F!EB U 
* 
THE 
FARMERS’ CLUB. 
(Continued from page 105.) 
ary or early March for Kentucky. I believe 
in heavy seeding—10 pounds of clover, if sown 
alone; 15 pounds of Timothy, if sown for 
meadow without admixture; or five pounds of 
clover and a peek of Timothy, if for pasture. 
If the wheat was sown in corn, the rows will 
guide in sowing the grass seed; or if it was 
drilled one can follow the drill rows. If broad¬ 
cast, then use stakes with a small flag of bright 
red to guide you. ‘.I A light snow which 
barely covers the ground is desirable, but a 
heavy snow may melt too suddenly, or go otT 
with a rain when the seed will be washed into 
bunches, and there will be spots left bare. 3. 
I think it a decided advantage to roll wheat 
in the spring on all soils which dry mid settle 
early enough, so that the horses will not sink 
and leave hoof holes; but. on much of our clay 
upland it is rarely the case that a team can 
be used before the wheat is too large. I would 
roll always and by all means if the conditions 
were such that it could be properly done. 
A SORELY AFFLICTED MARE. 
C. H. BCarman, Minn.— My seven-year- 
old mare which raised a colt this season, grad¬ 
ually grow poor while suckling the colt, al¬ 
though well fed. When the colt was weaned, 
about September 1, her appetite failed and 
she grew weak amt thin very fast until she 
became so weak and feeble that she could not 
get up, so that we had to raise her with a 
windlass, and then she had no use of her limbs. 
She would stub her too and fall on a smooth 
road. There were sores on her mouth and 
under her jaw where the bridle would have 
come. They were like moles and bled very 
freely. Her ears, nose and feet were coldt 
though sometimes one or more of them would 
become warm. I have been giving her some 
homoeopathic medicines and her appetite has 
become better, her mouth is nearly well, aud 
her pulse is more regular, but she doesn’t 
seem to gain strength or flesh fast enough. 
Her hind parts are weaker than any other,and 
she flinches when tier spine is pinched nny- 
where from the withers to the roots of the 
tail. What should be done for her ? 
ANSWERED BY F. L. KILBORNE. 
The given symptoms are too general to en¬ 
able us to diagnose the case, so that treat¬ 
ment iu a general way only can be recom¬ 
mended. Apply a mild cantharidea or must¬ 
ard plaster along the. spine as far as tender, 
and repeat, if thought desirable, when the 
effect of the first; blister has passed off. Inter¬ 
nally give, four times daily, one ounce each 
of powdered gentian and sweet spirits of niter 
and two drams of powdered cinchona bark in 
a pint of cold linseed tea or ale. After a 
week or two, if the animal continues to im¬ 
prove,substitute for the above two drams each 
of sulphate of iron and nitrate of potash and 
one-half ounce each of gentian and giuger, to 
be given two or three times daily; omit the 
iron on alternate weeks, or alternate the two 
prescriptions. If the bowels are costive, give 
frequent copious injections of warm water 
until relieved. If this is not. sufficient, give 
two drams of Barbadoes aloes night aud 
morning; but it is better to regulate the 
bowels by the diet aud injections if possible. 
The diet should lie simple and nourishing, con¬ 
sisting largely of mashes, scalded oats, roots 
and the like, until the strength begins to re¬ 
turn, when a more substantial diet may be 
gradually substituted. 
LAME LEO IN A HORSE. 
P. C., Ann Arbor, Mich.—A year ago my 
horse became lame iu one hind foot. When 
on a trot he hops on it, and after a hard day’s 
work or a brisk drive he sometimes slips hack 
on it as though he had trodden on something 
that had rolled from under the lame leg, catch¬ 
ing himself on the other foot. There is no 
swelling whatever anywhere. What is the 
matter; and wlnit should be the treatment' 
ANSWERED RY F. L. KILBORNE. 
