1883.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
143 , 
Cheese Factories in England, — A few 
cheese factories were adopted in England from 
America, about the year 1870 and subsequently, 
and considerable attention was then bestowed on 
them. But latterly this regard for them 6eems to be 
dying out, the reason of which is said to be, that 
a dairyman situated anywhere near a rail-road run¬ 
ning up to London, finds it more profitable to 
market his milk in that great metropolis, than to 
have it made into cheese near home. They say it 
is as troublesome for them to carry their milk daily 
to a cheese factory as to a rail-road depot. Per¬ 
haps in some instances this is found to be the case 
in the United States. If England makes less 
cheese hereafter, it will open a larger demand 
there for American, and prove an advantage to us. 
Foot aiul Mouth Disease in England.— 
It is surprising that in populous England the foul 
and often fatal foot and mouth disease cannot be 
kept out of valuable herds of cattle. Nearly every 
quarter of the country, according to the English 
“ Live Stock Journal,’’ is now more or less affected. 
In Northamptonshire, particularly, it 6ays the mala¬ 
dy is rapidly spreading; and in one week thirty-six 
outbreaks were found in the county of Norfolk. It 
will be a great pity to see the beautiful Bed Polled 
cattle there decimated again, as was nearly the ease 
some ten years since. If the English breeders 
and dealers in cattle w'ere as prompt and severe 
in stamping out this loathsome disease as are the 
Americans, we are confident they might soon clear 
their country from it and keep it so. 
Keep four Dollar.— Texan ponies are adver¬ 
tised in some papers. If the transactions are all 
right, it is unfortunate that the proprietor adopts 
the methods of those who are all wrong. One of 
-our friends who wished to purchase a pony for his 
children sent, according to the advertisement, 
stamps for terms. In reply he received from the 
manager of the Pony Ranch a circular, which 
stated, that as many persons write letters with no 
intention of business, to “avoid useless correspon¬ 
dence” he has adopted “a rule from which we 
never deviate, namely : charging one dollar for a 
written general description of our ponies,” etc.... 
““It will therefore be useless to write under any 
pretext or excuse, in regard to our stock unless the 
amount is enclosed, as no answer will be made.” 
Our friend being in doubt as to whether this was a 
scheme to get dollars or to sell ponies, concluded 
to keep his dollar, and most persons will do the 
same. Any business that requires its customers to 
pay for its correspondence, can not be flourishing. 
Thick and 'Thin Seeding.— If, in sowing 
seeds in the open ground, we could control every 
condition, we might raise our crops with a small 
share of the seed we actually use. In order to 
bring the soil in close contact with the seed, and 
to prevent injury to the germinating plants by the 
contact of dry atmosphere, we compact the soil by 
the use of a roller, by patting it with the back of 
the spade, or sometimes by treading upon it. The 
young plants, in reaching the surface, have not 
only to contend with the weight of the soil over 
them, but they have to break through this arti¬ 
ficially formed crust. The force exercised by a 
single plantlet is slight, but multiplied many 
times, it is sufficient to overcome the obstacle—the 
earth above it, and by united effort, so to speak, 
the multitude of seeds do what a few would perish 
in attempting. In carrot seed, for example, we 
use perhaps a dozen seeds to gain force sufficient 
to break the ground and allow a single one to grow 
and come to maturity. 
The Toad and the Partridge-breasted 
Cactus.— “ Mrs. J. W. H.,” Elizabeth, N. J., 
sends us a pod which was produced by a “ Toad 
Cactus.” The pod and seeds are much like those 
of the common Milk-weed, and evidently produced 
by a Stapelia, or “ Carrion-flower,” which belongs 
to the Milk-weed family. From the description of 
the Partridge-breasted Cactus we have no doubt 
that it is the Partridge-breasted Aloe (Aloe variega- 
ta) the beautifully marked leaves of which make it 
a pleasant window plant. 
The Chinese Quince.— Under favorable con¬ 
ditions, the Chinese Quince, Pyrus ( Cydonia) Sinen¬ 
sis,attains a flight of twenty to thirty feet,and makes 
a handsome, spreading head. The leaves are obo- 
vate, pointed, finely serrated, downy beneath, with 
a shining green upper surface, which becomes a 
beautiful red in autumn. The flowers are rosy 
red, becoming darker. They have a rich perfume, 
like the violet, with a reminder of the mag¬ 
nolia, on account of which this quince has some¬ 
times been called the “Magnolia.” It flowers in 
May. The fruit is large, oblong-oval, smooth, 
greenish-yellow, with a very firm flesh, which makes 
a beautiful, pink-colored preserve and jelly. Mr. 
