OOBE’S BUBAL WEW-YORKER. 
20 
; >farm (Bconamg. 
ECONOMY IN APPLYING MANURE. 
Prof. George H. Cook of New Jersey 
has been talking to the Middlesex Farmer’s 
Club upon the importance of so manuring 
laud as to make it permanently better—t hat 
Is, not applying fertilizers with a view to 
profit from one crop alone. Wc find in a 
Brunswick paper that he said that Mr. 
Hope, In Scotland, for nineteen years cul¬ 
tivated a farm without any direct profit, 
because he returned to the soil, in the form 
of manure, all, or nearly all, that he gath¬ 
ered from it. He then renewed his lease 
and during the succeeding eighteen years 
he beoame wealthy, owning several farms, 
for one of which he paid twenty thousand 
pounds. 
“ Where marl or bone-dust has been ap¬ 
plied to a field the grass will show it for 
years. The liberal application of fertilizers 
is the most profitable. This year, 1871, on the 
College farm, 2,080 bushels of beets were 
raised on five acreB. The soil of the whole 
five acres was good, but ou one-fourth of an 
uCf'e »r. ent™ /licfttiou was made, at the 
rate of twenty dollars worth to the acre, of 
a compost of hair, marl and manure. This 
quarter of an acre yielded 220 bushels, giv¬ 
ing an increase per acre of one hundred dol¬ 
lars’ worth of beets for twenty dollars 
worth extra of manure. This compost was 
also applied to the carrot field, which gave 
2,050 bushels from two and a half acres. 
The wheat crop illustrated the same fact. 
For potatoes the ground was liberally ma¬ 
nured, giving a good crop of potatoes, 
about 200 bushels per acre. The wheat was 
sowed after this, without any manure, and 
we harvested about thirty-two bushels per 
acre. 
“ A great mistake of our fanners is to at¬ 
tempt to farm with too small a capital. 
The working capital should equal that in¬ 
vested in tho laud. In regard to the kinds 
of fertilizers, the first and most indispensa¬ 
ble is barn yard manure, and for this there 
is no substitute. This tuny be provided by 
buying, if near a town, or, which is tho 
hotter way, by keeping all the Btock possi¬ 
ble. In England improvement has come 
entirely in this way, increasing the crops of 
turnips and by these Increasing their stock 
of cuttle. It would be a good question for 
farmers to consider and determine, bow 
many tons of good barn yard manure can be 
made per acre ? The second in importance 
is clover. 
“ The best crop of wheat ever grown in 
New Jersey was raised by Mr. II. K. IIay, 
who plowed in clover, spread lime on it, and 
harvested forty-three bushels per acre. In 
Mouth Jersey some farmers sow clover 
among their corn after the third plowing, 
or perhaps in August, when it is not too 
dry. The clover makes a good growth the 
ensuing year, and late in May it is plowed 
under and corn is planted. In this way 
they grew forty to sixty bushel* per acre. 
Sometimes, instead of planting corn, the 
clover is allowed to stand, the first crop is 
cut, t he second growth plowed under and 
wheat sowed; thus making a shorter rota¬ 
tion, and dispensing with the oat crop, in 
Which there is rarely much profit. 
“The next fertilizer is Lime, which is the 
cheapest and one of the most useful. Plas¬ 
ter, for some reason not apparent, seems to 
be falling into disuse in this vicinity, al¬ 
though still used in Hunterdon County. 
It is said that a half bushel of plaster in a 
pile of strawy manure will cause it to rot 
down in a few days. If this bo true, it is 
an important fact. 
“The principal fertilizers we need, which 
are expensive, are phosphates, potash and 
ammonia, and these are high, but if genuine 
are worth all they will cost. Soluble phos¬ 
phoric acid, as it occurs in superphosphate 
of lime, is worth from 12} .< to 1(1 oonts per 
pound. Insoluble phosphoric acid, in bones, 
is worth 4;:i to6 cents a pound; but insolu¬ 
ble phosphoric acid, contained in the min¬ 
eral phosphates of South Carolina and 
Northern New York, are absolutely worth¬ 
less. Some years since phosphate was 
brought from the west shore of Lake Cham¬ 
plain, and made into a superphosphate 
which proved to bo without value. Am¬ 
monia is worth from 18 to 25 cents per 
pound. Fifty pounds of ammonia will some¬ 
times increase a crop of wheat eight or ten 
bushels per acre. Potash is worth from 4 to 
8 cents per pound. 
