®|t Querist. 
ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
Non-smoky Chimney ; Tarred Paper; Bavarian 
Rennets, etc. 
A Subscriber—address mislaid —asks, 1, how 
to build a chimney that will not smoke; 2, 
what is tarred paper, will it do for outside 
coverings, where can it be had and at what 
price: 3, wonM sprouts do as well as buds for 
grafting, and whether the “heart-root” would 
be better; 4. what are Bavarian rennets and 
how are they prepared, and in what, do they 
differ from domestic rennets. 
Ans. —1. Have plenty of dial, with the fire¬ 
place set in deep, and the back receding back¬ 
wards to the flue or passage for the smoke. 
Place a flat stone over the top, resting at the 
corners on briekR, with open spaces at least 
four inches high and as wide as possible. This 
will prevent the wind from blowing down the 
chimney, which forces the smoke into the room. 
Make the flue not less than a foot square in the 
narrowest part. 2. Tarred paper is paper run 
through hot coal-tar and saturated with it. It 
will not do for any outside covering, a6 it will 
not stand wetting. Gan he had at hardware 
stores, and costs from two to three cents a 
pound. 3. Sprouts arc not good for grafting 
from any trees. The ends of healthy, bearing 
limbs are the best, and those should be taken, 
if possible, from trees in full bearing vigor and 
growth. Sprouts from grafted trees would he 
more likely to bear soouer than from seedlings. 
The “heart-root,” by which is meant, we sup¬ 
pose, the tap-root, would not make any differ¬ 
ence. 4. Bavarian rennets are calves’ rennets, 
and arc cured by being blown up like a bladder 
filled with air instead of being cured in salt, as 
most of the rennets are prepared in this coun¬ 
try. Undoubtedly all sold here as such are 
not imported from Bavaria, but from all Ger¬ 
many and France and other European coun¬ 
tries, although they have the name of Bavarian 
rennets. They are better than our domestic 
rennets and sell in much larger quantities. We 
do not know why they are better and stronger 
—whether it is in curing them or on the con¬ 
dition of the animal. Most American rennets 
are from veals slaughtered in the cities, which 
have been kept without food until their stom¬ 
achs are empty and more or les6 inflamed. 
This may make the difference. 
A Comprehensive Hog-House. 
C. T., Millersvitte. Sandusky Co., Ohio , asks 
for information as to the construction of a 
hog-house for from 15 to 25 hogs, so “ fixed ” 
that the animals can be easily separated. There 
must also be a wagon-way across the width of 
the building, with doors on each side; and a 
place overhead large enough to hold, say 500 
bushels of corn; and also room for a email 
workshop in some part of the building. 
Ans. —A building 30 feet lODg and 2(5 feet 
wide, would furnish ample room for a wagon¬ 
way of 12 feet on one side with a passage, four 
feet wide, iu front, of the pens which w ould be 
10 feet wide and 30 feet long. The space for 
the pens for 25 hogs can be subdivided into 
pen8 8x10, or smaller, if any are desired for 
breeding purposes. A sliding door iu the parti¬ 
tions between the pens wiU allow of the pas¬ 
sage of hogs from one pen to the others, A 
part of the pen space can be used for a potash 
kettle, or for a shop, or the latter can be located 
in the chamber. The posts should be 13 feet 
high, which will admit of a high ceiling and 
plenty of space overhead for com. There 
should be two trap-doors over the wagon-way 
to the chamber. The wagon-way should be 
closed at each end by sliding doors, and need 
not have any floor. There should be window s 
at each end and opening from the pens, and 
doors also. The chamber to such a building 
will hold 1,000 bushels of corn. One much 
Einaller wonld be ample for oue wagon and 
pigs not for breeding. The cost varies so much 
in different localities, and according to material 
used, that we will not attempt any estimate. 
Stretches in Sheep, etc. 
