nues. 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
Among tlie various improved agricultural im¬ 
plements of later years, none has probably re¬ 
ceived more attention from inventive genius 
than the Cultivator. Being a necessity upon all 
•well regulated farms, the demand for this ma 
chino has been sufficient to warrant much outlay 
and expense in perfecting it. P. P. Mast & Co. 
of Springfield. Ohio, have now placed in the 
market an implement . 
that the journey is not directed merely by in¬ 
stinct, but that some experience is also necessary, 
for, if it were not, young birds could find their 
wav as well as old ones. Then we cannot under¬ 
stand how it is that geese become confused and 
lost in stormy weather, unless wc believe that 
they find their way by memory of the landmarks, 
No one who watches a troop of swallows, when 
they are preparing to leave us in the fall, can 
doubt that the knowledge of the older birds is 
very important. As the time for migration draws 
near, these birds gather in large fiocks and spend 
several days preparing for the journey. 'J hey 
keep up an incessant twittering and often start 
viously obtained information, making a Btandaid 
scientific treatise covering the whole ground, and 
fully exhibiting the present state of our knowl¬ 
edge of the subject. The plan of the work may 
be briefly indicated : its scope includes : 
1. The Classification of North American Mam¬ 
mals according to the latest and most approved 
views of leading therologists, including diagnoses 
of the orders, families, genera and species. 
2. The most acceptable Nomenclature of each 
species and variety, with extensive Synonymy. 
!{. The elaborate technical Descri; tion of each 
species and variety, including much anatomical 
1 detail, especially respecting the skull and teeth. 
'nciw ! >"_■ 
of this kind which ap- 
pears to fill all the re- 
quiromerits. it is call- . 
cd the " .Turnon Buck- - ' 
kye Cultivator, im- .j 
PROVED FOU 1877.” Its r. 
manufacturers claim p ' ' , - ; 
for it that it has a new 
adjustable axle by g J&fenjotj 
which the new wheels ^ X 
can he thrown forward 
or back, thus enab- - mjmf \ 
ling the operator to 
throw the downward 
draft in front or rear m j Pa| 
of tin' axl* - . and there- 5SS^*'. 
by properly balancing - . • 
the cultivator in hard 
or soft ground, riding 7- ^ 
or walking, or with a ' 
light or heavy driver. ‘ ^ *V^i—i 
This important feature '7 -J „ 
is entirely new, and ; • ‘ 
gives the operator com- 
pleto control of the 
upward or downward : 
draft on the horses 
The high wheels and 
broad tires insure light 
draft and s u Hi c i e n t 
bight to pass over corn 
in the last plowing. 
Tho Toot. Treadles are -Z?ttn<ciu< 
universally admired by 
all. and no one will do 
without them after 
once using thorn. The 
raising of the shovels by the feet, leaves both 
hands free to handle the team, does away with 
making a full stop when turning around, is less 
laborious, and enables a boy to operate the Cul¬ 
tivator who could not do so without the treadles. 
The single center attachment or Fifth Shovel, is 
well known and needs no explanation. It still 
retains all the valuable features of the Buckeye 
Jr., iu its general construction, having been 
strengthened and improved materially. 
So thoroughly were its merits appreciated by 
the distinguished board of judges, that it was 
awarded the First Premium and Highest Award 
at the groat Centennial Exposition. So thorough¬ 
ly were the Improvements on the new Buckeye 
appreciated that last season, although so wet 
that few Cultivators were bought, the Buckeye 
more than doubled its trade. 
The reputation of the manufacturers has done 
much to recommend this Cultivator and enhance 
its popularity among people who desire the best 
and most trustworthy goods in the market, fo 
all of our readers who desire further information 
in relation to this very important and useful im¬ 
plement, we suggest that they address P. P- 
Mast & Co. at Springfield, Ohio, from whom 
they will receivo polite and courteous attention. 
flit 'Batnndist, 
0 
MIGRATION OF BIRDS. —WHAT GUIDES 
THEM. 
RATS IN POSSESSION OF A COUNTY. 
The county of Saline, Mo., and a part of La¬ 
fayette may almost be said to be in possession 
of the rate, so numerous and destructive have 
they become. They not only eat or waste the 
corn by hundreds of bushels, but they also prey 
upon small animals, such as pigs, ducks, chick¬ 
ens, otc. Young pigs are literally gobbled up. 
The loose, deep, calcareous soil, peculiar to the 
region, sfiords a good harbor for them. The 
local paper says:—“ It looks as if all the rats of 
the great Mississippi V alley had congregated 
fiere, and as this is the third year of their so¬ 
journ among us, we 
begin to fear that they 
have brought along all 
\ their kith and kindred. 
g£3 and intend to stay. 
