248 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST, 
[July, 
Good 
Reasons. 
The large class of Advertisements and of paid Business 
and Editorial “Notices” constantly rejected from the 
American Agriculturist and from Hearth and Home, if 
admitted, would alone supply tens of thousands of dol¬ 
lars to each journal every year. This lack of an income 
which is received hy most other journals, is a good rea¬ 
son why such journals should have a large paying circu¬ 
lation, and would even justify comparatively higher sub¬ 
scription rates. 
The readers themselves could, and in most cases 
would, pay more to find the desired information and 
reading matter in journals free from advertisements of 
patent medicines, humbugs, unreliable persons and 
things. They have less fear of being cheated themselves, 
or of having their children corrupted or led astray. 
As the subscription rates of American Agriculturist 
and Hearth and Home are not higher, but on the contrary 
arc lower, than those of most other journals prepared at 
similar expense, will not the readers take pleasure in 
doing something towards increasing the circulation? 
Can not each of our present readers influence the sub¬ 
scription of one other person, to begin with July 1st, in 
accordance with notices elsewhere ? The publishers will 
appreciate the favor. 
Honey-Dew. — “J. M. S.,” Strawberry 
Plains, Tenn.—The article referred to should have stated 
that there are two kinds of Honey-dew—one exuded by 
plant-lice, as there described, and the other an exudation 
of a sugary liquid from the leaves themselves. The 
article told the truth, but was at fault in not telling the 
“whole truth.” 
Department of Agriculture.—“ G. 
W. F.,” Nashua, N. II.—The Report from which we 
quoted was that of the Commissioner, which is pub¬ 
lished in the form of a small pamphlet. The large vol¬ 
ume, containing the reports of the subordinates and mis¬ 
cellaneous matter, will come later. 
Cliufas.—D. C. Webb, Macon Co., Ill.—The 
Chnfa, or Ground Almond, is a nut-like tuber of a sedge, 
the Cyperus esculentus. It will grow in your climate, and 
may be sown in spring in drills like beans. Their chief 
use is for feeding swine, which will root them up. They 
have not met with much favor. The tubers are usually 
kept at the large seed-stores. 
Canada Xliistles.— “R. E. G.”—It would 
be much easier for you to send a specimen of your this¬ 
tle than for us to sa-describe it that you would know it 
from all others. A As to extermination—we know of 
nothing better than frequent cutting off the tops. If 
this be thoroughly and earnestly attended to it will de¬ 
stroy the thistles. Half-done, it will not. ^ , 
Cotswold vs. South-Down Nlteep. 
—“ Why do you recommend Cotswold sheep instead of 
South-Downs ?” asks a New England farmer. “Is not 
South-Down mutton better than Cotswold ? We think 
it is better. But we can not sell it at any higher price. 
At the “West End” of London there is a class of epi¬ 
cures that will have no mutton but South-Down, and they 
will pay two cents a pound more for it than for Cotswold 
or Leicester mutton. But here, as yet, there is no differ¬ 
ence made in the price. Mr. Lawes’s experiments proved 
that English farmers could afford to sell Cotswold mut¬ 
ton for two cents per pound less than South-Down—and 
this before the recent great advance in long wool. We 
recommend Cotswolds, therefore, because their wool is 
in great demand at high prices, and because a nound of 
mutton can be produced from a Cotswold at less cost 
than from any of the South-Down breeds. 
Digs on Clover.— “M. B. R.,” Windsor, 
Mo., asks the following questions: First. Will hogs in¬ 
jure the clover or the trees if permitted to pasture in an 
orchard? Second. Will kitchen-slop fed to fattening 
swine make the pork soft, and should they be finished oil' 
on com in the ear and cold water ? Third. How can he 
prevent a young heifer from kicking?—Hogs do some¬ 
times gnaw the bark from young trees in orchards, and if 
the clover is eaten close they will often kill it by biting 
out the crowns of the plant. Kitchen-slop is not fit food 
for fattening swine, excepting given as a drink only; 
they may be finished oft'on corn meal made into mush 
and fed cold, and yield the firmest of pork. A young 
heifer may be cured of kicking by gentle treatment and 
avoiding anything that will frighten or irritate her. 
