1872 .] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
4=7 
'i'lie “ ■'oToi'lolAgriculturally 
Considered,—We do not refer to the “ Wide, Wide 
World,” hut to the newspaper of that name. It has be¬ 
come the custom, of late, for the dally newspapers to 
devote a share of their weekly editions to agricultural 
matters, and the agricultural departments of these papers 
are good or bad, according to the ability of the editors 
in charge of them. Persons who differ with the World 
in political matters, will agree that its agricultural de¬ 
partment is not surpassed, if it is. equaled, by any of its 
rivals. There are not so many long “ original ” articles 
as in some papers, but a groat variety of original and 
well-selected matter, which shows much conscientious 
labor on the part of Hr. A. B. Crandall, who has charge 
of this department. Its reports of the Farmers’ Club are 
the fullest that are given, and if one cares to know how 
much people can talk and say little, he can find it in the 
World the next morning after the Club meeting. Other 
dailies wait a week before they publish the Club reports, 
and whatever faint sparkle they may have, has subsided. 
Wiiat We Sleep lias much to do 
with enjoyment in and refreshment from slumber. The 
perfection of a bed consists in its giving support to as 
much as possible of the surface of the body lying upon 
it. A straight, unyielding surface touches few points of 
the curves of the person, and as these must bear the 
whole weight, aching limbs and restless slumber are often 
the result. Thick feather-beds relieve pressure, but are 
not healthful. We have found the woven wire-mattress 
meet the requirements of a good bed in the highest 
degree, giving the fullest support by conforming to the 
body, requiring only moderate covering to insure com¬ 
fort, being highly elastic, cleanly, durable—in short, a 
great advance in the art of bed-making. 
Bryiug- up Cows.—“I. II. H.,” referring 
to our article on “Drying up Cows” in American Agri- ; 
culturistoi December, 1871, and also to “ Ilints on Work ” 
in same number, where this subject is also treated, asks 
which course he must take, .as a seeming contradiction 
occurs. There is no contradiction. If I. H. II. wishes 
to improve his stock in milking capacity, let him follow 
the course pointed out in the first-mentioned article ; if 
he desires to follow the “old plan,” under ordinary cir¬ 
cumstances, he will follow that in “Hints upon Work.” 
Another correspondent, “W. A.,” indorses fully the 
course indicated in the article entitled as above. It is 
certain that improvement may be made in our dairy stock, 
and we have indicated one way in which it maybe begun. 
l!ow to BsaaSce si Sffciier Fksf, wEaicla 
refuses to eat. —“B. S.,” Muncy, Pa. This is a dif¬ 
ficult business. The appetite must be tempted. Prob¬ 
ably cut turnips, sprinkled with salt, would be eaten, 
then some mill feed may be sprinkled on them. If this 
is not successful, give her a half-pound of Glauber salts, 
followed with a little powdered gentian root and tinc¬ 
ture of iron, daily, in something she will take, until her 
appetite is invigorated. 
SwlSbllt Swiaie.— “L. II. T.” has looked 
in vain in the columns of the Agriculturist for breeders 
of Suffolk swine. As this is a favorite breed with 
many, those who have them for sale should take note. 
C3nil»s in Ciittle.— Jos. H. Moffat, Colo¬ 
rado, removes “ warbles” (the larvae of the cattle Gad-fly> 
by pressing the swelling between the two thumb-nails, 
which discharges the grub, and the wound heals, ne 
says, killing them by puncturing, which leaves the dead 
grub in the skin, causes a sore spot. If forced out in 
the above manner, the grubs should be" destroyed. 
Blood and Bone Spavin.—“Jas. D. 
W.,” Carroll Co., Md., wants a remedy for blood and bone 
spavin. On page 6, American Agriculturist , we gave the 
proper treatment for blood spavin ; for bone spavin firing 
is the only remedy that may effect a cure, but generally 
it is incurable. Bono spavin is an enlarged growth of the 
bone of the hock, which the contraction of the skin, by 
firing, tends to prevent. When a spavin becomes con¬ 
firmed, it is best let alone. 
