1863.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
165 
Containing a great variety of Items , including many 
good Hints and Suggestions which we give here in small 
type and condensed form, for want of space elsewhere . 
T5ae Premiums Close ini .Silly.— That 
there may be no disappointment, we repeat that all pre¬ 
miums of every kind, general and special, will close in 
July, excepting only the new Barometer Premium, and 
the Wringing Machine No. 2 ; these will continue open 
to August 31. For special Premiums see page 192. For 
general Premiums see page 155, last month. It is not at 
all certain that we shall offer any premiums in the future ; 
the price of paper, etc., will decide that matter. 
To Correspondents. — The paper is finish¬ 
ed up about the 20th of each month preceding that for 
which it is issued, and nearly ail reading matter must be 
in the hands of the printer by the 15th, or before. We have 
numerous letters asking us to reply in “next month's pa¬ 
per,” which come too late for us to do so. To many of 
these queries the answer would be too late if published on 
the following month. For this reason many correspon¬ 
dents remain unanswered. To others we can not reply 
without taking time for observation and investigation ; 
while some we can not answer at all; and still others 
are deferred for want of room. 
The Best Barometer Cheap. — We in¬ 
vite particular attention to the Special Barometer premi¬ 
ums on page 192. The publisher is of course interested 
in the business part of the arrangement, for he is making 
an effort to raise the circulation of this journal to the 
highest possible point at the present time, in order to 
meet the very greatly increased expenses, without raising 
the terms. But aside from this, the barometer offered is 
not only an excellent one, but it is a thing that it will pay 
to have in every house. If it promote the better gathering 
of a crop in only a single instance, as it will be quite 
likely to do, it will pay well for its cost. The annual in¬ 
terest on $8 or $12, is only 50 to 80 cents a year, and even 
as a useful ornament, the barometer would be worth this 
much, to say nothing of its value as a weather guide. 
The terms upon which it is now offered are special, and 
can not be continued beyond the period named. The 
small number of subscribers required, can be readily ob¬ 
tained in almost every neighborhood; the paper will be 
well worth its cost to the subscribers, and the barometer 
will repay (he trouble taken by those who secure them. 
Even should a person himself subscribe for half of the re¬ 
quired copies and present them to his friends or neighbors, 
he would still secure the Barometer cheaply. We are 
quite sure the instrument offered will give entire satisfac¬ 
tion, and be found a paying investment. The safe deliv¬ 
ery guaranteed is a special inducement. 
Conte to the Strawberry Show.— 
From present appearances the display of strawberries at 
the Agriculturist Office, June 18 and 19, will be well 
worth visiting. The plants have set a good crop of fruit, 
which with favorable weather will be ready at the ap¬ 
pointed time, notwithstanding the late Spring. On the 
first day the doors will be closed to all but the Judges, 
until 2 o’clock P. M., after which the public will freely 
be invited to feast (their eyes) upon the magnificent dis¬ 
play anticipated. See announcement on page 164. The 
Committee of Award was announced last month, page 
136. This Committee is one of the most competent that 
could be selected from the whole country, and their judg¬ 
ment will be valuable. No one to whom there can be the 
least reasonable objection will act upon the Committee. 
“ Alkekengi.” —A friend in Philadelphia lias 
sent us a Boston circular setting forth in glowing terms 
his “ new and beautiful fruit.” under the above name.— 
From the description we conclude it to be the Winter 
Cherry (Physalis viscosa). It is a very good thing for pie- 
serves, and we have distributed the seeds freely for sev¬ 
eral years. The Physalis AIkekengi, from the Soutli of 
Europe is a larger, better fruit, but unless started early 
in the green-house, does not always ripen. The seed, if 
desirable, can be obtained cheaply at the large seed stores. 
“ See Cream in Four Minutes.”— 
So reads the advertisement of Torrey’s “ Arctic Freezer,” 
and it is not far from the truth. The manufacturer 
brought some ready flavored cream, salt, and pounded 
ice to the Agriculturist Office in one of the hot days of 
May, and commenced operations against time. Accord¬ 
ing to our “ chronometer,” in 4 minutes the cream was 
pretty st-ifl - with cold ; in 5 minutes it was solid ; in "K 
minutes It was beat to a smooth paste as good as the best 
that ever was made—and in 12>£ minutes it was all gone, 
—by the aid of our whole office force, and a crowd of vis¬ 
itors—invited and uninvited.-So much for the time. 
