352 
MAY 23 
SUPPLEMENT T© THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
my small ones? 2. When batter is 15 cents per 
pound, will it pay best to fee 1 the calf new 
milk or skim-milk, and what else? 
ANSWERED BY PROF. L B. ARNOLD. 
1. Selling potatoes at 80 cents a bushel, and 
buying bran and shorts at $1.25 per hundred, 
is putting the price of both above their feeding 
value. Assuming that all the food constitu¬ 
ents in potatoes are digestible (and they are 
in fact, very nearly so), aud that five-sixths of 
those in bran aud shorts are digestible (which 
is equally near the truth), and reckoning -the 
available food in each at the usual estimate 
(4K cents per pound for albuminoids and fat, 
and nine mills for carbohydrates), the bran and 
shorts would have a feeding value of $1 per 
hundred and the potatoes one of 30 cents per 
hundred. This would make a bushel of pota¬ 
toes, weighing 60 pounds, worth IS cents. The 
30 cents which a bushel of potatoes would 
bring, would buy 24 pounds of bran and 
shorts. The feediug value of a bushel of pota¬ 
toes would therefore be to the shorts it would 
buy as IS cents to 24 ceuts. This difference 
would be more than enough to pay for making 
the exchange. The feeder would therefore 
profit by changing potatoes for bran and 
shorts. It may be proper to remark, in re¬ 
gard to the foods in question, that while cattle 
readily digest both, they are both but slowly 
digested by swine when taken raw. A sow 
suckling pigs cannot digest either, fast enough 
to sustain herself and properly nourish her 
young, if fed to her in a raw state, and neither 
should be depended on for such a purpose with 
out cooking. The potatoes should be thoroughly 
boiled, and the shorts at least well scalded. 
She could then do vei*y well on either. 3. When 
butter is so low even as 15 cents a pound, it 
would be cheaper to feed a calf on sweet and 
warm skim-milk and flax seed tea or oil 
meal, than on new milk. The butter would 
be worth several times the cost of the oil meal 
for supplying the fat taken from the milk for 
making butter. Pine, thrifty and hea ltby 
calves can be thus raised, but it must be con¬ 
fessed that there is nothing which will make 
calves quite so sleek as new milk, and with 
butter at almost auy price, it will pay to use 
it long enough to give them a good start. 
MUSTARD CULTURE: GERMAN MILLET AND 
HUNGARIAN, ETC. 
./. It., Kins,nan. III.— 1. What is the proper 
method for growiug mustard as a market 
crop—general facts ? 2. Which is the better— 
millet or Hungarian, to grow for the seel to 
be fed. aud how can I grow it? 3. Is there a 
machine that will thrash beans without split¬ 
ting them; if so, who makes it? 4. How can 
beans be planted, so that all will ripen at the 
same time? 
Ans.— 1. Mustard, to produce a large crop, 
should have a good rich soil, which should be 
well-fitted, uud the seed should be sown in 
Spring as early as the grouudisin good order. 
One sixth of a bushel is enough seed for an 
acre. It may be sown broadcast, but is better 
in drills Id or 18 inches apart. It should be 
sown very shallow and is much better if culti¬ 
vated once or twice. On good land, from 20 
to 40 bushels may be grown, aud the seed 
is worth all the way from three and one-half 
to five cents per pound. The seed may be 
bought of the leading seedsmen, in a small 
way at from 20 to 25 cents per pound. It 
should be cut as soon as the first or lower pods 
Bhow a tendeucy to burst, and if cut when a 
little damp, it may be cut with a self-biudiug 
reaper. As soon as dry, it can be thrashed in 
a common thrashing machine. Thorough 
culture will rid the land of any shelled seed, 
and sheep ore very fond of it as a pasture 
plaut. 2. When grown for the sake of the 
seed for feeding purposes, the Yellow Millet 
is much the better. Of course, the other is 
millet also. Plow the land early, and harrow 
often to get it in fine tilth, and sow 
the seed when the weather has got warm 
and settled—for middle Illinois, June 10 
to 15 is early enough. Cover but lightly, and 
roll well. Harvest as soon as ripe, cutting 
with a self-binder. Set in shocks as you would 
set oats or wheat, and thrash with a machine. 
