corn mill. The most important ingredient for 
which bones are used as a manure—phosphate i 
of lime—still remains in the old dry bones, but 
they have lost nearly all of their nitrogen in 
the decay of the gelatine and other animal 
matter. Various methods have been employed 
to reduce bones to a proper condition for use 
as a fertilizer. 
Dissolving in Acid. 
The best way, that is the way by which the 
best condition is obtained, is by dissolving 
them in sulphuric acid, when a superphosphate 
of lime is formed which is soluble, dissolving 
n water, ready for absorption by plants. 
When sulphuric acid can be obtained for two 
cents per pound, any intelligent farmer can 
afford to use it. In dissolving with acid, take 
any tight cask (the most substantial is a large 
linseed-oil cask, or petroleum-oil barrel) ; re¬ 
move one head ; fill it one-third full of water; 
then pour in one-third as much acid as there is 
water and stir together. Now take these old 
dry cattle bones that have been broken with a 
hammer, and fill the tub or barrel nearly full 
of them,6tirring them about in the acid water; 
when the barrel is full, cover it soustoexclude 
all the air you can. Stir these bones every 
day for two or three days, then remove the 
coarser pieces into another barrel; pour off 
the acid into the other barrel letting it drain, 
and the fine bone will be found Iu the bottom. 
This fine bone will be the very best quality of 
superphosphate of lime. It may be dried by 
mixing it with fine, dry earth, such as road 
dust, dry, sifted muck, etc. One ton of these 
old dry cattle bones, dissolved iu this way, will 
be worth about as much as three tons of the 
commercial superphosphate. 
Bolling in Lye. 
AuoLber way to prepare them for use where 
wood ashes are cheap, is to leach the ashes and 
boil the bones in the lye. This hot lye will eat 
them up rapidly, and the bone is made finer 
than ground bone. Tbis flue bone reduced 
with Iye is Dot quite as soloble as that dis¬ 
solved in sulphuric acid, tut the potash from 
the iye will be found an excellent addition to 
the manure. Soils are nearly as olten deficient 
in potash as iu phosphoric acid. I have 
found this bone dissolved in lye to be a special 
fertilizer for potatoes, and also for grass and 
grain crops. This work may be done at the 
rate of 1,000 to 1,500 pounds of bone per day 
in two four-barrel kettles or in a large pan. 
Fermenting Bones, 
The earliest method known for disintegrat¬ 
ing the particles of bone, was by mixing bones 
in compost with earth, ashes, horse mauure, 
etc. Place a layer of horse and cattle manure, 
then a layer of broken bones, another of horse 
mauure, and so on till the bones are all used, 
wetting each layer with urine. Now keep this 
pile moistened with urine from the 6table, and 
the heat and fermentation will soon cause the 
bones to crumble and become fine enough for 
use. If wood ashes can be bad cheaply, then 
ashes should be mixed with the bones aud 
will assist in their decomposition; besides, 
the ashes will be worth all tb.ey cost as an ad¬ 
dition to the bones. 
Steaming Bones. 
Bones may also be reduced to line bone dust 
by steaming under pressure, and if large 
amounts of bones can be had cheaply, it would 
pay a few farmers to join and purchase a 
boiler to steam them. The best form of boiler 
for this purpose is that used for extracting 
glue from bones. It is a simple cylinder 2^ 
to 4 feet in diameter, 10 to 20 feet long, 
hung on trunlons at the ends, so that it may 
rotate over the fire. This is required to be 
strong enough to stand 50 to 80 pounds pres¬ 
sure to the square inch. The boiler itself is 
filled with bones and then half filled with 
water. It is then rotated slowly over a brisk 
fire aud is soon brought to n pressure of 60 
pounds; aud green boues are quickly deprived 
of their gelatine, aud solid boues will crumble 
between the fingers. This fine bone is much 
more readily soluble than ground bones not 
steamed. 
Bones vs. Bnrn-Vard Manure. 
