THE GENESEE FARMER. 



scratching ofl" the outer coat, its course can be traced, and 

 it3 location found by a blackish spot about as large as a 

 wheat kernel, by cutting into which the worm will be ex- 

 posed to Tiew. 



Alkaline washes are destructive to insects, their eggs 

 and larvpc, one of the most common of which is good soft 

 soap. Some cultivators put a handful of the soap in the 

 fork of the tree. Downing recommends coating the tree 

 with a paint made of soap, sulphur, and tobacco water. 

 Dr. Fitch recommends puncturing the bark at the upper 

 end of the burrow and pouring in hot water from a vessel 

 having a smajl spout, repeating the water at intervals 

 until it oozes out at the bottom of the hole. A heat of 

 180 deg. (somewhat below the boiling point) will kill the 

 worm if the water reaches it in any considerable quantity. 



Corn vs. Rye as Foon for Hogs. — I wish to know the 

 comparative difference between a bushel of corn and a 

 bushel of rye, to be ground and fed to fattening hogs and 

 cattle, the rye being the cheapest in this vicinity.— 3*. W. 

 Hall, Loraine Co., "Ohio. 



We know of no experiments bearing on this point. The 

 composition of dry corn and rye, according to Johnston, 



is as follows : 



Corn. Rye 



Starch, &c., 71.6 78.0 



Protein compounds, 12.8 12.5 



Fatly matter, 9.0 8.5 



Husk, I ] 6.9 



Mineral matter, J ( 1.2 6.0 



mo iooio 

 The amount of protein or Jltsfi-forming compounds is 

 nearly identical in both corn and rye. Rye contains the 

 most starch, and corn the most fatty matter. Whether 

 oil is more fatiening than starch, is a disputed point. 

 Taking the starch and fatty matter together, there is very 

 little difference between corn and rye in the amount of 

 heat or fat-forming compounds. So far as these analyses 

 indicate, there is very little difference in the value of corn 

 and rye as food. Rye is said to be easier of digestion than 

 corn. Morton's Cyclopedia, an excellent authority, says 

 " rye is inferior to wheat as a bread-corn, to barley as 

 food for hogs, or for the use of maltsters or distillers, or 

 oats as food for horses." 



We shall be glad to hear from those who have had ex- 

 perience on this subject. 



The relative Value op Liquid and Solid ExcnEiiENTS. 

 — (J. S.) A man passes about 95 lbs.. of foeces and 1,004: 

 lbs. of liquid in the course of a year. The former con- 

 tains 1.2 lbs. of nitrogen; the latter, 10.8 lbs; so that the 

 liquid is worth about nine times as much as the solid ex- 

 crements. But, from this statement, many persons ap- 

 pear to have got an erroneous impression. We have 

 heard it publicly asserted that a gixen iveigid of urine is 

 nine times as valuable as the dung. This is not the cose. 

 One hundred pounds of urine contains no more nitrogen 

 and other food of plants than one hundred pounds of dung. 

 The dry, solid matter of the urine, is exceedingly valuable 

 —very much more so than that of the dung; but it is 

 mixed with so much water as greatly to reduce its 

 ■trength. It is, ot course, of great importance to preserve 

 ail the liquid on a farm, inasmuch as by far the greater 

 proportion of valuable fertilizing matter is found in it; 

 but when we talk of purchasing the liquid, we must re- 

 member that, from the great quantity of water united with 

 it, a ton of urine is worth no more than a too of good dung. 



¥ 



«t 



Marsh Willows. — (J. L., Clay, N. Y.) The usua 

 method of subduing these willows is to burn the grass b 

 the marsh early in the spring, following this with a scytb 

 or brush-hook, cutting all the willows left, and piiin 

 them to be burned some future day. Sow with red toj 

 and mow the same season, cutting off any young twigs c 

 willow that have sprouted, which sheep will eat a.s well i 

 the hay. 



When there is not grass enough to burn well and th 

 brush are thick, it will be best to cut them during tl 

 winter and spring, and burn as soon as diy enough. So 

 on red top, or timothy if the land is not too wet, and pa 

 ture the piece. If sprouts come up, run over them wil 

 a brush-scythe the latter part of the season. Clip the 

 off in this way a few times, and they generally run o« 

 The Red and Yellow are the woi^t. 



It will assist in destroying them to make good ditch- 

 along the sides of the field, which not only drain the Ion 

 but, if made broad, serve as a fence. The muck throw 

 out makes good material for compost, or may be appli< 

 as a top-dressing after being frosted one winter. 



If willows can not be subdued in this way, it will 1 

 profitable to set up a basket-factory, and thus turn the 

 to good account. 



Propagating Peach Trees. — I wish to inquire if pea* 

 trees have ever been successfully propagated by layerin 

 as recommended in the Patent Office Report tor 1856, p 

 358 and 889. Any directions for it would be gladly r 

 ccived. Would not trees thus obtained probably be le 

 vigorous than seedlings? This is certainly the case wr 

 the apple and the pear, although with some other trees 

 apparently makes out little difference (o). 



I also wish to inquire particularly if peach trees at R 

 Chester and Utica are ever affected with the yellows (6). 



Which of the late-ripening varieties are found to be tl 

 most profitable? (c) 



Is Hyslop's Cling cultivated with you ? If so, what i 

 you think of it? Elliott's Fi^uit Book recommends 

 highly as a substitute for Heath Cling where that do 

 not ripen well {d). — H., Leominster, Mass. 



(a) Peach trees may undoubtedly be propagated in tt 

 manner mentioned above, but it would certainly be una 

 visable to adopt it as a practice. It may be a means < 

 furnishing amusement but not profit. 



(h) Not to our knowledge. 



(c) Crawford's Late, Red Cheeh Melocoion, and Oldmi 

 on Free, are among the best and most profitable lat 

 ripening varieties. 



((/) Llyslop's Cling is not cultivated in this vicinity, ai 

 we are not acquainted with it. 



Incrustations on Steam Boilers. — (P. R., Harper 

 burg, C. W.) It has always been difficult to prevent > 

 remove these incrustations, which always occur wh( 

 hard water, or wat-er containing lime, is evaporated. J 

 the common tea-kettle they may be partially prevent* 

 by keeping an oyster shell in the kettle, for which tl 

 precipitated lime has a greater afiinity than for the met 

 of the kettle. This is not practicable in boilers. 



Recently, a patent has been granted in England, whi<. 

 is represented as being very efficient for removing tl 

 incrustations. The method is to put a piece of India ru 

 ber, about half a pound, in a boiler of 100 horsepowe 

 where it is allowed to remain continually, small qu&ntitit 

 being added occasionally, so as to keep the water a ligl 

 brownish color. This is said not only to prevent, b' 

 speedily to remove in a few hours all incrustations form*' 

 It is simple and easily tried. 



\i 



