3 4 = 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[January, 
October. Beef is 4.J4 cents per pound for bind-quarters. 
The farming of tlie natives is of the poorest description. 
Stock are allowed to run in the woods ail the winter, and 
when snow falls, some trees are cut down, upon which 
the cows browse, eating the twigs and small branches. 
The principal crops are potatoes, corn, and buckwheat, 
of which enough to eat is gathered, and the rest is left 
for the hogs and cows. No hay is cut, although grass is 
plentiful. Land is very cheap, and the soil so excellent, 
that a few good northern farmers would soon give the lo¬ 
cality a high reputation. 
Valase of” Sli neks.”— “C.” Corn-shucks, 
or husks, are not of much value for feed. “Not worth 
shucks ” is a common adage expressive of the popular 
estimate of their worthlessness. Nevertheless, cattle 
turned upon corn-stubbles, will pick up all the husks 
with no little eagerness. 
To Keduce a Sow’s Coiiditioaa.— 
“D. S. G.,” Linn Co., Kansas. Nothing more is neces¬ 
sary to reduce a sow that is too fat, into good breeding 
condition, than to turn her into a field where she may 
pick her living, and withhold corn from her; or feed only 
an ear or two daily. A sow must be very fat to fail to breed. 
A Manure Cart. —“R. A. J.,” Troy Cen¬ 
ter, Wis. Under favorable circumstances it would cer¬ 
tainly pay to spread liquid manure over some crops. 
The crops to be thus grown, should necessarily be more 
valuable ones, and those of low growth. Meadows after 
having been mowed, might be fertilized with liquid ma¬ 
nure more easily and evenly than to ton-dress them with 
solid manure, and if there were facilities for saving all 
the liquids of the stable and yards, and diluting them 
with water, they might be spread upon grass, young corn, 
or root crops, with profit. The cost of spreading is gen¬ 
erally about 25 cents an acre. Ten acres a day can be 
watered with a cart having an S-feet spreader, if the dis¬ 
tance is not too great from the cistern. 
Crooked Geography.— The Revue Hor- 
ticole says that the Agave Considerauti, about the proper 
name of which there is some discussion, “is indigenous 
to the cold iparts of New Mexico, (of Texas), where it is 
found * * * between Monterey and Saltillo.” This 
locality is not within a thousand miles of the nearest 
point of New Mexico, and some 200 miles from any part 
of Texas, being in Mexico proper. 
A Highly Honored Tree.— We get 
as much amusement in reading the advertisements in the 
English horticultural journals, as we do instruction from 
their editorial pages. One nurseryman, who has a new 
variegated evergreen, instead of telling us of its peculiar 
merits, gives the prices of specimens, and says, in con¬ 
spicuous type, “They have been planted by the following 
Royal and Noble Hands.” This is followed by a list, not 
of “ hands,” but of persons supposed to own those useful 
members, comprising 50 or more names, beginning with 
H.R.H., the Prince of Wales, and nicely graded down to 
common “ Sirs.” It is very likely that this advertiser 
knows that such stuff will pay—but it looks very funny 
to us. 
Pekin Clicks.—The rapidity with which 
these ducks have become popular, is something remark¬ 
able. Their quiet disposition, rapid growth, and large 
Size, are much in their favor; besides this they are very 
ernamental, as maybe seen by those who visit Central 
Park, New York, where there are some fine specimens, 
contributed by Mr. James E. Sisson, of Westerly, R. I. 
Notice to “ Tlae Garden,” (London). 
—This journal, in quoting an item about that best of 
squashes, the “ Butman,” speaks of it as a “ Squash 
Gourd.” No, Sir, our squashes are not gourds any more 
than our blackberries are “brambles,” our sweet pota¬ 
toes “ Yams,” (as you had it the other day), or Sequoias 
“ Wellingtonias,” and if you don’t stop calling things 
“out of their names,” and cease speaking of the squash 
as a “ gourd,” we shall feel obliged to call the attention 
of President Grant to the matter. Recollect that we are 
near the Centennial birthday—and there are some things 
we just won’t stand. British Garden, beware! The 
Great American Potato Beetle has its eye on you. 
Tlie Texas Cattle Tide.—“ J. Y. H.,” 
Montgomery Co., Pa. There is no remedy for the Texas 
cattle tick, but to keep Texan or western cattle out of 
the pastures. The tick does not convey or cause the 
disease, it is contact with the Texan cattle in the pastures 
by which it is communicated. Avery simple means of 
prevention is to keep the western cattle completely 
isolated, and not to allow any native cattle to go into the 
field with them, nor to approach the fence of a field in 
which they are or have been this season. If there is any 
risk of contagion, the suspected cattle should have their 
mouths and noses and their whole hides rubbed over 
with a sponge moistened with a solution of one ounce of 
fluid carbolic acid in a gallon of water; half an ounce of 
sulphite of soda should also be given daily for a week or 
ten days after they have been exposed to infection. 