The comparative value of bones and cattle 
manure is not easily detei mined, since the 
quality of manure varies so widely, dependent 
upon the food and purpose for which the ani¬ 
mal is kept, if the cattle are poorly fed, the 
manure per weight has less value. The ma¬ 
nure made by milch cows has less value than 
that from fattening cattle, if both are fed the 
same. We will compare bones with cow ma¬ 
nure when the cows are highly fed. Prof. 
Horsfall, one of the most intelligent English 
experimenters, had the liquid and solid excre¬ 
ments trom six cows analyzed by Prof. Way, 
getting as complete an averagefor toe sixcows 
as could be obtained for 27 weeks. The aver¬ 
age was as follows; 
Potash. 
Soda. 
Per cent. 
Iu 2,000 
... 84.85 
1,697.00 
... .39 
7.8 
... .58 
11.6 
... .22 
4.4 
... 13.98 
279.2 
\00.00 
2000.00 
.... .41 
8.20 
.49 
9.80 
This would make this cow manure worth, at t 
the commercial prices charged for nitrogen, < 
phosphoric acid and potash, f3 34. Those dry 1 
cattle bones have lo6t the principal pai t of 1 
their nitrogen, but as the animal matter has i 
decreased, the phosphateof lime has increased. t 
If, then, we estimate the nitiogen at two per ^ 
cent or20 pounds in 2.000, and the phosphoric < 
acid at 25 per cent, or 500 pounds ; and if the S 
phosphoric acid is estimated as half soluble i 
and half insoluble, this would give the value ^ 
when prepared as $51.10, or more than fifteen t 
times the value of this first quality of barn- ] 
yard manure. But it is safe to say that a ton 1 
of dry cattle bones, after preparation, is worth 
as much as 20 tons of ordinary barn-yard ma¬ 
nure. 
Many Questions. —The Distribution will prob- i 
ably be begun in two weeks. 
We cannot substitute seeds or plants of any 
kind for those announced in the present di6- < 
tribution. 
The Rubai, does not sell seeds or plants to , 
subscribers under any circumstances. 
Blount's Chester Co. Mammoth Corn will 
be found in the catalogues of seedsmen whose 
announcements may be found iu our adver¬ 
tising columns. 
The Argenteuil aud Dutch Asparagus seeds 
cannot be procured in this country except 
through the Rural's Distribution. The Rural 
also controls the Ruial Branching Sorghum. 
We have kept a careful account of those 
who have applied for our Seed Distribution 
sending their share of stamps (six cents) 
When the Distribution shall have been 
completed, due notice will be given so that 
those who, from mail irregularities or from 
auy other cause, have not received it, will have 
the opportunity of advising us by postal 
card. 
Dropping the Cud, 
G. T. C..Belden, N. Y., has a 20-months-old 
steer which was lately taken sick, vomitiDg all 
he had eaten. His horns are warm, and eyes 
a little dull. Ou vomiting he acts as if about 
to raise the cud to chew it; but instead of 
chewing it, he lets it run out of his mouth, 
drooliDg most of the time. Daring the Winter 
he has been fed corn-stalks twice a day, with 
some corn and hay once a day, and our friend 
asks what ails bitn and how to treat him. 
Ass.—This is known as dropping the cud, 
described in the Rural of January 23. and is 
not vomiting. It is a frequent result of indi¬ 
gestion, which may result from feeding too 
much dry feed, or smutty fodder. It may also 
occur iu young animals from soreness of the 
gums incident to the shedding of the teeth and 
the growth of the permanent ones. This 
shouid be learned by examination. If the teeth 
are all right, the cause will be dyspepsia. There 
is generally no appearance of ill health in mild 
eases, except, perhaps, a roughness of the coat. 
It occui'B with sheep as well as cattle, and 
should be. treated ae advised in our issue of 
January 22, or as follows Give one pint of 
linseed oil aud repeat it the third day. Then 
give each day for ten dayB half a tablespoonful 
of carbonate of soda, with one teaspoonful of 
ground ginger in a mess of scalded bran or 
linseed meal. 
