19-4 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[May, 
Blow of'tcBi So ff’eesl fsitslc.—“ C. H. 
B„” Lancaster Co., Pa. To fatten a steer in the shortest 
time, he should be fed frequently. Three times a day is 
not enough. Five times is better. A change of food, 
and small quantities given often, will fatten most rapid¬ 
ly. For instance, at five o’clock in the morning give hay 
and chopped roots; at eight some meal, and then a little 
hay left in the rack ; at noon some chopped roots sprink¬ 
led with meal or oil-cake ; at four P. M. some meal, and 
at night some chopped hay and roots, mixed with a little 
meal. If the whole day’s rations are thus divided, it will 
be found that more food will be eaten, and digested, and 
turned into flesh and fat. An animal will fatten much 
better, if cleaned up in the morning, and not disturbed 
again, except to be fed and watered, until next morning. 
To Get tSie Most oaat of MsiBossre.— 
“C. G. P.,” Washington Co., Ohio. As manure is not 
available as plant food until it is decomposed and dis¬ 
solved. it should be so managed as to thoroughly rot it 
before it is used, if one would get the full benefit at once. 
Straw and corn stalks are not manure, but when mingled 
with fermenting droppings from animals, they soon be¬ 
come available. To decompose the rougher portions of 
the manure heap as quickly as possible, it is best to turn 
it over and expose it to the atmosphere, and keep it moist, 
so that a continual heat may be preserved. 
“IBoolis” iai si Cotv’ts Eyes.—“J. R. 
C.,” Jewell Co., Kansas. The membrane at the inner 
corner of a cow’s eye, which is called the “ haw,” serves 
to sweep away from the surface of the eyeball any dirt or 
foreign matters which may lodge upon it. It is a carti¬ 
laginous or gristly substance, and is embedded in fat 
which surrounds the back of the eyeball. It sometimes 
becomes inflamed and swollen, and is then supposed to 
be something which should not be there, and a symptom 
of a disease which is called the “hooks.” Sometimes 
people cut out these swollen parts, to get rid of them, in¬ 
stead of reducing the inflammation by cooling washes 
and medicine. When removed, the inflammation spreads 
to the contiguous parts, which swell and sometimes force 
the eye out of the socket. The pain and distress of the 
animal are great, and rapidly reduce its condition, as in 
your case. It is difficult to advise without knowing ex¬ 
actly how the case appears. It can do no harm, however, 
to bathe the eye very frequently in a mixture of four 
ounces of laudanum in a quart of soft water, and hang a 
cloth soaked in the liquid so that it covers the eye. The 
cow should be kept in a dark place, and fed on slops. 
Half a pound or more of Epsom salts, with half a dram of 
calomel might also be given. If possible the advice of a 
surgeon should be procured as to further treatment. 
To Cure :t SeU-Siidtins’ Cow.— 
“ C. J. B.,” Renssalaer, Ind., says a cow may be prevented 
from sucking herself by placing a pair of jointed bridle 
bits in her mouth upon a head stall which passes over 
her head between the ears and horns. The bits do not 
prevent the cow from eating, but keep her from sucking. 
An improvement on the above is to use hollow bits 
which are perforated with holes, so that when the cow 
tries to suck, her mouth is at once filled with air, which 
passes through the bits. 
Cranberry Growers—T5se I\. J. 
Association. —We were unable to be present at the 
annual meeting of this Society in January last, but learn 
that it was well attended and very satisfactory. The 
association now numbers 107 members, and has for its 
object the development of the cranberry culture, the ex¬ 
tension of the trade in the fruit, and the securing of uni¬ 
form packages. We learn from a report by Mr. N. R. 
Fro ich, one of the Executive Committee, that there are 
now in N. J. 5,000 acres in cranberries, costing at three 
years old, $1,750,000, and that there are in the whole 
country 15,000 acres, representing an investment of 
$4,375,000. The yield for the past four years is given in 
the following table: 
1872. 
1873. 
• 1874. 
1875. 
