216 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[Mat, 
2 Months. 
The General Premium Articles and Books are 
open to all, until July 1st. So there are 
Two Months More, 
for filling <mt premium lists of subscriptions al¬ 
ready begun. ALSO for any one to begin and 
complete new premium lists. Those who have 
aimed at getting some larger premium and have not 
succeeded, may still do so ; or if without any hope 
of success, may select some smaller article and 
fill up the list large enough to get that one. The 
Illustrated Descriptive List of the General Premi¬ 
ums (32 pages) will be mailed free to any one re¬ 
questing it by postal card, and giving his address. 
Tliere is Plenty of Time yet, both to 
fill out lists, and to make up large and small new 
lists. Last year, and in previous years, many per¬ 
sons have begun in May and secured without expense, 
just the implements and other articles they needed, 
and thus saved an outlay of $5, $10, $20, $50, and 
sometimes a $100, and upward. Ladies have usu¬ 
ally been most successful in May and June. 
Over Thirty Thousand People have 
already received our Premium Articles free of 
cost. Let the reader be one of the constantly-in¬ 
creasing number. A little effort now will secure 
just what is wanted, the present season. There are 
everywhere plenty of people who are not yet read¬ 
ing such a journal as this, who could do so with 
pleasure and profit. 
Some of the Newer Potatoes. 
Whoever keeps the run of the catalogues is aware 
that the growers of new varieties of potatoes have 
by no means given up their attempts to produce 
better varieties than any we now have. The “Early 
Rose ” marked a great improvement in potato cul¬ 
ture, and it is noticeable that to this day it is the 
standard with which all early varieties are com¬ 
pared, as the “ Peach Blow ” for late sorts. Among 
the several new varieties recently offered for the 
first time, two have been sent us for trial; the 
“White Elephant” and the “Belle.” 
The “White Elephant” we first saw last year at 
the store of Messrs. J. M. Thorbum & Co., who 
“ THE BELLE ” POTATO, 
had not then concluded to send it out. The uni¬ 
form large size of the tuber was most striking, and 
the accounts showed an enormous yield. It was 
produced from that parent of so many fine pota¬ 
toes, the “Garnet Chili,” said to be fertilized with 
“White Peach Blow.” Some of the specimens 
were given us for trial, and were found to be of 
excellent quality. We shall be disappointed if the 
“White Elephant” potato does not take rank 
with our very best late kinds. 
Another novelty is “The Belle,” which is well 
named, for half a dozen handsomer tubers are rarely 
seen thau those which came in a box from Isaac F. 
fillinghast, La Plume, Pa. Nothing definite seems 
to be known of the parentage of “ The Belle,” 
the originator, in New York State, not caring to 
have his success in producing new varieties known 
beyond his immediate neighborhood. Mr. Tilling- 
hast thinks that this combines more of the require¬ 
ments of a first-class potato than any other he has 
ever seen, and his experience covers the testing 
of several hundreds. The engraving, of about half 
size, shows the shape, which, as well as the size, is 
very uniform; the skin is light red, slightly rus- 
seted; eyes but slightly depressed. The yield is 
large ; season medium. The potato upon the table 
is unsurpassed in quality, though the trial which we 
made was with specimens upon which the young 
sprouts had grown an inch or more in length. 
The Peach Crop for 1881.— The peach 
growers in all parts of the country are filled with 
anxiety about their orchards. A few days ago a 
quantity of twigs were sent us by Hon. J. J. Rosa, 
Milford, Delaware, and have been submitted to a 
microscopic examination. The twigs were from 
seven leading varieties. The following is the de¬ 
tailed statement of the results obtained : 
Variety. 
Flower 
Buds. 
Lateral 
Stem Buds 
Terminal 
Buds. 
dead 
alive 
dead 
alive 
dead 
alive 
Earlv Beatrice. 
65 
none 
10 
none 
5 
none 
97 
1 
16 
Crawford Late. 
107 
none 
5 
4 
7 
4 
Early Alexander. 
52 
6 
Reeves Favorite. 
63 
none 
7 
5 
6 
5 
Smock. 
30 
none 
10 
none 
none 
4 
Troth’s Early. 
78 
none 
1 
14 
i 
2 
Total.. 
402 
none 
33 
23 
26 
31 
It would appear from this examination that not 
only have the fruit buds been killed, but the twigs 
and stem buds have suffered badly. In most cases 
the wood, that should appear fresh with the inner 
bark green, is discolored and evidently dead. The 
bark on some of the twigs is wrinkled. There 
is reason to believe that there may be a sad truth 
in the statement recently made by a Delaware peach 
grower when he said : “ We will probably not have 
another crop like the one of 1880 until new orchards 
are planted and come into bearing.” The orchard- 
ists of Michigan and some other peach regions 
are more hopeful of a fair crop the coming season. 
Albuminoids and Alillc.— Milk, as it is 
natural to suppose from its functions, isacomplete 
and therefore a complex food. Ordinary cow’s milk 
contains about equal amounts of albuminoi s or 
substances containing nitrogen, largely in the form 
of casein, and fat, or, when separated from all the 
other constituents, what is known as butter. The 
amount of these two most important substances is 
about 3.5 per cent of the whole milk, but is sub¬ 
ject to considerable variation depending upon the 
breed of the animal and the food upon which it 
lives. In butter making we separate and sell a 
product which does not contain any albuminoids. 