A Dyspeptic Horse. —We are asked what 
it is best to do with a horse that “ does not seem to be 
well, while not actually sick. He looks forlorn, eats but 
little,, and seems to have no life or spirit in him either 
for work or play.”—The very best thing to do with such 
a horse is to take his shoes off, and let him have two or 
three months’ absolute rest at pasture. If he can not be 
spared, work him moderately, and be particular in regard 
to feeding, watering, and grooming. Let him have one 
full day’s rest at least once a week. If you must work 
him on Sundays, let him rest Saturdays. Give him bran- 
mashes enough to keep his bowels moderately loose. If 
in spite of this he is costive, give a pint of linseed oil at 
night, and let him rest the next day. Let him have hay- 
tea to drink. Humor his appetite. Find out what he 
likes best, and let him have as much as he will cat up 
clean, and then remove all food from the rack and man¬ 
ger. See if he will eat boiled barley. If so, nothing can 
be better for him. Groom thoroughly, and make him as 
comfortable as possible. Let him have a lump of rock- 
salt to lick. Give green food if possible, as it is mo*e 
easily digested than hay; but if this can not be had, cut 
his hay into chaff, and soak it in as much water as it will 
absorb for twelve hours. Then mix a little bran or oat¬ 
meal with it, and let him have as much as he will eat up 
clean, and no more. Never work him hard immediately 
after eating. 
No Doubt about it. —An old farmer in 
the West writes us that his neighbors do not believe in 
“book-farming,” but that the reading of agricultural 
papers is having a good effect on the rising generation. 
“ I see it sticking out in my own boys,” he says ; and it 
will stick out more and more. It is one of the hopeful 
Signs of the times. 
How to ISoil Barley. —Soak it for twelve 
hours in about twice its own bulk of water. Then boil, 
in the same water, until the kernels burst open. We know 
of nothing that will fatten a horse that is only moderately 
worked sooner than boiled barley. Add a little salt to 
the barley, and mix it while hot with an equal quantity 
of cut hay. It should be cooked fresh every day in warm 
weather, and fed before it gets sour. 
Hay-Xea. —Steep some cut-hay in boiling 
water for two or three hours; ponr off the water, and give 
it to the animal to drink, either warm or cold, as thought 
best. It is a capital thing for horse, cow, calf, sheep, or 
pig. Clover hay is best. 
Measuring Oorn.-E. B. Hill, Jasper Co., 
Ill., gives another rule for measuring corn in the crib— 
which is to take 4,032 cubic inches of ears for a bushel of 
shelled corn, equal to three half-bushels of 2,688 cubic 
inches to a bushel. If any one likes that bushel, the rule 
will do for large Western ears. 
Jnibon llranciiing and Egyptian 
Corn.—The proprietors of both these swindles have 
come to grief. Judson has been compelled to pay $750 
and costs of suit in an Illinois court, as damages to a 
dealer whom he had victimized, and the Egyptian-corn 
man who swindled so many farmers a few years ago, has 
now got his deserts, although indirectly, by having been 
sent to the penitentiary for several years for robbing the 
mails while postmaster in Virginia. 
Market Value of Hen>Manure.- 
“ Geo. E. H.,” Lowell, Mass., has a quantity of hen-man¬ 
ure, mixed with loam, which has been sprinkled in the 
house to keep it clean, and has no use for it; at what 
price could he afford to sell it?—If there is no more than 
half of it loam, it ought to be worth about one cent per 
pound, but the value will depend altogether upon the 
proportions. 