Bush. 
Bush. 
Bush. 
Bush. 
Cape Cod and adjacent 
Islands. 
20,000 
80.000 
70.000 
50.000 
Mass., R. I. and Conn... 
20.000 
25,000 
35,000 
25,000 
New jersey. 
100,000 
110,000 
90,000 
90,000 
Wis., Minn., Ind. and 
Mich. 
135,000 
60,000 
50,000 
40,000 
New York. 
5,000 
5,000 
Totals. 
275,000 
275,000 
250,000 
210,000 
Insects, rot, scald and other diseases are the causes of 
the diminished yield. A year or more ago there was a 
great flourish of trumpets over some one from the Depart¬ 
ment of Agriculture at Washington, who had discovered 
the fungus which caused the rot, and had given the rem¬ 
edy. At last, we thought, that wonderful Department has 
gone and done something; the idea was so novel that we 
did not toot the trumpet of praise, but waited to see if 
so astonishing a thing could be true. We did well to 
wait, as we see by the report of this meeting, tkat the 
prescribed cure for the rot—lime—has been faithfully and 
abundantly applied, but the rot has been ivorse than ever. 
So the Department relapses into its normal condition. 
The attempt to introduce the cranberry into England and 
the continent promises well. The “ Fruit Growers’ Trade 
Co.” put up the berries ready for the table in handsome 
quart jars, which meet with a ready sale abroad, where 
they are just learning that the American cranberry is 
vastly superior to their own. The President of the Asso¬ 
ciation is Rev. J. II. Bralceley, Bordentown; Secretary 
and Treasurer, A. J. Rider, Trenton. 
Mere Mention.— Our crowded space for¬ 
bids us to do hardly more with the following than to 
acknowledge their receipt, and give thanks for them: 
Iowa State Agricultural College. —The report of 
the Board of Trustees to the Governor of Iowa, for 1874- 
’75. Some of the experiments here enumerated strike us 
as hardly worthy the name. For instance, one “to test 
the relative merits of mellowed and unmellowed soil for 
early flower seeds.” An experiment “to test how many 
inches make a foot,” could hardly be less needed.” 
The Royal Museum or Natural History, at Flor¬ 
ence, Italy, a report on the botanical department of the 
Museum, including the garden, by Prof. P. Parlatore, is 
full of interest and well illustrated. 
Pennsylvania Fruit Growers’ Association.— The 
report for 1875, like all previous reports of this very prac¬ 
tical society, is of real value. 
The Florida Fruit Growers’ Convention publish 
their proceedings, which are of value to all intending to 
engage in fruit culture in that state. Published at the 
office of “ The Florida Agriculturist,” Jacksonville. 
Ohio State Horticultural Society. —A report of 
the annual and other meetings held in 1875. Full of good 
matter. M. B. Bateham, Painesville, is Secretary. 
Western N. Y. Horticultural Society'. —We have 
already noticed the meeting held in January last, and 
now promptly have the full report in a pamphlet form. 
The Poughkeepsie (N. Y.) Society op Natural 
Sciences in its first number of “Proceedings” has a 
fully illustrated article on the minute fungi, which form 
the mildews, or white blights, by IV. R. Gerard. 
Indiana Horticultural Society publishes with its 
“ Transactions” a table of fruits suited to the state, and 
several essays. 
Catalogues Received. 
NURSERYMEN. 
J. W. Adams, Springfield, Mass. A wholesale list of 
fruit and ornamental trees. 
P. J. Berckmans, Augusta, Ga. A very full stock, and 
especially rich in varieties, adapted to the southern states. 
Bush, Son & Meissner, Bushburg, Mo. A classified 
price-list of a most extensive variety of grapes. Their 
Illustrated Descriptive Catalogue, published last year, is 
the most valuable of recent contributions to the literature 
of the vine. 
Calkins & Brooks, Bricksburg, N. J. Wholesale price¬ 
list of fruit and ornamental trees. 
