378 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[October. 
20 cows without their labor. That one cow per 
acre can be kept on an ordinarily good farm by 
soiling, has been perfectly well established, but it 
can only be done by the employment of more labor 
than is usual under the ordinary system. But labor 
alone is not all that is needed. The skiff aud intelli¬ 
gence to direct the labor is equally necessary; and 
it is here where the majority of farmers who try 
the system fail. A preparatory course is almost 
always necessary, and the beginning is the most 
difficult part of the business. Careful preparation 
must be made, and the soil can only be brought up 
to a proper degree of fertility, for final success, by 
perseverance. Those who would make a beginning 
must commence at this season, the first crops to be 
fed must now be sown, and the preparation of the 
soil for the first succeeding crop must now be done, 
by plowing and manuring in readiness for early 
sowing in spring. There is no better guide in this 
business than the book entitled “ Quincy on Soil¬ 
ing,” which should be studied by all interested. 
•-——«»• -* -© * -• 
Hitching a Crib-Biter. 
A correspondent who has a horse that is a crib- 
biter and windsucker, and which prac¬ 
tices his vice when hitched to a post in 
the street, is recommended to try a 
hitching-rod, such as is here illustrated. 
It consists of a piece of hickory, 
white oak, or tough ash, about 24 or 30 
inches long, thickest in the middle, 
where it may be an inch in diameter. 
A ferule with a ring is fastened to 
each end ; in one ring a common snap- 
hook is fixed, and a short leather strap 
is passed through the other, by which 
the stick is fastened to the post. The 
horse thus hitched can not possibly 
reach the top of the post, to seize it 
with its teeth. In the stall such a horse 
should he hitched with two straps, one 
at each side of the stall, and of such a 
length, that he can not reach either 
side, to take hold of the rail or parti¬ 
tion of the stall. If a swinging feed- 
box is used, such as is described in tbe 
American Agriculturist of January, 1875, 
and which, when not in use, is brought 
into the feed passage, leaving nothing 
inside the stall to take hold of, the crib- 
biter will be forced to suspend opera¬ 
tions, as he cannot draw in the air or 
“ suck wind,” unless he has some pro¬ 
jecting object that he can lay hold of with the teeth. 
--— --->-«■- 
“ Our Special Foreign Correspondent.”— 
Many of the agricultural journals, on the principle 
perhaps that imported goods are conceived to be 
most popular, have a “ special foreign correspond¬ 
ent.” Not the least curious thing is, that this 
“ special ” correspondent favors at least a dozen 
journals with precisely the same foreign letter, in 
which are gathered some of the strangest absurdi¬ 
ties that are gravely printed from time to time, as 
something sufficiently valuable to be worth foreign 
postage at least. From one of the latest of these 
special communications, we learn that the leading 
French Zootechnist concludes after “ an exhaustive 
examination,” that the flesh of animals affected 
with the virulent blood disease known as “ char- 
bon,” which is our “black leg,” or carbuncular 
erysipelas, is fit for food, and farmers are advised 
“ to slaughter such animals and rapidly prepare the 
meat for market.” The probable and proper effect 
of such an act would be to land the farmer in the 
criminal’s dock, to answer a serious breach of law, 
which in this country forbids the sale of diseased 
meat. We are also told that sour milk fed to pigs, 
produces the disease known as rachitis, or “rick¬ 
ets,” which is an idea that is certainly foreign to 
all experience hei-e ; further, that horses have died 
from typhoid fever in consequence of feeding near 
to fields dressed with night soil from cities, and 
that “an inventor alleges to secure” a uniform 
temperature in churning cream, by using a double 
sheet-iron churn, with felt between the walls, all of 
wLich is a shining example of supreme nonsense. 
Harvesting Mangels. —It is always preferable 
to get the mangels dug and put away in pits before 
severe frosts occur. But it should not be forgotten 
that the more mature the growth the more nutri¬ 
tious ar,e the roots. To top the roots for the sake 
of feeding the leaves, is injurious. The leaves are 
necessary for the full development of the roots, 
and should be left upon them until they are ready 
to be lifted. If some supplementary fodder is 
needed for cows or sheep, it would be better to pull 
some of the roots before the main crop is harvested, 
than to denude any part of it of -the leaves. 
Effects of Artificial Fertilizers. 
A recent experiment made upon a farm in Eng¬ 
land, under the directions of Dr. A. Vcelcker, is 
interesting, as showing what we have frequently 
stated from our own experience, viz., that Peruvian 
guano is the most effective fertilizer for grass land, 
and that its effects are not exhausted in a single 
year. The results of the experiments, as shown in 
the following tables, speak for themselves. 
Plots of one-tenth of an Acre. 
Manured January 30 111. Grass cut July 31 st, 1875. 
1 Number > 
| of plots. 
Fertiliser used. 
Quantity 
per plot of 
one-tenth 
acre. 
Weight of 
; green 
i grass 
1 per plot. 
Increase 
over yield 
of plot ma¬ 
nured. 
1 Cost of 
| dressing. 
1 
Peruvian' Guano___ 
45 E>3. 
2,084 BS. 
813 Bs. 
$1.50' 
2 
1,983 
1,823 
714 
1.20 
3 
(Soluble Guano.. 
( Superphosphate.... 
33 Ml 
22KS 
554 
1.20 
4 
Superphosphate. 
45 
1,634 
365 
0.60 
5 
Nothing. 
