1883.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
237 
in the loft (fig. 3,) floor connected by a pipe 
to the chimney to carry off steam, etc., from 
the kettle. The outside of the piggery is 
painted with two coats to suit the owner. 
The building may be put up for considerably 
3 Plates, 6 by 6, 36 feet long. 
ltiO Joist, 2 bv 8,12 feet long. 
56 Rafters, 2 by 4,12 ft. long. 
4 Rafters, 2 by 6,12 ft. long 
20 Rafters, 2 by 6,18 ft. long 
30 Pieces,4 by 4,14 feet long 
50 Pieces, 4 by 4, 12 feet long 
20 Pieces, 4 by 4,16 feet long 
Fig. 8.—PLAN OF CELLAR. 
less money by omitting the cellar and cis¬ 
tern, and finishing in a cheaper manner. 
Estimates for Piggery. 
3 Sills, 8 by 8,36 feet long. 
2 Sills, 8 by 8, 30 feet long. 
2 Sills, 8 by 8,16 feet long. 
2 Sills, 8 by 8,14 feet long. 
8 Posts, 6 by 8,16 feet long. 
2 Posts, 6 by 6,10 feet long. 
4 Posts, 6 by 6. 8 feet long. 
4 Beams, 6 by 8, 16 feet long. 
4 Beams, 6 by 6,14 feet long. 
Amounting to 6,650 feet, at $17 per M.$113.05 
1,700 feet Roofing, at $12 per M...20.80 
11,500 Shingles, at $4.50 per M. 52.75 
3,500 ft. Stock Boards, 1 by 12, dressed, 16 ft, $18 per M 63.U0 
1,800 feet Battens, 16 feet, $3 per M.14.40 
1,200 feet, 2 by 12 Plank, 14 feet, $17 per M. 20.80 
1,100 feet, 2 by 10 D & M Flooring, 16 feet, $22 per M.. 24.20 
2,000 feet, 1 by 6 D & M Flooring, $20 per M. 40 00 
5 Windows, 8 lights, 12 by 14 glass, $2.25 each. 11.25 
5 Windows, 4 lights, 12 by 14 glass, $1.25 each. 6.25 
2 Cellar Windows, 2 lights, 12 by 12. double glazed. 1.50 
Carpenter Work, $125 ; Nails and Trimmings, $30.155.00 
Eave Troughs and Pump. 15.00 
Excavating and Stone Work. 75.00 
Furnace, Kettle, and Chimney. 35.00 
Painting Outside. 35.00 
Total.$6834)0 
The Origin of Bladder Plums. 
BY CHA8. H. PECK. 
In reference to the abnormal fruit of plum 
trees, noticed as “Bladder Plums,” in the 
October and January [1882] numbers of the 
American Agriculturist, it may be stated 
that mycologists attribute the cause of this 
peculiar development to the attacks of a mi¬ 
nute parasitic fungus. If a small fragment 
of the tissue is taken from the surface of a 
bladder plum, and examined by the aid of a 
compound microscope having a magnifying 
power of three or four hundred diameters, 
numerous small membranous, somewhat cy¬ 
lindrical-shaped sacks will be seen imbedded 
in the plum tissues, or slightly projecting 
from their surface. Each sack, when fully 
developed, contains eight minute colorless 
spores, the seeds of the fungus. By these, it 
is propagated and transmitted from tree to 
tree. But before these spore-sacks and spores 
are produced, the fungus has a vegetating 
or growing period, during which its mycelial 
threads have been permeating the cells and 
tissues of the young plum, and thereby 
causing its abnormal development. 
The life-history of the fungus has not yet 
been fully traced, and it is not known exactly 
when the fungus attacks the fruit, nor where 
or how the spores pass the winter. It is 
quite probable, however, that warm wet 
weather, at or soon after the flowering time 
of the plum trees, is most favorable to the 
development of the fungus, and the conse¬ 
quent destruction of the plums. The most 
abundant crop of bladder plums ever ob¬ 
served by the writer was noticed during a 
very wet time in June. Many wild plum 
trees (Prunus Americana) had much of their 
fruit affected in this way, and one tree which 
was growing in a door-yard did not have a 
single sound plum on it, though well loaded 
with bladder plums. 
The fruit of the sand cherry (Prunus pu- 
mila), is also sometimes attacked by this fun¬ 
gus, and thereby subjected to a similar meta¬ 
morphosis. It becomes enlarged, soft, and 
bladdery, but more elongated and pointed 
than that of the wild plum. Its color is also 
sometimes varied by red or rosy hues. Oc¬ 
casionally its leaves are attacked, in which 
case they become curled, distorted, and dis¬ 
colored, very much like the leaves of a peach 
tree when affected by the “curl.” In Europe, 
this fungus attacks the fruit of Prunus do- 
mestica, Prunus spinosa, and Prunus Padus. 
