QUERIES AND ANSWERS. 165 



pounds of increase, while the pig will consume 29 pounds of dry sub- 

 stance and yields G^^% pounds of increase. 



Dr. Gilbert says the fattening foods are more valuable in proportion to 

 their richness in digestible and available non-nitrogenous constituents, 

 but as the manure is most valuable when it contains a large proportion of 

 nitrogen there is an advantage in giving food rich in nitrogen even 

 though it may not be so fattening. 



926. Q. What are slime molds ? SUme Molds. 

 A. The lowest order of fungi, consisting of a mass of slime growing 



usually on other vegetable matter, as on leaves or wood, often on the roots 

 of cultivated plants. The study of the subject of root parasites in general 

 is being given great attention, for it is being discovered they are nearly 

 quite as common as leaf parasites. 



927. Q. Is Clover hay, according to its analysis, more valuable than clover Hay. 

 Timothy hay ? 



A. Most certainly. It is quite 25 per cent, more valuable, ton for ton. 

 It contains twice as much nitrogen as Timothy, and nitrogen is worth 

 fifteen to twenty cents a pound. Grow Clover hay yourself and you will 

 not need to raise or purchase so much oil cake for feeding. The estimated 

 average quantity of nitrogen in hay of Timothy is about 5 per cent., in 

 Crimson Clover about 10 per cent, and in Cow Pea straw about 16 per 

 cent. 



928. Q. Can land be cropped continuously, and the product kept up, Fertilizer, 

 on superphosphates of lime? 



A. It might, but the practice would be without reason. All crops re- 

 quire slightly dilferent food and some very distinctly diflferent, conse- 

 quently an answer to your inquiry depends upon the crops you would 

 purpose to grow. A continuous series of crops might be grown from 

 superphosphates, but what would be the advantage in thus adhering to 

 one fertilizer. It would be impractical and probably unprofitable. 



929. Is it true that some plants poison the land so that others cannot Poisoned 

 grow ? ^a'^**' 



A. Dr. Lawes says that it is so, after fifty years* close attention to the 

 subject. He denies that there are any injurious or poisonous excretions. 



930. Q. Will you draw out a list of fruits arranged in the order of their Fruits 



ripening? in Order of 



A. Yes ; but the list can only be of such as are found most suitable in M*t""*y* 

 this section of eastern Pennsylvania. 



Of Apples as follows : 



Early. — Bachelor's Blush, Hagloe, Rose, Early Harvest, Yellow 

 Trampat, Red June, Astrachan, Summer Pearmain. 



Intermediate. — Smoke House, Maiden's Blush, Gravenstein, Tall Pippin, 

 Orange Pippin. 



jLo<e.— Fallawater, Ben Davis, Northern Spy, Smith's Cider, Baldwin, 

 York Improved. 



