90 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[March, 
Coffee a. Cure for Scours in Calves. 
—Mrs. N Howard, of North Charlestown, N. H. writes: 
“ A subscriber asks for a remedy for scours in calves. I 
send a simple remedy, namely: Three table-spoonfuls of 
ground Java coffee, put into milk or in “ slops ” given to 
a cow. This has in several instances cured the scours. 
Sometimes the second or third dose is required. This is 
my remedy for calves, and for pigs also, in smaller 
doses, of course, and it has never failed. 
Oil»cakc.—What Is Oil-calce ?—N. 
Inkkam, Quincy, Ill.—The common vegetable oils, name¬ 
ly, linseed oil, hemp-seed oil, rape oil, cotton-seed oil, 
castor oil, olive oil, poppy oil, etc., are all expressed from 
seeds. This is accomplished by the action of heat and 
pressure upon the ground seeds. The pulp which i£ press¬ 
ed being usually confined in sacking, when the press¬ 
ure is over, the residue is in the form of flat cakes, quite 
hard, and impressed with the strands of the sacking. 
These cakes constitute the oil-cakes of commerce. 
When “oil-cake” is spoken of, however, that of flax¬ 
seed (linseed) is uniformly meant. Other oil-cakes are 
called by the name of the seed, as rape cake, cotton-seed 
cake, etc. Those commonly used as feed are linseed and 
cotton-seed cake, and in Europe rape cake. Cotton-seed 
cake, which is considered safe for feeding, should be 
from the “ decorticated ” seed—that is, seed which has 
had the shell taken off before pressing. All oil-cakes 
that can be safely fed arc very nutritious and fattening, 
and increase the value of the manure of animals. The 
castor bean leaves a residue called castor pomace, which, 
though unfit for feed, is an excellent manure. 
BJarley.— “J. B. G., Jr.,” Balti¬ 
more. Barley is adapted to soils intermediate between 
good wheat land and rye land. It follows corn, potatoes, 
or any root crop well; not other small grains. It is best to 
sow it on a clover or old grass sod, turned over in the 
fall, if not put on fallow ground. However, if you can 
turn the sod over flat this spring, or, better, break it *up 
with a Michigan or double plow—that is, a large plow 
with a small one cutting the sod simply, set upon the beam 
like a coulter— you may get a very good crop. Three to 
five hundred pounds of good bone-dust, or two hundred 
pounds of guano, well harrowed in, will help out the crop 
ou poor soil. Use about two bushels of seed on ordinary 
land. Barley is always sowed in the spring. 
CSaestei* 'WSaite Elog-s.—E. H. Edkin, of 
Williamsport, sends us the weight of six pet pigs of his, 
14 months old, the property of A. G. Shifiler, as follows : 
No. 1, G55 lbs. live, 500 lbs. dressed ; No. 2, 593 lbs. live, 
550 dressed; No. 3, 5S3—523; No. 4, 523—493; No. 5, 
438-400; No. 0, 408—37G. 
Mamirc Cgraestiosis nsticl Answers. 
—“Line upon line, precept upon precept.” We answer 
questions about manures and their combination, prepara¬ 
tion, production, composting, and application, with great 
pleasure, for on their correct management depends more 
than on any other one thing the future agricultural pros¬ 
perity of this nation. There are some statements which 
we might make every month, and without referring back 
to see, would p say were so made, which nevertheless re¬ 
quire to be made again and again in response to earnest 
inquiries of people who are only just beginning to think 
practically upon the subject. 
Lime and Salt. —“P. P. S.,” E. Greenbush.— 
“ What effect will lime and salt have on a compost of 
muck and yard manure ?” You compost yard manure with 
muck in order that the mixture may ferment, and become 
fine and homogeneous in its character. The proportions 
of materials may be determined by your convenience; 
neither will harm the other. One load of manure to four 
of dry muck, well mixed and packed, will cause a fermen¬ 
tation ; one to three, or one to two, would often be better. 
Lime and salt—that is, lime shaked with brine—will do 
this compost no good, and might better be applied to the 
field, if needed there. The place for the salt and lime 
• mixture is in simple muck or peat, and so^ttsed it will 
cause a fermentation and breaking down of the lumps, so 
that the mass will be fine, and fit either to use in a com¬ 
post with manure or otherwise. Here also the propor¬ 
tions may, and should, vary from one bushel to one barrel 
to the ox-cart or two-horse load. 
Hen Manure in tlao Garden.— “H. R. M.,” 
Newark, N. J., asks how to use hen manure in an ordi¬ 
nary fruit and vegetable garden. Ans .—Make a good 
compost with earth, or better with muck, mixing with it, 
perhaps, well sieved coal ashes, and adding to it chamber 
lye or soap suds enough to moisten, but not wet the mass. 
After it has fermented, put it where you intend to raise 
vegetables, and fork it well in, mixing it thoroughly with 
the soil to a depth of 7 to 10 inches. 