Mr. Torrey’s freezer is a good one, the best we have seen ; 
it is cheap, and the apparatus for stirring the cream, and 
the freezing mixture at the same time, greatly facilitates 
the freezing.—Wherever ice is accessible, farmers who 
have the genuine cream, or the rich milk and fresh eggs, 
can have such (n)ice cream as is seldom seen by city 
dwellers. A quart of cream will make a far more deli¬ 
cious dessert for dinner than the best pie or pudding ; will 
cost less money and labor, and be far more healthful on 
the top of a hearty dinner of meats and vegetables. 
What a Woman Can 3>o. — J. B. Bard- 
well, Worcester Co., Mass., writes to the Agriculturist 
that an unmarried woman of that place, now over 80 
years old, a few years since bought a farm for $5,300, and 
recently added to it a pasture lot costing $500 more. She 
had accumulated the whole by doing housework at $1.50 
per week, and putting her savings at interest. She former¬ 
ly let the farm to tenants, but not liking their doings, last 
year she assumed the management, and with the help of 
one man carried on the business. She kept sixteen cows, 
attended personally to the dairy, and attended her own 
housework, besides doing the marketing, etc. A large 
class of young men who are idly “ waiting for some- 
ing to turn up,” should take lessons from this old lady. 
Native Fibres.— We have received from 
Justin S. Lewis, Franklin Co., Kansas, the fibre of a 
kind of nettle; from M. Taylor, Alleghany Co., Pa., a 
piece of cord from the fibre of a species of Milkweed 
probably; and from J. Howells, Wood Co., Ohio, a 
sample of the fibre of what is probably the Indian Hemp. 
A Watering - Apparatus.— “W. H. W.,” 
communicates the following convenient plan for water¬ 
ing seed beds or plants generally. “Take a hogshead or 
other large water tight cask, and set it in a wagon upon 
the head, bore a hole in the upper head for inserting a 
funnel by which to fill it from the brook or river. Have, 
near the bottom of the cask on the side, a stop-cock 
to which a rubber hose is to be attached by a coupling, 
with a sprinkler at the other end. Have the hose of 
any desirable length and the head of water in the cask 
will force the water through the hose and out of the 
sprinkler which may be directed to any desired point.” 
Seedimg - Stosiy JL,aml.—“ Z.,” Bolivar, 
Md. We should advise to go over land too stony to be 
plowed, with a heavy harrow, sow grass seed, timothy on 
low land, and then top-dress with fine manure. It is rath¬ 
er late for the operation the present season. The sun 
would be likely to kill out the young grass plants. 
Fruit of FIstiliate Strawberries,— 
F. Thomas Reilly. Ottawa Co., O. The fruit of pistillate 
strawberries would be but little influenced by the variety 
of staminates used to fertilize them. The seed would 
partake of the character of both of the parent plants. 
Trouble with Grapes.— J. S. B., Key- 
port, N. J. You say that your ground “ is very wet all 
winter and spring.” This is a sufficient reason for the 
failure of any grape. Drain the ground. Your variety, 
the Isabella, is very apt to wither during the summer. 
IPutldliug Trees.— We do not believe in 
the practice, except where the roots are necessarily ex¬ 
posed for some time before planting. In this case a 
coating of mud will protect them somewhat, but we 
would always wash it off before planting out, that the 
fine rootlets may be spread out rather than lie cramped 
and matted together, as puddling leaves them. 
Plum Trees.— G. S. Tinker, Portage Co., O. 
Your fruit is probably attacked by curculio. Seep. 164. 
The Tribune’s Strawberries.— 
Though the advertisement of these plants comes in com¬ 
petition with one of our special premiums, we cheerfully 
admit it. We believe in strawberries for the million. No 
fruit is more readily and quickly grown, and nothing is 
better adapted to the circumstances of the masses. Not 
a few journals formerly sneered at the seed and plant 
distribution of the Agriculturist, but there are millions of 
plots of beautiful flowers and of other plants now grow¬ 
ing in tins country, the original seed of which came 
through our general and premium seed distributions. 
Probably nine-tenths of the important sorghum crop now 
being grown is derived from the twenty to thirty thou¬ 
sand parrels of seed distributed all over the country, a 
few years since, from tlie office of tlie American Agricul¬ 
turist. Let the Tribune, let any other journal in the land, 
take up and carry out the plan we have so long followed ; 
it will help beautify the garden, and supply the tables 
with luscious home-grown fruit. In tlie meantime we 
shall not wholly retire from the field; see our special 
strawberry premium on page 192. 