We suspect the lameness is in the stifle 
joint, although we cannot say definitely from 
so general a description. With on assistant 
raise that limli and alternately flex, or bend, 
and extend each joint to ascertain if there is 
any pain iu the free movement of either joint. 
Then try the same on the souud limb of the 
other side for comparison. Also tap lightly 
with a small hammer over thy surface of the 
hoof of each hiud foot. Any tenderness in the 
foot of the affected side will lie shown by more 
marked flinching of that side on percussion. 
Apply u eantharides blister to the affected 
joint and repent if necessary when the effect 
of the first lias passed off. Allow a long per¬ 
iod of rest, at least two or three months, be¬ 
fore being put at work again. 
Miscellaneous. 
H. II. Rag mile, Md.—l have three acres of 
clover sod which I wish to plant to cabbage 
the coming season. I cut a crop of huy off 
the land in June, and in September spread on 
it 40 bushels of lime per acre. I am uow 
spreadiug stable manure on this, intending to 
plow it all under together, about the last of 
May, or first of June; would it lie well to mow 
off the grass or plow it under with the lime 
and manure. I can get 100 bushels of un¬ 
leached wood ashes at 15 cents per bushel; 
would it bo advisable to put this ou plowed 
ground aud harrow it in? If more manure 
is required, what would be the best? What 
can be substituted for stable niauure? 2. How 
large must cabbages be to be considered first- 
class? 
Anh.—T he grass 'plowed under will not 
help the cabbages much, though, of course, 
it would improve the land for subsequent 
crops. Yes, the wood ashes will do great good, 
and if of fair quality, they are low in price. 
In addition to the ashes and manure, some 
form of nitrogen would help—uitrate of soda, 
for instance. Use nearly a hundred pounds 
to the acre—or possibly 200, The ashes do not 
furnish nitrogen. Your land probably does 
not stand in need of any more lime. It is 
doubtful if salt would do any good whatever. 
2. The size depends on the variety. Whatever 
the size the heads must be close and solid. 
C. II. W. (no address). —1. Is nitrate of 
soda a good manure for onions; if so, how 
much should l>e used and when Are un¬ 
leached wood ashes? 8. How much should 
finely ground bone cost per 200 pounds, and 
where can it be obtained near here? 4. Would 
it be advisable to sow half the bone flour when 
the onions arc put in. and the other half when 
they begin to bottom? 5. What would be a 
liberal amount of bone dust per acre? 
Ans. —1. First-rate, if the soil is already 
rich. Three hundred pounds to the acre 
would bo a fair dressing. Spread it just be¬ 
fore sowing the seed. 2. First-rate. 3. From 
three to four dollars for a good article. 
Where is “here?” 4. Sow it all at ouce and as 
early as you can. 5. Six hundred pounds. 
W. IT. IV., Chesterfield, Va .— Most of my 
land is what is here called “stiff”—consist¬ 
ing of more clay than sand—that is level 
and wet, the rest of the farm is a sandy loam. 
There are thousands of bushels of yellow-pine 
sawdust close at hand, some of which has been 
exposed for half-a-dozen yearn or more; would 
au application of it improve the land? 
Ans. —The sawdust would exert a good 
effect upon the land, by lightening it, in the 
course of several years. Its immediate effect 
would probably be somewhat harmful. The 
land should be drained. We presume it 
would be better to rot the sawdust in composts 
before spreading it upon the land or plowing 
it. under. We should be pleased to hear from 
auy of our readers who have had experience. 
.7. O. 77, Rock Point. La.— How long before 
a cow calves should she be dried off? 
Ans. —From six weeks to over two months. 
Some cows,especially Jerseys aud their grades, 
will give milk up to the time of calving or 
nearly so, if permitted, but to do so is too 
heavy a draft on the physical powers. A cow 
can hardly perform two such important func¬ 
tions at the same time us to yield a profitable 
quantity of milk and mature a healthy, well- 
developed calf in the last stages of its growth. 