Parry informs us he received a specimen from a 
friend in Virginia that measured 13 inches around, 
and was told by this friend that he had made seven 
glasses of jelly from a single quince. It ripens too 
late to succeed well in the North, where it is re¬ 
garded mainly as an ornamental shrub. It succeeds 
better in the Middle States; and in the South it 
stands next to the Orange quince. It is probably 
the largest of all varieties, sometimes reaching a 
weight of two and a half pounds. 
Hogs in Chicago.— During 1882 there were re¬ 
ceived at Chicago 5,317,504 swine, with an average 
weight of 232 pounds, and an aggregate of 
1,243,660,928 lbs., or 621,825 tons, of railway 
freight. At 41 cents per lb., the value would 
be nearly fifty-three million dollars, of which the 
farmers of Iowa received the largest percentage. 
Nearly one-sixth of these hogs, or 804,780, arrived 
during December, averaging 257 lbs., or 25 lbs. 
above the average weight for all the year—and 
showing the effects of the better corn crop of 1882. 
—It may interest many to recall the census figures 
which credited Iowa with over six million swine, 
Illinois with nearly a million less, Missouri with 
over four and a half millions, Indiana and Ohio 
with a little over three millions each, Kentucky, 
Tennessee, and Texas with about two millions each, 
these six States having about three-fifths of the 
forty-eight million hogs in the entire country. 
Greasy Heels in Horses.— Grease is akin to 
scratches on the heels, but is more injurious to the 
horse, and not so easily cured. Wheat bran is a good 
sedative for such affections, and should be fed at 
least half and half with Indian meal or whole corn, 
and one-fourth to one-third of oats, rye, or barley. 
The horse should also be kept well salted. A tea¬ 
spoonful, even full or heaping,accordingtohis size, 
and mixed up well in the bran at night, is a fair dose. 
LANDRETH’S PLAN OF A SIXTH (l) ACRE GARDEN PLOT: 
SWPLl SUGGESTIVE OF IDEAS FOR THE CONSIDERATION OF A BEGINNER. 
"The Varieties and Quantities here named will cost about $11.75. The rows are arranged so as to be worked by horse cultivator. The 
six-foot bed of small vegetables will have to be worked by hand. 
LENGTH 150 FEET. 
Followed by six rows of CELERY, 
planted in July, between the rows 
I« 
POLE BEANS—Lima—One Quart 
POLE BEANS—Carolina—One Pint 
cTTp.p <inov ^ a i JPole Beans and Corn, receiving }] . 
SUGAR CORN—Evergreen—One Pint -l 
... protection from sun. Plant Craw-. | 
SUGAR CORN—Asylum—One Pint 
SUGAR CORN—Crosby—One Pint 
ford’s Half Dwarf, Golden Dwarf,. 
and White Walnut. 0 
w 
b 
SCGiYR COKIV—Minnesota—One Pint , fl oo 
.SQUASH—Two Ounces—and CUCUMBER—Two Ounces—Half Row Each I CO 
In this row plant One Ounce Tjandreth’s Boss WATERMELON every four feet when Peas are in blossom E co 
“ “ Bloomtdale Early Market 0ABBAGE in Midsummer 
5?.®1P.77'T.W > Q« a, 'ts “ “ California CITRON MELON every three feet when Peas are in blossom 
.UEAS.—Landreth’s Extra Early—Two Quarts “ I.andreth’s Earliest CABBAGE in July after Peas are pulled 
& 
.BEANS—Golden Wax—Two Quarts 
.BEANS—Red Valentine—Two Quarts 
“ TOMATOES every tliree feet after Beans are lialf grown 
: : THIRTY: FEET 
: : THIRTY: FEET : ; ; 
: THIRTY: FEET . 
TWENTY-FIVE: FEET 5 FT TEN FT TEN FT TEN FT 
; ln cross-rows at BEETS ; in cross-rows at 10 LETTUCE ; in cross-rows at one SPINACH; Bloomsdale, Celeky, CARROTS ; HERBS; RADISH: 
10 inches ; three quarts Pearl inches; Egyptian, Forcing and foot; Ealy Cutting. Forcing, 4 oz. 1 oz. 10 in. rows; 1 Thyme, 8 in. rows; 
and Extra Early Red. Red Turnip Beet, 2 oz. each. Reliable and Early Sum- Broadcast. oz. Extra Early, Sage, 8 oz. 
mer, 1 oz. each. 1 oz. Danvers. Sweet Marjoram. 
The idea here developed may be extended to any area. Send for our Catalogue of Garden, Flower, and Field Seeds. Address, 
BOUNDED 1784. 
DAVID LANDRETH & SONS, 
Seed Farmers, Philadelphia. 
