1892 
THE  RURAL  NEW-YORKER. 
101 
very  deep  plowing  is  needed  to  bring  them  up  again.  I 
have  had  the  finest  crops  of  clover,  corn,  potatoes,  rye 
and  grass  from  old  fields  by  turning  the  land  eight 
inches  deep,  and  this  has  resulted  in  the  soaking  of  the 
rain  into  the  ground,  so  that  all  washing  has  been 
completely  stopped.  The  soils  of  Henderson  and 
Cherokee  Counties  are  naturally  exceedingly  fertile, 
and  I  believe  thoroughly  good  plowing  would  bring 
them  into  condition  to  produce  excellent  crops  of  grass 
and  clover.  And  once  the  clover  is  secured  the  end  is 
reached,  for  by  turning  it  under  there  is  no  end  to  the 
sequence  of  clover,  corn  and  wheat  in  rotation.  As 
regards  the  land  in  Virginia,  I  cannot  speak  so  posi¬ 
tively,  but  from  what  I  know  of  neighboring  counties, 
I  should  have  no  hesitation  in  recommending  the  same 
treatment,  with  the  addition  of  a  liberal  liming  of  the 
land  when  seeding  to  clover.  I  have  seen  fine  clover 
fields  along  the  railroad  from  Richmond,  which  skirts 
Powhatan  County,  and  excellent  crops  of  grain.  Gen¬ 
erally  in  the  South  the  land  is  naturally  more  fertile 
than  in  the  North,  but  the  plowing  is  vastly  inferior, 
and  the  milder  winters  have  the  effect  of  lessening  the 
quantity  of  manure  made.  But  if  clover  is  only  grown 
the  manure  question  is  settled.  I  would  recommend  Mr. 
C.  to  send  good  farmers  from  the  North  to  his  farms  in 
the  South,  men  that  are  not  afraid  to  put  the  plow  in  the 
ground,  as  Southern  farmers  mostly  are,  and  if  any 
fertilizer  is  used  at  all,  put  on  30  or  40  bushels  of  lime 
to  the  acre.  Then  put  on  a  wheat  crop  and  seed  to 
Timothy  in  the  fall  and  add  clover,  putting  on  a  full 
peck  of  seed  per  acre  in  the  spring  when  the  land  is 
cracked  by  the  later  frosts ;  or  let  him  seed  with  oats 
in  the  spring  and  harrow  in  the  grass  and  clover  seed 
after  the  oats,  with  a  light  sloping  tooth  harrow.  This 
has  been  my  plan.  h.  stewart. 
A  Low-Land  Problem.  Who  Can  Answer  P 
F.  S.,  Bergen  County ,  N.  J. — I  have  a  meadow  under 
which  the  water  stands  six  inches  to  two  feet  below 
the  surface.  It  produces  a  very  coarse  hay  useless  ex¬ 
cept  for  bedding,  and  it  has  become  very  rough  and 
tussocky.  A  small  portion  I  have  ditched  a  yard  wide 
and  deep,  and  so  got  a  surface  raised  about  18  inches 
above  the  normal  level.  The  soil  appears  to  be  turf 
or  peat  about  three  feet  deep  and  then  black  alluvial 
mold.  Draining  or  flooding  is  out  of  the  question.  1 
should  like  to  know,  1.  Can  anything  be  done  to  im¬ 
prove  the  natural  meadow  by  sowing  either  grasses, 
clover  or  fertilizer,  and  if  so,  what?  2.  What  are  the 
likeliest  crops  or  fertilizers  to  try  on  the  part  I  have 
ditched. 
An 8. — The  attention  of  our  readers  is  called  to  the 
above  questions.  The  R.  N.-Y.  has  no  specific  informa¬ 
tion  to  offer. 
Grasses  for  Permanent  Sod. 
J.  A.  C.,  Cabarrus  Comity,  N.  C. — What  mixture  of 
grasses  and  clover  is  suitable  for  permanent  pasture  or 
meadow?  How  many  pounds  of  each?  Would  acid 
phosphate  and  kainit  be  a  good  fertilizer  for  it,  or 
would  a  complete  fertilizer  be  better? 