They are here tmques- 
'7. 1 ' tion ably by the mil- 
Ui 3U- bona, aud the llttk Pre¬ 
datory kind of warfare 
||B,W , n°w waged against 
Wv'- v5> r ‘7’ them, the cutting off 
i flH s • . a detachment now and 
then, and putting to 
f'-77’ death all the prisoners, 
is nothing more thau 
so many drops in the 
bticket toward the bo- 
1 u 11 on of the vexed 
ve-w question. Sufficient in- 
ducemcnts will have to 
be offered to engage 
an army of men, hoys 
'7' and dogs, in order that 
g-: . anything may be ef- 
P7=7 fected toward giving 
IgL relief against this ex¬ 
traordinary incursion 
3-j of destructive ene- 
MA8T 
CULT1VA TO JR. 
off for a short flight in order to try their wings. 
When at last they have learned the surrounding 
4. The Geographical Distribution of the spe¬ 
cies—an important matter, concerning which 
and other small fruit. 
The Woodpecker.— 
The Woodpecker i s 
often killed through 
ignorance, as many 
persons have au idea 
that this bird is alto- 
gether mischievous, 
because he sometimes 
takes a few cherries 
But various species of 
vvueu at Iasi. ^ ~.—- , . . , , , 
country so well that they will have no difficulty l much remains to bo learned. 
‘ .. « H _ __Pi Tlift li T.irn* ii*i /ii’lAfl Gf 
A correspondent of St. Nicholas for April, 
has something to say about the migration of 
birds, which should prompt those who have the 
opportunity for observations to investigate this 
subject, and endeavor to learn more than is at 
present known of the movements of the leath¬ 
ered tribes. 
Now, the question will bo asked, “ How are 
the birds guided upon their journey?" It is 
hard to answer. Naturalists know something 
about it, but very little indeed. We know that 
many birds, the geese for instance, put them¬ 
selves under the direction of a leader, and we 
know that this leader is an old bird which has 
made the journey often before. Many birds are 
hatched so late in the season that they are too 
young and feeble to make the journey at the 
time their friends start for the south. There¬ 
fore, they are left behind, and, although they soon 
grow up And become strong enough to migrate, 
they do not know the way, and, as there is no 
old bird to show' them the path, they are com¬ 
pelled to stay through Winter and live upon such 
food as they are able to find. We see from this 
in recogni/.iug it when tliC} return, they mount | 
into the air together at a signal from a leader, i 
and begin tlic-ir long voyage to the south. 
These noisy consultations and preliminary j 
flights would not he necessary if the migration 
were entirely due to instinct: and those who 
have examined the subject the most carefully, 
conclude that both instinct and experience have 
part iu it. 
--—*-*-♦— - 
INSTINCT OF WILD GEESE. 
Thf. St. Louis Republican says - l ' Dr. Lank¬ 
ford, who returned a day or two since from the 
southeastern part of the state, mentions the fol¬ 
lowing curious fact in history. He gives the 
Statement on the authority of Mr. W. R. Smith, 
a leading farmer and miller living uear Morley. 
in Scott county, Missouri. About a year ago Mr. 
Smith captured two young wild geese, and raised 
them with the balance of hie domestic goslings. 
The wild ones became quite tame and took 
kindly to the changes of civilized life. They 
adapted their habits to the ordinary delights of 
the baru-vard, and swain iu the pond with the 
tame geese, without showiug a disposition to go 
on a wild goose chase. At length, about the 4th 
of November, the w eather began to change, and 
after b ing domestic some eight months, the 
wild fellows, prompted by an instinct to seek a 
more sunny clime on the approach of Winter, 
spread their wings to the breeze and started on a 
migratory tour, living southward. Their depart¬ 
ure was natural and to be expected. After an 
absence of two months, early In January, great 
was Mr. Smith’s surprise to tiud, on getting up 
one morning, that the two wild geese had re¬ 
turned to their old haunts on his farm. They 
not only returned, but eleven wild geese came 
with them aa visitors, which they piloted safely 
from some southern bayou. The newcomers 
made themselves at home, and were fed and 
fondled by the children. They come to the 
mill at feeding time to got their rations, and 
gabble altogether, and put on all the airs of 
civilized geese who have had a good moral train¬ 
ing." 
- •++■+ ■ - 
NORTH AMERICAN MAMMALS. 
It is now twenty years since a general work 
on American Quadrupeds was published. In 
that time much valuable information lias been 
obtained which, because it is nowhere system¬ 
atically arranged, is of but little sendee. It is 
now proposed by the United States Government 
to collect, prepare and publish this with all pre- 
5. The “ Life-histories” of the species, or an 
account, as full and complete as it can be made, 
of their liabitB. This is also a matter requiring 
much further study. 
