works 
on agricultural chemistry are Professor S. W. Johnson’s 
now Crops Grow, and How Crops Feed. They are per¬ 
haps too scientific for ordinary readers, but for the student 
there is nothing equal to them. Bonssinganlt’s Rural 
Economy, though somewhat out of date, is a work that 
every one interested in the application of chemistry to 
the cultivation of the soil and the management of farm 
stock should read and study carefully. Allen’s New 
American Farm Book is the best work on general farm¬ 
ing, while Harris on the Pig is well worth reading, even 
by those not specially interested’ in the snbject. It dis¬ 
cusses principles of great importance to every one engaged 
in raising farm stock. There are many other valnable 
agricultural books, but these will do to commence on. 
Proportion of Lime to Sail*! in 
Mortar.—“I. D. S.,” Sacramento, Cal., asks in what 
proportion lime and sand should be mixed for building- 
mortar. The proper proportions are 3!4 parts sand to 1 
lime. This depends somewhat on the “ fatness ” or 
quality of the lime, and unless the lime is rich, 3 parts of 
sand in measure would be sufficient. In mixing up a 
cubic yard of sand with 9 bushels of lime a cubic yard of 
mortar only will be the resmt, the mortar being less 
bulky than the materials separately. One third the bulk 
of water is sufficient, and too much is injurious. 
Artesian "Wells.— -H. B. Gay, Springfield, 
Mass., asks the cost of sinking an artesian well in Massa¬ 
chusetts. We do not know that there 6liould be any greater 
cost in sinking these wells in that State than in Wiscon¬ 
sin or elsewhere. Near Fond drt Lac, in Wis., there are 
a great number of them, and the cost of sinking through 
ordinary limestone rock is, for depths less than 100 feet, 
about one dollar per foot. Where the rock is shelly and 
“ caves,” or where tubing is necessary, the cost is much 
greater. We have known of oil-wells that cost from 
4 to 10 dollars per foot. So much depends on circum¬ 
stances, that no estimate can be made with certainty. 
S|»i-ain of tlie Back Sinews.— “A. G. 
B.,” Barry Co., Mich., has a colt that is not right in his 
hind foot, nc has difficulty in raising it and acts as 
though he had a springhalt. Without knowing more 
about it, we should say the colt has a sprain. This may 
bo proved by passing the fingers with pressure down the 
sinew, and where the pressure causes the colt to flinch, 
will be the seat of the sprain. Absolute rest, with a 
bandage round the part, kept wet with cold water, will 
be the best treatment; patience will also be required. 
Bffow muck LhikI Is Necessary to 
Etcey a Cow?—Wm. Johnson, Allentown, Pa., 
wishes to keep a cow on half an acre of ground; can he do 
it ?-Yes, if the ground is sufficiently rich and properly 
managed. Half the ground should be in clover, which 
will be ready to cut in June and will last three months; 
one fourth should be put in corn for fodder, in drills two 
feet apart, planted quite thickly in the row (12 grains to 
a foot), and well hoed and weeded; this may be used oc¬ 
casionally to help out the clover, if necessary. The re¬ 
mainder of the ground should be put in turnips, or sugar- 
beets, or partly both, and may yield 200 bushels, which, 
with the stalks left over, will feed the cow through the 
winter and until the clover is ready again. Remember, the 
tops of the beets and turnips will last quite a time, if used 
economically. Keep them in a cellar in a heap, well 
pressed down and covered with boards. 
Bee Notes for December.— By M. Quinby. 
Let the bees have a chance to fly out some of the latest 
warm days, and then as soon as the weather is cold they 
may be housed. It is well understood that strong stocks 
should be selected for wintering. They should be in a 
perfectly dark room, and the temperature kept at all 
times above the freezing point. It takes about fifty 
stocks to generate sufficient heat to make it warm enough, 
in a room fifteen or twenty feet square. Like other ani¬ 
mals they consume less food when kept comfortably 
warm, than when exposed to inclement weather. There 
is an advantage in housing bees in large numbers, as it 
takes less honey to keep up the proper warmth, smaller 
colonies being warmed by their proximity to large ones. 
To get rid of moisture, box hives may and should be 
turned bottom up. In movable combs the honey-board 
may be raised a little for the same purpose. Smaller 
numbers may be kept in a dry cellar. Very strong stocks 
will.winter on the stand out doors, but much better in 
straw than in wood. Straw hives may be entirely closed-, 
except a small opening at bottom, as the moisture will 
pass out, while the warmth is retained. Wooden hives 
will need opening at top to let out moisture, and how¬ 
ever well protected by straw, heat will pass from these 
openings. 
These remarks, of course, do not refer to some modem 
hives, in which the space allotted for boxes in summer 
is used in winter for straw or some other such material 
to keep the bees warm ; such I think the intelligent bee¬ 
keeper will adopt as soon as he comprehends his trap in¬ 
terests. In any case there should he proper ventilation 
and mice be excluded. Now is a good time to study 
bees and their culture. Much that is deeply interesting 
may be found in their habits and physiology. 
Ogden Farm Papers.—No. 23. 
The other day I had an auction. A neighbor 
had been selling off his stock, and I arranged 
to bring over the auctioneer, and such of his 
sparse company as would come, to try their 
bauds on a few native and grade cows that I am 
obliged to get rid of in order to make room for 
my thorough-breds. I put up the choice of a 
half-dozen three-year-old natives. Tlie one se¬ 
lected was a very good Devon-like animal that 
bad cost me, a year ago, $39. She had come in 
in July, was again in calf, and was then giving 
about nine quarts. She commenced at §10, and 
struggled her way slowly up to $32.50, at which 
price she was sold. I adjourned the auction, 
having bought as much “ food for reflection ” 
as I could afford at the price. 
My first reflection was that if I had depended 
on “ the good old kind ”—or native cattle—in 
my operations, I should have found myself, 
now, in a position to have an auction that it 
would not have been in my power to adjourn. 
That discretion would have lain with a gentle¬ 
man of •ur community who, by virtue of his 
office, wears a stove-pipe hat with a cockade on 
it—for the sheriff is a “high ” sheriff with us. 
My next reflection was that farmers are the 
most panicky lot we have. Hay is worth about 
twenty per cent more than it tvas a year ago, 
and someone lias said that the crop is short at 
tlie East, and that the price is going up. So, 
with liay enough in their stacks to winter more 
stock than they have, Eastern farmers want to 
sell out everything they have that can eat hay, 
and to sell them at any price. With butcher’s 
meat retailing at twenty-live cents a pound, we 
are all rushing to sell out for the value of hide 
and tallow—-just as Ohio shepherds sold their 
sheep a few years ago for the price of their 
pelts. I don’t profess to be better than the 
rest, especially as I still have to buy liay, and 
my “natives” must be thrown into tlie pool at 
the best price I can get for them. I also reflected 
that such sacrifices had better be left, as much 
as possible, to people who do not take the 
American Agriculturist , and that I should ad¬ 
vise all readers of these papers to buy thor¬ 
ough-bred stock that can be sold in the face of 
such a market, as I sold Thrift tlie other day, for 
a dozen times the price of my Devonish heifer. 
This reflection was an extremely short-lived 
one. The only reason why thorough-bred stock 
is salable at high prices is because it is scarce; 
and if every one had it, it would cease to bo 
scarce, and would be sold for a song whenever 
such a scare as the present one occurred. 
So the more I reflected the more I became 
convinced that I was dealing with problems 
that were beyond my reach, and that the law 
of supply and demand must work out its re¬ 
sults in its own harsh way, until we know more 
about it than we now do. It must, however, 
be safe to say that the “ ups and downs ” in 