The straw makes fair feed. The proper amount 
of seed to sow iR from one-half to one bushel 
per acre, less as the land is richer, and a yield 
of from 80 to 40 bushels is no more than may 
, be expected on rich ground. 3. A Mr. A. J. 
Edick, Wright’s Corners, N, Y., makessuch a 
machine. It works nicely. 4. Be particular 
to plant only one kind of beans, and they will 
all ripen together. 
DEPTH TO PLANT POTATOES: APPLYING COM¬ 
MERCIAL FERTILIZERS, 
IF.,,V. N., Middletown, Orange Co ., N, Y., 
—Last year 1 used “Mapes’s Potato Muuures 
alone ou potatoes; how should 1 have applied 
it? I am in the habit of planting deep, believ¬ 
ing such course to be best on account of the 
almost certain drought we all experience in 
early Summer. 1 wautid toupply the fertil¬ 
izer in the furrow about where I thought the 
new potato would form, in order, smucb as 
possible.) ,to distress the. wire-wuuns^whicb 
the spoon. The reason for operating on the 
left or lower organ first is to prevent the blood 
from covering the lower one if left last. 
When the operation is performed, which if 
skillfully done, occupies but a few minutes, 
the retractor is taken out, the skin drawn over 
the wound, which, if it was drawn on one 
side before cutting (as mentioned above), will 
connect at a place not exactly opposite the 
wound in the flesh, thereby covering the flesh 
wouud. If skillfully done it requires no sew¬ 
ing. The old French system was to operate 
on each side of the fowl, but the system here 
described is considered an improvement on 
the antiquated Galie method. 8. The mortal¬ 
ity among young birds will depend iu a great 
measure on the skill of the operator. Nearly 
all old buds caponized die, 4. From H. H. 
Stoddard, Hartford, Conn. 5. It is a good 
monthly poultry periodical, which aims to 
give information of permanent importance to 
poultry keepers. 5. What is meant by succes- 
fully? Profitably? lYe doubt whether they 
can be raised profitably as a branch of ordi¬ 
nary farming work; but silk culture may give 
profitable employment on a farm to women, 
children and old folks, who may not have 
much to do in the ordinary routine of labor. 
Weaving, spinning, churuiug, etc., are now, 
in most places, “lost arts,” owing to the intro¬ 
duction of labor-saving machinery, cheese 
factories and creameries, aud silk culture may 
take their place. 0. Apply to the Department 
of Agriculture, Washington, D. C, 
BIG HEAD IN HORSES. 
W. II. M., Childersbv. rg, Ala ,—What is the 
cause of big-head in a horse, and a remedy 
therefor? 
Ans —The cause of “big-head” or “big-jaw ’ 
in a horse is cot definitely known; but it is 
believed that the tendency is transmissible. 
It has been noticed that it prerails most in 
those sections where corn is constantly fed, 
and in those—whatever may be the predomi¬ 
nant food—where the animal drinks only, or 
chiefly, freestone water, which is lacking in 
phosphates so essential to the bony structure. 
Hard labor and abuse, poor food and bad 
stable management doubtless contribute to it. 
It may be developed by over feeding or by 
deficiency of nutritious food. It is manifested 
first by loss of appetite, laziness, and moisture 
in one or both the eyes, as one or both sides 
of the fac ial bone are affected. Then a swelling 
appears about half way between the eyes ami 
nostrils, at first small and bard, but gradually 
increasing in size. If this is pressed with 
force, the animal winces; but gentle rubbing 
seems to give relief. The lower jaw under 
the chin next becomes thick; a general stiff¬ 
ness sets in; the animal rapidly loses flesh; the 
head becomes very swollen, and finally 
the bony tumor breaks * out in small 
holes, which discharge a thick, offensive pus, 
and if not treated opportunely, it ends in com¬ 
plete decay of the bone. The old practice was 
confined to boring into the diseased part and 
injecting corrosive poisons; laying open the 
jaw and sawing out a part of the bone; blis¬ 
tering, burning, etc. The disease, however, 
though manifested chiefly in the face, is not 
local, but constitutional, and local treatment 
has, therefore, little effect. The best treat¬ 
ment is found to be good care of the patient, 
with moderate exercise in the sun. The na¬ 
ture of this will vary according to the season. 
