AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
185 
Prairie Breaking in Soutkern Ill. 
—W. F. M., Washington Co., Ill., writes: “ We break 
prairie as early as we can, breaking rough that the harrow 
may tear the sod well to pieces ; let it lie until after oats 
are sowed, then harrow until pretty fine, and sow flax. By 
fall it is in splendid order for sowing wheat. We always 
make more money from flax and wheat for the two first 
crops than any other kinds of crops we can plant.” 
What Grass Seed to Sow for Pas¬ 
ture ?— 1 The soil is full of grass seeds—some are the 
very best that can be on the soil, others less valuable. 
Where a pasture is made, farmers often sow timothy, 
red and white clover, with a portion of red-top, and per¬ 
haps some hay-seed from the hay floor. This does well, 
but we are asked to name some grasses for permanent 
pasture—the seed of which can be obtained. We give, 
therefore the following from our own experience and the 
testimony of others, as a good mixture : Meadow Foxtail 
5 pounds, Orchard grass 5, Meadow Fescue 3, Ky. Blue 
(June) grass 3, Perennial Rye grass 6, Wood meadow 3, 
Rough Stalked meadow 3, Sweet Scented Vernal 3, 
White Clover 6, and Red Clover 3;—in all 40 pounds. 
Lucerne or Luzern.— G. Bost, Henne¬ 
pin Co., Minn. Worcester, Webster and Gray say Lu¬ 
cerne, and it has been spelled that way intentionally. In¬ 
deed in the last Agriculturist it was accidentally spelled 
with a z, which was unnoticed until the page was stereo¬ 
typed and we went to the expense of having the plate al¬ 
tered in order to conform to good usage. In adopting 
words from another language into purs, neither the spel¬ 
ling nor pronunciation are of necessity preserved. In 
this case Luzern is German and Lucerne is French. 
Marl.— S. Howard, Jr., Alleghany Go., Mich. 
The substance called marl in your State is bog lime stone, 
a concretion of shells and fragments of shells, with some 
vegetable and earthy substances intermixed. Some marls 
are very beneficial applied raw—that is, after being ex¬ 
posed to the air and broken down to a crumbly mass. 
They are used as top-dressings upon grain or grass in the 
spring, or upon grass after mowing, or in the autumn, and 
are also spread and plowed in. If the marl is rich 
enough in lime to make it worth while to burn it for ordi¬ 
nary use, this lime of course would be valuable as a ma¬ 
nure, and it is not improbable that your marl would be 
•best used in this form, as quick lime, or slacked lime. 
'A peck of lime to the rod of garden is a fair dressing— 
and we know of no limit to the quantity of shell marl 
which might be used without injury. (Lime in either 
form makes peas boil hard.) 
A Corn Crop that Paid.— A subscri¬ 
ber to tlie American Agriculturist, in Ottawa, Ill., sends 
the following account of a corn crop, the second one 
from new prairie land: Paid out for rent of 45 acres, 
$135; for help in planting, $3 ; paid for husking, $47 ; to¬ 
tal, expense out, $185. Received 52% bushels per acre, or 
2362 % bushels of corn, which sold for 80 cents per bushel, 
or $1S90. Deducting $185 leaves $1705, for seed and his 
own 99% days work, viz : breaking,' old stalks, 2 % days ; 
plowing, 21% days; harrowing, 4 days; marking, 2 % 
days ; planting, 3 days ; harrowing after planting, o% 
days; plowing out three times with a two-horse plow, 
23% days; husking, 18 days; and hauling off, 19 days. 
No manure used. Expense of team not stated. This 
was far above the average yield last year in Illinois, as 
the ground was very high, and the] corn not injured by 
frost. The result would also have been very different 
in ordinary years, with corn at 15c. to 25c., per bushel. 
Applying <»jpsiun to Corn. — M. J. 
M. It may be applied in the hill at planting at the rate 
of a tablespoonful to a handful, or with perhaps better 
effect at the same rate cast upon the hill at the first hoe¬ 
ing, so that it will be somewhat mingled with the. soil. 
Corn and Col> Meal.— We have no faith 
in the cob part for any thing. There is pretty good evi¬ 
dence that the hard, indigestible plates of the cob are of¬ 
ten hurtful. The cobs of well ripened corh are no more 
nutritious than white oak sawdust; those of soft corn 
and nubbins are in part digestible and perhaps sbnVewhat 
nutritious, but not worth so much, in our opinion, as 
an equal weight of wheat straw. 
Iluiigarian Grass, or Millet.— These 
plants are of the same species (Setaria JtaUca ), differing 
from each other as different kinds of Maize vary. The 
Hungarian grass grows much shorter, has a purplish 
green head, very bristly like the foxtail or bottle grass. 