Maple Syrup for Strawberries an«3 
Wine. — H. P. Bratt, Ozaukee Co., Wis. Maple syrup 
will probably impart a little of its own flavor to these, 
but as the flavor is generally liked, that may not be an 
objection. If made clean and dry, it ought to have tlie 
same preserving effect as its kindred cane sugar. It 
would be well to try it on a moderate scale at first ; and 
please report the results to the American Agriculturist. 
Crops iai Salem Co., N. A. — A. W. Hill¬ 
man writes that sweet potatoes are largely planted in 
that county, farmers often devoting from 6 to 20 acres to 
that crop, and that this year more than usual will be 
planted, on account of the probable short crop at the 
South. Small lots of flax, tobacco, sorghum, and cotton, 
will be grown. The desired information given in May No. 
Boole Cor ESairymest. — A. H. Miner, 
Orange Co., N. Y. Flint’s Milch Cows and Dairy Farm¬ 
ing contains the information you need as to breeds of 
cows, and their general management. It comprises much 
practical matter on dairying, and is well worth the price, 
$1.50, to every one engaged in the business. See page 186. 
IT&omcstic Silk.—L. H. Davis, Suffolk Co., 
N. Y., sends a skein of very nice sewing silk of his own 
manufacture. Weknow not where to get eggs. Who does? 
IPIassts for Names.— “D,” Makanda, Ill. 
The plant enclosed is Collinsia verna, one of our pret¬ 
tiest Spring flowers, and worth cultivating. The “May 
Apple” you describe, is Azalea nudiflora, and the portion 
eaten is a sort of excrescence, or rather monstrosity of 
the flower, supposed to be produced by insects, though 
the fact is not well established. Your other plant is 
probably Calystegia pubescens; is very pretty, but its 
roots spread so rapidly that it becomes a nuisance . 
Lula S. Lauber, Lancaster Co., Pa. The plant is Epigaea 
repens —known as Trailing Arbutus and May Flower. 
Nothing is more beautiful or fragrant, but it is difficult 
to cultivate. Must have a rather peaty and moist soil, 
and be shaded.H. B. Comstock, Cortland Co., N. Y. 
We do not recognize tlie very pretty leaf; send flowers ; 
no seed came. You are right: a plant is worth double 
wilh a correct name. 
Cauliflowers.— “C. A. W.,” Hudson, N. J., 
asks why the cauliflowers grow up into long sprouts, 
when not immediately cut. The head of the cauliflower 
is a mass of undeveloped flower stalks and buds. When 
the season is long, these go on and develop and throw up 
branches to flower and bear seed. 
Craig - Microscope—To Maisy In¬ 
quirers. —For looking at very small objects, such as 
tlie dust upon a butterfly’s wing, starch grains, etc., this 
does remarkably well for so cheap an instrument. For 
examining seeds, flowers and sucli comparatively large 
objects it will not answer at all, as the focus is very short. 
For these purposes a common pocket glass, such as is 
generally sold by opticians is better. 
Flower 5*ots.— Eleanor Rielson, Juncnw 
Co., Wis. The hole at the bottom of the flower pot is 
for the purpose of securing drainage. Were It not for 
this, the earth might become too wet for the health of the 
roots. The proper amount of moisture is that whicli the 
earth will hold when the excess can drain off. A few 
pieces of broken pots, or bricks, or small stones, should 
be at the bottom of tlie pot, before filling with earth. 
German Stocks. — C. A. Nelson. Those 
being annuals cannot be kept through the Winter by 
covering. They must be grown from seed each Spring. 
Squirrels Camiverous.—J. R. Pierson, 
Susquehanna Co., Pa., alluding to an item under this 
head, on page 262 last Vol., says he shot a red squirrel in 
the very act of making a meal of some half grown robins. 
Cauliflowers.— “N.” Ravenstvood. Seepage 
146, last month. Your seed is probably unreliable. 
KTse for Sawdust.—J. K. Niest, Stark Co., 
Ohio. Sawdust is valuable to compost with yard ma¬ 
nure, or to apply alone to lighten heavy clay lands. It is 
excellent as a mulch for fruit trees, vines, eto., and may 
be used advantftgooMsly faf tiffs purpose during drouth, 