Give from five to seven quarts of oats per day, 
and if these are boiled and mixed with some 
wheat bran, all the better. Green vegetables, 
being antiscorbutic, are found to lie excellent, 
and so is au abundant pasture in season. 
Give, morning and night, with the food which 
is most readily taken: chlorate of potash, two 
ounces; powdered ginger, four ounces; gen¬ 
tian, three ounces; podophylliu, two ounces; 
poplar bark, six ounces. Two ounces of phos¬ 
phate of lime should also be given. Tbe follow¬ 
ing preparation should be rubbed upon the 
swollen face twice daily: Spirits of camphor .six 
ounces; cod-liver oil, four ouuces; oil of cedar, 
two ounces; diluted acetic acid, one pint. If 
there are already breaks in the skin, and an 
exudation of matter, follow the course pre¬ 
scribed, but instead of the last application, 
cleanse the part tnoroughly with warm water 
aud apply camphorated corrosive sublimate 
every day for six days; then omit for three 
days, and begin again, and so on till the skin 
shows signs of healing. Apply the sublimate 
with a little rag mop, and dry it with a hot 
iron held near the part or pressed ou a layer 
of intervening elotb, thick enough to prevent 
burning. In the early stages cures have been 
effected by repeated doses of one ounce of 
hyposulphite of soda daily; but in spite of all 
treatment this disease is often incurable, 
especially when it has been allowed to progress 
far. 
POTATOES OR BRAN AND SHORTS FOB PIGS— 
NEW OR SKIMMED MILK FOR CALVES, 
A. M. U , Sandy lake, Pa.— 1. llad 1 better 
exchange my potatoes at 30 cents per bushel 
for brau and shorts at $1.35 per ewt., or boil 
aDdJfeed them to my sow suckling pigs as I did 
answers to corr espondents 0f laud J. would recomm<md to carry the v 
(Every query must be accompanied by the name either in lead ditches or large undergr 
and address of the writer to Insure attention. Before pipes to different parts of the farm, and 1 
asking a question, pleaae see if It Is not answered in , ]i ^ tril „ lt ; nLr as r think tl 
our advertising columns. Ask only a few questions seveial distributing poiut., as i suiuk tc 
at one timed tempt to distribute water to so much 
from one center will not prove satisfacto 
CONSTRUCTION OF TANK FOR IRRIGATION woukl a)sQ recommend t o irri gute as mu 
•^ D “ ODK ° F ( , IS !1 IGATINC ? , possible in furrows between the rows, ai 
IF. H. H., Brownsville, Texas.- A few pre- 0Q , when it must bedone . 
liminary remarks will assist to an understand- ^ q{ no w(jrk QQ irrigatkm . An excf 
ing of the questions about which I want m- oq ^ gu) & found in thp At 
formation. The soil is alluvial sand, with a RepQrt of tbe Agricnltural Departmen 
good deal of saline matter in it, having a clay lg71 _ Ifc is a]go treated of in “Colorado s 
subsoil The country is full of remcos, these Agricultural state.” a work that can be 
are water-courses, without inlets or outlets, thl h the Aroerican News Company, 
filled with rain water and tbe overflow of the Yorb Price ?1 50 
Rio Grande, when it is up. Labor can be had ' ' 
from 50 cents to 7o cents a day. Bricks are 
worth about $3.25 per M ; flat roofing tiles are IF. L. D , Englewood, N J.— 1. What 
a little more. I can get iron pipe, second- ( the Rural think of caponizing cockerels 
hand, cheap: the water rusts them very little, j How is the operation performed ? 3. Do t 
some have been used 18 years, and are as good ( die of the wound ? 4. Where can tbe r 
as ever. I intend building a tank of brick or sary instruments be obtained ? 5. What a 
tile on the highest piece of ground, to contain the Poultry World? 6. Can silk-worn 
several hundred thousand gallons of water. | successfully raised in this climate? 7. Y 
The land to be irrigated has from 100 to 160 can I get silk-worm eggs? 