When the calf is of no importance, and the 
milk is the only thing wanted, her flow may 
be continued for more than six weeks before 
parturition by giving abundance of nourishing, 
stimulating food; but in any eveut some weeks 
should be allowed her for rest. 
.7. G., Canon City , Colo .—What is the in¬ 
closed insect, enemy of the grape-vine, and how 
can it lie best fought? 
Ans. —It is the Snowy Tree Cricket (CEcau- 
thus niveus). The punctures contain eggs of 
this insect. They have been fully treated and 
illustrated in Riley’s Fifth Report, on the in¬ 
sects of Missouri, page 120, and have often tieen 
referred to in the Rural. The chief huiTU 
done by this insect to grape-vines is by its 
puncturing for oviposition, and the harm is 
readily confined within limits by pruning and 
burning the infested canes during the winter 
time. 
J. F. L., West Point, Neb. —1. In what di¬ 
rection should the rows of grapes ruu on a piece 
of ground facing south. The ground is liable 
to “wash” by heavy rains, and our heaviest 
storms are from the south aud northwest. 
2. From whom can 1 get the Earhart Ever- 
bearing Raspberry? 3. Would the Caroline 
Raspberry prove hardy here where the tem¬ 
perature drops to 30 degrees below zero' 
A nh. —1. We should have the rows run east 
and west. 2. J. 11. tsi It. II. Halo, South 
Glastonbury, Conn. 3. We doubt it, unless 
protected. 
J. J. S., Lincoln , Neb. —1. What is the best 
manure for au alkali soil? 2. Would coal 
ashes he of any use ? 3. Would corn-cob and 
wood ashes be good ? 4. Are coal ashes of any 
benefit to grape-vines? 5. Wlmt is the proper 
time to prune grape-vines? «>. Would the 
Worden be as good as the Concord for this 
place? 
Ans —1. Bone. 2. No, except as they might 
mellow the soil. 3. No. 4. No. 5. We pre¬ 
fer the fall. Prune now, iu any mild spell. 
(I. So far as we have heard, the Worden suc¬ 
ceeds wherever the Concord does. 
F. O. C., Washington, Kans, —How much 
will it advance the ripening of tomatoes to tie 
them up to sticks and prune them? Will it pay 
to grow them in this way for market? 
Ans. —It will not advance the period of 
ripening at all according to our experiments. 
You can not profitably so tie the vines to 
stakes that they will receive more sun or 
shelter than when the vines fall over ou the 
ground. In a well-kept garden stakes are 
necessary for appearance’s sake. For market 
purposes we do no think they pay. 
.7. G. B., Montrose., Colo. —What varieties 
of cow peas mature at the Rural Grounds? 
Where can they be obtained? 
Ans. —In our extended trial of cow-peas at 
the Rural Farm as reported in this journal of 
Oct, 9, page (570 (1880), the Whippoorwill or 
Java began to ripen fruit Sep. 5th; the Goat 
Pea Sept. 1st.; Poor land Pea August 15th; 
Little Black, Sep. 10; Three-crop Pea Sep. 15th; 
The Foose Pea is also very early. Our seeds 
were procured of W. B. Joues, of Herndon, Ga. 
H. F. S., Van Bnren, Ark .—Would a 
mulching of sawdust bo injurious to currant 
aud gooseberry bushes? 
Ans. —We cannot say positively whether it 
would act advantageously or otherwise. But. 
we can say that wo have a prejudice against 
sawdust as a mulch for any plants whatever. 
In some way it seems to retard the growth of 
plants. It. scorns also a favorite resort for 
various forms of insect life. 
S. A. R., New Germantown, N. J .—How 
cau roses lie raised from seed? 
Axs.—The simplest method in the world is 
to sow the seeds in boxes of light, rich soil as 
soon as the pips mature. The seedlings may 
then be pricked out into little pots as soon as 
they are two inches high. The seeds may be 
planted iu cold-frames, or even in the open 
ground. 
