> 
ABOUr SEED COEN. 
An Oliioan having written the Farmers’ 
Club oi New York city that all corn on the 
car should be planted or the crop will run 
out, Washington Hitchcock, New Leba¬ 
non, N. Y., calls this an “ old fog}' notion 
which ought to be placed on the same foot¬ 
ing with the notion that Friday is an un¬ 
lucky day,” and adds:—“Now, gentlemen, 
in the spring of 1818 1 came to this place to 
live. The man that 1 lived with planted 
what he called a twelve-rowed wedge corn, 
lie made a practice of shelling off the hulls 
and tips. 1 still plant the same kind of 
corn, and have always stalled off the lips, 
and I challenge him to bIioav me, this side of 
Egypt, a handsomer bin of corn than this.” 
Col. Cuims added :—“ Every careful farmer 
rejects the tips and butts of ears, and plants 
nothing but the plump and perfect kernels, 
upon the principle that they will produce 
strong and vigorous plants. Furthermore, 
1 am of the opinion that the crooked and 
twisted kernels are apt to produce knotted 
and imperfect ears. 1 have a string of 
seed corn, iioav hanging in my corn crib, of 
superior quality, which is the same kind of 
corn raised by a neighbor as long ns J can 
remember. Now, sir, I believe there is no 
use of changing seed corn if the best cars 
are carefully selected every year. If plant 
food is supplied sufficiently, there will he no 
deterioration, but rather an improvement} 
lienee to send away to remote places for 
seed which is not natural to the climate and 
soil is generally a loss, and the idea is ab¬ 
surd that by a change of seed a good crop 
Avill he produced. This itching uneasiness 
may gratify a curiosity, bill it will not of it¬ 
self insure a crop. Soil and cultivation are 
the essential requisites, and the farmer 
should build his hopes on these more than on 
a flaming advertisement." 
- ■ -»»♦-- 
HELD NOTES. 
Blunting Wheat. 
In response to A. P. V., page 2GG, Rural 
New-Yorker, Oct. 28,1 would say that it 
will take about three bushels of wheat to 
the acre if planted about six inches apart, 
and about Otic aud a-lmlf bushels if eighteen 
inches apart, as it ought to be.—j. c. k. 
Hnufot'cl Corn iu the* South. 
It has been asserted that good crops of 
this corn can be grown in the warmer lati¬ 
tudes; indeed, avc have known some such. 
But a Georgian, who dates his letter at At¬ 
lanta, planted a quarter of an acre of good 
land with it, cultivated it well, aud reports 
a yield of two bushels I 
Japan Clover iu Georgia. 
II. E. Colton, Macon, Ga, av riles the 
Farmers' Club :—“ I inclose you a sample 
of a grass Avhich is destined to occupy it 
large part in the regeneration of the old 
fields of the South. It is called here Japan 
clover and Georgia clover. Mr. C. W. IIoav- 
ard says it is hoianicaily Lespedeza striata. 
It was first called to my attention wn the 
line of the Alabama and Chattanooga Rail¬ 
road near Elytou. The people there believe 
it was brought here by the Chinese. Not 
being disposed to give much weight to their 
assertion that it never was known here lie- 
lore the war, 1 have since asked hundreds 
of persons, and all say it was not known 
previous to 18G5. It is a rich, succulent 
gr.iss, with firm roots. As fist as eaten 
down it comes up again. It roots out the 
old broom sedge and takes its place, thus 
making a rich green sward where before 
reigned supreme the dingy yellow of the 
sedge. I have seen cattle and sheep eat it 
with the greatest eagerness, and I am told 
hogs will also eat it—that they will leave 
clover for it. I res|xjelfillly submit it to my 
respected friend, lion. N. C. Ely, and the 
savans under his command.” Iu response, 
Mr. Fuller said:—“The plant to which 
the gentleman refers is not a grass, but a 
near relative of our common clover. It was 
introduced in some unknown way from 
Japan about twenty-five years ago, and lias 
rapidly spread over the Southern States. 