Ans. — It  is  not  sufficient  to  depend  on  any  mixture 
of  grasses  to  make  a  pasture.  The  best  preparation  of 
the  land  is  of  the  first  importance.  Then  the  grasses 
are  to  be  chosen.  These  may  consist  of  Orchard  Grass, 
20  pounds ;  Meadow  Fescue,  Meadow  Foxtail,  Peren¬ 
nial  Rye  Grass,  Rhode  Island  Bent,  Hard  Fescue  and 
Red  Top,  of  each  six  pounds.  After  these  are  sown, 
three  pounds  each  of  Red,  Peavine,  White  and  Alsike 
Clovers  should  be  sown,  and  the  whole  lightly  covered 
with  a  plank  smoother,  made  of  three  planks  fastened 
together  18  inches  apart,  by  chains.  This  does  not 
cover  the  seeds  too  deep,  but  some  covering  is  indis¬ 
pensable.  The  seeds  may  be  sown  in  the  spring  as 
early  as  the  land  can  be  put  in  good  condition.  It 
would  be  better  to  use  the  complete  manure  than  any 
partial  one. 
What  Shall  a  Farmer  Study. 
Q.  F.  F.,  New  York. — I  am  a  married  man  of  40,  with 
no  children.  Wife  and  I  were  brought  up  on  a  farm, 
but  drifted  to  the  city  to  better  our  condition,  which 
we  have  not  done.  An  uncle  recently  died  leaving  us 
a  farm  which  is  leased  until  April  ’93.  We  have  about 
$1,000  saved,  and  next  year  we  intend  to  go  to  the 
farm,  as  city  life  does  not  agree  with  us.  During  this 
year  I  intend  to  devote  one  hour  every  evening  to  ag¬ 
ricultural  studies.  Should  I  include  mathematics  in 
my  course?  It  will  of  course  encroach  upon  my  other 
studies.  But  will  it  not  enable  me  to  master  the  other 
studies  more  readily?  In  short,  what  are  the  practical 
benefits  of  mathematics?  I  was  much  interested  in 
“Chemicals  and  Clover.” 
Ans. — Yes,  we  should  include  mathematics.  Arith¬ 
metic  and  the  principles  of  geometry  and  surveying 
will  all  be  of  practical  value  to  you  in  your  farm  work, 
but  the  chief  value  of  the  study  will  come  from  the 
training  of  the  mind  in  exact  and  logical  habits  of 
thought.  There  are  thousands  of  people  who  do  not 
know  how  to  think,  simply  because  they  were  not 
trained  to  the  thinking  habit  while  children.  They 
never  go  to  the  bottom  of  things  and  so  do  not  reason 
from  the  truest  and  surest  principles.  The  average 
child  at  school  does  his  “sums”  by  the  rule  at  the  head 
of  the  department  without  understanding,  half  the 
time,  what  he  is  doing,  losing  the  real  meaning  and 
value  of  the  study.  The  “  sums  ”  are  not  given  him 
so  that  he  may  learn  to  divide,  multiply  and  subtract 
at  the  right  time  and  thus  “  get  the  answer,”  but  to 
teach  him  to  reason  from  one  proposition  to  another 
and  take  the  next  step  because  all  previous  ones  lead 
logically  to  it.  This  way  of  studying  mathematics 
trains  the  mind  to  regard  the  problems  of  actual  busi¬ 
ness,  whether  in  town  or  country,  as  capable  of  being 
reduced  to  true  factors  which  are  ruled  by  certain 
laws.  It  is  well  to  read  and  study  what  is  written  in 
books  about  farm  mattters,  but  most  of  these  writings 
should  be  regarded  as  suggestions  rather  than  rules. 
A  rule  is  only  a  tested  suggestion  anyway.  The  study 
of  arithmetic  as  a  basis  for  mind  training  is  shamefully 
neglected  in  many  of  our  schools. 
Injury  to  Colt’s  Leg:,  Followed  by  Abscess. 
