320 
VALUE OF ANTHRACITE COAL ASHES FOR MANURE. 
will not be likely to prove the least, according 
to this interesting statement. 
Sale of Mr. Bales' Shorthorns .—This seems to 
have been, although a sale of shorthorns, a sale 
of long-horn prices. I see one calf was sold at 
$330, to come to the United States, an amount 
that would purchase a hundred and fifty head 
in some parts of this country. This is a fair 
show of the difference between improved cattle 
and scrubs. 
Sebright Bantams. —I have no objection to any 
one amusing himself with a few such fowls 
as pets. But the disposition to substitute them 
for the good old sort of domestic fowls, under 
the plea that their flesh is so tender and delicate, 
and eggs so sweet, is carrying improvment 
down hill at a most ridiculous rate. A cock 
sparrow might show fight, but would hardly be 
worth the trouble of breeding for any utilitarian 
purpose. 
Shrubby Cinquefoil .—If the spread of this 
modern enemy of the farmers of Connecticut, 
should be the means of driving them into a gen¬ 
eral system of underdraining, as hinted at by 
Mr. Gold, I should not look upon it as so seri¬ 
ous a curse as many of them do. There is no 
doubt in my mind, but draining will cure the 
evil, and that, with a system of deep plowing^ 
and better cultivation, which is as much needed 
in that state as any other land on earth, the 
products will be greatly increased, and farming 
made so profitable that we shall not need go 
to Egypt, nor any other outlandish country for 
corn. I assure you that draining is a better 
remedy than growing timber to get rid of the 
cinquefoil. 
Mr. Robinson's Tour, No. 20.—“Benefits of 
Railroads to Agriculture.” I don’t like to criti¬ 
cise anybody’s style, but it does strike me, that, 
for a title to this article, “ History of the South- 
Carolina Railroad ” would have been more ap¬ 
propriate, as that is what it is, and as such is 
quite interesting, not only as matters of history, 
but containing a great deal of useful informa¬ 
tion for the traveller and merchant. By the 
way, the Agriculturist always contains a great 
deal of matter as useful to the merchant and 
mechanic, as to the farmer; and yet they ex¬ 
cuse themselves from taking it, because “ they 
have no interest in a farming paper.” 
To Country Gentlemen .—A capital hit. If I 
had the wielding or a few thunderbolts, my 
first object would be to rattle down some of 
those “great, staring, ill-constructed temples,” 
you speak of; and then I would keep up such a 
clin of thunder around the ears of owners, that 
they would rear up a “ home of taste,” and adorn 
their grounds with animals, the beauties of 
which would delight the eye, instead of paining 
it with the view of naked portions full of ill- 
bred brutes. Come and look at my beautiful 
Devon cattle, in contrast with the plain old 
farm house and its furniture. 
Ladies' Department .—Here, upon one page of 
the Agriculturist, you have a dozen articles, any 
single one of which is worth more than the 
price of the paper for a year. I wish I knew 
how to induce my fellow creatures to read.; 
Every book or paper that I take hold of, leaves 
something new and often very useful. Ladies, 
look once more at this page of your particular 
department for August. 
Poultry Management .—Here is an article from 
the London Agricultural Gazette, of about two 
dozen lines, that is worth just as much as the 
whole of some of the family of new “ poultry 
books,” which have been hatched out the past 
year. It is highly deserving the attention of 
readers. 
Mode of Saving Manure .—This should be en¬ 
titled “ a new way to make stable floorsand 
a very good way it is, too. I have never seen 
a description of a better plan for keeping cattle 
dry. All the urine, of course, will pass off at 
once. In freezing weather, it will be found to 
be a most comfortable arrangement for stock. 
Why has it not been thought of before ? 
Cultivation of Cotton in India .—Notwithstand¬ 
ing what Mr. Bright, or any other honorable 
gentlemen may say about “ the East Indies 
being peculiarly well calculated for the growth 
of cotton,” all experience says quite contrary; 
and there is no doubt but it will continue to be 
grown in the United States, cheaper, and of a ' 
better quality, than any other part of the world, 
just as it ever has been since the commence¬ 
ment of its cultivation. 
Dissolving Bones in Sulphuric Acid .—Now do 
not forget this. It is a valuable article. It is 
far less expensive than grinding them. 
There is, in every number of this paper so 
much that is good and useful to comment upon 
and call back the readers attention to, that I am 
compelled to leave many articles unnoticed and 
touch others but briefly, and then, in spite of 
me, my reviews grow into such length that I 
sometimes fear I shall remain unread; but if I 
am I shall not die with grief. 
Reviewer. 
Value of Anthracite Coal Ashes for Ma¬ 
nure. —Mr. Bunce, of Yale laboratory, has pre¬ 
sented an analysis of the ashes from anthracite 
coal, to the American Association for the Pro¬ 
motion of Science, recently held at New Haven. 
He shows conclusively that important ingredi¬ 
ents for the growth of plants are contained in 
these ashes, and though much less valuable than 
those obtained from wood, yet, they are quite 
useful for agricultural purposes. We hope 
such of our farmers as have, or can easily pro¬ 
cure them, will not fail to give them a full trial, 
on different crops and soils, and send us the re¬ 
sult of their experience for publication. 
Plowing and Planting for Orchards. —If you 
design to plant out a young orchard, either this 
fall or next spring, the ground should now be 
twice thoroughly and deeply plowed, when not 
too wet, turning under at the second plowing a 
liberal coat of compost, formed of swamp muck, 
charcoal, wood ashes, and oyster-shell lime. 
At the extreme north, the trees may be planted 
towards the close of this month, agreeably to 
the directions given at p. 330, of our sixth vol¬ 
ume. 
