AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST, 
100 
the arrival of the Americans, when the old 
Scotch plan revived, and, judging from Lin¬ 
coln, bids fair to leave its opponent behind, 
or at least bring it fairly to the bar of experi¬ 
ence. 
In America we find a similar state of 
things, both plans of yoking the horses having 
been adopted ; but there, the tide of inven¬ 
tion appears to have been more in favor of 
the Scoth mode of draught than the Roman. 
It has been so in this country, as our read¬ 
ers will perceive, but not to the same extent; 
and this arises from our northern neighbors 
themselves having thrown aside their own 
plan, and adopted that of “ putting the cart 
before the horses,” as previously attempted 
by Boyce and Plucknett, in this neighbor¬ 
hood." 
In each of these two modes of yoking there 
is a considerable diversity of contrivance, 
independently of that which distinguishes 
the one from the other, deserving of a pass¬ 
ing notice, from the principles they involve, 
many of them suggesting further improve¬ 
ment. There is, for instance, a wide differ¬ 
ence between the mode in which Crosskill 
yoked his horses at Lincoln, and that pur¬ 
sued by our forefathers in the days of the 
Romans, when we were at this season har¬ 
vesting our corn—either shipping it directly 
from the field to Rome, or else for being put 
into Roman granaries, for early export next 
year. At that time, the object of the British 
farmer was to secure the earliest and best 
samples for export, reserving the inferior 
quality for bis own use. Indeed, he was 
then more dependent upon his flocks and 
herds, with the produce of hunting, than 
bread-corn; and hence, the worse work in 
the harvest-field, the fatter mutton and bacon 
afterward, so that his rude reaping machine, 
and his mode of yoking and working it, har¬ 
monized with his interest. A single ox in 
the shafts was all that was necessary; and 
he was soon trained to guide the machine, 
and keep pace with his driver attending to 
the cuiting apparatus. But, rude as such 
machines and mode of yoking them were, 
they yet furnish information; for a two- 
wheeled machine is much more easily driven 
straight forward in the direction of the corn to 
be cut, than one on three or four wiieels, as 
any one may experience who wheels before 
him a two-wheeled truck or barrow, and a 
four-wheeled one ; or the same is illustrated 
in backing a (two-wheeled) cart and a (four- 
wheeled) wagon ; and when we add cutting 
and gathering apparatus, which act adverse¬ 
ly and irregularly to the advancing motion of 
the machine, as we soon shall see involved 
in some of our modern improvements, the 
tack becomes more difficult, and still more so 
when two horses are yoked abreast, each in 
shafts, as was done when first tried, because 
then their action was also irregular—hence 
the next improvement, of a pole and whip- 
pletrees. But even these were found insuffi¬ 
cient to overcome the above difficulties; so 
that machines then ran into the standing corn, 
and otherwise were ungovernable, like Har- 
kes’ at Lincoln, until a steering apparatus 
was attached to the point of the pole, ena¬ 
bling the driver to counteract the adverse 
motion or agency in question. 
(To be continued.) 
To Make Corn Starch. —The ripe grain 
must be mashed and ground to a fine meal, 
and then placed in a glazed mortar, and rub¬ 
bed and triturated with a small quantity of 
water, until all the corneous paiticles are 
broken down. It is then to be transferred to 
a fine linen filter, washed, and expressed 
with successive portions of water. The li¬ 
quid that passes through, must be allowed to 
stand for sixteen or twenty hours, for the 
sediment or starch to subside. The water 
is then to be drawn off and the residue dried 
in the usual manner. 
This is the simplest and cheapest mode 
yet known for preparing the corn starch for 
puddings and other useful applications. 
[Albany Cultivator. 
FOOT-KOT IN SHEEP. 
Flockmasters in Germany seperate the 
diseases incidental to the foot of the sheep 
into two kinds—infectious and non-infec- 
tious; or better, into the virulent and the 
mild foot-rot; for although the common 
foot-rot is there considered by some as non- 
infectious, it is perhaps only comparatively 
so, being attended with little or no danger, 
and often disappearing without the applica¬ 
tion of a remedy, although through neglect 
it may degenerate into the virulent or in¬ 
fectious state. The following remarks re¬ 
late, I think, to the disease alluded to by 
Mr. Watkins, and which he suppsses to have 
been introduced into England of late years ; 
in Germany, they trace its origin in that 
country to the introduction of the Merino 
sheep. It first shows itself in the limping 
gait of the animal, which gradually increases; 
generally commencing with one of the fore¬ 
feet, afterward both are affected, and at last 
this lameness extends to the hinder feet, 
with increasing bodily weakness. 
The diseased foot is hot, and is often swol¬ 
len round the hoof, which is more open or 
wider apart than on the sound foot, and the 
skin of the coronet is inflamed. An unpleas¬ 
ant smelling humor exudes, which thickens 
on exposure to the atmosphere, and not 
only inflames and destroys the immediately 
surrounding skin, but often penetrates be¬ 
tween the horn of the hoof and the foot itself, 
the horny part partially separating from the 
flesh ; and in the worst cases an entire sepa¬ 
ration of the hoof takes place, and, if ne¬ 
glected, destroying the muscles and sinews, 
and attacking even the bones of the feet; in 
which condition the poor animal moves 
about on its knees, or helplessly lies down, 
the whole system gradually becomes poi- 
oned,and although generally with unimpared 
appetite, it wastes away until death release¬ 
es it from suffering. 