Manure for a Shallow Clay Soil.—The same 
asks: “What manure shall I put on a shallow red clay, on 
a hard pan substratum ?” Ans. —The material of which 
bricks are made in the shape of pipe tiles , laid carefully in 
rows 3!4 or 4 feet deep, forming tubes which, if a slight 
descent be given them, will cause a rapid drying of the 
soil, a breaking up of the hard pan, access of the roots to 
new soil, access of air to the lower parts of the soil, and 
a preparation of the soil, so that any manure will tell. 
Lime on Clays. —On such a soil as above described, 
lime will act very favorably. Apply it after spading deeply 
on the surface. Use less in the spring than in the fall, 
naif a bushel to the square rod is a very fair dressing—a 
peck would probably produce a noticeable effect, and in 
autumn no harm would come from a bushel or more. 
Aslies and Men Manure Compost.— Eugene 
Ilodson. Take care about the mixture of wood ashes and 
hen manure. You will lose much ammonia unless the 
heap is well covered with muck or loamy soil, as well as 
mixed with the same. If the hen manure constitutes only 
one-fourth of the compost, and it is well mixed'and free 
from lumps, it will not hurt corn if put in the hill. 
Goose Manure.— There is a great prejudice against 
this excellent fertilizer. It needs only to be well com¬ 
posted to be exceedingly valuable. Geese eat grass, and 
drink a great deal of water, but the moisture passes off 
chiefly through the skin and lungs, and their dung is dry 
and strong; hence it needs composting. 
Uroom-corai, (“ D. C. C.,”) is raised on any 
good corn ground- It is best to select that which is not 
weedy, and especially not overrun with quack or couch 
grass. Plow in manure, or plant on a sod, calculating to 
use ashes or some fertilizer in the hills or drills. Harrow 
thoroughly, and sow the seed at early corn-planting time. 
The hills or drills should probably be about 8 1 / 2 feet apart 
in your latitude, (Mississippi.) 
Loose 'WJSg'OBH 'Fires.— Much expense 
would be saved at blacksmiths’ if the wheels were made 
of thoroughly seasoned wood, and the felloes were soaked 
in linseed oil. Steel tires are as economical upon wheels 
as steel rails upon a railroad. 
TiisioJliy Buying Out.—“H. A. H.,” of 
Plainview, Minn., wishes to know why Timothy does not 
succeed well on their old lands. He- says this grass “ suc¬ 
ceeds on new lands and thrives in corners and by the 
roadside, but does not do well on lands from which 
twelve grain crops have been taken in succession without 
any manure.” This grass is more easily destroyed by 
close feeding or severe freezing then most other. The 
hard cropping has probably something to do with the 
failure in this case. The land in Minnesota, we are told, 
does not produce half the wheat it Aid in its virgin state, 
which shows the need of rotation and of manure. It is 
not strange that Timothy does not succeed on land so 
constantly cropped with grain. We wouki recommend a 
rotation of five or six years ; say, 1, corn on the sod and 
lime, if it can be had; 2, oats or potatoes ; 3, wheat with 
manure, sowing Timothy, 8 quarts to the acre, with the 
wheat, and clover the following Spring on the last snow ; 
4. clover; 5, Timothy one or two years. The aftermath 
should not be fed if you wish to continue the land in 
mowing for a longer term. Deeper plowing also would 
have a good influence upon the grass as well as other crops. 
©sie-IIorse Blosie Mill. —A great need 
seems to be a cheap, efficient bone mill. The simplest 
means for crushing ores, next to the sledge hammer, is the 
stamp mill. This consists of two or more beams setup- 
right, having heavy iron or steel “heads,” ou which they 
stand in a trough, having a bottom of hard stones or iron 
plates, and boxed around, so that pieces cannot fly off. 
The beams are lifted one after another by spurs on an 
axle; and, when raised perhaps 18 inches or 2 feet, fall 
with crushing blows. If care were had always to have 
bones under the stamps, we see no reason why both the 
stamp-heads and the bed piece might not be made of cast 
iron. Ure’s dictionary, or almost any work on mining, 
will furnish plates and descriptions of stamp mills. 