Tomato Leaves and !®l»Mt=]Lii«e.— 
Every one who trains and prunes his tomato plants, 
knows that his hands become covered with an adhesive, 
yellowish, strong smelling excretion of the leaves. A 
French horticulturist, M. Sisroy, discovered, by accident, 
that this strong smelling exudation is poisonous to 
aphides, and that water in which tomato leaves had been 
macerated, was quite as effective in destroying plant lice, 
as tobacco water. Stick a pin here—and try it next summer. 
Hrsiisiisig- with Oyster Shells.—“W. 
W.,” Richmond Co., Ya. Drains might be filled with 
oyster shells, as well as with gravel or stones. We have 
never heard of their being thus used, but can see no rea¬ 
son why temporary drains could not be made in that way. 
The only defect would be that, the flow of water being 
interrupted and not steady, all the silt or sand that would 
necessarily be carried into the drains, would be deposit¬ 
ed, and would gradually fill them, or stop them. But this 
result might not happen for many years. It might be 
well to try the experiment in a small way at first. 
Plow.—“W. L. H.,” Eliza¬ 
bethtown, Ky. There are no special advantages possessed 
by a left-hand plow. It is a matter of fancy altogether 
that leads some people to prefer them. 
Hecorticated Coflton Seed. — “F.,” 
Henrico Co., Ya. Unfortunately the manufacturers of our 
native oil-cakes of cotton-seed, linseed, and peanuts, do 
not seem to care for the home market, which, if encour¬ 
aged, or even met half way, might in time be very valu¬ 
able. Cotton-seed oil-cake is very rarely to be procured 
in any of our large cities, as it is shipped to England, 
where it meets with a ready sale. Peanut oil-cake is also 
shipped abroad for sale, where it goes under the name of 
earth-nut cake. The value of decorticated or hulled cot¬ 
ton-seed cake is from $30 to $40 a ton. 
Asilsie of Cotton Seed.—“ C. N. F.” 
Cotton seed is a valuable fertilizer. Its ash contains 30 
per cent of phosphoric acid, and 30 per cent of potash, 
the ash being 3 per cent of the fresh seed. The fresh 
seed contains 25 per cent of nitrogenous matter, equal to 
about 4 per cent of ammonia. In use upon a crop of sugar 
in Louisiana, $15 worth of cotton seed has been known to 
increase the crop 2,000 pounds upon an acre. The usual 
cost of cotton seed is from 10 to 20 cents per bushel. 
Effects of JPautijikiBi Seeds.— “C. W. 
D.” When pumpkins are fed to milk cows, they should 
be split open and the seeds removed. The seeds arc 
diuretic in their effect, acting strongly upon the kidneys, 
and therefore reduce the quantity of milk. It is worth 
the trouble to remove the seeds whenever pumpkins arc 
fed to stock, as anything that irritates the kidneys, or 
excites them to action unnecessarily, tends to weaken 
those organs. The seeds are of no value to the cows, 
medicinally, as either saltpeter or sweet spirits of niter, 
is a much better and more certain diuretic to administer 
when one is needed. 
I>eej» and Shallow Set fling- ofMilk. 
—In a recent test made by Mr. L. Hardin, of Louisville, 
Kentucky, at a dairy in Chatauqua Co., N. Y., to which 
he went for the express puipose, the difference in the 
amount of butter made from the same quantity of milk 
set in deep and shallow pans was as follows, viz: one 
pound of butter was made from 21.53 pounds of milk set 
in shallow pans, and one pound was made from 21.51 
pounds of milk set in deep cans. 1S5 pounds of milk 
taken from 15 cows at the evening’s milking were used. 
The advantage equal to 2 pounds only in over 2,000 was 
on the side of the deep cans. 
C3o:its for Colorado.— “F. W. R.,” Grif¬ 
fin Co., C. T. The only goats whose fleece or skin is in 
demand, is the Angora goat, sometimes improperly called 
the Cashmere goat. It is doubtful if these goats would 
be found, at present, so profitable as sheep. The preva¬ 
lent idea that they never suffer from diseases, or by dogs 
or wolves, is unfounded. They are no hardier than the 
Merino sheep, and are unable to protect themselves. 
Neither will they live or thrive without suitable pasture, 
although they will eat much rough vegetation. They are 
nowhere kept in large flocks that we know of, except yj 
parts of California, especially on some of the islands off 
the coast. 
