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AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
7 
Beef from Texas. —Ten cars of fresh 
beef have recently arrived in New York from Denison, 
Texas. The cars are the patent refrigerator cars of Mr. 
T. L. Rankin, of Emporia, Kansas. They contained 420 
carcasses of beef, which were slaughtered in Denison 
and Austin, Texas, on the 26th November, and arrived in 
perfect order in New York on the 6th of December, when 
they wero sold. The running time was only five days 
from Denison. The results of this successful trip are 
that beef is brought to the New York market in a perfect 
condition, free from bruises and unwholesomeness con¬ 
tingent upon the carriage of live stock in the railroad 
cars, and sold at a less price, with a greater profit, to the 
cattle feeder, the shipper, and the transportation compa¬ 
nies. It is expected that 500 head will be sent three 
times each week in future from Denison to New York. 
By the use of these cars much suffering will be saved to 
the cattle, and their ultimate destination will be reached 
in a much less painful manner than otherwise. 
Beacon 1'oincl 8tla.— This bull, of which j 
a portrait is given elsewhere, is nearly four years old, i 
having been dropped February, 1870. His color is mill- j 
berry fawn. He was bred by Mr. Crozier, being out of 
his imported cow Josephine, by Beacon Comet. He was 
one of the Jersey herd exhibited at the New York State 
Fair of 1872, to which the gold medal was awarded. 
See Page 555 for other “ Basket ” items. 
Wlaat Shall we Slave Pox* S5x*e:aSi= 
fast ?—The answers to this question were unexpectedly 
numerous, no less than 257 having been received. Some 
of these were simply bills of fare without any comment, 
while others contained useful suggestions and recipes. 
To reduce this mass down to forty or fifty of the best was 
an easy matter, but to say which was the best one, or 
best three of this smaller number, was exceedingly diffi¬ 
cult. Then again, those living near the coast naturally 
propose quite different articles from those living far in¬ 
land, and a Southern housekeeper’s list of articles quite 
different from that of her New England sister. As the 
most satisfactory way of awarding the premiums, we di¬ 
vided the contributions geographically, awarding a pre¬ 
mium to the best from each of the divisions, New En¬ 
gland, Middle, Western, Southern, and Pacific States, as 
follows: Mrs. Thomas S. Robie, New Ipswich, N. H.; 
Miss J.’J. O., Woodbourne, Sullivan Co., N. Y.; Mrs. 
Allen G. Bonham, Oxford, Ohio; Mrs. Anna Tanner, 
Evergreen, La.; Mrs. G. H. Kellogg, Crescent City, Cal. 
Some of these bills of fare, with their accompanying re¬ 
cipes, will be published in the Household in future num¬ 
bers, and there is much that is useful in many of the arti¬ 
cles which did not receive the premiums. 
Ithaca SSorsc Bake. —“ C. W. D.,” Guil¬ 
ford, Ct. The Ithaca Horse Rake is made by tho Wheeler 
and Melick Co., Albany. N. Y. 
Swelling of the Aegs.— Dr. “H. A.,” 
Columbia Co., Wis. When the legs of a horse swell 
upon standing in the stable it is an evidence of debility, 
general or local. It would be well to increase tho food 
in quantity or improve its quality. The following might 
also be of use—viz.: Powdered sulphate of iron, 1*4 oz.; 
gentian root, 2 oz.; chlorate of potassa, 1 oz.; mixed and 
divided into 12 powders. One of these given in cut feed 
as little moistened as possible night and morning. 
Ground oats would be better for feed than corn. Friction 
by rubbing with a coarse woolen cloth upon the parts 
would also be helpful. 
Naked Brahma Chicles.— “C. F.,” 
Detroit, Mich. It is not at all uncommon for young 
Brahma chicks to be almost without either down or 
feathers. Eventually, however, the feathers make their 
appearance. Fowls of this breed are very hardy, and the 
want of feathers does them no injury except in appear¬ 
ance. Partially web feet are a monstrosity which we 
have occasionally seen in fowls. Such fowls should not 
be bred from. 
Indigestion Isa She IBorse.—“J. II. 
T.,” Philadelphia, recommends pulverized charcoal for 
indigestion in a horse, to be given in the food. Also 
rasping the teeth of old horses in cases where the center 
of the tooth has worn below the outer enamel, and has 
left the teeth enp shaped. J. H. T. however forgets 
that horses’ teeth do not wear in this way, but that, 
through a beautiful contrivance, the'enamel as the tooth 
wears away is left in the shape of an irregularly curved 
and angular ridge, which forms a very perfect grinding 
or cutting edge, and except in very old horses these 
grinders are tho last teeth to give out. 
