1866 .] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST, 
347 
Manwre from ftlie Breweries—ISag- 
Weed.—" J. W. T.,” of Elliot, Me., ask.s: “ Will it pay 
to put hops and malt refuse from the breweries upon 
grass land at two cents a bushel ? We have a field that 
is full of rag-weed. What will kill it out ? Some of the 
ground was laid down three years ago, and it is full of it 
now.”—The hops and malt manure will probably pay well. 
Compost it with loamy soil, sods or muck. It will heat 
quickly, and as soon as it becomes homogeneous, it may 
be applied. It is highly nitrogenous, and you must judge 
of its strength by the activity of the fermentation of the 
compost heap.The way to get rid of rag-weed 
(Artemesia) is to put on hoed crops, manuring well, and 
keep them well hoed, not letting a weed go to seed for 
two years, then seed down with a small grain crop. A 
strong sward will keep down rag-weed, but this needs a 
soil in good heart. The plant is an annual, and the seeds 
usually not long lived in the soil. 
Oyster Shells or Oyster Shell Ijissie. 
—Morris Moses asks, in which condition oyster shells are 
rao.st valuable as a fertilizer, burnt or ground.—In the 
first place they are more cheaply reduced to a fine 
powder by burning than by grinding ; 2 d, the powder of 
the slaked lime is infinitely finer than the ground; 3d, 
the lime is a very active substance, producing immediate 
and marked results, for good, usually, for evil, if im¬ 
properly applied ; 4th, the ground shell is an inert sub¬ 
stance, decomposing very gradually and producing no 
ill effects, and good ones only in case the ground lacks 
calcareous matter, except so far as 1 to per cent, 
of animal matter and a trace of phosphoric acid will go. 
Many soils need calcareous matter, and 5 pounds of 
slaked oyster shell lime will go much farther to supply¬ 
ing this for a crop or two, than 50 of ground shells. 
Clover fbr Green Mannre. — G. J. 
Gilbertson, Mitchell Co., Iowa, asks: “ In order to im¬ 
prove pur dry sandy prairie land, I wish to sow clover; 
what kind shall I get, and when shall I sow it? ’’—Plow 
at once, giving the land a dressing of gypsum (three to 
five bushels per acre), and sow twelve pounds of large 
red clover seed of good quality on a March snow. 
Blastei* aii«l Iffleiii-tluMg' Compost oii 
Potatoes. —Daniel Edwards, of Allegany Co., N. Y., 
writes ; *• G. H. Case planted half an acre of potatoes 
last spring on a sward of Timothy and wild grass, with no 
manure. After they were up, he put on 2 bushels of 
plaster and hen manure, equal parts, leaving two rows 
undressed in the middle of the field. The two rows have 
been yellow and of small growth ; the others have a deep, 
rich, healthy green, and are twice as large as those un¬ 
dressed, and indicate double the quantity of potatoes that 
there would have been, but for the dressing. I am near 
70 years old, and never saw such a contrast produced by 
any kind or quantity of manure.” 
Horse-racisig—Ag'riciiltiival Socie¬ 
ties. —The number of comments and complaints, not to 
say bewailings, over the prostitution of agricultural 
societies to the interests of horse jockeys is greater than 
usual, and shows either that the evil is growing worse, or 
that farmers are feeling it more. The fact is, that agri¬ 
cultural societies must be supported. Without the horse¬ 
races, which we dislike thoroughly, and consider demor¬ 
alizing and only bad as generally conducted, the fairs too 
often do not pay expenses. The farmers have the thing all 
in their own hands; they may canvass the district before 
the annual meeting, elect officers who sympathise with 
their views, and then guarantee them the expenses and 
the premiums. In this way they will have the fairs to 
suit them. But will they do it? The farmers are 
slow, the horse-men are fast and free with their money. 
So they have things their own way, and the farmers may 
thank them, not themselves, that they have even $10 
offered for the best bull, and $2 for the best mower and 
reaper. $200 offered in merely agricultural prizes w'ill 
hardly bring 50 people into the grounds, while for every 
dollar offered as a trotting prize, 50 people may seek en-. 
trance. This, unfortunately, is the way the thing works. 
Sussex Co., N. J. — The northernmost 
county in New Jersey is called Sussex, which might be 
wondered at in any State except New Jersey.—H. C. N. 
reports that, braving the scoffs of his neighbors, he intro¬ 
duced a corn planter this spring, with which he planted 6 
acres a day, and also a horse corn plow with which he 
finishes each row at one plowing. So he saved himself 
fully half the labor of corn culture, and though the neigh¬ 
bors called them humbugs, the machines held their own. 
Old Sussex County is famous for milk and butter. 
