218 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[May. 
Contents of This Number. 
[Articles marked with a star (*) are illustrated: the fig¬ 
ure with the star indicates the number of illustrations.] 
Animals, Exhibiting Over-fed. 224 
Aquatic and Bog Plants. .2*. .241 
Arabian Millet Grass.241 
Arbor-Vitse from Cuttings..229 
Ashes, Wood and Coal.222 
Asparagus Buncher. .*. .237 
Barn, A Hay.*..235 
Barn, Cattle, Plans of a.7*..230 
Barrel Feeding Tub. *..224 
Bee Notes for April. 226 
Bermudas. 224 
Birds as Friends and Enemies.225 
Black Medick, or Nonsuch.*..228 
Bladder Plums, The Origin of.237 
Boys and Gikls Columns.— The Doctor's Talks :— 
In Trouble about her Date; Round Robin ; Our 
Puzzle Box; The May Queen.6*..245-247 
Bread Question Again.226 
Cans, Old Fruit.*..237 
Cannas, A Group of.221 
Carp, Natural Food of. 224 
Catcher for Swine. .*. .248 
Cattle, Breeds of. 224 
Cattle, Profitable Shorthorn.224 
Cedar, White and Red, Posts.'.224 
Clematis, The Hybrid.*..210 
Coal, Hard, A Wonderful Provision.225 
©andelion. The, “First Pledge of Blithesome May’’*217 
Devon Cows for Butter.237 
Docility as a Matter of Training.235 
Dodder, An Enemy of the Grape Vine.*..239 
Dog, Exercising a.*..234 
Drive Well Patent.219 
Drouths. Prepare for.231 
Egg Statistics.224 
Eggs, Preserving.223 
Everlasting Flowers for Christmas. 223 
Farm Notes for the Month.218 
Fence, Portable Water. *..235 
Fish and Fishing.*..232 
Fishing in Many Waters.*. .232-233 
Flower Garden and Lawn. 220 
Frosts, Protection Against.2*..240 
Fruit Trees, Cultivation for.... . 242 
Furze. Gorse or Whin. .*. .242 
Goat Farming. 248 
Grape Vine, A Rambling. 230 
Harness Plate for Tags and Collars..2*..235 
Hemp Seed for Cattle. 248 
Horse Ailment. . .224 
“Horse Cultivation” in the Garden.228 
Household Painted Fans and Panels; Rural Op¬ 
portunities for Culture; A Water Tank for the 
Kitchen; Something About Carpets; A Stocking 
Bag; A Clothes Closet; Oatmeal and Barley... .6*.. 
243-244 
Ice, The Usefulness of.226 
Insects—Oyster Shell Bark-louse.*..231 
Labor Saving in the Potato Crop.229 
Law for Farmers.—Drainage Rights.223 
Mare with Twins. 248 
Milfoil or Yarrow.*..239 
Milk, Skimmed, for Hens.227 
Oranges Cheaper than Apples.248 
Orchard and Nursery.219 
IPark, A Neighborhood.*..242 
Pear Orchard, Planting the. 238 
Peasantry of Auvergne, France.*..238 
Peas for Stock.227 
Phosphates or “ Floats.”.234 
Pig Feeding. Profit in... . .234 
Piggery, Plan of a...8*..236 
Plants, Greenhouse and Window.219 
Potato-beetle, Natural Enemies to. ... 225 
Poultry Notes.229 
Pruning for Small Fruit.227 
Pump Feeder.*..226 
Pyrethrum as an Insect Destroyer.227 
<juince Culture.—Methods of Propagation.4*..222 
ISice Culture in Japan . .219 
Roosts. Swinging, for Poultry.*..237 
Roots, The, of Plants.*..227 
Salt as a Fertilizer.228 
Sheep. Merino, Wrinkles or Folds.231 
Sheep. Mutton. 236 
Silk Culture. 248 
Snake, The Blue Racer.224 
Swine. Fecundity of. .224 
Tomato. Marketing the.225 
Transplanting. Right and Wrong in.2*. .240 
Trellis for Pear. 229 
Tub, Barrel Feeding.*..234 
Turnips, Taste of, in Milk.239 
Wagon Body, A Convenient.*..229 
Watermelons. Many.224 
Weeding Tool.*..248 
Wire. A Stretcher for Barbed.*. 234 
A r east Mixture.224 
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The Steakgrieth is one of the most impor¬ 
tant inventions for house-keepers brought out 
in this country. It is important, because it 
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full description and engravings of this valu¬ 
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same page for other Premium matter. 
