AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[November, 
A3 8 
Borne-Bust.— “ A. C. W.,” Tazewell Co., 
Ill. Liater Bros, of Newark, N. J., manufacture bone- 
dust which they guarantee to be pure. Their price i8 
$35 per ton. 
Snow-Shoes au«l SSircli Canoes. 
“E. W. 0.,” Brattleboro, Vt. These articles are very 
difficult to make by au unskillful white man. It is not 
every Indian even who is a good snow-shoe maker. 
The bows arc prepared by the men and the raw hide by 
the squaws, who also do the tilling of the shoes, and very 
few of.them can make a really neat and light shoe. The 
Indian women also do the most of the work upon the 
birch canoes, and we doubt very much if the most in¬ 
genious white man can successfully compete with these 
people, who are trained from their early youth to do this 
work. It would be cheaper to buy them at the very 
moderate price asked for them, about $'3 for a pair of 
snow-shoes, and $3 to $12 for a canoe. 
Mtsntl-Mill for Grinding’ Wheat.— 
“ W. F. C.,” Galena, Ill. There are some very efficient 
hand-mills adapted to grinding wheat into meal or flour, 
which cost from $8 to $12, and which may be procured 
of almost any agricaltural implement dealer in any part 
of the country. The Howard Mill No. 1, price $8, is one 
of the best of these that we know of. 
Experiments In Sowing Wheat.— 
H. Branch, Loudor. Co., Va., sends us a statement of the 
results of experiments in sowing wheat, of which the 
most interesting portion is that which shows the effect of 
thin sowing of seed. One of the experiments was in 
planting Fultz wheat in drills 12 inches apart, and sow¬ 
ing the grains singly 3 inches apart on one plot, and G 
inches apart on another. The result was that this seed¬ 
ing, equal to one fifth and one tenth of a bushel, yielded 
at the rate of 25% bushels per acre with the least seed, 
and not quite 32 bnshels per acre with the larger quantity 
on an average of ten plots planted altogether. This, 
however, is only what has been proved many times al¬ 
ready. 
Breeding In-and-in.— T. G. Hopkins, 
Sctauket, L. I. It is sometimes advisable to breed a bull 
to his own progeny when it is desired to establish some 
particular point or characteristic aimed at. But, as a rule, 
we would advise the bull to be changed and new blood 
introduced every second year, and no young bull to be 
raised for use upon related stock. 
Sait as a Manure.—“ H. P.,” Schuylkill 
Co., Pa. Salt is used to benefit clover, to stiffen the straw 
in wheat and oats, and as a fertilizer for asparagus. It 
may be used on clover and wheat or oats, at the rate of 
three to six bushels per acre, and for asparagus a peck 
to the square rod may be used with benefit. 
“ Over-Ripe "Wheat.” — “J. H.,” St. 
Clair Co., Ill. There can not be any such thing as over¬ 
ripe grain. When grain is ripe its growth is complete, 
and it is then in a perfect condition for seed. Wheat cut 
before it is ripe will ripen in the shock, but if it is cut 
too early will shrink in the ripening. Shrunken wheat 
should not be used for Beed, because although there may 
be a perfect genn formed, there will be lack of nutriment 
for the growth of the young plant. 
Ringbone.—“ F. M.,” Annaton, Wis. In an 
old horse ringbone is generally incurable, and is only 
made worse by attempts to cure. When the bony growth 
is completed there is seldom any lameness, and stiffliess 
of the joint is the only bad effect. In a young horse it 
has often been cured by the application of an ointment 
Of bin-iodide of mercury and lard, but'this remedy should 
be used with caution. 
Wants S>rainiii[j.—“ G. E. B.,” Misha¬ 
waka, Ind., has a farm which eight years ago was under 
water, but since then has been dry. Corn planted upon 
this land comes up well at first, but soon turns yellow and 
stops growing. What is the matter with it?—Weshould 
Bay this laud wants draining; it is very probable that the 
stoppage of growth occurs just when the roots reach the 
point where the soil is saturated with water, as this is 
exactly the way corn behaves under such circumstances. 
Try draining a few acres. 
Colon” iiiiriuim Cattle.— “W. H.,” 
Lacrosse, Wis. Pure blood Durham animals of a red 
color are not at all unusual. The general color of this 
stock is red and white mixed, and entirely white or en¬ 
tirely red animals are common. 
