1872.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURI3T. 
289 
A Technological Dictionary.— The 
greatest trouble oue experiences in studying a language 
‘other than his own, is with the purely technical words— 
■words that occur in business or the arts. If we think of 
the varied meanings that the words “ stick” and “ bar ” 
and such like have, we can appreciate the difficulties 
which beset one in learning English ; and the same 
trouble attends us in learning French and German. Ordi¬ 
nary dictionaries fail to give us the technical uses of 
words, and we gladly welcome three small volumes from 
L. W. Schmidt, 24 Barclay st., entitled “ A Technological 
Pocket Dictionary in the English, German, and French 
Languages.” The title sufficiently explains the scope of 
the work. The real value of a dictionary can only be 
learned by use, and we can only say that this appears to 
be as valuable as its mechanical appearance is neat. 
Carbolic Acid in Soap. — “F. N.,” 
New Albany, Ind. The use of carbolic acid in soap is 
patented. We do not know the proportions, but in using 
it you would be infringing upon a patent right. 
Barberry Hedge. —“ F. N.,” New Albany, 
Hir'd. Procure the seeds in fall, and sow them then, or 
keep them in sand over winter and sow in spring. Treat 
them for one year just like cabbages or other seedling 
plants, by keeping them clear of weeds and thinning 
where too thick. 
'Holly-leaved Cherry.—“ P. W. M.” We 
trust we have no one in our office sostupidasnottoknow 
the difference between the Holly-leaved Cherry and the 
Sicily-leaved Barberry, especially when the one has 
6imple leaves and the other compound ones ; besides, the 
structure of the flowers is entirely different in the two. 
Sweet-Corn Suclcering-. — We have 
reports that one and another variety of sweet corn 
suckers badly in different parts of the country. As the 
■sahie complaint has been made of different kinds of 
field corn, we arrjnclined to think that soil and climate 
’affect 'file suckering. The only remedy we can suggest, 
Ms to grow those kinds in each particular locality that 
’seem best adapted to it. Corn, whether sweet or field, is 
Mery readily modified by locality, and any one can by a 
'little care in selection obtain what the gardeners call a 
“ strain ” suited to his wants. 
Colorado Potato-Bug-. — Many in¬ 
quirers. We must repeat, that if the bugs arc too abun¬ 
dant for hand-picking, the only resort is the deadly poi¬ 
son, Paris green. Mix this with from twelve to twenty 
parts of flour, and sift from a perforated tin box, or one 
with a gauze cover, over the vines, while the dew is on. 
Keep the stuff away from children, and do not inhale the 
dust in using. If you must use it, keep in mind its viru¬ 
lently poisonous character. 
Yeast Powders,— The immense and grow¬ 
ing consumption of the various substitutes for the old- 
'fashioned saleratus we believe to be favorable to the 
health of the community. These mixtures are, in the 
’•main, carefully compounded, so that there shall he no 
•preponderance of either acid or alkali, thus forming in 
’the‘bread only a harmless, neutral salt. We have used, 
with much satisfaction, the preparation manufactured by 
^Messrs. Dooley & Brother, and sold by them very largely 
throughout the country. 
Hrape CtottiWigSk J. B. S.,” Madison, 
Neb. You can do nothing about grape cuttings until the 
.eaves fell. Then when you trim your vines make Cuttings 
of two buds or eyes each, tie them in convenient bundles, 
awd bnry them in sand In the cellar, Or out of doors in a 
place where water does not Settle. In spring set in rows, 
putting the cuttings six inches apart, and one bnd at the 
surface, taking care to get them right side up ; press the 
soil well to the bottom of the cuttings, and give the bed 
a mulch ofleavafe or litter. Most, grapes will grow, treated 
In this waj> 5 hut some varieties require a propagating- 
!«erase. These you can raise from layers. 
“Tl»e Harden.” — Mr. Robinson’s paper, 
the establishment of which we announced at the time, 
continues its •career'with every appearance of prosperity. 
It differs in many respects from other English horticul¬ 
tural journals, and would probably best suit those of onr 
Renders who wish to keep the run of British horticulture. 
Hv e are glad to notice that the editor finds frequent occa¬ 
sion to quote from our columns, and to transfer our en- 
'graviftgs. He always gives credit in the most courteous 
/manner, and is most heartily welcome. 
Mezquit or Miiwkeet Grass. — J. A. 