It is known as Japan clover, or Lespedeza 
striata. The plant seems to have become 
naturalized in many portions of Southern 
Atlantic States, and is certainly a blessing 
to Southern farmers.” 
Atnericn.il “Jiito.** 
T. W. Scott of Miss, has forwarded to the 
Farmers’ Club a sample of Avhat he supposes 
to be jute, found growing upon his planta¬ 
tion, atul Avrote:—“ 1 am satisfied it would 
flourish in 1oaa% Avet, and rich lands of our 
country, and the yield would be enormous. 
I am satisfied it would pay, as this plant 
grows like a cane brake and would require 
no cultivation. It might be expensive to 
get it set, but once established I am satisfied 
no tedious labor would be required to ren¬ 
der it merchantable. A mowing machine 
would «ut it aud the balance would be easy.” 
Concerning the sample Mr. Fuller of 
the Rural Neav-Yorker said:—The plant 
is the so-called American jute and one of 
the many native species of hibiscus. About 
ten years ago N. S. Contelo patented a 
process for separating the fiber, but I have 
never heard whether it was successful or 
otherwise. This jute plant belongs to the 
great mallow family, where avc also find the 
okra, cotton, shrubby allltea of our gardens, 
and hundreds of other plants cultivated 
either for ornament or some more useful pur¬ 
poses. The bark of nil contains fibrous ma¬ 
terial in large or small quantities, and there 
is no good reason Avhy some of our native 
species should not be largely cultivated for 
their fiber. The most common species is the 
one known as musk nr swamp imuIIoavs (77/- 
bimts moschcut os ), and may he found in great 
abundance in the salt marshes near the sea-' 
shore. It also grows in low grounds ns far 
West as the Mississippi The flowers are 
rose color, but occasionally pure AVhite. At 
the West there is one called the halberd- 
leaved ; another which i* known as the large 
tloweiiug or grandifloarus. At the South 
they have the prickly-leaved and the great 
red flowering, hut the fiber in the stems is 
nearly the same in all. 1 have cultivated 
the different species in my garden for the 
past fifteen years, and found that they thrive 
equally as avcII in dry as in Avct souls. Seed 
is produced in great abundance, and there 
Avnuld lie no difficulty in raising plants 
enough to supply the Avorld. The root is 
perennial, and when a plant is once estab¬ 
lished it will take care of itself. 
ami (f remermn. 
NOTES AT THE FARMERS’ CLUB. 
In Sorrel 8ocil Good Food for Stork ? 
M. W. Shell and, Harrison Valley, Pa., 
writes that he has a large quantity of sorrel 
seed, and asks Avlint he shall do Avith it—if 
it is fit for food ? Several members advised 
him to burn it; but we advise him to grind 
and feed some of it and discover whether it 
has value or not. Cook it, if it cannot be 
ground conveniently. We Avotild not feed 
it without grinding or cooking it thor- 
venieully. 
Applying Aglica and Clovex* to Ont Gantt. 
M. W. Shelland asked how ashes and 
plaster should be applied to land to be 
sowed Avith oats in the spring and seeded 
Avilli clover. Mr. Curtis replied that the 
ashes should he sowed with the grain and 
harrowed into the soil, and the plaster ap¬ 
plied to the young grain after it has started, 
as a top-dressing, which Avas a most sensible 
answer. 
Saving Ilmnnii Excrement. 
A. G. La wbon writes:— “I have not dis¬ 
carded the privy, but my privies are all 
made strictly on the earth plan, with a dirt 
floor inside raised from four to six inches 
above the ground outside, and pounded 
down smooth and covered over Avith coal 
ashes, left open behind with a loose board 
set up, to be taken down when it Avas clean¬ 
ed out, Avhich is every fall or spring, or 
oftener if needed, and thrown on a compost 
pile to he used as a fertilizer. And as often 
as the ashes became over-taxed more were 
spread on. So the privy or earth-closet can 
lie used, both being one ami the same thing, 
free from unhealthy odors or anything offen¬ 
sive. There is nothing about my houses 
unhealthy ever gets into the ground to poi¬ 
son the well water or the sewers, the wash 
water being all conducted away to water 
the shade trees or to fertilize the garden.” 