acres, and has a resaca in front and rear. A ! Ans,— 1. We do not by any means api 
wind-mill will be used to pump the water into of this cruel practice, and are very glad 
the tank. 1. For tbe inner parts of the tank it is not nearly so common now as it w 
would not the tile be the best? 2. For two or the “good old times” of our drinking, gor 
three years’ use, would not American cement dizing forefathers. 2. There are se 
do? 3. What should be the thickness of the methods of performing the operation 
walls of a tank to hold the amount of water following is as effective aud as free 
mentioned? 4. For corn, cotton, tobacco, gross cruelty as any: The best birds foi 
sugar-cane, vegetables and fruit, bow would j ons, are the large breeds, Asiatics or I 
this plan do—the rows to radiate from the ings. They should be two to three mi 
tank; the rows three-and-a half feet wide? ' old; old birds seldom survive caponizing. 
Along tbe bead of tbe rows, a big pipe is to fore the operation they should be depriv 
run, having nozzles opposite each water fur- food for from 24 to 48 hours, so as not to 
row; the water to run as far down the row as ‘ their bowels distended. There are in 
it will go, then lengths of pipe to be screwed ments made for tbe operation, which ca 
on the nozzles, supported by bricks to keep 1 purchased in most cities. Capons shoul 
it off the ground, and brought down to the dry I fcept till the age of 15 to 18 months, whici 
soil and the water allowed to run; more lengths | bring them to full size, which shoul 
to be screwed on till the ends of the rows are double the size they would have attainec 
reached; the watering to be done towards they not been caponized. The bird t 
evening; many rows to be watered at once. operated on must be fastened down ou bi 
5. For grain and grass; the fields to be laid out side to a board or bench through au i 
in narrow lands; at the head aud foot a large 1 hole; the wings should be drawn together 
every 30 feet a narrow ditch to run I b is back and well secured; the legs d 
ditch | 
through the fields; these to be flashed when¬ 
ever needed? 6. How often, when needed, 
should the crops mentioned be irrigated? 7. 
How deep should the big and little ditches be? 
8. Should they be clayed? 9. Do you know of 
a better plan? >0. Is there any work or series 
of articles orurrigation! 
ANBWKKE3 B r L. J. TEMPLIN, OF COLORADO. 
1 . This will depend on the comparative ex¬ 
cellence of the two materials. The cheaper 
would probably prove as satisfactory as the 
other. 2. Yes, provided it would not be in¬ 
jured by exposure to frost, 3. This would 
depend on tbe length and bight of the walls. 
Tbe pressure of water depends on the depth, 
being in all directions the same at the 
same depth, and approximately one pound 
per square inch for every two-aml a-half feet 
in depth. As the depth of water is not given, 
it is impossible to give the strength of the wall 
required to hold it. 4. The plan suggested 
would certainly do the work; but it would 
require a great deal of labor to operate it. 
The advantages of this plan would be economy 
of water and time, as the water would flow 
through the pipes more rapidly than in 
ditches and would not be absorbed in its pass¬ 
age. The disadvantages would be the hand¬ 
ling of so many pipes and the inconvenience 
of having these pipes in the way of cultiva¬ 
tion. A better way, probably, would be to 
have the pipes laid under ground , out of reach 
of the plow, with nozzles or tubes coming to 
tbe surface at suitable distances. In that 
case the water might be flowing from many 
places in tbe same line of pipe at tbe same 
time. o. For grass and small grain tbe sur¬ 
face should be so level that the water will 
flow evenly over it and not run in irregular 
channels or stand in pools. With such a sur¬ 
face the plan proposed will probably be as 
good as any, but if tbe surface is not thus 
level, it is better to run small furrows every 
three feet, through which the water should 
flow till the whole surface- is wet by absorp¬ 
tion. 0. This will depend on the stage of 
growth of tbe crop, the nature of the soil and 
the state of the weather. There are times 
when oar soil here diies out as much in one 
day as it does at other times in a week Oi even 
two weeks. I would say, keep the soil always 
moist. Seme old ranchmen here say that as 
long as the corn blades unroll at night what 
they have rolled during the day, the soil does 
not need water ; but my own;experienct4'and 