L. B., Mayville, JV. has a small flock of 
sheep that have spells of ljftug down and 
stretching themselves as lar as they can, with 
their noses ex tented. The spells last from one 
to three days ; otherwise the sheep are in good 
condition and always recover, and he asks the 
cause and a remedy. 2. He wants to know 
whether hemlock leaves and twigs are good 
for sheep. The animals like these in winter; 
6ome people have told him they were good 
for his flock, while others said that such feed 
would make them shed their wool. 
Ans. —This is a case of what is known as 
as “ stretches” which is, in fact, indigestion. 
This causes discomfort and pain in the bowels 
and the sheep stretch themselves out to find 
ease. A dose of one ounce of linseed oil, re¬ 
pealed the second day, generally relieves this 
complaint, and Its return is prevented by feed¬ 
ing a pint of linseed oil-cake meal daily. 2. 
Hemlock is not wholesome for sheep; it affects 
the kidneys unfavorably, at least such has been 
the writer's experience, und after one season's 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
trial of it as a sort of test af the popular opin¬ 
ion, its use was considered objectionable. 
There can be nothing bettor for sheep than 
good sound clover hay, a little oats and corn 
and, if possible, a few turnips. If these are 
provided there is no need for trash, such as 
hemlock or pine branches, 
L'are of Sheep. 
E. G. Ji., East Variclc, Seneca Co., N. Y., is 
16 years old and has a flock of 18 sheep, part 
flue- and part eoarse-wooled. They are 
troubled slightly with ticks which do not in¬ 
jure the sheep much, but attack the lambs 
when they come, and he asks 1, the best way of 
getting rid of the pests before the lambs are 
dropped; also, 2, what kind of food iu addi¬ 
tion to good clover hay, would be best for ew r es 
that have Jambs; 8, how many ewes can oue 
ram serve properly; 4, at what time should 
the ram be turned with the ewes to have lambs 
ready for early market. 
Ans. —1. It is not at all impossible to rid the 
sheep of the ticks, unless they are very badly 
infested with them, and then It is a poor pros¬ 
pect for. the lambs; as the ticks will destroy 
them. If these ticks are not very numerous, 
an easy way to kill them is to take a pair of 
sharp-printed scissors and, opening the wool 
of (he sheep, to clip every tick in two parts. 
The ticks cannot be picked off easily, but can 
be killed in tiffs way with little trouble. The 
writer has cleared a sheep of more than a 
hundred iu three or four minutes. It is a 
small matter to go over 18 sheep in this man¬ 
ner. 2. The best feed lor the ewes In addition 
to the hay, would be a mixture of equal parts 
of oats, corn aud rye; or one of bran and coin 
meal is very good for them. One pint a day 
will be sufficient for each ewe. 3. Oue ram 
will attend to 30 or 40 ewes or to 50 if fed with 
one quart of oats and corn daily and only 
turned into the flock in the yard at night. 
4. The ewes should be coupled in August and 
September to have lambs iu January aud Feb¬ 
ruary, which will be ready for market iu April 
and May. 
live Uuerrtes. 
H. L., Youngstown, JV. Y., asks 1, how to 
handle bees without getting stung ; 2, how to 
keep moths out of hives; 3. what is the best 
shape for hives in order to winter safely; 4, 
what advantage has the Italian bee over the 
Black bee; 5, is the bee in common culture, a 
native of tiffs country ; 0, how to control 
swarming, 
Ans.— 1. No one can handle bees without. 
beiDg stung more or less. Protect the head 
with a bee veil. Perform all operations on 
warm days while the bees are busy gathering 
honey. It is a good plan to drum on the hive 
for a moment, and blow in some smoke before 
opening it, the bees will fill witli honey, and, 
like people with full 6tomaehs. be more 
amiable. Avoid all quick motions; never 
stwke at them, or run from them. Keep per¬ 
fectly cool, even when electrified by a few 
stings, and the bees will respond with good 
behavior. 2. The most effective means of 
keeping it out is to keep the stocks strong. 