ISP*’ See Pages *£2 auid 
Value of a Cow.— “ J. P. L.,” Ringwood, 
N. C. A cow that gives 20 quarts of rich milk per day 
should bring the highest price current for cows in her 
particular locality. Prices depend very much upon lo¬ 
cality. A cow of that character would bring $70 in some 
places, in other places not more than $40. 
Gregory’s Specialties.—We always like 
to see a man ride hobbies, especially when they are good 
ones. Our friend J. J. H. Gregory, of Marblehead, 
Mass., has always some special things in the way of 
garden seeds, which he makes a specialty of, although 
he does not neglect the standard varieties. If he 
had never had any other hobby than the Hubbard 
Squash, he would deserve well of the community, but 
when we take into account the other squashes, the cab¬ 
bages, beans, sweet corn, melons, and we can not re¬ 
member how many other things that he was tho first to 
bring prominently before the public, we are quite sure 
that the gardens all over the country arc largely indebted 
to Mr. Gregory for many of their choicest products. 
JPoailtry upon si ILsirge Scale.—“F. 
W. J.,” Quincy, HI. Poultry-raising upon a largo scale 
has not been generally successful. It has only been pro¬ 
fitable when carried on by experienced persons, amd the 
business has grown from small proportions gradually 
larger and larger. To commence a large poultry busi¬ 
ness even with abundant capital but without experience I 
would be one of the most hopeless of undertakings. The 
series of articles upon an egg farm which appeared in tho ■ 
Agriculturist in the latter part of 1871 and early part of 
1872, contains a great deal of valuable information by an 
experienced poultry raiser. 
upon ©aattss.—“Inquirer,” 
Danville, Ya. Soluble fertilizers should be kept upon 
the surface and not plowed into the soil. Oats may be 
plowed in and the fertilizer should afterwards bo evenly 
sown upon tho surface, or the seed and fertilizer may be 
harrowed in together. 
©lover Sod. foe WSae.it.— “B. W. B.,” 
Christian Co., Ill. Clover sod broken last fall will do 
very well for spring wheat, but it should not be cross- 
plowed. Tho sod will not be sufficiently rotted to turn 
over. A good harrowing will fit the ground for sowing. 
A BSonaestesider in Miunesola.—C. 
T. Clough, Wilmar, Kandiyohi Co., Minn., writes us 
that he and his brother took up homesteads in the cen¬ 
tral part of Minnesota four years ago, which has been 
rapidly settling up since then. He found the soil rich 
and the climate healthy, ne has now 45 acres under 
crops, and raised last year 400 bushels spring wheat upon 
20 acres, 600 bushels oats upon 15 acres, 75 bushels of 
potatoes upon a quarter of an acre, and 300 bushels of 
ruta-bagas upon another quarter. He does his plowing 
with two ox-teams. Ho has also 24 acres of Odessa 
wheat sown this fall. He has planted 5 acres with tim¬ 
ber—oak, maple, ash, willow, and cottonwood. The 
willow is very successful as a hedge plant. Timber 
grows very rapidly and fire-wood will soon be plentiful 
at his door. 
Msisaageinent of Manure.—“ C. K.,” 
Pittsylvania Co., Ya. The only way to rot manure in 
tho winter is by frequent turning with repeated fermen¬ 
tation and guarded heatings. In this way it may be 
brought to a fine condition for use in the spring. Long 
corn-stalks can not be rotted by this process, and by no 
means should such corn stalks be allowed in the manure 
pile. It is preferable to cut them ivlien fed, as in that 
state the refuse is more easily rotted, and if not rotted 
is no trouble when the manure is turned over. 
Msiri-owanog Wheat and Aonasg 
TTimotliy.—“ T. P. B.,” Christian Co., Ky. Wenever 
spring-harrowed wheat with which timothy had been 
sown, and should fear injury to the timothy by doing so. 
The wheat being well rooted will stand the harrowing, 
but the young timothy would probably suffer. Since we 
made a practice of harrowing wheat in spring we always 
sowed the timothy and clover at that time, and found 
the grass equally as good if not better than the fall sown. 