C.  A.  P.,  Hector,  N.  Y. — My  two-year-old  colt  was 
hurt  last  September.  When  found,  her  hip  was  swollen 
and  in  walking  she  dragged  her  toe.  On  the  applica¬ 
tion  of  some  liniment,  the  swelling  went  down  some¬ 
what  and  I  cut  her  leg  open  about  a  foot  above  the 
gambrel  joint,  and  about  two  quarts  of  pus  ran  out, 
and  some  has  been  running  ever  since.  Sometimes  it 
is  bloody. 
Ans. — Employ  a  competent  veterinary  surgeon  to 
examine  and  if  necessary  operate  on  the  limb.  If  a 
pocket  or  pipe  has  formed  it  should  be  freely  cut  open 
to  the  bottom,  and  any  abnormal  or  unhealthy  tissue 
should  be  dissected  out.  If  no  such  pocket  or  pipe  has 
formed,  the  daily  use  of  a  stimulating  wash  would 
probably  effect  a  cure.  An  excellent  wash  for  this 
purpose  is  made  by  dissolving  one  ounce  lead  acetate 
and  three-fourths  ounce  sulphate  of  zinc  in  one  quart 
of  water,  to  be  well  shaken  before  used. 
Rupture  in  a  Colt. 
H.  M.  McN.,  New  Springfield,  Ohio. — My  two-year- 
old  Norman  grade  mare  is  ruptured  in  the  flank;  the 
ruptured  hole  is  about  inch,  and  the  tumor  about 
the  size  of  a  large  hen  egg.  The  latter  can  be  put  back 
very  easily;  can  it  be  cured  or  not?  It  is  about  five  or 
six  weeks  since  the  rupture  happened,  and  it  does  not 
get  any  larger.  Some  advise  me  to  sew  the  hole  to¬ 
gether  with  catgut  and  put  on  a  compress;  others 
say  that  I  should  put  skewers  in  crosswise  and  wrap 
with  silk  thread  not  too  tightly.  What  does  The  Rural 
advise? 
Ans. — Reduce  the  rupture,  making  sure  that  nothing 
projects  through  the  opening,  and  then  apply  clamps 
close  up  to  the  body  as  in  castration.  Allow  the  clamps 
to  be  worn  until  they  slough  off  when  the  rupture  should 
be  closed.  If  it  is  at  a  point  where  the  clamps  cannot 
be  kept  on,  try  blistering;  clip  the  hair  over  and  around 
the  rupture  and  rub  well  with  cerate  of  cantharides 
ointment,  leaving  the  surface  well  covered  with  it. 
The  head  must  be  kept  tied  for  a  few  days  so  that  the 
blistered  surface  cannot  be  reached  with  the  mouth. 
Wash  off  after  36  hours  and  cover  daily,  until  healed, 
with  vaseline  or  other  ointment.  I  would  not  advise 
passing  anything  through  the  skin  to  close  the  open¬ 
ing,  although  either  method  you  describe  might  prove 
successful.  Such  treatment  is  not  as  safe,  however,  as 
that  given  above.  [dr.]  f.  l.  kilborne. 
Growth  on  Eye  of  Horse:  Knee-Sprung:. 
E.  D.  W.,  Huntington,  Conn. — 1.  Thick  matter  oozes 
from  the  eye  of  a  horse.  It  has  become  thicker  since 
cold  weather  set  in  and  dries  on  the  nose  in  a  very  dis¬ 
agreeable  way.  A  wart-like  excrescence  is  growing  on 
the  cornea  of  the  eye  towards  the  nose.  The  trouble 
has  lasted  about  four  months.  2.  What  can  be  done 
for  this  animal  as  well  as  for  another  that  is  slightly 
knee-sprung? 
