180T.] 
AMKHTCAN AOKICUI^TUKIST 
129 
'rorliir<* nt llic Slstt'K. —An In- 
Farmer ” takes “ Conneetlcnt ” ti) 
for his plea for shelter for cattle. We a:,'Tec with Con- 
neetlcut In reptnl to the desirableness of shelter, yet 1 k>- 
lieve with Iowa that snch stock as wo get from Iowa anil 
Illinois do not apjH'ar to have led lives of estremo suffer¬ 
in'*. lie writes : •• Now I do not uphold slow torture or 
any kind of torture for the dumb brutc-s, but it does not 
follow because they are not in warm stables tlmt they arc 
uncomfortable. Tlmt depends very much ujKm climate, 
natural shelter and food. In the report of the live stock 
market of New York for the week ending Feb. 2—and I 
iM'llcve it Is so during the year—nearly one half of the 
cattle were fWmi Illinois, numbering 2,(r)2, while only 97 
were from Connecticut. I do not suppose one half of 
these Illinois steers were ever Inside a stable, and yet 
when they left the Sucker State they were fine, fat, sleek 
fellows, and did not look as though they were suffering 
slow torture, but enjoying thertisclves about a.s well as 
homines usually do. A fat animal rarely suffers from cold. 
But few of the men that have fed Uicse steers are at 
present in much danger of going to the poor house.” 
l>r:tiniu;; Into 'iVells*. — 
“il. M." This is sometimes done with success. If the 
swamp lies uism a clay liard pan, imi>ervlous to water, 
and there is a stratum of dry gravel beneath. It would bo 
best to dig through the Irnrtl pan and watch the results. 
If the water disappears in the immediate vicinity of the 
well, it will pay to dig others. Wo should not rely upon 
one well to drain several acres. You want to empty your 
ba<<in rapidly after showers, especially In summer. Wells 
at frequent Inters'als would also help to lmpn>ve the cha¬ 
racter of the subsoil more rapidly. But If the wells fail, 
break through the hills and put down a covered drain 
deep enough to take off all the water. Marsh land is, as 
a general thing, poor property;—knock the bottom out 
of it, and it makes the best grass land in the world. 
Kt'llin;;: I..un<l lor CJuurricw.—Mrs. 
N. E. B. An undeveloped quarry cannot be wortli very 
much more than the ^Tilue of the land for other purposes. 
It costs large snms of money to test the value of the slate, 
granite or marble, as the ca.se may be ; and all this invest¬ 
ment is a dead loss if the stone prove worthless. Even 
when the value is pmved, nearly the whole cost of a stone 
is for the labor expended in dressing it, and in getting it 
to marki-t. And yet a stone quarry may be worth more to 
a community tlmn a gold mine. Il may make a steady 
market for labor and foster Industrious habits. 
I'liit or I>ap I’lirrowH — I>oiil»lc 
Plow*.— In our discussion of Flat and Lap Furrows we 
have lia<l no reference to the furrows turned by double 
plows—that is, large plows, with a “skimmer” plow or 
“jointer” on the beam. “ Brutus,” of Westport, N. Y., 
writes thus : “ In the numl>cr for January I sec an article 
in which the writer gives the flat furrow the preference. 
Such is not the theory or practice of our flrst-class fann¬ 
er* in this section ; the lap furrow better drains the land 
and gives us a warmer, livelier and quicker seed bed. 
That the grass and weeds are more troublesome with lap 
tlian with flat fumiws may In; true if sod-land be plowed 
with the common plow. But we obviate that difllculty in 
this manner: we attach to the beam of the plow, in the 
same manner as a coulter, what is termed a jointer, 
which cuts two or three inches deep; as the plow moves 
on, the jointer deposits in the bottom of the funow all 
the gras-i, which otherwlsi' would form the joint er lap of 
the furrow, and thus It is buried out of the way of the 
harrow, and where it will rot quickly. Com land preiwr- 
ed In this manner will require but little hand labor. In¬ 
stead of a sod in the lap of the furrow, we liavc a riilge 
of mellow soil, and the cultivator or horse-hoc, in the 
hands of a careful lalH)rer, will destroy all the weeds that 
make their appe.arancc between the rows. In preparing 
stubble land for wheat the same plow is used ; the jointer 
turns down the stubble, the plow covers it up, and the 
field ha.s the appearance of a summer fallow. The jointer 
may be attached t.> any plow with a proper length of 
beam ”—We hope Uiis will Ixiguile no one, into em¬ 
ploying lap furrows (in the common sense) in spring 
plowing, unless ho can not make flat ones. 
riic AVIicttt Failure.—“J. B , 
mend, Ind., writes; “The partial failure of the wheat 
crop during the past few years in some scctioiis 
the question if with a soil of unsurpassed fertility, all the 
miKlem appliances of machinery, and various periodical's 
and books that treat of systematic and scientific agricul¬ 
ture arc we falling far behind our less favored neighbors 
of the extreme North and Northwest in the prodnetiou 
and quality not only of wheat, but of other cereals ? Me 
ailmlt tlm si-a.^ons have l>ei-n of late unfavonible, but is 
this the only cause of failure? ll.avo not other causi!S 
over which we had control had more to do wltli it ? Have 
we not been too careless about the improvement and 
■^idectlon of seed, the choice and preparation of soil? 
