1883.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
561 
them; acquired possession of the new line, and in the 
middle of the afternoon ordered hack home the special 
car containing the President and other reconnoitreing 
officers of the rival road. 
Shoeless Horses. —When starting out over the 
Western prairies, the Eastern visitor is surprised at dis¬ 
covering that the horses are not shod. He turns to the 
driver to enquire why this has not been attended to, 
especially as they are to make such a long journey. He 
is informed, in reply, that the horses are not provided 
with shoes on the prairie. The shoes are not only un¬ 
necessary hut the animals do much better without them. 
Badger Holes,— Unlike the Eastern Woodchuck, 
which he strongly resembles in his mode of living, the 
prairie Badger does not tarry at the mouth of his hole 
when human beings are approaching. So far from let¬ 
ting his curiosity get the best of him, the Badger takes to 
his flue the moment he discovers human beings ap¬ 
proaching, however far away they may be. These holes, 
which are larger than those of the Woodchuck, are often 
the source of great annoyance and misfortune to travel¬ 
lers whose horses step into them, and not infrequently 
break a limb. After a little experience, however, horses 
learn to become very wary of those openings, and 
when travelling over the prairie, especially at night, 
they carefully and cautiously feel their way along. 
Knowing Too Much.- Many settlers from the 
older States do not take time in locating, or making pur¬ 
chases of land in the far West. They think they know 
all about the soil, and, often without stopping to avail 
themselves of the advice and experience of others, 
they quickly make purchases, to discover afterwards 
that they have perhaps bought poor land, or paid far too 
much for moderately good land. Take plenty of time 
and look about before you select your site for a home. 
Taxing Absentees. — The old-time custom of 
heavily taxing absent owners of property still prevails 
in some localities in the far West. The residenters ap¬ 
parently believe that they are perfectly justified in mak¬ 
ing non-residents, holders, or speculators, pay for their 
school-houses, bridges, and highways. Thus it happens 
that a speculator often pays heavier taxes on his wild 
land than on improved farm land in New York or 
Pennsylvania. An Eastern man, having a section of land 
in Northern Nebraska, informs the writer that he has 
been taxed for five school houses and numerous bridges, 
and yet, up to this time, there has not been a school 
house built within sight of his land. Moral.—If you do 
not wish to be liberally taxed, you had better go to work 
and till the land which you have purchased at the West. 
Large Land Holders. —In riding over the fer¬ 
tile prairie lands beyond the Missouri river, you fre¬ 
quently come upon vast tracts owned by well-known 
Eastern parties. “ This is the Dix land,” said my com¬ 
panion driver, as we were driving over the prairies north 
of Columbus, Nebraska, a few days ago. When Gov. 
Dix of New York was connected with the Union Pacific 
rail road, he purchased very large areas of land in Ne¬ 
braska, and this is one of them. These lands are gradu¬ 
ally being disposed of by the Dix estate. A few days 
later we rode over a tract of seven thousand acres in 
Northern Nebraska, belonging to Ira Davenport, who 
founded the large Soldiers’ Home at Bath, New York. 
Tl»e Texas Cattle Drive. —Texas cattle driven, 
to Ogallala, Neb., on the Union Pacific Road, have sup¬ 
plied the wants of herders and ranchmen in Western 
Nebraska, Wyoming, and the adjacent country. From 
the ranches in this region they have been shipped East 
in two or three years after their arrival from Texas, with 
decidedly handsome profits to ranchmen. I was inter¬ 
ested the other day, in riding through Minnesota with a 
Boston boy, to find that for the past two or three years 
he has been purchasing cattle in Minnesota, and driving 
them West to the Black Hills. Forty or fifty thousand 
people have settled in this region during the past few 
years, and this enterprising boy, from his Minnesota 
drive, supplied the new comers with milch cows, su¬ 
perior animals to those that have been coming from 
Texas. Few of our readers in the Eastern States have 
any idea of the number of cattle which, since the war, 
have been driven from Texas, to the ranches of Kansas, 
Colorado, Nebraska and Wyoming. The objective points 
of the cow boys, as they have brought their herds up 
from the South, have been Fort Dodge and Ogallala, in 
Nebraska. At the hight of the season, these two 
places afford novel, not to say exciting experience to the 
Eastern man, who desires to see life among the cattle 
boys. We shall know in a few days how many cattle 
have arrived during 1883. Here are the figures of the 
Texas cattle drive, for sixteen years past. 