Feeding Cows Before Calving, 
jlf II. G , Orange Valley , N. J., asks the safest 
way to treat cows during the month or six 
weeks before they calve. Our friend has been 
told they should be fed upon hay only ; but the 
man in chargeof the cows says he always feeds 
grain up to the last day before calviug; yet as 
one cow has already been lost, owing to what 
the neighbors insist on calling his mismanage¬ 
ment in this matter, our opinion is asked. 
Ans. —As a cow approaches the period of 
calving the system becomes much disturbed 
and the circulation is considerably increased ; 
the cow is taxed to the utmost to keep up the 
extra quantity of blood which supplies the calf, 
aud is in such a condition that a very slight 
cause, us cold, indigestion or over-feeding, may 
do much mischief, it is therefore very danger¬ 
ous to feed any grain to a cow in this state for 
several weeks before she comes in. Good hay 
is all that is required ; a few roots would be 
advisable, but even a bran slop is to be given 
with caution and only when it is required as a 
laxative. To feed grain stimulates the milk 
organs unduly and is almost always productive 
of garget, or congested udder. After calving, 
too. for at least a week, grain food should be 
given with extreme caution. 
Leather as a Fertilizer. 
E. F. JJ-. Lynn, Mass., asks the value of 
leather ashes as a fertilizer. 
Ass—It is an enormous waste to burn leath¬ 
er. It leaves but one per cent, of ash and the 
i volatile part contains nearly 12 to 15 per cent, 
of nitrogen, which is more than is contained in 
blood by at least three or four per cent. The 
difficulty in using leather is that the tanning 
lias made the gelatine of the skin, which con¬ 
tains the nitrogen, insoluble and it is difficult to 
decompose it, Usually, the leather available 
for this purpose is in the shape of clippings 
which are more easily handled. They may be 
I composted with stable manure or with moist 
earth and lime, or moist wood ashes. The lime 
or ashes decompose the leather, and the earth t 
holds the escaping ammonia. Or the leather ( 
is made very brittle by treatment with sul¬ 
phuric acid, and may then be reduced to pow- i 
der with ease. One ton of leather clippings 1 
would contain about 250 pounds of ammonia, < 
or even more, worth at maiket prices about 
$60 to $75. This is, of course, the theoretical 5 
value; but it goes to show the value of this , 
waste matter. The ash is mostly potash and ^ 
a ton of the leather would contain but 20 < 
pounds, worth $L or thereabouts. This shows | 
the waste made by burning it. , 
Xo Substitute Tor Glass for Uot-Beds. 1 
D. M. H,, Jiiohmond, Va., aeks whether we 1 
can recommend a substitute for glass in 
making hot beds, sasheB being dear there. 
Ans. —We are sorry to say that no substitute 
for glass for a hot-bed has yet been discovered. 
So-called substitutes have sometimes been 
recommended ; we have tried them, and many 
others, but they all fail of their purpose, and 
we should only mislead yon in recommending 
them. Plants that are forced (is they are in a 
hot bed) must have a clear light, which glass 
alone can give; otherwise they become 
blanched and drawn, and useless. Glass may 
be dear in Virginia, but you will assuredly 
find it much cheaper to buy it than to attempt 
the use of the best substitute that we could 
name. For a cold-frame, oiled paper may be 
made to answer tolerably well, if you have 
plenty of time to spare. 
Miscellaneous. 
0. W. F., Blacksione , Mass., sends some 
specimens of BlounL’s Corn ; there were three 
ears on a stalk; one was flint and the other 
two dent, and our friend, asks, 1, whether 
the corn is likely to chaDge to flint as far 
North as his place—near the boundary line of 
Rhode Island and Massachusetts; 3, what is 
the value of bone-black as a fertilizer after it 
has been used in case-hardening tools. 
Ans —1. The specimens sent would seem to 
show that it would soon turn to “ flint.” Ouly 
a longer trial can answer your question. 
Should you again raise it next season, we 
would be pleased to learn the result. We 
would like also.to have seen specimens of the 
Hint ear. 3. The bone-black is merely phos¬ 
phate of lime; all the organic matter has been 
driven off in thi carbonizing of the bone, leav¬ 
ing all the phosphate. All that is needed is to 
treat it with sulphuric acid in the same way as 
other bone-black or bone ash, when it will be 
pure superphosphate without any ammonia or 
nitrogen. 