Steeping Eggs.—“"W. T. L.,” Portland, 
lie. The air bubble in the egg has aothing to do with 
their preservation or decay. The shells of eggs aro-porous 
and permeable to air. As they become old the moisture 
evaporates from them to some extent, and air supplies 
the place of the moisture. The access of air tends to 
cause the egg to spoil. If by any means the evaporation 
can be prevented the egg may be preserved for a longer 
or shorter time. By smearing the shells with linseed oil 
eggs have been kept fresh for six months, but no mere 
position in which they may be placed can have any pro¬ 
longed effect in keeping them fresh, if it has any at all. 
We have no confidence in any statement made by the 
London Farmer upon any matter whatever. 
•Jersey and Alderney.—“W. H.,” La¬ 
crosse, Wis. Jersey and Alderney are generally used to 
designate the same breed of cattle, but wrongly so, as 
there may be Alderney cattle that are not Jersey. Alder¬ 
ney and Jersey are two islands of the group known as the 
Alderney or Channel islands. Some years ago the stock 
from this group of islands were known as Alderney cat¬ 
tle ; but now those from the island of Jersey are known 
solely as Jersey cattle, and those from the island of 
Guernsey as Guernsey cattle. 
Bremen Agricultural Exhibition. 
-—We have received a circular of the Executive Commit¬ 
tee of the International Agricultural Exhibition to be 
held in Bremen, in June, 1874. Information may be pro¬ 
cured by addressing the Committee at their office, Brce- 
denstrasse, Bremen. 
Switching the Tail.—“ J. R. J.,” Holden, 
Mo. The habit of switching the tail is often caused by 
the presence of worms in the horse; they are generally 
situated in the lower intestine. An injection of a weak 
solution of salt in water is often successful in causing 
them to ho discharged. Two ounces of salt to a gallon 
of water is sufficient. Their presence may be known by 
the appearance of scales of dry mucus around the anus. 
Soiling €rops.-“ 9. A. W.,” Baltimore 
Co., Md. After the fall-sown rye is consumed in the 
spring there should he a Crop of clover or orchard grass 
ready to follow, then early sown oats would be the next, 
or oats and peas, or a crop of fall-sown tares might he 
prepared to follow the rye. Com would follow the oats. 
Wild Flax.— “G. E. B.,” Msliawaka, Ind. 
There is a common species of wild flax which is a per¬ 
ennial plant, and which can not therefore be destroyed 
by cutting. Plowing and burying the roots or gathering 
and carrying them off would be the best plan of ridding 
fields of this weed. 
Tlae Morgans.— It is certainly to the credit 
of the class of horses known as Morgan horses that it is 
selected as ttie type of the perfect horse by that very 
capable horseman and intelligent writer, the Rev. W. H. 
H. Murray. And now we read a well authenticated ac¬ 
count of a Morgan horse recently exhibited at an agri¬ 
cultural fair, which beneath the weil-bsme burden of 27 
years steps out upon the ring actively and as gayly as a 
colt of three years." The value of the old Morgan horse 
to the agriculture of the country in founding this race of 
hardy, active horses is hardly to be computed in dollars. 
lies troy ing Old Stninps.—“W.A.,” 
West Charlton, N. Y. There is a method of saturating 
stumps with saltpeter or petroleum and making them so 
inflammable that they will burn away; but wc know of 
none by which they are destroyed by acids. The plan is 
to bore a hole to the heart of tire stump and pour a 
quantity of petroleum into it, or put a quarter of a ponnd 
of saltpeter therein, and when the Btump is well soaked 
with it to set it on fire. 
Dressing for Sores.—There is no better 
dressing for sores on any animal in warm weather or fly¬ 
time than common clean pine tar. 
Stca.mil Pumping Engines.-W. A. 
Cuming, Wilmington, N. C. There are a large number 
of American engines snitablo for light work, such ns 
pumping for irrigating purposes, and which may be 
geared directly to a rotary pump. A modern invention 
known as the Pulsometer, which works without any en¬ 
gine and by the direct action of the steam, is probably the 
best irrigating or pumping machine known at the present 
time. It lifts the water and also discharges it with what¬ 
ever force may be required. 