1882.250,000 
1881.250,000 
1880 .391,784 
1879.257,927 
1878.265,046 
1876.321,998 
1875.151,618 
1874.166,000 
1873.405,000 
1872.350,000 
1871.600,000 
1870.300,000 
1869.350,000 
1868 . 75,000 
1867.as,000 
1866.260,000 
D. W. J. 
Covering Strawberries.— IK S. Chapin, Montgomery 
City, Ho.—We should prefer straw to tobacco stems, as 
these last soon decay, and the dust would soil the fruit. 
They are valuable in the compost heap. 
Heating a Small Greenhouse.—“ E. F. S.," Chicago, 
Ill.—The best method of heating a greenhouse of any size 
is by means of hot water. Heaters, like a base-burner stove 
are now made for use in small greenhouses. 
Bee Books. — “ Subscriber,” Hempstead, Texas. —The 
Orange Judd Co. can supply you with “ Langstroth’s Hive 
and Honey Bee,” price $2; also “Quinby’s New Bee 
Keeping,” $1.50, and other books for the apiarist. 
Warts on a Horse’s Nose.—” H. S. I?.," Nunda, N. Y.— 
If the warts upon your horse’s nose are of a shape to allow 
it, tie a strong thread very tightly around the base of them; 
they will soon fall off. Otherwise Lunar Caustic or a red- 
hot iron may be applied. 
The Keifper Pear.— V. Stoneroad, Lewiston, Pa.—This 
is a very handsome fruit, the tree is hardy, healthy, and a 
great bearer. Some fastidious persons may regard it as 
“ not fit to eat ” ; while not a first-class pear, it is, when in 
good condition, a very acceptable fruit. 
His Dog has no Bark.— X F. Gregory, Hustburg, Tenn., 
writes us that his dog, after recovering from the distemper, 
has entirely lost his voice. Those experienced in dog mat¬ 
ters doubt if any remedy will help in the case, but think 
that in time the lost bark may be regained. 
What Strawberries?— R. Schuster, Cheektowaga, N.Y. 
—The Bidwell and Sharpless are among the best market 
berries. For home use or for a very near market, try 
Charles Downing. Ascertain what kinds your neighbors 
find profitable before deciding what varieties to set out. 
Dwarf Apples.—” Reader,” Grovestend, N. J.—These 
are usually trained in the form of a bush about four feet 
high. They bear a great deal for their size, and the apples 
are usually very large and fine. They are interesting 
trees, but can not be regarded as a source of profit. 
An Aid in Gathering Fruit.— “A Subscriber,” Goshen, 
Ind., writes us that he uses an old hoe-liandle, to each end 
of which is attached a large iron hook. He uses one 
hook to pull a limb towards him, passing the other over an¬ 
other branch to hold the fruit within reach while picking it. 
The Eucalyptus Tree.— It. L. R.,” Maitland, Mo.—The 
Blue Gum Tree(_ Eucalyptus globulus) is a tree of remarkably 
rapid growth, but will not probably be hardy in your State. 
It has a reputation for preventing malaria in countries 
where it will grow. Whether it exercises any such influence, 
is far from being proved. 
Lice on Calves.— E. Hayden, Kearney. Neb.—Sulphur 
ointment is as effective as any application and safe. Stir 
together flowers of sulphur and soft lard—no definite pro¬ 
portions need be observed, but add as much sulphur as the 
lard will take up. Rub this freely along the back and in any 
other places where the vermin are abundant. 