Questions not Answered.—We do not 
wonder that many of our kind readers, who interest 
themselves for the Agriculturist, and who send us 
questions, are disappointed at not seeing them answered, 
and it is but fair that we should occasionally explain. 
Our space is very far too'small to allow us to give as 
much as 10 lines to each question. Often we are able to 
answer half a dozen in one. Frequently questions re¬ 
quire study and Investigation, wliich it is sometimes dif¬ 
ficult to find time for before the season is passed for the 
current year. Then again there come questions which 
we can not well answer. Here, for instance, is one : 
Mow to Malic Soci Feaice aud IMtcli. 
—“ How should a sod fence be built, or a ditch fence, or 
a sod fence and ditch ? ”—“ J. B. C.,” Montgomery Co., 
Iowa. This question we are happy to propound to our 
readers, and some “ old country man ” will probably have 
to answer. Turf or sod fences, with or without ditches, are 
common in Europe, especially in Ireland, but rave here. 
Setting' I’ence I*osts.—“N. C.” advises 
to set posts without preparation, but to apply “a large 
shovelful of wood ashes to each post just at the surface.” 
A Mumping Wagon Wanted.— 
“ What is the best plan for a wagon, the body of which 
will tilt, to dump its contents like a cart?” 
nature, it will be hard to cure, but probably may be al¬ 
leviated by common heave remedies. 
Sweet Potato Vine.^.—Frank Parker asks, 
if it is absolutely necessary to lift the vines dm ing the 
growing season. No. Neither is it absolutely necessary 
to raise sweet potatoes at all. The vines make roots 
throughout their entire length, and on these roots little 
potatoes will form, but never mature. On this account 
the vines are torn up from the ground, or cut off to stop 
their running now and then, and the strength then goes 
to perfecting the tubers in the hills. 
Propagating’ IlSaclcIterries and 
Raspberries.—M. Korff, Gray’s Summit, Mo. These 
are propagated extensively from root cuttings. The 
roots are cut in pieces one or two inches long and filanted 
in spring, with a slight bottom heat. 
Beardless Barley.—The beardless or bald 
barley does well in Canada, and that fact answers the 
question as to its bearing a northern latitude. The 
Nepaul Barley is naked as well as bald. 
Bealcy Tin Boof.—“G. S. K.” When a 
tin roof proves itself good for nothing from any cause, 
rip it off. The plastic slate roofing is coal tar, mixed 
with slate flour, ground very fine. It is said to make a 
good roof if applied on a good felt, or wrapping paper. 
Booflng'.—“ V. H. F.,” and others. From 
our own examination, from what we hear, and from the 
nature of things, (but not from the rather extravagant 
statements made by the parties who have it for sale), we 
are inclined to think that the so-called “ Plastic Slate 
Roofing’’ is equal to the best roof of its kind. 
Sick Cliickens.—Mrs. “ J. R. T.,” ofFlem- 
ingsburg, Fleming Co., Ky., is very much distressed 
about her fowls. She has lost 200 or more of her young 
chickens, and 25 or 30 hens, 75 young turkeys and sever¬ 
al old ones. They droop a day or two, seem to have sore 
throats, and “the scours,” then die. Of course we can 
only guess what may be the matter. We have known a 
similar trouble from fowls eating carrion and maggots, 
and vvoiikl put them in a yard, feed softened grain,or better 
grain ground and scalded, mixed wilh fine charcoal, and 
wood ashes. We have checked scours by giving a w ine- 
glass of ale with 10 or 15 drops of paregoric to full-grown 
fowls ; sop bread in the ale, and put it down their throats. 
How Miicli do People 'ITeig-Ii ? — 
M. Quetelet, of Brussels, Belgium, conceived the idea of 
ascertaining the average weight of people at different 
ages, with other items. To this end he weighed many 
thousands of persons of all ages and occupations, in dif¬ 
ferent parts of Europe. The following is the result: 
a.—Infants, at birth, vary from.2)^ to 11 lbs. 
i.—Infants, average weight -.Cl^ ibs. 
c. —Young men, at 20 years old, average... 143 lbs. 
d. —Young women, at 20 years old, ;'.verage.129 lbs. 
e. —Men weigh most at 35 years old, averaging_152 lbs. 
/.—Women weigh most at 50 years old, averaging 139 lbs. 
g. —Men and women together, at full growth, av’ge 140 lbs. 
* Boys, a little more ; girls, a little less. 
There is apparently some error in the last item, for with 
the average weight of men of full growth at 152 lbs., and 
of women at 139 lbs., the .average weight of both taken 
together should be I45X lbs. Probably the last figure 
refers to men and women of all ages taken together, for 
taking the given averages (c, d, e,f, above) the average 
is 140% lbs., and allowing for the usual excess of fe¬ 
males, the average of all would be reduced to about 140 
lbs. It is noteworthy that men reach their greatest average 
weight at 35 years, and women not until 50 years of age. 