The name by which the fungus is known to 
mycologists is Exoascus Pruni. This plum- 
fruit fungus is a near relative to the peach- 
curl fungus (Ascomyces deformans), which is 
also placed by some authors in the genus Ex¬ 
oascus. Doubtless their life-histories are 
very similar, and any facts ascertained con¬ 
cerning the habits of one will be likely to aid 
us in our knowledge of the other. 
Old Fruit Cans for Layering Straw¬ 
berries. 
Old fruit cans, of which most any farmer 
can get as many as he wants, can be made 
into very useful pots for layering straw¬ 
berries. Cut the can in 
two in the middle. This 
can be done with an old 
hatchet. Then cut the 
sides down as seen in the 
engraving. When open¬ 
ed as shown, the ball of 
earth can be removed without any trouble. 
These, if not quite as good as the earthen pots, 
answer the purpose very well for farmers 
who only want a hundred or two plants. 
Devon Cows for Butter. 
We have been looking over reports of what 
Devon cows have just been doing in the but¬ 
ter line among us, and find that nineteen of 
the cows have been producing from 15 to 20 
lbs. 5 oz. each of best quality of butter per 
week. Considering their medium size and 
economy of keep, these are great yields ; but 
in years gone by, there are records of still 
larger 'yields, nearly equalling those of the 
most famous Jerseys of the present day. The 
Devons, however, not only excel in the dairy, 
but in several other respects. They are very 
superior as working oxen, have a quicker 
step and greater endurance than any other 
breed, and are the most powerful of all for 
their size. When fattened, they turn out a 
choice quality of beef. Thus we see that they 
are a most excellent general purpose breed— 
good in the dairy, for work, and for the 
shambles. The only other cattle that can be 
compared to them in uniting so many superior 
qualities are the Red Polled Norfolk and Suf¬ 
folk, which, in fact, are hornless Devons. 
The Devons have been much neglected by 
the public for twenty years or so past, both 
in England and in America ; but attention is 
now awakening to their great merits, and we 
have no doubt they will soon come into as 
high favor again as formerly ; for, aside from 
their Polled congeners, no cattle are so profit¬ 
ably bred and raised on light pastures, and 
hilly, rocky districts. 
At a public sale of eighty-six lots of Devons 
the past year in England, they averaged $180 
each. One cow of these sold for $625, and a 
bull for $875, while a calf brought 50 guineas 
($250). These are about 25 per cent, higher 
prices than the average of any herd of either 
Guernsey, Jersey, or Ayrshire cattle sold for 
in England in the year 1882. We can learn 
from this the appreciation of Devons in their 
own native land. 
Asparagus Buncher. 
There are quite a number of different de¬ 
vices for bunching asparagus, grape cuttings, 
simple and cheap, and can be made at home 
by almost anyone. A neat pine board, about 
three feet long, six inches wide and an inch 
in thickness is selected ; in this, holes, four 
inches apart, in groups of four, are bored 
large enough to admit a heavy wire six or 
eight inches long. Three groups of wires 
can be arranged on one board. We have, in 
the fall of the year, bunched grape cuttings, 
(100 cuttings in each bunch), quickly and 
easily, with a device of this kind. Lay the 
stalks on the “buncher,” across the board, 
so that the three “groups’’can be used at 
once when necessary. D. Z. E. 
Swinging Roosts, for Poultry. 
Those who do not have the roosting bench¬ 
es, now so generally used by poultry breeders, 
and are opposed to the old style of roosting 
poles or strips, nailed to the building, will 
find the style of roost herewith illustrated 
very convenient, and especially so where 
minks, foxes, and weasels abound. The roost 
can be made of any length or size to suit the 
building or the number of fowls. Two hooks, 
are driven into or screwed fast to the side of 
the building, to hold the rings or staples af¬ 
fixed in the ends of the pieces to which the 
roosting poles are nailed. Strong cord is 
firmly attached at one end, by which to 
raise or lower the roosts. The hook at the 
end of the rope or wire, which runs from the 
ceiling, is to hold the roosts, either when not 
in use, or to put the fowls, at night, above 
the reach of enemies. The length of the 
rope or wire is regulated by the wants of the 
poultryman, or a small pulley can be affixed 
in the ceiling and the rope so arranged as to 
raise or lower the roosts. D. Z, E. 