A. C. C., Syracuse, N. 1'.—Will-superphos¬ 
phate dropped on corn when planted kill the 
corn? 
Ans. —Superphosphate, whether it be bone 
superphosphate or rock superphosphate, will 
harm the coni if in contact. 
G. H. B., Savannah, Ga. —1. When dostraw- 
berries first ripen in Southern Illinois? 2. 
Will Labrusea grapes do well iu Florida? 
Ans.— 1. About. May 15. 2. Yes. 
W. M.S., bio address). —For symptoms of 
glanders in horses see Veterinary Department 
iu this issue. 
- - -- 
DISCUSSION. 
ABSORBENTS FOR AN EARTH CLOSET. 
A. B. A., Flushing, L. 1.—H. H., Montre¬ 
al, page 38 of the Rural, is in error, so far as 
my experience of 20 years or more has taught 
me, in saying that sifted hard-coal ashes are 
“the best absorbent in sin earth closet.” The 
best I have found for this purpose is finely 
sifted, clay soil, aud the next best, sifted gar¬ 
den mold. He further asserts that “sand has 
no absorptive properties.” Some time ago I 
heard this same declaration, and as I happen¬ 
ed to be incredulous regarding it, I deter¬ 
mined to make the experiment in my earth 
closet, so I got a one-horso cartload of pure 
white sea sand for use in it.. If no greater 
quantity is applied than of clay soil or garden 
mold, the sand is only slightly effective, but 
when I doubled or threbled this, I found it 
answered quite well m absorbing the odor. I 
am the more desirious that this fact, should be 
known, because there are large districts in our 
country, particularly along the seacoast, where 
the soil is very sandy, with little and some¬ 
times no vegetable matter in it. Here this 
region is so healthy aud fi ee from miasma 
that it is becoming more and more a summer 
resort for the residence of people from 
our cities and populous towns, who have only 
to pay proper attention to their house drains 
and earth closets to keep themselves and their 
cottages free from all disease. I think ashes 
of any sort are not superior to a light soil as 
an absorbent. I mean by this, a soil which 
has a considerable proportion of fine gravel 
or sand iu its composition. 
Vermont Dairymen’s Association.— The 
last meeting of this Association was held at 
St. Johnsbury, January 18-20. Mr. J. 11. 
Walker, of Springfield, Vt., said be had been 
exclusively a sheep man until about 10 years 
ago, when,he went into Jersey cows. He sold 
last year 2,225 pounds of butter, an average of 
300 to each mature cow. He is a grain farm¬ 
er, raising large crops of corn and oats, and 
feeds very little hay—not 100 pounds per cow 
for the year, t is feed is straw and corn fod¬ 
der, with coru-and-cob meal. He feeds in the 
morning early one quart of cot ton seed meal, 
followed by straw. At noon corn fodder and 
straw, with three quarts of eorn-and-cob 
meal, aud the same at night. Considers fod¬ 
der equal to bay iu value. The cotton seed 
increases the yield of butter without injuring 
the quality. Color of butter good. Doesn’t 
think Jerseys will color their butter without 
reference to feed, Waters twice daily, with 
water as it conies from acqueduct, but would 
like it, warmer. Uses the Ferguson creamery, 
with plenty of ice. maintaining a temperature 
of 52 degrees. Keeps the cream in a pail in 
the closet of the creamery. Uses a Fyler 
churn and washes the l utter in the granular 
stage, salting a half ounce to the pound. Uses 
the Read butter-worker, lie skims 38 to 40 
hours after setting; sells his butter every 
week. All the feed is fed dry. Raises Ins 
heifers aud sells his cows at seven or eight 
years old. 