5. A. G., Queens Co., L. I., asks several 
questions which the following answers will ex¬ 
plain. 
Ans.— Yes. We are happy to answer all 
questions under this department, which seem 
to be of interest to the general reader. It 
sometimes occurs that our space is insufficient 
to do this, in which case we endeavor to an¬ 
swer by mail. We are always glad to give any 
information in our possession respecting onr 
advertisers or .the articles advertised in onr 
columns. Any complaints from our subscrib¬ 
ers hb to nnfair dealings are at ouce investiga¬ 
ted, and if ascertained to be well founded, the 
facts are placed before our readers if satisfac¬ 
tion to the complainant is not at once made. 
JI. D. F., Palmer , Mass , asks whether theie 
is any legal staudard for a barrel of apples or 
potatoes. 
Ans. —We do not know what the law with 
regard to the matter is in the Old Bay State, 
but in the Empire State there is no law 
auent it. Au effort was made last year to 
have a law passed regulating the size of a 
barrel of apples; but though it got through 
both Houses, it failed to receive the Govern¬ 
or's signature. We learn, however, from As¬ 
semblyman John Shanley that he intends to 
press a similar law during the present ses¬ 
sion of the Legislature. There certainly ought 
to be some legal standard. 
J. W. S., Smith's Grooe, Ivy., asks, 1, wheth¬ 
er land that has been cleared and cultivated 
seven years will do for planting cabbage ; 2. 
wbat kind of seed should be used for market 
cabbage. 
Ans.— I, That will depend on the richness of 
the soil. It cannot be too rich or ton thor¬ 
oughly pulverized before planting. The cab¬ 
bage is a rank feeder and requires a deep, rich 
soil to bring it to the highest pome of profit. If 
your soil is rich and strong you can profitably 
raise cabbage, especially if it is a 6audy loam. 
2, Wakefield for first: Early Flat Dutch for 
second, and Silver Leaf Drumhead and Drum¬ 
head Savoy for late. 
D. S. D., Crown Point, N. Y., asks, 1, where 
can he get instruction about budding and 
grafting nursery truit; 3, do we think it any 
benefit to whitewash young trees in Spring. 
Ans.— 1. We shall give fall instructions as 
to grafting in the Hardy Shrub and Tree 
Number which will be our next issue. Bud¬ 
ding is usually performed iu Summer. 2. 
; Yes, we do. And it is well to add to the white- 
t wash a little sulphur, soft-s«ap, carbolic acid, 
tc. Lamp-black may be added to give a color 
to the whitewash nearly resembling the color 
of the bark. 
M. T. A., Hopeville. Iowa. asks. 1, onr opin¬ 
ion as to the practical value of barometers to 
farmers, and, 2, what make we would re¬ 
commend. 
Ans.—A good barometer is doubtless of 
much value to the farmer, but a poor one is 
worse than none. It requires considerable ex¬ 
perience, however, in studying the variations 
of atmospheric pressure, as indicated by the 
barometer and thermometer, before the former 
can be relied upon as a weather prophet. 2, 
Chaa J. Tagliabue, 53 Fulton Street, N. Y., 
makes a good article, 
W. B., Jeromesville, O., aeks how to make a 
persimmon bear fruit. 
Ans. —Persimmons—when they bear at all— 
usually bear in six or seven years from seeds • 
by grafting, however, they can he made to bear 
earlier, like other fruit. Perhaps one-fonrth 
of all persimmon trees never hear at any ave, 
as they are males which bloom profusely but 
never bear fruit. A friend from Tenneeee 
writes ub under date of the 13th inst., that he 
had then some large trees with bushels of fruit 
on them, and that after the hardest freeze the 
trees do not drop their fruit until February. 