Reagan. M.D., Buncombe Co . N. C„ asks about the value 
of “Muskeet Grass,” its cultivation, and where seed can 
be procured.—This is one of several queries of the same 
purport. In a pretty extended tour in Texas, some yean 
ago, we found that several grasses were called Mezquit 
and we do not know of any particular one which can b 
designated as the Mezquit. It may be that some of ou 
Texan readers can help our correspondent. We 6houlc 
be glad to get from our friends in different parts of Texas 
specimens (in flower) of the grass knownin their localities 
as Mezquit. Even so intelligent an observer as the late 
Mr. Affleck sent us the Buffalo grass as what he considered, 
the true Mezquit. 
Fruit Trees. —A correspondent at Bealton, 
Va., writes : “ Canyon tell me how to make my fruit trees 
grow doWD, or heavier in the body of the tree ? I have 400 
apple-trees, and as a general thing they are too light in 
the body.”—Unless the trees are crowded, we do not see 
why they should be “ too light in the body.” An apple-tree 
that has room to develop itself properly, will naturally 
keep a proper proportion between the trunk and head. 
IHglit-Soil for fruit Trees. — “In¬ 
quirer,” Brunswick, Me., asks if night-soil is good dress¬ 
ing for apple-trees, young of old, and if so, best way of 
application.—We would use night-soil for com and other 
quick-growing crops, and apply a compost of stable ma¬ 
nure or of muck and iime to the trees. 
The Plymouth Pulpit. —Messrs. J. B. 
Ford <fc Co., under the title above given, publish a sermon 
of Henry Ward Beecher each week. They now send us 
the fifth and sixth series, hound in two handsome volumes, 
and including the sermons of apart of 1870 and the whole 
of 1871. Mr. Beecher is a full-hearted, manly, hopeful 
man, and thoroughly impresses these characteristics upon 
his sermons. We can not conceive that one, whatever 
his “denomination,” or even if of no particular faith, 
can read these sermons without feeling refreshed. There 
is something in them to meet every phase of life, and 
every mood and temperament. Though the writer is not 
of the Plymouth pastor’s “denomination,” he would no 
sooner be deprived of his Beecher than ourregular readers 
would be of their Agriculturist. 
Garden and Lawn Weed.—" F. S.,” 
Rotlisville, Pa. Your weed is the Low or Running Mal¬ 
lows, Malva rotundifolia. Children eat the slimy, unripe 
fruit-capsules, and call them “cheeses.” There is no 
better mode of getting rid of it than the one you suggest 
—“pulling and digging it out by the roots.” There are 
no specifics for destroying weeds and leaving useful 
plants unharmed. 
Tine Balniock iPire-tlxltnguislier. 
—A hticket of water at the right moment is of more use 
in checking a conflagration than a whole fire department 
would he a few moments later. The Babcock Fire-Ex¬ 
tinguisher claims to have at hand a liquid more efficacious 
in extinguishing fire than simple water, and with a self- 
generating force to throw the stream where it Is needed. 
As we understand the apparatus, it is upoti the principle 
of A soda-fountain. By the turn of a screw a quantity of 
acid is emptied into a solution of alkaline carbonate, 
thus generating a force sufficient to propel the liquid, and 
the solution, being highly charged with carbonic acid, is 
more effective than the same amount of water. The ap¬ 
paratus seems to he constructed upon correct principles, 
and there is abundant evidence as to its Utility. 
Chicken Cholera.—“ J. H. D.,” Perry 
Co., III., says that he never knew assafeetida to fail in 
curing chicken cholera. He uses a piece of ttie drug the 
size of a marble to two quarts of corn-mea! mixed with 
water. We suppose that he first dissolves'the assafeetida 
in water, though he does not say so. The drug is not 
really soluble, hut if soaked in water can he rubbed up 
into a milky mixture, 
Cnrioati Com.— “Bermudian Subscriber” 
will accept our thanks for specimens of abnormal corn. 
