AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST 
17 
1876.1 
A Miter-box of an improved form, is shown at 
figure 6. The greatly increased use of moldings in 
house building, renders a miter-box very necessary 
in the work-shop. In the one here described, a 
bevel of any angle may be cut. At the rear of the 
box is a slotted post, which works in a socket, 60 
than to expect to procure every year 3,000 cattle, 
worth the cost of importing, out of their small do¬ 
main. The truth is, not one-tenth of this number 
is imported yearly, and if we consider the fact that 
we can show better Jerseys of American breeding, 
than any that have been imported of late, we shall 
hereafter import less, if we do not in time export 
cattle to Jersey to improve the original stock. 
Tig. 8.—GIMLETS. 
Fig. 7.—IMPROVED MITER-BOX 
that it will turn readily in any direction. From 
the post, lines are laid out upon the bottom at 
various angles. At the termination of each line is 
a round hole, into which a pin may be fitted. The 
pin is used as a guide 
for the saw in cutting 
a miter-joint, as shown 
in the illustration refer¬ 
red to. A very excel¬ 
lent, neat, and complete 
miter-box is shown at 
fig. 7. This is patented, 
but is sold at a very low 
price by the manufac¬ 
turers. It has a frame 
made of a single cast¬ 
ing, and therefore al¬ 
ways true, in which are two sets of guides. The 
position of the forward guide is adjusted by a 
scale, to any angle, as shown in the 
engraving. Any ordinary saw, or even 
a hack-saw, may he used with this box. 
A Strong Gimlet, which is not liable to 
lose its handle by splitting, may be made 
by taking a common one, removing the 
wooden handle, and welding to the shank 
a straight cross-bar, or a loop, as shown at 
fig. 8. Augers may he treated in the 
same manner, and much improved for use. 
Importation of Jersey Cattle. —The 
Royal Jersey Agricultural Society has dis¬ 
covered a veritable “mare’s nest,” and 
have been seriously disconcerted thereby. 
A foolish statement made by one of the 
newspapers, which represent themselves 
as agricultural journals, to the effect that 
3,000 Jersey cattle were annually imported 
into the United States, was brought to 
their knowledge. Without knowing how 
little that is published in such journals is 
to be depended upon, the R. J. A. S. held 
a meeting for the purpose of informing the 
“ Minister of Agriculture ” of the United 
States, how great a fraud was being per¬ 
petrated upon American breeders. We have 
for some time known that the breeders of 
the Island of Jersey have not entertained a 
very high opinion of the business capacity 
of some of the American purcharers of their cat¬ 
tle, but we should have supposed that they would 
at least have given them credit for knowing more 
Cheaper Wages. —In the arrangement for next 
year’s work now in ofder, farmers should insist 
upon'cheaper labor. While almost every commod¬ 
ity used in the family has fallen back to ante-war 
prices, there has been very little reduction in the 
price of farm labor. This result of high wages has 
been, that a great many farmers have not only re¬ 
duced the number of their help, but have dis¬ 
missed them altogether, and cultivate only so much 
land as they can take care of 
themselves. One cause of 
this high price of help on the 
farm in the New England 
States at least, has been the 
demand for labor in factories. 
There has been a reduction of 
wages in the factories now, 
and among mechanics, and it 
is time we had cheaper labor 
on the farm. Statistics show 
that our farms are not sup¬ 
plying the increasing de¬ 
mands of our cities aucl large 
towns. With cheaper labor 
we can do this. Many of the 
tramps were once industrious 
workers, and can still be made useful. We want to 
see the farms once more worked up to their fullest 
capacities, and the production sufficiently increased 
to meet the demands of the home markets. 
Screen for Dairy Windows. 
A dairy should, if possible, be lighted by a win¬ 
dow with a north aspect. Bright sunlight upon 
the milk pans is injurious to the color of the but¬ 
ter, as is also perfect darkness. A subdued diffus¬ 
ed light is preferable. Besides, the temperature 
of the dairy is rapidly increased by the sun’s rays 
in the summer time, and the quality of the butter 
w r ill be damaged by their admission. But some¬ 
times it is impossible to so place the dairy that a 
north window can be secured, then a window- 
screen should be used. Two yards of yard-wide 
ends should be hemmed over a strong cord, leaving 
a loop or ring at each end of the cord. A hook is 
fixed at each upper comer of the window frame, 
upon which the loop or rings may be fastened by 
means of a light pole, with a short wire crotch or 
fork at the top. On 
each side of the window 
sill a screw eye should 
be fastened, to which 
the bottom of the 
screen may be tied by 
the ends of the cord. 
Or if it is thought pre¬ 
ferable to have the 
screen not tied closely, 
but held away from the 
window a few inches 
for the admission of 
air, a short strong wire 
or wooden rod may be 
fixed to each lower %v IND0W -shade. 
corner of the screen, which may be hooked 
into the screw eyes in the sill. A light stretcher 
of wood should be fitted across the lower part 
of the screen, to keep it extended, as shown 
in the illustration. Window screens of this kind 
will be found very desirable for the kitchen or din¬ 
ing room, as they will admit a plenty of light and 
air, and permit an outlook. Although there will not 
be any present use for these screens, they can he 
made now while there is leisure for such work, lest 
when the necessity for them arrives, they may not be 
on hand, and no time can be spared to prepare them. 
To Steady Portable Mills. 
Newton Reed, of Dutchess Co., N. Y., sends a 
description and sketch 
of a contrivance for 
steadying portable 
mills, which he has used 
for several years. It is 
an iron rod of suitable 
j size, about a foot long, 
fastened by iron brack¬ 
ets to the leg, or post 
of the mill. Three or 
four inches of the rod 
is a screw, and fits one 
of the brackets through 
which it runs,and can be 
turned up or down. The 
lower end of the rod is. pointed, and the upper end 
squared, that it may be turned with a wrench. The 
leg of mill. 
extricating a mired cow.— (Seepage 10.) 
“Atlantic A,” or “ Bepperell R,” brown sheeting, 
costing about 11 or 12 cents a yard, will make a 
screen for a window of more than usual size. The 
rod is fastened firmly to the side of the post, (one 
on each of the forward posts), and turned down so 
that the point shall enter the floor sufficiently to 