E. B. Douglas, of Bhoreham, Vt., feeds each 
day two quarts each of bran, shorts and cot¬ 
ton seed meal to every cow, besides bay, and 
makes an average of 300 pounds to the cow 
from a herd of 38 cows. Cows may be bred 
for but ter or cheese, aud heifers should be so 
bred. Mr. Douglas has an extragood pasture. 
Thiuks stalks and hay better than either 
aloue. Sells cows rather than heifers. Pre¬ 
fers linseed to cotton seed meal. 
Jugde M. R. Gray, of Hyegate, Vt., makes 
0,000 pounds of butter annually from a herd 
a s eragiug 18cows in milk all the time. Feeds 
long barley in the morning early, then a mix¬ 
ture of eorn-and-cob meal and bran in equal 
weights, four quarts per day. Feeds hay 
with meal at uoon, anil at night com fodder 
and long barley, cut up and steamed. Pre¬ 
fers to steam it; does not know that it is bet¬ 
ter, but it is eaten better. Is afraid of cotton 
seed meal, from wliat he has read, yet has fed 
it “some” without ill effects. 
J. P. Miller, Of West Barret. Vt., said his 
herd consists of 27 grade and full Jerseys, 
averaging 24 in milk; makes winter dairying 
a specialty, and has produced an average of 
250 pounds of butter a year. His last churn¬ 
ing of a week’s cream yielded 211 pounds be¬ 
sides wknt, was used in n family of seven or 
eight. Grows wheat-hay, sowing the “Lost 
Nation” and getting a crop of four tons per 
acre, which is cut in the bloom. Feeds this 
and Timothy hay with one bushel of silage to 
each cow night aud morning. On each mess of 
silage he sprinkles three quarts of a mixture 
made in the proportion of 100 pounds cotton 
seed meal. 100 pounds pure corn meal, and 150 
pounds of bran; does not think cobs worth 
griudiug; considers wheat-hay equal to 
Timothy. Before he began to feed silage he 
churned his cream at from 04 to 65 degrees, 
but uow warms it to lilt or 70 degrees. Makes 
about 70 pounds ai, a churning, using a dash 
churn. Rich cream requires a higher tempera¬ 
ture; his butter at 70 degrees is almost too 
bard to stamp. After the butter reaches the 
granular stage he gathers it, slowly in the 
churn, without water, and uses only two 
quarts of water to wash a churning, applying 
a little at a time while working, and after¬ 
wards absorbs any remaining butter-milk 
with a cotton cloth. Mr. Miller remarked 
that, there was some difficulty in granulating 
butter in a dash churn, or from thick cream, 
lie thought both washing and over-churning 
injurious to butter. 
Mr, A. W. Choevcr said there are two dis¬ 
tinct fermentations that may take place in 
milk. One, the acet ic, requires a rather high 
temperature, and produces ordinary souring: 
the other, the lactic, takes place at a low tem¬ 
perature and makes the cream bitter. It is 
better never to let the cream freeze. The 
cream of mixed milk should come in from 25 
to 35 minutes; if it takes longer there is too 
much in the churn, or the temperature is 
wrong, or there may possibly be some other 
cause. Feed effects the vicidity of milk, and 
it may be that, silage increases that, quality. 
If too viscid the cream may not rise well, or 
it may need thinning by water or warmth, 
preferably the first. Viscid milk diluted with 
water will let the cream up quicker, and will 
not cause it to sour quicker, if the water is 
pure. As cows’ milk or cream varies in viscid¬ 
ity, it takes a far longer time for the cream to 
rise ami the butter to come. Some cows’ milk 
will hardly make butter at all, and it is sel¬ 
dom that all the butter iu cream is got out of 
it, He has had to test every cow of his herd 
separately, in order to find a cow whose 
cream would not churn. He t hought that if 
cream that will come iu 10 minutes were 
mixed with cream that requires 20 minutes, 
the mixture would usually come in about 15 
minutes. 
E. B. Wood, of Pomfret, Vt., a dairyman 