The worst form of this disease is not so 
often met with in the coarser Merino flocks, 
as in those where every care is taken in im¬ 
proving the fineness and quality of wool, by 
which means they are rendered more sus¬ 
ceptible to the changes of temperature and 
weather. It is of a very infectious nature, 
if proper precaution be not taken, spreading 
through an entire flock in a month or two, 
and is often introduced by merely driving 
sound sheep over land where diseased sheep 
have been a short time previously. 
Precaution is the oldest and best remedy; 
but thorough cleanliness, wholesome food, 
and attention to the flock in wet and inclem¬ 
ent weather, will not always keep the dis¬ 
ease away, as long as there are so many 
channels for introducing it; should it exist 
in the neighborhood, the shepherd must keep 
a vigilant eye on his flock; a sheep ob¬ 
served to be lame must be immediately ex¬ 
amined. If a small eruption or pimple ap¬ 
pears on the skin between the hoofs (coro¬ 
net), and the foot is unnaturally hot, the 
disease has made its appearance, and no 
time must be lost in applying a remedy ; the 
diseased sheep must be kept by itself, and 
all the flock very carefully examined. 
With a sheep knife remove the scab or 
pimple, clean out the wound to the sound 
flesh, wash it with salt and water, and then 
do it over with strong nitric acid. If the 
disease has advanced under the horn of the 
hoof, all the unsound flesh, together with 
the horn, must be carefully removed, the 
Avound washed out with brine, and strong 
nitric acid applied; some recommend using 
sulphate of copper instead of brine, and but¬ 
ter of antimony in the place of nitric acid; but 
Avith the brine and acid a cure is generally 
effected in eight or nine days. Another 
remedy is, a concentrated solution of chloride 
of calcium dissolved in water; after the feet 
are Avell washed and cleaned, and all dis¬ 
eased parts removed, they are carefully 
painted over with the chloride, as far as the 
ankle-joint, using a small painter’s brush for 
the purpose ; and it is best to apply it also to 
those which have only heat in their feet. 
It is a safe and good remedy. 
An old German shepherd recommends a 
composition consisting of several ingredients; 
but a method of destroying the virus of the 
disease by electro-chemical action, and the 
preservative effect of Avater, deserve investi¬ 
gation. The process is simple, and is said 
by those who have tried it to answer com¬ 
pletely ; but, having never seen it applied, I 
must not trespass further on your valuable 
space, and am, sir, your most obedient 
servant, John P. Rubie. 
Southampton, Sept. 28. [Mark Lane Ex. 
SOLIDIFIED MILK. 
The last number of the American Medical 
Monthly contains an account of a visit made 
by a committee of medical gentlemen, ap¬ 
pointed by the NeAV-York Academy of Medi¬ 
cine, to the establishment of Mr. Blatchford, 
at Armenia, some thirty miles east of Pough¬ 
keepsie, where solidified milk is prepared 
The editor describes the process of solidifi¬ 
cation as follows : 
To 1121bs. of milk, 28 lbs. of Stuart’s white 
sugar Avere added, and a trivial proportion of 
bi-carbonate of soda, a teaspoonful, merely 
enough to insure the neutralizing of any 
acidity, which in the summer season is ex¬ 
hibited even a feAv minutes after milking, 
although inappreciable to the organs of taste. 
The sweet milk was poured into evaporating 
pans of enameled iron, imbedded in Avarm 
Avater heated by steam. A thermometer Avas 
immersed in each of these Avater baths, that, 
by frequent inspection, the temperature 
might not rise above the point Avhich years 
of experience have shovrn advisable. 
To faciliate the evaporation, by means of 
bloAvers and other ingenious apparatus, a cur¬ 
rent of air is established betAveen the covers 
of the pans, and the solidifying milk. Con¬ 
nected with the steam engine is an arrange¬ 
ment for stirrers, for agitating the milk 
slightly Avhile evaporating, and so gently as 
not to churn it. In about three hours the 
milk and sugar assumed a pasty consistency, 
and delighted the palates of all present. By 
constant manipulating and Avarming, it Avas 
reduced to a rich, creamy-looking poAvder; 
then exposed to the air to cool, weighed into 
parcels of apound each, and by a press, with 
the force of a ton or two, made to assume 
the compact form of a tablet, (the size of a 
small brick,) in Avhich shape, covered with 
tin foil, it is presented to the public. 
Some of the solidified milk which had been 
grated and dissolved in Avater the evening 
previous, Avas found covered with a rich 
cream. This, skimmed off, Avas soon con¬ 
verted into excellent butter. Another solu¬ 
tion Avas speedily converted into Avine Avhey, 
by a treatment precisely similar to that em¬ 
ployed in using ordinary milk. It fully equaled 
the expectations of all, so that solidified 
milk Avill hereafter rank among the necessa- 
ry appendages, of the sick room. In fine, 
this article makes paps, custards, puddings 
and cakes, equal to the best milk; and ob¬ 
tained from Avell pastured cattle, and not the 
produce of distillery slops; neither can it be 
watered. 
For our steam-ships, ourpackets, for those 