John A. Morse, Halcotmlle , Delaware Co., 
FT. Y., says:—"I have looked over your ad¬ 
vertisements in vain for what I want; that is, 
a small steam boiler which can be set on a 
common cooking stove In the kitchen, and 
that will generate steam enough to cook about 
one bushel of ground feed. If you know 
where something of this sort can be got, let 
me know. Ii there is nothing of the kind I 
shall have to invent one. as I know of other 
farmers that want one also." 
N. T. M , Parkersburg, la., asks, 1. for a 
description of the Waushakuin Corn ; 2. where 
seed can be had; 3. in selecting corn for seed, 
do we reject the small grains on butts and tips 
of ears. 
Ans. —1. We suppose it to be a variety of the 
eight rowed Canada Yellow Flint. The ears are 
eight-rowed and average nine inches long. 
Kernels broad and rather shallow. 2. Address 
E L Stuuevant, South Framingham, Mass. 
3. Yes, for seed we always rt ject the tips and 
butts. 
G. G. B., Manchester, Vt., asks where can 
he buy a dog chum such as that illustrated in 
the Rural of January 6. 
Ans —The “power” referred to can be at¬ 
tached to any churn. The form of churn in 
the illustration was not designed to represent 
any particular churn, but only to show the 
modus operandi. The motive power may be 
either a dog. sheep, goat, calf, donkey or horse, 
according to convenience or the requirements 
of the case. 
W. M.. address mislaid, asks the name of a 
good publication on fish culture. 
An s —The best we know of are the Reports 
of the U. S Commission of Fish and Fisheries, 
to be had through the Congressman for the ap¬ 
plicant’s district or the Senator for his State ; 
and Fish Hatching and Fi6h Catching, by Seth 
Greet, price $1 50, to be had of the Ain. News 
Company, N. Y. 
J. D. L.. Jacksonville, IU., asks where can he 
get a book on the cultivation of flowers—such 
a one as would be of use to a plain farmer’s 
family. 
Ans —Breck’s New Book of Flowers, price 
$1 75, and Henderson’s Practical Floriculture, 
price $1 50, are good works, and may be ob¬ 
tained of the American News Co. of New 
York. 
E. G., Menardville, Texas, asks where could 
he get punches made like nippers to cut his 
“initials" on sheep’s ears. 
Ans.— No such a punch is made that we 
know of. The nearest approach to such 
marking is the metallic ear marks made by 
C. n. Dana. West Lebanon. N. H, 
0. P. G., Kingston. Ohio, asks where infor¬ 
mation can be obtained concerning the Na¬ 
tional Fanners' Alliance. 
Ans.— Write to W. J. Fowler, its President, 
Plttsford, N. Y, 
W. IL E.. E. Setauket, L. L, asks what is the 
best kind of sweet corn to plant for all pur¬ 
poses, as late as July. 
Ans —Probably the Concord. 
COMMUNICATIONS RECEIVED FOR THE WEEK END¬ 
ING Satordat, Jan. 29. 
C. 11. S.—N. R—T. D, B., thanks. The last 
word of the rebus has not yet been guessed —M. 
H.— Every ODe of our readers should send ror the 
catalogues announced. They cost little or nothing, 
and all should compare one with another befote 
making out orders. Much Is to be learnt by a 
study of these catalogues.—H. 8,—A. H —E F. P. 
-.1 V. D. P — W. M.-E. P. R —L. S. H -H. S — 
S. E. T —F H. 8.—F 1). C-—G. W., thanks—A.. B. 
A. -8 P.. Jr -It. C. B.—W. C. W.—G. S. YV.—J. 
G, R.. Small Fruit Number—S E V— L D.—VV.H. 
C.—We do not know at present where Silver chaff 
wheat can be procured. 8 K. M —D. E 8—8. W. 
K.—B K ,t -K C J —Helen-G. VV. 0, thanks— 
A. W A C. G -0. M. tl — L W. G —M Y.-A. C. 
M.— W. D. I —W. B D.-F M G.-G. G B —C D. 
M—A II.—T. D B.—“ Buckeye”— E. VV.—C B B. 
—S B - J. R — 8. B.—51. U.-W. D. I—L. W. G.— 
G. W. O.- S. B. B—J. E.-M. S—H. J. S.-J. N. 