The moth seldom gains foothold in a hive fuU 
of busy, buzzing boos. 3. See Our Bee Hints 
of March 2*H. 4. See article on bees in this 
issue. 5. No, it is probably a native of Asia, 
whence it spread over Europe, and from Eu¬ 
rope lias been introduced iuto this country, 
fi. Skill and watchfulness alone, on the part of 
the bee-keeper, c»u prevent bees from swarm¬ 
ing. Destroying all queen cells as soon as they 
appear, if not wanted for nucleuses, and di vitling 
the swarms artificially, are the main points in 
controlling swarming. To answer this ques¬ 
tion fully necessitates the explanation of many 
other points, and would take too much space 
at present. We shall later have an article on 
the subject. 
Sheep Husbandry in the South. 
W- S-, Boston , Mass ., asks which part of (lie 
Southern States would be the best locality in 
which a young man with asimtll capital could 
start in wool-growing and sheep husbandry; 
what kind of sheep would be the best to stin t 
with; the price of such sheep by tkc hundred; 
the price of full-blooded Merino rarns ; the ad¬ 
dress of II. S. Randall, author of Sheep Hus¬ 
bandry in the South and one of the former ed¬ 
itors of the Rural. 
Ans. —The best location for sheep husbandry 
in the South is doubtless in Georgia, in what 
is known as the piucy-woods region. This i6 
a large tract of open woodland covered with a 
growth of wire-grass aud other native herbage 
upon which sheep eau sulisist the year round. 
These lands eau be purchased in large tracts 
at oue dollar or less per acre. The common 
native ewes are the best to begiu with, and the 
progeuy of these crossed with pruc-bred rams, 
are soou bred up to an equality with the full- 
blood. Common ewes can be purchased in 
Georgia for $3 per head and pure rams will 
cost from $30 to $50 cadi. Henry S. Randall 
is no longer liviug; he died about two years 
ago. Ilis book on Sheep Husbandry iu the 
South is now out of date, because things have 
changed greatly sinue it was written. The 
only modern book on this subject is Stewart’s 
Shepherds’ Manual, which covers the whole 
ground; price $1.50; to be had through this 
office. 
R nislng Sweet Potatoes and Peanuts. 
G. II. F., Granville, Mass., asks how to raise, 
1, sweet potatoes aud, 2, peanuts. 
Ans. —If both seed and plants are easily pro¬ 
curable it would perhaps be well for a novice 
to try both. In the latitude of Massachusetts 
it will be necessary to start the plants in a 
hot-bed- Place the tubers on the soil of the 
bed, cover them lightly with sandy soil aud 
treat them as tomatoes or other plants grown 
iu heat. When the sprouts are four or five 
inches high, pull them off carefully, leaving 
the potatoes undisturbed,when another growth 
will soon appear, which serve in the same way. 
and so on until late in the season. Select a plot 
of grouud more or less sandy, run furrows three 
feet apart, apply well-rotted manure or ashes 
or both in the furrow, throw up with a small 
plow a ridge over this and set the plants singly 
about 18 inches apart. If properly handled, 
the sets will he ready for plantiug out about 
six weeks .from the time of planting in the 
bed. Defer planting out until there is no dan¬ 
ger of frosts. 
2. Plant on slightly-raised hills of sandy soil 
two feet apart each way—two to three unts in 
each. If the outside shell is removed, germin¬ 
ation will sooner occur. As the plants spread, 
gradually cover slightly with loose soil, com¬ 
mencing at the center of the hill, leaving the 
extremities of the shoots free. 
Butter Coining Slowly. 
Mrs. S. T. B.. Kansas . finding her butter 
coming soft, aud only after much labor, asks 
the cause and a remedy. 
Ans.—I f the trouble is, as intimated, peculiar 
to Kansas, then the feed may be in fault. But 
the 6ame difficulty is not uncommon elsewhere, 
and the season of the year when such trouble 
occurs is either winter or summer—the time 
when the greatest variations of temperature 
occur. At such times the cream rises slowly, 
and undergoes changes unfriendly to success 
in butter-making. The surest remedy is set¬ 
ting the milk in deep caus placed in icc-water 
or in a tank of cold, miming water that is 
being constantly changed by a stream running 
in aud one running out. so as to keep the tem¬ 
perature even. But one great cause of soft 
butter that does not gather well, is in churning 
the cream at too high a temperature. A ther¬ 
mometer is an essential instrument in any 
dairy, even the smallest. The best cream will 
give trouble, if churned at too high or too low 
a temperature. It should be kept as low as 62° 
iu summer, and not higher than 68 u in winter. 
