1864,. 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
20 ? 
and rampant growth of the plant, especially if 
encouraged by nitrogenous manures, like guano, 
makes it one of the most valuable plants for 
green manuring. There are .few soils upon 
which a dressing of 1 or 2 cwt. of guano will 
not enable the farmer to turn under at least 5 
or C tons of green manure per acre. 
The crop is cut when the ripest seeds are fully 
ripe, many of the rest, being in all stages from 
the blossom to the “ dough,” will ripen after 
cutting. It is bound in small bundles which 
are left in the field until it is ready to thresh. 
When moved, the loss from shelling is often 
considerable; hence it is well to line the bottom 
of the cart or wagon with hay caps or other 
cloths. The successive ripening of the seeds of 
this plant renders it almost impossible to pre¬ 
vent many of them becoming scattered on the 
ground, and these will come up the next year, 
but seldom make any further trouble. This is 
a nuisance however. Corn rarely does well af¬ 
ter this crop, though it follows a crop of buck¬ 
wheat turned in for manure well enough. A 
very poor soil may be well prepared for rye by 
turning in a crop of buckwheat sowed almost 
any time in this month; and this may be fol¬ 
lowed up year after year by the addition of 
only manure enough to give the buckwheat a 
vigorous start. The value of the grain for feed 
is universally recognized, especially ground in 
connection with corn or oats. That it tends to 
produce cutaneous diseases we do not believe, 
though there seems to be some ground for 
eschewing the straw as bedding for hogs. A 
better application of it is as feed for sheep, 
which do very well upon it. The straw is apt 
to heat if packed close and in large masses. 
Lice on. Cattle. 
During the spring distressing reports came 
from the West, that farmers, having tried to 
carry through too many cattle on frosted corn 
and prairie hay, come spring, found theirherds, 
starved, weak, miserable, and more alive with 
vermin than genuine vitality, which indeed was 
at S3 low an ebb, that many succumbed, before 
they could take advantage of the springing 
grass. The sure cure for lice upon neat cattle is 
mercurial ointment (“Anguentum” as often 
called at the West). The application is exter¬ 
nal, but if the cattle can lick it off it will cure 
them forever of “ all the ills that flesh is heir 
to.” It •should be mixed with four or five times 
its bulk of lard, and then, a small quantity ap¬ 
plied in the hollow behind the horns, by the 
hand, and well rubbed in along the back. After 
this the curry-comb or card should be faithfully 
used. The vermin will soon feel the effects of 
the mercury, and though at first manifesting 
more life, soon become dull and are brushed off 
by the card. The carding ought not to be so 
severe as to irritate the skin, but it should be 
done as often as three times a week. Cattle 
thus treated will not be troubled with lice long. 
There may be some risk of animals licking one 
another, though we have never experienced nor 
heard of bad results from this cause. The mer¬ 
cury seems to disseminate its influence over the 
entire body of the animal, though the applica¬ 
tion be made in only one place; this is increas¬ 
ed by the card, curry-comb or brush. There is 
great danger if too much be used, and particu¬ 
larly if it be left in lumps and not thoroughly 
rubbed into the skin. A mass, after mixing 
with lard, as large as a hickory nut is as much 
as it is best to use for one application on calves, 
—twice as much for full grown animals. 
A Succession of Vegetables. 
There are many who make a job of planting 
the garden in the spring and content themselves 
with the different vegetables as they come along, 
without taking any pains to have them any ear¬ 
lier or later than a single out of door sowing 
will furnish. Those who manage their garden 
in this way do not get half the enjoyment it is 
capable of yielding. It is too late now to think 
about getting extra early crops, but it is just the 
time to do something to get late ones of many 
things which last but a short time in perfection. 
Though most of our readers do not enjoy the 
climate of California, which allows choice veg¬ 
etables to grow nine or ten months in the year, 
they can by means of hot-beds and late plant¬ 
ing do much toward lengthening the season at 
both ends. Early Valentine and other snap 
beans, and any of the early sorts of sweet corn, 
planted now will give in all ordinary seasons a 
plentiful supply until frost comes. Early peas, 
if planted quite deep, will often do well and 
give a late yield. Cucumbers, radishes, lettuce, 
spinach, and many other things may be put in 
as a succession crop, and even okra and nastur¬ 
tiums will probably pay for the trouble. 
Patriotic Gardening. 
In these times when our hospitals are filled 
with wounded heroes, the question with every 
one is, what can I do for the soldiers ? There 
are few gardens so small that they will not 
afford something which will be acceptable to 
the boys who are sick or wounded. They long 
for home comforts, and a thing tastes all the 
better if it is “just as mother used to make it.” 
