1892 
THE  RURAL  NEW-YORKER. 
557 
nose  is  a  fungoid  disease  attacking  the  tender  growing 
wood  of  grapes,  raspberries,  etc.  Fenugreek  is  a 
leguminous  herb  very  like  Medicago  or  Lucerne  in  its 
habits.  The  naml  means  Greek  liay  and  was  given  to 
the  plant  by  the  ancients  who  used  it  as  fodder  for 
cattle.  In  India  the  fresh  plant  is  used  as  an  esculent. 
It  bears  a  sickle-shaped  pod  containing  from  10  to  20 
seeds  from  which  six  per  cent  of  fetid,  fatty  oil  can  be 
extracted  by  ether.  The  seed  is  an  ingredient  in  curry 
powders  and  is  used  for  flavoring  cattle  foods.  It  was 
formerly  used  as  a  medicine  for  human  beings  and  is 
still  highly  valued  in  veterinary  practice. 
The  Life  of  the  House  Fly. 
J.  C.  S.,  Aiken,  S.  C. — What  is  the  average  life  of  the 
common  house  fly,  and  what  becomes  of  the  pests 
after  death,  as  we  rarely  see  a  fly  dead  from  natural 
causes  ? 
Ans. — The  common  house  fly  (Musca  domestica) 
breeds  mainly  in  horse  manure,  and  the  larvae  are 
small,  white  maggots.  The  life  of  the  flies  is  less  than 
a  year,  but  they  breed  all  summer,  and  many  of  the 
late  crop  secure  comfortable  quarters  in  warmed 
rooms  and  so  get  through  the  winter.  We  see  very 
many  dead  flies  here  when  the  freezing  weather  comes. 
A  Rotation  for  Poultry  Keeping-. 
.7.  G.  B.,  Peekskill,  N.  Y. — My  place  is  about  27  acres 
— ultimate  object  a  chicken  farm.  Woods,  orchard 
and  land  for  chicken  houses  occupy  15  acres.  The  re¬ 
mainder  of  the  land  is  expected  to  grow  clover,  cab¬ 
bages,  potatoes  and  turnips  for  the  chickens,  and 
fodder  corn  for  the  cows.  There  are  400  chickens,  three 
cows  and  a  horse  at  present.  The  chickens  will  be 
increased  till  there  are  2,000  or  more  hens.  The  land 
to  be  cultivated  may  be  thus  described  :  plot  1  (five 
acres)  plowed  this  season  but  under  weeds  only  ;  plot 
2(1%  acre)  in  grass,  run  out  and  full  of  weeds  ;  plot  3 
(five  acres)  pasture,  poor  grass,  many  weeds;  plot  4 
(one-half  acre)  is  “the  garden,”  plowed  this  year, 
weeds  alone  growing.  All  the  land  is  said  to  be 
fertile,  but  I  think  none  of  it  has  recently  had  much 
manure.  What  should  be  done  now,  late  in  the  season 
as  it  is,  to  put  these  plots  in  the  best  possible  train  for 
crops  to  come  ?  Can  the  cows  be  well  maintained 
eventually  with  no  pasture,  but  confined  in  the  barn 
winters  and  in  a  shed  summers,  fed  only  fodder  corn 
(grown  here)  and  feed  and  grain  (bought)  ? 