Tiunor om the Jaw. — “A. M. W.,” 
Mitchell Co., Iowa. A tumor on the jaw of a heifer or 
other animal is generally the effect of a blow or other in¬ 
jury. As it arises from injury to the bone no outward 
application is of any avail unless for the purpose of in¬ 
ducing suppuration and discharge. A diseased growth 
of bone, hewever, almoBt always occurs, which ends final¬ 
ly in a permanent enlargement or necrosis which i 
length terminates fatally. If a surgeon can not be pr 
cured, we would advise the application of common iodir 
ointment twice a day to the swelling. If it is not tt 
effect of an injury it is likely to be the result of a scrof 
Ions condition in which case a cure is very uncertain. 
Marl. —“B. P. R.,” "Windsor Co., Yt. Wh; 
is known in your locality as marl is not lime in the co 
dition in which it should be used to mix with muck f 
manure. The lime should be caustic or free from carbon 
acid. Marl is an impure carbonate of lime, and is qui 
inert as a decomposing agent for muck. It may, howcvi 
be mixed with the muck, and after a year’s or even a sc 
son’s exposure may be usefully applied to the land. B! 
caustic lime is much more rapid and effective than ma 
Beep Cams.—“ A Farmer’s Daughter,” A 
dover, Mass. The deep cans used in setting milk ari 
inches in diameter and 20 or 25 inches deep. They a 
made by the Iron-clad Milk Can Company, of Now Yoi 
The method of using t,hemand skimming the cream, wi 
an engraving of the skimmer, is described in the Agric 
turist for May, 1872. 
Farming’ in "West Flsrg'Inia.—“ R- 
A.,” Pittsburgh, Pa. We would advise any person ( 
siring to change his location to visit the place he p 
poses to settle in, and examine, not only the soil hut t 
character of the farmers and their ways of doiifg thin) 
A man of sufficient judgment to run a farm would ma 
a very satisfactory guess as to the propriety of rernovi 
thither. We do not wish to advise as to making invei 
ments of money. 
Bairj' t^uestions.—“H. S. 8.,” Washir 
ton. It depends somewhat upon the management of 1 
milk whether or not milk set in deep cans will yield 
much cream as milk set in shallow cans. The tempe 
turc has more to do with the yield of cream than 1 
shape Of the can. A cow that would yield a pound 
butter a day for a lengthened period would probe 
bring in New York $75 or more if the right pnrehai 
should happen to be on hand. The lactometer w 
described in the Agriculturist of October, 1872, to wh: 
please refer. 
Mape.— “W. B. E.,” Plymouth, Ill. Weht 
no doubt that rape might be successfully cultivated 
Central Illinois, although it thrives best in moist climal 
It is largely grown in Great Britain as food for sheep i 
green forage for other animats, and in the drier dim 
of France and Germany, a closely allied plant under 
name of Colza is extensively and profitably raised I 
the seed from which oil is expressed. Probably j 
winter rape would be the most successful in Illia 
sown in August for fall and early spring feed. 
Sewing' Machine Patents.—“W. 
E.” We do not know that any of the patents on sew 
machines have yet expired. There are a very large w 
her of patents on recent improvements which will c 
tinne the monopoly practically for several years evei 
none should he extended. But there are some ch 
machines which are very good. The Beckwith machi 
described in the Agi~icuUu?'ist often #f late, is sold at 
to $20, and will do satisfactory work. 
Bancid Butter.—“ W. M. S.,” Vancom 
W. T. There is no way of sweetening rancid buttei 
make it entirely palatable. It may he improved by w£ 
ing in sweet milk in a churn, and then m pure wa 
and finally, by working over again with a quarter of 
ounce of fine white sugar and three quarters of an on 
of salt to the pound of butter. It must then he consul 
at once or it becomes as bad as ever again very soon. 
Charcoal for Hogs. — “ W. F. L 
Shelby Co., Ind. Charcoal in small quantities may 
prepared by simply burning hard wood in a fire, and w 
it is thoroughly ignited plunging the brands into wa 
If a larger quantity is desired, the wood may be put i 
a heap closely packed and set on fire, and when biis 
burning it should be closely covered with sods and 
lowed to smolder for two or three days, when it is tc 
covered with earth and left to cool. The result 
be very fair charcoal. 
Protection for Cattle.— The act 
Congress for the protection of animals in transit W 
into effect on October 1st. It provides that all swine l 
Btock transported over railroads and by water, wh 
there are not sufficient accommodations for rest 
feeding, shall in every twenty-eight hours be stopp 
rested, and fed for five hours. There is a penalty of ft 
one to five hundred dollars for violation of the aot. 