Have not successive and exhaustive cropping of the land, 
with a want of intelligent and searching investigation 
into this sad deterioration and diinlnutiou of one of our 
gn-at staple emps, contributed to the result?— While 
some of our fanners have lieen allured by the specious 
representations and promises of adventurers and irre- 
siHinslblo dealers in “ wine plants,” tobacco, etc., they 
have neglected the culture of those more substantial and 
peniuuient sources of wealth upon which rest the real 
Impplness and prosjierlty of the country. During a recent 
visit to Canada I was infonned that the farmers meet at 
stated pi'rlods in their sevend districts for the buying, 
selling and excliangc of choice grain, etc. Could not 
snch a wise system be instituted here ? Cannot some¬ 
thing bo done before wo risk another failure ? ”—[It would 
be hanl to set a limit to what a good, active township or 
county faraiers’ club might accomplish in tliis way.— Ed.] 
I*uiiip lor 'Well. —“ E. A. P.” The dis¬ 
tance of the well from the house is not a matter of so much 
importance as the depth of the well. The suction pump 
will only raise water twenty-nine feet in a perpondicular 
hlght, and the pump must be very perfect to draw this 
whole distance. Tlic deeper the well, the more force it 
will require at the pump handle. The lead encased block 
tin pipe is a good article. The nearest village plumber 
will tell you the cost of the article and of suitable pumps. 
WIint to I>o Willi Slsmsliter-lloiise 
Bono*.— It is a diflicult thing to say what a farmer 
should do with bones and oftal that he can collect 
at a slaughter-house. They may all be thrown into a 
heap with stable manure, to fill all the interstices and 
give compactness to the heaps. This, if watered a little 
to start fermentation, and covered with earth or muck, ' 
will heat, and many soft bones and all the gristle and 
flesh will become free from the hard bones, which may be 
thrown out when the heap is forked over. The softened 
bones should be thrown to one side and mashed with a 
sledge. Those that remain hard, though they would 
yield to repeated operations, may better be left to dry and 
then sent to a bone mill, if one can be easily reached. 
There should be one in every neighborhood. If this can 
not be done, which is usually the ca.se, the bones may be 
broken up somewhat with a sledge, and cither rotted 
again, or treated at once with sulphuric acid and water. 
First wet the bones, which should be on a hard clay floor, 
somewhat dishing, or in a luilf-hogshead tub, then pour 
upon and over the heaps gradually oil of vitriol, to the 
amount of half the weight of the bones, adding more 
water occasionally. There will be Intense heat generated, 
and the mass should be shoveled over or stirred well fre¬ 
quently, more water added if it dries at all; and so, after 
a while, the hard bones will yield. It may be necessary 
to add more acid, and finally tlic mass may be dried off 
by mixing the mashed bones, or adding muck or dry soil. 
Forn llllsl'l- —“ blight if planted 
"three years in succession upon the same piece of ground ?” 
Not if you put on plenty of manure. Com is said to have 
been planted on some of the bottom lands of the Scioto 
Valley for 40 years in succession, without any evidence of 
blight. But rotation of crops is ordinarily the true policy. 
Tlic wltiiiiiiiiiiK'!'* ol" S«f;j;li»n>i 
are said to be goiul food for milch cows, and it will pay 
better to use it in this manner than for vinegar. 
Foal Astlicw.— ” n. S. F.,” Bellows Fall, Ct., 
asks, “ whether coal ashes can be used in any way.” The 
best use to be m.ade of them is on roads and walks, either 
by themselves or with gravel. They soon pack very flmi. 
They contain a slight amount of fertilizing material and 
may be used on stiff soils where sand would be bcncliclal. 
Farming? l»y FrolcwMioiial .ncii.— 
We have received a letter from a city lawyer asking in¬ 
formation upon this topic, wliich will soon bo answered 
by a gentlemen of experience. It is entirely pnictieablc 
for a business man in the city to live in the country, and 
derive a large part of the support of his family from the 
cultivation of the soil, or to quit the city altogether upon 
a very moderate income. Just bow this can be done can 
not be told in a basket article. 
IjOiiisilsina Slate I'^aii* in 
An Association proposes holding a State Agricultural Fair 
in Baton Ilouge, I>a., during the week beginning Monday, 
May C.th Mr. Clayton Evarts, of Baton Rouge, is Cor- 
msponding Secretary and will give further information. 