“ There is no doubt but that certain fer¬ 
tilizers are adapted to particular crops. If 
superphosphate of lime be applied to raw 
ground, destitute of vegetation, white clov¬ 
er will be sure to grow; but copperas, or 
sulphate of lime, applied to a similar piece 
will bring sorrel, while no clover will ap¬ 
pear. If saltpetre, or nitric acid, is spread 
on grass the clover will disappear, but the 
narrow-leaved grass will grow better than 
before. Applied to turnips, ammonia will 
give a large growth of top and small roots, 
while superphosphate of lime will cause 
large bulbs with comparatively small tops. 
This effect is not seen where guano is used, 
because the guano contains a sufficient 
quantity of phosphate. Where shall we get 
the fertilizers we are are compelled to buy? 
Bone dust, honestly made, is one of the best, 
and invariably shows on wheat or grass. 
There are two kinds of bone dugt, much 
used by our farmers, Peter Cooper's is 
made from boiled bones, acts quickly in 
consequence, is honestly prepared, and gives 
good satisfaction. Lister sells ground raw 
bone and has a good reputation. Having a 
little flesh on it, it should be better, if the 
grease on it, w hich retards its decay, does 
not counterbalance this. But superphos¬ 
phate of lime, made from bones, would be 
better than bone dust, if we could get it 
pure.” 
Si he Herdsman. 
STEAMING FOOD FOR STOCK. 
In the Rural New-Yorker of Dec. 16, is 
some inquiry about steaming food. As to 
power, I use a six-horse power engine. With 
this I can do my threshing with an Emery's 
thresher and separator, which iB all that 1 
want, as my barn has basement, into which 
the wheat and chaff cau run, and there be 
cleaned with one of Gilbert’s mills, thus 
blowing all dirt out of the chaff and leaving 
it clean for steaming. I have it so fixed 
that everything that can be saved for ma¬ 
nure is secured and put on the land in the 
winter. By this process of cutting and 
steaming, no foul seeds get out of the barn 
alive, and the manure is just what a farmer 
wants, and where and when he want s it—on 
tho land in the winter season, already spread 
with the least cost that it can be done at 
any time of year. 1 then plow it under in 
the spring. What is left is on the surface 
tho following fall, for wheat, as a top dress¬ 
ing, together with what 1 can get time in 
tho fall to put on in addition. 
About the time of cooking food, is what I 
have been looking for; but as 1 have not 
seen anything about this, have been com¬ 
pelled to learn what I could. This winter I 
have drawn the steam right from tin? boiler, 
at a pressure of 40 pounds, and have steamed 
it from three-fourths to an hour, cutting, 
meantime, another can of the same for the 
next time of feeding. All that I etui see 
about the cooking, is to steam until the 
mass is well heated through, boiling hot if 
possible; this extracts all that is valuable, 
I think. 
In a barn built as it should be, t here is no 
need of steaming or warming it, as 80 or 40 
head will keep it warm enough so that it 
will not freeze. My barn is warm enough 
so that water will not freeze in the coldest 
weather; it is also well lighted and ventila¬ 
ted. But It is not expected that all will 
have everything just as it should be; and 
in case the bnrn is not tight, it might be 
well to warm a little; but i have not done 
it for the reason above stated; but judging 
from the actions of the cattle while it is 
steaming, seeing them stick up their noses 
to smell it,—for I assure you it smells good, 
especially when steaming Timothy hay and 
clover, as it is sweet, and perfumes t he barn 
to a charm—it will pay to warm it. 
T have not been in the habit of feeding 
much shorts and meal except to cows that 
are giving milk, the young cattle doing well 
on just the cut straw and stalks, or cut hay 
and straw. J. H. O’Hara. 
Auburn, N. Y. 
--- 
NOTES FOR HERDSMEN. 
Cure for Black Leg.—Please tell “A 
Subscriber ” When his calves begin todroop 
to give them half a teacupful of grouud 
black pepper; mix with sufficient water to 
pour dovru the animal, turning it out where 
it cau exercise for a short time. It is sel¬ 
dom necessary to repeat the dose, but if not 
successful, try again.—*. 
A Good Heifer for Milk.—A subscriber, 
St. Lawrence Co., N. Y„ tells the Rural 
New-Yorker of a native 8-year old heifer 
weighing 400 pounds, that dropped her calf 
May 28, June 9 he commenced to weigh 
her milk and set ii by itself for one. week. 
Product 188 lbs. 1 ounce of milk w hich made 
9 lbs. 4 ounces uf butter of good quality. 