A partial remedy, where cold-setting cannot, 
be used, is found in scalding the milk (tempera¬ 
ture of 135°) before setting. The evener the 
temperature of the milk-room, the better al¬ 
ways. 
Pearl Millet and Grasses. 
J. B., Union, Broome Co., N. Y., a6ks, 1, 
whether Pearl Millet is as valuable as hay for 
feed, and the price of seed; whether it should 
be sown like oalB or drilled in like corn ; the 
kind of land suitable for it; 2, whether Ken¬ 
tucky bluo-gruss would do well on his place, 
and what kind of grass would give a rich, 
heavy pasture, and afford a heavy sod. 
Ans.— Pearl Millet is not at all like hay ; it 
grows much like sorghum or broom corn, but 
has a close spike in which the seed is borne. 
Its mode of culture is precisely the same as 
that of corn, and a warm, dry, rich, sandy 
loam is a suitable soil. The seed is sold at one 
dollar per pound ; two pounds are required for 
an aero. 2. Kentucky blue-grass would not do 
well iu your locality. It grows there already 
and is known as June-grass, aud makes poor 
hay aud pasture and a very thin sod. You can 
have nothing bettor than orchard-grass and red 
clover, as these give early pasture or hay, and 
a thick second growth in July and up to Sep¬ 
tember. 
Lawn Mowers. 
S. C. A., Hempstead, L. 1., asks if the Phila¬ 
delphia Lawn Mower iB the best. If so, where 
can it be purchased so as to save the exorbitant 
commissions of agents ? 
Ans. —There are now many different kinds 
of lawn mowers, each possessing its superior 
points. Most of them will do good work, 
thongli each is better adapted to some kinds of 
work than others. We cannot answer the 
questiou, “ Which is the best?” and, consider¬ 
ing that all of us are readily prejudiced iu 
favor of the machine we have been using, it 
would not be just that we should. The Phila¬ 
delphia is a simple, duruble, excellent ma¬ 
chine. R. II. Allen & Co. of this city are 
agents for it here, but we are not aware that 
they would sell a single machine for less than 
accredited sub-agents. 
Treatment of Strawberries in Early Spritis, 
M. L. A., Sheboygan Falls, Ms., lias a young 
bed of Straw bel l ies, which he neglected to 
cover with long manure last fall, and conse¬ 
quently finds it iu a poor condition now. He 
lias been advised to cover the bed with straw 
for some time and then burn it off, and asks if 
this is the right, course to pursue. 
An a.—If the plants are fire-proof, the plan 
may be commendable. We should prefer to 
cover the bed with horse manure, having some 
short straw in it, which may be laid over the 
plants to protect them during the freezing nights 
and from the sun on hot days. When the frost 
is out of the ground, remove the st raw and with 
a pitchfork carefully work the manure into the 
ground without disturbing the roots. 
Wolves In Sheep, 
A misconception as to the insect to which the 
above name is locally applied, led us into an 
error in this department in the last issue. 
The “ wolves," J. W. L., Smith’s Grove, Ky., 
asked about, are not the acai-us scabiei but the 
larvae of eslrus bovis, which burrow under 
the skin and appear as white grubs at this 
season. There is no preventive but to kill off 
all the grubs by squeezing them out of the 
tumors in the skin and destroying them. If 
left- in, the grubs will soon work out and 
pupate, when they will emerge us the perfect 
fly.and proceed,next July or August, to lay eggs 
in the backs of the cattle which will produce 
more of the so-called “ wolves." 
Plymouth Rocks. 