8. The Bibliography of the subject. 
The preparation of the work is confided to the 
Medical Department of the U. S. Army, and is ( 
under the direct supervision of Dr. Elliott 
Com s. who invites the co-operation of all in any 
way interested in the matter. There are many 
among the readers Of the Rural who could con¬ 
tribute something, if it be but a mite, to this 
great undertaking, and wo trust that they will j 
not be prevented from doing what they can by 
tho feeling that it is so little in comparison with 
the whole work as to he of no consequence. The 1 
little that you can contribute may be just what 
is wanted to make (ho whole work complete. 
For circulars, instructions, Ac,, relative to the 
work, address Dr. Elliott Gomes, Assistant Sur¬ 
geon, U. S. Army, Washington, D. C. 
TO CURE BIRD SKINS. 
The following directions were communicated 
by Mr. 0. \V Flower, to a Melbourne contempo¬ 
rary Birds, such as pelican, musk-duck, and 
especially sea-birds, as they contain so much oil, 
can be cured to last for years by the following 
process:—In skinning the bird cut tho fat off the 
skin, close to the end of the quills, care being 
taken not to cut the root of the quills, which will 
appear in little ridges—that is. break through 
the epidermis, and leave it on tho body of the 
bird. Take spirits ol turpentine or benzine and 
a soft cloth, rub the skin till the fat dissolves; 
take brown paper and lay on tho skin, and iron it 
with a hot iron till all the oil is extracted, which 
will be seen when there is no oil on the paper ; 
then wash the skin with 77 oz. of oil of vitriol 
(pure), }■{ pint salt dissolved in 2 pints water; 
apply with a soft cloth. Match the skin till it 
appears like a number of matted white threads, 
when it will be ready to fill and sew up. It may 
require the solution three or four times, accord¬ 
ing to the thickness of the skin. Take starch 
and a little violet powder, and mix into a paste ; 
wash the feathers that are soiled in cold spring 
water, and then covor the feathers with the 
paste. Let it dry; when dry, tap with the fin¬ 
gers, anil shake the skin, when it will all fall off, 
and the feathers will have a bright, healthy gloss. 
The above process is better thau scraping and 
using chalk, as you do not cut the roots of the 
quills and destrow the life in the feathers. An 
amateur may not be successful at first. 
Woodpeckers are useful birds, preying upon the 
thousands of borers which infest forest and or¬ 
chard trees. They excavate holes into old and 
half-decayed timber only for the purpose of 
finding the larva: of insects. As theso birds are 
of no value for the table, it is a shame to slaugh¬ 
ter them for mere sport, while, if let alone, they 
will help to control the myriads of pests which 
infest all fruits. 
SPRING WORK WITH POULTRY. 
This season of the year brings a variety of in¬ 
teresting and instructive work to the keeper of 
poultry who may also be a lover of nature. 
The successful result of the season’s work de¬ 
pends chiefly upon thoughtful management 
during this period. Iu the flrBt place, if you 
have more than one breed of fowls, they must 
be kept strictly separated. Do not depend upon 
their not flying over the fences around their 
yard, unless this is covered at the top; hut clip 
the wings of your fowls. Many are afraid that 
this would disfigure the birds, hut if it is prop¬ 
erly doue, the effect can scarcely he noticed. 
Two inches clipped off the tip ends of the large 
primary or flight feathers of one wing of each 
Lird, will be Biilticient to turn the fowl over on 
its upward flight, so that it cannot steer straight 
enough to fly over. After trying a few times un¬ 
successfully, it will give up the attempt. These 
quills are covered up by the next row of wing 
feathers when the bird is in a natural position. 
It is a very foolish practice to cut so much off 
that, besides disfiguring the hen. she is de¬ 
prived of sufiieient covering for her litt'e 
brood. 
All buildings and coops should be well cleaned 
and whitewashed. Nests that were used last 
year, should be treated in the same way before 
they are used again. Never Bet a hen on a nest 
so deep that she is compelled to jump down into 
it. If you do, she will be sure to break her 
eggs. It is best to have some cover to the nest 
at the bight of about seven or eight inches from 
its edge, so that the lien in getting on the nest 
must lower her head and creep into it. If you 
have room, set hens in different locations, so 
that they may not quarrel for the nests, or re 
quire too much watching. If they are carried to 
another building to hatch, remove them at even¬ 
ing. It is well to set two at the same time, so 
that, should they change their nests, it would 
not matter. Sprinkle a little pulverized sulphur 