Al>|>l<‘« 1«»* Wisicoiitsln.—At the annual 
mcetin * of the Wise(«isln Horticultural Society the fol- 
lowin-'list of five varietie* was adopted: Red Astrachan, 
Duchesse of Oldenburgh, Famense, Tallman Sweeting, 
Golden Russet. For a second five; Fall Stripe, St. Law¬ 
rence, Perry Russet, Red Romanite, and Willow-twig. 
Ilo>v lo Plaice lIcuN Fay. —It is well 
enough to start hens in lajung by giving them stimulating 
food, but wo do not believe in keeping it up after they 
begin to lay generally. Much meat fat will Induce disease 
sooner or later. M. J. Skinner, of Northampton Co., Pa., 
says ho takes a common milkpot full of thickened milk, 
adds a tablespoonful of Cayenne pepper, and a handful of 
wheat bran, stirs it up and feeds it to the chickens every 
morning, and since ha has done so has greatly increased 
his supply of eggs. It is a good practice, and not so in¬ 
jurious as feeding much meat. 
Slalc Fisli lioi- —Mackerel and 
other kinds of salt fish, which are spoiled for food, may 
often be bought very cheap for manure. They are best 
mashed up witli soil or muck, and used after la 3 ’ing a few 
weeks and being worked over once or twice. Use at least 
three parts muck to one of fish. 
Fiirc for Fril>l>iiis;’ Horses. — "We 
published in the December raimber a suggestion from a 
Volunteer Officer in regard to a cure for cribbing being 
effected by separating the crowding front teeth. He at¬ 
tributed the habit or disease of cribbing or wind-sncking 
to the painful crowding of the teeth. Since making that 
statement we have received several letters confirming the 
view. One correspondent says; “ I am satisfied from ex¬ 
perience the view is correct.” Our friends of the N. 
Y. College of Veterinary Surgeons, however, say it is 
entirely incorrect, and that they have seen horses’ teeth 
filed out—that is, a thin file run up between all the front 
teeth on the upper jaw without producing the least effect. 
Improvctl IMiilip Forn, “Hoi 
don ” Dutton Com and other standard eastern varieties, 
may be obtained of all dealers in agricultural seeds. 
Broalciii" Iforscs lo — 
“ J. L.,” Chester Co., Pa., says the best way to break a 
horse to the single line that he has found is, to put him 
before a hoe-harrow in working corn, and attach sinqU 
and double lines. When the single line will not answer, 
use the others. Have the single line loose from the har¬ 
row’ and folded around the hand. Y'ou can make a good 
leader of almost any horse in this way in a short time. 
Two KpfS'S a. I>siy from One Hen.— 
“ J. G. S.,” Philadelphia. It may be that your observa¬ 
tion is correct. There is nothing in the nature of things 
to render it impossible for a hen to lay two eggs in one 
day. Two yolks in one shell arc common. The occur¬ 
rence of one perfect egg Inclosed in another, (there being 
room in the outer shell for the first egg, and for a yolk 
and white of ordinary size), is not very rare. Hens w'ill 
sometimes lay a sound egg and a soft shelled one the same 
day ; but whether or not there is any absolute proof that 
a hen has laid two good eggs in one day we do not know’. 
made Spaniwli. — “ Can the Ethiopian 
Change his Sldnf"—5. H. Mabbett, of South Bergen, N. 
J., states that he has a Black Spanish hen, about one half 
of whose feathers came white at the second moulting; 
at the third she w’as entirely white ; at the fourth she still 
remained white ; at the fifth, which w’as last fall, about 
one half of her plumage came blaclc. Tlic hen now looks 
as she did at the second moulting. He says: “I have 
taken no little interest in watching the changes in her 
])lumago, and intend to keep her as a curiosity until she 
dies. I presume she will bo black again this fall. It is a 
freak of nature, and one I think of i*ather rare occurrence. 
Having made Black Spanish a specialty for the past six 
years, I have only heard of a very few from true stock 
that have made this ehange in plumage, and think, unless 
they come in contact with some w’hite fowls, they w’ill 
not become more abundant than ‘ white crow’s.’ ” 
Tlirosliinpr I’oiiA’CiiicBilly in Single 
Floored Barns.—John Larkin, of East Brandywine, 
Chester Co., Pa., furnishes us with the following plan he 
idoptcd to do his threshing last fall, by which he says he 
.vas enabled to perform the same in about half the time 
’ormerly required, lie has an endless chain one-horse 
lower and thresher, and instead of having them both on 
Dne floor, as is the custom with most fanners in that sec¬ 
tion he put the thresher up on poles, or square pieces of 
timber that had been put across the front part of the barn, 
about eii'ht feet above the floor for mowing wheat on. 
He placed a couple of planks cross-ways of these, and 
screw-bolted them down. The threslier was than placed 
on these and after adjusting the strap, was fastened dowm 
the same as on the floor. Two or three temporary posts 
were put up from the floor beneath and nailed fast to the 
cross-pieces, a few loose boards laid down for a floor, etc. 
