50 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST, 
[EEBRtTARY, 
tell without knowing more about the case. As a general 
thing, spring water is not apt to be contaminated by lead; 
at all events, the risk is removed by using the tin-lined 
pipe, which is just as cheap and perfectly safe_A. B. 
Rugg. The quantity of lead in water that has passed 
through lead pipes is so small that while its detection is 
easy to the chemist, it cannot be made with any certainty 
by those not familiar with chemical operations. If you 
wish to make the experiment, add a few drops of vinegar 
to the water, and gently evaporate a quart or so in a china 
bowl or plate to a wineglass-full. Dissolve a bit of Iodide 
of Potassium, (to be had of the druggists,) the size of a 
pea, in half a wineglass of water, and add it, a drop at a 
time, to the concentrated water in another wineglass. If 
lead be present a yellow cloud will appear in the water, 
and upon allowing it to stand, a yellow powder (Iodide 
of Lead) will settle to the bottom of the glass. Great 
caution should be used in adding the solution of Io¬ 
dide, as an excess dissolves the yellow powder. 
Os*a,ssIio-j»|»ers.—Atchison County, Mo., 
was plagued with grasshoppers last year. G. Steiner 
writes: “They have eaten up all the winter grain, and 
have done the cabbages and other late crops great dam¬ 
age. In May last, the eggs laid last fall hatched by 
myriads, and the insects remained with us until the mid¬ 
dle of July, when full grown, Then they rose up of one 
accord, and all left at once. On the 20th of September, 
they returned in clouds that darkened the sun, and at the 
time I write, they have laid their eggs in the ground. 
Last spring they destroyed all the spring wheat and oats, 
and did rye and other crops much damage.” 
IPlsistea* vs. Stable Vlasiojee.—T. Lee, 
Mich. On many soils remote from the shore the effect of 
plaster is magical, bringing in white clover and securing 
a strong growth of grass. If this is fed off by cattle 
remaining upon the pastures, the land increases 
steadily in fertility. Plaster is not, however, a sub¬ 
stitute for manure. Four and a half miles is a long 
way to cart stable manure. We should prefer to cart 
night soil, if it can be obtained for the carting, as it can 
in most towns and villages, where they are anxious to get 
rid of it. This is generally the cheapest source of fertil¬ 
izers to suburban farmers. Dead animals from the city 
streets are also used to great advantage. Wood ashes, and 
the wastes of woolen factories, and of tanneries, are gener¬ 
ally worth much more than they cost. Spread plaster 
on pastures, one or two bushels to the acre, and sprinkle 
it about the stables. It also may bo used in the hill, with 
corn and potatoes, with good effects. 
ISertg-c ion MiirySsuaal.—“Hedge,” Kent 
Co., Md., wishes an evergreen hedge, and we give liis 
letter for the most part entire, as it and the answers will 
interest others, and it also shows how questions crowd 
upon us. This letter has been on hand for a long time, 
for the reason that there were so many queries that we 
saved it to make it the text of a longer article than we 
usually put into the “ Basket,” but finding no space else¬ 
where, we reply here. (1) “ I wish to plant a fancy or or¬ 
namental hedge, that will turn stock, on each side of 
my lawn or front yard. I prefer an evergreen. (2) Holly is 
very slow; how would it do to set out a row thickly with 
young Holly trees, say as large as your wrist, cut off the 
tops to four, five, or six feet, and then, in a year or so, 
when the plants were started vigorously again to grow¬ 
ing, to lay or plash them as the Osage Orange and Buck¬ 
thorn is sometimes treated ? Or cut the plant down to the 
ground when first set out? (3) IIow are Holly hedges 
usually make? (4) What would you say of the Makoriia 
Aquifoliitm , (Holly-leaved Barberry or Mahonia Barberry,) 
and how best propagated ? (5) Your opinion of the com¬ 
mon Barberry, (Herberts vulgaris)? (0) IIow would the 
Towns baccata, ( European Yew,) answer the purpose ? 
How best managed, etc.? Is it an expensive plant, and 
do the nurserymen usually furnish it ? (7) I have a small 
farm, nicely and publicly situated. I am putting an Osage 
Orange hedge around the whole place, (am bound all 
around by road,) and wish to divide the lawn and front yard 
by this fancy hedge. (8) At Wilmington, Del., we have 
Willows of which powder and baskets are made; we call it 
the Powder Willow. Is that the White Willow for live 
'fence ?” — 1. None of the Pine family will make a 
hedge that will turn stock. 2. Ttie only way to get a 
proper hedge is to start with young plants, and make a 
good growth from the base. It would take much longer 
to get plants of this size established, and in shape,—if it 
could be done at all. The treatment for the Osage Orange 
would not do for the Holly, as one is a rapid grower, and 
the other a very slow one. 3. Holly hedges are but little 
known ip this country. In England, great stress is laid 
upon a well and deeply worked soil, in order to get as 
rapid a growth as possible. Young plants are set at a 
foot or eighteen inches apart, and treated as other hedges. 