Animal Exercise.—The exercise of auimals 
ensures a superior quality of flesh. If not, how is it 
that the beef of Scotch highland and Welsh moun¬ 
tain black cattle is more delicate and of a finer 
flavor than that of those reared and fed on low¬ 
lands, or in yards and stalls, and brings two cents 
more per pound in the market? It is chiefly 
because they take much more exercise while reared 
and fattened, which acts upon the muscles, and 
increases their tenderness and juiciness? The 
mutton of the Welsh mountain sheep is so su¬ 
perior to all others, even the famous Southdown, 
that it is all engaged beforehand by private parties 
at a high price, aud is never offered to the public 
in market. It is true that the pasture they feed 
on has a sort of aromatic taste, and assists in help¬ 
ing to flavor the mutton; but still we think the 
exercise is an important factor in contributing to 
its superiority. The venison of wild deer is much 
more gamy thau of those which are kept tame in 
large herds in gentlemen's parks, and the flavor of 
wild grouse, partridges, and quail is much pre¬ 
ferred to that of domestic fowls, on account of its 
gamy quality. Poultry, when closely confined to 
fatten, instead of distributing the fat in small 
streaks through the flesh, lay it up in lumps on 
different parts of the body, leaving the flesh flabby 
and comparatively tasteless. We contend for giv¬ 
ing all animals plenty of fresh air and a reasonable 
amount of exercise, in addition to wholesome food 
aud pure water. Then they thrive well, and turn 
out a good and profitable quality of meat. 
New Comers.— People from other lands have 
come hither to be American citizens to the number 
of 735,000 during the past year. These exceed the 
entire population in 1880 of Arizona, Dakota, 
Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Utah and Washing¬ 
ton Ter. by 12S,000, or enough over to have nearly 
peopled the State of Delaware. Of the new com¬ 
ers, Germany contributed 232,000, or nearly one- 
third (3H per cent); England, Scotland, and Wales, 
9S,000 (131 per cent); Ireland, 70,000 (9i per cent); 
Sweden, 59,000 (8 per cent); Norway, 27,000 (3(4 
per cent); Canada, 89,000 (12 per cent), many of 
these merely coming through Canada from other 
lands. The rest of the world contributed 100,000, 
or about 22 per cent, including an unusual number 
from Italy, Russia, and Hungary. It is to he hoped 
that all those who have been generously welcomed 
will feel themselves to be members of the great 
family of the United States, and as rapidly as pos¬ 
sible adapt themselves t,o our form of government 
and our national customs. The Germans have 
always been noted for doing this very promptly. 
May is a very busy month on the farm, and every 
hour of labor should be so planned as to tell most 
effectually. There is danger of haste, and of doing 
the work in an imperfect manner. The great error 
of leaving undone the things that should now be 
done, arises from w-ant of a plan of operations. 
“As we sow, so shall we reap,” and this is the 
month of sowing and planting. Do everything in 
a thorough manner, and keep abreast with the de¬ 
mands of the season. Push the work, and do not 
let the work push the farmer. 
Corn Planting .—Over a large part of the country,, 
this is the month for planting our leading grain crop. 
Many make the mistake of putting the corn into- 
the ground before it is ready. Corn is a semi- 
tropical plant, and its grain should not be planted 
until the soil is warm and mellow. “ Corn-plan ting- 
time ” is when settled weather has come. There 
is no better guide than that used by the Indians,, 
who put in their maize when the leaves of the oak 
are beginning to unfold. Some farmers watch, 
the apple orchard, and plant when the blossoms- 
appear. If the kernels are put into a cold soil, 
they either remain dormant or rot, and nothing i& 
gained, while, should the germinating grain be 
overtaken by a cold spell, the field has to be re¬ 
planted. The corn plant has only a short season 
for its growth, and requires the best provisions for 
reaching maturity before the frosts of autumn 
come. The corn ground should be well supplied: 
with manure in an available form for the rapidly- 
growing plant. This manure needs to be near the 
surface, and thoroughly mixed through the soil, 
that the many fine roots may find it readily. Those 
who have practised putting a quantity of some 
quick-acting compost, or fertilizer in each hill,, 
know the importance of having food for the com 
plant close at hand. Much depends upon the 
quality of the seed, and therefore only the best- 
kernels of the superior varieties should be used. 
It will pay to get seed that has been grown espe¬ 
cially for that purpose, even though it cost much, 
more than the common grain taken from the crib. 
To keep crows from pulling the young corn, the 
grain may be rolled in tar, and afterwards in plas¬ 
ter. The tar can be most easily applied by mixing 
it with hot water, and stirring in the corn. Among 
the best of scare-crows are those which make some 
sort of motion and produce a noise. A small 
windmill, with “ clapper,” and pieces of bright tin 
suspended by strings, constitutes a good “ scare.” 
It is not best to use a gun unless fired without shot 
or hall. Crows do not deserve death, as they are 
the friends of the farmer for most of the year. 
They live largely upon cut-worms and other in¬ 
sects, and many times, when pulling a young com 
plant, thej' are seeking the marauder that lies hid¬ 
den at its base. 
Meadows and Pastures. — The frosts of winter 
heave the soil and it is well to pass a roller over 
the meadows and pastures, to firm the surface and 
make it smooth for the mowing machine. Alt 
stones loosened by the frosts should be removed ; 
large ones, if not needed for building purposes, 
may be sunk out of reach of the plow. Meadows- 
may be much injured by live stock running over 
them in early spring, when the ground is wet. 
Any grazing done at this time is at the expense of 
the hay crop. It is far better to keep the farm 
animals in the stables and yards until the pasture 
is able to furnish a full ration, or nearly so. 
Live Slock Notes. 
Horses .—With hard work, the farm horses should 
have the best of care. There is danger of over¬ 
feeding, especially with corn, thus producing irri¬ 
tation of the skin and restlessness. Good cut hay, 
wet with bran or meal mixed, is a fine ration twice 