HouV Plucks, Henris, Ac., for Manure. 
E. Thompson, Louisville, Ky., asks: 
“ What is the value of hogs’ plucks, hearts, 
lights and livers as a fertilizer. Our pork 
packers throw away hundreds of loads every 
year. IIow is the best way to use them?” 
Dr. Smith replied that no better manure 
exists, and that it can be applied directly to 
the soil in wliicdi the plants are to grow, 
Col. Cuims said he should add it to his 
compost—compost, it Avith barn-yard manure, 
loam, leaves, muck and plaster. If absorb¬ 
ing material enough is incorporated wills it 
to lake up the gases, lime mixed in will 
hasten decomposition. Iu this manner this 
animal matter can he properly distributed. 
Mr. Bkagdon said that its distribution in 
the soil Avas an important matter. He had 
seen many experiments of burying animal 
matter about trees, vines, &c., but never 
with substantial good results. The tree or 
vine Avas over stimulated, its powers of en¬ 
durance Avcukeued ; and so it would he with 
plants, unless the food contained iu the ani¬ 
mal matter was thoroughly composted, and 
thus properly incorporated with the soil. 
Grinding vs. Summing Bones. 
The question having been asked by a 
correspondent of the Farmers' Club whether 
it is better to grind or steam bones lbr fer¬ 
tilizing purposes, Prof. Whitney replied 
that he thought bones disintegrated by steam 
Avould be likely to lose more nitrogen in the 
process than by grinding. But both means 
are employed, and probably steam is tbe 
cheaper. 
^nbnstrial (topics. 
HIRED HELP. 
I, for one, am glad that M. A. E. W. has 
seen fit to call attention to and invite dis¬ 
cussion on the “ Hired Girl Question,” for 
the subject is one of vital interest and im¬ 
portance to every one, directly or indirectly. 
Tliis domestic evil, though formidable, lias 
not yet attained its full growth, as is evident 
from the increasing frequency of the mur- 
nntrings Ave almost daily hear, both from the 
employer and the employed. The subject 
is not only of hired girls, but also of hired 
men, for the complaint is universal among 
farmers llmt they cannot procure help that 
is competent, reliable and desirable. 
To the observing, thinking person, avIio 
has hoed both sides of the row, it is evident 
that there are mistakes to he corrected, evils 
to be searched out and wiped out, abuses to 
be remedied, and the most radical reforms 
to be instituted, ere we may hope to recon¬ 
cile the relative positions of master and serv¬ 
ant, or bring up the imaginary line of dif¬ 
ference to the surface of positive distinction. 
And if any persons, or class of persons, arc 
to ever bring about the desired reform, is it 
not those avIio have been blessed with the 
boon of education, and avIioso lines have 
been cast in pleasant and desirable places 
who should be expected to lead the van ? 
Before avo seek to apply a remedy for 
those domestic ills, let, us have a council of 
doctors who will probe the wounds to the 
very bone. Let us ascertain the cause, ere 
avc prescribe a cure. Perhaps Ave Lad bet¬ 
ter let the Avotncn discuss the girl question, 
Avliilc avc offer a few thoughts on matters 
more familiar to ns. 
1 consider the first cause of all this “on- 
pleasantness ” among farmers and their help 
to lie popular sentiment. We boast t hat ours 
is the land of the free, and in this sentiment 
of freedom our immoderation is known unto 
all men; for the humble laborer from 
across the Water who has all his previous life 
been nccustomed to approach his employer 
Avith every mark of respect, almost of rever¬ 
ence, soon learns in free America that lie is 
free to do about as he chooses, and if lie 
loses one place it is easy to find another. 
Another cause is a sort of greed peculiar 
to the Anti) homer. IIu is after the 
“almighty dollar” SO he can’t afford to let 
his hired man rest an hour at noon out of 
the broiling stm, nor quit Avork in the field 
until t he sun is out of sight behind the West¬ 
ern hills or horizon, lie deals Avith him not as 
if he is a man, but rather as a machine Avith 
which to grind out money , so he hears down 
on him from early morning till after dark; 
and, if the victim is a man of intelligence or 
spirit — such ns an intelligent man would 
desire to have round him—he is driven to 
seek a more congenial, humane employer. 