Mr. L. F. Allen of Bnfi'alo, has just 
received at his farm, six Mhort-Horns‘im¬ 
ported by Capt. Pratt of Essex, Conn. They 
comprise two young bulls, red, aud six heif¬ 
ers, two reds and four red roans. 
FROM Tiff DIARY OF A GENTLEMAN NEAR NEW TORI CITY. 
Keeping a Diary. —Jan. 1st, 1872.— 
.Many a man and woman will turn over a 
new leaf to-day aud resolve to keep a better 
record of the future than of the past. I do 
not know of a better method of keepiug 
one’s self st raight in the harness than by jot¬ 
ting down every day's transactions in a 
Diary. There are various questions that 
come up, from time to time during the 
year, which could be readily settled if a 
record of eacli day’s work was strictly and 
faithfully kept. It will enable any one to 
avoid repeating raauy a mistake. Above all, 
if we keep a record of the money we spend, 
and what we spend it for, it will show us the 
foolish as well as the wise bargains made. 
Every person who can write, should keep a 
diary, as an educator, if for nothing else. 
Wrong on the Labor Question.— Jan. 
2.—A gentleman writes me that he has ta¬ 
ken much pleasure in my Diary, as given in 
the Rural New-Yorker, but objects to 
my note Dec. 30, headed “Nothing to Do,” 
for he .says it is not true. I should certain¬ 
ly regret saying anything that was not true, 
but am not convinced by his criticisms that 
I have. Ho says t hat he would like to go 
upon a farm, but cannot shovel; he is a 
good book-keeper, and, in fact, can do al¬ 
most anything where writing and figures 
are concerned. Judging from tho gentle¬ 
man's letter he is a good penman, and per¬ 
haps book-keeper, but a very poor financier. 
More than this, he aspires to a situation far 
above the one he actually merits. This last 
is a far too general fault, aud I believe that 
a majority of men in this country get bet¬ 
ter situations and pay than they deserve. 
1 am frank to confess that I always have, 
even in my younger days, when working on 
a farm for thirty-six cents a day. But I 
have never seen the time that 1 had noth¬ 
ing to do, simply because I was ready to do 
anything that 1 was capable of doing, and 
for the pay that such labor commanded. If 
a man cannot find employment in one field 
let him lit himself for another where help 
is needed. We have too mauy Micawbers 
in our community who are waiting for 
something to thru up, instead of fcoing to 
work and turning up the thing themselves. 
Sea-Beach Sami for Cuttings,—Jan. 3. 
—Last fall, when preparing beds inside tho 
green-house for cuttings, the questiou in 
regard to the best kind of sand for this pur¬ 
pose came up. I had known some kinds of 
bank sand to be unfit for this purpose, on 
account of some noxious ingredients which 
it Contained, but having had no experii-nee 
With that on my own place, I concluded to 
try an experiment, using it in one bed and 
sea-beach sand in another. The results have 
shown that tin- beach sand was entirely un¬ 
lit for the purpose, nearly every cutting put 
into it having failed, while those hi tliocom- 
mon bunk sand have all grown. White beach 
sand, from fresh water lakes and rivers, if 
rather coarse, is far better than either of 
the kinds named, but it is not to be had in 
every locality. Mauy a good gardener has 
received a discharge because he failed to 
make plants grow given into his charge, 
when he was really not at fault, circum¬ 
stances over which he had no control caus¬ 
ing the failure. If it was not the sand or soil 
used, it may have been unsuitable houses. 
Camellias Dropping their Buds.— 
Jan. 4.—New Year's day the ladies of my 
household desired a number of choice 
camellias that I had in bloom to decorate 
the reception room, and of course they were 
Indulged. The plants were placed in the 
room and carefully watered as often as 
seemed necessary, but within three days 
after being carried li t© the house, the buds 
commenced dropping. This showed that 
the atmosphere in our ordinary living-room 
was not at all suited to these plants, it be¬ 
ing too hot and dry. Now the questiou 
arises, is such an atmosphere as healthy for 
human beings as oue that is more moist and 
cool? As a rule I believe that our people 
live in a far too dry atmosphere; and if 
more moisture could be infused into it, bet¬ 
ter health would be the result. In tho 
warm days of spring when the air is loaded 
with moisture, everyone exclaims “how 
delightful!” “how exhilarating the weath¬ 
er!" and these are just the conditions 
which make all nature rejoice. 