Ans. — 1.  A  delicate  surgical  operation  will  be  neces¬ 
sary  to  remove  the  growth  from  the  eye.  We  cannot 
advise  you  to  operate  on  a  case  of  this  kind.  Better  to 
employ  a  competent  veterinary  surgeon  to  perform 
the  operation.  2.  Give  the  horse  several  weeks’  rest, 
with  daily  exercise  in  a  large  box  stall  or  in  a  small 
yard.  If  the  injury  is  slight,  light  driving  at  a  slow 
pace  may  be  allowed,  not  to  exceed  two  to  three  hours 
daily.  Lower  the  heels,  to  assist  in  throwing  the  knee 
back  into  position.  Apply  soap  liniment,  compound 
liniment  of  camphor  (either  to  be  obtained  of  any 
druggist)  or  other  good  stimulating  liniment  to  the 
back  tendons  daily,  with  vigorous  hand  rubbing  for  15 
or  20  minutes. 
“New  Varieties”  of  Corn  and  Fruits. 
H.  H.  O.,  Northville,  Term. — 1.  Is  there  a  corn  named 
Modoc — a  white  field  corn  from  the  lava  beds  of  the 
Far  West — and  is  it  any  better  than  some  other  sorts  we 
now  have  ?  2.  Is  there  a  Dr.  Woodhull  Corn  ?  If  so  is 
it  any  better  than  the  Early  Mastodon  ?  3.  Is  there  a 
red  raspberry  that  roots  at  the  tips  like  a  blackcap  ? 
4.  Is  there  an  apple  called  Colton  ?  5.  What  three 
peaches  are  hardy  in  the  blossom  and  late  to  bloom  ? 
6.  Is  there  an  English  gooseberry  called  Lancashire 
Lad,  and  is  it  any  better  than  the  Industry  ? 
Ans. — 1.  The  Modoc  has  not  been  tried  at  the  Rural 
Grounds.  Caution  is  advised.  The  cut  represents  the 
ears  as  not  less  than  two  feet  long.  2.  We  have  never 
heard  of  the  Dr.  Woodhull  Corn  before.  If  the  claims 
made  for  it  are  true,  as  stated  in  Wilson’s  catalogue,  it 
is  the  most  valuable  variety  in  existence.  Our  friend 
is  advised  to  try  it  only  in  a  small  way.  It  is  described 
as  “the  largest  eared,  heaviest  grained  and  most  pro¬ 
ductive  corn  yet  introduced.  Ears  16  to  18  inches  in 
length,  each  one  containing  18  rows  of  solid  grains 
which  completely  cover  the  ends  of  the  cob.  Ripens 
medium  early  and  never  fails  to  make  a  heavy  crop.” 
We  have  little  faith  in  such  statements.  The  Early 
Mastodon,  as  we  remember  it,  is  very  like  Queen  of  the 
Prairie,  an  early  yellow  dent.  3.  We  are  not  aware 
that  there  is  a  real  red  that  bends  over  and  whose  tips 
roots.  Most  of  the  raspberries  of  the  Purple  Cane 
family  will  tip-root — the  Catawissa,  for  example.  4. 
We  do  not  know  it.  5.  Heath  Cling,  Good,  Wonderful, 
Excelsior,  Early  Barnard,  Hill’s  Chili.  6.  We  do  not 
know  of  it. 
Miscellaneous. 
Beans  for  Cattle. — Subscriber,  Orleans  County,  N.  Y. 
— Beans  slightly  damaged  can  be  cooked  and  fed  to 
fattening  cattle  when  mixed  with  ensilage.  Beans 
are  naturally  heating  and  constipating  and  should  be 
fed  with  laxative  foods  like  roots,  ensilage  or  bran.  If 
any  large  quantity  of  food  is  to  be  cooked,  we  should 
prefer  a  steamer  to  a  plain  boiler,  though  the  first  cost 
of  the  former  would  be  heavier.  Some  farmers  who 
use  the  modern  steam  heater  for  heating  their  houses 
run  a  pipe  from  it  to  an  outbuilding  and  use  the  sui1- 
plus  steam  to  cook  stock  food.  They  lose  heat  in  this 
way,  but  it  saves  buying  a  special  steamer.  With  a 
heavy  head  of  steam  on  and  a  one-inch  pipe  well-pro¬ 
tected,  food  could  be  cooked  75  feet  away  from  the 
boiler. 
A  Unit  of  Ammonia. — W.  R.  S.  B.,  Washington,  N.  C. 