Ans. — If  the  place  were  ours,  we  should  proceed  about 
as  follows,  assuming  that  the  land  is  fairly  level  and 
naturally  fertile,  and  that  there  is  capital  enough  to 
do  what  is  needed.  There  are  11%  acres  on  which  to 
grow  potatoes,  clover,  corn,  cabbage  and  turnips.  If 
this  land  were  all  together,  you  could  eventually  work 
into  this  rotation  :  potatoes,  corn  and  rye,  each  two 
acres;  clover,  four  acres  (two  years’  cutting),  and  one 
each  to  cabbage  and  turnips.  We  should  add  the  rye, 
because  it  will  insure  a  better  seeding  crop  for  the 
clover,  and  will  give  the  first  bite  of  green  for  the  cows 
in  spring  and  provide  green  food  for  them  until  the 
clover  and  fodder  corn  are  ready.  In  this  rotation  you 
should  use  all  the  hen  manure  on  the  corn  and  cab¬ 
bage  and  fertilizers  on  th3  potatoes.  Or,  you  could  set 
out  late  cabbage  on  clover  sod,  plowed  and  well  fined, 
at  once  after  cutting,  or  sow  the  turnips  in  the  earliest 
cut  fodder  corn.  By  obtaining  these  second  crops,  you 
will  have  more  space  for  the  potatoes,  corn,  rye  and 
clover.  This  is  what  we  should  aim  to  do  in  the  future, 
but  what  about  the  present  ?  First,  plot  1 :  work  this 
carefully  over  with  an  Acme  or  Cutaway  harrow  (if  the 
latter,  followed  by  a  smoothing  harrow)  till  the  weeds 
are  well  worked  in.  Then  sow  rye  over  the  whole 
piece,  using  400  pounds  of  a  complete,  high-grade  fer¬ 
tilizer  to  the  acre.  Plow  plot  2,  if  you  can,  before  the 
weeds  go  to  seed.  Plow  plot  4  in  the  same  way,  and 
run  the  mower  over  plot  3,  clipping  off  the  weeds  and 
coarse  grass.  When  these  are  dry,  if  possible,  rake 
and  burn  them,  scattering  the  ashes  evenly  over  the 
field.  In  the  spring  you  will  have  five  acres  of  rye. 
On  2%  acres  of  this  put  clover  seed  in  the  usual  way. 
Cut  green  rye  on  the  other  half  of  the  piece  to  feed  the 
cows  from  day  to  day.  Cut  the  balance  before  it  heads, 
and  cure  like  hay  for  cow  feed  ;  then  at  once  plow  and 
fine  the  ground,  and  plant  to  potatoes,  using  at  least 
1,000  pounds  of  a  high-grade  potato  fertilizer.  In  usual 
practice  you  should  plant  your  potatoes  earlier  than 
this,  and  you  can  do  so  after  your  rotation  is  fully  es¬ 
tablished.  On  plot  2  (1%  acre)  sow  oats,  using  300 
pounds  of  fertilizer  on  the  plot.  This  will  keep  the 
weeds  down.  Cut  the  oats  in  the  “  milk  stage,’ or 
when  the  grain  is  soft  and  milky,  and  cure  the  same 
as  hay.  This  will  give  the  finest  horse  feed.  After 
the  oats  are  cut,  plow  at  once,  work  up  fine  and  set 
out  cabbage  plants,  using  all  the  hen  manure  you  have, 
broadcasted  and  harrowed  in.  Plow  plot  3  in  the 
spring,  and  apply  all  the  hen  manure  you  have  then. 
Plant  to  corn — three  acres  to  fodder  and  two  in  hills. 
Cultivate  carefully  and  keep  the  weeds  well  killed 
down.  Either  cut  one  acre  and  work  up  the  land 
early  enough  to  sow  turnips,  or  sow  the  seed  between 
the  rows  at  a  late  cultivating  and  rake  it  into  the  soil. 