2pL 
1,278 
8 
C Superphosphate.... 
■< GermanPotashSalts 
1,743 
474 
1.20 
(Nitrate of Soda. 
22!*) 
9 
(Soluble Guano. 
33 y.) 
1 Nitrate of Soda. 
11 t 
1,728 
459 
1.46 
t Superphosphate.... 
11 ) 
429 
15 
Barn yard Manure_ 
1 load, 
2240 lbs. ? 
1,698 
1.20 
The weight of grass cut the second sear, (1876), 
was as follows. 
No. Of 
Plot. 
Weight of 
Grass 
per Plot. 
Increase over yield 
of plot 
not 'manured. 
1 
898 »s. 
260 lbs. 
3 
819 
153 
3 
852 
214 
4 
752 
114 
5 
G38 
8 
624 
(14 decrease.) 
9 
668 
48 
15 
847 
209 
The fixed expenses being the same for each plot, 
the extra yield in the two years shows the return 
for the cost of the fertilizer used. Thus $1.50 
worth of guano, returned 1,073 lbs. grass, or the 
equivalent of 357 lbs., of hay, (estimating hay as 
one-third the weight of grass), equal to a cost of 
42 cts. per 100 lbs. of hay. The results show fur¬ 
ther, what is learned from nearly every experiment 
with mixed fertilizers, viz., that they are not so ef¬ 
fective if mixed as when each is applied alone ; one 
seems in some manner to neutralize some of the 
useful effects of the others when they are mixed. 
Feed-Trough, and Halter, 
“F. W. B.,” St. Louis Co., Mo , sends the fol- 
FEED-TROUGH AND HALTER. 
lowing description of a feed-trough and tie for cat¬ 
tle, which he uses with much satisfaction; and 
also a sketch to illustrate it, which is here engraved. 
“ The trough rests on the floor, is 4 feet long. A, 
A, are inch auger holes; a rope, 4 feet long, is put 
through them aud tied. Another rope, D, has a 
ring spliced on one end, and a 1 snap-hook ’ on the 
other. The longer rope passes through the ring, 
A’, and when the rope, D, is put over the neck of 
the cow, the ‘snap,’ C, hooks into the ring. This al¬ 
lows the animal to stand or lie down with comfort.” 
Wool-Growing in Texas. 
BY L. S. NICHOLS, SAN ANTONIO. 
Notwithstanding the present depressed state of 
the wool market, there seems to be a great number 
of persons who contemplate coming to Texas for 
the purpose of engaging in the business here. 
Some of my correspondents are men having more 
or less expedience in Northern States, and by rea¬ 
son of limited range desire to change their location 
to a climate less rigorous, and where a larger 
range can be easily obtained. Others are writing 
for information in regard to-the business with a 
view of engaging in it here for the first time in 
their experience. Many of the inquiries come from 
young men with limited capital—some propose to 
start with oue flock, some with three thousand 
stock sheep, and oue man wants to purchase ten 
thousand to start with. 
Now, to all I would say there is room here in 
Texas for all that will come, and a climate for that 
business that is equal, if not superior, to any in the 
civilized world. As to the measure of success that 
will attend the business here, it will depend almost 
entirely on the man who conducts it, for beyond 
any question, properly managed, it is one of the 
most remunerative pursuits that can occupy the 
attention of a man of good judgment, who will 
personally superintend his flocks ; at the same time 
it is a business in which no one can succeed who 
will not either by himself, or by some faithful and 
experienced assistant, give it close attention. 
All will readily understand that a ranch here to 
commence with on a stock of 5,000 head will be at 
a much less pro rata expense than one of 1,000 
head. Certain expenses have to be incurred for 
one thousand head, which need not he materially 
increased for three thousand head. To commence 
right, a sheep ranch must necessarily be fitted up 
with one good corral—to be used for dividing, 
catching, and marking sheep, with dipping vat, 
shearing floors, aud wool shed—and when properly 
arranged, so as to handle easily and satisfactorily 
one thousand head of sheep, can easily be used for 
three flocks of that size. The corral for these pur¬ 
poses is not used for corraling the flock at night, 
or at any other time, except when there are some 
to catch, or the flock is to be divided. 
It Is very difficult at present to get a good lot of 
graded ewes in this part of the State for a new 
ranch, that will be of uniform character and age, 
and those who will be satisfied with nothing less 
than fine ewes to start with, will be obliged to pay 
a strong price for them, or take a flock as they run 
of all ages, from one to eight years, or else import 
from some other State. Experienced men will, of 
course, act in the start upon their own judgment 
in the selection of their stock of breeding ewes, but 
I would most certainly advise the inexperienced 
against the purchase of high grade ewes, either 
here or to bring here from a northern State. Good 
select Mexican ewes, two years of age, to be cross¬ 
ed with strong wcll-wooled Merino or South-Down 
bucks, will not only be a safer class of stock for a 
commencement, but they will cost less than one- 
half the outlay to start with, and the beginner 
can have a uniformity in his flocks that he cannot 
get at any reasonable expense, if he buy high grade 
sheep as a basis. The generally received opinion 
that the Mexican ewes are all alike, is erroneous, as 
I can prove to any man who will go with me to see 
a few flocks in this section, and compare them with 
others that have been carefully selected one hun¬ 
dred miles south of the Rio Grande River, and 
brought here during the past winter. The ex¬ 
perience of a number of men who have tried it, 
