1896 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKE 
dug, at least, eight feet deep, unless a strata of sand 
or porous gravel be reached. This hole should be 
filled with stones a little higher than where the pipe 
will enter it. 
Foundation. —For the foundation, a trench should 
be dug that will be below frost; this may be filled in 
with small stones to within a foot of the surface. An 
18-ineh wall then should be laid in cement, and built 
about a foot above the surface of the ground. This 
wall should be banked with earth so as to turn all 
surface water away from the wall. 
The Building. —The sills should be bedded in 
cement mortar, and a balloon or mortised frame put 
up. The timber for the frame should be either two 
or three by eight inches. On the outside, half-inch 
matched spruce ceiling, covered with the best build¬ 
ing paper and narrow pine siding. Four inches from 
the outside, narrow strips of inch stuff are to be toed 
in to the studding. Building paper is to be tacked to 
these strips and covered with ceiling boards matched 
in. This will make a four-inch air chamber next to 
the siding. Building paper should be tacked to the 
studding and covered with inch ceiling. As each 
width of paper is covered by the boards, the four-inch 
space should be packed with dry sawdust. This 
should be continued all the way to the plates and 
peaks at the gables. 
Windows and Doors. —Near the peak in each gable, 
small window frames should be set for ventilation. 
A door for filling in ice should be conveniently 
placed as high as possible, so that the ice, when 
packed, is as near level as may be. Provision must 
be made for a door to the cold storage room. Around 
these door frames, care must be taken to have the 
partitions for air and sawdust air-tight. The 
doors should be four inches thick, and the edges 
beveled so that they will wedge in the frame when 
closed, and be fastened with the ordinary ice-door 
latch. The doors are made by building a frame of 
2x3 pine, that will fit the jambs. On one side of this, 
nail matched stuff. Put this side down on a floor, 
and tack ordinary laths, laid flat, to these boards 
next to the 2x3 frame. Cover this with building 
paper, tacking it to the lath frame, Repeat, putting 
in lath and building paper till the space is filled. 
There will be about eight or nine air spaces, and the 
open side then may be covered with matched ceiling 
boards. This will make a light, air-tight door. At 
the door for filling the ice house, boards may be 
placed loosely, or merely tacked on the inside of the 
door frame, and the space between these boards and 
the door filled with straw. 
The Storage Room. —As E. R. S. requires a room 
only eight feet square, he would secure the same space 
and have more room for ice if he took one-half a 12 - 
foot building, namely 6 x 12 , for his storage room. 
Timbers should be placed close together over this 
room to support the ice above it. The floor under 
the ice should be covered with tin or iron, water¬ 
tight. A first-class tin-roofer will be needed to do 
this job. Any leak will so dampen the storage 
room that it will not be fit to contain milk or butter. 
This tin floor should slope to the entrance side of the 
storage room, and have a gutter bent in the tin. 
This gutter should slope to a corner and open into a 
pipe with a trap similar to that previously described, 
so as to prevent air from the room below reaching 
the ice. This pipe should empty on the cement floor 
at the bottom. The trouble that I foresee with the 
plan of E. R. S. is the liability to dampness and mold 
in his storage room. By putting a tight board floor 
in this room, the dampness from the cement floor will 
be obviated to a great extent. At all times, it will be 
of great advantage to keep a pan with a lump of stone 
lime standing in this room. The lime will absorb 
the moisture from the air, and when it becomes 
powdery or air-slaked, it should be renewed. After 
filling, the ice should be covered not less than 
three feet deep with cheap hay or straw. I have 
been thus particular in every detail, because a failure 
in making the house air-tight, providing proper 
drainage or ventilation, will always cause a failure 
in keeping ice or maintaining a cold storage room. 
Orange Co., N. Y. w. d. barns. 
AILING ANIMALS. 
ANSWERS BY DR. F. L. KILBORNE. 
Founder or Rheumatism in Cows. 
A. B. W., Trumansburg, N. Y .—We have several cows ou the 
farm that have become stiffened In their fore legs or shoulders. 
They move very much like a foundered horse. Will excessive 
feeding with roots, or being deprived of drink and then allowed 
to take all they will, or getting to the meal box, or dampness, 
cause this trouble ? They are otherwise healthy. 
The cows have either been foundered, or are suffer¬ 
ing from rheumatism. Over-feeding or gorging with 
grain at the meal-bin, or drinking excessive quanti¬ 
ties of cold water after long abstinence, would be 
very liable to cause founder. If foundered, there will 
be more or less heat and tenderness of the feet, with 
or without swelling extending above the hoof, accord¬ 
ing to the severity of the inflammation. The animal 
usually persists in lying down. A full dose of salts 
(three-fourths to one pound each epsom salts and 
common salt with one to two ounces of ginger) should 
be given at the outset. Then half-ounce doses of 
saltpeter with 25 to 30 drops of the tincture of aconite 
may be given two or three times daily. The feet 
should be wrapped in rags kept wet with cold water, 
or the cows caused to stand in a stream or puddle of 
water several hours daily. If suppuration take place 
within the hoof, the cold pack to the feet should be 
replaced by warm poultices, and the loosened hoof- 
wall cut freely away so as to allow a free exit for the 
pus. 