D. E. IIoxie, Northampton, Mass. Special strawberry 
catalogue. 
Isaac IIicks & Sons, Old Westbury, L. I., N. Y. A 
catalogue of fruit and ornamental trees that have been 
tested on Long Island. 
F. M. Hexamer, (Successor to Reisig & Hexamer), 
Newcastle, Westchester Co.. N. Y. Small fruits in great 
variety, and an immense collection of potatoes. 
W. II. Lewis, Winterset, Iowa, offers greenhouse plants 
in addition to nursery stock. 
McArthur, Son & Co., Tamola Nurseries, Meredian, 
Miss. Besides trees, has sweet potatoes and other plants. 
Amos Miller, Carlisle, Pa. Catalogue of strawberries, 
including several new seedlings. 
William H. Moon, Morrisville, Pa. Nursery and 
greenhouse stock. 
William Parry, Pomona Nursery, Cinnaminson. N. 
J. Small fruits a specialty, besides which the leading 
fruit and ornamental trees. 
Rakestraw & Pyle, Willow Dale, Chester Co., Pa. 
Wholesale list of nursery stock. The Duelling Cherry as 
a specialty. 
A. M. Smith, Drummondville, Out,, makes a specialty 
of the New Dominion Strawberry. 
D. B. Wier. Lacon, Ill., sends special catalogue of 
evergreens. Among his specialties are the Birhett Pear, 
and the genuine Wild Goose Plum, many trees sold for 
this variety being spurious. 
SEEDSMEN. 
D. A. Comtton, Hawley, Wayne Co., Pa. Catalogue of 
seed potatoes, new and old. 
King & Savage, Chicago, Ill., besides seeds, have a 
large stock of rustic work, etc. 
J. R. & A. Murdock, Pittsburgh, Pa. Vegetable and 
flower seeds, and garden implements. 
J. M. Philips, Sylvan, Franklin Co., Pa., grows seeds 
and offers nursery stock also. 
Roet. C. Reeves. 185 & 187 Water St.. N. Y. A gen¬ 
eral seed catalogue. Also deals in agricultural imple¬ 
ments, small fruits, etc. 
J. C. Root, Rockford, Ill., whose seed catalogue has 
already been noticed, sends his Garden Manual for March, 
which contains much useful matter, and offers a great 
variety of vegetable plants, with a novelty in the way of 
$1 collections of these for family gardens, sent by mail. 
FLORISTS. 
B. P. Critchell, Cincinnati, O., combines the seed busi¬ 
ness with that of florist, and sends a neat catalogue. 
Hoopes Bro. & Thomas, Westchester, Pa., issue a 
special illustrated catalogue of their collection of Alpine 
and Hardy Plants, which is very full of plants which peo¬ 
ple should know better and cultivate more. 
Tyra Montgomery, Mattoon, Ill., puts up “Centennial 
collections ” of plants, at very low rates. 
J. R. & A. Murdock, Pittsburgh, issue a separate cat¬ 
alogue for their greenhouse stock. 
Geo. W. Penney, Newark, O. A neat catalogue, and 
well provided with novelties. 
Ciias. T. Starr, Avondale, Pa. General assortment of 
greenhouse and vegetable plants. 
John Saul, Washington, D. C. In mentioning this 
establishment last month, we should have stated that it 
is accompanied by a colored plate of the new deep crim¬ 
son tea rose, Duchess of Edinburgh. An excellent rose, 
and a very fine picture of it. 
Vanderbilt Brothers, 23 Fulton St., N. Y., besides 
their seed and implement catalogue, have a special list of 
greenhouse plants, and nursery stock, including the new 
Cuthbert raspberry. 
A. Waldie, Titusville, Pa., has a general collection, 
including novelties. 
II. W. Williams & Sons, Batavia, III. A neat illus¬ 
trated plant catalogue, with a supplement for seed pota¬ 
toes. 
Wm. C. Wilson, 45 W. 14th St., New York, and Astoria, 
L. I., has one of the largest establishments in the country, 
and his catalogue is sure to present a stock of novelties. 