It is not too late to plant a few hills of cucum¬ 
bers to furnish material for good home-made 
pickles, which shall gladden the heart of some 
mother’s son. Then there is dried sweet corn— 
which is a greatly prized luxury, and canned 
or bottled tomatoes, and tomato catsup which 
are also highly welcome. The fruit garden and 
orchard will yield their dried and preserved 
fruits, and every home to which the Agriculturist 
goes can do something for the comfort of the 
soldiers. The nearest town or village has its 
soldier’s Aid Society or Relief Association which 
will gladly receive contributions, and forward 
them where they will do good. 
Manuring Newly Set Trees. 
We this spring saw a neighbor finishing off 
the planting of a row of handsome maples in 
front of his dwelling, and complimented him 
on his taste and public spirit, and expressed the 
hope that his trees would live and flourish. 
“ They ought to grow, said he, “ for I have put 
a half wheel-barrow load of hog manure into 
each hole.” “ Have you ?” we responded, “ then 
the trees will die, and you may as well pull 
them up now and throw them on the brush 
heap.” But he could not be convinced of his 
error. “ Ilog dung Gone well in the corn-field, 
and with hops, and tobacco; and why won’t it 
with shade trees ?” And so he left his hand¬ 
some maples, with their roots enveloped in the 
powerful manure, and the result was as might 
have been expected. A few leaves put forth in 
May, but in June they turned yellow and drop¬ 
ped off one by one, and to-day the trees are 
dead. The lesson is a plain one: keep away 
manure from newly planted trees. Give the 
roots finely pulverized surface soil, as good as 
can be found, and the trees will doubtless thrive. 
If the soil need bettering afterward, apply ma¬ 
nure to the- surface in the fall, and work it in 
the next spring. It’s effects will soon be visible. 
A Few Words on Pruning. 
The often repeated axiom “ prune whenever 
your knife is sharp,” holds good for small limbs 
upon small trees, but for old and neglected ones 
both experience and theory indicate midsum¬ 
mer as the proper time for the removal of large 
limbs. Not only is the amputated stump more 
thoroughly shaded at that time, but the forces 
of the tree arc in that condition which allows 
the healing over process to commence more 
promptly than at any other season. We have 
to repeat what has often been said in these 
columns: do not cut a limb unless with a defin¬ 
ite object and it is clearly seen that something 
is to be gained by it. In pruning we remove 
limbs altogether or shorten them, and for quite 
different ends. A neglected tree will have its 
center crowded with branches which, being ex¬ 
cluded from light, cannot perfect their fruit. 
Others will cross and chafe one another, while 
others again will grow so much to one side as 
to throw the tree quite out of balance. In either 
case the limb may be removed with decided 
benefit to the tree. Nor is the manner of its 
removal a matter of indifference; if worth doing 
at all it is worth doing well. A pruning saw 
or a small hand-saw without a back, and with 
a rather wide set is to be used to remove the 
limbs. In the operation the limb should be 
held in such a manner that it cannot fall by its 
own weight and make a bad crack, or strip the 
bark before the sawing is completed. Saw 
close to where the limb joins another and pare 
the cut surface smooth with a knife, chisel or 
drawing knife. The surface should then have 
some protecting coating; a thick solution of 
shellac in alcohol is one of the best preparations 
for this purpose, but owing to the ldgli price ot 
both these articles it will be found cheaper to 
use grafting wax, which may be applied in a 
melted state with a brush. Either of the com¬ 
positions mentioned in the report of the Fruit 
Growers’ Meeting on page 164 (last month) may 
be used. Branches may be shortened in, either 
to induce the formation of fruit buds or to cause 
some of its lower buds to start and produce 
branches to fill up a vacant space. For the last 
mentioned purpose the cutting is done in spring. 
World’s Fair in New-Zealand. 
In our younger days we read of the island ot 
New-Zealand with mingled curiosity and fear, as 
we were told of its ferocious cannibal inhabi¬ 
tants ; but now there comes from that coun¬ 
try a communication addressed to B. P. John¬ 
son, Secretary of the N. Y. State Agricultural 
Society, inviting the Society to co-operate in an 
International Exhibition to be held in the City 
of Dunedin, New-Zealand, Jan. 3d, 1865* The 
Commissioners of the British New-Zealand 
Government are very desirous to have our agri¬ 
cultural, horticultural and labor-saving ma¬ 
chines represented, as there is great demand for 
them. They may be sent by the way of Lon¬ 
don, directed to the care of John Morrison, Esq., 
agent for the Exhibition, No. 3 Adelaide Place, 
E. C., London, up to the 1st of August at latest, 
or they may be shipped direct from New-York 
to the Secretary of the Government at Dunedin, 
New-Zealand. Qur wide-awake manufacturers 
will appreciate the advantage to accrue from 
thus introducing their wares, to a new field 