Green manuring- Crop. —Geo. K. Mor¬ 
ris, Macon Co., N. C., asks if lupines make a better crop 
to plow under than clover. We do not know of any ad¬ 
vantage to be gained in sowing lupines over the crops 
ordinarily in use for this purpose. Better use peas than 
lupines, and clover in preference to any other crop. 
"White Species in Butter. — “A 
Reader” asks why white specks come in the butter. 
There are several causes. One is too quick churning, 
which leaves many butter globules unbroken, the skins 
of which consist of caseine, or cheesy matter, and are left in 
the butter, but these are very minute, and are scarcely 
seen, though they are soon smelt. Another is, the cream 
is allowed to stand too long, and the milk becomes cur¬ 
dled and partly separated from the whey; the particles of 
curd remain in the butter, and being insoluble, can not be 
all washed out. These specks are large, and spoil the 
look as well as taste of the butter. 
Please tell your Neighbors 
All for #2. 
READ THIS. 
Subscribers can have the American Agriculturist 
aud Hearth and Home from July 1st to the end of 
the year for $3. 
OR 
They can have the weekly Hearth and Home, which 
is now a superb, Illustrated Journal of the highest 
and best order, for $1.50 from July 1st to the 
end of the year. 
It will pay. 
N.B.—Special. —New subscribers for Hearth 
and Home coming in now, if they specially desire 
it, will be supplied with the chapters issued prior 
to July 1st, of Edward Eggleston’s most popular 
new American story, “ Xhe End of the 
World,” capitally illustrating Western life. 
This will, with the remaining numbers, give 
them the whole of the story complete. This, with 
the great number of splendid illustrations and 
great amount of excellent reading matter, will be 
found the best and cheapest family journal in 
the country. 
Will not every present reader take pleasure in 
mentioning the above to their friends and neigh¬ 
bors, and each aid ns in securing one new reader 
to begin July 1st? 
*** The previous chapters of the Story will only 
be sent when specially asked for. 
Hide-hound. —“ A Farmer ” wants a remedy 
for hide-bound in a colt. The immediate cause should 
first be ascertained, as there are several. Generally im¬ 
paired digestion, costiveness, cold, overfeeding, starva¬ 
tion, or anything which will affect the health unfavorably* 
shows its first effects in hide-bound. Remove the cause, 
and the trouble will cease. Bran-mashes with a little 
sulphur, given daily, and scalded oats or soft cut feed 
will work a cure, unless something serious is the matter, 
when proper advice should be taken. 
Ringing- Hogs.— “M. B. R.,” Windsor, 
Mo., wants the best method of preventing hogs from 
rooting.—A ring in the snout is the best preventive. A 
horseshoe nail put through the snout, and the point 
twisted around the head (of the nail), makes a good ring. 
A Mistalce. — “ S. P.,” Iosco Co., Mich., 
writes that he has followed engineering all his life, and 
now has settled down on a farm in a new and poor loca¬ 
tion, on sandy soil, overgrown with scrub-pine and whor¬ 
tleberries six inches high, and he asks what artificial 
manures he shall use to grow crops of flax, or mustard, 
as clover does not take well.—This poor engineer is off 
the track worse than he ever could be on a railroad, and 
if he escapes a smash-up, mil be fortunate. A man who 
can not choose a farm with judgment, can not succeed 
as a farmer, and is far better off as a passably good engi¬ 
neer than as a certain failure on a farm, if one can call 
such a piece of land ns he describes, a farm at all. Our 
advice is, to give the land to some one, if lie can, or to 
keep it for a huckleberry patch and go to engineering 
again, or, if ho wants a farm, to buy good land. 
Hybrid Corn .- 11 Experimenter ” asks if 
corn can be improved by mixing distant varieties, and 
procuring hybrids. We think it can. We once planted 
some rows of Pennsylvania gourd-seed corn amongst rows 
of early Canada, and had a mixed corn which had larger 
ears than the early Canada, and ripened earlier than the 
Pennsylvania corn, which wo thought an improvement. 
Other Basket Items oh page 278. 