A Select I.ist of Veg-etnl»les.—Some 
years we have published a list of vegetable seeds, to aid 
our readers in making up a selection from the many 
kinds named in the catalogues. When this has been 
omitted, we have been reminded of it by a number of 
subscribers, and we are warranted in supposing that they 
have found it useful. The lists have heretofore been of 
such kinds as our own experience has indicated; the 
present one is made up rather differently. We requested 
our leading dealers in various parts of the country to fur¬ 
nish us with catalogues, marked in a manner to desig¬ 
nate the estimation in which the varieties were held by 
their customers. We have in this way taken a vote on 
the vegetables, and though it has been some trouble to 
tabulate these returns, and get “ the sense of the meet¬ 
ing,” yet the work has been an interesting one. It is 
curious to see how well fixed is the popularity of some 
varieties—thus the Winningstadt Cabbage is marked on 
every list, though in different numbers. One selecting 
from this list will not be likely to go far wrong, but we 
by no means assume that it comprises ail the varieties 
worth cultivating. There are many novelties offered each 
year, and the progressive gardener will make a trial of 
some of them. Then again, an enthusiastic seed grower, 
like Mr. Gregory, of Marblehead, Mass., has many special¬ 
ties which we know to be excellent, but as they are not 
kept everywhere, we do not include them in a general list, 
but refer for all novelties and specialties to the advertise¬ 
ments and catalogues of the dealers. We do not include 
those vegetables of which there are but one- or two var¬ 
ieties. A list of those vegetables preferred by market 
gardeners will be found on page 102. 
Beans — Early Bush. —Valentine, China, Early G-weeks. 
Late Bush.— Refugee, White Kidney, or Royal Dwarf. 
Pole. —Lima, Horticultural, Wax. 
Beets. —Bassano, Blood Turnip, Long Blood. 
Broccoli. —Early Cape, Walcheren. 
Cabbage — Early. —Wakefield, Early York, Winning¬ 
stadt. Late.— Flat Dutch, Stone Mason, Marblehead. 
Savoy.— Drumhead Savoy. 
Cavlifloiver — Early.— Erfurt, Half Early Paris, Early 
Paris. Late.— Lenormand, Nonpareil. 
Celery. —Dwarf White Solid, Boston Market, Seymour's 
Superb. 
Carrot.— Early Horn, Long Orange. 
Corn , Sweet — Early. —Early Dwarf Sugar, S-rowcd Sugar. 
Late— Stowell’s Evergreen, Asylum. 
Cucumbers — Early. —Early Russian, White Spined, 
Cluster. Late.— Long Green Prickly, Long Green Turkey. 
Lettuce — Early. —Silesia, Tennis Ball, Simpson. Late. 
—India, Butter. 
Melons — Music. —Japan, Nutmeg, Citron. Water .— 
Mountain Sweet, Mountain Sprout. 
Onions — Early. —Yellow Danvers, Early Red, White 
Portugal. Late .-—Wethersfield Red. 
Peas — Earliest. —Carters First Crop, Dan. O'Rourke, 
McLean’s Advancer. Medium Early for General Crop.— 
Champion of England, Eugenic, Napoleon. Dwarf.— 
McLean’s Little Gem, Bishop's Long Pod. Tom Thumb. 
Late. —British Queen, Black-eyed Marrowfat. 
Potatoes. —Early Goodrich, Ash-leaf Kidney, Early Cot¬ 
tage. 
Radishes. —Long Scarlet Short-top, French Breakfast, 
Rose Olive-shaped. 
Squashes — Early. — Summer Crook-neck, White and 
Yellow Scallop. Late. —Hubbard, Boston Marrow, Yoko¬ 
hama. 
Tomato — Early. —Smooth Red, Early York, Cook's Fav¬ 
orite. Late .—Tilden, Fejee. 
Turnips—Early. — Early Dutch, Red and White-top 
Strap-leaf. Late. —White French, Robinson’s Golden Ball. 
IS aty BS«.‘SiuS>Jc Seeds. — Many do not 
seem to consider the great importance that attaches to 
the quality of garden seeds they plant, and buy their 
spring stock at the country store without regard to any¬ 
thing but the fact that they are 6eeds. Now we know 
that in many country stores good seeds are sold, and we 
also know that there is a great deal of trash disposed of. 
If in doubt as to the quality of the seed on hand, or 
offered near home, send off to some seedsman of known 
reputation, and get the needed supply by mail. All garden 
seeds, unless in larger quantities than a farmer would 
want, go cheaply and quickly by mail, and the most re¬ 
mote have equal advantages with those near large dealers. 
The Catawba Grape and its Descendants, 
Diana and Iona, 
BT C. W. GRANT. ' 
[Tn our notes upon grapes, we some time ago stated 
that we awarded high praise to the Iona, when we said it 
was as good as a well ripened Catawba. In discussing 
this matter with Dr. Grant, we requested him to 
write out his own views upon the subject, which he has 
done. An opportunity for a more extended comparison 
of the Iona with a large number of other grapes, testing 
them daily for some weeks, led to the statement that we 
have already made, that in point of quality the Iona was 
“ the best of our native grapes.” We give place, though 
rather late, to Dr. Grant’s article, with the remark that 
we think his position well taken, and that we think it 
will lead the public to discriminate more closely in the 
matter of quality, not only with the grape, but with all 
other fruits.— Eds.] 
We have hitherto taken the Catawba as our standard 
in measuring the quality of our native grapes, both be¬ 
cause it was more extensively known than any other good 
native kind, and because it possessed an assemblage of 
qualities that gave an idea of the grape as one of the best 
of fruits. Although we have never represented it able to 