Then,  as  you  cut  off  the  fodder  corn,  the  turnips  will 
come  up  nicely.  Let  the  corn  in  hills  mature,  using 
the  grain  for  the  hens  and  the  stalks  for  cows  and 
horses.  Now  you  are  ready  to  work  into  the  rota¬ 
tion.  Sow  rye  on  the  potato  ground.  Next  spring 
plow  2%  acres  of  the  corn  ground,  and  plant  potatoes 
early  with  plenty  of  fertilizer  ;  also  sow  clover  seed 
on  the  rye,  and  plant  corn  on  the  cabbage  ground  and 
on  the  acre  where  the  turnips  grew.  Put  oats  on 
the  other  1%  acre  of  plot  3.  Use  as  before  the 
hen  manure  on  cabbage  and  corn.  Plow  in  the  oat 
stubble  for  cabbage  and  sow  turnips  in  the  corn 
as  before.  At  the  end  of  this  year  you  will  have  2% 
acres  of  clover,  2%  of  rye  (seeded  to  clover),  2%  acres 
of  potatoes,  2%  of  corn,  1%  of  cabbage  and  an  acre  of 
turnips  as  a  second  crop.  Now  keep  on  following  the 
corn  with  potatoes  and  the  potatoes  with  rye  seeded 
to  clover — cutting  the  latter  two  years.  You  can  drop 
out  the  oats  and  set  the  cabbages  on  clover  sod,  and 
so  arrange  the  size  of  your  crops  as  to  make  the  land 
fit  them.  This  is  simply  our  own  suggestion  without 
seeing  the  land.  A  personal  investigation  might  sug¬ 
gest  a  better  plan.  We  should  keep  the  hen  manure 
well  sprinkled  with  plaster  and  remove  it  frequently 
to  a  tight,  dry  building.  With  such  a  quantity  it  will 
probably  pay  you  to  buy  a  small  mill  and  grind  the 
dry  manure  as  fine  as  possible  before  applying  it 
The  cows  can  be  kept  without  a  large  pasture  but 
should  always  have  a  good-sized  yard  in  which  to  exer¬ 
cise.  It  will  probably  pay  you  to  build  a  small  silo. 
Mr.  Hart,  of  Poughkeepsie,  has  told  our  readers  of  his 
great  success  with  Prickly  Comfrey  as  an  early  soiling 
crop. 
A  Selection  of  Small  Fruits. 
A.  S.  A  ,  Hillside,  Illinois. — I  wish  to  plant  20  acres 
in  small  fruits  next  spring — currants,  blackberries, 
strawberries,  gooseberries.  I  wish  only  hardy  kinds, 
What  is  a  list  of  the  best  kinds  for  a  home  market  ? 
Ans. — Currants :  Fay’s  Prolific  and  Red  Dutch. 
Blackberries  :  Snyder,  Agawam,  Ancient  Briton. 
Strawberries:  The  list  is  a  long  one  and  should  be 
largely  influenced  by  your  observations  as  to  which 
varieties  do  best  in  your  section.  Among  the  older 
varieties  of  value  are  Cumberland,  Triumph,  Sharpless, 
Gandy,  Kirkwood  and  Downing.  Some  later  ones  are 
Bubach,  Haverland  and  Parker  Earle.  There  are  a 
number  of  newer  sorts  of  value,  which  may  be  offered 
soon,  such  as  Brandywine,  Timbrell,  Lovett’s  Early, 
Jucunda  Improved  and  Iowa  Beauty.  Gooseberries  : 
The  Columbus  gooseberry  is  a  promising  new  sort,  to 
be  had  of  Ellwanger  &  Barry.  We  understand  that 
the  Storrs  &  Harrison  Co.,  of  Painesville,  Ohio,  have  a 
valuable  new  seedling  which  they  are  about  to  intro¬ 
duce.  Among  the  old  sorts  the  Downing  (large)  and 
Houghton  (small)  are  hardy  and  productive. 
Keep  Superphosphate  Away  from  Lime. 
J.  B.  D.,  Mt.  Morris,  Pa. — I  am  covering  my  ground 
(after  plowing)  with  freshly  burned  lime  for  wheat. 
Would  it  be  advisable  to  drill  in  phosphate  with  the 
wheat  ?  Do  lime  and  stable  manure  do  well  mixed  ? 