Sheep Ibi New Slexico.—We are favored 
by a correspondent from Pueblo, Col., with a long com¬ 
munication, exceedingly rich in figures, by which it is 
shown that 5,000 Mexican ewes and 100 rams will in ten 
years increase to 591,102 sheep of a value of $886,916.30, 
also that the value of tho wool product of this nice little 
! flock will be in the 10 years $842,416.30 ; the total pro¬ 
duct of this pastoral business therefore, is nearly a mil¬ 
lion and three quarter dollars. Of which the clear profit 
is figured up to the respectable sum of over one million 
dollars, the odd figures being generously thrown away, 
That this result might happen figures are abundantly 
able to show, that it would happen depends upon con¬ 
tingencies so certainly uncertain that it is wise to avoid 
them. Ever since the days of Virgil’s shepherds, sheep 
have been u always an unhappy flock,” and with the best 
of care they will turn out so even now. Let no one try 
to keep a large flock of sheep without abundant previous 
experience. 
ESP" See Pages 32 and 33. 
George A. Prince & Co.’s Organs 
and Melodeons. —The musical instruments that 
come from this old and well-known house have attained 
a world-wide and well-deserved popularity. Their in¬ 
struments include a great variety of styles and sizes 
adapted to use in parlors, halls, and churches. In rich 
ness of tone and quality of manufacture they are unsur¬ 
passed, some of their instruments, to our personal 
knowledge, having been in use for many years without 
needing any repairs. The many organs and inelodeons 
from this house which have been given by us as pre¬ 
miums have been received in every case with great satis¬ 
faction. When musical instruments are wanted, get 
good ones or get none. 
Slow to Get a Homestead.— “W. 
M. .” Oneida Co., N. Y. Homesteads are still plentiful 
across the Missouri, but are scarce upon this side of that 
river; although there are some yet remaining in Western 
Iowa and Minnesota. But in Nebraska and Kansas, a 
short distance back from the railroads, there are thou¬ 
sands of locations remaining to be taken up. The mode 
of proceeding is to go to the locality desired, and at every 
town or railroad depot parties are on hand who will give 
all the necessary information as to the exact position of 
vacant lands. When the lot is selected, which is 160 
acres for a U. S. soldier or sailor, and 80 acres for others, 
within 10 miles of the railroad line or within the limits 
of their grant, an application is filed in the H. S. land 
office. If the homesteader is living upon the land at the 
time of filing of the application, this may be done at the 
office of the clerk of the county in which the land lies. 
He must then enter into absolute occupation within six 
months and commence to improve his land. After five 
years’ residenee he may claim a deed in fee by payment 
of certain fees amounting to about $18. The time of a 
soldier’s service in the army is deducted from the five 
years’ residence required for others. 
’jrise American Bairymcn’s Asso« 
elation will hold its Ninth Annual Meeting at Utica, 
N. Y., on January 13th to 15th. Hon. Horatio Seymour, 
X. A. Willard and other well-known writers will read 
papers at the meeting. L. B. Arnold, Rochester, N. Y., 
is Secretary. 
Prevention of Catarrh in Sheep.— 
“ W. J. E.,” Birmingham, Ala. A damp, low spot should 
not be chosen for a sheep-shed. Raising the floor ten 
inches from the ground will be no preventive of the dan¬ 
ger of catarrh. It is breathing the moist, cold air as 
much as actual contact with the damp soil that affects 
the sheep. A location perfectly dry and well drained 
should be chosen. 
©Siange of Seed.—“J. B. S.,” Concord, 
Tenn. With all other grains than corn a change of seed 
now and then is considered advisable. Potatoes are es¬ 
pecially improved by a change procured from a different 
locality and soil. But com has not generally been found 
to deteriorate by long planting ; on the other hand there 
are many farmers who are now planting seed produced 
from the corn their fathers planted a generation ago. 
Running out of the corn is more likely to be the result 
of impoverished soil, and the best method of improve¬ 
ment would probably be a crop of clover upon the land, 
to bo plowed under, or some other substantial fertilizer. 
!§one*9>nst upon New Laffld.-"H. 
D.,” Earlham, Iowa. It will hardly pay to put bone-dust 
upon new prairie land, even could it be bought at $5 a 
ton, which price we feel sure there is some mistake 
about. Bone-dust is more particularly useful for root 
crops, but pastures are much improved by it. Its effects 
are not always immediately apparent, but they are after¬ 
wards often visible for many years. 
Peas and. ©ats.— “H. D.” and others. 
Peas and oats, when sown together, can not be separated 
in thrashing so as to make each grain marketable separ¬ 
ately; for feed this is unnecessary. When ground to¬ 
gether the oats reduce the highly stimulating effects of 
the peas. In seeding 2J4 bushels of oats and 1*4 of peas 
may be used. The seed should he drilled or plowed in 
jf possible, as it is difficult to cover peas with the harrow. 