The figures refer to Europe ; we think the average 
weight of women in the United States would fall below 
129 lbs. at 20 years old, and 139 lbs. at 50 years. 
Marking’ Cliickens.—“ Progress ” says : 
“ When I wish to mark chickens as I take them from 
the nest, I cut the web between the toes. As there are 3 
toes on each foot, there are 4 places where you can have 
life-long marks on the fowls.” 
Bats.—The question how to get rid of rats 
meets with a ready answer from “J. C. F.,” Litchfield 
Co., Ct. He says : “ My method is to catch a rat, and 
dip him all but his head in red paint, and let him go. The 
rest do not like his looks and so leave the premises.” 
'WitcSiisig or Switcliing for '^Va- 
ter,—“ T. M. L.”—The only result that usually comes 
from following tlie witch-hazle-switoh indications of 
water, is, that people locate their wells in very inconveni¬ 
ent places. If a man digs a well deep enough, he usual¬ 
ly gets water, whether the hazle switch indicates it or 
not. Still, people who mean to speak the truth, tell very 
marvellous stories, which we have no wish to dispute. 
Only we will say, when a writer like one in an esteemed 
contemporary runs mad in his philosophy, and makes 
electricity do more wonderful things than talk across the 
Atlantic, we must protest. 
Cheese Factei-y iss. Coliimhia Co,, 
N. Y.—We recently visited a new cheese factory just 
erected at Rider’s Mills, Columbia Co., N. Y. The build¬ 
ing is 100x30 feet, two stories high, erected in a very sub¬ 
stantial manner. It is calculated to work up the milk 
from 600 cows. The location is an admirable one both 
as regards conveniences for manufacture, and excellence 
of the surrounding pasture, from w hich the very choicest 
butter has long been derived. The enterprise is a new 
one in that section, but it will undoubtedly pay, as it is 
intended to establish an A No. 1 brand in market. 
Will l£o4>ts Eiitei’ Cisteriiss •>—“ Chris¬ 
topher,” of Nautucket, asks, if the roots of grape vines 
planted near a brick cistern will interfere wilh it. They 
will not if the bricks are well laid in cement, and the 
cistern is water-tight to the top. Roots will penetrate a 
wall loosely laid, and do often go through common cellar 
walls, even though cement mortar may have been used, 
but they will not go where water cannot. 
Cow witli tlic Heaves.—Wm. Wade, of 
Bristol, Ohio, has a cow which has had something very 
like the heaves in horses for 2 years. The heaves is 
similar to asthma, and we know no reason why cows 
should not have it now and then. If it is asthmatic in its 
Preparing Sweet Corn.—G. Manahan, 
Elkhart Co., Ind. The corn is boiled just enough to 
harden the “milk,” and then cut from the cob and dried. 
A machine has been invented for cutting the corn from 
the cob, which will soon be advertised. 
Cnrisig Meats-—“ Massachusetts Hams ” 
writes : “ I cure and smoke 50,000 to 100,000 pieces per 
year, and know my business. Meat cured in pickle made 
of water is not as good, and only used because more 
profitable and less laborious. The flavor of cured meats 
depends mainly upon the kind of molasses used. The 
best temperature is 40°, frozen meat will not cure, and if 
above 50°, will be liable to taint. For 100 lbs. meat, take 
8 lbs. salt, 1 quart best molasses or 2 lbs. sugar, % lb. 
saltpeter, 2 ounces ground alum ; mix and rub on the 
fleshy side of the meat placed in pans, so as to keep all 
the mixture ; repeat lire rubbing every three days, rub- 
bing in thoroughly.. For large pieces, and cold weather, 
60 days will be required ; if mild weather, 50 days, and 15 
days less for small pieces. The skin and fat of hams 
should be out clean from the face, as far down as the 
second joint, to allow the salt to enter. The recipe for 
keeping meat, viz., in ashes, given in September Agricul¬ 
turist, is good. Smoking is of no benefit; it is only a 
quick way of drying. Most people would prefer drying 
without smoke. If you smoke, use only walnut or yellow 
birch wood, or mahagony saw-dust. Be sure your meat 
is well cooled off before salting ; ten days after killing is 
better than ten hours.” 
Home-Miatle Ink — Cori’ectioii. — In 
some of the first printed copies of August Agriculturist, 
one of the ink recipes was spoiled by the use of wrong 
letters in a word intended to be Bichromate of potash, 
which is an abundant material, found in most drug 
stores. Many others have recommended similar prepa¬ 
rations, and sent us specimens of writing with the ink, 
most of which are very good. See page 294 (August). 