Both are excellent fodder crops. The Hungarian is best 
sowed June 1st to 25th, produces a hay much like 
rank Timothy, but sweet and much liked by cattle. It 
should be cut in blossom. The millet, sown at the 
same time, is coarser, but if cut while the grain Is in the 
blossom or in milk makes good hay also. On the whole 
we give preference to the Hungarian. Another kind of 
millet ( Panicum Miliaceum) was formerly a good deal 
cultivated, but we have seen little of it of late. The two 
are often confounded. It is also a good fodder crop, and 
is treated in the same way. Hungarian grass is said to 
prove occasionally fatal to horses ; and this is attributed 
to the bristly envelop which surrounds the fully ripened 
seed. 
Beardless Barley.— M. W. Hall, Foud du 
Lac Co., Wis., asks, “ What is it good for ? and does it 
pay to raise it ? Testimony that has come to our knowl¬ 
edge is conflicting. What is the experience of the read¬ 
ers of the American Agriculturist ? 
Plenro Pneninonia.— Dawson Hunt, an 
Irish farmer of intelligence and experience, who visited 
this country preparatory to bringing out his family to re¬ 
main, called at the office of the Agriculturist and gave 
his experience with this direful malady. Our often ex¬ 
pressed views were fully confirmed, in regard to its con¬ 
tagiousness and fatality under ordinary circumstances, 
but he says he has for some years used the following re¬ 
cipe as a preventive to this disease; Whenever anew ani¬ 
mal has been brought into the herd, he gave it to the new 
comer, and to all the rest. Tartar emetic 40 grains, nitre 
40 grains, digitalis powder 10 grains—mix ; give in a bot¬ 
tle of cold water after fasting. He gives the full dose to 
an animal 3 years old, % to a 2 year-old beast, and % to a 
yearling. The disease is working great damage in Great 
Britain, but since using his prescription he has had 
scarcely any fatal cases.—It is worth trying here. 
Profitable Lows.— J. Tilman, Lehigh Co., 
Pa., sends to the Ameriaan Agriculturist the following 
account of three cows, for the year 1863; 600 lbs. butter 
sold at 20 els. per lb., and two splendid calves worth $18 
each, making a total of $156, or $52 for each cow. They 
were fed with 2 quarts each of wheat bran mpeed with 
cut corn fodder in January, February, March, April, and 
December, anc turned out to pasture the rest of the year. 
Sheep kept on Wheat Straw. — A 
friend informs the Agriculturist that he kept 40 sheep, 
weathers and ewes, 2 years old or over, not breeding, 
from the time they were taken up until April, on wheat 
straw and half a pound of corn per day. They held their 
own perfectly. At one time % of a pound of corn was 
fed, and it produced indigestion, or at least, some of the 
sheep got “ off their feed.” The straw was cut down 
from the stack once each day and spread upon the snow. 
It would have gone much further if it had been fed three 
times a day in racks. 
Slieep—Salt lor Stretelies. —From the 
same source comes the following communication : “I have 
found common salt an effectual preventive and also cure 
for stretches, alias constipation, in sheep. My sheep have 
no stretches while their salt trough is supplied; if not furn¬ 
ished for a few days f am sure to see symptoms of the dis¬ 
ease, which a fresh supply of salt immediately removes.” 
Time to Shear Sheep—Scab.— W. H. 
R., Rockville. Shearing is best delayed until the weath¬ 
er is warm, about the first or middle of June, espec¬ 
ially if the sheep are washed before shearing—a practice 
which we deprecate as injurious to the sheep, a disagree¬ 
able labor, and of no real benefit to the manufacturer. 
The scab is highly contagious and caused by a minute 
insect termed Acarus. It is cured by dipping the sheep 
in pretty strong tobacco water, or by an application of 
unguentum. The dipping is best done after shearing. 
The lambs not being dipped, all the ticks take refuge on 
them, and when they are dipped some weeks after, both 
the scale and the ticks are killed at onbe. Your other 
questions you will find answered in past and present 
numbers of the Agriculturist, or in any good sheep book. 
Cure ibr Foot Rot in Slteep.—J. W. 
Rhodes, Cayuga Co., N. Y., writes to the American Ag¬ 
riculturist: “ I have a sure and immediate remedy for 
foot rot, viz: Cleanse the foot thoroughly, pare the hoof 
fearlessly until you reach the bottom of every little crev¬ 
ice, and then thoroughly apply liquid chloride of antimo¬ 
ny daubed on with a swab so as to touch the whole cleft 
and all adjacent parts.” Mr. Rhodes applies this at any 
time during tlie winter or after the ground freezes—the 
disease at this time of the year not being contagious. 
The contagion is arrested by severe frosts. This sub¬ 
stance he considers much more conveniently applied 
and more economical than the hot blue vitriol solution. 