Large Croclcs for Seltoagf HSillf.— 
Mr. Eaton, of Erie Co., Pa., writes to “ Ogden Farm” : 
“Your plan of setting milk in deep vessels is not new 
among the Scotch-Irish inhabitants of Pennsylvania. 
We use stone crocks holding one gallon each. We have 
a spring house ; set our crocks in spring-water. They 
are flaring, about one foot across on top, can be bought 
for from 1214c. to 13c. apiece, will last a great many years 
if not broken, are easily cleaned, and will not rust in 
water like tin. We gather our cream in a stone jar, from 
three or four cows; save about a quart of strippings at a 
milking, which we strain in a crock by itself, and leave 
it until the next milking to cool, when it is poured in 
with the cream. I may state also that many of our 
neighbors who have no spring-house use the same kind 
of crocks to set their milk in their cellars.”^This plan 
we have long been familiar with. It is very different 
from the “ deep-can ” system, where even 10 or 15 gallons 
may be set in one vessel if ice-water is used for the bath. 
Metal has a decided advantage over earthenware, in the 
greater ease with which it transmits heat, allowing the 
milk to coo! more rapidly—a very important point. 
IIeEi-5.rI<"e.—B. Drake, Lexington, Ky., rec¬ 
ommends as a preventive and cure for lice on poultry, 
a dry sand bath, given in a box 4 feet square and 6 inches 
deep. Another correspondent, “T. T. F.,” says dry, 
slaked lime is effectual when dusted over the house, 
nests, and roosts. 
CoiaipsM-ativc Talne of I§.oots.—“ C. 
S.,” Laporte, Ind., asks the value of carrots and white 
turnips as compared with potatoes at 03 cents per bushel, 
for feeding to cows or hogs. Carrots ought to be worth 
40 cents and white turnips 30 cents per bushel, but at 
these prices neither could be fed with economy unless 
hay and corn or other grain should bo excessively dear. 
IFli-iis.—“ O. E., ” Montour Co., Pa., thinks 
that the abundance of fleas in some localities is due to 
allowing the hogs to run at large, and that the remedy is 
to keep the swine shut up and supplied with clean litter. 
Slow to get an Old., l*ooi* Field, 
into Clover.—W. J. Thorn, Juno, Tenn., has an old 
field, soil red clay, which has no lime in it, and is cover¬ 
ed with broom-sedge; he wants to know how to apply 
lime to get it into clover. After the field is plowed apply 
23 bushels of lime per acre, harrow it in, sow a peck of 
clover seed, and brush it in with a brush harrow. 
Mlack ILeg'—AntJara.x or Splesiic 
IFever.—“ A Correspondent ” describes the symptoms 
of a disease affecting the cattle in the neighborhood of 
Winchester (Va. ?). Swellings appear on various parts 
of the body, which are soft and appear full of blood and 
water, and on pressure give forth a gurgling sound; after 
death decomposition is very rapid. The liver is full of 
green blisters, the gall bladder is filled with bile.—This 
disease is Anthrax, or splenic fever. Causes, bad food, 
musty fodder, exposure to swamp exhalations, or im¬ 
pure drinking water. Treatment: Good stables must be 
provided, dry bedding, pure water, nutritious food, and 
the prompt separation of sick from healthy animals. 
Sulphate of soda (Glauber salt-) maybe administered, 
and if the animal is not weak, bleeding has been recom¬ 
mended. If the animal is weak, stimulants, such as 
camphor, whisky, and carbonate of ammonia, are to be 
administered. The tumors maybe opened, and washed 
with carbolic acid, dissolved in twenty parts of water. 