Cause third: Of all classes of men, the 
farmer lias the least sIioav of system or 
promptitude. Most farmers have no settled 
hour at Avhich to “ turn to,’’ at which to cat 
their meals, or retire to bed. The hired 
hand is expected to toil on without any ex¬ 
ercise of hia mental powers nor any set time 
or poiut except to go bed to Avhen it is too 
dark to Avork longer. Is not twelve hours 
in hot summer weather long enough to Avork, 
chores included, or at most from “sun to 
sun ?” And yet I know farmers Avho ask 
their men to he out at half past four groping 
about in tbe dark feeding slock, and be to 
work clioring at night til! after dark; and if 
John says a Avoid he is branded “unsteady,” 
He gels no lime for recreation unless lie 
takes a day, and that Ids farmership don’t 
like, lie gels no time for mental or moral 
culture, and yet be is blamed for being ig¬ 
norant, immoral, or vicious. 
It seems to me tbe American farmer can, 
and should afford to be, more liberal, more 
magnanimous, especially when lie need not 
lose thereby. Of course the farmer is often 
annoyed by incompetent, aud untrustworthy 
help, but if each and every farmer in the 
land would appoint some certain reasonable 
hour to rise, specified limes for meals, quit 
all Avork at sundown, and lay books and 
papers—especially agricultural—before their 
help, encourage them in the acquisition of 
knoAvledge, theoretical and practical, also 
of habits of industry, temperance and mor¬ 
ality, etc., etc., they, both employers and 
employed, Avtmld be Aviser and better, and 
tbe community at large be happier. 
I do not Avish to be understood to say that 
farmers as a class are the Avorst people in 
the world. I don’t think so; but to whom 
much is given, much will be expected; and 
certainly farmers, of all classes of men, have 
tbe most noble, primitive and independent 
occupation, and are most blessed in their 
opportunity to humanize, civilize aud har¬ 
monize the Avorlll. 
I should be pleased to see something from 
the pens of those able to show or present 
the subject in its true light. I should be 
glad to extend my remarks further on this 
side of the field, step across aud plow a few 
furrows on the other side ; then take a sort 
of bird’s-eye view of the whole. But the 
limits of my sheet admonish me that at 
least for the present I have said enough.—w. 
- 4-44 - 
HIRING HELP IN ENGLAND. 
Almost every village in the Midland 
Counties of England, in the month of Oc¬ 
tober, has its Statute Fair or “ mop.” There, 
on a certain day, all the farmers and their 
wives, and usually the elder children (for 
this is a great meeting of relatives and 
friends) assemble, also all of the male and 
female servants in the neighborhood for fif¬ 
teen or twenty miles round —the farmer 
usually traveling in Ids gig, with his wile or 
daughter, dashing along at ten or twelve 
miles in the hour; the sons on horseback, 
while the servants, both male and female, 
take the road on foot. On arriving at the 
village, a curious sight meets the eye of n 
stranger. Opposite the principal tavern will 
he seen an ox roasted whole, no mean at¬ 
traction to the pedestrians, after a walk of 
ten or twelve miles. In all directions Avill 
be seen stalls or stands Avherc toys, eatables, 
clothing, &c., are for sale; small gambling 
affairs iu plenty, and perhaps a show under 
canvas, Avhere some “mighty magic” is 
performed by the Wizard of-. 
In the main street Avill be seen the grand 
attraction—The “ Hiring.” On one side of 
the street may be seen the men and boys 
for hire, dressed in their best knee-breeches 
and lace-up boots, and velvet jacket, or per¬ 
haps a AVhite “smock frock.” Those men 
and boys wishing to be employed ns team¬ 
sters, plowmen, &c., Avear tied around their 
bats a piece of av hip-cord. Those wishing 
to attend cattle wear in the band around 
the lmt a lock of hair from a cow’s tail; the 
shepherds wear wool, and grooms and 
“gentlemen’s servants” Avear a small bit of 
sponge. 