To Keep Milk Sweet.—“D.’D. L.,” 
Central City, Colorado. A tea-spoonful of common bi¬ 
carbonate of soda, such as is used for baking, dissolved 
in water and stirred into a pailful of milk, will prevent 
it from souring for several days. 
Hook obi Poultry.— “ C. L. S.,” Bucks- 
port, Me. Lewis’ poultry book, price $1.50, and WrigliHs 
“Practical Poultry Keeper,” price $2.00, are both useful 
works. It is difficult to say which of the two is to be 
preferred. Having both of them, one will possess about 
all the information necessary for a poultry keeper. 
Much new matter may be found in the last two volumes 
of the Amei'ican Agi'iculturist. 
Wimdg-alls.—“ W. S. C.,” Wilkesbarre, Fa. 
An injury to, or an inflammation of; the tendons of the 
hind legs of a horse, will cause an excessive secretion of 
the synovial fluid, which gathers at the part affected, and 
forms soft swellings. These are known as windgalls. 
When they are on the hock, they are called bog spavins. 
They can not be permanently removed. Blistering may 
remove them temporarily. 
I-ioaig- Island EsirmiBig-.— “I. B.,” Say- 
ville, L. I. It is usual with inexperienced persons to 
make very much too sanguine estimates of the profit of 
farming. As a rule, one may be sure that if this business 
could be made to pay 100 per cent yearly on the money 
invested, with no labor but supervision, every man would 
be a farmer in a short time. The truth is that the profits 
of farming, when most successful, are equal to legal in¬ 
terest on the capital employed, and less pay for the skill 
and labor expended than in any other successful busi¬ 
ness. But it is a safe and independent business, and 
one’s capital is securely invested, and this is the chief 
attraction in it. An imaginary farm is a true “ Spanish 
Castle ” in nearly every instance. 
The Mole Plow. — “W. W.,” Milton 
Wharf, Va. The use of the mole plow is only a very 
partial and temporary expedient in the way of draining. 
It loosens the subsoil, and permits the water in the upper 
soil to sink to a lower level, or gradually to percolate 
through the subsoil, and to gather in the depressions 
until it sinks away. This implement can not be expect¬ 
ed to make regular water channels, that could be of any 
practical use in carrying off the water. It would be an 
impossibility that its work should have the necessary 
accuracy for this. It is merely a substitute for permanent 
draiuing, and under some circumstances*woukl undoubt¬ 
edly be of great use for temporary purposes. Its effect 
would be subsoiling, and nothing more. 
PlaHling- Whole and Cut Pota> 
toes.—“ J. G. Q ,” Tioga Center, N. Y., sends the fol¬ 
lowing result of an experiment. He planted 12 hills of 
potatoes with two cut sets in each, and dug 72 lbs.; 12 
hills with one large whole potato in each, and dug GO lbs., 
and 12 hills with two small potatoes in each, and dug 48 
lbs. The whole were planted 3 feet apart and were 
tended alike. 
As to Homesteads. “W. D.,” Lonaconing, 
Md. A homestead can only be taken up by the applicant 
himself. He must enter his application in a certain form 
at the land-office of the district in person, paying certain 
fees at the time. There are plenty of homesteads still 
left in Nebraska and south-western Kansas. Lincoln in 
Nebraska, and Hutchinson in Kansas would be the near¬ 
est towns to the vacant lands, and the best places to go 
to get the necessary information. There are also plenty 
of vacant lands in western Texas. A thousand dollars 
carefully expended, should be sufficient to start a family 
of six persons comfortably upon a homestead. 
Sow iaig her I*lgs.— “S. L. M.,” 
Orion, Ind. There is not always a reasonable explana¬ 
tion of the habit which some sows have of eating their 
pigs. It is undoubtedly an instinctive desire for animal 
food, arising probably from disordered digestion that im¬ 
pels them to this vice. A sow that has this habit should 
be given an ounce of gunpowder occasionally in her 
food. The charcoal, sulphur, and niter, of the powder 
are all useful, and in this shape may be conveniently 
given. Or in place of this a few hard wood coals may 
be quenched in water, and then given with a spoonful of 
sulphur and half as much saltpeter in the food. This 
mixture or the gunpowder should be given for a week or 
two before the sow farrows, and continued a week or two 
afterwards. When sows are shut up in pens, they are more 
subject to the vice than when running at large in a field. 
Iliirncss for si Hull.— “ G. A. S.,” Boston. 
Tlie harness for a bull described in the American Agri¬ 
culturist for August, 1875, can be made by any harness 
maker from the description and the illustration. Any 
ox-yoke maker can make the yoke. • 
