L892 
THE  RURAL  NEW-YORKER. 
773 
TWO  APPLES. 
The  McMahan  apple  originated  in  I860  from  seed  of 
the  Alexander  sown  by  the  late  Isaac  McMahan,  of 
Bloom,  Richland  County,  Wis.  It  was  introduced  by 
Freeborn  &  Hatch,  nurserymen  of  Ithaca,  Wisconsin, 
about  1873.  The  tree  resembles  the  Alexander  but 
branches  more  freely.  It  is  a  gross  feeder,  with 
very  strong,  spreading  roots,  and  on  rich  soil  is  some¬ 
what  inclined  to  blight,  but  on  medium  or  light  soils 
it  is  a  model  of  health  and  vigor.  It  is  very  productive 
and  bears  every  year.  In  hardiness  it  appears  to  be 
unsurpassed  by  any  American  seedling,  having  en¬ 
dured  without  material  injury  several  of  the  severest 
Wisconsin  winters.  It  is  now  pretty  well  dissemin¬ 
ated  through  Western  nurseries,  and  is  fruiting  in 
many  places.  Dr.  Hoskins  of  Vermont,  is  reported  to 
have  said  that  the  McMahan  is  the  only  Wisconsin 
seedling  thus  far  tested  by  him  that  iis  sufficiently 
hardy  for  his  climate.  It  is  rapidly  coming  to  the 
front  as  a  market  variety  in  Wisconsin,  and  is  proving 
successful  as  far  north  as  Sturgeon  Bay. 
The  rare  showiness  of  the  fruit  makes  the  McMahan 
a  very  salable  apple,  and  it  readily  brings  the  highest 
market  price  wherever  offered  for  sale.  At  the  last 
meeting  of  the  American  Pomologic al  Society,  a  plate 
of  fine  specimens  of  this  apple  was  conspicuous  above 
all  others  on  the  tables  for  its  large  size  and  beautiful 
appearance.  In  quality  it  is  generally  considered 
rather  acid  for  dessert  use,  but  when  fully  ripe  it  is 
decidedly  refreshing  to  those  who  are  fond  of  tart 
apples.  For  cooking  it  is  hardly  surpassed. 
This  apple  was  named  “  McMahan's  White”  by  the 
Richland  County  (Wis.)  Horticultural  Society  in  1870, 
but  common  parlance  has  abbreviated  tue  name  to 
“  McMahan”  (pronounced  Mack  Man)  and  as  such  ab- 
almost  melting.  Quality  very  good.  Thoroughly  ripe 
and  rather  past  its  prune  November  1.  The  cut  illus¬ 
trates  one  of  the  apples.  A  larger  one  sent  with  them 
measured  13%  inches  in  circumference  and  weighed 
just  one  pound.  Received  from  Prof.  Goff,  Madison, 
Wis.,  November  4.  See  half  section  at  Fig.  298. 
Newell’s  Winter  Apple. — From  E.  S.  Goff,  Madison, 
Wis.  Three  apples,  one  partially  rotten,  another 
partly  covered  with  scab  and  one  side  of  the  apple  ill 
shapen  and  smaller  than  the  other.  Flesh  nearly 
white,  tough,  sub-acid.  Not  fully  ripe.  Surfacegreen 
with  a  broad  patch  of  crimson.  Stem  short,  calyx 
nearly  closed  in  an  irregular,  rather  narrow  basin. 
See  half  section  at  Fig.  299. — Eds.  R.  N.-Y. 
AN  EXPERIMENT  FARM  THAT  PAYS. 
FIRE  CAN’T  BURN  UP  A  DAIRY  EXPERIMENT. 
Cows  With  out  a  Pasture. 
[EDITORIAL  CORRESPONDENCE.] 
A  representative  of  The  Rural  New-Yorker  re¬ 
cently  paid  a  brief  visit  to  the  New  Jersey  Agricul¬ 
tural  College  Experiment  Station  at  New  Brunswick. 