On the opposite side of the street are seen 
the girls, some of them loaded with trump¬ 
ery, prudery and brazen impudence; others 
hear t he impress of ignorance and poverty ; 
but the majority of them are neat, modest, 
healthy young women, both able and Avilliug 
to do their duty in either kitchen or dairy. 
They are a class that can make cheese or 
butter, bake or Avaslt, iron or do the cook¬ 
ing, and not be sick the next day. Such 
girls are hired by the year, for about thirty 
dollars, go to church once every (Sunday, 
and "no followers allowed’’ This is (lie 
class of girh needed here in place of Mar¬ 
garet and Bridget. 
Stout young men, twenty to twenty-five 
years of age, are Hired for from $55 to $G0 
per year, with board and lodging ; boys at 
from $20 to $30 per year. Of course they 
lay up no money, but they are well fed and 
comfortably clothed, hut have but little 
Chance to rise above their present situation. 
When the usual questions have been asked 
and answers given satisfactorily, the em¬ 
ployer hands the employe a shilling (23c.); 
this seals the contract for a year, if the 
servant does liis duly faithfully, nil right; 
but if he becomes negligent, insolent, drunk¬ 
en, Ac., lie is sent to the house of correction 
for one, two or three months, as the case 
may he. 
The servants in England do not sit at 
table Avith the family. The board for the 
males usually consists of bread, fresh boiled 
or roast beef or mutton, vegetables, soup, 
milk, cheese, boor or cider, Ac.; but no tea 
or coffee. The females lake tea and coffee, 
as do tbe family. This is one of the secrets 
why the English poor are so much more 
healthy than the laboring classes of Amer¬ 
ica—no tea or coffee. E. P. Yeomans. 
Clermont Co., 0. 
file fjcrbsiuau. 
STOCK TARMING IN TEXAS. 
W. S. Kingsbury, San Antonio, Texas, 
writes the Farmers’ Club of this city as fol¬ 
lows:—“Iu the fall of 1851 I had occasion 
to make a trip some eighty miles to the east 
of this place. About sundown of the first 
day I came upon a mdn by the name of 
Adams, who, together with his family, had 
camped for the night. Learning I avus from 
San Antonio, to Avliicli place he was mov¬ 
ing, he engaged me in conversation, and I, 
becoming interested in the mini, finally stak¬ 
ed my horse upon the rich and abundant 
mosquito grass, and spent the night with 
him. I found him to he a plain, practical 
farmer, of good hard sense, sober, and in¬ 
dustrious habits. He had sold his little 
farm somewhere in Eastern Texas, and was 
moving to the West for the purpose of com¬ 
bining stock raising with farming. He Avas 
about forty years of age, had a Avife and five 
or six boys, varying in age from six to six¬ 
teen years; liis whole earthly possessions 
consisted of about two hundred bead of 
stock cattle, five or six bead of mares and 
colls, and ten or twelve bead of Avotk and 
riding horses. All of which avus being 
herded about bis camp by bis boys; lie also 
bad a small two-horse Avagon, on which he 
carried his wife and camp equipage. 
“Acting upon my suggestion, Mr. Adams 
settled fourteen miles Avest of San Antonio, 
at the Potrank Spring, where in due time 
lie built a liouso and inclosed a field. He 
salted and took good core of his cattle and 
horses, and attended to some of liis neigh¬ 
bors’ stock for one-third of the increase. 
He invariably sold his beeves at four and 
five years old, and invested the money in 
more coavs and calves, liis wile sold milk 
and butter to the numerous persons avIio 
passed the road to and from the front im¬ 
posts of this country and on their Avay over¬ 
land to California. From this source the 
family may have made enough to buy their 
sugar, coffee and clothing; their meat auu 
bread they made on the farm. 