lPlaxits A anted.— The following was crowded 
out by press of matter, but, though late, we publish it to 
clear our files. Those whose plants arc not enumerated, 
will understand that their specimens were not in proper 
condition for determination. II. T. Yates, 'Glencoe, 
Miss. Helenium tenuifolium , or Sneeze-weed, a common 
weed in low lands, at the South. J. B. Fairfield, 
Hickman Co., Ky. No. 1. Hibiscus Trionum, or Bladder 
Ketmia ; No. 3. Some species of Halva; No. 5. Cleome 
pungens; No. 8 . Amarantus paniculatus, one of the red¬ 
leaved Amaranths. The other specimens are too poor 
to be determined. Lewis Horning, Montgomery Co., 
Pa. The plant sent is probably a species of Lycopus , or 
Water ’Iloreliound. It usually grows in a damp and 
poorly cultivated soil, and is easily eradicated by good 
cultivation. J. B. Briggs, Russellville, Ky. llysanthes 
gratioloides , or False Pimpernel. As this plant is an 
annual, there is no difficulty in eradicating it, if the mea¬ 
dow is mowed often enough to prevent its seeding. “ W. 
L. W.,” Charlestown, Ohio. Euonymusradicans variega- 
tus , a very pretty greenhouse and house plant, does well 
in the open ground during the summer. P. II. Adams. 
Florence, Texas. Hibiscus Trionum. L. F. Tapp, Lib¬ 
erty, Mo. Cirsium lanceolatum, or Common Thistle, 
and not the Canada Thistle, as you suppose. The Canada 
Thistle was figured in the Agriculturist for 1803. The 
plant sent is a biennial; its seeds are furnished with 
down, and they are scattered over a large extent of coun¬ 
try by means of the wind. To destroy them, do not allow 
them to run to seed, and cultivate the laud thoroughly. 
“ Chemist,” New York City. The plant you call “ Ripple 
Grass” is probably Tlantago lanceolala, and is quite corn- 
common everywhere. “ M. E. F.,” Waltham, Mass. 
Euphrasia officinalis, or Eyebright—a very pretty flow¬ 
er, found upon the White Mountains and northward. 
“ J. B. F.,” Clinton, Ky.—No. 1. Cleome pungens. Avery 
pretty, free, flowering annual, with showy, purple flowers, 
which change to white as they grow old. Further South 
it is found growing wild. No. 2 . Amarantus panicula¬ 
tus, has green flowers, slightly tinged with red, of no 
particular beauty as a flower. No. 3 is the old Bouncing 
Bet, Saponaria officinalis , which is so common around old 
houses. No. 4. Hibiscus Trionum, or Bladder Ketmia, 
a low-growing annual, with bright, yellow flowers and a 
blackish eye in the center; it is very pretty in cnltiva- 
tion, but the flower soon drops, whence it has been called 
“ Flower-of-an-hour.” No. 5. Tradescantiu 'Yirginica, or 
Spidenvort, often cultivated at the North, but a native of 
the Southern States ; it has beautiful blue flowers, which 
grow in dense clusters, and which open early in the 
spring. No. G. Amsonia salicifolia. A branching peren¬ 
nial, with small, blue flowers, of no especial beauty. 
No. 7. Leptopoda brachypoda, a coarse growing composite, 
with yellow flowers.“ J. G. P.,” Piqua, O. Artemisia 
caudata, or Slender Wormwood: a biennial with pretty, 
finely divided leaves, and small, yellowish flowers. 
“G. L. C.” Gentiana crinita, a very pretty plant with 
blue flowers, opening late in the fall; commonly known 
as Fringed Gentian.“Mrs. J. T. W.,” Minneapolis, 
Minn. Malm crispa, or Curled Mallow ; an annual with 
small and insignificant flowers in the axils of the leaves. 
— “ W. M. II.,” Fairfield, N. Y. Sicyos angulatus, Onc- 
sceded Star Cucumber; a weed, with fruit covered with 
prickly bristles.“M. K. A.,” York Co., Me. No. 1. 
Sniilax herbacea, Carrion Flower; a climbing prickly 
vine, which bears black berries. It is called Carrion 
Flower from the bad odor of its flowers. No. 2 . Trientalis 
Americana, or Star Flower; one of the prettiest and 
most delicate wild-flowers we have at the North. No. 3. 