Painting Roofs.—Jim. 5—To me there 
seems to be no doubt that it is economy to 
paint the roofs of all buildings. Five years 
ago I built a barn and a large ice-house, both 
standing in the shade of large trees. The 
ice-house roof I had painted as soon as fin¬ 
ished ; the barn was not, and a portion of 
the roof is covered with moss and the 
shingles nearly rotted through, while those 
on the ice-house seem to be as sound as 
when first put oil I have also tried the 
same experiments ou buildings not shaded, 
and am convinced that a man cannot afford 
to allow any shingle roof to go unpainted, 
at least if he expects to own it many years. 
Having just finished a new bam, I have had 
my men pnintingthe roof to-day, before the 
scaffolding was taken down, it being more 
convenient to do it before than after re¬ 
moval. I use for this purpose white lead 
and linseed oil, adding coloring, to give the 
shade desired. 
Linden or Basswood Honey.— Jan. 6.— 
Years ago I advised apiarians to plant Bass¬ 
wood trees for the taonoy that the bees 
would gather from their flowers. Of late 
this subject seems to be attracting consid¬ 
erable attention, and to-day I received a 
letter from a gentleman in Ohio, who is pre¬ 
paring to plant several acres of these trees 
for a bee pasture. This letter led me to 
look up some of the old authors and see 
what, if anything, they had to say upon this 
subject. As Columella, appears to have 
been pretty good authority ou Rural sub¬ 
jects, eighteen hundred years ago, I turned 
to the chapter on Bee Pasture, and found, 
to my surprise, that the Linden was placed 
in the rejected list. After giving a long 
list of herbaceous plants, shrubs and culti¬ 
vated trees that afforded excellent pasture 
for bees, he says“ But, of Forest or Wild 
trees, the most suitable and convenient for 
them are the mast-bearing Red Oaks; also 
the Turpentine tree and Mastiok tree,which 
is not unlike to this, (the last,) aud the sweet 
smelling Cedar; but of all, the Lime or Lin¬ 
den alone are hurtful." How our old au¬ 
thor came by the knowledge that the Liuden 
was hurtful, we are uninformed. But here 
is a hint from past ages—perhaps like many 
other things from the same source,—un¬ 
truthful. 
<$he Jlpriim. 
BEE NOTES AND QUERIES. 
Bee Hives.—In Rural New-Yorker of 
Dec. Wlh, 1 noticed an article on Hives. I 
have used hives similar to the oue described 
(with exception of size, which I consider too 
large) for a number of years; but am not 
satisfied with the hive, and in giving my 
reasons why, will state what I consider are 
the requisites of a good hive. 
1st. For the bees there should be ample 
room for brood, also for bouey to winter a 
large swarm, be well ventilated, and pro¬ 
tected from sudden changes of temperature. 
It should also be made so that the size of 
chamber can be adjusted to size of swarm 
when hived, and enlarged to standard size 
as it is filled with comb. 
2d. For the keeper — The construction 
should be such, (hat the receptacles for sur¬ 
plus liouey will form a part of or continua¬ 
tion of the chamber, but at the same time 
exclude tho queen aud drones from them. 
Also, so that it can be used either as a 
swarmer or nou-s warmer, and give the most 
advantage for the use of the mel-extractor. 
in the hive described, there is too much 
room in the chamber to meet all the wants 
of a large swarm, aud not enough room in 
the right place, for surplus honey; aud it 
does not afford sufficient protection against 
extremes of heat or cold.—J. E. M., Roch¬ 
ester, Pa. _ 
“ What Drones Do.” — Concerning the 
article under this head in Rural New- 
Yorker, Dec. 23, 1871, K. A. D. M., Pella, 
Iowa, writes“ I always thought the reason 
honey became thicker after it was stored 
was by evaporation; and 1 am not convinced 
to the contrary yet, os I had some experience 
last season that makes it evideut to my 
miud that drones do not rectify the honey. 
I had a number of stocks that never hatched 
a drone; the reason was, I did not wish 
black drones to fly, as I was rearing Italian 
Queens and had a few black stocks of bees 
from W’hich I was careful to destroy all 
droue brood. I am sure I have stocks now 
in the cellar with a good supply of capped 
honey, that hatched uo drones at all during 
the entire season; and I never have been 
able to detect the least difference in the 
honey taken from those stocks and that of 
stocks that had drones. If Mr. Head is cor¬ 
rect. it will be wisdom to abandon the theo¬ 
ries of some writers who recommend cut¬ 
ting out all droue comb to prevent too mauy 
consumers of honey in a stock of bees." 
-- 
Where Foul Brood appears in a hive, 
bury honey, hive and bees, is the advice of 
E. DROou.Mich. 