“ Mr. Adams lias been dead for several 
years, but his sons have kept steadily at the 
business, though I think for the last few 
years they have invested the money obtain¬ 
ed by the sale of beef in lands and city 
property. I bad a conversation Avith one 
of the Adams boys In April last. Tie in¬ 
formed me they all Avishcd to sell out, and 
proposed to do so at a great bargain ; said 
they were gelling tired of living in the sad¬ 
dle so many years, and Avan ted to come to 
toAvn. I cannot say Iioav many beeves they 
have sold in the years that are gone, or how 
much money they brought.; but lie informed 
me they had sold 8,000 head this year, to 
the Kansas buyers, nt $12, coin, per head, 
and the brothers proposed to deliver, from 
their stock at the different ranches, now ex¬ 
tending from the old place at the Potrank 
Spring nearly to the Rio Grande, 08,000 
head of stock cattle (that means, with us, 
cows, calves, one, two and three-year-olds) 
within ninety days, at $5 per head, and the 
balance of the entire stock the purchaser 
should have for nothing; and they believe 
this balance would amount to fully 10.000 
bead. In other words, they will lake $340,- 
000 for their mark and brand, and agree to 
deliver G8,000 head in ninety days. Tn this 
country it is known to bo impossible to de¬ 
liver all of so large a stock in so short a 
time, and this is the. inducement they offer 
a purchaser. The Adams hoys must have a 
large stock of horses, hut how many I can¬ 
not tell.” 
-- 
NOTES FOR HERDSMEN. 
f'hresitln, oi- InUuiiinuitioti of (lie Urn in. 
Haying in our neighborhood a very 
strange and fatal disease among our cattle, 
I take this means of asking the many read¬ 
ers of the Rural New-Yorker for a name 
and remedy. The symptoms am as follows: 
In the first place Die head begins to swell, 
generally beginning under the car, and in 
some eases the whole head becomes swollen. 
They begin to scratch with their hind feet 
first, and finally become frantic and rush 
blindly at anything aud everything, trying 
to scratch their heads. In the course of 
twenty or twenty-four hours after they arc 
taken,they die. “Will someone answer, giv¬ 
ing name, cause and remedy.—A. E. M., 
Monroe, Grier Co., 117s, 
We should think the trouble phrenitis or 
inflammation of the brain. The cause is too 
great an influx of blood to the head, super¬ 
induced by fever or a hurt of some sort. 
The first thing to be done is to administer a 
brisk cathartic, such as this:—Epsom salts, 
10 to 24 ounces; calomel, 1 to 2 drachms; 
croton oil, 15 to 30 drops; ginger, 1 to 2 
ounces. Blood should lie abstracted from 
the jugular vein while the pulse is full and 
strong, and the head cooled by applications 
of ice or cold Avater. As the limbs are apt 
to become cold, rub them and apply heating 
washes. 
Hollow lloi'u in Cnlllc. 
This disease begins in the tail of the ani¬ 
mal. Any one aa ho lias seen il once can tell 
it by seeing if the tail has a twist iu the 
brush on the eml. It aa- i 11 be found, on ex¬ 
amination, from one to four inches on the 
end, that the tail has no bone in it. Now 
slit this with a sharp knife up to the bone, 
and let it bleed fretdy, and you retard the 
disease. This horn disease is only peculiar 
to old cattle. When ihe horns are IioIIoav, 
all life is gone from them, and no life re¬ 
mains in them more than in your finger nails 
When you cut them. You can bore them 
and inject vinegar and pepper into them, 
and plug them up until the fluid is absorbed 
and then inject in more; but the animal had 
better not. be kept for milk, as it would not 
be healthy, hut turned out aud fattened for 
heel' as soon as the disease is removed.—A. 
Whiting. _ 
.Large 8liort-Hoi-u Yearling. 
Seeing in the Rural New-Yorker one 
or Iavo statements in regard to Avhat Avere 
considered extra Short-Horn cattle,I will tell 
you Avhat Ave can do out here iu Northwest 
Ohio. Mr. Whalen Lindsay of this town- 
ship (EridgeAvatcr) has a Short-Hdru bull, 
bred aud raised on liis farm, that Aveighed 
the day lie Avas a year old just ten hundred 
and five pound on Fairbanks’ scales. Tliis 
seems large; but the fact can be attested by 
many responsible Avitnesses. Who can beat 
this?—J. C. \l.,Bridgewater, Williams Co., 0. 