MISCELLANEOUS. 
Beecher Basket Co., Westvillc, Conn., the well- 
known Beecher fruit baskets, which are also kept at 
Wyoming, Del. 
Colby' & Co., Benton Harbor, Mich., make the baskets 
illustrated in November last, and other fruit packages. 
Thos. Jackson, Portland, Me. Weeding implements. 
W. W. Rathbone, Marietta, O., offers sweet potatoes 
for seed, and also the plants. 
C. M. Moseman & Bro., of 114 Chambers St., New 
York, issue a Descriptive Price List of Harness and Horse 
Furnishing Materials, copiously illustrated, which, to¬ 
gether with many portraits and biographical sketches of 
noted horses, is sent, post-paid, to any applicant for 50c. 
EUROPEAN CATALOGUES. 
IIytpolite Jamain, Rue de Glaciere, No. 217, Paris, 
sends a long list of new roses. 
Ch. Huber & Co., Hyeres (Var.). France. Seeds of 
new plants, Cannas, and other novelties. Catalogue in 
English. A. Bolker & Sons, New York, agents. 
J. C. Schmidt, Erfurt, Prussia, offers living plants, but 
mainly in dried flowers, grasses, mosses, etc. These 
seem like trivial affairs, yet the trade in them is large ; a 
sheet of engravings shows that an immense range of 
buildings is required for the work. 
IMPLEMENTS. 
Adriance. Platt & Co., Poughkeepsie, N. Y., and 
New York City, No. 165 Greenwich St., manufacturers of 
the well known Buckeye Mowers and Reapers. 
R. II. Allen & Co., 1S9 & 191 Water St., N. Y. A 
special descriptive illustrated catalogue of the flour and 
grain mills made by them. 
The Johnston Harvester Co., Brockport, N. Y., 
manufacturers of Reapers and Mowers. 
The Automatic Corn Planter, made by the Welles 
Specialty Works, Chicago, Ill. Thisisaftixed tothefoot, 
and drops and covers the seed as fast as a man can walk. 
Harrison’s Burr Stone Farsi Mills Co., New 
Haven, Conn. These mills are adapted for farm use, and 
horse-power. A 12-inch mill, weight 200 lbs., grinds ten 
bushels of coarse meal in an hour. 
Ward B. Snyder, 84 Fulton St., New York. The 
Little Giant steam engine, from one to three horse-power. 
Skinner & Wood, Erie, Pa. Skinner’s Portable 
Engine. 
Rumsey & Co., Seneca Falls, N. Y. Pumps and Fire 
Engines. 
POULTRY. 
A. Merril, Meadville, Pa., sends a catalogue of the 
French Creek Poultry Yards. 
Wm. B. Wonderly-, Dayton, Ohio, breeds Light Brah¬ 
mas only. 
James E. Sisson, Westerly, Rhode Island. Pekin 
Ducks, Games, and White Guinea Fowls. 
FERTILIZERS. 
The Cost, per pound, of Ammonia, Phosphoric 
Acid, and Potash, in various fertilizing materials. A 
table published by Ciias. V. Mapes, IliO Front St.. New 
York, gives valuable information to those who wish to 
compound their own fertilizers, or experiment with them. 
New Ideas on Fertilization, is a pamphlet issued by 
Vanderbilt Bros., 23 Fulton St., New York, and contains 
quotations from the works of eminent Agricultural chem¬ 
ists, in regard to the use of chemical fertilizers. 
“ The Stockbiiidge Fertilizers,” from W. II. Bow- 
ker & Co., 43 Chatham St., Boston, contains Prof. Stock- 
bridge’s formulas for compounding artificial fertilizers for 
various crops. 
LANDS AND FARMS. 
The Blue Ridge Highlands, of western North Caro¬ 
lina, by S. T. Kelsey, of Highlands, Macon Co., N. C., 
describes the advantage of that country, its pleasant and 
healthful climate, and its cheap and fertile lands. 