Wine Grapes.— William, Reginald, Emmittsburg, Md.— 
If the Catawba will succeed in your locality, it will make a 
good wine. Norton’s Virginia is valued for its heavy red 
wine. Husmann’s “American Grape Growing and Wine 
Making ” gives all needed instruction in wine making, and 
discusses the merits of the different varieties of grapes. 
A Beginner wiTn Bees.— Henry Stoltenberg, Semiah- 
moo, Wash. Ter., wishes to begin bee-keeping, his present 
knowledge of them being confined to the fact that they 
sometimes sting. “ Quinby'sBee-keeping”(price$1.50) is one 
of the best guides for the inexperienced, and teaches him, 
among many other things, how to avoid the stings. 
Norway Maple.— A. E. Rodman, Wellsville,Pa.—Unlike 
those of the Silver and some other maples, the seeds of the 
Norway Maple ripen in the fall and should be sown in 
spring. Whether it would be profitable to raise seedling 
trees in Dakota, will depend upon the local demand. The 
tree is of slow growth when young, but after a few years 
rapidly increases in size. 
WnEAT Does Not Succeed. —Joint Rogers, Olympia. 
Wash. Ter., has land of a kind locally called “shot clay.” 
While clover grows most luxuriantly upon this land, wheat 
is nearly a complete failure. It is not likely that the iron 
in the soil injures the wheat, but there is evidently a lack of 
something needed by the wheat. Try turning under a crop 
of clover, and also experiment with lime. 
Moss Upon a Roof.— F. W. Shaffer, Bellwood, Pa., finds 
that his barn roof is covered with moss, which he fears will 
cause the shingles to decay. No doubt crude petroleum, 
applied with a brush, one coat after another, as long as it is 
readily absorbed, will prevent the growth and render the 
shingles more durable. The moss should be scraped off 
and the roof be quite dry before applying the petroleum. 
Rabbits or Hares.—” D. £L,” Auburn, N. Y.—There are. 
we believe, some anatomical differences, especially in the 
bones of the head, between rabbits and hares. There is a 
marked difference in their habits, The rabbits live in 
burrows, while hares never make holes. When pursued, 
they may sometimes take refuge in a chance hole, but they 
never dig. All our so called rabbits are hares. 
For Cracked Hands.— O. T. Shaff, Savannah, Ga., writes 
in reference to the ointment for the hands, mentioned in 
“ Farm Work ” for November, that he thinks “ Cosmoline ’• 
or ” Vaseline ” preferable. These articles, which are much 
alike, are prepared from petroleum, but are without un¬ 
pleasant odor. Their lubricating and non-drying qualities 
make them popular for external use in place of ointments. 
The Name of a Tree.— -T. T. McLain, Edison, Ohio, sends 
us some leaves, and wishes to know the name of the tree to 
which they belong. The tree is the Ginkgo, from Japan, and 
is often called the Maiden Fern tree, as its leaves resemble 
the fronds of that fern in outline. The botanical name was 
Salisburea, but that name having been previously applied 
to another plant, the Japanese name Ginkgo, is now the 
botanical name. 
Blind Signatures.— IK. A. Murdock , Trenton, O., in 
reference to our complaint that signatures are often illegi¬ 
ble, says : “ When I know what office the letter is from, I 
cut out the signature and paste it on the envelope (contain¬ 
ing my answer) for the address. The Postmaster can usu¬ 
ally tell who ought to get the letter, and it teaches the 
writer a lesson he is not likely to forget.” A capital plan, 
but it was proposed by one Benjamin Franklin long ago. 
Night Soil.— R. TV. Victor, Hudsondale, Pa.—Witli a 
sufficient quantity of dry earth or dry muck, this may be 
handled without difficulty. The absorbing material may be 
mixed with the night soil in the vault, or if that is removed 
in the semi-liquid state, they may be mixed on the farm. 