— A  “  unit”  means  one  per  cent  per  ton,  or  20  pounds. 
If  you  have  nine  units  in  your  fertilizer  it  means  180 
pounds  in  a  ton. 
Salt  Buttermilk  Sickens  Hogs. — G.  E.  R.,  Woodsville, 
N.  H. — The  pigs,  some  of  which  have  become  blind  and 
throw  their  heads  up  into  the  air,  shake  all  over  and 
back  around  the  pen,  and  hold  their  noses  to  the 
ground  while  standing  still,  after  they  had  been  fed 
salted  buttermilk,  were  probably  made  so  by  the  salted 
buttermilk  and  not  by  the  corn  they  received. 
Responsibility  of  Veterinarians. — Subscriber.  Yes  ;  a 
veterinary  surgeon  is  responsible  for  all  losses  caused 
by  his  ignorance  or  malpractice. 
Starting  Currant  Cuttings. — J.  M.  M.,  Ontario. — Cut¬ 
tings  of  currant  and  gooseberry  may  be  made  in  the 
fall  or  spring — about  six  inches  long — and  firmly  im¬ 
bedded  in  mellow  soil  at  a  slight  angle  so  that  the  top 
of  the  cutting  will  be  about  even  with  the  top  of  the 
soil.  If  so  set  in  the  fall,  cover  with  a  mulch  of  coarse 
manure  or  litter  to  prevent  any  displacement  by  frost. 
We  are  not  aware  that  a  hot-bed  would  give  any  decided 
advantage.  Yes,  it  would  be  well  to  mulch  them  dur¬ 
ing  the  summer. 
Making  Pot  Cheese. — E.  L.,  Cheektowaga,  N.  Y. — Put 
your  clabbered  milk  in  a  kettle  on  the  stove.  When 
the  milk  and  whey  separate,  pour  them  into  a  jelly 
bag  and  hang  it  up  where  the  whey  can  drain  out. 
Then  season  the  curd  with  salt,  a  piece  of  butter  or 
rich  cream.  Mix  with  the  hand  and  make  into  small 
balls.  If  much  cream  is  used,  serve  in  a  dish. 
Taste  of  Apples. — A.  H.  T.,  Jamesport,  L.  I. — 1.  Yes, 
apples  grown  on  the  same  tree  distant  from  all  other 
trees  have  the  same  taste  though  it  is  modified  by  sun¬ 
light  or  the  lack  of  it,  thriftiness  of  growth,  size,  etc. 
A  Baldwin  is  always  a  Baldwin,  with  its  distinctive 
flavor,  but  it  may  be  vapid  or  intense,  or  both,  on  the 
same  tree.  2.  Yes,  Paris-green  will  ruin  potato  or 
any  other  foliage  when  sufficient  is  gathered  in  one 
spot.  As  used  in  spraying,  the  damage  is  not  worth 
mentioning.  The  “  green”  is  insoluble  in  water,  which 
only  serves  as  a  medium  for  scattering  the  particles  of 
poison  over  a  larger  surface  than  would  otherwise  be 
possible. 
“  Black  Knot." — W.  E.  E.,  Lamartine,  Ohio. — The 
“best  remedy ’’for  this  disease  on  plum  and  cherry 
trees  is  to  cut  off  and  burn  the  branches  as  soon  as  it 
is  discovered. 
Pop  Corn  Culture. — W.  M.  Waters,  Florence,  S.  C. — 
From  50  to  60  bushels  of  40  pounds  each  of  pop  corn 
may  be  raised  on  an  acre,  with  good  culture.  The 
price  ranges  from  two  to  three  cents  per  pound,  some¬ 
times  a  little  higher.  Seed  may  be  obtained  of  any 
seedsman,  but  it  is  often  more  or  less  mixed.  It 
requires  a  good  soil,  well  worked  and  it  must  be  kept 
until  it  is  dearly  a  year  old  before  it  is  marketed.  Mice 
must  be  kept  from  it — any  taint  is  ruinous.  It  may  be 
planted  a  little  closer  than  the  larger  field  corn.  The 
variety  known  as  Rice  Corn  is  among  the  best. 