Such malformations arc not very rare, had people eye i 
to notice them. One of yours is different from any we 
have seen, and with some others that we have on hail l 
will serve to illustrate an article on the structure of cor 
that we hope to write when the weather is less tropica' 
We are always glad to hear frdui our Bermudian friendt 
Akekia — Uttlmias from Seed. - 
“ Mrs. L. E. D.,” Ohio.—We have no trouble with Ak< 
bia, treating it as we would any other hardy climber. I 
the last very severe winter some of the younger twip 
were killed. The seeds of Kalmia are so small, and tl> 
young plants so delicate, that it requires an experience 
cultivator to succeed with them. The trouble with th 
Abronia and other seeds named is probably due to th 
fact that they were not sown as (Sion as ripe. It is fati 
to many seeds to keep them over winter. We neve 
succeeded with Abronia fragrant. 
A Locust'«tung Orchard.—“J. R. 
E.,” California, K The “stinging” is mainly due to 
the incisions made by the female for the purpose of de¬ 
positing her eggs. The wounds, as well as the presence 
of a foreign body, he eggs, of course injure young trees. 
When the trouble “ extends nearly to the ground,” it 
will be cheaper t • replace the trees with new ones. 
When the branches only are injured, we should cut off 
and burn the perforated portions. Probably before an¬ 
other visitation yo ir trees will get so large as not to be 
seriously damaged. When the loensts once come there 
is no known help. 
Bee Notes for August,—-By M. Quinby. 
Any diseased stocks that have been neglected should 
he driven now. What little they may do will come good 
another year. In sections where buckwheat is abundant, 
boxes should he put ou with reference to It. Remove all 
boxes containing clover honey, to prevent their being dis¬ 
colored by that from buckwheat. As honey grows scarce, 
a weak stock will sometimes take every particle of honey 
from a box that they may have partly filled, while strong 
swarms may be gradually filling boxes. To secure honey 
from swarms disposed to remove it from the boxes, will 
require close watching. Honey in these boxes is nice for 
the table, and it might not be safe to put ttie boxes ou 
another hive for filling, tne supply of honey being limited. 
Any swarm coming out now, should be returned to the hive 
from which it issued, after taking away the queen ; or the 
half, with the queen, might be given to some quoenless 
stock, and the remainder returned to the old hive. Sur¬ 
plus honey that has been taken off, shonld be watched for 
worms. Should there be any indications of the presence 
of worms, the boxes should he put in a close box and 
smoked with brimstone, care being taken not to have 
tlie fumes so strong as to discolor the combs. Keep good 
watch of weak colonies. If such are in movable frames, 
they may be given a comb or two of sealed brood from 
stronger ones. Qucenless colonies, if in box-hives, may 
be broken up, and contents secured, unless in sections 
whore buckwheat is plenty, when it pays sometimes to 
give them a queen, thereby gaining a few combs for 
another year. 
If it is desired to rear Italian qneens late in the fall, 
when native drones are gone, measures to secure the 
Italian drones at that time should be attended to now. 
A strong Italian stock that is getting honey should be well 
provided with drone combs, that they may be filled with 
drone brood. Or, if they do not raise drones, for want of 
honey, it Will he necessary to save what they have already. 
No drotles are reared for the season, after this month. A 
queenless hive, or at least one without a laying queen, 
will preserve their drones best, Remove the queen until 
about October. She may he given for the time to somo 
nucleus, or some other colony. 
Another Jersey Cow.— Mr. Andrew Robe¬ 
son, of Tivei‘ton, R. I., has an imported Jersey 
cow which dropped her first calf April 1st, 
1871 (when she was less than twenty-eight, 
months old). From April 11th to January 6th, 
when she was dried for calving, she gave of 
milk 6,028 lbs. She dropped her second calf 
Febi'Uary 8th, 1872, and from February 12th to 
March 30th, both inclusive, she gave 1,339 lbs. 
Total for the year, 7,302 His. Of the 365 days 
she was dry 33 days, and her milk was not used 
for 14 days. During the 319 days when the 
milk was weighed she gave a daily average of 
20 lbs. per day. We cite this case rather because 
it is a carefully recorded oue than because of the 
amount of milk given, but, at the same time, 
the cow must be commended as a very good 
one indeed, and a good representative of her 
valuable race. 
The Value of Night-Soil, 
From a German work, on “The Employment 
of Human E> '.feta and Animal Remains in 
Agriculture,” 1 y Wilhelm Hahn, we extract 
the following s at ment of the value to the far¬ 
mer of a mature that is now almost entirely 
wasted in ever) p rt of our country. Accord¬ 
ing to these ti bl s, the human excrement of 
our population if 10,000,000 is equal, iu respect 