In butter farming it therefore might be inferred 
that only carbonaceous foods were of importance, 
or at least by increasing the amount of carbo¬ 
hydrates fed, the cows would produce a correspond¬ 
ing increase in fat, or butter, in the milk given. 
After a. long series of experiments made in Ger¬ 
many, supplemented by others in France and Eng¬ 
land, it is found that no such relation exists, and 
an increase of the carbohydrates alo is not fol¬ 
lowed by a corresponding increase of the butter. 
On the other hand there is found to be a close rela¬ 
tion between the amount of nitrogenous food and 
the flow of milk, with a considerable change in its 
richness both in fat and albuminoids. These facts 
lead to the conclusion that we must look well to 
the supply of nitrogenous food of cows and, of 
course, along with it an abundance of carbohydrates. 
But the latter will not do alone, even though the 
product for which the cows are kept is a pure car¬ 
bohydrate. 
The I-'anner’s Model Morse. —With 
upwards of six million horses upon the farms of 
the United States, and prospects of the number 
doubling in a few years to come, the question of 
what is the best horse for the farmer is a very im¬ 
portant one. The horse is an essential feature of 
the farm, and the companion and pet of the farmer; 
it is for use and should also be “ a thing of 
beauty.” The farm horse, like the farmer, in a cer¬ 
tain sense, ought to be “a lack at all trades.” It 
should be good for heavy loads, and at the same 
time find itself at home before the buggy upon the 
road; its disposition should be so kind and gentle, 
that the “ women folks ” can handle and use it with 
safety; of good size, with handsome frame, and a 
pleasing color. But how is such a horse to be ob¬ 
tained ? Having a clear idea of what the farmer’s 
horse should be, the horse raiser must breed for it. 
Good things do not come by chance, at least they 
do not come so regularly. By proper selection, the 
right animal, in time, will be produced. Every 
point mentioned above should ba- looked to, name¬ 
ly, size, strength, disposition, style, and color—and 
in bringing them out only the best material should 
be used. It is poor economy to breed only from 
old, broken down and diseased mares, that are 
good for nothing else. It costs no more to raise a 
colt that will grow into a large, handsome horse— 
one that will always bring a good price—than one 
that is small, ugly, and ill-shaped—in the long run 
it costs much less, and gives infinitely greater satis¬ 
faction. There is a great field in America for those 
who will breed for the farmer’s model horse. 
The Granite Iron "Ware was put into our 
Premium List, because we were well convinced of its 
utility, and some of our associates, who are using it. 
strongly commend It. 
Paper and Harvesters.— The Catalogue of the 
Champion Machine Co. gives an interesting history of 
the invention of their harvesting machines, and the re¬ 
markable expansion of their manufacture, from small 
beginning. In the surprising array of figures we notice 
the use of 106 tons of printing paper for Directions for 
Use, Pamphlets, Circulars, etc. 
Working in the Sun, if very hot, is always un¬ 
comfortable, and sometimes dangerous. Ray’s Sun 
Shade, so fastened as to shield the head, and yet leave 
the hands free, must be a decided comfort, often a 
health saver. 
“Hybrid” Cotton Plants, of which seeds are 
being offered at the South, at 30 cents each, and of which 
$15,000 worth are claimed to have been sold this year, is 
just one of those preposterous things we have so often 
advised our readers to let alone. We have not room for 
further particulars now. 
“ The Farmer’s Watch.”— While a watch may 
be bought for $3 or $4, it is not likely to be of any real 
use. We have good reason, however, to believe the 
low-priced "Farmer’s Watch,” offered by Messrs. J. S. 
Birch & Co. will perform quite as satisfactorily as many 
that cost several times as much. 
The Cooley Creamery, made by the Vermont 
Farm Machine Co., was used by P. G. Henderson, of 
Central City, Iowa, in making the “largest yield of 
Butter” reported at the recent meeting of the North 
Western Butter and Cheese Association, held at Cedar 
Rapids, la. This comparatively new method has many 
advantages over the old ones. 
ElJwanger Sc Barry’s Rose Catalogue is 
really a compact treatise on the Rose, and bears evidence 
of much careful research, as not only are the varieties 
described, but the name of the originator and the year 
in which each was first sent out. 
Catalogues Received. 
Many of the catalogues came just after the April num¬ 
ber went to press, hence the apparent delay in noticing. 
Several are now crowded over for want of room. 
SEEDSMEN. 
Bago & Batchelder, Springfield, Mass. — Besides 
seeds of all kinds, a full illustrated list of farm and 
garden implements, etc. 
D. C. Buainerd, Mount Lebanon. N. Y.—Sends the 
Shaker's annual catalogue of vegetable and flower seeds. 
Samuel N. Cox, Saint Joseph, Mo.—A very compact 
and useful list of vegetable and farm seeds. 
J. C. Everitt, Ontario. Ind. — Special Potato Circular, 
with some not known to Eastern growers. 
Joseph Harris, Moreton Farm. Rochester. N. Y.— 
Much larger than heretofore, with various specialties. 
Aaron Low, Essex. Mass.—A number of specialties 
in vegetables. Also farm and garden implements. 
Frank S. Platt, New Haven. Conn.—A very full il¬ 
lustrated list of garden requisites, as well as seeds. 
Steele Bros. & Co.. Toronto, Ont.—Besides flower, 
vegetable, and farm seeds, has Implements, etc. 
Isaac F. Tilianghast. La Plume. Pa.—Offers “relia¬ 
ble seeds at honest prices,” various new potatoes, 
and gives much useful instruction. 