Ans. — It  is  an  old  and  good  practice  in  your  locality 
to  lime  the  land  after  plowing  in  manure  for  wheat, 
to  be  followed  by  clover  or  grass.  And  the  recent  dis¬ 
coveries  of  the  nitrogen  bacterium  which  is  now 
known  to  be  concerned  in  the  development  of  organ¬ 
ized  nitrogenous  matters  in  the  soil,  especially  in  con¬ 
nection  with  clover,  go  to  show  that  a  certain  quantity 
of  lime  in  the  soil  is  indispensable  for  this  action  of  the 
organism.  The  common  objection  that  lime  causes  a 
waste  of  ammonia  from  the  manure  has  no  applica¬ 
tion,  for  there  is  no  ammonia  to  speak  of  in  fresh 
manure,  and  if  there  should  be,  the  soil  would  hold 
and  retain  where  it  will  do  the  most  good  all  the 
ammonia  there  may  be  in  it.  But  in  regard  to  the  use 
of  superphosphate  on  limed  land,  it  is  only  necessary 
to  know  the  nature  of  this  fertilizer  to  be  certain  that 
it  is  not  advisable  ;  and  for  this  reason:  superphosphate 
is  made  <of  common  phosphate,  which  is  made  up  of 
three  parts  of  lime  with  one  of  phosphoric  acid.  This 
is  called  tri-basic  phosphate.  This  is  treated  with  sul¬ 
phuric  acid  by  which  two  parts  of  the  lime  are  dis¬ 
solved  out  of  it,  and,  uniting  with  the  acid,  form 
sulphate  of  lime.  Then  we  have  what  is  called  a 
mono-basic  phosphate,  and  this,  from  the  treble  pro¬ 
portion  of  phosphoric  acid  in  it,  is  known  as  super¬ 
phosphate.  But  this  mono-basic  phosphate  has  a 
strong  affinity  for  the  two  parts  of  lime  which  it  has 
lost,  and  when  it  comes  in  contact  with  any  lime  in 
the  soil,  it  takes  these  two  parts  back,  and  reverts  to 
its  previous  condition  of  a  tri-basic  phosphate.  But 
this  is  not  soluble  as  the  superphosphate  is,  and  con¬ 
sequently  it  has  no  effect  that  is  apparent  on  the 
crop.  Thus  much  disappointment  ensues,  and  farmers 
quite  frequently  complain  under  these  circumstances 
that  the  fertilizer  is  no  good,  as  indeed  is  true,  but  it 
is  the  fault  of  the  farmer  himself  who  has  spoiled  it, 
by  using  lime  with  it,  or  using  it  on  land  that  has  been 
recently  limed.  This  fact  is  of  present  interest  to 
many  farmers.  H.  stewart. 
An  Aborting:  Cow ;  Damages  for  Selling  Her. 
S.  G.,  Ottawa,  Kan. — What  can  I  do  to  get  a  cow  to 
breed  that  aborted  her  calf  in  July,  1890,  then  came 
in  heat  the  seventh  day  and  again  in  September,  but 
was  not  bred,  and  has  never  been  in  heat  since,  though 
she  runs  with  the  bull  ?  2.  What  can  be  done  to  get 
in  calf  a  cow  that  comes  in  heat  regularly  and  is  ap¬ 
parently  all  right  in  every  way,  but  fails  to  get  in  calf  ? 
She  has  raised  three  calves.  3.  Is  a  party  liable  for 
damages  who  sells  a  cow,  saying,  “  She  was  bred  three 
months  ago,  and  has  not  been  in  heat  since,  and  I 
don’t  think  there  is  a  particle  of  doubt  that  she  is  in 
calf  ;  she  has  raised  three  calves,”  and  the  cow  is  not 
in  calf  and  will  not  breed  ? 
Ans. — 1.  It  is  most  probable  that  this  cow  will  be 
permanently  barren.  Medicine  has  sometimes  a  good 
effect  in  stimulating  the  ovaries  to  action,  and  restor¬ 
ing  the  function,  but  it  would  seem  that  these  organs 
have  become  abortive,  and  are  past  recovery.  2. 
This  is  a  case  of  excessive  excitement  of  the  ovaries, 
and  is  sometimes  a  symptom  of  tuberculosis.  In  such 
cases  where  there  is  no  organic  diseases,  favorable  re¬ 
sults  have  come  from  repeated  doses  of  a  cooling  laxa 
tive,  as  Epsom  salts,  and  reducing  the  feed,  and,  after 
the  excitement  has  been  allayed,  trying  again.  3.  No 
person  is  liable  for  damages  when  there  has  been  no 
misrepresentation.  When  the  actual  facts  only  are 
mentioned,  with  a  reasonable  expression  of  opinion  on 
them,  as  in  this  case,  there  can  be  no  claim  for  dam¬ 
ages.  It  is  one  of  those  accidents  of  trade  to  which  all 
persons  are  subject.  If  a  buyer  is  particular  and 
shrewd,  he  usually  exacts  a  guarantee  from  the  seller, 
and  then  he  is  safe.  Of  course,  a  guarantee  given  for 
a  stated  consideration,  but  not  otherwise,  is  binding 
on  the  seller.  But  there  must  be  an  actual  considera¬ 
tion  for  it  in  addition  to  the  purchase  price.  One  cent 
is  sufficient. 