Lysimachia thyrsiflora, or Loosestrife; a perennial 
bearing a spike of light, yellow flowers.“ N. S. 
W.,” Blakeville, N. II. Goodyera pubescens, or Rattle¬ 
snake Plantain ; a member of the beautiful Orchid fam¬ 
ily.“ E. E. F.” No State given. Kerna Japonica, or 
Japan Globe Flower. Described in American Agricultur¬ 
ist for February, 1S71.“ W. S.,” Logan, O. Gentiana 
Andrewsii, or Closed Gentian.“A. S. M. A.,” Frank¬ 
lin Co., Pa. Soya hispida; a pea-like native of the 
East Indies, the seeds of which are used in preparing a 
kind of sauce.“M. W.,” Lancaster Co., Pa. Sedum 
ternalum. Three-leaved Stone Crop; an old garden 
plant, but, like all members of this genus, very difficult to 
destroy when once established.“F. S.,” St. Joseph, 
Minn. Medicago maculala. Spotted Medick.“Mrs. 
W. B.,” New Haven, Mich. A species of Trtdescantia, 
and not the Myrsiphyllum asparagoides; a very rapid¬ 
growing vine for covering mounds, etc.... “ Subscriber," 
Canaan, Me. Crassula coccinea; a thick-leaved plant 
with beautiful pink flowers, common in greenhouse cul¬ 
tivation — “ R. C. II.,” Kinston, N. C. Quamoclit coccinea, 
an annual climber, with beautiful, small, light scarlet 
flowers. “Miss R. C. McF.,” Newton Co., Texas. Dios- 
corea villosa, Wild Yam; a high-climbing vine with 
handsome leaves, and small, greenish-yellow flowers_ 
“ M. W.,” Lancaster Co., Pa. No. 1 . Lilium Philadelphi- 
cum, or Orange Rod Lily; an erect, bell-shaped flower, 
quite common in many parts of the United States. No. 
2. Erigeron bellidifolium, or Robin’s Plantain ; a trouble¬ 
some weed in grass lands, where very abundant.“-E. 
A. G.,” Willsborough, N. Y. Solanum Dulcamara , or 
Bittersweet; has small, red berries and purple flowers, 
sometimes cultivated for its handsome berries. 
Hamd-'Flarasliillg- Maclaoae.—“ Con¬ 
necticut ” asks if the hand-thrashing machines are to be 
classed in the “ sundry humbugs,” that they are no more 
heard of. Probably not. Still the days of hand labor on 
farms are run out, and hand machines of all sorts are too 
slow and too laborious to suit the times. 
33;ist Teiiaiessee as a (^Eieep Combs- 
try.—C. L. Kellog, Braden’s Knob, E. Tenn., has been 
two years on the table-lands of the Cumberland moun¬ 
tains, and finds it very healthy and well adapted for 
sheep raising. Peaches and chestnuts are plenty, the 
soil good, and all vegetables and grasses thrive abun¬ 
dantly. Thirty families from the Northern States com¬ 
prise the settlement. Lands are very cheap and a rail¬ 
road is soon to pass through the district. 
Foul In tEie Foot.—“ F. P.,” Pa., hashed 
his cows troubled with sore feet between the hoofs for 
more than a year, and wants a remedy. Washing with 
soap and water and applying sulphur ointment, and feed¬ 
ing a table-spoonful of sulphur in salt twice a week, will 
probably cure this.' 
1’iie BBest Stable Floor.—“ F. E.,” Sa¬ 
lem, Ct., wants an economical and durable stable floor. 
Chestnut plank would make a very poor floor, being too 
soft. Oak plank is cheap and durable. A good, cheap, 
lasting floor may be made by paving with cobble-stones 
and pounding a mixture of coal-tar and gravel or coal- 
ashes firmly between the stones. Rats will not penetrate 
it, and the horses’ feet will not cut it up. Coal-tar is very 
cheap, and one barrel is enough for an ordinary stable. 