Market gardeners, who manure very highly, have used 
thirty tons of the mixed night soil to the acre. It is not 
probable that any pump could be used in emptying vaults. 
About Pop Corn— J. V. Bishop, Plainville, Conn.—Pop 
corn is usually sown in drills three feet apart, and the 
plants thinned to about eight inches. It needs gtfod soil 
and good culture. The “ Shaker Pop Corn ” is a favorite, 
though some prefer the “ Rice Pop Corn.” It is not sold by 
measure but by weight, and unshelled. The market price 
is now about a cent and a half a pound. We are unable to 
tell you the yield per acre. As a general thing, the crop is 
grown by boys as a means of earning pocket money. 
Cauliflowers.—” J. B.” Ovid, N. Y.—We do not recol¬ 
lect to have ever before seen such a profusion of cauliflow¬ 
ers as the markets have presented this fall—as large 
and fine as ever were seen. They sold at prices which must 
have poorly paid the growers. Such heads as would ordi¬ 
narily sell for thirty and fifty cents each, were retailed at 
fifteen cents each, or “ two for a quarter.” We bought for 
a dollar and a half a barrel of cauliflower, the heads of 
which were so large that the barrel would hold but thirteen. 
The cauliflower growers of Long Island must hope that 
next year will be one of comparative scarcity. The past 
season has shown that, in spite of the proverb, one can have 
“ too much of a good thing.” 
Sorghum Sugar Making.— MV. S. F. Blackman, Lake- 
wood, N. J., writes us that while he was working up his 
thirty acres of Early Amber sugar cane, his “ sugar house ” 
was visited daily by dozens of people from all parts of the 
country. He says: “The guests at the large boarding 
houses came in omnibus loads, and New York City ladies 
came again and again to get the sugar to take with them to 
their city homes. We have the satisfaction of knowing 
that all are wonderfully pleased with the product of the 
cane. The farmers around Lakewood will more than 
double the acreage of Amber cane next year."—We are 
pleased to note that consumers of sweets are takiDg so 
much interest in sorghum sugar making. 
Waste Water from the House.— E. Hunt, Sheridan, 
Mich., wishes to dispose of the waste liquids of his house 
in a healthful manner, and not contaminate his well. His 
land is very level, and it is difficult to secure a fall. If 
there is a large lawn near the house or a meadow near by, 
perhaps the best way would be to use the liquids for water¬ 
ing these. A system of tiles should be laid a foot below 
the surface, as if they were to remove the water. The 
wastes, when they leave the house, should first enter a 
small cistern, three feet in diameter and five feet deep. 
This should be cemented and made perfectly tight, with the 
outlet opposite the inlet. All solid particles will be de¬ 
posited here. The liquids are to be conveyed from this 
through glazed tiles, cemented at the joints until they reach 
the drains, which are laid with loose collars, and will dis¬ 
tribute the liquids to nourish the grass. The details of this 
method were given in February, 1871. 
False Wire-worms.—M r. I. Pennington, Jamestown, 
R. I.—The “worms” you send us are the so-called False 
Wire-worms. The True Wire-worms are the larvae of Snap- 
beetles, and are often very destructive to garden crops. 
The False Wire-worms belong to the sub-order of Insects 
called Myriapods, which includes Centipedes and Millipedes, 
or the more familiarly known “Thousand-legged Worms.” 
These worms do not undergo the changes or metamorpho¬ 
ses of ordinary insects. They are usually dark-colored, 
with two pairs of legs upon each of the many joints of the 
body. When disturbed, they coil into a ring. These False 
Wire-worms feed upon the roots of plants and other vege¬ 
table matter. They are frequently injurious to the potato 
crops by their boring into the growing tubers. The 
“worms” maybe trapped by placing slices of potatoes, 
turnips, etc., upon the surface of the Infested soil. Late 
fall plowing will help materially to clear the ground of 
these and other insect pests which hibernate therein. 