4 This will not make a hedge that will turn stock, but 
very handsome as a division hedge, with the fault, at the 
North, that the leaves turn black in winter. Readily 
raised from seed. 5. We think highly of it, but it is not 
an evergreen. 6. Will not turn stock, and too uncertain 
unless you wish to experiment. May be had at the nur¬ 
series at a not very high price. 7. If you wish a “fancy, 
hedge,” and one that will turn stock, we do not know 
of anything better than the Holly, if you can wait for it. 
Wliy not keep the stock away, and then Hemlock, the 
most beautiful of evergreen hedges, can be used. 8. The 
White Willow and the “ Powder Willow ” are the same, 
and the one used at the West for fences. It would not 
answer your purpose as an ornamental hedge. 
¥*irae SiCavcs ns n WSailcli.—“W. H. L.” 
writes: “ In the Dec. No. you recommend covering straw¬ 
berries with Pine straw, or rather, the foliage from the 
Pine tree, which I carefully rake off the grass, as it falls, as 
it appeared to me to kill the grass on the lawn where it 
laid. Will not the use of it on the strawberry sour and in¬ 
jure the soil so as to interfere greatly with the sweetness or 
quantity of the crop ?”—The effect on the grass is merely 
mechanical and not due to any injurious quality in the 
Pine leaves. A covering of any kind is injurious to 
grass when it is growing. Witli strawberries the case is 
different. We wish to cover the soil to prevent alternate 
freezing and thawing, and, if the mulch is allowed to re¬ 
main, to keep down the weeds. Pine straw has been 
used largely at the South for such purposes, and we never 
heard of its producing any untoward effects. 
Weeds. —“ J. W. K.,” Quincy, III., asks “Is 
there any way to exterminate what we call here wild sweet 
potato vines, or wild morning glory vines.” We have fre¬ 
quently stated that there is no specific to kill weeds. 
There are but two ways of getting rid of them: Put the 
land in some crop that requires constant working, and 
cultivate it diligently, or use a crop that will grow so 
luxuriantly as to crowd out the weeds. 
CsiUture.—“ J. C. L.,” Montgomery, 
N. Y. An attempt was made early in the present century 
to cultivate the Poppy for opium. We have forgotten 
why it failed, but as the production of opium is much 
dependent upon a suitable climate and very cheap labor, 
we do not think that this and similar cultures can be 
undertaken in this country with a prospect of success. 
IBaaelttlsoirsi. BBertjre.—“ J. S. E.,” Afton, 
Iowa, says: “Please give us some information through 
your columns or by letter, with reference to the Buck¬ 
thorn or English Hedge, of its adaptation to our climate, 
and durability as hedge.” The “ English Hedge ” is the 
Hawthorn, and the Buckthorn is comparatively little 
used in England. Some of the best hedges we have seen 
have been of Buckthorn, and we are at loss to know why 
it is not more used. Its hardiness adapts it to northern 
climates, it grows well, is not liable to be attacked by 
insects, and holds its leaves well into autumn. 
IBetsms 4 "<>»• si IVsneie.—Thos. Bragg, Rah¬ 
way, N. J. Apparently the White Runner; this is a white 
variety of the Scarlet Runner, so much used as an orna¬ 
mental climber. The beans are often sold for the Lima, 
to which they are much inferior, though of fair quality. 
Tlie plants are decidedly different in appearance, and the 
ripe bean is thicker and much whiter. It has quite a 
number of local names, and is, we think, advertised by 
some dealers as new, under one or more names. 
IBees in ffVbraassry—A«lviiee to BBe= 
ginners, by Wm. W„ Gary.— The directions in 
the Apiary for last month are still in force. It is custom¬ 
ary at this season to purchase bees. Being comparative¬ 
ly light in stores and in numbers, they can be moved 
with less risk of combs breaking down, or of smothering, 
than after May. As there is but little to do in the apiary 
this month, beyond seeing that the hives are properly 
ventilated, and the entrance so contracted as to prevent 
a strong current of cold air blowing on the bees, and to 
exclude mice, I will give a few hints to beginners in bee 
culture. In the first place, buy none but strong, healthy 
stocks; it is better to pay twenty dollars for such a 
colony, than to pay five for a diminutive starveling, which 
will neither produce surplus honey nor give an increase 
of swarms. To build up a weak colony and make it 
prosper requires experience for success; beginners should 
let it alone, and neither be anxious for a rapid increase, 
nor dwell on the deceptive beauties of geometrical 
progression in counting upon the number of stocks one 
may be the owner of in a few years. Many persons en¬ 
gage in bee culture, expecting to amass a fortune in a 
short time, and by a little mismanagement sustain a 
heavy loss instead of realizing a handsome profit on the 
money invested. Improve the long winter evenings by 
consulting the best authors, Langstroth and Quinby, and 
question persons in your neighborhood who have met with 
the greatest success. Procure the best hive ; in this, use - 
your judgment. I prefer the Langstroth. Keep none but 
strong colonies. If the beginner will exercise a good 
share of common sense, experiment cautiously, he will 
thus avoid involving the welfare of his apiary in the 
success or failure of a single venture, and will be pretty 
sure to meet with encouraging success in bee culture. 
