May, 1859. 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
158 
boat with his family and spend the day at a distance from 
the shore. As there were frequent fogs, one of the num¬ 
ber was usually left at home to ring a bell as a signal. On 
one occasion a little son remained on shore. During the 
day a thick fog settled down upon the water, and the fish¬ 
ers attempted to reach the land. But the mists grew 
deeper and darker, and after rowing vainly in all direc¬ 
tions, despair had nearly suspended their efforts. Just 
then a little voice came through the darkness, “ Father ! 
steer straight far me. Father, and you’ll get home,.” The 
father renewed his efforts, and by steering straight in the 
direction of the oft repeated call, he reached the desired 
haven. Not long after the little lad was taken away by 
death. The father, a wicked man, having no hope in this 
life orthat which is to come, wasfilled with despondency. 
Clouds, mists and darkness seemed to close in around 
him on every side. While thus situated he seemed to hear 
from heavenward, “ Father ! steer straight to me, Father, 
and you’ll get home.” He obeyed the admonition, and 
turned his frail bark, tossed upon life’s boisterous billows, 
towards the haven of eternal rest. So, said the speaker, 
it is probable that our little ones are often taken away to 
that higher sphere, whence we may mentally hear their 
cherub voices calling, “Father, Mother, steer straight 
tow ards me, and you’ll get home.” 
LORENZO DOW ON BAD THOUGHTS 
Somebody once said to Lorenzo Dow, who was a very 
eccentric strolling preacher ; “ Mr. Dow, I don’t know 
what to do. Bad thoughts trouble me very much. They 
come into my head, and I don’t know how to keep them 
out. How can I help doing wrong, if it is wrong to have 
bad thoughts.” Mr. Dow’s reply was : "IVc can't prevent 
birds fromjlying over our heads, but we can keep them from 
building nests in our hair." Do you ask : “ How can you 
drive away these thoughts, and keep them from making 
their nests in your minds 1” Why, just as we exclude 
thistles from the land, by putting in so much good seed 
that there is no room left for them to grow. Keep the 
mind busy with something innocent and useful, and leave 
no place for the intruders. 
■-- - - 
Problems for- tlie Hoys and Girls. 
Our puzzling rebus of last month seems to have amused 
a good many grown-up people as well as little folks, and 
we offer another, perhaps not so difficult as No. 37, but 
probably enough so for the younger boys and girls. We 
will also add here for 
NO. 38— A RIDDLE. 
A shoemaker once made shoes w ithout leather. 
With all the four elements joined together; 
There were Fire, and Water and Earth loo and Air, 
And most of his customers wanted two pair- 
NO. 39—A NEW ILLUSTRATED REBUS. 
Prob. 37 (a Rebus) has puzzled many a reader as we 
have good reason to know from the number of letters re¬ 
ceived concerning it. We thought the rebus difficult 
enough to puzzle almost everybody, and must express a 
little surprise at the number of correct answers already- 
received. We suspect those who succeeded have realized 
the truth of the sentiment of the rebus. Aunt Sue’s let¬ 
ter so fully explains the rebus, and the mode of studying 
out such puzzles, that we need say no more about it. 
AUNT SUE’S NOTE ABOUT REBUS 37. 
My Dear Mr. Editor : 
I do like hieroglyphic Rebuses, and when our friend— 
Agriculturist for April—arrived yesterday, I attacked the 
Rebus first. Let me tell you my experience over it. My 
thoughts ran somewhat thus: “Oh! that is some one 
sick-a-bed evidently, from the looks of that little table 
with physic on it;—let's see, ‘sick sand purse,’—‘ill sand 
purse.’—No. Can it be a Jew ill? ‘Jewels and money.’ 
‘Eve-ear-ant—swineherd? Corn-husk!’ (well, I can’t 
make a great deal of sense out of all that). ‘ E are bench, 
one D bears hyphen B A in a parenthesis !’ Well ! if 
there is anything “worth remembering” in that, I 
should like to know it! “Supper was announced and so 
I laid down the paper hopelessly. Just before bed time 
Itoolc it upagain ; for“don’t give it up” is my molto,and 
I didn’t see why I couldn’t find it out as well as the next 
person. At length my efforts were rewarded, and I dis¬ 
covered “ Patient s and purse Eve ear ant s will pea E 
are (P.E.R) form one D bears, minus (b a)," or "Pa¬ 
tience and perseverance will pe-form wonders.” And my 
success bore ample testimony to the truth of the motto 
thus found out. Let us have another. 