Litter tor Breeding Sows. —The ex¬ 
perience of Dr. Hexamer, of Westchester County, N. Y., 
is greatly in favbr of saw-dust above any other material, 
as litter for pigs and sows, particularly for those with 
very young litters. They will keep their nests entirely 
clean and diy for a long time. The little pigs can not 
hide themselves in it as they will in straw, and thus the 
danger of the sow lying on and killing them is removed, 
a casualty that happens very often, particularly with 
heedless sows, which are often the best breeders. Tan 
bark would probably be equally good if put in dry 
A Flam ibr a Piggery.— There was an 
excellent plan published in the last Vol. of the Agricul¬ 
turist, page 297, but being too expensive for some of our 
readers, another is called for. Where.manure mak¬ 
ing is an important part of farm business, and hogs are 
kept in close pens, the plan referred to is none too expen¬ 
sive. There are three things necessary or desirable in a 
hog pen : 1st. A place for throwing vegetable matter, 
weeds, muck, etc., for making manure. 2d. A warm, 
dry, well-ventilated nest-place. 3d. A feeding place, 
easily cleaned out, and so arranged that pigs cannot be 
too “hoggish,” and get an undue share of feed. Besides 
these, a convenient covered place for cooking feed, and a 
place for storing litter, muck, etc., in winter, and roots 
and feed at all seasons are highly desirable. It is poor- 
economy not to have buildings of this sort convenient. 
Gapes in Chickens—A Timely Mint. 
—“ Coxsackie ” writes to the Agriculturist: “ Tried all 
sorts of ‘ cures,’without success, and almost determined 
to abandon raising chickens, on account of the great losses 
from this cause. I have learned that ‘ An ounce of pre¬ 
vention is worth a pound of cure,’ and believe the only 
sure way to cure gapes, is not to have it. 'About three 
years ago I asked a neighbor if he had much trouble with 
gapes; he replied none whatever, and gave as a reason 
that he had the meal cooked for young chickens, and was 
careful not to give them much for several days after they 
were hatched. I have since followed his example and 
have not been troubled with gapes.” 
Fowl Houses in Barns.— A correspond¬ 
ent writes as follows (approving of the Pa. Double Deck¬ 
ed Barn in general): “A fowl house in a barn will be 
likely to make the whole concern a foul house. It is 
next to the hospital too, and if the fowls, roosts, etc., 
should get lousy, and the lice emigrate to the hospital, 
the poor sick animals would have a sorry time.” 
Cure lor Gapes.— Alfred D. Sharpies,^ 
Centre Co., Pa., communicates to the American Agri¬ 
culturist the following directions: “Take a 3-inch piece 
of snood (the “ silk-worms gut ” used for attaching fish 
hooks to the large line, sometimes called “spell gut”): 
double it and fasten by fine silk to a handle 8 inches long, 
leaving one inch loop. The instrument being ready for 
use, place the chick’s legs between your knees, then with 
finger and thumb of left hand, one in each corner of the 
biped’s mouth, and stretching the neck upward that you 
may see the opening in the front of the gullet, insert the 
instrument as far as it will pass readily, and turning it 
with the fingers withdraw it, when you will find the 
worms in the lower part of the loop—provided the chick 
had the gapes. The handle should be of smooth whale¬ 
bone or hickory, about a sixteenth of an inch in diameter. 
How to keep Eggs.-(1) Pack the fresh 
eggs in a barrel and cover them with clear lime-water 
made by slaking lime to a milk with hot water, then pour¬ 
ing it in excess into a vessel of water, stirring up, covering 
and letting it stand until clear. (2) Grease the eggs with 
good lard so as to exclude the air perfectly ; pack in box¬ 
es setting them on their ends so that the boxes may be 
turned over without breaking the eggs. Once in about 
two weeks turn the boxes over. This prevents the yolks 
coming in contact with the shell, and becoming spoiled. 
(3) The same mode of procedure may be followed with¬ 
out greasing the eggs, with good sucoess, and (4) the 
greasing alone has its good effect. 
To Comminute Bones.— Whole bones 
may be easily and cheaply obtained in all parts of the 
country, but it is troublesome and expensive to grind them 
or reduce them in any way to a desirable state of com¬ 
minution. Try this plan and report: “ A heap of bones, 
broken up somewhat, laid up with a little sawdust, and 
moistened with chamber ley or the strong teachings of a 
manure heap, will ferment, and the bones will decompose 
so that they may be crushed and crumbled.” 
Bean lor a Aame.— “A. M. P.,” Delhi, 
N. Y. The beans appear to be identical with the Wax- 
Bean of the seed-stores. Also called Indian Chief, But¬ 
ter Bean and Algerian. It is a pole bean, a profuse bear¬ 
er, and valued as one of the richest snap beans. It is not 
as early as some of the bush varieties, but is much richer, 
and the pods can be cooked until the bean is large enough 
to shell. The seeds when ripe are black with white seal-. 