L. A. C., Brunswick. Me., asks how carl}’ 
Plymouth Rocks lay, and 2. whether they will 
lay more eggs than the Leghorns. 
Ans. —They will average, perhaps, a little 
over six mouths. There lire records of their 
having laid in less than four. The Plymouth 
Rock may be relied upon to lay as early as any 
other breed. 2, Experiments have been tried, 
which show that tire Plymouth Rocks will lay 
as many eggs as the noted layers, the Leg¬ 
horns ; but the Leghorn egg is the larger. 
Propagating a Spirt From a Hemlock. 
J. U. T., Burnt Hill, N. Y., asks how best to 
propagate a peculiarly marked sort of Hem¬ 
lock (Abies Canadensis). The branches, or 
new growth, are very prettily tipped with a 
light yellow or nearly white, which gives the 
tree a very fine appearance. 
Ans.— This Hemlock 6port will have to be 
propagated by grafting. 
The Irish Juniper. 
M. F. ./., Uniontown , Pa., asks for a descrip¬ 
tion of the Irish Juniper. 
Ans.— Irish Jumper ( Jnniperus communis 
Hibernian) is a variety of the common Juniper, 
of a very erect, pyramidal growth, with short 
angular branchlcts. Its leaves are shorter and 
les6 pointed than those of the species, and Us 
branches are not so compressed as those of the 
Swedish Juniper. It is found ou the hills in 
Ireland. 
Ainorpha fruticosa, 
II. II. W., Ellsworth, Kansas, asks for a de¬ 
scription of Ainorpha fruticosa and Pinus Edn- 
lis. 
Ans. —Amorpha fruticosa is a handsome, or¬ 
namental, hardy shrub. It attuius a bight of 
10 to 12 feet, and has pretty, compound loaves 
of 15 to 25 oval or oblong leaflets. In early 
summer it bears violet or purple flowers. For 
Pinus Edulis see Editorial page of last week’s 
Rural. 
Miscellaneous. 
F. F. R., Beloit, Ms., asks, 1, how to apply 
salt to Avheat. lands aud whether such applica¬ 
tion is lawful; 2, what kiud of seed wheat 
would be the best for his part of Wisconsin- 
Lost Nation, White Russian or Fife. 
Ans.— There is no law which prevents the 
use of salt as a fertilizer, although there is a 
wide-spread popular idea to that effect. Salt 
is frequently useful and helps to stiffen the 
6traw and produce a dear-skinned berry. It 
can be used now, and about two to five bushels 
per acre, is the usual quantity. Coarse, cheap, 
refuse salt from the saltpans is generally used. 
Fife wheat brings the highest price in the mar¬ 
ket. Lost Nation aud Russian wheats are soft 
and have a bad reputation among the millers. 
Fife is a hard wheat and rates No. I in the 
markets. 
F. C. 8., Qainsvilte, Fla, asks, 1. the names 
of a few good commission merchants in this 
city, who deal iu vegetables ; 2, the name of 
6ome large millinery house, likey to buy the 
plumes of the white heron; 3, the name of 
some one who will buy alligators’ teeth. 
Ans.—C. W. Idell, 383 Washington St; J. V. 
Thurston A Go ; C. P. Woodworth. These are 
among the best known coin: dealers in that line 
of business; but we eaunot guarantee their 
responsibility or that they will always give 
satisfaction. They will doubt loss seud satis¬ 
factory references on application; 2. Try 
Worthington A Smith, 507, or Ira Beard, 457 
Broadway, this city. 3. Fred J. Ballard, St. 
Augustine Fla. 
Many Inquirers desire us to sell in quantity 
6ome of the seeds we have distributed among 
our subscribers. 
Ans. —We have never yet sold a seed or a 
plant. Our business is to extend the influence 
of the Rural New-Yorker aud thereby to 
promote the interests of horticulture and agri¬ 
culture. We are in the anomalous situation of 
having absolutely no axe to grind. 
E. W. /*.. Syracuse, N. Y., asks where can 
lie get the Black Mexican table corn referred 
to Rural — “Coru Number” — Brevities. 