Rheumatism might result from dampness or cold 
draughts. Excessive feeding on turnips might cause 
the trouble. If rheumatism is present, there will be 
stiffness, with more or less tenderness and swelling 
of the joints or groups of muscles or tendons. The 
joints are most commonly implicated. There is, often, 
a tendency to shift from place to place, which, when 
manifested is especially characteristic of rheumatism. 
Lameness will be aggravated by dampness or expos¬ 
ure, and relieved by sunshine and warmth. As in the 
case of founder, a full dose of salts can be first admin¬ 
istered to advantage, and followed by one-half to one- 
ounce doses of equal parts of bicarbonate and nitrate 
of potash two or three times daily. Rub the swollen 
joints every two or three days with ammonia liniment 
until the skin is moderately blistered. Dry, comfort¬ 
able quarters should be provided when necessary to 
protect the cattle from cold winds or storms. 
Cow With Injured Teat. 
'/• A. A., Gainesville, Fla .—I bought a valuable cow a few weeks 
ago, that had one of the front teats cut by a barbed wire. The 
accident happened about three months ago. The other three 
teats are all right, but the milk was allowed to cake in the injured 
one, and now it yields no milk. What, can I do to bring this teat 
to its proper milk again ? 
The milk will, probably, come in that quarter again 
when the cow is fresh. Should the milk not come 
readily at first, milk that teat just the same, and 
knead that quarter for several minutes with the hands 
after each milking. If the milk be present in the 
quarter, but cannot be drawn because of some obstruc¬ 
tion in the teat, employ a veterinary surgeon to open 
the teat at once. 
• Bad Tooth or Sore. 
M. S., Forestville, N. Y .—I have a cow seven years old, that has, 
for two years, discharged from the mouth an offensive liquid. 
She is in good spirits, eats well, and gives 52 pounds of milk per 
day, but is poor, and I cannot get her to take on flesh. Her grain 
ration is corn and oats ground. She runs out to grass ou good 
pasture. My other cows are not affected like her. What can I do 
to cure her ? 
There is either a decayed tooth or a running sore, 
either of which would, probably, require a difficult 
surgical operation before a cure can be effected. I 
would advise you to have the cow examined by a com¬ 
petent veterinary surgeon, in order to locate the 
trouble and perform an operation if necessary. 
Tetanus or Lockjaw in a Horse. 
A. B. M., Blairsville, Pa .—My mare has a very strange trouble in 
her eves lately. In certain positions in which she gets her head, 
the whites of her eyes (from the direction of the nose) come out 
over her eyes, covering almost all of the ball, until one would 
think, at first, that the ball had really receded into her head. I 
cannot And out here anything about this trouble, and, of course, 
no cure. 
The symptom described, the projection of the haw 
or membrana nietitans over the eye from the inner 
angle, is characteristic ‘ of tetanus. This is usually 
the first symptom to attract attention, and is soon 
followed by difficulty in mastication and swallowing, 
with inability to open the mouth fully, and rigidity 
of the muscles of the jaws, neck and along the spine. 
The animal becomes very excitable, the slightest 
noise increasing the spasm of the affected muscles, 
and the projection outward of the haw. As the symp¬ 
toms become aggravated, the jaws are more or less 
completely set, the eyeball retracted and mostly cov¬ 
ered by the protruding haw, nostrils dilated, respira¬ 
tion difficult. The horse stands trembling with his 
muscles rigid, and all four legs braced to avoid fall¬ 
ing. The disease is due to a specific germ, the tetanus 
bacillus, which usually enters the system through an 
old wound or other abrasion of the skin or mucous 
membrane. Acute attacks of the disease run a rapid 
course, and victims die in three to five days. The 
mild or sub acute cases can often be treated success¬ 
fully, but require the personal attention of a veteri¬ 
narian to treat the symptoms as they develop or 
change. In general, the patient should at once be 
placed in,a darkened stall or corner, as far as possible 
away from all noises. No bedding should be allowed 
except such materials as sawdust, fine planer-shavings 
or peat moss, which will cause no rustle as the animal 
walks over it. In approaching the horse, always 
move slowly and quietly. The diet should consist of 
soft mashes or nutritious drinks, such as oatmeal 
gruel, flaxseed tea, eggs, milk, etc. When the jaws 
are practically closed, the patient will often suck soft 
food through the teeth. A bucket of cool water should 
be kept constantly before the horse, placed nearly on 
R- 577 
a level with the head. Usually, the head cannot be 
lowered without great effort. 