The  station  and  college  are  closely  related  to  Rutgers 
College,  the  three  forming  a  sort  of  composite  family, 
devoted  to  the  cause  of  education,  varying  only  in  the 
specific  ends  to  be  obtained.  Prof.  B.  C.  Sears,  Super¬ 
intendent  of  the  College  Farm,  has  been  in  charge  of 
it  about  five  years.  About  the  first  of  January,  1889, 
he  began  his  somewhat  noted  experiment  with  the 
different  breeds  of  dairy  cows.  It  was  interrupted  in 
November,  1890,  by  a  fire  which  destroyed  the  entire 
herd  with  the  buildiugs.  These  experiments  were  in¬ 
tended  to  demonstrate  the  cost  and  value  of  the  pro¬ 
ducts  of  the  different  breeds  of  dairy  cattle,  and  it  was 
thought  they  would  extend  over  a  period  of  from  two 
eludes  the  determination  of  specific  gravity,  total 
solids,  fat,  casein  and  albumen,  sugar  and  mineral 
constituents.  These  results  are  tabulated  and  an  av¬ 
erage  is  made  at  the  end  of  every  month.  The  daily 
records  made  at  the  farm,  giving-  the  yields  of  milk 
and  the  food  consumed  by  each  cow,  are  sent  to  the 
laboratory  at  least  once  each  week  and  are  filed  for 
reference.  At  the  end  of  the  month  these  records  are 
tabulated.  The  milk  from  which  the  samples  on 
Monday  are  taken  is  used  for  the  experiment  in  butter 
making.  For  this,  the  milk  is  placed  in  Cooley  cream¬ 
ers  and  after  standing  about  24  ho  rs,  the  skimmed 
milk  is  drawn  off.  A  weighed  portion  of  the  cream  is 
allowed  to  ripen,  and  is  then  churned.  Samples  of  the 
skimmed  milk,  buttermilk  and  butter  are  sent  to  the 
chemist  and  the  percentage  of  butter  fat  in  each  is 
determined.  The  records  kept  for  this  experiment 
contain  all  the  necessary  data  required  for  a  complete 
knowledge  of  every  step  taken  from  the  time  the  milk 
is  tested  to  the  time  the  butter  is  made  and  delivered 
at  the  laboratory.  These  records  are  also  preserved 
and  tabulated  by  the  chemist.” 
•  How  many  cows  have  you  in  your  dairy,  including 
those  of  the  experiment?” 
“We  have  36.  Our  milk  is  sold  in  New  Brunswick.” 
“  How  many  acres  are  there  in  your  college  farm  ?  ” 
“  About  97.  The  farm,  I  am  glad  to  be  able  to  say, 
is  self-supporting.  We  have  four  students  in  the 
scientific  school  who  pay  for  their  board  by  labor,  and 
we  employ  four  others,  including  the  milkman.” 
“  Are  you  doing  any  other  experimental  work  ?  ” 
“  Just  at  present,  I  am  trying  a  feeding  experiment 
with  two  lots  of  Cheshire  pigs.  I  took  two  lots  of 
four  each,  which  weighed  the  same,  within  one 
pound,  at  the  beginning,  and  am  feeding  them  as  fol- 
Nf.well’s  Winter  Apple.  Half  Section.  Fig.  299. 
breviations  are  favored  by  the  nomenclature  com¬ 
mittee  of  the  American  Bornological  Society,  it  is  well 
that  the  shorter  name  be  adopted.  The  name  has 
often  been  incorrectly  spelled  McMahon. 
The  McMahan  apple  is  in  season  from  the  middle  of 
October  until  Christmas.  In  a  good  cellar  it  is  not 
difficult  to  keep  it  until  February. 
The  Newell  apple  originated  on  the  farm  of  Mr. 
Orange  Newell,  in  the  town  of  Fairfield,  Sauk  County, 
Wis., 'about  50  years  ago,  from  seed  brought  from  New 
York.  It  was  first  brought  to  notice  by  Joseph 
Shrouds,  of  Baraboo,  Wis.,  and  was  afterward  propa¬ 
gated  and  introduced  by  a  brother  named  John.  It 
has  been  pretty  well  tested  in  Wisconsin  and  to  some 
extent  in  Minnesota,  and  is  regarded  by  some  as  the 
best  native  Wisconsin  winter  apple.  The  f^uit  bears 
considerable  resemblance  to  that  of  Perry  Russet,  of 
which  it  may  be  a  seedling.  The  Newell  keeps  well 
through  the  winter,  and  is  excellent  both  for  cooking 
and  dessert  use. 
This  apple  was  first  named  “Orange  Winter”  by  the 
Wisconsin  State  Horticultural  Society,  and  has  been 
chiefly  disseminated  under  that  name.  More  recently 
the  name  was  changed  by  the  Baraboo  Horticultural 
Society  to  “Newell’s  Winter.”  The  authority  of  a 
local  horticultural  society  to  change  a  name  adopted 
by  a  State  society  has  been  much  questioned,  and  the 
change  of  name  is,  on  the  whole,  to  be  regretted.  In 
the  last  report  of  the  Wisconsin  State  society,  however, 
the  name  is  printed  as  “  Newell.”  E.  S.  GOFF. 
Wisconsin  Experiment  Station. 
McMahan’s  White. — Grown  by  Q.  L.  Hatch,  Ithaca, 
Wis,  Fruit  large  to  very  large.  Calyx  partially  open, 
set  in  a  deep  cavity,  sometimes  a  little  corrugated. 
Stem  short  and  rather  stout,  set  in  deep,  narrow  and 
more  or  less  russeted  basin-  Skin  white  or  pale  lemon 
yellow,  more  or  less  marbled  or  splashed  with  red 
in  the  sun.  Flesh  white,  fine-grained,  acid,  tender  and 
to  four  years.  Breeders’  associations  representing  the 
Ayrshire,  Guernsey.  IIolstein-Friesian,  Jersey  and 
Shorn-horn  breeds  became  interested  and  furnished 
the  cattle  for  the  experiment.  The  following  points 
are  those  which  it  was  intended  to  elucidate  : 
1.  To  keep  an  exact  dally  record  of  the  food  consumed  and  the 
milk  produced. 