Yours truly, Aunt Sue. 
Brooklyn, N. Y., April 2, 1859. 
Correct answers have been also received up lo April 16, 
from: Frank Morrell : F. F. Woodward ; S. Libbey ; W. 
H. W.; F. L. Strong; Edward C. Ilinman ; A Reader; 
Joseph Flowers ; Charles Flowers ; J. T. Kelsey; M. A. 
Elliott; Hiram S. Safford; three readers in Worcester, 
Mass. ; H. F. A. and S. D. M.; Eliza J. Marshall; Polly 
A. Montague; II. S. Holmes; and Charlie Ball, (who 
writes that for the last part of the puzzle, he had to imi¬ 
tate the • Professor,’ who fell into a well, and worked 
himself out by Algebra!) 
Into which are thrown all sorts of paragraphs—such as 
Notes and Retlies lo Correspondents, with Useful or 
Interesting Extracts from their Letters, together with Glean¬ 
ings of various kinds from various sources. 
Catalpaor Beau Tree.— C. Pulsifer, Christian 
Co., Ill. This tree is of moderate size, seldom reaching 
more than 30 to 35 feet in hight with wide spreading 
branches. Its leaves are in shape much like a bean leaf, 
and its long seed capsules resemble bean pods—hence the 
name “ bean tree.” It flowers freely in June, at which 
season it is quite ornamental. It is not perfectly hardy- 
in this latitude, the young shoots being often Winter- 
killed, but grows more hardy with age. Though not gen¬ 
erally planted we esteem it highly. 
Farmer, Spare tlaut Oak.—P. W. Cook, Ash¬ 
tabula Co., O., writing about the prejudice against oak 
trees in open fields, as not being profitable, states that lie 
lias two oaks which furnish more food for pigs, than the 
same ground which the trees occupy, w ould produce if 
planted with corn. 
Kcgister ©£ Hie Fruit Yard.- Vulcan, Har¬ 
ford Co., Md., suggests that a plan of the fruit yard or 
orchard be made, each variety being named in its place ; 
the plan to be kept for reference, instead of depending 
upon the labels attached to the trees, w hich are easily 
lost. The idea is a good one. Most nurserymen have 
such a plan in addition to the labels. 
Dwarf Trees, Mow far apart ? —R. Craig, In¬ 
diana Co., Pa. From ten to twelve feet apart is a proper 
distance to set dwarfs, and deep enough to cover the roots 
at their junction with the tree, this being the depth at 
which trees stand naturally. 
Mildew on Gooseberries.— M. A. Riley, Co¬ 
lumbiana Co., O. Gooseberries appear to be affected 
most by mildew in dry seasons. In the moist climate of 
England, where this fruit is raised in the greatest excel¬ 
lence, mildew is scarcely known. Mulching, that is, cov¬ 
ering the ground around the roots with straw, leaves or 
tan-bark, keeps the surface moist, and is used as a pre¬ 
ventive of this blight. 
Caps over Currant Rushes, etc.— B. Ew¬ 
ing, Marquette Co , Wis , was very much annoyed last 
season by the depredations of the birds. They came iri 
flocks, and of almost every description, to feed upon the 
currants and raspberries which had been cultivated with 
much care. After trying many expedients, the bushes 
were at last covered with cloth caps, which, w hen proper¬ 
ly arranged, excluded the birds, and also proved beneficial 
to the fruit, making it sweeter, and preventing it from 
drying on the bushes. 
Peach Tree Borer.—E. R. Gilbert, New-IIaven 
Co., Conr.. The insects producing this worm deposit 
their eggs in this latitude during the latter part of July 
and the month of August. 
Destroying Cattcrpillars on Trees. —A.L. 
Risley, Ill., recommends applying a mixture of softsoap 
and turpentine to the places where they have commenced 
making their nests. They are often found in the forks of 
the limbs, and resemble a small tuft of cotton. The mix¬ 
ture may be readily applied by using a long-handled swab, 
made of cotton batting. 
Another White Strawberry.—D. Ilabel, 
West Chester Co., N, Y., says he has found among the 
Highlands of the Hudson River, a variety of while straw¬ 
berries, larger than the native red, very sweet and high 
flavored. Tite leaves, specimens of which were forward¬ 
ed are small, bright glossy green, and deeply ribbed. Per¬ 
haps it would be better to prove them one year longer be- 
lore deciding to distribute them. 