Bflettels its Emrojse. —We so often met sub¬ 
scribers, who recognized us from the register of names 
at the hotels in Europe, that we conclude very many of 
our readers travel abroad. And why should not this be 
the case? The enterprising people who accumulate 
money for traveling, are quite likely to avail themselves 
of the advantage which such a journal as this affords. As 
many others of our hundreds of thousands of readers 
are likely to visit foreign lands, we may well give from 
time to time any useful hints drawn from experience or 
observation.—Every American traveler knows the diffi¬ 
culty of choosing a good hotel in the different cities in 
Europe. The guide books, especially the one most car¬ 
ried by Americans, often commends only those houses 
which pay the highest bonus. (Thus, for example, at In¬ 
terlaken, Switzerland, there are many good hotels, but as 
we incidentally learned, the author of the guide book re¬ 
ceived 500 francs to name but one. Of course, we found 
a portion of the 500 francs in our bill, at that hotel.) As 
the European hotels charge by the items, there is good 
opportunity to reckon these up to any desired sum—all 
the traveler will stand, usually. Candles, or “tallow 
droppers,” are almost always charged for, at three to six 
times their cost. Most of the hotels are neat and well 
kept; some of loud pretensions are far from neatness and 
comfort. We name here some which we found all right 
as respects comfort and reasonable charges, starring some 
where we found extra comfort, Cork, Royal Victoria; 
Dublin, Gresham; Belfast, Imperial; Portrush, Antrim 
Arms; Edinburg, Waterloo*; Brussels, Bellevue*; 
Amsterdam, Amstel*; Coblentz, Bellevue; Frankfort, 
Union; Dresden, Bellevue , also Victoria; Berlin, Hotel 
de Rome; Stockholm, Rydburg; St. Petersburg, Hotel 
de Grand; Moscow, Dusaux; Warsaw, VEurope; 
Cracow, Saxe; Munich, Four Seasons*; Mt. Rigi, Rigi 
Staffel; Andermatt, St. Gothard ; Faido, Angelo; Maga- 
dino, Bellevue; Stresa, Borromean Isles; Domo d'Ossola, 
Grand delaVille; Brieg, Angleterre; Martigny, de la Tour ; 
Geneva, de la Paix ; Berne, Schweizerlwf; Turin, L'Eu¬ 
rope ; Milan, Cavour; Verona, Londres; Venice, Baiter's 
Grand Hotel de la Ville*; Bologna, Brun; Florence, New 
York; Leghorn, Washington & Victoria; Rome, Angle¬ 
terre *; Naples, Hotel de Russe. Wo omit cities where 
the hotel selected was more or less unsatisfactory. At 
London, the Langham's is a really grand hotel, much fre¬ 
quented by Americans. Those who wish less display of 
fashion and dress, and lower prices, will find very com¬ 
fortable quarters at the Queen's Hotel. We have tried both. 
As most persons remain there two weeks or mere, the 
preferable way is to seek what are termed “ lodgings ” or 
“apartments.” One can get good well furnished rooms, 
with service, cooking, etc., at moderate stipulated rates, 
and order whatever he likes for each meal, paying only 
its cost. In this way he lias all of the comforts of a home, 
just such food as he desires, or the market affords, and as 
cheaply as he could live at home. We found a good 
home at Mrs. Clivcly’s, No. 6 Upper Woburn Place, ad¬ 
joining Tavistock Square and Dickens’ city residence. 
(The streets in this quarter are barred against carriages 
from sundown to 8 A. M., which renders them very quiet.) 
In Paris,in 1802, we found the Grand Hotel de Louvretm ex¬ 
cellent residence, at reasonable rates ; in 1807 it was exor¬ 
bitant in its charges and pretensions, as were most Paris 
hotels. One will enjoy more quiet and comfort at less 
pretentious but good houses, like the Hotel de Londres, 
on Rue Castiglione, and others of its class. In Vienna, 
all the hotels are said to bo pretentions, and rather proud 
of their reputation for high charges; we found the Arch¬ 
duke Charles of this class, and would try another if going 
there again. At Luzerne, there are several good hotels, 
full and expensive in the “ season.” The Hotel Balances 
is reasonable, quiet, and has some very good rooms, with 
balconies over the water; table, good. The worst of all 
the hotels we were forced into, was the Hotel de Londres 
et Post , at St. Michael, before crossing Mt. Cenis. The 
other hotel there cannot be worse, and may be better. 
—--- M O M -* - 
Milking—How Often Should it be Done? 
An experienced dairyman discusses at some 
length, in the Agricultural Gazette, (Eng.,) the 
number of times a cow should be milked daily. 
We need not give his views in full, hut 
they are decidedly in favor of milking three 
times a day instead of twice. His argument for 
a more frequent milking is founded upon the 
fact that a cow with the ©alf by her side, in aa 