2.  To  determine  the  average  composition  of  the  milk  by  studying 
the  variations  likely  to  occu-  in  the  quality  of  the  milk  of  individual 
animals  and  herds  of  the  different  breeds  under  tbe  conditions  of  sea¬ 
son  that  exist  throughout  the  year,  and  during  the  different  periods 
Of  lactation  of  the  ani  •  als 
3.  To  study  the  fooa  value  of  the  milk,  and  the  adaptability  of  that 
Of  the  different  breeds  to  the  various  purposes  of  the  dairy. 
4.  To  study  the  comparative  cost  of  the  actual  food  compounds  in 
the  milk  produced  and  ne  most  economical  utilization  of  those  from 
the  different  breeds. 
5.  o  study  tne  relative  value  of  the  breeds  represented,  in  refer¬ 
ence  to  the  economical  use  of  coarse  farm  products. 
It  will  be  seen  tliat  this  experiment,  when  com¬ 
pleted,  will  be  of  very  great  value  and  will  furnish  a 
large  amount  of  1  mportant  data. 
Managing  A  Milk  Experiment. 
“When  did  you  get  your  experiment  under  way  the 
second  time?”  said  The  Rural  to  Prof.  Sears. 
“We  got  fairly  under  headway  on  the  first  of  Jan¬ 
uary  1892,  when  we  began  making  an  analysis  of 
milk.” 
“  Were  the  cattle  furnished  a  second  time  by  the 
representatives  of  the  breeds  ?  " 
“The  Guernsey  men  requested  to  do  so.  The  others 
were  purchased,  the  insurance  money  being  used  for 
that  purpose.  I  have  added  a  group  of  natives  to  the 
experiment.” 
“  Will  you  tell  me  briefly  as  to  the  work  you  are 
doing  ?  ” 
“Certainly.  Six  samples  of  milk  representing  the  six 
breeds  in  the  experiment,  are  taken  to  the  chemist  on 
Monday,  Wednesday  and  Friday  of  each  week.  A 
comDlete  analysis  of  each  sample  is  made,  which  in- 
lows  :  Lot  number  one  are  fed  on  the  following  mix¬ 
ture:  25  pounds  of  middlings,  33  pounds  of  glucose 
meal  and  42  pounds  of  corn  meal.  Lot  number  two 
have  a  mixture  composed  of  33%  pounds  of  middlings 
and  66%  pounds  of  corn  meal.  I  shall  feed  them  and 
weigh  them  at  regular  intervals,  until  they  will  weigh 
from  100  to  120  pounds  each,  when  they  will  be 
slaughtered  and  the  cost  per  pound  of  the  pork  be  cal¬ 
culated,  and  observations  as  to  its  quality  made.” 
A  Lack  of  Pasture  Land. 
“  I  take  it  that  you  have  not  very  much  land  for 
pasture.” 
“Not  much — we  soil  almost  all  the  season.  We 
have  green  rye  first  in  the  season,  but  next  year  we 
hope  to  have  Scarlet  Clover  a  little  earlier.  The  rye 
lasts  from  May  1st  to  the  15th,  and  we  follow  it  with 
wheat  which  stands  us  until  about  the  25th.  After 
this  come  Italian  and  Rye  Grasses,  then  Orchard 
Grass,  and  about  June  10th  the  Red  Clover  is  available, 
which  lasts  until  July  1st  or  a  little  later.  Oats  and 
peas  come  about  July  10th  and  last  until  August  l.*> 
and  by  that  time  our  eight-rowed  corn  v>  be¬ 
ginning  to  ear  nicely.  After  this  ccwies  the  dent  corn, 
then  later  planted  corn  and  oecond  crop  clover.” 
“  How  do  you  grew  your  oats  and  peas  ?” 
“We  apply  about  10  loads  of  stable  manure  on  the 
acre,  spreading  it  with  Kemp’s  spreader  and  then 
plow  it  under.  The  peas — Canada  field  peas — are 
sowed  broadcast  and  covered  with  a  weighted  Acme 
harrow  or  a  two-horse  cultivator.  On  this  we  sow  the 
oats  and  cover  with  a  smoothing  harrow.  I  think  this 
is  one  of  the  very  best  soiling  or  ensilage  crops,  iorm- 
ing  by  itself  a  well-balanced  ration.” 
“  Do  you  grow  roots  ?” 
“  Yes,  we  grow  quite  largely  of  carrots,  mangels, 
turnips,  etc.  That  field  of  wheat  which  you  see  has 
its  third  crop  started  for  the  season.  I  grew  a  crop  of 