Hanging up Geraniums.—W. II. Riker, Sa¬ 
ratoga Co., N Y., states that he has succeeded three 
years past in keeping the scarlet Geraniums by the me¬ 
thod recommended by Mr. Downing, viz.: hanging them 
up by the “ heels” in the darkest part of the cellar. Other 
correspondents say they have succeeded equally well. 
Kohl Mabi.-K. P. Martin. This plant resembles 
a turnip growing out of ground on a cabbage stalk. It is 
cultivated like a turnip, though sown earlier, and cooked 
similarly. It is best for use when half to two-thirds 
grown, say about the first of August in'this latitude. 
See Iliustration and description in vol. 16, page 209, also 
on page 4 of this volume. 
Cut. Worm on Cabbages.— Andrew M. Gates, 
jr.. North Branford, recommends sowing a circle of either 
stone or shell lime, around each plant to prevent the cut 
worm. He says it has succeeded where other means have 
failed. 
Wlaalc-oil Soap for Borers.— A “Jamaica 
Plain (Mass.) Farmer,” writes us strongly urging the use 
of a solution of one pint of whale-oil soap to a gallon of 
water, applied w ith a cloth or brush, both Spring and Fall, 
to the trunks of fruit trees, as an effectual protection from 
borers. 
Carrots for Coffee.— Mr. Charles M. Buttolph, 
Lee, Co., Ill., writes that after trying various substitutes 
for coffee, he has at last found carrots to answer the pur¬ 
pose very well. They are prepared by washing, sliced 
lengthwise quite thin, and roasted in the oven until about 
the color of roasted coffee, and brittle enough to grind 
well. A tablespoonful is sufficient to make coffee for five 
or six persons.(t) It should boil about five minutes and 
requires nothing to make it clear. 
Large Ears of King- Philip Corn.— George 
Haigh, Orange Co., N. Y., forwarded fine specimens of 
this corn, selected from bis crop. He states Unit the seed 
was planted the 2d of June, and harvested the first w eek in 
September, the product being over 97 bushels of shelled 
corn per acre. 
Great Yield. of Blicit wheat.—D. B. Stevens, 
Locust Township(l), reports the size and product of a 
single stalk of buckwheat gathered by him, thus : Weight 
of stalk 3i lbs., number of kernels, 4,000. This certainly 
is at the rate of -a great many bushels to the acre. 
Feeding Young I.aimbs. J, Johnston, Ontario 
Co., after having tried the method for feeding young 
lambs suggested in the March Agriculturist, (page 70.) 
as well as other modes, has at last from experience come 
to the very good conclusion, that the best way to feed 
Iambs is through the ewes ; in other words, to allow the 
ewes 1 lb. grain each, daily, during their pregnancy if fed 
with straw, less if hay be given. This, lie says, not. only 
fits the ewe for nursing her lamb well, but also adds to 
her growth and the weight of her fleece. 
Disease of Young Ijamlbs.— Ranchero, Chau- 
tauque Co., N. Y.. inquires for information concerning 
the proper treatment of his lambs. He writes that when 
several days old they are attacked suddenly, apparently 
with pain in the bowels, a viscid mucous flows copiously 
from the mouth •, they lie on the side, with the bead 
stretched back, bleating with each paroxysm of pain, and 
in six or eight hours they die, 
Giving llic Bees a Mint.— S. P. Campbell, Min¬ 
nesota, writes that he found the drones remaining during 
the middle of September after brood time, thereby pre¬ 
venting the honey from gaining in the hive. Thinking 
that the bees were negligent, he killed about a dozen 
drones as they w ere entering the hive, and the next day 
he found the hive entirely cleared of drones, the workers 
having destroyed the rest. The hive then filled with 
honey very rapidly. Mr. C., would like to know some 
means of preventing swarms leaving after being hived. 
Eatenf Cliurns, (Johnson’s and others.)—In re¬ 
sponse to several correspondents, we answer that we are 
unable lo give particulars concerning the churns they ask 
for. For years we chased new ‘patent churns’ up Broad¬ 
way, down Wall-street, and elsewhere, with about equal 
satisfaction, or rather want of it, in every case. We will 
say this much, however, that experience, observation, and 
scientific principles, have led us to the settled conclusion 
that no churn will make the first quality of butter which 
brings the butter in less than 15 or 20 minutes under the 
most favorable circumstances. Hence we now spend no 
time in running after any “ three minute churn.” When 