Medicinally, a full dose of aloes and belladonna 
(eight to twelve drams of aloes with two drams of 
solid extract of belladonna) should be administered 
as soon as possible, and smaller doses repeated as 
often as necessary to keep the bowels moving. The 
aloes may be given in ball, or thrown well back on 
the tongue with a syringe. The patient should not 
be drenched if it can be avoided. If the animal can¬ 
not swallow, or is too greatly excited when given the 
medicine by the mouth, it is best to resort to rectal 
and hypodermic medication. Good results have been 
obtained by giving one-half to one dram each of opium 
and cannabis indica extract, made into a paste with 
ammonium ascetite solution, and placed well back 
upon the tongue, or crowded between the back teeth, 
three times daily. Or atropia and morphia sulphate 
may be given hypodermically. The recent introduc¬ 
tion and use of the tetanus antitoxin in the treatment 
of tetanus in horses as well as in man, has given such 
favorable results in the cases recorded, that it may 
prove almost or quite a specific in the treatment of 
tetanus. To insure success, it should be used as early 
as possible, by a competent veterinarian or physician. 
How Bean Vines Twine. 
J. C. If., Fairview, Ua. —Wliy is it that a climbing' bean vine 
always goes around on the right hand side of a stake in climbing, 
and never to the left ? 
Ans. —The best answer we can give is because it is 
its nature so to do—the same as some trees are upright, 
others spreading, others pendulous. So, too, with all 
varieties of plants. Each has its habit peculiar to 
itself. The hop vine always winds from left to 
right (with the sun), and we cannot induce it to twine 
otherwise. The morning-glory twines against the 
sun and we cannot induce it to twine with it. So it 
is with beans. 
Making Sorghum on Shares. 
G. 1). P., Riley County, Kan. —What is about the right share of 
sorghum for me to receive, if I furnish the cane, press, paus and 
furnace, and the other fellow furnishes the cane, wood, does all 
the work, and delivers my share in the barrel ? I cannot run the 
mill this season, and a number of my neighbors would like to 
have a man make up their cane on shares in my mill for them. 
Ans. —When I manufactured cane molasses a few 
years ago, I furnished the machinery, fuel and work, 
while the cane was furnished by the other party, and 
each received one-half the molasses delivered at the 
mill. I used the bagasse from the mill for fuel, and 
wish nothing better where the furnace is constructed 
so that it will burn it. I would be willing to rent my 
plant for one-eighth the molasses made, delivered in 
barrels. mai.com little. 
Something About Ginseng Culture. 
M. M. W., Naples, N. Y.~ Can ginseng be grown and cultivated ? 
Is it grown from seeds ? 
AN8WKRED BY GEO. STANTON. 
Ginseng can be grown on any light, rich soil that 
will produce good garden vegetables. It must have 
shade, either natural or artificial. My own opera¬ 
tions, thus far, with transplanted roots, have been in 
the open garden with artificial shading. Forest cul¬ 
ture will give good results with the least expense. 
The best way to get started is to transplant the wild 
root; in this way, one soon gets to producing seed in 
quantity. The seed is the main dependence, as gin¬ 
seng does not spread from the root. Ginseng seed is 
expensive, and will continue to be expensive. It 
cannot be handled in bulk like other seeds, must not 
get dry, and requires 18 months to germinate. No 
one need think that he can rush into ginseng culture 
by the acre, and make a fortune in a year or two : it 
must be worked up from small beginnings, and will 
take time to place it on a paying basis. The root is 
of slow growth, but responds readily to good treat¬ 
ment ; four to five years from transplanted roots, 
give good results, and six to eight years from seed 
will produce good marketable roots. 
A few figures will give some idea as to the pos¬ 
sibilities in ginseng culture. From 7% beds, 3x16 
feet each, taken up last fall, the product was 30)^ 
pounds of dry, marketable roots, which sold for $161, 
and over 4,000 roots to put back into the ground. 
Four of the beds had been in cultivation five years, 
the others four years, and had produced 30,000 to 
40,000 seeds during the time. I have now in my gar¬ 
den, 67 beds 3 to 3^x16 feet, stocked with plants; 
20,000 to 25,000 seedling roots in a forest nursery, 
from one to three season’s growth. I shall sow in 
forest nursery this season, 100,000 to 150,000 seeds of 
last year’s crop, to produce plants next spring. This 
season’s crop of seed indicates 150,000 to 200,000, 
which will produce plants in the spring of 1898. I 
can see no reason why ginseng culture should not 
become an important industry in this country; it has 
been an article of export from America since 1718. 
The exports from the United States during the 10 
years, 1882-1891, amounted to nearly $8,000,000, at an 
average of about $2 a pound. There is no danger of 
overproduction of first-class roots. 