A  Problem  in  Drainage. 
W.  H.  J.,  Edgewood,  Pa. — I  have  a  piece  of  ground 
about  25  yards  square,  underlaid  with  quicksands  at  a 
depth  of  about  two  feet.  I  have  laid  tile  through  it  to 
the  main  spring,  and  branch  drains  about  eight  feet 
apart,  but  these  do  not  dry  the  ground;  sand  works  in 
and  fills  the  tiles  in  a  few  days  after  they  have  been 
laid  and  does  not  wash  out.  After  leaving  the  swampy 
ground  a  few  yards,  water  finds  its  way  to  the  main 
tiles  and  passes  away  all  right,  leaving  the  ground 
dry.  How  should  it  be  treated  ? 
Ans. — This  case  is  not  an  uncommon  one,  and  yet 
for  want  of  more  certain  information  it  is  not  easy  to 
give  a  satisfactory  reply  to  your  question.  The  fol¬ 
lowing  suggestions,  however,  may  be  made.  The  plot 
may  be  drained  by  running  around  it  instead  of 
through  it,  and  so  the  water  that  now  flows  into  it 
may  be  cut  off  ;  or  the  tiles  may  be  laid  in  and  covered 
with  sawdust  or  coarse  hay,  that  will  prevent  the  sand 
from  getting  into  them.  If  the  tiles  are  in  danger  of 
sinking  in  the  sand,  they  may  be  laid  on  hemlock 
boards,  which  will  last  many  years  if  kept  constantly 
wet,  and  then  they  may  be  covered  with  the  sawdust 
or  hay.  It  is  quite  possible,  and  even  probable,  that* 
by  digging  a  sort  of  well  through  the  sand,  a  porous 
layer  may  be  found  through  which  the  water  from 
this  plot  will  drain  off. 
About  the  “Green  Goods”  Men. 
B.  T.,  San  Juan  County,  Washington. — Why  does  The 
Rural  try  so  hard  to  save  the  dishonest  from  loss  by 
continually  warning  them  against  green-goods  swind¬ 
lers  ?  Those  who  would  rob  others  with  counterfeit 
money  deserve  to  be  robbed. 
Ans. — We  do  not  try  to  save  any  dishonest  people. 
Those  who  are  duped  by  the  “  green  goods  ”  men  de¬ 
serve  to  lose  all  they  lose.  It  often  happens  that  these 
scoundrels  get  hold  of  the  name  of  a  worthy  and  hon¬ 
est  man  to  whom  they  mail  their  insulting  circulars. 
Such  men  naturally  think  the  green-goods  men  know 
all  about  them,  and  are  prepared  to  follow  up  this 
circular  with  robbery  or  worse.  We  seek  to  assure 
them  that  there  is  no  danger.  These  scamps  send 
their  circulars  to  all  the  addresses  they  can  pick  up, 
and  know  nothing  personally  about  the  parties  who 
receive  them.  There  is  no  danger  of  trouble  to  those 
who  burn  up  the  circulars  as  soon  as  received 
Miscellaneous. 
Onions  in  Salt. — J.  S.  A.,  Topeka,  Kans. — As  to  your 
question:  “Would  salting  large  onions  after  they 
have  been  pulled  prevent  their  growing  when  stored 
away  for  winter  or  injure  setts  for  spring  planting,’’ 
we  have  had  no  experience.  Can  any  of  our  readers 
give  any  facts  in  relation  to  this  matter  ? 
Max,  Sing  Sing,  N.  Y. — To  obtain  information  about 
the  agricultural  lands  of  the  various  States  address  a 
letter  to  the  Commissioner  of  Agriculture  at  the  capital 
of  each  State  you  desire  the  facts  about.  Ask  for  a 
copy  of  the  Commissioner’s  report. 
